《fraternity》

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fraternity- 第37部分


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〃Oh!  you think so?〃

〃You just treat all these people as if they were in hospital。〃

The young man's nostrils quivered。  〃Well; and how should they be treated?〃

〃How would you like to be looked at as a 'case'?〃  muttered Thyme。

Martin moved his hand in a slow half…circle。

〃These houses and these people;〃 he said; 〃are in the wayin the way of you and me; and everyone。〃

Thyme's eyes followed that slow; sweeping movement of her cousin's hand。  It seemed to fascinate her。

〃Yes; of course; I know;〃 she murmured。  〃Something must be done!〃

And she reared her head up; looking from side to side; as if to show him that she; too; could sweep away things。  Very straight; and solid; fair; and fresh; she looked just then。

Thus; in the hypnotic silence of high thoughts; the two young 〃Sanitists〃 arrived in Hound Street。

In the doorway of No。 1 the son of the lame woman; Mrs。 Budgenthe thin; white youth as tall as Martin; but not so broad…stood; smoking a dubious…looking cigarette。  He turned his lack…lustre; jeering gaze on the visitors。

〃Who d'you want?〃  he said。  〃If it's the girl; she's gone away; and left no address。〃

〃I want Mrs。 Hughs;〃 said Martin。

The young man coughed。  〃Right…o!  You'll find her; but for him; apply Wormwood Scrubs。〃

〃Prison! What for?〃

〃Stickin' her through the wrist with his bayonet;〃 and the young man let a long; luxurious fume of smoke trickle through his nose。

〃How horrible!〃 said Thyme。

Martin regarded the young man; unmoved。  〃That stuff' you're smoking's rank;〃 he said。  〃Have some of mine; I'll show you how to make them。  It'll save you one and three per pound of baccy; and won't rot your lungs。〃

Taking out his pouch; he rolled a cigarette。  The white young man bent his dull wink on Thyme; who; wrinkling her nose; was pretending to be far away。

Mounting the narrow stairs that smelt of walls and washing and red herrings; Thyme spoke: 〃Now; you see; it wasn't so simple as you thought。  I don't want to go up; I don't want to see her。  I shall wait for you here。〃  She took her stand in the open doorway of the little model's empty room。  Martin ascended to the second floor。

There; in the front room; Mrs。 Hughs was seen standing with the baby in her arms beside the bed。  She had a frightened and uncertain air。 After examining her wrist; and pronouncing it a scratch; Martin looked long at the baby。  The little creature's toes were stiffened against its mother's waist; its eyes closed; its tiny fingers crisped against her breast。  While Mrs。 Hughs poured forth her tale; Martin stood with his eyes still fixed on the baby。  It could not be gathered from his face what he was thinking; but now and then he moved his jaw; as though he were suffering from toothache。  In truth; by the look of Mrs。 Hughs and her baby; his recipe did not seem to have achieved conspicuous success。  He turned away at last from the trembling; nerveless figure of the seamstress; and went to the window。  Two pale hyacinth plants stood on the inner edge; their perfume penetrated through the other savours of the roomand very strange they looked; those twin; starved children of the light and air。

〃These are new;〃 he said。

〃Yes; sir;〃 murmured Mrs。 Hughs。  〃I brought them upstairs。  I didn't like to see the poor things left to die。〃

》From the bitter accent of these words Martin understood that they had been the little model's。

〃Put them outside;〃 he said; 〃they'll never live in here。  They want watering; too。  Where are your saucers?〃

Mrs。 Hughs laid the baby down; and; going to the cupboard where all the household gods were kept; brought out two old; dirty saucers。 Martin raised the plants; and as he held them; from one close; yellow petal there rose up a tiny caterpillar。  It reared a green; transparent body; feeling its way to a new resting…place。  The little writhing shape seemed; like the wonder and the mystery of life; to mock the young doctor; who watched it with eyebrows raised; having no hand at liberty to remove it from the plant。

〃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 h
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