fraternity-第34部分

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e；　because　there　were　still　twelve　numbers　of　the　late　edition　that　nobody　would　buy。　　No　one　knew　more　surely　than　Joshua　Creed　himself　that；　if　he　suffered　himself　to　entertain　any　large　and　lofty　views　of　life；　he　would　infallibly　find　himself　in　that　building　to　keep　out　of　which　he　was　in　the　habit　of　addressing　to　God　his　only　prayer　to　speak　of。　　Fortunately；　from　a　boy　up；　together　with　a　lengthy；　oblong；　square…jawed　face；　he　had　been　given　by　Nature　a　single…minded　view　of　life。　　In　fact；　the　mysterious；　stout　tenacity　of　a　soul　born　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Newmarket　could　not　have　been　done　justice　to　had　he　constitutionally　seenany　more　than　Mr。　Stone　himselftwo　things　at　a　time。　　The　one　thing　he　had　seen；　for　the　five　years　that　he　had　now　stood　outside　Messrs。　　Rose　and　Thorn's；　was　the　workhouse；　and；　as　he　was　not　going　there　so　long　as　he　was　living；　he　attended　carefully　to　all　little　matters　of　expense　in　this　somewhat　sordid　way。

While　attending　thus；　he　heard　a　scream。　　Having　by　temperament　considerable　caution；　but　little　fear；　he　waited　till　he　heard　another；　and　then　got　out　of　bed。　　Taking　the　poker　in　his　hand；　and　putting　on　his　spectacles；　he　hurried　to　the　door。　　Many　a　time　and　oft　in　old　days　had　he　risen　in　this　fashion　to　defend　the　plate　of　the　〃Honorable　Bateson〃　and　the　Dowager　Countess　of　Glengower　from　the　periodical　attacks　of　his　imagination。　　He　stood　with　his　ancient　nightgown　flapping　round　his　still　more　ancient　legs；　slightly　shivering；　then；　pulling　the　door　open；　he　looked　forth。　　On　the　stairs　just　above　him　Mrs。　Hughs；　clasping　her　baby　with　one　arm；　was　holding　the　other　out　at　full　length　between　herself　and　Hughs。　　He　heard　the　latter　say：　〃You've　drove　me　to　it；　I'll　do　a　swing　for　you！〃　　Mrs。　Hughs'　thin　body　brushed　past　into　his　room；　blood　was　dripping　from　her　wrist。　　Creed　saw　that　Hughs　had　his　bayonet　in　his　hand。　　With　all　his　might　he　called　out：　〃Ye　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself！〃　raising　the　poker　to　a　position　of　defence。　　At　this　momentmore　really　dangerous　than　any　he　had　ever　knownit　was　remarkable　that　he　instinctively　opposed　to　it　his　most　ordinary　turns　of　speech。　　It　was　as　though　the　extravagance　of　this　un…　English　violence　had　roused　in　him　the　full　measure　of　a　native　moderation。　　The　sight　of　the　naked　steel　deeply　disgusted　him；　he　uttered　a　long　sentence。　　What　did　Hughs　call　thisdisgracin'　of　the　house　at　this　time　in　the　mornin'？　　Where　was　he　brought　up？　　Call　'imself　a　soldier；　attackin'　of　old　men　and　women　in　this　way？　　He　ought　to　be　ashamed！

While　these　words　were　issuing　between　the　yellow　stumps　of　teeth　in　that　withered　mouth；　Hughs　stood　silent；　the　back　of　his　arm　covering　his　eyes。　　Voices　and　a　heavy　tread　were　heard。　　Distinguishing　in　that　tread　the　advancing　footsteps　of　the　Law；　Creed　said：　〃You　attack　me　if　you　dare！〃

Hughs　dropped　his　arm。　　His　short；　dark　face　had　a　desperate　look；　as　of　a　caged　rat；　his　eyes　were　everywhere　at　once。

〃All　right；　daddy；〃　he　said；　〃I　won't　hurt　you。　　She's　drove　my　head　all　wrong　again。　　Catch　hold　o'　this；　I　can't　trust　myself。〃　　He　held　out　the　bayonet。

