ASimlafuneralwiththeclergymanriding，themournersriding，andthecoffincreakingasitswingsbetweenthebearer~，isoneofthemostdepressingthingsonthisearth，particularlywhentheprocessionpassesunderthewet，dankdipbeneaththeRockcliffeHotel，wherethesunisshutoutandallthebillstreamsarewailingandweepingtogetherastheygodownthevalleysOccasionallyfolktendthegraves，butweinIndiashiftandaretransferredsooftenthat，attheendofthesecondyear，theDeadhavenofriends-onlyacquaintanceswhoarefartoobusyamusingthemsel“esupthehilltoattendtooldpartnersTheideaofusingaCemeteryasarendezvousisdistinctlyafeminineoneAmanwouldhavesaidsimply“LetpeopletalkWe’llgodowntheMall。”Awomanismadedifferently，especiallyifshebesuchawomanastheMan’sWifeSheandtheTertiumQuidenjoyedeachother’ssocietyamongthegravesofmenandwomenwhomtheyhadknownanddancedwithaforetime。
Theyusedtotakeabighorse-blanketandsitonthegrassalittletotheleftofthelowerend，wherethereisadipinthegroundandwheretheoccupiedgravesstopshortandtheready-madeonesarenotreadyEachwell-regulatedIndiaCemeterykeepshalfadozengravespermanentlyopenforcontingenciesandincidentalwearandtearIntheHillsthesearemoreusuallybaby’s，’ize，becausechildrenwhocomeupweakenedandsickfromthePlainsoftensuccumbtotheeffectsoftheRainsintheHillsorgetpneumoniafromtheirayahstakingthemthroughdamppine-woodsafterthesunhassetInCantonments，ofcourse，theman’ssizeismoreinrequest；thesearrangementsvaryingwiththeclimateandpopulation。
OnedaywhentheMan’sWifeandtheTertiumQuidhadjustarrivedintheCemetery，theysawsomecooliesbreakinggroundTheyhadmarkedoutafull-sizegrave，andtheTertiumQuidaskedthemwhetheranySahibwassickTheysaidthattheydidnotknow；butitwasanorderthattheyshoulddigaSahib’sgrave。
“Workaway。”saidtheTertiumQuid，“andlet’sseehowit’sdone。”
Thecooliesworkedaway，andtheMan’sWifeandtheTertiumQuidwatchedandtalkedforacoupleofhourswhilethegravewasbeingdeepenedThenacoolie，takingtheearthinblanketsasitwasthrownup，jumpedoverthegrave。
“That’~queer。”saidtheTertiumQuid“Where’smyulster？”
“What’squeer？”saidtheMan’sWife。
“Ihavegotachilldownmybackjustasifagoosehadwalkedovermygrave。”
’Whydoyoulookatthething，then？”saidtheMm’sWife“Letusgo。”
TheTertiumQuidstoodattheheadofthegrave，andstaredwithoutansweringforaspaceThenhesaid，droppingapebbledown，“Itisnas’y~andcold；horriblycoldIdon’tthinkIshailcometotheCemeteryanymoreIdon’tthinkgrave-diggingischeerful。”
Thetwotalkedandagreedthatth~
204
WORKSOFRUDYARDKIFLI~G
CemeterywasdepressingTheyalsoarrangedforaridenextdayoutfromtheCemeterythroughtheMashobraTunneluptoFagooandback，becausealltheworldwasgoingtoagarden-partyatViceregalLodge，andallthepeopleofMashobrawouldgotoo。
CorninguptheCemeteryroad，theTertiumQuid’shorsetriedtoboltu~hill，beingtiredwithstandingsolong，andmanagedtostrainahacksinew。
“Ishallhavetotakethemaretotriorrow。”saidtheTertiumQuid，“andshewillstandnothingheavierthanasnaffie。”
TheymadetheirarrangementstomeetintheCemetery，afterallowingalltheMashobrapeopletimetopassintoSimlaThatnightitrainedheavily，andnextday，whentheTertiumQuidcametothetrysting-place，hesawthatthenewgravehadafootofwaterinit，thegroundbeingatoughandsourclay。
“’Jove！Thatlooksbeastly。”saidtheTertiurnQuid“Fancybeingboardedupanddroppedintothatwell！”
TheythenstartedofftoFagoo，themareplayingwiththesnaffleandpickingherwayasthoughshewereshodwithsatin，andthesunshiningdivinelyTheroadbelowMashobratoFagooisofficiallystyledtheHimalayan-ThibetRoad；butinspiteofitsnameitisnotmuchmorethansixfeetwideinmostplaces，andthedropintothevalleybelowmustbeanythingbetweenoneandtwothousandfeet。
“Nowwe’regoingtoThibet。”saidtheMan’sWifemerrily，asthehorsesdrewneartoFagooShewasridingonthecliff-side。
“IntoThihet。”saidtheTertiumQuid，“eversofarfrompeoplewhosayhorridthings，andhubbieswhowritestupidlettersWithyou-totheendoftheworld！”
Acooliecarryingalogofwo...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：