Лавка древностей

Chapter 54

           Doyouguessthereason?’

           ‘No,’thechildreplied.

           ‘Becausethememoryofthosewholiebelow,passesawaysosoon.Atfirsttheytendthem,morning,noon,andnight;theysoonbegintocomelessfrequently;fromonceaday,toonceaweek;fromonceaweektoonceamonth;then,atlonganduncertainintervals;then,notatall.Suchtokensseldomflourishlong.Ihaveknownthebriefestsummerflowersoutlivethem.’

           ‘Igrievetohearit,’saidthechild.

           ‘Ah!sosaythegentlefolkswhocomedownheretolookaboutthem,’returnedtheoldman,shakinghishead,‘butIsayotherwise.“It’saprettycustomyouhaveinthispartofthecountry,”theysaytomesometimes,“toplantthegraves,butit’smelancholytoseethesethingsallwitheringordead.”Icravetheirpardonandtellthemthat,asItakeit,‘tisagoodsignforthehappinessoftheliving.Andsoitis.It’snature.’

           ‘Perhapsthemournerslearntolooktotheblueskybyday,andtothestarsbynight,andtothinkthatthedeadarethere,andnotingraves,’saidthechildinanearnestvoice.

           ‘Perhapsso,’repliedtheoldmandoubtfully.‘Itmaybe.’

           ‘WhetheritbeasIbelieveitis,orno,’thoughtthechildwithinherself,‘I’llmakethisplacemygarden.Itwillbenoharmatleasttoworkheredaybyday,andpleasantthoughtswillcomeofit,Iamsure.’

           Herglowingcheekandmoistenedeyepassedunnoticedbythesexton,whoturnedtowardsoldDavid,andcalledhimbyhisname.ItwasplainthatBeckyMorgan’sagestilltroubledhim;thoughwhy,thechildcouldscarcelyunderstand.

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