the grey room(灰房间)-第18章
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inquiry harder for Hardcastle than he is bound to find it。〃
〃Certainly nobody must interfere。 I only hope we can get Peter
Hardcastle。〃
〃Tell them to call me when Mr。 May arrives； and not sooner。 I'll see
Mary； then lie down for an hour or two。〃
〃You feel all right？ Should you care to see Mannering？〃
〃I am right enough。 Say 'Good…bye' to Vane and Miles Handford for
me。 They may have to return here presently。 One can't tell who may be
wanted； and who may not be。 I don't know … these things are outside my
experience； but they had better both leave you their directions。〃
〃I'll ask them。〃
Sir Walter visited his daughter； and changed his mind about sleeping。
She was passing through an hour of unspeakable horror。 The dark temple
of realization had opened for her and she was treading its dreary aisles。
Henceforth for long days … she told herself for ever … sorrow and sense of
unutterable loss must be her companions and share her waking hours。
They stopped together alone till the dusk came down and Mannering
returned。 He stayed but a few minutes； and presently they heard his car
start again； while that containing the departing guests and Henry Lennox
immediately followed it。
In due course Septimus May returned to Chadlands with him。 The
clergyman had heard of his son's end； and went immediately to see the
dead man。 There Mary joined him； and witnessed his self…control under
very shattering grief。 He was thin； clean…shaven…a grey man with
smouldering eyes and an expression of endurance。 A fanatic in faith； by
virtue of certain asperities of mind and a critical temperament； he had
never made friends； won his parish into close ties； nor advanced the cause
of his religion as he had yearned to do。 With the zeal of a reformer； he
had entered the ministry in youth； but while commanding respect for his
own rule of conduct and the example he set his little flock； their affection
he never won。 The people feared him； and dreaded his stern criticism。
Once certain spirits； smarting under pulpit censure； had sought to be rid of
him； but no grounds existed on which they could eject the reverend
gentleman or challenge his status。 He remained； therefore； as many like
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him remain； embedded in his parish and unknown beyond it。 He was a
poor student of human nature and life had dimmed his old ambitions；
soured his hopes； but it had not clouded his faith。 With a passionate fervor
he believed all that he tried to teach； and held that an almighty； all loving
and all merciful God controlled every destiny； ordered existence for the
greatest and least； and allowed nothing to happen upon earth that was not
the best that could happen for the immortal beings He had created in His
own image。 Upon this assurance fell the greatest； almost the only； blow
that life could deal Septimus May。 He was stricken suddenly； fearfully
with his unutterable loss； but his agony turned into prayer while he knelt
beside his son。 He prayed with a fiery intensity and a resonant vibration
of voice that scorched rather than comforted the woman who knelt beside
him。 The fervor of the man's emotion and the depth of his conviction；
running like a torrent through the narrow channels of his understanding；
were destined presently to complicate a situation sufficiently painful
without intervention； for a time swiftly came when Septimus May forced
his beliefs upon Chadlands and opposed them to the opinions of other
people as deeply concerned as himself to explain the death of his son。
Mr。 May； learning that most of the house party could not depart until
the following morning； absented himself from dinner； indeed； he spent his
time almost entirely with his boy； and when night came kept vigil beside
him。 Something of the strange possession of his mind already appeared；
in curious hints that puzzled Sir Walter； but it was not until after the post…
mortem examination and inquest that his extraordinary views were
elaborated。
Millicent Fayre…Michell and her uncle were the first to depart on the
following day。 The girl harbored a grievance。
〃Surely Mary might have seen me a moment to say 'Good…bye；'〃 she
said。 〃It's a very dreadful thing； hut we've been so sympathetic and
understanding about it that I think they ought to feel rather grateful。
They might realize how trying it is for us； too。 And to let me go without
even seeing her … she saw Mrs。 Travers over and over again。〃
〃Do not mind。 Grief makes people selfish；〃 declared Felix。
〃Probably we should not have acted so。 I think we should have hidden
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our sufferings and faced our duty； but perhaps we are exceptional。 I dare
say Mrs。 May will write and express regret and gratitude later。 We must
allow for her youth and sorrow。〃
Mr。 Fayre…Michell rather prided himself on the charity of this
conclusion。
When Mr。 and Mrs。 Travers departed； Sir Walter bade them farewell。
The lady wept； and her tears fell on his hand as he held it。 She was
hysterical。
〃For Heaven's sake don't let Mary be haunted by that dreadful priest；〃
she said。 〃There is something terrible about him。 He has no bowels of
compassion。 I tried to console him for the loss of his son； and he turned
upon me as if I were weak…minded。〃
〃I had to tell him he was being rude and forgetting that he spoke to a
lady；〃 said Ernest Travers。 〃One makes every allowance for a father's
sufferings； but they should not take the form of abrupt and harsh speech to
a sympathetic fellow…creature … nay； to anyone； let alone a woman。 His
sacred calling ought to …〃
〃A man's profession cannot alter his manners； my dear Ernest； they
come from defects of temperament； no doubt。 May must not be judged。
His faith would move mountains。〃
〃So would mine；〃 said Ernest Travers； 〃and so would yours； Walter。
But it is perfectly possible to be a Christian and a gentleman。 To imply
that our faith was weak because we expressed ordinary human emotions
and pitied him unfeignedly for the loss of his only child …〃
〃Good…bye； good…bye； my dear friends；〃 answered the other。 〃I
cannot say how I esteem your kindly offices in this affliction。 May we
meet again presently。 God bless and keep you both。〃
The post…mortem examination revealed no physical reason why
Thomas May should have ceased to breathe。 Neither did the subsequent
investigations of a Government analytical chemist throw any light upon
the sailor's sudden death。 No cause existed； and therefore none could be
reported at the inquest held a day later。
The coroner's jury brought in a verdict rarely heard； but none dis
