autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第21节

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dress　is　as　well　made　and　proper　as　that　of　any　other　young　lady　in　the
rooms；　and　as　for　the　handkerchiefS；　I　could　see　envy　in　fifty　eyes；
when　their　owners　heard　the　price。〃

〃That　is　all；　dearthey　DID　envy　you；　and　no　wonder　they　stared
nothing　makes　people　stare　like　envy。　I　thought　this　handkerchief　would
make　a　commotion。　Oh！　I　used　to　stare　myself　when　envious。〃

〃Still　it　was　odd　that　Morgan　Morely　did　not　ask　me　to　dancehe
knows　how　fond　I　am　of　dancing；　and　for　the　credit　of　so　beautiful　a
handkerchief；　he　ought　to　have　been　more　than　usually　attentive　to…
night。〃

Mrs。　Halfacre　gaped；　and　declared　that　she　was　both　tired　and　sleepy；
which　put　an　end　to　conversation　until　the　carriage　reached　her　own
door。

Both　Mrs。　Halfacre　and　Eudosia　were　surprised　to　find　the　husband　and
father　still　up。　He　was　pacing　the　drawing…room；　by　the　light　of　a　single
tallow　candle；　obviously　in　great　mental　distress。

〃Bless　me！〃　exclaimed　the　wife〃YOU　up　at　this　hour？what　CAN
have　happened？　what　HAS　come　to　our　door？〃

〃Nothing　but　beggary；〃　answered　the　man；　smiling　with　a　bitterness
which　showed　he　felt　an　inhuman　joy；　at　that　fierce　moment；　in　making
others　as　miserable　as　himself。　〃Yes；　Mrs。　Henry　Halfacreyes；　Miss
Eudosia　Halfacre；　you　are　both　beggarsI　hope　that；　at　least；　will
satisfy　you。〃

〃You　mean；　Henry；　that　you　have　failed？〃　For　that　was　a　word　too
familiar　in　New　York　not　to　be　understood　even　by　the　ladies。　〃Tell　me
the　worst　at　onceis　it　true；　HAVE　you　failed？〃

〃It　IS　trueI　HAVE　failed。　My　notes　have　been　this　day　protested　for
ninety…five　thousand　dollars；　and　I　have　not　ninety…five　dollars　in　bank。
To…morrow；　twenty…three　thousand　more　will　fall　due；　and　this　month
will　bring　round　quite　a　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　more。　That
accursed　removal　of　the　deposits；　and　that　tiger；　Jackson；　have　done　it
all。〃

To　own　the　truth；　both　the　ladies　were　a　little　confounded。　They　wept；
and　for　some　few　minutes　there　was　a　dead　silence；　but　curiosity　soon
caused　them　both　to　ask　questions。

〃This　is　very　dreadful；　and　with　our　large　family！〃　commenced　the
mother〃and　so　the　general　has　it　all　to　answer　forwhy　did　you　let
him　give　so　many　notes　for　you？〃

〃Nonoit　is　not　thatI　gave　the　notes　myself；　but　he　removed　the
deposits；　I　tell　you。〃

〃It's　just　like　him；　the　old　wretch！　To　think　of　his　removing　your
deposits；　just　as　you　wanted　them　so　much　yourself！　But　why　did　the
clerks　at　the　bank　let　him　have　themthey　ought　to　have　known　that
you　had　all　this　money　to　pay；　and　people　cannot　well　pay　debts
without　money。〃

〃You　are　telling　that；　my　dear；　to　one　who　knows　it　by　experience。　That
is　the　very　reason　why　I　have　failed。　I　have　a　great　many　debts；　and　I
have　no　money。〃

〃But　you　have　hundreds　of　lotsgive　them　lots；　Henry；　and　that　will
settle　all　your　difficulties。　You　must　remember　how　all　our　friends　have
envied　us　our　lots。〃

〃Ay；　no　fear；　but　they'll　get　the　lots；　my　dearunless；　indeed；〃　added
the　speculator；　〃I　take　good　care　to　prevent　it。　Thank　God！　I'm　not　a
DECLARED　bankrupt。　I　can　yet　make　my　own　assignee。〃

