a far country-第71节

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Here　was　Lucia；　unmistakably。

〃That's　all　very　well；〃　I　said　impatiently；　〃but　when　one　has　to　live　in
a　house；　one　wants　something　more　than　artistic　irregularity。　　Lammerton
knows　how　to　build　for　everyday　existence；　he's　a　practical　man；　as　well
as　a　man　of　taste；　he　may　not　be　a　Christopher　Wrenn；　but　he　understands
conveniences　and　comforts。　　His　chimneys　don't　smoke；　his　windows　are
tight；　he　knows　what　systems　of　heating　are　the　best；　and　whom　to　go　to：
he　knows　what　good　plumbing　is。　　I'm　rather　surprised　you　don't
appreciate　that；　Maude；　you're　so　particular　as　to　what　kind　of　rooms　the
children　shall　have；　and　you　want　a　schoolroom…nursery　with　all　the
latest　devices；　with　sun　and　ventilation。　　The　Berringers　wouldn't　have
had　him；　the　Hollisters　and　Dickinsons　wouldn't　have　had　him　if　his　work
lacked　taste。〃

〃And　Nancy　wouldn't　have　had　him；〃　added　Maude；　and　she　smiled　once　more。

〃Well；　I　haven't　consulted　Nancy；　or　anyone　else；〃　I　replieda　little
tartly；　perhaps。　　〃You　don't　seem　to　realize　that　some　fashions　may　have
a　basis　of　reason。　　They　are　not　all　silly；　as　Lucia　seems　to　think。　　If
Lammerton　builds　satisfactory　houses；　he　ought　to　be　forgiven　for　being
the　fashion；　he　ought　to　have　a　chance。〃　　I　got　up　to　leave。　　〃Let's　see
what　kind　of　a　plan　he'll　draw　up；　at　any　rate。〃

Her　glance　was　almost　indulgent。

〃Of　course；　Hugh。　　I　want　you　to　be　satisfied；　to　be　pleased；〃　she　said。

〃And　you？〃　I　questioned；　〃you　are　to　live　in　the　house　more　than　I。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　sure　it　will　turn　out　all　right；〃　she　replied。　　〃Now　you'd
better　run　along；　I　know　you're　late。〃

〃I　am　late；〃　I　admitted；　rather　lamely。　　〃If　you　don't　care　for
Lammerton's　drawings；　we'll　get　another　architect。〃

Several　years　before　Mr。　Lammerton　had　arrived　among　us　with　a　Beaux　Arts
moustache　and　letters　of　introduction　to　Mrs。　Durrett　and　others。　　We
found　him　the　most　adaptable；　the　most　accommodating　of　young　men；　always
ready　to　donate　his　talents　and　his　services　to　private　theatricals；
tableaux；　and　fancy…dress　balls；　to　take　a　place　at　a　table　at　the　last
moment。　　One　of　his　most　appealing　attributes　was　his　〃belief〃　in　our
city；a　form　of　patriotism　that　culminated；　in　later　years；　in　〃million
population〃　clubs。　　I　have　often　heard　him　declare；　when　the　ladies　had
left　the　diningroom；　that　there　was　positively　no　limit　to　our　future
growth；　and；　incidentally；　to　our　future　wealth。　　Such　sentiments　as
these　could　not　fail　to　add　to　any　man's　popularity；　and　his　success　was
a　foregone　conclusion。　　Almost　before　we　knew　it　he　was　building　the　new
Union　Station　of　which　he　had　foreseen　the　need；　to　take　care　of　the
millions　to　which　our　population　was　to　be　swelled；　building　the　new　Post
Office　that　the　unceasing　efforts　of　Theodore　Watling　finally　procured
for　us：　building；　indeed；　Nancy's　new　house；　the　largest　of　our　private
mansions　save　Mr。　Scherer's；　a　commission　that　had　immediately　brought
about　others　from　the　Dickinsons　and　the　Berringers。。。。　　That　very　day　I
called　on　him　in　his　offices　at　the　top　of　one　of　our　new　buildings；
where　many　young　draftsmen　were　bending　over　their　boards。　　I　was　ushered
into　his　private　studio。

