john ingerfield and other stories-第5部分

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above　the　counting…house。



John　ushers　her　into　them　with　some　misgiving；　for　by　contrast　with

the　house　at　　Bloomsbury　they　are　poor　and　shabby。　　He　places　her　in

the　arm…chair　near　the　fire；　begging　her　to　rest　quiet；　and　then

assists　his　old　housekeeper；　whose　wits；　never　of　the　strongest；　have

been　scared　by　the　day's　proceeding；　to　lay　the　meal。



Anne's　eyes　follow　him　as　he　moves　about　the　room。　　Perhaps　here；

where　all　the　real　part　of　his　life　has　been　passed；　he　is　more　his

true　self　than　amid　the　unfamiliar　surroundings　of　fashion；　perhaps

this　simpler　frame　shows　him　to　greater　advantage；　but　Anne　wonders

how　it　is　she　has　never　noticed　before　that　he　is　a　well…set；

handsome　man。　　Nor；　indeed；　is　he　so　very　old…looking。　　Is　it　a　trick

of　the　dim　light；　or　what？　　He　looks　almost　young。　　But　why　should　he

not　look　young；　seeing　he　is　only　thirty…six；　and　at　thirty…six　a　man

is　in　his　prime？　　Anne　wonders　why　she　has　always　thought　of　him　as

an　elderly　person。



A　portrait　of　one　of　John's　ancestors　hangs　over　the　great

mantelpieceof　that　sturdy　Captain　Ingerfield　who　fought　the　King's

frigate　rather　than　give　up　one　of　his　people。　　Anne　glances　from　the

dead　face　to　the　living　and　notes　the　strong　likeness　between　them。

Through　her　half…closed　eyes　she　sees　the　grim　old　captain　hurling

back　his　message　of　defiance；　and　his　face　is　the　face　she　saw　a　few

hours　ago；　saying；　〃I　mean　to　stop　here　with　you　and　do　what　I　can

for　you。　　None　of　my　people　shall　want。〃



John　is　placing　a　chair　for　her　at　the　table；　and　the　light　from　the

candles　falls　upon　him。　　She　steals　another　glance　at　his　facea

strong；　stern；　handsome　face；　capable　of　becoming　a　noble　face。　　Anne

wonders　if　it　has　ever　looked　down　tenderly　at　anyone；　feels　a　sudden

fierce　pain　at　the　thought；　dismisses　the　thought　as　impossible；

wonders；　nevertheless；　how　tenderness　would　suit　it；　thinks　she　would

like　to　see　a　look　of　tenderness　upon　it；　simply　out　of　curiosity；

wonders　if　she　ever　will。



She　rouses　herself　from　her　reverie　as　John；　with　a　smile；　tells　her

supper　is　ready；　and　they　seat　themselves　opposite　each　other；　an　odd

air　of　embarrassment　pervading。



Day　by　day　their　work　grows　harder；　day　by　day　the　foe　grows

stronger；　fiercer；　more　all…conquering；　and　day　by　day；　fighting　side

by　side　against　it；　John　Ingerfield　and　Anne；　his　wife；　draw　closer

to　each　other。　　On　the　battle…field　of　life　we　learn　the　worth　of

strength。　　Anne　feels　it　good；　when　growing　weary；　to　glance　up　and

find　him　near　her；　feels　it　good；　amid　the　troubled　babel　round　her；

to　hear　the　deep；　strong　music　of　his　voice。



And　John；　watching　Anne's　fair　figure　moving　to　and　fro　among　the

stricken　and　the　mourning；　watching　her　fair；　fluttering　hands；　busy

with　their　holy　work；　her　deep；　soul…haunting　eyes；　changeful　with

the　light　and　shade　of　tenderness；　listening　to　her　sweet；　clear

voice；　laughing　with　the　joyous；　comforting　the　comfortless；　gently

commanding；　softly　pleading；　finds　creeping　into　his　brain　strange

new　thoughts　concerning　womenconcerning　this　one　woman　in

particular。



One　day；　rummaging　over　an　old　chest；　he　comes　across　a　coloured

picture…book　of　Bible　stories。　　He　turns　the　torn　pages　fondly；

