登陆注册
5167300000125

第125章

This afternoon, the sight of Bob's cheerful freckled face had given her discontent a new direction.She thought it was part of the hardship of her life that there was laid upon her the burthen of larger wants than others seemed to feel, that she had to endure this wide hopeless yearning for that something, whatever it was, that was greatest and best on this earth.She wished she could have been like Bob, with his easily satisfied ignorance, or like Tom, who had something to do on which he could fix his mind with a steady purpose and disregard everything else.Poor child! as she leaned her head against the window-frame with her hands clasped tighter and tighter and her foot beating the ground, she was as lonely in her trouble as if she had been the only girl in the civilised world of that day, who had come out of her school-life with a soul untrained for inevitable struggles - with no other part of her inherited share in the hard-won treasures of thought, which generations of painful toil have laid up for the race of men than shreds and patches of feeble literature and false history - with much futile information about Saxon and other kings of doubtful example, but unhappily quite without that knowledge of the irreversible laws within and without her which, governing the habits, becomes morality, and, developing the feelings of submission and dependence, becomes religion: - as lonely in her trouble as if every other girl besides herself had been cherished and watched over by elder minds, not forgetful of their own early time when need was keen and impulse strong.

At last Maggie's eyes glanced down on the books that lay on the window shelf, and she half forsook her reverie to turn over listlessly the leaves of the `Portrait Gallery,' but she soon pushed this aside to examine the little row of books tied together with string.`Beauties of the Spectator,'

`Rasselas,' `Economy of Human Life,' `Gregory's Letters' - she knew the sort of matter that was inside all these: the `Christian Year' - that seemed to be a hymn-book, and she laid it down again; but Thomas à Kempis ?

- the name had come across her in her reading, and she felt the satisfaction, which every one knows, of getting some ideas to attach to a name that strays solitary in the memory.She took up the little, old, clumsy book with some curiosity: it had the corners turned down in many places, and some hand, now for ever quiet, had made at certain passages strong pen and ink marks, long since browned by time.Maggie turned from leaf to leaf and read where the quiet hand pointed...`Know that the love of thyself doth hurt thee more than anything in the world...If thou seekest this or that, and wouldst be here or there, to enjoy thy own will and pleasure thou shalt never be quiet nor free from care: for in everything somewhat will be wanting, and in every place there will be some that will cross thee...Both above and below, which way soever thou dost turn thee, everywhere thou shalt find the Cross: and everywhere of necessity thou must have patience, if thou wilt have inward peace, and enjoy an everlasting crown...If thou desire to mount unto this height, thou must set out courageously, and lay the axe to the root; that thou mayst pluck up and destroy that hidden inordinate inclination to thyself, and unto all private and earthly good.On this sin, that a man inordinately loveth himself, almost all dependeth, whatsoever is thoroughly to be overcome; which evil being once overcome and subdued, there will presently ensue great peace and tranquillity...It is but little thou sufferest in comparison of them that have suffered so much, were so strongly tempted, so grievously afflicted, so many ways tried and exercised.

Thou oughtest therefore to call to mind the more heavy sufferings of others, that thou mayst the easier bear thy little adversities.And if they seem not little unto thee, beware lest thy impatience be the cause thereof...

Blessed are those ears that receive the whispers of the divine voice, and listen not to the whisperings of the world.Blessed are those ears which hearken not unto the voice which soundeth outwardly, but unto the Truth which teacheth inwardly...'

A strange thrill of awe passed through Maggie while she read, as if she had been wakened in the night by a strain of solemn music, telling of beings whose souls had been astir while hers was in stupor.She went on from one brown mark to another, where the quiet hand seemed to point, hardly conscious that she was reading - seeming rather to listen while a low voice said, `Why dost thou here gaze about, since this is not the place of thy rest?

In heaven ought to be thy dwelling, and all earthly things are to be looked on as they forward thy journey thither.All things pass away, and thou together with them.Beware thou cleave not unto them, lest thou be entangled and perish...If a man should give all his substance, yet it is as nothing.

