mother-第3节

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pensioner。　His　businesswere　he　generouswould　be　to　provide　cake　and

butter；　but　the　bread　was　to　be　mine　and　bread　was　still　a　long　way　off；

according　to　New　York　standards。　These　things　I　thought　over　while　she

was　in　Florida；　yet　when　once　I　should　I　find　myself　with　her　again；　I

began　to　fear　that　I　could　not　hold　myself　frombut　these　are

circumstances　which　universal　knowledge　renders　it　needless　to　mention；

and　I　will　pass　to　the　second　perturbation。〃



〃A　sum　of　money　was　suddenly　left　me。　Then　for　the　first　time　I　understood

why　I　had　during　my　boyhood　been　so　periodically　sent　to　see　a　cross　old

brother　of　my　mother's；　who　lived　near　Cold　Spring　on　the　Hudson；　and

whom　we　called　Uncle　Snaggletooth　when　no　one　could　hear　us。　Uncle

Godfrey　（for　I　have　called　him　by　his　right　name　ever　since）　died　and　left

me　what　in　those　old　days　six　years　ago　was　still　a　large　amount。　To…day

we　understand　what　true　riches　mean。　But　in　those　bygone　times　six　years

ago；　a　million　dollars　was　a　sum　considerable　enough　to　be　still　seen；　as

it　were；　with　the　naked　eye。　That　was　my　bequest　from　Uncle　Godfrey；　and

I　felt　myself　to　be　the　possessor　of　a　fortune。〃



At　this　point　in　Richard's　narrative；　a　sigh　escaped　from　Ethel。



〃I　know；〃　he　immediately　said；　〃that　money　is　always　welcome。　But　it　is

certainly　some　consolation　to　reflect　how　slight　a　loss　a　million　dollars

is　counted　to…day　in　New　York。　And　I　did　not　lose　all　of　it。〃



〃I　met　Ethel　at　the　train　on　her　return　from　Florida；　and　crossed　with

her　on　the　ferry　from　Jersey　City　to　Desbrosses　Street。　There　I　was

obliged　to　see　her　drive　away　in　the　carriage　with　her　father。〃



〃Mr。　Field；〃　said　Mrs。　Davenport；　〃what　hour　did　that　train　arrive　at

Jersey　City？〃



Richard　looked　surprised。　〃Why；　seven…fifteen　P。　M。；〃　he　replied。　〃The

tenth　of　March。〃



〃Dark！〃　Mrs。　Davenport　exclaimed。　〃Mr。　Field；　you　and　Ethel　were　engaged

before　the　ferry　boat　landed　at　Desbrosses　Street。〃



Richard　and　Ethel　both　sat　straight　up；　but　remained　speechless。



〃Pardon　my　interruption；〃　said　Mrs。　Davenport；　smiling。　〃I　didn't　want　to

miss　a　single　point　in　this　storydo　go　on！〃



Richard　was　obliged　to　burst　out　laughing；　in　which　Ethel；　after　a

moment；　followed　him；　though　perhaps　less　heartily。　And　as　he　continued；

his　blush　subsided。



〃With　my　Uncle　Godfrey's　legacy　I　was　no　longer　dependent　upon　my　salary；

or　my　pen；　or　my　father's　purse；　and　I　decided　that　with　the　money

properly　invested；　I　could　maintain　a　modest　establishment　of　my　own。

Ethel　agreed　with　me　entirely；　and；　after　a　little；　we　disclosed　our

plans　to　our　families；　and　they　met　with　approval。　This　was　in　April；　and

we　thought　of　October　or　November　for　the　wedding。　It　seemed　long　to

wait；　but　it　came　near　being　so　much　longer；　that　I　grow　chilly　now　to

think　of　it。〃



〃Of　course；　I　went　steadily　on　with　my　work　at　the　office　in　Nassau

Street；　nor　did　I　neglect　my　writing　entirely。　My　attention；　however；　was

now　turned　to　the　question　of　investing　my　fortune。　Just　round　the　corner

from　our　office　was　the　firm　of　Blake　and　Beverly；　Stocks　and　Bonds。

Thither　my　steps　began　frequently　to　turn。　Mr。　Beverly　had　business　which

brought　him　every　week　to　the　room　of　our　president；　and　so　having　a　sort

of　acquaintance　with　him；　I　felt　it　easier　to　consult　him　than　to　seek

any　other　among　the　brokers；　to　which　class　I　was　a　well　nigh　total

stranger。　He　very　kindly　consented　to　be　my　adviser。　I　was　well　pleased

to　find　how　much　I　had　underrated　the　interest…bearing　capacity　of　my

windfall。　'Four　per　cent！'　he　cried；　when　I　told　him　this　was　the　extent

of　my　expectations。　'Why；　you're　talking　like　a　trustee。'　And　then　seeing

that　his　meaning　was　beyond　me；　he　explained　in　his　bluff；　humorous

manner。　'All　a　trustee　cares　for　you　know；　is　his　reputation　for　safety。

It's　not　his　own　income　he's　nursing；　and　so　he　doesn't　care　how　small　he

makes　it；　provided　only　that　his　investments　would　be　always　called　safe。

Now　there　are　ways　of　being　safe　without　spending　any　trouble　or　time

upon　it；　and　those　are　the　ways　a　trustee　will　take。　For　example；'　and

here　he　arose　and　unhooking　a　file　of　current　quotations　from　the　wall；

placed　it　in　my　lap　as　I　sat　beside　him。　'now　here　are　Government　three's

selling　at　108　3…8。　They　are　as　safe　as　the　United　States；　and　if　I

advised　you　to　buy　them；　it　would　cost　me　no　thought；　and　my　character

