The Loved One Read Online Free PDF Page B

Abercrombie is planning a special service.”
    “Oh, was your Loved One in films, Mr. Barlow? In that case he ought to be in Shadowland.”
    “I think he would prefer to be with Homer and Miss Bergson.”
    “Then the University Church would be most convenient. We like to save the Waiting Ones a long procession. I presume the Loved One was Caucasian?”
    “No, why did you think that? He was purely English.”
    “English are purely Caucasian, Mr. Barlow. This is a restricted park. The Dreamer has made that rule for the sake of the Waiting Ones. In their time of trial they prefer to be with their own people.”
    “I think I understand. Well, let me assure you Sir Francis was quite white.”
    As he said this there came vividly into Dennis’s mind that image which lurked there, seldom out of sight for long; the sack of body suspended and the face above it with eyes red and horribly starting from their sockets, the cheeks mottled in indigo like the marbled end-papers of a ledger and the tongue swollen and protruding like an end of black sausage.
    “Let us now decide on the casket.”
    They went to the show-rooms where stood coffins of every shape and material; the nightingale still sang in the cornice.
    “The two-piece lid is most popular for gentlemen Loved Ones. Only the upper part is then exposed to view.”
    “Exposed to view?”
    “Yes, when the Waiting Ones come to take leave.”
    “But, I say, I don’t think that will quite do. I’ve seen him. He’s terribly disfigured, you know.”
    “If there are any special little difficulties in the case you must mention them to our cosmeticians. You will be seeing one of them before you leave. They have never failed yet.”
    Dennis made no hasty choice. He studied all that was for sale; even the simplest of these coffins, he humbly recognized, outshone the most gorgeous product of the Happier Hunting Ground and when he approached the 2,000-dollar level—and these were not the costliest—he felt himself in the Egypt of the Pharaohs. At length he decided on a massive chest of walnut with bronze enrichments and an interior of quilted satin. Its lid, as recommended, was in two parts.
    “You are sure that they will be able to make him presentable?”
    “We had a Loved One last month who was found drowned. He had been in the ocean a month and they only identified him by his wrist-watch. They fixed that stiff,” said the hostess disconcertingly lapsing from the high diction she had hitherto employed, “so he looked like it was his wedding day. The boys up there surely know their job. Why, if he’d sat on an atom bomb, they’d make him presentable.”
    “That’s very comforting.”
    “I’ll say it is.” And then slipping on her professional manner again as though it were a pair of glasses, she resumed.“How will the Loved One be attired? We have our own tailoring section. Sometimes after a very long illness there are not suitable clothes available and sometimes the Waiting Ones think it a waste of a good suit. You see, we can fit a Loved One out very reasonably as a casket-suit does not have to be designed for hard wear and in cases where only the upper part is exposed for leave-taking there is no need for more than jacket and vest. Something dark is best to set off the flowers.”
    Dennis was entirely fascinated. At length he said: “Sir Francis was not much of a dandy. I doubt of his having anything quite suitable for casket wear. But in Europe, I think, we usually employ a shroud.”
    “Oh, we have shrouds too. I’ll show you some.”
    The hostess led him to a set of sliding shelves like a sacristy chest where vestments are stored, and drawing one out revealed a garment such as Dennis had never seen before. Observing his interest she held it up for his closer inspection. It was in appearance like a suit of clothes, buttoned in front but open down the back; the sleeves hung loose, open at the seam; half an inch of linen appeared at the cuff and the V of the