ResignationtoGod’swillwasthecommondeviceofthesepeopleinthefaceofeverydutyandeveryemergency。Therewerenobooksinthehouse；Idoubtifeitherofthemhadretainedthecapacityforreadingconsecutivelyformorethanaminuteorso，anditwaswithamazementthatdayafterday，overandabovestalebread，onebeheldfoodandagainmorefoodamidstthelitterthatheldpermanentsessionontheliving-roomtable。
　　Onemighthavedoubtedifeitherofthemfeltdiscomfortinthisdustydarknessofexistence，ifitwasnotthattheydidvisiblyseekconsolation。TheysoughtthisandfounditofaSunday，notinstrongdrinkandraving，butinimaginarydraughtsofblood。
　　Theymetwithtwentyorthirtyotherdarkenedanduncleanpeople，alldressedindingycoloursthatwouldnotshowthedirt，inalittlebrick-builtchapelequippedwithaspavinedroarerofaharmonium，andtheresolacedtheirmindsonthethoughtthatallthatwasfairandfreeinlife，allthatstruggled，allthatplannedandmade，allprideandbeautyandhonour，allfineandenjoyablethings，wereirrevocablydamnedtoeverlastingtorments。Theyweretheself-appointedconfidantsofGod’smockeryofhisowncreation。Soatanyratetheystickinmymind。Vaguer，andyethardlylessagreeablethanthiscosmicjest，thiscoming“Yah，clever！”andgeneralservingoutand“showingup“ofthelucky，thebold，andthecheerful，wastheirownpredestinationtoGlory。
　　“ThereisaFountain，filledwithBloodDrawnfromEmmanuel’sVeins。”
　　sotheysang。Ihearthedroneandwheezeofthathymnnow。I
　　hatedthemwiththebitteruncharitablecondemnationofboyhood，andatwingeofthathatecomesbacktome。AsIwritethewords，thesoundsandthenthescenereturn，theseobscure，undignifiedpeople，afatwomanwithasthma，anoldWelshmilk-sellerwithatumouronhisbaldhead，whowastheintellectualleaderofthesect，ahuge-voicedhaberdasherwithabigblackbeard，awhite-faced，extraordinarilypregnantwoman，hiswife，aspectacledratecollectorwithabentback。I
　　hearthetalkaboutsouls，thestrangebatteredoldphrasesthatwerecoinedagesagointheseaportsofthesun-dryLevant，ofbalmofGileadandmannainthedesert，ofgourdsthatgiveshadeandwaterinathirstyland；Irecallagainthewayinwhichattheconclusionoftheservicethetalkremainedpiousinformbutbecamemedicalinsubstance，andhowthewomengottogetherforobstetricwhisperings。I，asaboy，didnotmatter，andmightoverhear。
　　IfBladesoverismykeyfortheexplanationofEngland，IthinkmyinvinciblepersuasionthatIunderstandRussiawasengenderedbythecircleofUncleFrapp。
　　IsleptinadingysheetedbedwiththetwoeldersurvivorsofFrappfecundity，andspentmyweekdaysinhelpinginthelaboriousdisorderoftheshopandbakehouse，inincidentaldeliveriesofbreadandsoforth，andinparryingtheprobingsofmyuncleintomyrelationswiththeBlood，andhisconfidentialexplanationsthattenshillingsaweek——whichwaswhatmymotherpaidhim——wasnotenoughtocovermyaccommodation。Hewasveryanxioustokeepthat，butalsohewantedmore。Therewereneitherbooksnoranyseatnorcornerinthathousewherereadingwaspossible，nonewspapereverbroughttheclashofworldlythingsintoitsheavenwardseclusion；horrorofitallgrewinmedaily，andwheneverIcouldIescapedintothestreetsandtrampedaboutChatham。Thenewsshopsappealedtomeparticularly。Onesawtheresmudgyillustratedsheets，thePoliceNewsinparticular，inwhichvilelydrawnpicturesbroughthometothedullestintelligenceaninterminablesuccessionofsqualidcrimes，womenmurderedandputintoboxes，buriedunderfloors，oldmenbludgeonedatmidnightbyrobbers，peoplethrustsuddenlyoutoftrains，happyloversshot，vitrioledandsoforthbyrivals。Igotmyfirstglimpseofthelifeofpleasureinfoullydrawnpicturesof“policeraids“onthisandthat。
