Dubliners - James Joyce [83]
`Teddy will have all the cabs in Dublin out,' he said.
Gabriel advanced from the little pantry behind the office, struggling into his overcoat and, looking round the hall, said.
`Gretta not down yet?'
`She's getting on her things, Gabriel,' said Aunt Kate.
`Who's playing up there?' asked Gabriel.
`Nobody. They're all gone.'
`O no, Aunt Kate,' said Mary Jane. `Bartell D'Arcy and Miss O'Callaghan aren't gone yet.'
`Someone is fooling at the piano anyhow,' said Gabriel.
Mary Jane glanced at Gabriel and Mr Browne and said with a shiver:
`It makes me feel cold to look at you two gentlemen muffled up like that. I wouldn't like to face your journey home at this hour.'
`I'd like nothing better this minute,' said Mr Browne stoutly, `than a rattling fine walk in the country or a fast drive with a good spanking goer between the shafts.'
`We used to have a very good horse and trap at home,' said Aunt Julia, sadly.
`The never-to-be-forgotten Johnny,' said Mary Jane, laughing.
Aunt Kate and Gabriel laughed too.
`Why, what was wonderful about Johnny?' asked Mr Browne.
`The late lamented Patrick Morkan, our grandfather, that is,' explained Gabriel, `commonly known in his later years as the old gentleman, was a glue-boiler.'
`O, now, Gabriel,' said Aunt Kate, laughing, `he had a starch mill.'
`Well, glue or starch,' said Gabriel, `the old gentleman had a horse by the name of Johnny. And Johnny used to work in the old gentleman's mill, walking round and round in order to drive the mill. That was all very well; but now comes the tragic part about Johnny. One fine day the old gentleman thought he'd like to drive out with the quality to a military review in the park.'
`The Lord have mercy on his soul,' said Aunt Kate, compassionately.
`Amen,' said Gabriel. `So the old gentleman, as I said, harnessed Johnny and put on his very best tall hat and his very best stock collar and drove out in grand style from his ancestral mansion somewhere near Back Lane, I think.'
Everyone laughed, even Mrs Malins, at Gabriel's manner, and Aunt Kate said:
`O, now, Gabriel, he didn't live in Back Lane, really. Only the mill was there.'
`Out from the mansion of his forefathers,' continued Gabriel, `he drove with Johnny. And everything went on beautifully until Johnny came in sight of King Billy's statue: and whether he fell in love with the horse King Billy sits on or whether he thought he was back again in the mill, anyway he began to walk round the statue.'
Gabriel paced in a circle round the hall in his goloshes amid the laughter of the others.
`Round and round he went,' said Gabriel, `and the old gentleman, who was a very pompous old gentleman, was highly indignant. "Go on, sir! What do you mean, sir? Johnny! Johnny! Most extraordinary conduct! Can't understand the horse!"'
The peals of laughter which followed Gabriel's imitation of the incident were interrupted by a resounding knock at the hall-door. Mary Jane ran to open it and let in Freddy Malins. Freddy Malins, with his hat well back on his head and his shoulders humped with cold, was puffing and steaming after his exertions.
`I could only get one cab,' he said.
`O, we'll find another along the quay,' said Gabriel.
`Yes,' said Aunt Kate. `Better not keep Mrs Malins standing in the draught.'
Mrs Malins was helped down the front steps by her son and Mr Browne and, after many manoeuvres, hoisted into the cab. Freddy Malins clambered in after her and spent a long time settling her on the seat, Mr Browne helping him with advice. At last she was settled comfortably and Freddy Malins invited Mr Browne into the cab. There was a good deal of confused talk, and then Mr Browne got into the cab. The cabman settled his rug over his knees, and bent down for the address. The confusion grew greater and the cabman was directed differently by Freddy Malins