Part 31 (1/2)
”Oh, dear, yes!” said the professor.
And again he smiled. For even now he believed the curate to be wavering, swayed by conflicting emotions, and felt sure that a flick of the whip to his egoism would be likely to hasten the coming of what he, the professor, wanted.
A loud call rose up from the street. A wandering vender of something was crying his ware. In his voice was a sound of fierce melancholy.
Chichester went to the window and shut it down.
”I wish it was night,” he said as he turned.
The professor jerked out his watch.
”It must be getting late,” he observed. ”Past six! by Jove!”
He made an abrupt movement.
”What?” said Chichester. ”You are going!”
He came up to the table.
”Sometimes I think,” he said, ”that men hate and dread nothing as they hate and dread facts which may upset the theories they cherish.”
”You're perfectly right. Well, very glad to have seen you in your own room.” The professor got up. ”By their rooms shall ye know them.”
He glanced round.
”Ah, I see you have Rossetti's delightfully anemic Madonna, and Holman Hunt's 'Light of the World.' A day or two ago I was talking to a lady who p.r.o.nounced that--” he extended his finger toward the Hunt--”the greatest work of art produced in the last hundred years. Her reason?
Its comforting quality. I am sure you agree with her. Good-by.”
He made a sidling movement toward the door. Perhaps it was that movement which finally decided the curate to speak.
”Professor,” he said, ”I don't want you to go yet.”
”Why not?” jerked out Stepton, with one hand on the door-k.n.o.b.
”You collect 'cases.' I have a case for you. You are a skeptic: you say men should be brought to faith by facts. Sit down. I will give you some facts.”
The professor came slowly back, looking dry and cold, and sat down by the table, facing the Rossetti Madonna.
”Always ready for facts,” he said.
XI
”You have heard of doubles, of course, Professor?” said Chichester, leaning his arms on the table and putting his hands one against the other, as if making a physical effort to be very calm.
”Of course. There was an account of one in that sermon of yours.”
”Have you ever seen a double?”
”No; not to my knowledge.”