尤利西斯-第64章

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single　thing　they　ever　had　words　about；　taking　snuff。　Everyone　thought　the　world　of　her　for　her　gentle　ways。　It　was　Gerty　who　turned　off　the　gas　at　the　main　every　night　and　it　was　Gerty　who　tacked　up　on　the　wall　of　that　place　where　she　never　forgot　every　fortnight　the　chlorate　of　lime　Mr　Tunney　the　grocer's　christmas　almanac　the　picture　of　halcyon　days　where　a　young　gentleman　in　the　costume　they　used　to　wear　then　with　a　threecornered　hat　was　offering　a　bunch　of　flowers　to　his　ladylove　with　oldtime　chivalry　through　her　lattice　window。　You　could　see　there　was　a　story　behind　it。　The　colours　were　done　something　lovely。　She　was　in　a　soft　clinging　white　in　a　studied　attitude　and　the　gentleman　was　in　chocolate　and　he　looked　a　thorough　aristocrat。　She　often　looked　at　them　dreamily　when　there　for　a　certain　purpose　and　felt　her　own　arms　that　were　white　and　soft　just　like　hers　with　the　sleeves　back　and　thought　about　those　times　because　she　had　found　out　in　Walker's　pronouncing　dictionary　that　belonged　to　grandpapa　Giltrap　about　the　halcyon　days　what　they　meant。　
The　twins　were　now　playing　in　the　most　approved　brotherly　fashion；　till　at　last　Master　Jacky　who　was　really　as　bold　as　brass　there　was　no　getting　behind　that　deliberately　kicked　the　ball　as　hard　as　ever　he　could　down　towards　the　seaweedy　rocks。　Needless　to　say　poor　Tommy　was　not　slow　to　voice　his　dismay　but　luckily　the　gentleman　in　black　who　was　sitting　there　by　himself　came　gallantly　to　the　rescue　and　intercepted　the　ball。　Our　two　champions　claimed　their　plaything　with　lusty　cries　and　to　avoid　trouble　Cissy　Caffrey　called　to　the　gentleman　to　throw　it　to　her　please。　The　gentleman　aimed　the　ball　once　or　twice　and　then　threw　it　up　the　strand　towards　Cissy　Caffrey　but　it　rolled　down　the　slope　and　stopped　right　under　Gerty's　skirt　near　the　little　pool　by　the　rock。　The　twins　clamoured　again　for　it　and　Cissy　told　her　to　kick　it　away　and　let　them　fight　for　it　so　Gerty　drew　back　her　foot　but　she　wished　their　stupid　ball　hadn't　e　rolling　down　to　her　and　she　gave　a　kick　but　she　missed　and　Edy　and　Cissy　laughed。　
　If　you　fail　try　again；　Edy　Boardman　said。　
Gerty　smiled　assent　and　bit　her　lip。　A　delicate　pink　crept　into　her　pretty　cheek　but　she　was　determined　to　let　them　see　so　she　just　lifted　her　skirt　a　little　but　just　enough　and　took　good　aim　and　gave　the　ball　a　jolly　good　kick　and　it　went　ever　so　far　and　the　two　twins　after　it　down　towards　the　shingle。　Pure　jealousy　of　course　it　was　nothing　else　to　draw　attention　on　account　of　the　gentleman　opposite　looking。　She　felt　the　warm　flush；　a　danger　signal　always　with　Gerty　MacDowell；　surging　and　flaming　into　her　cheeks。　Till　then　they　had　only　exchanged　glances　of　the　most　casual　but　now　under　the　brim　of　her　new　hat　she　ventured　a　look　at　him　and　the　face　that　met　her　gaze　there　in　the　twilight；　wan　and　strangely　drawn；　seemed　to　her　the　saddest　she　had　ever　seen。　
Through　the　open　window　of　the　church　the　fragrant　incense　was　wafted　and　with　it　the　fragrant　names　of　her　who　was　conceived　without　stain　of　original　sin；　spiritual　vessel；　pray　for　us；　honourable　vessel；　pray　for　us；　vessel　of　singular　devotion；　pray　for　us；　mystical　rose。　And　careworn　hearts　were　there　and　toilers　for　their　daily　bread　and　many　who　had　erred　and　wandered；　their　eyes　wet　with　contrition　but　for　all　that　bright　with　hope　for　the　reverend　father　Hughes　had　told　them　what　the　great　saint　Bernard　said　in　his　famous　prayer　of　Mary；　the　most　pious　Virgin's　intercessory　power　that　it　was　not　recorded　in　any　age　that　those　who　implored　her　powerful　protection　were　ever　abandoned　by　her。　
