fraternity-第38部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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　hat。　It　was　tall　and　black；　and　very　shiny；　neither　quite　oval　nor　positively　round；　and　had　a　little　curly　brim。　　In　this　and　his　black　coat；　cut　so　as　to　show　the　front　of　him　and　cover　the　behind；　he　looked　his　best。　　The　costume　suited　his　long；　rather　narrow　face；　corrugated　by　two　short　parallel　lines　slanting　downwards　from　his　eyes　and　nostrils　on　either　cheek；　suited　his　neat；　thin　figure　and　the　close…lipped　corners　of　his　mouth。　　His　permanent　appointment　in　the　world　of　Law　had　ousted　from　his　life　（together　with　all　uncertainty　of　income）　the　need　for　putting　on　a　wig　and　taking　his　moustache　off；　but　he　still　preferred　to　go　clean…shaved。

〃Where　have　you　two　sprung　from？〃　　he　inquired；　admitting　them　into　the　hall。

Mr。　Stone　gave　him　no　answer；　but　passed　into　the　drawing…room；　and　sat　down　on　the　verge　of　the　first　chair　he　came　across；　leaning　forward　with　his　hands　between　his　knees。

Stephen；　after　one　dry　glance　at　him；　turned　to　his　daughter。

〃My　child；〃　he　said　softly；　〃what　have　you　brought　the　old　boy　here　for？　　If　there　happens　to　be　anything　of　the　high　mammalian　order　for　dinner；　your　mother　will　have　a　fit。〃

Thyme　answered：　〃Don't　chaff；　Father！〃

Stephen；　who　was　very　fond　of　her；　saw　that　for　some　reason　she　was　not　herself。　　He　examined　her　with　unwonted　gravity。　　Thyme　turned　away　from　him。　　He　heard；　to　his　alarm；　a　little　gulping　sound。

〃My　dear！〃　he　said。

Conscious　of　her　sentimental　weakness；　Thyme　made　a　violent　effort。

〃I've　seen　a　baby　dead；〃　she　cried　in　a　quick；　hard　voice；　and；　without　another　word；　she　ran　upstairs。

In　Stephen　there　was　a　horror　of　emotion　amounting　almost　to　disease。　It　would　have　been　difficult　to　say　when　he　had　last　shown　emotion；　perhaps　not　since　Thyme　was　born；　and　even　then　not　to　anyone　except　himself；　having　first　locked　the　door；　and　then　walked　up　and　down；　with　his　teeth　almost　meeting　in　the　mouthpiece　of　his　favourite　pipe。　　He　was　unaccustomed；　too；　to　witness　this　weakness　on　the　part　of　other　people。　　His　looks　and　speech　unconsciously　discouraged　it；　so　that　if　Cecilia　had　been　at　all　that　way　inclined；　she　must　long　ago　have　been　healed。　　Fortunately；　she　never　had　been；　having　too　much　distrust　of　her　own　feelings　to　give　way　to　them　completely。　And　Thyme；　that　healthy　product　of　them　both；　at　once　younger　for　her　age；　and　older；　than　they　had　ever　been；　with　her　incapacity　for　nonsense；　her　love　for　open　air　and　factsthat　fresh；　rising　plant；　so　elastic　and　so　saneshe　had　never　given　them　a　single　moment　of　uneasiness。

Stephen；　close　to　his　hat…rack；　felt　soreness　in　his　heart。　　Such　blows　as　Fortune　had　dealt；　and　meant　to　deal　him；　he　had　borne；　and　he　could　bear；　so　long　as　there　was　nothing　in　his　own　manner；　or　in　that　of　others；　to　show　him　they　were　blows。

Hurriedly　depositing　his　hat；　he　ran　to　Cecilia。　　He　still　preserved　the　habit　of　knocking　on　her　door　before　he　entered；　though　she　had　never；　so　far；　answered；　〃Don't　come　in！〃　because　she　knew　his　knock。　The　custom　gave；　in　fact；　the　measure　of　his　idealism。　　What　he　feared；　or　what　he　thought　he　feared；　after　nineteen　years　of　unchecked　entrance；　could　never　have　been　ascertained；　but　there　it　was；　that　flower　of　something　formal　and　precise；　of　something　reticent；　within　his　soul。

