Fraternity

J >> John Galsworthy >> Fraternity


Bianca saw her father's fragile arms stretch out into the night through
the sleeves of his white garment, as though expecting to be received at
once into the Universal Brotherhood of the thin air.

There ensued a moment, when, by magic, every little dissonance in all
the town seemed blended into a harmony of silence, as it might be the
very death of self upon the earth.

Then, breaking that trance, Mr. Stone's voice rose again, trembling out
into the night, as though blown through a reed.

"Brothers!" he said.

Behind the screen of lilac bushes at the gate Bianca saw the dark helmet
of a policeman. He stood there staring steadily in the direction of
that voice. Raising his lantern, he flashed it into every corner of
the garden, searching for those who had been addressed. Satisfied,
apparently, that no one was there, he moved it to right and left,
lowered it to the level of his breast, and walked slowly on.