The　twins　were　now　playing　again　right　merrily　for　the　troubles　of　childhood　are　but　as　fleeting　summer　showers。　Cissy　played　with　baby　Boardman　till　he　crowed　with　glee；　clapping　baby　hands　in　air。　Peep　she　cried　behind　the　hood　of　the　pushcar　and　Edy　asked　where　was　Cissy　gone　and　then　Cissy　popped　up　her　head　and　cried　ah！　and；　my　word；　didn't　the　little　chap　enjoy　that！　And　then　she　told　him　to　say　papa。　
　Say　papa；　baby。　Say　pa　pa　pa　pa　pa　pa　pa。　
And　baby　did　his　level　best　to　say　it　for　he　was　very　intelligent　for　eleven　months　everyone　said　and　big　for　his　age　and　the　picture　of　health；　a　perfect　little　bunch　of　love；　and　he　would　certainly　turn　out　to　be　something　great；　they　said。　
　Hajajajahaja。　
Cissy　wiped　his　little　mouth　with　the　dribbling　bib　and　wanted　him　to　sit　up　properly；　and　say　pa　pa　pa　but　when　she　undid　the　strap　she　cried　out；　holy　saint　Denis；　that　he　was　possing　wet　and　to　double　the　half　blanket　the　other　way　under　him。　Of　course　his　infant　majesty　was　most　obstreperous　at　such　toilet　formalities　and　he　let　everyone　know　it：　
　Habaa　baaaahabaaa　baaaa。　
And　two　great　big　lovely　big　tears　coursing　down　his　cheeks。　It　was　all　no　use　soothering　him　with　no；　nono；　baby；　no　and　telling　him　about　the　geegee　and　where　was　the　puffpuff　but　Ciss；　always　readywitted；　gave　him　in　his　mouth　the　teat　of　the　suckingbottle　and　the　young　heathen　was　quickly　appeased。　
Gerty　wished　to　goodness　they　would　take　their　squalling　baby　home　out　of　that　and　not　get　on　her　nerves　no　hour　to　be　out　and　the　little　brats　of　twins。　She　gazed　out　towards　the　distant　sea。　It　was　like　the　paintings　that　man　used　to　do　on　the　pavement　with　all　the　coloured　chalks　and　such　a　pity　too　leaving　them　there　to　be　all　blotted　out；　the　evening　and　the　clouds　ing　out　and　the　Bailey　light　on　Howth　and　to　hear　the　music　like　that　and　the　perfume　of　those　incense　they　burned　in　the　church　like　a　kind　of　waft。　And　while　she　gazed　her　heart　went　pitapat。　Yes；　it　was　her　he　was　looking　at　and　there　was　meaning　in　his　look。　His　eyes　burned　into　her　as　though　they　would　search　her　through　and　through；　read　her　very　soul。　Wonderful　eyes　they　were；　superbly　expressive；　but　could　you　trust　them？　People　were　so　queer。　She　could　see　at　once　by　his　dark　eyes　and　his　pale　intellectual　face　that　he　was　a　foreigner；　the　image　of　the　photo　she　had　of　Martin　Harvey；　the　matinée　idol；　only　for　the　moustache　which　she　preferred　because　she　wasn't　stagestruck　like　Winny　Rippingham　that　wanted　they　two　to　always　dress　the　same　on　account　of　a　play　but　she　could　not　see　whether　he　had　an　aquiline　nose　or　a　slightly　retmussé　from　where　he　was　sitting。　He　was　in　deep　mourning；　she　could　see　that；　and　the　story　of　a　haunting　sorrow　was　written　on　his　face。　She　would　have　given　worlds　to　know　what　it　was。　He　was　looking　up　so　intently；　so　still　and　he　saw　her　kick　the　ball　and　perhaps　he　could　see　the　bright　steel　buckles　of　her　shoes　if　she　swung　them　like　that　thoughtfully　with　the　toes　down。　She　was　glad　that　something　told　her　to　put　on　the　transparent　stockings　thinking　Reggy　Wylie　might　be　out　but　that　was　far　away。　Here　was　that　of　which　she　had　so　often　dreamed。　It　was　he　who　mattered　and　there　was　joy　on　her　face　because　she　wanted　him　because　she　felt　instinctively　that　he　was　like　no…one　else。　The　very　heart　of　the　girlwoman　went　out　to　him；　her　dreamhusband；　because　she　knew　on　the　instant　it　was　him。　If　he　had　suffered；　more　sinned　against　than　sinning；　or　even；　even；　if　he　had　been　himself　a　sinner；　a　wicked　man；　she　cared　not。　Even　if　he　was　a　protestant　or　methodist　she　could　convert　him　easily　if　he　truly　loved　her。　There　were　wounds　that　wanted　healing　with　heartbalm。　She　was　a　womanly　woman　not　like　other　flighty　girls；　unfeminine；　he　had　known；　those　cyclists　showing　off　what　they　hadn't　got　and　she　just　yearned　to　know　all；　to　forgive　all　if　she　could　make　him　fall　in　love　with　her；　make　him　forget　the　memory　of　the　past。　Then　mayhap　he　would　embrace　her　gently；　like　a　real　man；　crushing　her　soft　body　to　him；　and　love　her；　his　ownest　girlie；　for　herself　alone。　
