Page:Arthur Machen - The Hill of Dreams.djvu/69

THE HILL OF DREAMS post-office, when he was inquiring for his parcel, he had heard two old women grumbling in the street; it seemed, so far as he could make out, that both had been disappointed in much the same way. Each had applied for an alms at the vicarage; they were probably shiftless old wretches who had liked beer for supper all their lives, and had forgotten the duties of economy and 'laying up treasure upon earth.' One was a Roman Catholic, hardened, and beyond the reach of conversion; she had been advised to ask alms of the priests, 'who are always creeping and crawling about.' The other old sinner was a dissenter, and, 'Mr. Dixon has quite enough to do to relieve good Church people.' Mrs. Dixon, assisted by Henrietta, was, it seemed, the lady high almoner, who dispensed these charities. As she said to Mrs. Colley, they would end by keeping all the beggars in the county, and they really couldn't afford it. A large family was an expensive thing, and the girls must have new frocks. 'Mr. Dixon is always telling me and the girls that we must not demoralise the people by indiscriminate charity.' Lucian had heard of these sage counsels, and thought of them as he listened to the bitter complaints of the gaunt, hungry old women. 59