And if he should do great penances, yet are they but little.And if he should attain to all knowledge, he is yet far off.And if he should be of great virtue, and very fervent devotion, yet is there much wanting;to wit, one thing, which is most necessary for him.What is that? That having left all, he leave himself, and go wholly out of himself, and retain nothing of self-love...I have often said unto thee, and now again I say the same: Forsake thyself, resign thyself, and thou shalt enjoy much inward peace...Then shall all vain imaginations, evil perturbations, and superfluous cares fly away; then shall immoderate fear leave thee and inordinate love shall die.'

同类推荐
  • 素书

    素书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵药秘方

    灵药秘方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 明伦汇编交谊典乡里部

    明伦汇编交谊典乡里部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 云峰体宗宁禅师语录

    云峰体宗宁禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Adam Smith

    Adam Smith

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 无妄之罪

    无妄之罪

    近段时间,G省黑金市接连发生了几起女人被害案,死者全都身穿红衣,死状悲惨。机缘巧合之下,我介入了这起案子,然而,案情远非想象的那么简单……“红衣女案”“人体自燃“”猫脸老太”……每一起案件,都在民间讳莫如深,以讹传讹。案子背后,究竟隐藏着怎样的真相?而那些受害者,他们为何要遭受这无妄之罪?
  • 夫君有喜

    夫君有喜

    某天少帅食欲不振,大夫前来问诊吓了一哆嗦:“少……少帅,您这乃是喜脉啊!”某人拍桌而起:“本少帅乃是男子,何来的喜脉?!”夜里,一道黑影潜进某人房中,对其威逼利诱:“乖乖生下孩子,不然江南十三城再无慕府。”某人怒:“傅凉城,请你要点脸可成?”
  • 饮水词

    饮水词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 人杰

    人杰

    他现在叫萧杰,他只能重头开始。他有一个姐姐叫萧玉,对他很好,萧杰所有的记忆,就从这里重新开始。他不知道自己是一个拥有奇异力量的少年,在一路阴谋陷阱里,他一步步沦陷,一步步揭开真相。当他撕开那层神秘的面纱时,面临他的是幸福还是真正的劫难?
  • 超级店主养成攻略

    超级店主养成攻略

    孙子越每年都去做好事,孤儿院的孩子见他不敢哭,养老院的老人见他不敢言,流浪的动物见他四处跑散。陶然:你为什么还要去做好事?孙子越:……陶然觉得,这世上,她最大的金手指不是系统这个萌物,而是孙子越这个男人。
  • 空间之仙路逍遥

    空间之仙路逍遥

    这是一个女科学家在修仙界探索真理,顺便拯救世界的故事。乌萌生来便知自己与众不同,别的小孩4、5岁才开始记事,她一出生就记事了。只是没有想到自己居然来自另外一个世界。但有什么关系,日子还不是照样过。修修仙,炼炼丹,画画符,炼练气,日子过得逍遥自在。只是……什么?我弟、妹居然是穿越?重生的?糟糕,这是有大事发生的节奏啊。“管家,把纳米探测机器人放出去,探探他们的底。”“指令执行中,已放出十万纳米机器人,正在假设监控设备,24小时无缝隙监控。”(乌萌的弟、妹:天怎么突然变冷了?)乌萌:可以继续放心修炼了。
  • 青少年应知的100个科学发明

    青少年应知的100个科学发明

    西风吹书读哪页?煌煌巨著看谁书?21世纪是一个全新的充满挑战和梦想的新世纪,是一个科技飞速发展、信息化高度集中,经济全球化,生活节奏明显加快的世纪。本书是对世界历史,人类文明成果的一次回顾和检阅。
  • 大沩密印寺养拙明禅师语录

    大沩密印寺养拙明禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 怎样做好优秀班组建设与管理工作

    怎样做好优秀班组建设与管理工作

    本书主要内容为中国工会工作常用的政策、法律、法规汇编等内容。
  • 网游之完美游戏

    网游之完美游戏

    叶凡为兄弟报仇未果,意外获得重生,为免悲剧重演,叶凡毅然进入游戏,开启全新复仇之路。