　　InterspersedwiththesesheetswereothersinwhichSloper，theurbanJohnBull，hadhisflingwithginbottleandobeseumbrella，orthekindlyemptyfacesoftheRoyalFamilyappearedandreappeared，visitingthis，openingthat，gettingmarried，gettingoffspring，lyinginstate，doingeverythingbutanything，awonderful，good-meaning，impenetrableraceapart。
　　IhaveneverrevisitedChatham；theimpressionithasleftonmymindisoneofsqualidcompression，unlitbyanygleamofamaturercharity。AllitseffectsarrangedthemselvesasantitheticaltotheBladesovereffects。TheyconfirmedandintensifiedallthatBladesoversuggested。Bladesoverdeclareditselftobetheland，tobeessentiallyEngland；Ihavealreadytoldhowitsairyspaciousness，itswidedignity，seemedtothrustvillage，church，andvicarageintocorners，intoasecondaryandconditionalsignificance。Hereonegatheredthecorollaryofthat。SincethewholewidecountryofKentwasmadeupofcontiguousBladesoversandforthegentlefolk，thesurplusofpopulation，allwhowerenotgoodtenantsnorgoodlabourers，ChurchofEngland，submissiveandrespectful，werenecessarilythrusttogether，jostledoutofsight，tofesterastheymightinthisplacethathadthecoloursandeventhesmellsofawell-packeddustbin。Theyshouldbegratefulevenforthat；that，onefelt，wasthetheoryofitall。
　　AndIloafedaboutthiswildernessofcrowdeddinginess，withyoung，receptive，wide-openeyes，andthroughtheblessingorcurseofsomefairygodmotherofmine，askingandaskingagain：
　　“Butafterall，WHY——“
　　IwanderedupthroughRochesteronce，andhadaglimpseoftheStourvalleyabovethetown，allhorriblewithcementworksandfoullysmokingchimneysandrowsofworkmen’scottages，minute，ugly，uncomfortable，andgrimy。SoIhadmyfirstintimationofhowindustrialismmustliveinalandlord’sland。Ispentsomehours，too，inthestreetsthatgiveupontheriver，drawnbythespellofthesea。ButIsawbargesandshipsstrippedofmagicandmostlydevotedtocement，ice，timber，andcoal。Thesailorslookedtomegrossandslovenlymen，andtheshippingstruckmeasclumsy，ugly，old，anddirty。Idiscoveredthatmostsailsdon’tfittheshipsthathoistthem，andthattheremaybeaspitifulandsqualidadisplayofpovertywithavesselaswithaman。WhenIsawcolliersunloading，watchedtheworkersintheholdfillingupsillylittlesacksandthesuccessionofblackened，half-nakedmenthatrantoandfrowiththesealongaplankoverathirty-footdropintofilthandmud，Iwasfirstseizedwithadmirationoftheircourageandtoughnessandthen，“Butafterall，WHY——？”andthestupiduglinessofallthiswasteofmuscleandendurancecamehometome。Amongotherthingsitobviouslywastedanddeterioratedthecoal。AndIhadimaginedgreatthingsofthesea！
　　Well，anyhow，foratimethatvocationwasstilled。
