the fortunes of oliver horn-第18节

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　had　given　his　account　of　the　morning　mishaps。　She　was　too　anxious　now　to　chide　him。　It　was　but　another　indication　of　his　temperament；　she　thoughta　fault　to　be　corrected　with　the　others　that　threatened　his　success　in　life。

Holding　fast　to　the　Colonel's　hand　she　drew　him　to　one　of　the　old　haircloth　sofas　and　told　him　the　whole　story。

〃Do　not　give　the　mortgage　a　thought；　my　dear　Sallie；〃　the　Colonel　said；　In　his　kindest　manner；　when　she　had　finished　speaking；　laying　his　hand　on　her　wrist。　〃My　only　regret　is　that　it　should　have　caused　you　a　moment's　uneasiness。　I　know　that　our　bank　has　lately　been　in　need　of　a　large　sum　of　money；　and　this　loan；　no　doubt；　was　called　in　by　the　board。　But　it　will　be　all　rightif　not　I　will　provide　for　it　myself。〃

〃NoI　do　not　want　that；　and　Richard；　if　he　knew；　would　not　be　willing　either。　Tell　me；　please；　how　this　money　is　loaned；〃　and　she　turned　and　looked　earnestly　into　his　face。　〃What　papers　are　passed；　and　who　signs　them？　I　have　never　had　anything　to　do　with　such　matters；　and　you　must　explain　it　all　clearly。〃

〃A　note　signed　by　Richard　and　made　payable　on　a　certain　date　was　given　to　the　bank；　and　the　mortgage　　was　deposited　as　security。〃

〃And　if　the　note　is　not　paid？〃

〃Then　the　property　covered　by　the　mortgage　is　sold；　and　the　bank　deducts　its　loanany　balance；　of　course；　is　paid　over　to　Richard。〃

〃And　when　the　sale　is　put　offwhat　is　done　then？〃

〃A　new　note　is　given；〃　and　here　the　Colonel　stopped　as　if　in　doubt；　〃and　sometimes　a　second　name　is　placed　on　the　note　increasing　the　security。　But；　Sallie；　dear；　do　not　let　this　part　of　it　ever　again　cross　your　mind。　I　will　attend　to　it　should　it　become　necessary。　It　is　not　often；〃　and　the　Colonel　waved　his　hand　gallantly；　〃that　a　Clayton　can　do　a　Horn　a　service。〃

〃Thank　you；　dear　friend；　and　it　is　just　like　you　to　wish　to　do　it；　but　this　I　cannot　agree　to。　I　have　thought　of　another　way　since　you　have　been　talking　to　me。　Would　it〃　and　she　stopped　and　looked　down　on　the　floor；　〃would　it　be　of　any　use　if　I　signed　a　note　myself？　This　house　we　live　in　is　my　own；　as　you　know；　and　would　be　an　additional　security　to　the　bank　if　anything　should　happen。〃

The　offer　was　so　unusual　that　the　Colonel　caught　his　breath。　He　looked　at　her　in　astonishment；　but　her　eyes　never　wavered。　He　felt　instantly　that；　however　lightly　he　might　view　the　subject；　the　matter　was　intensely　　serious　with　her。　The　Colonel　half　rose　to　his　feet；　and　with　a　bow　that　in　Kennedy　Square　had　earned　for　him　the　title　of　〃the　Chesterfield　of　his　time；　sir；〃　placed　his　hand　on　his　heart。

〃My　dear　Sallie；〃　he　said；　〃not　a　member　of　the　board　could　refuse。　It　would　at　once　remove　any　obstacle　the　directors　might　have。〃

〃Thank　you；　then　we　will　leave　it　so；　and　I　will　have　the　papers　prepared　at　once。〃

〃And　is　this　Richard's　advice？〃　the　Colonel　ventured　　to　ask；　slowly　regaining　his　seat。　There　were　some　misgivings　still　lingering　in　his　Chesterfieldian　mind　as　to　whether　the　proudest　man　he　knew；　gentle　as　he　was；　would　not　forbid　the　whole　transaction。

