WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:05.280 Story number fifteen, Part two of Dubliner's This is a 2 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:08.880 LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. 3 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.679 For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. 4 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:19.719 Recorded by Hugh MacGuire. Dubliners by James Joyce, Story number fifteen, 5 00:00:19.879 --> 00:00:25.960 Part two, The Dead. He ran over the headings of 6 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:30.839 his speech, Irish hospitality, sad Memories, the Three Graces, Paris, 7 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:35.479 the quotation from Browning. He repeated to himself a phrase 8 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.759 he had written in his review, One feels that one 9 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:43.960 is listening to a thought tormented music. Miss Ivor had 10 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.759 praised the review. Was she sincere? Had she really any 11 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:53.079 life of her own? Behind all her propagandism. There had 12 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.799 never been any ill feeling between them until that night, 13 00:00:56.280 --> 00:00:58.200 and unnerved him to think that she would be at 14 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:01.119 the supper table looking on but him while he spoke 15 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:05.359 with her critical, quizzing eyes. Perhaps she would not be 16 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:09.239 sorry to see him fail in his speech. An idea 17 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:12.400 came into his mind and gave him courage, he would say, 18 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:16.120 alluding to Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia, Ladies and gentlemen, 19 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.159 the generation which is now on the wane among us 20 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.879 may have had its faults, but for my part, I 21 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:26.760 think it had certain qualities of hospitality, of humor, of humanity, 22 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:31.079 which the new and very serious and hyper educated generation 23 00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:34.959 that is growing up around us seemed to me to lack. 24 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:40.359 Very good That was one for Miss Ivers. What did 25 00:01:40.439 --> 00:01:43.560 he care that his aunts were only two ignorant old women. 26 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:48.840 A murmur in the room attracted his attention. Mister Brown 27 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.120 was advancing from the door, gallantly escorting Aunt Julia, who 28 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:57.680 leaned upon his arm, smiling and hanging her head. An 29 00:01:57.719 --> 00:02:01.879 irregular musketry of applause esque ordered her also as far 30 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:05.519 as the piano, And then as Mary Jane seated herself 31 00:02:05.519 --> 00:02:09.080 on the stool, and Aunt Julia, no longer smiling, half 32 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.039 turned so as to pitch her voice fairly into the room, 33 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:18.599 gradually ceased. Gabriel recognized the prelude. It was that of 34 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:22.360 an old song of Aunt Julia's, arrayed for the bridle, 35 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:27.360 her voice, strong and clear in tone, attacked with great 36 00:02:27.400 --> 00:02:31.080 spirit the runs which embellished the air, and though she 37 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:34.159 sang very rapidly, she did not miss even the smallest 38 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:38.439 of the grace notes. To follow the voice without looking 39 00:02:38.520 --> 00:02:41.000 at the singer's face, was to feel and share the 40 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:46.879 excitement of swift and secure flight. Gabriel applauded loudly with 41 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.719 all the others at the close of the song, and 42 00:02:49.879 --> 00:02:54.039 loud applause was borne in from the invisible supper table. 43 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:58.439 It sounded so genuine that a little color struggled into 44 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.000 Aunt Julia's face as she to replace in the music 45 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:05.039 stand the old leather bound song book that had her 46 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:08.400 initials on the cover. Freddy Malins, who had listened with 47 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.120 his head perched sideways to hear her better, was still 48 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:15.599 applauding when everyone else had ceased, and talking animatedly to 49 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:19.719 his mother, who nodded her head gravely and slowly in acquiescence. 50 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:23.240 At last, when he could clap no more, he stood 51 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:25.759 up suddenly and hurried across the room to Aunt Julia, 52 00:03:25.759 --> 00:03:29.879 whose hand he seized and held in both his hands, 53 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:33.159 shaking it when words failed him or the catch in 54 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:37.520 his voice proved too much for him. I was just 55 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:40.159 telling my mother, he said, I have never heard you 56 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:45.280 sing so well. Never. No, I never heard your voice 57 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.840 so good as it is to night. Now, would you 58 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:52.439 believe that? Now? That's the truth, upon my word and honor, 59 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:55.360 that's the truth. I have never heard your voice sound 60 00:03:55.479 --> 00:04:02.599 so fresh and so so clear and freshh never Aunt 61 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:06.159 Julius smiled broadly and murmured something about compliments. As she 62 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:10.240 released her hand from his grasp. Mister Browne extended his 63 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:12.680 open hand towards her and said, to those who were 64 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:15.639 near him, in the manner of a showman introducing a 65 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:22.839 prodigy to an audience, Miss Julia Morcombe my latest discovery. 