the uncommercial traveller-第56章

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Surely；　it　was　the　only　public　French　sight　these　uncommercial　eyes

had　seen；　at　which　the　expectant　people　did　not　form　EN　QUEUE。　　But

there　was　no　such　order　of　arrangement　here；　nothing　but　a　general

determination　to　make　a　rush　for　it；　and　a　disposition　to　object　to

some　boys　who　had　mounted　on　the　two　stone　posts　by　the　hinges　of

the　gates；　with　the　design　of　swooping　in　when　the　hinges　should

turn。



Now；　they　turned；　and　we　rushed！　　Great　pressure；　and　a　scream　or

two　from　the　front。　　Then　a　laugh　or　two；　some　expressions　of

disappointment；　and　a　slackening　of　the　pressure　and　subsidence　of

the　struggle。　…　Old　man　not　there。



'But　what　would　you　have？'　the　Custodian　reasonably　argues；　as　he

looks　out　at　his　little　door。　　'Patience；　patience！　　We　make　his

toilette；　gentlemen。　　He　will　be　exposed　presently。　　It　is

necessary　to　proceed　according　to　rule。　　His　toilette　is　not　made

all　at　a　blow。　　He　will　be　exposed　in　good　time；　gentlemen；　in　good

time。'　　And　so　retires；　smoking；　with　a　wave　of　his　sleeveless　arm

towards　the　window；　importing；　'Entertain　yourselves　in　the

meanwhile　with　the　other　curiosities。　　Fortunately　the　Museum　is

not　empty　to…day。'



