fraternity-第21部分

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Thyme　said：

〃This　street　gives　me　a　hollow　feeling。〃

Martin　nodded。　　〃　Worse　than　the　real　article。　　There's　half　a　mile　of　this。　　Here　it's　all　grim　fighting。　　Farther　on　they've　given　it　up。〃

And　still　they　went　on　up　the　curving　street；　with　its　few　pinched　shops　and　its　unending　narrow　grimness。

At　the　corner　of　a　by…street　Martin　said：　〃We'll　go　down　here。〃

Thyme　stood　still；　wrinkling　her　nose。　　Martin　eyed　her。

〃Don't　funk！〃

〃I'm　not　funking；　Martin；　only　I　can't　stand　the　smells。〃

〃You'll　have　to　get　used　to　them。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；　butbut　I　forgot　my　eucalyptus。〃

The　young　man　took　out　a　handkerchief　which　had　not　yet　been　unfolded。

〃Here；　take　mine。〃

〃They　do　make　me　feel　soit's　a　shame　to　take　yours；〃　and　she　took　the　handkerchief。

〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Martin。　　〃Come　on！〃

The　houses　of　this　narrow　street；　inside　and　out；　seemed　full　of　women。　　Many　of　them　had　babies　in　their　arms；　they　were　working　or　looking　out　of　windows　or　gossiping　on　doorsteps。　　And　all　stopped　to　stare　as　the　young　couple　passed。　　Thyme　stole　a　look　at　her　companion。　　His　long　stride　had　not　varied；　there　was　the　usual　pale；　observant；　sarcastic　expression　on　his　face。　　Clenching　the　handkerchief　in　readiness；　and　trying　to　imitate　his　callous　air；　she　looked　at　a　group　of　five　women　on　the　nearest　doorstep。

Three　were　seated　and　two　were　standing。　　One　of　these；　a　young　woman　with　a　round；　open　face；　was　clearly　very　soon　to　have　a　child；　the　other；　with　a　short；　dark　face　and　iron…grey；　straggling　hair；　was　smoking　a　clay　pipe。　　Of　the　three　seated；　one；　quite　young；　had　a　face　as　grey　white　as　a　dirty　sheet；　and　a　blackened　eye；　the　second；　with　her　ragged　dress　disarranged；　was　nursing　a　baby；　the　third；　in　the　centre；　on　the　top　step；　with　red　arms　akimbo；　her　face　scored　with　drink；　was　shouting　friendly　obscenities　to　a　neighbour　in　the　window　opposite。　　In　Thyme's　heart　rose　the　passionate　feeling；　'How　disgusting！　how　disgusting！'　and　since　she　did　not　dare　to　give　expression　to　it；　she　bit　her　lips　and　turned　her　head　from　them；　resenting；　with　all　a　young　girl's　horror；　that　her　sex　had　given　her　away。　　The　women　stared　at　her；　and　in　those　faces；　according　to　their　different　temperaments；　could　be　seen　first　the　same　vague；　hard　interest　that　had　been　Thyme's　when　she　first　looked　at　them；　then　the　same　secret　hostility　and　criticism；　as　though　they　too　felt　that　by　this　young　girl's　untouched　modesty；　by　her　gushed　cheeks　and　unsoiled　clothes；　their　sex　had　given　them　away。　　With　contemptuous　movements　of　their　lips　and　bodies；　on　that　doorstep　they　proclaimed　their　emphatic　belief　in　the　virtue　and　reality　of　their　own　existences　and　in　the　vice　and　unreality　of　her　intruding　presence。

〃Give　the　doll　to　Bill；　'e'd　make　'er　work　for　once；　the…〃　　In　a　burst　of　laughter　the　epithet　was　lost。

