fraternity-第44节

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iled　up　with　guns　and　boxes；　he　had　sat　holding　the　〃Honorable　Bateson's〃　dog；　occasions　when；　with　some　young　person　by　his　side；　he　had　driven　at　the　tail　of　a　baptismal；　nuptial；　or　funeral　cortege。　　These　memories　of　past　grandeur　came　back　to　him　with　curious　poignancy；　and　for　some　reason　the　words　kept　rising　in　his　mind：　'For　richer　or　poorer；　for　better　or　worser；　in　health　and　in　sick　places；　till　death　do　us　part。'　But　in　the　midst　of　the　exaltation　of　these　recollections　the　old　heart　beneath　his　old　red　flannel　chest…protectorthat　companion　of　his　exiletwittering　faintly　at　short　intervals；　made　him　look　at　the　woman　by　his　side。　　He　longed　to　convey　to　her　some　little　of　the　satisfaction　he　felt　in　the　fact　that　this　was　by　no　means　the　low　class　of　funeral　it　might　have　been。　　He　doubted　whether；　with　her　woman's　mind；　she　was　getting　all　the　comfort　she　could　out　of　three　four…wheeled　cabs　and　a　wreath　of　lilies。　　The　seamstress's　thin　face；　with　its　pinched；　passive　look；　was　indeed　thinner；　quieter；　than　ever。　　What　she　was　thinking　of　he　could　not　tell。　　There　were　so　many　things　she　might　be　thinking　of。　　She；　too；　no　doubt；　had　seen　her　grandeur；　if　but　in　the　solitary　drive　away　from　the　church　where；　eight　years　ago；　she　and　Hughs　had　listened　to　the　words　now　haunting　Creed。　　Was　she　thinking　of　that；　of　her　lost　youth　and　comeliness；　and　her　man's　dead　love；　of　the　long　descent　to　shadowland；　of　the　other　children　she　had　buried；　of　Hughs　in　prison；　of　the　girl　that　had　〃put　a　spell　on　him〃；　or　only　of　the　last　precious　tugs　the　tiny　lips　at　rest　in　the　first　four…wheeled　cab　had　given　at　her　breast？　　Or　was　she；　with　a　nicer　feeling　for　proportion；　reflecting　that；　had　not　people　been　so　kind；　she　might　have　had　to　walk　behind　a　funeral　provided　by　the　parish？

The　old　butler　could　not　tell；　but　hewhose　one　desire　now；　coupled　with　the　wish　to　die　outside　a　workhouse；　was　to　save　enough　to　bury　his　own　body　without　the　interference　of　other　peoplewas　inclined　to　think　she　must　be　dwelling　on　the　brighter　side　of　things；　and；　designing　to　encourage　her；　he　said：　〃Wonderful　improvement　in　these　'ere　four…wheel　cabs！　　Oh　dear；　yes！　　I　remember　of　them　when　they　were　the　shadders　of　what　they　are　at　the　present　time　of　speakin'。〃

The　seamstress　answered　in　her　quiet　voice：　〃Very　comfortable　this　is。　　Sit　still；　Stanley！〃　　Her　little　son；　whose　feet　did　not　reach　the　floor；　was　drumming　his　heels　against　the　seat。　　He　stopped　and　looked　at　her；　and　the　old　butler　addressed　him。

〃You'll　a…remember　of　this　occasion；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　gets　older。〃

The　little　boy　turned　his　black　eyes　from　his　mother　to　him　who　had　spoken　last。

〃It's　a　beautiful　wreath；〃　continued　Creed。　　〃I　could　smell　of　it　all　the　way　up　the　stairs。　　There's　been　no　expense　spared；　there's　white　laylock　in　itthat's　a　class　of　flower　that's　very　extravagant。〃

A　train　of　thought　having　been　roused　too　strong　for　his　discretion；　he　added：　〃I　saw　that　young　girl　yesterday。　　She　came　interrogatin'　of　me　in　the　street。〃

