the red cross girl-第20节

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doubt。　That；　later；　on　moving　to　New　York；　his　descendants　became
peace…loving　salesmen　did　not　affect　his　record。　To　enter　a
society　founded　on　heredity；　the　important　thing　is　first　to
catch　your　ancestor；　and　having　made　sure　of　him；　David　entered
the　Society　of　the　Sons　of　Washington　with　flying　colors。　He　was
not　unlike　the　man　who　had　been　speaking　prose　for　forty　years
without　knowing　it。　He　was　not　unlike　the　other　man　who　woke　to
find　himself　famous。　He　had　gone　to　bed　a　timid；　near…sighted；
underpaid　salesman　without　a　relative　in　the　world；　except　a
married　sister　in　Bordentown；　and　he　awoke　to　find　he　was　a
direct　descendant　of　〃Neck　or　Nothing〃　Greene；　a　revolutionary
hero；　a　friend　of　Washington；　a　man　whose　portrait　hung　in　the
State　House　at　Trenton。　David's　life　had　lacked　color。　The　day　he
carried　his　certificate　of　membership　to　the　big　jewelry　store
uptown　and　purchased　two　rosettes；　one　for　each　of　his　two　coats；
was　the　proudest　of　his　life。

The　other　men　in　the　Broadway　office　took　a　different　view。　As
Wyckoff；　one　of　Burdett's　flying　squadron　of　travelling　salesmen；
said；　〃All　grandfathers　look　alike　to　me；　whether　they're　great；
or　great…great…great。　Each　one　is　as　dead　as　the　other。　I'd
rather　have　a　live　cousin　who　could　loan　me　a　five；　or　slip　me　a
drink。　What　did　your　great…great　dad　ever　do　for　you？〃

〃Well；　for　one　thing；〃　said　David　stiffly；　〃he　fought　in　the　War
of　the　Revolution。　He　saved　us　from　the　shackles　of　monarchical
England；　he　made　it　possible　for　me　and　you　to　enjoy　the
liberties　of　a　free　republic。〃

〃Don't　try　to　tell　me　your　grandfather　did　all　that；〃　protested
Wyckoff；　〃because　I　know　better。　There　were　a　lot　of　others
helped。　I　read　about　it　in　a　book。〃

〃I　am　not　grudging　glory　to　others；〃　returned　David；　〃I　am　only
saying　I　am　proud　that　I　am　a　descendant　of　a　revolutionist。〃

Wyckoff　dived　into　his　inner　pocket　and　produced　a　leather
photograph　frame　that　folded　like　a　concertina。

〃I　don't　want　to　be　a　descendant；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　rather　be　an
ancestor。　Look　at　those。〃　Proudly　he　exhibited　photographs　of
Mrs。　Wyckoff　with　the　baby　and　of　three　other　little　Wyckoffs。
David　looked　with　envy　at　the　children。

〃When　I'm　married；〃　he　stammered；　and　at　the　words　he　blushed；　〃I
hope　to　be　an　ancestor。〃

〃If　you're　thinking　of　getting　married；〃　said　Wyckoff；　〃you'd
better　hope　for　a　raise　in　salary。〃

The　other　clerks　were　as　unsympathetic　as　Wyckoff。　At　first　when
David　showed　them　his　parchment　certificate；　and　his　silver　gilt
insignia　with　on　one　side　a　portrait　of　Washington；　and　on　the
other　a　Continental　soldier；　they　admitted　it　was　dead　swell。
They　even　envied　him；　not　the　grandfather；　but　the　fact　that
owing　to　that　distinguished　relative　David　was　constantly
receiving　beautifully　engraved　invitations　to　attend　the　monthly
meetings　of　the　society；　to　subscribe　to　a　fund　to　erect
monuments　on　battle…fields　to　mark　neglected　graves；　to　join　in
joyous　excursions　to　the　tomb　of　Washington　or　of　John　Paul
Jones；　to　inspect　West　Point；　Annapolis；　and　Bunker　Hill；　to　be
among　those　present　at　the　annual　〃banquet〃　at　Delmonico's。　In
order　that　when　he　opened　these　letters　he　might　have　an
audience；　he　had　given　the　society　his　office　address。

