the cone-第1章

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THE　CONE



The　night　was　hot　and　overcast；　the　sky　red；　rimmed　with　the

lingering　sunset　of　mid…summer。　　They　sat　at　the　open　window；

trying　to　fancy　the　air　was　fresher　there。　　The　trees　and　shrubs　of

the　garden　stood　stiff　and　dark；　beyond　in　the　roadway　a　gas…

lamp　burnt；　bright　orange　against　the　hazy　blue　of　the　evening。　

Farther　were　the　three　lights　of　the　railway　signal　against　the

lowering　sky。　　The　man　and　woman　spoke　to　one　another　in　low　tones。



〃He　does　not　suspect？〃　said　the　man；　a　little　nervously。



〃Not　he；〃　she　said　peevishly；　as　though　that　too　irritated

her。　　〃He　thinks　of　nothing　but　the　works　and　the　prices　of　fuel。　

He　has　no　imagination；　no　poetry。〃



〃None　of　these　men　of　iron　have；〃　he　said　sententiously。　

〃They　have　no　hearts。〃



〃HE　has　not；〃　she　said。　　She　turned　her　discontented

face　towards　the　window。　　The　distant　sound　of　a　roaring　and

rushing　drew　nearer　and　grew　in　volume；　the　house　quivered；　one

heard　the　metallic　rattle　of　the　tender。　　As　the　train　passed；

there　was　a　glare　of　light　above　the　cutting　and　a　driving　tumult

of　smoke；　one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　six；　seven；　eight　black

oblongseight　truckspassed　across　the　dim　grey　of　the

embankment；　and　were　suddenly　extinguished　one　by　one　in　the　throat

of　the　tunnel；　which；　with　the　last；　seemed　to　swallow　down　train；

smoke；　and　sound　in　one　abrupt　gulp。



〃This　country　was　all　fresh　and　beautiful　once；〃　he　said；　〃and

nowit　is　Gehenna。　　Down　that　waynothing　but　pot…banks　and

chimneys　belching　fire　and　dust　into　the　face　of　heaven　。　。　。　。　。　

But　what　does　it　matter？　　An　end　comes；　an　end　to　all　this　cruelty

。　。　。　。　。　TO…MORROW。〃　　He　spoke　the　last　word　in　a　whisper。



〃TO…MORROW；〃　she　said；　speaking　in　a　whisper　too；　and

still　staring　out　of　the　window。



〃Dear！〃　he　said；　putting　his　hand　on　hers。



She　turned　with　a　start；　and　their　eyes　searched　one

another's。　　Hers　softened　to　his　gaze。　　〃My　dear　one！〃　she　said；

and　then：　〃It　seems　so　strange　that　you　should　have　come　into　my

life　like　thisto　open〃　　She　paused。



〃To　open？〃　he　said。



〃All　this　wonderful　world〃　she　hesitated；　and　spoke　still

more　softly〃this　world　of　LOVE　to　me。〃



Then　suddenly　the　door　clicked　and　closed。　　They　turned　their

heads；　and　he　started　violently　back。　　In　the　shadow　of　the　room

stood　a　great　shadowy　figuresilent。　　They　saw　the　face　dimly　in

the　half…light；　with　unexpressive　dark　patches　under　the　penthouse

brows。　　Every　muscle　in　Raut's　body　suddenly　became　tense。　　When

could　the　door　have　opened？　　What　had　he　heard？　　Had　he　heard　all？　

What　had　he　seen？　　A　tumult　of　questions。



The　new…comer's　voice　came　at　last；　after　a　pause　that　seemed

interminable。　　〃Well？〃　he　said。



〃I　was　afraid　I　had　missed　you；　Horrocks；〃　said　the　man　at　the

window；　gripping　the　window…ledge　with　his　hand。　　His　voice　was

unsteady。



The　clumsy　figure　of　Horrocks　came　forward　out　of　the　shadow。　

He　made　no　answer　to　Raut's　remark。　　For　a　moment　he　stood　above

them。



The　woman's　heart　was　cold　within　her。　　〃I　told　Mr。　Raut　it

was　just　possible　you　might　come　back；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　that

