THESISTERS
Therewasno
remény
hopeforhimthistime:itwas
a
thethirdstroke.NightafternightI
volt
hadpassedthehouse(itwasvacationtime)és
andstudiedthelightedsquareofwindow:és
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthesameway,faintlyés
andevenly.Ifhewas
halott
dead,Ithought,Iwouldlátnám
seethereflectionofcandlesonthedarkenedblindforItudtam
knewthattwocandlesmustbesetattheheadofacorpse.Hehadoften
mondta
saidtome:“Iamnot
sokáig
longforthisworld,”andIvagyok
hadthoughthiswordsidle.NowI
tudtam
knewtheyweretrue.Every
este
nightasIgazedupatthewindowIsaidsoftlytomyselftheszót
wordparalysis.Ithadalwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,
mint
likethewordgnomonintheEuclidés
andthewordsimonyintheCatechism.De
Butnowitsoundedtomemint
likethenameofsomemaleficentés
andsinfulbeing.Itfilledmewithfear,
és
andyetIlongedtobenearertoités
andtolookuponitsdeadlywork.Öreg
OldCotterwassittingatthetűz
fire,smoking,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.Míg
Whilemyauntwasladlingki
outmystirabouthesaid,asifreturningtovalamilyen
someformerremarkofhis:.“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewas
pontosan
exactly...buttherewas
valami
somethingqueer...therewas
valami
somethinguncannyabouthim.I’lltellyoumyopinion....”
Hebegantopuffathispipe,nodoubtarranginghisopinioninhismind.
Tiresome
öreg
oldfool!Whenweknewhim
először
firstheusedtoberatherinteresting,talkingoffaintsés
andworms;butIsoongrewtiredofhim
és
andhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.“Ihavemy
saját
owntheoryaboutit,”hemondta
said.“Ithinkitwas
egyik
oneofthose...peculiarcases....
De
Butit’shardtosay....”Hebegantopuff
megint
againathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.Myuncle
látta
sawmestaringandsaidtome:.“Well,soyour
régi
oldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”“Who?”
mondtam
saidI.“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterherehasjust
mondta
toldus.Hewaspassingby
a
thehouse.”IknewthatIwas
alatt
underobservationsoIcontinuedettem
eatingasifthenewsvolna
hadnotinterestedme.Myuncleexplainedto
öreg
oldCotter.“Theyoungsterandheweregreatfriends.
Az
Theoldchaptaughthimagreatdeal,mindyou;és
andtheysayhehadanagy
greatwishforhim.”“Godhavemercyonhissoul,”
mondta
saidmyauntpiously.OldCotterlookedatmefor
egy
awhile.Ifeltthathis
kis
littlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmede
butIwouldnotsatisfyhimbylookingupfrommyplate.Hereturnedtohispipe
és
andfinallyspatrudelyintoa
thegrate.“Iwouldn’tlikechildrenofmine,”he
mondta
said,“tohavetoomuchtomondta
saytoamanlikethat.”“Howdoyoumean,MrCotter?”
kérdezte
askedmyaunt.“WhatImeanis,”
mondta
saidoldCotter,“it’sbadforchildren.Myidea
az
is:letayoungladrunabout
és
andplaywithyoungladsofhisownageés
andnotbe....AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”
mondta
saidmyuncle.“Lethimlearntoboxhiscorner.
That’swhatI’m
mindig
alwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:takeexercise.
Why,
amikor
whenIwasanipperminden
everymorningofmylifeIvoltam
hadacoldbath,winterés
andsummer.Andthat’swhatstandstome
most
now.Educationisallvery
finom
fineandlarge....MrCottermighttakeapickofthatlegmutton,”headdedtomyaunt.
“No,
nem
no,notforme,”saidöreg
oldCotter.Myauntbroughtthedishfromthesafe
és
andputitonthetable.“But
miért
whydoyouthinkit’snotjó
goodforchildren,MrCotter?”she
kérdezte
asked.“It’sbadforchildren,”
mondta
saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.Amikor
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,youtudod
know,ithasaneffect....”IcrammedmymouthwithstiraboutforfearImightgiveutterancetomyanger.