On　Mrs。　Hughs'　face；　where　till　now　expression　had　been　buried；　came　such　a　look　as　one　may　see　on　the　face　of　an　owl…hard；　watchful；　cruel；　harder；　more　cruel；　for　the　softness　of　the　big　dark　eyes。

〃She'd　show　a　better　feeling；〃　she　said；　〃to　keep　a　quiet　tongue。　Sit　still；　Stanley！〃

Once　more　the　little　boy　stopped　drumming　his　heels；　and　shifted　his　stare　from　the　old　butler　back　to　her　who　spoke。　　The　cab；　which　had　seemed　to　hesitate　and　start；　as　though　jibbing　at　something　in　the　road；　resumed　its　ambling　pace。　　Creed　looked　through　the　well…closed　window。　　There　before　him；　so　long　that　it　seemed　to　have　no　end；　like　a　building　in　a　nightmare；　stretched　that　place　where　he　did　not　mean　to　end　his　days。　　He　faced　towards　the　horse　again。　　The　colour　had　deepened　in　his　nose。　　He　spoke：

〃If　they'd　a…give　me　my　last　edition　earlier；　'stead　of　sending　of　it　down　after　that　low…class　feller's　taken　all　my　customers；　that'd　make　a　difference　to　me　o'　two　shillin's　at　the　utmost　in　the　week；　and　all　clear　savin's。〃　　To　these　words；　dark　with　hidden　meaning；　he　received　no　answer　save　the　drumming　of　the　small　boy's　heels；　and；　reverting　to　the　subject　he　had　been　distracted　from；　he　murmured：　〃She　was　a…wearin'　of　new　clothes。〃

He　was　startled　by　the　fierce　tone　of　a　voice　he　hardly　knew。　　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　about　her；　she's　not　for　decent　folk　to　talk　of。〃

The　old　butler　looked　round　askance。　　The　seamstress　was　trembling　violently。　　Her　fierceness　at　such　a　moment　shocked　him。　　〃'Dust　to　dust；'〃　he　thought。

〃Don't　you　be　considerate　of　it；〃　he　said　at　last；　summoning　all　his　knowledge　of　the　world；　〃she'll　come　to　her　own　place。〃　　And　at　the　sight　of　a　slow　tear　trickling　over　her　burning　cheek；　he　added　hurriedly：　〃Think　of　your　babyI'll　see　yer　through。　　Sit　still；　little　boysit　still！　　Ye're　disturbin'　of　your　mother。〃

Once　more　the　little　boy　stayed　the　drumming　of　his　heels　to　look　at　him　who　spoke；　and　the　closed　cab　rolled　on　with　its　slow；　jingling　sound。

In　the　third　four…wheeled　cab；　where　the　windows　again　were　wide　open；　Martin　Stone；　with　his　hands　thrust　deep　into　the　pockets　of　his　coat；　and　his　long　legs　crossed；　sat　staring　at　the　roof；　with　a　sort　of　twisted　scorn　on　his　pale　face。

Just　inside　the　gate；　through　which　had　passed　in　their　time　so　many　dead　and　living　shadows；　Hilary　stood　waiting。　　He　could　probably　not　have　explained　why　he　had　come　to　see　this　tiny　shade　committed　to　the　earthin　memory；　perhaps；　of　those　two　minutes　when　the　baby's　eyes　had　held　parley　with　his　own；　or　in　the　wish　to　pay　a　mute　respect　to　her　on　whom　life　had　weighed　so　hard　of　late。　　For　whatever　reason　he　had　come；　he　was　keeping　quietly　to　one　side。　　And　unobserved；　he；　too；　had　his　watcherthe　little　model；　sheltering　behind　a　tall　grave。

Two　men　in　rusty　black　bore　the　little　coffin；　then　came　the　white…　robed　chaplain；　then　Mrs。　Hughs　and　her　little　son；　close　behind；　his　head　thrust　forward　with　trembling　movements　from　side　to　side；　old　Creed；　and；　last　of　all；　young　Martin　Stone。　　Hilary　joined　the　young　doctor。　　So　the　five　mourners　walked。

