when the world shook-第9章

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especially　as　he　was　〃such　a　favourite　and　so　handsome。〃　（Bastin

was　a　fine　looking　man　in　his　rugged　way。）



I　suggested　that　she　might　have　a　little　confidence　in　him；　to

which　she　replied　darkly　that　she　had　no　confidence　in　anybody。



The　end　of　it　was　that　I　lent　her　the　cart　with　a　fast　horse

and　a　good　driver；　and　off　she　went。　Reaching　the　town　in

question　some　two　and　a　half　hours　later；　she　searched　high　and

low　through　wind　and　sleet；　but　found　no　Basil。　He；　it　appeared；

had　gone　on　to　Exeter；　to　look　at　the　cathedral　where　some

building　was　being　done；　and　missing　the　last　train　had　there

slept　the　night。



About　one　in　the　morning；　after　being　nearly　locked　up　as　a　mad

woman；　she　drove　back　to　the　Vicarage；　again　to　find　no　Basil。

Even　then　she　did　not　go　to　bed　but　raged　about　the　house　in　her

wet　clothes；　until　she　fell　down　utterly　exhausted。　When　her

husband　did　return　on　the　following　morning；　full　of　information

about　the　cathedral；　she　was　dangerously　ill；　and　actually　passed

away　while　uttering　a　violent　tirade　against　him　for　his　supposed

suspicious　proceedings。



That　was　the　end　of　this　truly　odious　British　matron。



In　after　days　Bastin；　by　some　peculiar　mental　process；

canonised　her　in　his　imagination　as　a　kind　of　saint。　〃So　loving；〃

he　would　say；　〃such　a　devoted　wife！　Why；　my　dear　Humphrey；　I　can

assure　you　that　even　in　the　midst　of　her　death…struggle　her　last

thoughts　were　of　me；〃　words　that　caused　Bickley　to　snort　with

more　than　usual　vigour；　until　I　kicked　him　to　silence　beneath　the

table。







Chapter　IV



Death　and　Departure





Now　I　must　tell　of　my　own　terrible　sorrow；　which　turned　my　life

to　bitterness　and　my　hopes　to　ashes。



Never　were　a　man　and　a　woman　happier　together　than　I　and

Natalie。　Mentally；　physically；　spiritually　we　were　perfectly

mated；　and　we　loved　each　other　dearly。　Truly　we　were　as　one。　Yet

there　was　something　about　her　which　filled　me　with　vague　fears；

especially　after　she　found　that　she　was　to　become　a　mother。　I

would　talk　to　her　of　the　child；　but　she　would　sigh　and　shake　her

head；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears；　and　say　that　we　must　not　count

