English
Itwasnounfitmessengerofdeath,whohaddisturbedthequietofthematron’sroom.
Herbodywasbentbyage;herlimbstrembledwithpalsy;herface,distortedintoamumblingleer,resembledmorethegrotesqueshapingofsomewildpencil,thantheworkofNature’shand.
Alas!HowfewofNature’sfacesareleftalonetogladdenuswiththeirbeauty!
Thecares,andsorrows,andhungerings,oftheworld,changethemastheychangehearts;anditisonlywhenthosepassionssleep,andhavelosttheirholdforever,thatthetroubledcloudspassoff,andleaveHeaven’ssurfaceclear.
Itisacommonthingforthecountenancesofthedead,eveninthatfixedandrigidstate,tosubsideintothelong-forgottenexpressionofsleepinginfancy,andsettleintotheverylookofearlylife;socalm,sopeaceful,dotheygrowagain,thatthosewhoknewthemintheirhappychildhood,kneelbythecoffin’ssideinawe,andseetheAngelevenuponearth.
Theoldcronetotteredalongthepassages,andupthestairs,mutteringsomeindistinctanswerstothechidingsofhercompanion;beingatlengthcompelledtopauseforbreath,shegavethelightintoherhand,andremainedbehindtofollowasshemight:whilethemorenimblesuperiormadeherwaytotheroomwherethesickwomanlay.
Itwasabaregarret-room,withadimlightburningatthefartherend.
Therewasanotheroldwomanwatchingbythebed;theparishapothecary’sapprenticewasstandingbythefire,makingatoothpickoutofaquill.
‘Coldnight,Mrs.Corney,’saidthisyounggentleman,asthematronentered.
‘Verycold,indeed,sir,’repliedthemistress,inhermostciviltones,anddroppingacurtseyasshespoke.
‘Youshouldgetbettercoalsoutofyourcontractors,’saidtheapothecary’sdeputy,breakingalumponthetopofthefirewiththerustypoker;‘thesearenotatallthesortofthingforacoldnight.’
‘They’retheboard’schoosing,sir,’returnedthematron.‘Theleasttheycoulddo,wouldbetokeepusprettywarm:forourplacesarehardenough.’
Theconversationwashereinterruptedbyamoanfromthesickwoman.
‘Oh!’saidtheyoungmag,turninghisfacetowardsthebed,asifhehadpreviouslyquiteforgottenthepatient,‘it’sallU.P.there,Mrs.Corney.’
‘Itis,isit,sir?’askedthematron.
‘Ifshelastsacoupleofhours,Ishallbesurprised,’saidtheapothecary’sapprentice,intentuponthetoothpick’spoint.‘It’sabreak-upofthesystemaltogether.Isshedozing,oldlady?’
Theattendantstoopedoverthebed,toascertain;andnoddedintheaffirmative.
‘Thenperhapsshe’llgooffinthatway,ifyoudon’tmakearow,’saidtheyoungman.‘Putthelightonthefloor.Shewon’tseeitthere.’
Theattendantdidasshewastold:shakingherheadmeanwhile,tointimatethatthewomanwouldnotdiesoeasily;havingdoneso,sheresumedherseatbythesideoftheothernurse,whohadbythistimereturned.
Themistress,withanexpressionofimpatience,wrappedherselfinhershawl,andsatatthefootofthebed.
Theapothecary’sapprentice,havingcompletedthemanufactureofthetoothpick,plantedhimselfinfrontofthefireandmadegooduseofitfortenminutesorso:whenapparentlygrowingratherdull,hewishedMrs.Corneyjoyofherjob,andtookhimselfoffontiptoe.
Whentheyhadsatinsilenceforsometime,thetwooldwomenrosefromthebed,andcrouchingoverthefire,heldouttheirwitheredhandstocatchtheheat.
Theflamethrewaghastlylightontheirshrivelledfaces,andmadetheiruglinessappearterrible,as,inthisposition,theybegantoconverseinalowvoice.
‘Didshesayanymore,Annydear,whileIwasgone?’inquiredthemessenger.
