"I' msorry..." beganthevisitor.
"Ishehurt?" demandedthemother.
Thevisitorbowedinassent."Badlyhurt, " hesaidquietly, "butheisnotinanypain."
"Oh, thankGod!" saidtheoldwoman, claspingherhands."ThankGodforthat! Thank..."
Shebrokeoffsuddenlyasthesinistermeaningoftheassurancedawneduponherandshesawtheawfulconfirmationofherfearsintheother' , andturningtoherslower-wittedhusband, .
"Hewascaughtinthemachinery, " saidthevisitoratlength, inalowvoice.
"Caughtinthemachinery, " , inadazedfashion, "yes."
Hesatstaringblanklyoutatthewindow, andtakinghiswife' shandbetweenhisown, presseditashehadbeenwonttodointheiroldcourtingdaysnearlyfortyyearsbefore.
"Hewastheonlyonelefttous, " hesaid, turninggentlytothevisitor."Itishard."
Theothercoughed, andrising, walkedslowlytothewindow."Thefirmwishedmetoconveytheirsinceresympathywithyouinyourgreatloss, " hesaid, withoutlookinground."IbegthatyouwillunderstandIamonlytheirservantandmerelyobeyingorders."
Therewasnoreply; theoldwoman' sfacewaswhite, hereyesstaring, andherbreathinaudible; onthehusband' sfacewasalooksuchashisfriendthesergeantmighthavecarriedintohisfirstaction.
"IwastosaythatMawandMegginsdisclaimallresponsibility, " continuedtheother."Theyadmitnoliabilityatall, butinconsiderationofyourson' sservicestheywishtopresentyouwithacertainsumascompensation."
' shand, andrisingtohisfeet, , "Howmuch?"
"Twohundredpounds, " wastheanswer.
Unconsciousofhiswife' sshriek, theoldmansmiledfaintly, putouthishandslikeasightlessman, anddropped, asenselessheap, tothefloor.
III
Inthehugenewcemetery, sometwomilesdistant, theoldpeopleburiedtheirdead, , andremainedinastateofexpectationasthoughofsomethingelsetohappen—somethingelsewhichwastolightenthisload, tooheavyforoldheartstobear.
Butthedayspassed, andexpectationgaveplacetoresignation—thehopelessresignationoftheold, sometimesmiscalled, , fornowtheyhadnothingtotalkabout, andtheirdayswerelongtoweariness.