〃No。　He　does　not　know　of　my　purpose；　and　you　will　please　not　tell　him。　He　only　knows　that　I　am　opposed　to　allowing　the　property　to　be　sold；　and　he　has　promised　me　that　he　will　take　no　steps　in　the　matter　without　my　consent。　All　I　want　you　to　do　now　is　to　tell　him　that　the　bank　has　decided　to　let　the　matter　stand。　This　obligation　hereafter　will　be　between　me　and　the　board；　and　I　will　pledge　myself　to　carry　it　out。　And　now；　one　thing　more　before　you　go；　and　I　ask　this　because　you　have　seen　him　grow　up　and　I　know　you　love　him。　What　shall　I　do　with　Oliver？〃

The　Colonel　again　caught　his　breath。　Gallant　gentleman　of　the　old　school；　as　he　was；　with　a　profound　respect　for　the　other　sex；　the　question　startled　him。　According　to　his　experience　and　traditions；　the　fathers　　generally　looked　after　the　welfare　of　the　sons　and　found　them　places　in　lifenot　the　mothers。

〃What　do　you　want　to　do　with　him？〃　he　asked；　quietly。

〃I　want　him　to　go　to　work。　I　am　afraid　this　life　here　will　ruin　him。〃

〃Why；　I　thought　he　was　studying　law　with　Ellicott。〃　　The　announcement　could　not　have　been　very　surprising　to　the　Colonel。　He　doubtless　knew　how　much　time　Oliver　spent　at　Judge　Ellicott's　office。

〃He　no　doubt　THINKS　he's　studying；　dear　friend；　but　he　really　spends　half　his　time　in　old　Mr。　Crocker's　studio；　who　puts　the　worst　possible　notions　into　his　head；　and　the　balance　of　his　time　he　is　with　your　Sue；〃　and　she　smiled　faintly。

〃For　which　you　can　hardly　blame　him；　dear　lady；〃　and　the　Colonel　bent　his　head　graciously。

〃No；　for　she　is　as　sweet　as　she　can　be；　and　you　know　I　love　her　dearly；　but　they　are　both　children；　and　will　be　for　some　years。　You　don't　want　to　support　　them；　do　you？　and　you　know　Richard　can't；〃　and　there　flashed　out　from　her　eyes　one　of　those　quizzical　glances　which　the　Colonel　remembered　so　well　in　her　girlhood。

The　Colonel　nodded　his　head；　but　he　did　not　commit　　himself。　He　had　never　for　a　moment　imagined　that　Oliver's　love…affair　would　go　as　far　as　that；　and；　then　again；　he　knew　Sue。

〃What　do　you　suggest　doing　with　him？　I　will　help；　of　course；　in　any　way　I　can；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause；　during　which　Mrs。　Horn　sat　watching　every　expression　that　crossed　his　face。

〃I　don't　know。　I　have　not　fully　made　up　my　mind。　I　have　been　greatly　disturbed　over　Oliver。　He　seems　to　be　passing　through　one　of　those　dangerous　　crises　which　often　come　to　a　boy。　What　do　you　think　of　my　sending　him　to　New　York？〃

〃THE　NORTH；　Sallie！　Why；　you　wouldn't　send　Oliver　up　North；　would　you？〃

The　announcement　this　time　gave　the　Colonel　so　genuine　a　shock　that　it　sent　the　blood　tingling　to　his　cheeks。　Really；　the　idiosyncrasies　of　the　Horn　family　were　beyond　his　comprehension！　Evidently　　Richard's　vagaries　had　permeated　his　household。

〃I　do　not　like　the　influence　of　the　North　on　our　young　men；　my　dear　Madam。〃　The　Colonel　spoke　now　with　great　seriousness　and　with　some　formality；　and　without　any　of　the　Chesterfieldian　accompaniments　　of　tone　or　gesture。　〃If　he　were　my　boy；　I　should　keep　him　here。　He　is　young　and　light…　hearted；　I　know；　and　loves　pleasure；　but　that　will　all　come　out　of　him。　Let　him　stay　with　Ellicott；　he　will　bring　him　out　all　right。　There　is　a　brusqueness　and　a　want　of　refinement　among　most　Northern　men　that　have　always　grated　on　me。　You　can　see　it　any　day　in　Amos　Cobb。〃

