autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第17节

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expressed　it；　just　two　millions；　six　hundred　and　twelve　thousand　dollars；
a　handsome　sum；　it　must　be　confessed；　for　a　man　who；　when　he　began
his　beneficent　and　energetic　career　in　this　branch　of　business；　was　just
twenty…three　thousand；　four　hundred　and　seventeen　dollars　worse　than
nothing。　It　is　true；　that　there　was　some　drawback　on　all　this　prosperity；
Mr。　Halfacre's　bonds；　notes；　mortgages；　and　other　liabilities；　making　a
sum　total　that　amounted　to　the　odd　six　hundred　thousand　dollars；　this
still　left　him；　however；　a　handsome　paper　balance　of　two　millions。

Notwithstanding　the　amount　of　his　〃bills　payable；〃　Mr。　Halfacre
considered　himself　a　very　prudent　man：　first；　because　he　insisted　on
having　no　book　debts；　second；　because　he　always　took　another　man's
paper　for　a　larger　amount　than　he　had　given　of　his　own；　for　any　specific
lot　or　lots；　thirdly；　and　lastly；　because　he　was　careful　to　〃extend　himself；〃
at　the　risk　of　other　persons。　There　is　no　question；　had　all　his　lots　been
sold　as　he　had　inventoried　them；　had　his　debts　been　paid；　and　had　he
not　spent　his　money　a　little　faster　than　it　was　bona　fide　made；　that　Henry
Halfacre；　Esq。　would　have　been　a　very　rich　man。　As　he　managed；
however；　by　means　of　getting　portions　of　the　paper　he　received
discounted；　to　maintain　a　fine　figure　account　in　the　bank；　and　to　pay　all
current　demands；　he　began　to　be　known　as　the　RICH　Mr。　Halfacre。
But　one　of　his　children；　the　fair　Eudosia；　was　out；　and　as　she　had　some
distance　to　make　in　the　better　society　of　the　town；　ere　she　could　pass
for　aristocratic；　it　was　wisely　determined　that　a　golden　bridge　should　be
thrown　across　the　dividing　chasm。　A　hundred…dollar　pocket…
handkerchief；　it　was　hoped；　would　serve　for　the　key…stone；　and　then　all
the　ends　of　life　would　be　attained。　As　to　a　husband；　a　pretty　girl　like
Eudosia；　and　the　daughter　of　a　man　of　〃four　figure〃　lots；　might　get　one
any　day。

｛was　out　=　was　a　debutante；　had　been　presented　to　society｝

Honor　O'Flagherty　was　both　short…legged　and　short…breathed。　She　felt
the　full　importance　of　her　mission；　and　having　an　extensive　acquaintance
among　the　other　Milesians　of　the　town；　and　of　her　class；　she　stopped　no
less　than　eleven　times　to　communicate　the　magnitude　of　Miss　Dosie's
purchase。　To　two　particular　favorites　she　actually　showed　me；　under
solemn　promise　of　secrecy；　and　to　four　others　she　promised　a　peep
some　day；　after　her　bossee　had　fairly　worn　me。　In　this　manner　my
arrival　was　circulated　prematurely　in　certain　coteries；　the　pretty　mouths
and　fine　voices　that　spoke　of　my　marvels；　being　quite　unconscious　that
they　were　circulating　news　that　had　reached　their　ears　via　Honor
O'Flagherty；　Biddy　Noon；　and　Kathleen　Brady。

｛Milesians　=　slang　for　Irish　（from　Milesius；　a　mythical　Spanish
conqueror　of　Ireland）；　Miss　Dosie　=　Miss　Eudosia；　bossee　=　humorous
for　a　female　boss；　coteries　=　social　sets｝