‘Notaword,’repliedtheother.‘Shepluckedandtoreatherarmsforalittletime;butIheldherhands,andshesoondroppedoff.
Shehasn’tmuchstrengthinher,soIeasilykeptherquiet.
Iain’tsoweakforanoldwoman,althoughIamonparishallowance;no,no!’
‘Didshedrinkthehotwinethedoctorsaidshewastohave?’demandedthefirst.
‘Itriedtogetitdown,’rejoinedtheother.
‘Butherteethweretightset,andsheclenchedthemugsohardthatitwasasmuchasIcoulddotogetitbackagain.SoIdrankit;anditdidmegood!’
Lookingcautiouslyround,toascertainthattheywerenotoverheard,thetwohagscowerednearertothefire,andchuckledheartily.
‘Imindthetime,’saidthefirstspeaker,‘whenshewouldhavedonethesame,andmaderarefunofitafterwards.’
‘Ay,thatshewould,’rejoinedtheother;‘shehadamerryheart.
‘Amany,many,beautifulcorpsesshelaidout,asniceandneataswaxwork.
Myoldeyeshaveseenthem—ay,andthoseoldhandstouchedthemtoo;forIhavehelpedher,scoresoftimes.’
Stretchingforthhertremblingfingersasshespoke,theoldcreatureshookthemexultinglybeforeherface,andfumblinginherpocket,broughtoutanoldtime-discolouredtinsnuff-box,fromwhichsheshookafewgrainsintotheoutstretchedpalmofhercompanion,andafewmoreintoherown.
Whiletheywerethusemployed,thematron,whohadbeenimpatientlywatchinguntilthedyingwomanshouldawakenfromherstupor,joinedthembythefire,andsharplyaskedhowlongshewastowait?
‘Notlong,mistress,’repliedthesecondwoman,lookingupintoherface.‘WehavenoneofuslongtowaitforDeath.Patience,patience!He’llbeheresoonenoughforusall.’
‘Holdyourtongue,youdotingidiot!’saidthematronsternly.‘You,Martha,tellme;hasshebeeninthiswaybefore?’
‘Often,’answeredthefirstwoman.
‘Butwillneverbeagain,’addedthesecondone;‘thatis,she’llneverwakeagainbutonce—andmind,mistress,thatwon’tbeforlong!’
‘Longorshort,’saidthematron,snappishly,‘shewon’tfindmeherewhenshedoeswake;takecare,bothofyou,howyouworrymeagainfornothing.
It’snopartofmydutytoseealltheoldwomeninthehousedie,andIwon’t—that’smore.Mindthat,youimpudentoldharridans.
Ifyoumakeafoolofmeagain,I’llsooncureyou,Iwarrantyou!’
Shewasbouncingaway,whenacryfromthetwowomen,whohadturnedtowardsthebed,causedhertolookround.Thepatienthadraisedherselfupright,andwasstretchingherarmstowardsthem.
‘Who’sthat?’shecried,inahollowvoice.
‘Hush,hush!’saidoneofthewomen,stoopingoverher.‘Liedown,liedown!’
‘I’llneverliedownagainalive!’saidthewoman,struggling.‘Iwilltellher!Comehere!Nearer!Letmewhisperinyourear.’
Sheclutchedthematronbythearm,andforcingherintoachairbythebedside,wasabouttospeak,whenlookinground,shecaughtsightofthetwooldwomenbendingforwardintheattitudeofeagerlisteners.
‘Turnthemaway,’saidthewoman,drowsily;‘makehaste!makehaste!’
Thetwooldcrones,chimingintogether,beganpouringoutmanypiteouslamentationsthatthepoordearwastoofargonetoknowherbestfriends;andwereutteringsundryprotestationsthattheywouldneverleaveher,whenthesuperiorpushedthemfromtheroom,closedthedoor,andreturnedtothebedside.