Who　would　have　thought　of　public　fickleness　even　at　the　Morgue？

But　there　it　was；　on　that　occasion。　　Three　lately　popular　articles

that　had　been　attracting　greatly　when　the　litter　was　first　descried

coming　dancing　round　the　corner　by　the　great　cathedral；　were　so

completely　deposed　now；　that　nobody　save　two　little　girls　（one

showing　them　to　a　doll）　would　look　at　them。　　Yet　the　chief　of　the

three；　the　article　in　the　front　row；　had　received　jagged　injury　of

the　left　temple；　and　the　other　two　in　the　back　row；　the　drowned　two

lying　side　by　side　with　their　heads　very　slightly　turned　towards

each　other；　seemed　to　be　comparing　notes　about　it。　　Indeed；　those

two　of　the　back　row　were　so　furtive　of　appearance；　and　so　（in　their

puffed　way）　assassinatingly　knowing　as　to　the　one　of　the　front；

that　it　was　hard　to　think　the　three　had　never　come　together　in

their　lives；　and　were　only　chance　companions　after　death。　　Whether

or　no　this　was　the　general；　as　it　was　the　uncommercial；　fancy；　it

is　not　to　be　disputed　that　the　group　had　drawn　exceedingly　within

ten　minutes。　　Yet　now；　the　inconstant　public　turned　its　back　upon

them；　and　even　leaned　its　elbows　carelessly　against　the　bar　outside

the　window　and　shook　off　the　mud　from　its　shoes；　and　also　lent　and

borrowed　fire　for　pipes。



Custodian　re…enters　from　his　door。　　'Again　once；　gentlemen；　you　are

invited　…　'　　No　further　invitation　necessary。　　Ready　dash　into　the

street。　　Toilette　finished。　　Old　man　coming　out。



This　time；　the　interest　was　grown　too　hot　to　admit　of　toleration　of

the　boys　on　the　stone　posts。　　The　homicidal　white…lead　worker　made

a　pounce　upon　one　boy　who　was　hoisting　himself　up；　and　brought　him

to　earth　amidst　general　commendation。　　Closely　stowed　as　we　were；

we　yet　formed　into　groups　…　groups　of　conversation；　without

separation　from　the　mass　…　to　discuss　the　old　man。　　Rivals　of　the

tall　and　sallow　mason　sprang　into　being；　and　here　again　was　popular

inconstancy。　　These　rivals　attracted　audiences；　and　were　greedily

listened　to；　and　whereas　they　had　derived　their　information　solely

from　the　tall　and　sallow　one；　officious　members　of　the　crowd　now

sought　to　enlighten　HIM　on　their　authority。　　Changed　by　this　social

experience　into　an　iron…visaged　and　inveterate　misanthrope；　the

mason　glared　at　mankind；　and　evidently　cherished　in　his　breast　the

wish　that　the　whole　of　the　present　company　could　change　places　with

the　deceased　old　man。　　And　now　listeners　became　inattentive；　and

people　made　a　start　forward　at　a　slight　sound；　and　an　unholy　fire

kindled　in　the　public　eye；　and　those　next　the　gates　beat　at　them

impatiently；　as　if　they　were　of　the　cannibal　species　and　hungry。



Again　the　hinges　creaked；　and　we　rushed。　　Disorderly　pressure　for

some　time　ensued　before　the　uncommercial　unit　got　figured　into　the

front　row　of　the　sum。　　It　was　strange　to　see　so　much　heat　and

uproar　seething　about　one　poor　spare；　white…haired　old　man；　quiet

for　evermore。　　He　was　calm　of　feature　and　undisfigured；　as　he　lay

on　his　back　…　having　been　struck　upon　the　hinder　part　of　his　head；

and　thrown　forward　…　and　something　like　a　tear　or　two　had　started

from　the　closed　eyes；　and　lay　wet　upon　the　face。　　The　uncommercial

interest；　sated　at　a　glance；　directed　itself　upon　the　striving

crowd　on　either　side　and　behind：　　wondering　whether　one　might　have

guessed；　from　the　expression　of　those　faces　merely；　what　kind　of

sight　they　were　looking　at。　　The　differences　of　expression　were　not

many。　　There　was　a　little　pity；　but　not　much；　and　that　mostly　with

a　selfish　touch　in　it　…　as　who　would　say；　'Shall　I；　poor　I；　look

like　that；　when　the　time　comes！'　　There　was　more　of　a　secretly

brooding　contemplation　and　curiosity；　as　'That　man　I　don't　like；

and　have　the　grudge　against；　would　such　be　his　appearance；　if　some

one　…　not　to　mention　names　…　by　any　chance　gave　him　an　knock？'

There　was　a　wolfish　stare　at　the　object；　in　which　homicidal　white…

lead　worker　shone　conspicuous。　　And　there　was　a　much　more　general；

purposeless；　vacant　staring　at　it　…　like　looking　at　waxwork；

without　a　catalogue；　and　not　knowing　what　to　make　of　it。　　But　all

these　expressions　concurred　in　possessing　the　one　underlying

expression　of　LOOKING　AT　SOMETHING　THAT　COULD　NOT　RETURN　A　LOOK。

The　uncommercial　notice　had　established　this　as　very　remarkable；

when　a　new　pressure　all　at　once　coming　up　from　the　street　pinioned

him　ignominiously；　and　hurried　him　into　the　arms　（now　sleeved

again）　of　the　Custodian　smoking　at　his　door；　and　answering

questions；　between　puffs；　with　a　certain　placid　meritorious　air　of

not　being　proud；　though　high　in　office。　　And　mentioning　pride；　it

may　be　observed；　by　the　way；　that　one　could　not　well　help　investing

the　original　sole　occupant　of　the　front　row　with　an　air

depreciatory　of　the　legitimate　attraction　of　the　poor　old　man：

while　the　two　in　the　second　row　seemed　to　exult　at　this　superseded

popularity。



Pacing　presently　round　the　garden　of　the　Tower　of　St。　Jacques　de　la

Boucherie；　and　presently　again　in　front　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　I

called　to　mind　a　certain　desolate　open…air　Morgue　that　I　happened

to　light　upon　in　London；　one　day　in　the　hard　winter　of　1861；　and

which　seemed　as　strange　to　me；　at　the　time　of　seeing　it；　as　if　I

had　found　it　in　China。　　Towards　that　hour　of　a　winter's　afternoon

when　the　lamp…lighters　are　beginning　to　light　the　lamps　in　the

streets　a　little　before　they　are　wanted；　because　the　darkness

thickens　fast　and　soon；　I　was　walking　in　from　the　country　on　the

northern　side　of　the　Regent's　Park　…　hard　frozen　and　deserted　…

when　I　saw　an　empty　Hansom　cab　drive　up　to　the　lodge　at　Gloucester…

gate；　and　the　driver　with　great　agitation　call　to　the　man　there：

who　quickly　reached　a　long　pole　from　a　tree；　and；　deftly　collared

by　the　driver；　jumped　to　the　step　of　his　little　seat；　and　so　the

Hansom　rattled　out　at　the　gate；　galloping　over　the　iron…bound　road。

I　followed　running；　though　not　so　fast　but　that　when　I　came　to　the

right…hand　Canal　Bridge；　near　the　cross…path　to　Chalk　Farm；　the

Hansom　was　stationary；　the　horse　was　smoking　hot；　the　long　pole　was

idle　on　the　ground；　and　the　driver　and　the　park…keeper　were　looking

over　the　bridge　parapet。　　Looking　over　too；　I　saw；　lying　on　the

towing…path　with　her　face　turned　up　towards　us；　a　woman；　dead　a　day

or　two；　and　under　thirty；　as　I　guessed；　poorly　dressed　in　black。

The　feet　were　lightly　crossed　at　the　ankles；　and　the　dark　hair；　all

pushed　back　from　the　face；　as　though　that　had　been　the　last　action

of　her　desperate　hands；　streamed　over　the　ground。　　Dabbled　all

about　her；　was　the　water　and　the　broken　ice　that　had　dropped　from

her　dress；　and　had　splashed　as　she　was　got　out。　　The　policeman　who

had　just　got　her　out；　and　the　passing　costermonger　who　had　helped

him；　w