Mr。　Halfacre　occupied　a　very　GENTEEL　residence　in　Broadway；
where　he　and　his　enjoyed　the　full　benefit　of　all　the　dust；　noise；　and
commotion　of　that　great　thoroughfare。　This　house　had　been　purchased
and　mortgaged；　generally　simultaneous　operations　with　this　great
operator；　as　soon　as　he　had　〃inventoried〃　half　a　million。　It　was　a　sort　of
patent　of　nobility　to　live　in　Broadway；　and　the　acquisition　of　such　a
residence　was　like　the　purchase　of　a　marquiseta　in　Italy。　When　Eudosia
was　fairly　in　possession　of　a　hundred…dollar　pocket…handkerchief；　the
great　seal　might　be　said　to　be　attached　to　the　document　that　was　to
elevate　the　Halfacres　throughout　all　future　time。

｛marquiseta　=　presumably　the　residence　or　palace　of　a　Marquis｝

Now　the　beautiful　Eudosiafor　beautiful；　and　even　lovely；　this　glorious…
looking　creature　was；　in　spite　of　a　very　badly　modulated　voice；　certain
inroads　upon　the　fitness　of　things　in　the　way　of　expression；　and　a　want
of　a　knowledge　of　the　finesse　of　fine　lifenow　the　beautiful　Eudosia　had
an　intimate　friend　named　Clara　Caverly；　who　was　as　unlike　her　as
possible；　in　character；　education；　habits；　and　appearance；　and　yet　who
was　firmly　her　friend。　The　attachment　was　one　of　childhood　and
accidentthe　two　girls　having　been　neighbors　and　school…fellows　until
they　had　got　to　like　each　other；　after　the　manner　in　which　young　people
form　such　friendships；　to　wear　away　under　the　friction　of　the　world；　and
the　pressure　of　time。　Mr。　Caverly　was　a　lawyer　of　good　practice；　fair
reputation；　and　respectable　family。　His　wife　happened　to　be　a　lady　from
her　cradle；　and　the　daughter　had　experienced　the　advantage　of　as　great
a　blessing。　Still　Mr。　Caverly　was　what　the　world　of　New　York；　in　1832；
called　poor；　that　is　to　say；　he　had　no　known　bank…stock；　did　not　own　a
lot　on　the　island；　was　director　of　neither　bank　nor　insurance　company；
and　lived　in　a　modest　two…story　house；　in　White　street。　It　is　true　his
practice　supported　his　family；　and　enabled　him　to　invest　in　bonds　and
mortgages　two　or　three　thousand　a…year；　and　he　owned　the　fee　of　some
fifteen　or　eighteen　farms　in　Orange　county；　that　were　falling　in　from
three…lives　leases；　and　which　had　been　in　his　family　ever　since　the
seventeenth　century。　But；　at　a　period　of　prosperity　like　that　which
prevailed　in　1832；　3；　4；　5；　and　6；　the　hereditary　dollar　was　not　worth
more　than　twelve　and　a　half　cents；　as　compared　with　the　〃inventoried〃
dollar。　As　there　is　something；　after　all；　in　a　historical　name；　and　the
Caverleys　＇sic＇　still　had　the　best　of　it；　in　the　way　of　society；　Eudosia　was
permitted　to　continue　the　visits　in　White　street；　even　after　her　own　family
were　in　full　possession　in　Broadway；　and　Henry　Halfacre；　Esq。；　had　got
to　be　enumerated　among　the　Manhattan　nabobs。　Clara　Caverly　was　in
Broadway　when　Honor　O'Flagherty　arrived　with　me；　out　of　breath；　in
consequence　of　the　shortness　of　her　legs；　and　the　necessity　of　making
up　for　lost　time。

｛owned　the　fee。。。falling　in　from　three…life　leases　=　i。e。；　Mr。　Caverly
owned　farms　in　Orange　County　that　had　been　leased　out　for　long
periods　（the　lives　of　three　persons　named　at　the　moment　the　lease　was
granted）　but　which　were　now　about　to　revert　to　himsuch　long…term
leases；　in　the　Hudson　Valley；　led　to　the　so…called　anti…rent　war　that　was
breaking　out　at　the　time　Cooper　wrote　this　book；　twelve　and　a　half
cents　=　an　English　shilling；　still　often　used　in　conversation　in　America；
nabobs　=　rich　men　（usually　businessmen　of　recent　affluence）｝