　　Butsuchimpressionscameintomyleisure，andofthatIhadnoexcess。MostofmytimewasspentdoingthingsforUncleFrapp，andmyeveningsandnightsperforceinthecompanyofthetwoeldestofmycousins。Hewaserrandboyatanoilshopandferventlypious，andofhimIsawnothinguntiltheeveningexceptatmeals；theotherwasenjoyingthemidsummerholidayswithoutanygreatelation；asingularlythinandabject，stuntedcreaturehewas，whosechieflivelinesswastopretendtobeamonkey，andwhoIamnowconvincedhadsomesecretdiseasethatdrainedhisvitalityaway。IfImethimnowIshouldthinkhimapitifullittlecreatureandbeextremelysorryforhim。ThenI
　　feltonlyawonderingaversion。Hesniffedhorribly，hewastiredoutbyacoupleofmilesofloafing，heneverstartedanyconversation，andheseemedtopreferhisowncompanytomine。
　　Hismother，poorwoman，saidhewasthe“thoughtfulone。”
　　Serioustroublecamesuddenlyoutofaconversationweheldinbedonenight。Someparticularlypiousphraseofmyeldercousin’sirritatedmeextremely，andIavowedoutrightmyentiredisbeliefinthewholeschemeofrevealedreligion。Ihadneversaidawordaboutmydoubtstoanyonebefore，excepttoEwartwhohadfirstevolvedthem。IhadneversettledmydoubtsuntilatthismomentwhenIspoke。ButitcametomethenthatthewholeschemeofsalvationoftheFrappeswasnotsimplydoubtful，butimpossible。Ifiredthisdiscoveryoutintothedarknesswiththegreatestpromptitude。
　　Myabruptdenialscertainlyscaredmycousinamazingly。
　　AtfirsttheycouldnotunderstandwhatIwassaying，andwhentheydidIfullybelievetheyexpectedaninstantanswerinthunderboltsandflames。Theygavememoreroominthebedforthwith，andthentheeldersatupandexpressedhissenseofmyawfulness。Iwasalreadyalittlefrightenedatmytemerity，butwhenheaskedmecategoricallytounsaywhatIhadsaid，whatcouldIdobutconfirmmyrepudiation？
　　“There’snohell。”Isaid，“andnoeternalpunishment。NoGodwouldbesuchafoolasthat。”
　　Myeldercousincriedaloudinhorror，andtheyoungerlayscared，butlistening。“Thenyoumean。”saidmyeldercousin，whenatlasthecouldbringhimselftoargue，“youmightdojustasyouliked？”
　　“Ifyouwerecadenough。”saidI。
　　Ourlittlevoiceswentoninterminably，andatonestagemycousingotoutofbedandmadehisbrotherdolikewise，andkneltinthenightdimnessandprayedatme。ThatIfoundtrying，butIheldoutvaliantly。“Forgivehim，“saidmycousin，“heknowsnotwhathesayeth。”
　　“Youcanprayifyoulike。”Isaid，“butifyou’regoingtocheekmeinyourprayersIdrawtheline。”
　　ThelastIrememberofthatgreatdiscussionwasmycousindeploringthefactthathe“shouldeversleepinthesamebedwithanInfidel！”
　　Thenextdayheastonishedmebytellingthewholebusinesstohisfather。Thiswasquiteoutsideallmycodes。UncleNicodemussprangituponmeatthemiddaymeal。
　　“Youbeensayin’queerthings，George。”hesaidabruptly。“Youbettermindwhatyou’resaying。”
　　“Whatdidhesay，father？”saidMrs。Frapp。
　　“ThingsIcouldn’t’repeat。”saidhe。
　　“Whatthings？”Iaskedhotly。
　　“Ask’IM。”saidmyuncle，pointingwithhisknifetohisinformant，andmakingmerealisethenatureofmyoffence。Myauntlookedatthewitness。“Not——？”sheframedaquestion。
　　“Wuss。”saidmyuncle。“Blarsphemy。”
　　Myauntcouldn’ttouchanothermouthful。Iwasalreadyalittletroubledinmyconsciencebymydaring，andnowIbegantofeeltheblackenormityofthecourseuponwhichIhadembarked。
　　“Iwasonlytalkingsense。”Isaid。