Page:Crome Yellow.djvu/84

78 understand about God, what a fearful thing it is to fall into His hands. God—they thought of something soft and merciful. They blinded themselves to facts; still more, they blinded themselves to the Bible. The passengers on the Titanic sang "Nearer my God to Thee" as the ship was going down. Did they realize what they were asking to be brought nearer to? A white fire of righteousness, an angry fire. . ..

When Savonarola preached, men sobbed and groaned aloud. Nothing broke the polite silence with which Crome listened to Mr. Bodiham—only an occasional cough and sometimes the sound of heavy breathing. In the front pew sat Henry Wimbush, calm, well-bred, beautifully dressed. There were times when Mr. Bodiham wanted to jump down from the pulpit and shake him into life,—times when he would have liked to beat and kill his whole congregation.

He sat at his desk dejectedly. Outside the Gothic windows the earth was warm and marvellously calm. Everything was as it had always been. And yet, and yet. . . It was nearly four years now since he had preached that sermon on