the man between-第27节

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sn't　a　man　to　like　being　‘the　Squire's　brother。'　He　could　stand　alone。〃

〃Are　you　glad　you　came　to　America？〃

〃Never　sorry　a　minute　for　it。　Ten　years　in　New　York　is　worth　fifty　years　in　Monk…　Rawdon；　or　Rawdon　Court　either。〃

〃Squire　Percival　was　very　fond　of　me。　He　thought　I　resembled　you；　grandmother；　but　he　never　admitted　I　was　as　handsome　as　you　were。〃

〃Well；　Ethel　dear；　you　are　handsome　enough　for　the　kind　of　men　you'll　pick　up　in　this　generationmost　of　them　bald　at　thirty；　wearing　spectacles　at　twenty　or　earlier；　and　in　spite　of　the　fuss　they　make　about　athletics　breaking　all　to　nervous　bits　about　fifty。〃

〃Grandmother；　that　is　pure　slander。　I　know　some　very　fine　young　men；　handsome　and　athletic　both。〃

〃Beauty　is　a　matter　of　taste；　and　as　to　their　athletics；　they　can　run　a　mile　with　a　blacksmith；　but　when　the　thermometer　rises　to　eighty…five　degrees　it　knocks　them　all　to　pieces。　They　sit　fanning　themselves　like　schoolgirls；　and　call　for　juleps　and　ice…water。　I've　got　eyes　yet；　my　dear。　Squire　Percival　was　a　different　kind　of　man；　he　could　follow　the　hounds　all　day　and　dance　all　night。　The　hunt　had　not　a　rider　like　him；　he　balked　at　neither　hedge；　gate；　nor　water；　a　right　gallant；　courageous；　honorable；　affectionate　gentleman　as　ever　Yorkshire　bred；　and　she's　bred　lots　of　superfine　ones。　What　ever　made　him　get　into　such　a　mess　with　his　estate？　Your　grandfather　thought　him　as　straight　as　a　string　in　money　matters。〃

〃You　said　just　now　he　was　careless　and　extravagant。〃

〃Well；　I　did　him　wrong；　and　I'm　sorry　for　it。　How　did　he　manage　to　need　eighty　thousand　pounds？〃

〃It　is　rather　a　pitiful　story；　grandmother；　but　he　never　once　blamed　those　who　were　in　the　wrong。　His　son　for　many　years　had　been　the　real　manager　of　the　estate。　He　was　a　speculator；　his　grandsons　were　wild　and　extravagant。　They　began　to　borrow　money　ten　years　ago　and　had　to　go　on。〃

〃Whom　did　they　borrow　from？〃

〃Fred　Mostyn's　father。〃

〃The　devil！　Excuse　me；　Ethelbut　the　name　suits　and　may　stand。〃

〃The　dear　old　Squire　would　have　taken　the　fault　on　himself　if　he　could　have　done　so。　They　that　wronged　him　were　his　own；　and　they　were　dead。　He　never　spoke　of　them　but　with　affection。〃

〃Poor　Percival！　Your　father　told　me　he　was　now　out　of　Mostyn's　power；　he　said　you　had　saved　the　estate；　but　he　gave　me　no　particulars。　How　did　you　save　it？〃

〃Bought　it！〃

〃Nonsense！〃

〃House　and　lands　and　outlying　farms　and　timbereverything。〃

Then　a　rosy　color　overspread　Madam's　face；　her　eyes　sparkled；　she　rose　to　her　feet；　made　Ethel　a　sweeping　courtesy；　and　said：

〃My　respect　and　congratulations　to　Ethel；　Lady　of　Rawdon　Manor。〃

〃Dear　grandmother；　what　else　could　I　do？〃

〃You　did　right。〃

〃The　Squire　is　Lord　of　the　Manor　as　long　as　he　lives。　My　father　says　I　have　done　well　to　buy　it。　In　the　future；　if　I　do　not　wish　to　keep　it；　Nicholas　Rawdon　will　relieve　me　at　a　great　financial　advantage。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　let　Nicholas　Rawdon　buy　it　now？〃

〃He　would　have　wanted　prompt　possession。　The　Squire　would　have　had　to　leave　his　home。　It　would　have　broken　his　heart。〃

