the fortunes of oliver horn-第49节

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　know　her　at　once。　He　knew　how　strong　her　prejudices　were　and　what　her　traditions　would　cause　her　to　think　of　a　woman　who　led　the　life　that　Margaret　　did；　but　these　things　did　not　deter　him。　A　new　love　now　filled　his　heartanother　and　a　different　kind　of　love　from　the　one　he　bore　his　mother。　One　that　belonged　to　him；　one　that　was　his　own　and　affected　　his　life　and　soul　and　career。　He　was　prepared　　to　fight　even　harder　for　this　desire　of　his　soul　than　for　his　art。

There　being　no　air…ships　available　for　immediate　charter；　nor　big　balloons　waiting　for　passengers；　with　sand…bags　ready　for　instant　unloading；　nor　any　underground　pneumatic　tubes　into　which　he　could　be　pumped　and　with　a　puff　landed　on　his　own　doorstep　in　Kennedy　Square；　the　impatient　lover　was　obliged　to　content　himself　with　the　back　seat　of　the　country　stage　and　a　night　ride　in　the　train　down　the　valley。

Then　came　a　delay　of　a　week　in　New　York　waiting　　for　the　return　of　Mr。　Slade　to　the　city〃whom　you　must　by　all　means　see　before　coming　home；〃　so　his　mother's　letter　ran。　This　delay　was　made　bearable　　by　Waller；　Bowdoin；　and　old　Professor　Cummings　　who　went　into　spasms　of　delight　over　the　boys'　sketches。　Waller　especially　predicted　a　sure　future　for　him　if　he　would　have　the　grit　to　throw　overboard　every　other　thing　he　was　doing　and　〃stick　it　out　and　starve　it　out〃　until　he　pulled　through　and　became　famous。

Mr。　Slade；　while　welcoming　him　with　both　hands；　was　not　so　cheering。　The　financial　and　political　　situations　were　no　better；　he　said。　They　had　really　　become　more　alarming　every　day。　The　repudiation　of　Northern　accounts　by　Southern　merchants　had　ceasedat　least　some　of　Morton；　Slade　&　Co。's　customers　　had　redeemed　their　obligations　and　had　forwarded　　them　their　overdue　remittances；　tiding　them　over　for　a　timebut　no　one　could　say　what　was　in　store　for　any　firm　whose　business　lay　largely　in　the　Southern　States。　He　would；　however；　make　his　word　good。　Oliver's　situation　was　still　open；　and　he　could　again　occupy　his　desk　as　soon　as　he　returned　from　Kennedy　Square。　The　length　of　his　service　depended　entirely　on　whether　the　country　would　go　to　war　or　whether　its　difficulties　could　be　satisfactorily　settled　in　the　next　Congress。

But　none　of　these　thingsnone　of　the　more　depressing　　onesdulled　for　an　instant　the　purpose　or　chilled　the　enthusiasm　of　our　young　lover。　Wars；　pestilence；　financial　panics　and　even　social　tidal…　waves　might　overwhelm　the　land　and　yet　not　one　drop　of　the　topmost　edge　of　the　flood　could　wet　the　tips　of　his　high…stepping　toes：　Margaret　was　his；　he　trod　an　enchanted　realm。

