01-the $30,000 bequest- 第7部分

four　years　that　they　neglected　to　pay　up　their　subscription。　

Six　dollars　due。　　No　visitor　could　have　been　more　welcome。　　He　would

know　all　about　Uncle　Tilbury　and　what　his　chances　might　be　getting

to　be；　cemeterywards。　　They　could；　of　course；　ask　no　questions；

for　that　would　squelch　the　bequest；　but　they　could　nibble　around　on

the　edge　of　the　subject　and　hope　for　results。　　The　scheme　did　not　work。　

The　obtuse　editor　did　not　know　he　was　being　nibbled　at；　but　at　last；

chance　accomplished　what　art　had　failed　in。　　In　illustration　of　something

under　discussion　which　required　the　help　of　metaphor；　the　editor　said：



〃Land；　it's　a　tough　as　Tilbury　Foster！as　WE　say。〃



It　was　sudden；　and　it　made　the　Fosters　jump。　　The　editor　noticed；

and　said；　apologetically：



〃No　harm　intended；　I　assure　you。　　It's　just　a　saying；　just　a　joke；

you　knownothing　of　it。　　Relation　of　yours？〃



Sally　crowded　his　burning　eagerness　down；　and　answered　with　all

the　indifference　he　could　assume：



〃Iwell；　not　that　I　know　of；　but　we've　heard　of　him。〃　　The　editor

was　thankful；　and　resumed　his　composure。　　Sally　added：　　〃Is　he

is　hewell？〃



〃Is　he　WELL？　　Why；　bless　you　he's　in　Sheol　these　five　years！〃



The　Fosters　were　trembling　with　grief；　though　it　felt　like　joy。　

Sally　said；　non…committallyand　tentatively：



〃Ah；　well；　such　is　life；　and　none　can　escapenot　even　the　rich

are　spared。〃



The　editor　laughed。



〃If　you　are　including　Tilbury；〃　said　he；　〃it　don't　apply。　

HE　hadn't　a　cent；　the　town　had　to　bury　him。〃



The　Fosters　sat　petrified　for　two　minutes；　petrified　and　cold。　

Then；　white…faced　and　weak…voiced；　Sally　asked：



〃Is　it　true？　　Do　you　KNOW　it　to　be　true？〃



〃Well；　I　should　say！　　I　was　one　of　the　executors。　　He　hadn't

anything　to　leave　but　a　wheelbarrow；　and　he　left　that　to　me。　

It　hadn't　any　wheel；　and　wasn't　any　good。　　Still；　it　was　something；

and　so；　to　square　up；　I　scribbled　off　a　sort　of　a　little　obituarial

send…off　for　him；　but　it　got　crowded　out。〃



The　Fosters　were　not　listeningtheir　cup　was　full；　it　could

contain　no　more。　　They　sat　with　bowed　heads；　dead　to　all　things

but　the　ache　at　their　hearts。



An　hour　later。　　Still　they　sat　there；　bowed；　motionless；　silent；

the　visitor　long　ago　gone；　they　unaware。



Then　they　stirred；　and　lifted　their　heads　wearily；　and　gazed　at　each

other　wistfully；　dreamily；　dazed；　then　presently　began　to　twaddle

to　each　other　in　a　wandering　and　childish　way。　　At　intervals　they

lapsed　into　silences；　leaving　a　sentence　unfinished；　seemingly　either

unaware　of　it　or　losing　their　way。　　Sometimes；　when　they　woke

out　of　these　silences　they　had　a　dim　and　transient　consciousness

that　something　had　happened　to　their　minds；　then　with　a　dumb

and　yearning　solicitude　they　would　softly　caress　each　other's

hands　in　mutual　compassion　and　support；　as　if　they　would　say：　

〃I　am　near　you；　I　will　not　forsake　you；　we　will　bear　it　together；

somewhere　there　is　release　and　forgetfulness；　somewhere　there

is　a　grave　and　peace；　be　patient；　it　will　not　be　long。〃



They　lived　yet　two　years；　in　mental　night；　always　brooding；

steeped　in　vague　regrets　and　melancholy　dreams；　never　speaking；

then　release　came　to　both　on　the　same　day。



Toward　the　end　the　darkness　lifted　from　Sally's　ruined　mind

for　a　moment；　and　he　said：



〃Vast　wealth；　acquired　by　sudden　and　unwholesome　means；　is　a　snare。　

It　did　us　no　good；　transient　were　its　feverish　pleasures；

yet　for　its　sake　we　threw　away　our　sweet　and　simple　and　happy　life

let　others　take　warning　by　us。〃



He　lay　silent　awhile；　with　closed　eyes；　then　as　the　chill　of　death

crept　upward　toward　his　heart；　and　consciousness　was　fading　from

his　brain；　he　muttered：



〃Money　had　brought　him　misery；　and　he　took　his　revenge　upon　us；

who　had　done　him　no　harm。　　He　had　his　desire：　　with　base　and　cunning

calculation　he　left　us　but　thirty　thousand；　knowing　we　would　try

to　increase　it；　and　ruin　our　life　and　break　our　hearts。　　Without　added

expense　he　could　have　left　us　far　above　desire　of　increase；　far　above

the　temptation　to　speculate；　and　a　kinder　soul　would　have　done　it；

but　in　him　was　no　generous　spirit；　no　pity；　no〃