john ingerfield and other stories-第13部分

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she　did　it　I　could　never　understand；　for　the　two　heavy　bolts　had　both

been　drawn；　but　the　next　moment　the　door　stood　wide　open；　and　a　hum

of　voices；　cheery　with　the　anticipation　of　a　period　of　perfect　bliss；

was　borne　in　upon　the　cool　night　air。



My　mother　was　always　very　quick　of　hearing。





Again；　I　see　a　wild　crowd　of　grim　faces；　and　my　father's；　very　pale；

amongst　them。　　But　this　time　the　faces　are　very　many；　and　they　come

and　go　like　faces　in　a　dream。　　The　ground　beneath　my　feet　is　wet　and

sloppy；　and　a　black　rain　is　falling。　　There　are　women's　faces　in　the

crowd；　wild　and　haggard；　and　long　skinny　arms　stretch　out

threateningly　towards　my　father；　and　shrill；　frenzied　voices　call　out

curses　on　him。　　Boys'　faces　also　pass　me　in　the　grey　light；　and　on

some　of　them　there　is　an　impish　grin。



I　seem　to　be　in　everybody's　way；　and　to　get　out　of　it；　I　crawl　into　a

dark；　draughty　corner　and　crouch　there　among　cinders。　　Around　me；

great　engines　fiercely　strain　and　pant　like　living　things　fighting

beyond　their　strength。　　Their　gaunt　arms　whirl　madly　above　me；　and

the　ground　rocks　with　their　throbbing。　　Dark　figures　flit　to　and　fro；

pausing　from　time　to　time　to　wipe　the　black　sweat　from　their　faces。



The　pale　light　fades；　and　the　flame…lit　night　lies　red　upon　the　land。

The　flitting　figures　take　strange　shapes。　　I　hear　the　hissing　of

wheels；　the　furious　clanking　of　iron　chains；　the　hoarse　shouting　of

many　voices；　the　hurrying　tread　of　many　feet；　and；　through　all；　the

wailing　and　weeping　and　cursing　that　never　seem　to　cease。　　I　drop

into　a　restless　sleep；　and　dream　that　I　have　broken　a　chapel　window；

stone…throwing；　and　have　died　and　gone　to　hell。



At　length；　a　cold　hand　is　laid　upon　my　shoulder；　and　I　awake。　　The

wild　faces　have　vanished　and　all　is　silent　now；　and　I　wonder　if　the

whole　thing　has　been　a　dream。　　My　father　lifts　me　into　the　dog…cart；

and　we　drive　home　through　the　chill　dawn。



My　mother　opens　the　door　softly　as　we　alight。　　She　does　not　speak；

only　looks　her　question。　　〃It's　all　over；　Maggie；〃　answers　my　father

very　quietly；　as　he　takes　off　his　coat　and　lays　it　across　a　chair；

〃we've　got　to　begin　the　world　afresh。〃



My　mother's　arms　steal　up　about　his　neck；　and　I；　feeling　heavy　with　a

trouble　I　do　not　understand；　creep　off　to　bed。







THE　LEASE　OF　THE　〃CROSS　KEYS。〃







This　story　is　about　a　shop：　　many　stories　are。　　One　Sunday　evening

this　Bishop　had　to　preach　a　sermon　at　St。　Paul's　Cathedral。　　The

occasion　was　a　very　special　and　important　one；　and　every　God…fearing

newspaper　in　the　kingdom　sent　its　own　special　representative　to

report　the　proceedings。



Now；　of　the　three　reporters　thus　commissioned；　one　was　a　man　of

appearance　so　eminently　respectable　that　no　one　would　have　thought　of

taking　him　for　a　journalist。　　People　used　to　put　him　down　for　a

County　Councillor　or　an　Archdeacon　at　the　very　least。　　As　a　matter　of

fact；　however；　he　was　a　sinful　man；　with　a　passion　for　gin。　　He　lived

at　Bow；　and；　on　the　Sabbath　in　question；　he　left　his　home　at　five

o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　started　to　walk　to　the　scene　of　his

