按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
shrill； quavering speech was of doors that had been left unfastened； pails
that had got mislaid； calves whose feeding…time was overdue； and the
various little faults and lapses that chequer a farmhouse routine。 Now
and again； when election time came round； she would unstore her
recollections of the old names round which the fight had waged in the
days gone by。 There had been a Palmerston； that had been a name
down Tiverton way； Tiverton was not a far journey as the crow flies； but
to Martha it was almost a foreign country。 Later there had been
Northcotes and Aclands； and many other newer names that she had
forgotten； the names changed； but it was always Libruls and Toories；
Yellows and Blues。 And they always quarrelled and shouted as to who
was right and who was wrong。 The one they quarrelled about most was
a fine old gentleman with an angry face … she had seen his picture on
39
… Page 40…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
the walls。 She had seen it on the floor too； with a rotten apple squashed
over it； for the farm had changed its politics from time to time。 Martha
had never been on one side or the other； none of 〃they〃 had ever done
the farm a stroke of good。 Such was her sweeping verdict； given with
all a peasant's distrust of the outside world。
When the half…frightened curiosity had somewhat faded away； Emma
Ladbruk was uncomfortably conscious of another feeling towards the
old woman。 She was a quaint old tradition； lingering about the place；
she was part and parcel of the farm itself； she was something at once
pathetic and picturesque … but she was dreadfully in the way。 Emma
had come to the farm full of plans for little reforms and improvements；
in part the result of training in the newest ways and methods； in part the
outcome of her own ideas and fancies。 Reforms in the kitchen region；
if those deaf old ears could have been induced to give them even a
hearing； would have met with short shrift and scornful rejection； and the
kitchen region spread over the zone of dairy and market business and
half the work of the household。 Emma； with the latest science of dead…
poultry dressing at her finger…tips； sat by； an unheeded watcher； while
old Martha trussed the chickens for the market…stall as she had trussed
them for nearly four…score years … all leg and no breast。 And the
hundred hints anent effective cleaning and labour… lightening and the
things that make for wholesomeness which the young woman was ready
to impart or to put into action dropped away into nothingness before that
wan； muttering； unheeding presence。 Above all； the coveted window
corner； that was to be a dainty； cheerful oasis in the gaunt old kitchen；
stood now choked and lumbered with a litter of odds and ends that
Emma； for all her nominal authority； would not have dared or cared to
displace； over them seemed to be spun the protection of something that
was like a human cobweb。 Decidedly Martha was in the way。 It
would have been an unworthy meanness to have wished to see the span
of that brave old life shortened by a few paltry months； but as the days
sped by Emma was conscious that the wish was there； disowned though
it might be； lurking at the back of her mind。
She felt the meanness of the wish come over her with a qualm of
40
… Page 41…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
self…reproach one day when she came into the kitchen and found an
unaccustomed state of things in that usually busy quarter。 Old Martha
was not working。 A basket of corn was on the floor by her side； and
out in the yard the poultry were beginning to clamour a protest of
overdue feeding…time。 But Martha sat huddled in a shrunken bunch on
the window seat； looking out with her dim old eyes as though she saw
something stranger than the autumn landscape。
〃Is anything the matter； Martha？〃 asked the young woman。
〃'Tis death； 'tis death a…coming；〃 answered the quavering voice； 〃I
knew 'twere coming。 I knew it。 'Tweren't for nothing that old Shep's
been howling all morning。 An' last night I heard the screech…owl give
the death…cry； and there were something white as run across the yard
yesterday； 'tweren't a cat nor a stoat； 'twere something。 The fowls knew
'twere something； they all drew off to one side。 Ay； there's been
warnings。 I knew it were a…coming。〃
The young woman's eyes clouded with pity。 The old thing sitting
there so white and shrunken had once been a merry； noisy child； playing
about in lanes and hay…lofts and farmhouse garrets； that had been eighty
odd years ago； and now she was just a frail old body cowering under
the approaching chill of the death that was coming at last to take her。 It
was not probable that much could be done for her； but Emma hastened
away to get assistance and counsel。 Her husband； she knew； was down
at a tree… felling some little distance off； but she might find some other
intelligent soul who knew the old woman better than she did。 The farm；
she soon found out； had that faculty common to farmyards of
swallowing up and losing its human population。 The poultry followed
her in interested fashion； and swine grunted interrogations at her from
behind the bars of their styes； but barnyard and rickyard； orchard and
stables and dairy； gave no reward to her search。 Then； as she retraced
her steps towards the kitchen； she came suddenly on her cousin； young
Mr。 Jim； as every one called him； who divided his time between
amateur horse…dealing； rabbit…shooting； and flirting with the farm maids。
〃I'm afraid old Martha is dying；〃 said Emma。 Jim was not the sort
of person to whom one had to break news gently。
41
… Page 42…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
〃Nonsense；〃 he said； 〃Martha means to live to a hundred。 She told
me so； and she'll do it。〃
〃She may be actually dying at this moment； or it may just be the
beginning of the break…up；〃 persisted Emma； with a feeling of contempt
for the slowness and dulness of the young man。
A grin spread over his good…natured features。
〃It don't look like it；〃 he said； nodding towards the yard。 Emma
turned to catch the meaning of his remark。 Old Martha stood in the
middle of a mob of poultry scattering handfuls of grain around her。
The turkey…cock； with the bronzed sheen of his feathers and the
purple…red of his wattles； the gamecock； with the glowing metallic lustre
of his Eastern plumage； the hens； with their ochres and buffs and umbers
and their scarlet combs； and the drakes； with their bottle…green heads；
made a medley of rich colour； in the centre of which the old woman
looked like a withered stalk standing amid a riotous growth of gaily…
hued flowers。 But she threw the grain deftly amid the wilderness of
beaks； and her quavering voice carried as far as the two people who
were watching her。 She was still harping on the theme of death
coming to the farm。
〃I knew 'twere a…coming。