〃Well；　then；　I　wouldn't　say　a　word　about　itdeclare　nothing；　and　let　'em
find　out　that　you　have　failed；　in　the　best　manner　they　can。　Why　tell
people　your　distresses；　so　that　they　may　pity　you。　I　hate　pity；　above　all
thingsand　especially　the　pity　of　my　own　friends。〃

〃Oh；　that　will　be　dreadful！〃　put　in　Eudosia。　〃For　Heaven's　sake；　Pa；
don't　let　any　body　pity　us。〃

〃Very　little　fear　of　that；　I　fancy；〃　muttered　the　father；　〃people　who　shoot
up　like　rockets；　in　two　or　three　years；　seldom　lay　the　foundations　of
much　pity　in　readiness　for　their　fall。〃

〃Well；　I　declare；　Dosie；　this　is　TOO　bad　in　the　old　general；　after　all。　I'm
sure　it　MUST　be　unconstitutional　for　a　president　to　remove　your　father's
deposits。　If　I　were　in　your　place；　Mr。　Halfacre；　I　wouldn't　fail　just　to
spite　them。　You　know　you　always　said　that　a　man　of　energy　can　do　any
thing　in　this　country；　and　I　have　heard　Mr。　Munny　say　that　he　didn't
know　a　man　of　greater　energy　than　yourself。〃

The　grin　with　which　the　ruined　speculator　turned　on　his　wife　was　nearly
sardonic。

〃Your　men　of　energy　are　the　very　fellows　TO　fail；〃　he　said；　〃however；
they　shall　find　if　I　have　had　extraordinary　energy　in　running　into　debt；
that　I　have　extraordinary　energy；　too；　in　getting　out　of　it。　Mrs。　Halfacre；
we　must　quit　this　house　this　very　week；　and　all　this　fine　furniture　must　be
brought　to　the　hammer。　I　mean　to　preserve　my　character；　at　least。〃

This　was　said　loftily；　and　with　the　most　approved　accents。

〃Surely　it　isn't　necessary　to　move　to　do　that；　my　dear！　Other　people　fail；
and　keep　their　houses；　and　furniture；　and　carriages；　and　such　other
things。　Let　us　not　make　ourselves　the　subjects　of　unpleasant　remarks。〃

〃I　intend　that　as　little　as　you　do　yourself。　We　must　quit　this　house　and
bring　the　furniture　under　the　hammer；　or　part　with　all　those　lots　you　so
much　esteem　and　prize。〃

〃Oh！　If　the　house　and　furniture　will　pay　the　notes　I'm　content；　especially
if　you　can　contrive　to　keep　the　lots。　Dosie　will　part　with　her
handkerchief；　too；　I　dare　say；　if　that　will　do　any　good。〃

〃By　George！　that　will　be　a　capital　ideayes；　the　handkerchief　must　be
sent　back　to…morrow　morning；　THAT　will　make　a　famous　talk。　I　only
bought　it　because　Munny　was　present；　and　I　wanted　to　get　fifty
thousand　dollars　out　of　him；　to　meet　this　crisis。　The　thing　didn't　succeed；
but；　no　matter；　the　handkerchief　will　tell　in　settling　up。　That
handkerchief；　Dosie；　may　be　made　to　cover　a　hundred　lots。〃

