The Temptation of Samuel Burge Read online

is not given unto you."

  "It won't make any difference," replied his visitor. "Brother Clarkpromised that it shouldn't. 'If you fall, Brother,' he says, 'we'll helpyou up again. When you are tired of sin come back to us--there's alwaysa welcome.'"

  "But--" began the dismayed jeweller.

  "We can only do our best," said Brother Burge, "the rest we must leave.I 'ave girded my loins for the fray, and taken much spiritual sustenanceon the way down from this little hymn-book."

  Mr. Higgs paid no heed. He sat marvelling over the fatuousness ofBrother Clark and trying to think of ways and means out of the dilemmainto which that gentleman's perverted enthusiasm had placed him. Hewondered whether it would be possible to induce Brother Burge to sleepelsewhere by offering to bear his hotel expenses, and at last, after somehesitation, broached the subject.

  "What!" exclaimed the other, pushing his plate from him and regarding himwith great severity. "Go and sleep at a hotel? After Brother Clark hasbeen and took all this trouble? Why, I wouldn't think of doing such athing."

  "Brother Clark has no right to expose you to such a trial," said Mr.Higgs with great warmth.

  "I wonder what he'd say if he 'eard you," remarked Mr. Burge sternly."After his going and making all these arrangements, for you to try and goand upset 'em. To ask me to shun the fight like a coward; to ask me togo and hide in the rear-ranks in a hotel with everything locked up, or aCoffer Pallis with nothing to steal."

  "I should sleep far more comfortably if I knew that you were notundergoing this tremendous strain," said the unhappy Mr. Higgs, "andbesides that, if you did give way, it would be a serious business for me--that's what I want you to look at. I am afraid that if--if unhappilyyou did fall, I couldn't prevent you."

  "I'm sure you couldn't," said the other cordially. "That's the beauty ofit; that's when the Evil One's whispers get louder and louder. Why, Icould choke you between my finger and thumb. If unfortunately my fallennature should be too strong for me, don't interfere whatever you do. Imightn't be myself."

  Mr. Higgs rose and faced him gasping.

  "Not even--call for--the police--I suppose," he jerked out.

  "That would be interfering," said Brother Burge coldly.

  The jeweller tried to think. It was past eleven. The housekeeper hadgone to spend the night with an ailing sister, and a furtive glance atBrother Burge's small shifty eyes and fat unwholesome face was sufficientto deter him from leaving him alone with his property, while he went toask the police to give an eye to his house for the night. Besides, itwas more than probable that Mr. Burge would decline to allow such aproceeding. With a growing sense of his peril he resolved to tryflattery.

  "It was a great thing for the Brethren to secure a man like you," hesaid.

  "I never thought they'd ha' done it," said Mr. Burge frankly. "I've 'adall sorts trying to convert me; crying over me and praying over me. Iremember the first dear good man that called me a lorst lamb. He didn'tsay anything else for a month."

  "So upset," hazarded the jeweller.

  "I broke his jor, pore feller," said Brother Burge, a sad but withalindulgent smile lighting up his face at the vagaries of his formercareer. "What time do you go to bed, Brother?"

  "Any time," said the other reluctantly. "I suppose you are tired withyour journey?"

  Mr. Burge assented, and rising from his chair yawned loudly and stretchedhimself. In the small room with his huge arms raised he looked colossal.

  "I suppose," said the jeweller, still seeking to re-assure himself, "Isuppose dear Brother Clark felt pretty certain of you, else he wouldn'thave sent you here?"

  "Brother Clark said 'What is a jeweller's shop compared with a 'umansoul, a priceless 'uman soul?'" replied Mr. Burge. "What is a fewgew-gaws to decorate them that perish, and make them vain, when you cometo consider the opportunity of such a trial, and the good it'll do andthe draw it'll be--if I do win--and testify to the congregation to thateffect? Why, there's sermons for a lifetime in it."

