lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第7章

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felt　more　than　half　inclined　to　drop　his　five　shillings　into　his

pocket；　and　to　go　out　into　the　street　once　more。



'Is　it　yes；　or　no？'　asked　the　landlord。　　'Settle　it　as　quick　as　you

can；　because　there's　lots　of　people　wanting　a　bed　at　Doncaster　to…

night；　besides　you。'



Arthur　looked　towards　the　court；　and　heard　the　rain　falling　heavily

in　the　street　outside。　　He　thought　he　would　ask　a　question　or　two

before　he　rashly　decided　on　leaving　the　shelter　of　The　Two　Robins。



'What　sort　of　a　man　is　it　who　has　got　the　other　bed？'　he　inquired。

'Is　he　a　gentleman？　　I　mean；　is　he　a　quiet；　well…behaved　person？'



'The　quietest　man　I　ever　came　across；'　said　the　landlord；　rubbing

his　fat　hands　stealthily　one　over　the　other。　　'As　sober　as　a　judge；

and　as　regular　as　clock…work　in　his　habits。　　It　hasn't　struck　nine；

not　ten　minutes　ago；　and　he's　in　his　bed　already。　　I　don't　know

whether　that　comes　up　to　your　notion　of　a　quiet　man：　　it　goes　a

long　way　ahead　of　mine；　I　can　tell　you。'



'Is　he　asleep；　do　you　think？'　asked　Arthur。



'I　know　he's　asleep；'　returned　the　landlord。　　'And　what's　more；

he's　gone　off　so　fast；　that　I'll　warrant　you　don't　wake　him。　　This

way；　sir；'　said　the　landlord；　speaking　over　young　Holliday's

shoulder；　as　if　he　was　addressing　some　new　guest　who　was

approaching　the　house。



'Here　you　are；'　said　Arthur；　determined　to　be　beforehand　with　the

stranger；　whoever　he　might　be。　　'I'll　take　the　bed。'　　And　he　handed

the　five　shillings　to　the　landlord；　who　nodded；　dropped　the　money

carelessly　into　his　waistcoat…pocket；　and　lighted　the　candle。



'Come　up　and　see　the　room；'　said　the　host　of　The　Two　Robins；

leading　the　way　to　the　staircase　quite　briskly；　considering　how　fat

he　was。



They　mounted　to　the　second…floor　of　the　house。　　The　landlord　half

opened　a　door；　fronting　the　landing；　then　stopped；　and　turned　round

to　Arthur。



'It's　a　fair　bargain；　mind；　on　my　side　as　well　as　on　yours；'　he

said。　　'You　give　me　five　shillings；　I　give　you　in　return　a　clean；

comfortable　bed；　and　I　warrant；　beforehand；　that　you　won't　be

interfered　with；　or　annoyed　in　any　way；　by　the　man　who　sleeps　in

the　same　room　as　you。'　　Saying　those　words；　he　looked　hard；　for　a

moment；　in　young　Holliday's　face；　and　then　led　the　way　into　the

room。



It　was　larger　and　cleaner　than　Arthur　had　expected　it　would　be。

The　two　beds　stood　parallel　with　each　other　…　a　space　of　about　six

feet　intervening　between　them。　　They　were　both　of　the　same　medium

size；　and　both　had　the　same　plain　white　curtains；　made　to　draw；　if

necessary；　all　round　them。　　The　occupied　bed　was　the　bed　nearest

the　window。　　The　curtains　were　all　drawn　round　this；　except　the

half　curtain　at　the　bottom；　on　the　side　of　the　bed　farthest　from

the　window。　　Arthur　saw　the　feet　of　the　sleeping　man　raising　the

scanty　clothes　into　a　sharp　little　eminence；　as　if　he　was　lying

flat　on　his　back。　　He　took　the　candle；　and　advanced　softly　to　draw

the　curtain　…　stopped　half…way；　and　listened　for　a　moment　…　then

turned　to　the　landlord。



'He's　a　very　quiet　sleeper；'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　said　the　landlord；　'very　quiet。'



Young　Holliday　advanced　with　the　candle；　and　looked　in　at　the　man

cautiously。



'How　pale　he　is！'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　returned　the　landlord；　'pale　enough；　isn't　he？'



