the fortunes of oliver horn-第12节

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oud　as　she　was　of　his　genius　and　accomplishments；　and　sympathetic　　as　they　were　in　all　else　that　their　lives　touched　upon；　her　keen；　penetrating　mind　had　long　since　divined　　the　principal　fault　that　lay　at　the　bottom　of　her　husband's　genius。　She　saw　that　the　weak　point　in　his　make…up　was　not　his　inventive　quality；　but　his　inability　　to　realize　any　practical　results　from　his　inventions　　when　perfected。　She　saw；　too；　with　equal　certainty　how　rapidly　their　already　slender　means　were　being　daily　depleted　in　costly　experiments　many　of　which　were　abandoned　as　soon　as　tried；　and　she　knew　full　well　that　the　end　was　but　a　question　of　time。　Even　when　he　had　abandoned　the　law；　and　had　exchanged　his　office　near　the　Court…house　for　his　shop　in　the　back　yard；　and　had　given　his　library　to　his　young　students；　she　had　not　despaired；　she　still　had　faith　in　his　genius。

She　had　first　become　uneasy　when　the　new　steam　cut…off　had　failed　to　reimburse　him。　When　this　catastrophe　　was　followed　by　his　losing　every　dollar　of　his　interest　in　the　improved　cotton…gin；　because　of　his　generosity　to　a　brother　inventor；　her　uneasiness　had　become　the　keenest　anxiety。　And　now　here　was　this　new　motor；　in　which　he　seemed　more　absorbed　than　in　any　other　of　his　inventions。　This　was　to　plunge　them　into　still　greater　difficulties　and　jeopardize　even　the　farm。

Richard　had　not　been　disturbed　by　it　all。　Serene　and　hopeful　always；　the　money　question　had　counted　for　nothing　with　him。　His　compensation　lay　in　the　fact　that　his　theories　had　been　proved　true。　More…　over；　there　were；　he　knew；　other　inventions　ahead；　and　more　important　discoveries　to　be　made。　If　money　were　necessary；　these　new　inventions　would　supply　it。　Such　indifference　to　practical　questions　was　an　agony　to　one　of　her　temperament；　burdened　as　she　was　by　the　thought　of　their　increasing　daily　expenses；　the　magnitude　of　which　Richard　never　seemed　to　appreciate。

And　yet　until　to…night；　when　Richard　had　made　his　announcement　about　the　mortgage；　she　had　made　no　protest；　uttered　no　word　of　censure。　Neither　had　any　jar　or　discord　ever　disturbed　the　sweet　harmony　of　their　home…life。　And　she　had　only　behaved　as　any　other　wife　in　Kennedy　Square　would　have　done　in　like　circumstances。　Remonstrances　against　a　husband's　　business　methods　were　never　made　in　the　best　families。　In　his　own　house　Richard　was　master。　So　she　had　suffered　on　and　held　her　peace；　while　Richard　　walked　with　his　head　in　the　clouds；　unconscious　of　her　doubts。　The　situation　must　now　be　met；　and　she　determined　to　face　it　with　all　her　might。　〃The　farm　shall　not　be　sacrificed；　if　I　can　help　it；〃　she　kept　repeating　to　herself；　〃any　economy　is　better　than　that　disaster。〃

When　at　last　the　shock　of　the　news　of　the　threatened　　disaster　had　passed；　and　she　had　regained　her　customary　composure；　she　decided　to　act　at　once　and　at　head…quarters；　outside　of　Richard's　help　or　knowledge。　　She　would　send　for　Colonel　Clayton；　one　of　the　directors　of　the　bank；　in　the　morning；　and　see　what　could　be　done　to　postpone　for　a　time　the　bank's　action。　This　would　give　her　time　to　think　what　next　could　best　be　done　to　save　the　property。　This　settled　　in　her　mind；　she　gave　herself　up　to　the　more　important　and　pressing　need　of　the　momentthe　dissuading　of　Oliver　from　this　new　act　of　folly。