Tiresome
öreg
oldred-nosedimbecile!Itwas
késő
latewhenIfellasleep.Bár
ThoughIwasangrywithöreg
oldCotterforalludingtomeasachild,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractmeaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.InthedarkofmyroomIimagined
hogy
thatIsawagaintheheavygreyarcát
faceoftheparalytic.Idrewtheblanketsovermyhead
és
andtriedtothinkofChristmas.De
Butthegreyfacestillfollowedme.Itmurmured;
és
andIunderstoodthatitdesiredtoconfesssomething.Ifeltmysoulrecedingintosomepleasant
és
andviciousregion;andthere
megint
againIfounditwaitingforrám
me.Itbegantoconfesstomein
egy
amurmuringvoiceandIwonderedmiért
whyitsmiledcontinuallyandmiért
whythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.De
ButthenIrememberedthatithaddiedofparalysisés
andIfeltthatIis
toowassmilingfeeblyasiftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.Thenext
reggel
morningafterbreakfastIwentdowntolookatthekis
littlehouseinGreatBritainStreet
Street.Itwasanunassumingshop,registeredunderthevaguenameofDrapery.
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbootees
és
andumbrellas;andonordinarydays
egy
anoticeusedtohanginthewindow,saying:UmbrellasRe-covered.
Nem
Nonoticewasvisiblenowfortheshutterswerefel
up.Acrapebouquetwastiedto
az
thedoor-knockerwithribbon.Two
szegény
poorwomenandatelegramfiú
boywerereadingthecardpinnedonthecrape.I
is
alsoapproachedandread:.July1st,1895TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,Meath
Street
Street),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.Én
I.P.Thereadingofthecardpersuadedmethathewasdead
és
andIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcheck.Volna
HadhenotbeendeadIwouldvolna
havegoneintothelittledarkroombehindtheshoptofindhimül
sittinginhisarm-chairbythetűz
fire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.Talán
Perhapsmyauntwouldhavegivenmeegy
apacketofHighToastforhimés
andthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.Itwas
mindig
alwaysIwhoemptiedthepacketintohisfekete
blacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtúl
toomuchtoallowhimtodoezt
thiswithoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthefloor.Evenasheraisedhislargetrembling
kezét
handtohisnoselittlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersovertheelülső
frontofhiscoat.Itmayhavebeen
ezek
theseconstantshowersofsnuffamely
whichgavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheirgreenfadedlookforthepiros
redhandkerchief,blackened,asitmindig
alwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofaweek,withamely
whichhetriedtobrushawaythefallengrains,wasmeglehetősen
quiteinefficacious.Iwishedto
menni
goinandlookathimde
butIhadnotthecouragetoknock.Iwalkedawayslowlyalongthesunnysideofthe
utca
street,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasImentem
went.Ifounditstrange
hogy
thatneitherInorthenap
dayseemedinamourningmoodandIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfasensationoffreedomasifIhadbeenfreedfromsomethingbyhisdeath.Iwonderedat
ezen
thisfor,asmyunclehadmondta
saidthenightbefore,hehadtaughtmeegy
agreatdeal.HehadstudiedintheIrishcollegeinRome
és
andhehadtaughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.Hehadtoldmestoriesaboutthecatacombs
és
andaboutNapoleonBonaparte,andhehadexplainedtomethemeaningofthekülönböző
differentceremoniesoftheMassés
andofthedifferentvestmentswornbythepriest.Néha
Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstonekem
me,askingmewhatonekell
shoulddoincertaincircumstancesvagy
orwhethersuchandsuchsinsweremortalvagy
orvenialoronlyimperfections.Hisquestionsshowedme
milyen
howcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsoftheChurchwhichIvoltak
hadalwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharist
és
andtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessionalseemedsogravetomethatIwonderedhowbárki
anybodyhadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakeőket
them;andIwasnotsurprised
