’ 511 atrir z i nhalit l ibrar . fi “g g y c W “c o - 1 4 “ B oole No.

T h i s B ok -" t h e o h t o property f t e S . ’ P a trick s S od a li ty o f the Ch i l d ren of Mary -is l oaned out subject to t he f l l w n R l s la t n h l o o i g u e , regu i g t e oan f h o k ing o t eir b o s .

F o r o n e o r t w o w eek s a t a time a t t w o ce n ts per w eek ; a n d su bject t o a

h o f t w o k if k c ar g e cents per wee , ept h T h e over suc time . time may b e ex tend ed i f it b e b roug h t back t o the L b h e n d of t w o k i rary at t e wee s .

T h e b k n ot b e s ub -l a n d oo is to et , any injury to i t mus t b e c ompensated

r b w fo b y t h e orro er .

T HE G O LDEN BARQU E A N D T HE W EAVER ’S GRAVE

T h e G o ld e n B a r q u e a n d ’ T h e W e av e r s G r ave

By S EUMAS O ’KE LLY

E . B LAK E S ON, LIM ITED CAT HOLTC CH UR CH SU PPLI E S

HU R CH S T . T OR ONT O ANAD 3 C . C A at

ch e ca t b oc pn e s s

89 Ta lbot Stree t

Du bl in

PR Boz q

M4 61 C O N T E N T S

’ T h e W e ave r s G ra ve pa g e 9

T h e G olde n Barq u e

Mich ae l a n d Ma ry

Hike a n d C a lcut t a

T h e Have n

B i lly t h e C l ow n

T h e D e re lict

T h e Ma n wi th t h e Gi ft

T H E W EAVE R 'S GR AVE

A STORY OF OLD MEN

ORTIMER HEHIR , the weaver ,

had died , and they had come in search of hi s grave to Cloo n r w f na Mo a v , the Meado o the

e h u Dead . Me a l Lynskey ,

- w s . the nail maker , a first across the stile w h i There a s excitement in s face . His long warped body moved in a shuffle over

the ground . Following him came Cahir

- s o Bowes , the stone breaker , who was

th h is beaten down from e hips forwa rd , that back was horizont al as the back of an animal . His right hand held a stick which proppe d him up in front , his left hand

u t cl tched his coat behind , jus above the

o f small the back . By these devices he kept himself from toppling head over hee ls as he walked . Mother earth was the brow of Cahir Bowes by magnetic force , and Cahir Bowes was resisting her fatal kiss to B 10 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE

the last . And just now there was anima tion in the face he raised from its customary contemplation of the ground . Both o ld men had the air of those who had been l unexpectedly e t loose . For a long time they had lurked s omewhere in th e shadows o f for life , the world having no business them , and now , suddenly , they had been remembered a n d cal led forth to perform an office which nobody else o n earth could per i form . The excitement n their face s as they crossed over the stile into Cloon na Mora v expressed a vehemence in their belated usefulness . Hot o n their heels - came two dark , handsome , stoutly built men , alike even to the cord that tied their

' t s th e ir kn e e s corduroy rouser under , and ,

s being gravediggers , they ca rried fla hing

. o f t la spades Last all , and after a li tle de y ,

s a firm white hand was laid on the tile , a i u dark f gure followed , the fig re of a woman sa d w whose palely face a s picturesq uely , almost dramatically , framed in a black shawl which hung from the crown of the head . She was the widow of Mortimer

th sh e Hehir , e weaver , and followed the

Mo ra v others into Cloon na , the Meadow of the Dead . THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE l I

To glance at Cloon na Mora v as you went

n a by o the hilly ro d , was to get an impres sion o f a very o ld burial -ground ; to pause on the road and look at Cloon na Mora v was to become conscious of its q uiet situa tion , o f winds singing down from the hills in a chant for the dead ; to walk over to the wall and look at the mounds inside was to ' provoke q uotations from Gra y s Elegy ; to

o f th e make the Sign e Cross , l an over the wall , observe the gloomy lichened back

o f ground the wall opposite , and mark the

e d o u things that se me to stray ab t , like f yellow snakes in the grass , was to think o Hamlet moralising at the graveside o f

s Ophelia , and hear him e tablish the iden

Y rri k tity of o c . To get over the stile and o stumble ab ut inside , was to forget all these things and to know Cloon na Mo ra v for

Wh o itself . could tell the age of Cloon na Mo ra v ? The mind could only swoon away into mythology , paddle about in the dotage of paganism , the toothless infancy of Chris tia n it y. How many generations . how many s t h ow ep s , many clans , how many families , how many people , had gone into Cloo n na Mora v ? The mind could only take wing on o f the romances mathematics . The 12 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

w a s l ground billowy , grotesq ue . Severa — partially suppressed insurrections a great i st th r ing , worming , pushing and shoulder

s — ing under the o d had given it character . A long tough growth of grass wired it from end to end , Nature , by this effort , endea vou rin g to control the strivings of the more

r dari ng of the insurgents o f Cloon na Mo a v . No path here ! no plan o r map or register existe d ; if there ever had been o ne o r the other it had been lost . lnvasions and wars and famines and feuds had swept the ground and left it . All claims to interment had been based on powerful traditional rights . Thes e rights had years ago come to an end — all save in a few outstanding cases , the rounding up of a spent generation . The overflow from Cloon na Mora v had already s e t a new cemetery on its legs a mile away , a cemetery in which limestone headstones and Celtic

s crosse were Springing up like mushrooms , advertising th e triviality o f a civilisation of men and women , who , according to their t own epi aphs , had done exactly the two things they could not very well avoid i doing ! they had all , their ob tuary noti ces

i l . sa d , bee n born and they had al died

I4 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

t imper inence . Other slabs lay in fragments on the ground , filling the mind with thoughts of s e Mo es d scending from Mount Sinai and , waxing angry at sight of his followers danc t ing about false gods , casting the stone ables containing the Commandments to the

— s ground , breaking them in pieces the mo t trag ic destruct ion o f a first edition that the world has known . Still ot her heavy sq uare dark slabs , surely creatures o f a pagan ima g in a tio n , were laid flat down on numerous

o m short legs , l oking sometimes like represe ta tion s of monstrous black cockroaches , and again like tables at which the guests of Cloon

Mo ra v - na might sit down , goblin like , in

- the moon light , when nobody was looking . Mo st of the legs had given way and the ta ble s la a s e y overturned , if there had b en a q uarrel at cards the night before . Th ose that had kept their legs exhibited great

r o cracks o fissures acr ss their backs , like slabs of dark ice breaking up . Over by the

its r wall , draped in patte n of dark green

o f lichen , certain families dim ages had made an effort to keep up the traditions of t h e Eastern sepulchres They had showed an ari stoc ratic reluctance to take to the com

r mon clay in Cloon na Mo a v . They had ' G V IS THE. WEAVER S RA E built low ca ske t w sh a pe d houses against the gloomy wall , putting an enormously heavy iron door with ponderous iron rings—like the rings o n a pier by the sea at one end , — a tremendous lock on e wondered what — Goliath kept the key fin a lly cementing the whole thing up and surrounding it with

In spiked iron railings . these contraptions very ari stoc rat ic families locked up their dead as if they were dangerous wild animals . But these ancient vanities only heightened the general democracy of the ground . To prove a traditional right to a place in its community was to have t h e f bond of your pedigree sealed . The act o burial in Cloo n na Mo ray was in itself an t epitaph . And i was amazing to think that there were t w o people still over the sod w h o — had such a right one Mortimer Hehir ,

the weaver , just passed away , the other h Ro o a n . Malachi , a cooper , still breathing When these two survivors o f a great gene ration got tucked under the aw a rd o f Cloon

Mo ra v na its terrific history would , for all

u practical p rposes , have ended . Me e h a u l Lynskey , the nailer , hitched for ward his bony s houlders and cast his eyes over the ground—eyes that were small and

to sharp , but unaccustomed range over wide o f spaces . The width and the wealth

r ffl Cloon na Mo a v were ba ing to him . He had spent his long life on the loo k-out for one small object so that h e might hit it . The colour that he loved was the golden glowing end o f a stick of burning iron wherever he saw that he seized it in a small r e sconce at the end of a long handle , w ench d

o ff it by a twitch of the wrist , hit it with a h flat ammer several deft taps , dropped it

u t o into a vessel of wate r , o f which it came d a cool and perfect nail . To o this thing

s ix several hundred times days in the week , and pull the chain of a be llows at short

Me e h a ul L n ske a d l intervals , y yh deve ope d an extra ordinary dexterity of sight an d e s touch , a swiftn ss of bu iness that no mortal THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 17

‘ so man could exceed , and long as he had been pitted against nail-makers of flesh and blood he had more t han held his own ; he

had , indeed , even put up a tremendous but uneq ual strug gle against the compe tit ion

- s a s of nail making machinery . Accu tomed

n he was to co centrate on a single , glowing ,

definite object , the complexity and disorder of Cloon na Mora v unnerved him . But he w a s not going to betray any o f these profe s s i n o a l defects t o Cahir Bowes , the stone breaker . He had bee n sent there as an ambassador by the careta ker of Cloon na

Mor a v o u , picked t for his great age , his local h knowledge , and his good c aracter , and it was his business to point out to the twin gravediggers , sons of the ca retaker , the ' weaver s grave , so that it might be opened to receive him . Me e h a u l Lynskey had a

o f ce r knowledge the place , and was q uite

a s o t tain to a great number f grave si es , f while the caretaker , being an of icial with e out r cords , had a profound ignorance of the whole pl a ce . Cahir Bowes followed the drifting fig ure - of the nail maker over the ground , his face hitched up between his shoulders , his eyes

- t e keen and gray , glint like as h mountains of 18 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE stones he had in his day broken up a s road

. a e material C hir , no less than Me h a u l , had his knowledg e of Cloon na Mora v and some o f his own people were buried here . His e sharp , clear ey s took in the various mounds i of a w th the eye prospector . He , too , had

s e n t a s been there an ambassador , and as between himself and Me e h a ul Lynskey he did not think there could be any two opi nio ns ; his knowledge was superior t o the knowledge of the nailer . Whenever Cahir Bowes met a loose stone on the grass q uite instinctively he turned it over with his stick , his shar p o ld eyes judging its grain with a

s professional swiftnes , then cracking at it with his stick . If the stick were a hammer

o n the stone , attacked its most vulnerable l n t s . spo , would fall to piece like glass stones Cahir Bowes sa w not sermons but

si seams . Even the headstones he tapped g n ifica n tly with the ferrule o f his stick . for Cahir Bowes had an artist 's passion for his

h is a r t . art , though was far from creative

He was o n e o f the great destroyers . the

o f reducers , the makers chaos , a powerful and remorseless critic of t h e Stone Age . The two old men wandered about Cloo n

r to na Mo a v , in no hurry whatever get THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 19

through wi th their business . After all they ff had bee n a long time pensioned o , th forgotten , neglected , by e world . The renewed sensation o f usefulness was pre i i c ou s to them . They knew that when th s busin es s was over they were not likely to be in req uest fo r anything in this world again .

to They were ready oblige the world , but the world would have to allow them their

w n . two o time The world , made up o f the

- grave diggers and the widow o f the weaver , gathered all this without any vocal procla mation . Slowly , mechanically a s it were , they followe d the two ancients abo ut Cloon

M r w na o a v . And the t o ancients wandered abo ut with t h e labo ur of age and the he arts

o f . s r children They epa ated , wandered about silently as if they were picking up old acq uaintances , stumbling upo n forgotten

o things , gathering up the threads f days that were over , reviving their memories , and then

! o drew together , beginning to talk sl wly ,

o f almost casually , and all their talk was the th e e w h la dead , of p ople o y in the ground

. to about them They warmed it , airing their knowledge , calling up names and complica tions of family relationships , telling stories , reviving all virtues , whispering at past 20 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

i s id v ces , past vice that d not sound like vices at all , for the long years are great mitigators and run in splen did harness with the coyest of all the virtues , Charity . The whispe red scandals of Cloon na Mora v were seen by the twin grave diggers and the widow of the weaver through such a haze o f antiq uity that they were no longe r scandals but romances . The

o ow rake and the drab , seen a go d way d n the avenue , merely look picturesq ue . The grave-diggers rested their spades in the

o n s t ground , leaning the handle in exac ly the same graveyard pose , and the pale widow stood in the background , silent . apart , patient , and , like all dark , tragic looking women , a little mysterious . The stonebreaker pointed with his q uiver ing stick at the graves o f the people whom S i he poke about . Every time he ra se d that t forward support one instinc ively loo ked ,

s anxious and fearful , to e e if the clutch were f secure on the small o the back . Cahir Bowe s had the sort of shape that made o n e

fo r eternally fearful his eq uilibrium . The

s e nailer , who , like his friend the tonebreak r , wheezed a good deal , made short , sharp gestures , and always with the right ha nd ;

22 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE her of impatience in a matter which it would be indelicate for her to show haste . " Vi/ ’ e can t stay here for ever , the first twin . i t w a s the twin upon whom Me e h a u l i Lynskey had fastened h s small eye s , and ,

Me e h ul sure of his man this time , a Lynskey h it him . ' e t There s many a b ter man than you ,

e ul said M e h a Lynskey , that will stay here

r for ever . He swept Cloon na Mo a v with the hooked fingers Them that stays in Cloon na Mora v fo r ever , said Cahir Bowes with a wheezing

of energy , have nothing to be ashamed

f. nothing to be ashamed o Remember that , young fellow . Me e h a u l Lynskey did not see m to like the

n o f . i tervention , the help , Cahir Bowes It was a sort of implication that he had not h e o u — , mind y , had not hit the nail properly o n the head .

Well , where are we to bury him , any " h in way ? said the tw in , O p g to profit by the

o f — chagrin the nailer the nailer who , by implication , had failed to nail . ' Me u l You ll bury him , said e h a Lyns

key , where all belonging to him is buried , THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 23

We come , said the other twin , with some sort of intention of that kind . He o f drawled out the words , in imitation the

o n old men . The skin relaxed his handsome dark face and then bunched in puckers of ' humour about the eyes ; Me e h a u l Lyn ske y s

for n gaze , wandering once , went to the ha d some dark face o f the other twin and the skin relaxed and then bunched in puckers of

u h is s M e h u h mour about eyes , o that e a l Lynskey had an unnerving sensation that these young grave-diggers were purposely ' con fusing him . ' ‘ u i You ll b ry h m , he began with some ' w s z vehemence , and a ama ed to again find Cahir Bowes taking t h e word s out of his

ut h u mo h , snatching t e hammer o t o f his hand so to speak . ' where you re told to bury him , Cahir Bowes finished for him ! Me e h a u l Lynskey w a s s o hurt that his long slanting figure moved away down the grave

s yard , then topped suddenly . He had deter mined to do a dreadful thing . He had deter mined to do a thing t hat w a s worse than ' kicking a crutch from under a cripple s shoulder ; that w a s like stealing the holy t o f l i wa er out a room where a man a y dy ng . 24 THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE He had determined to ruin the last day 's amusement on this earth for Cahir Bowes and h imself by prematurely and basely dis closing the weaver 's grave l

e e h u l Here , called back M a Lynskey , ' i s s the weaver grave , and here you will " bury him .

All moved down to the spot , Cahir Bowes

s going with extraordinary pirit , the ferrule of his terrible stick cracking on the stones he me t on the way .

t s Between he e two mounds , said Me e u l h n d w h a Lynskey , already the t ins raised their twin spades in a sinister move

s o ment , like w rds of lancers flashing at a drill . s n i Between the e two mou ds , sa d

Me e h a ul n s Ly key , is the grave of Mortimer " Hehir . w Hold on I Cried Cahir Bowes . He a s s s o e a ger , o excited , that he struck one of the grave -diggers a whack of his st ick on the - back . Both grave diggers swung about to him as if both ha d been hurt by the o n e blow .

s . Easy there , said the fir t twin

s Easy there , said the econd twin .

s . Eas y your elves , cried Cahir Bowes THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 2 5

He wheeled about his now q uivering face on

M h a u l e e Lynskey . is it you 're saying about the spot ? between the mounds he demanded . ' M h I m saying , said e e a u l Lynskey ' ' it vehemently , that s the weaver s grave . ? What weaver asked Cahir Bowe s .

u l Mortimer Hehir , repli e d Me e h a ' Lynskey . There s no other weaver in it . " Was Julia Rafferty a weaver ? What Julia Rafferty !> G The midwife , od rest her . How could sh e be a weaver if she was a midwife ?

o n Not e of me knows . But ”I tell ‘ a yo u what 1 do know and know rightly that ' it s Julia Rafferty is in that place and no " weaver at all . ' ' ' Amn t I telling yo u it s the weaver s " grave ? " ’ ' And amn t l telling yo u it s not ? That I may be as dead as my father but

th e weaver was buried there . A bone o f a weaver w a s never sunk in it o f as long as weavers was weavers . Full

Raffert ys it is .

Alive with weavers it is . l He a ve n lyfu Father . was the like ever C 26 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE heard ! to say that a grave was alive with dead weavers . ' — It s full of them full as a tick . And the clean grave that Mortimer — Hehir was never done boasting about dry and sweet and deep and no way bulging at

r all . Did you se e the bu ial of his father ever ? i se e h I did , n troth , the burial of his fat er ' - forty year ago if it s a day . ' Fo rty year ago- it s fifty-one year come ’ the sixteenth of May . It s w e ll I remember ' it and it s well 1 have occasion to remember it , for it was the day after that again that myself ran away to join the soldiers , my

h t to m e aunt o foot after me , she be buying - out the week after , I a high spirited fellow

more be toke n .

Leave the soldiers out of it and leave ' your aunt out of it and stick to the weaver s s w a s grave . Here in thi place the last I'll ' weaver buri ed , and tell you what s more In a straight line with it is the grave o f A ! straight line , indeed Who but

s e e h a u l n v o f your elf , _M Ly skey , e er heard a straight line in Cloon na Mora v ? No such thing w a s ever wanted or ever allowed in " i t . THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 27

In a straight direct line , measured with a rule

Measured with crooked , stumbling feet , maybe feet half reeling in drink . ' Ca n t you listen to me now i> l w a s always a bad warrant to listen to

s anything except ense . Yourself oug ht to be the last man in the world to talk about

u s t straight lines , yo with the igh scattered

divil in your head , with the of sparks flying under your eyes . ' r Don t mind me sparks now , n o me

t r r i r sigh n either , fo in a s t a g hit measu ed ' line with the weaver s grave w a s the grave

s of the Ca sidys . " What Cassidys ? The Cas sidys that herded for the 's O heas . " ' Which O S h e a s ? " ' ' l O shea Ru a dh o f Ca ppake lly . Don t i e n you know anyone at all , or s it gone " ti t ely your memory is ? " Ca ppa ke lly ina g h ! And wh o cares a ' w s Ru a dh r is hist le about O hea , he o h ' ? It s seed , breed and generations a rotten lot o f lan dg r a bbe rs they were .

Me hand to you on that . Striving ever 28 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE they were to put their red paws on thi s bit

s o f of gras and that perch meadow . " Hungry in them selves even for the out " away bog . u A n d rt Mo imer Hehir a d e cent weaver , ’ s re pecting every man s wool . " His forehead pallid with honesty over the yarn an d the loom . If a bit broad -spoken when he came to

the door fo r a smoke o f the pipe . '

Well , there won t be a mouthful of clay ' " between himself and O shea Ru a dh now . " ' In the end what did O shea Ru a dh get " after all his striving ? " ' I ll tell you that He g o t what land

suits a blind fiddler . " Enough to pad the crown of the head ' and tap the sole of th e foot ‘ Now you re " talking . And the devil a word o u t of him n o w no more than anyone else in Cloon na

" ' It s easy talking to us all about land when we 're packed up in our timber " boxes . " A s the weaver was when he g ot sprinkled with the holy water in that " place .

30 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE dous exclusiveness of Cloon na Mora v would altogether push her dead man , the , of weaver , out his privilege . The dispute

l . ended , ike all epics , where it began

w a s . Nothing established , nothing settled

But the two old men were q uite exhausted , Me e h a u l Lynskey sitting down o n the back

o f s of one the monstrou cockroaches , Cahir Bowe s leaning against a tombstone that was

- o f half submerged , its end up like the stern

s a derelict at e a . Here they sa t glaring at

r each other like a pa ir of g im vultures . - The two grave diggers grew restive .

s Their busines had to be done . The

e weaver would have to be buried . Tim

s . pressed . They held a con ultation apart

It broke u p aft er a brief exchange o f views , a little laughter .

o n o f Me e h a u l Lyn skey is right , said e

e t h twins . ' Me e h a ul Lyn ske y s face lit up . Cahir Bowes looked as if he had been slapped o n

u t the cheeks . He moved o from his tomb stone . " h u i Me e a l Lynskey s right , repeated

the other twin . They had decide d to break up the dispute by taking sides . They raised their spades and moved to the site THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 31 which Me e h a u l Lynskey had urged upon them . " '

Don t touch that place , Cahir Bowes

t w s cried , raising his s ick . He a measuring — the back o f th e grave digger again when the man spun round upon him , menace in his handsome dark face .

