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The Dead · The Dead

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The dead part one. Lily, the caretaker's daughter, was literally run off
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her feet. Hardly had she brought one gentleman into the little pantry behind the
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office on the ground floor and helped him off with his overcoat, than the
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wheezy hall door bell clanged again, and she had to scamper along the bare
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hallway to lit in another guest. It was well for her that she had
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not to attend to the ladies also, but Miss Kate and Miss Julia had
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thought of that and had converted the bathroom upstairs into a lady's dressing room.
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Miss Kate and Miss Julia were there, gossiping and laughing and fussing, walking
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after each other to the head of the stairs, peering down over the banisters,
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and calling down to Lily to ask her who had come. It was
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always a great affair the missus Morgan's annual dance. Everybody who knew them came
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to it. Members of the family, old friends of the family, the
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members of Julia's choir, any of Kate's pupils that were grown up enough,
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and even some of Mary Jane's pupils too. Never once had it fallen flat.
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For years and years had gone off in splendid style as long as any
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one could remember. Ever since, Kate and Julia, after the death of
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their brother Pat, had left the house and Stony Batter and taken Mary Jane,
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their only niece, to live with them in the dark gaunt house on
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Usher's Island, the upper part of which they had rented from mister Fulham,
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the corn factor on the ground floor. That was a good thirty years ago.
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It was to day. Mary Jane, who was then a little girl
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in short clothes, was now the main prop of the household, for she
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had the organ in Haddington Road. She had been through the Academy and gave
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a pupils concert every year in the upper room of the ancient concert rooms.
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Many of her pupils belonged to the better class families on the Kingstown and Darkey
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line, old as they were. Her aunts also did their share. Julia,
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though she was quite gray, was still the leading soprano in Adam and
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Eve's, and Kate, being too feeble to go about much, gave music
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lessons to beginners on the old square piano in the back room. Lily,
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the caretaker's daughter, did housemaid's work for them. Though their life was modest.
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They believed in eating well, the best of everything, diamond bone,
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sirloins, three shilling tea and the best bottled stout. But Lily seldom made
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a mistake in the orders, so that she got on well with her three
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mistresses. They were fussy, that was all. But the only thing they
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would not stand was back answers. Of course, they had good reason to
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be fussy on such a night. And then it was long after ten o'clock,
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and yet there was no sign of Gabriel and his wife. Besides,
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they were dreadfully afraid that Freddy Malins might turn up screwed. They would not
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wish for worlds that any of Mary Jane's pupils should see him under the influence,
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and when he was like that, it was sometimes very hard to manage
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him. Freddy Malins always came late, but they wondered what could be keeping
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Gabriel, and that was what brought them every two minutes to the banisters to
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ask Lily, had Gabriel or Freddy come? Oh, mister Conroy, said
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Lily to Gabriel. When she opened the door for him. Miss Kate and
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Miss Julia thought you were never coming. Good night, missus Conroy. I'll
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engaged, they did, said Gabriel, But they forget that my wife here
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takes three mortal hours to dress herself. He stood on the mat, scraping
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the snow from his goloshes, while Lily led his wife to the foot of
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the stairs and called out, miss Kate. Here's missus Conroy. Kate and
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Julia came toddling down the dark stairs. At once. Both of them kissed.
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Gabriel's wife said she must be perished alive, and asked, was Gabriel
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with her here? I am as right as the mail aunt, Kate,
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go on up, I'll follow, called out Gabriel from the dark. He
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continued scraping his feet vigorously, while the three women went upstairs, laughing to
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the ladies dressing room. A light fringe of snow lay like a cape on
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the shoulders of his overcoat, and like toe caps on the two toes of
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his goloshes. And as the buttons of his overcoat slipped with a squeaking noise
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through the snow stiffened frieze, a cold, fragrant air from out of doors
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escaped from crevices and the folds. Is it snow? And again mister Conroy
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asked Lily. She had preceded him into the pantry to help him off with
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his overcoat. Gabriel smiled at the three syllables she had given his surname,
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and glanced at her. She was a slim, growing girl, pale in
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complexion and with hay colored hair. The gas in the pantry made her look
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still paler. Gabriel had known her when she was a child and used to
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sit on the lowest step nursing a rag doll. Yes, Lily, he
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answered, and I think we're in for a night of it. He looked
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up at the pantry ceiling, which was shaking with the stamping and shuffling of
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feet on the floor above, listened for a moment to the piano, and
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then glanced at the girl, who was folding his overcoat carefully at the end
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of a shelf. Tell me, Lily, he said, in a friendly
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tone. Do you still go to school? Oh? No, sir,
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she answered, I am done schoolIn this year and more all then said Gabriel,
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Gaily, I suppose we'll be going to your wedding one of these fine
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days with your young man. Eh. The girl glanced back at him over
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her shoulder, and said, with great bitterness, demand it his now is
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only all plaver and what they can get out. Ye. Gabriel colored as
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if he felt he had made a mistake, and without looking at her,
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kicked off his gloshes and flicked actively with his muffler at his patent leather shoes.
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He was a stout, tallish young man. The high color of his
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cheeks pushed upwards even to his forehead, where it scattered itself in a few
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formless patches of pale red and on his hairless face. There scintillated restlessly the
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polished lenses and the bright gilt rims of the glasses which screened his delicate and
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restless eyes. His glossy black hair was parted in the middle and brushed in
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a long curve behind his ears, where it curled slightly beneath a groove left
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by his hat. When he had flicked luster into his shoes, he stood
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up and pulled his waistcoat down more tightly on his plump body. Then he
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took a coin rapidly from his pocket. Oh lily, he said, thrusting
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it into her hands. It's Christmas time, isn't it. Just here's little
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he walked rapidly toward the door. Oh no, sir, cried the girl
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following him. Really, sir, I wouldn't take it Christmas time. Christmas
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time, said Gabriel, almost trotting to the stairs, waving his hand to
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her in deprecation. The girl, seeing that he had gained the stairs,
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called out after him, well, thank you, sir. He waited outside
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the drawing room door until the waltz should finish, listening to the skirts that
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swept against it, and to the shuffling of feet. He was still discomposed
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by the girl's bitter and sudden retort. It had cast a gloom over him,
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which he tried to dispel by arranging his cuffs and the bows of his
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tie. He then took from his waistcoat pocket a little paper and glanced at
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the headings he had made for his speech. He was undecided about the lines
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from Robert Browning, for he feared they would be above the heads of his
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hearers. Some quotation that they would recognize from Shakespeare or from the melodies would
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be better. The indelicate clacking of the men's heels, and that the shuffling
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of their souls reminded him that their grade of culture differed from his. He
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would only make himself ridiculous by quoting poetry to them which they could not understand.
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They would think that he was airing his superior education. He would fail
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with them, just as he had failed with the girl in the pantry.
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He had taken up a wrong time. His whole speech was a mistake,
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from first to last, an utter failure. Just then, his aunts and
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his wife came out of the ladies dressing room. His aunts were two small,
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plainly dressed old women. Aunt Julia was an inch or so the taller.
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Her hair, drawn low over the tops of her ears, was gray
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and gray. Also with darker shadows was her large, flaccid face. Though
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she was stout in build and stood erect, her slow eyes and parted lips
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gave her the appearance of a woman who did not know where she was or
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where she was going. Aunt Kate was more vivacious, Her face, healthier
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than her sister's, was all puckers and creases like a shriveled red apple,
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and her hair, braided in the same old fashioned way, had not lost
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its ripe nut color. They both kissed Gabriel frankly. He was their favorite
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nephew, the son of the dead sister Ellen, who had married T.
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J. Conroy of the Port and Docks. Gretta tells me, you're not
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going to take a cab back to Monkstown tonight, Gabriel said, Aunt Kate.
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No, said Gabriel, turning to we't quite enough of that last
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year, hadn't we. Don't you remember, Aunt Kate? What a cold
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Gretta got out of it, cab windows rattling all the way, and the
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east wind blowing in after we passed Marian. Very jolly it was, Gretta
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caught a dreadful cold. Aunt Kate frowned severely and nodded her head at every
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word. Quite right, Gabriel, Quite right, she said, you can't
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be too careful. But as for Gretta, there, said Gabriel, she'd
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walk home in the snow if she were let missus Conroy laughed. Don't mind
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him, Aunt Kate. She said, he's really an awful bother, what
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with green shades for Tom's eyes at night, and making him do the dumb
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bells, and forcing Eva to eat the stir about the poor child, and
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she simply hates the sight of it. Oh, but you'll never guess what
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he makes me wear now? She broke out into a peal of laughter and
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glanced at her husband, whose admiring and happy eyes had been wandering from her
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dress to her face and hair. The two aunts laughed heartily, too,
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for Gabriel's solicitude was a standing joke with them. Goloshes, said missus Conroy.
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That's the latest. When never it's wet underfoot, I must put on
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my goloshes to night. Even he wanted me to put them on, but
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I wouldn't. The next thing he'll buy me will be a diving suit.
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Gabriel laughed nervously and patted his tie reassuringly, while Aunt Kate nearly doubled herself
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so heartily did she enjoy the joke. The smile soon faded from Aunt Julia's
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face, and her mirthless eyes were directed towards her nephew's face. After a
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pause, she asked, and what are goloshes, Gabriel? Goloshes? Julia
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exclaimed her sister. Goodness me, don't you know what goloshes are? You
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wear them over your over your boats, Gretta, isn't it? Yes?
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Said missus Conroy guttapercher things. We both have a pair now, Gabriel says.
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Every one wears them on the continent. Oh, on the continent,
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murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly. Gabriel knitted his brows and said,
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as if he were slightly angered. It's nothing very wonderful. But Gretta
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thinks it very funny, because she says the word reminds her of Christy minstrels.
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But tell me, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate, with brisk tact.
