the man between(夹在中间的人)-第13节
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say。 But I like your spirit and your way of bringing what is wrong straight
up to question。 You are a bit Yorkshire yet； whatever you think gets quick
to your tongue； and then out it comes。 Good girl； your heart is on your
lips。〃
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They talked the afternoon away on this subject； but Madam's last
words were not only advisory； they were in a great measure sympathetic。
〃Be straight with yourself； Ethel；〃 she said； 〃then Fred Mostyn can do as
he likes； you will be all right。〃
She accepted the counsel with a kiss； and then drove to the Holland
House for her father。 He was not waiting； as Ruth had supposed he would
be； but then she was five minutes too soon。 She sent up her card； and then
let her eyes fall upon a wretched beggar man who was trying to play a
violin； but was unable by reason of hunger and cold。 He looked as if he
was dying； and she was moved with a great pity； and longed for her father
to come and give some help。 While she was anxiously watching； a young
man was also struck with the suffering on the violinist's face。 He spoke a
few words to him； and taking the violin； drew from it such strains of
melody； that in a few moments a crowd had gathered within the hotel and
before it。 First there was silence； then a shout of delight； and when it
ceased the player's voice thrilled every heart to passionate patriotism； as
he sang with magnificent power and feeling
There is not a spot on this wide…peopled earth So dear to our
heart as the Land of our Birth； etc。
A tumult of hearty applause followed； and then he cried； 〃Gentlemen；
this old man fought for the land of our birth。 He is dying of hunger；〃 and
into the old man's hat he dropped a bill and then handed it round to
millionaire and workingman alike。 Ethel's purse was in her hand。 As he
passed along the curb at which her carriage stood； he looked at her eager
face； and with a smile held out the battered hat。 She； also smiling； dropped
her purse into it。 In a few moments the hat was nearly full； the old man
and the money were confided to the care of an hotel officer； the stream of
traffic and pleasure went on its usual way； and the musician disappeared。
All that evening the conversation turned constantly to this event。
Mostyn was sure he was a member of some operatic troupe。 〃Voices of
such rare compass and exceptional training were not to be found among
non…professional people；〃 he said； and Judge Rawdon was of his opinion。
〃His voice will haunt me for many days；〃 he said。 〃Those two lines；
for instance
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'Tis the home of our childhood； that beautiful spot Which
memory retains when all else is forgot。
The melody was wonderful。 I wish we could find out where he is
singing。 His voice； as I said； haunts my ear。〃
Ethel might have made the same remark； but she was silent。 She had
noticed the musician more closely than her father or Fred Mostyn； and
when Ruth Bayard asked her if his personality was interesting； she was
able to give a very clear description of the man。
〃I do not believe he is a professional singer； he is too young；〃 she
answered。 〃I should think he was about twenty…five years old； tall； slender；
and alert。 He was fashionably dressed； as if he had been； or was going； to
an afternoon reception。 Above all things； I should say he was a
gentleman。〃
Oh； why are our hearts so accessible to our eyes？ Only a smiling
glance had passed between Ethel and the Unknown； yet his image was
prisoned behind the bars of her eyelids。 On this day of days she had met
Love on the crowded street； and he had
〃But touched his lute wherein was audible The certain secret
thing he had to tell； Only their mirrored eyes met silently〃；
and a sweet trouble； a restless； pleasing curiosity； had filled her
consciousness。 Who was he？ Where had he gone to？ When should they
meet again？ Ah； she understood now how Emmeline Labiche had felt
constrained to seek her lover from the snows of Canada to the moss…veiled
oaks of Louisiana。
But her joyous； hopeful soul could not think of love and
disappointment at the same moment。 〃I have seen him； and I shall see him
again。 We met by appointment。 Destiny introduced us。 Neither of us will
forget； and somewhere； some day； I shall be waiting； and he will come。〃
Thus this daughter of sunshine and hope answered herself； and why
not？ All good things come to those who can wait in sweet tranquillity for
them； and seldom does Fortune fail to bring love and heart's…ease upon the
changeful stream of changeful days to those who trust her for them。
On the following morning； when the two girls entered the parlor； they
found the Judge smoking there。 He had already breakfasted； and looked
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over the three or four newspapers whose opinions he thought worthy of his
consideration。 They were lying in a state of confusion at his side； and
Ethel glanced at them curiously。
〃Did any of the papers speak of the singing before the Holland
House？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。 I think reporters must be ubiquitous。 All my papers had some
sort of a notice of the affair。〃
〃What do they say？〃
〃One gave the bare circumstances of the case； another indulged in
what was supposed to be humorous description； a third thought it might
have been the result of a bet or dare； a fourth was of the opinion that
conspiracy between the old beggar and the young man was not unlikely；
and credited the exhibition as a cleverly original way of obtaining money。
But all agreed in believing the singer to be a member of some opera
company now in the city。〃
Ethel was indignant。 〃It was neither ‘bet' nor ‘dare' nor ‘conspiracy；'〃
she said。 〃I saw the singer as he came walking rapidly down the avenue；
and he looked as happy and careless as a boy whistling on a country lane。
When his eyes fell on the old man he hesitated； just a moment； and then
spoke to him。 I am sure they were absolute strangers to each other。〃
〃But how can you be sure of a thing like that； Ethel？〃
〃I don't know ‘how；' Ruth； but all the same； I am sure。 And as for it
being a new way of begging； that is not correct。 Not many years ago； one
of the De Reszke brothers led a crippled soldier into a Paris cafe； and sang
the starving man into comfort in twenty minutes。〃
〃And the angelic Parepa Rosa did as much for a Mexican woman；
whom she found in the depths of sorrow and povertybrought her lifelong
comfort with a couple of her songs。 Is it not likely； then； that the gallant
knight of the Holland House is really a member of some opera company；
that he knew of these examples and followed them？〃
〃It is not unlikely； Ruth； yet I do not believe that is the explanation。〃
〃Well；〃 said the Judge； throwing his cigarette into the fire； 〃if the
singer had never heard of De Reszke and Parepa Rosa； we may suppose
him a gentleman of such culture as to be familiar with the exquisite Greek
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legend of Phoebus Apollothat story would be sufficient to inspire any
man with his voice。 Do you know it？〃
Both girls answered with an enthusiastic entreaty for its recital； and the
Judge went to the library and returned with a queer…looking little book；
bound in marbled paper。
〃It was my father's copy；〃 he said； 〃an Oxford edition。〃 And he turned
the leaves with loving carefulness until he came to the incident。 Then
being a fine reader； the words fell from his lips in a stately measure better
than music：
〃A