An　enthusiasm　of　equal　intensity；　but　of　quite　a　different　kind；　had　taken　possession　of　the　Horn　mansion　as　the　hour　of　Oliver's　arrival　approached；　as　anyone　would　have　noticed　who　happened　to　be　inside　its　hospitable　walls。　Something　out　of　the　common　was　about　to　happen。　There　was　an　unusual　restlessness　in　Malachi　totally　at　variance　with　his　grave　and　dignified　demeanor。　His　perturbation　was　so　great　that　he　even　forgot　the　time…honored　custom　　of　wheeling　his　master's　chair　into　position　and　the　equally　time…honored　salutation　of　〃yo'　chair's　all　ready；　Marse　Richard。〃　It　was　noticed；　too；　that　he　could　not　keep　out　of　the　hall。　Richard　had　to　speak　to　him　twice　and　Mrs。　Horn　had　lifted　her　head　in　astonishment　when　that　hitherto　attentive　darky　handed　her　Richard's　spectacles　instead　of　her　own。　Or　he　would　start　to　enter　the　dining…room；　his　hands　laden　with　plates；　or　the　library；　his　arms　filled　with　logs　to　replenish　the　fire；　and　then　stop　suddenly　and　listen　with　one　foot　raised；　standing　like　an　old　dog　locating　a　partridge。　So　nervous　did　he　become　as　the　twilight　deepened；　and　he　began　to　set　the　table　for　supper；　that　he　dropped　a　cup；　smashing　it　into　atoms；　a　thing　that　had　not　happened　　to　him　before　in　twenty　yearsone　of　the　blue　and　giltpriceless　heirlooms　in　the　family；　and　only　used　when　a　distinguished　guest　was　expected。　　At　another　time　he　would　have　dropped　the　whole　tray　with　everything　upon　it；　had　not　Aunt　Hannah　saved　it　in　time。　How　she　came　to　be　in　the　pantry　with　her　two　eyes　on　the　front　door；　when　her　place　was　in　the　kitchen　with　both　of　them　on　the　pots　and　kettles；　no　one　could　tell。　Everything　seemed　to　be　at　sixes　and　sevens　in　the　old　house　that　night。

And　the　other　members　of　the　household　inside　the　drawing…room　seemed　just　as　restless。　Richard；　who　had　raked　the　coals　of　his　forge；　closed　the　green　door　of　his　workshop；　and　had　dressed　himself　an　hour　earlier　than　usual；　much　to　Malachi's　delight；　became　so　restless　that　he　got　up　from　his　easy…chair　half　a　dozen　times　and　roamed　aimlessly　about　the　room；　stopping　to　pick　up　a　book；　reading　a　line　and　laying　it　down　again。　Mrs。　horn　dropped　so　many　stitches　that　she　gave　up　in　despair；　and　said　she　　believed　she　would　not　knit。

Malachi　heard　him　first。

〃Dat's　himdat's　Marse　Ollie；〃　he　cried。　〃I　know　dat　knock。　Here　he　is；　Mistis。　Here　he　is！〃　He　sprang　forward；　threw　wide　the　door　and　had　him　by　the　hand　before　the　others　could　reach　him。

〃Fo'　Gawd；　Marse　Ollie；　ain't　ol'　Malachi　glad　ter　git　his　han's　on　yer　once　mo'！〃

It　was　unseemly　and　absurd　how　the　old　man　behaved！

And　the　others　were　not　far　behind。

〃My　boy；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Horn；　as　she　held　him　close　to　her　breast。　There　are　few　words　spoken　in　times　like　this。

Richard　waited　behind　her　until　that　imperceptible　moment　of　silence　had　passedthe　moment　a　mother　gets　her　arms　around　the　son　she　loves。　Then　when　the　sigh　of　restful　relief　that　always　follows　had　spent　itself；　and　she　had　kissed　him　with　his　cheek　held　fast　to　hers；　Oliver　loosened　his　hold　and　threw　his　arms　about　his　father's　neck；　patting　him　between　　his　shoulder…blades　as　he　kissed　him。

〃Dear　old　dad！　Oh；　but　it's　good　to　get　home！　And　Aunt　Hannah；　you　there？〃　and　he　extended　his　hand　while　his　other　arm　was　still　around　his　father's　neck。

〃Yas；　Marse　Oilie；　dat's　me；　dat's　ol'　Hannah；〃　and　she　stepped　closer　and　grasped　his　outstretched　hand；　smoothing　it　as　she　spoke。　〃Lord；　Marse　Ollie；　but　ain't　you　filled　out？　You　is　de　probable　son；　sho'；　honey；　come　home　to　yo'　people。〃

But　Oliver　was　not　through　with　Malachi。　He　must　take　both　of　his　hands　this　time　and　look　into　his　eyes。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　from　hugging　　him。　It　would　not　have　been　the　first　time。

