whirligigs-第41部分

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visitor。　　He　ushered　Lorison　into　a　narrow　hallway；

faintly　lighted　by　a　cobwebbed　hanging　lamp。　　Almost

immediately　a　door　to　the　right　opened　and　a　dingy　Irish…

woman　protruded　her　head。



〃Good　evening　to　ye；　Mistress　Geehan；〃　said　the

priest；　unconsciously；　it　seemed；　falling　into　a　delicately

flavoured　brogue。　　〃And　is　it　yourself　can　tell　me　if

Norah　has　gone　out　again；　the　night；　maybe？〃



〃Oh；　it's　yer　blissid　reverence！　　Sure　and　I　can　tell

ye　the　same。　　The　purty　darlin'　wint　out；　as　usual；　but　a

bit　later。　　And　she　says：　'Mother　Geehan；'　says　she；　'it's

me　last　noight　out；　praise　the　saints；　this　noight　is！'　And；

oh；　yer　reverence；　the　swate；　beautiful　drame　of　a　dress　she

had　this　toime！　　White　satin　and　silk　and　ribbons；　and

lace　about　the　neck　and　arrums　　'twas　a　sin；　yer

reverence；　the　gold　was　spint　upon　it。〃



The　priest　heard　Lorison　catch　his　breath　painfully；

and　a　faint　smile　flickered　across　his　own　clean…cut

mouth。



〃Well；　then；　Mistress　Geehan；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　just