remembering　the　Sunday　afternoons　of　long　ago。　　At　one　picture；

wherein　are　represented　many　angels；　he　pauses；　for　in　one　of　the

younger　angels　of　the　groupone　not　quite　so　severe　of　feature　as

her　sistershe　fancies　he　can　trace　resemblance　to　Anne。　　He　lingers

long　over　it。　　Suddenly　there　rushes　through　his　brain　the　thought；

How　good　to　stoop　and　kiss　the　sweet　feet　of　such　a　woman！　and；

thinking　it；　he　blushes　like　a　boy。



So　from　the　soil　of　human　suffering　spring　the　flowers　of　human　love

and　joy；　and　from　the　flowers　there　fall　the　seeds　of　infinite　pity

for　human　pain；　God　shaping　all　things　to　His　ends。



Thinking　of　Anne；　John's　face　grows　gentler；　his　hand　kinder；

dreaming　of　him；　her　heart　grows　stronger；　deeper；　fuller。　　Every

available　room　in　the　warehouse　has　been　turned　into　a　ward；　and　the

little　hospital　is　open　free　to　all；　for　John　and　Anne　feel　that　the

whole　world　are　their　people。　　The　piled…up　casks　are　goneshipped

to　Woolwich　and　Gravesend；　bundled　anywhere　out　of　the　way；　as　though

oil　and　tallow　and　the　gold　they　can　be　stirred　into　were　matters　of

small　moment　in　this　world；　not　to　be　thought　of　beside　such　a　thing

as　the　helping　of　a　human　brother　in　sore　strait。



All　the　labour　of　the　day　seems　light　to　them；　looking　forward　to　the

hour　when　they　sit　together　in　John's　old　shabby　dining…room　above

the　counting…house。　　Yet　a　looker…on　might　imagine　such　times　dull　to

them；　for　they　are　strangely　shy　of　one　another；　strangely　sparing　of

wordsfearful　of　opening　the　flood…gates　of　speech；　feeling　the

pressure　of　the　pent…up　thought。



One　evening；　John；　throwing　out　words；　not　as　a　sop　to　the　necessity

for　talk；　but　as　a　bait　to　catch　Anne's　voice；　mentions　girdle…cakes；

remembers　that　his　old　housekeeper　used　to　be　famous　for　the　making

of　them；　and　wonders　if　she　has　forgotten　the　art。



Anne；　answering　tremulously；　as　though　girdle…cakes　were　a　somewhat

delicate　topic；　claims　to　be　a　successful　amateur　of　them　herself。

John；　having　been　given　always　to　understand　that　the　talent　for　them

was　exceedingly　rare；　and　one　usually　hereditary；　respectfully　doubts

Anne's　capabilities；　deferentially　suggesting　that　she　is　thinking　of

scones。　　Anne　indignantly　repudiates　the　insinuation；　knows　quite

well　the　difference　between　girdle…cakes　and　scones；　offers　to　prove

her　powers　by　descending　into　the　kitchen　and　making　some　then　and

there；　if　John　will　accompany　her　and　find　the　things　for　her。



John　accepts　the　challenge；　and；　guiding　Anne　with　one　shy；　awkward

hand；　while　holding　aloft　a　candle　in　the　other；　leads　the　way。　　It

is　past　ten　o'clock；　and　the　old　housekeeper　is　in　bed。　　At　each

creaking　stair　they　pause；　to　listen　if　the　noise　has　awakened　her；

then；　finding　all　silent；　creep　forward　again；　with　suppressed

laughter；　wondering　with　alarm；　half　feigned；　half　real；　what　the

prim；　methodical　dame　would　say　were　she　to　come　down　and　catch　them。



They　reach　the　kitchen；　thanks　more　to　the　suggestions　of　a　friendly

cat　than　to　John's　acquaintanceship　with　the　geography　of　his　own

house；　and　Anne　rakes　together　the　fire　and　clears　the　table　for　her

work。　　What　possible　use　John　is　to　herwhat　need　there　was　for　her

stipulating　that　he　should　accompany　her；　Anne　might　find　it

