sketches new and old-第37节

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grin　as　he　went　by；　I　thought　I　would　not　detain　him。　　He　was　hardly　gone
when　I　heard　the　clacking　again；　and　another　one　issued　from　the　shadowy
half…light。　　This　one　was　bending　under　a　heavy　gravestone；　and　dragging
a　shabby　coffin　after　him　by　a　string。　　When　he　got　to　me　he　gave　me　a
steady　look　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　then　rounded　to　and　backed　up　to　me；
saying：

〃Ease　this　down　for　a　fellow；　will　you？〃

I　eased　the　gravestone　down　till　it　rested　on　the　ground；　and　in　doing　so
noticed　that　it　bore　the　name　of　〃John　Baxter　Copmanhurst；〃with　〃May；
1839；〃　as　the　date　of　his　death。　　Deceased　sat　wearily　down　by　me；　and
wiped　his　os　frontis　with　his　major　maxillarychiefly　from　former　habit
I　judged；　for　I　could　not　see　that　he　brought　away　any　perspiration。

〃It　is　too　bad；　too　bad；〃　said　he；　drawing　the　remnant　of　the　shroud
about　him　and　leaning　his　jaw　pensively　on　his　hand。　　Then　he　put　his
left　foot　up　on　his　knee　and　fell　to　scratching　his　anklebone　absently
with　a　rusty　nail　which　he　got　out　of　his　coffin。

〃What　is　too　bad；　friend？〃

〃Oh；　everything；　everything。　　I　almost　wish　I　never　had　died。〃

〃You　surprise　me。　　Why　do　you　say　this？　　Has　anything　gone　wrong？　　What
is　the　matter？〃

〃Matter！　　Look　at　this　shroud…rags。　　Look　at　this　gravestone；　all
battered　up。　　Look　at　that　disgraceful　old　coffin。　　All　a　man's　property
going　to　ruin　and　destruction　before　his　eyes；　and　ask　him　if　anything　is
wrong？　　Fire　and　brimstone！〃

〃Calm　yourself；　calm　yourself；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　too　bad…it　is　certainly
too　bad；　but　then　I　had　not　supposed　that　you　would　much　mind　such
matters　situated　as　you　are。〃

〃Well；　my　dear　sir；　I　do　mind　them。　　My　pride　is　hurt；　and　my　comfort　is
impaireddestroyed；　I　might　say。　　I　will　state　my　caseI　will　put　it　to
you　in　such　a　way　that　you　can　comprehend　it；　if　you　will　let　me；〃　said
the　poor　skeleton；　tilting　the　hood　of　his　shroud　back；　as　if　he　were
clearing　for　action；　and　thus　unconsciously　giving　himself　a　jaunty　and
festive　air　very　much　at　variance　with　the　grave　character　of　his
position　in　lifeso　to　speakand　in　prominent　contrast　with　his
distressful　mood。

〃Proceed；〃　said　I。

〃I　reside　in　the　shameful　old　graveyard　a　block　or　two　above　you　here；
in　this　streetthere；　now；　I　just　expected　that　cartilage　would　let　go！…
…third　rib　from　the　bottom；　friend；　hitch　the　end　of　it　to　my　spine　with
a　string；　if　you　have　got　such　a　thing　about　you；　though　a　bit　of　silver
wire　is　a　deal　pleasanter；　and　more　durable　and　becoming；　if　one　keeps　it
polishedto　think　of　shredding　out　and　going　to　pieces　in　this　way；　just
on　account　of　the　indifference　and　neglect　of　one's　posterity！〃　and　the
poor　ghost　grated　his　teeth　in　a　way　that　gave　me　a　wrench　and　a　shiver
for　the　effect　is　mightily　increased　by　the　absence　of　muffling　flesh
and　cuticle。　　〃I　reside　in　that　old　graveyard；　and　have　for　these　thirty
years；　and　I　tell　you　things　are　changed　since　I　first　laid　this　old
tired　frame　there；　and　turned　over；　and　stretched　out　for　a　long　sleep；
with　a　delicious　sense　upon　me　of　being　done　with　bother；　and　grief；
and　anxiety；　and　doubt；　and　fear；　forever　and　ever；　and　listening　with
comfortable　and　increasing　satisfaction　to　the　sexton's　work；　from　the
startling　clatter　of　his　first　spadeful　on　my　coffin　till　it　dulled　away
to　the　faint　patting　that　shaped　the　roof　of　my　new　home…delicious！　　My！
I　wish　you　could　try　it　to…night！〃　and　out　of　my　reverie　deceased　fetched
me　a　rattling　slap　with　a　bony　hand。