Refuge　of　sinners。　fortress　of　the　afflicted。　Ora　pro　nobis。　Well　has　it　been　said　that　whosoever　prays　to　her　with　faith　and　constancy　can　never　be　lost　or　cast　away：　and　fitly　is　she　too　a　haven　of　refuge　for　the　afflicted　because　of　the　seven　dolours　which　transpierced　her　own　heart。　Gerty　could　picture　the　whole　scene　in　the　church；　the　stained　glass　windows　lighted　up；　the　candles；　the　flowers　and　the　blue　banners　of　the　blessed　Virgin's　sodality　and　Father　Conroy　was　helping　Canon　O'Hanlon　at　the　altar；　carrying　things　in　and　out　with　his　eyes　cast　down。　He　looked　almost　a　saint　and　his　confession…box　was　so　quiet　and　clean　and　dark　and　his　hands　were　just　like　white　wax　and　if　ever　she　became　a　Dominican　nun　in　their　white　habit　perhaps　he　might　e　to　the　convent　for　the　novena　of　Saint　Dominic。　He　told　her　that　time　when　she　told　him　about　that　in　confession　crimsoning　up　to　the　roots　of　her　hair　for　fear　he　could　see；　not　to　be　troubled　because　that　was　only　the　voice　of　nature　and　we　were　all　subject　to　nature　s　laws；　he　said；　in　this　life　and　that　that　was　no　sin　because　that　came　from　the　nature　of　woman　instituted　by　God；　he　said；　and　that　Our　Blessed　Lady　herself　said　to　the　archangel　Gabriel　be　it　done　unto　me　according　to　Thy　Word。　He　was　so　kind　and　holy　and　often　and　often　she　thought　and　thought　could　she　work　a　ruched　teacosy　with　embroidered　floral　design　for　him　as　a　present　or　a　clock　but　they　had　a　clock　she　noticed　on　the　mantelpiece　white　and　gold　with　a　canary　bird　that　came　out　of　a　little　house　to　tell　the　time　the　day　she　went　there　about　the　flowers　for　the　forty　hours'　adoration　because　it　was　hard　to　know　what　sort　of　a　present　to　give　or　perhaps　an　album　of　illuminated　views　of　Dublin　or　some　place。　
The　exasperating　little　brats　of　twins　began　to　quarrel　again　and　Jacky　threw　the　ball　out　towards　the　sea　and　they　both　ran　after　it。　Little　monkeys　mon　as　ditchwater。　Someone　ought　to　take　them　and　give　them　a　good　hiding　for　themselves　to　keep　them　in　their　places；　the　both　of　them。　And　Cissy　and　Edy　shouted　after　them　to　e　back　because　they　were　afraid　the　tide　might　e　in　on　them　and　be　drowned。　
　Jacky！　Tommy！　
Not　they！　What　a　great　notion　they　had！　So　Cissy　said　it　was　the　very　last　time　she'd　ever　bring　them　out。　She　jumped　up　and　called　them　and　she　ran　down　the　slope　past　him；　tossing　her　hair　behind　her　which　had　a　good　enough　colour　if　there　had　been　more　of　it　but　with　all　the　thingamerry　she　was　always　rubbing　into　it　she　couldn't　get　it　to　grow　long　because　it　wasn't　natural　so　she　could　just　go　and　throw　her　hat　at　it。　She　ran　with　long　gandery　strides　it　was　a　wonder　she　didn't　rip　up　her　skirt　at　the　side　that　was　too　tight　on　her　because　there　was　a　lot　of　the　tomboy　about　Cissy　Caffrey　and　she　was　a　forward　piece　whenever　she　thought　she　had　a　good　opportunity　to　show　off　and　just　because　she　was　a　good　runner　she　ran　like　that　so　that　he　could　see　all　the　end　of　her　petticoat　running　and　her　skinny　shanks　up　as　far　as　possible。　It　would　have　served　her　just　right　if　she　had　tripped　up　over　something　accidentally　on　purpose　with　her　high　crooked　French　heels　on　her　to　make　her　look　tall　and　got　a　fine　tumble。　Tableau！　That　would　have　been　a　very　charming　exposé　for　a　gentleman　like　that　to　witness。　
Queen　of　angels；　queen　of　patriarchs；　queen　of　prophets；　of　all　saints；　they　prayed；　queen　of　the　most　holy　rosary　and　then　Father　Conroy　handed　the　thurible　to　Canon　O'Hanlon　and　he　put　in　the　incense　and　censed　the　Blessed　Sacrament　and　Cissy　Caffrey　caught　the　two　twins　and　she　was　itching　to　give　them　a