In　what　manner　I　was　to　open　so　much；　like　the　tent　of　the　Arabian
Nights；　was　a　profound　mystery　to　me　then；　as　well　as　it　was　to　the
ladies；　but　the　handsome　Eudosia　placed　me　in　her　father's　hand　with　a
frank　liberality　that　proved　she　was　not　altogether　without　good
qualities。　As　I　afterwards　discovered；　indeed；　these　two　females　had
most　of　the　excellences　of　a　devoted　wife　and　daughter；　their　frivolities
being　the　result　of　vicious　educations　or　of　no　educations　at　all；　rather
than　of　depraved　hearts。　When　Mr。　Halfacre　went　into　liquidation；　as　it
is　called；　and　compromised　with　his　creditors；　reserving　to　himself　a
pretty　little　capital　of　some　eighty　or　a　hundred　thousand　dollars；　by
means　of　judicious　payments　to　confidential　creditors；　his　wife　and
daughter　saw　all　THEY　most　prized　taken　away；　and　the　town　was
filled　with　the　magnitude　of　their　sacrifices；　and　with　the　handsome
manner　in　which　both　submitted　to　make　them。　By　this　ingenious　device；
the　insolvent　not　only　preserved　his　character；　by　no　means　an　unusual
circumstance　in　New　York；　however；　but　he　preserved　about　half　of　his
bona　fide　estate　also；　his　creditors；　as　was　customary；　doing　the
PAYING。

It　is　unnecessary　to　dwell　on　the　remainder　of　this　dialogue；　my　own
adventures　so　soon　carrying　me　into　an　entirely　different　sphere。　The
following　morning；　however；　as　soon　as　he　had　breakfasted；　Mr。
Halfacre　put　me　in　his　pocket；　and　walked　down　street；　with　the　port　of
an　afflicted　and　stricken；　but　thoroughly　honest　man。　When　he　reached
the　shop…door　of　Bobbinet　&　Co。；　he　walked　boldly　in；　and　laid　me　on
the　counter　with　a　flourish　so　meek；　that　even　the　clerks；　a　very　matter…
of…fact　caste　in　general；　afterwards　commented　on　it。

〃Circumstances　of　an　unpleasant　nature；　on　which　I　presume　it　is
unnecessary　to　dwell；　compel　me　to　offer　you　this　handkerchief；　back
again；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　raising　his　hand　to　his　eyes　in　a　very　affecting
manner。　〃As　a　bargain　is　a　bargain；　I　feel　great　reluctance　to　disturb　its
sacred　obligations；　but　I　CANNOT　suffer　a　child　of　mine　to　retain　such
a　luxury；　while　a　single　individual　can　justly　say　that　I　owe　him　a　dollar。〃

〃What　fine　sentiments！〃　said　Silky；　who　was　lounging　in　a　corner　of　the
shop〃wonderful　sentiments；　and　such　as　becomes　a　man　of　honesty。〃

Those　around　the　colonel　approved　of　his　opinion；　and　Mr。　Halfacre
raised　his　head　like　one　who　was　not　afraid　to　look　his　creditors　in　the
face。

〃I　approve　of　your　motives；　Mr。　Halfacre；〃　returned　Bobbinet；　〃but　you
know　the　character　of　the　times；　and　the　dearness　of　rents。　That　article
has　been　seen　in　private　hands；　doubtless；　and　can　no　longer　be
considered　freshwe　shall　be　forced　to　make　a　considerable
abatement；　if　we　consent　to　comply。〃

〃Name　your　own　terms；　sir；　so　they　leave　me　a　single　dollar　for　my
creditors；　I　shall　be　happy。〃

〃Wonderful　sentiments！〃　repeated　the　colonel〃we　must　send　that　man
to　the　national　councils！〃

After　a　short　negotiation；　it　was　settled　that　Mr。　Halfacre　was　to　receive
50；　and　Bobbinet　&　Co。　were　to　replace　me　in　their　drawer。　The　next
morning　an　article　appeared　in　a　daily　paper　of　pre…eminent　honesty　and
truth；　and　talents；　in　the　following　words：

〃WORTHY　OF　IMITATION。A　distinguished　gentleman　of　this　city；
H　H；　Esquire；　having　been　compelled　to　SUSPEND；　in
consequence　of　the　late　robbery　of　the　Bank　of　the　United　States　by　the
cold…blooded　miscreant　whose　hoary　head　disgraces　the　White　House；
felt　himself　bound　to　return　an　article　of　dress；　purchased　as　recently　as
yesterday　by　his　lovely　daughter；　and　who；　in　every　respect；　was
entitled　t