66 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.920 He was laughing very heartily at this himself when Freddy 67 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.959 Malins turned to him and said, well, brown if you're serious, 68 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:33.600 you might make a worse discovery. All I can say 69 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:36.079 is I never heard her singing half so well as 70 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:38.639 long as I am coming here, And that's the honest truth. 71 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:43.120 Neither did I said, mister brown I think her voice 72 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:48.120 has greatly improved. Aunt Julius shrugged her shoulders and said, 73 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:50.759 with a meek pride, thirty years ago I hadn't a 74 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:55.199 bad voice, as good voices go, I often told. Julia, 75 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:58.480 said Aunt Kate emphatically, that she was simply thrown away 76 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:03.120 in that choir. But she never would be said by me. 77 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:07.040 She turned, as if to appeal to the good sense 78 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.560 of the others against a refractory child while Aunt Julia 79 00:05:10.680 --> 00:05:13.600 gazed in front of her, a vague smile of reminiscence 80 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:18.319 playing on her face. No, continued Aunt Kate. She wouldn't 81 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:21.079 be said or led by any one slaving there in 82 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.680 that choir night and day, night and day, six o'clock 83 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:29.680 on Christmas morning and all for what well? Isn't it 84 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.399 for the honor of God? Aunt Kate asked Mary Jane, 85 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:37.839 Twisting round on the piano'spaduel and smiling. Aunt Kate turned 86 00:05:37.879 --> 00:05:41.000 fiercely on her niece and said, I know all about 87 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:43.120 the honor of God, Mary Jane, but I think it's 88 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:45.680 not at all honorable for the Pope to turn out 89 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:48.959 the women out of the choirs that have slaved there 90 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.079 all their lives and put little whipper snappers of boys 91 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:54.240 over their heads. I suppose it is for the good 92 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:55.959 of the church if the Pope does it, but it's 93 00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:00.480 not just Mary Jane, and it's not right. She'd worked 94 00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:03.639 herself into a passion and would have continued in defense 95 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:06.800 her sister, for it was a sore subject with her, 96 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:09.720 but Mary Jane, seeing that all the dancers had come back, 97 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:15.839 intervened pacifically. Now, Aunt Kate, you're giving scandal to mister Brown, 98 00:06:15.879 --> 00:06:20.600 who's one of the other persuasion. Aunt Kate turned to 99 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.399 mister Brown, who was grinning at this allusion to his religion, 100 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:26.079 and said, hastily, Oh, I don't question the Pope's being right. 101 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:29.680 I'm only a stupid old woman, and I wouldn't presume 102 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:31.800 to do such a thing. But there's such a thing 103 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:34.920 as common every day politeness and gratitude. And if I 104 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:37.639 were in Julia's place, i'd tell that father heally straight 105 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:41.279 up to his face. And besides, Aunt Kate, said Mary Jane, 106 00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:44.800 we really are all hungry, and when we are hungry, 107 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:49.319 we are all very quarrelsome, and when we are thirsty, 108 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:53.480 we are also quarrelsome, added mister Brown. So that we 109 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:55.560 had better go to supper, said Mary Jane, and finish 110 00:06:55.639 --> 00:07:00.519 the discussion afterwards. On the landing outside the drawing room, 111 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:03.759 Gabriel found his wife and Mary Jane trying to persuade 112 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:07.040 Miss Ivers to stay for supper. But Miss Ivers, who 113 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.279 had put on her hat and was buttling her cloak, 114 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:13.120 would not stay. She did not feel in the least hungry, 115 00:07:13.160 --> 00:07:16.519 and she had already overstayed her time, but only for 116 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.480 ten minutes. Mollie said missus Conroy. That won't delay you. 117 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:24.560 Take a pick itself, said Mary Jane. After all your dancing, 118 