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第35章

  Hewasasdeftasworkmentwain;hedressedThestones,andinthemortarthenhepressedTheheavyblocks;theworkmenfoundhimcheerful。
  Mountingtheladderlikeabird:
  Heskippedacrosstheraftersfearful。
  Hesmiledasheascended,smiledashedescended——
  Theverymasonstrembledathishardiness:
  Buthewasworkingforhisfather——inhisgladness,Hislifewasfullofhappiness;
  HisbravecompanionslovedtheboyWhofilledtheirlittlelifewithjoy。
  Theysawthesweatrundownhisbrow,Andclappedtheirhands,thoughwearyhewasnow。
  WhatblissofAbel,whentheday’swork’so’er,Andthebrightstarswereshining:
  Untotheofficehemustgo,Anddonhisbetterclothing——
  Thushispoorfathertodeceive,whothoughthewenta-clerking。
  Hetookhispaperhomeandwrote,’midsttalkwithJanesoshyly,Andwithatwinklingeyeheansweredmother’slookssoslyly。
  Threedaysthuspassed,andthesickmanarose,Lifenowappearedtohimasweetrepose。
  OnThursday,temptingwastheroad;
  Atmidday,Friday,hemustwalkabroad。
  But,fatalFriday——Godhasmadeforsorrow。
  Thefather,warmedupbythesun’sbrightray,Hiedtothework-yard,smilingbytheway;
  Hewishedtothankthefriendwhoworkedforhim,Butsawhimnot——hiseyesweredim——
  Yethewasnear;andlookingup,hesawnopeopleworking,Nodinner-bellhadstruck,noworkmensurewerelurking。
  Oh,God!what’shappenedatthebuildingyard?
  Acrowdcollected——master,mason——asonguard。”What’sthis?”theoldmancried。”Alas!somemanhasfallen!”
  Perhapsitwashisfriend!Hissoulwithgriefwasburning。
  Heran。Beforehimthrongedthepressofmen,Theytriedtothrusthimbackagain;
  Butno;Hilairepressedthroughthecrowdofworkingmen。
  Oh,wretchedfather——manunfortunate;
  Thefriendwhosavedtheewasthychild——sadfate!
  Nowhehasfallenfromtheladder’shead,Andliesableedingmass,nownearlydead!
  NowHilaireutteredamostfearfulcry;
  Thechildhadgivenhislife,nowhemightdie。
  Alas!thebleedingyouthWasinhisdeath-throes,hecouldscarcelybreathe;”Master,”hesaid,”I’venotfulfilledmytask,But,inthenameofmypoormotherdear,Forthedaylost,takefatheronatlast。”
  Thefatherheard,o’erwhelmedhewaswithfear,Abelnowsawhim,feltthathewasnear,Inclinedhisheaduponhisbreast,andpraying-
  Handheldinhand,hesmiledonhimwhiledying。
  ForHilary,hisplacewaswellpreserved,Hiswagesmightperhapsbedoubled。
  Toolate!toolate!onesaddenedmornThesorrowofhislifewasgone;
  Andthegoodfather,withhispallidface,WentnowtotakeanotherplaceWithinthetomb,besidehismuchlovedson。
  FootnotestoTHEMASON’SSON。
  [1]Jasminsays,”thesubjectofthispoemishistorical,andrecentlytookplaceinourneighbourhood。”
  THEPOORMAN’SDOCTOR。
  [LOUMEDICIDESPAURES。]
  DedicatedtoM。CANY,PhysicianofToulouse。
  WiththepermissionoftheRev。Dr。J。DuncanCraig,ofGlenagary,Kingston,Dublin,Iadopt,withsomealterations,hisfreetranslationofJasmin’spoem。
  SweetcomesthisAprilmorning,itsfaintperfumesexhaling;
  Brilliantshinesthesun,socrisp,sobright,sofreshening;
  Pearl-likegleamandsparklethedew-dropsontherose,Whilegreyandgnarledolivesdrooplikegiantsinrepose。
  Soundethlow,solemnly,themid-daybellinth’air,Glidethonsadlyamaidensickwithcare;
  Herheadisbent,andsobbingwordssheshedswithmanyatear,But’tweenthechapelandthewindmillanotherdothappear。
  Shelaughsandplucksthelovelyflowerswithmanyajoyousbound,Theother,paleandspiritless,looksupwardfromtheground;”Wheregoestthou,sweetMarianne,thislovelyAprilday?””BeneaththeelmsofAgen——thereliesmydestinedway。”IgotoseekthisverydaytheDoctorofthePoor。[1]
  Did’stthounothearhowskilfullyhedidmymothercure?
