lady baltimore-第7节

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providing　me　with　sandwiches　and　chocolate　that　my　knowledge　of　the　wedding　and　the　bride　and　groom　began　really　to　take　some　steps　forward。

It　was　not　I　who；　at　my　sequestered　lunch　at　the　Woman's　Exchange；　began　the　conversation　the　next　time。　That　confection；　〃Lady　Baltimore；〃　about　which　I　was　not　to　worry　myself；　had；　as　they　say；　〃broken　the　ice〃　between　the　girl　behind　the　counter　and　myself。

〃He　has　put　it　off！〃　This；　without　any　preliminaries；　was　her　direct　and　stimulating　news。

I　never　was　more　grateful　for　the　solitude　of　the　Exchange；　where　I　had；　before　this；　noted　and　blessed　an　absence　of　lunch　customers　as　prevailing　as　the　trade　winds；　the　people　I　saw　there　came　to　talk；　not　to　purchase。　Well；　I　was　certainly　henceforth　coming　for　both！

I　eagerly　plunged　in　with　the　obvious　question：

〃Indefinitely？〃

〃Oh；　no！　Only　Wednesday　week。〃

〃But　will　it　keep？〃

My　ignorance　diverted　her。　〃Lady　Baltimore？　Why；　the　idea！〃　And　she　laughed　at　me　from　the　immense　distance　that　the　South　is　from　the　North。

〃Then　he'll　have　to　pay　for　two？〃

〃Oh；　no！　I　wasn't　going　to　make　it　till　Tuesday。

〃I　didn't　suppose　that　kind　of　thing　would　keep；〃　I　muttered　rather　vaguely。

Her　young　spirits　bubbled　over。　〃Which　kind　of　thing？　The　weddingor　the　cake？〃

This　produced　a　moment　of　laughter　on　the　part　of　us　both；　we　giggled　joyously　together　amid　the　silence　and　wares　for　sale；　the　painted　cups；　the　embroidered　souvenirs；　the　new　food；　and　the　old　family　〃pieces。〃

So　this　delightful　girl　was　a　verbal　skirmisher！　Now　nothing　is　more　to　my　liking　than　the　verbal　skirmish；　and　therefore　I　began　one　immediately。　〃I　see　you　quite　know；〃　was　the　first　light　shot　that　I　hazarded。

Her　retort　to　this　was　merely　a　very　bland　and　inquiring　stare。

I　now　aimed　a　trifle　nearer　the　mark。　〃About　himherit！　Since　you　practically　live　in　the　Exchange；　how　can　you　exactly　help　yourself？〃

Her　laughter　came　back。　〃It's　all；　you　know；　so　much　later　than　1812。〃

〃Later！　Why；　a　lot　of　it　is　to　happen　yet！〃

She　leaned　over　the　counter。　〃Tell　me　what　you　know　about　it；〃　she　said　with　caressing　insinuation。

〃Oh；　wellbut　probably　they　mean　to　have　your　education　progress　chronologically。〃

〃I　think　I　can　pick　it　up　anywhere。　We　had　to　at　the　plantation。〃

It　was　from　my　table　in　the　distant　dim　back　of　the　room；　where　things　stood　lumpily　under　mosquito　netting；　that　I　told　her　my　history。　She　made　me　go　there　to　my　lunch。　She　seemed　to　desire　that　our　talk　over　the　counter　should　not　longer　continue。　And　so；　back　there；　over　my　chocolate　and　sandwiches；　I　brought　out　my　gleaned　and　arranged　knowledge　which　rang　out　across　the　distance；　comically；　like　a　lecture。　She；　at　her　counter；　now　and　then　busy　with　her　ledger；　received　it　with　the　attentive　solemnity　of　a　lecture。　The　ledger　might　have　been　notes　that　she　was　dutifully　and　improvingly　taking。　After　I　had　finished　she　wrote　on　for　a　little　while　in　silence。　The　curly　white　dog　rose　into　sight；　looked　amiably　and　vaguely　about；　stretched　himself；　and　sank　to　sleep　again　out　of　sight。

