THESISTERS
Therewasno
hoffnung
hopeforhimthistime:itwas
der
thethirdstroke.Nightafter
nacht
nightIhadpassedthehaus
house(itwasvacationtime)und
andstudiedthelightedsquareofwindow:und
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedindie
thesameway,faintlyandevenly.Wenn
Ifhewasdead,Idachte
thought,Iwouldseethereflectionofcandlesondie
thedarkenedblindforIknewdass
thattwocandlesmustbesetatdie
theheadofacorpse.Hehadoftensaidto
mir
me:“Iamnotlongfor
dieser
thisworld,”andIhadthoughthiswordsidle.Jetzt
NowIknewtheywerewahr
true.EverynightasIgazedupat
das
thewindowIsaidsoftlytomyselfdas
thewordparalysis.Ithadalways
klang
soundedstrangelyinmyears,likedas
thewordgnomonintheEuclidund
andthewordsimonyindas
theCatechism.Butnowit
klang
soundedtomelikethename
nameofsomemaleficentandsinfulbeing.Itfilledmewithfear,
und
andyetIlongedtobenearertoitund
andtolookuponitsdeadlyarbeit
work.OldCotterwassittingat
der
thefire,smoking,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.Während
Whilemyauntwasladlingaus
outmystirabouthesaid,asob
ifreturningtosomeformerremarkofseiner
his:.“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewas
genau
exactly...buttherewas
etwas
somethingqueer...therewas
etwas
somethinguncannyabouthim.I’ll
sage
tellyoumyopinion....”Hebegantopuffathispipe,nodoubtarranginghisopinioninhis
verstand
mind.Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhimfirstheusedtoberatherinteresting,talkingoffaints
und
andworms;butIsoongrewtiredofhim
und
andhisendlessstoriesaboutdie
thedistillery.“Ihavemyowntheoryaboutit,”hesaid.
“I
glaube
thinkitwasoneofthose...peculiarcases....
Aber
Butit’shardtosay....”Hebegantopuff
wieder
againathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.My
onkel
unclesawmestaringandsaidtome:.“Well,soyourold
freund
friendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”“Who?”
said
Ich
I.“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehas
gerade
justtoldus.Hewaspassingbythehouse.”
Iknew
dass
thatIwasunderobservationsoIcontinuedeatingasob
ifthenewshadnotinterestedmich
me.MyuncleexplainedtooldCotter.
“Theyoungster
und
andheweregreatfriends.Der
Theoldchaptaughthimagreatdeal,mindyou;und
andtheysayhehadagreatwunsch
wishforhim.”“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”saidmyauntpiously.
OldCotterlookedatmefor
eine
awhile.Ifeltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingme
aber
butIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.Hereturnedtohispipe
und
andfinallyspatrudelyintoden
thegrate.“Iwouldn’tlike
kinder
childrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetooviel
muchtosaytoamann
manlikethat.”“Howdoyou
meinen
mean,MrCotter?”askedmyaunt.
“WhatImeanis,”saidoldCotter,“it’s
schlecht
badforchildren.Myideais:
let
ein
ayoungladrunaboutund
andplaywithyoungladsofhisownageund
andnotbe....AmI
recht
right,Jack?”“That’smyprinciple,too,”saidmy
onkel
uncle.“Lethimlearntoboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’malwayssayingtothatRosicrucian
da
there:takeexercise.
Why,whenIwas
ein
anippereverymorningofmylifeIhadein
acoldbath,winterandsummer.Und
Andthat’swhatstandstomejetzt
now.Educationisallveryfine
und
andlarge....MrCottermighttakeapickofthatlegmutton,”headdedtomyaunt.
“No,no,notforme,”saidoldCotter.
Myauntbroughtthedishfromthe
safe
safeandputitonthetable.“But
warum
whydoyouthinkit’snotgut
goodforchildren,MrCotter?”she
fragte
asked.“It’sbadforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.
Wenn
Whenchildrenseethingslikeso
that,youknow,ithasaneffect....”IcrammedmymouthwithstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresomeoldred-nosedimbecile!
Itwas
spät
latewhenIfellasleep.Obwohl
ThoughIwasangrywitholdCotterforalludingtomeasakind
child,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeinen
meaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.InthedarkofmyroomIimaginedthatI
sähe
sawagaintheheavygreygesicht
faceoftheparalytic.Idrewtheblankets
über
overmyheadandtriedtodenken
thinkofChristmas.Butthegrey
gesicht
facestillfollowedme.Itmurmured;
und
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfessetwas
something.Ifeltmysoulrecedingintosomepleasant
und
andviciousregion;andthere
wieder
againIfounditwaitingformich
me.Itbegantoconfesstomeinamurmuringvoice
und
andIwonderedwhyitsmiledcontinuallyund
andwhythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.Aber
ButthenIrememberedthatithadgestorben
diedofparalysisandIfühlte
feltthatItoowassmilingfeeblyasob
iftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.Thenext
morgen
morningafterbreakfastIwentdowntolookatthelittlehaus
houseinGreatBritainStreet.Itwas
ein
anunassumingshop,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.Die
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteesund
andumbrellas;andonordinarydays
ein
anoticeusedtohanginder
thewindow,saying:UmbrellasRe-covered.
