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第45节

whirligigs-第45节

小说: whirligigs 字数: 每页4000字

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〃Pardon my indirectness;〃 said Lorison; 〃I will ask

one。  In this room to…night you pronounced me to be a

husband。  You afterward spoke of additional rites or

performances that either should or could be effected。  I

paid little attention to your words then; but I am hungry

to hear them repeated now。  As matters stand; am I

married past all help?〃



〃You are as legally and as firmly bound;〃 said the

priest; 〃as though it had been done in a cathedral; in the

presence of thousands。  The additional observances I

referred to are not necessary to the strictest legality of the

act; but were advised as a precaution for the future 

for convenience of proof in such contingencies as wills;

inheritances and the like。〃



Lorison laughed harshly。



〃Many thanks;〃 he said。  〃Then there is no mistake;

and I am the happy benedict。  I suppose I should go

stand upon the bridal corner; and when my wife gets

through walking the streets she will look me up。〃



Father Rogan regarded him calmly。



〃My son;〃 he said; 〃when a man and woman come to

me to be married I always marry them。  I do this for the

sake of other people whom they might go away and marry

if they did not marry each other。  As you see; I do not

seek your confidence; but your case seems to me to be

one not altogether devoid of interest。  Very few marriages

that have come to my notice have brought such well…

expressed regret within so short a time。  I will hazard

one question: were you not under the impression

that you loved the lady you married; at the time you

did so;〃



〃Loved her!〃  cried Lorison; wildly。  〃Never so well

as now; though she told me she deceived and sinned and

stole。  Never more than now; when; perhaps; she is

laughing at the fool she cajoled and left; with scarcely a

word; to return to God only knows what particular line

of her former folly。〃



Father Rooan answered nothing。  During the silence

that succeeded; he sat with a quiet expectation beaming

in his full; lambent eye。



〃If you would listen  〃 began Lorison。  The

priest held up his hand。



〃As I hoped;〃 he said。  〃I thought you would trust

me。  Wait but a moment。〃  He brought a long clay

pipe; filled and lighted it。



〃Now; my son;〃 he said。



Lorison poured a twelve month's accumulated con…

fidence into Father Rogan's ear。  He told all; not sparing

himself or omitting the facts of his past; the events of the

night; or his disturbing conjectures and fears。



〃The main point;〃 said the priest; when he had con…

cluded; 〃seems to me to be this  are you reasonably

sure that you love this woman whom you have married?〃



〃Why;〃 exclaimed Lorisoii; rising impulsively to his

feet … 〃why should I deny it?  But look at me  am

fish; flesh or fowl?  That is the main point to me;

assure you。〃



〃I understand you;〃 said the priest; also risino;; and

laying down his pipe。  〃The situation is one that has

taxed the endurance of much older men than you  in

fact; especially much older men than you。  I will try to

relieve you from it; and this night。  You shall see for

yourself into exactly what predicament you have fallen;

and how you shall; possibly; be extricated。  There is no

evidence so credible as that of the eyesight。〃



Father Rogan moved about the room; and donned a

soft black hat。  Buttoning his coat to his throat; he

laid his hand on the doorknob。  〃Let us walk;〃

he said。



The two went out upon the street。  The priest turned

his face down it; and Lorison walked with him through a

squalid district; where the houses loomed; awry and

desoiate…looking; high above them。  Presently they turned

into a less dismal side street; where the houses were smaller;

and; though hinting of the most meagre comfort; lacked

the concentrated wretchedness of the more populous

byways。



At a segregated; two…story house Father Rogan halted;

and mounted the steps with the confidence of a familiar

visitor。  He ushered Lorison into a narrow hallway;

faintly lighted by a cobwebbed hanging lamp。  Almost

immediately a door to the right opened and a dingy Irish…

woman protruded her head。



〃Good evening to ye; Mistress Geehan;〃 said the

priest; unconsciously; it seemed; falling into a delicately

flavoured brogue。  〃And is it yourself can tell me if

Norah has gone out again; the night; maybe?〃



〃Oh; it's yer blissid reverence!  Sure and I can tell

ye the same。  The purty darlin' wint out; as usual; but a

bit later。  And she says: 'Mother Geehan;' says she; 'it's

me last noight out; praise the saints; this noight is!' And;

