five tales-第13章
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！
is chair； and for many minutes roamed the room unable to get his mind to bear on the issue。 Images kept starting up before him。 The face of the man who handed him wig and gown each morning； puffy and curious； with a leer on it he had never noticed before； his young daughter's lifted eyebrows； mouth drooping； eyes troubled； the tiny gilt crucifix glinting in the hollow of the dead girl's arm； the sightless look in Larry's unclosed eyes； even his own thumb and finger pulling the lids down。 And then he saw a street and endless people passing； turning to stare at him。 And； stopping in his tramp； he said aloud： 〃Let them go to hell！ Seven days' wonder！〃 Was he not trustee to that confession！ Trustee！ After all he had done nothing to be ashamed of； even if he had kept knowledge dark。 A brother！ Who could blame him？ And he picked up those sheets of paper。 But； like a great murky hand； the scandal spread itself about him； its coarse malignant voice seemed shouting： 〃Paiper！。。。 Paiper！。。。 Glove Lane Murder！。。。 Suicide and confession of brother of well…known K。C。。。。 Well…known K。C。's brother。。。。 Murder and suicide。。。。 Paiper！〃 Was he to let loose that flood of foulness？ Was he； who had done nothing； to smirch his own little daughter's life； to smirch his dead brother； their dead motherhimself； his own valuable； important future？ And all for a sewer rat！ Let him hang； let the fellow hang if he must！ And that was not certain。 Appeal！ Petition！ He mighthe should be saved！ To have got thus far； and then； by his own action； topple himself down！
With a sudden darting movement he thrust the confession in among the burning coals。 And a smile licked at the folds in his dark face； like those flames licking the sheets of paper； till they writhed and blackened。 With the toe of his boot he dispersed their scorched and crumbling wafer。 Stamp them in！ Stamp in that man's life！ Burnt！ No more doubts； no more of this gnawing fear！ Burnt？ A manan innocent…sewer rat！ Recoiling from the fire he grasped his forehead。 It was burning hot and seemed to be going round。
Well； it was done！ Only fools without will or purpose regretted。 And suddenly he laughed。 So Larry had died for nothing！ He had no will； no purpose； and was dead！ He and that girl might now have been living； loving each other in the warm night； away at the other end of the world； instead of lying dead in the cold night here！ Fools and weaklings regretted； suffered from conscience and remorse。 A man trod firmly； held to his purpose； no matter what！
He went to the window and drew back the curtain。 What was that？ A gibbet in the air； a body hanging？ Ah！ Only the treesthe dark treesthe winter skeleton trees！ Recoiling； he returned to his armchair and sat down before the fire。 It had been shining like that； the lamp turned low； his chair drawn up； when Larry came in that afternoon two months ago。 Bah！ He had never come at all！ It was a nightmare。 He had been asleep。 How his head burned！ And leaping up； he looked at the calendar on his bureau。 〃January the 28th！〃 No dream！ His face hardened and darkened。 On！ Not like Larry！ On！
1914。
A STOIC
I
1
〃Aequam memento rebus in arduis Servare mentem：〃Horace。
In the City of Liverpool； on a January day of 1905； the Board…room of 〃The Island Navigation Company〃 rested； as it were； after the labours of the afternoon。 The long table was still littered with the ink； pens； blotting…paper； and abandoned documents of six personsa deserted battlefield of the brain。 And； lonely； in his chairman's seat at the top end old Sylvanus Heythorp sat； with closed eyes； still and heavy as an image。 One puffy； feeble hand； whose fingers quivered； rested on the arm of his chair； the thick white hair on his massive head glistened in the light from a green…shaded lamp。 He was not asleep； for every now and then his sanguine cheeks filled； and a sound； half sigh； half grunt； escaped his thick lips between a white moustache and the tiny tuft of white hairs above his cleft chin。 Sunk in the chair； that square thick trunk of a body in short black… braided coat seemed divested of all neck。
Young Gilbert Farney； secretary of 〃The Island Navigation Company；〃 entering his hushed Board…room； stepped briskly to the table； gathered some papers； and stood looking at his chairman。 Not more than thirty…five； with the bright hues of the optimist in his hair； beard； cheeks； and eyes； he had a nose and lips which curled ironically。 For； in his view； he was the Company； and its Board did but exist to chequer his importance。 Five days in the week for seven hours a day he wrote； and thought； and wove the threads of its business； and this lot came down once a week for two or three hours； and taught their grandmother to suck eggs。 But watching that red… cheeked； white…haired； somnolent figure； his smile was not so contemptuous as might have been expected。 For after all； the chairman was a wonderful old boy。 A man of go and insight could not but respect him。 Eighty！ Half paralysed； over head and ears in debt； having gone the pace all his lifeor so they said！till at last that mine in Ecuador had done for himbefore the secretary's day； of course； but he had heard of it。 The old chap had bought it up on spec'〃de l'audace； toujours de l'audace；〃 as he was so fond of sayingpaid for it half in cash and half in promises； and then the thing had turned out empty； and left him with L20；000 worth of the old shares unredeemed。 The old boy had weathered it out without a bankruptcy so far。 Indomitable old buffer； and never fussy like the rest of them！ Young Farney； though a secretary； was capable of attachment； and his eyes expressed a pitying affection。 The Board meeting had been long and 〃snadgy〃a final settling of that Pillin business。 Rum go the chairman forcing it on them like this！ And with quiet satisfaction the secretary thought 'And he never would have got it through if I hadn't made up my mind that it really is good business！' For to expand the company was to expand himself。 Still； to buy four ships with the freight market so depressed was a bit startling； and there would be opposition at the general meeting。 Never mind！ He and the chairman could put it throughput it through。 And suddenly he saw the old man looking at him。
Only from those eyes could one appreciate the strength of life yet flowing underground in that well…nigh helpless carcasedeep…coloured little blue wells； tiny； jovial； round windows。
A sigh travelled up through layers of flesh； and he said almost inaudibly：
〃Have they come； Mr。 Farney？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I've put them in the transfer office； said you'd be with them in a minute； but I wasn't going to wake you。〃
〃Haven't been asleep。 Help me up。〃
Grasping the edge of the table with his trembling hands； the old man pulled； and； with Farney heaving him behind； attained his feet。 He stood about five feet ten； and weighed fully fourteen stone； not corpulent； but very thick all through； his round and massive head alone would have outweighed a baby。 With eyes shut； he seemed to be trying to get the better of his own weight； then he moved with the slowness of a barnacle towards the door。 The secretary； watching him； thought： 'Marvellous old chap！ How he gets about by himself is a miracle！ And he can't retire； they say…lives on his fees！'
But the chairman was through the green baize door。 At his tortoise gait he traversed the inner office； where the youthful clerks suspended their figuringto grin behind his backand entered the transfer office； where eight gentlemen were sitting。 Seven rose； and one did not。 Old Heythorp raised a saluting hand to the level of his chest and moving to an arm…chair； lowered himself into it。
〃Well； gentlemen？〃
One of the eight gentlemen got up again。
〃Mr。 Heythorp； we've appointed Mr。 Brownbee to voice our views。 Mr。 Brownbee！〃 And down he sat。
Mr。 Brownbee rose a stoutish man some seventy years of age； with little grey side whiskers； and one of those utterly steady faces only to be seen in England； faces which convey the sense of business from father to son for generations； faces which make wars； and passion； and
