第29章一个古怪的梦(3)
Amostghastlyexpressioodevelopamongthedecayedfeaturesaegumentsofmyguest'sfadIwasbeginningtogrowuneasyanddistressed,wheoldmehewasupadeep,smile,withawinkinit,tosuggestthataboutthetimeheacquiredhispreseaghostinaneighbcemeterymissedohisreassuredme,butIbeggedhimtoselftospeeceforth,becausehisfacialexpressioaihemostelaboratecareitwasliabletomissfire。Smilingshouldespeciallybeavoided。Whathemightholysiderashiningsuccesswaslikelytostrikemeinaverydifferentlight。IsaidIlikedtoseeaskeletoncheerful,evendecorouslyplayful,butIdidnotthinksmilingwasaskeleton'sbesthold。
"Yes,friend,"saidthepoorskeleton,"thefactsarejustasIhavegiveoyou。Twooftheseoldgraveyards—theoIresidediheralonghavebeeelyedbyourdestsofto-dayuntilthereisnoogthemanylonger。Asidefromtheosteologifortofit—andthatisnolightmatterthisraihepresehingsisruinoustoproperty。Wehavegottomoveorbettoseeoureffectswastedawayaroyed。
"Now,youwillhardlybelieveit,butitistrue,thereisn'tasinglegallmyaowthatisa。Idoolowpeoplewhoeinapineboxmountedon,butIamtalkingabh-toedburial-entalsort,thattravelunderblackplumesattheheadofaprodhaveeterylots—ImeanfolksliketheJarvises,andtheBledsoesandBurlings,andsuch。Theyareallaboutruisubstantialpeopleiheywere。Andnowlookatthem—utterlyuseduparieoftheBledsoesactuallytradedhismooalatebarkeeperforsomefreshshavingstoputunderhishead。Itellyouitspeaksvolumes,forthereisnothingacorpsetakessomuchprideinashismooreadtheinsesafterawhiletobelievewhatitsayshimself,andthenyoumayseehimsittingoafternightenjoyiaphsaredtheydoapoorchapawoodafterheisdead,especiallyifhehadhardluckwhilehewasalive。Iwishtheywereusedmore。NowIdon'tplain,buttiallyIdothinkitwasalittleshabbyiogivemenothingbutthisoldslabofagravestone—ahatthereisn'taentonit。Itusedtohave:
"'GOOHISJUSTREWARD'