elinor wyllys-2-第44节

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mon　parlance；　would　be　called　dumpy。　I　was　struck　with　the　fact　when　I　first　saw　him　in　the　street。　Now；　what　stronger　evidence　could　we　have？　A　slender　lad　of　seventeen　may　become　a　heavy；　corpulent　man　of　forty；　but　to　change　the　formation　of　hands；　fingers；　and　nails；　is　beyond　the　reach　of　even　Clapp's　cunning。　We　are　much　obliged　to　the　artist；　for　his　accuracy　in　representing　the　hands　of　the　boy　exactly　as　they　were。　This　testimony　I　look　upon　as　quite　conclusive。　As　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　G…；　whose　pupil　young　Stanley　was　for　several　years；　we　find　that　he　is　no　longer　living；　but　I　have　obtained　the　names　of　several　of　the　young's　man's　companions；　who　will　be　able　to　confirm　the　fact　of　his　dullness；　several　of　the　professors　at　the　University　are　also　living；　and　will　no　doubt　be　able　to　assist　us。　I　have　written　a　dozen　letters　on　these　points；　but　received　no　answers　as　yet。　So　far　so　good；　we　shall　succeed；　I　trust。　Mr。　Wyllys　bids　you　not　forget　to　find　out　if　Clapp　has　really　been　at　Greatwood；　as　we　suspected。　The　ladies　send　you　many　kind　and　encouraging　messages。　Josephine；　as　usual；　sympathizes　in　all　our　movements。　She　says：　'Give　Mr。　Hazlehurst　all　sorts　of　kind　greetings　from　me；　anything　you　please　short　of　my　love；　which　would　not　be　proper；　I　suppose。'　I　had　a　charming　row　on　the　river　last　evening；　with　the　ladies。　I　never　managed　a　law…suit　in　such　agreeable　quarters　before。

〃Faithfully　yours；

〃F。　E。〃



CHAPTER　XVII。　｛XL｝

〃What　say　you；　can　you　love　this　gentleman？〃　Romeo　and　Juliet。

｛William　Shakespeare；　〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃；　I。iii。79｝

JANE'S　strength　and　spirits　were　gradually　improving。　She　had　been　persuaded　to　take　a　daily　airing　and　had　consented　to　see　one　or　two　of　the　ladies　in　her　room。　Mr。　Wyllys　always　passed　half　an　hour　with　her；　every　afternoon；　and　at　length　she　came　down　stairs；　and　joined　the　family　in　the　drawing…room；　for　a　short　time　in　the　evening。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Robert　Hazlehurst；　who　came　from　Philadelphia　to　pass　a　day　or　two　with　her；　found　her　much　better　than　they　had　expected。

Charlie　Hubbard　returned　to　the　grey　cottage；　with　his　portfolio　full　of　sketches；　intending　to　pass　several　months　at　home；　in　finishing　his　pictures　of　Lake　George；　the　school…room　having　been　converted　into　a　painting…room　for　his　use。　Miss　Patsey's　little　flock　were　dispersed　for　a　time；　and　Charlie　was　even　in　hopes　of　persuading　his　mother　and　sister　to　accompany　him　to　New　York；　where　Mary　Hubbard；　the　youngest　sister；　was　now　engaged　in　giving　music　lessons。　He　felt　himself　quite　a　rich　man；　and　drew　up　a　plausible　plan　for　hiring　a　small　house　in　some　cheap　situation；　where　they　might　all　live　together；　but　Miss　Patsey　shook　her　head；　she　thought　they　could　not　afford　it。　Still；　it　was　delightful　to　her；　to　listen　to　plans　devised　by　Charlie's　warm　heart；　she　seemed　to　love　him　more　than　ever；　since　he　had　even　sacrificed　his　moustaches　to　his　mother's　prejudice　against　such　foreign　fashions。