Onbeingexcluded,theoldladieschangedtheirtone,andcriedthroughthekeyholethatoldSallywasdrunk;which,indeed,wasnotunlikely;since,inadditiontoamoderatedoseofopiumprescribedbytheapothecary,shewaslabouringundertheeffectsofafinaltasteofgin-and-waterwhichhadbeenprivilyadministered,intheopennessoftheirhearts,bytheworthyoldladiesthemselves.
‘Nowlistentome,’saidthedyingwomanaloud,asifmakingagreatefforttoreviveonelatentsparkofenergy.
‘Inthisveryroom—inthisverybed—Ioncenursedaprettyyoungcreetur’,thatwasbroughtintothehousewithherfeetcutandbruisedwithwalking,andallsoiledwithdustandblood.Shegavebirthtoaboy,anddied.Letmethink—whatwastheyearagain!’
‘Nevermindtheyear,’saidtheimpatientauditor;‘whatabouther?’
‘Ay,’murmuredthesickwoman,relapsingintoherformerdrowsystate,‘whatabouther?—whatabout—Iknow!’
shecried,jumpingfiercelyup:herfaceflushed,andhereyesstartingfromherhead—’Irobbedher,soIdid!
Shewasn’tcold—Itellyoushewasn’tcold,whenIstoleit!’
‘Stolewhat,forGod’ssake?’criedthematron,withagestureasifshewouldcallforhelp.
‘It!’repliedthewoman,layingherhandovertheother’smouth.‘Theonlythingshehad.
Shewantedclothestokeepherwarm,andfoodtoeat;butshehadkeptitsafe,andhaditinherbosom.Itwasgold,Itellyou!
Richgold,thatmighthavesavedherlife!’
‘Gold!’echoedthematron,bendingeagerlyoverthewomanasshefellback.‘Goon,goon—yes—whatofit?Whowasthemother?Whenwasit?’
‘Shechargemetokeepitsafe,’repliedthewomanwithagroan,‘andtrustedmeastheonlywomanabouther.
Istoleitinmyheartwhenshefirstshoweditmehangingroundherneck;andthechild’sdeath,perhaps,isonmebesides!
Theywouldhavetreatedhimbetter,iftheyhadknownitall!’
‘Knownwhat?’askedtheother.‘Speak!’
‘Theboygrewsolikehismother,’saidthewoman,ramblingon,andnotheedingthequestion,‘thatIcouldneverforgetitwhenIsawhisface.Poorgirl!poorgirl!Shewassoyoung,too!Suchagentlelamb!Wait;there’smoretotell.Ihavenottoldyouall,haveI?’
‘No,no,’repliedthematron,incliningherheadtocatchthewords,astheycamemorefaintlyfromthedyingwoman.‘Bequick,oritmaybetoolate!’
‘Themother,’saidthewoman,makingamoreviolenteffortthanbefore;‘themother,whenthepainsofdeathfirstcameuponher,whisperedinmyearthatifherbabywasbornalive,andthrived,thedaymightcomewhenitwouldnotfeelsomuchdisgracedtohearitspooryoungmothernamed.“Andoh,kindHeaven!”
shesaid,foldingherthinhandstogether,“whetheritbeboyorgirl,raiseupsomefriendsforitinthistroubledworld,andtakepityuponalonelydesolatechild,abandonedtoitsmercy!”’
‘Theboy’sname?’demandedthematron.
‘TheycalledhimOliver,’repliedthewoman,feebly.‘ThegoldIstolewas—’
‘Yes,yes—what?’criedtheother.
Shewasbendingeagerlyoverthewomantohearherreply;butdrewback,instinctively,assheonceagainrose,slowlyandstiffly,intoasittingposture;then,clutchingthecoverlidwithbothhands,mutteredsomeindistinctsoundsinherthroat,andfelllifelessonthebed.
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‘Stonedead!’saidoneoftheoldwomen,hurryinginassoonasthedoorwasopened.
‘Andnothingtotell,afterall,’rejoinedthematron,walkingcarelesslyaway.
Thetwocrones,toallappearance,toobusilyoccupiedinthepreparationsfortheirdreadfuldutiestomakeanyreply,wereleftalone,hoveringaboutthebody.
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