As　he　spoke　a　slight　flush　overspread　his　listener's　face。　The　positiveness　of　his　tone；　she　thought；　carried　　with　it　a　certain　uncomplimentary　criticism　of　her　suggestion。　The　Colonel　saw　it；　and；　as　if　in　apology　and　to　prove　his　case；　added；　in　a　gentler　tone：　〃Only　this　afternoon　at　the　club　I　heard　Cobb　speaking　in　the　most　outrageous　manner　about　our　most　treasured　institutions。　It　is　not　his　fault　perhaps。　It　is　the　fault　of　his　breeding；　but　it　is　　unbearable　all　the　same。　Keep　Oliver　here。　He　has　a　most　engaging　and　lovable　nature；　is　as　clean　and　sweet　as　a　girl；　and　I　haven't　a　doubt　but　what　he　will　honor　both　you　and　his　blood。　Take　my　word　for　it；　and　keep　him　at　home。　He　is　young　yet；　barely　twenty…twothere　is　plenty　of　time　for　him。〃　And　the　Colonel　rose　from　the　sofa；　lifted　Mrs。　Horn's　fingers　to　his　lips　and　bowed　himself　out。

The　Colonel　only　told　the　truth；　as　he　saw　it。　In　his　day　and　generation　men　of　twenty…two　were　but　boys；　and　only　gray…beards　ruled　the　State　and　counting…house。　The　Senators　were　indeed　grave　and　reverend　seigniors；　and　the　merchants；　in　their　old…fashioned　dress…coats；　looked　more　like　　distinguished　diplomats　than　buyers　and　sellers　of　produce。　In　those　days；　too；　the　young　man　with　a　mustache　was　thought　presuming　and　dangerous；　and　the　bank　who　would　have　selected　a　cashier　under　forty　would　have　caused　a　run　on　its　funds　in　a　week　after　the　youth　had　been　appointed　to　his　position。

After　the　Colonel's　departure　Mrs。　Horn　sat　in　deep　thought。　The　critical　tones　of　his　voice　still　lingered　in　her　memory。　But　her　judgment　had　not　been　shaken　nor　was　her　mind　satisfied。　Oliver　still　troubled　her。　The　Colonel's　advice　might　be　right；　but　she　dared　not　rely　upon　it。

The　next　day　she　sent　for　Amos　Cobb：　Malachi　took　the　message　this　time；　not　Oliver。　Cobb　came　on　the　minute。　He　was　greatly　surprised　at　Mrs。　Horn's　note；　for　although　his　wife　was　an　intimate　friend　of　Mrs。　Horn's；　and　he　himself　would　have　been　welcome；　he　was　seldom　present　at　any　of　the　functions　of　the　house　and　could　not　be　considered　one　of　its　intimate　guests。　He　did　not　like　music；　he　said　to　his　wife；　when　urged　to　go；　and；　as　he　did　not　play　chess　or　drink　Madeira；　he　preferred　to　stay　at　home。

Malachi　relieved　Amos　of　his　hat；　and　conducted　him　into　Mrs。　Horn's　presence　with　rather　a　formal　bowquite　different　from　the　low　salaam　with　which　he　had　greeted　Colonel　Clayton。　〃Dat　bobobalish'…　nest；　Mister　Cobb；　jes'　gone　in　de　parlor；〃　he　said　to　Aunt　Hannah　when　he　regained　the　kitchen。　〃Looks　like　he　lived　on　parsimmons；　he　dat　sour。〃

Mrs。　Horn　received　her　visitor　cordially；　but　with　a　reserve　which　she　had　not　maintained　toward　the　Colonel；　for　Cobb　had　never　represented　to　her　anything　　but　a　money　standard　pure　and　simple。　It　was　only　when　the　Colonel　had　mentioned　his　name；　and　then　only　because　of　her　urgent　ne