THESISTERS
Therewas
non
nohopeforhimthisvolta
time:itwasthethirdstroke.
Notte
NightafternightIhadpassedthecasa
house(itwasvacationtime)e
andstudiedthelightedsquareofwindow:e
andnightafternightIhadfounditlightedinthestesso
sameway,faintlyandevenly.Se
Ifhewasdead,Ipensai
thought,Iwouldseethereflectionofcandlesonil
thedarkenedblindforIsapevo
knewthattwocandlesmustbesetatil
theheadofacorpse.He
aveva
hadoftensaidtome:“Iamnot
lungo
longforthisworld,”andIavevo
hadthoughthiswordsidle.Ora
NowIknewtheyweretrue.Ogni
EverynightasIgazedupatla
thewindowIsaidsoftlytomyselfla
thewordparalysis.Ithad
sempre
alwayssoundedstrangelyinmyears,come
likethewordgnomonintheEuclide
andthewordsimonyintheCatechism.Ma
Butnowitsoundedtomelikeil
thenameofsomemaleficente
andsinfulbeing.Itfilledmewithfear,
e
andyetIlongedtobenearertoite
andtolookuponitsdeadlywork.Vecchio
OldCotterwassittingatil
thefire,smoking,whenIcamedownstairstosupper.Mentre
Whilemyauntwasladlingfuori
outmystirabouthesaid,asse
ifreturningtosomeformerremarkofsuo
his:.“No,Iwouldn’tsayhewas
esattamente
exactly...buttherewas
qualcosa
somethingqueer...therewas
qualcosa
somethinguncannyabouthim.I’ll
dirò
tellyoumyopinion....”Hebegantopuffathispipe,nodoubtarranginghisopinioninhis
mente
mind.Tiresomeoldfool!
Whenweknewhim
prima
firstheusedtoberatherinteresting,parlava
talkingoffaintsandworms;ma
butIsoongrewtiredofhime
andhisendlessstoriesaboutthedistillery.“I
ha
havemyowntheoryaboutit,”hedetto
said.“Ithinkitwas
uno
oneofthose...peculiarcases....
Ma
Butit’shardtosay....”Hebegantopuff
di nuovo
againathispipewithoutgivingushistheory.My
zio
unclesawmestaringanddetto
saidtome:.“Well,soyour
vecchio
oldfriendisgone,you’llbesorrytohear.”“Who?”
detto
saidI.“FatherFlynn.”
“Ishedead?”
“MrCotterhere
ha
hasjusttoldus.Hewaspassingbythehouse.”
I
sapevo
knewthatIwasunderobservationsoIcontinuedmangiare
eatingasifthenewsavessero
hadnotinterestedme.My
zio
uncleexplainedtooldCotter.“Theyoungster
e
andheweregreatfriends.Il
Theoldchaptaughthimagreatdeal,mindyou;e
andtheysayhehadun
agreatwishforhim.”“God
abbia
havemercyonhissoul,”disse
saidmyauntpiously.OldCotter
guardato
lookedatmeforawhile.I
sentivo
feltthathislittlebeadyblackeyeswereexaminingmema
butIwouldnotsatisfyhimbyguardando
lookingupfrommyplate.He
tornò
returnedtohispipeandfinallyspatrudelyintothegrate.“Iwouldn’t
come
likechildrenofmine,”hesaid,“tohavetoomuchtodire
saytoamanlikethat.”“Howdoyou
dire
mean,MrCotter?”askedmyaunt.
“WhatImeanis,”said
vecchio
oldCotter,“it’sbadforbambini
children.Myideais:
let
un
ayoungladrunaboute
andplaywithyoungladsofhisownagee
andnotbe....AmIright,Jack?”
“That’smyprinciple,too,”
disse
saidmyuncle.“Lethim
impari
learntoboxhiscorner.That’swhatI’m
sempre
alwayssayingtothatRosicrucianthere:takeexercise.
Why,
quando
whenIwasanipperogni
everymorningofmylifeIhadun
acoldbath,winterandsummer.E
Andthat’swhatstandstomeora
now.Educationisallveryfine
e
andlarge....MrCottermight
prendere
takeapickofthatlegmutton,”headdedtomyaunt.“No,
non
no,notforme,”saidvecchio
oldCotter.Myauntbrought
il
thedishfromthesafee
andputitonthetable.“Butwhydoyou
pensa
thinkit’snotgoodforbambini
children,MrCotter?”sheasked.
