fraternity-第62章

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〃Not　now；　not　now；〃　he　muttered；　〃go　away　now。　　I'll　come　to　you　to…morrow。〃

The　little　model　gave　him　the　look　a　dog　gives　you　when　it　asks　if　you　are　deceiving　him。　　She　made　a　sign　on　her　breast；　as　a　Catholic　might　make　the　sign　of　his　religion；　drawing　her　fingers　together；　and　clutching　at　herself　with　them；　then　passed　her　little　dirty　handkerchief　once　more　over　her　eyes；　and；　turning　round；　went　out。

Hilary　remained　standing　where　he　was；　reading　the　open　book　without　apprehending　what　it　was。

There　was　a　wistful　sound；　as　of　breath　escaping　hurriedly。　　Mr。　Stone　was　standing　in　the　open　doorway。

〃She　has　been　here；〃　he　said。　　〃I　saw　her　go　away。〃

Hilary　dropped　the　book；　his　nerves　were　utterly　unstrung。　　Then；　pointing　to　a　chair；　he　said：　〃Won't　you　sit　down；　sir？〃

Mr。　Stone　came　close　up　to　his　son…in…law。

〃Is　she　in　trouble？〃

〃Yes；〃　murmured　Hilary。

〃She　is　too　young　to　be　in　trouble。　　Did　you　tell　her　that？〃

Hilary　shook　his　head。

〃Has　the　man　hurt　her？〃

Again　Hilary　shook　his　head。

〃What　is　her　trouble；　then？〃　　said　Mr。　Stone。　　The　closeness　of　this　catechism；　the　intent　stare　of　the　old　man's　eyes；　were　more　than　Hilary　could　bear。　　He　turned　away。

〃You　ask　me　something　that　I　cannot　answer。

〃Why？〃

〃It　is　a　private　matter。〃

With　the　blood　still　beating　in　his　temples；　his　lips　still　quivering；　and　the　feeling　of　the　girl's　clasp　round　his　knees；　he　almost　hated　this　old　man　who　stood　there　putting　such　blind　questions。

Then　suddenly　in　Mr。　Stone's　eyes　he　saw　a　startling　change；　as　in　the　face　of　a　man　who　regains　consciousness　after　days　of　vacancy。　His　whole　countenance　had　become　alive　with　a　sort　of　jealous　understanding。　　The　warmth　which　the　little　model　brought　to　his　old　spirit　had　licked　up　the　fog　of　his　Idea；　and　made　him　see　what　was　going　on　before　his　eyes。

At　that　look　Hilary　braced　himself　against　the　wall。

A　flush　spread　slowly　over　Mr。　Stone's　face。　　He　spoke　with　rare　hesitation。　　In　this　sudden　coming　back　to　the　world　of　men　and　things　he　seemed　astray。

〃I　am　not　going；〃　he　stammered；　〃to　ask　you　any　more。　　I　could　not　pry　into　a　private　matter。　　That　would　not　be…〃　　His　voice　failed；　he　looked　down。

Hilary　bowed；　touched　to　the　quick　by　the　return　to　life　of　this　old　man；　so　long　lost　to　facts；　and　by　the　delicacy　in　that　old　face。

〃I　will　not　intrude　further　on　your　trouble；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃whatever　it　may　be。　　I　am　sorry　that　you　are　unhappy；　too。〃

Very　slowly；　and　without　again　looking　up　at　his　son…in…law；　he　went　out。

Hilary　remained　standing　where　he　had　been　left　against　the　wall。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII

THE　HOME…COMING　OF　HUGHS

Hilary　had　evidently　been　right　in　thinking　the　little　model　was　not　speaking　the　truth　when　she　said　she　had　seen　Hughs；　for　it　was　not　until　early　on　the　following　morning　that　three　persons　traversed　the　long　winding　road　leading　from　Wormwood　Scrubs　to　Kensington。　　They　preserved　silence；　not　because　there　was　nothing　in　their　hearts　to　be　expressed；　but　because　there　was　too　much；　and　they　walked　in　the　giraffe…like　formation　peculiar　to　the　lower　classesHughs　in　front；　Mrs。　Hughs　to　the　left；　a　foot　or　two　behind；　and　a　yard　behind　her；　to　the　left　again；　her　son　Stanley。　　They　made　no　sign　of　noticing　anyone　in　the　road　besides　themselves；　and　no　one　in　the　road　gave　sign　of　noticing　that　they　were　there；　but　in　their　three　minds；　so　differently　fashioned；　a　verb　was　dumbly；　and　with　varying　emotion；　being　conjugated：

〃I've　been　in　prison。〃　　〃You've　been　in　prison。'　〃He's　been　in　prison。〃

Beneath　the　seeming　acquiescence　of　a　man　subject　to　domination　from　his　birth　up；　those　four　words　covered　in　Hughs　such　a　whirlpool　of　surging　sensation；　such　ferocity　of　bitterness；　and　madness；　and　defiance；　that　no　outpouring　could　have　appreciably　relieved　its　course。　　The　same　four　words　summed　up　in　Mrs。　Hughs　so　strange　a　mingling　of　fear；　commiseration；　loyalty；　shame；　and　trembling　curiosity　at　the　new　factor　which　had　come　into　the　life　of　all　this　little　family　walking　giraffe…like　back　to　Kensington　that　to　have　gone　beyond　them　would　have　been　like　plunging　into　a　wintry　river。　To　their　son　the　four　words　were　as　a　legend　of　romance；　conjuring　up　no　definite　image；　lighting　merely　the　glow　of　wonder。

