Itlookedasifithadbeenbuiltofdiscardedthings,scrapsandfragmentsofotherbuildings,puttogetherwithcareandpains,bysomeonewhohadtriedtomakethemostofcast-offmaterial。
Therewassomethingpitifulandshamefacedaboutthehut。
Itshrankanddroopedandfadedinitsbarrenfield,andseemedtoclingonlybysufferancetotheedgeofthesplendidcity。
\"This,\"saidtheKeeperoftheGate,standingstillandspeakingwithalow,distinctvoice——\"thisisyourmansion,JohnWeightman。\"
Analmostintolerableshockofgrievedwonderandindignationchokedthemanforamomentsothathecouldnotsayaword。
Thenheturnedhisfaceawayfromthepoorlittlehutandbegantoremonstrateeagerlywithhiscompanion。
\"Surely,sir,\"hestammered,\"youmustbeinerroraboutthis。
Thereissomethingwrong——someotherJohnWeightman——aconfusionofnames——thebookmustbemistaken。\"
\"Thereisnomistake,\"saidtheKeeperoftheGate,verycalmly;
\"hereisyourname,therecordofyourtitleandyourpossessionsinthisplace。\"
\"Buthowcouldsuchahousebepreparedforme,\"criedtheman,witharesentfultremorinhisvoice——\"forme,aftermylongandfaithfulservice?Isthisasuitablemansionforonesowellknownanddevoted?Whyisitsopitifullysmallandmean?
Whyhaveyounotbuiltitlargeandfair,liketheothers?\"
\"Thatisallthematerialyousentus。\"
\"What!\"
\"Wehaveusedallthematerialthatyousentus,\"repeatedtheKeeperoftheGate。
\"NowIknowthatyouaremistaken,\"criedtheman,withgrowingearnestness,\"forallmylifelongIhavebeendoingthingsthatmusthavesuppliedyouwithmaterial。HaveyounotheardthatIhavebuiltaschool-house;thewingofahospital;two——yes,three——smallchurches,andthegreaterpartofalargeone,thespireofSt。Petro——\"
TheKeeperoftheGateliftedhishand。
\"Wait,\"hesaid;\"weknowallthesethings。Theywerenotilldone。
ButtheywereallmarkedandusedasfoundationforthenameandmansionofJohnWeightmanintheworld。Didyounotplanthemforthat?\"
\"Yes,\"answeredtheman,confusedandtakenaback,\"IconfessthatIthoughtoftenoftheminthatway。Perhapsmyheartwassetuponthattoomuch。Butthereareotherthings——myendowmentforthecollege——mysteadyandliberalcontributionstoalltheestablishedcharities——mysupportofeveryrespectable——\"
\"Wait,\"saidtheKeeperoftheGateagain。\"Werenotallthesecarefullyrecordedonearthwheretheywouldaddtoyourcredit?
Theywerenotfoolishlydone。Verily,youhavehadyourrewardforthem。
Wouldyoubepaidtwice?\"
\"No,\"criedtheman,withdeepeningdismay,\"Idarenotclaimthat。
IacknowledgethatIconsideredmyowninteresttoomuch。Butsurelynotaltogether。Youhavesaidthatthesethingswerenotfoolishlydone。
Theyaccomplishedsomegoodintheworld。Doesnotthatcountforsomething?\"
\"Yes,\"answeredheKeeperoftheGate,\"itcountsintheworld——whereyoucountedit。Butitdoesnotbelongtoyouhere。Wehavesavedandusedeverythingthatyousentus。Thisisthemansionpreparedforyou。\"
Ashespoke,hislookgrewdeeperandmoresearching,likeaflameoffire。
JohnWeightmancouldnotendureit。Itseemedtostriphimnakedandwitherhim。Hesanktothegroundunderacrushingweightofshame,coveringhiseyeswithhishandsandcoweringfacedownwarduponthestones。Dimlythroughthetroubleofhismindhefelttheirhardnessandcoldness。
\"Tellme,then,\"hecried,brokenly,\"sincemylifehasbeensolittleworth,howcameIhereatall?\"
\"ThroughthemercyoftheKing\"——theanswerwaslikethesofttollingofabell。
\"AndhowhaveIearnedit?\"hemurmured。
\"Itisneverearned;itisonlygiven,\"cametheclear,lowreply。
\"ButhowhaveIfailedsowretchedly,\"heasked,\"inallthepurposeofmylife?WhatcouldIhavedonebetter?Whatisitthatcountshere?\"
\"Onlythatwhichistrulygiven,\"answeredthebell-likevoice。
Onlythatgoodwhichisdonefortheloveofdoingit。
Onlythoseplansinwhichthewelfareofothersisthemasterthought。
Onlythoselaborsinwhichthesacrificeisgreaterthanthereward。
Onlythosegiftsinwhichthegiverforgetshimself。\"
Themanlaysilent。Agreatweakness,anunspeakabledespondencyandhumiliationwereuponhim。ButthefaceoftheKeeperoftheGatewasinfinitelytenderashebentoverhim。
\"Thinkagain,JohnWeightman。Hastherebeennothinglikethatinyourlife?\"
\"Nothing,\"hesighed。\"Ifthereeverweresuchthings,itmusthavebeenlongago——theywereallcrowdedout——Ihaveforgottenthem。\"
TherewasanineffablesmileonthefaceoftheKeeperoftheGate,andhishandmadethesignofthecrossoverthebowedheadashespokegently:
\"ThesearethethingsthattheKingneverforgets;andbecausetherewereafewoftheminyourlife,youhavealittleplacehere。\"
ThesenseofcoldnessandhardnessunderJohnWeightman\'shandsgrewsharperandmoredistinct。Thefeelingofbodilywearinessandlassitudeweigheduponhim,buttherewasacalm,almostalightness,inhisheartashelistenedtothefadingvibrationsofthesilverybell-tones。Thechimneyclockonthemantelhadjustendedthelaststrokeofsevenasheliftedhisheadfromthetable。
Thin,palestripsofthecitymorningwerefallingintotheroomthroughthenarrowpartingsoftheheavycurtains。
Whatwasitthathadhappenedtohim?Hadhebeenill?Hadhediedandcometolifeagain?Orhadheonlyslept,andhadhissoulgonevisitingindreams?Hesatforsometime,motionless,notlost,butfindinghimselfinthought。Thenhetookanarrowbookfromthetabledrawer,wroteacheck,andtoreitout。
Hewentslowlyupthestairs,knockedverysoftlyathisson\'sdoor,and,hearingnoanswer,enteredwithoutnoise。Haroldwasasleep,hisbarearmthrownabovehishead,andhiseagerfacerelaxedinpeace。
Hisfatherlookedathimamomentwithstrangelyshiningeyes,andthentiptoedquietlytothewriting-desk,foundapencilandasheetofpaper,andwroterapidly:
\"Mydearboy,hereiswhatyouaskedmefor;dowhatyoulikewithit,andaskformoreifyouneedit。IfyouarestillthinkingofthatworkwithGrenfell,we\'lltalkitoverto-dayafterchurch。
Iwanttoknowyourheartbetter;andifIhavemademistakes——\"
Aslightnoisemadehimturnhishead。Haroldwassittingupinbedwithwide-openeyes。
\"Father!\"hecried,\"isthatyou?\"
\"Yes,myson,\"answeredJohnWeightman;\"I\'vecomeback——ImeanI\'vecomeup——no,Imeancomein——well,hereIam,andGodgiveusagoodChristmastogether。\"