Touch me with that stick , he cried , and ”I

Some movement in the background , some n ' agitation i the widow s shawl , caused the ' - th e grave digger s menace to dissolve , words to die in his mouth , a swift flush ' f mounting the man s face . A faint smile o ' gratit ude swept the widow s face like a “ lf w a s flash . as if she had cried out , Ah , ’ n ! don t touch the poor old , cra ky fellow

a s you might hurt him . And it was if " the grave -digger had cried back ! He h a s ' t annoyed me greatly , but I don t in end to

s a s o hurt him . And since you y with your ' eyes I won t even threaten him .

Under pressure of the half threat , Cahir s Bowes shuffled back a little way , triking on an attitude of feeble dignity , leaning out his stick while the grave-d iggers got to work . 32 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

' ' s It the weaver s grave , surely , said

Me e h a u l Lynskey . " " is If it , said Cahir Bowes , remember u his father was buried down seven feet . Yo g ave into that this morning . " ' " Th r w a s e e no giving in about it , said

Me e h a u l Lynskey . We all know that one of the wonders of Cloo n na Mora v was the burial o f the last weaver seven feet , he hav

n ing left it as an injunction o his family . Th e world knows he went down the seven " feet . "

And remember this , said Cahir B t owes , that Julia Raffer y was buried no ' sh e is seven feet . If down three feet it s as much as she went .

- n ot Sure enough , the grave diggers had dug down more than three feet of ground when o n e o f the spades struck hollowly on

u n mis ~ unhealthy timbe r . The sound was

takable and ominous . There was silence

for a moment . Then Cahir Bowes made a

sudden short spurt up a mound beside him , as if he were some sort of mechanical h is animal wound up , horizontal back

n q uivering . On the mou d he made a

superhuman effort to straighten himself . He got h is ears and hi s blunt nose into a ' THE WE AVER S CRAVE 33

considerable elevation . He had not been s o upright fo r twenty years . And raising

o his weird countenance , he br ke into a ca ckle that w as certainly! mean t to be a

Me e h a u l crow . He glared at Lynskey , his emotion so great that his eyes swam in a watery triumph .

h u l s Me e a Lynskey had his eyes , a was

o n e n his custom , upon thing , and that thi g

on was the grave , and especially the spot the grave where the spade had struck the coffin . He looked stunned and fearful . His eyes slowly withdrew their gimlet-like th e scrutiny from spot , and sought the triumphant crowing figure of Cahir Bowes n o the mound . Me e h a u l Lynskey looked a s if he would like to say something , but no words came .

Instead he ambled away , retired from the

o n e battle , and standing apart , rubbed leg f against the other , above the back o the ankles , like some g reat insect . His hoo ked fing ers at the same time stroked the bridge f w o . a s his nose He beaten . " ' ' s it s I suppo e not the weaver s grave ,

on e o f - said the grave diggers . Both of them looked at Cahir Bowes . " ' ou it n o Well , y know s t . said the 34 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE l ' stonebreaker . t s Julia Rafferty you struck . She helped many a on e into the ' world in her day , and it s poor recompense ' to her to say she can t be at rest when she left it . He turned to the remote figure o f " Me e h a u l -h a Lynskey and cried Ah , well ' you may rub your ignorant legs . And I m ' hoping Julia will forgive you this day s ugly work .

In silence , q uickly , with reverence , the

twins scooped back the clay over the spot .

The widow looked on with the same q uiet , i patient , myster ous silence . One of the e grav diggers turned on Cahir Bowes . " I suppose you know where the " grave is ? he asked . Cahir Bowes looked at him with an t ancient tartness , hen said " " You suppose 1

Of course , you know where it is . Cahir Bowes l ooked as if he kne w

of a where the gates heaven were , and th t — — he might o r might n ot e nlig hten a n e ! i g norant world . It all dep nded His eyes wan dered knowingly o u t over the

meadows beyond the graveyard . He said " ' 1 do know wh ere th e weaver s grave THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE 35

We ll be very much obliged to you if

u s you show it to .

Very much obliged , endorsed the other twin . t The stonebreaker , thus flattered , led h e way to a new site , one nearer to the wall , where were the plagiarisms of the Eastern s epulchres . Cahir Bowes made little

s journeys about , measuring o many steps

o n e from place to another , mumbling strange and unintelligible inform ation to himself , going through an extraordinary geometrical emotion striking the ground t i hard taps with his s ck . " G e e u l lory be to the Lord , cried M h a " ' n h e s driv Ly skey , like the man they had ing the water for the well in the q uarry field , he whacking the ground with his magic " hazel wand .

Cahir Bowes made no reply . He was too

‘ absorbed in his o w n emotion A alitlt le steam w a s beginning to asc end from his

w a s brow . He moving about the ground like some grotesq ue spider weaving an in visible web . " I e e h a ul suppose now , said M Lynskey , " a s addressing the marble monument , that soon a s Cahir hits the right Spot on e of the 36 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

weavers will turn about below . Or maybe he expects o n e o f them to whistle up at ' v him out of the ground . That s it ; de il ' a other ! When we hear the whi s tle we ll

‘ a ll kn o w for certain where to bury the

Cahir B owes was contracting his move

s o n ow ments , that he was circling about

do . the one spot , like a g going to lie down

M h u l e e a Lynskey drew a little closer , watching eagerly , his grim yellow face , seared with yellow marks from the fires of his workshop , tightened up in a sceptical

- pucker . His half muttered words were t bi ter with an aged sarcasm . He cried " n ' Say nothi g ; he ll get it yet , will the

o f o - man knowledge , the kn w all , Cahir ! Gi Gi Bowes ve him time . ve him until

r this day twelve month . Look at that fo a ' - - right about turn on the left heel . Isn t the nimbleness o f that young fellow a treat to s e e ? Are they whistling to you from !> below , Cahir Is it dancing to the ' ' i ? weaver s mus c you are That s it , devil a other . Cahir Bowes w a s mapping o u t a space

Cr o n the grass with his stick . a du a lly it

m ore t r r took , o less , the outline of a g ave

' 38 ' THE WEAVER S GRAVE

- and the grave digger got back to his work .

e u . Me h a l Lynskey , however . wore t h e cap He sai d ' ’ ! To be sure I m to sing dumb . I m n ot o u t of to have a word me at all . Others can rattle away as they like in this place , as ld if they owned it . The ancient good o stock is to be nowhere and the scr u ff o f the ' hills let rampage as they will . That s it , devil a other . Castles falling and dunghills

! G d o ld rising Well , o be with the good times and the goo d o ld m a nnerly people t G ha t used to be in it , and od be with Alick

Finlay , the holiest A s o d of earth came through the air from the direction of the grave , and , skimming ' ‘ u l ke s r d Me e h a Lyn s y head , roppe d where behind The co m cra ke stopped his

Me e h a ul notes in the meadow , and Lyn skey stood statuesq ue in a mute protest , and silence reigned in the place while the clay san g up in a swinging r hyt hm from the g rave . i Cahir Bowes , watching the operat ons

! with intensity , said " lt w n a s nearly going astray o me .

e h u l Me a Lynskey gave a little snort . He THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE 39 What was ? ' The weaver s grave . Remember this ! the last weaver is down seven feet . And remembe r this Alick Finlay is down less than Julia " Rafferty . He had no sooner spo ken when a fearful

o u t t e thing happened . Suddenly of h soft cutting of the earth a spade sounded harsh

n o tinware , there was a crash , less harsh , but painfully distinct , as if rotten boards

s u b were falling together , then a distinct s ide n ce o f the earth . The work stopped at ' f l once . A moment s fearful silence o

It dr lowed . was broken by a short , y laugh

! ! from Me e h a u l Lynskey . He said " ' God be merciful to us all ! That s the latter end of Alick Finlay . The two grave-diggers loo ked at each

o f other . The shawl the widow in the background w a s agitated . One twin said to the other " ' '

This can t be the weaver s grave .

The other agreed . They all turned their eyes upon Cahir Bowes . He was hanging i forward in a pained stra n , his head q uak

h is on . ing , fingers twitching his stick 4 0 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

Me e h a u l Lynskey turned to the marble monument and said with venom " ' If I was guilty I d go down on my knees ' ' ' and beg G od s pardon . If I didn t l d

know the ghost o f Alick Finlay , saint as he

was , would leap upon me and guzzle me for what right would 1 have to set anybody at him with driving spades when he was long years in his grave ?

Cahir Bowes t ook no notice . He was

o l oking at the ground , searching about , and

e - slowly , painfully , b gan his web spinning - ag ain . The grave diggers cove red in the

ground without a word . Cahir Bowes a p pe a re d to get lost in some fearful maze o f his own making . A little whimper broke

s from him now and again . The team from e ve n tu his brow thickened in the ai r , and ally he settled down on the end o f a head

i Me e h a u l stone , hav ng got the worst of i t .

Lyn skey sat o n another stone facing him , i and they glar ed , s nister and grotesq ue , at

each other . -M h ul n C a hir Bowes , said e e a Ly skey , " ' o u I ll tell you what y are , and then you " can tell me what I am .

Have it whatever way you like , said " 1 ? Cahir Bowes . What is it that am THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE 4 !

' ' u l You re a gentleman , a grand o stone ' u breaking gentleman . That s what yo are , de vil a other ! The wr inkles on t h e withered face o f

Cahir Bowes contracted , his eyes stared

Me e h a u l across at Lynskey , and two yellow

e teeth showed betwe n his lips . He wheezed “ And do you know what you are ? ' I don t . ' ’ u You re a nailer , that s what vo are , a damne d nailer .

They glared at each other in a q uaking , grim silence .

s o And it w a at this moment f collapse ,

c of deadlo k , that the widow spoke for the i first time . At the f rst sound of her voice

n e o of the twins perked his head , his eyes going to her face . She said in a tone as q uiet a s her whole behaviour “ Maybe I ought to go up to the Tunnel Road and ask Malachi R ooh a n where the

is grave . They had all forgotten the oldest man o f

Ro oh a n . them all , Malachi He would be the

last mortal man to enter Cloon na Mo ra v . He had been th e great friend of Mortimer

Hehir , the weaver , in the days that were D 4 2 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

n t over , and the whole world k ew hat Morti ' mer He h ir s knowledge of Cloo n na Mora v w a s perfect Maybe Malachi Rooh a n would have learned a great deal from him . R h And Malachi oo an , the cooper , was so lon g bed-ridden that those who remembered him at all thought o f him as a man who had died a long time ago . ' f r n e of There s nothing else o it , said o th e twins , leaving down his spade , and immediately the other twin laid hi s spade beside it . The two ancients on the headstones said

Not th nothing . even ey could raise a voice

against the possibilities o f Malachi Roc han ,

the cooper . By their terrible aged silence

n d u to they gave consent , a the widow t rned walk out o f Cloo n na Mo ra v . One o f the

- grave diggers took out his pipe . The eyes o f th e the other followed widow , he hesi t d ta e , then walked after her . She became ' ' conscious o f the man s step behind her a s t she got upon the stile , and urned her palely

o s a d face upon him . He st od awkwardly ,

! his eyes wandering , then said Ask Malachi Roc han where the grave "

is , the exact place . It w a s to do this the widow w a s leaving THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 4 3

Cloon na Mora v ; she had just announced that she was going to a sk Malachi Rooh a n ' where the grave was . Ye t the man s tone was that of on e who was giving her extra ordina rily acute advice . There was a little h alf-embarrassed note of confidence in h is tone . In a dim way the widow thought

e that , maybe , he had accompani d her to t h e stile in a little awkward impulse of s ym pathy . Men were very curious in their w ways sometimes . The widow a s a very - o well mannered woman , and she tri e d t look a s if she had received a ve ry valuable direction . She said " 'll I will . I put that q uestion to Malachi

R h n oo a .

sh e u t t And then passed o over the s ile . The widow went up the road , and beyond it struck the first o f the houses of the

‘ nearby town . She passed through fa ded street s in her q uiet gait , moderately grief stricken at the death o f her weaver . She w had been his fourth wife , and the idow hoods o f fourth wives had n o t the rich

o f abandon , the great emotional cataclysm

r 3 first , o even second , widowhoods . It 1 a little chastened in its poignancy . The widow had a nice feeling that it would be o u t o f place to give way t o any o f the char acte ristic manifestations of normal widow hood . She shrank from drawing attention to the fact that she had been a fourth wife . ' Peo ple s memories become so e xt ra ordi nar ily acute to family history in times o f death ! The widow did not care to come in a s a s olr t of dram a tic surprise in the ' gos sip o f the people about the weaver s life . She had heard snatches o f such gossip at

46 THE WEAVER'S GRAVE t remo e sense of injustice in all this . She had said to herse lf t hat widows who had been fourth wives deserved more sympathy than widows who h a d been first wives , for the simple reas on that fourth widows had d never been , an could never be , first wives ! The thought confused her a little ,

n o t e and she did pursue it , instinctively fe l ing that if she did accept the conventional view of her condition she would only crystallise her widowhood into a grievance that nobody would try to understand , and

u se which would , accordingly , be merely An d f less . what was the good o it , any h o w !> The widow smoothed her dark hair o n each side o f her head under her shawl . She had no bitter and no sweet memories f o the weaver . There was nothing that w a s i even v vid in their marriage . She had

no complaints to make of Mortimer Hehir . He had not come to her in any fiery love

o f o ld impulse . It w as the marriage an

m a n with a wom a n years younger . She had recog nised him a s a n old man from first

to last , a man who had already been thrice

through a wedded experience , and her l temperament , naturally ca m , had met his l - - ha f stormy , half petulant character , with THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE 4 7

o f out suffering any sort shock . The weaver had tried to keep up to the illusion d of a perennial youth by yeing his hair , and marrying one wife as so on as possible after another . The fourth wife had come to him late in life . She had a placid unders tand ing that she was a mere flattery to the ' weaver s truculent egoism .

These thoughts , in some shape or other , f occupied , without agitating , the mind o the widow as she passe d a dark shadowy figure through streets that were clamorous in their

u q uietudes , painf l in their lack o f all the purposes fo r which streets have ever been created . Her only emotion was one which s h e knew to be q uite creditable to her situa tion ! a sincere desire t o se e the weaver buri e d in the grave to which the respecta bility o f his family and the claims o f his ancient house fully and fairly entitle d - him

r to . The proceedings in Cloon na Mo a v had been painful , even tragical , to the widow . The weavers had always been great authorities and ze alous guardians of tlh e at n ci l t e t burial place . This function had been traditional and volunta ry wit h them . This w as especially true of the last of them , Mortimer Hehir . He had been 4 8 THE W E AVER ’ S CRA VE the great est o f all authorities on the burial places o f the local clans . His knowledge was scientific . He had been the grand

f M r savant o Cloon na o a v . He had policed

t . the place . Nay , he had been its yrant He had over and over again prevented terrible mistakes , complications that would have appalled those concerned if they were not beyond all such concerns . The widow o f the weaver had often thought that in his day Mortimer Hehir had made his solicita

o ti n for the place a passion , unreasonable , t almos violent . They said that all this had sp rung from a fear that had come to him in his ea rly youth that through som e blunder

n an alien , an i ferior , even an enemy , might come to find his way into the family burial

o f place the weavers . This fear had made him what he was . And in his later years his pride in the family burial place bec a me n a worship . His trade had gone dow , and his pride had gone up . The burial ground in Cloon na Mora v w a s the grand proof of w -of his aristocracy . That as the coat a o f rms , the estate , the mark high breeding ,

n ow m a n in the weavers . And the who ' had ‘ minded everybody s grave had n ot been able to mind his o wn . The widow THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE 4 9 thought t hat it was one of those injustices which blacken the reputation of the whole

. S h e i earth had felt, ndee d , that sh e had been herself slack not to have learned long a g o t h e lie o f this precious grave from the weaver himself ; and that he himse lf had been slack in n o t properly instructing her . But that was the way in this miserable world ! In his passion for classifying the rights o f others , the weaver had obscured

In his own . his long and entirely success ful battle in kee ping alien corpses out of his own aristocratic pit he had made his o w n

o It c rpse alien o every pit in the place . The living high priest was the dead pariah of w Cloon na Mo ra v . Nobody could n o tell

Ro oh a n except , perhaps , Malachi , the pre ci se spot which he had defended against the blunders and confusions o f the entire

o n - t c mmu ity , a dead forge ting , indifferent , slack lot ! The widow t ried to recall all she had ever heard the weaver s a y about his grave , in the

o f hope getting some clue , something that might be better than the scandalous scatter brained efforts o f Me e h a u l Lynskey and e Cahir Bowes . She remember d various detached things that the weaver , a talkative 50 THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE

man , had said about his grave . Fifty yea rs ago since that grave had been last opened , and it had then been opened to receive the

his remains of father . It had been thirty year s previous to that since it

th e had taken in his father , that is , ' ' newly dead weaver s father s father . The r - l t h weave s were a long lived o , and t ere were not many males o f them ; one son w a s as much a s any o n e o f them begot to pass to the succes sion of the loo m ; if there were a daughters they sc ttered , and their graves

r t r o f we e continents apart . The h ee wives the late twe a ve r we r e bur ied in the new cemetery . The widow remembered that o the weaver seldom spoke of them , and t ok

s is no intere t in their resting place . H

M r heart was in Cloon na o a v and the swee t , dry , deep aristocratic bed he had there in t reserve for himself . But all his alk had

n e r li tion l e been g e a sa . He had nev r , that t the widow could recall , said any hing about a t the site , about the sig ns and me suremen s by which it could be identified . No doubt , it had been well kn own to many people . but they had all di ed . The weaver had never realised what their slipping away

o f might mean to himself . The position THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE S I the grave was s o intimate to his own mind that it never occurred to him that it could be obscure to the minds of others . Morti mer Hehir had passed away like some learned an d solitary astronomer who had ov disc ered a new star , hugging its be auty ,

its its exclusiveness , possession to his heart , secretly rejoicing how its name would travel h with is—o wn through heavenly space for all time f and forgetting to mark its place among the known stars grouped upo n h is charts . Me e h a u l Lynskey an d Cahir Bowes might n ow be tw o seasoned a stron o mers o f venal knowledge loo king for the h i star which t e weaver , in his love for t , had let slip upo n th e mighty complexity of the skies . The thing that is clearest to the mind of a man is often the thing that is most opaq ue to the intelligence o f his boso m companion . A saint may walk the earth in the simple belief that all the world beholds his glowing halo ; but all the world does n ot ; if it did the saint would be stoned . And Mortimer Hehir had been a s innocently proud o f h is g r ave a s a s aint might be ecstatic of his halo . He believe d that when the time

- — came he would get a royal funeral a 52 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE funeral fitting to the last of the line o f great

r f Cloon na Mo a v weavers . Instead o that they had no more idea o f where to bury him than if he had been a wild tinker o f the roads .

o f The widow , thinking these things in her o w n mind , was about to sigh when , behind

sh e a window pa ne , heard the sudden ' bubble of a roller canary s song . She had