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Of course, you've seen about the room, Gretta was saying. Oh,
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the room is all right, replied Gabriel. I've taken one in the Gresham,
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to be sure, said Aunt Kate, by far the best thing to
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do. And the children, Gretta, you're not anxious about them? Oh
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for one night, said missus Conroy. Besides, Bessie will look after them,
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to be sure, said Aunt Katy. Again, what a comfort it
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is to have a girl like that, one you can depend on. There's
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that Lily. I'm sure I don't know what has come over her lately,
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she thought, the girl she was at all. Gabriel was about to ask
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his aunt some questions on this point. But she broke off suddenly to gaze
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after her sister, who had wandered down the stairs and was craning her neck
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over the banisters. Now I ask you, she said, almost testily,
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where is Julia going, Julia, Julia, where are you going? Julia,
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who had gone half way down one flight, came back and announced,
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blandly, here's Freddy. At the same moment, a clapping of hands and
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a final flourish of the pianist told that the waltz had ended. The drawing
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room door was opened from within, and some couples came out. Aunt Kate
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drew Gabriel aside hurriedly and whispered into his ear, slip down Gabriel like a
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good fellow, and see if he's all right, and don't let him up
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if he's screwed. I'm sure he's screwed. I'm sure he is. Gabriel
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went to the stairs and listened over the banisters. He could hear two persons
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talking in the pantry. Then he recognized Freddy Malin's laugh. He went down
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the stairs noisily. It's such a relief, said Aunt Kate to missus Conroy,
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that Gabriel is here. I always feel easier in my mind when he's
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here. Julia, there's Miss Daly and Miss Power, will take some refreshment.
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Thanks for your beautiful waltz, Miss Daly, it made a lovely time.
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A tall, wizzen faced man with a stiff, grizzled mustache and swarthy
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skin, who was passing out with his partner, said, and may we
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have some refreshment too, Miss Morkan, Julia said Aunt Kate summarily. And
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here's mister Brown and Miss Furlong. Take them in, Julia, with Miss
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Daly and Miss Power. I'm the man for the ladies, said Missters,
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pursing his lips until his mustache bristled, and smiling in all his wrinkles.
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You know, Miss Morkan, the reason they are so fond of me is
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he did not finish his sentence, but, seeing that Aunt Kate was out
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of earshot at once, led the three young ladies into the back room.
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The middle of the room was occupied by two square tables placed end to end,
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and on these Aunt Julia and the caretaker were straightening and smoothing a large
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cloth. On the sideboard were arrayed dishes and plates and glasses and bundles of
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knives and forks and spoons. The top of the closed square piano served also
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as a sideboard for viands and sweets at a smaller sideboard. In one corner,
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two young men were standing drinking hop bitters. Mister brown led his charges
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thither and invited them all in jest to some ladies punch hot, strong and
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sweet. As they said they never took anything strong. He opened three bottles
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of lemonade for them. Then he asked one of the young men to move
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aside, and taking hold of the decanter, filled out for himself a goodly
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measure of whiskey. The young men eyed him respectfully while he took a trial's
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sip. God help me, he said, smiling, it's the doctor's orders.
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His wizened face broke into a broader smile, and the three young ladies
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laughed in musical echo to his pleasantry, swaying their bodies to and fro with
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nervous jerks of their shoulders. The boldest said, oh, now, mister
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Browne, I'm sure the doctor never ordered anything of the kind. Mister Browne
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took another sip of his whiskey and said, with sidling mimicry, well you
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see I'm like the famous missus Cassidy, who was reported to have said,
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now, Mary Grimes, if I don't take it, make me take it
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for I feel I wanted. His hot face had leaned forward a little too
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confidentially, and he had assumed a very low doublin accent, so that the
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young ladies, with one instinct received his speech in silence. Miss Furlong,
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who was one of Mary Jane's pupils, asked Miss Daly what was the name
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of the pretty waltz she had played? And mister Browne, seeing that he
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was ignored, turned promptly to the two young men who were more appreciative.
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A red faced young woman dressed in pansy came into the room excitedly, clapping
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her hands and crying quite eels, quite els. Close on her heels came
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Aunt Kate, crying, two gentlemen and three ladies. Mary Jane, Oh,
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the here's mister Bergin and mister Kerrigan, said Mary Jane. Mister Kerrigan,
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will you take Miss Power and Miss Furlong? May I get you a
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partner? Mister Bergin. Oh that'll just do now, three ladies, Mary
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Jane, said Aunt Kate. The two young gentlemen asked the ladies if they
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might have the pleasure, and Mary Jane turned to Miss Daly. Oh,
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Miss Daly, you're really awfully good after playing for the last two dances.
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But really we're so short of ladies to night. I don't mind in the
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least Miss Morkan, but I've a nice partner for you, mister Bartell D'Arcy,
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the tenor. I'll get him to sing later on. All Dublin is
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raving about him. Lovely voice, lovely voice, said Aunt Kate, as
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the piano had twice begun the prelude to the first figure. Mary Jane led
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her recruits quickly from the room. They had hardly gone when Aunt Julia wandered
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slowly into the room, looking behind her at something. What is the matter,
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Julia, said Aunt Kate anxiously. Who is it? Julia, who
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was carrying in the column of table napkins, turned to his sister and said,
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simply, as if the question had surprised her, It's only Freddy Kate
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and Gabriel with him. In fact, right behind her, Gabriel could be
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seen piloting Freddy Malins across the landing. The latter, a young man of
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about forty, was of Gabriel's size and built with very round shoulders. His
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face was fleshy and pallid, touched with color only at the thick, hanging
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lobes of his ears and at the wide wings of his nose. He had
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coarse features, a blunt nose, a convex and receding brow, tumid and
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protruded lips. His heavy lidded eyes, and the disorder of his scanty hair
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made him look sleepy. He was laughing heartily in a high key at a
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story which he had been telling Gabriel on the stairs, and at the same
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time rubbing the knuckles of his left fist backwards and forwards into his left eye.
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Good evening, Freddy, said, Aunt Julia. Freddy Malins bade the
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Missus Morgan good evening, in what seemed an offhand fashion by reason of the
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habitual catch in his voice, And then, seeing that mister Brown was grinning
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at him from the sideboard, crossed the room on rather shaky legs, and
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began to repeat in an undertone the story he had just told to Gabriel.
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He's not so bad, is he? Stent Kate to Gabriel. Gabriel's browns
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were dark, but he raised them quickly and answered, oh no, hardly
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noticeable. Now, isn't he a terrible fellow? She said, And his
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poor mother made him take the pledge of New Year's Eve, But come on
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Gabriel into the drawing room. Before leaving the room with Gabriel, she signaled
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to mister Brown by frowning and shaking her forefinger in warning too and fro.
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Mister Brown nodded in answer, and when she had gone, said to Freddy
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Malins, now, then, Teddy, I'm going to fill you out a
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good glass lemonade, just to book you up. Freddy Malins, who was
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nearing the climax of his story, waved the offer aside impatiently. But mister
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Brown, have first called Freddy Malins attention to a disarray in his dress,
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filled out and handed him a full glass of lemonade. Freddy Malin's left hand
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accepted the glass mechanically, his right hand being engaged in the mechanical readjustment of
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his dress. Mister Brown, whose face was once more wrinkling with mirth,
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poured out for himself a glass of whiskey, while Freddy Malins exploded before he
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had well reached the climax of his story in a kink of high pitched,
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bronchitic laughter, and setting down his untasted and overflowing glass, began to rub
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the knuckles of his left fist backwards and forwards into his left eye, repeating
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words of his last phrase as well as his fit of laughter would allow him
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end of Part one Part two of the Dead. Gabriel could not listen while
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Mary Jane was playing her academy piece full of runs and difficult passages to the
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hushed drawing room. He liked music, but the piece she was playing had
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no melody for him, and doubted whether that any melody for the other listeners,
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though they had begged Mary Jane to play something. The four young men
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who had come from the refreshment room to stand in a doorway at the sound
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of the piano had gone away quietly in couples. After a few minutes.
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The only persons who seemed to follow the music were Mary Jane herself, her
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hands racing along the keyboard or lifted from it at the pauses like those of
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a priestess in momentary imprecation, and Aunt Kate standing at her elbow to turn
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the page Gabriel's eyes irritated by the floor, which glittered with bees wax.
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Under a heavy chandelier wandered to the wall above the piano. A picture of
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the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliette hung there, and beside it was the
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picture of the two murdered princes in the Tower, which Aunt Julia had worked
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in red, blue and brown wools when she was a girl, probably in
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the school they had gone to as girls that kind of work had been taught
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for one year. His mother had worked for him as they bret the present,
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a waistcoat of purple tabinet with little box's heads upon it, lined with
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brown satin, and having round mulberry buttons. It was strange that his mother
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had had no musical talent, though Aunt Kate used to call her the brains
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carrier of the Morkan family. Both she and Julia had always seemed a little
19:15
proud of their serious and matronly sister. Her photographs stood before the peer glass.
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She held an open book on her knees and was pointing out something in
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it to Constantine, who dressed in a man O war suit, lay at
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her feet. It was she who had chosen the name of her sons,
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for she was very sensible of the dignity of family life. Thanks to her,
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Constantine was now senior Curate in Balbrigan, and thanks to her, Gabriel
19:38
himself had taken his degree in the Royal University. A shadow passed over his
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face as he remembered her sullen opposition to his marriage. Some slighting phrases she
19:48
had used still rankled in his memory. She had once spoken of Greta as
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being country cute, and that was not true Regretta at all. It was
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Greta who had nursed her during her last long illness in their house, said
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Monkstown. He knew that Mary Jane must be near the end of her piece,
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for she was playing again the opening melody, with runs of scales after
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every bar, and while he waited for the end, the resentment died down
20:11
in his heart. The piece ended with a trill of octaves in the treble
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and a final deep octave in the bass. Great applause greeted Mary Jane as
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blushing and rolling up her music nervously, she escaped from the room. The
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most vigorous clapping came from the four young men in the doorway, who had
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gone away to the refreshment room at the beginning of the piece, but had
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come back when the piano had stopped. Lancers were arranged. Gabriel found himself
20:38
partnered with miss Ivors. She was a frank, mannered, talked of young
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lady with a freckled face and prominent brown eyes. She did not wear a
20:47
low cut bodice, and the large brooch which was fixed in the front of
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her collar bore on it an Irish device and motto. When they had taken
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their places, she said abruptly, I have a crow to pluck with you.
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With me, said Gabriel. She nodded her head gravely. What is
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it, said Gabriel, smiling at her solemn manner. Who is g c
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answered Miss Ivers, turning her eyes upon him. Gabriel colored and was about
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in it his brows, as if he did not understand when she said bluntly,
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oh, innocent Damie, I have found out that you're right for the
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Daily Express. Now aren't you ashamed of yourself? Why should I be ashamed
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of myself? Asked Gabriel, blinking his eyes and trying to smile. Well,
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I am ashamed of you, said Miss Ivers. Frankly to say you'd
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write for a paper like that, I didn't think you were a West Britain.
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A look of perplexity appeared on Gabriel's face. It was true that he
21:41
wrote literary column every Wednesday in the Daily Express, for which he was paid
21:44
fifteen shillings, but that did not make him a West Britain. Surely,
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the books he received for review were almost more welcome than the paltry check.
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He loved to feel the covers and turn over the pages of newly printed books.