never　quivered。



Horrocks；　still　silent；　sat　down　abruptly　in　the　chair　by　her

little　work…table。　　His　big　hands　were　clenched；　one　saw　now　the

fire　of　his　eyes　under　the　shadow　of　his　brows。　　He　was　trying　to

get　his　breath。　　His　eyes　went　from　the　woman　he　had　trusted　to　the

friend　he　had　trusted；　and　then　back　to　the　woman。



By　this　time　and　for　the　moment　all　three　half　understood　one

another。　　Yet　none　dared　say　a　word　to　ease　the　pent…up　things　that

choked　them。



It　was　the　husband's　voice　that　broke　the　silence　at　last。



〃You　wanted　to　see　me？〃　he　said　to　Raut。



Raut　started　as　he　spoke。　　〃I　came　to　see　you；〃　he　said；

resolved　to　lie　to　the　last。



〃Yes；〃　said　Horrocks。



〃You　promised；〃　said　Raut；　〃to　show　me　some　fine　effects　of

moonlight　and　smoke。〃



〃I　promised　to　show　you　some　fine　effects　of　moonlight　and

smoke；〃　repeated　Horrocks　in　a　colourless　voice。



〃And　I　thought　I　might　catch　you　to…night　before　you　went　down

to　the　works；〃　proceeded　Raut；　〃and　come　with　you。〃



There　was　another　pause。　　Did　the　man　mean　to　take　the　thing

coolly？　　Did　he　after　all　know？　　How　long　had　he　been　in　the　room？　

Yet　even　at　the　moment　when　they　heard　the　door；　their　attitudes　。

。　。　。　Horrocks　glanced　at　the　profile　of　the　woman；　shadowy　pallid

in　the　half…light。　　Then　he　glanced　at　Raut；　and　seemed　to　recover

himself　suddenly。　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃I　promised　to　show　you

