Лето

           ”

           “Well,itAREhis,”awomaninthebackgroundinterjectedinafrightenedwhine.

           Thetallyouthstaggeredtohisfeet.“Ifyoudon’tholdyourmouthsI’llturnyouallouto’here,thewholelotofyou,”hecriedwithmanyoaths.“G’wan,minister...don’tlet’emfazeyou....”

           “NowisChristrisenfromthedeadandbecomethefirst-fruitsofthemthatslept....Behold,Ishowyouamystery.Weshallnotallsleep,butweshallallbechanged,inamoment,inthetwinklingofaneye,atthelasttrump....Forthiscorruptiblemustputonincorruptionandthismortalmustputonimmortality.Sowhenthiscorruptionshallhaveputonincorruption,andwhenthismortalshallhaveputonimmortality,thenshallbebroughttopassthesayingthatiswritten,DeathisswallowedupinVictory....”

           OnebyonethemightywordsfellonCharity’sbowedhead,soothingthehorror,subduingthetumult,masteringherastheymasteredthedrink-dazedcreaturesatherback.Mr.Milesreadtothelastword,andthenclosedthebook.

           “Isthegraveready?”heasked.

           LiffHyatt,whohadcomeinwhilehewasreading,noddeda“Yes,”andpushedforwardtothesideofthemattress.Theyoungmanonthebenchwhoseemedtoassertsomesortofrightofkinshipwiththedeadwoman,gottohisfeetagain,andtheproprietorofthestovejoinedhim.Betweenthemtheyraisedupthemattress;buttheirmovementswereunsteady,andthecoatslippedtothefloor,revealingthepoorbodyinitshelplessmisery.Charity,pickingupthecoat,coveredhermotheroncemore.