She swept over him a blinding look of reproach.
"How could I?"
And there, upon the steps of the church, in the sudden, dazzling vision of her love, fell the burden of him who had made his sorrowful pilgrimage across Main Street bridge that morning.
A manifold rustling followed them as they went down the aisle, and the sibilance of many whisperings;but Joe was not conscious of that, as he took his place in Ariel's pew beside her.For him there was only the presence of divinity; the church was filled with it.
They rose to sing:
"Ancient of days, Who sittest, throned in glory, To Thee all knees are bent, all voices pray;Thy love has blest the wide world's wondrous story With light and life since Eden's dawning day."And then, as they knelt to pray, there were the white heads of the three old friends of Eskew Arp;and beyond was the silver hair of Martin Pike, who knelt beside his daughter.Joe felt that people should be very kind to the Judge.
The sun, so eager without, came temperately through the windows, where stood angels and saints in gentle colors, and the face of the young minister in this quiet light was like the faces in the windows....
"Not only to confront your enemies," he said;"that is not enough; nor is it that I would have you bluster at them, nor take arms against them; you will not have to do that if, when they come at you, you do not turn one inch aside, but with an assured heart, with good nature, not noisily, and with steadfastness, you keep on your way.If you can do that, I say that they will turn aside for you, and you shall walk straight through them, and only laughter be left of their anger!"There was a stir among the people, and many faces turned toward Joe.Two years ago he had sat in the same church, when his character and actions had furnished the underlying theme of a sermon, and he had recognized himself without difficulty: to-day he had not the shadow of a dream that the same thing was happening.He thought the people were turning to look at Ariel, and he was very far from wondering at that.