amikor
whenhetoldmethatthefathersoftheChurchhadírtak
writtenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectoryés
andascloselyprintedasthelawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingallezeket
theseintricatequestions.OftenwhenI
gondoltam
thoughtofthisIcouldmakenem
noansweroronlyanagyon
veryfoolishandhaltingoneuponwhichheusedtosmileés
andnodhisheadtwicevagy
orthrice.SometimesheusedtoputmethroughtheresponsesoftheMasswhichhehadmademelearnbyheart;
és
and,asIpattered,heusedtosmilepensivelyés
andnodhishead,nowés
andthenpushinghugepinchesofsnufffel
upeachnostrilalternately.Whenhesmiledheusedtouncoverhis
nagy
bigdiscolouredteethandlethistonguefeküdjön
lieuponhislowerlip—ahabitami
whichhadmademefeeluneasyinthebeginningofouracquaintancemielőtt
beforeIknewhimwell.AsIwalkedalonginthesunI
emlékezni
rememberedoldCotter’swordsandmegpróbáltam
triedtorememberwhathadtörtént
happenedafterwardsinthedream.I
emlékeztem
rememberedthatIhadnoticedhosszú
longvelvetcurtainsandaswinginglampofantiquefashion.Ifelt
hogy
thatIhadbeenverymessze
faraway,insomelandahol
wherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Igondoltam
thought....ButIcouldnot
emlékezni
remembertheendoftheálom
dream.Intheeveningmyaunttookmewithhertovisitthehouseofmourning.
Itwas
után
aftersunset;butthewindow-panesofthehousesthatlookedtothewestreflectedthetawnygoldof
egy
agreatbankofclouds.Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
és
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytovolna
haveshoutedather,myauntshookhandswithherforall.Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogatively
és
and,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupthenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedfeje
headbeingscarcelyabovethelevelofthebanister-rail.Atthe
első
firstlandingshestoppedandbeckonedusforwardencouraginglytowardstheopenajtó
doorofthedead-room.Myauntwentin
és
andtheoldwoman,seeingthatIhesitatedtoenter,begantobeckontomeújra
againrepeatedlywithherhand.I
mentem
wentinontiptoe.The
szoba
roomthroughthelaceendoftheblindwassuffusedwithduskygoldenfény
lightamidwhichthecandleslookedmint
likepalethinflames.He
volt
hadbeencoffined.Nanniegave
az
theleadandwethreekneltdownataz
thefootofthebed.Ipretendedtopray
de
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsmert
becausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.Inoticed
milyen
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthehátsó
backandhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddenle
downalltooneside.Thefancycametomethatthe
öreg
oldpriestwassmilingashelayott
thereinhiscoffin.But
nem
no.Whenweroseandmentünk
wentuptotheheadofaz
thebedIsawthathewasnotsmiling.Ott
Therehelay,solemnandcopious,vestedasforthealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingachalice.His
arca
facewasverytruculent,greyés
andmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilsés
andcircledbyascantyfehér
whitefur.Therewasaheavyodourintheroom—theflowers.
Weblessedourselves
és
andcameaway.Inthe
kis
littleroomdownstairswefoundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairinstate.Igropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecorner
míg
whileNanniewenttothesideboardés
andbroughtoutadecanterofsherryés
andsomewine-glasses.Sheset
ezeket
theseonthetableandinvitedustotakeegy
alittleglassofwine.Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglasses
és
andpassedthemtous.Shepressedmetotakesomecreamcrackersalso
de
butIdeclinedbecauseIthoughtIwouldmaketoosok
muchnoiseeatingthem.Sheseemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusal
és
andwentoverquietlytothesofaahol
whereshesatdownbehindherhúga
sister.Noonespoke:
weallgazedat
az
theemptyfireplace.Myaunt
várt
waiteduntilElizasighedandthenmondta
said:.“Ah,well,he’sgoneto
egy
abetterworld.”Elizasighed
megint
againandbowedherheadinassent.Myauntfingeredthestemofherwine-glass
mielőtt
beforesippingalittle.“Didhe...
