new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第10节
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comfortably on the mantelpiece； 〃have had my little fling； and the dear
boys used to sayahem！but this is mere worldly vanity。 You alone； my
dear son； he went on with slight severity； 〃seem to be wanting in some
criminality； orshall I say？some appropriate besetting sin to qualify you
for this holy retreat。 An absolutely gratuitous and blameless idiocy
appears to be your only peculiarity； and for this you must do penance。
From this day henceforth； I make you doorkeeper！ Go on with your
shoveling at present； and shut the door behind you； there's a terrible
draught in these corridors。〃
For three days John Gale underwent an agony of doubt and
determination； and it still snowed in Bishopsgate Street。
On the fourth evening he went to Brother Bones。
〃Would you like to have an evening out？〃
〃I would；〃 said Brother Bones。
〃What would you do？〃
〃I would go to see my remaining sister。〃 His left eyelid trembled
slowly in his cadaverous face。
〃But if you should hear she was ruined like the other？ What would
you do？〃
A shudder passed over the man。 〃I have not got my little knife；〃 he
said vacantly。
True； he had not！ The Brotherhood had no pockets；or rather only a
corporate one； which belonged to the Superior。 John Gale lifted his eyes
in sublime exaltation。 〃You shall go out；〃 he said with decision。
〃Muffle up until you are well out of Bishopsgate Street； where it still
snows。〃
〃But how did you get the keys？〃 said Brother Bones。
〃From under the Father Superior's door…mat。〃
〃But that was wrong； Brother。〃
〃The mat bore the inscription； 'Salve；' which you know in Latin means
'Welcome；'〃 returned John Gale。 〃It was logically a permission。〃
The two men gazed at each other silently。 A shudder passed over the
two left eyelids of their wan spiritual faces。
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〃But I have no money；〃 said Brother Bones。
〃Nor have I。 But here is a 'bus ticket and a free pass to the Gaiety。
You will probably find Golly somewhere about。 Tell her；〃 he said in a
hollow voice； 〃that I'm getting on。〃
〃I will；〃 said Brother Bones； with a deep cough。
The gate opened and he disappeared in the falling snow。 The
bloodhound kept by the monasteryone of the real Bishopsgate breed
bayed twice； and licked its huge jaws in ghastly anticipation。 〃I wonder；〃
said John Gale as he resumed his shoveling； 〃if I have done exactly right。
Candor compels me to admit that it is an open question。〃
BOOK V
Early the next morning； Brother Bones was brought home by
Policeman X； his hat crushed； his face haggard； his voice husky and
unintelligible。 He only said vaguely； 〃Washertime？〃
〃It is；〃 said John Gale timidly； in explanation to Policeman X； 〃a case
of spiritual exhaustion following a vigil。〃
〃That warn't her name；〃 said Policeman X sternly。 〃But don't let this
'ere appen again。〃
John Gale turned to Brother Bones。 〃Then you saw herGolly？〃
〃No；〃 said Brother Bones。
〃Why？ What on earth have you been doing？〃
〃Dunno！ Found myself in stashunzis morning！ Thashall！〃
Then John Gale sought the Superior in an agony of remorse； and
confessed all。 〃I am unfit to remain doorkeeper。 Remove me；〃 he
groaned bitterly。
The old man smiled gently。 〃On the contrary； I should have given
you the keys myself。 Hereafter you can keep them。 The ways of our
Brotherhood are mysterious；indeed； you may think idiotic；but we are
not responsible for them。 It's all Brother Caine's doingit's 'All Caine！〃
BOOK VI
Nevertheless； John Gale left the monastery。 〃The Bishopsgate
Street winter does not suit me；〃 he briefly explained to the Superior。 〃I
must go south or southwest。〃
But he did neither。 He saw Golly； who was living west。 He
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upbraided her for going on the stage。 She retorted： 〃Whose life is the
more artificial； yours or mine？ It is true that we are both imperfectly
clothed；〃 she added； glancing at a photograph of herself in a short skirt；
〃and not always in our right mindbut you've caught nothing but a cold！
Nevertheless； I love you and you love me。〃
Then he begged her to go with him to the South Seas and take the
place of Father Damien among the colony of lepers。 〃It is a beautiful
place； and inexpensive； for we shall live only a few weeks。 What do you
say； dearest？ You know；〃 he added； with a faint； sad smile； glancing at
another photograph of her；executing the high kick；〃you're quite a
leaper yourself。〃
But that night she received an offer of a new engagement。 She wrote
to John Gale： 〃The South Seas is rather an expensive trip to take simply to
die。 Couldn't we do it as cheaply at home？ Or couldn't you prevail on
your Father Superior to set up his monastery there？ I'm afraid I'm not up
to it。 Why don't you try the old 'Oilan；' nearer home？ There's lots of
measles and diphtheria about there lately。〃
When the heartbroken John Gale received this epistle； he also received
a letter from his uncle； the First Lord of the Admiralty。 〃I don't fancy this
Damien whim of yours。 If you're really in earnest about killing yourself；
why not take a brief trial trip in one of our latest ironclads？ It's just as
risky； althoughas we are obliged to keep these things quiet in the Office
you will not of course get that publicity your noble soul craves。〃
Abandoned by all in his noble purposes； John Gale took the first
steamer to the Isle of Man。
BOOK VII
But he did not remain there long。 Once back in that epistolary
island； he wrote interminable letters to Golly。 When they began to bore
each other； he returned to London and entered the Salvation Army。
Crowds flocked to hear him preach。 He inveighed against Society and
Wickedness as represented in his mind by Golly and her friends； and
praised a perfect Christianity represented by himself and HIS friends。 A
panic of the same remarkable character as the Bishopsgate Street winter
took possession of London。 Old Moore's； Zadkiel's； and Mother
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Shipton's prophecies were to be fulfilled at an early and fixed date； with
no postponement on account of weather。 Suddenly Society； John Drake；
and Antichrist generally combined by ousting him from his church； and
turning it into a music…hall for Golly！ Then John Gale took his last and
sublime resolve。 His duty as a perfect Christian was to kill Golly！ His
logic was at once inscrutable； perfect； andJohn Galish！
With this sublime and lofty purpose； he called upon Golly。 The
heroic girl saw his purpose in his eyean eye at once black； murderous；
and Christian…like。 For an instant she thought it was better to succumb at
once and thus end this remarkable attachment。 Suddenly through this
chaos of Spiritual； Religious； Ecstatic； Super…Egotistic whirl of confused
thought； darted a gleam of Common； Ordinary Horse Sense！ John Gale
saw it illumine her blue eyes； and trembled。 God in Mercy！ If it came
to THAT！
〃Sit down； John；〃 she said calmly。 Then； in her sweet； clear voice；
she said： 〃Did it ever occur to you； dearest； that a more ridiculous；
unconvincing； purposeless； insane； God…forsaken idiot than you never
existed？