〃Westminister〃　took　it　gingerly　in　his　shaking　hand。

〃To　use　a　thing　like　that！〃　he　said。　　〃An'　call　yourself　an　Englishman！　　I'll　ketch　me　death　standin'　here；　I　will。〃

Hughs　made　no　answer　leaning　against　the　wall。　　The　old　butler　regarded　him　severely。　　He　did　not　take　a　wide　or　philosophic　view　of　him；　as　a　tortured　human　being；　driven　by　the　whips　of　passion　in　his　dark　blood；　a　creature　whose　moral　nature　was　the　warped；　stunted　tree　his　life　had　made　it；　a　poor　devil　half　destroyed　by　drink　and　by　his　wound。　　The　old　butler　took　a　more　single…minded　and　old…　fashioned　line。　　'Ketch　'old　of　'im！'　he　thought。　　'With　these　low　fellers　there's　nothin'　else　to　be　done。　　Ketch　'old　of　'im　until　he　squeals。'

Nodding　his　ancient　head；　he　said：

〃Here's　an　orficer。　　I　shan't　speak　for　yer；　you　deserves　all　you'll　get；　and　more。〃

Later；　dressed　in　an　old　Newmarket　coat；　given　him　by　some　client；　and　walking　towards　the　police…station　alongside　Mrs。　Hughs；　he　was　particularly　silent；　presenting　a　front　of　some　austerity；　as　became　a　man　mixed　up　in　a　low　class　of　incident　like　this。　　And　the　seamstress；　very　thin　and　scared；　with　her　wounded　wrist　slung　in　a　muffler　of　her　husband's；　and　carrying　the　baby　on　her　other　arm；　because　the　morning's　incident　had　upset　the　little　thing；　slipped　along　beside　him；　glancing　now　and　then　into　his　face。

Only　once　did　he　speak；　and　to　himself：

〃I　don't　know　what　they'll　say　to　me　down　at　the　orffice；　when　I　go　again…missin'　my　day　like　this！　　Oh　dear；　what　a　misfortune！　　What　put　it　into　him　to　go　on　like　that？〃

At　this；　which　was　far　from　being　intended　as　encouragement；　the　waters　of　speech　broke　up　and　flowed　from　Mrs。　Hughs。　　She　had　only　told　Hughs　how　that　young　girl　had　gone；　and　left　a　week's　rent；　with　a　bit　of　writing　to　say　she　wasn't　coming　back；　it　wasn't　her　fault　that　she　was　gonethat　ought　never　to　have　come　there　at　all；　a　creature　that　knew　no　better　than　to　come　between　husband　and　wife。　She　couldn't　tell　no　more　than　he　could　where　that　young　girl　had　gone！

The　tears；　stealing　forth；　chased　each　other　down　the　seamstress's　thin　cheeks。　　Her　face　had　now　but　little　likeness　to　the　face　with　which　she　had　stood　confronting　Hughs　when　she　informed　him　of　the　little　model's　flight。　　None　of　the　triumph　which　had　leaped　out　of　her　bruised　heart；　none　of　the　strident　malice　with　which　her　voice；　whether　she　would　or　no；　strove　to　avenge　her　wounded　sense　of　property；　none　of　that　unconscious　abnegation；　so　very　near　to　heroism；　with　which　she　had　rushed　and　caught　up　her　baby　from　beneath　the　bayonet；　when；　goaded　by　her　malice　and　triumph；　Hughs　had　rushed　to　seize　that　weapon。　　None　of　all　that；　but；　instead；　a　pitiable　terror　of　the　ordeal　before　hera　pitiful；　mute；　quivering　distress；　that　this　man；　against　whom；　two　hours　before；　she　had　felt　such　a　store　of　bitter　rancour；　whose　almost　murderous　assault　she　had　so　narrowly　escaped；　should　now　be　in　this　plight。

