第29部分(第5/7 頁)

ather　suggestions。　That　was　all

very　well　for　a　while。　The　vicar　told　her　to　be　good　in　this　way

and　in　that。　She　went　away　feeling　it　was　her　highest　aim　to

fulfil　these　injunctions。

But　quickly　this　palled。　After　a　short　time；　she　was　not　very

much　interested　in　being　good。　Her　soul　was　in　quest　of

something；　which　was　not　just　being　good；　and　doing　one's　best。

No；　she　wanted　something　else：　something　that　was　not　her

ready…made　duty。　Everything　seemed　to　be　merely　a　matter　of

social　duty；　and　never　of　her　self。　They　talked　about　her　soul；

but　somehow　never　managed　to　rouse　or　to　implicate　her　soul。　As

yet　her　soul　was　not　brought　in　at　all。

So　that　whilst　she　had　an　affection　for　Mr。　Loverseed；　the

vicar；　and　a　protective　sort　of　feeling　for　Cossethay　church；

wanting　always　to　help　it　and　defend　it；　it　counted　very　small

in　her　life。

Not　but　that　she　was　conscious　of　some　unsatisfaction。　When

her　husband　was　roused　by　the　thought　of　the　churches；　then　she

became　hostile　to　the　ostensible　church；　she　hated　it　for　not

fulfilling　anything　in　her。　The　Church　told　her　to　be　good：　very

well；　she　had　no　idea　of　contradicting　what　it　said。　The　Church

talked　about　her　soul；　about　the　welfare　of　mankind；　as　if　the

saving　of　her　soul　lay　in　her　performing　certain　acts　conducive

to　the　welfare　of　mankind。　Well　and　good…it　was　so；　then。

Nevertheless；　as　she　sat　in　church　her　face　had　a　pathos　and

poignancy。　Was　this　what　she　had　e　to　hear：　how　by　doing　this

thing　and　by　not　doing　that；　she　could　save　her　soul？　She　did

not　contradict　it。　But　the　pathos　of　her　face　gave　the　lie。

There　was