english stories-london-第25部分

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and　the　worsted　bird　became　a　sort　of　uncouth　charm　to　make　them　both

merry。



But　after　Christmas　had　come　and　gone；　and　the　melancholy　days；　the

last　beating　of　the　failing　pulse　of　the　Old　Year；　throbbed　slowly　and

heavily　away；　the　baby　took　upon　its　wan　visage　a　strange　expression

the　solemn　expression　of　worn…out　and　suffering　age。　Its　blue　eyes

grew　more　solemnly　speculative　and　dreamy；　and　after　a　while　it　seemed

to　lose　all　taste　for　the　petty　things　of　this　world　and　the　low

desires　of　mere　humanity。　It　lay　very　quiet　in　Liz's　arms；　it　never

cried；　and　was　no　longer　fretful；　and　it　seemed　to　listen　with　a　sort

of　mild　approval　to　the　tones　of　her　voice　as　they　rang　out　in　the

dreary　streets；　through　which；　by　day　and　night；　she　patiently

wandered。　By…and…by　the　worsted　bird；　too；　fell　out　of　favour；　it

jumped　and　glittered　in　vain；　the　baby　surveyed　it　with　an　unmoved　air

of　superior　wisdom；　just　as　if　it　had　suddenly　found　out　what　real

birds　were　like；　and　was　not　to　be　deceived　into　accepting　so　poor　an

imitation　of　nature。　Liz　grew　uneasy；　but　she　had　no　one　in　whom　to

confide　her　fears。　She　had　been　very　regular　in　her　payments　to　Mother

Mawks；　and　that　irate　lady；　kept　in　order　by　her　bull…dog　of　a

husband；　had　been　of　late　very　contented　to　let　her　have　the　child

without　further　interference。　Liz　knew　well　enough　that　no　one　in　the

miserable　alley　where　she　dwelt　would　care　whether　the　baby　were　ill

or　not。　They　would　tell　her；　〃The　more　sickly　the　better　for　your

trade。〃　Besides；　she　was　jealous；　she　could　not　endure　the　idea　of　any

one　tending　it　or　touching　it　but　herself。　Children　were　often　ailing；

she　thought；　and　if　left　to　themselves　without　doctor's　stuff　they

recovered　sometimes　more　quickly　than　they　had　sickened。　Thus　soothing

her　inward　tremors　as　best　she　might；　she　took　more　care　than　ever　of

her　frail　charge；　stinting　herself　than　she　might　nourish　it；　though

the　baby　seemed　to　care　less　and　less　for　mundane　necessities；　and

only　submitted　to　be　fed；　as　it　were；　under　patient　and　silent

protest。



And　so　the　sands　in　Time's　hour…glass　ran　slowly　but　surely　away；　and

it　was　New…Year's　eve。　Liz　had　wandered　about　all　day；　singing　her

little　repertoire　of　ballads　in　the　teeth　of　a　cruel；　snow…laden　wind

so　cruel　that　people　otherwise　charitably　disposed　had　shut　close

their　doors　and　windows；　and　had　not　even　heard　her　voice。　Thus　the

last　span　of　the　Old　Year　had　proved　most　unprofitable　and　dreary；　she

had　gained　no　more　than　sixpence；　how　could　she　return　with　only　that

humble　amount　to　face　Mother　Mawks　and　her　vituperative　fury？　Her

throat　ached；　she　was　very　tired；　and；　as　the　night　darkened　from　pale

to　deep　and　starless　shadows；　she　strolled　mechanically　from　the

Strand　to　the　Embankment；　and　after　walking　some　little　distance　she

sat　down　in　a　corner　close　to　Cleopatra's　Needlethat　mocking　obelisk

that　has　looked　upon　the　decay　of　empires；　itself　impassive；　and　that

still　appears　to　say；　〃Pass　on；　ye　puny　generations！　I；　a　mere　carven

block　of　stone；　shall　outlive　you　all！〃　For　the　first　time　in　all　her

experience　the　child　in　her　arms　seemed　a　heavy　burden。　She　put　aside

her　shawl　and　surveyed　it　tenderly；　it　was　fast　asleep；　a　small；

peaceful　smile　on　its　thin；　quiet　face。　Thoroughly　worn　out　herself；

she　leaned　her　head　against　the　damp　stone　wall　behind　her；　and

clasping　the　infant　tightly　to　her　breast；　she　also　sleptthe　heavy；

dreamless　sleep　of　utter　fatigue　and　physical　exhaustion。　The　solemn

night　moved　on；　a　night　of　black　vapours；　the　pageant　of　the　Old

Year's　deathbed　was　unbrightened　by　so　much　as　a　single　star。　None　of

the　hurrying　passers…by　perceived　the　weary　woman　where　she　slept　in

that　obscure　corner；　and　for　a　long　while　she　rested　there

undisturbed。　Suddenly　a　vivid　glare　of　light　dazzled　her　eyes；　she

started　to　her　feet　half　asleep；　but　still　instinctively　retaining　the

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　aspiratio