Nonoticewasvisible
jetzt
nowfortheshutterswerehoch
up.Acrapebouquetwastiedto
den
thedoor-knockerwithribbon.Twopoorwomen
und
andatelegramboywerereadingdie
thecardpinnedonthecrape.I
auch
alsoapproachedandread:.July1st,1895
Der
TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.Thereadingofthecardpersuadedme
dass
thathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofinden
findmyselfatcheck.Hadhenotbeen
tot
deadIwouldhavegoneintodas
thelittledarkroombehinddas
theshoptofindhimsittinginhisarm-chairbydas
thefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.Vielleicht
Perhapsmyauntwouldhavegivenmeein
apacketofHighToastforhimund
andthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.ItwasalwaysIwhoemptiedthepacketintohisblacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoo
sehr
muchtoallowhimtotun
dothiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthefloor.Selbst
Evenasheraisedhislargetremblinghand
handtohisnoselittlecloudsofsmokedribbleddurch
throughhisfingersoverthevorderseite
frontofhiscoat.Itmayhavebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheirgreenfaded
blick
lookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitalwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofawoche
week,withwhichhetriedtobrushentfernen
awaythefallengrains,wasganz
quiteinefficacious.Iwishedtogoin
und
andlookathimbutIhadnotden
thecouragetoknock.Iwalkedawayslowly
entlang
alongthesunnysideofthestraße
street,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIging
went.IfounditstrangethatneitherInor
der
thedayseemedinamourningmoodund
andIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfein
asensationoffreedomaswenn
ifIhadbeenfreedfrometwas
somethingbyhisdeath.Iwonderedatthisfor,asmy
onkel
unclehadsaidthenightbefore,hehadtaughtmeagreatdeal.Hehadstudiedin
der
theIrishcollegeinRomeund
andhehadtaughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.Hehadtoldmestories
über
aboutthecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,und
andhehadexplainedtomethemeaningofthedifferentceremoniesoftheMassund
andofthedifferentvestmentswornbythepriest.Manchmal
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatonesollte
shoulddoincertaincircumstancesorwhethersolche
suchandsuchsinsweremortalorvenialornur
onlyimperfections.Hisquestionsshowedmehowcomplex
und
andmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsoftheChurchwhichIhadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharist
und
andtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessionalseemedsogravetomethatIwonderedhowjemand
anybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;und
andIwasnotsurprisedwhenhesagte
toldmethatthefathersoftheChurchhadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryund
andascloselyprintedasthegesetz
lawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingalltheseintricatequestions.Often
wenn
whenIthoughtofthisIkonnte
couldmakenoanswerornur
onlyaveryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedtosmileund
andnodhisheadtwiceorthrice.Manchmal
SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademelearnbyheart;und
and,asIpattered,heusedtosmilepensivelyund
andnodhishead,nowund
andthenpushinghugepinchesofsnuffupeachnostrilalternately.Wenn
Whenhesmiledheusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteethund
andlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitwhichhadmademefeeluneasyindie
thebeginningofouracquaintancebevor
beforeIknewhimwell.AsIwalkedalonginthesunIrememberedoldCotter’swords
und
andtriedtorememberwhathadgeschehen
happenedafterwardsinthedream.Iremembered
dass
thatIhadnoticedlongvelvetcurtainsund
andaswinginglampofantiquefashion.IfeltthatIhadbeen
sehr
veryfaraway,insomelandwherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Idachte
thought....ButIcouldnotremember
das
theendofthedream.In
das
theeveningmyaunttookmewithhertovisitdas
thehouseofmourning.Itwas
nach
aftersunset;butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothewestreflectedthetawnygoldofagreatbankofclouds.
Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
und
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytohaveshoutedatihr
her,myauntshookhandswithherforalle
all.Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogatively
und
and,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilnach oben
upthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedkopf
headbeingscarcelyabovethelevelofdie
thebanister-rail.Atthefirstlandingshestopped
und
andbeckonedusforwardencouraginglytowardsder
theopendoorofthedead-room.Myaunt
ging
wentinandtheoldfrau
woman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,begantobeckontomewieder
againrepeatedlywithherhand.Iwentinontiptoe.
The
raum
roomthroughthelaceendoftheblindwassuffusedwithduskygoldenlicht
lightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.Hehadbeencoffined.