At　the　end　of　an　hour　she　was　still　sitting　by　the　drawing…room　window；　straining　her　eyes　across　the　Square；　noting　every　figure　that　passed　into　the　radiance　　of　the　moonlight；　her　mind　becoming　clearer　as　her　indomitable　will；　which　had　never　failed　her　in　domestic　crises；　began　to　assert　itself。

When　her　eye　fell　at　last　upon　her　son；　he　was　walking　with　swinging　gait　up　the　long　path　across　the　Square；　whistling　as　he　came；　his　straw　hat　tilted　on　one　side；　his　short　coat　flying　free。　He　had　taken　Sue　home；　and　the　two　had　sat　on　her　father's　steps　in　the　moonlight　long　after　the　other　boys　and　girls　had　scattered　to　their　homes。　The　Colonel　had　come　in　while　they　were　talking；　and　had　bade　them　good…　night　and　gone　up　to　bed。

Girl　as　she　was；　Sue　already　possessed　that　subtle　power　of　unconscious　coquetry　which　has　distinguished　　all　the　other　Sue　Claytons　of　all　the　other　Kennedy　Squares　the　South　over　since　the　days　of　Pocahontas。　She　had　kept　Oliver's　mind　away　from　the　subject　that　engrossed　him；　and　on　herself；　and　when；　at　last；　standing　between　the　big　columns　of　the　portico　she　had　waved　her　hand；　good…night；　and　had　gained　his　promise　to　stop　in　the　morning　on　his　way　to　the　office；　for　just　another　word；　she　felt　sure　that　his　every　thought　was　of　her。　Then　she　had　closed　the　big　front　doorshe　was　the　last　person　　in　the　house　awakeand　tripped　upstairs；　not　lighting　her　candle　until　she　had　peeped　through　her　shutters；　and　had　found　him　standing　on　the　other　side　of　the　street　looking　toward　the　house。　He　made　a　handsome　picture　of　a　lover；　as　he　stood　in　the　moonlight；　and　Sue　smiled　complacently　to　herself　at　the　delicate　attention　paid　her；　but　Oliver's　eyes；　the　scribe　is　ashamed　to　say；　were　not　fixed　on　the　particular　pair　of　green　blinds　that　concealed　this　adorable　young　lady；　certainly　not　with　any　desire　to　break　through　their　privacy。　One　of　the　unforgivable　sinsnay；　one　of　the　impossible　sinsabout　Kennedy　Square　would　have　been　to　have　recognized　a　lady　who　looked；　even　during　the　daytime；　out　from　a　bedroom　window：　much　less　at　night。　That　was　why　Sue　did　not　open　her　blinds。

Nor；　indeed；　was　Oliver　occupied　with　the　question　　of　Sue's　blinds　at　all。　He　had　for　the　moment　in　fact　completely　forgotten　the　existence　of　his　lady…　love。　He　was；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　studying　the　wonderful　effect　of　the　white　light　of　the　moon　flooding　with　its　radiance　the　columns　and　roof　of　the　Clayton　house；　the　dark　magnolias　silhouetted　against　the　flight　of　steps　and　the　indigo…blue　of　the　sky。　He　had　already　formulated　in　his　mind　the　palette　with　which　he　would　paint　it；　and　had　decided　that　the　magnolias　　were　blue…black　and　not　green；　and　the　steps　greenish…white。　He　had；　furthermore；　determined　to　make　an　outline　of　it　in　the　daylight；　and　talk　to　Mr。　Crocker　about　it。　Sue's　eyes；　which　but　a　moment　before　　had　so　charmed　him；　no　longer　lingered　in　his　memorynor　even　in　any　one　of　the　far　corners　of　his　head　and　heart。　It　was　only　when　her　light　flashed　up　that　he　awoke　to　the　realization　of　what　he　was　doing；　and　even　this　breach　of　good　manners　was　forgotten　by　him　in　his　delight　over　the　effect　which　the　red　glow　of　the　candle　gave　to　the　whole　composition。