〃I　dare　say。　He　has　a　soft；　loving　heart。　That　isn't　always　a　blessing。　It　can　give　one　a　deal　of　suffering。　And　I　hear　you　have　all　been　making　idols　of　these　Tyrrel…Rawdons。　Fred　tells　me　they　are　as　vulgar　a　lot　as　can　be。〃

〃Fred　lies！　Excuse　me；　grandmotherbut　the　word　suits　and　may　stand。　Mr。　Nicholas　is　pompous；　and　walks　as　slowly　as　if　he　had　to　carry　the　weight　of　his　great　fortune；　but　his　manners　are　all　right；　and　his　wife　and　son　are　delightful。　She　is　handsome；　well　dressed；　and　so　good…hearted　that　her　pretty　county　idioms　are　really　charming。　John　Thomas　is　a　man　by　himselfnot　handsome；　but　running　over　with　good　temper；　and　exceedingly　clever　and　wide…awake。　Many　times　I　was　forced　to　tell　myself；　John　Thomas　would　make　an　ideal　Squire　of　Rawdon。〃

〃Why　don't　you　marry　him。〃

〃He　never　asked　me。〃

〃What　was　the　matter　with　the　men？〃

〃He　was　already　engaged　to　a　very　lovely　young　lady。〃

〃I　am　glad　she　is　a　lady。〃

〃She　is　also　very　clever。　She　has　been　to　college　and　taken　high　honors；　a　thing　I　have　not　done。〃

〃You　might　have　done　and　overdone　that　caper；　you　were　too　sensible　to　try　it。　Well；　I'm　glad　that　part　of　the　family　is　looking　up。　They　had　the　right　stuff　in　them；　and　it　is　a　good　thing　for　families　to　dwell　together　in　unity。　We　have　King　David's　word　for　that。　My　observation　leads　me　to　think　it　is　far　better　for　families　to　dwell　apart；　in　unity。　They　seldom　get　along　comfortably　together。〃

Then　Ethel　related　many　pleasant；　piquant　scenes　between　the　two　families　at　Monk…　Rawdon；　and　especially　that　one　in　which　the　room　of　the　first　Tyrrel　had　been　opened　and　his　likeness　restored　to　its　place　in　the　family　gallery。　It　touched　the　old　lady　to　tears；　and　she　murmured；　〃Poor　lad！　Poor　lad！　I　wonder　if　he　knows！　I　wonder　if　he　knows！〃

The　crucial　point　of　Ethel's　revelations　had　not　yet　been　revealed；　but　Madam　was　now　in　a　gentle　mood；　and　Ethel　took　the　opportunity　to　introduce　her　to　Tyrrel　Rawdon。　She　was　expecting　and　waiting　for　this　topic；　but　stubbornly　refused　to　give　Ethel　any　help　toward　bringing　it　forward。　At　last；　the　girl　felt　a　little　anger　at　her　pretended　indifference；　and　said；　〃I　suppose　Fred　Mostyn　told　you　about　Mr。　Tyrrel　Rawdon；　of　California？〃

〃Tyrrel　Rawdon；　of　California！　Pray；　who　may　he　be？〃

〃The　son　of　Colonel　Rawdon；　of　the　United　States　Army。〃

〃Oh；　to　be　sure！　Well；　what　of　him？〃

〃I　am　going　to　marry　him。〃

〃I　shall　see　about　that。〃

〃We　were　coming　here　together　to　see　you；　but　before　we　left　the　steamer　he　got　a　telegram　urging　him　to　go　at　once　to　his　father；　who　is　very　ill。〃

〃I　have　not　asked　him　to　come　and　see　me。　Perhaps　he　will　wait　till　I　do　so。〃

〃If　you　are　not　going　to　love　Tyrrel；　you　need　not　love　me。　I　won't　have　you　for　a　grandmother　any　longer。〃

〃I　did　without　you　sixty　years。　I　shall　not　live　another　twelve　months；　and　I　think　I　can　manage　to　do　without　you　for　a　granddaughter　any　longer。〃

