a mortal antipathy-第29节
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mystery； it is no wonder that the Interviewer fastened eagerly upon
this most tempting subject for an inventive and emotional
correspondent。
He had seen Paolo several times； and knew that he was Maurice's
confidential servant； but had never spoken to him。 So he said to
himself that he must make Paolo's acquaintance； to begin with。 In
the summer season many kinds of small traffic were always carried on
in Arrowhead Village。 Among the rest； the sellers of fruits
oranges； bananas； and others； according to the seasonsdid an active
business。 The Interviewer watched one of these fruit…sellers； and
saw that his hand…cart stopped opposite the house where； as he knew；
Maurice Kirkwood was living。 Presently Paolo came out of the door；
and began examining the contents of the hand…cart。 The Interviewer
saw his opportunity。 Here was an introduction to the man； and the
man must introduce him to the master。
He knew very well how to ingratiate himself with the man；there was
no difficulty about that。 He had learned his name； and that he was
an Italian whom Maurice had brought to this country with him。
〃Good morning； Mr。 Paul；〃 he said。 〃How do you like the look of
these oranges？〃
〃They pretty fair；〃 said Paolo： 〃no so good as them las' week； no
sweet as them was。〃
〃Why； how do you know without tasting them？〃 said the Interviewer。
〃I know by his look；I know by his smell；he no good yaller；he no
smell ripe；I know orange ever since my head no bigger than he is；〃
and Paolo laughed at his own comparison。
The Interviewer laughed louder than Paolo。
〃Good！〃 said he；〃first…rate！ Of course you know all about 'em。
Why can't you pick me out a couple of what you think are the best of
'em？ I shall be greatly obliged to you。 I have a sick friend； and I
want to get two nice sweet ones for him。〃
Paolo was pleased。 His skill and judgment were recognized。 He felt
grateful to the stranger； who had given him； an opportunity of
conferring a favor。 He selected two； after careful examination and
grave deliberation。 The Interviewer had sense and tact enough not to
offer him an orange； and so shift the balance of obligation。
〃How is Mr。 Kirkwood； to…day？〃 he asked。
〃Signor？ He very well。 He always well。 Why you ask？ Anybody tell
you he sick？〃
〃No； nobody said he was sick。 I have n't seen him going about for a
day or two； and I thought be might have something the matter with
him。 Is he in the house now？〃
〃No： he off riding。 He take long； long rides； sometime gone all day。
Sometime he go on lake； paddle； paddle in the morning； very； very
early；in night when the moon shine； sometime stay in house； and
read； and study； and write；he great scholar； Misser Kirkwood。〃
〃A good many books； has n't he？〃
〃He got whole shelfs full of books。 Great books； little books； old
books； new books； all sorts of books。 He great scholar； I tell you。〃
〃Has n't he some curiosities；old figures； old jewelry； old coins；
or things of that sort？〃
Paolo looked at the young man cautiously； almost suspiciously。
〃He don't keep no jewels nor no money in his chamber。 He got some
old things；old jugs； old brass figgers； old money； such as they
used to have in old times： she don't pass now。〃 Paolo's genders were
apt to be somewhat indiscriminately distributed。
A lucky thought struck the Interviewer。 〃I wonder if he would
examine some old coins of mine？〃 said he； in a modestly tentative
manner。
〃I think he like to see anything curious。 When he come home I ask
him。 Who will I tell him wants to ask him about old coin？〃
〃Tell him a gentleman visiting Arrowhead Village would like to call
and show him some old pieces of money； said to be Roman ones。〃
The Interviewer had just remembered that he had two or three old
battered bits of copper which he had picked up at a tollman's； where
they had been passed off for cents。 He had bought them as
curiosities。 One had the name of Gallienus upon it； tolerably
distinct；a common little Roman penny； but it would serve his
purpose of asking a question； as would two or three others with less
legible legends。 Paolo told him that if he came the next morning he
would stand a fair chance of seeing Mr。 Kirkwood。 At any rate； he
would speak to his master。
The Interviewer presented himself the next morning； after finishing
his breakfast and his cigar； feeling reasonably sure of finding Mr。
