Джон Пристли - The Doomsday Men

At the end of this hymn, the elderly man with the chin-beard announced that their local leader, Brother Kaydick, would talk to them. Brother Kaydick, a tall, rather imposing figure, came out through the door at the back. At first, Jimmy thought he must have seen him before somewhere, and it was not until Brother Kaydick had begun talking, in a deep resonant voice, that he remembered. This was undoubtedly the man that Phil had described as Lincoln with a squint . It was a very good description. This man had Lincoln’s lean height and long dark face, but the face lacked the statesman’s noble breadth and the eyes were wrong. He looked like a squashed-in, not quite sane Lincoln. And suddenly, for no reason that he was immediately aware of, Jimmy’s scepticism left him. It was not simply because Phil had described a man who now appeared: that proved nothing, except that Phil had probably attended one or two of these meetings. No, it was not that; yet now he suddenly felt certain that he had been wrong and Rushy had been right, that Phil had guessed there was something really queer, menacing, about these people, who had somehow discovered that he knew too much. He did not reason about it at all. The conviction came in a flash. Meanwhile, Brother Kaydick was talking to them, and being listened to with profound respect.

He began by making various announcements, mostly relating to special services, and also by giving some brief news of the Brotherhood’s activities in the three other centres. Then, after quoting by heart a text or two from the Book of Revelation , with growing fervour he addressed them, asking them to remember what the greatest and wisest of the Old Testament prophets had said, what was to be found in the Book of Revelation , which must be regarded as the keystone of the Bible, and to look about them, to reflect upon the present condition of the world, and to ask themselves if all things were not working together for the end so long and gloriously prophesied. What was the whole world now, into which children were still being born, but the spectacle of that woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, seated upon the seven-headed beast with its names of blasphemy, carrying her gold cup filled with abominations and filthiness of her fornications? The beast had seven heads-yes, and what were now the great powers of the world? They too were seven-the United States, Britain, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Where were the blasphemies? They were everywhere. The whole earth was now Babylon, drenched in the blood of saints and martyrs. Did not every power in the world make war with the Lamb, as the Bible said they would; and shall not the Lamb overcome them, as also it was said? Had not all nations drunk of the wine of the wrath of the fornications of Babylon? Were they not more besodden with them every day? Were the most terrible words of the ancient prophets thus to be mocked? Had not a voice from Heaven, as it was prophesied it would, already spoken to them, and was not that why they were gathered together, the brothers and sisters of the Judgment? The Judgment was certain, nor could it come too early, but they who were already sealed in the service of Heaven must be prepared not only to welcome but also to serve the Judgment, for Heaven worked in mysterious ways and its servants were abroad on the earth even now, a faithful few, as they were in the olden time. And there was much more in this vein, delivered with great fervour and with something like real oratory.

Jimmy listened with growing uneasiness. There was something here, behind the words, though they were strong enough, that he did not understand. The man was a crazy fanatic, like many of them there, but there was about him a sense of certainty that could not easily be laughed away. He knew something, and though that something might be explained here in terms of Bible prophecies and the like, Jimmy could not help feeling that there was more to it than that. Somehow, listening to him and looking at him, you could not dismiss his talk to some vague crazy vision of Babylon and old Jewish prophets.

Finally, Brother Kaydick announced triumphantly, while his listeners made enthusiastic sounds: “I have a message for you from our beloved leader, Father John. It arrived this very evening. Father John commands me to tell you, brothers and sisters of the Judgment, that out there, in his lodge in the wilderness, he is praying, and there are signs of an answer to his prayers, that he is seeing visions, and that soon, very soon, what he sees in these visions will come to pass, so that the Word may be fulfilled. He asks for the even deeper devotion and service of those who are sealed, and for the thankful prayers of all members. To-night’s public service is ended, except for the singing of the usual hymn. Will Servers Eight, Eleven, Fifteen and Twenty-three, join me in the small room?”

It was then, while Brother Kaydick was making for the door at the back and the elderly man was reading the first lines of the hymn, that Jimmy came to a decision. As the organ began, he found himself sharing the book again with the little woman.

Jehovah said “ Vengeance is mine ”

The sinful could not flee ,

they sang lustily.

“Listen,” whispered Jimmy urgently. “You don’t know me and you mustn’t think I’m crazy. This is serious. I’m going round to the back in a minute.”

“Oh!” cried the little woman, in dismay. “You’re not going to join them, are you?”

“Not me. But I have to know more about ’em, and I’m going to try something on.”

When Pharaoh and his hosts were drowned

In the Red devouring sea

the others roared happily.

She looked up at him, her delightful little round face puckered with bewilderment and doubt. Certainly her curls were grey-or greyish-but they were very charming, only making her eyes seem brighter. Even at that moment he could not help wondering-and it came in a flash-if by any possible miraculous chance she would like his pictures. “I thought you were the one person who was all right,” she said, dubiously, rather reproachfully. “And now you’re talking queer.”

“No, I’m not. Can’t explain now. But my name’s Jimmy Edlin, and I’m staying at the Clay-Adams. Are you on the end of a telephone?”

“Well-yes,” she replied, still doubtful. “I’m at my cousin’s-only for a day or two-down here at Inglewood-”

It rained for forty days and nights

After that Ark was sealed

they chanted triumphantly.

Jimmy lowered his head a little, to speak close to her ear. “I asked because I want to give you a message later on to-night or early in the morning, to say I’m still all right. If a message doesn’t come through from me-and, don’t forget, Jimmy Edlin’s the name-say, by to-morrow morning at ten, send the police along here. Yes, I mean it.”

“Gracious me! But couldn’t you-”

“I want to get on with it now,” he continued, “and I believe I’m taking a chance. So you’ve got to help me. Don’t worry. It’ll probably be all right, but I’d like to be prepared. Do you mind giving me your name and telephone number, please?”

Still bewildered, she gave them. Her name was Mrs. Atwood, and at once he hoped she was a widow. “I’ll ring up your husband if you’d prefer it,” he told her quickly.

“I haven’t a husband any more. Haven’t had for five years. Now do you really mean this? It’s not some silly game, is it?”

The walls of Jericho were strong

But then the trumpet blew

they proclaimed joyfully.

“Do I look like a man who’d play a silly game with you?” he demanded.

“Yes, you do,” she told him, coolly. “But I can see you’re serious now. Now, if you don’t ring up to say you’re all right by ten in the morning, you really want me to tell the police?”