In lessening our own value, we lessen our own
responsibility, and our responsibility is tremendous. One life can make
the difference of a cathedral spire in a town of low-built huts or of a
snow mountain in an ugly plain. I am sure of it--and so are you. So is
everybody who thinks about it. But people do not think. It is sometimes
much more convenient to believe that one is too insignificant to have
any responsibility. But to my mind there is not a vagabond in the street
who is not directly helping on our national decay, and who might not be
building up the Empire." He leaned toward her, lowering his voice. "You
know I am not just talking, Lois. It is my life's principle which I lay
before you--mine and yours. How long is it since we have spoken of these
things? Ten years. Since then we have been building steadily at our
cathedral. We must go on."
"How can we?" she answered wearily. "It is not our cathedral any more.
I thought you had forgotten, and--"
"My first day in Marut I sent a message to you--a little in fun, but
with an earnest purpose. I wanted to see if you had forgotten, and I
wanted you to know that I had remembered. I told you that the
cathedral still lacked its chief spire."
"I never got the message. It was that day Archibald asked me to be his
wife. When did you send the letter?"
"It was not a letter but a verbal message, by Travers."
"That afternoon?"
"Yes, that afternoon.
Pages:
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259