〃That's　all？〃　she　asked　abruptly。

〃So　far；〃　I　answered。

〃And　what　do　you　think　of　such　a　young　man？〃　she　inquired。

〃I　know　what　I　think　of　such　a　young　woman。〃

She　was　still　pensive。　〃Yes；　yes；　but　then　that　is　so　simple。〃

I　had　a　short　laugh。　〃Oh；　if　you　come　to　the　simplicity！〃

She　nodded；　seeming　to　be　doing　sums　with　her　pencil。

〃Men　are　always　simplewhen　they're　in　love。〃

I　assented。　〃And　womenyou'll　agree？are　always　simple　when　they're　not！〃

She　finished　her　sums。　〃Well；　I　think　he's　foolish！〃　she　frankly　stated。　〃Didn't　Aunt　Josephine　think　so；　too？〃

〃Aunt　Josephine？〃

〃Miss　Josephine　St。　Michaelmy　greet…auntthe　lady　who　embroidered。　She　brought　me　here　from　the　plantation。〃

〃No；　she　wouldn't　talk　about　it。　But　don't　you　think　it　is　your　turn　now？〃

〃I've　taken　my　turn！〃

〃Oh；　not　much。　To　say　you　think　he's　foolish　isn't　much。　You've　seen　him　since？〃

〃Seen　him？　Since　when？〃

〃Here。　Since　the　postponement。　I　take　it　he　came　himself　about　it。〃

〃Yes；　he　came。　You　don't　suppose　we　discussed　the　reasons；　do　you？〃

〃My　dear　young　lady；　I　suppose　nothing；　except　that　you　certainly　must　have　seen　how　he　looked　（he　can　blush；　you　know；　handsomely）；　and　that　you　may　have　some　knowledge　or　some　guess〃

〃Some　guess　why　it's　not　to　be　until　Wednesday　week？　Of　course　he　said　why。　Her　poor；　dear　father；　the　General；　isn't　very　well。〃

〃That；　indeed；　must　be　an　anxiety　for　Johnny；〃　I　remarked。

This　led　her　to　indulge　in　some　more　merriment。　〃But　he　does；〃　she　then　said；　〃seem　anxious　about　something。〃

〃Ah；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Then　you　admit　it；　too！〃

She　resorted　again　to　the　bland；　inquiring　stare。

〃What　he　won't　admit；〃　I　explained；　〃even　to　his　intimate　Aunt；　because　he's　so　honorable。〃

〃He　certainly　is　simple；〃　she　commented；　in　soft　and　pensive　tones。

〃Isn't　there　some　one；〃　I　asked；　〃who　couldnot　too　directly；　of　coursesuggest　that　to　him？〃

〃I　think　I　prefer　men　to　be　simple；〃　she　returned　somewhat　quickly。

〃Especially　when　they're　in　love；〃　I　reminded　her　somewhat　slowly。

〃Do　you　want　some　Lady　Baltimore　to…day？〃　she　inquired　in　the　official　Exchange　tone。

I　rose　obediently。　〃You're　quite　right；　I　should　have　gone　back　to　the　battle　of　Cowpens　long　ago；　and　I'll　just　say　thissince　you　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　himthat　if　he's　descended　from　that　John　Mayrant　who　fought　the　Serapes　under　Paul　Jones〃

〃He　is！〃　she　broke　in　eagerly。

〃Then　there's　not　a　name　in　South　Carolina　that　I'd　rather　have　for　my　own。〃

I　intended　that　thrust　to　strike　home；　but　she　turned　it　off　most　competently。　〃Oh；　you　mustn't　accept　us　because　of　our　ancestors。　That's　how　we've　been　accepting　ourselves；　and　only　look　where　we　are　in　the　race！〃

〃Ah！〃　I　said；　as　a　parting　attempt；　〃don't　pretend　you're　not　perfectly　satisfiedall　of　youas　to　where　you　are　in　the　race！〃

