fraternity-第34节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e； because there were still twelve numbers of the late edition that nobody would buy。 No one knew more surely than Joshua Creed himself that； if he suffered himself to entertain any large and lofty views of life； he would infallibly find himself in that building to keep out of which he was in the habit of addressing to God his only prayer to speak of。 Fortunately； from a boy up； together with a lengthy； oblong； square…jawed face； he had been given by Nature a single…minded view of life。 In fact； the mysterious； stout tenacity of a soul born in the neighbourhood of Newmarket could not have been done justice to had he constitutionally seenany more than Mr。 Stone himselftwo things at a time。 The one thing he had seen； for the five years that he had now stood outside Messrs。 Rose and Thorn's； was the workhouse； and； as he was not going there so long as he was living； he attended carefully to all little matters of expense in this somewhat sordid way。
While attending thus； he heard a scream。 Having by temperament considerable caution； but little fear； he waited till he heard another； and then got out of bed。 Taking the poker in his hand； and putting on his spectacles； he hurried to the door。 Many a time and oft in old days had he risen in this fashion to defend the plate of the 〃Honorable Bateson〃 and the Dowager Countess of Glengower from the periodical attacks of his imagination。 He stood with his ancient nightgown flapping round his still more ancient legs； slightly shivering； then； pulling the door open； he looked forth。 On the stairs just above him Mrs。 Hughs； clasping her baby with one arm； was holding the other out at full length between herself and Hughs。 He heard the latter say： 〃You've drove me to it； I'll do a swing for you！〃 Mrs。 Hughs' thin body brushed past into his room； blood was dripping from her wrist。 Creed saw that Hughs had his bayonet in his hand。 With all his might he called out： 〃Ye ought to be ashamed of yourself！〃 raising the poker to a position of defence。 At this momentmore really dangerous than any he had ever knownit was remarkable that he instinctively opposed to it his most ordinary turns of speech。 It was as though the extravagance of this un… English violence had roused in him the full measure of a native moderation。 The sight of the naked steel deeply disgusted him； he uttered a long sentence。 What did Hughs call thisdisgracin' of the house at this time in the mornin'？ Where was he brought up？ Call 'imself a soldier； attackin' of old men and women in this way？ He ought to be ashamed！
While these words were issuing between the yellow stumps of teeth in that withered mouth； Hughs stood silent； the back of his arm covering his eyes。 Voices and a heavy tread were heard。 Distinguishing in that tread the advancing footsteps of the Law； Creed said： 〃You attack me if you dare！〃
Hughs dropped his arm。 His short； dark face had a desperate look； as of a caged rat； his eyes were everywhere at once。
〃All right； daddy；〃 he said； 〃I won't hurt you。 She's drove my head all wrong again。 Catch hold o' this； I can't trust myself。〃 He held out the bayonet。
〃Westminister〃 took it gingerly in his shaking hand。
〃To use a thing like that！〃 he said。 〃An' call yourself an Englishman！ I'll ketch me death standin' here； I will。〃
Hughs made no answer leaning against the wall。 The old butler regarded him severely。 He did not take a wide or philosophic view of him； as a tortured human being； driven by the whips of passion in his dark blood； a creature whose moral nature was the warped； stunted tree his life had made it； a poor devil half destroyed by drink and by his wound。 The old butler took a more single…minded and old… fashioned line。 'Ketch 'old of 'im！' he thought。 'With these low fellers there's nothin' else to be done。 Ketch 'old of 'im until he squeals。'
Nodding his ancient head； he said：
〃Here's an orficer。 I shan't speak for yer； you deserves all you'll get； and more。〃
Later； dressed in an old Newmarket coat； given him by some client； and walking towards the police…station alongside Mrs。 Hughs； he was particularly silent； presenting a front of some austerity； as became a man mixed up in a low class of incident like this。 And the seamstress； very thin and scared； with her wounded wrist slung in a muffler of her husband's； and carrying the baby on her other arm； because the morning's incident had upset the little thing； slipped along beside him； glancing now and then into his face。
Only once did he speak； and to himself：
