In Connection with the De Willoughby ClaimBurnett, Frances Hodgson
General
In Connection with the De Willoughby Claim
Burnett, Frances Hodgson
United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
As he was walking through one of the corridors he saw before him two men
who were evidently visitors to the place. He gathered this from their
leisurely movements and the interest with which they regarded the objects
about them. They looked at pictures and remarked upon decorations. One
was a man who was unusually well-built. He was tall and moved well and
had lightly silvered hair; his companion was tall also, but badly hung
together, and walked with a stoop of the shoulders.
Tom walked behind them for some yards before his attention was really
arrested, but suddenly a movement of one man's head seemed to recall some
memory of the past. He did not know what the memory was, but he knew
vaguely that it was a memory. He followed a few yards further, wondering
idly what had been recalled and why he should be reminded of the mountains
and the pine-trees. Yes, it was the mountains and pine-trees--Hamlin
County, but not the Hamlin County of to-day. Why not the Hamlin County of
to-day? why something which seemed more remote? Confound the fellow; he
had made that movement again. Tom wished he would turn his face that he
might see it, and he hurried his footsteps somewhat that he might come
within nearer range. The two men paused with their backs towards him, and
Tom paused also. They were looking at a picture, and the taller of the two
made a gesture with his hand. It was a long, bony hand, and as he extended
it Tom slightly started. It all came back to him--the memory which had
been recalled. He smelt the scent of the pines on the hillside; he saw the
little crowd of mourners about the cabin door; inside, women sat with bent
heads, upon two wooden chairs rested the ends of a slender coffin, and by
it stood a man who lifted his hand and said to those about him: "Let us
pray."
The years swept back as he stood there. He was face to face again with
the tragic mystery which had seemed to end in utter silence. The man
turned his face so that it was plainly to be seen--sallow, rugged, harsh
in line. The same face, though older, and perhaps less tragic--the face
of the man he had left alone in the awful, desolate stillness of the
empty room.
The next moment he turned away again. He and his companion passed round a
corner and were gone. Tom made no attempt to follow them.
"There is no reason why I should," was his thought, "either for Sheba's
sake or his own. She is happy, and he feels his secret safe--whatsoever
it may have been. Perhaps he has had time to outlive the misery of it,
and it would all be brought to life again."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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