〃You　cannot　do　without　me。　You　would　break　your　heart；　and　I　should　break　mine。〃　Whereupon　Ethel　began　to　cry　with　a　passion　that　quite　gratified　the　old　lady。　She　watched　her　a　few　moments；　and　then　said　gently：

〃There　now；　that　will　do。　When　he　comes　to　New　York　bring　him　to　see　me。　And　don't　name　the　man　in　the　meantime。　I　won't　talk　about　him　till　I've　seen　him。　It　isn't　fair　either　way。　Fred　didn't　like　him。〃

〃Fred　likes　no　one　but　Dora　Stanhope。〃

〃Eh！　What！　Is　that　nonsense　going　on　yet？〃

Then　Ethel　described　her　last　two　interviews　with　Dora。　She　did　this　with　scrupulous　fidelity；　making　no　suggestions　that　might　prejudice　the　case。　For　she　really　wanted　her　grandmother's　decision　in　order　to　frame　her　own　conduct　by　it。　Madam　was　not；　however；　in　a　hurry　to　give　it。

〃What　do　you　think？〃　she　asked　Ethel。

〃I　have　known　Dora　for　many　years；　she　has　always　told　me　everything。〃

〃But　nothing　about　Fred？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Nothing　to　tell；　perhaps？〃

〃Perhaps。〃

〃Where　does　her　excellent　husband　come　in？〃

〃She　says　he　is　very　kind　to　her　in　his　way。〃

〃And　his　way　is　to　drag　her　over　the　world　to　see　the　cathedrals　thereof；　and　to　vary　that　pleasure　with　inspecting　schools　and　reformatories　and　listening　to　great　preachers。　Upon　my　word；　I　feel　sorry　for　the　child！　And　I　know　all　about　such　excellent　people　as　the　Stanhopes。　I　used　to　go　to　what　they　call　‘a　pleasant　evening'　with　them。　We　sat　around　a　big　room　lit　with　wax　candles；　and　held　improving　conversation；　or　some　one　sang　one　or　two　of　Mrs。　Hemans'　songs；　like　‘Passing　Away'　or　‘He　Never　Smiled　Again。'　Perhaps　there　was　a　comic　recitation；　at　which　no　one　laughed；　and　finally　we　had　wine　and　hot　waterthey　called　it　‘port　negus'and　tongue　sandwiches　and　caraway　cakes。　My　dear　Ethel；　I　yawn　now　when　I　think　of　those　dreary　evenings。　What　must　Dora　have　felt；　right　out　of　the　maelstrom　of　New　York's　operas　and　theaters　and　dancing　parties？〃

〃Still；　Dora　ought　to　try　to　feel　some　interest　in　the　church　affairs。　She　says　she　does　not　care　a　hairpin　for　them；　and　Basil　feels　so　hurt。〃

〃I　dare　say　he　does；　poor　fellow！　He　thinks　St。　Jude's　Kindergarten　and　sewing　circles　and　missionary　societies　are　the　only　joys　in　the　world。　Right　enough　for　Basil；　but　how　about　Dora？〃

〃They　are　his　profession；　she　ought　to　feel　an　interest　in　them。〃

〃Come　now；　look　at　the　question　sensibly。　Did　Dora's　father　bring　his　‘deals'　and　stock…jobbery　home；　and　expect　Dora　and　her　mother　to　feel　an　interest　in　them？　Do　doctors　tell　their　wives　about　their　patients；　and　expect　them　to　pay　sympathizing　visits？　Does　your　father　expect　Ruth　and　yourself　to　listen　to　his　cases　and　arguments；　and　visit　his　poor　clients　or　make　underclothing　for　them？　Do　men；　in　general；　consider　it　a　wife's　place　to　interfere　in　their　profession　or　business？〃

〃Clergymen　are　different。〃

〃Not　at　all。　Preaching　and　philanthropy　is　their　business。　They　get　so　much　a　year　for　doing　it。　I　don't　believe　St。　Jude's　pays　Mrs。　Stanhope　a　red　cent。　There　now；　and　if　she　isn't　paid；　she's　right　not　to　work。　Amen　to　that！〃

〃Before　she　was　married　Dora　said　she　felt　a　great　interest　in　church　work。〃

〃I　dare　say　she　did。　M