fraternity-第46章

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Mr。　Stone；　who　was　indeed　shaking　so　that　he　could　hardly　stand；　allowed　Hilary　to　assist　him　into　bed　and　tuck　the　blankets　round　him。

〃I　must　be　at　work　by　ten　o'clock；〃　he　said。

Hilary；　who　was　also　shivering；　hastened　to　Bianca's　room。　　She　was　just　coming　down；　and　exclaimed　at　seeing　him　all　wet。　　When　he　had　told　her　of　the　episode　she　touched　his　shoulder。

〃What　about　you？〃

〃A　hot　bath　and　drink　will　set　me　right。　　You'd　better　go　to　him。〃

He　turned　towards　the　bathroom；　where　Miranda　stood；　lifting　a　white　foot。　　Compressing　her　lips；　Bianca　ran　downstairs。　　Startled　by　his　tale；　she　would　have　taken　his　wet　body　in　her　arms；　if　the　ghosts　of　innumerable　moments　had　not　stood　between。　　So　this　moment　passed　too；　and　itself　became　a　ghost。

Mr。　Stone；　greatly　to　his　disgust；　had　not　succeeded　in　resuming　work　at　ten　o'clock。　　Failing　simply　because　he　could　not　stand　on　his　legs；　he　had　announced　his　intention　of　waiting　until　half…past　three；　when　he　should　get　up；　in　preparation　for　the　coming　of　the　little　girl。　　Having　refused　to　see　a　doctor；　or　have　his　temperature　taken；　it　was　impossible　to　tell　precisely　what　degree　of　fever　he　was　in。　　In　his　cheeks；　just　visible　over　the　blankets；　there　was　more　colour　than　there　should　have　been；　and　his　eyes；　fixed　on　the　ceiling；　shone　with　suspicious　brilliancy。　　To　the　dismay　of　Bianca　who　sat　as　far　out　of　sight　as　possible；　lest　he　should　see　her；　and　fancy　that　she　was　doing　him　a　servicehe　pursued　his　thoughts　aloud：

〃Wordswordsthey　have　taken　away　brotherhood！〃　Bianca　shuddered；　listening　to　that　uncanny　sound。　　〃'In　those　days　of　words　they　called　it　deathpale　deathmors　pallida。　　They　saw　that　word　like　a　gigantic　granite　block　suspended　over　them；　and　slowly　coming　down。　Some；　turning　up　their　faces　at　the　sight；　trembled　painfully；　awaiting　their　obliteration。　　Others；　unable；　while　they　still　lived；　to　face　the　thought　of　nothingness；　inflated　by　some　spiritual　wind；　and　thinking　always　of　their　individual　forms；　called　out　unceasingly　that　those　selves　of　theirs　would　and　must　survive　this　wordthat　in　some　fashion；　which　no　man　could　understand；　each　self…conscious　entity　reaccumulated　after　distribution。　　Drunk　with　this　thought；　these；　too；　passed　away。　　Some　waited　for　it　with　grim；　dry　eyes；　remarking　that　the　process　was　molecular；　and　thus　they　also　met　their　so…called　death。'〃

His　voice　ceased；　and　in　place　of　it　rose　the　sound　of　his　tongue　moistening　his　palate。　　Bianca；　from　behind；　placed　a　glass　of　barley…water　to　his　lips。　　He　drank　it　with　a　slow；　clucking　noise；　then；　seeing　that　a　hand　held　the　glass；　said：　〃Is　that　you？　　Are　you　ready　for　me？　　Follow。　　'In　those　days　no　one　leaped　up　to　meet　pale　riding　Death；　no　one　saw　in　her　face　that　she　was　brotherhood　incarnate；　no　one　with　a　heart　as　light　as　gossamer　kissed　her　feet；　and；　smiling；　passed　into　the　Universe。'〃　　His　voice　died　away；　and　when　next　he　spoke　it　was　in　a　quick；　husky　whisper：　〃I　mustI　must　I　must…〃　There　was　silence；　then　he　added：　〃Give　me　my　trousers。〃

Bianca　placed　them　by　his　bed。　　The　sight　seemed　to　reassure　him。　　He　was　once　more　silent。

For　more　than　an　hour　after　this　he　was　so　absolutely　still　that　Bianca　rose　continually　to　look　at　him。　　Each　time；　his　eyes；　wide　open；　were　fixed　on　a　little　dark　mark　across　the　ceiling；　his　face　had　a　look　of　the　most　singular　determination；　as　though　his　spirit　were　slowly；　relentlessly；　regaining　mastery　over　his　fevered　body。　He　spoke　suddenly：

〃Who　is　there？〃

〃Bianca。〃

〃Help　me　out　of　bed！〃

The　flush　had　left　his　face；　the　brilliance　had　faded　from　his　eyes；　he　looked　just　like　a　ghost。　　With　a　sort　of　terror　Bianca　helped　him　out　of　bed。　　This　weird　display　of　mute　white　will…power　was　unearthly。

When　he　was　dressed　in　his　woollen　gown　and　seated　before　the　fire；　she　gave　him　a　cup　of　strong　beef…tea；　with　brandy。　　He　swallowed　it　with　great　avidity。

〃I　should　like　some　more　of　that；〃　he　said；　and　fell　asleep。

While　he　was　asleep　Cecilia　came；　and　the　two　sisters　watched　his　slumber；　and；　watching　it；　felt　nearer　to　each　other　than　they　had　for　many　years。　　Before　she　went　away　Cecilia　whispered