00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:30.920 I really couldn't, said miss Ivers. I'm afraid you didn't 119 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:35.000 enjoy yourself at all, said Mary Jane hopelessly, ever so much, 120 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:37.639 I assure you, said Miss Ivers. But you really must 121 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:40.519 let me run off now. But how can you get home, 122 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.199 asked missus Conroy. Oh, it's only two steps up the key. 123 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:48.800 Gabriel hesitated a moment and said, if you will allow me, 124 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:50.800 Miss Ivers, I'll see you home, if you are really 125 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:55.439 obliged to go. But Miss Ivers broke away from them. 126 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:57.680 I won't hear of it, she cried. For goodness sake, 127 00:07:57.720 --> 00:07:59.720 go into your suppers and don't mind me. I'm quite 128 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:03.439 well able to take care of myself. Well, you're the 129 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:08.879 comical girl, Molly, said missus Conroy. Frankly. Benach Live, cried 130 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.680 Miss Ivers with a laugh as she ran down the staircase. 131 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:15.399 Mary Jane gazed after her, a moody, puzzled expression on 132 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.319 her face, while missus Conroy leaned over the banisters to 133 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:22.279 listen for the hall door. Gabriel asked himself was he 134 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:25.360 the cause of her abrupt departure, but she did not 135 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:27.959 seem to be an ill humor. She had gone away laughing. 136 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:33.159 He stared blankly down the staircase. At the moment, Aunt 137 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:36.240 Kate came toddling out of the supper room, almost wringing 138 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.519 her hands in despair. Where is Gabriel, she cried, Where 139 00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:43.279 on earth is Gabriel? There's everyone waiting in there stage 140 00:08:43.320 --> 00:08:46.960 to let and nobody to carve the goose. Here I am, 141 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:50.480 Aunt Kate, cried Gabriel, with sudden animation, ready to carve 142 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:54.879 a flock of geese if necessary. A fat brown goose 143 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:56.960 lay at one end of the table, and at the 144 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:59.639 other end, on a bed of creased paper strewn with 145 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.200 springs of parsley, lay a great ham, stripped of its 146 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:07.320 outer skin and peppered over with crust crumbs, a neat 147 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:10.200 paper frill round its shin, and beside this was a 148 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:14.639 round of spice beef. Between these rival ends ran parallel 149 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:18.480 lines of side dishes. Two little ministers of jelly red 150 00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.919 and yellow, A shallow dish full of blocks of blamange 151 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:26.240 and red jam. A large green leaf shaped dish with 152 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.000 a stalk shaped handle, on which lay bunches of purple 153 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:33.399 raisins and peeled almonds, a companion dish, on which lay 154 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:38.000 a solid rectangle of smyrna figs, a dish of custard 155 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:41.279 topped with grated nutmeg, a small bowl full of chocolates 156 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:44.320 and sweets wrapped in gold and silver papers, and a 157 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:48.600 glass vase in which stood some tall celery stalks. In 158 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:51.279 the center of the table, there stood as sentries to 159 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:54.759 a fruit stand which upheld the pyramid of oranges and 160 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:00.000 American apples. Two squat old fashioned decanters of cut glass, 161 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:04.440 containing port and the other dark sherry. On the closed 162 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:08.519 square piano, a pudding in a huge yellow dish lay waiting, 163 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:12.080 and behind it were three squads of bottles of stout 164 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:14.919 and ale and minerals, drawn up according to the colors 165 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.759 of their uniforms, the first two black with brown and 166 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:22.159 red labels, the third and smallest squat and white with 167 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:27.720 transverse green slashes. Gabriel took his seat boldly at the 168 00:10:27.759 --> 00:10:29.840 head of the table, and, having looked to the edge 169 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:32.559 of the carver, plunged his fork firmly into the goose. 170 00:10:33.399 --> 00:10:35.679 He felt quite at ease now, for he was an 171 00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:38.360 expert carver and liked nothing better than to find himself 172 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:42.120 at the head of a well laden table. Miss Furlong, 173 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:44.960 what shall I send you, he asked, A wing or 174 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.080 a slice of the breast, Just a small slice of 175 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.639 the breast, Miss Higgins, What for you, oh, anything at all, 176 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:56.639 Mister Conroy. While Gabriel and Miss Daly exchanged plates of 177 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:59.559 goose and plates of ham and spice, beef, Lily went 178 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:02.080 from guests to guess with a dish of hot, floury 179 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.080 potatoes wrapped in a white napkin. This was Mary Jane's idea, 180 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.519 and she had also suggested apple sauce for the goose. 