a far country-第39节

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I　explained　that　I　had　spent　the　morning　with　Mr。　Watling。

〃I'll　tell　you　a　secret；　mother。　　I'm　going　to　be　taken　into　the　firm。〃

〃Oh；　my　dear；　I'm　so　glad！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　often　think；　if　only　your
father　were　alive；　how　happy　he　would　be；　and　how　proud　of　you。　　I　wish
he　could　know。　　Perhaps　he　does　know。〃

Theodore　Watling　had　once　said　to　me　that　the　man　who　can　best　keep　his
own　counsel　is　the　best　counsel　for　other　men　to　keep。　　I　did　not　go
about　boasting　of　the　part　I　had　played　in　originating　the　now　famous
Bill　No。　709；　the　passage　of　which　had　brought　about　the　capitulation　of
the　Ribblevale　Steel　Company　to　our　clients。　　But　Ralph　Hambleton　knew　of
it；　of　course。

〃That　was　a　pretty　good　thing　you　pulled　off；　Hughie；〃　he　said。　　〃I
didn't　think　you　had　it　in　you。〃

It　was　rank　patronage；　of　course；　yet　I　was　secretly　pleased。　　As　the
years　went　on　I　was　thrown　more　and　more　with　him；　though　in　boyhood
there　had　been　between　us　no　bond　of　sympathy。　　About　this　time　he　was
beginning　to　increase　very　considerably　the　Hambleton　fortune；　and　a
little　later　I　became　counsel　for　the　Crescent　Gas　and　Electric　Company；
in　which　he　had　shrewdly　gained　a　controlling　interest。　　Even　toward　the
colossal　game　of　modern　finance　his　attitude　was　characteristically　that
of　the　dilettante；　of　the　amateur；　he　played　it；　as　it　were；
contemptuously；　even　as　he　had　played　poker　at　Harvard；　with　a　cynical
audacity　that　had　a　peculiarly　disturbing　effect　upon　his　companions。　　He
bluffed；　he　raised　the　limit　in　spite　of　protests；　and　when　he　lost　one
always　had　the　feeling　that　he　would　ultimately　get　his　money　back　twice
over。　　At　the　conferences　in　the　Boyne　Club；　which　he　often　attended；　his
manner　toward　Mr。　Dickinson　and　Mr。　Scherer　and　even　toward　Miller　Gorse
was　frequently　one　of　thinly　veiled　amusement　at　their　seriousness。　　I
often　wondered　that　they　did　not　resent　it。　　But　he　was　a　privileged
person。

His　cousin；　Ham　Durrett；　whose　inheritance　was　even　greater　than　Ralph's
had　been；　had　also　become　a　privileged　person　whose　comings　and　goings
and　more　reputable　doings　were　often　recorded　in　the　newspapers。　　Ham　had
attained　to　what　Gene　Hollister　aptly　but　inadvertently　called
〃notoriety〃：　as　Ralph　wittily　remarked；　Ham　gave　to　polo　and　women　that
which　might　have　gone　into　high　finance。　　He　spent　much　of　his　time　in
the　East；　his　conduct　there　and　at　home　would　once　have　created　a　black
scandal　in　our　community；　but　we　were　gradually　leaving　our　Calvinism
behind　us　and　growing　more　tolerant：　we　were　ready　to　Forgive　much　to
wealth　especially　if　it　was　inherited。　　Hostesses　lamented　the　fact　that
Ham　was　〃wild；〃　but　they　asked　him　to　dinners　and　dances　to　meet　their
daughters。

If　some　moralist　better　educated　and　more　far…seeing　than　Perry　Blackwood
（for　Perry　had　become　a　moralist）　had　told　these　hostesses　that　Hambleton
Durrett　was　a　victim　of　our　new　civilization；　they　would　have　raised
their　eyebrows。　　They　deplored　while　they　coveted。　　If　Ham　had　been　told
he　was　a　victim　of　any　sort；　he　would　have　laughed。