〃Keep　your　money；　Charles；　we　can　make　out　very　well　in　the　old　cottage；　more　comfortably　than　we　have　ever　done　before。　You　will　want　all　you　can　make　one　of　these　days；　when　you　marry；〃　said　Miss　Patsey。

To　her　surprise；　Charlie　showed　some　emotion　at　this　allusion　to　his　marrying；　and　remained　perfectly　silent　for　an　instant；　instead　of　giving　the　playful　answer　that　his　sister　had　expected　to　hear。

Mrs。　Hubbard　then　observed；　that　she　should　not　wish　to　move；　she　hoped　to　end　her　life　in　the　old　grey　cottage。　They　had　lived　so　long　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Longbridge；　that　a　new　place　would　not　seem　like　home　to　Patsey　and　herself。　Charlie　must　come　to　see　them　as　often　as　he　could；　perhaps　he　would　be　able　to　spend　his　summers　there。

〃Well；　we　shall　see；　mother；　at　any　rate；　Mary　and　I　together；　we　shall　be　able　to　make　your　life　easy；　I　trust。〃

Mrs。　Hubbard　observed；　that　although　they　had　been　poor　for　the　last　seventeen　years；　yet　they　had　never　really　seemed　to　feel　the　weight　of　poverty；　they　had　met　with　so　much　kindness；　from　so　many　relations　and　friends。

〃But　kindness　from　our　own　children；　mother；　is　the　most　blessed　of　all；〃　said　Patsey。

Charlie　did　not　give　up　his　plan；　however；　but　he　forbore　to　press　it　for　the　present；　as　he　was　engaged　to　drive　his　sister；　Mrs。　Clapp；　to　her　own　house　at　Longbridge。　Hubbard　had　kept　aloof　from　his　brother…in…law　whenever　he　could；　since　the　Stanley　suit　had　been　commenced；　any　allusion　to　this　affair　was　painful　to　him；　he　had　never　respected　Mr。　Clapp；　and　now　strongly　suspected　him　of　unfair　dealing。　He　pitied　his　sister　Kate　from　the　bottom　of　his　heart；　but　it　seemed　pity　quite　thrown　away。　To　judge　from　her　conversation；　as　Charlie　was　driving　her　home；　she　had　implicit　confidence　in　her　husband；　if　she　had　at　first　doubted　the　identity　of　the　sailor；　she　had　never　for　a　second　supposed；　that　William　himself　was　not　firmly　convinced　of　it。　On　the　other　hand；　she　began　to　have　some　misgivings　as　to　the　character　and　integrity　of　Mr。　Wyllys；　whom　hitherto；　all　her　life　long；　she　had　been　used　to　consider　as　the　model　of　a　gentleman；　and　an　upright　man。　She　soon　got　up　quite　a　prejudice　against　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　as　for　Hazlehurst；　he　fell　very　low　indeed　in　her　estimation。

〃You　don't　know　what　trouble　poor　William　has　with　this　suit；〃　she　said　to　her　brother。　〃I　am　sometimes　afraid　it　will　make　him　sick。　It　does　seem　very　strange；　that　Mr。　Stanley's　executors　should　be　so　obstinate　in　refusing　to　acknowledge　his　son。　At　first　it　was　natural　they　should　hesitate；　I　mistrusted　this　sailor　at　first；　myself；　but　now　that　William　has　made　everything　so　clear；　they　cannot　have　any　excuse　for　their　conduct。〃

Charlie　whipped　the　flies　from　his　horse；　without　answering　this　remark。

〃I　hope　William　will　come　home　to…night。　He　and　Mr。　Stanley　have　gone　off　together；　to　get　possession　of　some　very　important　papers；　they　received　a　letter　offering　these　papers；　only　the　night　before　last；　and　William　says　they　will　establish　Mr。　Stanley's　claim；　beyond　the　possibility　of　a　denial。　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Mr。　Hazlehurst　will　feel　very　badly；　I　should　think；　when　they　find　that　after　all；　they　have　been　keeping　their　friend's　son　from　his　rights。〃