181 00:11:08.840 --> 00:11:11.440 But Aunt Kate had said that plain roast goose without 182 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:13.600 any apple sauce had always been good enough for her, 183 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.480 and she hoped she might never eat worse. Mary Jane 184 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:20.840 waited on her pupils and saw that they got the 185 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:23.840 best slices, and Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia opened and 186 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.720 carried across from the piano bottles of stout and ale 187 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:30.000 for the gentlemen, and bottles of minerals for the ladies. 188 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.720 There was a great deal of confusion and laughter and noise, 189 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:37.519 the noise of orders and counter orders, of knives and 190 00:11:37.559 --> 00:11:43.039 forks of corks, and glass stoppers. Gabriel began to carve 191 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.240 second helpings as soon as he had finished the first round, 192 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:50.879 without serving himself. Everyone protested loudly, so that he compromised 193 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:53.919 by taking a long draft of stout, for he had 194 00:11:53.960 --> 00:11:58.320 found the carving hot work. Mary Jane settled down quietly 195 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:01.600 to her supper, but Aunt Kate and Aunt Julia were 196 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:05.639 still toddling around the table, walking on each other's heels, 197 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:08.639 getting in each other's way, and giving each other unheeded orders. 198 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:11.759 Mister Brown begged of them to sit down and eat 199 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:14.440 their suppers, and so did Gabriel, but they said there 200 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:17.360 was time enough, so that at last Freddy Malins stood 201 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.559 up and, capturing Aunt Kate, plumped her down on her 202 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:25.399 chair amid general laughter. When everyone had been well served, 203 00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:29.399 Gabriel said, smiling, now, if anyone wants a little more 204 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.519 of what vulgar people call stuffing, let him or her speak. 205 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:36.879 A chorus of voices invited him to begin his own supper, 206 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:39.600 and Lily came forward with three potatoes, which she had 207 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:44.039 reserved for him. Very well, said Gabriel amiably, as he 208 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:47.519 took another preparatory draft. Kindly forget my existence, ladies, and 209 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:50.879 gentlemen for a few minutes. He set to his supper 210 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:53.200 and took no part in the conversation with which the 211 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:58.000 table covered Lily's removal of the plates. The subject of 212 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:01.440 talk was the opera company, which was then the Theodore Royal. 213 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:06.159 Mister bartel Darcy, the tenor, a dark complexioned young man 214 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:09.639 with a smart mustache, praised very highly the leading contralto 215 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:13.039 of the company, but miss Furlong thought she had a 216 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:16.799 rather vulgar style of production. Freddy Malin said there was 217 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.600 a negro chieftain singing in the second part of the 218 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:22.399 Gayety Pantomime who had one of the finest tenor voices 219 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:26.200 he had ever heard. Have you heard him, he asked 220 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:30.279 mister bartell Darcy across the table. No, answered mister bartel 221 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:35.440 Darcy carelessly, because Freddy Malin explained, now, I'd be curious 222 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:37.440 to hear your opinion of him. I think he was 223 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:41.960 a crand voice. It takes Teddy to find out the 224 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:45.279 really good thing, said mister Brown familiarly to the table. 225 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:48.080 And why couldn't he have a voice, too, asked Freddy 226 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:52.519 Malin sharply. Is it because he's only a black? Nobody 227 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:55.559 answered this question, and Mary Jane led the table back 228 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.480 to the legitimate opera. One of her pupils had given 229 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:03.200 her a pass for Mignon. Of course it was very fine, 230 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:06.200 she said, but it made her think of poor Georgina Burns. 