第5章BOOKTHEFIRST：RECALLEDTOLIFE(5)

第5章bookthefirst：recalledtolife(5)

now，whichofthemultitudeoffacesthatshowedthemselvesbeforehimwasthetruefaceoftheburiedperson，theshadowsofthenightdidnotindicate；buttheywereallthefacesofamanoffive-and-fortybyyears，andtheydifferedprincipallyinthepassionstheyexpressed，andintheghastlinessoftheirwornandwastedstate.pride，contempt，defiance，stubbornness，submission，lamentation，eededoneanother；sodidvarietiesofsunkencheek，cadaverouscolour，emaciatedhandsandfigures.butthefacewasinthemainoneface，andeveryheadwasprematurelywhite.ahundredtimesthedozingpassengerinquiredofthisspectre：'buriedhowlong？'

theanswerwasalwaysthesame：'almosteighteenyears.'

'youhadabandonedallhopeofbeingdugout？'

'longago.'

'youknowthatyouarerecalledtolife？'

'theytellmeso.'

'ihopeyoucaretolive？'

'ican'tsay.'

'shallishowhertoyou？willyoucomeandseeher？'

theanswerstothisquestionwerevariousandcontradictory.sometimesthebrokenreplywas.'wait！itwouldkillmeifisawhertoosoon.'sometimes，itwasgiveninatenderrainoftears，andthenitwas，'takemetoher.'sometimesitwasstaringandbewildered，andthenitwas，'idon'tknowher.idon'tunderstand.'

aftersuchimaginarydiscourse，thepassengerinhisfancywoulddig，anddig，dig—now，withaspade，nowwithagreatkey，nowwithhishands—todigthiswretchedcreatureout.gotoutatlast，withearthhangingabouthisfaceandhair，hewouldsuddenlyfallawaytodust.thepassengerwouldthenstarttohimself，andlowerthewindow，togettherealityofmistandrainonhischeek.

yetevenwhenhiseyeswereopenedonthemistandrain，onthemovingpatchoflightfromthelamps，andthehedgeattheroadsideretreatingbyjerks，thenightshadowsoutsidethecoachwouldfallintothetrainofthenightshadowswithin.therealbanking-housebytemplebar，therealbusinessofthepastday，therealstrongrooms，therealexpresssentafterhim，andtherealmessagereturned，wouldallbethere.outofthemidstofthem，theghostlyfacewouldrise，andhewouldaccostitagain.

'buriedhowlong？'

'almosteighteenyears.'

'ihopeyoucaretolive？'

'ican'tsay.'

dig—dig—dig—untilanimpatientmovementfromoneofthetwopassengerswouldadmonishhimtopullupthewindow，drawhisarmsecurelythroughtheleathernstrap，andspeculateuponthetwoslumberingforms，untilhismindlostitsholdofthem，andtheyagainslidawayintothebankandthegrave.

'buriedhowlong？'

'almosteighteenyears.'

'youhadabandonedallhopeofbeingdugout？'

'longago.'

thewordswerestillinhishearingasjustspoken—distinctlyinhishearingaseverspokenwordshadbeeninhislife—whenthewearypassengerstartedtotheconsciousnessofdaylight，andfoundthattheshadowsofthenightweregone.

heloweredthewindow，andlookedoutattherisingsun.therewasaridgeofploughedland，withaploughuponitwhereithadbeenleftlastnightwhenthehorseswereunyoked；beyond，aquietcoppice-wood，inwhichmanyleavesofburningredandgoldenyellowstillremaineduponthetrees.thoughtheearthwascoldandwet，theskywasclear，andthesunrosebright，placid，andbeautiful.

'eighteenyears！'saidthepassenger，lookingatthesun.'graciouscreatorofday！tobeburiedaliveforeighteenyears！'

iv.thepreparation

whenthemailgotessfullytodover，inthecourseoftheforenoon，theheaddrawerattheroyalgeorgehotelopenedthecoach-doorashiscustomwas.hediditwithsomeflourishofceremony，foramailjourneyfromlondoninwinterwasanachievementtocongratulateanadventuroustravellerupon.

bythattime，therewasonlyoneadventuroustravellerlefttobecongratulated：forthetwoothershadbeensetdownattheirrespectiveroadsidedestinations.themildewyinsideofthecoach，withitsdampanddirtystraw，itsdisagreeablesmell，anditsobscurity，wasratherlikealargerdog-kennel.mr.lorry，thepassenger，shakinghimselfoutofitinchainsofstraw，atangleofywrapper，flappinghat，andmuddylegs，wasratherlikealargersortofdog.

'therewillbeapackettocalais，tomorrow，drawer？'

'yes，sir，iftheweatherholdsandthewindsetstolerablefair.thetidewillserveprettynicelyatabouttwointheafternoon，sir.bed，sir？'

'ishallnotgotobedtillnight；butiwantabedroom，andabarber.'

'andthenbreakfast，sir？yes，sir，thatway，sir，ifyouplease.showconcord！gentleman'svaliseandhotwatertoconcord.pulloffgentleman'sbootsinconcord.（youwillfindafinesea-coalfire，sir.）fetchbarbertoconcord.stiraboutthere，now，forconcord！'theconcordbed-chamberbeingalwaysassignedtoapassengerbythemail，andpassengersbythemailbeingalwaysheavilywrappedupfromheadtofoot，theroomhadtheoddinterestfortheestablishmentoftheroyalgeorge，thatalthoughbutonekindofmanwasseentogointoit，allkindsandvarietiesofmencameoutofit.consequently，anotherdrawer，andtwoporters，andseveralmaidsandthelandlady，wereallloiteringbyaccidentatvariouspointsoftheroadbetweentheconcordandthecoffee-room，whenagentlemanofsixty，formallydressedinabrownsuitofclothes，prettywellworn，butverywellkept，withlargesquarecuffsandlargeflapstothepockets，passedalongonhiswaytohisbreakfast.

thecoffee-roomhadnootheroccupant，thatforenoon，thanthegentlemaninbrown.hisbreakfast-tablewasdrawnbeforethefire，andashesat，withitslightshiningonhim，waitingforthemeal，hesatsostill，thathemighthavebeensittingforhisportrait.