With　the　picture　clearly　stamped　upon　his　brain；　he　turned　and　stepped　quickly　across　the　Square；　and　in　another　moment　he　had　thrown　his　mother　a　kiss　through　the　window；　and　rushing　inside　had　caught　her　in　his　arms。

〃Poor　motherkinsand　you　all　alone；〃　he　cried。　〃Why；　I　thought　you　and　father　had　gone　to　bed　long　ago。〃

〃No；　sonI　was　waiting　for　you。〃　He　laid　his　fresh　young　face　against　hers；　insisting　that　she　must　go　to　bed　at　once；　helping　her　upstairs　awkwardly；　laughing　as　he　wenttelling　her　she　was　the　sweetest　　girl　he　ever　knew　and　his　best　sweetheartkissing　　her　pale　cheeks　as　they　climbed　the　steps　together　to　his　room。

She　had　determined；　as　she　sat　by　the　window；　to　talk　to　him　of　what　she　had　overheard　him　say　to　Sue；　and　of　her　anxiety　over　Richard's　revelations；　but　his　joyous　kiss　had　robbed　her　of　the　power。　She　would　wait　for　another　timeshe　said　to　herself　not　to…night；　when　he　was　so　happy。

〃Anybody　at　Sue's；　Ollie？〃　she　asked；　lighting　his　candle。

〃Only　the　boys　and　girlsTom　Pitts；　Charley　Bowman；　Nellie　Talbot；　and　one　or　two　others。　The　Colonel　came　in　just　before　I　left。〃

〃But　the　Colonel　will　be　home　to…morrow；　will　he　not？〃　she　asked；　quickly；　as　if　something　forgotten　　had　been　suddenly　remembered。

〃Yesthink　so〃　answered　Oliver；　taking　off　his　coat　and　hanging　it　over　the　chair〃because　he　was　just　up　from　Pongateague。　He　and　Major　Pitts　got　thirty…seven　woodcock　in　two　days。　Tom　wants　me　to　go　down　with　him　some　day　next　week。　〃

A　shade　of　anxiety　crossed　the　mother's　face。

〃What　did　you　tell　him；　son？〃　She　moved　a　chair　nearer　the　bureau　and　sat　down　to　watch　him　undress；　as　she　had　always　done　since　the　day　she　first　tucked　him　into　his　crib。

〃Oh；　I　said　I　would　ask　you。〃　He　was　loosening　his　cravat；　his　chin　thrown　up；　the　light　of　the　candle　　falling　over　his　well…knit　shoulders　and　chest　outlined　through　his　white　shirt。

〃Better　not　go；　Ollieyou've　been　away　so　much　lately。〃

〃Oh；　dearie；〃　he　protested；　in　a　tone　as　a　child　would　have　done；　〃what　does　a　day　or　two　matter？　Be　a　darling　old　mother　and　let　me　go。　Tom　has　a　gun　for　me；　and　Mr。　Talbot　is　going　to　lend　us　his　red　setter。　Tom's　sister　is　going；　too；　and　so　are　her　cousins。　Just　think；　now；　I　haven't　had　a　day　in　the　country　for　a　coon's　age。〃　His　arms　were　round　her　neck　now。　He　seemed　happier　over　the　excuse　to　caress　her　than　anxious　about　her　possible　refusal。

She　loosened　one　of　his　hands　and　laid　it　on　her　cheek。　

〃No　holidays；　son？　Why　you　had　two　last　week；　when　you　all　went　out　to　Stemmer's　Run；〃　she　said；　looking　up　into　his　face；　his　hand　still　in　hers。

〃Yes；　but　that　was　fishing！〃　he　laughed　as　he　waved　an　imaginary　rod　in　his　hands。

〃And　the　week　before；　w