the fortunes of oliver horn-第50节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


emoved　her　nubia　and　cloak。

The　rat…a…tat　at　the　door　was　now　constant。　Judge　Bowman　and　old　Dr。　Wallace　and　four　or　five　of　the　young　men；　with　the　young　girls；　entered；　all　with　expressions　of　delight　at　Oliver's　return　home；　and　later；　with　the　air　of　a　Lord　High　Mayor；　Colonel　John　Clayton；　of　Pongateague；　with　Sue　on　his　arm。　Clayton　was　always　a　picture　when　he　entered　a　room。　He　stood　six　feet　and　an　inch；　his　gray　hair　brushed　straight　back；　his　goatee　curling　like　a　fish…hook　at　its　end。　〃Handsome　Jack　Clayton〃　was　still　handsome　　at　sixty。

After　the　Colonel　had　grasped　Oliver's　hand　in　his　warmest　manner；　Sue　laid　all　of　her　ten　fingers　in　his。　It　was　as　good　as　a　play　to　watch　the　little　witch's　face　as　she　stood　for　a　moment　and　looked　Oliver　over。　She　had　not　written　to　him　for　months。　She　had　had　half　a　dozen　beaus　since　his　departure；　but　she　claimed　him　all　the　same　as　part　of　her　spoils。　His　slight　mustache　seemed　to　amuse　her　immensely。

〃Are　you　glad　to　see　me；　Ollie？〃　she　asked；　looking　　archly　at　him　from　under　her　lashes。

〃Why；　Sue！〃

Of　course　he　was　gladfor　a　minutenot　much　longer。　How　young　she　is；　he　thought；　how　provincial。　As　she　rattled　on　he　noticed　the　mass　of　ringlets　about　her　face　and　the　way　her　head　was　set　on　her　shoulders。　Her　neck；　he　saw；　was　much　shorter　than　Margaret's；　and　a　little　out　of　drawing。　Nor　was　there　anything　of　that　fearless　look　or　toss　of　the　head　like　a　surprised　deer；　which　made　Margaret　　so　distinguished。　Oliver　had　arrived　at　that　stage　in　his　affection　when　he　compared　all　women　to　one。

All　this　time　Sue　was　reading　his　mind。　Trust　a　young　girl　for　that　when　she　is　searching　a　former　lover's　eyes　for　what　lies　behind　them。　She　was　evidently　　nettled　at　what　she　found　and　had　begun　by　saying　〃she　supposed　the　Yankee　girls　had　quite　captured　his　heart；〃　when　the　Colonel　interrupted　her　by　asking　Oliver　whether　the　Northern　men　really　thought　they　could　coerce　the　South　into　giving　　up　their　most　treasured　possessions。

He　had　been　nursing　his　wrath　all　day　over　a　fresh　attack　made　on　the　South　by　some　Northern　paper；　and　Oliver　was　just　the　person　to　vent　it　uponnot　that　he　did　not　love　the　lad；　but　because　he　was　fresh　from　the　despised　district。

〃I　don't　think　they　want　to；　sir。　They　are　opposed　　to　slavery　and　so　are　a　good　many　of　us。　You　have　a　wrong　idea　of　the　life　at　the　North；　Colonel。　You　have　never　been　North；　I　believe？〃

〃No；　my　dear　Oliver；　and　I　never　intend　to。　If　ever　I　go　it　will　be　with　a　musket。　They　have　had　it　all　their　own　way　lately　with　their　Harriet　Stowes；　William　Lloyd　Garrisons；　and　John　Browns；　it　is　our　turn　now。〃

〃Who　do　you　want　to　run　through　the　body；　Clayton？〃　asked　Richard；　joining　the　group　and　laying　　his　hands　affectionately　on　the　Colonel's　shoulders。

〃Anybody　and　everybody；　Richard；　who　says　we　are　not　free　people　to　do　as　we　please。〃

