第26部分(第2/7 頁)

ybody　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　another　man；　Tom's　sister's　husband；

〃my　mother　gave　me　a　good　hidin'　once；　for　sayin'　I'd　got　an

angel　up　my　nose。　She　seed　me　pokin'；　an'　she　said：　'What　are

you　pokin'　at　your　nose　for…give　over。'　'There's　an　angel　up

it；'　I　said；　an'　she　fetched　me　such　a　wipe。　But　there　was。　We

used　to　call　them　thistle　things　'angels'　as　wafts　about。　An'

I'd　pushed　one　o'　these　up　my　nose；　for　some　reason　or

other。〃

〃It's　wonderful　what　children　will　get　up　their　noses；〃　said

Frank's　wife。　〃I　c'n　remember　our　Hemmie；　she　shoved　one　o'　them