Arthur　looked　closer　at　the　man。　　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　to

his　chin；　and　they　lay　perfectly　still　over　the　region　of　his

chest。　　Surprised　and　vaguely　startled；　as　he　noticed　this；　Arthur

stooped　down　closer　over　the　stranger；　looked　at　his　ashy；　parted

lips；　listened　breathlessly　for　an　instant；　looked　again　at　the

strangely　still　face；　and　the　motionless　lips　and　chest；　and　turned

round　suddenly　on　the　landlord；　with　his　own　cheeks　as　pale　for　the

moment　as　the　hollow　cheeks　of　the　man　on　the　bed。



'Come　here；'　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　　'Come　here；　for　God's

sake！　　The　man's　not　asleep　…　he　is　dead！'



'You　have　found　that　out　sooner　than　I　thought　you　would；'　said　the

landlord；　composedly。　　'Yes；　he's　dead；　sure　enough。　　He　died　at

five　o'clock　to…day。'



'How　did　he　die？　　Who　is　he？'　asked　Arthur；　staggered；　for　a

moment；　by　the　audacious　coolness　of　the　answer。



'As　to　who　is　he；'　rejoined　the　landlord；　'I　know　no　more　about　him

than　you　do。　　There　are　his　books　and　letters　and　things；　all

sealed　up　in　that　brown…paper　parcel；　for　the　Coroner's　inquest　to

open　to…morrow　or　next　day。　　He's　been　here　a　week；　paying　his　way

fairly　enough；　and　stopping　in…doors；　for　the　most　part；　as　if　he

was　ailing。　　My　girl　brought　him　up　his　tea　at　five　to…day；　and　as

he　was　pouring　of　it　out；　he　fell　down　in　a　faint；　or　a　fit；　or　a

compound　of　both；　for　anything　I　know。　　We　could　not　bring　him　to　…

and　I　said　he　was　dead。　　And　the　doctor　couldn't　bring　him　to　…　and

the　doctor　said　he　was　dead。　　And　there　he　is。　　And　the　Coroner's

inquest's　coming　as　soon　as　it　can。　　And　that's　as　much　as　I　know

about　it。'



Arthur　held　the　candle　close　to　the　man's　lips。　　The　flame　still

burnt　straight　up；　as　steadily　as　before。　　There　was　a　moment　of

silence；　and　the　rain　pattered　drearily　through　it　against　the

panes　of　the　window。



'If　you　haven't　got　nothing　more　to　say　to　me；'　continued　the

landlord；　'I　suppose　I　may　go。　　You　don't　expect　your　five

shillings　back；　do　you？　　There's　the　bed　I　promised　you；　clean　and

comfortable。　　There's　the　man　I　warranted　not　to　disturb　you；　quiet

in　this　world　for　ever。　　If　you're　frightened　to　stop　alone　with

him；　that's　not　my　look　out。　　I've　kept　my　part　of　the　bargain；　and

I　mean　to　keep　the　money。　　I'm　not　Yorkshire；　myself；　young

gentleman；　but　I've　lived　long　enough　in　these　parts　to　have　my

wits　sharpened；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　found　out　the　way　to

brighten　up　yours；　next　time　you　come　amongst　us。'　　With　these

words；　the　landlord　turned　towards　the　door；　and　laughed　to　himself

softly；　in　high　satisfaction　at　his　own　sharpness。



Startled　and　shocked　as　he　was；　Arthur　had　by　this　time

sufficiently　recovered　himself　to　feel　indignant　at　the　trick　that

had　been　played　on　him；　and　at　the　insolent　manner　in　which　the

landlord　exulted　in　it。



'Don't　laugh；'　he　said　sharply；　'till　you　are　quite　sure　you　have

got　the　laugh　against　me。　　You　shan't　have　the　five　shillings　for

nothing；　my　man。　　I'll　keep　the　bed。'



'Will　you？'　said　the　landlord。　　'Then　I　wish　you　a　goodnight's

rest。'　　With　that　brief　farewell；　he　went　out；　and　shut　the　door

after　him。



A　good　night's　rest！　　The　words　had　hardly　been　spoken；　the　door

had　hardly　been　closed；　before　Arthur　half…repented　the　hasty　words

that　had　just　escaped　him。　　Though　not　naturally　over…sensitive；

and　not　wanting　in　courage　of　the　moral　as　well　as　the　physical

sort；　the　presence　of　the　dead　man　had　an　instantaneously　chilling

effect　on　his　mind　when　he　found　himself　alone　in　the　room　…　alone；

and　bound　by　his　own　rash　words　to　stay　there　till　the　next

morning。　　An　older　man　would　have　thought　nothing　of　those　words；

and　would　have　acted；　without　reference　to　them；　as　his　calmer

sense　suggested。　　But　Arthur　was　too　young　to　treat　the　ridicule；

even　of　his　inferiors；　with　contempt　…　too　young　not　to　fear　the

momentary　humiliation　of　falsifying　his　own　foolish　boast；　more

than　he　feared　the　trial　of　watching　out　the　long　night　in　the　same

chamber　with　the　dead。



'It　is　but　a　few　hours；'　he　thought　to　himself；　'and　I　can　get　away

the　first　thing　in　the　morning。'



