Putney was on his legs in good time now, and secured recognition before Mr.
Wilmington, who made an effort to catch the moderator's eye. Gates had put
the meeting in good-humoured expectation of what they might now have from
Putney. They liked Gates's points very well, but they hoped from Putney
something more cruel and unsparing, and the greater part of those present
must have shared his impatience with Mr. Wilmington's request that he would
give way to him for a moment. Yet they all probably felt the same curiosity
about what was going forward, for it was plain that Mr. Wilmington and
Colonel Marvin were conniving at the same point. Marvin had now gone to
Mr. Gerrish, and had slipped into the pew beside him with the same sort of
hand-shake he had given Putney.
"Will my friend Mr. Putney give way to me for a moment?" asked Mr.
Wilmington.
"I don't see why I should do that," said Putney.
"I assure him that I will not abuse his courtesy, and that I will yield the
floor to him at any moment."
Putney hesitated a moment, and then, with the contented laugh of one who
securely bides his time, said, "Go ahead."
"It is simply this," said Mr. Wilmington, with a certain formal neatness of
speech: "The point has been touched by the last speaker, which I think
suggested itself to all who heard the remarks of Brother Gerrish in support
of his resolution, and the point is simply this--whether he has not
misapplied the words of the discourse by which he felt himself aggrieved,
and whether he has not given them a particular bearing foreign to the
intention of their author. If, as I believe, this is the case, the whole
matter can be easily settled by a private conference between the parties,
and we can be saved the public appearance of disagreement in our society.
And I would now ask Brother Gerrish, in behalf of many who take this view
with me, whether he will not consent to reconsider the matter, and whether,
in order to arrive at the end proposed, he will not, for the present at
least, withdraw the resolution he has offered?"
Mr. Wilmington sat down amidst a general sensation, which was heightened
by Putney's failure to anticipate any action on Gerrish's part. Gerrish
rapidly finished something he was saying to Colonel Marvin, and then half
rose, and said, "Mr. Moderator, I withdraw my resolution--for the time
being, and--for the present, sir," and sat down again.
"Mr. Moderator," Putney called sharply, from his place, "this is altogether
unparliamentary. That resolution is properly before the meeting. Its
adoption has been moved and seconded, and it cannot be withdrawn without
leave granted by a vote of the meeting. I wish to discuss the resolution
in all its bearings, and I think there are a great many present who share
with me a desire to know how far it represents the sense of this society.
I don't mean as to the supposed personal reflections which it was intended
to punish; that is a very small matter, and as compared with the other
questions involved, of no consequence whatever." Putney tossed his head
with insolent pleasure in his contempt of Gerrish. His nostrils swelled,
and he closed his little jaws with a firmness that made his heavy black
moustache hang down below the corners of his chin. He went on with a wicked
twinkle in his eye, and a look all round to see that people were waiting to
take his next point. "I judge my old friend Brother Gerrish by myself. My
old friend Gerrish cares no more really about personal allusions than I do.
What he really had at heart in offering his resolution was not any supposed
attack upon himself or his shop from the pulpit of this church. He cared no
more for that than I should care for a reference to my notorious habits.
These are things that we feel may be safely left to the judgment, the
charitable judgment, of the community, which will be equally merciful to
the man who devours widows' houses and to the man who 'puts an enemy in his
mouth to steal away his brains.'"