He　enjoyed　life；　he　was　genial　and　jovial；　both　lavish　and　parsimonious；…
…this　latter　characteristic　being　the　curious　survival　of　the　trait　of
the　ancestors　to　which　he　owed　his　millions。　　He　was　growing　even
heavier；　and　decidedly　red　in　the　face。

Perry　used　to　take　Ralph　to　task　for　not　saving　Ham　from　his　iniquities；
and　Ralph　would　reply　that　Ham　was　going　to　the　devil　anyway；　and　not
even　the　devil　himself　could　stop　him。

〃You　can　stop　him；　and　you　know　it；〃　Perry　retorted　indignantly。

〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do　with　him？〃　asked　Ralph。　　〃Convert　him　to　the
saintly　life　I　lead？〃

This　was　a　poser。

〃That's　a　fact；〃　sand　Perry；　〃you're　no　better　than　he　is。〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean　by　'better；'〃　retorted　Ralph；　grinning。　　〃I'm
wiser；　that's　all。〃　　（We　had　been　talking　about　the　ethics　of　business
when　Perry　had　switched　off　to　Ham。）　〃I　believe；　at　least；　in　restraint
of　trade。　　Ham　doesn't　believe　in　restraint　of　any　kind。〃

When；　therefore；　the　news　suddenly　began　to　be　circulated　in　the　Boyne
Club　that　Ham　was　showing　a　tendency　to　straighten　up；　surprise　and
incredulity　were　genuine。　　He　was　drinking　less；much　less；　and　it　was
said　that　he　had　severed　certain　ties　that　need　not　again　be　definitely
mentioned。　　The　theory　of　religious　regeneration　not　being　tenable；　it
was　naturally　supposed　that　he　had　fallen　in　love；　the　identity　of　the
unknown　lady　becoming　a　fruitful　subject　of　speculation　among　the
feminine　portion　of　society。　　The　announcement　of　the　marriage　of
Hambleton　Durrett　would　be　news　of　the　first　magnitude；　to　be　absorbed
eagerly　by　the　many　who　had　not　the　honour　of　his　acquaintance；
comparable　only　to　that　of　a　devastating　flood　or　a　murder　mystery　or　a
change　in　the　tariff。

Being　absorbed　in　affairs　that　seemed　more　important；　the　subject　did　not
interest　me　greatly。　　But　one　cold　Sunday　afternoon；　as　I　made　my　way；　in
answer　to　her　invitation；　to　see　Nancy　Willett；　I　found　myself　wondering
idly　whether　she　might　not　be　by　way　of　making　a　shrewd　guess　as　to　the
object　of　Hambleton's　affections。　　It　was　well　known　that　he　had
entertained　a　hopeless　infatuation　for　her；　and　some　were　inclined　to
attribute　his　later　lapses　to　her　lack　of　response。　　He　still　called　on
her；　and　her　lectures；　which　she　delivered　like　a　great　aunt　with　a
recondite　knowledge　of　the　world；　he　took　meekly。　　But　even　she　had
seemed　powerless　to　alter　his　habits。。。。

Powell　Street；　that　happy　hunting…ground　of　my　youth；　had　changed　its
character；　become　contracted　and　unfamiliar；　sooty。　　The　McAlerys　and
other　older　families　who　had　not　decayed　with　the　neighbourhood　were
rapidly　deserting　it；　moving　out　to　the　new　residence　district　known　as
〃the　Heights。〃　　I　came　to　the　Willett　House。　　That；　too；　had　an　air　of
shabbiness；of　well…tended　shabbiness；　to　be　sure；　the　stone　steps　had
been　scrupulously　scrubbed；　but　one　of　them　was　cracked　clear　across；　and
the　silver　on　the　polished　name…plate　was　wearing　off；　even　the　act　of
pulling　the　knob　of　a　door…bell　was　becoming　obsolete；　so　used　had　we
grown　to　pushing　porcelain　buttons　in　bright；　new　vestibules。　　As　I
waited　for　my　summons　to　be　answered　it　struck　me　as　remarkable　that
neither　Nancy　nor　her　father　had　been　contaminated　by　the　shabbiness　that
surrounded　them。