〃And　is　anybody　really　saying　so？〃

〃Yes；　you　see　it　every　day　in　every　Northern　editorial　another　to…daya　most　villainous　attack　which　you　must　read。　These　Puritans　have　been　at　it　for　years。　This　psalm…singing　crew　have　always　hated　us。　Now；　while　they　are　preaching　meekness　and　lowliness　and　the　rights　of　our　fellow…menblack　ones　they　meanthey　are　getting　ready　to　wad　their　guns　with　their　hymn…books。　It's　all　a　piece　of　their　infernal　hypocrisy！〃

〃But　why　should　they　hate　us；　Clayton？〃　asked　Richard　in　a　half…humorous　tone。　He　had　no　spirit　of　contention　in　him　to…night；　not　with　Oliver　beside　him。

〃Because　we　Cavaliers　are　made　of　different　stuff；　that's　why！　All　this　talk　about　slavery　is　nonsense。　These　Nutmeg　fellows　approved　of　slavery　as　long　as　they　could　make　a　dollar　out　of　the　traffic；　and　then；　as　soon　as　they　found　out　that　they　had　given　us　a　commercial　club　with　which　to　beat　out　their　brains；　and　that　we　were　really　dominating　the　nation；　　they　raised　this　hue　and　cry　about　the　downtrodden　　negro　and　American　freedom　and　the　Stars　and　Stripes　and　a　lot　of　such　tomfoolery。　Do　you　know　any　gentleman　who　beats　his　negroes？　Do　you　beat　Malachi？　Do　I　beat　my　Sam；　whom　I　have　brought　up　from　a　boy　and　who　would　lay　down　his　life　any　day　for　me？　I　tell　you；　Richard；　it　is　nothing　　but　a　fight　for　financial　and　political　mastery。　They're　afraid　of　us；　they've　been　so　for　years。　They　cried　'Wolf'　when　the　fugitive　slave　law　was　passed　and　they've　kept　it　up　ever　since。〃

〃No；　I　don't　believe　it；〃　exclaimed　Richard；　with　a　positive　tone　in　his　voice　〃and　neither　do　you；　Clayton。　It's　largely　a　question　of　sentiment。　They　don't　believe　one　man　should　hold　another　in　bondage。〃

〃That's　where　you　are　wrong。　They　don't　care　a　fippenny　bit　about　the　negro。　If　they　ever　succeed　　in　their　infernal　purpose　and　abolish　slavery；　and　set　the　negro　adrift；　mark　my　words；　they　won't　live　with　him；　and　they　won't　let　him　come　North　and　work　alongside　of　their　own　people。　They'll　throw　him　back　on　us　after　they　have　made　a　beggar　and　a　criminal　of　him。　Only　a　Southerner　understands　　the　negro；　and　only　a　Southerner　can　care　for　him。　See　what　we　have　done　for　them！　Every　slave　that　landed　on　our　shores　we　have　changed　from　a　savage　into　a　man。　They　forget　this。〃

Judge　Bowman　joined　in　the　discussionso　did　Dr。　Wallace。　The　Judge；　in　his　usual　ponderous　way；　laid　down　the　law；　both　State　and　National　the　Doctor；　who　always　took　the　opposite　side　in　any　argument；　asking　him　rather　pointed　questions　as　to　the　rights　of　the　Government　to　control　the　several　　States　as　a　unit。

Richard　held　his　peace。　He　felt　that　this　was　not　the　night　of　all　others　to　discuss　politics；　and　he　was　at　a　loss　to　understand　the　Colonel's　want　of　　selfrestraint。　He　could　not　agree　with　men　like　Clayton。　　He　felt　that　the　utterance　of　such　inflammatory　　speeches　only　added　fuel　to　the　smouldering　flame。　If　the　ugly　jets　of　threatening　smoke　that　were　creeping　out　everywhere　because　of　the　friction　　between　the　two　sections　were　in　danger　of　bursting　into　flame；　the　first　duty　of　a　patriot；　　according　to　his　creed；　was　to　stand　by　with　pails　of　water；　not　with　kegs　of　gunpowder。　So；　while　Clayton's　　outspoken　tirade　still　filled　the　room；　he　with　his　usual　tact　did　all　he　could　to　soften　the　effect　of　his　words。　Then　again；　he　did　not　want　Oliver's　feelings　hurt。