the　works　under　their　proper　dramatic　conditions。　　It's　odd　how　I

could　have　forgotten。〃



〃If　I　am　troubling　you〃　began　Raut。



Horrocks　started　again。　　A　new　light　had　suddenly　come　into

the　sultry　gloom　of　his　eyes。　　〃Not　in　the　least；〃　he　said。



〃Have　you　been　telling　Mr。　Raut　of　all　these　contrasts　of

flame　and　shadow　you　think　so　splendid？〃　said　the　woman；　turning

now　to　her　husband　for　the　first　time；　her　confidence　creeping　back

again；　her　voice　just　one　half…note　too　high。　　〃That　dreadful

theory　of　yours　that　machinery　is　beautiful；　and　everything　else　in

the　world　ugly。　　I　thought　he　would　not　spare　you；　Mr。　Raut。　　It's

his　great　theory；　his　one　discovery　in　art。〃



〃I　am　slow　to　make　discoveries；〃　said　Horrocks　grimly；　damping

her　suddenly。　　〃But　what　I　discover　。　。　。　。　。〃　　He　stopped。



〃Well？〃　she　said。



〃Nothing；〃　and　suddenly　he　rose　to　his　feet。



〃I　promised　to　show　you　the　works；〃　he　said　to　Raut；　and　put

his　big；　clumsy　hand　on　his　friend's　shoulder。　　〃And　you　are　ready

to　go？〃



〃Quite；〃　said　Raut；　and　stood　up　also。



There　was　another　pause。　　Each　of　them　peered　through　the

indistinctness　of　the　dusk　at　the　other　two。　　Horrocks'　hand　still

rested　on　Raut's　shoulder。　　Raut　half　fancied　still　that　the

incident　was　trivial　after　all。　　But　Mrs。　Horrocks　knew　her　husband

better；　knew　that　grim　quiet　in　his　voice；　and　the　confusion　in　her

mind　took　a　vague　shape　of　physical　evil。　　〃Very　well〃；　said

Horrocks；　and；　dropping　his　hand；　turned　towards　the　door。



〃My　hat？〃　　Raut　looked　round　in　the　half…light。



〃That's　my　work…basket；〃　said　Mrs。　Horrocks；　with　a　gust　of

hysterical　laughter。　　Their　hands　came　together　on　the　back　of　the

chair。　　〃Here　it　is！〃　he　said。　　She　had　an　impulse　to　warn　him　in

an　undertone；　but　she　could　not　frame　a　word。　　〃Don't　go！〃　and

〃Beware　of　him！〃　struggled　in　her　mind；　and　the　swift　moment

passed。



〃Got　it？〃　said　Horrocks；　standing　with　the　door　half　open。



Raut　stepped　towards　him。　　〃Better　say　good…bye　to　Mrs。

Horrocks；〃　said　the　ironmaster；　even　more　grimly　quiet　in　his　tone

than　before。



Raut　started　and　turned。　　〃Good…evening；　Mrs。　Horrocks；〃　he

said；　and　their　hands　touched。



Horrocks　held　the　door　open　with　a　ceremonial　politeness

unusual　in　him　towards　men。　　Raut　went　out；　and　then；　after　a

wordless　look　at　her；　her　husband　followed。　　She　stood　motionless

while　Raut's　light　footfall　and　her　husband's　heavy　tread；　like

bass　and　treble；　passed　down　the　passage　together。　　The　front　door

slammed　heavily。　　She　went　to　the　window；　moving　slowly；　and　stood

watchingleaning　forward。　　The　two　men　appeared　for　a　moment　at

the　gateway　in　the　road；　passed　under　the　street　lamp；　and　were

hidden　by　the　black　masses　of　the　shrubbery。　　The　lamp…light　fell

for　a　moment　on　their　faces；　showing　only　unmeaning　pale　patches；

telling　nothing　of　what　she　still　feared；　and　doubted；　and　craved

vainly　to　know。　　Then　she　sank　down　into　a　crouching　attitude　in

the　big　arm…chair；　her　eyes　wide　open　and　staring　out　at　the　red

lights　from　the　furnaces　that　flickered　in　the　sky。　　An　hour　after

she　was　still　there；　her　attitude　scarcely　changed。



The　oppressive　stillness　of　the　evening　weighed　heavily　upon

Raut。　　They　went　side　by　side　down　the　road　in　silence；　and　in

silence　turned　into　the　cinder…made　by…way　that　presently　opened

out　the　prospect　of　the　valley。



A　blue　haze；　half　dust；　half　mist；　touched　the　long　valley

with　mystery。　　Beyond　were　Hanley　and　Etruria；　grey　and　dark

masses；　outlined　thinly　by　the　rare　golden　dots　of　the　street

lamps；　and　here　and　there　a　gaslit　window；　or　the　yellow　glare　of

some　late…working　factory　or　crowded　public…house。　　Out　of　the

masses；　clear　and　slender　against　the　evening　sky；　rose　a　multitude

of　tall　chimneys；　many　of　them　reeking；　a　few　smokeless　during　a

season　of　〃play。〃　　Here　and　there　a　pallid　patch　and　ghostly

stunted　beehive　shapes　showed　the　position　of　a　pot…bank；　or　a

wheel；　black　and　sharp　against　the　hot　lower　sky；　marked　some

colliery　where　they　raise　the　iridescent　coal　of　the　place。　　Nearer

at　hand　was　the　broad　stretch　of　railway；　and　half　invisible　trains

shunteda　steady　puffing　and　rumbling；　with　every　run　a　ringing

concussion　and　a　rhythmic　series　of　impacts；　and　a　passage　of

intermittent　puffs　of　white　steam　across　the　further　view。　　And

to　the　left；　between　the　railway　and　the　dark　mass　of　the　low　hill

beyond；　dominating　the　whole　view；　colossal；　inky…black；　and

crowned　with　smoke　and　fitful　flames；　stood　the　great　cylinders　of

the　Jeddah　Company　Blast　Furnaces；　the　central　edifices　of　the　big

ironworks　of　which　Horrocks　was　the　manager。　　They　stood　heavy　and

threatening；　full　of　an　incessant　turmoil　of　flames　and　seething

molten　iron；　and　about　the　feet　of　them　rattled　the　rolling…mills；

and　the　steam　hammer　beat　heavily　and　splashed　the　white　iron

sparks　hither　and　thither。　　Even　as　they　looked；　a　truckful　of　fuel

was　shot　into　one　of　the　giants；　and　the　red　flames　gleamed　out；

and　a　confusion　of　smoke　and　black　dust　came　boiling　upwards

towards　the　sky。



〃Certainly　you　get　some　fine　effects　of　colour　with　your

furnaces；〃　said　Raut；　breaking　a　silence　that　had　become

apprehensive。



Horrocks　grunted。　　He　stood　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；

frowning　down　at　the　dim　steaming　railway　and　the　busy　ironworks

beyond；　frowning　as　if　he　were　thinking　out　some　knotty　problem。



Raut　glanced　at　him　and　away　again。　　〃At　present　your

moonlight　effect　is　hardly　ripe；〃　he　continued；　looking　upward。　

〃The　moon　is　still　smothered　by　the　vestiges　of　daylight。〃



Horrocks　stared　at　him　with　the　expression　of　a　man　who　has

suddenly　awakened。　　〃Vestiges　of　daylight？　。　。　。　。　Of　course；　of

course。〃　　He　too　looked　up　at　the　moon；　pale　still　in　the　midsummer

sky。　　〃Come　along；〃　he　said　suddenly；　and；　gripping　Raut's　arm　in

his　hand；　made　a　move　towards　the　path　that　dropped　from　them　to

the　railway。



Raut　hung　back。　　Their　eyes　met　and　saw　a　thousand　things　in

a　moment　that　their　eyes　came　near　to　say。　　Horrocks'　hand

tightened　and　then　relaxed。　　He　let　go；　and　before　Raut　was　aware

of　it；　they　were　arm　in　arm；　and　walking；　one　unwillingly　enough；

down　the　path。



〃You　see　the　fine　effect　of　the　railway　signals　tow