oh; yer reverence; the swate; beautiful drame of a dress she

had this toime!  White satin and silk and ribbons; and

lace about the neck and arrums  'twas a sin; yer

reverence; the gold was spint upon it。〃



The priest heard Lorison catch his breath painfully;

and a faint smile flickered across his own clean…cut

mouth。



〃Well; then; Mistress Geehan;〃 said he; 〃I'll just

step upstairs and see the bit boy for a minute; and I'll

take this Gentleman up with me。〃



〃He's awake; thin;〃 said the woman。  'I've just

come down from sitting wid him the last hour; tilling him

fine shtories of ould County Tyrone。  'Tis a greedy gos…

soon; it is; yer riverence; for me shtories。〃



〃Small the doubt;〃 said Father Rogan。  〃There's no

rocking would put him to slape the quicker; I'm thinking。〃



Amid the woman's shrill protest against the retort; the

two men ascended the steep stairway。  The priest pushed

open the door of a room near its top。



〃Is that you already; sister?〃  drawled a sweet; childish

voice from the darkness。



〃It's only ould Father Denny come to see ye; darlin';

and a foine gentleman I've brought to make ye a gr…r…and

call。  And ye resaves us fast aslape in bed!  Shame on

yez manners!〃



〃Oh; Father Denny; is that you?  I'm glad。  And

will you light the lamp; please?  It's on the table by the

door。  And quit talking like Mother Geehan; Father

Denny。〃



The priest lit the lamp; and Lorison saw a tiny; towsled…

haired boy; with a thin; delicate face; sitting up in a small

bed in a corner。  Quickly; also; his rapid glance con…

sidered the room and its contents。  It was furnished with

more than comfort; and its adornments plainly indicated

a woman's discerning taste。  An open door beyond

revealed the blackness of an adjoining room's interior。



The boy clutched both of Father Rogan's hands。  〃I'm

so glad you came;〃 he said; 〃but why did you come in

the night?  Did sister send you?〃



〃Off wid ye!  Am I to be sint about; at me age; as

was Terence McShane; of Ballymahone?  I come on me

own r…r…responsibility。〃



Lorison had also advanced to the boy's bedside。  He

was fond of children; and the wee fellow; laving himself

down to sleep alone ill that dark room; stirred…his heart。



〃Aren't you afraid; little man?〃  he asked; stooping

down beside him。



〃Sometimes;〃 answered the boy; with a shy smile;

〃when the rats make too much noise。  But nearly every

night; when sister goes out; Molt…her Geehan stays a while

with me; and tells me funny stories。  I'm not often

afraid; sir。〃



〃This brave little gentleman;〃 said Father Rogan; 〃is

a scholar of mine。  Every day from half…past six to half…

past eight  when sister comes for him  he stops in

my study; and we find out what's in the inside of books。

He knows multiplication; division and fractions; and

he's troubling me to begin wid the chronicles of Ciaran

of Clonmaciioise; Corurac McCullenan and Cuan O'Loc…

hain; the gr…r…reat Irish histhorians。〃  The boy was

evidently accustomed to the priest's Celtic pleasantries。

A little; appreciative grin was all the attention the insin…

nation of pedantry received。



Lorison; to have saved his life; could not have put to

the child one of those vital questions that were wildly

beating about; unanswered; in his own brain。  The little

fellow was very like Norah; he had the same shining

hair and candid eyes。



〃Oh; Father Denny;〃 cried the boy; suddenly; 〃I

forgot to tell you!  Sister is not going away at night any

more!  She told me so when she kissed me good night as

she was leaving。  And she said she was so happy; and

then she cried。  Wasn't that queer?  But I'm glad;

aren't you?〃



〃Yes; lad。  And now; ye omadhaun; go to sleep; and

say good night; we must be going。〃



〃Which shall I do first; Father Denny?〃



〃Faith; he's caught me again!  Wait till I get the

sassenach into the annals of Tageruach; the hagiographer;

I'll give him enough of the Irish idiom to make him more

respectful。〃



The light was out; and the small; brave voice bidding

them good night from the dark room。  They groped

downstairs; and tore away from the garrulity of Mother

Geehan。



Again the priest steered them through the dim ways;

but this time in another direction。  His conductor was

serenel

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