lady baltimore-第31节

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〃Few　brothers　or　husbands　would　blame　you；〃　I　returned。　〃It　would　be　hard　to　wait　for　the　law。　But　let　no　community　which　treats　it　as　a　public　spectacle　presume　to　call　itself　civilized。〃

He　gave　a　perplexed　smile；　shaking　his　head　over　it。　〃Sometimes　I　think　civilization　costs〃

〃Civilization　costs　all　you've　got！〃　I　cried。

〃More　than　I've　got！〃　he　declared。　〃I'm　mortal　tired　of　civilization。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　What　male　creature　is　not？　And　neither　of　us　will　live　quite　long　enough　to　see　the　smash…up　of　our　own。〃

〃Aren't　you　sometimes　inconsistent？〃　he　inquired；　laughing。

〃I　hope　so；〃　I　returned。　〃Consistency　is　a　form　of　death。　The　dead　are　the　only　perfectly　consistent　people。〃

〃And　sometimes　you　sound　like　a　Socialist；〃　he　pursued；　still　laughing。

〃Never！〃　I　shouted。　〃Don't　class　me　with　those　untrained　puppies　of　thought。　And　you'll　generally　observe；〃　I　added；　〃that　the　more　nobly　a　Socialist　vaporizes　about　the　rights　of　humanity；　the　more　wives　and　children　he　has　abandoned　penniless　along　the　trail　of　his　life。〃

He　was　livelier　than　ever　at　this。　〃What　date　have　you　fixed　for　the　smash…up　of　our　present　civilization？〃

〃Why　fix　dates？　Is　it　not　diversion　enough　to　watch；　and　step　handsomely　through　one's　own　part；　with　always　a　good　sleeve　to　laugh　in？〃

Pensiveness　returned　upon　him。　〃I　shall　be　able　to　step　through　my　own　part；　I　think。〃　He　paused；　and　I　was　wondering　secretly；　〃Does　that　include　the　wedding？〃　when　he　continued：　〃What's　there　to　laugh　at？〃

〃Why；　our　imperishable　selves！　For　instance：　we　swear　by　universal　suffrage。　Well；　sows'　ears　are　an　invaluable　thing　in　their　place；　on　the　head　of　the　animal；　but　send　them　to　make　your　laws；　and　what　happens？　Bribery；　naturally。　The　silk　purse　buys　the　sow's　ear。　We　swear　by　Christianity；　but　dishonesty　is　our　present　religion。　That　little　phrase　'In　God　We　Trust'　is　about　as　true　as　the　silver　dollar　it's　stamped　on　worth　some　thirty…nine　cents。　We　get　awfully　serious　about　whether　or　no　good　can　come　of　evil；　when　every　sky…scraping　thief　of　finance　is　helping　hospitals　with　one　hand　while　the　other's　in　my　pocket；　and　good　and　evil　attend　each　other；　lead　to　each　other；　are　such　Siamese　twins　that　if　separated　they　would　both　die。　We　make　phrases　about　peace；　pity；　and　brotherhood；　while　every　nation　stands　prepared　for　shipwreck　and　for　the　sinking　plank　to　which　two　are　clinging　and　the　stronger　pushes　the　weaker　into　the　flood　and　thus　floats　safe。　Why；　the　old　apple　of　wisdom；　which　Adam　and　Eve　swallowed　and　thus　lost　their　innocence；　was　a　gentle　nursery　drug　compared　with　the　new　apple　of　competition；　which；　as　soon　as　chewed；　instantly　transforms　the　heart　into　a　second　brain。　But　why　worry；　when　nothing　is　final？　Haven't　you　and　I；　for　instance；　lamented　the　present　rottenness　of　smart　society？　Why；　when　kings　by　the　name　of　George　sat　on　the　throne　of　England；　society　was　just　as　drunken；　just　as　dissolute！　Then　a　decent　queen　came；　and　society　behaved　itself；　and　now；　here　we　come　round　again　to　the　Georges；　only　with　the　name　changed！　There's　nothing　final。　So；　when　things　are　as　you　don't　like　them；　remember　that　and　bear　them；　and　when　they're　as　you　do　like　them；　remember　it　and　make　the　most　of　themand　keep　a　good　sleeve　handy！〃