〃There；　Miss　Dosie；〃　cried　the　exulting　housemaid；　for　such　was
Honor's　domestic　rank；　though　preferred　to　so　honorable　and
confidential　a　mission〃There；　Miss　Dosie；　there　it　is；　and　it's　a　jewel。〃

｛preferred　=　promoted｝

〃What　has　Honor　brought　you　NOW？〃　asked　Clara　Caverly　in　her
quiet　way；　for　she　saw　by　the　brilliant　eyes　and　flushed　cheeks　of　her
friend　that　it　was　something　the　other　would　have　pleasure　in　conversing
about。　〃You　make　so　many　purchases；　dear　Eudosia；　that　I　should　think
you　would　weary　of　them。〃

〃What；　weary　of　beautiful　dresses？　Never；　Clara；　never！　That　might　do
for　White　street；　but　in　Broadway　one　is　never　tired　of　such　things
see；〃　laying　me　out　at　full　length　in　her　lap；　〃this　is　a　pocket…
handkerchiefI　wish　your　opinion　of　it。〃

Clara　examined　me　very　closely；　and；　in　spite　of　something　like　a　frown；
and　an　expression　of　dissatisfaction　that　gathered　about　her　pretty　face…
…for　Clara　was　pretty；　tooI　could　detect　some　of　the　latent　feelings　of
the　sex；　as　she　gazed　at　my　exquisite　lace；　perfect　ornamental　work；
and　unequaled　fineness。　Still；　her　education　and　habits　triumphed；　and
she　would　not　commend　what　she　regarded　as　ingenuity　misspent；　and
tasteless；　because　senseless；　luxury。

〃This　handkerchief　cost　ONE　HUNDRED　DOLLARS；　Clara；〃　said
Eudosia；　deliberately　and　with　emphasis；　imitating；　as　near　as　possible；
the　tone　of　Bobbinet　&　Co。

〃Is　it　possible；　Eudosia！　What　a　sum　to　pay　for　so　useless　a　thing！〃

〃Useless！　Do　you　call　a　pocket…handkerchief　useless？〃

〃Quite　so；　when　it　is　made　in　a　way　to　render　it　out　of　the　question　to
put　it　to　the　uses　for　which　it　was　designed。　I　should　as　soon　think　of
trimming　gum　shoes　with　satin；　as　to　trim　a　handkerchief　in　that　style。〃

〃Style？　Yes；　I　flatter　myself　it　IS　style　to　have　a　handkerchief　that　cost　a
hundred　dollars。　Why；　Clara　Caverly；　the　highest　priced　thing　of　this
sort　that　was　ever　before　sold　in　New　York　only　came　to　seventy…nine
dollars。　Mine　is　superior　to　all；　by　twenty…one　dollars！〃

Clara　Caverly　sighed。　It　was　not　with　regret；　or　envy；　or　any　unworthy
feeling；　however；　it　was　a　fair；　honest；　moral　sigh；　that　had　its　birth　in　the
thought　of　how　much　good　a　hundred　dollars　might　have　done；　properly
applied。　It　was　under　the　influence　of　this　feeling；　too；　that　she　said；
somewhat　inopportunely　it　must　be　confessed；　though　quite　innocently

〃Well；　Eudosia；　I　am　glad　you　can　afford　such　a　luxury；　at　all　events。
Now　is　a　good　time　to　get　your　subscription　to　the　Widows'　and
Orphans'　Society。　Mrs。　Thoughtful　has　desired　me　to　ask　for　it　half　a
dozen　times；　I　dare　say　it　has　escaped　you　that　you　are　quite　a
twelvemonth　in　arrear。〃

〃NOW　a　good　time　to　ask　for　three　dollars！　What；　just　when　I've　paid
a　hundred　dollars　for　a　pocket…handkerchief？　That　was　not　said　with