peacefully?”
she
kérdezte
asked.“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”
mondta
saidEliza.“Youcouldn’ttell
mikor
whenthebreathwentoutofhim.He
volt
hadabeautifuldeath,Godbepraised.”“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’Rourkewasinwithhim
egy
aTuesdayandanointedhimés
andpreparedhimandall.”“He
tudta
knewthen?”“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooksquiteresigned,”
mondta
saidmyaunt.“That’swhatthe
nő
womanwehadintowashhimmondta
said.Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewasasleep,helookedthatpeaceful
és
andresigned.Noonewouldthinkhe’d
hogy
makesuchabeautifulcorpse.”“Yes,indeed,”
mondta
saidmyaunt.Shesipped
egy
alittlemorefromherglassés
andsaid:.“Well,MissFlynn,atanyrateit
kell
mustbeagreatcomfortforyoutotudja
knowthatyoudidallyoucouldforhim.Youwereboth
nagyon
verykindtohim,Ikell
mustsay.”Elizasmoothedherdressoverherknees.
“Ah,
szegény
poorJames!”shesaid.
“Godknowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tseehim
akar
wantanythingwhilehewasinit.”Nanniehadleanedher
fejét
headagainstthesofa-pillowandseemedabouttofallasleep.“There’s
szegény
poorNannie,”saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.Alltheworkwe
volt
had,sheandme,gettinginthewomantowashhimés
andthenlayinghimoutés
andthenthecoffinandthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.Csak
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’ttudom
knowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.Itwashimbroughtusallthemflowers
és
andthemtwocandlesticksoutofthechapelés
andwroteoutthenoticefortheFreeman’sGeneralés
andtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeteryés
andpoorJames’sinsurance.”“Wasn’tthat
jó
goodofhim?”saidmyaunt.
Elizaclosedhereyes
és
andshookherheadslowly.“Ah,there’snofriends
mint
liketheoldfriends,”shemondta
said,“whenallissaidés
anddone,nofriendsthatatest
bodycantrust.”“Indeed,that’strue,”
mondta
saidmyaunt.“AndI’m
biztos
surenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’telfelejteni
forgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”“Ah,
szegény
poorJames!”saidEliza.
“Hewas
nem
nogreattroubletous.Youwouldn’thearhiminthe
házban
houseanymorethannow.Still,I
tudom
knowhe’sgoneandalltothat....”“It’s
ha
whenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”mondta
saidmyaunt.“Iknowthat,”
mondta
saidEliza.“Iwon’tbe
hogy
bringinghiminhiscupofbeef-teaanymore,noryou,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.Ah,
szegény
poorJames!”Shestopped,asifshewerecommuningwiththepastandthen
mondta
saidshrewdly:.“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewas
valami
somethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.WheneverI’dbringinhissouptohim
ott
thereI’dfindhimwithhisbreviaryesett
fallentothefloor,lyingbackinthechairés
andhismouthopen.”Shelaidafingeragainsthernose
és
andfrowned:thenshecontinued:.
“Butstill
és
andallhekeptonmondta
sayingthatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dgooutforadriveonefinenapon
dayjusttoseetherégi
oldhouseagainwherewewereallborndowninIrishtownés
andtakemeandNanniewithvele
him.Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesthatmakesnonoisethat
Atya
FatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthenap
daycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewayott
thereanddriveoutthethreeofusegyütt
togetherofaSundayevening.Hehadhismindsetonthat....
Szegény
PoorJames!”“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
mondta
saidmyaunt.Elizatookoutherhandkerchief
és
andwipedhereyeswithit.Thensheputitbackagaininherpocket
és
andgazedintotheemptygrateforsometimewithoutspeaking.