In　these　communications　he　was　always　addressed　as　〃Dear
Compatriot；〃　and　never　did　the　words　fail　to　give　him　a　thrill。
They　seemed　to　lift　him　out　of　Burdett's　salesrooms　and　Broadway；
and　place　him　next　to　things　uncommercial；　untainted；　high；　and
noble。　He　did　not　quite　know　what　an　aristocrat　was；　but　be
believed　being　a　compatriot　made　him　an　aristocrat。　When
customers　were　rude；　when　Mr。　John　or　Mr。　Robert　was　overbearing；
this　idea　enabled　David　to　rise　above　their　ill…temper；　and　he
would　smile　and　say　to　himself：　〃If　they　knew　the　meaning　of　the
blue　rosette　in　my　button…hole；　how　differently　they　would　treat
me！　How　easily　with　a　word　could　I　crush　them！〃

But　few　of　the　customers　recognized　the　significance　of　the
button。　They　thought　it　meant　that　David　belonged　to　the　Y。　M。　C。
A。　or　was　a　teetotaler。　David；　with　his　gentle　manners　and　pale；
ascetic　face；　was　liable　to　give　that　impression。

When　Wyckoff　mentioned　marriage；　the　reason　David　blushed　was
because；　although　no　one　in　the　office　suspected　it；　he　wished　to
marry　the　person　in　whom　the　office　took　the　greatest　pride。　This
was　Miss　Emily　Anthony；　one　of　Burdett　and　Sons'　youngest；　most
efficient；　and　prettiest　stenographers；　and　although　David　did
not　cut　as　dashing　a　figure　as　did　some　of　the　firm's　travelling
men；　Miss　Anthony　had　found　something　in　him　so　greatly　to　admire
that　she　had；　out　of　office　hours；　accepted　his　devotion；　his
theatre　tickets；　and　an　engagement　ring。　Indeed；　so　far　had
matters　progressed；　that　it　had　been　almost　decided　when　in　a　few
months　they　would　go　upon　their　vacations　they　also　would　go　upon
their　honeymoon。　And　then　a　cloud　had　come　between　them；　and　from
a　quarter　from　which　David　had　expected　only　sunshine。

The　trouble　befell　when　David　discovered　he　had　a　great…
great…grandfather。　With　that　fact　itself　Miss　Anthony　was　almost
as　pleased　as　was　David　himself；　but　while　he　was　content　to　bask
in　another's　glory；　Miss　Anthony　saw　in　his　inheritance　only　an
incentive　to　achieve　glory　for　himself。

From　a　hard…working　salesman　she　had　asked　but　little；　but　from
a　descendant　of　a　national　hero　she　expected　other　things。　She
was　a　determined　young　person；　and　for　David　she　was　an　ambitious
young　person。　She　found　she　was　dissatisfied。　She　found　she　was
disappointed。　The　great…great…grandfather　had　opened　up　a　new
horizonhad；　in　a　way；　raised　the　standard。　She　was　as　fond　of
David　as　always；　but　his　tales　of　past　wars　and　battles；　his
accounts　of　present　banquets　at　which　he　sat　shoulder　to　shoulder
with　men　of　whom　even　Burdett　and　Sons　spoke　with　awe；　touched
her　imagination。

〃You　shouldn't　be　content　to　just　wear　a　button；〃　she　urged。　〃If
you're　a　Son　of　Washington；　you　ought　to　act　like　one。〃

〃I　know　I'm　not　worthy　of　you；〃　David　sighed。

〃I　don't　mean　that；　and　you　know　I　don't；〃　Emily　replied
indignantly。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　me！　I　want　you　to　be
worthy　of　yourself；　of　your　grandpa　Hiram！〃