〃We　don't　pretend　anything！〃　she　flashed　back。



V：　The　Boy　of　the　Cake

One　is　unthankful；　I　suppose；　to　call　a　day　so　dreary　when　one　has　lunched　under　the　circumstances　that　I　have　attempted　to　indicate；　the　bright　spot　ought　to　shine　over　the　whole。　But　you　haven't　an　idea　what　a　nightmare　in　the　daytime　Cowpens　was　beginning　to　be。

I　had　thumbed　and　scanned　hundreds　of　ancient　pages；　some　of　them　manuscript；　I　had　sat　by　ancient　shelves　upon　hard　chairs；　I　had　sneezed　with　the　ancient　dust；　and　I　had　not　put　my　finger　upon　a　trace　of　the　right　Fanning。　I　should　have　given　it　up；　left　unexplored　the　territory　that　remained　staring　at　me　through　the　backs　of　unread　volumes；　had　it　not　been　for　my　Aunt　Carola。　To　her　I　owed　constancy　and　diligence；　and　so　I　kept　at　it；　and　the　hermit　hours　I　spent　at　Court　and　Chancel　streets　grew　worse　as　I　knew　better　what　rarely　good　company　was　ready　to　receive　me。　This　Kings　Port；　this　little　city　of　oblivion；　held；　shut　in　with　its　lavender　and　pressed…rose　memories；　a　handful　of　people　who　were　like　that　great　society　of　the　world；　the　high　society　of　distinguished　men　and　women　who　exist　no　more；　but　who　touched　history　with　a　light　hand；　and　left　their　mark　upon　it　in　a　host　of　memoirs　and　letters　that　we　read　to…day　with　a　starved　and　home…sick　longing　in　the　midst　of　our　sullen　welter　of　democracy。　With　its　silent　houses　and　gardens；　its　silent　streets；　its　silent　vistas　of　the　blue　water　in　the　sunshine；　this　beautiful；　sad　place　was　winning　my　heart　and　making　it　ache。　Nowhere　else　in　America　such　charm；　such　character；　such　true　elegance　as　here　and　nowhere　else　such　an　overwhelming　sense　of　finality！the　doom　of　a　civilization　founded　upon　a　crime。　And　yet；　how　much　has　the　ballot　done　for　that　race？　Or；　at　least；　how　much　has　the　ballot　done　for　the　majority　of　that　race？　And　what　way　was　it　to　meet　this　problem　with　the　sudden　sweeping　folly　of　the　Fifteenth　Amendment？　To　fling　the　〃door　of　hope〃　wide　open　before　those　within　had　learned　the　first　steps　of　how　to　walk　sagely　through　it！　Ah；　if　it　comes　to　blame；　who　goes　scatheless　in　this　heritage　of　error？　I　could　have　shaped　（we　all　could；　you　know）　a　better　scheme　for　the　universe；　a　plan　where　we　should　not　flourish　at　each　other's　expense；　where　the　lion　should　be　lying　down　with　the　lamb　now；　where　good　and　evil　should　not　be　husband　and　wife；　indissolubly　married　by　a　law　of　creation。

With　such　highly　novel　thoughts　as　these　I　descended　the　steps　from　my　researches　at　the　corner　of　Court　and　Chancel　streets　an　hour　earlier　than　my　custom；　becausewell；　I　couldn't；　that　day；　stand　Cowpens　for　another　minute。　Up　at　the　corner　of　Court　and　Worship　the　people　were　going　decently　into　church；　it　was　a　sweet；　gentle　late　Friday　in　Lent。　I　had　intended　keeping　out…of…doors；　to　smell　the　roses　in　the　gardens；　to　bask　in　the　soft　remnant　of　sunshine；　to　loiter　and　peep　in　through　the　Kings　Port　garden　gates；　up　the　silent　walks　to　the　silent　verandas。　But　the　slow　stream　of　people　took　me；　instead；　into　church　with　the　deeply　veiled　ladies　of　Kings　Port；　hushed　in　their　perpetual　mourning　for　not　only；　I　think；　those　husbands　and　brothers　and　sons　whom　the　war　had　turned　to　dust　forty　years　ago；　but　also　for　the　Cause；　the　lost　Cause；　that　die