- reached , half absent mindedly , the h ome of

Ro oh a n . Malachi , the cooper

54 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

almos t a sense of faintne ss to the widow . She h a d the feeling that God had made her i — to move n the ways of old men passionate , cantankerous , egoistic old men , old men

sh e for whom was always doing some thing , i always remembering things , from m ssing button s to lost graves . Her eyes so ught the bed of Malachi Roo

a han with an unemotional , q uietly sceptic l gaze . But she did not see anything o f the cooper . The daughter leaned over the bed , listened attentively , and then very deftly

th e i turned down clothes , reveal ng the bust R h of Malachi o o a n . The widow s a w a t weird face , not in the leas pale or lined , a h but ruddy , with ma ogany bald head , a — hea d upon which the leathery skin for — there did not seem any flesh hardly con

e ce a l d the stark outlines of the skull . From n d the chi there strayed a grey bear , the mos t sha ken and whipped -looking beard " i it th at the w dow had ever seen ; was , in t r ruth , a ve y miracle o f a beard , for one nd wondered how it had come there , a having come there , how it continued to

on hang , for there did not seem anything to which it could clai m natural allegiance . Th e widow w as a s much astonished at this THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 55 beard a s if sh e saw a plant growing in a pot without soil . Through its gaps sh e could see the leather o f the skin , the bones o f a neck , which was indeed a neck . Over . ' this head and shoulders the Cooper s daughter bent and shouted into a crumpled t f e a r . A lit le spasm o life stirred in the

u mummy . A low , mumbling so nd came from the bed . The widow was already be t ginning to feel tha , pe rhaps , she had done wrong in remembering that the cooper was still extant . But what else could she have clone ? If the weaver w a s burie d in a wrong grave she did not believe that his i soul would ever rest n peace . And what could be more dreadful than a soul wander ing o n the howlin g winds o f the earth ? The weaver would grieve , even in heaven . for

a s t his grave , grieve , maybe , bi terly as a saint might grieve who h ad lost h is halo . s o ld He was a pas ionate old man , such an man as would have a turbulent spiri t . He would surely The widow stifled th e thoughts that flashed into her mind . She w a s no more superstitious t han the rest of t e e us , but These vague and rribl o fears , -and her moderately decent s rrow , we re alike banished from h e r mind by what 56 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE

n followed . The mummy o the bed came

to life . And , what was more , he did it

himself . His daughter looked o n with the air of on e whose sensibilities had become blunted by a long familiarity with the

a v rious stages o f his resurrections . The widow gathered that the daughter had been well drilled ; sh e had been taught how t o

keep her place . She did not tender the slightest help to her father a s he drew him

l n se f together o the bed . He turned over

on i n on h s side , the his back , and stealthily began to insinuate his shoulder blades o n t h e the pillow , pushing up his weird head to

streak o f light from the little window . The widow had been s o long accustomed t o ass ist the aged that sh e made some in vo lu n - tary movement o f succour . Some half seen

o f gesture by the daughter , a sudden lifting

t h e dis ~ eyelids on the face o f the patient ,

o f s closing a pair blue eye , gave the widow

instinctive pause . She remained where she

w a s o f . , aloof like the daughter the house And a s sh e caught the blue of Malachi ' Ro oh a n s eyes it broke upon the widow that here in the essence o f the cooper t here lived

a spirit of extraordinary independe nce . H s ere , urely , was a man who had been THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 57

e wh o re accustomed to look out for hims lf ,

t n sented the atten io s , even in these days of his flickering consciousness . Up he

h is wor med his shoulder blades , mahogany

n skull , his leathery skin , his sensatio al eyes , his miraculous beard , to the light and to the ‘ t full view o f the visi or . At a certain stage — of the resurrection when the coo per had drawn two long , stringy arms from under the clothes—his daughter made a drilled t movemen forward , seeking something in the be d . The widow saw her discover the end of a rope , and this she placed in the t hands o f her indomitable fa her . The other end of the rope was fastened to the iron

o f f ‘ rai l the foot o the bed . The sinews ' of the patient s hands clutched the rope , and slowly , wonderfully , magically , a s it

e t t e d seem d o the widow , h e cooper rais himse lf to a sitting posture in the bed . There was dead silence in the room except fo r the labo ure d breathing of the performer .

of i Ye s The eyes the w dow blinked . , there was that ghost o f a man hoisting himself up from the dead on a leng th o f rope reversin g the usual proced ure . By that length of rope did the cooper hang o n to life , and the effort of life . It represented his Connection E 58 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

with the world , the world which had for i gotten him , wh ch marched past his win dow out side without knowing t h e st u

e n p n dou s thing that went o in h is room . i n There he was , sitting up i the bed , restored f to view by his own unaided e forts , holding his g rip o n life to the last . It co st him something to do i t , but he did it . It would take hi m longer and longer every day to grip along that le ngth of rope ; he would fail ell by ell , sinking back to the last help

s les ness on his rope , descending into eter n ity as a ves sel is lowered on a rope into a dark , deep well . But there he was now ,

fo r l still able his work , un beholding to al . - n o t self depe dent and alive , lo king a li tle vaguely with his bl ue eyes at the widow o f

e th weaver . His daughter swiftly and

h is an d sh e q uietly propped pillows at back , did it with the air o f one who w a s allowed a spe ci al privilege . " Nan ! called the o ld man to his daughter .

- s h e The widow , cool tempered a s was ,

on w almost jumped her feet . The voice as amazingly powerful . It was like a shout ,

filling t h e little room with vibrations . For four thing s did the widow ever after remem THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE 59

r Roo h a n — i ro e h e Mala chi for h s p , his blue h is eyes , powerful voice , and his magic

on beard . They were thrown the back ground of his skeleton in powerful relief . u s Ye , father , his daughte r replied ,

a r w s shouting into his e . He a apparently t very deaf . This infirmi y came upon the widow with a shoc k . The cooper w a s full of physical surprises . " ' ! Who s this one the coope r shouted , loo king at the widow . He had the belief

w a s that he delivering an aside . H Mrs . Hehir . — Mrs . Hehir what Hehir would she

f The w e a ve r s wife . " The weaver !> Is it Mort imer Hehir ?

Ye s , father . ' l n troth I know her . She s Delia Mor risse y , that married the weaver ; Delia

Morrissey that he followed to Munster , a raving lunatic with the dint of love . A hot wave of embarrassment swept the widow . For a moment she thought the

of mind the cooper w as wandering . Then sh e remembered that the maiden n a me o f ' fi w as the weaver s rst wife , indeed , Delia 60 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE

. had Morrissey She heard it , by chan ce , o r once twice . ' Isn t it Delia M orrissey herself we ha ve

? o ld in it the m an asked . The widow whispered to the daughter " s Leave it o .

' “ She shr ank from a difficult discussion ' with the spectre o n the bed on the family of history the weaver . A sense o f s hame came to her that she could be the wife to a contemporary o f this a s tonishing old m an holding on to the life rope . " ' ’ ! Rooh an h is I m out shouted Malachi , " blue eyes lighting suddenly . Delia Mor r isse y died . She was on e day e a tiii g h e r dinner and a bone stu ck in her throat . The

e i w a s weaver clapp d her on the back , but t all to no good . She choked to death before

e . his eyes on the floor . I rememb r that And the weaver himself near died o f grief ' after ! But he married secondly . Who s ? this he married secondly , Nan

to Nan did not know . She turned the widow for enlightenment . The widow e moistened her lips . She had to con en trat e her thoughts on a subjec t which; f or

sh e h a d a her own peace of mind , h bitually

62 THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE What way is Mortimer keeping ? asked the old man . ' H s e dead , replied the daughter . The fingers of the o ld man q uivered on

the rope . De ad ? Mortimer Hehir dead ? he

n e d o f God c . What in the name hap pened him

Nan did n o t know what happene d him .

She knew that the widow would n o t mind ,

s o i , without wa ting for a prompt , she replied A weakness came over him , a sudden

To think o f a man being whipped o ff " all o f a sudden like that ! cried th e coo per . " When that 's the way it was with Mortimer Hehir what o n e of us can be sure at all ?

o f u s is ! T Nan , none sure o think of the

weaver , with his heart as strong as a bull , ' g oing off in a lit tle weakness ! It s the trea ch e ro u s th e u world we live in , treachero s

e d world , surely . Never another yard of twe

on o ld ! will he put up his loom Morty ,

Morty , you were a good companion , a great

warrant to walk the hills , whistling the

a a d tunes , pleas nt in your conversation n a s " - a s broad spoken the Bible , THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 63

ou Did y know the weaver well , father the daughter asked . ? Who better he replied . Who dra nk more pints with him than what ' myse lf did ? And indeed it s to h is wake ' ' o u t f I d be setting , and it s under his co fin ' be my shoulder would going , if I wasn t fi con iie d to my rope .

He bowed his head for a few moments .

t w o The women exchanged a q uick , sym pathetic glance . The breathing of the o ld man w a s the breathing of one who slept . Th e head san k lower . The widow said “ ' You ought to make him lie down . He s " tired . The daughter made some movement of t dissen ; she was afraid to interfere . Maybe the cooper could be very violent if roused .

After a time he raised his head again . He looke d in a new mood . He was fresher , more wideawake . His beard hung in wisps

to the bedclothes . “ Ask him about the grave , the widow

said .

Th e daughter hesitated a moment , and in 64 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE that moment the coo pe r looked up as if he

o r had heard , partially heard . He said ’ If you wait a minute now I ll tell you

h e what t weaver was . He stared fo r m so e seconds at the little window . " ' "

Oh , we ll wait , said the daughter , and " ' t urning to the widow , added , Won t we , " ? Mrs . Hehir "

Indeed we will wait , said the widow .

t h e l s u d The weaver , said o d man de n l y, was a dream . He turned his head to the women to se e how they had taken it . " "

Maybe , said the daughter , with a little " o f touch laughter , Maybe Mrs . Hehir

n ot t would give in o that . The widow m oved h e r h ands uneasily under her shawl . She star ed a little fear fully at the cooper . His blue eyes were clear a s lake water over white sand . " sh Whether e gives into it , or whether sh v Ro o e doesn t gi e into it , said Malachi 0 6 ° 0

1 t s w a s . han , a dream Mortimer Hehir

o And his l om , and his shuttles , and his warping bars , and his bobbin , and the

o threads t hat he put up n the shifting racks , were all a dream . And the only thing he " o ever wove upon his lo m was a dream . THE WEAVER 'S CR AVE 65 i The old man smacked his lips , h s hard g ums whacking . His daughter looked at him with her head a little t o o n e side . " '

And what s more , said the cooper ,

every woman that ever came into his head , and every wife he married , was a dream . ' ' u I m telling yo that , Nan , and I m telling it to yo u o f the weaver . His life was a h is i . dream , and his death s a dream And widow there is a dream . And all the world

Do ou is a dream . y hear me , Nan , this world is all a dream ?

I hear you very well , father , the daughter san g in a piercing voice .

i is j The cooper ra sed h head with a erk , and his beard swept forward , giving him an appearance o f vivid energy . He spoke in a voice like a trumpet blast ! " ' And I m a dream !

He turned his blue eyes on the widow .

An u nnerving sensation came to her . The coo per was the most dreadful old man sh e

s had ever een , and what he was saying sounded the most terrible thing sh e had e v e r listened to . He cried ! "

The idiot laug hing in the street , th e

K is ing looking at h crown , the woman t um ' d of t ing her head to the s aun a man s s ep , 66 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE

the bells ringing in the belfry , the man walk ~ t h e ing his land , weaver at his loom , the P cooper handling his barrel , the ope stoo p — ' ing for his red slippers they re all a dream . ' And ”1 tell you why they re a dream ! b e

w a s cause this world meant to be a dream . " ' y Father , said the daughter , ou re ’ talking to o much You ll over-reach your self . The old man gave himself a little pull on

the rope . It was his gesture of energy , a

demonst ration o f the fine fettle he was in . He said ' ' You re s aying that because yo u don t t unders and me .

u I understand yo very well .

Yo u only think vou do . Listen to me N an . now , I want you to do something for ' " ? me . Yo u won t refuse me

I will not refuse you , Father ; you know ' " r ve y well I won t . " ' You re a good daughter to me , surely ,

I o u . Nan . And do what tell y now Shut

close your eves . Shut them fast and tight .

No flutter ing o f the lids now .

Very well , Father .

s The daughter clo ed her eyes , throwing

u p her face in the attitude of on e blind . ' THE WEAVER S GRAVE 67

' The widow w a s conscious o f the woman s t s i s rong , rough feature , someth ng good f natured in the line o the large mouth . The o ld man watched the face o f h is daught er with excitement . He asked " i o u se e 3 What is t that y now , Nan "

Nothing at all , Father .

ln r t oth you do . Keep them closed ' " tight and you ll see it . " I s e e nothing only ' Only what ? Why don t you say it i>

n Only dark es s , Father . ' ' And isn t that something to se e ? Isn t it easier to see darkness t han to se e light ? s Now , Nan , look into the darkne s . “ ' l m l o oking , Father . — And think o f something anything at — all t h e st ool before the kitchen fire out " side . “ ' l m thinking o f it . And do you remember it ? " I do well . An d when yo u remember it what " — n I! yo u want to do sit o it , maybe "

No t . , Fa her ' And w h y wouldn t you want to sit 68 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

' — e i Because b cause I d like to see it f rst , to make sure . ld The o man gave a little crow of delight . He cried There it is ! You want to make sure i that t is there , although you remember it well . And that is the way with everything in this world . People close their eyes and

of they are not sure anything . They want

s e e to it a gain before they believe . There

n ot i is Nan , now , and she does bel eve in ' t the stoo l before the fire , the li tle stool she s

e looking at all her life , that her mother us d to seat her o n before the fire when sh e was a small child . She closes her eyes , and it ! —if is gone And listen to me now , Nan you had a man of your ow n and you closed ' your eyes you wouldn t be too sure he w a s ' n the man you remembered , and you d wa t to open your eyes and look at him to make sure he w a s the man yo u knew before the

o u lids dropped on your eyes . And if y had children about you and you turne d your back and clos ed your eyes and tried to re ' member them von d want to look at them to ' make sure . You d be no more sure of them than you are now o f the stool in the

70 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

i ut ran a long h s stringy a rms , o into the rope , and the iron foot of the bed rattled . A look o f extraordinarily malicious humour lit up the vivid face o f the cooper . The widow beheld him with fascination , a grow ing sense of alarm . He might say any

He thing . might do anything . He might e b gin to sing some fearful song . He might

o f leap out bed . u ' Na n , he said , do you believe you ll swing round the corner and waken up ? "

Well , said Nan , hesitating a little , I do . The cooper gave a sort of peacock crow again . He cried " ' Och ! Nan Roo h an believes she ll waken up ! Waken up from what ? From a sleep ! and from a dream , from this world Well ,

c if you believe that , Nan Ro han , it shows ' you know what s what . You know what ld the thing around you , called the wor , ’ And it s only dreamers who can hope to — ' waken u p do you hear me , Nan ; it s only

‘ dreamers who can e pe to waken up . " I hear you , said Nan .

The world is only a dream , and a dream ‘ is nothing at all ! sVe all want to waken THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 7 ! up out o f the great nothingness of thi s " world . “

w o d . And , please , we will , said Nan

Yo u can tell all the world from me . " ' " e said the coop r , that it won t . “ ' ? And why won t we , Father

o u r Because , said the old man we selves are the dream. When we re over the ' u s dream is over with . That s why " " s i ; d Father , a d the daughter , her hea

i tt o n e o aga n a li le to side , you kn w a great d eal . “

I know enough , said the cooper shortly . " And maybe you could tell us something '

rs . about the weaver s grave . M Hehir " wants to know . u ' An d amn t l after telling you all about ' ' th e weaver s grave ? Amn t l telling yo u it is all a dream ? " Yo u never said that , Father . Indeed

u yo never did . I said e verything in this world is a ' dream , and. the weaver s grave is in this

r world , below in Cloon na Mo a v . " Wher e in Cloon na Mo ra v ? What part o f ? Mrs it , Father That is what . Hehir wants to know . Can youtell her ? 72 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE

Rooh a n . I can tell her , said Malachi ' l was at his father s burial . I remember t I above all burials , because that was the

s day the handsome girl , Honor Co tello , fell

Th e over a grave and fainted . sweat broke out on young Donohoe when he s a w Honor Not Costello tumbling over the grave . a marry would he marry her after that , and t s T ll he sworn o it by the kis of her lips . ’ t f o n marry no woman hat ell a grave , says ‘ ' Donohoe . She d maybe have a child by ’ - me with turned in eyes o r a twisted limb . ' d t e So he married a farmer s daughter , an h same morning Honor Cos tello !married a ' Don oh oe s cattle drover . Very well , then . w r wife had no child at all . She a s a ba ren n D ? woma . o you hear me , Nan A barren woman she was . And such childer as Honor Costello had by the drover !

Yellow hair th e v had , heavy as seaweed . the skin o f t hem clear as the wind , and limbs a s clean a s a whistle ! It was said the drover was of the blood of the Danes , and it broke out in Honor Costello 's family !

'

Maybe , said the daughter , they were " Vikings . What are you saying ? cried the old THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 73

' ' t man estily . Ain t l t elling you it s Danes i they were . D d anyone ever hear a greater miracle ?

o n e th No ever did , said e daughter , and both women clicked their tongues to express sympathetic wonder at the tale . " ' And I ll tell you what saved Honor Co s

s h e tello , said the cooper . When fell in Cloon na Mora v she turned her cloak

u t inside o . " ’ What about the W eaver s grave ,

Father ? Mrs . Hehir wants to know . The o ld man loo ked at the widow ; his blue eyes se arched her face and her figure ; the expression of satirical admiration flashed over his fe a tu re s f The nos trils o f the nose twitched . He said ' So that s the e n d of the story ! Sally c ' Mac abe , the blacksmith s favourite , wants ' to know where she ll sink the weaver o u t o f sight ! Gre a t battles were fought in Loos caun over Sally Ma cCa be ! The weaver

r thought his hea t would burst , and the blacksmith damned h is soul fo r the sake of M C ' a c a be s . Sally idle, hours u Fa th e r , said the daughter of the house ,

let the dead rest .

A i Ro oh a n y , sa d Malachi , let the F 74 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE

o foolish dead rest . The dream f Looscaun is over . And now the pale woman is look '

or . ing f the black weaver s grave Well , good luck to her ! The cooper was taken with another spasm f o grotesq ue laughter . The only di fference was that this time it bega n by the rattling of the rail of the bed , travelled along the t rope , down his stringy arms dying ou i somewhere in his legs n the be d . He

c sma ked his lips , a peculiar harsh sound , as if there was not much meat to it . " ' Do I know where Mortimer He h ir s " grave is ? he said ruminatingly . Do I know where me rope is ?

? . Where is it , then his daughter asked

Her patience was great . “ " ' lt s ”I i . tell you that , sa d the cooper under the elm tree o f Cloo n na Mora v . '

That s where it is surely . There was never a weaver yet that did not fin d rest

under the elm tree o f Cloon na Mora v . There they all went as surely as the buds came on the branches! Let Sally Maccabe put poo r Morty there ; let her give him a tear or two in memory of the days that his heart was ready to burst for her , and believe you

me no ghost will ever haunt her . No dead THE WEAVER ’ S GR AVE 75 man ever yet came back to look upon a woman W' A furtive sigh escaped the widow . ith her handkerchief she wiped a little pe rspira

o ld t ion from b oth sides of her nose . The man wagged his head sympathetically . He thought she was the long dead Sally Maccabe lamenting the weaver ! The widow 's emotion arose from relief that the mystery of the grave had at last been cleared up . Yet her dealings with old men had taught her caution . Quite suddenly the memory o f the handsom e dark face o f the grave-digger who had followed her to the stile came back to her She remembered " that he said something about the exact

o pos ition f the grave . The widow prompted yet another q uestion ! " What position under the elm tree ? The o ld man listened to the q uestion ; a strained look came into his face . " Po sition of what ? he asked .

Of the grave . Of what grave ? ' The weaver s g rave . ld Another spasm seized the o frame , but this time it came from no aged merriment . lt gripped his skeleton a n d shook it . It was 76 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE as if some invisible powerful hand had s u d de n ly taken him by the back o f the n eck and shaken him . His knuckles rattled o n the rope . They had an appalling sound . A horrible feeling came to the widow that the cooper would fall to pieces like a bag o f bones . He turned his face to his daughter .

Gre a t tears had welled into the blue eyes , giving them an appearance of childish petu lance , then of acute suffering . " What are you talking to me o f graves " . fo r ? he asked , and the powerful voice broke . Why will you be tormenting me ' ? It s n ot ? like this going to die I am , is it l s it going to die I am , Nan The daughter bent over him as she might bend over a child . She said ! u '

In de e d o f . , there s great fear you Lie

o u t down and rest yourself . Fatigued and out you ar e .

The grip slowly slackened o n the rope .

He sank back , q uite helpless , a little whimper breaking from him The daughter stoo ped l ower , reaching for a pillow that r had fallen in by the wall . A sudden sha p snarl sounded from the bed , and i t dropped from her hand . " ' Don t t ouch me ! the cooper cried .

