The Unbelievers Read Online Free
Author: Alastair Sim
of eviction or dismissal to risk the appearance of disloyalty to the Dukeâs family, and an endowment of 300 guineas a year.
He dutifully read the first lesson, hearing his thin voice resonate in the emptiness of the church, even though he expected it to benefit nobody.
ââ¦and God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth, after his kind; and it was soâ¦â
But, he thought, it wasnât so, at least if weâre to believe Mr Darwin. Every living thing that we see, man or animal, is the result of a struggle to the death between the survivors and those species or people who fell, defeated, by the wayside.
Arthur did not, this morning, feel like one of the successful competitors in the fatal game of natural selection. He looked across at the Ducal aisle, where velvet-covered seats were roofed over by a damask awning surmounted by the armorial bearings of the Dukes of Dornoch. He felt a pleasing warm softness as he looked towards its sole occupant, his cousin and sister-in-law Josephine, Duchess of Dornoch. She smiled at him while delicately stroking the lace gloves which she held in her naked, alabaster hand, and for a moment he thought his lifeâs work was worthwhile if it was sustaining her precious spirit. Guiding and comforting her should be enough object for any manâs work. It was only a shame that that task had fallen, first and foremost, to his brother William.
He returned to the lesson.
ââ¦and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He into a woman, and brought her unto the man.
âAnd Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.
âTherefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh..â
A story, he thought, so sadly unrealised in his own life.
As he read he noticed the door at the back of the church open and two strangers come in. One of them was slimly built with youthfully dark hair when he took off his bowler, but with a face whose deep shadows and slight smile suggested the depth of experience of an older man. The other was broad and tall as an oak, with a thick black moustache and sideburns, wearing the brass-buttoned blue tunic and black top-hat of the Edinburgh City Police. They took their places in the rear pew.
Arthur paused in his reading, wondering whether something of such gravity and immediacy had happened that he should interrupt the service. The slimmer stranger nodded, and he took it as a cue to continue. As he read on, though, he wondered what could have brought the police to this empty church and whether there might even be some hidden offence in his own past that led them here. He searched his memory, but in a life of monotonous innocence he could only remember the occasion where he had failed to intervene to stop William from beating a disobedient spaniel. Nonetheless, he hurried through the service before descending from the pulpit to greet the strangers.
Josephine was already with them when he reached the back of the church. She introduced them, touching him lightly on the arm.
âArthur, I took the liberty of suggesting to Inspector Allerdyce that he might meet you here. Heâll explain why he needs your help.â Her soft American accent was freighted with gentleness and sorrow. She took her lace handkerchief out of her sleeve and dabbed at the corner of her eye. âIâm sorry I canât stay. I find that Iâm too weighed down with grief and must retire to bed.â
She smiled wanly at him. âWhat a silly, weak woman you must think I am. I just thank Providence that I have your spiritual guidance to fortify me.â She glided past and through the door, which was held open for her by a liveried servant. Arthur detected the faint floral scent of her perfume as the chill wind blew
He dutifully read the first lesson, hearing his thin voice resonate in the emptiness of the church, even though he expected it to benefit nobody.
ââ¦and God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth, after his kind; and it was soâ¦â
But, he thought, it wasnât so, at least if weâre to believe Mr Darwin. Every living thing that we see, man or animal, is the result of a struggle to the death between the survivors and those species or people who fell, defeated, by the wayside.
Arthur did not, this morning, feel like one of the successful competitors in the fatal game of natural selection. He looked across at the Ducal aisle, where velvet-covered seats were roofed over by a damask awning surmounted by the armorial bearings of the Dukes of Dornoch. He felt a pleasing warm softness as he looked towards its sole occupant, his cousin and sister-in-law Josephine, Duchess of Dornoch. She smiled at him while delicately stroking the lace gloves which she held in her naked, alabaster hand, and for a moment he thought his lifeâs work was worthwhile if it was sustaining her precious spirit. Guiding and comforting her should be enough object for any manâs work. It was only a shame that that task had fallen, first and foremost, to his brother William.
He returned to the lesson.
ââ¦and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He into a woman, and brought her unto the man.
âAnd Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man.
âTherefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh..â
A story, he thought, so sadly unrealised in his own life.
As he read he noticed the door at the back of the church open and two strangers come in. One of them was slimly built with youthfully dark hair when he took off his bowler, but with a face whose deep shadows and slight smile suggested the depth of experience of an older man. The other was broad and tall as an oak, with a thick black moustache and sideburns, wearing the brass-buttoned blue tunic and black top-hat of the Edinburgh City Police. They took their places in the rear pew.
Arthur paused in his reading, wondering whether something of such gravity and immediacy had happened that he should interrupt the service. The slimmer stranger nodded, and he took it as a cue to continue. As he read on, though, he wondered what could have brought the police to this empty church and whether there might even be some hidden offence in his own past that led them here. He searched his memory, but in a life of monotonous innocence he could only remember the occasion where he had failed to intervene to stop William from beating a disobedient spaniel. Nonetheless, he hurried through the service before descending from the pulpit to greet the strangers.
Josephine was already with them when he reached the back of the church. She introduced them, touching him lightly on the arm.
âArthur, I took the liberty of suggesting to Inspector Allerdyce that he might meet you here. Heâll explain why he needs your help.â Her soft American accent was freighted with gentleness and sorrow. She took her lace handkerchief out of her sleeve and dabbed at the corner of her eye. âIâm sorry I canât stay. I find that Iâm too weighed down with grief and must retire to bed.â
She smiled wanly at him. âWhat a silly, weak woman you must think I am. I just thank Providence that I have your spiritual guidance to fortify me.â She glided past and through the door, which was held open for her by a liveried servant. Arthur detected the faint floral scent of her perfume as the chill wind blew
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