fraternity-第42章

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〃She　came　from　the　country。　　There's　plenty　of　men　there　for　her！〃

Martin　put　the　plants　down；　and　turned　round　to　the　seamstress。

〃Look　here！〃　he　said；　〃it's　no　good　crying　over　spilt　milk。　　What　you've　got　to　do　is　to　set　to　and　get　some　work。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Don't　say　it　in　that　sort　of　way；〃　said　Martin；　〃you　must　rise　to　the　occasion。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃You　want　a　tonic。　　Take　this　half…crown；　and　get　in　a　dozen　pints　of　stout；　and　drink　one　every　day。〃

And　again　Mrs。　Hughs　said；　〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃And　about　that　baby。〃

Motionless；　where　it　had　been　placed　against　the　footrail　of　the　bed；　the　baby　sat　with　its　black　eyes　closed。　　The　small　grey　face　was　curled　down　on　the　bundle　of　its　garments。

〃It's　a　silent　gentleman；〃　Martin　muttered。

〃It　never　was　a　one　to　cry；〃　said　Mrs。　Hughs。

〃That's　lucky；　anyway。　　When　did　you　feed　it　last？〃

Mrs。　Hughs　did　not　reply　at　first。　　〃About　half…past　six　last　evening；　sir。〃

〃What？〃

〃It　slept　all　night；　but　to…day；　of　course；　I've　been　all　torn　to　pieces；　my　milk's　gone。　　I've　tried　it　with　the　bottle；　but　it　wouldn't　take　it。〃

Martin　bent　down　to　the　baby's　face；　and　put　his　finger　on　its　chin；　bending　lower　yet；　he　raised　the　eyelid　of　the　tiny　eye。。。。

〃It's　dead；〃　he　said。

At　the　word　〃dead〃　Mrs。　Hughs；　stooping　behind　him；　snatched　the　baby　to　her　throat。　　With　its　drooping　head　close　to　her　she；　she　clutched　and　rocked　it　without　sound。　　Full　five　minutes　this　desperate　mute　struggle　with　eternal　silence　lastedthe　feeling；　and　warming；　and　breathing　on　the　little　limbs。　　Then；　sitting　down；　bent　almost　double　over　her　baby；　she　moaned。　　That　single　sound　was　followed　by　utter　silence。　　The　tread　of　footsteps　on　the　creaking　stairs　broke　it。　　Martin；　rising　from　his　crouching　posture　by　the　bed；　went　towards　the　door。

His　grandfather　was　standing　there；　with　Thyme　behind　him。

〃She　has　left　her　room；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃Where　has　she　gone？〃

Martin；　understanding　that　he　meant　the　little　model；　put　his　finger　to　his　lips；　and；　pointing　to　Mrs。　Hughs；　whispered：

〃This　woman's　baby　has　just　died。〃

Mr。　Stone's　face　underwent　the　queer　discoloration　which　marked　the　sudden　summoning　of　his　far　thoughts。　　He　stepped　past　Martin；　and　went　up　to　Mrs。　Hughs。

He　stood　there　a　long　time　gazing　at　the　baby；　and　at　the　dark　head　bending　over　it　with　such　despair。　　At　last　he　spoke：

〃Poor　woman！　　He　is　at　peace。〃

Mrs。　Hughs　looked　up；　and；　seeing　that　old　face；　with　its　hollows　and　thin　silver　hair；　she　spoke：

〃He's　dead；　sir。〃

Mr。　Stone　put　out　his　veined　and　fragile　hand；　and　touched　the　baby's　toes。　　〃He　is　flying；　he　is　everywhere；　he　is　close　to　the　sun　Little　brother！〃　　And　turning　on　his　heel；　he　went　out。

Thyme　followed　him　as　he　walked　on　tiptoe　down　stairs　which　seemed　to　creak　the　louder　for　his　caution。　　Tears　were　rolling　down　her　cheeks。

Martin　sat　on；　with　the　mother　and　her　baby；　in　the　close；　still　room；　where；　like　strange　visiting　spirits；　came　stealing　whiffs　of　the　perfume　of　hyacinths。




CHAPTER　XXVII

STEPHEN'S　PRIVATE　LIFE

Mr。　Stone　and　Thyme；　going　out；　again　passed　the　tall；　white　young　man。　　He　had　thrown　away　the　hand…made　cigarette；　finding　that　it　had　not　enough　saltpetre　to　make　it　draw；　and　was　smoking　one　more　suited　to　the　action　of　his　lungs。　　He　directed　towards　them　the　same　lack…　lustre；　jeering　stare。

Unconscious；　seemingly；　of　where　he　went；　Mr。　Stone　walked　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　space。　　His　head　jerked　now　and　then；　as　a　dried　flower　will　shiver　in　a　draught。

Scared　at　these　movements；　Thyme　took　his　arm。　　The　touch　of　that　soft　young　arm　squeezing　his　own　brought　speech　back　to　Mr。　Stone。

〃In　those　places。。。。〃　　he　said；　〃in　those　streets！　。。。I　shall　not　see　the　flowering　of　the　aloeI　shall　not　see　the　living　peace！　　'As　with　dogs；　each　couched　over　his　proper　bone；　so　men　were　living　then！'〃　　Thyme；　watching　him　askance；　pressed　still　closer　to　his　side；　as　though　to　try　and　warm　him　back　to　every　day。