〃Don't　lag；　Stanley。　　Keep　up　with　your　father。〃

The　little　boy　took　three　steps　at　an　increased　pace；　then　fell　behind　again。　　His　black　eyes　seemed　to　answer：　'You　say　that　because　you　don't　know　what　else　to　say。'　And　without　alteration　in　their　giraffe…like　formation；　but　again　in　silence；　the　three　proceeded。

In　the　heart　of　the　seamstress　doubt　and　fear　were　being　slowly　knit　into　dread　of　the　first　sound　to　pass　her　husband's　lips。　　What　would　he　ask？　　How　should　she　answer？　　Would　he　talk　wild；　or　would　he　talk　sensible？　　Would　he　have　forgotten　that　young　girl；　or　had　he　nursed　and　nourished　his　wicked　fancy　in　the　house　of　grief　and　silence？　Would　he　ask　where　the　baby　was？　　Would　he　speak　a　kind　word　to　her？　But　alongside　her　dread　there　was　guttering　within　her　the　undying　resolution　not　to　'let　him　go　from　her；　if　it　were　ever　so；　to　that　young　girl'

〃Don't　lag；　Stanley！〃

At　the　reiteration　of　those　words　Hughs　spoke。

〃Let　the　boy　alone！　　You'll　be　nagging　at　the　baby　next！〃

Hoarse　and　grating；　like　sounds　issuing　from　a　damp　vault；　was　this　first　speech。

The　seamstress's　eyes　brimmed　over。

〃I　won't　get　the　chance；〃　she　stammered　out。　　〃He's　gone！〃

Hughs'　teeth　gleamed　like　those　of　a　dog　at　bay。

〃Who's　taken　him？　　You　let　me　know　the　name。

Tears　rolled　down　the　seamstress's　cheeks；　she　could　not　answer。　　Her　little　son's　thin　voice　rose　instead：

〃Baby's　dead。　　We　buried　him　in　the　ground。　　I　saw　it。　　Mr。　Creed　came　in　the　cab　with　me。〃

White　flecks　appeared　suddenly　at　the　corners　of　Hughs'　lips。　　He　wiped　the　back　of　his　hand　across　his　mouth；　and　once　more；　giraffe…　like；　the　little　family　marched　on。。。。

〃Westminister；〃　in　his　threadbare　summer　jacketfor　the　day　was　warmhad　been　standing　for　some　little　time　in　Mrs。　Budgen's　doorway　on　the　ground　floor　at　Hound　Street。　　Knowing　that　Hughs　was　to　be　released　that　morning　early；　he　had；　with　the　circumspection　and　foresight　of　his　character；　reasoned　thus：　'I　shan't　lie　easy　in　my　bed；　I　shan't　hev　no　peace　until　I　know　that　low　feller's　not　a…goin'　to　misdemean　himself　with　me。　　It's　no　good　to　go　a…puttin'　of　it　off。　　I　don't　want　him　comin'　to　my　room　attackin'　of　old　men。　　I'll　be　previous　with　him　in　the　passage。　　The　lame　woman　'll　let　me。　　I　shan't　trouble　her。　　She'll　be　palliable　between　me　and　him；　in　case　he　goes　for　to　attack　me。　　I　ain't　afraid　of　him。'

But；　as　the　minutes　of　waiting　went　by；　his　old　tongue；　like　that　of　a　dog　expecting　chastisement；　appeared　ever　more　frequently　to　moisten　his　twisted；　discoloured　lips。　　'This　comes　of　mixin'　up　with　soldiers；'　he　thought；　'and　a　lowclass　o'　man　like　that。　　I　ought　to　ha'　changed　my　lodgin's。　　He'll　be　askin'　me　where　that　young　girl　is；　I　shouldn't　wonder；　an'　him　lost　his　character　and　his　job；　and　everything；　and　all　because　o'　women！'

He　watched　the　broad…faced　woman；　Mrs。　Budgen；　in　whose　grey　eyes　the　fighting　light　so　fortunately　never　died；　painfully　doing　out　her　rooms；　and　propping　herself　against　the　chest　of　drawers　whereon　clustered　china　cups　and　dogs　as　thick　as　toadstools　on　a　bank。

〃I've　told　my　Charlie；〃　she　said；　〃to　keep　clear　of　Hughs　a　bit。　They　comes　out　as　prickly　as　hedgehogs。　　Pick　a　quarrel　as　soon　as　look　at　you；　they　will。〃

'Oh　dear；'　thought　Creed；　'she's　full　o'　cold　comfort。'　But；　careful　of　his　dignity；　he　answered；　〃I'm　a…waitin'　here　to　engage　the　situation。　　You　don't　think　he'll　attack　of　me　with　definition　at　this　time　in　the　mornin'？〃

The　lame　woman　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃He'll　have　had　a　drop　of　something；〃　she　said；　〃before　he　comes　home。　　They　gets　a　cold　feelin'　in　the　stomach　in　them　places；　poor　creatures！〃

The　old　butler's　heart　quavered　up　into　his　mouth。　　He　lifted　his　shaking　hand；　and　put　it　to　his　lips；　as　though　to　readjust　himself。

〃Oh　yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　ought　to　ha'　given　notice；　and　took　my　things　away；　but　there；　poor　woman