fraternity-第31部分

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〃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　up　expecting　to　be　asked　to　come　and　lend　a　hand；　they　had　gone　so　far　beyond　her。　　Perhaps　she　knew；　too；　that　men　no　longer　punished；　but　now　only　reformed；　their　erring　brothers；　and　this　made　her　heart　as　light　as　the　hearts　of　those　who　had　been　in　the　prisons　where　they　were　no　longer　punished。

The　old　butler；　however；　was　not　thinking　of　her；　he　had　thoughts　of　a　simpler　order　in　his　mind。　　He　was　reflecting　that　he　had　once　valeted　the　nephew　of　the　late　Lord　Justice　Hawthorn；　and　in　the　midst　of　this　low…class　business　the　reminiscence　brought　him　refreshment。　　Over　and　over　to　himself　he　conned　these　words：　〃I　interpylated　in　between　them；　and　I　says；　'You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；　call　yourself　an　Englishman；　I　says；　attackin'　of　old　men　and　women　with　cold　steel；　I　says！'〃　　And　suddenly　he　saw　that　Hughs　was　in　the　dock。

The　dark　man　stood　with　his　hands　pressed　to　his　sides；　as　though　at　attention　on　parade。　　A　pale　profile；　broken　by　a　line　of　black　moustache；　was　all　〃Westminister〃　could　see　of　that　impassive　face；　whose　eyes；　fixed　on　the　magistrate；　alone　betrayed　the　fires　within。　The　violent　trembling　of　the　seamstress　roused　in　Joshua　Creed　a　certain　irritation；　and　seeing　the　baby　open　his　black　eyes；　he　nudged　her；　whispering：　〃Ye've　woke　the　baby！〃

Responding　to　words；　which　alone　perhaps　could　have　moved　her　at　such　a　moment；　Mrs。　Hughs　rocked　this　dumb　spectator　of　the　drama。　　Again　the　old　butler　nudged　her。

〃They　want　yer　in　the　box；〃　he　said。

Mrs。　Hughs　rose；　and　took　her　place。

He　who　wished　to　read　the　hearts　of　this　husband　and　wife　who　stood　at　right　angles；　to　have　their　wounds　healed　by　Law；　would　have　needed　to　have　watched　the　hundred　thousand　hours　of　their　wedded　life；　known　and　heard　the　million　thoughts　and　words　which　had　passed　in　the　dim　spaces　of　their　world；　to　have　been　cognisant　of　the　million　reasons　why　they　neither　of　them　felt　that　they　could　have　done　other　than　they　had　done。　　Reading　their　hearts　by　the　light　of　knowledge　such　as　this；　he　would　not　have　been　surprised　that；　brought　into　this　place　of　remedy；　they　seemed　to　enter　into　a　sudden　league。　　A　look　passed　between　them。　　It　was　not　friendly；　it　had　no　appeal；　but　it　sufficed。　　There　seemed　to　be　expressed　in　it　the　knowledge　bred　by　immemorial　experience　and　immemorial　time：　This　law　before　which　we　stand　was　not　made　by　us！　　As　dogs；　when　they　hear　the　crack　of　a　far　whip；　will　shrink；　and　in　their　whole　bearing　show　wary　quietude；　so　Hughs　and　Mrs。　Hughs；　confronted　by　the　questionings　of　Law；　made　only　such　answers　as　could　be　dragged　from　them。　　In　a　voice　hardly　above　a　whisper　Mrs。　Hughs　told　her　tale。　They　had　fallen　out。　　What　about？　　She　did　not　know。　　Had　he　attacked　her？　　He　had　had　it　in　his　hand。　　What　then？　　She　had　slipped；　and　hurt　her　wrist　against　the　point。　　At　this　statement　Hughs　turned　his　eyes　on　her；　and　seemed　to　say：　〃You　drove　me　to　it；　I've　got　to　suffer；　for　all　your　trying　to　get　me　out　of　what　I've　done。　　I　gave　you　one；　and　I　don't　want　your　help。　　But　I'm　glad　you　stick　to　me　against　this　Law！〃　　Then；　lowering　his　eyes；　he　stood　motionless　during　her　breathless　little　outburst。　　He　was　her　husband；　she　had　borne　him　five；　he　had　been　wounded　in　the　war。　　She　had　never　wanted　him　brought　here。

No　mention　of　the　little　model。。。。

The　old　butler　dwelt　on　this　reticence　of　Mrs。　Hughs；　when；　two　hours　afterwards；　in　pursuance　of　his　instinctive　reliance　on　the　gentry；　he　called　on　Hilary。

The　latter；　surrounded　by　books　and　papersfor；　since　his　dismissal　of　the　girl；　he　had　worked　with　great　activitywas　partaking　of　lunch；　served　to　him　in　his　study　on　a　tray。

〃There's　an　old　gentleman　to　see　you；　sir；　he　says　you　know　him；　his　name　is　Creed。〃

〃Show　him　in；〃　said　Hilary。

Appearing　suddenly　from　behind　the　servant　in　the　doorway；　the　old　butler　came　in　at　a　stealthy　amble；　he　looked　round；　and；　seeing　a　chair；　placed　his　hat　beneath　it；　then　advanced；　with　nose　and　spectacle