“It’s
male
badforchildren,”saidoldCotter,“becausetheirmindsaresoimpressionable.Quando
Whenchildrenseethingslikethat,yousapete
know,ithasaneffect....”IcrammedmymouthwithstiraboutforfearI
potessi
mightgiveutterancetomyanger.Tiresome
vecchio
oldred-nosedimbecile!Itwas
tardi
latewhenIfellasleep.ThoughIwasangrywith
vecchio
oldCotterforalludingtomeasabambino
child,Ipuzzledmyheadtoextractsignificato
meaningfromhisunfinishedsentences.In
la
thedarkofmyroomIimaginedthatIvedere
sawagaintheheavygreyfaccia
faceoftheparalytic.Idrewtheblanketsovermy
testa
headandtriedtothinkofChristmas.Ma
Butthegreyfacestillseguiva
followedme.Itmurmured;
andI
capito
understoodthatitdesiredtoconfessqualcosa
something.Ifeltmysoulrecedingintosomepleasant
e
andviciousregion;andthere
di nuovo
againIfounditwaitingforme.Itbegantoconfesstomein
una
amurmuringvoiceandIwonderedperché
whyitsmiledcontinuallyandperché
whythelipsweresomoistwithspittle.Ma
ButthenIrememberedthatithadmorto
diedofparalysisandIsentii
feltthatItoowassmilingfeeblyasse
iftoabsolvethesimoniacofhissin.La
ThenextmorningafterbreakfastIwentdowntolookatla
thelittlehouseinGreatBritainStreet.Itwas
un
anunassumingshop,registeredunderil
thevaguenameofDrapery.I
Thedraperyconsistedmainlyofchildren’sbooteese
andumbrellas;andonordinarydays
un
anoticeusedtohanginthewindow,diceva
saying:UmbrellasRe-covered.
Nonoticewasvisible
ora
nowfortheshutterswereup.Un
Acrapebouquetwastiedtothedoor-knockerwithribbon.Due
Twopoorwomenandatelegramboywereleggendo
readingthecardpinnedonla
thecrape.Ialsoapproached
e
andread:.July1st,1895
Il
TheRev.JamesFlynn(formerlyofS.Catherine’sChurch,MeathStreet),agedsixty-fiveyears.R.I.P.La
Thereadingofthecardpersuadedmeche
thathewasdeadandIwasdisturbedtofindmyselfatcontrollo
check.Hadhenotbeen
morto
deadIwouldhavegoneintoil
thelittledarkroombehindil
theshoptofindhimseduto
sittinginhisarm-chairbyil
thefire,nearlysmotheredinhisgreat-coat.Forse
Perhapsmyauntwouldhavedato
givenmeapacketofHighToastforhime
andthispresentwouldhaverousedhimfromhisstupefieddoze.Itwas
sempre
alwaysIwhoemptiedthepacketintohisnero
blacksnuff-boxforhishandstrembledtoomuchtoallowhimtodothissenza
withoutspillinghalfthesnuffaboutthefloor.Evenasheraisedhislargetremblinghandtohisnoselittlecloudsofsmokedribbledthroughhisfingersoverthe
anteriore
frontofhiscoat.Itmay
hanno
havebeentheseconstantshowersofsnuffwhichdato
gavehisancientpriestlygarmentstheirgreenfadedcercava
lookfortheredhandkerchief,blackened,asitsempre
alwayswas,withthesnuff-stainsofuna
aweek,withwhichhetriedtobrushawaythecaduti
fallengrains,wasquiteinefficacious.Iwishedtogoin
e
andlookathimbutIavevo
hadnotthecouragetoknock.Iwalkedawayslowly
lungo
alongthesunnysideofthestrada
street,readingallthetheatricaladvertisementsintheshop-windowsasIandavo
went.Ifounditstrange
che
thatneitherInorthegiorno
dayseemedinamourningmoode
andIfeltevenannoyedatdiscoveringinmyselfuna
asensationoffreedomasse
ifIhadbeenfreedfromqualcosa
somethingbyhisdeath.Iwonderedat
questo
thisfor,asmyuncleaveva
hadsaidthenightbefore,heaveva
hadtaughtmeagreatdeal.He
aveva
hadstudiedintheIrishcollegeinRomee
andhehadtaughtmetopronounceLatinproperly.He
aveva
hadtoldmestoriesaboutil
thecatacombsandaboutNapoleonBonaparte,e
andhehadexplainedtomeil
themeaningofthedifferentceremoniesofil
theMassandofthedifferentvestmentswornbyil
thepriest.Sometimeshehadamusedhimselfbyputtingdifficultquestionstome,askingmewhatone
dovrebbe
shoulddoincertaincircumstanceso
orwhethersuchandsuchsinsweremortalo
orvenialoronlyimperfections.Hisquestions
mostravano
showedmehowcomplexandmysteriouswerecertaininstitutionsofle
theChurchwhichIhadsempre
alwaysregardedasthesimplestacts.ThedutiesofthepriesttowardstheEucharist
e
andtowardsthesecrecyoftheconfessionalseemedsogravetomeche
thatIwonderedhowanybodyavesse