The widow walked along the streets . out w a rdl y calm , inwardly confused . Her first " thought was the day is g oing o n me ! There were many things still to be done at home ; she remembe r ed the weaver lying there , q uiet at last , the candles lighting t abou him , the brown habit over him , a — crucifix in his hands e v e r vth in g as it should be . It se emed ages to the widow since he had really fallen ill . He was very exacting and peevish all that time . His dea th agony had been protracted almost melodramatically violent . A few times the

u t widow had nearly run o of the house , leav ing the weav‘ er to fight the death battle

But a lone . her commonsense , her good nerves , and her religious convictions , had

sh sto od to her , and when e put the pennies ' o n the weaver s eyes she was glad she had

w s done her duty to the last . She a glad now that she had take n the search fo r the THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 79 g rave out o f the hands of Me e h a u l Lynskey and Cahir Bowes ; Malachi Roobah had

s been a sight , and h e would never forget him , but he had known what nobody else knew The widow , as she ascended a little upward sweep o f the road to Cloon na

r t w a s Mo a v , noted hat the sky beyond it

of more vivid , a red band light having struck across the grey blue , just on the horizon . Up against this red background w a s the f i dark outline o landscape , a n d espec ally

r Cloo n na Mo a v . She kept her eyes upon

s e h it as h drew nearer . Objects t at were vague o n the landscape began to bulk up with more distinction . She noted the back wall of Cloo n na

Mora v r , its g een lichen more vivid under sk li the red patch of the v n e . And pre se n t l y, above the green wall , black against

s w o f the vivid sky , she a elevated the bulk one of the black coc kroaches . On it were

s perched two drab figures , o grotesq ue , so

o f still , that they seemed part the thing itself . One figure w a s sloping ou t from the end of the tombstone so curiously that fo r a moment the widow thought i t was a man who had reached down from the table to see what ' 80 .THE WEAVER S CRAVE f w a s under it . At the other end o the table was a slender warped figure , and as the widow gazed upon it she saw a sign o f ani mation . The head and face , bleak in their t outlines , were r aised up in a ges ure of w despair . The face a s turned flush against ' sk so the y , so much that the widow s eyes

s k t instinctively sought the y oo . Above the sl a sh o f red , in the west , was a single star , flashing so briskly and so freshly that it

Fo r might have never shone before . all the

a widow knew , it might h ve been a young s tar frolicking in the heavens with all the

sh e joy o f youth . Was that , wondered , at

l M h u l what the o d man , e e a Lynskey , was

z o ld g a ing . He was very , very , and the ! star was very , very young Was there some protest in the gesture of the head he raised to that thing in the sky ; was there some mockery in the sparkle of the thing o f the sky fo r the face -o f the man ? Why should a sta r be always young , a man aged s o soon ? Should n o t a man be greater than a star ? Was it this Me e h a u l Lynskey was

thinking ? The widow could not say , but

something in the thing awed her . She had the sensation o f o n e who surprises a man in s ome act that lifts him above the common THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE BI

h u places of existence . It was a s if Me e a l Lyn skey were disc ove red prostrate before

o f some altar , in the throes a religious i agony . Old men were , the w dow felt ,

r ve y , very strange , and she did not know A s that sh e would ever understand them . s h e looked at the bleak head o f Me e h a u l

i o f Lyn skey up , aga nst the vivid patch the sk y , she wondered if there could really be something in that head which would make

a s a s l ? him great a star , immorta as a star Suddenly Me e h a u l Lynskey made a move ment The widow s a w i t q uite distinctly .

a rm o u t She saw the raised , the hand go ,

i o n e with ts crooked fingers , in , two , three q uick , short taps in the direction o f the st ar .

The widow stood to watch , and the gesture

s o was so familiar , homely , so personal , that it was q uite understandable to her . She knew then that Me e h a u l Lynskey w a s n ot

o f t w s thinking any grea things at all . He a only a nailer ! And seeing the Evening Star sparkle in the sky he had only thought o f

th e i his workshop , of bellows the rons , the i l w m f re , the sparks , and the g o g iron which might be made into a nail while i t was hot ! He had in imaginat ion seized a hammer and made a blow acros s interstellar space at 82 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE

Venus ! All the beauty and youth o f the star frolicking o n th e pale sky above the slash o f vivid redness had only suggested to him the making of yet another nail ! If Me e h a u l Lynskey could push up his scarred yellow face among the star s of the sky he would only se e in them the sparks of his litt le

Smithy .

w a s Cahir Bowes , the widow thought , looking down at the earth , from the other end of the tombstone , to see if there were any hard things there which he could smash up . The old men had their backs turned upon

each o ther . Very likely they had another i i discuss on since , which ended in this att tude

on o f mut ual contempt . The widow was c scious again o f the unreasonableness o f o ld

n e of . men , but ot much res ntful it She was too long accustomed to them to have any

o f . great sense revolt Her emotion , if it

w a s could be called an emotion , a settled ,

dull toleration o f all their little bigotries . She put her hand on the stile for the second i a le lv t me that day , and again raised her p s a d face over th e g raveyard o f Cloon na

s o s e Mo ra v . As e be did h had the most ' extraordinary expe rience of the whole day s

sensations . It was such a sensation as gave THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE 83 her at once a wonderful sense o f the reality and the unreality of life . She paused on the stile , and had a clear insight into something that had up to this moment been obscure . And no sooner had the thing bec ome definite and clear than a sense o f the wonder o f life

a ll k th r e a m came to her . It was very li e e d t Malachi Roc han had talked abou .

In the pale grass , under the vivid colours

sk - i o f the y , the two grave di g g ers were ly ng

i u on the r backs , staring silently p a t the

o heavens . The widow l oked at them as she h paused on the stile . Her thoug hts o f t ese m e n h a d i been indifferent , subconsc ous , up h to this instant . T ey were handsome young men . Perhaps if there had been only one of them ‘ the widow wou ld have been more a t

a n ot te n tive . The dark h ndsomeness did t i h i seem the same h ng w en repeated . The r b a u t h a d e v . if one could call it beauty , been

be a ut o f of collective , the v flowers , dark ,

k o f o n e velvety pansies , the distinctive mar s d faithfully duplicated o n the other . The g oo

o f on e t o o f th e looks had , the mind widow , somehow nullified the good looks o f the t o f other . There was oo much borrowing Pet er to pay Paul in their well

Th e fi favoured features . rst grave 84 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

di g ger spoiled the illusion of indi

idu lit - v a y in the second grave digger . The

s o widow had not thought , but she would have agreed if an ybody whispered to her that a good -looking man who wanted to win favour with a woman shou ld never have s o complete a twin brother . It would be possible for a woman to part tenderly with a man , and , if she met his image and likeness

th e around corner , knock him down . There is nothing more powerful , but nothing more delicate in life than the valves o f individua lit y . To create the impression that humanity was a thing which could be turned o u t like a coinage would be to ruin the whole illusion

- of life . The twin g rave diggers had created

f s some sort o such impre sion , vague , and not

of very insistent , in the mind the widow , and it had made her lose any special interest in

sh e on them . Now , however , a s hesitated w the stile , all this a s swept from her mind at a stroke . That mos t subtle and powerful of all things , personality , sprang silently from o f the twins and made them , to the mind the

a s . widow , things far apart as the poles The two men lay at length , and exactly the same length a n d bulk , in the long , grey grass . But , a s the widow looked upon them , one twin

86 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

widow , colle cting her thoughts , piloted her skirts modestly about her legs as she g ot down from the nar row stonework of the stile and stumbled into the contrariness of Cloon na Mora v . A wild sense of satisfaction swept her that sh e had come back the bearer

’ of useful information . " e e h u Well , said M a l Lynskey , did you " see Malachi Rooh a n ? The widow looked i at h s scorched , sceptical , yellow face , and said ! " I did . Had he any word for us ?

He had . He remembers the place of the ' " weaver s grave . The widow looked a little

r vaguely about Cloon na Mo a v . " " What does he say ? '

He says it s under the elm tree . w - There a s silence . The stone breaker swung about on his legs , his head making a - semi circular movement over the ground , and h is sharp eyes were turned upward , a s if he were searching the heavens fo r an elm tree . The nailer droppe d his underjaw and stared t ensely acros s the ground , blankly , patiently , like a fisherman on the edge o f the shore - gazing over an empty sea . The grave digger a s turned his head away shyly , like a boy , THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 87 if he did not want to s e e the confusion of the widow ; the man w a s full of th e most delicate - m a nnerisms . The o ther grave digger settled into a stolid attitude , then the skin bunched up about his brown eyes in puckers of humour . A miserable feeling swept the widow . She had the feeling that she stood

n o the verge of some collapse . " Under the elm tree , mumbled the stone breaker . " '

That s what he said , added the widow .

o f M r v Under the elm tree Cloon na o a . " “ u Well , said Cahir Bowes , when yo ' r find the elm t ee you ll find the grave . The widow did riot know what an elm tree was . Nothing had ever happened in life as she knew it to render any spec ial knowledge of trees profitable , and therefore desirable . Trees were good ; they made nice firing when t d chopped up ; imber , a n all that was

t . fashioned out o f imber , came from tre es This knowledge the widow had accepted as she had accepted all the other remote pheno mena o f the world into which she had been born . But that trees should have distinctive names , that they should have family relation ships , seemed to the mind o f the widow only an unnecessary complication o f the affairs of 88 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE

the universe . What good was it ? She could understan d calling fruit trees fruit trees and all other kinds simply trees . But that n o e should be an elm and another an a sh . r that there should be name afte name , species i after species , g ving them peculiarities and

s w s per onalities , a one o f the things that the w idow did not like . And at this moment . when the elm tree of Malachi Rooh a n had r v raised a fresh problem in Cloon na Mo a , — the likeness of o ld men to old t rees their i n e crank ness , their complexity , their a gl s , t heir very barks , bulges , gnarled twistiness , — d and kinks was very close , an brought a sense of oppression to the sorely-tried brain o f the widow . " Me e h a u l Under the elm tree , repeated Lynskey " The elm tree of Cloon na

Mor a v . He broke into an aged cackle of a laugh . If I was an y good at all at making ' a rhyme I d make one about that elm tree , devil a other but I would . The widow looked a roun d Cloon na

Mora v , and her eyes , for the first time in her

. life , were consciously searching for trees If there were numerous t rees there she could understand how easy it might be for Malachi

Rooh an to make a mistake . He might have THE W EAVER ’ S CRAVE 89 mistaken some other sort of tree for an elm the widow felt t hat there must be plenty of

other trees very like an elm . In fact , sh e t reasoned hat other trees , do their best , could not help looking like an elm . There must be thousands a n d millions of peo ple like herself in the world who pass through life in the belief that a certain kind of tree was an elm when , in reality , it may be an a sh or an oak

s o r o r or a che tnut a beech , even a poplar , a

o r . R h birch , a yew Malachi o o a n was never likely to allow anybody to amend h is know ledge o f an elm tree He would let go h is rope in the belief that t here w a s an elm tree in

Mor v Cloon na a , and that under it was the ' — a is i R h weaver s grave th t , f Malachi oo an ha d not , in some ghastly aged kink , invented the thing . The widow , not sharply , but still with an appreciation of the thing , graspe d that a dispute about trees would be the very sort of dispute in which Me e h a u l Lynskey

r o ld and Cahir Bowes wo uld , like the ve y men that they were , have revelled . Under the impulse o f the message sh e had brought from the coo per they would have launched ou t into another powerful struggle from tree to tree in Cloon na Mora v ; t hey would again have strewn the place with the corpses of 90 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE

n slain arguments , and in the e t result they would not have been able to establish any thing either abo ut elm tree s o r about the ' s a d weaver s grave . The slow , gaze of the

' widow for trees in Cloon na Mora v brou g h t to her , in these circumstances , both pain and

It u l relief . was a relief that Me e h a Lynskey and Cahir Bowes could not challenge each other to a batt le o f trees ; it was a pain that the tree o f Malachi R o oh a n was nowhere in sight . The widow could see for herself that there was n ot any sort o f a tree in Cloon na

Mo ra v w a s . The ground enclosed upon

n three sides by walls , o the fourth by a hedge

o ld t o f q uicks . Not even men could rans form a hedge into an elm tree . Neither could they make the few stru ggling briars clinging about the railing s of the sepulchres int o any

o f t hing except briars . The elm tree

- Malachi Roc han was now non e xistent . Nobody wo uld ever know whethe r it had or

a s ha d not ever existed . Th e widow would soo n give the soul of the weaver to the how! in g winds o f th e world a s go back and inter

n view the cooper again o the subject . H " l c s O d Malachi Ro han , said Cahir Bowe " i i is with tolerant dec s on , doting . THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 9!

The nearest elm tree I know , “ e e h a u l M Lynskey , is half a mile away . The one above at Carragh ? q uestioned

Cahir Bowes . u

A . y , beside the mill

No more was to be sa id . The riddle o f the ' W eaver s grave w a s still the riddle o f the ' W eaver s grave . Cloon na Mo ra v kept its

s . ss ecret But , neverthele , the weaver would

e have to be buried . He could not be hous d indefinitely . Taking courage from all the e harrowing asp cts of the deadlock , Me e h a ul

Lynskey went back , plump an d courageously to his original allegiance . " r t The g ave of the weaver is here , he

u said . and he struck o t h is hooked fingers in the direction o f the disturbance of the s od which the grave-diggers had made under pressure of his earlier enthusiasm . Cahir Bow es turned on him with a wi ther ing , q uavering glance . " ' Aren t you afraid that God would strike ? you where you stand he demanded . " ' " l m — M u l not not a bit afraid , said e e h a ' ' It s Lynske y . the weaver s grave .

s a You y that , cried Cahir Bowes , after " what we all s a w and what we all heard ? " do s Me e h a u l . I , aid Lynskey , stoutly 92 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

e He wip d his lips with the palm o f his hand ,

o u t and launched into one of his arguments , arguments , as usual , packed with part iculars . u l saw the weaver 's father lowered in that ' ' I ll u . o it w a s place And tell y , what s more , c Father Owen Mac arthy that read over him , he a youn g red-haired curate in this place at the time , long before ever he became parish

o f Be n e lo . priest g There was I , standing in man this exact spot , a young too , with a light i moustache , holding me hat n me hand , and — there o n e side of me maybe five yards from the marble stone o f the Ke e m a h a n s m w a s Patsy Curtin that (1e himself to death after , and on the other side o f me was Honor

Costello , that fell on the grave and married t h e ic a ttle drover , a big , loo se shoulde red " Dane . - i d Patiently , half absent m n edly , listening

o f to the renewal the dispute , the widow re R membered the words of Malachi ooh a n ,

o f and his story Honor Costello , who fell on the grave over fifty years ago . What memories these o ld men had ! How u n re liable they were, and yet flashing out

o f t astounding corroborations each o her . Maybe there was something in what 1 Me e h a u l w a s Lynskey saying . Maybe

94 THE W EAVER ’ S GRAVE you yourself be the powerful man to deal with Julia Rafferty . But remember this , and ’ n remember it s my word , that touch o e bone " in this place and you touch all . " No fear at all have I to right a wrong . ' I m no backslider when it comes to justice , and justice “1 see done among the living and the dea d . G o ahead , then , me hearty fellow . If Julia herself is in the wrong place somebody ' ow n be else must be in her place , and you ll following one rig h tme n t with another wrong ' ment until in the end you ll go mad with the ' ' tangle of dead men s wrongs . That s the ' M h a u l end that s in store for you , e e Lyn skey . Me e h a u l Lynskey spat o n his fist and struck out with the ho oked fingers . His blood was up . " That I may be as dead a s my father ! he began in a traditional oath , and at that Cahir Bowes gave a little cry and raised his stick with a battle flourish . They went up f and down the dips o the ground , rising and

o n falling the waves of their anger , and the

sh e w as e widow sto od where , mis rable and

n dow hearted , her feet growing stone cold from the chilly dampness of the ground . The THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 95

twin , who did not now count , took o u t his pipe and lit it , looking at the old men with a stolid gaze . The twin who now counted walked uneasily away , bit an end off a chunk of tobacco , and came to stand in the ground in a line with the widow , looking on with her se veral fee t away ; but again the widow ' was conscious o f the man s growing sym pathy . " ' o f tw o They re a nice pair boyos , them

ld t o . o lads , he remarked the widow He turned his head to her . He was very hand some . Do you think they will fin d it i> she asked . Her voice w a s a little nervous , and

re the man shifted on his feet , nervously spo n s ive . " ' ’ I s t a . hard to say , he s id You d never

to . Tw o know what think old lads , the like o f them , do be very tricky . " '

i . God grant they ll get it , sa d the widow - G th e . od grant , said grave digger ' But they didn t . They only got exhausted as before , wheezing and coug hing , and glar ing at each other as they sat down on tw o mounds .

- The grave digger turned to the widow . 96 THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE

She was aware o f the nice warmth of his brown eyes . " Are you waking th e weaver again to night he asked . " "

i . I am , sa d the widow

o — o ld Well , maybe s me person some man or woman from the country—may turn Y u up and be able to tell where the grave is . o could make inq uiries . " Ye s , said the widow , but without any " " enthusiasm , I could make inq uiries .

- for The grave digger hesitated a moment , " and said more sympathetically , We could all , maybe , make inq uiries . There was a

o f softer personal note , a note adventure , in the voice . The widow turned her head to the man . and smiled at him q uite frankly . ’ ou sh e I m beholding to y , said and then added with a little wounded sigh ,

Everyone is very good to me . The grave-digger twirled the ends of his moustache .

Cahir Bowes , who had heard , rose from I'll his mound and said briskly , agree to

e leave it at that . His air was that o f o n who had made an extraordinary personal i w as i w a s sacr fice . What he really think ng

98 THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE friendship between them on the head of the ' dispute about the weaver s grave . They

o f had been making liars each other all day ,

‘ Co d and they would , please , make liars of

- each other all day to morro w . The widow ,

r t h e n unde standing mea ing of this hostility , had a faint sense of amusement at the con tra rin e ss o f o ld men . How could she tell what was passing in the head which Cahir

Bowes hung , like a fuchsia drop , over the 3 road How could sh e know of the strange rise and fall of the thoughts , the little frets ,

‘ the tempers , the faint humours , which

—w chas ed each other there ? Nobody n o t even Cahir Bowes himself—could account fo r them . All the widow knew was that

Cahir Bowes stood suddenly on the road . e Something had happ ned in his brain , some o ld memory cell long dormant had become

o f nascent , had a stir , a pulse , a flicker

o f o f warmth , activity , and swiftly as a flash

h sk o f lig tning in the y, a glow lucidity lit up w his memory . It a s a s if a searchlight had suddenly fl o oded t h e d ark corners of his

e o n brain . The immediat physical effect Cahir Bowe s was to cause him to stand stark

Me e h a u l still o n the ro ad , Lynskey going

s w ahead without him . The widow a Cahir THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE 99

Bo o n wes pivot his heels , his head , at the i end of the horizontal body , sw nging round like the movement o f a hand on a runaway

clock . Instead of pointing up the hill home . ward the head pointed down the hill and

to back Cloon na Mora v . There followed the most extraordinary movements—shuff — lings , gyrations that the widow had ever

n seen . Cahir Bowes wa ted to run like mad

away down the road . That was plain . And Cahir Bowes believed that he was run t ning like mad away down h e road . That was also evident . But what he act ually did

n was to make little jumps o his feet , his stick rattling the ground in front , and each jump did not bring him an inch of ground .

' He would have gone m ore ra pidly in h is

t e r normal shuffle . His efforts were like a rible parody o n the springs o f a kangaroo . w a s n o w And Cahir Bowes , in a voice that w a s more a scream than a cackle , calling o u t unintelligible things . The widow , look t ing at him , paused in wonder , hen over her face there came a relaxation , a colour her

eyes warmed , her expression lost its settled

pen siven ess , and all her body was shaken with uncontrollable laughter . Cahir Bowes

passed her on the road in his fantastic leaps , IOO T A ' G , HE WE VER S RAVE his - abortive buck jumps , screaming and

s o n cracking h i stick the ground , his left hand still gripped tight ly on the small of his back i a beh nd , a powerful br ke on the small of his back . Me e h a u l Lynskey turned back and his fa ce was shaken with an aged emotion as he looked a fter the stonebreaker . Then he removed his hat and blessed himself . The cros s of Christ between us and harm , he exclaimed . Old Cahir Bowes h as gone o ff his head at last . I thought there w as someth ing up with him all day . It was easily known there was something ugly working in h is mind . The widow controlled her laughter and checked herself , making the sign of the Cross on t her forehead , oo . She said Cod forgive me for laughing and the weaver with the habit but fresh upon him . The grave-digger who counted was coming i out somewhat eagerly over the st le , but Cahir

Bowes , flourishing his stick , be at him back again and then himself re -entered Cloon na “ r t Mo a v . He s umbled over the grass , now i n i r sing o a mound , now d sappearing alto gether in a dip of the ground , travelling in a giddy Course like a hooker in a storm ; again ,

102 THE WEAVER ’ S GRAVE

o u t o f work . The earth sang up the ground , dark and rich in colour , gleaming like gold , in the deepening twilight in the place . Two

u feet , three feet , four feet of earth came p , t h e spades pushing through the earth in regular and powerful pushes , and still the coast was clear . Cahir Bowes trembled with

excitement on his stick . Five feet of a pit yawned in the ancient ground . The spade

o f - work ceased . One the grave diggers looked up at Cahir Bowes and said You hit the weaver 's grave this time right enough . Not another g rave in the place could be a s free as t his . The widow sighed a q uick little sigh and t - looked at the face o f the o her grave digger , t hesitated , hen allowed a remote smile of thankfulness to flit across her palely s a d face . The eyes of the man wandered away over the darkening spaces of Cloon na Mora v . ' W e I got the eaver s grave surely , cri d

Cahir Bowes , his old face full of a weird

im a i Ph ilo so an t on t. If he had found the ' ph e r s Stone he would only have broken it . ' But to fin d the W eaver s grave was an a ccom plishm e n t that would help him into a wisdom ll h is before which a world would bow . He looked around triumphantly and said THE WEAVER 'S CRAVE 103

Where is Me e h a u l Lynskey now ; what will the people be saying at all about h is ' attack o n Julia Rafferty s grave ? Julia will ' haunt him , and I d sooner have anyone at all haunting me than the ghost of Julia

e h u l Rafferty . Where is M e a Lynskey now ? Is it ashamed to show his lia ry face he is ? And what talk had Malachi Ro oh an about ' ! t s an elm tree ? Elm tree , indeed If i tree s that is troubling him now let him climb up on one o f them and hang himself from it

! o ld with his rope Where is that fellow ,

e h a u h is ? M e l Lynskey , and . rotten head

s a ? Where is he , I y Let him come in here now to Cloon na Mo ra v un til I be showing ' him the weaver s grave , five feet down and

o r not a rib a knuckle in it , as clean and beautiful as the weaver ever wished it .

m Me e h a u l Co e in here , Lynskey , until I hear the lies panting again in your yellow throat . He went in h is ext raordinary movement over the ground , making for the stile all the while talking . Me e h a u l Lynskey h a d crouched behind the wall outside when Cahir Bowes led the ld digg ers to the new site , his o face twisted in an attentive ; almost agonising emotion . 104 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

He stood peeping over the wall , saying to himself ' o u ! i o ld Whisht , will y Don t m nd that ' ' madman . He hasn t it at all . I m telling ' ' ' W Le t you he has n t it . hisht , will you ' him dig away . They ll hit something in a ' n d minute . They ll level him when they fi

’ h s n ow out . His brain a turned . Whist , , I'll will you , and have that rambling old '

u . l natic , Cahir Bowes , in a minute I ll leap I'll in on him . charge him before the world . ' ' I ll I ll o u t show him up . take the gab of ' '

I ll I ll . him . lacerate him . lambaste him ! Whisht , will you But as the digging went on and the terrible cries of triumph arose inside Me e h a u l

Lynskey s knees knocked together . His

head bent level to the wall , yellow and

i e i grimac ng , n rves twitch ng across it , a little yellow froth gathering at the com ers o f the mou th . When Cahir Bowes ca me beating for the stile Me e h a ul Lynskey rubbed on e

th e leg with other , a little below the calf , an d cried to himself obrokenly Cod 1 n h s i Heaven , he a t ! He h a s the weaver s grave . He turned about and slunk along in the d sha ow of the wall up the hill , panting and

' 106 THE WEAVER S GRAVE

Old Cahir is great value . Come down until we hear him handling the nailer .