Martin's　lips　curled。

〃Purple　just　here；〃　he　said。

Thyme's　cheeks　were　crimson。

At　the　end　of　the　little　street　he　stopped　before　a　shop。

〃Come　on；〃　he　said；　〃you'll　see　the　sort　of　place　where　they　buy　their　grub。〃

In　the　doorway　were　standing　a　thin　brown　spaniel；　a　small　fair　woman　with　a　high；　bald　forehead；　from　which　the　hair　was　gleaned　into　curlpapers；　and　a　little　girl　with　some　affection　of　the　skin。

Nodding　coolly；　Martin　motioned　them　aside。　　The　shop　was　ten　feet　square；　its　counters；　running　parallel　to　two　of　the　walls；　were　covered　with　plates　of　cake；　sausages；　old　ham…bones；　peppermint　sweets；　and　household　soap；　there　was　also　bread；　margarine；　suet　in　bowls；　sugar；　bloatersmany　bloatersCaptain's　biscuits；　and　other　things　besides。　　Two　or　three　dead　rabbits　hung　against　the　wall。　All　was　uncovered；　so　that　what　flies　there　were　sat　feeding　socialistically。　　Behind　the　counter　a　girl　of　seventeen　was　serving　a　thin…faced　woman　with　portions　of　a　cheese　which　she　was　holding　down　with　her　strong；　dirty　hand；　while　she　sawed　it　with　a　knife。　On　the　counter；　next　the　cheese；　sat　a　quiet…looking　cat。

They　all　glanced　round　at　the　two　young　people；　who　stood　and　waited。

〃Finish　what　you're　at；〃　said　Martin；　〃then　give　me　three　pennyworth　of　bull's…eyes。〃

The　girl；　with　a　violent　effort；　finished　severing　the　cheese。　　The　thin…faced　woman　took　it；　and；　coughing　above　it；　went　away。　　The　girl；　who　could　not　take　her　eyes　off　Thyme；　now　served　them　with　three　pennyworth　of　bull's…eyes；　which　she　took　out　with　her　fingers；　for　they　had　stuck。　　Putting　them　in　a　screw　of　newspaper；　she　handed　them　to　Martin。　　The　young　man；　who　had　been　observing　negligently；　touched　Thyme's　elbow。　　She；　who　had　stood　with　eyes　cast　down；　now　turned。　　They　went　out；　Martin　handing　the　bull's…eyes　to　the　little　girl　with　an　affection　of　the　skin。

The　street　now　ended　in　a　wide　road　formed　of　little　low　houses。

〃Black；〃　said　Martin；　〃here；　all　down　this　road…casual　labour；　criminals；　loafers；　drunkards；　consumps。　　Look　at　the　faces！〃

Thyme　raised　her　eyes　obediently。　　In　this　main　thoroughfare　it　was　not　as　in　the　by…street；　and　only　dull　or　sullen　glances；　or　none　at　all；　were　bent　on　her。　　Some　of　the　houses　had　ragged　plants　on　the　window…sills；　in　one　window　a　canary　was　singing。　　Then；　at　a　bend；　they　came　into　a　blacker　reach　of　human　river。　　Here　were　outbuildings；　houses　with　broken　windows；　houses　with　windows　boarded　up；　fried…fish　shops；　low　public…houses；　houses　without　doors。　　There　were　more　men　here　than　women；　and　those　men　were　wheeling　barrows　full　of　rags　and　bottles；　or　not　even　full　of　rags　and　bottles；　or　they　were　standing　by　the　public…houses　gossiping　or　quarrelling　in　groups　of　three　or　four；　or　very　slowly　walking　in　the　gutters；　or　on　the　pavements；　as　though　trying　to　remember　if　they　were　alive。　　Then　suddenly　some　young　man　with　gaunt　violence　in　his　face　would　pass；　pushing　his　barrow　desperately；　striding　fiercely　by。　　And　every　now　and　then；　from　a　fried…fish　or　hardware　shop；　would　come　out　a　man　in　a　dirty　apron　to　take　the　sun　and　contemplate　the　scene；　not　finding　in　it；　seemingly；　anything　that　in　any　way　depressed　his　spirit。　Amongst　the　constant；　crawling；　shifting　stream　of　passengers　were　seen　women　carrying　food　wrapped　up　in　newspaper；　or　with　bundles　beneath　their　shawls。　　The　faces　of　these　women　were　generally　either　very　red　and　coarse　or　of　a　sort　of　bluish…white；　they　wore　the　expression　of　such　as　know　themselves　to　be　existing　in　the　way　that　Providence　has　arranged　they　should　exist。　　No　surprise；　revolt；　dismay；　or　shame　was　ever　to　be　seen　on　those　faces；　in　place　of　these　emotions　a　drab　and　brutish　acquiescence　or　mechanical　coarse　jocularity。　　To　pass　like　this　about　their　business　was　their　occupation　each　morning　of　the　year；　it　was　needful　to　accept　it。　Not　having　any　hope　of　ever；　being　different；　not　being　able　to　imagine　any　other　life；　they　were　not　so　wasteful　of　their　strength　as　to　attempt　either　to　hope　or　to　imagine。　　Here　and　there；　too；　very　slowly　passed　old　men　and　women；　crawling　along；　like　winter　bees　who；　in　some　strange　and　evil　moment；　had　forgotten　to　die　in　the　sunlight　of　their　toil；　and；　too　old　to　be　of　use；　had　been　chivied　forth　from　their　hive　to　perish　slowly　in　the　cold　twilight　of　their　days。