21:56
Nearly every day when his teaching in the college was he used to wander
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down the keys to the second hand booksellers two Hickeys on Bachelor's Walk, to
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Webb's or Massey's on Ashton's Key, or to Accohasse's in the Bye Street.
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He did not know how to meet her charge. He wanted to say that
22:14
literature was above politics, but they were friends of many years standing, and
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their careers had been parallel, first at the university and then as teachers.
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He could not risk a grandiose phrase with her. He continued blinking his eyes
22:26
and trying to smile, and murmured lamely that he saw nothing political in writing
22:30
reviews of books. When their turn to cross had come, he was still
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perplexed and inattentive. Miss Ivers promptly took his hand in a warm grasp and
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said, in a soft, friendly tone, of course, I was only
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joking. Come on, cross now. When they were together again, she
22:45
spoke of the university question, and Gabriel felt more at ease. A friend
22:49
of hers had shown her his review of Browning's poems. That was how she
22:55
had found out the secret. But she liked the review immensely. Then she
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said suddenly, Oh, mister Conroy, will you come for an excourge into
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the Aarron Isles this summer. We're going to stay there a whole month.
23:04
It will be a splendid out in the Atlantic. You ought to come.
23:07
Mister Clancy is coming, and mister Kilkelly and Kathleen Carney. It would be
23:11
splendid for Gretta too if she'd come. She's from Connach, isn't she.
23:15
Her people are, said Gabriel shortly. But you will come, won't ye,
23:18
said Miss Ivers, laying her warm hand eagerly on his arm. The
23:23
fact is, said Gabriel, I have just arranged to go. Go where?
23:29
Asked Miss Ivers? Well, you know every year ago for a cycling
23:33
tour with some fellows and so. But where asked miss Ivers. Well,
23:37
we usually go to France or Belgium, or perhaps Germany, said Gabriel awkwardly.
23:42
But why do you go to France and Belgium, said miss Ivers,
23:45
instead of visiting your own land? Well, said Gabriel. It's partly to
23:51
keep in touch with the languages, and partly for change and haf into your
23:56
own language. To keep in touch with Irish, said miss Ivers. Well,
24:00
said Gabriel. If it comes to that, you know, Irish is
24:03
not my language. Their neighbors had turned to listen to the cross examination.
24:08
Gabriel glanced right and left nervously and tried to keep his good humor under the
24:12
ordeal, which was making a blush invade his forehead. And haven't your own
24:17
land to visit? Continued Miss Ivers, That you know nothing of your own
24:21
people and your own country. Oh, to tell ye the truth, retorted
24:25
Gabriel. Suddenly I'm sick of my own country. Sick of it? Why,
24:30
asked Miss Ivers. Gabriel did not answer for his retort. Had heeded
24:33
him? Why? Repeated miss Ivers? They had to go visiting together.
24:38
And as he had not answered her, miss Ivers said warmly, of course
24:44
you've no answer. Gabriel tried to cover his agitation by taking part in the
24:49
dance with great energy. He avoided her eyes, for he had seen a
24:52
sour expression on her face, But when they met in a long chain,
24:57
he was surprised to feel his hand firm pressed. She looked at him from
25:00
under her brows for a moment, quizzically until he smiled. Then, just
25:06
as the chain was about to start again, she stood on tiptoe and whispered
25:10
into his ear West Britain. When the lancers were over, Gabriel went away
25:15
to a remote corner of the room where Freddy Malin's mother was sitting. She
25:19
was a stout, feeble old woman with white hair. Her voice had a
25:22
catch in it like her son's, and she stuttered slightly. She had been
25:26
told that Freddy had come and that he was nearly all right. Gabriel asked
25:30
her whether she had had a good crossing. She lived with her married daughter
25:33
in Glasgow and came to Dublin on a visit once a year. She answered
25:37
placidly that she had had a beautiful crossing, and that the captain had been
25:41
most attentive to her. She spoke also of the beautiful house her daughter kept
25:45
in Glasgow, and of all the friends they had there. While her tongue
25:49
rambled on, Gabriel tried to banish from his mind all memory of the unpleasant
25:53
incident with Miss Ivers. Of course, the girl or woman or whatever she
25:57
was wasn't use, he asked, But there was a time for all things.
26:03
Perhaps he ought not to have answered her like that, But she had
26:04
no right to call him a West Britain before people, even in joke.
26:08
She had tried to make him ridiculous before people, heckling him and staring at
26:12
him with her rabbit siyes. He saw his wife making her way towards him
26:18
through the waltz and couples. When she reached him, she said into his
26:22
ear, Gabriel, Aunt Kate wants to know. Won't you carve the goose
26:26
as usual? Miss Daly will carve the harm and I'll do the puddin',
26:30
all right, said Gabriel. She's sending in the younger ones first as soon
26:33
as this waltz is over, so that we'll have the table to ourselves.
26:37
Were ye dancing, asked Gabriel. Of course, I was didn't you see
26:41
me? What row had you with? Molly Ivers? No raw? Why
26:45
did she say so something like that. I'm trying to get mister Darcy to
26:49
sing. He's full of conceit. I think there was no row, said
26:53
Gabriel moodily. Only she wanted me to go for a trip to the west
26:56
of Ireland, and I said I wouldn't. His wife clasped her hands excitedly
27:00
and gave a little jump. Oh do call Gabriel, she cried, I'd
27:04
love to see Galway again. You can go if you like, said Gabriel
27:08
coldly. She looked at him for a moment, then turned to Missus Mallins
27:14
and said, there's a nice husband for you, Missus Mallins, While she
27:18
was threading her way back across the room. Missus Mallins, without adverting to
27:22
the interruption, went on to tell Gabriel what beautiful places they were in Scotland
27:26
and beautiful scenery. Her son in law brought them every year to the lakes
27:30
and they used to go fishing. Her son in law was a splendid fisher.
27:34
One day he caught a beautiful big fish and the man at a hotel
27:37
cooked it for their dinner, Gabriel hardly heard what she said. Now that
27:44
supper was coming near, he began to think again about his speech and about
27:47
the quotation. When he saw Freddy Malins coming across the room to visit his
27:52
mother. Gabriel left the chair free for him and retired into the embrasure of
27:56
the window. The room had already cleared, and from the back room came
28:00
the clatter of plates and knives. Those who still remained in a drawing room
28:04
seemed tired of dancing and were conversing quietly in little groups. Gabriel's warm,
28:08
trembling fingers tapped the cold pine of the window. How cool it must be
28:14
outside, How pleasant it would be to walk out alone, first long by
28:18
the river, and then through the park. The snow would be lying in
28:21
the branches of the trees and forming a bright cap on the top of the
28:25
Wellington Monument. How much more pleasant it would be there than at the supper
28:29
table. He ran over the headings of his speech, Irish hospitality, sad
28:36
memories, the tree graces Paris, the quotation from Browning. He repeated to
28:41
himself a phrase he had written in his review. One feels that one is
28:45
listening to a thought tormented music. Miss Divers had praised the review. Was
28:52
she sincere? Had she really any life of her own? Behind all her
28:56
propagandism. There had never been any ill feeling between them until that night.
29:00
It unnerved him to think that she would be at the supper table looking up
29:04
at him while he spoke, with her critical, quizzing eyes. Perhaps she
29:10
would not be sorry to see him fail in his speech. An idiac come
29:12
into his mind and gave him courage, he would say, alluding to Aunt
29:17
Kate and Aunt Julia, ladies and gentlemen. The generation which is now on
29:19
the wane among us may have had its faults, But for my part,
29:22
I think it had certain qualities of hospitality, a humor of humanity, which
29:26
the new and very serious and hyper educated generation that is growing up around us
29:32
seems to me to lack. Very good That was one for Miss Ivers.
29:37
What did he care that his aunts were only two ignorant old women. A
29:44
murmur in the room attracted his attention. Mister Brown was advancing from the door,
29:48
gallantly escorting Aunt Julia, who leaned upon his arm, smiling and hanging
29:52
her head. An irregular musketry of applause escorted her also as far as the
29:56
piano, and then as Mary Jane seated herself on the stool, and Aunt
30:00
Julia, no longer smiling, half turned so as to pitch her voice fairly
30:04
into the room, gradually ceased. Gabriel recognized the prelude. It was that
30:11
of an old song of Aunt Julia's, arrayed for the bridle, her voice
30:15
strong and clear in tone, attacked with great spirit the runs which embellished the
30:19
air, and though she sang very rapidly, she did not miss even the
30:23
smallest of the grace notes. To follow the voice without looking at the singer's
30:29
face was to feel and share the excitement of swift and secure flight. Gabriel
30:34
plodded loudly with all the others at the close of the song, and loud
30:37
applause was borne in from the invisible supper table. It sounded so genuine that
30:42
little color struggled into Aunt Julia's face as she bent to replace in the music
30:47
stand the old leather bound song book that had her initials on the cover.
30:52
Freddy Malins, who had listened with his head perched sideways to hear her better,
30:56
was still applauding when everyone else had ceased and talking animatedly to a mother
31:00
who nodded her head gravely and slowly in acquiescence. At last, when he
31:04
could clap no more, he stood up suddenly and hurried across the room to
31:08
Aunt Julia, whose hand he seized and held in both his hands, shaking
31:12
it when words failed him, where the catch in his voice proved too much
31:15
for him. I was just telling my mother, he said, I never
31:19
heard you sing so well. Never. No, I never heard your voice
31:22
as good as this night. Now, would you believe that? Now?
31:25
That's the truth. Upon my word, and Donner, that's the truth.
31:27
I never heard your voice sound so fresh and so so clear and so fresh
31:33
never. Aunt Julius smiled broadly and murmured something but compliments. As she released
31:38
her hand from his grasp. Mister Browne extended his up and hands towards her
31:42
and said, to those who were near him, in the manner of a
31:45
showman introducing a prodigy to an audience, Miss Julia Morkan, my latest discovery.