for　safety　would　run　no　risk　of　a　blemish。　That　is　the　sort　of　bond　that

a　trustee　recommends。　But　see　what　income　it　gives　you。　Roughly　speaking；

about　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars。'〃



〃'That　would　not　do　at　all；'　said　I；　thinking　of　Ethel　and　October。〃



〃'Certainly　not　for　you；'　returned　Mr。　Beverly；　gaily。　If　you　were　a

timorous　old　maid；　now；　who　would　really　like　all　her　money　in　her

stocking　in　gold　pieces；　only　she's　ashamed　to　say　so！　But　a　young　fellow

like　you　with　no　responsibility；　no　wife；　and　butcher's　billit's　quite

another　thing！'〃



〃'Quite；'　said　I；　'oh；　quite！'〃



〃Richard；〃　interrupted　Ethel；　〃do　you　have　to　make　yourself　out　so

simple？〃



〃My　dear；　you　forget　that　I　said　I　should　invent　nothing；　but　should　keep

myself　to　actual　experiences。　The　part　of　my　story　that　is　coming　now　is

one　where　I　should　be　very　glad　to　draw　upon　my　imagination。〃



〃Mr。　Beverly　now　ran　his　finger　up　and　down　various　columns。　'Here

again；'　said　he；　'is　a　typical　trustee　bond；　and　nets　you　a　few　thousand

dollars　more　at　present　prices。　New　York　Central　and　Hudson　River　3

1…2's。　Or　here　are　West　Shore　4's　at　113　5…8。　But　you　see　it　scales　down

to　pretty　much　the　same　thing。　The　sort　of　bond　that　a　trustee　will　call

safe　does　not　bring　the　owner　more　than　about　three　and　one…half　per

cent。'〃



〃'Why；　there　are　some　six　per　cent　bonds！'　I　said；　and　I　pointed　them　out

to　him。〃



〃'Selling　at　137　7…8；　you　see；'　said　Mr。　Beverly。　'Deducting　the　tax；

there　you　are　scaled　down　again。'　He　pencilled　some　swift　calculations。

'There；'　said　he。　And　I　nearly　understood　them。　'Now　I'm　not　here　to　stop

your　buying　that　sort　of　petticoat　and　canary…bird　wafer；'　continued　Mr。

Beverly。　'It's　the　regular　trustee　move；　and　nobody　could　criticise　you

if　you　made　it。　It's　what　I　call　thoughtless　safety；　and　it　brings　you

about　3　1…2　per　cent；　as　I　have　already　shown　you。　Anybody　can　do　it。'〃

These　words　of　Mr。　Beverly　made　me　feel　that　I　did　not　want　to　do　what

anybody　could　do。　'There　is　another　kind　of　safety　which　I　call

thoughtful　safety；'　said　he。　'Thoughtful；　because　it　requires　you　to

investigate　properties　and　their　earnings；　and　generally　to　use　your

independent　judgment　after　a　good　deal　of　work。　And　all　this　a　trustee

greatly　dislikes。　It　rewards　you　with　five　and　even　six　per　cent；　but

that　is　no　stimulus　to　a　trustee。'〃



〃Something　in　me　had　leaped　when　Mr。　Beverly　mentioned　six　per　cent。

Again　I　thought　of　Ethel　and　October；　and　what　a　difference　it　would　be

to　begin　our　modest　housekeeping　on　sixty　instead　of　forty　thousand

dollars　a　year；　outside　of　what　I　was　earning。　Mr。　Beverly　now　rang　a

bell。　'You　happen　to　have　come；'　said　he；　'on　a　morning　when　I　can　really

do　something　for　you　out　of　the　common。　Bring　me　（it　was　a　clerk　he

addressed）　one　of　those　Petunia　circulars。　Now　here　you　can　see　at　a

glance　for　yourself。'　He　began　reading　the　prospectus　rapidly　aloud　to　me

while　I　followed　its　paragraphs　with　my　own　eye。　His　strong；

well…polished　thumb…nail　ran　heavily　but　speedily　down　the　columns　of

figures　and　such　words　as　gross　receipts；　increase　of　population；　sinking

fund；　redeemable　at　105　after　1920；　churned　vigorously　and　meaninglessly

through　my　brain。　But　I　was　not　going　to　let　him　know　that　to　understand

the　circular　I　should　have　to　take　it　away　quietly　to　my　desk　in　Nassau

Street；　and　spend　an　hour　with　it　alone。〃



〃'What　is　your　opinion　of　Petunia　Water　sixes？'　he　inquired。〃



〃'They　are　a　lead…pipe　cinch；'　I　immediately　answered；　and　he　slapped　me

on　the　knee。〃



〃'That's　what　I　think！'　he　cried。　'Anyhow；　I　have　taken　20；000　for

mother。　Do　what　you　like。'〃



〃'Oh　well；'　said　I；　delighted　at　this　confidence；　I　think　I　can　afford　to

risk　what　you　are　willing　to　risk　for　your　mother；　Mrs。　Beverly。　Where　is

Petunia；　did　you　say？'〃



〃He　pulled　down　a　roller　map　on　the　wall　as　you　draw　down　a　window…blind；

and　again　I　listened　to　statements　that　churned　in　my　brain。　Petunia　was

a　new　resort　on　the　sea　coast　of　New　Hampshire。　One　railway　system　did

already　connect　it　with　both　Portsmouth　and　Portland；　but　it　was　not　a

very　direct　connection　at　present。　Yet　in　spite　of　this；　the　population

had　increased　23　and　seven…tenths　per　cent　in　five　years；　and　now　an

electric　railway　was　in　construction　that　would　double　the　population　in

the　next　five　years。　This　was　less　than　what　had　happened　to　other

neighbouring　resorts　under　identical　conditions；　yet　with　things　as　they

now　were；　the