  "So there is," said the jeweller, trying to look cheerful. "You've got agood face, Brother Burge, and you'll do a lot of good by your preaching.There is honesty written in every feature."

  Mr. Burge turned and surveyed himself in the small pier-glass. "Yes," hesaid, somewhat discontentedly, "I don't look enough like a burglar tosuit some of 'em."

  "Some people are hard to please," said the other warmly.

  Mr. Burge started and eyed him thoughtfully, and then as Mr. Higgs aftersome hesitation walked into the shop to turn the gas out, stood in thedoorway watching him. A smothered sigh as he glanced round the shop borewitness to the state of his feelings.

  The jeweller hesitated again in the parlour, and then handing BrotherBurge his candle turned out the gas, and led the way slowly upstairs tothe room which had been prepared for the honoured visitor. He shookhands at the door and bade him an effusive good-night, his voicetrembling despite himself as he expressed a hope that Mr. Burge wouldsleep well. He added casually that he himself was a very light sleeper.

  To-night sleep of any kind was impossible. He had given up the frontroom to his guest, and his own window looked out on an over-grown garden.He sat trying to read, with his ears alert for the slightest sound.Brother Burge seemed to be a long time undressing. For half an hourafter he had retired he could hear him moving restlessly about his room.

  Twelve o'clock struck from the tower of the parish church, and wasfollowed almost directly by the tall clock standing in the halldown-stairs. Scarcely had the sounds died away than a low moaning fromthe next room caused the affrighted jeweller to start from his chair andplace his ear against the wall. Two or three hollow groans came throughthe plaster, followed by ejaculations which showed clearly that BrotherBurge was at that moment engaged in a terrified combat with the Powersof Darkness to decide whether he should, or should not, rifle his host'sshop. His hands clenched and his ear pressed close to the wall, thejeweller listened to a monologue which increased in interest with everyword.

  "I tell you I won't," said the voice in the next room with a groan, "Iwon't. Get thee behind me--Get thee--No, and don't shove me over to thedoor; if you can't get behind me without doing that, stay where you are.Yes, I know it's a fortune as well as what you do; but it ain't mine."

  The listener caught his breath painfully.

  "Diamond rings," continued Brother Burge in a suffocating voice. "Stopit, I tell you. No, I won't just go and look at 'em."

  A series of groans which the jeweller noticed to his horror got weakerand weaker testified to the greatness of the temptation. He heardBrother Burge rise, and then a succession of panting snarls seemed toindicate a fierce bodily encounter.

  "I don't--want to look at 'em," said Brother Burge in an exhausted voice."What's--the good of--looking at 'em? It's like you, you know diamondsare my weakness. What does it matter if he is asleep? What's my knifegot to do with you?"

  Brother Higgs reeled back and a mist passed before his eyes. He came tohimself at the sound of a door opening, and impelled with a vague idea ofdefending his property, snatched up his candle and looked out on to thelanding.

  The light fell on Brother Burge, fully dressed and holding his boots inhis hand. For a moment they gazed at each other in silence; then thejeweller found his voice.

  "I thought you were ill, Brother," he faltered.

  An ugly scowl lit up the other's features. "Don't you tell me any ofyour lies," he said fiercely. "You're watching me; that's what you'redoing. Spying on me."

  "I thought that you were being tempted," confessed the trembling Mr.Higgs.

  An expression of satisfaction which he strove to suppress appeared on Mr.Burge's face.

  "So I was," he said sternly. "So I was; but that's my business. I don'twant your assistance; I can fight my own battles. You go to bed--I'mgoing to tell the congregation I won the fight single-'anded."

  "So you have, Brother," said the other eagerly; "but it's doing me goodto see it. It's a lesson to
me; a lesson to all of us the way youwrestled."

  "I thought you was asleep," growled Brother Burge, turning back to hisroom and speaking over his shoulder. "You get back to bed; the fightain't half over yet. Get back to bed and keep quiet."

  The door closed behind him, and Mr. Higgs, still trembling, regained hisroom and looked in agony at the clock. It was only