He　was　looking　towards　the　occupied　bed　as　that　idea　passed　through

his　mind；　and　the　sharp；　angular　eminence　made　in　the　clothes　by

the　dead　man's　upturned　feet　again　caught　his　eye。　　He　advanced　and

drew　the　curtains；　purposely　abstaining；　as　he　did　so；　from　looking

at　the　face　of　the　corpse；　lest　he　might　unnerve　himself　at　the

outset　by　fastening　some　ghastly　impression　of　it　on　his　mind。　　He

drew　the　curtain　very　gently；　and　sighed　involuntarily　as　he　closed

it。　　'Poor　fellow；'　he　said；　almost　as　sadly　as　if　he　had　known　the

man。　　'Ah；　poor　fellow！'



He　went　next　to　the　window。　　The　night　was　black；　and　he　could　see

nothing　from　it。　　The　rain　still　pattered　heavily　against　the

glass。　　He　inferred；　from　hearing　it；　that　the　window　was　at　the

back　of　the　house；　remembering　that　the　front　was　sheltered　from

the　weather　by　the　court　and　the　buildings　over　it。



While　he　was　still　standing　at　the　window　…　for　even　the　dreary

rain　was　a　relief；　because　of　the　sound　it　made；　a　relief；　also；

because　it　moved；　and　had　some　faint　suggestion；　in　consequence；　of

life　and　companionship　in　it　…　while　he　was　standing　at　the　window；

and　looking　vacantly　into　the　black　darkness　outside；　he　heard　a

distant　church…clock　strike　ten。　　Only　ten！　　How　was　he　to　pass　the

time　till　the　house　was　astir　the　next　morning？



Under　any　other　circumstances；　he　would　have　gone　down　to　the

public…house　parlour；　would　have　called　for　his　grog；　and　would

have　laughed　and　talked　with　the　company　assembled　as　familiarly　as

if　he　had　known　them　all　his　life。　　But　the　very　thought　of　whiling

away　the　time　in　this　manner　was　distasteful　to　him。　　The　new

situation　in　which　he　was　placed　seemed　to　have　altered　him　to

himself　already。　　Thus　far；　his　life　had　been　the　common；　trifling；

prosaic；　surface…life　of　a　prosperous　young　man；　with　no　troubles

to　conquer；　and　no　trials　to　face。　　He　had　lost　no　relation　whom　he

loved；　no　friend　whom　he　treasured。　　Till　this　night；　what　share　he

had　of　the　immortal　inheritance　that　is　divided　amongst　us　all；　had

laid　dormant　within　him。　　Till　this　night；　Death　and　he　had　not

once　met；　even　in　thought。



He　took　a　few　turns　up　and　down　the　room　…　then　stopped。　　The　noise

made　by　his　boots　on　the　poorly　carpeted　floor；　jarred　on　his　ear。

He　hesitated　a　little；　and　ended　by　taking　the　boots　off；　and

walking　backwards　and　forwards　noiselessly。　　All　desire　to　sleep　or

to　rest　had　left　him。　　The　bare　thought　of　lying　down　on　the

unoccupied　bed　instantly　drew　the　picture　on　his　mind　of　a　dreadful

mimicry　of　the　position　of　the　dead　man。　　Who　was　he？　　What　was　the

story　of　his　past　life？　　Poor　he　must　have　been；　or　he　would　not

have　stopped　at　such　a　place　as　The　Two　Robins　Inn　…　and　weakened；

probably；　by　long　illness；　or　he　could　hardly　have　died　in　the

manner　in　which　the　landlord　had　described。　　Poor；　ill；　lonely；　…

dead　in　a　strange　place；　dead；　with　nobody　but　a　stranger　to　pity

him。　　A　sad　story：　　truly；　on　the　mere　face　of　it；　a　very　sad

story。



While　these　thoughts　were　passing　through　his　mind；　he　had　stopped

insensibly　at　the　window；　close　to　which　stood　the　foot　of　the　bed

with　the　closed　curtains。　　At　first　he　looked　at　it　absently；　then

he　became　conscious　that　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　it；　and　then；　a

perverse　desire　took　possession　of　him　to　do　the　very　thing　which

he　had　resolved　not　to　do；　up　to　this　time　…　to　lo