CHAPTER 1
關燈
小
中
大
AlthoughIamanoldman,nightisgenerallymytimeforwalking.InthesummerIoftenleavehomeearlyinthemorning,androamaboutfieldsandlanesallday,orevenescapefordaysorweekstogetherbut,savinginthecountry,Iseldomgooutuntilafterdark,though,Heavenbethanked,Iloveitslightandfeelthecheerfulnessitshedsupontheearth,asmuchasanycreatureliving.
Ihavefalleninsensiblyintothishabit,bothbecauseitfavoursmyinfirmityandbecauseitaffordsmegreateropportunityofspeculatingonthecharactersandoccupationsofthosewhofillthestreets.Theglareandhurryofbroadnoonarenotadaptedtoidlepursuitslikemineaglimpseofpassingfacescaughtbythelightofastreet-lamporashopwindowisoftenbetterformypurposethantheirfullrevelationinthedaylightand,ifImustaddthetruth,nightiskinderinthisrespectthanday,whichtoooftendestroysanair-builtcastleatthemomentofitscompletion,withouttheleastceremonyorremorse.
Thatconstantpacingtoandfro,thatnever-endingrestlessness,thatincessanttreadoffeetwearingtheroughstonessmoothandglossy—isitnotawonderhowthedwellersinnarrowswayscanbeartohearit!ThinkofasickmaninsuchaplaceasSaintMartin’sCourt,listeningtothefootsteps,andinthemidstofpainandwearinessobliged,despitehimself(asthoughitwereataskhemustperform)todetectthechild’sstepfromtheman’s,theslipshodbeggarfromthebootedexquisite,theloungingfromthebusy,thedullheelofthesaunteringoutcastfromthequicktreadofanexpectantpleasure-seeker—thinkofthehumandnoisealwaysbeingpresenttohissense,andofthestreamoflifethatwillnotstop,pouringon,on,on,throughallhisrestlessdreams,asifhewerecondemnedtolie,deadbutconscious,inanoisychurchyard,andhadnohopeofrestforcenturiestocome.
Then,thecrowdsforeverpassingandrepassingonthebridges(onthosewhicharefreeoftollatleast),wheremanystoponfineeveningslookinglistlesslydownuponthewaterwithsomevagueideathatbyandbyitrunsbetweengreenbankswhichgrowwiderandwideruntilatlastitjoinsthebroadvastsea—wheresomehalttorestfromheavyloadsandthinkastheylookovertheparapetthattosmokeandloungeawayone’slife,andliesleepinginthesunuponahottarpaulin,inadull,slow,sluggishbarge,mustbehappinessunalloyed—andwheresome,andaverydifferentclass,pausewithheavierloadsthanthey,rememberingtohaveheardorreadinoldtimethatdrowningwasnotaharddeath,butofallmeansofsuicidetheeasiestandbest.
CoventGardenMarketatsunrisetoo,inthespringorsummer,whenthefragranceofsweetflowersisintheair,over-poweringeventheunwholesomestreamsoflastnight’sdebauchery,anddrivingtheduskythrush,whosecagehashungoutsideagarretwindowallnightlong,halfmadwithjoy!Poorbird!theonlyneighbouringthingatallakintotheotherlittlecaptives,someofwhom,shrinkingfromthehothandsofdrunkenpurchasers,liedroopingonthepathalready,whileothers,soddenedbyclosecontact,awaitthetimewhentheyshallbewateredandfresheneduptopleasemoresobercompany,andmakeoldclerkswhopassthemontheirroadtobusiness,wonderwhathasfilledtheirbreastswithvisionsofthecountry.
Butmypresentpurposeisnottoexpatiateuponmywalks.ThestoryIamabouttorelate,andtowhichIshallrecuratintervals,aroseoutofoneoftheseramblesandthusIhavebeenledtospeakofthembywayofpreface.
OnenightIhadroamedintotheCity,andwaswalkingslowlyoninmyusualway,musinguponagreatmanythings,whenIwasarrestedbyaninquiry,thepurportofwhichdidnotreachme,butwhichseemedtobeaddressedtomyself,andwaspreferredinasoftsweetvoicethatstruckmeverypleasantly.Iturnedhastilyroundandfoundatmyelbowaprettylittlegirl,whobeggedtobedirectedtoacertainstreetataconsiderabledistance,andindeedinquiteanotherquarterofthetown.
‘Itisaverylongwayfromhere,’saidI,‘mychild.’
‘Iknowthat,sir,’sherepliedtimidly.‘Iamafraiditisaverylongway,forIcamefromthereto-night.’
‘Alone?’saidI,insomesurprise.
‘Oh,yes,Idon’tmindthat,butIamalittlefrightenednow,forIhadlostmyroad.’
‘Andwhatmadeyouaskitofme?SupposeIshouldtellyouwrong?’
‘Iamsureyouwillnotdothat,’saidthelittlecreature,’youaresuchaveryoldgentleman,andwalksoslowyourself.’
IcannotdescribehowmuchIwasimpressedbythisappealandtheenergywithwhichitwasmade,whichbroughtatearintothechild’scleareye,andmadeherslightfiguretrembleasshelookedupintomyface.
‘Come,’saidI,‘I’lltakeyouthere.’
Sheputherhandinmineasconfidinglyasifshehadknownmefromhercradle,andwetrudgedawaytogetherthelittlecreatureaccommodatingherpacetomine,andratherseemingtoleadandtakecareofmethanItobeprotectingher.Iobservedthateverynowandthenshestoleacuriouslookatmyface,asiftomakequitesurethatIwasnotdeceivingher,andthattheseglances(verysharpandkeentheyweretoo)seemedtoincreaseherconfidenceateveryrepetition.
Formypart,mycuriosityandinterestwereatleastequaltothechild’s,forchildshecertainlywas,althoughIthoughtitprobablefromwhatIcouldmakeout,thatherverysmallanddelicateframeimpartedapeculiaryouthfulnesstoherappearanc