Kirkwood at home； as he proved to be。 He had told Paolo to show the
stranger up to his library；or study； as he modestly called it。
It was a pleasant room enough； with a lookout on the lake in one
direction； and the wooded hill in another。 The tenant had fitted it
up in scholarly fashion。 The books Paolo spoke of were conspicuous；
many of them； by their white vellum binding and tasteful gilding；
showing that probably they had been bound in Rome； or some other
Italian city。 With these were older volumes in their dark original
leather； and recent ones in cloth or paper。 As the Interviewer ran
his eye over them； he found that he could make very little out of
what their backs taught him。 Some of the paper…covered books； some
of the cloth…covered ones； had names which he knew； but those on the
backs of many of the others were strange to his eyes。 The classics
of Greek and Latin and Italian literature were there； and he saw
enough to feel convinced that he had better not attempt to display
his erudition in the company of this young scholar。
The first thing the Interviewer had to do was to account for his
visiting a person who had not asked to make his acquaintance； and who
was living as a recluse。 He took out his battered coppers； and
showed them to Maurice。
〃I understood that you were very skilful in antiquities； and had a
good many yourself。 So I took the liberty of calling upon you；
hoping that you could tell me something about some ancient coins I
have had for a good while。〃 So saying； he pointed to the copper with
the name of Gallienus。
〃Is this very rare and valuable？ I have heard that great prices have
been paid for some of these ancient coins；ever so many guineas；
sometimes。 I suppose this is as much as a thousand years old。〃
〃More than a thousand years old；〃 said Maurice。
〃And worth a great deal of money？〃 asked the Interviewer。
〃No； not a great deal of money；〃 answered Maurice。
〃How much； should you say？〃 said the Interviewer。
Maurice smiled。 〃A little more than the value of its weight in
copper；I am afraid not much more。 There are a good many of these
coins of Gallienus knocking about。 The peddlers and the shopkeepers
take such pieces occasionally； and sell them； sometimes for five or
ten cents； to young collectors。 No； it is not very precious in money
value； but as a relic any piece of money that was passed from hand to
hand a thousand or fifteen hundred years ago is interesting。 The
value of such relics is a good deal a matter of imagination。〃
〃And what do you say to these others？〃 asked the Interviewer。 Poor
old worn…out things they were； with a letter or two only； and some
faint trace of a figure on one or two of them。
〃Very interesting； always； if they carry your imagination back to the
times when you may suppose they were current。 Perhaps Horace tossed
one of them to a beggar。 Perhaps one of these was the coin that was
brought when One said to those about Him； 'Bring me a penny； that I
may see it。' But the market price is a different matter。 That
depends on the beauty and preservation； and above all the rarity； of
the specimen。 Here is a coin； now；〃he opened a small cabinet； and
took one from it。 〃Here is a Syracusan decadrachm with the head of
Persephone； which is at once rare； well preserved； and beautiful。 I
am afraid to tell what I paid for it。〃
The Interviewer was not an expert in numismatics。 He cared very
little more for an old coin than he did for an old button； but he had
thought his purchase at the tollman's might prove a good speculation。
No matter about the battered old pieces： he had found out； at any
rate； that Maurice must have money and could be extravagant； or what
he himself considered so； also that he was familiar with ancient
coins。 That would do for a beginning。
〃May I ask where you picked up the coin you are showing me？〃 he said
〃That is a question which provokes a negative answer。 One does not
'pick up' first…class coins or paintings； very often； in these times。
I bought this of a great dealer in Rome。〃
〃Lived in Rome once？〃 said the Interviewer。
〃For some years。 Perhaps you have been there yourself？〃
The Interviewer said he had never been there yet； but he hoped he
should go there； one of these years。 〃suppose you studied art and
antiquities while you were there？〃 he continued。
〃Everybody who goes to Rome must learn something of art and
