alone to moulder away in solitude

"However," he concluded, "there's one advantage I find in extremeold age--nothing matters a hang except one's food and one's digestion. 　　All I ask is to be left alone to moulder away in solitude. It's obviousthat the world's going as fast as it can to--the Nethermost Pit,and all I can do is to sit still and consume as much of my ownsmoke as possible." He groaned, and with a melancholy glance laidthe jam on his bread, for he felt the atmosphere of this abruptlady distinctly unsympathetic. 　　"I always contradict my husband when he says that," said Mrs. Thornburysweetly. "You men! Where would you be if it weren't for the women!""Read the _Symposium_," said Ridley grimly. 　　"_Symposium_?" cried Mrs. Flushing. "That's Latin or Greek? 　　Tell me, is there a good translation?""No," said Ridley. "You will have to learn Greek."Mrs. Flushing cried, "Ah, ah, ah! I'd rather break stones in the road. 　　I always envy the men who break stones and sit on those nice littleheaps all day wearin' spectacles. I'd infinitely rather breakstones than clean out poultry runs, or feed the cows, or--"Here Rachel came up from the lower garden with a book in her hand. 　　"What's that book?" said Ridley, when she had shaken hands. 　　"It's Gibbon," said Rachel as she sat down. 　　"_The_ _Decline_ _and_ _Fall_ _of_ _the_ _Roman_ _Empire_?"said Mrs. Thornbury. "A very wonderful book, I know. My dearfather was always quoting it at us, with the result that we resolvednever to read a line.""Gibbon the historian?" enquired Mrs. Flushing. "I connect himwith some of the happiest hours of my life. We used to lie in bedand read Gibbon--about the massacres of the Christians, I remember--when we were supposed to be asleep. It's no joke, I can tell you,readin' a great big book, in double columns, by a night-light,and the light that comes through a chink in the door. Then therewere the moths--tiger moths, yellow moths, and horrid cockchafers.