labours。　　The　road　from　Bow　to　the　City　on　a　wet　and　chilly　Sunday

evening　is　a　cheerless　one；　who　can　blame　him　if　on　his　way　he

stopped　once　or　twice　to　comfort　himself　with　〃two〃　of　his　favourite

beverage？　　On　reaching　St。　Paul's　he　found　he　had　twenty　minutes　to

sparejust　time　enough　for　one　final　〃nip。〃　　Half　way　down　a　narrow

court　leading　out　of　the　Churchyard　he　found　a　quiet　little　hostelry；

and；　entering　the　private　bar；　whispered　insinuatingly　across　the

counter：



〃Two　of　gin　hot；　if　you　please；　my　dear。〃



His　voice　had　the　self…satisfied　meekness　of　the　successful

ecclesiastic；　his　bearing　suggested　rectitude　tempered　by　desire　to

avoid　observation。　　The　barmaid；　impressed　by　his　manner　and

appearance；　drew　the　attention　of　the　landlord　to　him。　　The　landlord

covertly　took　stock　of　so　much　of　him　as　could　be　seen　between　his

buttoned…up　coat　and　his　drawn…down　hat；　and　wondered　how　so　bland

and　innocent…looking　a　gentleman　came　to　know　of　gin。



A　landlord's　duty；　however；　is　not　to　wonder；　but　to　serve。　　The　gin

was　given　to　the　man；　and　the　man　drank　it。　　He　liked　it。　　It　was

good　gin：　　he　was　a　connoisseur；　and　he　knew。　　Indeed；　so　good　did　it

seem　to　him　that　he　felt　it　would　be　a　waste　of　opportunity　not　to

have　another　twopen'orth。　　Therefore　he　had　a　second　〃go〃；　maybe　a

third。　　Then　he　returned　to　the　Cathedral；　and　sat　himself　down　with

his　notebook　on　his　knee　and　waited。



As　the　service　proceeded　there　stole　over　him　that　spirit　of

indifference　to　all　earthly　surroundings　that　religion　and　drink　are

alone　able　to　bestow。　　He　heard　the　good　Bishop's　text　and　wrote　it

down。　　Then　he　heard　the　Bishop's　〃sixthly　and　lastly；〃　and　took　that

down；　and　looked　at　his　notebook　and　wondered　in　a　peaceful　way　what

had　become　of　the　〃firstly〃　to　〃fifthly〃　inclusive。　　He　sat　there

wondering　until　the　people　round　him　began　to　get　up　and　move　away；

whereupon　it　struck　him　swiftly　and　suddenly　that　be　had　been　asleep；

and　had　thereby　escaped　the　main　body　of　the　discourse。



What　on　earth　was　he　to　do？　　He　was　representing　one　of　the　leading

religious　papers。　　A　full　report　of　the　sermon　was　wanted　that　very

night。　　Seizing　the　robe　of　a　passing　wandsman；　he　tremulously

inquired　if　the　Bishop　had　yet　left　the　Cathedral。　　The　wandsman

answered　that　he　had　not；　but　that　he　was　just　on　the　point　of　doing

so。



〃I　must　see　him　before　he　goes！〃　exclaimed　the　reporter；　excitedly。



〃You　can't；〃　replied　the　wandsman。　　The　journalist　grew　frantic。



〃Tell　him；〃　he　cried；　〃a　penitent　sinner　desires　to　speak　with　him

about　the　sermon　he　has　just　delivered。　　To…morrow　it　will　be　too

late。〃



The　wandsman　was　touched；　so　was　the　Bishop。　　He　said　he　would　see

the　poor　fellow。



As　soon　as　the　door　was　shut　the　man；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　told