231 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:09.360 Mister Brown could go back further still to the old 232 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:14.120 Italian companies that used to come to Dublin. Tietjens, Ilma, 233 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:21.639 du Murska, Cappanini, the great Trebelli, Guillini, Ravelli, Aramburo. Those 234 00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:24.360 were the days, he said, when there was something like 235 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:28.120 singing to be heard in Dublin. He told too, of 236 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:30.440 how the top gallery of the Old Royal used to 237 00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:33.279 be packed night after night, of how one night an 238 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.679 Italian tenor had sung five encores to let me like 239 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:40.879 a soldier fall, introducing a high sea every time, and 240 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.879 of how the gallery boys would, sometimes, in their enthusiasm, 241 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.879 unyoke the horses from the carriage of some great prima 242 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:50.440 donna and pull her themselves through the streets to her hotel. 243 00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:53.919 Why did they never play the grand old operas now, 244 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:59.559 he asked, Dinora Lucrezia Giorgia, because they could not get 245 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:04.879 their voice sing. That was why, Oh, well, said mister Bartell, Darcy. 246 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:07.480 I presume there are as good singers to day as 247 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:11.200 there were then? Where are they, asked mister Brown defiantly 248 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:16.360 in London? Paris Miland said mister Bartell Darcy warmly. I 249 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.600 suppose Crusoe, for example, is quite as good, if not better, 250 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.159 than any of the men you have mentioned. Maybe so, 251 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:25.919 said mister Brown, But I may tell you I doubt 252 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:30.320 it strongly. Oh I'd give anything to hear Crusoe sing, 253 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:34.039 said Mary Jane. For me, said Aunt Kate, who had 254 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:37.039 been picking a bone. There was only one tenor to 255 00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.639 please me. I mean, but I suppose none of you 256 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:44.600 ever heard of him. Who is he, miss Morgan, asked 257 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:49.120 mister Bartell Darcy politely. His name, said Aunt Kate, was Parkinson. 258 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:51.720 I heard him when he was in his prime, and 259 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:54.200 I think he had then the purest tenor voice that 260 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:59.519 was ever put into a man's throat. Strange, said mister Bartell. 261 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:03.399 Darcia never even heard of him. Yes, yes, Miss Morgan 262 00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:06.360 is right, said mister Brown. I remember hearing of old Parkinson, 263 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:10.679 but he's too far back from me. A beautiful, pure, sweet, 264 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:16.240 mellow English tenors, said Aunt Kate with enthusiasm. Gabriel having finished, 265 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:20.679 the huge pudding was transferred to the table. The clatter 266 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.399 of forks and spoons began again. Gabriel's wife served out 267 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.279 spoonfuls of the pudding and passed the plates down the table. 268 00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.960 Midway down they were held up by Mary Jane, who 269 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:35.559 replenished them with raspberry or orange jelly, or with blancmange 270 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:38.639 and jam. The pudding was of Aunt Julia's making, and 271 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:42.919 she received praises for it from all quarters. She herself 272 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:46.320 said that it was not quite brown enough. Well, I hope, 273 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:50.279 Miss Morgan, said, mister Brown, that I'm brown enough for you, 274 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:54.679 because you know I'm all brown. All the gentlemen except Gabriel, 275 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.080 ate some of the pudding out of compliment to Aunt Julia, 276 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:00.799 as Gabriel never ate sweets. The cell had been left 277 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:04.319 for him. Freddy Malins also took a stock of celery 278 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.720 and ate it with his pudding. He'd been told that 279 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:09.759 celery was a capital thing for the blood, and he 280 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:13.240 was just then under doctor's care. Missus Mallins, who had 281 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.480 been silent all through the supper, said that her son 282 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.720 was going down to Mount Mellory in a week or so. 283 00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:21.759 The table then spoke of Mountain Mellory, how bracing the 284 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.759 air was down there, how hospitable the monks were, and 285 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:27.160 how they never asked for a penny piece from their guests. 