31:53
He was laughing very heartily at this himself, when Freddy Malins turned to
31:56
him and said, well, brown if you're serious, you might make a
32:00
worse discovery all I can say is I never heard her sing half so well
32:05
as long as I am coming here, And that's the honest truth. Neither
32:08
did I said mister Brown. I think her voice has greatly improved. Aunt
32:14
Julia shrugged her shoulders and said, with meek pride, thirty years ago,
32:19
I hadn't a bad voice, as voices go, I often told. Julia
32:23
said Aunt Kate emphatically, that she was simply thrown away in that choir,
32:28
but she never would be said by me. She turned, as if to
32:30
appeal to the good sense of the others against a refractory child, while Aunt
32:35
Julia gazed in front of her, a vague smile of reminiscence playing on her
32:38
face. No, continued Aunt Kate, she wouldn't be said or led by
32:44
any one slaving there in that choir night and day, night and day six
32:47
o'clock on Christmas mornin', and all for what well? Isn't it for the
32:52
honor of God? Aunt Kate asked Mary Jane, twisting round at a piano
32:57
stool and smiling. And Kate turned fiercely on her niece and said, I
33:01
know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane, but I think it's
33:06
not at all honorable for the Pope to turn out the women out of the
33:07
choirs that have slaved there all their lives and put little whipper snappers of boys
33:13
over their heads. I suppose it is for the good of the church if
33:15
the Pope does it, but it's not just Mary Jane, and it's not
33:17
right. She had worked herself into a passion and would have continued in defense
33:23
of her sister, for it was a sore subject with her, But Mary
33:27
Jane, seeing that all the dancers had come back, intervened pacifically. Now,
33:31
Aunt Kate, you're giving scandal to mister Brown, who is of the
33:35
other persuasion. Aunt Kate turned to mister Brown, who was grinning at this
33:39
allusion to his religion, and said, hastily, Oh, I don't question
33:44
the Pope's beIN right. I'm only a stupid old woman, and I wouldn't
33:46
presume to do such a thing. But they're such a thing as common every
33:50
day politeness and gratitude. And if I were in Julia's place, I'd tell
33:52
that father he ly straight up to his face. And besides, Aunt Kate
33:58
said, Mary Jane, we really are all hungry, and when we are
34:00
hungry, we are all very quarrelsome, and when we are thirsty, we
34:05
are all so quarrelsome, added mister Brown. So that we had better go
34:09
to supper, said Mary Jane, and finished a discussion. Afterwards, on
34:15
the landing outside the drawing room, Gabriel found his wife and Mary Jane trying
34:19
to persuade Miss Ivers to stay for supper. But miss Ivers, who had
34:22
put on her hat and was buttoning her cook would not stay. She did
34:28
not feel in the least hungry, and she had already overstayed her time,
34:31
but only for ten minutes. Molly said, missus Conroy, that won't delay
34:36
you to take a pick itself, said Mary Jane. After all you're dancin.
34:40
Oh I really couldn't, said Miss Ivers. I'm afraid you didn't enjoy
34:45
yourself at all, said Mary Jane, hopelessly, ever so much, I
34:47
assure ye, said Miss Ivers. But you really must let me run off
34:51
now. But how can ye get home? Asked missus Conroy. Oh,
34:55
it's only two steps up the quay. Gabriel hesitated a moment and said,
35:00
if you will allow me, miss Ivers, I'll see you home. If
35:02
you really are obliged to go, but Miss Ivers broke away from them.
35:07
I won't hear of it, she cried, For goodness sake, go into
35:09
your suppers and don't mind me. I'm quite well able to take care of
35:13
myself. Qull, you're the comical girl, Molly, said missus Conroy frankly.
35:20
Bannach Live, cried miss Ivers with a laugh as she ran down the
35:23
staircase. Mary Jane gazed after her, a moody, puzzled expression on her
35:29
face, while missus Conroy leaned over the banisters to listen for the hall door.
35:32
Gabriel asked himself was he the cause of her abrupt departure? But she
35:37
did not seem to be an ill humor she'd gone away laughing, He stared
35:40
blankly down the staircase. At the moment, Aunt Kate came toddling out of
35:45
the supper room, almost wringing her hands in despair. Where is Gabriel,
35:51
she cried, Where on earth is Gabriel? There's every one waiting in their
35:53
stage to let and nobody to carve the goose. Here I am, Aunt
35:59
Kate, cried Gabriel with sudden animation, ready to carve a flock of gease
36:02
if necessary. A fat brown goose lay at one end of the table,
36:08
and at the other end, on a bed of creased paper strewn with sprigs
36:13
of parsley, lay a great ham stripped of its outer skin and peppered over
36:17
with crust crumbs, a neat paper frill round its shin, and beside this
36:22
was a round of spiced beef. Between these rival ends ran parallel lines of
36:29
side dishes. Two little ministers of jelly red and yellow, a shallow dish
36:34
full of blocks of blanc muge and red jam. A large green leafed shaped
36:38
dish with a stalk shaped handle, on which lay bunches of purple reinsins and
36:44
peeled almonds. A companion dish, on which lay a solid rectangle of Smyrna
36:49
figs, a dish of custard topped with grated nutmeg, a small bowl full
36:54
of chocolates and sweets wrapped in gold and silver papers, and a glass vase
37:00
in which stood some tall celery stocks. In the center of the table,
37:04
there stood as sentries to a fruit stand which upheld a pyramid of oranges and
37:08
American apples. Two squat old fashioned decanters of cut glass, one containing port
37:15
and the other dark sherry on the closed square piano, A putting in a
37:19
huge yellow dish lay in waiting, and behind it were three squads of bottles
37:23
of stout and dale and minerals, drawn up according to the colors of their
37:27
uniforms, the first two black with brown and red labels, the third and
37:31
smallest squad white with transverse screen sashes. Gabriel took his seat boldly at the
37:39
head of the table, and, having looked to the edge of the carver,
37:43
plunged his fork firmly into the goose. He felt quite at ease now,
37:46
for he was an expert carver and liked nothing better than to find himself
37:50
at the head of a well laden table. Miss Furlong, what shall I
37:52
send you, he asked, A wing or a slice of the breast,
37:57
Just a small slice of the breast, Miss Higan, What for you,
38:00
oh, anything at all, Mister Conroy. While Gabriel and Miss Daly exchanged
38:06
plates of goose and plates of ham and spiced beef, lily went from guest
38:10
to guest with a dish of hot floury potatoes wrapped in a white napkin.
38:15
This was Mary Jane's idea, and she had also suggested apple sauce for the
38:19
goose, but Aunt Kate had said that plain roast goose without any apple sauce
38:22
had always been good enough for her, and she hoped she might never eat
38:25
worse. Mary Kate waited on her pupils and saw that they got the best
38:30
slices. And Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia opened and carried across from the piano
38:35
bottles of stout and dale for the gentlemen, and bottles of minerals for the
38:37
ladies. There was a great deal of confusion and laughter and noise, the
38:44
noise of orders and counter orders, of knives and forks, of corks and
38:47
glass stoppers. Gabriel began to carve second helpings as soon as he had finished
38:52
the first round, without serving himself. Everyone protested loudly, so that he
38:57
compromised by taking the long draft of stuff, for he had found the carving
39:00
hot work. Mary Jane settled down quietly to her supper, but Aunt Kate
39:06
and Aunt Julia were still toddling round the table, walking on each other's heels,
39:09
getting in each other's way, and giving each other unheeded orders. Mister
39:15
Brown begged of them to sit down and eat their suppers, and so did
39:17
Gabriel. But they said there was time enough, so that at last Freddy
39:22
Malins stood up, and, capturing Aunt Kate, plumped her down on her
39:24
chair amid general laughter. When every one had been well served, Gabriel said,
39:30
smiling, now, if any one wants a little more of what vulgar
39:35
people call stuffing, let him or horse speak. A chorus of voices invited
39:39
him to begin his own supper, and Lily came forward with three potatoes,
39:44
which she had reserved for him. Very well, said Gabriel amiably, as
39:47
he took another preparatory draft. Kindly forget my existence, ladies and gentlemen,
39:52
for a few minutes. He set to his supper and took no part in
39:58
the conversation with which the table covered Lily's removal of the plates. The subject
40:02
of talk was the opera company which was then at the Theater Royal. Mister
40:07
Bartell D'Arcy, the tenor, a dark complexioned young man with a smart mustache,
40:12
praised very highly the leading contralto of the company, but Miss Furlong thought
40:15
she had a rather vulgar style of production. Freddy Malins said there was a
40:22
negro chieftain singing in the second part of the Gayety Pantomime, who had one
40:25
of the finest tenor voices he had ever heard. Have you heard him,
40:30
he asked mister Bartell Darcy across the table. No, answered mister Bartell Darcy
40:36
carelessly, because Freddy Malins explained, now, I'd be curious to hear your
40:40
opinion of him. I think he's a grand voice. It takes Teddy to
40:45
find out the really good things, said mister Brown familiarly to the table.
40:50
And why couldn't he have a voice, too, asked Freddy Malins sharply.
40:54
Is it because he's only a black? Nobody answered this question, and marriage
41:00
Yane led the table back to legitimate opera. One of her pupils had given
41:02
her a pass for Mignon. Of course it was very fine, she said,
41:07
but it made her think of poor Georgina Burns. Mister Brown could go
41:10
back farther still to the old Italian companies that used to come to Dublin,
41:15
Tiegins, Ilma de Murska, Campanini, the great Trebelli, Guglini, Rivelli,
41:22
Armburo. Those were the days, he said, when there was something
41:27
like singing to be heard in Dublin. He told too, of how the
41:30
top gallery of the Old Royal used to be packed night after night, of
41:35
how one night an Italian tenor had sung five encorees to let me like a
41:38
soldier fall, introducing a high sea every time, And of how the gallery
41:44
boys would, sometimes, in their enthusiasm, unyoke the horses from the carriage
41:47
of some great prima donna and pull her themselves through the streets to her hotel.
41:52
Why did they never play the grand old operas now, he asked Dinora
41:58
Lucrezia Borgia, because they could not get the voices to sing them. That
42:02
was why. Oh, well, said mister Bartell Darcy. I presume there
42:07
are as good singers to day as there were. Then where are they,
42:12
asked mister Browne defiantly in London? Paris, my man, said mister Bartell
42:17
Darcy warmly. I suppose Crusoe, for example, is quite as good,
42:22
if not better, than any of the men you have mentioned. Maybe so,
42:25
said mister Browne, But I may tell you I doubt it strongly.