the　Bishop　the　truthleaving　out　the　gin。　　He　said　that　he　was　a

poor　man；　and　not　in　good　health；　that　he　had　been　up　half　the　night

before；　and　had　walked　all　the　way　from　Bow　that　evening。　　He　dwelt

on　the　disastrous　results　to　himself　and　his　family　should　he　fail　to

obtain　a　report　of　the　sermon。　　The　Bishop　felt　sorry　for　the　man。

Also；　he　was　anxious　that　his　sermon　should　be　reported。



〃Well；　I　trust　it　will　be　a　warning　to　you　against　going　to　sleep　in

church；〃　he　said；　with　an　indulgent　smile。　　〃Luckily；　I　have　brought

my　notes　with　me；　and　if　you　will　promise　to　be　very　careful　of　them；

and　to　bring　them　back　to　me　the　first　thing　in　the　morning；　I　will

lend　them　to　you。〃



With　this；　the　Bishop　opened　and　handed　to　the　man　a　neat　little

black　leather　bag；　inside　which　lay　a　neat　little　roll　of　manuscript。



〃Better　take　the　bag　to　keep　it　in；〃　added　the　Bishop。　　〃Be　sure　and

let　me　have　them　both　back　early　to…morrow。〃



The　reporter；　when　he　examined　the　contents　of　the　bag　under　a　lamp

in　the　Cathedral　vestibule；　could　hardly　believe　his　good　fortune。

The　careful　Bishop's　notes　were　so　full　and　clear　that　for　all

practical　purposes　they　were　equal　to　a　report。　　His　work　was　already

done。　　He　felt　so　pleased　with　himself　that　he　determined　to　treat

himself　to　another　〃two〃　of　gin；　and；　with　this　intent；　made　his　way

across　to　the　little　〃public〃　before…mentioned。



〃It's　really　excellent　gin　you　sell　here；〃　he　said　to　the　barmaid

when　he　had　finished；　〃I　think；　my　dear；　I'll　have　just　one　more。〃



At　eleven　the　landlord　gently　but　firmly　insisted　on　his　leaving；　and

he　went；　assisted；　as　far　as　the　end　of　the　court；　by　the　potboy。

After　he　was　gone；　the　landlord　noticed　a　neat　little　black　bag　on

the　seat　where　he　had　been　lying。　　Examining　it　closely；　he

discovered　a　brass　plate　between　the　handles；　and　upon　the　brass

plate　were　engraved　the　owner's　name　and　title。　　Opening　the　bag；　the

landlord　saw　a　neat　little　roll　of　manuscript；　and　across　a　corner　of

the　manuscript　was　written　the　Bishop's　name　and　address。



The　landlord　blew　a　long；　low　whistle；　and　stood　with　his　round　eyes

wide　open　gazing　down　at　the　open　bag。　　Then　he　put　on　his　hat　and

coat；　and　taking　the　bag；　went　out　down　the　court；　chuckling　hugely

as　he　walked。　　He　went　straight　to　the　house　of　the　Resident　Canon

and　rang　the　bell。



〃Tell　Mr。　；〃　he　said　to　the　servant；　〃that　I　must　see　him　to…night。

I　wouldn't　disturb　him　at　this　late　hour　if　it　wasn't　something　very

important。〃



The　landlord　was　ushered　up。　　Closing　the　door　softly　behind　him；　he

coughed　deferentially。



〃Well；　Mr。　Peters〃　（I　will　call　him　〃Peters〃）；　said　the　Canon；　〃what

is　it？〃



〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　slowly　and　deliberately；　〃it's　about

that　there　lease　o'　mine。　　I　do　hope　you　gentlemen　will　see　your　way

to　makin'　it　twenty…one　year　instead　o'　fourteen。〃



〃God　bless　the　man！〃　cried　the　Canon；　jumping　up　indignantly；　〃you

don't　mean　to　say　you've　come　to　me　at　eleven　o'clock　on　a　Sunday

night　to　talk　about　your　lease？〃



〃Well；　not　entirely；　sir；〃　answered　Peters；　unabashed；　〃there's

another　little　thing　I　wished　to　speak　to　you　about；　and　that's

this〃saying　which；　he　laid　the　Bishop's　bag　before　the　Canon　and

told　his　story。



The　Canon　looked　at　Mr。　Peters；　and　Mr。　Peters　looked　at　the　Canon。



〃There　must　be　some　mistake；〃　said　the　Canon。



〃There's　no　mistake；〃　said　the　landlord。　　〃I　had　my　suspicions　when　I

first　clapped　eyes　on　him。　　I　seed　he　wasn't　our　usual　sort；　and　I

seed　how　he　tried　to　hide　his　face。　　If　he　weren't　the　Bishop；　then　I

don't　know　a　Bishop　when　I　sees　one；　that's　all。　　Besides；　there's

his　bag；　and　there's　his　sermon。〃



Mr。　Peters　folded　his　arms　and　waited。　　The　Canon　pondered。　　Such

things　had　been　known　to　happen　before　in　Church　history。　　Why　not

again？



〃Does　any　one　know　of　this　besides　yourself？〃　asked　the　Canon。



〃Not　a　livin