hadeverfoundinhimselfthecouragetoundertakethem;e
andIwasnotsurprisedquando
whenhetoldmethatthefathersoftheChurchavevano
hadwrittenbooksasthickasthePostOfficeDirectorye
andascloselyprintedasthelegge
lawnoticesinthenewspaper,elucidatingtutte
alltheseintricatequestions.Often
quando
whenIthoughtofthisIcouldmakenon
noansweroronlyaveryfoolishe
andhaltingoneuponwhichheusedtosmilee
andnodhisheadtwiceo
orthrice.Sometimesheusedtoputmethrough
le
theresponsesoftheMassche
whichhehadmademeimparare
learnbyheart;and,asIpattered,heusedtosmilepensively
e
andnodhishead,nowe
andthenpushinghugepinchesofsnufffino a
upeachnostrilalternately.Whenhesmiledheusedtouncoverhisbigdiscolouredteeth
e
andlethistonguelieuponhislowerlip—ahabitche
whichhadmademefeeluneasyinthebeginningofouracquaintanceprima
beforeIknewhimwell.AsI
camminavo
walkedalonginthesunIrememberedvecchio
oldCotter’swordsandtriedtoricordare
rememberwhathadhappenedafterwardsinle
thedream.IrememberedthatIhadnoticedlongvelvetcurtains
e
andaswinginglampofantiquefashion.I
sentivo
feltthatIhadbeenveryfaraway,insomelanddove
wherethecustomswerestrange—inPersia,Ipensavo
thought....ButIcouldnot
ricordare
remembertheendofthesogno
dream.Intheeveningmyaunttookmewithhertovisit
la
thehouseofmourning.Itwas
dopo
aftersunset;butthewindow-panesof
i
thehousesthatlookedtoi
thewestreflectedthetawnygoldofun
agreatbankofclouds.Nanniereceivedusinthehall;
e
and,asitwouldhavebeenunseemlytoha
haveshoutedather,myauntshookhandswithherfortutti
all.Theoldwomanpointedupwardsinterrogatively
e
and,onmyaunt’snodding,proceededtotoilupla
thenarrowstaircasebeforeus,herbowedtesta
headbeingscarcelyabovethelevelofla
thebanister-rail.Atthefirstlandingshe
fermò
stoppedandbeckonedusforwardencouraginglytowardsla
theopendoorofthedead-room.Myauntwentin
e
andtheoldwoman,seeingche
thatIhesitatedtoenter,begantobeckontomedi nuovo
againrepeatedlywithherhand.Iwentinontiptoe.
Theroom
attraverso
throughthelaceendoftheblindwassuffusedwithduskygoldenluce
lightamidwhichthecandleslookedlikepalethinflames.Hehadbeencoffined.
Nannie
dato
gavetheleadandwetre
threekneltdownatthefootofla
thebed.Ipretendedtopray
ma
butIcouldnotgathermythoughtsperché
becausetheoldwoman’smutteringsdistractedme.Inoticed
come
howclumsilyherskirtwashookedatthebacke
andhowtheheelsofherclothbootsweretroddendowntutti
alltooneside.Thefancy
venne
cametomethatthevecchio
oldpriestwassmilingashemente
laythereinhiscoffin.Ma
Butno.Whenwerosee
andwentuptothetesta
headofthebedIvisto
sawthathewasnotsmiling.Therehelay,solemn
e
andcopious,vestedasforle
thealtar,hislargehandslooselyretainingun
achalice.Hisfacewasverytruculent,grey
e
andmassive,withblackcavernousnostrilse
andcircledbyascantywhitefur.Therewas
un
aheavyodourintheroom—theflowers.Weblessedourselves
e
andcameaway.Inthelittleroomdownstairswe
trovato
foundElizaseatedinhisarm-chairinstate.Igropedmywaytowardsmyusualchairinthecorner
mentre
whileNanniewenttothesideboarde
andbroughtoutadecanterofsherrye
andsomewine-glasses.Shesettheseonthetable
e
andinvitedustotakeun
alittleglassofwine.Then,athersister’sbidding,shefilledoutthesherryintotheglasses
e
andpassedthemtous.Shepressedmeto
prendere
takesomecreamcrackersalsoma
butIdeclinedbecauseIpensavo
thoughtIwouldmaketoomuchnoiseeatingthem.Sheseemedtobesomewhatdisappointedatmyrefusal
e
andwentoverquietlytothesofadove
whereshesatdownbehindhersorella
sister.Noonespoke:
we
tutti
allgazedattheemptyfireplace.Myaunt
aspettato
waiteduntilElizasighedandthendetto
said:.“Ah,well,he’sgoneto
un
abetterworld.”Elizasighed
di nuovo
againandbowedherheadinassent.Myauntfingered
il
thestemofherwine-glassbeforesippingun
alittle.“Didhe...
peacefully?”
she
chiesto
asked.“Oh,quitepeacefully,ma’am,”
disse
saidEliza.“Youcouldn’ttell
quando
whenthebreathwentoutofgli
him.Hehadabeautiful
morte
death,Godbepraised.”“Andeverything...?”
