第10章 一个古怪的梦〔5〕

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Hey,Jones!ThatisoldColumbusJones—shroudcostfourhundreddollarsentiretrousseau,includingmonument,twenty-sevenhundred.Thiswasinthesringof1926.Itwasenormousstyleforthosedays.DeadeolecameallthewayfromtheAlleghaniestoseehisthings—theartythatoccuiedthegravenexttomineremembersitwell.Nowdoyouseethatindividualgoingalongwithaieceofahead-boardunderhisarm,oneleg-bonebelowhiskneegone,andnotathingintheworldon?ThatisBarstowDalhousie,andnexttoColumbusJoneshewasthemostsumtuouslyoutfittedersonthateverenteredourcemetery.

"

"Weareallleaving.Wecannottoleratethetreatmentwearereceivingatthehandsofourdescendants.Theyoennewcemeteries,buttheyleaveustoourignominy.Theymendthestreets,buttheynevermendanythingthatisaboutusorbelongstous.Lookatthatcoffinofmine—yetItellyouinitsdayitwasaieceoffurniturethatwouldhaveattractedattentioninanydrawing-roominthiscity.Youmayhaveitifyouwantit—Ican'taffordtoreairit.Putanewbottominher,andartofanewto,andabitoffreshliningalongtheleftside,andyou'llfindheraboutascomfortableasanyrecetacleofherseciesyouevertried.

"

"Nothanksno,don'tmentionityouhavebeenciviltome,andIwouldgiveyoualltheroertyIhavegotbeforeIwouldseemungrateful.Nowthiswinding-sheetisakindofasweetthinginitsway,ifyouwouldliketo—No?Well,justasyousay,butIwishedtobefairandliberalthere'snothingmeanaboutme.Good-by,friend,Imustbegoing.Imayhaveagoodwaytogotonight—don'tknow.Ionlyknowonethingforcertain,andthatisthatIamontheemigranttrailnow,andI'llneversleeinthatcrazyoldcemeteryagain.IwilltraveltillIfiendresectablequarters,ifIhavetohoofittoNewJersey.Alltheboysaregoing.Itwasdecidedinublicconclave,lastnight,toemigrate,andbythetimethesunrisestherewon'tbeaboneleftinouroldhabitations.Suchcemeteriesmaysuitmysurvivingfriends,buttheydonotsuittheremainsthathavethehonortomaketheseremarks.Myoinionisthegeneraloinion.Ifyoudoubtit,goandseehowthedeartingghostsusetthingsbeforetheystarted.Theywerealmostriotousintheirdemonstrationsofdistaste.

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"Hello,herearesomeoftheBledsoes,andifyouwillgivemealiftwiththistombstoneIguessIwilljoincomanyandjogalongwiththem—mightyresectableoldfamily,theBledsoes,andusedtoalwayscomeoutinsix-horsehearsesandallthatsortofthingfiftyyearsagowhenIwalkedthesestreetsindaylight.Goodby,friend.

"

Andwithhisgravestoneonhisshoulderhejoinedthegrislyrocession,dragginghisdamagedcoffinafterhim,fornotwithstandingheressedituonmesoearnestly,Iutterlyrefusedhishositality.Isuosethatforasmuchastwohoursthesesadoutcastswentclackingby,ladenwiththeirdismaleffects,andallthattimeIsatityingthem.

Oneortwooftheyoungestandleastdilaidatedamongtheminquiredaboutmidnighttrainsontherailways,buttherestseemedunacquaintedwiththatmodeoftravel,andmerelyaskedaboutcommonublicroadstovarioustownsandcities,someofwhicharenotonthemanow,andvanishedfromitandfromtheearthasmuchasthirtyyearsago,andsomefewofthemneverhadexistedanywherebutonmas,andrivateonesinreal-estateagenciesatthat.Andtheyaskedabouttheconditionofthecemeteriesinthesetownsandcities,andaboutthereutationthecitizensboreastoreverenceforthedead.

Thiswholematterinterestedmedeely,andlikewisecomelledmysymathyforthesehomelessones.Anditallseemingreal,andInotknowingitwasadream,Imentionedtooneshroudedwandereranideathathadenteredmyheadtoublishanaccountofthiscuriousandverysorrowfulexodus,butsaidalsothatIcouldnotdescribeittruthfully,andjustasitoccurred,withoutseemingtotriflewithagravesubjectandexhibitanirreverenceforthedeadthatwouldshockanddistresstheirsurvivingfriends.Butthisblandandstatelyremnantofaformercitizenleanedhimfarovermygateandwhiseredinmyear,andsaid:

"Donotletthatdisturbyou.Thecommunitythatcanstandsuchgraveyardsasthoseweareemigratingfromcanstandanythingabodycansayabouttheneglectedandforsakendeadthatlieinthem.

"

Atthatverymomentacockcrowed,andtheweirdrocessionvanishedandleftnotashredorabonebehind.Iawoke,andfoundmyselflyingwithmyheadoutofthebedand

"sagging

"downwardconsiderably—aositionfavorabletodreamingdreamswithmoralsinthem,maybe,butnotoetry.

NOTE.-Thereaderisassuredthatifthecemeteriesinhistownareketingoodorder,thisDreamisnotleveledathistownatall,butisleveledarticularlyandvenomouslyatthenexttown.