〃But　HOW？〃　complained　David。　〃What　chance　has　a　twenty…five
dollar　a　week　clerk〃

It　was　a　year　before　the　Spanish…American　War；　while　the　patriots
of　Cuba　were　fighting　the　mother　country　for　their　independence。

〃If　I　were　a　Son　of　the　Revolution；〃　said　Emily；　〃I'd　go　to　Cuba
and　help　free　it。〃

〃Don't　talk　nonsense；〃　cried　David。　〃If　I　did　that　I'd　lose　my
job；　and　we'd　never　be　able　to　marry。　Besides；　what's　Cuba　done
for　me？　All　I　know　about　Cuba　is；　I　once　smoked　a　Cuban　cigar　and
it　made　me　ill。〃

〃Did　Lafayette　talk　like　that？〃　demanded　Emily。　〃Did　he　ask　what
have　the　American　rebels　ever　done　for　me？〃

〃If　I　were　in　Lafayette's　class；〃　sighed　David；　〃I　wouldn't　be
selling　automatic　punches。〃

〃There's　your　trouble；〃　declared　Emily　〃You　lack　self…
confidence。　You're　too　humble；　you've　got　fighting　blood　and　you
ought　to　keep　saying　to　yourself；　'Blood　will　tell；'　and　the
first　thing　you　know；　it　WILL　tell！　You　might　begin　by　going　into
politics　in　your　ward。　Or；　you　could　join　the　militia。　That　takes
only　one　night　a　week；　and　then；　if　we　DID　go　to　war　with　Spain；
you'd　get　a　commission；　and　come　back　a　captain！〃

Emily's　eyes　were　beautiful　with　delight。　But　the　sight　gave
David　no　pleasure。　In　genuine　distress；　he　shook　his　head。

〃Emily；〃　he　said；　〃you're　going　to　be　awfully　disappointed　in
me。〃

Emily's　eyes　closed　as　though　they　shied　at　some　mental　picture。
But　when　she　opened　them　they　were　bright；　and　her　smile　was　kind
and　eager。

〃No；　I'm　not；〃　she　protested；　〃only　I　want　a　husband　with　a
career；　and　one　who'll　tell　me　to　keep　quiet　when　I　try　to　run　it
for　him。〃

〃I've　often　wished　you　would；〃　said　David。

〃Would　what？　Run　your　career　for　you？〃

〃No；　keep　quiet。　Only　it　didn't　seem　polite　to　tell　you　so。〃

〃Maybe　I'd　like　you　better；〃　said　Emily；　〃if　you　weren't　so
darned　polite。〃

A　week　later；　early　in　the　spring　of　1897；　the　unexpected
happened；　and　David　was　promoted　into　the　flying　squadron。　He　now
was　a　travelling　salesman；　with　a　rise　in　salary　and　a　commission
on　orders。　It　was　a　step　forward；　but　as　going　on　the　road　meant
absence　from　Emily；　David　was　not　elated。　Nor　did　it　satisfy
Emily。　It　was　not　money　she　wanted。　Her　ambition　for　David　could
not　be　silenced　with　a　raise　in　wages。　She　did　not　say　this；　but
David　knew　that　in　him　she　still　found　something　lacking；　and
when　they　said　good…by　they　both　were　ill　at　ease　and　completely
unhappy。　Formerly；　each　day　when　Emily　in　passing　David　in　the
office　said　good…morning；　she　used　to　add　the　number　of　the　days
that　still　separated　them　from　the　vacation　which　also　was　to　be
their　honeymoon。　But；　for　the　last　month　she　had　stopped　counting
the　daysat　least　she　did　not　count　them　aloud。

David　did　not　ask　her　why　this　was　so。　He　did　not　dare。　And；
sooner　than　learn　the　truth　that　she　had　decided　not　to　marry
him；　or　that　she　was　even　considering　not　marrying　him；　he　asked
no　questions；　but