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Chapter 53

           ’

           ‘Thereareflowersandshrubstospeaktoyourotherwork,’saidthechild.

           ‘Ohyes.Andtalltrees.Buttheyarenotsoseparatefromthesexton’slaboursasyouthink.’

           ‘No!’

           ‘Notinmymind,andrecollection—suchasitis,’saidtheoldman.‘Indeedtheyoftenhelpit.ForsaythatIplantedsuchatreeforsuchaman.Thereitstands,toremindmethathedied.WhenIlookatitsbroadshadow,andrememberwhatitwasinhistime,ithelpsmetotheageofmyotherwork,andIcantellyouprettynearlywhenImadehisgrave.’

           ‘Butitmayremindyouofonewhoisstillalive,’saidthechild.

           ‘Oftwentythataredead,inconnexionwiththatonewholives,then,’rejoinedtheoldman;‘wife,husband,parents,brothers,sisters,children,friends—ascoreatleast.Soithappensthatthesexton’sspadegetswornandbattered.Ishallneedanewone—nextsummer.’

           Thechildlookedquicklytowardshim,thinkingthathejestedwithhisageandinfirmity:buttheunconscioussextonwasquiteinearnest.

           ‘Ah!’hesaid,afterabriefsilence.‘Peopleneverlearn.Theyneverlearn.It’sonlywewhoturnuptheground,wherenothinggrowsandeverythingdecays,whothinkofsuchthingsasthese—whothinkofthemproperly,Imean.Youhavebeenintothechurch?’

           ‘Iamgoingtherenow,’thechildreplied.

           ‘There’sanoldwellthere,’saidthesexton,‘rightunderneaththebelfry;adeep,dark,echoingwell.

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