step　upstairs　and　see　the　bit　boy　for　a　minute；　and　I'll

take　this　Gentleman　up　with　me。〃



〃He's　awake；　thin；〃　said　the　woman。　　'I've　just

come　down　from　sitting　wid　him　the　last　hour；　tilling　him

fine　shtories　of　ould　County　Tyrone。　　'Tis　a　greedy　gos…

soon；　it　is；　yer　riverence；　for　me　shtories。〃



〃Small　the　doubt；〃　said　Father　Rogan。　　〃There's　no

rocking　would　put　him　to　slape　the　quicker；　I'm　thinking。〃



Amid　the　woman's　shrill　protest　against　the　retort；　the

two　men　ascended　the　steep　stairway。　　The　priest　pushed

open　the　door　of　a　room　near　its　top。



〃Is　that　you　already；　sister？〃　　drawled　a　sweet；　childish

voice　from　the　darkness。



〃It's　only　ould　Father　Denny　come　to　see　ye；　darlin'；

and　a　foine　gentleman　I've　brought　to　make　ye　a　gr…r…and

call。　　And　ye　resaves　us　fast　aslape　in　bed！　　Shame　on

yez　manners！〃



〃Oh；　Father　Denny；　is　that　you？　　I'm　glad。　　And

will　you　light　the　lamp；　please？　　It's　on　the　table　by　the

door。　　And　quit　talking　like　Mother　Geehan；　Father

Denny。〃



The　priest　lit　the　lamp；　and　Lorison　saw　a　tiny；　towsled…

haired　boy；　with　a　thin；　delicate　face；　sitting　up　in　a　small

bed　in　a　corner。　　Quickly；　also；　his　rapid　glance　con…

sidered　the　room　and　its　contents。　　It　was　furnished　with

more　than　comfort；　and　its　adornments　plainly　indicated

a　woman's　discerning　taste。　　An　open　door　beyond

revealed　the　blackness　of　an　adjoining　room's　interior。



The　boy　clutched　both　of　Father　Rogan's　hands。　　〃I'm

so　glad　you　came；〃　he　said；　〃but　why　did　you　come　in

the　night？　　Did　sister　send　you？〃



〃Off　wid　ye！　　Am　I　to　be　sint　about；　at　me　age；　as

was　Terence　McShane；　of　Ballymahone？　　I　come　on　me

own　r…r…responsibility。〃



Lorison　had　also　advanced　to　the　boy's　bedside。　　He

was　fond　of　children；　and　the　wee　fellow；　laving　himself

down　to　sleep　alone　ill　that　dark　room；　stirred…his　heart。



〃Aren't　you　afraid；　little　man？〃　　he　asked；　stooping

down　beside　him。



〃Sometimes；〃　answered　the　boy；　with　a　shy　smile；

〃when　the　rats　make　too　much　noise。　　But　nearly　every

night；　when　sister　goes　out；　Molt…her　Geehan　stays　a　while

with　me；　and　tells　me　funny　stories。　　I'm　not　often

afraid；　sir。〃



〃This　brave　little　gentleman；〃　said　Father　Rogan；　〃is

a　scholar　of　mine。　　Every　day　from　half…past　six　to　half…

past　eight　　when　sister　comes　for　him　　he　stops　in

my　study；　and　we　find　out　what's　in　the　inside　of　books。

He　knows　multiplication；　division　and　fractions；　and

he's　troubling　me　to　begin　wid　the　chronicles　of　Ciaran

of　Clonmaciioise；　Corurac　McCullenan　and　Cuan　O'Loc…

hain；　the　gr…r…reat　Irish　histhorians。〃　　The　boy　was

evidently　accustomed　to　the　priest's　Celtic　pleasantries。

A　little；　appreciative　grin　was　all　the　attention　the　insin…

nation　of　pedantry　received。



Lorison；　to　have　saved　his　life；　could　not　have　put　to

the　child　one　of　those　vital　questions　that　were　wildly

beating　about；　unanswered；　in　his　own　brain。　　The　little

fellow　was　very　like　Norah；　he　had　the　same　shining

hair　and　candid　eyes。



〃Oh；　Father　Denny；〃　cried　the　boy；　suddenly；　〃I

forgot　to　tell　you！　　Sister　is　not　going　away　at　night　any

more！　　She　told　me　so　when　she　kissed　me　good　night　as

she　was　leaving。　　And　she　said　she　was　so　happy；　and

then　she　cried。　　Wasn't　that　queer？　　But　I'm　glad；

aren't　you？〃



〃Yes；　lad。　　And　now；　ye　omadhaun；　go　to　sleep；　and

say　good　night；　we　must　be　going。〃



〃Which　shall　I　do　first；　Father　Denny？〃



〃Faith；　he's　caught　me　again！　　Wait　till　I　get　the

sassenach　into　the　annals　of　Tageruach；　the　hagiographer；

I'll　give　him　enough　of　the　Irish　idiom　to　make　him　more

respectful。〃



The　light　was　out；　and　the　small；　brave　voice　bidding

them　good　night　from　the　dark　room。　　They　groped

downstairs；　and　tore　away　from　the　garrulity　of　Mother

Geehan。



Again　the　priest　steered　them　through　the　dim　ways；

but　this　time　in　another　direction。　　His　conductor　was

serenely　silent；　and　Lorison　followed　his　example　to　the

extent　of　seldom　speaking。　　Serene　he　could　not　be。　　His

heart　beat　suffocatingly　in　his　breast。　　The　following　of

this　blind；　menacing　trail　was　pregnant　with　he　knew　not

what　humiliating　revelation　to　be　delivered　at　its　end。



They　came　into　a　more　pretentious　street；　where　trade；

it　could　be　surmised；　flourished　by　day。　　And　again　the

priest　paused；　this　time　before　a　lofty　building；　whose

great　doors　and　windows　in　the　lowest　floor　were　carefully

shuttered　and　barred。　　Its　higher　apertures　were　dark；

save　in　the　third　story；　the　windows　of　which　were　bril…

liantly　lighted。　　Lorison's　ear　caught　a　distant；　regular；

pleasing　thrumming；　as　of　music　above。　　They　stood　at

an　angle　of　the　building。　　Up；　along　the　side　nearest　them；

mounted　an　iron　stairway。　　At　its　top　was　an　upright；

illuminated　parallelogram。　　Father　Rogan　had　stopped；

and　stood；　musing。



〃I　will　say　this　much；〃　he　remarked；　thoughtfully：

〃I　believe　you　to　be　a　better　man　than　you　think　yourself

to　be；　and　a　better　man　than　I　thought　some　hours　ago。

But　do　not　take　this；〃　he　added；　with　a　smile；　〃as　much

praise。　　I　promised　you　a　possible　deliverance　from　an

unhappy　perplexity。　　I　will　have　to　modify　that　promise。

I　can　only　remove　the　mystery　that　enhanced　that　per…

plexity。　　Your　deliverance　depends　upon　yourself。

Come。〃



He　led　his　companion　up　the　stairway。　　Halfway　up；

Lorison　caught　him　by　the　sleeve。　　〃Remember；〃　he

gasped；　〃I　love　that　woman。〃



〃You　desired　to　know。



〃I　　Go　on。〃



The　priest　reached　the　landing　at　the　top　of　the　stairway。

Lorison；　behind　him；　saw　that　the　illuminated　space　was

the　glass　upper　half　of　a　door　opening　into　the　lighted

room。　　The　rhythmic　music　increased　as　they　neared

it；　the　stairs　shook　with　the　mellow　vibrations。



Lorison　stopped　breathing　when　he　set　foot　upon　the

highest　step；　for　the　priest　stood　aside；　and　motioned　him

to　look　through　the　glass　of　the　door。



His　eye；　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　met　first　a　blind…