〃Been　well；　Mallie？〃

Of　course　he　had　been；　he　saw　it　in　his　face。　It　was　only　to　say　something　to　which　the　old　darky　could　reply　toto　keep　in　touch　with　himto　know　that　he　was　speaking　to　this　same　old　Malachi　whom　he　had　so　dearly　loved。

〃Middlin'　po'ly；　yasmiddlin'　po'ly；　suh。〃

Malachi　had　not　the　slightest　idea　what　he　was　talking　about。　He　had　not　been　sick　a　minute　since　Oliver　left。　His　heart　was　too　near　bursting　with　pride　at　his　appearance　and　joy　over　his　return　for　his　mind　to　work　intelligently。

〃Dem　Yankees　ain't　sp'iled　ye；　no；　dey　ain't。　Gor…a…mighty；　ain't　Malachi　glad。〃　Tears　were　standing　in　his　eyes　now。　There　was　no　one　but　Richard　he　loved　better　than　Oliver。

No　fatted　calf　was　spitted　and　roasted　this　night　on　Aunt　Hannah's　swinging　crane　for　this　〃probable　　son；〃　but　there　was　corn…pone　in　plenty　and　a　chafing　dish　of　terrapinMalachi　would　not　let　Aunt　Hannah　touch　it；　he　knew　just　how　much　Madeira　　to　put　in；　Hannah　always　〃drowned〃　it；　he　would　say。　And　there　was　sally…lunn　and　Maryland　biscuit；　here；　at　last；　Aunt　Hannah　was　supreme　her　elbows　told　the　story。　And　last　of　all　there　was　a　great　dish　of　escalloped　oysters　cooked　in　fossil　scallop　shells　thousands　of　years　old；　that　Malachi　had　himself　dug　out　of　the　marl…banks　at　Yorktown　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　which　had　been　used　in　the　Horn　family　almost　as　many　times　as　they　were　years　old。　Oh；　for　a　revival　of　this　extinct　conchological　　comfort！　But　no！　It　is　just　as　well　not　to　recall　even　the　memories　of　this　toothsome　dish。　There　are　no　more　fossils；　neither　at　Yorktown　nor　anywhere　else；　and　no　substitute　in　china；　tin；　or　copper　will　be　of　the　slightest　use　in　giving　their　flavor。

Supper　served　and　over；　with　Oliver　jumping　up　half　a　dozen　times　to　kiss　his　mother　and　plumping　himself　down　again　to　begin　on　another　relay　of　pone　or　terrapin　or　oysters；　much　to　Malachi's　delight　（〃He　do　eat；〃　he　reported　to　Aunt　Hannah。　〃I　tell　ye。　He's　bearin'　very　heavy　on　dem　scallops。　Dat's　de　third　shell。〃）the　doors　were　opened　with　a　flourish；　and　the　three；　preceded　by　Malachi；　entered　the　drawing…room　in　time　to　welcome　the　neighbors。

Nathan；　who　was　already　inside　sitting　by　the　fire；　his　long；　thin　legs　stretched　out；　his　bunchy　white　hair；　parted　in　the　middle；　falling　to　his　collar's　edge；　sprang　up　and　shook　Oliver's　hand　heartily。　He　had　charged　Malachi；　when　he　admitted　him；　to　keep　his　presence　secret。　He　wanted　them　to　have　Oliver　all　to　themselves。

Miss　Clendenning　entered　a　moment　later　with　both　hands　held　out。　She　would　not　stop　in　the　hall　to　unwind　her　nubia　or　take　off　her　little　fur　boots；　but　motioned　Oliver　to　her　knees　after　she　had　kissed　him　joyously　on　both　cheeks；　and　held　out　those　two　absurd　little　feet　for　his　ministrations；　while　Mrs。　Horn　removed　her　nubia　and　cloak。

The　rat…a…tat　at　the　door　was　now　constant。　Judge　Bowman　and　old　Dr。