Before　a　small　dark　hole　in　a　corner　of　the　cemetery　they　stopped。　On　this　forest　of　unflowered　graves　the　sun　was　falling；　the　east　wind；　with　its　faint　reek；　touched　the　old　butler's　plastered　hair；　and　brought　moisture　to　the　corners　of　his　eyes；　fixed　with　absorption　on　the　chaplain。　　Words　and　thoughts　hunted　in　his　mind。

'He's　gettin'　Christian　burial。　　Who　gives　this　woman　away？　　I　do。　Ashes　to　ashes。　　I　never　suspected　him　of　livin'。'　　The　conning　of　the　burial　service；　shortened　to　fit　the　passing　of　that　tiny　shade；　gave　him　pleasurable　sensation；　films　came　down　on　his　eyes；　he　listened　like　some　old　parrot　on　its　perch；　his　head　a　little　to　one　side。

'Them　as　dies　young；'　he　thought；　'goes　straight　to　heaven。　　We　trusts　in　Godall　mortal　men；　his　godfathers　and　his　godmothers　in　his　baptism。　　Well；　so　it　is！　　I'm　not　afeared　o'　death！'

Seeing　the　little　coffin　tremble　above　the　hole；　he　craned　his　head　still　further　forward。　　It　sank；　a　smothered　sobbing　rose。　　The　old　butler　touched　the　arm　in　front　of　him　with　shaking　fingers。

〃Don't　'e；〃　he　whispered；　〃he's　a…gone　to　glory。〃

But；　hearing　the　dry　rattle　of　the　earth；　he　took　out　his　own　handkerchief　and　put　it　to　his　nose。

'Yes；　he's　a…gone；'　he　thought；　'another　little　baby。　　Old　men　an'　maidens；　young　men　an'　little　children；　it's　a…goin'　on　all　the　time。　Where　'e　is　now　there'll　be　no　marryin'；　no；　nor　givin'　out　in　marriage；　till　death　do　us　part。'

The　wind；　sweeping　across　the　filled…in　hole；　carried　the　rustle　of　his　husky　breathing；　the　dry；　smothered　sobbing　of　the　seamstress；　out　across　the　shadows'　graves；　to　those　places；　to　those　streets。。。。

》From　the　baby's　funeral　Hilary　and　Martin　walked　away　together；　and　far　behind　them；　across　the　road；　the　little　model　followed。　　For　some　time　neither　spoke；　then　Hilary；　stretching　out　his　hand　towards　a　squalid　alley；　said：

〃They　haunt　us　and　drag　us　down。　　A　long；　dark　passage。　　Is　there　a　light　at　the　far　end；　Martin？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Martin　gruffly。

〃I　don't　see　it。〃

Martin　looked　at　him。

〃Hamlet！〃

Hilary　did　not　reply。

The　young　man　watched　him　sideways。　　〃It's　a　disease　to　smile　like　that！〃

Hilary　ceased　to　smile。　　〃Cure　me；　then；〃　he　said；　with　sudden　anger；　〃you　man　of　health！〃

The　young　〃Sanitist's〃　sallow　cheeks　flushed。　　〃Atrophy　of　the　nerve　of　action；〃　he　muttered；　〃there's　no　cure　for　that！〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Hilary：　〃All　kinds　of　us　want　social　progress　in　our　different　ways。　　You；　your　grandfather；　my　brother；　myself；　there　are　four　types　for　you。　　Will　you　tell　me　any　one　of　us　is　the　right　man　for　the　job？　　For　instance；　action's　not　natural　to　me。〃

〃Any　act；〃　answered　Martin；　〃is　better　than　no　act。〃

〃And　myopia　is　natural　to　you；　Martin。　　Your　prescription　in　this　case　has　not　been　too　successful；　has　it？〃

〃I　can't　help　it　if　people　will　be　d…d　fools。〃

〃There　you　hit　it。　　But　answer　me　this　question：　Isn't　a　social　conscience；　broadly　speaking；　the　result　of　comfort　and　security？〃

Martin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃And　doesn't　comfort　also　dest