He walked away down over the ground . The widow was left alone with the other

- o u t grave digger . He drew himself up of the pit with a sinuous movement o f the body which the widow noted . He stood without a word beside the pile of heaving clay and looked across at the widow . She looked back at him and suddenly the silence became

o full o f unspoken words , f flying , ringing emotions . The widow could see the dark f green wall , above i t the band o still deepen ing red , above that the still more pallid grey ’ sky , and directly over the man s head the gay frolicking o f the fresh star in the sky .

ra l Cloon na Mo v was f ooded with a deep , vague light . The widow scented the fresh

o f wind about her , the cool fragrance the earth and yet a warmth that was strangely ' beautiful . The light of the man s dark eyes were visible in the shadow which hid his face . The pile o f earth beside him was like

a vague shape of miniature bronze moun ! i w a s tains . He stood w th a stillness which t ense an d dramatic . The widow thought that the world was strange , the sky extra ' th e n sk ordinary, ma s head against the red y THE WEAVER ’ S CRAVE 107

' a ove it of a wonder , a poem , b the sparkle

the great young star . The widow knew that they would be left together like this for o n e

minute , a minute which would be as a flash

and a s eternity . And she knew n ow that sooner or later this man would come t o her

and that she would welcome him . Below at the stile the voice o f Cahir Bowes w a s

cackling in its aged notes . Beyond this the

” stillness w a s the stillness of heaven an d t earth . Suddenly a sense of fain ness came a to the widow . The whole pl ce swooned w before her eyes . Never a s this world so

a str nge , so like the dream that Malachi

Ro h o an had talked about . A movement in the figure of the man beside the heap o f z bron e had come to her as a warning , a fear , and a delight . She moved herself a

t l . li t e in response , made a step backward The next instant she s a w the figure o f the man Spring acros s the open black mouth of ' the weaver s grave to her . A faint sound escaped her and then his

o n on breath was hot her face , his mouth her lips . Half a minut e later Cahir Bowes ca me shuffling back , followed by the twin . 'll " I bone him yet , said Cahir Bowes , 108 THE WEAVER 'S GRAVE

' Never you fear I ll make that o ld nailer 'll ' face me . I show him up at the weaver s wake to-night !

The twin laughed behind him . He shoo k his head at his brother , who was standing a pace away from the widow . He said

Five feet . He l ooke d into th e grave and then looked at the widow , saying ! Are you satisfied ? w There as silence for a second or two , and ' when she spo ke the widow s voice was low

t e u but fresh , like h voice of a yo ng girl . She said ' I m satisfied .

THE GO LDE N B AR QU E

MICHAEL AND MARY .

ARY had spent many days gathering wool from the whins

o n the headland . They were the bits of wool shed by the

shee p before the shearing . When she had got a fleece that fitted the basket s h e too k it down to the

‘ canal and washed it . When she had t done washing it was a sof , white , silky

fleece . She put it back in the brown sally W i basket , pressing it down th her long , n delicate fingers . She had rise to go away , t holding the baske against her waist , when her eyes followed the narrow neck of water that wound through the bog . She could n ot follow the neck of yellow

o f water very far . The light day was failing . A haze hung over the great Bog o f Allen that spread out level on all sides of her . The bo at loomed o u t o f the haze on the narrow

s neck of the canal water . It looked , at fir t , I 12 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

o ff a long way , and it seemed to come in a th cloud . The soft rose light that mounted e s ky caught the boat and burnished it like dull n e gold . It came leisurely , drawn by the o G horse , looking like a olden Barq ue in the t wilight . Mary put her brown head a little to o n e side as she watched the easy motion of t h e boat . The horse drew himself along deliberately , the patient head going up and down with every heavy step . A crane rose

t h e tw o z from bog , flapping la y wings across the wake of the boat , and , reaching its long

e o t z n ck before it , g lost in the ha e . The figure that swayed by the big arm o f the tiller o n Th e Golde n Ba rq ue w a s vague and shapeless at first , but Mary felt her eyes following the slow movements of the body . Mary thought it was very beaut iful to sway n w every o and then by the arm of the tiller , steering a Golde n Barq ue through the twi light . Then she realised suddenly that the boat was much nearer than sh e had thought . She l l could see the figures o f the men p ain y , especially the slim figure by the tiller . She could trace th e rope that slackened and stretched taut a s it reached from the boat to

S th e the horse . Once it plashed water , and

1 14 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

n ot did smile in return . She had taken a step back and remained there q uietly . Once he looked b ack and awkwardly touched his cap , but she made no sign . When the boat had gone by some way

s a t on she down the bank , her basket of ld wool beside her , loo king at Th e Go e n

Ba u rq e until it went into the gloom . She stayed there for some time, thinking long in t h e great silence o f the bog . When at last

e she rose , the canal was clear and co ld b

e . n ath her She looked into it . A pale new moon was shining down in the water . Mary often stood at the door o f the cabin o n the headland watching the boats that crawled like black snails over the narrow streak of water through th e bo g . But they were not all like black snails now There w G a s a olden Barq ue among them . When

o n ever she saw it she smiled , her eyes the

figure that stood by the sha ft of the tiller . One evening she was walking by the canal when Th e Golde n Ba rq ue passed . The light was very clear and searching . It t e showe d every plank , bat er d and tar

o n for stained , the rough hulk , but all that it los t none o f its magic for Mary . The little shr unken driver , head down , the lips mov THE GOLDEN BARQUE I 15

ing , walked beside the horse . She heard is h low mutters as he passed . The red faced man w a s stooping over the side of the

o ut boat , swinging a vessel tied to a rope , to haul up some water . He was singing a

. A ballad in a monotonous voice tall , dark ,

th e spare man was standing by funnel , look ' s ing vacantly ahead . Then Mary s eye travelled to the tiller . Mary stepped back with some embarrass ment when she saw the face . She backed into a hawthorn that grew all alone on the canal bank . It was covered with blo om . A shower o f the white petals fell about her when she stirred the branches .

They clung about her hair like a wreath .

He raised his cap and smile d . Mary did n ot th e so . know face was eager , so boyish

She smiled a little nervou sly a t last . His face lit up , and he touched his cap again . The red-faced man stood by the open

of hatchway going into the hold , the vessel water in his han d . He looked at Mary and then at the figure beside the tiller .

t h e - Eh , Michael ? red faced man said q uizzically . The youth turned back to the boat , and Mary felt the blush spreading over her face . ”6 THE GOLDEN BARQUE Michael ! Ma ry re pe a te d th e name a little softly t o r l he se f . The gods had delivered up on e o f their great secrets . She watched Th e Golde n Ba rq u e until the two sq uare slits in the stern that served as port holes lo oked like two little Japan eyes . Then she heard a horn blowing . It w as the horn they blew !to apprise lock

o f keepers the approach of a boat . But the nearest loc k was a mil e off . Besides . it was a long , low sound the horn made , not the short , sharp , commanding blast they blew - for lock keepers . Mary listened to the low

f . sound o the horn , smiling to herself After wa rds the horn always blew like that when ever Th e Golde n Ba rq ue was passing the solitary hawthorn . Mary thought it w a s very wonderful that Th e Golden Ba rq ue should be in the l ock o n e day that she w a s travelling with her basket to the market in the distant village .

She s to od a little hesitantly by th e lock .

Michael looked at her , a welcome in his eyes . Goin g to Bohermeen ? the red -faced man asked .

Ay, to Bohermeen , Mary answered .

1 18 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

G ld Ba u . o en rq e Once , when they were journeying together , Michael slipped some thing into her hand . It was a q uaint trinket , and shon e like gold .

o t From a strange sailor I g it , Michael sa id .

Another day that they were on the barq ue , the blinding sheets of rain that often swept over the bog came upon them . The red faced man and the dark man went into the hold . Mary looked about her , laughing . But Michael held o u t his great wat erproof fo r her . She slipped into it and he folded it about her . The rain pelted them , but they stood together , Michael holding the big coat folded about her . She laughed a little nervously .

You will be wet , she said .

Michael did n o t answer . She saw the eager face coming down close to hers . She leaned against him a little and felt the great strength o f his arms about her . They went sailing away together in Th e Golden Ba rq u e through all the shining seas of the gods .

Michael , Mary said once , is it not " lovely ?

The wide oc ean is lovely , Michael said . I always think o f the wide ocean going " over the bog . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 1 19

The wide ocean ! Mary said with awe .

She had never seen the wide oc ean . Then the rain passed . When the two men came up out of the hold Mary and Michael were standing together by the t iller . Mary did n ot go down to the lock after that for so me time . She was working in

n O n e ? the reclaimed ground o the headland . w the horn blew late in the night . It ble for a long time , very softly and lowly . Mary t sat up in bed lis ening to it , her lips parted , the memory of Michael o n Th e Golde n

Ba u s rq e before her . She heard the ound

sh e dying away in the distance . Then lay

on back her pillow , saying she would go down to him when Th e Golde n Ba rq u e was o n the return journey . The figure that stood by the tiller o n the ' ' n ot ! V return was Michael s . hen Mary came to the lock the red-faced man was tell ing out the rope , and where Michael always stood by t h e tiller there w as the short strange

- figure of a man with a pinched , pe ck marked face . When the red-faced man wound the rope

t h e round the stump at the lock , bringing o - b at to a stand still , he turned to Mary .

o Michael is gone v yaging , he said , 120 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

G ? one voyaging Mary repeated . A y , the man answered . He would be always talking to the foreign sailors in the a l dock where the can ends . His eyes would be upon the big masts of the ships . 1 a l ways said he would g o . Mary stood there while Th e Golde n Ba rq ue was in the lock . It looked like a to v ship ox packed in a wooden b .

- A three master he went in , the red h faced man said , as t e v made ready for the “ s s e a start . I saw her tanding out for the last night . Michael is under the spread of ' h im fo r big canvas . He had the bl o od in

o f . the wide ocean , the wild blo d o the rover

- th e s And the red faced man , who was Bos o f the boat , let his eyes wander up the nar row neck o f water before him . Mary watched Th e Golden Ba rq ue mov i ing away , the grotesq ue f g ure standing by o the tiller . She stayed there until a pale mo n w a s shining below her , turning over a little

sh e trinket in her fingers . At last dropped it into the water . t i It made a li tle splash , and the vis on of

122 THE. GOLDEN BARQUE

Hike did not answer, or even turn roun d .

w s Hike a deaf .

! th e Hike Bos s cried .

Hike only muttered to himself .

Calcutta stooped over to the grate , picked

o f l up a piece coa and took aim . It caught

ur n e Hike on the head . He t d round , his eyes shini n g in t h e se mi~ g loo m like the eyes of a cat .

. The Boss laughed a little , " ! Drink he said . He held out the CU p . t Hike made no move . Calcu tta reached o u f r o the cup and took it to Hike .

Hike shoo k his head .

A hand shot back and forth suddenly , and

Hike got the fluid in the face . It flowed down his cheeks drops running from his chin and nose W ith a q uick litt le patter to

n i i . Calcutta tur ed away from h m , laugh ng Then the Boss and the man with the pock marked face seconded the laugh . Hike S t plu tered and took a step forward , raising a threatening . feeble arm . A scowl most terrible crept into t he expression o f Cal ' cuttta s face as he saw the threat . Hike caught the look and the feeble arm fell . He went over to t h e bun k and wiped his face in THE GOLDEN BARQUE 123

h is m the blanket , then folded it under a r and went up the little step -ladder through

the ope ning on to the deck .

The sky was alive with stars . The canal

was still and cool , the country about silent

t a and frozen . He went over to the plank h t

served as gangway to the bank . It looked like a streak o f silver ribbon with a crust o f

small jewels sparkling upon it . Hike s tepped on it nervously and walked down fo r the ban k . G d ’ By o ! He s tumble d in , the Boss swore when he hear d the s tifled cry and

‘ the splash in the water . He ran up the

- e . steps , the p ck marked man after him f Calcutta followed leisurely , whistling so tly to himself . was pulling his shrunken body up ‘Hike on the bank when t h e Boss reached o u t a helping hand to him . W h e n he stood up w s O Hike a trembling all ver , the shining t wa er running down from his clothes . He still held the blanket . ' " - He s very wet , the pock marked man said , and it is freezing . "

o . Come back to the b at , the Boss urged

r ut Hike , holding his a ms o stiffly , stoo d shivering and miserable in two little pools 1 24 THE. GOLDEN BARQUE

of water gathering about hi s feet . He e look d up at the boat . The figure of Cal cu tta o d o n lo me the deck , l ooking down silently on them . Hike hesitated . " " ! Hike Calcutta shouted suddenly . He shouted the nickname in a derisive voice . Hike turne d away and walked down the road , the clothes and boots soaking an d l in h im pp g about at every step . He left t f a li tle streak o water in hi s wake . u ' He s gone to the stable , said the Boss . A a ’ y, Calcutta greed , he ll lie down in the stable . The boat started on its journey i n t h e morning a s the day was breaking . Hike

u h e came p in t dim light , leading the horse

t t h e . from the s able , whip under his arm

w s The rope a hooked to the boat , and the men heard Hike ur ging the horse t o the start . " - - Ge e u u ! . p, gee p they heard him cry The hoofs o f the horse struck into the hard

a e . g round , and the bo t b gan to move slowly

They had a long journey before them . Hike held aloof from the boatmen at meal times .

' They h e a rd h im coughing and barkin g a ll ' day a s he stepped o n the ban k with the

horse . A few times the cough became so

126 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

' He s going to doss in the stable again , ' t the Boss said , and Calcut a s face relaxed , showing a gleam of his teeth . When the day broke there was no sign of e t Hik . The Boss went down and called o u his name near the stable .

o There was no response . He went ver to the stable and pushed open the door . A f breath o hot , foul air met him . He could

t s e n o e very well . He could only discern the outline o f th e wooden partition that t divided the stable , and race the rails of the l manger ag ainst the wa l . The horse stirred

- o n c his iron shod hoofs the obbles . He s a w to o n e the animal standing side . " " Hike ! the Bos s cried .

s u The horse tirred again . t rned his head ,

e h e s and n ig d a little . The Bo s saw the two little puffs o f his breath coming o u t like steam t o the light from the shadows where he stood . He steppe d ov er , and laid a ' w a s hand on the animal s back . The brute trembling . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 127

- h u semi gloom . He a d put o t a ha nd to feel it when a thought struck him . What if Hike were dead ?

He drew back suddenly . The st range silence in the stable was ominous . The place had a n atmosphere o f sordid tragedy . What made t h e brute tremble ? Sus picion became a certainty He walked t back to the boa . “

a . Hike is lying in the stable , he s id

‘ There is n o stir in him . 1 think he is dead . - m The pock marked an raised his cap , h and made the sign o f t e Cross . Calcutta

rt o f gave a sno contempt .

h a d I think he no friends , the Boss said at last . He spoke of Hike in the past tense . "

No , he had no friends . How could

? is he Calcutta said . Something in h tone made the other look up . The dull eyes were straight ahead o n the canal . The

o B ss , in a vague way , thought he caught

s w s ome revelation in the dark face . He a in it an implacable hatred— the sort of t hatred hat haunts a broken life . " What do you know of Hike ? he de m a n de d , 128 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Nothing , the other replied shortly .

G re o fo r a priest and doctor . Make a

a t t h e o port p lice barrack , the Boss said to the pock-marked man ! " I will . The man went down to the cabin to put on his coat .

The Boss wal ked down the deck , lean i ing aga nst the tiller at the stern , looking into the yellow water . He gave himself up to o n e o f those meditations that come to p e ople when they are suddenly faced with th w death , the mysterious death at comes ith stealthy steps . The Boss shuddered a li ttle as he remembered the ghastly face of Hike

s in the dark table . Then he began to ponder on the strangeness of life and the penalty of t death it carri e d . He g o no nearer to the heart of th e mystery than the philosophers o f th e ages . After a little time he was conscious that w i Th e Calcutta a s standing bes de him . conversation that followed was conducted in lowered voices . " ? Do yo u know what , Boss " What ? 0 . l was married once . Indeed ? H

I was . The woman ca me to me in a

130 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

l - 1 hounded him all right . came on this boat to hound him . He knew it . I only s taye d on the boat because I wanted to s e e

o n h is him dying the bank , coughing up i l ins de . I was never s o happy a s twas yes terday when the spasms were smashing n him up . He k ew all that very well , and t I think it helped to kill him . It was tha woman who made me hate him above all living things . " And what became o f the woman ? " Where is she now ?

sh e ? Where is the other repeated , his eyes following up the narrow neck o f water . “ ' w Ho d o 1 know . But I h Ope she s in " hell . He walked back to h is accustomed place THE GOLDEN BARQUE 131 the figure of the dark ma n standing by the funnel . u l overslept myself , said Hike . I had a little headache .

The boat moved on after a time . Hike did n ot cough so much that day . The sun was shining pleasantly from the sky ; there was warmth in t h e air . The scowl in the face o f the ma n by the blackened funnel

e was deep r . The Boss had a few words with Hike diffi when opportunity offered . He had a f - culty in thinking o the half hunched , miser able person that stoo d befo re him as figur ing in such an affair as Calcut ta had men tion e d fl But then , he re ected , who has . ever been able t o account for the ways of men ?

Hike , he said , in his blunt manner , were you ever married

Hike raised the pathetic , large eyes that t t - of en go wi h half deformed people . A o sentimental lo k came into them , heighten ing their st rangen ess .

I — l w a s n ot was and , Hike said , then coughed . His gaze wandered to Th e Golde n Ba rq ue and the sinister figure that stood be 132 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

n side the funnel . There was o e that was

everything to me that a wife should be ,

i e Hike conf ded , the note of s ntimentality

n more pronou ced .

w as Now , that very nice , the Boss

fo r k w s said , he ne he could venture ome mild humour where there was so much

emotion . ' Hike s eye s grew h umid . She wa s an

a hi s angel , he s id , a catch in voice .

- i co n The Boss , who was healthy m nded ,

trolled his florid features . "

Where is she now ? he asked , half

casually .

Hike hesitated . He had to bring his

mind back from a riot of sentiment . He

h a d to i . dispose of someth ng in his throat .

She went , he admitted at last , half " enigmatically . Then he added , I hope she is in heaven .

h e Bo ss w a ke d T ¢ back to the boat . Th l _

THE HAVEN

HE long journ ey over the bo g

was tiring to the men . They

sat about , melancho ly and

silent , for the hours it lasted . Hike tr udged along in the pa t h

on the bank , stumbling over the rough ground , mutteri n g and praying as he went .

