the fortunes of oliver horn-第32节

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…breadth　escapes；　none　of　which　availed　him；　as　he　returned　home　after　all；　without　the　bonds。

These　financial　straws；　indicating　the　direction　and　force　of　the　coming　political　winds；　began　to　accumulate。　　The　lull　before　the　hurricanethe　stagnation　　in　commercial　circlesbecame　so　ominous　that　soon　the　outside　members　and　guests　of　the　club　ceased　coming；　being　diligently　occupied　in　earning　their　bread；　and　then　Simmons　sent　the　piano　home　it　had　been　loaned　to　him　by　reason　of　his　profession　　and　positionand　only　Fog…horn　Cranch；　Waller；　　Fred；　Oliver；　and　Ruffle…shirt　Tomlins　were　left。　Alter　a　while；　Waller　gave　up　his　room　and　slept　in　his　studio　and　got　his　meals　at　the　St。　Clair；　or　went　without　them；　so　light；　by　reason　of　the　hard　times；　was　the　demand　for　sheep　pictures　of　Waller's　particular　　make。　And　later　on　Tomlins　went　abroad；　and　Cranch　moved　West。　And　so　the　ruin　of　the　club　was　complete；　and　so；　too；　this　merry　band　of　roysterers；　with　one　or　two　exceptions；　passes　out　of　those　pages。

Dear　boys　of　the　long　ago；　what　has　become　of　you　all　since　those　old　days　in　that　garret…room　on　Union　Square？　Tomlins；　I　know；　turned　up　in　Australia；　where　he　married　a　very　rich　and　very　lovely　woman；　because　he　distinctly　stated　both　of　those　facts　in　an　exuberant　letter　to　Oliver　when　he　invited　him　to　the　wedding。　〃Not　a　bad　journeyonly　a　step；　my　dear　Ollie；　and　we　shall　be　so　delighted　to　see　you。〃　I　know　this；　to　be　true；　for　Oliver　showed　me　the　letter。　　Bowdoin　went　to　Paris；　where；　as　we　all　remember；　　he　had　a　swell　studio　opening　on　to　a　garden；　somewhere　near　the　Arc　de　Triomphe；　and　had　carriages　　stop　at　his　door；　and　a　butler　to　open　it；　and　two　maids　in　white　caps　to　help　the　ladies　off　with　their　wraps。　Poor　Cranch　died　in　Montana　while　hunting　for　gold；　and　my　Lord　Cockburn　went　back　to　London。

But　does　anybody　know　what　has　become　of　McFuddirresistible；　irresponsible；　altogether　delightful　　McFudd？　that　condensation　of　all　that　was　joyous；　rollicking；　and　spontaneous；　that　devotee　of　the　tub　and　pink　of　neatness；　immaculate；　clean…　shaven　and　well…groomed；　that　soul　of　good…nature；　which　no　number　of　flowing　bowls　could　disturb　nor　succeeding　headaches　dull；　that　most　generous　of　souls；　whose　first　impulse　was　to　cut　squarely　in　half　everything　he　owned　and　give　you　your　choice　of　the　pieces；　and　who　never　lost　his　temper　until　you　refused　　them　both。　If　you；　my　dear　boy；　are　still　wandering　　about　this　earth；　and　your　eye　should　happen　to　fall　on　these　pages；　remember；　I　send　you　my　greeting。　　If　you　have　been　sent　for；　and　have　gone　aloft　to　cheer　those　others　who　have　gone　before；　and　who　could　spare　you　no　longer；　speak　a　good　word　for　me；　please；　and　then；　perhaps；　I　may　shake　your　hand　again。


With　the　dissolution　of　the　happy　coterie　there　came　to　Oliver　many　a　lonely　night　under　the　cheap　lamp；　the　desolate　hall　outside　looking　all　the　more　desolate　and　uninviting　with　the　piano　gone　and　the　lights　extinguished。