42:30
Oh I'd give anything to hear Carusoe's sing, said Mary Jane. For me,
42:35
said Aunt Kate, who had been picking a bone there was only one
42:37
tenor to please me. I mean, but I suppose none of you ever
42:40
heard of him. Who was he, miss Morgan, asked mister Bartell Darcy
42:45
politely. His name, said Aunt Kate, was Parkinson. I heard him
42:51
when he was in his prime, and I think he had then the purest
42:53
tenor voice that ever was put into a man's throat. Strange, said mister
42:59
Bartell Darle. I never even heard of him. Yes, yes, Miss
43:04
Morgan is right, said mister Brown. I remember hearing of old Parkinson,
43:07
but he's too far back for me. A beautiful, pure, sweet,
43:12
mellow English tenor, said Aunt Kate with enthusiasm. Gabriel, having finished the
43:17
huge pudding, was transferred to the table. The clatter of forks and spoons
43:22
began again. Gabriel's wife served out spoonfuls of the pudding and passed the plates
43:27
down the table. Midway down they were held up by Mary Jane, who
43:30
replenished them with raspberry or orange jelly, or with blancmange and jam. The
43:37
pudding was of Aunt Julia's making, and she received praises for it from all
43:39
quarters. She herself said that it was not quite brown enough. Well,
43:44
I hope. Miss Morkan said mister brown that I'm brown enough for you,
43:47
because you know I'm all brown. All the gentlemen except Gabriel, ate some
43:53
of the pudding out of compliment to Aunt Julia, as Gabriel never ate sweets.
43:58
The celery had been left for him. Freddy Malins also took a stock
44:00
of celery and ate it with his pudding. He had been told that celery
44:05
was a capital thing for the blood, and he was just then under doctor's
44:08
care. Missus Malins, who had been silent all through the supper, said
44:13
that her son was going down to Mount Mellory in a week or so.
44:16
The table then spoke of Mount Mellory, how bracing the air was down there,
44:20
how hospitable the monks were, and how they never asked for a penny
44:23
piece from their guests. And do you mean to say, asked mister Browne
44:28
incredulously, that the chap can go down there and put up there as if
44:30
it were a hotel, and live off the fat of the land, and
44:34
then come away without paying anything. Oh, most people give some donation to
44:37
the monastery when they leave, said Mary Jane. I wish we had an
44:42
institution like that. In our church, said mister Browne candidly. He was
44:45
astonished to hear that the monks never spoke, got up at two in the
44:49
morning and slept in their coffins. He asked what they did it for,
44:53
That's the rule of the arder, said aunt Kate firmly yes, But why,
44:58
asked mister brown aunt Kate repeated that it was the rule that was all.
45:01
Mister Browne still seems not to understand. Freddy Malins explained to him as
45:06
best he could that the monks were trying to make up for the sins committed
45:09
by all the sinners in the outside world. The explanation was not very clear
45:14
for mister brown grinned and said, I liked that idea very much, but
45:17
wouldn't a comfortable spring bed do them as well as a coffin. The coffin,
45:22
said Mary Jane, is to remind them of their last end. As
45:29
the subject had grown lugubrious, it was buried in a silence of the table,
45:31
during which Missus Malins could be heard saying to her neighbor in an indistinct
45:36
undertone, they are very good men, the monks, very pious men.
45:40
The raisins and almonds and figs, and apples and oranges, and chocolates and
45:45
sweets were now passed about the table, and Aunt Julia invited all the guests
45:49
to have either port or sherry. At first, mister Bartell D'Arcy refused to
45:52
take either, but one of his neighbors nudged him and whispered something to him,
45:57
upon which he allowed his glass to be filled. Gradually, as the
46:00
last glasses were being filled, the conversation ceased, a pause, followed broken
46:06
only by the noise of the wine and by unsettlings of chairs. The Missus
46:09
Morkan. All three looked down at the tablecloth. Some one coughed once or
46:14
twice, and then a few gentlemen patted the table gently as a signal for
46:17
silence. The silence came, and Gabriel pushed back his chair. The patting
46:24
at once grew louder in encouragement, and then ceased altogether. Gabriel leaned his
46:29
ten trembling fingers on the tablecloth and smiled nervously at the company, meeting a
46:35
row of upturned face as he raised his eyes to the chandelier. The piano
46:37
was playing a waltz tune, and he could hear the skirts sweeping against the
46:42
drawing room door. People perhaps were standing in the snow on the quay outside,
46:46
gazing up at the lighted windows and listening to the waltz music. The
46:51
air was pure. There in the distance lay the park, where the trees
46:55
were weighted with snow. The Wellington Monument wore it gleaming cap of snow that
47:00
flashed westward over the white field of fifteen acres. He began, Ladies and
47:07
gentlemen, it has fallen to my lot this evening, as in years past,
47:12
to perform a very pleasing task, but a task for which I am
47:15
afraid my poor powers as a speaker are all too inadequate. No, no,
47:22
said mister Brown. But however that may be, I can only ask
47:27
you to night to take the will for the deed, and to lend me
47:30
your attention for a few moments while I endeavor to express to you in words
47:32
what my feelings are on this occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, it is not
47:37
the first time that we have gathered together under this hospitable roof, around this
47:43
hospitable board. It is not the first time that we have been the recipient,
47:46
Or perhaps I had better say the victims of the hospitality of certain good
47:52
ladies. He made a circle in the ear with his arm and paused.
47:55
Every one laughed or smiled at Aunt Kate, and Aunt Julia and Mary Jane,
48:00
who all turned crimson with pleasure. Gabriel went on more boldly. I
48:05
feel more strongly with every recurring year, that our country has no tradition which
48:08
does it so much honor, and which it should guard so jealously as that
48:14
of its hospitality. It is a tradition that is unique as far as my
48:17
experience goes, and I have visited not a few places abroad among the modern
48:22
nations. Some would say, perhaps that with us it is rather a failing
48:28
than anything to be boasted of. But granted even that, it is,
48:30
to my mind a princely failing, and one that I trust will long be
48:35
cultivated among us. Of one thing at least, I am sure as long
48:39
as this one roof shelters the good ladies AfOR said, and I wish from
48:44
my heart it may do so for many and many a long year to come.
48:47
The tradition of genuine, warm hearted, courteous Irish hospitality, which our
48:52
forefathers have handed down to us, and which we in turn must hand down
48:57
to our descendants, is still alive among us. A hearty murmur of assent
49:01
ran round the table. It shot through Gabriel's mind that Miss Ivers would not
49:06
there, and that she had gone away discourteously, and he said, with
49:09
confidence in himself, ladies and gentlemen, a new generation is growing up in
49:15
our midst, a generation actuated by new ideas and new principles. It is
49:21
serious and enthusiastic for these new ideas, and its enthusiasm, even when it
49:25
is misdirected. Is I believe in the main sincere. But we are living
49:31
in a skeptical and, if I may use the phrase, a thought tormented
49:36
age. And sometimes I fear that this new generation, educated or hyper educated
49:40
as it is, will lack those qualities of humanity, of hospitality, of
49:45
kindly humor which belonged to an older day. Listening tonight to the names of
49:51
all those great singers of the past, it seemed to me I must confess
49:54
that we were living in a less spacious age. Those days might, without
50:00
exaggeration, be called spacious days. And if they are gone beyond recall,
50:05
let us hope at least that in gatherings such as this, we shall still
50:08
speak of them with pride and affection, still cherish in our hearts the memory
50:13
of those dead and gone, great ones whose fame the world will not willingly
50:16
let die. Hear hear, said mister Brown loudly, but yet continued Gabriel,
50:23
his voice falling into a softer inflection. There are always, in gatherings
50:29
such as this, sadder thoughts that will recur to our minds, thoughts of
50:34
the past, of youth, of changes of absent faces that we miss here
50:37
to night. Our path through life is strewn with many such sad memories,
50:45
and were we to brood upon them always, we could not find the heart
50:49
to go on bravely with our work among the living. We have, all
50:52
of us, living duties and living affections which claim and rightly claim our strenuous
50:59
endeavors. Therefore, I will not linger on the past. I will not
51:02
let any gloomy moralizing intrude upon us. Here to night. Here we are
51:07
gathered together for a brief moment from the bustle and rush of our everyday routine.
51:12
We are met here as friends, in the spirit of good fellowship,
51:15
as colleagues. Also, to a certain extent, in the true spirit of
51:20
camaraderie, and as the guests of what shall I call them, the three
51:24
graces of the Dublin musical world. The table burst into applause and laughter.
51:30
At this allusion. Aunt Julia vainly asked each of her neighbors in turn to
51:35
tell her what Gabriel had said. He says, we are the three Graces,
51:38
Aunt Julia, said Mary Jane. Aunt Julia did not understand, but
51:43
she looked up smiling at Gabriel, who continued in the same vein, ladies
51:47
and gentlemen, I will not attempt to play to night the part that Paris
51:52
played on another occasion. I will not attempt to choose between them. The
51:57
task would be an invidious one, and one beyond my poor powers. For
52:00
when I view them in turn, whether it be our chief hostess herself,
52:05
whose good heart, whose too good heart has become a bye word with all
52:08
who know her, or her sister, who seems to be gifted with perennial
52:13
youth, and whose singing must have been a surprise and a revelation to us
52:16
all to night, or last, but not least, when I consider our
52:21
youngest hostess, talented, cheerful, hard, working and the best of nieces.
52:25
I confess ladies and gentlemen, that I do not know to which of
52:29
them I should award the prize. Gabriel glanced down at his ants, and,
52:34
seeing the large smile in Aunt Julia's face and the tears which had risen
52:37
to Aunt Kate's eyes, hastened to his clothes. He raised his glass of
52:42
port gallantly, while every member of the company fingered a glass expectantly and said
52:46
loudly, let us toast them all three together. Let us drink to their
52:52
health, wealth, long life, happiness and prosperity. And may they long
52:57
continue to hold the proud and self one position which they hold in their profession,
53:02
and the position of honor and affection which they hold in our hearts.
53:07
All the guests stood up, glass in hand, and turning towards the three
53:12
seated ladies, sang in unison, with mister Brown as leader. For they
53:17
are jolly gayfel os, For they are jolly gayfel lowes. For they are
53:22
jolly gayfer hellos, which nobody can deny. Aunt Kate was making frank use
53:30
of her handkerchief, and even Aunt Julia seemed moved. Freddy Malins beat time
53:34
with his pudding fork, and the singers turned towards one another as if in
53:37
melodious conference, while they sang with emphasis unless he tells the lie, unless
53:44
he tell the lie. Then, turning once more towards their hostesses, they
53:49
sang, for they are jolly gayfelose, for they are jolly gayfelse, for
53:54
they are jolly gayfer helloes, which no mony can deny. The acclamation which
54:04
followed was taken up beyond the door of the supper room by many of the
54:07
other guests, and renewed time after time. Freddy Malins, acting as officer
54:13
with his fork on high, and of Part two Part three of the Dead
54:24
by James Joyce. The piercing morning air came into the hall where they were
54:30
standing, so that Aunt Kate said, close the door. Somebody, missus
54:34
Mallins will get her death of cold. Brown is out there, aunt Kate
54:37
said, Mary Jane. Brown is everywhere, said Aunt Kate, lowering her
54:43
voice. Mary Jane laughed at her tone. Really, she said archly,
54:47
he is very attentive. He has been laid on here like the gas,
54:52
said Aunt Kate in the same tone all during the Christmas. She laughed herself
54:58
this time good humoredly, and then added quickly, but tell him to come
55:01
in, Mary Jane and close the door. I hope to goodness he didn't
55:05
hear me. At that moment, the hall door was opened, and mister
55:07
Brown came in from the doorstep, laughing as if his heart would break.