Nanniegave
die
theleadandwethreekneltdownatdie
thefootofthebed.Ipretendedtopray
aber
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsweil
becausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedmich
me.Inoticedhowclumsilyherskirtwashookedattheback
und
andhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendownalltoeiner
oneside.Thefancycametome
dass
thattheoldpriestwassmilingashelag
laythereinhiscoffin.Aber
Butno.Whenweroseund
andwentuptothekopf
headofthebedIsah
sawthathewasnotsmiling.Dort
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforden
thealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingachalice.His
gesicht
facewasverytruculent,greyund
andmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsund
andcircledbyascantywhitefur.Therewasaheavyodourin
die
theroom—theflowers.Weblessedourselves
und
andcameaway.Inthelittle
zimmer
roomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairinstate.Igropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairin
der
thecornerwhileNanniewenttoder
thesideboardandbroughtoutadecanterofsherryund
andsomewine-glasses.Shesettheseon
den
thetableandinvitedustotakeein
alittleglassofwine.Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglasses
und
andpassedthemtous.Shepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalso
aber
butIdeclinedbecauseIdachte
thoughtIwouldmaketooviel
muchnoiseeatingthem.Sheseemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusal
und
andwentoverquietlytothesofawo
whereshesatdownbehindherschwester
sister.Noonespoke:
we
alle
allgazedattheemptyfireplace.Myaunt
wartete
waiteduntilElizasighedandthensaid:.“Ah,
nun
well,he’sgonetoabetterworld.”Elizasighed
wieder
againandbowedherheadinassent.Myauntfingeredthestemofherwine-glass
bevor
beforesippingalittle.“Didhe...
peacefully?”
she
fragte
asked.“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”saidEliza.
“Youcouldn’t
sagen
tellwhenthebreathwentaus
outofhim.Hehadabeautiful
tod
death,Godbepraised.”“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’RourkewasinwithhimaTuesday
und
andanointedhimandpreparedhimund
andall.”“Heknewthen?”
“Hewas
ziemlich
quiteresigned.”“Helooksquiteresigned,”saidmyaunt.
“That’swhatthe
frau
womanwehadintowashhimsaid.Shesaidhejust
sah aus
lookedasifhewasasleep,hesah aus
lookedthatpeacefulandresigned.Noone
würde
wouldthinkhe’dmakesuchaschöne
beautifulcorpse.”“Yes,indeed,”saidmyaunt.
Shesipped
ein
alittlemorefromherglassund
andsaid:.“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateit
muss
mustbeagreatcomfortforyoutowissen
knowthatyoudidallyoukonnten
couldforhim.Youwere
beide
bothverykindtohim,Imuss
mustsay.”Elizasmoothedherdress
über
overherknees.“Ah,poorJames!”
shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwe
konnten
could,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tsehen
seehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”Nanniehadleanedher
kopf
headagainstthesofa-pillowandseemedabouttofallasleep.“There’spoorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.
Allthe
arbeit
workwehad,sheandme,gettinginthefrau
womantowashhimandthenlayinghimoutund
andthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.Nur
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tknowwhatwe’dhavegetan
doneatall.Itwashimbroughtus
alle
allthemflowersandthemtwocandlesticksaus
outofthechapelandwroteaus
outthenoticefortheFreeman’sGeneralund
andtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeteryund
andpoorJames’sinsurance.”“Wasn’tthat
gut
goodofhim?”saidmyaunt.
Eliza
schloss
closedhereyesandshookherkopf
headslowly.“Ah,there’snofriendslike
die
theoldfriends,”shesaid,“whenallissaidund
anddone,nofriendsthatein
abodycantrust.”“Indeed,that’strue,”saidmyaunt.
“AndI’m
sicher
surenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tvergessen
forgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”“Ah,poorJames!”
saidEliza.
“Hewas
kein
nogreattroubletous.Youwouldn’t
hören
hearhiminthehouseanymehr
morethannow.Still,Iknowhe’sgone
und
andalltothat....”“It’swhenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”saidmyaunt.
“Iknowthat,”saidEliza.
“Iwon’tbebringinghiminhiscupofbeef-teaanymore,noryou,ma’am,
schicken
sendinghimhissnuff.Ah,poorJames!”
She
hielt an
stopped,asifshewerecommuningwithder
thepastandthensaidshrewdly:.“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewas
etwas
somethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohimthereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryfallento
den
thefloor,lyingbackinden
thechairandhismouthopen.”Shelaidafingeragainsthernose
und
andfrowned:thenshecontinued:.
“Butstill
und
andallhekeptonsayingdass
thatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dgooutforafahrt
driveonefinedayjusttoseetheoldhaus
houseagainwherewewerealle
allborndowninIrishtownund
andtakemeandNanniewithhim.Wenn
Ifwecouldonlygeteinem
oneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethatVater
FatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthetag
daycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’sovertheweg
waythereanddriveoutthedrei
threeofustogetherofaSundayevening.Hehadhis
verstand
mindsetonthat....PoorJames!”
“The
Herr
Lordhavemercyonhissoul!”saidmyaunt.
Elizatookoutherhandkerchief
und
andwipedhereyeswithit.Thensheputitbackagaininherpocket
und
andgazedintotheemptygrateforeinige
sometimewithoutspeaking.