How　do　you　know　that？　　Is　this　the　nature　of　conversation　in　that
  house　on　Beretania　Street　which　the　cabman　envied；　driving　past？　…
  racy　details　of　the　misconduct　of　the　poor　peasant　priest；　toiling
  under　the　cliffs　of　Molokai？
  Many　have　visited　the　station　before　me；　they　seem　not　to　have
  heard　the　rumour。　　When　I　was　there　I　heard　many　shocking　tales；
  for　my　informants　were　men　speaking　with　the　plainness　of　the
  laity；　and　I　heard　plenty　of　complaints　of　Damien。　　Why　was　this
  never　mentioned？　and　how　came　it　to　you　in　the　retirement　of　your
  clerical　parlour？
  But　I　must　not　even　seem　to　deceive　you。　　This　scandal；　when　I　read
  it　in　your　letter；　was　not　new　to　me。　　I　had　heard　it　once　before；
  and　I　must　tell　you　how。　　There　came　to　Samoa　a　man　from　Honolulu；
  he；　in　a　public…house　on　the　beach；　volunteered　the　statement　that
  Damien　had　〃contracted　the　disease　from　having　connection　with　the
  female　lepers〃；　and　I　find　a　joy　in　telling　you　how　the　report　was
  welcomed　in　a　public…house。　　A　man　sprang　to　his　feet；　I　am　not　at
  liberty　to　give　his　name；　but　from　what　I　heard　I　doubt　if　you
  would　care　to　have　him　to　dinner　in　Beretania　Street。　　〃You
  miserable　little　…〃　（here　is　a　word　I　dare　not　print；　it
  would　so　shock　your　ears）。　　〃You　miserable　little　；〃　he
  cried；　〃if　the　story　were　a　thousand　times　true；　can't　you　see　you
  are　a　million　times　a　lower　…　for　daring　to　repeat　it？〃　　I　wish
  it　could　be　told　of　you　that　when　the　report　reached　you　in　your
  house；　perhaps　after　family　worship；　you　had　found　in　your　soul
  enough　holy　anger　to　receive　it　with　the　same　expressions；　ay；　even
  with　that　one　which　I　dare　not　print；　it　would　not　need　to　have
  been　blotted　away；　like　Uncle　Toby's　oath；　by　the　tears　of　the
  recording　angel；　it　would　have　been　counted　to　you　for　your
  brightest　righteousness。　　But　you　have　deliberately　chosen　the　part
  of　the　man　from　Honolulu；　and　you　have　played　it　with　improvements
  of　your　own。　　The　man　from　Honolulu　…　miserable；　leering　creature　…
  communicated　the　tale　to　a　rude　knot　of　beach…combing　drinkers　in　a
  public…house；　where　（I　will　so　far　agree　with　your　temperance
  opinions）　man　is　not　always　at　his　noblest；　and　the　man　from
  Honolulu　had　himself　been　drinking　…　drinking；　we　may　charitably
  fancy；　to　excess。　　It　was　to　your　〃Dear　Brother；　the　Reverend　H。　B。
  Gage；〃　that　you　chose　to　communicate　the　sickening　story；　and　the
  blue　ribbon　which　adorns　your　portly　bosom　forbids　me　to　allow　you
  the　extenuating　plea　that　you　were　drunk　when　it　was　done。　　Your
  〃dear　brother〃　…　a　brother　indeed　…　made　haste　to　deliver　up　your
  letter　（as　a　means　of　grace；　perhaps）　to　the　religious　papers；
  where；　after　many　months；　I　found　and　read　and　wondered　at　it；　and
  whence　I　have　now　reproduced　it　for　the　wonder　of　others。　　And　you
  and　your　dear　brother　have；　by　this　cycle　of　operations；　built　up　a
  contrast　very　edifying　to　examine　in　detail。　　The　man　whom　you
  would　not　care　to　have　to　dinner；　on　the　one　side；　on　the　other；
  the　Reverend　Dr。　Hyde　and　the　Reverend　H。　B。　Gage：　the　Apia　bar…
  room；　the　Honolulu　manse。
  But　I　fear　you　scarce　appreciate　how　you　appear　to　your　fellow…men；
  and　to　bring　it　home　to　you；　I　will　suppose　your　story　to　be　true。
  I　will　suppose　…　and　God　forgive　me　for　supposing　it　…　that　Damien
  faltered　and　stumbled　in　his　narrow　path　of　duty；　I　will　suppose
  that；　in　the　horror　of　his　isolation；　perhaps　in　the　fever　of
  incipient　disease；　he；　who　was　doing　so　much　more　than　he　had
  sworn；　failed　in　the　letter　of　his　priestly　oath　…　he；　who　was　so
  much　a　better　man　than　either　you　or　me；　who　did　what　we　have　never
  dreamed　of　daring　…　he　too　tasted　of　our　common　frailty。　　〃O；　Iago；
  the　pity　of　it！〃　　The　least　tender　should　be　moved　to　tears；　the
  most　incredulous　to　prayer。　　And　all　that　you　could　do　was　to　pen
  your　letter　to　the　Reverend　H。　B。　Gage！
  Is　it　growing　at　all　clear　to　you　what　a　picture　you　have　drawn　of
  your　own　heart？　　I　will　try　yet　once　again　to　make　it　clearer。　　You
  had　a　father：　suppose　this　tale　were　about　him；　and　some　informant
  brought　it　to　you；　proof　in　hand：　I　am　not　making　too　high　an
  estimate　of　your　emotional　nature　when　I　suppose　you　would　regret
  the　circumstance？　that　you　would　feel　the　tale　of　frailty　the　more
  keenly　since　it　shamed　the　author　of　your　days？　and　that　the　last
  thing　you　would　do　would　be　to　publish　it　in　the　religious　press？
  Well；　the　man　who　tried　to　do　what　Damien　did；　is　my　father；　and
  the　father　of　the　man　in　the　Apia　bar；　and　the　father　of　all　who
  love　goodness；　and　he　was　your　father　too；　if　God　had　given　you
  grace　to　see　it。
  End