55:13
He was dressed in a long green overcoat with mock astrackend cuffs and color,
55:16
and wore on his head an oval forrror cap. He pointed down the snow
55:21
covered key, from where the sound of shrill prolonged whistling was borne in teddy,
55:28
we'll have all the cabs in Dublin out, he said. Gabriel advanced
55:31
from the little pantry behind the office, struggling into his overcoat and looking round
55:37
the hall, said Gretta, not down yet, she's getting on her things,
55:42
Gabriel said. Aunt Kate, who's playing up there? Asked Gabriel.
55:45
Nobody they're all gone? Oh no, Aunt Kate, said Mary Jane,
55:50
Bartle Darcy and miss O'Callahan aren't gone yet. Some one is fooling at the
55:54
piano, anyhow, said Gabriel. Mary Jane glanced at Gabriel and mister Brown
56:00
and said with a shiver. It makes me feel cold to look at you
56:04
two gentlemen muffled up like that. I wouldn't like to face your journey home
56:07
at this hour. I'd like nothing better this minute, said mister Brown,
56:12
stoutly than a rattling, fine walk in the country, or a fast drive
56:15
with a good spanking door between the shafts. We used to have a very
56:20
good horse and trap at home, said Aunt Julia, sadly, the never
56:24
to be forgotten Johnny, said Mary Jane, laughing. Aunt Kate and Gabriel
56:29
laughed too. Why what was wonderful about Johnny, asked mister Brown. The
56:35
late lamented Patrick Morkan our grandfather, that is, explained Gabriel, the commonly
56:39
known in his later years as the Old Gentleman, was a glue boiler.
56:44
Oh now, Gabriel, said Aunt Kate, laughing. He had a starch
56:47
mill. Well, glue or starch, said Gabriel. The Old Gentleman had
56:52
a horse by the name of Johnny, and Johnnie used to work in the
56:54
Old Gentleman's mill, walking round and round in order to drive the mill.
56:59
That was all very well, but now comes the tragic part about Johnny.
57:02
One fine day, the old gentleman thought he'd like to drive out with the
57:05
quality to a military review in the park. The Lord have mercy on his
57:09
soul, said Aunt Kate compassionately, Amen, said Gabriel. So the old
57:15
gentleman, as I said, harnessed Johnny and put on his very best tall
57:19
hat and his very best stock collar, and drove out in grand style from
57:22
his ancestral mansion somewhere near brack Lane. I think everyone laughed, even Missus
57:28
Malins, at Gabriel's manner, and Aunt Kate said, oh, now,
57:30
Gabriel, he didn't live in back Lane, really, only the mill was
57:34
there, out from the mansion of his forefathers. Continued Gabriel. He drove
57:38
with Johnny, and everything went on beautifully until Johnny came in sight of King
57:43
Billy's statue. And whether he fell in love with the horse King Billy sits
57:46
on, or whether he thought he was back again in the mill, anyhow,
57:50
he began to walk round the statue. Gabriel paced in a circle round
57:54
the hall in his goloshes, amid the laughter of the others. Round and
57:59
round he went, said Gabriel. And the old gentleman, who was a
58:02
very pompous old gentleman was highly indignant. Go on, sir, what do
58:07
you mean, sir Johnny, Johnny, most extraordinary conduct. Can't understand the
58:10
horse. The peal of laughter which followed Gabriel's imitation of the incident was interrupted
58:15
by a resounding knock at the hall door. Mary Jane ran to open it
58:20
and let in Freddy Malins. Freddy Malins, with his hat well back on
58:23
his head and his shoulders humped with cold, was puffing and steaming after his
58:28
exertions. I could only get one cab, he said, Oh, we'll
58:32
find another along the key, said Gabriel. Yes, said Aunt Kate.
58:37
Better not keep missus Mallin standing in the draft. Missus Mallins was helped down
58:42
the front steps by her son and mister brown and, after many maneuvers,
58:45
hoisted into the cab. Freddy Malins clambered in after her and spent a long
58:49
time settling her on the seat, mister Browne helping him with advice. At
58:53
last she was settled comfortably, and Freddy Malins invited mister brown into the cab.
58:58
There was a good deal of concer used talk, and then mister Browne
59:00
got into the cab. The cabman settled his rug over his knees and bent
59:05
down for the address. The confusion grew greater, and the cabman was directed
59:07
differently by Freddy Malins and mister brown each of whom had his head out through
59:13
the window of the cab. The difficulty was to know where to drop mister
59:15
Browne along the route, and Aunt Kate, Aunt Julia, and Mary Jane
59:20
helped the discussion from the doorstep with cross directions at contradictions and abundance of laughter.
59:25
As for Freddy Malins, he was speechless with laughter. He popped his
59:30
head in and out of the window every moment to the great danger of his
59:32
hat, and told his mother how the discussion was progressing. Till at last
59:37
mister Browne shouted to the bewildered cabman above the din of everybody's laughter. Do
59:40
you know Trinity College? Yes, sir, said the cabman. We'll drive
59:45
bang up against Trinity College gates, said mister brown and then we'll tell you
59:50
where to go. You understand now, yes, sir, said the cabman.
59:53
Make like a bird for Trinity College. Right, sir, said the
59:57
cabman. The horse was whipped up and the cab rattled off along the key
1:00:00
amid a chorus of laughter and adieuze. Gabriel had not gone to the door
1:00:06
with the others. He was in a dark part of the hall, gazing
1:00:09
up the staircase. A woman was standing near the top of the first flight
1:00:14
in the shadow. Also he could not see her face, but he could
1:00:16
see the terra cotta and salmon pink panels of her skirt, which the shadow
1:00:22
made appear black and white. It was his wife. She was leaning on
1:00:25
the banisters, listening to something. Gabriel was surprised at her stillness and strained
1:00:31
his ear to listen also, but he could hear little save the noise of
1:00:37
laughter and dispute on the front steps, a few chords struck on the piano,
1:00:40
and a few notes of a man's voice singing. He stood still in
1:00:45
the gloom of the hall, trying to catch the ear of that the voice
1:00:49
was singing, and gazing up at his wife. There was grace and mystery
1:00:53
in her attitude, as if she were a symbol of something. He asked
1:00:59
himself, what is a woman standing on the stairs in a shadow, listening
1:01:02
to distant music a symbol of If he were a painter. He would paint
1:01:07
her in that attitude. Her blue felt hat would show off the bronze of
1:01:12
her hair against the darkness, and the dark panels of her skirt would show
1:01:15
off the light ones distant music. He would call the picture if he were
1:01:21
a painter. The hall door was closed, and Aunt Kate, Aunt Julia,
1:01:25
and Mary Jane came down the hall still laughing. Well, listen,
1:01:30
Freddy terrible, said Mary Jane. He is really terrible. Gabriel said nothing,
1:01:35
but pointed up the stairs towards where his wife was standing. Now that
1:01:38
the hall door was closed, the voice and the piano could be heard more
1:01:42
clearly. Gabriel held up his hand for them to be silent. The song
1:01:46
seemed to be in the old Irish tonality, and the singer seemed uncertain,
1:01:51
both of his words and of his voice. The voice, made plaintive by
1:01:54
distance and by the singer's hoarseness, faintly illuminated the cadence of the air with
1:02:00
words expressing grief. Oh, the rain falls on my heavy locks, and
1:02:07
the dew wets my skin. My babe lies cold, oh, exclaimed Mary
1:02:15
Jane. It's Bartle Darcy singing, and he wouldn't sing all the night.
1:02:20
Oh, I'll get him to sing a song before he goes. Oh do
1:02:22
Mary Jane, eh, said Aunt Kate. Mary Jane brushed past the others
1:02:29
and ran to the staircase, but before she reached it, the singing stopped
1:02:31
and the piano was closed abruptly. Oh what a pity, she cried,
1:02:37
Is he coming down? Greta Gabriel heard his wife answer yes, and saw
1:02:42
her come down towards them. A few steps behind her were mister Bartell Darcy
1:02:45
and miss O'Callahan. Oh, mister Darcy, cried Mary Jane. It's downright
1:02:51
mean of you to break off like that when we were all in raptures listening
1:02:53
to you. I have been at him all the evening, said miss Callahan.
1:02:59
And missus Conney too, and he told us he had a dreadful cold
1:03:01
and couldn't sing. Oh, mister Darcy, said Aunt Kate. Now that
1:03:07
was a great fib to tell. Can't you see that I'm as hoarse as
1:03:09
a crow, said mister Darcy roughly. He went into the pantry hastily and
1:03:15
put on his overcoat. The others, taken aback by his rude speech,
1:03:19
could find nothing to say. Aunt Kate wrinkled her brows and made signs to
1:03:23
the others to drop the subject. Mister Darcy stood, swathing his neck carefully
1:03:29
and frowning. It's the weather, said Aunt Julia, after a pause.
1:03:35
Yes, everybody has colds, said Aunt Kate readily. Everybody, they say,
1:03:40
said Mary Jane. We haven't had snow like it for thirty years,
1:03:45
and I read this morning in the newspapers that the snow is general all over
1:03:47
Ireland. I love the look of snow, said Aunt Julia. Sadly,
1:03:54
so do I said Miss O'Callaghan. I think Christmas is never really quick smith
1:04:00
unless we have the snow on the ground. But poor mister Darcy doesn't like
1:04:04
the snow, said Aunt Kate, smiling. Mister Darcy came from the pantry,
1:04:10
fully swathed and buttoned, and in a repentant tone, told them the
1:04:14
history of his cold. Everyone gave him advice and said it was a great
1:04:17
pity, and urged him to be very careful of his throat. In the
1:04:20
night air, Gabriel watched his wife, who did not join in the conversation.
1:04:26
She was standing right under the dusty fanlight, and the flame of the
1:04:30
gas lit up the rich bronze of her hair, which he had seen her
1:04:32
drying at the fire a few days before. She was in the same attitude
1:04:36
and seemed unaware of the talk about her. At last, she turned towards
1:04:42
them, and Gabriel saw that there was color on her cheeks and that her
1:04:45
eyes were shining. A sudden tide of joy went leaping out of his heart.