Yet　these　nights　were　not　altogether　distasteful　to　Oliver。　Fred　had　noticed　for　months　that　his　room…mate　no　longer　entered　into　the　frolics　of　the　club　with　the　zest　and　vim　that　characterized　the　earlier　days　of　the　young　Southerner's　sojourn　among　them。　Our　hero　had　said　nothing　while　the　men　had　held　together；　and　to　all　outward　appearances　　had　done　his　share　not　only　with　his　singing；　　but　in　any　other　way　in　which　he　could　help　on　the　merriment。　He　had　covered　the　space　allotted　　to　him　on　the　walls　with　caricatures　of　the　several　boarders　below。　He　had　mixed　the　salad　at　Riley's　the　night　of　McFudd's　farewell　supper；　with　his　sleeves　rolled　up　to　the　elbows　and　the　cook's　cap　on　his　head。　He　had　lined　up　with　the　others　at　Brown's　on　the　Bowery；　drank　his　〃crystal　cocktails〃　the　mildest　of　beveragesand　had　solemnly　marched　out　again　with　his　comrades　in　a　lock…step　like　a　gang　of　convicts。　He　had　indulged　in　forty…　cent　opera；　leaning　over　the　iron　railing　of　the　top　row　of　the　Academy　of　Music；　and　had　finished　the　evening　at　Pfaff's；　drinking　beer　and　munching　hardtack　　and　pickles；　and　had　laughed　and　sung　in　a　dozen　other　equally　absurd　escapades。　And　yet　it　was　as　plain　as　daylight　to　Fred　that　Oliver's　heart　was　no　longer　centred　in　the　life　about　him。

The　fact　is；　the　scribe　is　compelled　to　admit；　the　life　indulged　in　by　these　merry　bohemians　had　begun　to　pall　upon　this　most　sensitive　of　young　gentlemen。　It　really　had　not　satisfied　him　at　all。　This　was　not　the　sort　of　life　that　Mr。　Crocker　meant；　he　had　said　to　himself　after　a　night　at　Riley's　when　Cranch　had　sounded　his　horn　so　loud　that　the　proprietor　had　threatened　to　turn　the　whole　party　into　the　street。　Mr。　Crocker's　temperament　was　too　restful　to　be　interested　in　such　performances。　As　for　himself；　he　was　tired　of　it。

Nothing　of　all　this　did　he　keep　from　his　mother。　The　record　of　his　likes　and　dislikes　which　formed　the　subject…matter　of　his　daily　letters　was　an　absorbing　study　with　her；　and　she　let　no　variation　of　the　weather…vane　of　his　tastes　escape　her。　Nor　did　she　keep　their　contents　from　her　intimate　friends。　She　had　read　to　Colonel　Clayton　one　of　his　earlier　ones；　in　which　he　had　told　her　of　the　concerts　and　of　the　way　Cockburn　had　served　the　brew　that　McFudd　had　concocted；　and　had　shown　him　an　illustration　Oliver　had　drawn　on　the　margin　of　the　sheetan　outline　of　the　china　mug　that　held　the　mixtureto　which　that　Chesterfield　of　a　Clayton　had　replied：

〃What　did　I　tell　you；　madamejust　what　I　expected　　of　those　Yankeespunch　from　mugs！　Bah！〃

She　had；　too；　talked　their　contents　over　with　Amos　Cobb；　who；　since　the　confidence　reposed　in　him　by　the　Horn　family；　had　become　a　frequent　visitor　　at　the　house。

〃There's　no　harm　come　to　him　yet；　madame；　or　he　wouldn't　write　you　of　what　he　does。　Boys　will　be　boys。　Let　him　have　his　fling；〃　the　Vermonter　had　replied　with　a　gleam　of　pleasure　in　his　eye。　〃If　he　has　the　stuff　in　him　that　I　think　he　has；　he　will　swim　out　and　get　to　higher　ground；　if　he　hasn't；　better　let　him　drown　early。　It　will　give　everybody　less　trouble。〃