  Beholdthissilverinmyhand,thesevioletssosweet,Theguerdonofhislovingcare——I’lllaythemathisfeet。”Now,dostthounotremember,mydarlingMarianne,Howinourlonelyhutthetyphusfeverran?
  Andwewerepoor,withoutafriend,ore’enourdailybread,Andsadlythen,andsorrowful,dearmotherbowedherhead。”Oneday,thesunwasshininglowinluridwesternsky,All,all,ourlittlewealthwasgone,andmotheryearnedtodie,Whensudden,attheopendoor,ashadowcrossedtheway,Andcheerfullyamanlyvoicedidwordsofcomfortsay:”’Takecourage,friends,yourillsIknow,yourlifeIhopetosave。’
  ’Toolate!’dearmothercried;’toolate!Myhomeisinthegrave;
  Ourthingsarepledged,ourmed’cinegone,e’enbreadwecannotbuy。’
  Thedoctorshudder’d,thengrewpale,butsadlystilldrewnigh。”Nocurtainshadweonourbed:Imarkedhispallidface;
  Fivesilvercrownsnowforthhedrewwithmelancholygrace——
  ’Poorwoman,taketheseworthlesscoins,suppressyourbittergrief!
  Don’tblush;repaythemwhenyoucan——thesedropswillgiverelief。’”Heleftthehut,andwentaway;soonsleep’srefreshingcalmRelievedthepatienthehadhelped——awonder-workingbalm;
  Theworldnowseemedtosmileagain,likespringtideflowerssogay,Whilemother,brothers,andmyself,incessantworkedaway。”Thus,liketheswallowswhichreturnwithspringuntoourshore,Thedoctorbroughtrejoicingbackuntoourvine-wreatheddoor;
  Andwearehappy,Isabel,andmoneytoowe’vemade;
  Butwhydostweep,whenIcanlaugh?”thegentlemaidensaid。”Alas!alas!dearMarianne,Iweepandmournto-day,Fromyourhousetoourcottage-homethefevermadeitsway;
  Myfatherlieswithghastlyface,andmanyaravingcry——
  Oh,wouldthatDurandtoomightcome,beforethesickmandie!””DearIsabel,hasteon,hasteon——we’llseekhishousethishour!
  Come,letusrun,andhastenonwithallourutmostpower。
  He’llleavetherichestpalaceforthepoorman’shumbleroof——
  He’sfarfromrich,exceptinlove,ofthatwe’vehadfullproof!”
  ThegoodGodblessthenobleheartthatcarethforthepoor;
  Thenforththepantingchildrenspeedtoseekthesickman’scure;
  Andasbeneathourgiantelmstheypasswithrapidtread,Theyscarcelydaretolookaround,orlifttheirwearyhead。
  Thetownatlastisreached,bythePont-Longtheyenter,ClosebytheHuedesJacobins,nearDurand’shousetheyventure。
  Aroundtheportalsofthedoortherethrongsamournfulcrowd;
  TheyseetheCross,theyheartheprieststheRequiemchauntaloud。
  Thegirlsweretroubledintheirsouls,theirmindswererentwithgrief;
  Oneaboveall,youngMarianne,wastremblinglikealeaf:
  Anotherdeath——oh,cruelthought!thenofherfatherdying,ShequicklyrantoDurand’sdoor,andaskedaneighbour,crying:”Where’sthegooddoctor,sir,Ipray?Iseekhimformyfather!”
  Hesoftreplied,”ThegraciousGodintoHisfolddothgatherThebestofpoorfolks’doctorsnow,tohiseternalrest;
  Theybearthebodyforth,’tistrue:hisspirit’swiththeblest。”
  Brightonhiscorpsethecandlesshinearoundhisnarrowbier,Escortedbythecrowdsofpoorwithmanyabittertear;
  Nomore,alas!canhethesadandanguished-ladencure——
  Oh,wail!ForDurandisnomore——theDoctorofthePoor!
  FootnotestoTHEPOORMAN’SDOCTOR。