Lincoln in the Bardo(20)
Her beauty swelled beyond description.
And I burst into tears.
the reverend everly thomas As abruptly as it had begun, the onslaught now ended.
hans vollman
As if upon some common signal, our tormentors departed, their song turning somber and mournful.
the reverend everly thomas The trees went gray in their wake, the food vanished, the streams receded, the breeze fell, the singing ceased.
roger bevins iii
And we were alone.
hans vollman
And all was dismal again.
the reverend everly thomas
XXX.
Mr. Vollman, Reverend Thomas, and I went forth immediately to determine who had succumbed.
roger bevins iii
The first had been the frugal Mrs. Blass.
the reverend everly thomas
Scattered around the surface of her home-place were her treasured dead-bird parts, twigs, motes, et al., now unattended: objects of value no more.
hans vollman
A. G. Coombs, it appeared, had been the second to succumb.
the reverend everly thomas
Poor fellow. None of us knew him well. He had been here many years. But only rarely left his sick-box.
hans vollman
And when he did, was always heard to bark, “Do you know who I am, sir? They hold me a table at Binlay’s! I wear the Legion of the Eagle!” I still recall his shock when I told him I did not know of that place. “Binlay’s is the finest house of the City!” he exclaimed. “Of what city?” I inquired, and he said Washington, and described the location of that place, but I knew that intersection, and it was, most decidedly, a place of stables, and I told him so. “I pity you!” he said. But I had shaken him. He sat awhile on his mound, pensively stroking his beard. “But surely you know the esteemed Mr. Humphries?” he thundered.
And now he was gone.
Goodbye, Mr. Coombs, and may they know of Binlay’s wherever you are bound!
roger bevins iii
We wandered past many sitting dejectedly upon their mounds or the steps of their stone homes, weeping with the effort of resistance. Others sat quietly sorting through the various seductive visions and temptations to which they had lately been exposed.
the reverend everly thomas
I felt a renewed affection for all who remained.
roger bevins iii
Wheat had been separated from chaff.
the reverend everly thomas
Our path is not for everyone. Many people—I do not mean to disparage them? Lack the necessary resolve.
hans vollman
Nothing matters sufficiently to them, that is the thing.
roger bevins iii
Unsure of who the third victim had been, we suddenly remembered the lad.
hans vollman
It seemed unlikely that one so young could have survived such a merciless assault.
the reverend everly thomas
This being the desired outcome— roger bevins iii
Given his youth— hans vollman
The alternative being his eternal enslavement— roger bevins iii
We found ourselves in a saddened but relieved state of mind as we set off to confirm his departure.
the reverend everly thomas
XXXI.
Imagine our surprise when we found him sitting cross-legged on the roof of the white stone home.
hans vollman
Still here, Mr. Vollman said in amazement.
Yes, the lad answered dryly.
roger bevins iii
His appearance was startling.
the reverend everly thomas
The effort of resistance had cost him dearly.
hans vollman
These young ones are not meant to tarry.
the reverend everly thomas
He was out of breath; his hands were shaking; he had lost, by my estimation, approximately half his bodyweight. His cheekbones protruded; his shirt collar hung huge about his suddenly sticklike neck; charcoal-dark rings had appeared under his eyes; all of these combining to give him a peculiar, wraith-like appearance.
roger bevins iii
He had been a chubby boy.
hans vollman
But was chubby no longer.
roger bevins iii
Good God, Mr. Bevins whispered.
hans vollman
It had taken the Traynor girl nearly a month to descend to this level.
roger bevins iii
The fact that you are still here is impressive, the Reverend said to the lad.
Heroic, even, I added.
But ill-advised, said the Reverend.
hans vollman
It is all right, Mr. Vollman said gently. Really it is. We are here. Proceed in peace: you have provided us ample hope, that will last us many years, and do us much good. We thank you, we wish you well, we bless your departure.
the reverend everly thomas
Yes, only I am not going, the boy said.
roger bevins iii
At this the Reverend’s face registered a degree of surprise even more pronounced than the usual considerable level of surprise recorded there.
hans vollman
Father promised, the boy said. How would that be, if he came back and found me gone?
Your father is not coming back, said Mr. Vollman.
No time soon, anyway, I said.
At which point you will be in no condition to receive him, said Mr. Vollman.
If your father comes, the Reverend said, we will tell him you had to leave. Explain to him that it was for the best.