robert falconer-第114章

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Katey。'



'Very　well；　sir。　　I　won't　go　up　with　you；　for　I　won't　interfere　with

what　you　think　proper　to　say　to　her。'



'That's　rather　like　faith　somewhere！'　thought　Falconer。　'Could　that

man　fail　to　believe　in　Jesus　Christ　if　he　only　saw　himanything

like　as　he　is？'



Katey　lay　in　a　room　overhead；　for　though　he　lacked　food；　this　man

contrived　to　pay　for　a　separate　room　for　his　daughter；　whom　he

treated　with　far　more　respect　than　many　gentlemen　treat　their　wives。

Falconer　found　her　lying　on　a　wretched　bed。　　Still　it　was　a　bed；

and　many　in　the　same　house　had　no　bed　to　lie　on。　　He　had　just　come

from　a　room　overhead　where　lived　a　widow　with　four　children。　　All　of

them　lay　on　a　floor　whence　issued　at　night；　by　many　holes；　awful

rats。　　The　children　could　not　sleep　for　horror。　　They　did　not　mind

the　little　ones；　they　said；　but　when　the　big　ones　came；　they　were

awake　all　night。



'Well；　Katey；　how　are　you？'



'No　better；　thank　God。'



She　spoke　as　her　father　had　taught　her。　　Her　face　was　worn　and　thin；

but　hardly　death…like。　　Only　extremes　met　in　itthe　hopelessness

had　turned　through　quietude　into　comfort。　　Her　hopelessness　affected

him　more　than　her　father's。　　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　for

her。



There　came　a　tap　at　the　door。



'Come　in；'　said　Falconer；　involuntarily。



A　lady　in　the　dress　of　a　Sister　of　Mercy　entered　with　a　large　basket

on　her　arm。　　She　started；　and　hesitated　for　a　moment　when　she　saw

him。　　He　rose；　thinking　it　better　to　go。　　She　advanced　to　the

bedside。　　He　turned　at　the　door；　and　said；



'I　won't　say　good…bye　yet；　Katey；　for　I'm　going　to　have　a　chat　with

your　father；　and　if　you　will　let　me；　I　will　look　in　again。'



As　he　turned　he　saw　the　lady　kiss　her　on　the　forehead。　　At　the　sound

of　his　voice　she　started　again；　left　the　bedside　and　came　towards

him。　　Whether　he　knew　her　by　her　face　or　her　voice　first；　he　could

not　tell。



'Robert；'　she　said；　holding　out　her　hand。



It　was　Mary　St。　John。　Their　hands　met；　joined　fast；　and　lingered；　as

they　gazed　each　in　the　other's　face。　　It　was　nearly　fourteen　years

since　they　had　parted。　　The　freshness　of　youth　was　gone　from　her

cheek；　and　the　signs　of　middle　age　were　present　on　her　forehead。

But　she　was　statelier；　nobler；　and　gentler　than　ever。　　Falconer

looked　at　her　calmly；　with　only　a　still　swelling　at　the　heart；　as　if

they　met　on　the　threshold　of　heaven。　　All　the　selfishness　of　passion

was　gone；　and　the　old　earlier　adoration；　elevated　and　glorified；　had

returned。　　He　was　a　boy　once　more　in　the　presence　of　a　woman…angel。

She　did　not　shrink　from　his　gaze；　she　did　not　withdraw　her　hand

from　his　clasp。



'I　am　so　glad；　Robert！'　was　all　she　said。



'So　am　I；'　he　answered　quietly。　'We　may　meet　sometimes　then？'



'Yes。　Perhaps　we　can　help　each　other。'



'You　can　help　me；'　said　Falconer。　'I　have　a　girl　I　don't　know　what

to　do　with。'



'Send　her　to　me。　　I　will　take　care　of　her。'



'I　will　bring　her。　　But　I　must　come　and　see　you　first。'



'That　will　tell　you　where　I　live；'　she　said；　giving　him　a　card。

Good…bye。'



'Till　to…morrow；'　said　Falconer。



'She's　not　like　that　Bible　fellow；'　said　De　Fleuri；　as　he　entered

his　room　again。　'She　don't　walk　into　your　house　as　if　it　was　her

own。'



He　was　leaning　against　his　idle　loom；　which；　like　a　dead　thing；

filled　the　place　with　the　mournfulness　of　death。　　Falconer　took　a

broken　chair；　the　only　one；　and　sat　down。



'I　am　going　to　take　a　liberty　with　you；　Mr。　De　Fleuri；'　he　said。



'As　you　please；　Mr。　Falconer。'



'I　want　to　tell　you　the　only　fault　I　have　to　you。'



'Yes？'



'You　don't　do　anything　for　the　people　in　the　house。　　Whether　you

believe　in　God　or　not；　you　ought　to　do　what　you　can　for　your

neighbour。'