Calcutta kept his sentry by the fu rfn e l . The Boss humm ed monotonously a s he wan THE GOLDEN BARQUE 135 round that be nd was civilisati on a n d Th e

Ha ven . th e First , the eyes of the men caught red tiles crowning the r oof ; slowly the entire

' roo f came to view , then the yellow gable

- wit h the open window , the well kn own front , with its dark green paint edged with

s thin gold lines , folded it elf out , and the ” r Th e Ha ve white lettering ove the door , n, shone to the hungry eyes o f the crew . Even i Hike , the driver , had been known to ra se his head at t hat bend o f the canal . The boa t glided up to the limestone land

- n w s ing place , and owhere a she steered with a rri o re delicate tiller Calcut ta

e stepp d lightly ashore , a rope in his hand . t wound it about the waiting s ump , and the

t r a boa , st aining hard , was brought to n - As u sta d still . he unwo nd the rope from the stump he wiped his dry mouth wit h his h hand , and raised friendly eyes to T e

Ha ve n . At the same moment the gro t e s u e q figure left the tiller , the Boss came

t h e from behind funnel , both their feet

e touching th ground with military precision . Hike w a s leading th e unyoked horse away to t t h e l the s ables below vil age , the cross bolt jolting on the great haunches of the 136 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

s brut e . A th e crew of three crossed the

o Th e Ha ve B r ad to n , the oss hummed ' n pleasantly , his eyes o Calcutta s fingers as

G they jingled some oppers . Hanks of onions and some brushes made a drapery around the door , swaying in the breeze . When the men stepped into t h e d f shop it exhale a scent o seeds . They were ranged about in bags . The mouth o f o n e w s sack a folde d back . A farmer stood over it , turning a tuber in his hand , his mind given up to t h e good things of t h e season . A woman in a grey shawl was handling some pieces of bacon ' o n the

e a counter , her pale , cold ey s filled with th t battle-light which shortens the lives o f shop assistants in wayside places .

Crockery ware , tins of bi scuits . white firkins of lard , yellow pyramids of cheeses rose out o f the dimly-lighted spaces over head . But the men from the boa t passed k-s t i i through t h e o a tained par it on , w th high lights of coloured g lass . Behind this gilded place was t h e sanctuary they sought .

w . t It a s a long , narrow bar The coun er f w o f o a k. o a s high , and The display galleries of bottles gave an air of opulence to the place that pleased the men . The

138 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

The wa ll opp osite the ba r was taken up with stuff that seemed to flow over from

G r the business outside . e a t black pots n o f were ha ging from holdfasts . Coils - - ropes , wire netting , milk strainers , tin cans ,

- hay rakes , reaping hooks , scythes , packages

- of sheep dipping powder , reached up to the

ceiling . They su ggested husbandry , e ven

h e industry . Opposite to them blaz ed t

h o f o s elves b ttles , the barrels with the great

golden hoops about their girths . But the sense of these antagonisms was

lost on the men . They had their backs

steadily upon the symbols o f industry . The w second measure a s already in their hands , their fingers about the glasses in a mild sort o f y ecstasy , devotional e es upturned to the blazing shelves oppo site , a holy silence upon them . The o a k-stained door o f the partition O s swung pen on its noi eless springs , and a few men came in . They were from another boa t that had just arrived . The driver had the whip , which he never used . looped about his body One o f the group took a , m str ide down the floor , his li bs well apart , e con rubbed his chin with his hand , gaz d te mpla tive ly upon the barman for a little THE GOLDEN BARQUE 139

e and then order d , as if in an afterthought , the mos t obvious of drinks .

of h e W - o f One t se men ore. an oil coat great capacity . The outlines of his figure

- were barge like . His face peere d o u t from under a pilot-hat wit h that intense gaze ahead ' o l acq uired by th se long af oat . The other me n knew him to be one who had been at ferry work at the mouth o f a river . Cir cu ms ta n ce s had compelled him to drift into the more secluded reaches of the canal . He w a s now in charge o f a tu rfboa t The men admired the manner in which he dispos ed o f his first drink . u Now , men , time is passing . Come

i - t fi in along , he said , his o l coa a pp g about him as he swung o u t .

Nobo dy followed .

‘ A d oor leading to an unexpected yard O and many stores was pushed pen , and a man with a sack tied apron -fashion about

w e him came in . He a s a carpenter . H . ordered some nails . While th e assistant outside went to fetch them . the carpenter ,

u in an expert double sh ffle o f the feet , moved down to the end o f the bar where the light was most romantic . Simul ta n e ou sly th e barman found th e same 14 0 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

centre , had a g lass filled ; it hopped by his

ot n ha nd on to the counter , g caught o the a n d con same h op by the carpenter , its tents had vanished down his ready throat before the boatmen had realised what had happened . The nails a moment later were handed in from outside , and the voice of the carpenter was heard in the yard calling u t to o his apprentice ! Tommy , buck up ; ' what s delaying yo u ? Then there was

r the sound o f planks falling f om a cart . u Te rrible treatm ent to give the blessed " drink , one of the boatmen said , resuming w n contemplation o f his o measure .

A young lad danced in , with an Irish i terr er at his heels , bringing with him a f whif of tar and guano . The men knew — him to be a sort of god the s on o f t h e

h a owner of T e H ven . He had been g oing about all day , listening to the forbidden talk

n w t of the workmen , rat hu ting i h the

o t terrier , cutting n tches wi h his penknife in w o f unla ful places . He tilted the elbow an arm that held a foaming measure , and l t disappeared under a f ap in the coun er . The skipper with the pilot-hat returned

- with some lock keepe rs . He accepted re freshment at their req uest . Then he said

14 2 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

some carters . One of t hem sang ou t the

r inevitable order . The skipper of the tu f boat did what was expec ted of him . Then

‘ he went through the pa rtitio n a s breezily as

! No before , saying w , men , time is pas s " ing . Come a long . N obody followed . The men s a t in a long silence o n the w formt. There as a great peace in the plac e . A brass kettle sang so ftly over a t - spiri lamp . Some flies buzzed overhead . Th e ba rman s a t diown and resumed h is " o f reading a romance entitled , Anastasia and the Duke . The golden silence was only broken now and again by the soft pal pita tion o f a throat down which a drink was passing . Then a voice said ! What did he s a y ? “ ’ 0 .

s . He said , Time is pa sing

w e The silence a s resumed . The k ttle sang and the flies buzzed overhead . Then

there w a s a grump at the end o f the form . w as It followed by another spell of silence ,

during which the breathing o f the barman , a s o h is he stooped ver book , be came q uite n audible , for the roma ce had reached the chapter in which Anastasia stood in deadly r pe il of the amours of the Duke . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 14 3

Wha t did yo u s a y ? The que s tion was droned out from the shadows . The man at the end of the form turned his head round slowly and s aid ? I say , who cares a curse for time and bringing round his head he hitched his back well up against the wall . The proprietor p a ssed through Th e

a e H v n . The ba rman plunged his hands

of into a basin water , and made a great

o f h is show washing glasses , mind brought back with violence from the great scene of ' Anastasia s temptation . The proprietor w a s natty , fingering his waxed moustache , his head slightly stooped , his appearance preoccupied , " G - to a h ood day the men , he s id , wit o u t looking up . A moment later his voice

o u t was heard in the yard , sharply calling

e some ord r s . After some time the silence was again broken . " o n A great man , e of the group said ,

s taking a pull at h i measure . " A a gre t man , another agreed , after some reflection . Then , after a long pause " Aye , a great man and the vag ue per

n son who had all this time , i marked isola 14 4 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

‘ m e dita ti o ve r tion , been n g his glass , woke up , finished his potion , and went out , wip ing his lips with the back o f his hand . At the partition he met the man with the

- pilot hat , who was followed by an assort

- ment o f e rr boatm en and carters . He broke into a splendid smile as a carter gave the inevitable order .

Now , men , time is passing , he said , l t reaching out fo r the first filled measure . vanished .

The partition doo r was opened timidly ,

and the haggard face of Hike peered in . Then he slunk down by the men to the

extreme end of the counter . There he dr ank his measure with his back to the ut others . Calc ta followed his movements

with a glea m in his eyes . The Boss

n ro frow ed , then they all stood up as if in p test . They spat on the sawdust and hitched their trousers about t heir lo ins with the a ir of men who were bracing themse lves to

once more face a difficult world . Then h they passed through t e pa rtition . The woman in th e grey shawl was still

leaning over the counter , but the bacon had

been put aside , and now her thin hands

14 6 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

figure of Calcutta . The lips o f the long mouth parted , showing some immense yellow teeth . There was something demo n ia ca l l th , hel ishly ugly and wicked , in e ex . ss o f pre ion Hike . The Bos s noticed that Calcutta sprang to his feet from the box on

- which he had been reclining . Hike came over to the bank just below

Th e G ld Ba u o en rq e , the leer sustained on his face . ' ? You thought you had her , didn t you " he demanded of Calcutta . She was to ' o u fo r ? stay with y ever , wasn t she You were such a beauty nobody was ever to come between you The voice of Hike was thick with an ugly emotion . Calcutta measured the fig ure of the half " G . o dwarf , and spat down at him away n and scratch your humps , you spaw of a

dr d rr . om a e y , he cried " ' You were so happy together , weren t — ‘ you a pair of cooing doves ? Hike h is drawled , covering and uncovering " ' a t yellow t e eth . She wouldn t look any one else a t No man would do for h e r but yourself ! She loved you , did Mollie the Mermaid ! THE GOLDEN BARQUE 14 7

a o f At the n me , Calcutta leapt to the side the boat , but the Boss confronted him there . " G o to the cabin , he commanded . " Le t me down to the cripple , Calcutta " ’ shouted . l ll shake hands with him .

But Hike had moved away , his bullet shape d head q uivering between his humped

o f shoulders , his q ueer cackle a laugh dying down the road to the village . o Calcutta , his b dy twitching , went down -to th e cabin and drank several mugs of

~ water in rapid succession . then t hrew him

o n self his back on the bunk , his blazing eyes riveted o n the beam a few paces above

t o u t i him , his lus y voice breaking nto a

o f series ribald songs , one following the — other to the same out-of tune air without any pause . The Boss stood over the hatch fo r so me time , listening to the rumble that filled the ' t cabin beneath , Calcut a s vocalism so violent that all words were q uite incoherent .

o f Slowly the voice got into a sort chant , and

the words became understandable . Calcutta ,

s glaring at the beam above him , w a roaring 14 8 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

oh oh row le d Oh , , , I me love in the new

mown hay ,

l r w le d - o me love in the new mown hay ,

r w le d - I o me love in the new mown hay , t e Oh , oh , oh , when the cocks h y crew in the m a u rn in The Boss wondered where Calcutta had got his songs ; perhaps in the Black Hole . The Boss kicked the lid on to the opening i h is o w n nto the cabin , and then resumed tramp abo ut the deck of Th e Golde n

Ba ue i i rq , wonder ng , and wondering n vain . a s the q uiet night settled over the peaceful ' place why tw o men sh ou ld h a te each other so bitterly . He was unable to decide whether it was very tragical or very comical that the memory o f a woman should keep

th r ever green e ir b itte n e ss . One man , the

Boss knew , held in his memory that which brought him visions of a white an gel in shining joy and glory in hea ven ; the other be man , whose voice now rumbled weirdly

o f neath , remembered so much his passion that he exultingly fig ured her as burning in

r hell fo all eternity .

The Boss gave it up . " - We must unload t o morrow, he said , his eyes roving over the cargo .

150 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

saucily o n the side o f his head . He winked a sly wink . Then he smirked with his

u flexible lips . His feet o t a few capers on the deck that suggested a rollicking dance . He sang a snatch of a song with a waltz air . lt His voice had a cert ain metallic q uality . w as - high pitched , and as he sang he

o fo r unconsciously swayed his b dy , he was accustomed to oblige all parts of the house . He pause d instinctively at the end o f th e verse to let an imaginary band get in a few

h a n ds w e re q uick , fetching bars . His in his breeches pockets . They made vain efforts to expand his pants to the proportions o f a

- pantaloon . At the wind u p of the verse he

a u h t ~ h is c g hat , gave it an expert shot into the ai r . It went whirling about , and landed back perfectly o n his head . He kissed hands

con to r right and left , and made some comic

o o tions f the body . Then he l oked up , for

Th e Golde n Ba rq u e had entered the lock .

Billy s a w t h e Terror for the first time . He w a s perched on the gate of the lock , thrown against the sky like the fig ure of a young e god . His yes were upon Billy . A round

w s n o n soft hat a pulled dow his head . There was a smile on the face under the shadow of the hat as elusive as the smile on the Mona THE GOLDEN BARQUE 15!

Lisa . A hurley was held carelessly in the ha nds . The knickered legs were slightly crooked , the shanks spare . A rather vivid complexion brightened a round , mild face . Billy noted the sheen in a wisp o f fair h air that showed over o n e of the ears . Then the - - s lock keeper came to open the sluice gate , and the Terror disappeared . '

Next evening , when the day s work was

l n w a Bi l o c . over , v came de k The Terror standing on the bank looking up at the boat . '

Billy smiled down at him , and Billy s smiles

o f s were , through force profes ional habit , ex tra va g a n t .

Come up here , sonny , until I talk to you , Billy said at last . The Terror walked u p t h e two planks to l the boat with a f attered smile . He stood looking at Billy as if he had been brought

— to face to face with privileged stand near , . to behold- o n e o f the great men o f the earth . Billy put out his hand .

The head of the Terror drooped . He looked a s if th e honour was more than a right

' H s to expect . i hand went out apolog etically and they shook .

s a t w Then Billy down on a box . He a s in

. As s a sociable mood he did o the Terror , 152 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

fo r whose eyes were hungering details , oh served that Billy shifted a lump of tobacco

c from one heek to another . Prese ntly he spat o u t , and the Terror got a whiff o f the reek o f the wee d . He also noticed that Billy - wore ear rings . His face was leathery . A s on o n car shone e o f the ch eeks . He had

o hair on his hands . A belt ab ut the waist looke d as if it had the sole responsibility fo r

lt w a s holding his wardrobe together . buckled so loosely that it necessitated hitche s

e r wi at int rvals , or othe se calamities might occur . A longish , sinewy body , every nerve o f which seemed alive , suggested a con tin u ous impatience by little shiftings and

e movements . When he smiled h is e xa g g a rated smile he showed row of strong tee th , i with two prominent vacanc es in front . A

o f pair bright , even audacious , grey eyes danced in his head , giving him a mixture of wildness and humo ur . The heart of the Terr or w a s thrilled at the sight o f Billy " What do they ca ll you at home Billy asked , looking at the Terror through a slan t in h is eyes . “ ~ They call me the Terror , the o th e r t e i plied without any emot on . " Wh y do they call you that ?

154 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Here was the interest O f his life ; here was a chance o f having his suspicions and hopes as to Billy verified o f blasted With a sudden

flow of talk the Terror told , breathlessly and

o f h a d delightedly , all the circuses he ever seen . He had the names of them all on the

o f t t tip his tongue , oge her with their indi o vidual features , their strong p ints and their m shortco ings . Billy knew by him he had nig htmares about circuses in his sleep in the night . " I can stand o n my head . The Terror came out wi th this announcement abruptly .

He paused , looking up at Billy . It was , by inference , now up against Billy to say what — things h e w as able to do what circus feats h e could perform . There was a certain ' subtlety in t h e Terror s way o f getting at

Billy . " ? Can you somersault Billy asked . "

; . , No not yet u s o Billy stood p, gave a few profe si nal a hops , r ced a few yards down the deck , and then went head-over-heels s o rapidly that the Terror could not say if his hands touched the v boards . Billy bowed profoundly , then ga e

t e s a few of his capers , suggesting fun n io si i ,

h is and returned to seat on the bo x . The THE GOLDEN BARQUE 155

' mouth o f the Terror was partly ope n , his t hands clu ched in nervous grasps . — — — Were you did you had yo u ever a ” ‘ circus ? The Terror spoke with awe , with a s ubdued emotion . Billy reached out and caught the Terror in his arms . He lifted him off his feet and pla nke d him down beside him o n the bo x .

The Terror sighed in sheer rapture . " l sailed l n ships . and was over seas and

c . o eans , Billy said I was in countries where there are lions and tigers and croco

a t . diles , elephants and cock oos I walked through jungles and I fought with redskins . " Do you se e th at ? Billy put his finger into

o n the shiny scar his cheek . “

r . Yes , the Ter or said

Ano ther fellow did that . It happened in

o u t . a far country . We fell It was about a

n o wom well , matter . We fell o u t . He

n had a k ife at the time . He coveted a bit o f l— . e t my cheek Th n well , no ma ter about that either . " ° Where is the other fellow n ow ? — He is in a place very far away awful ' " it s far , and a place wi th a strong climate . " Are there lions and tigers in it ? s There are , my on . And there are 156 THE GOLDEN BARQUE i dragons and things wi th f ery eyes , steam m n f co i g out o their nostrils , and flames from ' It s n an d their mouths . a very far cou try, he is having a rotten time . Maybe if he left me all my cheek he would now be eating

figs . He loved figs . He was of a very O o f deep complexion , and fond f a good deal ' But heat . I expect he d like a cold bath this

. minute if he could get it . W a s it he gave you the ear-rings ? - — No . The ear rings belonged to her to his aunt , I mean . She gave them to me . I wore them ever since . She was a gipsy . w O . Well , I thought you ere f a circus There was a note of regret in the tone o f the — S O ! a m o r w a s . I got tired of ships . I g ot tired of riding camels and too much h e sand . A desert is t greatest rot . Yo u just t t face no hing for no hing . A blade of grass is a great luxury then . A wallet with water ’ ' G - is a o d sen d . l m dam ned but I d sooner

have the canal Billy , as he said this , c ocke d his eye over the bow Of Th e Golde n

Ba r u t t q e , there was a hiss throug h his ee h , and the Terror noted that some tobacco juice

t t h e fell in o water . Billy w a s a splendid

man , and no mistake .

158 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

on e h breeches , the with t e big wide legs . The Terror illustrated pantaloons by g e s tures . “ 1 had the breeches all right Billy said " q uietly . What I wanted mostly w a s the screw .

o Again the pathos was lost n the Terror , u whose colo r had heightened . " Were you ever anything else in the Circus as well as the clown he asked h Ope fully . " e s Oh , y , indeed I w as . Once I was the

- — clown , the bare back rider you know the

North American Indian Chief stunt , the ‘ ' fellow that says , Oh , the little ba boo n o the juggler with the balls , bottles , knives and — — plates the man on the trapeze the tight — rope walker and the peace-maker in the dressing tent between the ring master and h is wife , who used to suspend Sinclair from a

grip in her mouth , her ankles alone holding to the trapeze . It was nothing to the grip t she used o hold her husband , the ring ' i o n master , by when she wasn t work ng her

contract . " h e w t . I s a her , said Terror She was " great . " But sh e grew too heavy for the trapeze . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 159 and Sinclair got sensitive abo ut being swung up scheduled in pink tights . S O sh e took to going round on a horse with a padded back , pretending she was a sailor boy hoisting up , n s imaginary sails o the ma ts , while the band ° ' ’ e h e play d The Sailor s Hornpipe , and s ' pawed the air with her feet— scuse the bull — it palming off that she was dancing . Last I saw Of her sh e had come O ff the pro

w a s e - gra mme , wardrobe mistr ss , half blind t from stitching , and given o using bad lan

for e — . O guage And as poor ld Sin why , he became reduced to a skeleton Could have gone on in a swimming bath as a herring and brought down the house .

u — u But yO yo were the whole circus ,

u n the Terror exclaimed , his admiration bounded u l was the main prop , Billy allowed , “ wit h toleration . I used to sleep under the canvas Of the tent in an Open waggon g oing

from place to place , for we had to make a

new village every day . I might waken an

o dd t o night wink up at the stars . The show went off at cock-crow without me a couple f l o . k times had to follow o n foot . l w a l e d ten miles one morning with three snakes in

m fOr e t o o y pockets , th y left them behind , . 160 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

I stuck it till they wanted me t o take a sledge d hammer , drive own all the crowbars to O which the ropes f the tent were fastened , and to be dres sed ready t o mount fifteen-feet — stilts for the mid day procession . I just told — them all to go to heaven that was n ot fit

r P e fo aradis . A wave of poignant emotion filled the

Terror . He felt that this splendid man had

been wronged , and that even circus people

could be unfeeling . He leaned a little ' against Billy s rough coat in silent

sympathy . What did t hey do without yo u ? he

asked at last . He expected that the whole thing had at least collaps ed when Billy

withdrew his genius .

o t b s They g some ody el e , Billy said e t che rfully . I urned ugly before 1 we nt .

Yo u r know I can be ve y nasty . I can do — — things jus t like you things l have n o right t d d l w t h e o of a n as doing things after show until the man that played the drums and the cymbals in the band came Off his carriage ; he had a d rum -stick and came up from the rear . When I wakened again they

w a s were all gone . It next morning . Did you ever go to anot her circus ? l 62 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Billy stood up . Now , sonny , he said , ' it s getting late . You ll be expected at ' home . I m going to bed early , and I d like

o a feed o f s mething before turn in . — — — DO you would you could you eat t let uce , the Terror asked , standing before

o n Billy the deck .