Down　the　centre　of　the　street　Thyme　saw　a　brewer's　dray　creeping　its　way　due　south　under　the　sun。　　Three　horses　drew　it；　with　braided　tails　and　beribboned　manes；　the　brass　glittering　on　their　harness。　High　up；　like　a　god；　sat　the　drayman；　his　little　slits　of　eyes　above　huge　red　cheeks　fixed　immovably　on　his　horses'　crests。　　Behind　him；　with　slow；　unceasing　crunch；　the　dray　rolled；　piled　up　with　hogsheads；　whereon　the　drayman's　mate　lay　sleeping。　　Like　the　slumbrous　image　of　some　mighty　unrelenting　Power；　it　passed；　proud　that　its　monstrous　bulk　contained　all　the　joy　and　blessing　those　shadows　on　the　pavement　had　ever　known。

The　two　young　people　emerged　on　to　the　high　road　running　east　and　west。

〃Cross　here；〃　said　Martin；　〃and　cut　down　into　Kensington。　　Nothing　more　of　interest　now　till　we　get　to　Hound　Street。　　Purceys　and　Purceys　all　round　about　this　part。〃

Thyme　shook　herself。

〃O　Martin；　let's　go　down　a　road　where　there's　some　air。　　I　feel　so　dirty。〃　　She　put　her　hand　up　to　her　chest。

〃There's　one　here；〃　said　Martin。

They　turned　to　the　left　into　a　road　that　had　many　trees。　　Now　that　she　could　breathe　and　look　about　her；　Thyme　once　more　held　her　head　erect　and　began　to　swing　her　arms。

〃Martin；　something　must　be　done！〃

The　young　doctor　did　not　reply；　his　face　still　wore　its　pale；　sarcastic；　observant　look。　　He　gave　her　arm　a　squeeze　with　a　half…　contemptuous　smile。




CHAPTER　XV

SECOND　PILGRIMAGE　TO　HOUND　STREET

Arriving　in　Hound　Street；　Martin　Stone　and　his　companion　went　straight　up　to　Mrs。　Hughs'　front　room。　　They　found　her　doing　the　week's　washing；　and　hanging　out　before　a　scanty　fire　part　of　the　little　that　the　week　had　been　suffered　to　soil。　　Her　arms　were　bare；　her　face　and　eyes　red；　the　steam　of　soapsuds　had　congealed　on　them。

Attached　to　the　bolster　by　a　towel；　under　his　father's　bayonet　and　the　oleograph　depicting　the　Nativity；　sat　the　baby。　　In　the　air　there　was　the　scent　of　him；　of　walls；　and　washing；　and　red　herrings。　　The　two　young　people　took　the