第10章 一个古怪的梦5(第1页)
第10章一个古怪的梦(5)
"Hey,JoisoldbusJones—shroudcostfourhundreddollarserousseau,iney-sevehiswasinthespringof1926。Itwasenormousstyleforthosedays。DeadpeoplecameallthewayfromtheAlleghahihatoccupiedthegraveomiwell。Nowdoyouseethatindividualgoingalongieceofahead-boardunderhisarm,oneleg-bonebelowhiskathingintheworldon?ThatisBarstowDalhousie,aobusJohemostsumptuouslyoutfittedpersoeredourcemetery。"
"Weareallleavioleratethetreatmentweareregatthehandsofourdests。Theyopeeries,buttheyleaveusthestreets,buttheyhingthatisabstous。Lookatthatiellyouinitsdayitieiturethatwouldhaveattrationinanydrawing-roominthisayhaveitifyouwantit—I'taffordtorepairit。Putaominher,andpartofaop,andabitoffreshliningaloside,andyou'llfiasfortableasaacleofherspeciesyouevertried。"
"Nothanksno,don'tmentionityouhavebeene,andIwouldgiveyouallthepropertyIhavegotbeforeIwouldseemungrateful。Nowthiswiisakindofasweetthinginitsway,ifyouwouldliketo—asyousay,butIwishedtobefairahere'sme。Good-by,friend,Imustbegoing。Imayhaveagoodwaytogotonight—don'tknow。Ionlykhiain,andthatisthatIamorailnow,andI'lleteryagain。IwilltraveltillIfieablequarters,ifIhavetohoofittoheb。Itwasdepubliclave,lastnight,toemigrate,ahesuherewon'tbeaboinouroldhabitatioeriesmaysuitmysurvivitheydonotsuittheremainsthathavethehonortomaketheseremarks。Myopinionisthegeneralopinion。Ifyoudoubtit,goahedepartingghostsupsetthiarted。Theywerealmostriotousiionsofdistaste。"
"Hello,herearesomeoftheBledsoes,andifyouwillgivemealiftwiththistombstoneIguessIwilljoinpanyandjogalongwiththem—mightyrespeily,theBledsoes,aoalwayseoutinsix-horsehearsesandallthatsortofthingfiftyyearsagowhehesestreetsindaylight。Goodby,friend。"
Andwithhisgravestoneonhisshoulderhejoihegrislypro,dragginghisdamagedafterhim,fornotwithstandiupoly,Iutterlyrefusedhishospitality。Isupposethatforasmuchastwohoursthesesadouttgby,ladenwiththeirdismaleffedallthattimeIsatpityingthem。
&wooftheyouadilapidatedamongthemimidnighttrainsontherailways,buttherestseemeduhatmodeoftravel,andmerelyaskedaboutonpublicroadstovarioustownsandeofwhiotonthemapnow,aandfromtheearthasmuchasthirtyyearsago,ahemneverhadexistedaonmaps,andprivateoeage。Andtheyaskedabouttheofthecemeteriesiownsanddaboutthereputatioizeoreverehedead。
Thiswholematteriedmedeeply,andlikewiseysympathyforthesehomelessoallseemingreal,andInotknowingitwasadream,Imeooneshroudedwandererahadenteredmyheadtopublishanatofthisdverysorrowfulexodus,butsaidalsothatIotdescribeittruthfully,andjustasitoccurred,withoutseemingtotriflewithagravesubjedexhibitahedeadthatwouldshoddistresstheirsurvivihisblandandstatelyremnantofaformerleanedhimfarateandwhisperedinmyear,andsaid:
"Dodisturbyou。Theunitythatdsuchgraveyardsasthratingfromdanythingabodysayabouttheedahatliei;
Atthatverymomentacockdtheweirdprovanishedaashredorabonebehind。Iawoke,andfoundmyselflyingwithmyheadoutofthebedand"sagging"downwardsiderably—apositionfavorabletdreamswithmoralsinthem,maybe,butry。
&hereaderisassuredthatifthecemeteriesinhistotingoodorder,thisDreamishistownatall,butisleveledpartidvenomouslyattheown。