difficult；　if　examined；　to　explain　satisfactorily。　　As　for　his

〃finding　the　things〃　for　her；　he　has　not　the　faintest　notion　where

they　are；　and　possesses　no　natural　aptitude　for　discovery。　　Told　to

find　flour；　he　industriously　searches　for　it　in　the　dresser　drawers；

sent　for　the　rolling…pinthe　nature　and　characteristics　of　rolling…

pins　being　described　to　him　for　his　guidancehe　returns；　after　a

prolonged　absence；　with　the　copper　stick。　　Anne　laughs　at　him；　but

really　it　would　seem　as　though　she　herself　were　almost　as　stupid；　for

not　until　her　hands　are　covered　with　flour　does　it　occur　to　her　that

she　has　not　taken　that　preliminary　step　in　all　cooking　operations　of

rolling　up　her　sleeves。



She　holds　out　her　arms　to　John；　first　one　and　then　the　other；　asking

him　sweetly　if　he　minds　doing　it　for　her。　　John　is　very　slow　and

clumsy；　but　Anne　stands　very　patient。　　Inch　by　inch　he　peels　the

black　sleeve　from　the　white　round　arm。　　Hundreds　of　times　must　he

have　seen　those　fair　arms；　bare　to　the　shoulder；　sparkling　with

jewels；　but　never　before　has　he　seen　their　wondrous　beauty。　　He　longs

to　clasp　them　round　his　neck；　yet　is　fearful　lest　his　trembling

fingers　touching　them　as　he　performs　his　tantalising　task　may　offend

her。　　Anne　thanks　him；　and　apologises　for　having　given　him　so　much

trouble；　and　he　murmurs　some　meaningless　reply；　and　stands　foolishly

silent；　watching　her。



Anne　seems　to　find　one　hand　sufficient　for　her　cake…making；　for　the

other　rests　idly　on　the　tablevery　near　to　one　of　John's；　as　she

would　see　were　not　her　eyes　so　intent　upon　her　work。　　How　the　impulse

came　to　him；　where　hegrave；　sober；　business…man　Johnlearnt　such

story…book　ways　can　never　be　known；　but　in　one　instant　he　is　down　on

both　knees；　smothering　the　floury　hand　with　kisses；　and　the　next

moment　Anne's　arms　are　round　his　neck　and　her　lips　against　his；　and

the　barrier　between　them　is　swept　away；　and　the　deep　waters　of　their

love　rush　together。



With　that　kiss　they　enter　a　new　life　whereinto　one　may　not　follow

them。　　One　thinks　it　must　have　been　a　life　made　strangely　beautiful

by　self…forgetfulness；　strangely　sweet　by　mutual　devotiona　life　too

ideal；　perhaps；　to　have　remained　for　long　undimmed　by　the　mists　of

earth。



They　who　remember　them　at　that　time　speak　of　them　in　hushed　tones；　as

one　speaks　of　visions。　　It　would　almost　seem　as　though　from　their

faces　in　those　days　there　shone　a　radiance；　as　though　in　their　voices

dwelt　a　tenderness　beyond　the　tenderness　of　man。



They　seem　never　to　rest；　never　to　weary。　　Day　and　night；　through　that

little　stricken　world；　they　come　and　go；　bearing　healing　and　peace；

till　at　last　the　plague；　like　some　gorged　beast　of　prey；　slinks

slowly　back　towards　its　lair；　and　men　raise　their　heads　and　breathe。



One　afternoon；　returning　from　a　somewhat　longer　round　than　usual；

John　feels　a　weariness　creeping　into　his　limbs；　and　quickens　his

step；　eager　to　reach　home　and　rest。　　Anne；　who　has　been　up　all　the

previous　night；　is　asleep；　and　not　wishing　to　disturb　her；　he　goes

into　the　dining…room　and　sits　down　in　the　easy　chair　before　the　fire。

The　room　strikes　cold。　　He　stirs　the　logs；　but　they　give　out　no

greater　heat。　　He　draws　his　chair　right　in　front　of　them；　and　sits

leaning　over　them　with　his　feet　on　the　hearth　and　his　hands

outstretched　towards　the　blaze；　yet　he　still　shivers。