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TheRoadmender1TheRoadmenderbyMichaelFairlessTheRoadmender2TheRoadmenderTheRoadmender3CHAPTERIIHAVEattainedmyideal:Iamaroadmender,somesaystonebreaker.Bothtitlesarecorrect,buttheoneismorepregnantthantheother.AlldayIsitbytheroadsideonastretchofgrassunderahighhedgeofsaplingsandatangleoftraveller'sjoy,woodbine,sweetbrier,andlateroses.Oppositemeisawhitegate,seldomused,ifonemayjudgefromthetrailofhoneysucklegrowingtranquillyalongit:IknownowthatwheneverandwhereverIdiemysoulwillpassoutthroughthiswhitegate;andthen,thankGod,Ishallnothaveneedtoundothattrail.Inouryouthwediscussedouridealsfreely:Iwonderhowmanybesidemyselfhaveattained,orwouldunderstandmyattaining.Afterall,whatdoweaskoflife,hereorindeedhereafter,butleavetoserve,tolive,tocommunewithourfellowmenandwithourselves;andfromthelapofearthtolookupintothefaceofGod?AllthesegiftsaremineasIsitbythewindingwhiteroadandservethefootstepsofmyfellows.Thereisnoroominmylifeforavariceoranxiety;Iwhoserveatthealtarliveofthealtar:Ilacknothingbuthavenothingover;andwhenthewinteroflifecomesIshalljointhecompanyofwearyoldmenwhositonthesunnysideoftheworkhousewallandwaitforthetendermerciesofGod.Justnowitisthesummerofthings;thereislifeandmusiceverywhere-inthestonesthemselves,andIliveto-daybeatingouttherhythmicalhammer-songofTheRing.Thereisrealphysicaljoyintheriseandswingofthearm,inthejarofafairstroke,thesplitandscatterofthequartz:Iamlearningtobeambidextrous,forwhyshouldEsausellhisbirthrightwhenthereisenoughforboth?Thentherest-hourcomes,bringingtheluxuriousacheoftiredbutnotwearylimbs;andIlieoutstretchedandrenewmystrength,sometimeswithmyfacedeep-nestledinthecoolgreengrass,sometimesonmybacklookingupintotheblueskywhichnowisemanwouldwishtofathom.Thebirdshavenofearofme;amInotalsoofthebrownbrethreninmysoberfustianlivery?Theysharemymeals-atleastthelittledun-TheRoadmender4coatedFranciscansdo;theblackbirdsandthrushescarenotawhitforsuchsimplefoodascrumbs,butwithlegswellapartandclawstensewithpurchasetheydisinterpoorbrotherworm,havingfirstmockedhimwithsoundofrain.Therobinthatlivesbythegateregardsmyheapofstonesassubjecttohisspecialinspection.Hesitsatopandpractisesthetrillofhissummersonguntilitshrillsaboveandthroughthemetallicclangofmystrokes;andwhenIpausehecockshistail,withahumoroustwinkleofhisroundeyewhichmeans-What!shirking,bigbrother?-andIfall,ashamed,tomymendingofroads.Theotherday,asIlaywithmyfaceinthegrass,Iheardagentlerustle,andraisedmyheadtofindahedge-snakewatchingmefearless,unwinking.Istretchedoutmyhand,pickeditupunresisting,andputitinmycoatlikethehusbandmanofold.Washesoill-rewarded,Iwonder,withthekissthatrevealssecrets?MysnakesleptinpeacewhileIhammeredawaywithanoddquickeningofheartasIthoughthowtome,astoMelampus,hadcomethemessenger-hadcome,buttoearsdeafenedbycenturiesofmisrule,blindness,andoppression;sothat,withallmylonging,IamshutoutofthewondrousworldwherewalkedMelampusandtheSaint.Tomethereisnosuggestionofevilinthelittlesilentcreatures,harmless,ordeadlyonlywiththeDeathwhichisLife.Thebeastswhoturnuponus,asarulemaulandtearunreflectingly;withthesnakethereistheswift,silentstrike,thetiny,tinywound,thensleepandaforgetting.Mybrownfriend,withitsmessageunspoken,slidawayintothegrassatsundowntotellitstaleinunstoppedears;andI,mytaskdone,wenthomeacrossthefieldstothesolitarycottagewhereIlodge.Itisoldanddecrepit-tworooms,withaquasi-atticoverthemreachedbyaladderfromthekitchenandreachedonlybyme.Itisfurnishedwiththeluxuriesoflife,atrucklebed,table,chair,andhugeearthenwarepanwhichIfillfromtheice-coldwellatthebackofthecottage.MorningandnightIservewiththeGibeonites,theircursemyblessing,asnodoubtitwastheirswhentheirheartswerepurgedbyservice.MorningandnightIsenddownthemoss-grownbucketwithitsurgentmessagefromadryanddustyworld;thechaintightensthroughmyhandastheTheRoadmender5liquidtreasurerespondstothemessenger,andthenwithcreakandjangle-thewelcomeoflabouringearth-thebucketslowlynearsthetopanddispersesthetreasureinthewaitingvessels.TheGibeoniteswereservantsinthehouseofGod,ministersofthesacramentofserviceevenastheHighPriesthimself;andI,sharingtheirhighofficeofservitude,thankGodthatthegroundwasaccursedformysake,forsurelythatcursewasthewombofallunbornblessing.TheoldwidowwithwhomIlodgehasbeendeafforthelasttwentyyears.Shespeaksinthestrainedhighvoicewhichprotestsagainstherowninfirmity,andhereyeshavethepatheticlookofthosewhosearchinsilence.Formanyyearsshelivedalonewithherson,wholabouredonthefarmtwomilesaway.Hemethisdeathrescuingacarthorsefromitsburningstable;andthefarmergavethecottagerentfreeandaweeklyhalf-crownforlifetothepooroldwomanwhosedearestterrorwastheworkhouse.Withmyshillingaweekrent,andsharingofsupplies,weliveinthelinesofcomfort.Ofdeathshehasnofears,forinthelongchestinthekitchenlieawebofcoarsewhitelinen,twopenniescoveredwiththesametokeepdowntiredeyelids,decentwhitestockings,andawhitecottonsun-bonnet-adecorousdeath-suittruly-andenoughmoneyinthelittlebagforself-respectingburial.Thefarmerburiedhisservanthandsomely-goodman,heknewtheloveofreticentgrieffora'kind'burial-andonedayHarry'smotheristoliebesidehiminthelittlechurchya