按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
submitted； and I only ask you to remember it。'
Woe to the suppliant； if such a one there were or ever had been； who had
any concession to look for in the inexorable face at the cabi。 Woe to
the defaulter whose appeal lay to the tribunal where those severe eyes
presided。 Great need had the rigid woman of her mystical religion；
veiled in gloom and darkness； with lightnings of cursing； vengeance； and
destruction； flashing through the sable clouds。 Forgive us our debts as
we forgive our debtors； was a prayer too poor in spirit for her。 Smite
Thou my debtors； Lord； wither them； crush them； do Thou as I would do；
and Thou shalt have my worship： this was the impious tower of stone she
built up to scale Heaven。
'Have you finished； Arthur； or have you anything more to say to me？
I think there can be nothing else。 You have been short； but full of
matter！'
'Mother； I have yet something more to say。 It has been upon my mind；
night and day； this long time。 It is far more difficult to say than what
I have said。 That concerned myself； this concerns us all。'
'Us all！ Who are us all？'
'Yourself； myself； my dead father。'
She took her hands from the desk； folded them in her lap； and sat
looking towards the fire； with the imperability of an old Egyptian
sculpture。
'You knew my father infinitely better than I ever knew him； and his
reserve with me yielded to you。 You were much the stronger； mother； and
directed him。 As a child； I knew it as well as I know it now。 I knew
that your ascendancy over him was the cause of his going to China to
take care of the business there； while you took care of it here （though
I do not even now know whether these were really terms of separation
that you agreed upon）； and that it was your will that I should remain
with you until I was twenty； and then go to him as I did。 You will not
be offended by my recalling this； after twenty years？'
'I am waiting to hear why you recall it。'
He lowered his voice； and said； with manifest reluctance； and against
his will：
'I want to ask you； mother； whether it ever occurred to you to
suspect……'
At the word Suspect； she turned her eyes momentarily upon her son； with
a dark frown。 She then suffered them to seek the fire； as before； but
with the frown fixed above them； as if the sculptor of old Egypt had
indented it in the hard granite face； to frown for ages。
'……that he had any secret remembrance which caused him trouble of
mind……remorse？ Whether you ever observed anything in his conduct
suggesting that； or ever spoke to him upon it； or ever heard him hint at
such a thing？'
'I do not understand what kind of secret remembrance you mean to infer
that your father was a prey to；' she returned； after a silence。 'You
speak so mysteriously。'
'Is it possible； mother；' her son leaned forward to be the nearer to her
while he whispered it； and laid his hand nervously upon her desk； 'is
it possible； mother； that he had unhappily wronged any one； and made no
reparation？'
Looking at him wrathfully； she bent herself back in her chair to keep
him further off； but gave him no reply。
'I am deeply sensible； mother； that if this thought has never at any
time flashed upon you； it must seem cruel and unnatural in me； even in
this confidence； to breathe it。 But I cannot shake it off。
Time and change （I have tried both before breaking silence） do nothing
to wear it out。 Remember； I was with my father。 Remember； I saw his face
when he gave the watch into my keeping； and struggled to express that he
sent it as a token you would understand； to you。 Remember； I saw him at
the last with the pencil in his failing hand； trying to write some word
for you to read； but to which he could give no shape。 The more
remote and cruel this vague suspicion that I have； the stronger the
circumstances that could give it any semblance of probability to me。
For Heaven's sake； let us examine sacredly whether there is any wrong
entrusted to us to set right。 No one can help towards it； mother； but
you。'
Still so recoiling in her chair that her overpoised weight moved it；
from time to time； a little on its wheels； and gave her the appearance
of a phantom of fierce aspect gliding away from him； she interposed her
left arm； bent at the elbow with the back of her hand towards her face；
between herself and him； and looked at him in a fixed silence。
'In grasping at money and in driving hard bargains……I have begun； and I
must speak of such things now； mother……some one may have been grievously
deceived； injured； ruined。 You were the moving power of all this
machinery before my birth； your stronger spirit has been infused into
all my father's dealings for more than two score years。 You can set
these doubts at rest； I think； if you will really help me to discover
the truth。 Will you； mother？'
He stopped in the hope that she would speak。 But her grey hair was not
more immovable in its two folds； than were her firm lips。
'If reparation can be made to any one； if restitution can be made to any
one； let us know it and make it。 Nay； mother； if within my means； let ME
make it。 I have seen so little happiness e of money； it has brought
within my knowledge so little peace to this house； or to any one
belonging to it； that it is worth less to me than to another。 It can buy
me nothing that will not be a reproach and misery to me； if I am haunted
by a suspicion that it darkened my father's last hours with remorse； and
that it is not honestly and justly mine。' There was a bell…rope hanging
on the panelled wall； some two or three yards from the cabi。 By a
swift and sudden action of her foot； she drove her wheeled chair rapidly
back to it and pulled it violently……still holding her arm up in its
shield…like posture； as if he were striking at her； and she warding off
the blow。
A girl came hurrying in； frightened。
'Send Flintwinch here！'
In a moment the girl had withdrawn； and the old man stood within the
door。 'What！ You're hammer and tongs； already； you two？' he said； coolly
stroking his face。 'I thought you would be。 I was pretty sure of it。'
'Flintwinch！' said the mother； 'look at my son。 Look at him！'
'