〃Yes；　sir；　thirty　years　ago　I　laid　me　down　there；　and　was　happy。　　For　it
was　out　in　the　country　thenout　in　the　breezy；　flowery；　grand　old　woods；
and　the　lazy　winds　gossiped　with　the　leaves；　and　the　squirrels　capered
over　us　and　around　us；　and　the　creeping　things　visited　us；　and　the　birds
filled　the　tranquil　solitude　with　music。　　Ah；　it　was　worth　ten　years　of　a
man's　life　to　be　dead　then！　　Everything　was　pleasant。　　I　was　in　a　good
neighborhood；　for　all　the　dead　people　that　lived　near　me　belonged　to　the
best　families　in　the　city。　　Our　posterity　appeared　to　think　the　world　of
us。　　They　kept　our　graves　in　the　very　best　condition；　the　fences　were
always　in　faultless　repair；　head…boards　were　kept　painted　or　whitewashed；
and　were　replaced　with　new　ones　as　soon　as　they　began　to　look　rusty　or
decayed；　monuments　were　kept　upright；　railings　intact　and　bright；　the
rose…bushes　and　shrubbery　trimmed；　trained；　and　free　from　blemish；　the
walks　clean　and　smooth　and　graveled。　　But　that　day　is　gone　by。　　Our
descendants　have　forgotten　us。　　My　grandson　lives　in　a　stately　house
built　with　money　made　by　these　old　hands　of　mine；　and　I　sleep　in　a
neglected　grave　with　invading　vermin　that　gnaw　my　shroud　to　build　them
nests　withal！　　I　and　friends　that　lie　with　me　founded　and　secured　the
prosperity　of　this　fine　city；　and　the　stately　bantling　of　our　loves
leaves　us　to　rot　in　a　dilapidated　cemetery　which　neighbors　curse　and
strangers　scoff　at。　　See　the　difference　between　the　old　time　and　this
for　instance：　Our　graves　are　all　caved　in　now；　our　head…boards　have
rotted　away　and　tumbled　down；　our　railings　reel　this　way　and　that；　with
one　foot　in　the　air；　after　a　fashion　of　unseemly　levity；　our　monuments
lean　wearily；　and　our　gravestones　bow　their　heads　discouraged；　there　be
no　adornments　any　moreno　roses；　nor　shrubs；　nor　graveled　walks；　nor
anything　that　is　a　comfort　to　the　eye；　and　even　the　paintless　old　board
fence　that　did　make　a　show　of　holding　us　sacred　from　companionship　with
beasts　and　the　defilement　of　heedless　feet；　has　tottered　till　it
overhangs　the　street；　and　only　advertises　the　presence　of　our　dismal
resting…place　and　invites　yet　more　derision　to　it。　　And　now　we　cannot
hide　our　poverty　and　tatters　in　the　friendly　woods；　for　the　city　has
stretched　its　withering　arms　abroad　and　taken　us　in；　and　all　that　remains
of　the　cheer　of　our　old　home　is　the　cluster　of　lugubrious　forest　trees
that　stand；　bored　and　weary　of　a　city　life；　with　their　feet　in　our
coffins；　looking　into　the　hazy　distance　and　wishing　they　were　there。
I　tell　you　it　is　disgraceful！