1:04:53
Mister Darcy, she said, what is the name of that song you
1:04:56
were singing? It's called the Lass of Okram, said mister Darcy, but
1:05:00
I couldn't remember it properly. Why do you know it the Lass of Ockram,
1:05:06
she repeated. I couldn't think of the name. It's a very nice
1:05:12
air, said Mary Jane. I'm sorry you were not in voice to night
1:05:16
now, Mary Jane said, Aunt Kate, don't annoy mister Darcy. I
1:05:20
won't have him annoyed. Seeing that all were ready to start, she shepherded
1:05:26
them to the door, where good night was said. Well, good night,
1:05:29
Aunt Kate, and thanks for the pleasant evening. Good night, Gabriel,
1:05:32
good night, Gretta, good night, Aunt Kay, and thanks ever
1:05:35
so much. Good night, Aunt Julia. Oh, good night, Gretta.
1:05:39
I didn't see you. Good night mister Darcy, good night, mister
1:05:42
Callahan, good night, Miss Morkan, good night again. Good night,
1:05:46
I'll safe home. Good night, good night. The morning was still dark.
1:05:54
A dull yellow light brooded over the houses and the river, and the
1:05:58
sky seemed to be descending. It was slushy underfoot, and only streaks and
1:06:03
patches of snow lay on the roofs, on the parapets of the quay,
1:06:06
and on the airy a railings. The lamps were still burning redly in the
1:06:12
murky air, and across the river the palace of the four Courts stood out
1:06:15
menacingly against the heavy sky. She was walking on before him, with mister
1:06:20
Bartell Darcy, her shoes and a brown parcel tucked under one arm, and
1:06:26
her hands holding her skirt up from the slush. She had no longer any
1:06:30
grace orratitude, but Gabriel's eyes were still bright with happiness. The blood went
1:06:38
bounding along his veins, and the thoughts went rioting through his brain. Proud,
1:06:45
joyful, tender, valorous. She was walking on before him, so
1:06:50
lightly and so erect, that he longed to run after her, noiselessly,
1:06:56
catch her by the shoulders and say something foolish and affectionate into her. She
1:07:00
seemed to him so frail that he longed to defend her against something, and
1:07:05
then to be alone with her. Moments of their secret life together burst like
1:07:11
stars upon his memory. A heliotrope envelope was lying beside his breakfast cup,
1:07:16
and he was caressing it with his hand. Birds were twittering in the ivy,
1:07:20
and the sunny web of the curtain was shimmering along the floor. He
1:07:25
could not eat for happiness. They were standing on the crowded platform, and
1:07:30
he was placing a ticket inside the warm palm of her glove. He was
1:07:34
standing with her in the cold, looking in through a grated window at a
1:07:39
man making bottles in a roaring furnace. It was very cold. Her face,
1:07:45
fragrant in the cold air, was quite close to his. And suddenly
1:07:47
he called out to the man at the furnace, it's the fire hot,
1:07:50
sir. But the man could not hear with the noise at the furnace.
1:07:55
It was just as well, he might have answered rudely. A wave of
1:08:00
yet more tender joy escaped from his heart and went coursing in warm flood the
1:08:04
crow along his arteries, like the tender fire of stars. Moments of their
1:08:10
life together that no one knew of, or whatever knew of, broke upon
1:08:14
and illumined his memory. He longed to recall to her those moments, to
1:08:19
make her forget that the years of their dull existence together and remember only their
1:08:24
moments of ecstasy. For the years he felt had not quenched his soul or
1:08:29
hers, their children. His writing her household cares had not quenched all their
1:08:34
souls tender fire. In one letter that he had written to her then,
1:08:40
he had said, why is it that words like these seemed to me so
1:08:44
dull and cold? Is it because there is no word tender enough to be
1:08:47
your name? Like distant music, These words that he had written years before,
1:08:55
were borne towards him from the past. He longed to be alone with
1:08:59
her when the others had gone away, When he and she were in the
1:09:01
room in the hotel, then they would be alone together. He would call
1:09:05
her softly, Greta. Perhaps she would not hear at once. She would
1:09:11
be undressing, then something in his voice would strike her. She would turn
1:09:15
and look at him. At the corner of Wine Tavern Street, they met
1:09:21
a cab. He was glad of its rattling noise, as it saved him
1:09:26
from conversation. She was looking at the window and seemed tired. The others
1:09:30
spoke only a few words, pointing out some building or a street. The
1:09:35
horse galloped along wearily into the murky morning sky, dragging his old rattling box
1:09:42
after his heels, and Gabriel was again in a cab with her, galloping
1:09:45
to catch the boat galloping to their honeymoon. As the cab drove across O'Connor
1:09:51
Bridge, miss O Callahan said, they say ye never cross O'Connell Bridge without
1:09:57
seeing a white horse. I see a white man this time, said Gabriel.
1:10:01
Where, asked mister Bartell Darcy. Gabriel pointed to the statue, on
1:10:08
which lay patches of snow. Then he nodded familiarly to it and waved his
1:10:12
hand good night. Then he said gaily. When the cab drew up before
1:10:18
the hotel, Gabriel jumped out, and, in spite of mister Bartell Darcy's
1:10:23
protest, paid the driver. He gave the man a shilling over his fare.
1:10:27
The man saluted and said, a prosperous new year to yours. Art
1:10:31
the same to you, said Gabriel, cordially, she leaned for a moment
1:10:36
on his arm in getting out of the cab, and while standing at the
1:10:39
curbstone bidding the others good night, she leaned lightly on his arm, as
1:10:44
lightly as when she had danced with him a few hours before. He had
1:10:47
felt proud and happy, then happy that she was his, proud of her
1:10:51
grace and wifely courage. But now, after the kindling again of so many
1:10:57
memories, the first touch of her body, musical and strange and perfumed,
1:11:01
sent through him a keen pang of lust. Under Cover of her silence,
1:11:08
he pressed her arm closely to his side, and as they stood at the
1:11:12
hotel door, he felt that they had escaped from their lives and duties,
1:11:15
escaped from home and friends, and run away together with wild and radiant hearts,
1:11:19
to a new adventure. An old man was dozing in a great hooded
1:11:26
chair in the hall. He lit a candle in the office and went before
1:11:30
them to the stairs. They followed him in silence, their feet falling in
1:11:33
soft thuds on the thickly carpeted stairs. She mounted the stairs behind the porter,
1:11:40
Her head bowed in the ascent, her frail shoulders curved as with a
1:11:45
burden her skirt girt tightly about her. He could have flung his arms about
1:11:50
her hips and held her still, for his arms were trembling with desire to
1:11:54
seize her, and only the stress of his nails against the palms of his
1:11:58
hands held the wild impulse of his body in check. The porter halted on
1:12:03
the stairs to settle his guttering candle. They halted too, on the steps
1:12:09
below him. In the silence, Gabriel could hear the falling of the molten
1:12:13
wax into the tray and the dumping of his own heart against his ribs.
1:12:19
The porter led them along a corridor and opened the door. Then he set
1:12:23
his unstable candle down on a toilet table and asked at what hour they were
1:12:27
to be called in the morning, Eight, said Gabriel. The porter pointed
1:12:32
to the tap of the electric light and began a muttered apology, but Gabriel
1:12:36
cut him short. We don't want any light. We've light enough from the
1:12:41
street, and I say, he added, pointing to the candle, you
1:12:44
might remove that handsome article like a good man. The porter took up his
1:12:48
candle again, but slowly, for he was surprised by such a novel idea
1:12:54
then he mumbled good night and went out. Gabriel shot the lock too.
1:13:01
A ghastly light from the street lamp lay in a long shaft from one window
1:13:05
to the door. Gabriel threw his overcoat and hat on a couch and crossed
1:13:11
the room towards the window. He looked down into the street in order that
1:13:15
his emotion might calm a little. Then he turned and leaned against a chest
1:13:20
of drawers with his back to the light. She had taken off her hat
1:13:25
and cloak and was standing before a large swinging mirror, unhooking her waist.
1:13:31
Gabriel paused for a few moments, watching her, and then said greta.
1:13:39
She turned away from the mirror slowly and walked along the shaft of light towards
1:13:43
him. Her face looked so serious and weary that the words would not pass
1:13:47
Gabriel's lips. No, it was not the moment yet. You look tired,
1:13:54
he said, I am a little. She answered, you don't feel
1:13:59
weak or ill, No, tired, that's all. She went on to
1:14:03
the window and stood there looking out. Gabriel waited again, and then,
1:14:09
fearing that diffidence was about to conquer him, he said abruptly by the way,
1:14:13
Gretta, what is it you know that poor fellow Mallins, He said
1:14:17
quickly, yes, what about him? Well, poor fellow, he's a
1:14:23
decent sort of chap after all, continued Gabriel in a false voice. He
1:14:27
gave me back that sovereign on entum, and I didn't expect it. Really,
1:14:30
it's a pity he wouldn't keep away from that Brown, because he's not
1:14:31
a bad fellow. Really, he was trembling now with annoyance. Why did
1:14:35
she seem so abstracted? He did not know how he could begin. Was
1:14:42
she annoyed too about something? If she would only turn to him, or
1:14:45
come to him of her own accord, to take her as she was would
1:14:48
be brutal. No, he must see some ardor in her eyes. First.
1:14:55
He longed to be master of her strange mood. When did you lend
1:15:00
him the pound? She asked? After a pause. Gabriel strove to restrain
1:15:05
himself from breaking out into brutal language about the Scottish Malins and his pound.
1:15:11
He longed to cry to her from his soul, to crush her body against
1:15:15
his, to overmaster her. But he said, oh, at Christmas,
1:15:19
when he opened a little Christmas card shop in Henry Street. He was in
1:15:25
such a fever of rage and desire that he did not hear her come from
1:15:29
the window. She stood before him for an instant, looking at him strangely,
1:15:33
then suddenly raising herself on tiptoe and resting her hands lightly on his shoulders,
1:15:39
she kissed him. You are a very generous person, Gabriel, she
1:15:44
said. Gabriel, trembling with delight at her sudden kiss and at the quaintness
1:15:49
of her phrase, put his hands on her hair, and began smoothing it
1:15:54
back, scarcely, touching it with his fingers. The washing had made it
1:15:58
fine and brilliant. His heart was brimming over with happiness, just when he
1:16:03
was wishing for it. She had come to him of her own accord.
1:16:05
Perhaps her thoughts had been running with his. Perhaps she had felt the impetuous
1:16:10
desire that was in him, and then the yielding mood had come upon her.