〃Have　you　got　any　creed　at　all？〃　he　demanded。

〃Certanly；　but　I　don't　live　up　to　it。〃

〃That's　not　expected。　May　I　ask　what　it　is？〃

〃It's　in　Latin。〃

〃Well；　I　can　probably　bear　it。　Aunt　Eliza　had　a　classical　tutor　for　me。〃

I　always　relish　a　chance　to　recite　my　favorite　poet；　and　I　began　accordingly：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Laetus　in　praesens　animus　quod　ultra　est　　　　　　　　　　　Oderit　curare　et〃

〃I　know　that　one！〃　he　exclaimed；　interrupting　me。　〃The　tutor　made　me　put　it　into　English　verse。　I　had　the　severest　sort　of　a　time。　I　ran　away　from　it　twice　to　a　deer…hunt。〃　And　he；　in　his　turn；　recited：

　　　　　　　　　　〃Who　hails　each　present　hour　with　zest　　　　　　　　　　　Hates　fretting　what　may　be　the　rest；　　　　　　　　　　　Makes　bitter　sweet　with　lazy　jest；　　　　　　　　　　　Naught　is　in　every　portion　blest。〃

I　complimented　him；　in　spite　of　my　slight　annoyance　at　being　deprived　by　him　of　the　chance　to　declaim　Latin　poetry；　which　is　an　exercise　that　I　approve　and　enjoy；　but　of　course；　to　go　on　with　it；　after　he　had　intervened　with　his　translation；　would　have　been　flat。

〃You　have　written　good　English；　and　very　close　to　the　Latin；　too；〃　I　told　him；　〃particularly　in　the　last　line。〃　And　I　picked　up　from　the　bridge　which　we　were　crossing；　an　oyster…shell；　and　sent　it　skimming　over　the　smooth　water　that　stretched　between　the　low　shores；　wide；　blue；　and　vacant。

〃I　suppose　you　wonder　why　we　call　this　the　'New　Bridge；'〃　he　remarked。

〃I　did　wonder　when　I　first　came；〃　I　replied。

He　smiled。　〃You're　getting　used　to　us！〃

This　long　structure　wore；　in　truth；　no　appearance　of　yesterday。　It　was　newer　than　the　〃New　Bridge〃　which　it　had　replaced　some　fifteen　years　ago；　and　which　for　forty　years　had　borne　the　same　title。　Spanning　the　broad　river　upon　a　legion　of　piles；　this　wooden　causeway　lies　low　against　the　face　of　the　water；　joining　the　town　with　a　serene　and　pensive　country　of　pines　and　live　oaks　and　level　opens；　where　glimpses　of　cabin　and　plantation　serve　to　increase　the　silence　and　the　soft；　mysterious　loneliness。　Into　this　the　road　from　the　bridge　goes　straight　and　among　the　purple　vagueness　gently　dissolves　away。

We　watched　a　slow；　deep…laden　boat　sliding　down　toward　the　draw；　across　which　we　made　our　way；　and　drew　near　the　further　end　of　the　bridge。　The　straight　avenue　of　the　road　in　front　of　us　took　my　eyes　down　its　quiet　vista；　until　they　were　fixed　suddenly　by　an　alien　object；　a　growing　dot；　accompanied　by　dust；　whence　came　the　small；　distorted　honks　of　an　automobile。　These　fat；　importunate　sounds　redoubled　as　the　machine　rushed　toward　the　bridge；　growing　up　to　its　full　staring；　brazen　dimensions。　Six　or　seven　figures　sat　in　it；　all　of　the　same　dusty；　shrouded　likeness；　their　big　glass　eyes　and　their　masked　mouths　suggesting　some　fabled；　unearthly　race；　a　family　of　replete　and　bilious　ogres；　so　that　as　they　flew　honking　by　us　I　called　out　to　John：