ing　glare；　and　then　he　made　out　the　faces　and　forms　of

many　people；　amid　an　extravagant　display　of　splendid

robings　　billowy　laces；　brilliant…hued　finery；　ribbons；

silks　and　misty　drapery。　　And　then　he　caught　the　mean。

ing　of　that　jarring　hum；　and　he　saw　the　tired；　pale；　happy

face　of　his　wife；　bending；　as　were　a　score　of　others；　over

her　sewing　machine　　toiling；　toiling。　　Here　was　the

folly　she　pursued；　and　the　end　of　his　quest。



But　not　his　deliverance；　though　even　then　remorse

struck　him。　　His　shamed　soul　fluttered　once　more　before

it　retired　to　make　room　for　the　other　and　better　one。

For；　to　temper　his　thrill　of　joy；　the　shine　of　the　satin　and

the　glimmer　of　ornaments　recalled　the　disturbing　figure

of　the　bespangled　Amazon；　and　the　base　duplicate　histories

it　by　the　glare　of　footlights　and　stolen　diamonds。　　It　is

past　the　wisdom　of　him　who　only　sets　the　scenes；　either　to

praise　or　blame　the　man。　　But　this　time　his　love　over…

came　his　scruples。　　He　took　a　quick　step；　and　reached

out　his　hand　for　the　doorknob。　　Father　Rogan　was

quicker　to　arrest　it　and　draw　him　back。



〃You　use　my　trust　in　you　queerly；〃　said　the　priest

sternly。　　〃What　are　you　about　to　do？〃



〃I　am　going　to　my　wife；〃　said　Lorison。　　〃Let　me　pass。〃



〃Listen；〃　said　the　priest；　holding　him　firmly　by　the

arm。　　〃I　am　about　to　put　you　in　possession　of　a　piece　of

knowledge　of　which；　thus　far；　you　have　scarcely　proved

deserving。　　I　do　not　think　you　ever　will；　but　I　will　not

dwell　upon　that。　　You　see　in　that　room　the　woman　you

married；　working　for　a　frugal　living　for　herself；　and　a

generous　comfort　for　an　idolized　brother。　　This　building

belongs　to　the　chief　costumer　of　the　city。　　For　months　the

advance　orders　for　the　coming　Mardi　Gras　festivals　have

kept　the　work　going　day　and　night。　　I　myself　secured

employment　here　for　Norah。　　She　toils　here　each　night

from　nine　o'clock　until　daylight；　and；　besides；　carries

home　with　her　some　of　the　finer　costumes；　requiring　more

delicate　needlework；　and　works　there　part　of　the　day。

Somehow；　you　two　have　remained　strangely　ignorant　of

each　other's　lives。　　Are　you　convinced　now　that　your

wife　is　not　walking　the　streets？〃



〃Let　me　go　to　her；〃　cried　Lorison；　again　struggling；

〃and　beg　her　forgiveness！'



〃Sir；〃　said　the　priest；　〃do　you　owe　me　nothing？　　Be

quiet。　　It　seems　so　often　that　Heaven　lets　fall　its　choicest

gifts　into　hands　that　must　be　taught　to　hold　them。　　Listen

again。　　You　forgot　that　repentant　sin　must　not　comprom…

ise；　but　look　up；　for　redemption；　to　the　purest　and　best。

You　went　to　her　with　the　fine…spun　sophistry　that　peace

could　be　found　in　a　mutual　guilt；　and　she；　fearful　of　losing

what　her　heart　so　craved；　thought　it　worth　the　price　to

buy　it　with　a　desperate；　pure；　beautiful　lie。　　I　have　known

her　since　the　day　she　was　born；　she　is　as　innocent　and

unsullied　in