Malachi's　entrance　with　his　tray；　just　as　the　subject　　was　getting　beyond　control；　put　a　stop　to　the　discussion。　The　learned　group　of　disputants　with　the　other　guests　quickly　separated　into　little　coteries；　the　older　men　taking　their　seats　about　an　opened　card…table；　on　which　Malachi　had　previously　deposited　　several　thin　glasses　and　a　pair　of　decanters；　the　ladies　sitting　together；　and　the　younger　people　laughing　away　in　a　corner；　where　Oliver　joined　them。

Richard　and　Nathan；　now　that　the　danger　was　averted　（they　were　both　natural　born　peace…makers）；　stepped　across　the　room　to　assist　in　entertaining　Miss　Clendenning。　The　little　lady　had　not　moved　from　the　chair　in　which　she　sat　when　Oliver　relieved　her　of　her　fur　boots。　She　rarely　did　move　when　once　she　had　chosen　a　place　for　herself　in　a　drawing…room。　She　was　the　kind　of　woman　who　could　sit　in　one　place　and　still　be　surroundedby　half…moons　of　adorers　if　she　sat　against　the　wall；　by　full　moons　if　she　sat　in　the　open。　She　had　learned　the　art　when　a　girl。

〃If　Clayton　would　go　among　these　people；　my　dear　Lavinia；〃　said　Richard；　in　a　deprecating　tone；　drawing　up　a　chair　and　seating　himself；　beside　her；　〃he　would　find　them　very　different　from　what　he　thinks。　Some　of　the　most　delightful　men　I　have　ever　met　have　come　from　the　States　north　of　us。　You　know　that　to　be　so。〃

〃That　depends；　Richard；　on　how　far　North　you　go；〃　Miss　Clendenning　answered；　spreading　her　fan　as　she　spoke；　looking　in　between　the　sticks　as　if　searching　for　specimens。　〃In　Philadelphia　I　find　some　very　delightful　houses；　quite　like　our　own。　In　New　Yorkwell；　I　rarely　go　to　New　York。　The　journey　is　a　tiresome　one　and　the　hotels　abominable。　They　are　too　busy　there　to　be　comfortable；　and　I　do　not　like　noisy；　restless　people。　They　give　me　a　headache。〃

〃Oliver　has　met　some　charming　people；　he　tells　me；〃　said　Richard。　〃Mr。　Slade　took　him　into　his　own　home　and　treated　him　quite　like　a　son。〃

〃Of　course　he　did；　why　not？〃　Miss　Clendenning　was　erect　now；　her　eyes　snapping　with　roguish　　indignation。　〃Anybody　would　be　glad　to　take　Oliver　into　their　home；　especially　when　they　have　two　　marriageable　daughters。　Oliver's　bow　as　he　enters　a　room　is　a　passport　to　any　society　in　the　world；　my　dear　Richard。　My　Lord　Chesterfield　Clayton　has　no　better　manners　nor　any　sweeter　smile　than　our　own　Lorenzo。　Watch　Oliver　now　as　he　talks　to　those　girls。〃

Richard　had　been　watching　him；　he　had　hardly　taken　his　eyes　from　him。　Every　time　he　looked　at　him　his　heart　swelled　the　more　with　pride。

〃And　you　think；　Lavinia；　Mr。　Slade　invited　him　because　of　his　manners？〃　He　was　sure　of　it。　He　only　wanted　her　to　confirm　it。

〃Of　course。　What　else？〃　and　she　cut　her　eye　at　him　knowingly。　〃How　many　of　the　other　clerks　did　he　invite？　Not　one。　I　wanted　to　find　out　and　I　made　Ollie　write　me。　They　are　queer　people；　these　Northerners。　They　affect　to　despise　good　blood　and　good　breeding　and　good　manners。　That's　all　fol…de…rolthey　love　it。　They　are　et