Billy whistled .

h is My word , he said , chopping with te eth . The identical article with cold

3 pig cheek . How did you think Of it ? I d give my hat for a head . The Terror flew down the planks to the bank . Billy watched his fi gure disappear along the road .

A nice wee kid , he said tolerantly . He stood on the deck looking into the water .

It was dim in the uncertain light . Then something dropped in from the bank . He s aw a little fig ure m ake a ripple on the su r face and cut a way directly across , a small snout just visible . It was a water rat . " fo r Poor devil , Billy said , his sympa thies were broad . He knew what it was to fend for himself .

Some footsteps sounded o n the road . The

figure o f the Terror came running a long . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 163

r clutching something in his a ms . He ran up the planks . do - It will you for to night , he said , t hrusting something into Billy 3 hand . He

o n fl e o f turned his heels and d . Some the heads of lettuce fell on to the deck . They were w e t with dew . The clay around the roots was fresh . They had been hastily

n ga thered . Billy picked it up and went dow to the cabin humming . The Terror live d in a state O f mild ecstasy f for some days . He was the con idant , the

o f friend , a great man , a man who had travelled the world and who now lived in a canal boat . There was no do ubt as to his

o th e - greatne ss . L ok at scar , the ear rings , the way he could somersault , the way he l cou d sing , the drollery in the movements of

G n u his legs . oi g to school se emed a ridic

e lous , a tame business , when consider d in r relation to the great life that Billy stood fo . i h ’ O Playing marbles w t , ther boys was a

He h is m pallid a ffair . simply cut co pa n

O n box o n Th e G lde n ions . Seated the o

Ba u e rq listening to Billy , looking at him , rubbing up against him , feeding him with ! pilfered lettuces Why , if he had been — — allowe d and able to fee d wild animals it ! 64 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

could not be more thr illing . The Terror hoppe d o n o n e leg n o w and a nother again at the very th ought o f it . One evening it would be a story of a far ’ n so h o t t ou c ountry , a cou try hat y lived upon peaches han ging down over your head

O f wherever you went . Again it would be a place where Billy had seen hailstones a s a n d o f large as cocoanuts , so hard that one t hem was known to split open the skull o f a

ai nigger . Ag n , it would be an affair in a can o e o n a forest river where Billy had left a memory that would last for ever in the noodles Of all crocodiles . Battles with

o f s hordes mo q uitoes in the air , struggles th with serpents in e grass , a ride over sands

s r s in the desert astride an o t ich , cuttling a ship in the middle Of the ocean- it w a s per t t h e t h e fe c . And at back of it all was O atmosphere f the circus , suggested by sudden snatches o f songs in the middle of

tropical sensations , the repetition of an

encounter with the ringmaster , and the capers Of Billy that made the Terror shriek

h n e wit h laug ter . Then o evening the joy Of it all was concentrated in the Offer o f Billy to make a pair of stilts on which he would

teach the Terror to walk .

166 THE GOLDEN BARQUE on the boat went away to their wives and their homes for Sunday . Billy had no home and no wife to which he could go . There

w s Th e G lde n fore , he a left in charge of o

a u B rq e . He sa t disconsolate on an upturned empty barrel . The prospect o f an evening with the Terror , of the lettuces he would d bring , w a s lacking in vividn ess . It seeme too much a part of the pastoral lan dscape abo ut him Some crows cried overhead , but even they had some social centre , some home , some rookery . A wandering seagull cried out , and brought a memory o f places th that e seas washed . A cow mewed over e a h dge , her vocal tribute to the evening being o n e of utter desolation . As soon as

to Billy heard it he sprang his feet , saying ' That s done it . He hitche d his belt about him , walked down to the bank , and s e t i s h s cour e for the village . When the Terror arrived he found the boat deserted . He walked about the de ck , explored the cabin . He left his s tilts beside th e - box , and sat patiently until a lock keep e r came along . Are you looking for Billy ? the lock keeper as ked . " Ye s . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 167

ha s Well , you can go home . Billy broken out .

The Terror did not understand . He hung on . At length Billy came down the road , e o n lurching in his walk . The Terror w nt to the road to meet him . Billy held his head down . When the Terror saw his face w there a s a change in it . There was a i scowl , something n the eyes that made the

Terror step back from him . " Go home , Billy muttered . He made a va gue movement w ith _o n e o f his hands .

u n ce r He appeared to have only a general , tain idea of the pos ition of things . The

Terror did not go home . Some touch o f

t t h . rebellion crept in o e mild , round face ' i I won t go home , he sa d . ' " Yo u won t ?

No . Not for yo u .

Billy swayed up to the bo at and - fooled b t h e a out deck . The Terror stood looking h at him from the bank , is hands behind h is back .

Go home , came the command again .

No , came the uncompromising answer .

u Billy st mbled over one of the stilts . He s hi s rai ed i t in hand . Then he went over to 168 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

a chest , raised the lid , took out a hatchet . The Terror never budged a s Billy brought t h e hatchet down o n the stilt . The aim w a s uncertain , but he struck at it until it went to pieces . 3 Now will you go home he demande d . I No , not unless like .

The sha ttered stilt fell into the water . The eyes of the Terror were upon the pieces as e t th y floa ed about , bobbing against the side

Th e G l e a u of o d n B rq e .

Billy came swaying , but threatening , to the bank . The Terror set backwards some

o n yards his legs , his eyes shining , his hands twitching . Billy looked about him foolishly , then hitched his belt a n d struck for the vil

r ' lage again . The Te ror w a tch e d him until he had gone , then went aboard . He passed ' l down straight to Billy s cabin . He pul ed the bed out of the bunk , tossed the bed clothes about . Over them he upset a keg o f water ; some of it drained ou t o n the bed .

He caught the kettle , the saucepan , the few

n r - e amel mugs , the f ying pan , the spoons , In knives and forks , and cast them about . an afterthought he picked up the fork and stuck it th rough the bolster . He opened the small cupbo a rd . Half a loaf and the pickled l 7o THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Billy , he said , someone has wrecked — the cabin has wrecked the boat .

Billy blinked , then laughed inanely . He - broke into a song . The lock keeper i gathered that t was of Brigid Donohoe , of whom Billy sang , I really do love you ,

- then fell to the floor o n the huddled bed , his head pillowed by the water keg . The lock-keeper beheld the prostrate figure with despair , sighed , and went home He had scarcely s e t fo ot on the bank when Billy was dreaming that he was in pink tights , per forming his great feat o f springing from the ground clean on to the bare back of a horse going round the ring , after the necessary number o f pretended failures to work up the

o f feelings the bucolic audience . When the ban d struck up a triumphant blast Billy turned his head over on the empty keg . Next morning the Terror passed by the

n . s bo at o his way to school A s he did o , u Billy was drawing out sacks from the f nnel .

His face was covered with smuts . The face of the Terror was clean , the colour on the - s clean skin vivid . A school bag hung to h i back , charged with books and luncheon . The eternal suggestion of a smile w a s spread over the round , mild face . But he never THE GOLDEN BARQUE I7 !

o l oked up at Billy or his boat . He was the picture of respectability . Billy regarded him curiously with eyes encircled by black . That evening the Terror came along slowly the canal road . He was like on e who was under a spell ; Th e Golde n Ba rq ue

him o of r l drew . A lo k repentance , e con ci

ia tion h is . , was on face When he arrived The G l n Ba u w o de rq e as leaving the lock .

The job was finished . They were going away , A hand waved at the Terror . He stood stock still . Then a pair o f brand new stilts were shot on to the bank . They clat te re d before hi s fee t . He stoope d and lifted t u s aw them up , but wi ho t any joy , for he that the figure of Billy w as walking down

e the deck . He was singing in his m tallic voice . Th e w ords rang out over the land scape

t u I sen her home a pict re , I did upon my

word , ' n ot e t u Twas a picture of mys lf , but a pic re

of a bird .

It was the American Eagle . Says 1 Miss

Donohoe , These Eagle 's wings are large enough to ’ n u shelter me a d yo . 172 THE GOLDEN BARQUE "

' Then Billy s legs began to make shapes on the boat , that suggested various droller i w s e s . His hat a cocked on the side of his head . The boat glided away . The Terror s a t under the shadow of the hedge , his eyes upon the boat , rivete d upon

s w the figure of Billy a long as it a s in sight . After it had gone there seemed to be a big void in the world . Everything w a s miser

s i . able , grey , di satisfy ng The very evening

its ts u lost vividness , the landscape i colo r .

The earth had shrunken . n A compa ion came along , beheld the

s a t Terror with some surprise , down beside ' a ! him , and sked What s wrong with you ? The Terror ran his fingers up and down h the stilts , without appearing conscious of t e

His n h is u action . head hu g over ang la r

is w knees . H face as to the ground . i " ' I feel horr d , he said in a low voice .

174 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

on the rich grass lands . Billy was mildly putting the point that one canal boat was a s like another canal boat as one crow was like another crow or one Chinaman like a n - other Chinaman . Tut tut l The Boss would — — not c ould n ot hear o f it . The compari ' s on a s , Billy put it slyly for the Boss , didn t

. in t e lli hold water Canal boats , to the gence of the Boss were full of individuality as young hares - it w a s Billy ag ain w ho suggested the comparison . The Boss went o n talking of canal boats with an intimacy and lack of humour which made of them human things . Calcutta listened , hanging

o f v over a pile soap boxes , and ha ing yawned went back to his vigil by the funnel , his smouldering eyes showing their eternal f gleam o ugly hatred , watchfulness , as they

f s n be came a ten ed o Hike , who stumbled and prayed on the bank . The Boss had reached th e topic of the ages of boats when he hit o n the affair of the Derelict . Had Billy the Clown ever heard o f the Derelict ? Billy the Clown had

w a s never hea rd o f the Derelict . What more , Billy the Clown declared he had no

o ld intere st whatever in derelicts , in ruins , - i . tomb stones , fa ry raths , or mummies He THE. GOLDEN BARQUE 17 5 did not care if he never saw a nother Round

i The Derelict is not a bo at , broke n "

s . the Boss . It i a man " A live man ? Billy asked cautiously .

( Yes , a live man . The Boss swung ' the rudder a lit tle t o one side . He s alive

e t . o f Th e y , too He was the first Boss G ld Ba ue o en rq , and the reason I drew him ' down w a s because we re coming to his place ' t s and you ll be apt o e e him .

time th They went on q uietly for some , bubble of the water soun ding pleasantly on

o f Th G lde Ba u the timbers e o n rq e , the country growing more and more serene , the banks given up to the q uacking o f little parties of whit e and fawn ducks . The Boss went on talking after a little while , but his h a d voice such a pleasant drone , and Billy felt so sure that wha t he talke d abo ut no more mattered than the bubble o f the water

o f t n ot at the prow the boat , hat he did really e break the beautiful peac , the exq uisite o f o sense idleness f the whole place . He was speaking fo r q uite a long time before Billy became conscious that he had worked his way back again to the ages of canal boats . I 76 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

w i Ba r u No , he as say ng , Th e Golden q e was a youthful thing compared to certain ' ld - - - other o trick o the loops to be met with . V/h y did the Boss say that ? He raised his fat hand a s he put the q uest ion . He had his proof o f i t . The Boss brought down his fat hand with a clinch on the shaft of the t tiller when he said he had his proof of i . He w as always bringing forth great proofs o f ~ unimportant things , always clinching a points that did not m tter . But a s he went on references to the Derelict became more and more freq uent . Billy gathered , after a long time , after he had dropped off and leisurely caught him up again , that the Dere li t w s c a a name put upon one Jame s Vasey , that James Vasey was the first man to put

Th e G ld Ba u the nose of o en rq e t o the water , i and th a t a s James Vasey w a s still a living if

o ld Th G lde n an man , that , therefore , e o Ba rq ue could n o t possibly be a s old as people might very well take her to be . — — James Vasey o r the Derelict was n ot always an o ld man no more than an ybody

e . else , the Boss insist d There was a time

w a s when he a young man , as young as any i body else f it went to that . Why did the

Boss s a y that ? The fat hand went up .

178 THE. GOLDEN BARQUE

had his proof of it . That proof lay not n alone in the existe ce of J a mes Vasey , the

Derelict , but in the continued existence o f

oh re e n the b , or laneway , up which he had take n eager strides in auld lang syne . What a was more , that very day th t was in it the Boss would point out with his own hand the very and the ident ical boh re e n up which the Derelict had coursed the time the hot fancy took him for t h e panting youn g female . And why did he s a y h e c ould point i t o u t with his own hand l> Because And the Boss went on with h is in te rmin able proofs about nothing ; a group o f geese o n the bank suddenly broke into a hearty q uack of laughter which was taken up by other groups along the can al unt il the whole waterway was ringing with it . They c a me to the romantic boh re e n in th e course o f t h e day . The Boss came up the deck of the bo a t on his flat web -like feet to point it out to Bi lly . Nothing in the shape o f a vehicle had pas sed through that boh - fo r s . w a s reen , or by road , year It covered - with scutch grass , briars , dock leaves ,

- - - nettles , Robin run the hedge . Over this hearty growt h the he dges each side had

struggled until they had caught han ds , em THE GOLDEN BARQUE ' 179

on e braced , hugged each other , became w tangle of shoo ts and leaves . It a s more

' like a jungle than a boh re e n As luck would have it , out of this jungle an old man came prowling as the bo at passe d . The

e o f grizzled , long , lin d face , the wisps th shaggy hair about e jaws , the head that hung level between the droo ping shoulders , the small , sharp eyes , a certain furtiveness

- in their expression , the claw like , nervous hands , gave him an entirely an imal appear ance . There was a crackling of brambles a s he emerged from his den . " G o o d morrow , James , the Boss sang

G ood morrow , Martin , the old man answered . He trembled with ague a s he

e follow d the boat on the bank , hobbling along like o n e who was accustomed to and ff took pleasure in a di icult effort . "

What way is the health , James ? ' I d be right enough only the compres

on sion the chest . It takes the wind from

. a s me in the night He wheezed he spoke .

Well , keep the heart up . It is the heart that tells at the last .

r e r s The hea t is v y ound with me , 180 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Martin . Did you se e any trace of a puck " h a un a s you came along 3

No , sorra trace , James . Are you miss ing the goat ? ' I am . He s a devil . My melt is broke i to i str ving for keep him w thin bounds . A t for une he is costing me in rop e s . Buck leaping this way and that , until I pray to the Lord t hat he might brain himself against the ' dit h é . I don t know where to turn for him

u now , for the fo r q uar ters of the world are forninst me . i The boat had gone by , the old nstitution not able to keep up any longer , his claw up to his wheezing chest . Further conversa tion w a s not possible . Billy could not help looking ba c k at the old fig ure of the man on z the bank , his ga e wandering helplessly

‘ u him abo t . Billy found it hard to imagine — — a s commander the first commander of

Th e Golden Ba rq u e . But as a Derelict he w as e e compl te and magnific nt .

s n o w He h a no interest in the canal ,

Billy said to the Boss . His mind is given

u h a u n up to the lost p ck . '

s . Don t think that , the Bo s said That old fellow could n ot live a mile from ' the canal . He s down every day to see the

! 82 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

a h made a picture of i t in time . Billy began

s e e o n to the thatch the roof , the smoke

o u t o f coming the chimney , the panes of

t h e glass shining in windows , neat , white s or e e n s behind them ; s ome order in th e front , even a sanded path , and roses clus tering about the doorway . The figure of a s young girl busying herself abo ut the hou e ,

e trim and alert , follow d ; then the manner ' ' in w h ich James Vase y began to follow her

o f movements , to make note her charms , and ' to throw sheep s eyes from the deck of Th e

Golden Ba rq ue . lt culminated in the pulling up of the boat and the scandal given to the crew by th e chasing o f the young girl up the ' boh re e n But James Va se y s enterprise the pros pered . The young girl liked way h is he adventured , and sh e smiled on

The Bos s liked to dwell on the subseq uen t

s o developments . As he did he more and more fell into the love tradition of the novel

hi s ‘ i ette . He closed case w th a lived i happy ever after ring in h s voice . But Billy th e Clown w a s left with the im pression that the thing worth telling in James ' V a se y s life re mained untouched . An under-current of contempt for the hero of THE GOLDEN BARQUE 183 the romance now and again betrayed itself in the manner o f the Boss . While he was sq ue ezing the firs t commande r o f Th e Golden Ba rq ue into an affair of rose and water he could not altogether help remem bering him for so met hing else . With pres

u s sure it came out in bits and scraps . Let put them tog ether . The marrie d life o f James Vasey was the married life of all boatmen . He turned up

at home when he could . He had a great joy in the little home beside the canal . The parents of the girl whom he had married

died in course of time , leaving the place to

s James Vasey . A on and a daughter were

n born to him . The so went away to Liver pool and never returned . It was said of him

ut lo that he turned o a bad t . The daughter went to America . She kept in touch with

the homeland . They had letters from her t freq uen ly . They expressed a crude but

sincere affection for the parents . It w a s a lonely life that the o ld peo ple dragged out

th e oh r n lon e li in home by the b e e . This n h ness fell more heavily o t e mother , for James Vasey had the distraction of his life and work on the canal .

v c It was , howe er , a g reat sho k and a 184 THE GOLDEN BARQUE gre at change to him when h is wife died aft er ' a few weeks illness . James Vase y wr ote to his daughter in America announcing t h e death of her mother The memory of the n lonely old man o doubt moved the girl , and sh e returned to Ireland . She brought i some money with her . With t they were able to se cure a little lan d and a little stock . w s The daughter a a good woman , a capable

m a n d - to r anager , they were able live in ce tain comfort Wh en the time came that James

s e Th e ld Ba u Va ey l ft Go en rq e for ever , unable for further work , they had the little

w s place to fall back upon . It a then he ca me to be known to h is former fellow

a s voyagers the Derelict .

‘ It w a s the opinion of the Boss that the

Derelict had always been a miser . His manner o f securing tobacco and oth er little luxuries in life at the expense of other boat men was cited a s proof of this . It may be

i w as tr ue , but t also true that James Vasey had no opportunity of amassing wealth . His

his profession did not pe rmit o f i t . But

r of passion fo loans tobacco , together with his failure to keep up h is individual end of

Th e a ve th e expe nse of enjoyments in H n ,

186 THE. GOLDEN BARQUE shoot of a rambler-rose fell over from the porch and made a constant swaying beside ' o n e of the windows of the Derelict s home .

All was silence within . l t was his custom ,

o and the custom f his d a ughter , to go early to bed and to be e ar ly about The hours o f s the night went by in a great peace , ave for a dull glow by the kitchen hearth that stealthi ly made its way to th e brown heap o f sods by the wall . At this time the Derelict was troubled with the first stages of his asthma . The compression on his chest made his sleep s re stless a the early dawn approached . He became troubled with his cough . It per f sisted , until at last it robbed him o his sleep .

h is o ld He drew frame up in the bed , pushing his shoulders up on the pillows and barked for some time . He grew conscious that the

w a s atmosphere heavy , that it was difficult for him to get his breath .

u Sara , he called o t to his daughter .

There was no response .

e The air b came more stifling . He e o u t h struggl d of the bed , and it took im t some ime , for his thin legs were stiff and ' reluctant . He called his daughter s name

again . He grumbled when sh e did n o t THE GOLDEN BARQUE 167

answer . Like all hard workers , Sara Vasey slept soundly . There was no sign of her stirring in the little roo m at the other end of the house . The Derelict struggled to the doo r leading to the intervening kitchen and opened it . w s s The place a filled with moke , heavy ,

' pungent smoke . Through it a wisp of light fl descended from the roof to the oor , shed ding some sparks when it struck the ground .

He stood looking at it fo r s o me time stupidly . ’ Then a crackle over the chimney and another

s drift of spar ks caught his eye . He gave a

t e li tle cry , turned back , grop d for his clothes , and went out into the kitchen . A noise with ominous little cracks and snaps grew in volume until it made a dull hum , as he made for the front door and pas sed out through the porch . A cutting wind pass ed him an d filled the k s itchen , and he a w flames driven across

. on the rafters He drew some of his clothes , his gums hammering against each other , his hands trembling . He w a s grumbling and crying as -h e hobbled around to the window ' o f his daughter s room . He cracked his

on knuckles the glass . ! Sara he cried . A spurt of flame ate 188 THE GOLDEN BARQUE.

t i its w a y through the hatch above h m , and he drew back with a cry . Then his daughter came rushing out of the - n porch in her night dress , calling on his ame .

! sh e e ou Father call d out , are y " s a fe 2 She rushed at him , hugging him in her arms hysterically , holding him in her arms protectingly from this calamity that i had suddenly overtaken them in th e q uiet of ' d u h the winter s night . It was while his a g ter held him in her arms , and that he gazed in fear over her shoulder at t h e burning i house , that the m nd of the Derelict jumped back to the memory of his money . '

Sara , he said , I m safe and you are

God God sh e Thank , thank , cried , her teeth chattering , her eyes on the flames lick ing the thatch .

i da u h But I left someth ng behind me , g

t r . e . He drew back from her embrace ' He began to wring his hands . I m lost , l 'm surely lost if I don 't get the little stock of money . The sto ck of money ? She had never heard of it until now .