〃Behold　the　yellow　rich！〃　and　then　remembered　that　his　Hortense　probably　sat　among　them。

The　honks　redoubled；　and　we　turned　to　see　that　the　drawbridge　had　no　thought　of　waiting　for　them。　We　also　saw　a　bewildered　curly　white　dog　and　a　young　girl；　who　called　despairingly　to　him　as　he　disappeared　beneath　the　automobile。　The　engine　of　murder　could　not；　as　is　usual；　proceed　upon　its　way；　honking；　for　the　drawbridge　was　visibly　swinging　open　to　admit　the　passage　of　the　boat。　When　John　and　I　had　run　back　near　enough　to　become　ourselves　a　part　of　the　incident；　the　white　dog　lay　still　behind　the　stationary　automobile；　whose　passengers　were　craning　their　muffled　necks　and　glass　eyes　to　see　what　they　had　done；　while　one　of　their　number　had　got　out；　and　was　stooping　to　examine　if　the　machine　had　sustained　any　injuries。　The　young　girl；　with　a　face　of　anguish；　was　calling　the　dog's　name　as　she　hastened　toward　him；　and　her　voice　aroused　him：　he　lifted　his　head；　got　on　his　legs；　and　walked　over　to　her；　which　action　on　his　part　brought　from　the　automobile　a　penetrating　female　voice：

〃Well；　he's　in　better　luck　than　that　Savannah　dog！〃

But　General　was　not　in　luck。　He　lay　quietly　down　at　the　feet　of　his　mistress　and　we　soon　knew　that　life　had　passed　from　his　faithful　body。　The　first　stroke　of　grief；　dealt　her　in　such　cruel　and　sudden　form；　overbore　the　poor　girl's　pride　and　reserve；　she　made　no　attempt　to　remember　or　heed　surroundings；　but　kneeling　and　placing　her　arms　about　the　neck　of　her　dead　servant；　she　spoke　piteously　aloud：

〃And　I　raised　him；　I　raised　him　from　a　puppy！〃

The　female　voice；　at　this；　addressed　the　traveller　who　was　examining　the　automobile：　〃Charley；　a　five　or　a　ten　spot　is　what　her　feelings　need。〃

The　obedient　and　munificent　Charley　straightened　up　from　his　stooping　among　the　mechanical　entrails；　dexterously　produced　money；　and　advanced　with　the　selected　bill　held　out　politely　in　his　hand；　while　the　glass　eyes　and　the　masks　peered　down　at　the　performance。　Eliza　La　Heu　had　perceived　none　of　this；　for　she　was　intent　upon　General；　nor　had　John　Mayrant；　who　had　approached　her　with　the　purpose　of　coming　to　her　aid。　But　when　Charley；　quite　at　hand；　began　to　speak　words　which　were　instantly　obliterated　from　my　memory　by　what　happened；　the　young　girl　realized　his　intention　and　straightened　stiffly；　while　John；　with　the　rapidity　of　light；　snatched　the　extended　bill　from　Charley's　hand；　and　tearing　it　in　four　pieces；　threw　it　in　his　face。

A　foreign　voice　cackled　from　the　automobile：　〃Oh　la　la！　il　a　du　panache！〃

But　Charley　now　disclosed　himself　to　be　a　true　man　of　the　worldthe　financial　worldby　picking　the　pieces　out　of　the　mud；　and；　while　he　wiped　them　and　enclosed　them　in　his　handkerchief　and　with　perfect　dignity　returned　them　to　his　pocket；　he　remarked　simply；　with　a　shrug：　〃As　you　please。〃　His　accent　also　was　ever　so　little　foreignthat　New　York　downtown　foreign；　of　the　second　generation；　which　stamps　so；　many　of　our　bankers。

The　female　now　leaned　from　her　seat；　and　with　the　tone　of　setting　the　whole　thing　right；　explained　：　〃We　had　no　idea　it　was