“FatherO’Rourkewasinwithhim
un
aTuesdayandanointedhime
andpreparedhimandall.”“He
sapeva
knewthen?”“Hewasquiteresigned.”
“Helooks
piuttosto
quiteresigned,”saidmyaunt.“That’swhat
la
thewomanwehadintowashhimdetto
said.Shesaidhejustlookedasifhewasasleep,helooked
che
thatpeacefulandresigned.Noone
sarebbe
wouldthinkhe’dmakesuchabello
beautifulcorpse.”“Yes,indeed,”saidmyaunt.
Shesipped
un
alittlemorefromherglasse
andsaid:.“Well,MissFlynn,at
ogni
anyrateitmustbeun
agreatcomfortforyoutosapere
knowthatyoudidallyoucouldforlui
him.Youwerebothverykindto
lui
him,Imustsay.”Elizasmoothedherdressoverherknees.
“Ah,
povero
poorJames!”shesaid.
“God
sa
knowswedoneallwecould,aspoorasweare—wewouldn’tvisto
seehimwantanythingwhilehewasinit.”Nannie
aveva
hadleanedherheadagainstthesofa-pillowe
andseemedabouttofallasleep.“There’spoorNannie,”
disse
saidEliza,lookingather,“she’sworeout.Tutto
Alltheworkwehad,shee
andme,gettinginthedonna
womantowashhimandthenlayinghimfuori
outandthenthecoffine
andthenarrangingabouttheMassinthechapel.Solo
OnlyforFatherO’RourkeIdon’tso
knowwhatwe’dhavedoneatall.Itwashimbroughtus
tutti
allthemflowersandthemdue
twocandlesticksoutofthechapele
andwroteoutthenoticefortheFreeman’sGenerale
andtookchargeofallthepapersforthecemeterye
andpoorJames’sinsurance.”“Wasn’tthatgoodofhim?”
detto
saidmyaunt.Elizaclosedhereyes
e
andshookherheadslowly.“Ah,there’s
non
nofriendsliketheoldfriends,”shesaid,“whentutto
allissaidanddone,non
nofriendsthatabodycantrust.”“Indeed,that’strue,”
disse
saidmyaunt.“AndI’m
sicuro
surenowthathe’sgonetohiseternalrewardhewon’tdimenticherà
forgetyouandallyourkindnesstohim.”“Ah,
povero
poorJames!”saidEliza.
“Hewas
non
nogreattroubletous.Youwouldn’t
sentito
hearhiminthehouseanymorethanora
now.Still,Iknowhe’s
andato
goneandalltothat....”“It’s
quando
whenit’salloverthatyou’llmisshim,”disse
saidmyaunt.“Iknowthat,”
disse
saidEliza.“Iwon’tbe
porterò
bringinghiminhiscupofbeef-teaanypiù
more,noryou,ma’am,sendinghimhissnuff.Ah,
povero
poorJames!”Shestopped,as
se
ifshewerecommuningwithil
thepastandthensaidshrewdly:.“Mindyou,Inoticedtherewas
qualcosa
somethingqueercomingoverhimlatterly.WheneverI’d
portavo
bringinhissouptohimthereI’dtrovavo
findhimwithhisbreviarycaduto
fallentothefloor,lyingbackinthechaire
andhismouthopen.”Shelaid
un
afingeragainsthernosee
andfrowned:thenshecontinued:.
“Butstill
e
andallhekeptondire
sayingthatbeforethesummerwasoverhe’dgouscito
outforadriveonefinegiorno
dayjusttoseetheoldcasa
houseagainwhereweweretutti
allborndowninIrishtowne
andtakemeandNanniewithhim.Se
Ifwecouldonlygetoneofthemnew-fangledcarriagesche
thatmakesnonoisethatPadre
FatherO’Rourketoldhimabout,themwiththerheumaticwheels,forthegiorno
daycheap—hesaid,atJohnnyRush’soverthewaytheree
anddriveoutthethreeofusinsieme
togetherofaSundayevening.He
aveva
hadhismindsetonthat....Povero
PoorJames!”“TheLordhavemercyonhissoul!”
detto
saidmyaunt.Elizatook
fuori
outherhandkerchiefandwipedhereyeswithesso
it.Thensheputitbackagaininherpocket
e
andgazedintotheemptygrateforsometempo
timewithoutspeaking.