Y s e , daughter . I had a little bit put by . n It is in the tin trunk u der the bed .

190 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

minded it well all the years Sara , ’ don t give it to say you let it be destr oyed 1 before my eyes . Do a s bid you A note of command , hardness , crept into his voice . The girl drew back from him . " " Do you hear me ? he shouted . His voice changed to one of sudden desperation .

She only shrank the further from him . He hobbled after her . She made an effort to

- avoid him . He clutched her night dress , then buried his hard fingers in the flesh of her arms . ou Damn you , he cried , I will make y ' do my liking . Don t you see the way the flames are making for the room ?

She clung about his neck . His breathing was hard , his eyes riveted upon the burning thatch a s h is face hung over her shoulder . '

o . t Let it g , father It can be saved now . " I did not know you had it . The words only st un g the Derelict to new

u w olfish f ry . A glowering , look came into his eyes . He pushed the clinging girl back

of from him . Let the lock money go , is > it ! he shouted . Is t hat the respect you have for my earnings ? In with you and " bring it out t o me .

Later on , father . THE GOLDEN BARQUE l 9| Later on ! The house will be burned to for the floor . I will be a ruined man ever .

It will be saved in the trunk . ' It can t . It is in notes ! fine crisp notes that I know the feel o f in my hands . I could tell them in the darkness o f n the night . They were a s k own to me as the nails on my finger s .

His voice had risen to a hoarse cackle .

He pushed the girl before him as he spoke .

She clasped her hands in despair , then turned t o break away from him .

He lurched after her . A strand of her loose !hair flew behind her as she went .

This he clutched , and she shrieked , bending h e r kn ees as the pressure from the hair brought her to a stop . When he laid his ' hands o n t h e girl s arms again she was so b

o n o f bing . They were the verge the smoke

‘ that enveloped the house in dense vapour .

He pushed her forward , and they were two vague figures struggling in the smoke . A

flock of wild birds wheeled overhead , cry

s ing in their trange voices , then vanished into the night . ' fo r u f ! Father , pity s sake ! Yo are oo " ish , mad . The girl appealed to him . THE GOLDEN BARQUE

My little stock of money he cried . He g ave her a drive in front o f him . She stumbled against the porch of the house . A blast o f wind sent the smoke from about i them in long , sinuous streaks , clear ng a

s w space . In that space he a for a moment

r the white figu e of his daughter , her face ghastly in the vivid yellow gl a re from the

house . He thought he caught a look o f e d fiance , scorn , hatred , in her eyes . She

‘ made a q uick movement , and he concluded that she was about to escape him . He

raised an angry arm , his fist close d . G By od Almig hty he shouted . The

fist remained above his head for a moment ,

then fell to his side , for th e white figure had vanished through the porch to the house .

He stood there , mumbling and shivering ,

w lfish his eyes still o . The noise of a crack im ling beam inside made h limp away , whining . He cleare d the smoke , then

turned back to the house with a cry . " " " ! is Sara he called , what delaying u > w yo ! Come o n q uick ith the money . The " l f ames will be upon it .

There was no reply . He limped around r to the window of the room , his suspende s i i stre el ng behind h m , his trousers hanging

194 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

you were the best . Your mother in Heaven is ou directing y this night . May every bless ing be showered upon you- for you are the " on e that will save my little store of money .

n A cry that was half a scream , half a moa ,

s tu e fie d broke from the house . He stood p

fo r t . a while , hen staggered to the window

He saw a figure vaguely inside , then a hand m w as ade a blind drive at the window . He alert in a moment . He knew the hand was trying to push the notes to him through the window . He raised his arm and made a Ith grab , but e hand inside never reached f beyond the inner ledge o the window . It scraped along the wall and vanished . There was a thud o f a body falling in a dead fleshy weight and t hen a sudden touch o f light

th e a u m t o v made whole pl ce i p his gaze , ivid as a horrible nightmare . He shrieked , clawing th e wall of the window with his

s han ds , his nail tearing the hot mortar from the stones . Gi i . ve e Sara he cr ed me the mon y . What is wrong with you ? Hell to your

u t soul , give o my money . Look at them h a s leaping upon the bed like devils . What " come over you at all ? He was still clawing the wall when foot THE GOLDEN BARQUE. 195

e steps cam running t o the house . He felt a on hand his shoulder and , turning round , s w To i a m h s . Nolan , next neighbour ' o G James , what n o d s earth h as h ap " pened ? t My place is in a blaze . I am des royed , " Tom . The world will have pity for me . " Where is Sa ra ? '

o . She s within in the ro m , Tom I was striving to direct her . Wh at way will I be ’ " ? I ll at all after this be destroyed for ever .

n ot fo r . Torn Nolan did , wait any more

He went through the door . The O ld man

th e limped after him , paused at porch , passed it , mumbling, whining . " ' Tom I ll , he said , wait for me . be n w with you o . He made little circles in

o f n O front the porch , hobbling o his ld h is limbs , hands pulling the streeling trou sers up upon them . But he never ventured h any farther . Tom Nolan staggered throug the porch , a white burden in his arms . " James 1 he shouted I found her lying under the window . The o ld man followed him a s he brought the g irl beyond the range o f the smoke and heat , then suddenly fell upon the limp figure .

He took u p one o f the dang ling arms , run 196 THE GOLDEN BARQUE ning his q uivering fingers along it until he n d reached the hand . The hand was open a ld low empty . The o man dropped it with a o f wail . Tom Nolan left the inert figure the girl o n the grass . She loo ked black and

e o f w t rrible , some her half burned nightgo n still smoking , in the light that was now k breaking over th e eastern s y. The old man pounced upon the other a rm; it w as black

n e th e e d down from elbow . ' ' i To m I m afra d , James , she s burned , " i Nolan sa d . r w as But James Vasey , the De elict , not listening . He turned up the scorched hand .

n The fist was tightly close d . He e de a v o u re d o n to open it , falling his knees beside f the figure o the girl .

u t f i l Le t o o t , you bitch ! the o d ma n shou ted . He got his bony knuckles between the fingers o f the closed fist and screwed

e be th m about , his eyes blazing , his gums ginning to hammer together again , a dribble falling from between his lips , his whole face twitching a s it leered over the helpless

s w figure . The neighbour who a that sight

' h w a s st u e fie d at t e dawn too p to speak .

At last the fist was forced open . A little w i crisp as hes , th no se mblance to the ori

198 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

strangeness in the manner of Sara Vasey .

She was given to brooding , silence , sudden and — to her neighbours — unaccountable bursts Of hysterical weeping— and avoided her father a s much as possible . When the affairs of the li ttle farm and a new cotta ge were s e t to rights sh e bought

s u d her ticke t back to America . She went

a -O o r de ly , q uietly , without any send ff leave taking . The Derelict did n ot know she was going . One morning when he wakened up he found hims elf alone in the h ouse ‘ The neighbours said Sara Vasey w a s an u unnat ral daughter .

When Billy the Clown heard this story o f — the Derelict in different words- from the Boss he had a vivid memory of the Old animal who had come prowling ou t of his

o f jungle , his mind troubled over the loss his g oa t Who christened him the Derelict ?

Billy asked .

t . Calcu ta , the Boss replied

Billy looked at the figure of Calcutta , black

and slender and sinister , against the pale k light o f the s y . Billy wa lke d up to him .

Sh ake , he said , putting out his hand . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 199

Calcutta , a little bewildered , shook , then

t h e his head swung round funnel , his dull eyes bent on Hike , and Billy noted the tobacco spit which sang like a bullet in the direction of the hunched driver . THE MAN WITH THE GIFT

OR twenty-five years the B oss had gone up and down the w orn cabin steps without a worry His fists had grown

’ accustomed to the feel of h ropes , to t e rolling up and down of

s barrels , and the swinging of boxe , at the loading and discharging o f Th e Golden

Ba rq u e . The mot ion o f his limbs had come to be part of the ritual of the deck . He exhaled an Odour of tar . His feet had flat

e f o un de d ten d , his hands had , his neck had developed a curve , throwing his face for ward . His eyes were palely yellow , like the

t h e water o f canal . His vision had become concentrate d, drilling through the landscape like canals . His temperament was placid . His emotions rose and fell as mechanically as if they were regulated by invisible locks .

w a s He w as as tame as a duck . His name

Martin Coughl a n , and he was known , by stray words that followed his speech like a memory , to have come from the North .

202 THE G OLDEN BARQUE show th at he appreciated the humour of the

ku u n s a o .

Then a man rose at the head of the table . He w a s a spare man with drooping mous

ta ch ios t n , a pene rati g eye , a voice that d sounded high a n sha rp in the shed .

Martin Coughlan stared at the speaker . Some thing rare and unsuspected had

h is touched life . He wondered where this

s pare man had got all the words . They w s c ame out in a steady flow . He a

o bviously aiming at som ething , but what

t . .i was Mart in Coughlan did not know and , r f indeed , did not ca e . It was su ficient for

o n o n him tha t the words came and . He had never heard any mort al before keeping

up such a sustaine d floo d o f speech . Martin

‘ ba ck de li h t o n . Coughlan leaned , g his face

An other m an rose . He spoke even

t e e . be t r . He gesticulat d with energy The others began to slap their limbs with th e if

hands . Martin Coughlan slapped his

limbs , feeling he was privileged . He had

beg un to live . - t m A thick se a n followed , His voice

wa kened echoes all over the place . His

o n e eyes flashed around , seeking face now , on a nother again . Suddenly the eyes fell THE GOLDEN BARQUE 203

Martin Coughlan ; the m an addressed him as if he were appealing to an intelligence !

e He argu d with him , made gestures at him , deposited all his logic at his feet . ' u l Mart in Co g h an s blood began to heat . He felt a tingle at the curve on th e back o f t his neck . He coughed o relieve the ten ' sion . Then the speaker s gaze wandered to somebody else .

n r The talk went o fo some hours . Men grew excited . Se veral spoke at the same time for pregnant minutes . Martin

n e Coughla b gan to perspire . Once he

e e e shout d , Hear , h ar becaus the words

e had b gun to sound familiar . When the Commit tee meeting broke up

fla m he went back to the boat , his cheeks ing , feeling that he had done it all himself .

n h He passed Hike o t e way . The little driver looked up at him with respect . The dark-faced ma n was Sitting o n a box by th e stern .

The meeting over ? he asked .

o . Yes , Martin C ughlan said

His voice sounded hoarse . His throat felt dry . He went down to the keg and drank a mug of water . Afterwards M a rtin Coughlan paced the 204 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

d e ck wit h a new air . He became pre

e s ticu la t occupied . Once they saw him g ing at a bush o n the bank . He took a new - tone to t h e lock keepers . He was always clearing his throa t! A few times at the me als they thought he

o was about to make a speech . But s me thing always overcame him . When they sounded h im as to the Committee proceed ings his face beame d . “ - There was speech making , he would

What did they s a y ?

Martin Coughlan ros e . He caught the An lapel of his coat ; struck an atti tude . inspired look came into his face . But no

o a words followed . Instead he t ok up

n bucket and went o deck . " '

He s a great man for the Committee , “ ' they said . He won t give the show away . "

e . Ay , man , but that fellow is knowing

He co uld hold a Cabinet secret . One da y the dark-faced man loaned a

fi r at a village .

206 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

h e a yard o f debate . When shook his head in disapproval it excited the spe akers .

on o n u They went and , fighting , arg ing , playing for his opinion . But Martin Coughlan held to his silent v iews with wonderful pugnacity . He was not to be cajoled . “

What were they at last night , Mart in on e of the men asked afterwards " T s hat aid Martin , after a pause , a secret . " ' - He s too i . close m nded , they said m He keeps it all in for the Com ittee . It must be something to hear him when the " cork is off . The dark-faced man wa s fond of the

r . pape He got it reg ularly in the village . " s Here we are , he aid , with satisfaction .

They give us the speeches this time . No w we 'll know what Martin Coughlan had to

fo r say himself . But there was no speech from Martin

Coughlan . Everybody had sa id something except the representative from Th e Golden

Ba u rq e .

- The dark faced man made a complaint . THE GOLDEN BARQUE 207

d w Coughlan said . She is no goo . I kne

t h e from first she had sprung a leak . But he felt that the men were dissatisfied

t t ud o n a n d He s ruck an atti e the deck , — ! . n I said Mr Chairma and gentlemen , " m venture to think . He paused . To y mind , he added . There was another " " s - p a use . I s a y , tanding he re t o nigh t .

e He look d vaguely over the landscape . I " t beg to propose . And then he took a li tle run up and down the deck , rubbing his hands with delight . ' to o n e He s clever , o o f the men said . - He thinks to put us o ff by play acting . It ’ won t do . Before the proceedings of the next Com mitte e l meeting began , Martin Cough an took the secretary aside . The secretary was a shrewd perso n . There was a motion on the agenda to give him a sal a ry . “

John , said Martin Coughlan , with 1 familiarity , want you to tell me how it is done . How is what done ? " e The spe ches , you know ; the language ,

t do the words , the alk they have .

w a “ John s puzzled . Then a light broke upon him . 208 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Well , he said , a man must have it in

Have what in him ?

John hesitated , thought , and said. . The gift .

u Mart in Co ghlan was crestfallen . He felt there was something in life he had let slip . Where would there be likelihood of " get ting the gift ? he asked at last . ' k e I don t now , the other repli d . It comes from within .

se e r Oh , I , Martin Coughlan said , mo e

e 1 cheerfully . Then he confid d , John , ha ve it within in the inside o f me . Lan '

guage , great lang uage . But I can t get it " o u t .

Ta ke Have courage , the other said .

G n u . U your chance e t p o yo r legs . Face them Wh en you do that the words will

flow o u t o f you .

D o u ? o v think they will , John " Sure . John was a man persuasive , o n e who caried conviction , inspired hope

and drew salaries .

2 10 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

h e knees struck against the other . Then h a d to clear a lump from his throat . " ou r s John , ecretary , he said at last , told me t h at if I stood up on me legs the words would flow o u t from within the in side o f me .

i o He hesitated , look ng ab ut him in a panic , a q ueer feeling of collapse in his brain . He smiled a ghastly smile . ' " Go o n th e , said chairman . “ He said , Martin Coughlan resumed , “ his voice falling to an echo , that if I faced

fl w o u t — you they would o o f me . But by — ’ " heavens they won t . He sat down . There was a burst o f laughter and a p

la u s e p .

The men stared at Martin Coughlan .

e n Th re was that mixture of sceptici sm , e

o m e n t j y , malicious delight , in their glances

o ‘ o that fasten up n all fallen g ds . They

fun o f e were taking their out an xposure , the showing up o f an emptiness that wore a mask , the betrayal o f that discretion which

s i only a dullness .

t o o too Martin Coughlan was heated , full

o f . confusion , to notice their crude levity By the time he had recovered himse lf they had dropped him . They no longer de THE GOLDEN BARQUE 2 ] l

ferred to him . He w a s no longer appealed w ; to as an intelligence . He dre back in stin c tive l s y to the shadows , and he at there until the meet ing broke up . When he reached his b oat the men d greeted him with deference . He muttere something and went down t o the cabin . h He staye d there for t e rest of the night .

The Committee , he said to the dark

m an Com faced next day , is a ro tten

mitte e . " t h re I thought at all along , the other " ' t o e plied . But I didn t like say it , se ing you were a great one o n it .

And an ignorant Committee , Martin

Coughlan added . “ It is that . But by the end o f the week t h e paper wa s

- m an out . The dark faced , after reading it , looked up at Martin Coughlan and then

to went up him .

o o u t L ok here , Boss , he said , putting his hand , shake hands .

u They shook hands , Martin Co ghlan ner

o u s l v y. " - It was a great speech , the dark faced “ ' man said . You re wasting your time on thi s boat . 2 12 THE GOLDEN BARQUE

Martin Coughlan blushe d ; his ga ze was

r unce tain . The other left him the paper .

n He s at o a barrel and opene d the shee t . There was his name in print again ! He “

d o ut . Mr spelle it slowly . Martin Cough lan , who was received with loud applause , sa id and there followed over a

o f o o f f column type , of w rds , lang uage , o a speech . He read it over with a thumping

a . he rt It was dotte d with hear , hear . "

applause , and cheers . When he

finished he stood up a n d walked the deck , his thick limbs outspread , his flat feet solid o n hi s e o u t the planks , ch st . u l ? s t . it a good repor , Boss they asked

It is very fair , very fair , men , he said , w ith toleration . u ' M n u t a o . , but I d like to hear it coming

’ " No doubt you would . ' We ll hear you some time .

Y u o t . will , why not , o be sure

is He ran his fingers through h hair . He

e drill d spaces , vague spaces , through the

' familiar landscape with his gaze . His

o o bl od rose gradually , eventually fl oding h is e fac until it grew purple in colour , rising a s steadily as if somebody had lift ed the

‘

2 14 THE. GOLDEN BARQUE

He went o n persuading himself until the

e b a oth rs came ack from Th e H ven . - He went up to the dark faced man . " '

I tell you what it is , it s a very fine report ;

- a very good report ; a tip top report . Word " an d for word there it is , in black in white .

on e He struck fist in the other . "

Boss , the other said , something almost

approaching reverence in his long , narrow ' f face , you re a great one , a gi ted one . For toturn round and s a y the like of what you

said , a man must have the gift . " "

To be sure he must , Martin Coughlan a gree d t aking some steps along by the car go " e e il- cover d with gr at o cloths . I told John ,

the secretary , I had it within in the inside of

m e o f . And what had I within in the inside ? t I me I ask you , men The gif ' God o u Well , thank we ll all hear y " ' - s th e c m a . oon , dark fa ed an s id There s

a public meeting coming o n .

Martin Coughlan drew a long breath . ' " Yo u don t tell me s o ?

h e Ha . I do . We had word o f it in T ven - There is to be speech making , and great ' e - spe ch making . We ll expec t you that day ' to show the great gift tha t s in you . " u l Yo wi l , to be sure , Martin Coughlan THE GOLDEN BARQUE 2 15 t s a . id , but wi hout enthusiasm He ran his

fingers through his hair . Then he walked away from the others , standing at the prow

u o f the boat , his st rdy figure solid against t h e w ater .

o n e A great he is for the gab , the

- grotesq ue loo king man said irreverently .

h e Look at the two powerful limbs . has holding him up from the ground . After th at Mar tin Coughlan grew very

o f subdued , silent , avoiding the topic the c oming meeting . The men said he was bbt tlin g himse lf up for the big occasion .

Thle y noted that he still ipore d over the

r t e pape hat contained his sp ech . He would t i lie back in his bunk at nigh , a candle f xed

de r S . by his si , drilling th ough the peech

Once o r twice the men, heard him muttering l to himself like a boy grappling with a esson . In t hese days it was noted that some o f the colour left his face . A certain pensiveness t crept in o his expression . " s o n e o f Bos , the men asked him , " you in pain ?

I am , Martin Coughlan answered , a n d walked sadly away. Once the men wakene d to hear him pacing

‘ Th e the deck in the middle o f the night . 2 I6 THE GOLDEN BARQUE da rk-faced man went up the ladder and popped h is vignette over the hold . He came f back a ter a time . " '

o n . He s deck in his shirt , he said

The moon is shining on him , his legs are like two white pillars under the tiller . He

i 4 has that paper with h m . I heard him giv

o u t . ing a few words He was losing them ,

u trying to catch them p again , stumbling an d staggering over them like a m an that would be raving . Then he would run his hands through his hair , and the wind blow

t h e ing the shirt about white pillars .

s Be the powers , said the grote q ue man , ' t r l u ning over in his bunk , it s a chil y sort '

n ot . of a night , and I m glad I have the gift

t h e As day of the meeting approached , and it became more and more a topic o f ' Cou h la n s conversation , Martin g depression increased . So mething seem ed to weigh

- him down . He took the dark faced man as ide . You know t his meeting is g ot up by the " t 3 Commit ee he said . '

I do .

And yo u can call to mind what I told

u yo of that Committee a long while ago . I " said it was a rotten Committe e ,

THE GOLDEN BARQUE disappointed tha t Martin Coughlan did not pour forth his eloq uence at the assembly . They somehow regarded him as in so me way wronged . But he became more cheer ful himself . He began t o whistle again as

t is he moved around the boa . H flat feet bec a me more than ever a part of the ritu al

o f his of the deck . The curve at the back h neck threw o ut is head another degree .

His eyes became more p a lely yellow . They went on di g gin g imaginary canals in the w a s s du ck landscape . He as happy a a in a - c the water . Once the d rk fa ed man

! e asked Bos s , what becam of the paper " with your speech in it ? “ " 1 Oh , yon rag Martin Coughlan made answ er . I rolled her up in a stone , and ' she s at the bottom a whe en of weeks . ' O Ke l l y, S e uma s Th e g ol de n bar q u e

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