english stories-london-第23部分

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infant　in　her　close　embrace。　A　dark　form；　buttoned　to　the　throat　and

holding　a　brilliant　bull's…eye　lantern；　stood　before　her。



〃Come　now；〃　said　this　personage；　〃this　won't　do！　Move　on！〃



Liz　smiled　faintly　and　apologetically。



〃All　right！〃　she　answered；　striving　to　speak　cheerfully；　and　raising

her　eyes　to　the　policeman's　good…natured　countenance。　〃I　didn't　mean

to　fall　asleep　here。　I　don't　know　how　I　came　to　do　it。　I　must　go　home；

of　course。〃



〃Of　course；〃　said　the　policeman；　somewhat　mollified　by　her　evident

humility；　and　touched　in　spite　of　himself　by　the　pathos　of　her　eyes。

Then　turning　his　lamp　more　fully　upon　her；　he　continued；　〃Is　that　a

baby　you've　got　there？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Liz；　half　proudly；　half　tenderly。　〃Poor　little　dear！　it's

been　ailing　sadlybut　I　think　it's　better　now　than　it　was。〃



And；　encouraged　by　his　friendly　tone；　she　opened　the　folds　of　her

shawl　to　show　him　her　one　treasure。　The　bulls…eye　came　into　still

closer　requisition　as　the　kindly　guardian　of　the　peace　peered

inquiringly　at　the　tiny　bundle。　He　had　scarcely　looked　when　he　started

back　with　an　exclamation：



〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　he　cried；　〃it's　dead！〃



〃Dead！〃　shrieked　Liz；　〃oh；　no；　no！　Not　dead！　Don't　say　so；　oh；　don't；

don't　say　so！　Oh；　you　can't　mean　it！　Oh；　for　God's　love；　say　you

didn't　mean　it！　It　can't　be　dead；　not　really　dead！no；　no；　indeed！

Oh；　baby；　baby！　You　are　not　dead；　my　pet　my　angel；　not　dead；　oh　no！〃



And　breathless；　frantic　with　fear；　she　felt　the　little　thing's　hands

and　feet　and　face；　kissed　it　wildly；　and　called　it　by　a　thousand

endearing　names；　in　vainin　vain！　Its　tiny　body　was　already　stiff　and

rigid；　it　had　been　a　corpse　more　than　two　hours。



The　policeman　coughed；　and　brushed　his　thick　gauntlet　glove　across　his

eyes。　He　was　an　emissary　of　the　law；　but　he　had　a　heart。　He　thought　of

his　bright…eyed　wife　at　home；　and　of　the　soft…cheeked；　cuddling　little

creature　that　clung　to　her　bosom　and　crowed　with　rapture　whenever　he

came　near。



〃Look　here；〃　he　said；　very　gently；　laying　one　hand　on　the　woman's

shoulder　as　she　crouched　shivering　against　the　wall；　and　staring

piteously　at　the　motionless　waxen　form　in　her　arms；　〃it's　no　use

fretting　about　it。〃　He　paused；　there　was　an　uncomfortable　lump　in　his

throat；　and　he　had　to　cough　again　to　get　it　down。　〃The　poor　little

creature's　gonethere's　no　help　for　it。　The　next　world's　a　better

place　than　this；　you　know！　There；　there；　don't　take　on　so　about　it〃

this　as　Liz　shuddered　and　sighed；　a　sigh　of　such　complete　despair　that

it　went　straight　to　his　honest　soul；　and　showed　him　how　futile　were

his　efforts　at　consolation。　But　he　had　his　duty　to　attend　to；　and　he

went　on　in　firmer　tones：　〃Now；　like　a　good　woman；　you　just　move　off

from　here　and　go　home。　If　I　leave　you　here　by　yourself　a　bit；　will　you

promise　me　to　go　straight　home？　I　mustn't　find　you　here　when　I　come

back　on　this　beat；　d'　ye　understand？〃　Liz　nodded。　〃That's　right！〃　he

resumed；　cheerily。　〃I'll　give　you　just　ten　minutes；　you　just　go

straight　home。〃



And　with　a　〃Good…night；〃　uttered　in　accents　meant　to　be　comforting；　he

turned　away　and　paced　on；　his　measured　tread　echoing　on　the　silence　at

first　loudly；　then　fainter　and　fainter；　till　it　altogether　died　away；

as　his　bulky　figure　disappeared　in　the　distance。　Left　to　herself；　Liz

rose　from　her　crouching　posture；　rocking　the　dead　child　in　her　arms；

she　smiled。



〃Go　straight　home！〃　she　murmured；　half　aloud。　〃Home；　sweet　home！　Yes；

baby；　yes；　my　darling；　we　will　go　home　together！〃



And　creeping　cautiously　along　in　the　shadows；　she　reached　a　flight　of

the　broad　stone　steps　leading　down　to　the　river。　She　descended　them；

one　by　one；　the　black　water　lapped　against　them　heavily；　heavily；　the

tide　was　full　up。　She　paused；　a　sonorous；　deep…toned　iron　voice　rang

through　the　air　with　reverberating；　solemn　melody。　It　was　the　great

bell　of　St。　Paul's　tolling　midnightthe　Old　Year　was　dead。



〃Straight　home！〃　she　repeated；　with　a　beautiful；　expectant　look　in　her

wild；　weary　eyes。　〃My　little　darling！　Yes；　we　are　both　tired；　we　will

go　home！　Home；　sweet　home！　We　will　go！〃



Kissing　the　cold　face　of　the　baby　corpse　she　held；　she　threw　herself

forward；　there　followed　a　sullen；　deep　splasha　slight　struggleand

all　was　over！　The　water　lapped　against　the　steps　heavily；　heavily；　as

before；　the　policeman　passed　once　more；　and　saw　to　his　satisfaction

that　the　coast　was　clear；　through　the　dark　veil　of　the　sky　one　star

looked　out　and　twinkled　for　a　brief　instant；　then　disappeared　again。　A

clash　and　clamour　of　bells　startled　the　brooding　night；　here　and　there

a　window　was　opened；　and　figures　appeared　in　balconies　to　listen。　They

were　ringing　in　the　New　Yearthe　festival　of　hope；　the　birthday　of

the　world！　But　what　were　New　Years　to　her；　who；　with　white；　upturned

face；　and　arms　that　embraced　an　infant　in　the　tenacious　grip　of　death；

went　drifting；　drifting　solemnly　down　the　dark　river；　unseen；　unpitied

by　all　those　who　awoke　to　new　hopes　and　aspirations　on　that　first

morning　of　another　life…probation！　Liz　had　gone；　gone　to　make　her

peace　with　Godperhaps　through　the　aid　of　her　〃hired〃　baby；　the

little　sinless　soul　she　had　so　fondly　cherished；　gone　to　that　sweetest

〃home〃　we　dream　of　and　pray　for；　where　the　lost　and　bewildered

wanderers　of　this　earth　shall　find　true　welcome　and　rest　from　grief

and　exile；　gone　to　that　fair；　far　glory…world　where　reigns　the　divine

Master；　whose　words　still　ring　above　the　tumult　of　ages：　〃See　that　ye

despise　not　one　of　these　little　ones；　for　I　say　unto　you；　that　their

angels　do　always　behold　the　face　of　My　Father　who　is　in　heaven。〃









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