the fortunes of oliver horn-第24节
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ny mornings； black for rainy ones； green for pictures； red for household furniture； white for real estate； etc。 Into these color…schemes he stuck a variety of scarf…pinsnone very valuable or rare； but each one distincta miniature ivory skull； for instance； with little garnets for eyes； or tiny onyx dice with sixes on all sides。
The one man of all the others most beloved by Fred and every other boarder； guest； and habitue that gathered around the piano in this garret…room； and now conspicuous by his absence； he having gone to the circus opposite the Academy of Music； and not likely to return until latea fact greatly regretted by Fred who made this announcement with lowered voice to Oliverwas a young Irishman by the name of McFuddCornelius McFudd； the life of the house； and whom Waller； in accordance with the general custom； had christened 〃Continuous McFuddie；〃 by reason of the nature of the Hibernian's habits。 His room was across the open space opposite Fred's； with windows overlooking the yard。
This condensation of good…nature； wit； and good… humor； Fred went on to say； had been shipped to 〃The States〃 by his father； a rich manufacturer of Irish whiskies in Dublin； that he might learn something of the ways of the New World。 And there was not the slightest doubt in the minds of his comrades； so Fred assured Oliver； that he had not only won his diploma； but that the sum of his knowledge along several other lines far exceeded that of any one of his contemporaries。 His allowances came regularly every month； through the hands of Cockburn； who had known him in London； and whose bank cashed McFudd's remittancesa fact which enabled my lord to a greater extent than the others to keep an eye on the Irishman's movements and expenditures。
Whatever deviltry was inaugurated on this top floor during the day as well as the night； and it was pretty constant； could be traced without much difficulty to this irrepressible young Irishman。 If Tomlins found his dress…suit put to bed； with a pillow for a body and his crush…hat for a head； or Cranch found Waller's lay…figure （Waller often used his bedroom as a studio） sitting bolt upright in his easy…chair； with its back to him reading a newspaperthe servant having been told to announce to Cranch； the moment she opened the door； that 〃a gentleman was waiting for him in his room〃； or Cockburn was sent off on some wild…goose chase uptownit was safe to say that Mac was at the bottom of it all。
If； Fred added impressively； this rollicking； devil… may…care； perfectly sound and hearty young Hibernian had ever been absolutely； entirely； and completely sober since his sojourn in the land of the free； no one of his fellow…boarders had ever discovered it。
Of this motley gathering 〃Ruffle…shirt〃 Tomlins； the swell； 〃Fog…horn〃 Cranch； the auctioneer； 〃Walrus〃 Waller； the sheep…painter； 〃My Lord〃 Cockburn； the Englishman； Fred Stone and Cornelius McFudd； not only occupied the bedrooms； but had seats at Miss Teetum's table； four flights below。 Bianchi and the others were the guests of the evening。
All this； and more； Fred poured into Oliver's willing ear in loud or soft tones； dependent upon the particular kind of bedlam that was loose in the room at the moment； as they sat side by side on the floor； Oliver's back supported by a pillow which Tomlins had brought from his own bed and tucked behind his shoulders with his own hand。
This courtesy had been followed by another； quite as comforting and as thoughtful。 Cockburn； the moment Oliver's back touched the wall； had handed him a tooth…brush mug without a handle； filled to the brim with a decoction of Cockburn's own brewing； compounded hot according to McFudd's receipt； and poured from an earthen pitcher kept within reach of Cockburn's hand； and to which Oliver； in accordance with his habitual custom； had merely touched his lips； he being the most temperate of young gentlemen。
While they talked on； stopping now and then to listen to some outburst of Cranch； whose voice drowned all othersor to snatches of song from Wenby Simmons； the musician； or from Julius Bianchi； Waller's voice managed to make itself felt above the din with an earnestness that gained the attention and calmed all the others。
〃You don't know what you're all talking about；〃 he was heard to say。 He was still astride his chair； his pipe in his hand。 〃Inness's picture was the best thing we had in the Exhibition； except Eastman Johnson's 'Negro Life at the South。' Kensett's 'Lake George' was〃