This　time；　for　once；　he　did　not　knock；　and　found　Cecilia　hooking　up　her　tea…gown　and　looking　very　sweet。　　She　glanced　at　him　with　mild　surprise。

〃What's　this；　Cis；〃　he　said；　〃about　a　baby　dead？　　Thyme's　quite　upset　about　it；　and　your　dad's　in　the　drawing…room！〃

With　the　quick　instinct　that　was　woven　into　all　her　gentle　treading；　Cecilia's　thoughts　flewshe　could　not　have　told　whyfirst　to　the　little　model；　then　to　Mrs。　Hughs。

〃Dead？〃　　she　said。　　〃Oh；　poor　woman！〃

〃What　woman？〃　　Stephen　asked。

〃It　must　be　Mrs。　Hughs。〃

The　thought　passed　darkly　through　Stephen's　mind：　'Those　people　again！　　What　now？'　　He　did　not　express　it；　being　neither　brutal　nor　lacking　in　good　taste。

A　short　silence　followed；　then　Cecilia　said　suddenly：　〃Did　you　say　that　father　was　in　the　drawing…room？　　There's　fillet　of　beef；　Stephen！〃

Stephen　turned　away。　　〃Go　and　see　Thyme！〃　he　said。

Outside　Thyme's　door　Cecilia　paused；　and；　hearing　no　sound；　tapped　gently。　　Her　knock　not　being　answered；　she　slipped　in。　　On　the　bed　of　that　white　room；　with　her　face　pressed　into　the　pillow；　her　little　daughter　lay。　　Cecilia　stood　aghast。　　Thyme's　whole　body　was　quivering　with　suppressed　sobs。

〃My　darling！〃　said　Cecilia；　〃what　is　it？〃

Thyme's　answer　was　inarticulate。

Cecilia　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　waited；　drawing　her　fingers　through　the　girl's　hair；　which　had　fallen　loose；　and　while　she　sat　there　she　experienced　all　that　sore；　strange　feelingas　of　being　skinned　which　comes　to　one　who　watches　the　emotion　of　someone　near　and　dear　without　knowing　the　exact　cause。

'This　is　dreadful；'　she　thought。　　'What　am　I　to　do？'

To　see　one's　child　cry　was　bad　enough；　but　to　see　her　cry　when　that　child's　whole　creed　of　honour　and　conduct　for　years　past　had　precluded　this　relief　as　unfeminine；　was　worse　than　disconcerting。

Thyme　raised　herself　on　her　elbow；　turning　her　face　carefully　away。

〃I　don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　me；〃　she　said；　choking。　　〃It's　it's　purely　physical〃

〃Yes；　darling；〃　murmured　Cecilia；　〃I　know。〃

〃Oh；　Mother！〃　said　Thyme　suddenly；　〃it　looked　so　tiny。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　my　sweet。〃

Thyme　faced　round；　there　was　a　sort　of　passion　in　her　darkened　eyes；　rimmed　pink　with　grief；　and　in　all　her　gushed；　wet　face。

〃Why　should　it　have　been　choked　out　like　that？　　It'sit's　so　brutal！〃

Cecilia　slid　an　arm　round　her。

〃I'm　so　distressed　you　saw　it；　dear；〃　she　said。

〃And　grandfather　was　so〃　　A　long　sobbing　quiver　choked　her　utterance。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃I'm　sure　he　was。〃

Clasping　her　hands　together　in　her　lap；　Thyme　muttered：　〃He　called　him　'Little　brother。'〃

A　tear　trickled　down　Cecilia's　cheek；　and　dropped　on　her　daughter's　wrist。　　Feeling　that　it　was　not　her　own　tear；　Thyme　started　up。

