第26部分(第2/9 頁)

they

rise　united　at　the　Judgment　Day；　as　one　Angel〃

〃Praising　the　Lord；〃　said　Frank。

〃Praising　the　Lord；〃　repeated　Tom。

〃And　what　about　the　women　left　over？〃　asked　Alfred；　jeering。

The　pany　was　getting　uneasy。

〃That　I　can't　tell。　How　do　I　know　as　there　is　anybody　left

over　at　the　Judgment　Day？　Let　that　be。　What　I　say　is；　that　when

a　man's　soul　and　a　woman's　soul　unites　together……that　makes

an　Angel〃

〃I　dunno　about　souls。　I　know　as　one　plus　one　makes　three；

sometimes；〃　said　Frank。　But　he　had　the　laugh　to　himself。

〃Bodies　and　souls；　it's　the　same；〃　said　Tom。

〃And　what　about　your　missis；　who　was　married　afore　you　knew

her？〃　asked　Alfred；　set　on　edge　by　this　discourse。

〃That　I　can't　tell　you。　If　I　am　to　bee　an　Angel；　it'll　be

my　married　soul；　and　not　my　single　soul。　It'll　not　be　the　soul

of　me　when　I　was　a　lad：　for　I　hadn't　a　soul　as　would　make

an　Angel　then。〃

〃I　can　always　remember；〃　said　Frank's　wife；　〃when　our　Harold

was　bad；　he　did　nothink　but　see　an　angel　at　th'　back　o'　th'

lookin'…glass。　'Look；　mother；'　'e　said；　'at　that　angel！'　'Theer

isn't　no　angel；　my　duck；'　I　said；　but　he　wouldn't　have　it。　I

took　th'　lookin'…glass　off'n　th'　dressin'…table；　but　it　made　no

difference。　He　kep'　on　sayin'　it　was　there。　My　word；　it　did　give

me　a　turn。　I　thought　for　sure　as　I'd　lost　him。〃

〃I　can　remember；〃　said　ano