〃Whatthat Inness smear？〃 retorted 〃My Lord〃 Cockburn； who still stood with the coal…scuttle in his hand ready for another chorus。 〃Positively； Waller； you Americans amuse me。 Do you really think that you've got anybody about you who can paint anything worth having〃
〃Oh！ oh！ Hear the high…cockalorum！ Oh！ oh！〃
The sheep…painter raised his hand to command silence。
〃Do I think we've got anybody about here who can paint？you fog…headed noodle from Piccadilly？ We've got a dozen young fellows in this very town that put more real stuff into their canvases than all your men put together。 They don't tickle their things to death with detail。 They get air and vitality and out…of…doors into their work； and〃
〃Names！ Names！〃 shouted 〃My Lord〃 Cockburn； rattling the scuttle to drown the answers to his questions。
〃George Inness for one； and young McEntee and Sanford Gifford； and Eastman Johnson； Page； Casilear a lot of them；〃 shouted 〃The Walrus。〃 〃Go to the Exhibition and see for yourself； and you〃
The rest of the discussion was lost to Oliver's ears owing to the roar of Cranch's fog…horn； accompanied by another vigorous shaking of the scuttle； which the auctioneer caught away from 〃My Lord〃 Cockburn's grasp； and the pounding of Simmons's fingers on the yellow keys of the wheezy piano。
The tribute to Inness had not been missed by Oliver； despite the deafening noise accompanying its utterance。 He remembered another green smear； that hung in Mr。 Crocker's studio； to which that old enthusiast always pointed as the work of a man who would yet be heard from if he lived。 He had never appreciated it himself at the time； but now he saw that Mr。 Crocker must be right。
Someone now started the chorus
Down among the dead men； down。
Instantly every man was on his feet crowding about the piano； Oliver catching the inspiration of the moment and joining in with the others。 The quality of his voice must have caught the ear of some of the singers； for they gradually lowered their tones； leaving Oliver's voice almost alone。
Fred's eye glowed with pleasure。 His new…found friend was making a favorable impression。 He at once urged Oliver to sing one of his own Southern songs as the darkies sung them at home； and not as they were caricatured by the end men in the minstrel shows。
Oliver； at first abashed； and then anxious to contribute something of his own in return for all the pleasure they had given him； hummed the tune for Simmons； and in the hush that followed began one of the old plantation songs that Malachi had taught him； beginning with
De old black dog he bay at de moon； Away down yan ribber。 Miss Bull…frog say she git dar soon； Away down yan ribber。
As the melody rang through the room； now full and strong； now plaintive as the cooing of a dove or the moan of a whippoorwill； the men stood stock…still； their wondering eyes fixed on the singer； and it was not until the timely arrival of the Bull…frog and the escape of her lover had been fully told that the listening crowd allowed themselves to do much more than breathe。 Then there came a shout that nearly raised the roof。 The peculiar sweetness of Oliver's voice； the quaintness of the melody； the grotesqueness of his gesturesfor it was pantomime as well as music and the quiet simplicity and earnestness with which it had all been done； had captivated every man in the room。 It was Oliver's first triumphthe first in all his life。
And the second was not far off； for in the midst of all the uproar that followed； as he resumed his place on the floor； Cockburn sprang to his feet and proposed Mr。 Oliver Horn as a full member of the Skylarkers' Club。 This was carried unanimously； and a committee of two； consisting of 〃Ruffle…shirt〃 Tomlins and Waller； were forthwith appointed to acquaint the said member； who stood three feet away； of his election； and to escort him to Tomlins's chair the largest and most imposing…looking one in the room。 This action was indorsed by the shouts and cat…calls of all present； accompanied by earthquake shakings of the coal…scuttle and the rattling of chairlegs and canes on the floor。
Oliver rose to his feet and stood blushing like a girl； thanking those about him in halting sentences for the honor conferred upon him。 Then he stammered something about his not deserving their praise； for he could really sing very few songsonly those he had sung at home to help out an occasional chorus； and that he would be delighted to join in another song if any one of the gentlemen present would start the tune。
These last suggestions being eminently distasteful to the group； were immediately drowned in a series of protests； the noise only ceasing when 〃Fog…horn〃 Cranch mounted a chair and in his bes