1:16:15
Now that she had fallen to him so easily, he wondered why he
1:16:17
had been so diffident. He stood, holding her head between his hands,
1:16:23
then slipping one arm swiftly about her body, and drawing her towards him,
1:16:27
He said softly Gretta, dear, what are you thinking about? She did
1:16:32
not answer, nor yield wholly to his arm. He said, again,
1:16:36
softly, tell me what it is, Greta, I think I know.
1:16:41
What is the matter? Do I know? She did not answer at once.
1:16:44
Then she said, in an outburst of tears, Oh, I am
1:16:47
thinking about that song the lass of Ookram. She broke loose from him and
1:16:54
ran to the bed, and, throwing her arms across the bed rail,
1:16:58
hid her face. Gabriel stood stock still for a moment in astonishment, and
1:17:03
then followed her. As he passed in the way of the cheval glass,
1:17:08
he caught sight of himself in full length, his broad well filled shirt front,
1:17:13
the face whose expression always puzzled him when he saw it in a mirror,
1:17:16
and his glimmering, gilt rimmed eye glasses. He halted a few paces
1:17:21
from her and said, what about the song? Why does that make you
1:17:26
cry? She raised her head from her arms and dried her eyes with the
1:17:31
back of her hand like a child. A kinder note than he had intended
1:17:35
went into his voice. Why, Greta, he asked, I am thinking
1:17:42
about a person long ago who used to sing that song, and who was
1:17:47
the person long ago, asked Gabriel, smiling. It was a person I
1:17:55
used to know in Galway when I was living with my grandmother, she said.
1:18:00
The smile passed away from Gabriel's face. A dull anger began to gather
1:18:05
again at the back of his mind, and the dull fires of his lust
1:18:09
began to glow angrily in his veins. Some one you were in love with,
1:18:15
he asked ironically. It was a young boy I used to know,
1:18:20
she answered, named Michael Fury. He used to sing that song, the
1:18:25
Last of Arkram. He was very delicate. Gabriel was silent. He did
1:18:31
not wish her to think that he was interested in this delicate boy. I
1:18:38
can see him so plainly, she said, after a moment. Such eyes
1:18:43
as he had, big dark eyes, and such an expression in them,
1:18:46
an expression. Oh, then you were in love with him, said Gabriel.
1:18:55
I used to go out walking with him, she said, when I
1:18:58
was in Galway. A thought flew across Gabriel's mind. Perhaps that was why
1:19:06
you wanted to go to Gawe with that iver's girl, he said coldly.
1:19:13
She looked at him and asked, in surprise, what of horror her eyes
1:19:18
made Gabriel feel awkward. He shrugged his shoulders and said, how do I
1:19:24
know to see him? Perhaps? She looked away from him along the shaft
1:19:29
of light towards the window in silence. He is dead, she said at
1:19:34
length. He died when he was only seventeen. Isn't it a terrible thing
1:19:40
to die so young as dad? What was he asked Gabriel, Still ironically,
1:19:48
he was in the gas works, she said. Gabriel felt humiliated by
1:19:56
the failure of his irony and by the avocation of this figure from the dead,
1:20:00
a boy in the gas works. While he had been full of memories
1:20:03
of their secret life together, full of tenderness and joy and desire, she
1:20:09
had been comparing him in her mind with another. A shameful consciousness of his
1:20:15
own person assailed him. He saw himself as a ludicrous figure, acting as
1:20:19
a penny boy for his aunt's, a nervous, well meaning sentimentalist, orating
1:20:25
to vulgarians and idealizing his own clownish lusts, the pitiable, fatuous fellow he
1:20:30
had caught a glimpse of in the mirror. Instinctively, he turned his back
1:20:35
more to the light lest she might see the shame that burned upon his forehead.
1:20:44
He tried to keep up his tone of cold interrogation, but his voice
1:20:47
when he spoke was humble and indifferent. I suppose you were in love with
1:20:53
this Michael Fury Gretta, he said, I was great with him at that
1:20:59
time. She said, Her voice was veiled and sad. Gabriel, feeling
1:21:08
now how vain it would be to try to lead her whither he had purposed,
1:21:12
caressed one of her hands and said, all so sadly, and what
1:21:16
did he die of? So young Greta consumption was it? I think he
1:21:21
died for me? She answered? A vague terror seized Gabriel at this answer,
1:21:30
as if at that hour when he had hoped to triumph, some impalpable
1:21:34
and vindictive being was coming against him, gathering forces against him in its vague
1:21:40
world. But he shook himself free of it with an effort of reason,
1:21:45
and continued to caress her hand. He did not question her again, for
1:21:48
he felt that she would tell him of herself. Her hand was warm and
1:21:54
moist, It did not respond to his touch, but he continued to caress
1:21:58
it, just as he it caressed. Her first letter to him that spring
1:22:01
morning. It was in the winter, She said, about the beginning of
1:22:09
the winter when I was going to leave my grandmothers and come up here to
1:22:13
the convent. And he was ill at the time in his lodgings in Galway
1:22:17
and wouldn't be let out. And his people in Utterard were written too.
1:22:21
He was in decline, they said, or something like that. I never
1:22:26
knew, rightly. She paused for a moment and sighed, poor fellow.
1:22:31
She said, he was very fond of me, and he was such a
1:22:35
gentle boy. We used to go out together walking, you know. Gabriel
1:22:40
like the way to do in the country. He was going to study singing
1:22:44
only for his health. He had a very good voice. Poor Michael fury
1:22:49
well and then asked Gabriel. And then when it came time for me to
1:22:58
leave Galway and come up to the convent, he was much worse and I
1:23:00
wouldn't be let see him. So I wrote him a letter saying I was
1:23:02
going up to Dublin and we'll be back in the summer, and hoping he
1:23:05
would be better. Then she paused for a moment to get her voice under
1:23:11
control, and then went on. Then, the night before I left,
1:23:15
I was in my grandmother's house in nun silent packing up, and I heard
1:23:18
gravel thrown up against the window. The window was so wet I couldn't see,
1:23:24
so I ran downstairs as I was and slipped out the back into the
1:23:27
garden. And there was the poor fellow at the end of the garden,
1:23:30
shivering. And did you not tell him to go back, asked Gabriel.
1:23:36
I implored of him to go home at once, and told him would get
1:23:40
his death in the rain, But he said he did not want to live.
1:23:43
I can see his eyes as well as well. He was standing at
1:23:45
the end of the wall where there was a tree. And did he go
1:23:51
home, asked Gabriel. Yes, he went home, and when I was
1:23:57
only a weak in the convent, he died and was buried neutralar it where
1:24:00
his people came from. Oh the day I heard that that he was dead.
1:24:05
She stopped choking with sobs, and, overcome by a motion, flung
1:24:11
herself face downward on the bed, sobbing in the quilt. Gabriel held her
1:24:15
hand for a moment longer, irresolutely, and then, shy of intruding on
1:24:19
her grief, let it fall gently and walked quietly to the window. She
1:24:30
was fast asleep. Gabriel, leaning on his elbow, looked for a few
1:24:36
moments, unresentfully on her tangled hair and half open mouth, listening to her
1:24:41
deep drawn breath. So she had had that romance in her life. A
1:24:46
man had died for her sake. It hardly pained him now to think how
1:24:51
poor a part he her husband, had played in her life. He watched
1:24:58
her a while she slept, as though he and she had never lived together
1:25:00
as man and wife. His curious eyes rested long upon her face and on
1:25:05
her hair, And as he thought of what she must have been then,
1:25:11
in that time of her first girlish beauty, a strange, friendly pity for
1:25:15
her entered his soul. He did not like to say even to himself that
1:25:18
her face was no longer beautiful, but he knew that it was no longer
1:25:23
the face for which Michael Fury had braved death. Perhaps she had not told
1:25:30
him all the story. His eyes moved to the chair over which she had
1:25:35
thrown some of her clothes. A petticoat string dangled to the floor. One
1:25:42
boot stood upright, its limp upper fallen down. The fellow of it lay
1:25:45
upon its side. He wondered at his riot of emotions of an hour before.
1:25:51
From what had it proceeded from his aunt's supper, from his own foolish
1:25:58
speech, from the wine and dancing, the merry making when saying good night
1:26:01
in the hall, the pleasure of the walk along the river in the snow.
1:26:06
Poor Aunt Julia, she too would soon be a shade, with the
1:26:12
shade of Patrick Morkan and his horse. He had caught that haggard look upon
1:26:17
her face for a moment when she was singing, arrayed for the bridle.
1:26:23
Soon, perhaps he would be sitting in that same drawing room, dressed in
1:26:27
black, his silk hat on his knees. The blinds would be drawn down,
1:26:32
and Aunt Kate would be sitting beside him, crying and blowing her nose
1:26:36
and telling him how Julia had died. He would cast about in his mind
1:26:43
for some words that might console her, and would find only lame and useless
1:26:46
ones. Yes, Yes, that would happen very soon. The air of
1:26:55
the room chilled his shoulders. He stretched himself cautiously long under the sheets and
1:27:00
lay down beside his wife. One by one, they were all becoming shades.
1:27:06
Better passed boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some
1:27:11
passion than fade and withered dismally with age. He thought of how she who
1:27:16
lay beside him, had locked in her heart for so many years that image
1:27:20
of her lover's eyes. When he told her that he did not wish to
1:27:24
live, generous tears filled Gabriel's eyes. He had never felt like that himself
1:27:32
towards any woman, but he knew that such a feeling must be love.
1:27:40
The tears gathered more thickly in his eyes, and in the partial darkness,
1:27:44
he imagined he saw the form of a young man standing under a dripping tree.
1:27:49
Other forms were near. His soul had approached that region where dwelled the
1:27:55
vast hosts of the dead. He was conscious of, but could not apprehend,
1:28:00
their wayward and flickering existence. His own identity was fading out into a
1:28:08
gray, impalpable world. The solid world itself, which these dead had one
1:28:14
time reared and lived in, was dissolving and dwindling. A few light taps
1:28:23
upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow
1:28:28
again. He watched sleepily, the flakes, silver and dark falling obliquely against
1:28:34
the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey
1:28:40
westward. Yes, the newspapers were right. Snow was general all over Ireland.
1:28:48
It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the
1:28:51
treeless hills, falling softly upon the bog of Allen, and farther westward,
1:28:57
slowly falling into the dark mutinous anon waves. It was falling too, upon
1:29:03
every part of the lonely churchyard, on the hill where Michael Fury lay buried.
1:29:10
It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears
1:29:14
of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as
1:29:20
he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe, and faintly falling like the
1:29:27
descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead, and
1:29:42
of the dead.