〃It's　weak　and　ridiculous；〃　she　said。　　〃I　won't！〃

Oh；　go　away；　Mother；　please。　　I'm　only　making　you　feel　bad；　too。　You'd　better　go　and　see　to　grandfather。〃

Cecilia　saw　that　she　would　cry　no　more；　and　since　it　was　the　sight　of　tears　which　had　so　disturbed　her；　she　gave　the　girl　a　little　hesitating　stroke；　and　went　away。　　Outside　she　thought：　'How　dreadfully　unlucky　and　pathetic；　and　there's　father　in　the　drawing…　room！'　　Then　she　hurried　down　to　Mr。　Stone。

He　was　sitting　where　he　had　first　placed　himself；　motionless。　　It　struck　her　suddenly　how　frail　and　white　he　looked。　　In　the　shadowy　light　of　her　drawing…room；　he　was　almost　like　a　spirit　sitting　there　in　his　grey　tweedsilvery　from　head　to　foot。　　Her　conscience　smote　her。　　It　is　written　of　the　very　old　that　they　shall　pass；　by　virtue　of　their　long　travel；　out　of　the　country　of　the　understanding　of　the　young；　till　the　natural　affections　are　blurred　by　creeping　mists　such　as　steal　across　the　moors　when　the　sun　is　going　down。

Cecilia's　heart　ached　with　a　little　ache　for　all　the　times　she　had　thought：　'If　father　were　only　not　quite　so…'；　for　all　the　times　she　had　shunned　asking　him　to　come　to　them；　because　he　was　so…；　for　all　the　silences　she　and　Stephen　had　maintained　after　he　had　spoken；　for　all　the　little　smiles　she　had　smiled。　　She　longed　to　go　and　kiss　his　brow；　and　make　him　feel　that　she　was　aching。　　But　she　did　not　dare；　he　seemed　so　far　away；　it　would　be　ridiculous。

Coming　down　the　room；　and　putting　her　slim　foot　on　the　fender　with　a　noise；　so　that　if　possible　he　might　both　see　and　hear　her；　she　turned　her　anxious　face　towards　him；　and　said：　〃Father！〃

Mr。　Stone　looked　up；　and　seeing　somebody　who　seemed　to　be　his　elder　daughter；　answered　〃Yes；　my　dear？〃

〃Are　you　sure　you're　feeling　quite　the　thing？　　Thyme　said　she　thought　seeing　that　poor　baby　had　upset　you。〃

Mr。　Stone　felt　his　body　with　his　hand。

〃I　am　not　conscious　of　any　pain；〃　he　said。

〃Then　you'll　stay　to　dinner；　dear；　won't　you？〃

Mr。　Stone's　brow　contracted　as　though　he　were　trying　to　recall　his　past。

〃I　have　had　no　tea；〃　he　said。　　Then；　with　a　sudden；　anxious　look　at　his　daughter：　〃The　little　girl　has　not　come　to　me。　　I　miss　her。　Where　is　she？〃

The　ache　within　Cecilia　became　more　poignant。

〃It　is　now　two　days；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃and　she　has　left　her　room　in　that　housein　that　street。〃

Cecilia；　at　her　wits'　end；　answered：　〃Do　you　really　miss　her；　Father？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Stone。　　〃She　is　like〃　His　eyes　wandered　round　the　room　as　though　seeking　something　which　would　help　him　to　express　himself。　　They　fixed　themselves　on　the　far　wall。　　Cecilia；　following　their　gaze；　saw　a　little　solitary　patch　of　sunlight　dancing　and　trembling　there。　　It　had　escaped　the　screen　of　trees　and　houses；　and；　creeping　through　some　chink；　had　quivered　in。　　〃She　is　like　that；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　pointing　with　his　finger。　　〃It　is　gone！〃　His　finger　dropped；　he　uttered　a　deep　sigh。

'How　dreadful　this　is！'　Cecilia　thought。　　'I　never　expected　him　to　feel　it；　and　yet　I　can　do　nothing！'　　Hastily　she　asked：　〃Would　it　do　if