〃B。　if　he　seems　to　want　that　little　girl　while　he's　like　this；　don't　you　think　she　ought　to　come？〃

Bianca　answered：　〃I　don't　know　where　she　is。〃

〃I　do。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Bianca；　〃of　course！〃　　And　she　turned　her　head　away。

Disconcerted　by　that　sarcastic　little　speech；　Cecilia　was　silent；　then；　summoning　all　her　courage；　she　said：

〃Here's　the　address；　B。　I've　written　it　down　for　you；〃　and；　with　puckers　of　anxiety　in　her　face；　she　left　the　room。

Bianca　sat　on　in　the　old　golden　chair；　watching　the　deep　hollows　beneath　the　sleeper's　temples；　the　puffs　of　breath　stirring　the　silver　round　his　mouth。　　Her　ears　burned　crimson。　　Carried　out　of　herself　by　the　sight　of　that　old　form；　dearer　to　her　than　she　had　thought；　fighting　its　great　battle　for　the　sake　of　its　idea；　her　spirit　grew　all　tremulous　and　soft　within　her。　　With　eagerness　she　embraced　the　thought　of　self…effacement。　　It　did　not　seem　to　matter　whether　she　were　first　with　Hilary。　　Her　spirit　should　so　manifest　its　capacity　for　sacrifice　that　she　would　be　first　with　him　through　sheer　nobility。　　At　this　moment　she　could　almost　have　taken　that　common　little　girl　into　her　arms　and　kissed　her。　　So　would　all　disquiet　end！　　Some　harmonious　messenger　had　fluttered　to　her　for　a　secondthe　gold…winged　bird　of　peace。　　In　this　sensuous　exaltation　her　nerves　vibrated　like　the　strings　of　a　violin。

When　Mr。　Stone　woke　it　was　past　three　o'clock　and　Bianca　at　once　handed　him　another　cup　of　strong　beef…tea。

He　swallowed　it；　and　said：　〃What　is　this？〃

〃Beef…tea。〃

Mr。　Stone　looked　at　the　empty　cup。

〃I　must　not　drink　it。　　The　cow　and　the　sheep　are　on　the　same　plane　as　man。〃

〃But　how　do　you　feel；　dear？〃

〃I　feel；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃able　to　dictate　what　I　have　already　writtennot　more。　　Has　she　come？〃

〃Not　yet；　but　I　will　go　and　find　her　if　you　like。〃

Mr。　Stone　looked　at　his　daughter　wistfully。

〃That　will　be　taking　up　your　time；〃　he　said。

Bianca　answered：　〃My　time　is　of　no　consequence。〃

Mr。　Stone　stretched　his　hands　out　to　the　fire。

〃I　will　not　consent；〃　he　said；　evidently　to　himself；　〃to　be　a　drag　on　anyone。　　If　that　has　come；　then　I　must　go！〃

Bianca；　placing　herself　beside　him　on　her　knees；　pressed　her　hot　cheek　against　his　temple。

〃But　it　has　not　come；　Dad。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃I　wish　to　end　my　book　first。〃

The　sudden　grim　coherence　of　his　last　two　sayings　terrified　Bianca　more　than　all　his　feverish；　utterances。

〃I　rely　on　your　sitting　quite　still；〃　she　said；　〃while　I　go　and　find　her。〃　　And　with　a　feeling　in　her　heart　as　though　two　hands　had　seized　and　were　pulling　it　asunder；　she　went　out。


Some　half…hour　later　Hilary　slipped　quietly　in；　and　stood　watching　at　the　door。　　Mr。　Stone；　seated　on　the　very　verge　of　his　armchair；　with　his　hands　on　its　arms；　was　slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　and　slowly　falling　back　again；　not　once；　but　many　times；　practising　a　standing　posture。　　As　Hilary　came　into　his　line　of　sight；　he　said：

〃I　have　succeeded　twice。〃

〃I　am　very　glad；〃　said　Hilary。　　〃Won't　you　rest　now；　sir？〃

〃It　is　my　knees；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃She　has　gone　to　find　her。〃

Hilary　heard　those　words　with　bewilderment；　and；　sitting　down　on　the　other　chair；　waited。

〃I　have　fancied；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　looking　at　him　wistfully；　〃that　when　we　pass　away　from　life　we　may　become　the　wind。　　Is　that　your　opinion？〃

〃It　is　a　new　thought　to　me；〃　said　Hilary。

〃It　is　not　tenable；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃But　it　is　restful。　　The　wind　is　everywhere　and　nowhere；　and　nothing　can　be　hidden　from　it。　　When　I　have　missed　that　little　girl；　I　have　tried；　in　a　sense；　to　become　the　wind；　but　I　have　found　it　difficult。〃

His　eyes　left　Hilary's　face；　whose　mournful　smile　he　had　not　noticed；　and　fixed　themselves　on　the　bright　fire。　　〃'In　those　days；〃'　he　said；　〃'men's　relation　to　the　eternal　airs　was　the　relation　of　a　billion　little　separate　draughts　blowing　against　the　south…west　wind。　　They　did　not　wish　to　merge　themselves　in　that　soft；　moon…uttered　sigh；　but　blew　in　its　face　through　crevices；　and　cracks；　and