The House of Yorke, Chapters XXX-XXXII [pp. 295-319]

The House of Yorke.
THE HOUSE OF YORKE.
CHAPTER XXX.
EDI'I'IT'S YES.
In the opinion of their old friends
in Boston, the Yorke family had lost
something during their sojourn in the
wilderness. It was not that they
were less charming, less kind, less
well-bred, but they were not so orthodox in religion. Mrs. Yorke, it
is true, resumed her regular attendance at Dr. Stewart's church; but her
husband seldom accompanied her
now, and, it was ascertained, absented himself with her permission.
'; I would not have him go for my
sake, when he does not wish to go
for his own," she remarked tranquilly.
The time had beefi when Mrs.
Yorke would have been horrified at
such a defection, and would have
called in the doctors of the church to
exhort the backslider. She was evidently growing lax in her religious
principles.
Melicent always accompanied her
mother, and had the true down-drawn,
regulation countenance; but Clara
was seldom seen in their pew, and
boldly answered, when questioned on
the subject, that she sometimes went
to the Catholic churches to hear the
music. "I go wherever I can hear
Wilcox play the organ," she said.
"I never tire listening to him. Others play difficult music with dexterity,
and you admire their skill; but he
plays the same, and you forget that
there is any skill in it. Such bewitching grace! Such laughter running up and down the keys! Such
picturesque improvisations! He played last Sunday something that called
up to me a scene in Seaton-that bit
of meadow on East Street, Edith.
There was some sort of musical
groundwork, soft and monotonous,
with little blossoming chords springing up everywhere, and over it all
swamn a lovely, meandering melody
with the vox humana. When the
bell rang, at the Sanctus, he caught
the sound, and ran straight up into
the stars, as though some waiting angel had flown audibly up to heaven
to announce the time of the consecration. It is delightful to hear him.
Iin his graver music, and his choruses, I do not so much distinguish him
from others; but he is the only organist I know who gives an idea of the
play of the little saints and cherubim
in heaven, their dancing, their singing,
their swift flights to the earth and
back again, and all their exquisite
loves, and pranks, and delights -
their very worship like the worship
of birds and flowers."
Not a word about doctrines, about
the iniquities of Rome, the superstition of Papists, the idolatry of the
Mass!
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