4 The Saint by V. S. Pritchett (finished 9/2/2011)

A boy and his uncle believed that nothing in the world is evil, because God created man, how can He create anything that harms man. They belonged to the Church of the Last Purification of Toronto, Canada. They lived in an English market town. The boy always went to boat, or punt, on the river. One day, when he was seventeen, Mr. Timberlake came to talk to him about his problem of thinking about origin of Evil. They always use Error to represent Evil. When they were on the boat in the river, Mr. Timberlake wanted to take charge of the boat, but he was not as good as the boy. He caused them to row into a bunch of tree branches, but he did not duck them. He got caught in one branch and he hold on it and fell into the water. The boy went to pick up the soaked Mr. Timberlake and wanted to take him back. Mr. Timberlake refused and did not take his soaking wet clothes off. Then they continued paddling until they reached a bend where they landed. The lay down on the yellow buttercups and Mr. Timberlake was covered with yellow and appeared golden when he got up. They went back home, but Mr. Timberlake still did not change his clothes or get near the fire. He was just thinking about the train back to London. After 16 years, the boy heard that Mr. Timberlake had died of heart disease. The doctor said that it was a miracle that he had survived over the past 20 years until he was 57. A little shock would kill him, but he survived. Since the experience the boy lost his faith. (I do not understand the "ape" eating up his heart.) (Now I understand what the "ape" means. The ape is the false, foolish belief that Mr. Timberlake believed wholeheartedly in. The boy was once followed by the ape, but now he was not. The ape helped Mr. Timberlake to stay alive for over twenty years, so he would not have a heart attack. Still he died of heart failure.)