The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-27
THE QUALITYOP MERCY
Story Of Contemporary
American Life.
By WILLIAM DEAN HOWELlS.
Copyright. 1891. BY ". n. uowsi;s.
Third PART.
CHAPTER Y.

CHAPTER Y.
Tho day WINS still far from dawning when
Northwick crept up the silent avenue in tho
dark Of its frs. toward his empty house. and
stealthily began to seek for that home in 1t
which had haunted his sleeping and waking
dreams so long He had kind Of ecstacy in
.ae risk no ran; q wild pleasure mixed with
the terror he felt In being what and where he
was He wanted to laugh when he thought of
tho perfect ease and safety Of his return. At
the same time thrilling anxiety pierced him
through and through. and made him take all
the precautions Of n thief in the night.
A thief in the night: that was the phrase
which kept repeating itself to him. till no said
II over under his breath. as he put of his shoes
and stole up the piazza steps, and began to
Deer into the long windows at the blackness
within. He did not at once notice that the
shutters wore open. with an effect OF reckless
security or indifference which struck pang
10 his heart as he realized It He felt the evil
omen Of this falterine in the vigilance which
had once guarded his home. and Ind been
the first to break down. and lay It open to
COOL and waste. He tried the windows: he
must get In somehow. and he did not dare to
ring at the door or to coll out. He must steal
into his house. as he had stolen out OF It.
One OF tho windows yielded: tho long glnss
door gave inward. and he stepped on the car
petless floor OF the library. Then the fact OF the
change that must have passed. upon the whole
house enforced ITSELF and he felt q passion
alto desire to face and appropriate the change
In every detail He lit one OF the little taper
matches that he had with him. and. following
his hands around 1t. let its glimmer show him
tho desolation Of the dismantlcd and aban-
doned rooms He passed through tho doors
set wide between library and drawing room
~ dp{n nd hal md khor hfs
dying tnper no Lit another. and mounted the
stairs He had no neod to seek his daughters
rooms to satisfy himself that the whole place
was empty: they were gone: but he had q fan
tastic expectation that In his own room he
might find himself. There was nothing there.
either: It was as II he were q ghost come back
In search Of the body It had left behind: any
one that met him. he thought might well be
moro frightened than he; and yet he did not
lose the sense OF risk to himself.
He had no expectation. born Of long custom.
and persisting in spite Of the nakedness OF the
place otherwise. that he should see the pic
tured face Of his wife where it had
looked 30 mercifully at him that last
night from the portrait above the man
tel He sighed lightly to find 1t gone:
her chair was gone from the bay win
dow. where he had stood to gaze his last over
the possessions he was abandoning. He let
his little taper die out by the hearth. and then
crept toward the glimmer OF the window and
looked out again. The Conservatives and the
diaries and the barns showed plain in the gray
Of the moonless. starless night: in the coach
mans quarters little point Of light appeared
for moment through the window. and then
vanished.
Northwick knew from this that the place was
inhabited; unless some homeless tramp like
himself was haunting It and it went through
his confusion that he must speak to Newton.
and caution him about tramps sleeping in the
barns anywhere: they might set them on
fire. His mind reverted to his actual condition.
and he wondered how long he could come and
60 As a vagrant without being detected II it
were not for the action against Migrants which
he had urged upon the selectmen the summer
before. he might now come and 60 indefinitely.
But he was not to blame: It was because Mrs.
Morrell had encouraged the tramps by her
reckless charity that something had to be
done. and now It was working against him. 1T
was hard. He remembered reading OF man
who had left his family one day. and taken
room across the street, and lived there in sight
Of them unknown till he died. and now he
could not pass his daughters door as vagrant
without danger Of arrest He struck another
match. and looked at himself In the mirror
framed as o window at one side Of the bay.
and he saw that with the long white beard he
wore. and his hair which he had let grow. his
own children would not have known him.
It was bitter: but his mind suddenly turned
from the thought. with lightness 1t had. and
he remembered that now he did not know
where his children lived He must find out,
somehow: he had come to see them. and he
could not 60 back without He must hurry to
Aud them. and be gone again before daylight.
He crept out to the stairs and struck q match
to let himself down. and he carried II, still
burning. toward the window he had left open
behind him In the library. As soon as he
stepped out on the piazza he found himself
gripped fast In the arms OF q man.
I've got you! What you doing In here. I'd
like to know2 Who are you. any way. you
thief? Just hold that lantern up to his face o
minute. 'Lectra."
Northwick had not tried to resist: he had
not struggled: he had known Elbridge Now
toms voice at tho first woru. He saw the fig
uro Of woman beside him. stooping over the
lantern and he knew TINT 1t was Mrs. New
ton: but he mado no sort OF appeal to other.
He did not make the Toast sound or move
ment. The habit Of his whole life was reti-
CONGO. especially In emergencies. and this
habit had been strengthened and deepened by
tho solitude In which he had passed the last
half year. II knife had been put to his
throat he would not have uttered q cry for
mercy: but his silence was SO involuntary
that 1t seemed to him he did not breathe while
Mrs. Newton was turning up the wick OF the
lantern for q good look at him. When the
lghtwas lifted to his face Eorthwick felt that
they both knew him through the disguise Of
his white beard. Elbridge's grip fell from him
and let him stand free. well. I'll be
dnmmed." said Elbrdge
His wife remained holding the lantern to
Northwick's face. What are you going to do
with him " she asked at last, as II Northwick
we're not present. he stood so dumb and impas-
sive
Id know as know" said Newton. everpow-