〃I　suppose　you　want　something　handsome；　Hugh；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me
over　his　cigarette；　〃something　commensurate　with　these　fees　I　hear　you
are　getting。〃

〃Well；　I　want　to　be　comfortable；〃　I　admitted。

We　lunched　at　the　Club　together；　where　we　talked　over　the　requirements。

When　he　came　to　dinner　the　next　week　and　spread　out　his　sketch　on　the
living…room　table　Maude　drew　in　her　breath。

〃Why；　Hugh；〃　she　exclaimed　in　dismay；　〃it's　as　big　asas　big　as　the
White　House！〃

〃Not　quite；〃　I　answered；　laughing　with　Archie。　　〃We　may　as　well　take　our
ease　in　our　old　age。〃

〃Take　our　ease！〃　echoed　Maude。　　〃We'll　rattle　'round　in　it。　　I'll　never
get　used　to　it。〃

〃After　a　month；　Mrs。　Paret；　I'll　wager　you'll　be　wondering　how　you　ever
got　along　without　it；〃　said　Archie。

It　was　not　as　big　as　the　White　House；　yet　it　could　not　be　called　small。
I　had　seen；　to　that。　　The　long　facade　was　imposing；　dignified；　with　a
touch　of　conventionality　and　solidity　in　keeping　with　my　standing　in　the
city。　　It　was　Georgian；　of　plum…coloured　brick　with　marble　trimmings　and
marble　wedges　over　the　ample　windows；　some　years　later　I　saw　the　house　by
Ferguson；　of　New　York；　from　which　Archie　had　cribbed　it。　　At　one　end；　off
the　dining…room；　was　a　semicircular　conservatory。　　There　was　a　small
portico；　with　marble　pillars；　and　in　the　ample；　swift　sloping　roof　many
dormers；　servants'　rooms；　Archie　explained。　　The　look　of　anxiety　on
Maude's　face　deepened　as　he　went　over　the　floor　plans；　the　reception…room；
dining　room　to　seat　thirty；　the　servants'　hall；　and　upstairs　Maude's　room；
boudoir　and　bath　and　dress　closet；　my　〃apartments〃　adjoining　on　one　side
and　the　children's　on　the　other；　and　the　guest…rooms　with　baths。。。。

Maude　surrendered；　as　one　who　gives　way　to　the　inevitable。　　When　the
actual　building　began　we　both　of　us　experienced；　I　think；　a　certain　mild
excitement；　and　walked　out　there；　sometimes　with　the　children；　in　the
spring　evenings；　and　on　Sunday　afternoons。　〃Excitement〃　is；　perhaps；　too
strong　a　word　for　my　feelings：　there　was　a　pleasurable　anticipation　on　my
part；　a　looking　forward　to　a　more　decorous；　a　more　luxurious　existence；　a
certain　impatience　at　the　delays　inevitable　in　building。　　But　a　new　legal
commercial　enterprise　of　magnitude　began　to　absorb　me　at　his　time；　and
somehow　the　building　of　this　homethe　first　that　we　possessed　was　not
the　event　it　should　have　been；　there　were　moments　when　I　felt　cheated；
when　I　wondered　what　had　become　of　that　capacity　for　enjoyment　which　in
my　youth　had　been　so　keen。　　I　remember　indeed；　one　grey　evening　when　I
went　there　alone；　after　the　workmen　had　departed；　and　stood　in　the　litter
of　mortar　and　bricks　and　boards　gazing　at　the　completed　front　of　the
house。　　It　was　even　larger　than　I　had　imagined　it　from　the　plans；　in　the
Summer　twilight　there　was　an　air　about　it；if　not　precisely　menacing；　at
least　portentous；　with　its　gaping　windows　and　towering　roof。　　I　was　a
little　tired　from　a　hard　day；　I　had　the　odd　feeding　of　having　raised　up
something　with　whichmomentarily　at　leastI　doubted　my　ability　to　cope：
something　huge；　impersonal；　something　that　ought　to　have　represented　a
fireside；　a　sanctuary；　and　yet　was　the　embodiment　of　an　element　quite
alien　to　the　home；　a　restless　element　with　which　our　American　atmosphere
had；　by　invisible　degrees；　become　charged。　　As　I　stared　at　it；　the　odd
fancy　seized　me　that　the　building　somehow　typified　my　own　career。。。。　　I
had　gained　something；　in　truth；　but　had　I　not　also　missed　something？
something　a　different　home　would　have　embodied？