〃You　begin　to　comprehendyou　begin　to　see　how　it　is。　　While　our
descendants　are　living　sumptuously　on　our　money；　right　around　us　in　the
city；　we　have　to　fight　hard　to　keep　skull　and　bones　together。　　Bless　you；
there　isn't　a　grave　in　our　cemetery　that　doesn't　leak　not　one。　　Every
time　it　rains　in　the　night　we　have　to　climb　out　and　roost　in　the　trees
and　sometimes　we　are　wakened　suddenly　by　the　chilly　water　trickling　down
the　back　of　our　necks。　　Then　I　tell　you　there　is　a　general　heaving　up　of
old　graves　and　kicking　over　of　old　monuments；　and　scampering　of　old
skeletons　for　the　trees！　　Bless　me；　if　you　had　gone　along　there　some　such
nights　after　twelve　you　might　have　seen　as　many　as　fifteen　of　us　roosting
on　one　limb；　with　our　joints　rattling　drearily　and　the　wind　wheezing
through　our　ribs！　　Many　a　time　we　have　perched　there　for　three　or　four
dreary　hours；　and　then　come　down；　stiff　and　chilled　through　and　drowsy；
and　borrowed　each　other's　skulls　to　bail　out　our　graves　withif　you　will
glance　up　in　my　mouth　now　as　I　tilt　my　head　back；　you　can　see　that　my
head…piece　is　half　full　of　old　dry　sediment　how　top…heavy　and　stupid　it
makes　me　sometimes！　　Yes；　sir；　many　a　time　if　you　had　happened　to　come
along　just　before　the　dawn　you'd　have　caught　us　bailing　out　the　graves
and　hanging　our　shrouds　on　the　fence　to　dry。　　Why；　I　had　an　elegant
shroud　stolen　from　there　one　morningthink　a　party　by　the　name　of　Smith
took　it；　that　resides　in　a　plebeian　graveyard　over　yonderI　think　so
because　the　first　time　I　ever　saw　him　he　hadn't　anything　on　but　a　check
shirt；　and　the　last　time　I　saw　him；　which　was　at　a　social　gathering　in
the　new　cemetery；　he　was　the　best…dressed　corpse　in　the　companyand　it
is　a　significant　fact　that　he　left　when　he　saw　me；　and　presently　an　old
woman　from　here　missed　her　coffinshe　generally　took　it　with　her　when
she　went　anywhere；　because　she　was　liable　to　take　cold　and　bring　on　the
spasmodic　rheumatism　that　originally　killed　her　if　she　exposed　herself　to
the　night　air　much。　　She　was　named　HotchkissAnna　Matilda　Hotchkissyou
might　know　her？　　She　has　two　upper　front　teeth；　is　tall；　but　a　good　deal
inclined　to　stoop；　one　rib　on　the　left　side　gone；　has　one　shred　of　rusty
hair　hanging　from　the　left　side　of　her　head；　and　one　little　tuft　just
above　and　a　little　forward　of　her　right　ear；　has　her　underjaw　wired　on
one　side　where　it　had　worked　loose；　small　bone　of　left　forearm　gonelost
in　a　fight　has　a　kind　of　swagger　in　her　gait　and　a　'gallus'　way　of　going
with：　her　arms　akimbo　and　her　nostrils　in　the　air　has　been　pretty　free
and　easy；　and　is　all　damaged　and　battered　up　till　she　looks　like　a
queensware　crate　in　ruinsmaybe　you　have　met　her？〃

〃God　forbid！〃　I　involuntarily　ejaculated；　for　somehow　I　was　not　looking
for　that　form　of　question；　and　it　caught　me　a　little　off　my　guard。　　But　I
hastened　to　make　amends　for　my　rudeness；　and　say；　〃I　simply　meant　I　had
not　had　the　honorfor　I　would　not　deliberately　speak　discourteously　of　a
friend　of　yours。　　You　were　saying　that　you　were　robbedand　it　was　a
shame；　toobut　it　appears　by　what　is　left　of　the　shroud　you　have　on　that
it　was　a