'Oh！'　went　her　guttered　thoughts。　　'I　do　wish　grandfather　would　say　something　one　could　understand。　　I　wish　he　would　lose　that　dreadful　stare。'

Mr。　Stone　spoke　in　answer　to　his　granddaughter's　thoughts。

〃I　have　seen　a　vision　of　fraternity。　　A　barren　hillside　in　the　sun；　and　on　it　a　man　of　stone　talking　to　the　wind。　　I　have　heard　an　owl　hooting　in　the　daytime；　a　cuckoo　singing　in　the　night。〃

〃Grandfather；　grandfather！〃

To　that　appeal　Mr。　Stone　responded：　〃Yes；　what　is　it？〃

But　Thyme；　thus　challenged；　knew　not　what　to　say；　having　spoken　out　of　terror。

〃If　the　poor　baby　had　lived；〃　she　stammered　out；　〃it　would　have　grown　up。。。。　　It's　all　for　the　best；　isn't　it？〃

〃Everything　is　for　the　best；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃'In　those　days　men；　possessed　by　thoughts　of　individual　life；　made　moan　at　death；　careless　of　the　great　truth　that　the　world　was　one　unending　song。'〃

Thyme　thought：　'I　have　never　seen　him　as　bad　as　this！'　She　drew　him　on　more　quickly。　　With　deep　relief　she　saw　her　father；　latchkey　in　hand；　turning　into　the　Old　Square。

Stephen；　who　was　still　walking　with　his　springy　step；　though　he　had　come　on　foot　the　whole　way　from　the　Temple；　hailed　them　with　his　hat。　It　was　tall　and　black；　and　very　shiny；　neither　quite　oval　nor　positively　round；　and　had　a　little　curly　brim。　　In　this　and　his　black　coat；　cut　so　as　to　show　the　front　of　him　and　cover　the　behind；　he　looked　his　best。　　The　costume　suited　his　long；　rather　narrow　face；　corrugated　by　two　short　parallel　lines　slanting　downwards　from　his　eyes　and　nostrils　on　either　cheek；　suited　his　neat；　thin　figure　and　the　close…lipped　corners　of　his　mouth。　　His　permanent　appointment　in　the　world　of　Law　had　ousted　from　his　life　（together　with　all　uncertainty　of　income）　the　need　for　putting　on　a　wig　and　taking　his　moustache　off；　but　he　still　preferred　to　go　clean…shaved。

〃Where　have　you　two　sprung　from？〃　　he　inquired；　admitting　them　into　the　hall。

Mr。　Stone　gave　him　no　answer；　but　passed　into　the　drawing…room；　and　sat　down　on　the　verge　of　the　first　chair　he　came　across；　leaning　forward　with　his　hands　between　his　knees。

Stephen；　after　one　dry　glance　at　him；　turned　to　his　daughter。

〃My　child；〃　he　said　softly；　〃what　have　you　brought　the　old　boy　here　for？　　If　there　happens　to　be　anything　of　the　high　mammalian　order　for　dinner；　your　mother　will　have　a　fit。〃

Thyme　answered：　〃Don't　chaff；　Father！〃

Stephen；　who　was　very　fond　of　her；　saw　that　for　some　reason　she　was　not　herself。　　He　examined　her　with　unwonted　gravity。　　Thyme　turned　away　from　him。　　He　heard；　to　his　alarm；　a　little　gulping　sound。

〃My　dear！〃　he　said。

Conscious　of　her　sentimental　weakness；　Thyme　made　a　violent　effort。

〃I've　seen　a　baby　dead；〃　she　cried　in　a　quick；　hard　voice；　and；　without　another　word；　she　ran　upstairs。

In　Stephen　there　was　a　horror　of　emotion　amounting　almost　to　disease。　It　would　have　been　difficult　to　say　when　he　had　last　shown　emotion；　perhaps　not　since　Thyme　was　born；　and　even　then　not　to　anyone　except　himself；　having　first　locked　the　door；　and　then　walked　up　and　down；　with　his　teeth　almost　meeting　in　the　mouthpiece　of　his　favourite　pipe。　　He　was　unaccustomed；　too；　to　witness　this　weakness　on　the　part　of　other　people。　　His　looks　and　speech　unconsciously　discouraged　it；　so　that　if　Cecilia　had　been　at　all　that　way　inclined；　she　must　long　ago　have　been　healed。　　Fortunately；　she　never　had　been；　having　too　much　distrust　of　her　own　feelings　to　give　way　to　them　completely。　And　Thyme；　that　healthy　product　of　them　both；　at　once　younger　for　her　age；　and　older；　than　they　had　ever　been；　with　her　incapacity　for　nonsense；　her　love　for　open　air　and　factsthat　fresh；　rising　plant；　so　elastic　and　so　saneshe　had　never　given　them　a　single　moment　of　uneasiness。

Stephen；　close　to　his　hat…rack；　felt　soreness　in　his　heart。　　Such　blows　as　Fortune　had　dealt；　and　meant　to　deal　him；　he　had　borne；　and　he　could　bear；　so　long　as　there　was　nothing　in　his　own　manner；　or　in　that　of　others；　to　show　him　they　were　blows。

Hurriedly　depositing　his　hat；　he　ran　to　Cecilia。　　He　still　preserved　the　habit　of　knocking　on　her　door　before　he　entered；　though　she　had　never；　so　far；　answered；　〃Don't　come　in！〃　because　she　knew　his　knock。　The　custom　ga