She　had　managed　rather　marvellously　to　redeem　one　room　from　the　old…
fashioned　severity　of　the　rest　of　the　house；　the　library　behind　the　big
〃parlour。〃　　It　was　Nancy's　room；　eloquent　of　her　daintiness　and　taste；　of
her　essential　modernity　and　luxuriousness；　and　that　evening；　as　I　was
ushered　into　it；　this　quality　of　luxuriousness；　of　being　able　to　shut　out
the　disagreeable　aspects　of　life　that　surrounded　and　threatened　her；
particularly　impressed　me。　　She　had　not　lacked　opportunities　to　escape。
I　wondered　uneasily　as　I　waited　why　she　had　not　embraced　them。　　I　strayed
about　the　room。　　A　coal　fire　burned　in　the　grate；　the　red…shaded　lamps
gave　a　subdued　but　cheerful　light；　some　impulse　led　me　to　cross　over　to
the　windows　and　draw　aside　the　heavy　hangings。　　Dusk　was　gathering　over
that　garden；　bleak　and　frozen　now；　where　we　had　romped　together　as
children。　　How　queer　the　place　seemed！　　How　shrivelled！　　Once　it　had　had
the　wide　range　of　a　park。　　There；　still　weathering　the　elements；　was　the
old…fashioned　latticed　summer…house；　but　the　fruit…trees　that　I　recalled
as　clouds　of　pink　and　white　were　gone。。。。　　A　touch　of　poignancy　was　in
these　memories。　　I　dropped　the　curtain；　and　turned　to　confront　Nancy；　who
had　entered　noiselessly。

〃Well；　Hugh；　were　you　dreaming？〃　she　said。

〃Not　exactly；〃　I　replied；　embarrassed。　　〃I　was　looking　at　the　garden。〃

〃The　soot　has　ruined　it。　　My　life　seems　to　be　one　continual　struggle
against　the　soot；the　blacks；　as　the　English　call　them。　　It's　a　more
expressive　term。　　They　are　like　an　army；　you　know；　overwhelming　in　their
relentless　invasion。　　Well；　do　sit　down。　　It　is　nice　of　you　to　come。
You'll　have　some　tea；　won't　you？〃

The　maid　had　brought　in　the　tray。　　Afternoon　tea　was　still　rather　a　new
custom　with　us；　more　of　a　ceremony　than　a　meal；　and　as　Nancy　handed　me　my
cup　and　the　thinnest　of　slices　of　bread　and　butter　I　found　the　intimacy
of　the　situation　a　little　disquieting。　　Her　manner　was　indeed　intimate；
and　yet　it　had　the　odd　and　disturbing　effect　of　making　her　seem　more
remote。　　As　she　chatted　I　answered　her　perfunctorily；　while　all　the　time
I　was　asking　myself　why　I　had　ceased　to　desire　her；　whether　the　old
longing　for　her　might　not　returnwas　not　even　now　returning？　　I　might
indeed　go　far　afield　to　find　a　wife　so　suited　to　me　as　Nancy。　　She　had
beauty；　distinction；　and　position。　　She　was　a　woman　of　whom　any　man　might
be　proud。。。。

〃I　haven't　congratulated　you　yet；　Hugh；〃　she　said　suddenly；　〃now　that　you
are　a　partner　of　Mr。　Watling's。　　I　hear　on　all　sides　that　you　are　on　the
high　road　to　a　great　success。〃

〃Of　course　I'm　glad　to　be　in　the　firm；〃　I　admitted。

It　was　a　new　tack　for　Nancy；　rather　a　disquieting　one；　this　discussion　of
my　affairs；　which　she　had　so　long　avoided　or　ignored。　　〃You　are　getting
what　you　hav