Chapter 3. ANOTHER MAN

rJuliusHandfordwentout. ‘Reserve!’saidMrInspector.‘Takecareofthispieceofpaper,keephiminviewwithoutgivingoffence,ascertainthatheisstayingthere,andfindoutanythingyoucanabouthim.’ ThesatellitewasgoneandMrInspector,becomingonceagainthequietAbbotofthatMonastery,dippedhispeninhisinkandresumedhisbooks.Thetwofriendswhohadwatchedhim,moreamusedbytheprofessionalmannerthansuspiciousofMrJuliusHandford,inquiredbeforetakingtheirdeparturetoowhetherhebelievedtherewasanythingthatreallylookedbadhere? TheAbbotrepliedwithreticence,couldn’tsay.Ifamurder,anybodymighthavedoneit.Burglaryorpocket-pickingwanted‘prenticeship.Notso,murder.Wewereallofusuptothat.Hadseenscoresofpeoplecometoidentify,andneversawonepersonstruckinthatparticularway.Might,however,havebeenStomachandnotMind.Ifso,rumstomach.Buttobesuretherewererumeverythings.Pitytherewasnotawordoftruthinthatsuperstitionaboutbodiesbleedingwhentouchedbythehandoftherightpersonyounevergotasignoutofbodies.Yougotrowenoughoutofsuchasher—shewasgoodforallnightnow(referringheretothebangingdemandsfortheliver),‘butyougotnothingoutofbodiesifitwaseverso.’ TherebeingnothingmoretobedoneuntiltheInquestwasheldnextday,thefriendswentawaytogether,andGafferHexamandhissonwenttheirseparateway.But,arrivingatthelastcorner,Gafferbadehisboygohomewhileheturnedintoared-curtainedtavern,thatstooddropsicallybulgingoverthecauseway,‘forahalf-a-pint.’ Theboyliftedthelatchhehadliftedbefore,andfoundhissisteragainseatedbeforethefireatherwork.Whoraisedherheaduponhiscominginandasking: ‘Wheredidyougo,Liz?’ ‘Iwentoutinthedark.’ ‘Therewasnonecessityforthat.Itwasallrightenough.’ ‘Oneofthegentlemen,theonewhodidn’tspeakwhileIwasthere,lookedhardatme.AndIwasafraidhemightknowwhatmyfacemeant.Butthere!Don’tmindme,Charley!Iwasallinatrembleofanothersortwhenyouownedtofatheryoucouldwritealittle.’ ‘Ah!ButImadebelieveIwrotesobadly,asthatitwasoddsifanyonecouldreadit.AndwhenIwroteslowestandsmearedbutwithmyfingermost,fatherwasbestpleased,ashestoodlookingoverme.’ Thegirlputasideherwork,anddrawingherseatclosetohisseatbythefire,laidherarmgentlyonhisshoulder. ‘You’llmakethemostofyourtime,Charleywon’tyou?’ ‘Won’tI?Come!Ilikethat.Don’tI?’ ‘Yes,Charley,yes.Youworkhardatyourlearning,Iknow.AndIworkalittle,Charley,andplanandcontrivealittle(wakeoutofmysleepcontrivingsometimes),howtogettogetherashillingnow,andashillingthen,thatshallmakefatherbelieveyouarebeginningtoearnastraylivingalongshore.’ ‘Youarefather’sfavourite,andcanmakehimbelieveanything.’ ‘IwishIcould,Charley!ForifIcouldmakehimbelievethatlearningwasagoodthing,andthatwemightleadbetterlives,Ishouldbea’mostcontenttodie.’ ‘Don’ttalkstuffaboutdying,Liz.’ Sheplacedherhandsinoneanotheronhisshoulder,andlayingherrichbrowncheekagainstthemasshelookeddownatthefire,wentonthoughtfully: ‘Ofanevening,Charley,whenyouareattheschool,andfather’s—’ ‘AttheSixJollyFellowshipPorters,’theboystruckin,withabackwardnodofhisheadtowardsthepublic-house. ‘Yes.ThenasIsita-lookingatthefire,Iseemtoseeintheburningcoal—likewherethatglowisnow—’ ‘That’sgas,thatis,’saidtheboy,‘comingoutofabitofaforestthat’sbeenunderthemudthatwasunderthewaterinthedaysofNoah’sArk.Lookhere!WhenItakethepoker—so—andgiveitadig—’ ‘Don’tdisturbit,Charley,orit’llbeallinablaze.It’sthatdullglownearit,comingandgoing,thatImean.WhenIlookatitofanevening,itcomeslikepicturestome,Charley.’ ‘Showusapicture,’saidtheboy.‘Telluswheretolook.’ ‘Ah!Itwantsmyeyes,Charley.’ ‘Cutawaythen,andtelluswhatyoureyesmakeofit.’ ‘Why,thereareyouandme,Charley,whenyouwerequiteababythatneverknewamother—’ ‘Don’tgosayingIneverknewamother,’interposedtheboy,‘forIknewalittlesisterthatwassisterandmotherboth.’ Thegirllaugheddelightedly,andhereyesfilledwithpleasanttears,asheputbothhisarmsroundherwaistandsoheldher. ‘Thereareyouandme,Charley,whenfatherwasawayatworkandlockedusout,forfearweshouldsetourselvesafireorfalloutofwindow,sittingonthedoor-sill,sittingonotherdoor-steps,sittingonthebankoftheriver,wanderingabouttogetthroughthetime.Youareratherheavytocarry,Charley,andIamoftenobligedtorest.Sometimeswearesleepyandfallasleeptogetherinacorner,sometimesweareveryhungry,sometimeswearealittlefrightened,butwhatisoftenestharduponusisthecold.Youremember,Charley?’ ‘Iremember,’saidtheboy,pressinghertohimtwiceorthrice,‘thatIsnuggledunderalittleshawl,anditwaswarmthere.’ ‘Sometimesitrains,andwecreepunderaboatorthelikeofthat:sometimesit’sdark,andwegetamongthegaslights,sittingwatchingthepeopleastheygoalongthestreets.Atlast,upcomesfatherandtakesushome.Andhomeseemssuchashelterafteroutofdoors!Andfatherpullsmyshoesoff,anddriesmyfeetatthefire,andhasmetositbyhimwhilehesmokeshispipelongafteryouareabed,andInoticethatfather’sisalargehandbutneveraheavyonewhenittouchesme,andthatfather’sisaroughvoicebutneveranangryonewhenitspeakstome.So,Igrowup,andlittlebylittlefathertrustsme,andmakesmehiscompanion,and,lethimbeputoutashemay,neveroncestrikesme.’ Thelisteningboygaveagrunthere,asmuchastosay‘Buthestrikesmethough!’ ‘Thosearesomeofthepicturesofwhatispast,Charley.’ ‘Cutawayagain,’saidtheboy,‘andgiveusafortune-tellingoneafutureone.’ ‘Well!ThereamI,continuingwithfatherandhold