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all as lays in her power。〃
〃I doubt if I comprehend the arrangement。〃
〃I doubt if anybody do； sir。 She's a Parliamentary； sir。 And； you see；
a Parliamentary； or a Skirmishun〃
〃Do you mean an Excursion？〃
〃That's it； sir。A Parliamentary or a Skirmishun； she mostly DOES go
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off into a sidin'。 But； when she CAN get a chance； she's whistled out of it；
and she's whistled up into doin' all as；〃Lamps again wore the air of a
highly sanguine man who hoped for the best；… …〃all as lays in her power。〃
He then explained that the porters on duty； being required to be in
attendance on the Parliamentary matron in question； would doubtless turn
up with the gas。 In the meantime； if the gentleman would not very much
object to the smell of lamp…oil； and would accept the warmth of his little
room … The gentleman； being by this time very cold； instantly closed
with the proposal。
A greasy little cabin it was； suggestive； to the sense of smell； of a cabin
in a Whaler。 But there was a bright fire burning in its rusty grate； and on
the floor there stood a wooden stand of newly trimmed and lighted lamps；
ready for carriage service。 They made a bright show； and their light； and
the warmth； accounted for the popularity of the room； as borne witness to
by many impressions of velveteen trousers on a form by the fire； and many
rounded smears and smudges of stooping velveteen shoulders on the
adjacent wall。 Various untidy shelves accommodated a quantity of lamps
and oil… cans； and also a fragrant collection of what looked like the pocket…
handkerchiefs of the whole lamp family。
As Barbox Brothers （so to call the traveller on the warranty of his
luggage） took his seat upon the form； and warmed his now ungloved
hands at the fire； he glanced aside at a little deal desk； much blotched with
ink； which his elbow touched。 Upon it were some scraps of coarse paper；
and a superannuated steel pen in very reduced and gritty circumstances。
From glancing at the scraps of paper； he turned involuntarily to his
host； and said； with some roughness：
〃Why； you are never a poet； man？〃
Lamps had certainly not the conventional appearance of one； as he
stood modestly rubbing his squab nose with a handkerchief so exceedingly
oily； that he might have been in the act of mistaking himself for one of his
charges。 He was a spare man of about the Barbox Brothers time of life；
with his features whimsically drawn upward as if they were attracted by
the roots of his hair。 He had a peculiarly shining transparent complexion；
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probably occasioned by constant oleaginous application； and his attractive
hair； being cut short； and being grizzled； and standing straight up on end as
if it in its turn were attracted by some invisible magnet above it； the top of
his head was not very unlike a lamp…wick。
〃But； to be sure； it's no business of mine；〃 said Barbox Brothers。 〃That
was an impertinent observation on my part。 Be what you like。〃
〃Some people； sir；〃 remarked Lamps in a tone of apology； 〃are
sometimes what they don't like。〃
〃Nobody knows that better than I do；〃 sighed the other。 〃I have been
what I don't like； all my life。〃
〃When I first took； sir；〃 resumed Lamps； 〃to composing little Comic…
Songslike〃
Barbox Brothers eyed him with great disfavour。
〃To composing little Comic…Songs…likeand what was more hardto
singing 'em afterwards；〃 said Lamps； 〃it went against the grain at that time；
it did indeed。〃
Something that was not all oil here shining in Lamps's eye； Barbox
Brothers withdrew his own a little disconcerted； looked at the fire； and put
a foot on the top bar。 〃Why did you do it； then？〃 he asked after a short
pause； abruptly enough； but in a softer tone。 〃If you didn't want to do it；
why did you do it？ Where did you sing them？ Public…house？〃
To which Mr。 Lamps returned the curious reply： 〃Bedside。〃
At this moment； while the traveller looked at him for elucidation；
Mugby Junction started suddenly； trembled violently； and opened its gas
eyes。 〃She's got up！〃 Lamps announced； excited。 〃What lays in her
power is sometimes more； and sometimes less； but it's laid in her power to
get up to…night； by George！〃
The legend 〃Barbox Brothers；〃 in large white letters on two black
surfaces； was very soon afterwards trundling on a truck through a silent
street； and； when the owner of the legend had shivered on the pavement
half an hour； what time the porter's knocks at the Inn Door knocked up the
whole town first； and the Inn last； he groped his way into the close air of a
shut…up house； and so groped between the sheets of a shut…up bed that
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seemed to have been expressly refrigerated for him when last made。
II
〃You remember me； Young Jackson？〃
〃What do I remember if not you？ You are my first remembrance。 It
was you who told me that was my name。 It was you who told me that on
every twentieth of December my life had a penitential anniversary in it
called a birthday。 I suppose the last communication was truer than the
first！〃
〃What am I like； Young Jackson？〃
〃You are like a blight all through the year to me。 You hard…lined；
thin…lipped； repressive； changeless woman with a wax mask on。 You are
like the Devil to me； most of all when you teach me religious things； for
you make me abhor them。〃
〃You remember me； Mr。 Young Jackson？〃 In another voice from
another quarter。
〃Most gratefully； sir。 You were the ray of hope and prospering
ambition in my life。 When I attended your course； I believed that I
should come to be a great healer； and I felt almost happyeven though I
was still the one boarder in the house with that horrible mask； and ate and
drank in silence and constraint with the mask before me； every day。 As I
had done every； every； every day； through my school…time and from my
earliest recollection。〃
〃What am I like； Mr。 Young Jackson？〃
〃You are like a Superior Being to me。 You are like Nature beginning
to reveal herself to me。 I hear you again； as one of the hushed crowd of
young men kindling under the power of your presence and knowledge； and
you bring into my eyes the only exultant tears that ever stood in them。〃
〃You remember Me； Mr。 Young Jackson？〃 In a grating voice from
quite another quarter。
〃Too well。 You made your ghostly appearance in my life one day；
and announced that its course was to be suddenly and wholly changed。
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You showed me which was my wearisome seat in the Galley of Barbox
Brothers。 （When THEY were； if they ever were； is unknown to me； there
was nothing of them but the name when I bent to the oar。） You told me
what I was to do； and what to be paid； you told me afterwards； at intervals
of years； when I was to sign for the Firm； when I became a partner； when I
became the Firm。 I know no more of it； or of myself。〃
〃What am I like； Mr。 Young Jackson？〃
〃You are like my father； I sometimes think。 You are hard enough and
cold enough so to have brought up an acknowledged son。 I see your
scanty figure； your close brown suit； and your tight brown wig； but you；
too； wear a wax mask to your death。 You never by a chance remove itit
never by a chance falls offand I know no more of you。〃
Throughout this dialogue； the traveller spoke to himself at his window
in the morning； as he had spoken to himself at the Junction overnight。
An