Maude　and　the　children　had　gone；　to　the　seaside。

With　a　vague　uneasiness　I　turned　away　from　the　contemplation　of　those
walls。　　The　companion　mansions　were　closed；　their　blinds　tightly　drawn；
the　neighbourhood　was　as　quiet　as　the　country；　save　for　a　slight　but
persistent　noise　that　impressed　itself　on　my　consciousness。　　I　walked
around　the　house　to　spy　in　the　back　yard；　a　young　girl　rather　stealthily
gathering　laths；　and　fragments　of　joists　and　flooring；　and　loading　them
into　a　child's　express…wagon。　　She　started　when　she　saw　me。　　She　was
little；　more　than　a　child；　and　the　loose　calico　dress　she　wore　seemed　to
emphasize　her　thinness。　　She　stood　stock…still；　staring　at　me　with
frightened　yet　defiant　eyes。　　I；　too；　felt　a　strange　timidity　in　her
presence。

〃Why　do　you　stop？〃　I　asked　at　length。

〃Say；　is　this　your　heap？〃　she　demanded。

I　acknowledged　it。　　A　hint　of　awe　widened　her　eyes。　　Then　site　glanced　at
the　half…filled　wagon。

〃This　stuff　ain't　no　use　to　you；　is　it？〃

〃No；　I'm　glad　to　have　you　take　it。〃

She　shifted　to　the　other　foot；　but　did　not　continue　her　gathering。　　An
impulse　seized　me；　I　put　down　my　walkingstick　and　began　picking　up　pieces
of　wood；　flinging　them　into　the　wagon。　　I　looked　at　her　again；　rather
furtively；　she　had　not　moved。　　Her　attitude　puzzled　me；　for　it　was　one
neither　of　surprise　nor　of　protest。　　The　spectacle　of　the　〃millionaire〃
owner　of　the　house　engaged　in　this　menial　occupation　gave　her　no　thrills。
I　finished　the　loading。

〃There！〃　I　said；　and　drew　a　dollar　bill　out　of　my　pocket　and　gave　it　to
her。　　Even　then　she　did　not　thank　me；　but　took　up　the　wagon　tongue　and
went　off；　leaving　on　me　a　disheartening　impression　of　numbness；　of　life
crushed　out。　　I　glanced　up　once　more　at　the　mansion　I　had　built　for
myself　looming　in　the　dusk；　and　walked　hurriedly　away。。。。

One　afternoon　some　three　weeks　after　we　had　moved　into　the　new　house；　I
came　out　of　the　Club；　where　I　had　been　lunching　in　conference　with
Scherer　and　two　capitalists　from　New　York。　　It　was　after　four　o'clock；
the　day　was　fading；　the　street　lamps　were　beginning　to　cast　sickly
streaks　of　jade…coloured　light　across　the　slush　of　the　pavements。　　It　was
the　sight　of　this　slush　（which　for　a　brief　half　hour　that　morning　had
been　pure　snow；　and　had　sent　Matthew　and　Moreton　and　Biddy　into　ecstasies
at　the　notion　of　a　〃real　Christmas〃）；　that　brought　to　my　mind　the
immanence　of　the　festival；　and　the　fact　that