还乡The Return Of The Native-第87节

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The　manding　elevation　of　Rainbarrow　had　been　chosen　for　two　reasons：　first；　that　it　occupied　a　central　position　among　the　remote　cottages　around；　secondly；　that　the　preacher　thereon　could　be　seen　from　all　adjacent　points　as　soon　as　he　arrived　at　his　post；　the　view　of　him　being　thus　a　convenient　signal　to　those　stragglers　who　wished　to　draw　near。　　The　speaker　was　bareheaded；　and　the　breeze　at　each　waft　gently　lifted　and　lowered　his　hair；　somewhat　too　thin　for　a　man　of　his　years；　these　still　numbering　less　than　thirty…three。　　He　wore　a　shade　over　his　eyes；　and　his　face　was　pensive　and　lined；　but；　though　these　bodily　features　were　marked　with　decay　there　was　no　defect　in　the　tones　of　his　voice；　which　were　rich；　musical；　and　stirring。　　He　stated　that　his　discourses　to　people　were　to　be　sometimes　secular；　and　sometimes　religious；　but　never　dogmatic；　and　that　his　texts　would　be　taken　from　all　kinds　of　books。　　This　afternoon　the　words　were　as　follows：
“’And　the　king　rose　up　to　meet　her；　and　bowed　himself　unto　her；　and　sat　down　on　his　throne；　and　caused　a　seat　to　be　set　for　the　king’s　mother；　and　she　sat　on　his　right　hand。　　Then　she　said；　I　desire　one　small　petition　of　thee；
I　pray　thee　say　me　not　nay。　　And　the　king　said　unto　her；　Ask；　on；　my　mother：　for　I　will　not　say　thee　nay。’”

Yeobright　had；　in　fact；　found　his　vocation　in　the　career　of　an　itinerant　open…air　preacher　and　lecturer　on　morally　unimpeachable　subjects；　and　from　this　day　he　laboured　incessantly　in　that　office；　speaking　not　only　in　simple　language　on　Rainbarrow　and　in　the　hamlets　round；　but　in　a　more　cultivated　strain　elsewhere—from　the　steps　and　porticoes　of　town　halls；　from　market…crosses；　from　conduits；　on　esplanades　and　on　wharves；　from　the　parapets　of　bridges；　in　barns　and　outhouses；　and　all　other　such　places　in　the　neighbouring　Wessex　towns　and　villages。　　He　left　alone　creeds　and　systems　of　philosophy；　finding　enough　and　more　than　enough　to　occupy　his　tongue　in　the　opinions　and　actions　mon　to　all　good　men。　　Some　believed　him；　and　some　believed　not；　some　said　that　his　words　were　monplace；　others　plained　of　his　want　of　theological　doctrine；　while　others　again　remarked　that　it　was　well　enough　for　a　man　to　take　to　preaching　who　could　not　see　to　do　anything　else。　　But　everywhere　he　was　kindly　received；　for　the　story　of　his　life　had　bee　generally　known。


**End　of　the　Project　Gutenberg　Etext　of　Return　of　the　Native　by　Hardy**