286 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.599 And do you mean to say, asked mister Brown, incredulously, 287 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.279 that a chap can go down there and put up 288 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:36.319 there as if it were a hotel, and live on 289 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.480 the fat of the land, and then come away without 290 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:42.599 paying anything. Oh, most people give some donation to the 291 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:46.920 monastery when they leave, said Mary Jane. I wish we 292 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:49.240 had an institution like that in our church, said mister 293 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.359 Brown candidly. He was astonished to hear that the monks 294 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:55.640 never spoke, got up at two in the morning and 295 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.880 slept in their coffins. He asked what they did it for. 296 00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:03.079 That's the rule of the order, said Aunt Kay firmly. Yes, 297 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:07.200 But why, asked mister Brown. Aunt Kate repeated that it 298 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:10.839 was the rule, that was all. Mister Brown still seemed 299 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:14.799 not to understand. Freddy Malins explained to him as best 300 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:17.079 he could that the monks were trying to make up 301 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:19.160 for the sins committed by all the sinners in the 302 00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:23.400 outside world. The explanation was not very clear for mister Brown, 303 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:26.279 grinned and said, I liked the idea very much, but 304 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:28.640 wouldn't a comfortable spring bed do them as well as 305 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:32.759 a coffin. The coffin, said Mary Jane, is to remind 306 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:38.440 them of their last end. As the subject had grown lugubrious, 307 00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:41.799 it was buried in a silence of the table, during 308 00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:44.480 which Missus Mallins could be heard saying to her neighbor 309 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:49.039 in an indistinct undertone, they are very good men, the monks, 310 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:53.839 very pious men. The raisins and almonds and figs and 311 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:56.720 apples and oranges, and chocolates and sweets were now passed 312 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.400 about the table, and Aunt Julie invited all the guests 313 00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:03.000 to have either port or sherry. At first, mister Bartell 314 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:06.319 Darcy refused to take either, but one of his neighbors 315 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:09.039 nudged him and whispered something to him, upon which he 316 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:12.759 allowed his glass to be filled. Gradually, as the last 317 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:17.160 glasses were being filled, the conversation ceased, a pause, followed 318 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:20.680 broken only by the noise of the wine and by 319 00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:26.200 unsettlings of chairs. The Missus Morcan all three looked down 320 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.920 at the tablecloth. Someone coughed once or twice. Then a 321 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:33.160 few gentlemen patted the table gently as a signal for silence. 322 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:38.680 The silence came, and Gabriel pushed back his chair. The 323 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.039 padding once grew louder in encouragement, and then ceased altogether. 324 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:46.759 Gabriel leaned his ten trembling fingers on the tablecloth and 325 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:51.880 smiled nervously at the company, meeting a row of upturned faces. 326 00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:55.359 He raised his eyes to the chandelier. The piano was 327 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.240 playing a waltz tune, and he could hear the skirts 328 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:02.839 sweeping against the drawing room door. People perhaps were standing 329 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:05.799 in the snow on the quay outside, gazing up at 330 00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:09.200 the lighted windows and listening to the waltz music. The 331 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:12.480 air was pure. There in the distance lay the park, 332 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:16.319 where the trees were weighted with snow. The Wellington Monument 333 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:20.359 wore a gleaming cap of snow that flashed westward over 334 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:27.880 the white field of fifteen acres. He began, ladies and gentlemen, 335 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:31.160 it has fallen to my lot this evening, as in 336 00:20:31.319 --> 00:20:35.519 years past, to perform a very pleasing task, but a 337 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:38.079 task for which I am afraid my poor powers as 338 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:43.079 a speaker are all too inadequate. No, no, said mister Brown. 