The　dear　lady　had　lost　no　sleep　over　these　escapades。　　She；　too；　realized　that　as　long　as　Oliver　poured　out　his　heart　unreservedly　to　her　there　was　little　to　fear。　In　her　efforts　to　cheer　him　she　had　sought；　in　her　almost　daily　letters　sent　him　in　return；　to　lead　his　thoughts　into　other　channels。　She　knew　how　fond　he　had　always　been　of　the　society　of　women；　　and　how　necessary　they　were　to　his　happiness；　and　she　begged　him　to　go　out　more。　〃Surely　there　must　be　some　young　girls　in　so　great　a　city　who　can　help　to　make　your　life　happier；〃　she　wrote。

In　accordance　with　her　suggestions；　he　had　at　last　put　on　his　best　clothes　and　had　accompanied　Tomlins　and　Fred　to　some　very　delightful　houses　away　up　in　Thirty…third　Street；　and　another　on　Washington　Square；　and　still　another　near　St。　Mark's　Place；　where　his　personality　and　his　sweet；　sympathetic　voice　had　gained　him　friends　and　most　pressing　invitations　to　call　again。　Some　he　had　accepted；　and　some　he　had　notit　depended　very　largely　on　his　mood　and　upon　the　people　whom　he　met。　If　they　reminded　him　in　any　way；　either　in　manners　or　appointments；　of　his　life　at　home；　he　went　againif　not；　he　generally　stayed　away。

Among　these　was　the　house　of　his　employer；　Mr。　Slade；　who　had　treated　him　with　marked　kindness；　not　only　inviting　him　to　his　own　house；　but　introducing　　him　to　many　of　his　friendsan　unusual　civility　Oliver　discovered　afterwardnot　many　of　the　clerks　being　given　a　seat　at　Mr。　Slade's　table。　〃I　like　his　brusque；　hearty　manner；〃　Oliver　wrote　to　his　mother　after　the　first　visit。　〃His　wife　is　a　charming　woman；　and　so　are　the　two　daughters；　quite　independent　and　fearless；　and　entirely　different　from　the　girls　at　home；　but　most　interesting　and　so　well　bred。〃

Another　incident；　too；　had　greatly　pleased　not　only　Oliver　and　his　mother；　but　Richard　as　well。　It　happened　　that　a　consignment　of　goods　belonging　to　Morton；　　Slade　&　Co。　was　stored　in　a　warehouse　in　Charleston；　　and　it　became　necessary　to　send　one　of　the　clerks　South　to　reship　or　sell　them；　the　ordinary　business　methods　being　unsafe；　owing　to　the　continued　rumblings　　of　the　now　rapidly　approaching　political　storma　storm　that　promised　to　be　infinitely　more　serious　than　the　financial　stringency。　The　choice　had　fallen　on　Oliver；　he　being　a　Southerner；　and　knowing　the　ways　of　the　people。　He　had　advised　with　his　mother　and　stood　ready　to　leave　at　an　hour's　notice；　when　Mr。　Slade's　heart　failed　him。

〃It's　too　dangerous；　my　lad；〃　he　said　to　Oliver。　〃I　could　trust　you；　I　know；　and　I　believe　you　would　return　safely　and　bring　the　goods　or　the　money　with　you；　but　I　should　never　forgive　myself　if　anything　should　happen　to　you。　I　will　send　an　older　man。〃　And　he　did。

It　was　at　this　time　that　Oliver　had　received　Cockburn's　　letter　telling　him　of　his　own　experiences；　and　he；　therefore；　knew　something　of　the　risks　a　man　would　run；　and　could　appreciate　Mr。　Slade's　action　all　the　more。　Richard；　as　soon　as　he　heard　of　it；　had　put　down　his　tools；　left　his　work…bench；　and　had　gone　into　his　library；　where　he　had　written　the　firm　a　letter　of　thanks；　couched　in　terms　so　quaint　and　courtly；　and　so　full　of　generous　appreciation　of　their　interest　in　Oliver；　t