He　held　that　to　help　a　neighbour　is　the　strongest　antidote　to

unbelief；　and　an　open　door　out　of　the　bad　air　of　one's　own　troubles；

as　well。



De　Fleuri　laughed　bitterly；　and　rubbed　his　hand　up　and　down　his

empty　pocket。　　It　was　a　pitiable　action。　　Falconer　understood　it。



'There　are　better　things　than　money：　sympathy；　for　instance。　　You

could　talk　to　them　a　little。'



'I　have　no　sympathy；　sir。'



'You　would　find　you　had；　if　you　would　let　it　out。'



'I　should　only　make　them　more　miserable。　　If　I　believed　as　you　do；

now；　there　might　be　some　use。'



'There's　that　widow　with　her　four　children　in　the　garret。　　The　poor

little　things　are　tormented　by　the　rats：　couldn't　you　nail　bits　of

wood　over　their　holes？'



De　Fleuri　laughed　again。



'Where　am　I　to　get　the　bits　of　wood；　except　I　pull　down　some　of

those　laths。　　And　they　wouldn't　keep　them　out　a　night。'



'Couldn't　you　ask　some　carpenter？'



'I　won't　ask　a　favour。'



'I　shouldn't　mind　asking；　now。'



'That's　because　you　don't　know　the　bitterness　of　needing。'



'Fortunately；　however；　there's　no　occasion　for　it。　　You　have　no

right　to　refuse　for　another　what　you　wouldn't　accept　for　yourself。

Of　course　I　could　send　in　a　man　to　do　it；　but　if　you　would　do　it；

that　would　do　her　heart　good。　　And　that's　what　most　wants　doing　good

toisn't　it；　now？'



'I　believe　you're　right　there；　sir。　　If　it　wasn't　for　the　misery　of

it；　I　shouldn't　mind　the　hunger。'



'I　should　like　to　tell　you　how　I　came　to　go　poking　my　nose　into

other　people's　affairs。　　Would　you　like　to　hear　my　story　now？'



'If　you　please；　sir。'



A　little　pallid　curiosity　seemed　to　rouse　itself　in　the　heart　of　the

hopeless　man。　　So　Falconer　began　at　once　to　tell　him　how　he　had　been

brought　up；　describing　the　country　and　their　ways　of　life；　not

excluding　his　adventures　with　Shargar；　until　he　saw　that　the　man　was

thoroughly　interested。　　Then　all　at　once；　pulling　out　his　watch；　he

said；



'But　it's　time　I　had　my　tea；　and　I　haven't　half　done　yet。　　I　am　not

fond　of　being　hungry；　like　you；　Mr。　De　Fleuri。'



The　poor　fellow　could　only　manage　a　very　dubious　smile。



'I'll　tell　you　what；'　said　Falconer；　as　if　the　thought　had　only　just

struck　him'come　home　with　me；　and　I'll　give　you　the　rest　of　it　at

my　own　place。'



'You　must　excuse　me；　sir。'



'Bless　my　soul；　the　man's　as　proud　as　Lucifer！　　He　wont　accept　a

neighbour's　invitation　to　a　cup　of　teafor　fear　it　should　put　him

under　obligations；　I　suppose。'



'It's　very　kind　of　you；　sir；　to　put　it　in　that　way；　but　I　don't

choose　to　be　taken　in。　　You　know　very　well　it's　not　as　one　equal

asks　another　you　ask　me。　　It's　charity。'



'Do　I　not　behave　to　you　as　an　equal？'



'But　you　know　that　don't　make　us　equals。'



'But　isn't　there　something　better　than　being　equals？　　Supposing；　as

you　will　have　it；　that　we're　not　equals；　can't　we　be　friends？'



'I　hope　so；　sir。'



'Do　you　think　now；　Mr。　De　Fleuri；　if　you　weren't　something　more　to

me　than　a　mere　equal；　I　would　go　telling　you　my　own　history？　　But　I

forgot：　I　have　told　you　hardly　anything　yet。　　I　have　to　tell　you　how

much　nearer　I　am　to　your　level　than　you　think。　　I　had　the　design　too

of　getting　you　to　help　me　in　the　main　object　of　my　life。　　Come；

don't　be　a　fool。　　I　want　you。'



'I　can't　leave　Katey；'　said　the　weaver；　hesitatingly。



'Miss　St。　John　is　there　still。　　I　will　ask　her　to　stop　till　you　come

back。'



Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　ran　up　the　stairs；　and　had

speedily　arranged　with　Miss　St。　John。　Then　taking　his　consent　for

granted；　he　hurried　De　Fleuri　away　with　him；　and　knowing　how　unfit　a

man　of　his　trade　was　for　walking；　irrespective　of　feebleness　from

want；　he　called　the　first　cab；　and　took　him　home。　　Here；　over　their

tea；　which　he　judged　the　safest　meal　for　a　stomach　unaccustomed　to

food；　he　told　him　about　his　grandmother；　and　about　Dr。　Anderson；　and

how　he　came　to　give　himself　to　the　work　he　was　at；　partly　for　its

own　sake；　partly　in　the　hope　of　finding　his　father。　　He　told　him　his

only　clue　to　finding　him；　and　that　he　had　called　on　Mrs。　Macallister

twice　every　week　for　two　years；　but　had　heard　nothing