〃They　believe　they　are　doing　their　duty；〃　said　Charlie；　laconically。

〃It　seems　a　strange　view　of　duty；　to　act　as　they　do。〃

〃Strange　views　of　duty　are　very　common；〃　said　Charlie；　glad　to　take　refuge　in　generalities。

〃Common　sense　and　common　honesty　will　help　us　all　to　do　our　duty；〃　observed　Kate。

〃No　doubt；　but　both　are　more　uncommon　qualities　than　one　would　think；　among　rational　beings；〃　said　Charlie。

〃Well；　you　know；　Charles；　Patsey　used　to　tell　us　when　we　were　children；　that　a　plain；　honest　heart；　and　plain；　good　sense　were　the　best　things　in　the　world。〃

〃That　is　the　reason；　I　suppose；　why　we　love　our　sister　Patsey　so　much；　because　she　has　so　much　of　those　best　things　in　the　world；〃　said　Charlie；　warmly。　〃I　never　saw　a　woman　like　her；　for　downright；　plain　goodness。　The　older　I　grow；　the　better　I　know　her；　and　I　love　you；　Kate；　for　the　same　reasonyou　are　straightforward　and　honest；　too；〃　he　added；　smiling。

〃William　often　laughs　at　me；　though；　and　says　my　opinion　is　not　good　for　much；〃　said　the　sister；　shaking　her　head；　but　smiling　prettily　at　the　same　time。

〃I　am　sure　no　one　can　complain　of　your　actions；　Kate；　whatever　your　opinions　may　be；〃　replied　Charlie；　and　whatever　might　have　been　his　estimate　of　Clapp's　views；　he　forbore　to　utter　a　syllable　on　the　subject；　for　he　respected　the　wife's　affection；　and　knew　that　his　brother…in…law　had　at　least　one　good　qualityhe　was　kind　and　faithful　as　a　husband　and　father；　according　to　common…place　ideas　of　faithfulness　at　least；　for　he　would　any　day　risk　their　character　and　peace；　to　make　a　little　money。

The　conversation　of　the　young　people　soon　turned　upon　their　trifling；　foolish；　unfortunate　cousin；　Mrs。　Hilson；　and　this　was　a　subject；　upon　which　both　brother　and　sister　agreed　entirely。　Before　long；　they　drove　up　to　Mr。　Clapp's　door；　and　were　received　by　the　lawyer　himself；　who　had　just　returned　with　his　client；　this　latter　individual　was　also　seen　lounging　in　the　office。　Mr。　Clapp　professed　himself　entirely　satisfied　with　the　result　of　his　journey；　and　declared　that　they　were　now　quite　ready　for　Mr。　Hazlehurstsure　of　a　victory；　beyond　all　doubt。

The　time　had　not　been　lost　by　Harry　and　his　friends；　however；　they　too；　thought　themselves　ready　for　the　trial。　As　the　important　day　was　drawing　near；　Mr。　Ellsworth　was　obliged　to　leave　Wyllys…Roof；　he　had　done　all　he　could　at　Longbridge；　and　there　were　still　various　matters　to　be　looked　after　in　Philadelphia。　Mrs。　Creighton　accompanied　her　brother；　and　they　were　not　to　return　to　Wyllys…Roof　until　after　the　important　question　was　decided。　Hazlehurst　was　then　to　come　with　them；　whether　defeated　or　triumphant　could　not　yet　be　known。　Harry's　friends；　however；　were　generally　sanguine；　and　Mrs。　Creighton　was　full　of　sympathy；　and　in　excellent　spirits。

There　remained　another　affair；　which　must　also　be　finally　settled　in　a　few　weeks。　When　Mr。　Ellsworth　returned　to　Wyllys…Roof；　the　appointed　three　months　of　probation　would　have　expired；　and　he　would　either　remain　there　as　the　affianced