339 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.160 But however that may be, I can only ask you 340 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:50.119 to night, to take the will for the deed, and 341 00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:53.160 to lend me your attention for a few moments while 342 00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:55.880 I endeavored to express to you in words what my 343 00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:01.319 feelings are on this occasion. Ladies and gentlemen, it is 344 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:04.920 not the first time that we have gathered together under 345 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:09.759 this hospitable roof, around this hospitable board. It is not 346 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:12.519 the first time that we have been the recipients, or 347 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:16.920 perhaps I had better say, the victims, of the hospitality 348 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:20.440 of certain good ladies. He made a circle in the 349 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:25.400 air with his arm and paused. Everyone laughed or smiled 350 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:28.519 at Aunt Kate, and Aunt Julia and Mary Jane, who 351 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:33.680 all turned crimson with pleasure. Gabriel went on more boldly, 352 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:38.319 I feel more strongly with every recurring year, that our 353 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:42.200 country has no tradition which does it so much honor, 354 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:45.839 and which it should guard so jealously as that of 355 00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:49.960 its hospitality. It is a tradition that is unique as 356 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:52.759 far as my experience goes, and I have visited not 357 00:21:52.839 --> 00:21:57.759 a few places abroad among the modern nations. Some would say, 358 00:21:57.799 --> 00:22:02.039 perhaps that with us it is rather a failing than 359 00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:05.839 anything to be boasted of. But granted, even that it 360 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:08.960 is to my mind a princely failing, and one that 361 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:13.240 I trust will long be cultivated among us. Of one 362 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:16.799 thing at least, I am sure as long as this 363 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:20.480 one roof shelters the good ladies aforesaid, and I wish 364 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.799 from my heart it may do so for many many 365 00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:27.440 a long year to come. The tradition of genuine, warm hearted, 366 00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:32.559 courteous Irish hospitality, which our forefathers have handed down to us, 367 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:35.480 and which we in turn must hand down to our descendants, 368 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:40.519 is still alive among us. A hearty murmur of assent 369 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:44.960 ran round the table. It shot through Gabriel's mind that 370 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:48.039 Miss Ivers was not there, and that she had gone 371 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:53.319 away discourteously. And he said, with confidence in himself, ladies 372 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:57.599 and gentlemen, a new generation is growing up in our midst, 373 00:22:58.599 --> 00:23:03.240 a generation actuated by new ideas and new principles. It 374 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:08.400 is serious and enthusiastic for these new ideas, and its enthusiasm, 375 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:11.160 even when it is misdirected, is I believe, in the 376 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:15.200 main sincere. But we are living in a skeptical and, 377 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:18.480 if I may use the phrase, a thought tormented age. 378 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:22.839 And sometimes I fear that this new generation educated or 379 00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:27.119 hyper educated, as it is, will lack those qualities of humanity, 380 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:31.960 of hospitality, of kindly humour, which belonged to an older day. 381 00:23:32.920 --> 00:23:35.519 Listening tonight to the names of all those great singers 382 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:37.799 of the past, it seemed to me I must confess 383 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.599 that we were living in a less spacious age. Those 384 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:47.400 days might, without exaggeration, be called spacious days. And if 385 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:49.960 they are gone beyond recall, let us hope at least 386 00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:52.880 that in gathering such as this we shall speak of 387 00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:56.559 them with pride and affection. Still cherish in our hearts 388 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:00.960 the memory of those dead and gone great ones whose 389 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:06.079 fame the world will not willingly let die. Hear hear, 390 00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:10.839 said mister Brown loudly, but yet continued Gabriel, his voice 391 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:15.440 falling into a softer inflection. There are always, in gathering 392 00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:19.400 such as this, sadder thoughts that will recur to our minds, 393 00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:24.359 Thoughts of the past, of youth, of changes, of absent 394 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:28.000 faces that we miss here to night. Our path through 395 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:32.519 life is strewn with many such sad memories, and were 396 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.440 we to brood upon them always, we could not find 397 00:24:35.480 --> 00:24:38.440 the heart to go on bravely with our work. Among 398 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:42.799 the living. We have, all of us living duties and 399 00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:49.440 living affections which claim and rightly claim, are strenuous endeavors. Therefore, 400 00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:52.240 I will not linger on the past. I will not 401 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:55.799