The　sight　of　her　emotion　penetrated　through　his　spectacles　to　something　lying　deep　in　the　old　butler。

〃Don't　you　take　on；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　stand　by　yer。　　He　shan't　treat　yer　with　impuniness。〃

To　his　uncomplicated　nature　the　affair　was　still　one　of　tit　for　tat。　Mrs。　Hughs　became　mute　again。　　Her　torn　heart　yearned　to　cancel　the　penalty　that　would　fall　on　all　of　them；　to　deliver　Hughs　from　the　common　enemythe　Law；　but　a　queer　feeling　of　pride　and　bewilderment；　and　a　knowledge；　that；　to　demand　an　eye　for　an　eye　was　expected　of　all　self…respecting　persons；　kept　her　silent。

Thus；　then；　they　reached　the　great　consoler；　the　grey　resolver　of　all　human　tangles；　haven　of　men　and　angels；　the　police　court。　　It　was　situated　in　a　back　street。　　Like　trails　of　ooze；　when　the　tide；　neither　ebb　nor　flow；　is　leaving　and　making　for　some　estuary；　trails　of　human　beings　were　moving　to　and　from　it。　　The　faces　of　these　shuffling　〃shadows〃　wore　a　look　as　though　masked　with　some　hard　but　threadbare　stuff…the　look　of　those　whom　Life　has　squeezed　into　a　last　resort。　　Within　the　porches　lay　a　stagnant　marsh　of　suppliants；　through　whose　centre　trickled　to　and　fro　that　stream　of　ooze。　　An　old　policeman；　too；　like　some　grey　lighthouse；　marked　the　entrance　to　the　port　of　refuge。　　Close　to　that　lighthouse　the　old　butler　edged　his　way。　　The　love　of　regularity；　and　of　an　established　order　of　affairs；　born　in　him　and　fostered　by　a　life　passed　in　the　service　of　the　〃Honorable　Bateson〃　and　the　other　gentry；　made　him　cling　instinctively　to　the　only　person　in　this　crowd　whom　he　could　tell　for　certain　to　be　on　the　side　of　law　and　order。　　Something　in　his　oblong　face　and　lank；　scanty　hair　parted　precisely　in　the　middle；　something　in　that　high　collar　supporting　his　lean　gills；　not　subservient　exactly；　but　as　it　were　suggesting　that　he　was　in　league　against　all　this　low…class　of　fellow；　made　the　policeman　say　to　him：

〃What's　your　business；　daddy？〃

〃Oh！〃　the　old　butler　answered。　　〃This　poor　woman。　　I'm　a　witness　to　her　battery。〃

The　policeman　cast　his　not　unkindly　look　over　the　figure　of　the　seamstress。　　〃You　stand　here；〃　he　said；　〃　I'll　pass　you　in　directly。〃

And　soon　by　his　offices　the　two　were　passed　into　the　port　of　refuge。

They　sat　down　side　by　side　on　the　edge　of　a　long；　hard；　wooden　bench；　Creed　fixing　his　eyes；　whose　colour　had　run　into　a　brownish　rim　round　their　centres；　on　the　magistrate；　as　in　old　days　sun…worshippers　would　sit　blinking　devoutly　at　the　sun；　and　Mrs。　Hughs　fixing　her　eyes　on　her　lap；　while　tears　of　agony　trickled　down　her　face。　　On　her　unwounded　arm　the　baby　slept。　　In　front　of　them；　and　unregarded；　filed　one　by　one　those　shadows　who　had　drunk　the　day　before　too　deeply　of　the　waters　of　forgetfulness。　　To…day；　instead；　they　were　to　drink　the　water　of　remembrance；　poured　out　for　them　with　no　uncertain　hand。　　And　somewhere　very　far　away；　it　may　have　been　that　Justice　sat　with　her　ironic　smile　watching　men　judge　their　shadows。　　She　had　watched　them　so　long　about　that　business。　　With　her　elementary　idea　that　hares　and　tortoises　should　not　be　made　to　start　from　the　same　mark　she　had　a　little　given　u