Then I'd better shift th' table?"

"Yes."

"An' ha'e him across th' chairs?"

"You know there--Yes, I suppose so."

Morel and Paul went, with a candle, into the parlour. There was no gas
there. The father unscrewed the top of the big mahogany oval table, and
cleared the middle of the room; then he arranged six chairs opposite
each other, so that the coffin could stand on their beds.

"You niver seed such a length as he is!" said the miner, and watching
anxiously as he worked.

Paul went to the bay window and looked out. The ash-tree stood monstrous
and black in front of the wide darkness. It was a faintly luminous
night. Paul went back to his mother.

At ten o'clock Morel called:

"He's here!"

Everyone started. There was a noise of unbarring and unlocking the front
door, which opened straight from the night into the room.

"Bring another candle," called Morel.

Annie and Arthur went. Paul followed with his mother. He stood with his
arm round her waist in the inner doorway. Down the middle of the cleared
room waited six chairs, face to face. In the window, against the lace
curtains, Arthur held up one candle, and by the open door, against the
night, Annie stood leaning forward, her brass candlestick glittering.

There was the noise of wheels. Outside in the darkness of the street
below Paul could see horses and a black vehicle, one lamp, and a few
pale faces; then some men, miners, all in their shirt-sleeves, seemed to
struggle in the obscurity. Presently two men appeared, bowed beneath a
great weight. It was Morel and his neighbour.

"Steady!" called Morel, out of breath.

He and his fellow mounted the steep garden step, heaved into the
candlelight with their gleaming coffin-end. Limbs of other men were seen
struggling behind. Morel and Burns, in front, staggered; the great dark
weight swayed.

"Steady, steady!" cried Morel, as if in pain.

All the six bearers were up in the small garden, holding the great
coffin aloft. There were three more steps to the door. The yellow lamp
of the carriage shone alone down the black road.

"Now then!" said Morel.

The coffin swayed, the men began to mount the three steps with their
load. Annie's candle flickered, and she whimpered as the first men
appeared, and the limbs and bowed heads of six men struggled to climb
into the room, bearing the coffin that rode like sorrow on their living
flesh.

"Oh, my son--my son!" Mrs. Morel sang softly, and each time the c