〃I don't know what they'll say to me down at the orffice； when I go again…missin' my day like this！ Oh dear； what a misfortune！ What put it into him to go on like that？〃
At this； which was far from being intended as encouragement； the waters of speech broke up and flowed from Mrs。 Hughs。 She had only told Hughs how that young girl had gone； and left a week's rent； with a bit of writing to say she wasn't coming back； it wasn't her fault that she was gonethat ought never to have come there at all； a creature that knew no better than to come between husband and wife。 She couldn't tell no more than he could where that young girl had gone！
The tears； stealing forth； chased each other down the seamstress's thin cheeks。 Her face had now but little likeness to the face with which she had stood confronting Hughs when she informed him of the little model's flight。 None of the triumph which had leaped out of her bruised heart； none of the strident malice with which her voice； whether she would or no； strove to avenge her wounded sense of property； none of that unconscious abnegation； so very near to heroism； with which she had rushed and caught up her baby from beneath the bayonet； when； goaded by her malice and triumph； Hughs had rushed to seize that weapon。 None of all that； but； instead； a pitiable terror of the ordeal before hera pitiful； mute； quivering distress； that this man； against whom； two hours before； she had felt such a store of bitter rancour； whose almost murderous assault she had so narrowly escaped； should now be in this plight。
The sight of her emotion penetrated through his spectacles to something lying deep in the old butler。
〃Don't you take on；〃 he said； 〃I'll stand by yer。 He shan't treat yer with impuniness。〃
To his uncomplicated nature the affair was still one of tit for tat。 Mrs。 Hughs became mute again。 Her torn heart yearned to cancel the penalty that would fall on all of them； to deliver Hughs from the common enemythe Law； but a queer feeling of pride and bewilderment； and a knowledge； that； to demand an eye for an eye was expected of all self…respecting persons； kept her silent。
Thus； then； they reached the great consoler； the grey resolver of all human tangles； haven of men and angels； the police court。 It was situated in a back street。 Like trails of ooze； when the tide； neither ebb nor flow； is leaving and making for some estuary； trails of human beings were moving to and from it。 The faces of these shuffling 〃shadows〃 wore a look as though masked with some hard but threadbare stuff…the look of those whom Life has squeezed into a last resort。 Within the porches lay a stagnant marsh of suppliants； through whose centre trickled to and fro that stream of ooze。 An old policeman； too； like some grey lighthouse； marked the entrance to the port of refuge。 Close to that lighthouse the old butler edged his way。 The love of regularity； and of an established order of affairs； born in him and fostered by a life passed in the service of the 〃Honorable Bateson〃 and the other gentry； made him cling instinctively to the only person in this crowd whom he could tell for certain to be on the side of law and order。 Something in his oblong face and lank； scanty hair parted precisely in the middle； something in that high collar supporting his lean gills； not subservient exactly； but as it were suggesting that he was in league against all this low…class of fellow； made the policeman say to him：
〃What's your business； daddy？〃
〃Oh！〃 the old butler answered。 〃This poor woman。 I'm a witness to her battery。〃
The policeman cast his not unkindly look over the figure of the seamstress。 〃You stand here；〃 he said； 〃 I'll pass you in directly。〃
And soon by his offices the two were passed into the port of refuge。
They sat down side by side on the edge of a long； hard； wooden bench； Creed fixing his eyes； whose colour had run into a brownish rim round their centres； on the magistrate； as in old days sun…worshippers would sit blinking devoutly at the sun； and Mrs。 Hughs fixing her eyes on her lap； while tears of agony trickled down her face。 On her unwounded arm the baby slept。 In front of them； and unregarded； filed one by one those shadows who had drunk the day before too deeply of the waters of forgetfulness。 To…day； instead； they were to drink the water of remembrance； poured out for them with no uncertain hand。 And somewhere very far away； it may have been that Justice sat with her ironic smile watching men judge their shadows。 She had watched them so long about that business。 With her elementary idea that hares and tortoises should not be made to start from the same mark she had a little given u