on　the　continuance　of　such　happiness　as　ours；　for　it　was　too

great。



I　tried　to　laugh　away　her　doubts；　though　whenever　I　did　so　I

seemed　to　hear　Bastin's　slow　voice　remarking　casually　that　she

might　die；　as　he　might　have　commented　on　the　quality　of　the

claret。　At　last；　however；　I　grew　terrified　and　asked　her　bluntly

what　she　meant。



〃I　don't　quite　know；　dearest；〃　she　replied；　〃especially　as　I　am

wonderfully　well。　Butbut〃



〃But　what？〃　I　asked。



〃But　I　think　that　our　companionship　is　going　to　be　broken　for　a

little　while。〃



〃For　a　little　while！〃　I　exclaimed。



〃Yes；　Humphrey。　I　think　that　I　shall　be　taken　away　from　you

you　know　what　I　mean；〃　and　she　nodded　towards　the　churchyard。



〃Oh；　my　God！〃　I　groaned。



〃I　want　to　say　this；〃　she　added　quickly；　〃that　if　such'　a　thing

should　happen；　as　it　happens　every　day；　I　implore　you；　dearest

Humphrey；　not　to　be　too　much　distressed；　since　I　am　sure　that　you

will　find　me　again。　No；　I　can't　explain　how　or　when　or　where；

because　I　do　not　know。　I　have　prayed　for　light；　but　it　has　not

come　to　me。　All　I　know　is　that　I　am　not　talking　of　reunion　in　Mr。

Bastin's　kind　of　conventional　heaven；　which　he　speaks　about　as

though　to　reach　it　one　stumbled　through　darkness　for　a　minute

into　a　fine　new　house　next　door；　where　excellent　servants　had

made　everything　ready　for　your　arrival　and　all　the　lights　were

turned　up。　It　is　something　quite　different　from　that　and　very

much　more　real。〃



Then　she　bent　down　ostensibly　to　pat　the　head　of　a　little　black

cocker　spaniel　called　Tommy　which　had　been　given　to　her　as　a

puppy；　a　highly　intelligent　and　affectionate　animal　that　we　both

adored　and　that　loved　her　as　only　a　dog　can　love。　Really；　I　knew；

it　was　to　hide　her　tears；　and　fled　from　the　room　lest　she　should

see　mine。



As　I　went　I　heard　the　dog　whimpering　in　a　peculiar　way；　as

though　some　sympathetic　knowledge　had　been　communicated　to　its

wonderful　animal　intelligence。



That　night　I　spoke　to　Bickley　about　the　matter；　repeating

exactly　what　had　passed。　As　I　expected；　he　smiled　in　his　grave；

rather　sarcastic　way；　and　made　light　of　it。



〃My　dear　Humphrey；〃　he　said；　〃don't　torment　yourself　about　such

fancies。　They　are　of　everyday　occurrence　among　women　in　your

wife's　condition。　Sometimes　they　take　one　form；　sometimes

another。　When　she　has　got　her　baby　you　will　hear　no　more　of

them。〃



I　tried　to　be　comforted　but　in　vain。



The　days　and　weeks　went　by　like　a　long　nightmare　and　in　due

course　the　event　happened。　Bickley　was　not　attending　the　case；　it

was　not　in　his　line；　he　said；　and　he　preferred　that　where　a

friend's　wife　was　concerned；　somebody　else　should　be　called　in。

So　it　was　put　in　charge　of　a　very　good　local　man　with　a　large

experience　in　such　domestic　matters。



How　am　I　to　tell　of　it？　Everything　went　wrong；　as　for　the

details；　let　them　be。　Ultimately　Bickley　did　operate；　and　if

surpassing　skill　could　have　saved　her；　it　would　have　been　done。

But　the　other　man　had　misjudged　the　conditions；　it　was　too　late；

nothing　could　help　either　mother　or　child；　a　little　girl　who　died

shortly　after　she　was　born　but　not　before　she　had　been

christened；　also　by　the　name　of　Natalie。



I　was　called　in　to　say　farewell　to　my　wife　and　found　her

radiant；　triumphant　even　in　her　weakness。



〃I　know　now；〃　she　whispered　in　a　faint　voice。　〃I　understood　as

the　chloroform　passed　away；　but　I　cannot　tell　you。　Everything　is

quite　well；　my　darling。　Go　where　you　seem　called　to　go；　far　away。

Oh！　the　wonderful　place　in　which　you　will　find　me；　not　knowing

that　you　have　found　me。　Good…bye　for　a　little　while；　only　for　a

little　while；　my　own；　my　own！〃



Then　she　died。　And　for　a　time　I　too　seemed　to　die；　but　could

not。　I　buried　her　and　the　child　here　at　Fulcombe；　or　rather　I

buried　their　ashes　since　I　could　not　endure　that　her　beloved　body

should　see　corruption。





Afterwards；　when　all　was　over；　I　spoke　of　these　last　words　of

Natalie's　with　both　Bickley　and　Bastin；　for　somehow　I　seemed　to

wish　to　learn　their　separate　views。



The　latter　I　may　explain；　had　been　present　at　the　end　in　his

spiritual　capacity；　but　I　do　not　think　that　he　in　the　least

understood　the　nature　of　the　drama　which　was　passing　before　his

eyes。　His　prayers　and　the　christening　absorbed　all　his　attention；

and　he　never　was　a　man　who　could　think　of　more　than　one　thing　at

a　time。



When　I　told　him　exactly　what　had　happened　and　repeated　the

words　that　Natalie　spoke；　he　was　much　interested　in　his　own

nebulous　way；　and　said　that　it　was　delightful　to　meet　with　an

example　of　a　good　Christian；　such　as　my　wife　had　been；　who

actually　saw　something　of　Heaven　before　she　had　gone　there。　His

own　faith　was；　he　thanked　God；　fairly　robust；　but　still　an

undoubted　occurrence　of　the　sort　acted　as　a　refreshment；　〃like

rain　on　a　pasture　when　it　is　rather　dry；　you　know；〃　he　added；

breaking　into　simile。



I　remarked　that　she　had　not　seemed　to　speak　in　the　sense　he

indicated；　but　appeared　to　allude　to　something　quite　near　at　hand

and　more　or　less　immediate。



〃I　don't　know　that　there　is　anything　nearer　at　hand　than　the

Hereafter；〃　he　answered。　〃I　expect　she　meant　that　you　will

probably　soon　die　and　join　her　in　Paradise；　if　you　are　worthy　to

do　so。　But　of　course　it　is　not　wise　to　put　too　much　reliance　upon

words　spoken　by　people　at　the　last；　because　often　they　don't

quite　know　what　they　are　saying。　Indeed　sometimes　I　think　this

was　so　in　the　case　of　my　own　wife；　who　really　seemed　to　me　to

talk　a　good　deal　of　rubbish。　Good…bye；　I　promised　to　see　Widow

Jenkins　this　afternoon　about　having　her　varicose　veins　cut　out；

and　I　mustn't　stop　here　wasting　time　in　pleasant　conversation。

She　thinks　just　as　much　of　her　varicose　veins　as　we　do　of　the