the fortunes of oliver horn-第51节

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espise　good　blood　and　good　breeding　and　good　manners。　That's　all　fol…de…rolthey　love　it。　They　are　eternally　talking　of　equalityequality；　one　man　as　GOOD　as　another。　When　they　say　that　one　man　is　as　GOOD　as　another；　Richard；　they　mean　that　THEY　are　as　good；　never　the　other　poor　fellow。〃

〃Now；　my　dear　Lavinia；　stop　a　moment；〃　laughed　the　inventor　in　protest。　〃You　do　not　mean　to　say　there　are　really　no　gentlemen　north　of　us？〃

〃Plenty　of　gentlemen；　Richard；　but　few　thoroughbreds。　　There　is　a　distinction；　you　know。〃

〃Which　do　you　value　most？〃

〃Oh；　the　thoroughbred。　A　gentleman　might　some　time　offend　you　by　telling　you　the　truth　about　yourself　or　your　friends。　The　thoroughbred；　never；〃　and　she　lifted　her　hands　in　mock　horror。

〃And　he　could　be　a　rogue　and　yet　his　manners　would　save　him？〃

〃Quite　true；　dear　Richard；　quite　true。　The　most　charming　man　I　ever　met　except　your　dear　self〃　and　she　smiled　graciously　and　lowered　her　voice　as　if　what　she　was　about　to　tell　was　in　the　strictest　　confidence〃was　a　shrivelled…up　old　prince　who　once　called　on　my　father　and　myself　in　Vienna。　He　was　as　ugly　as　a　crab；　and　walked　with　a　limp。　There　had　been　some　words　over　a　card…table；　he　told　me；　and　the　other　man　fired　first。　I　was　a　young　girl　then；　but　I　have　never　forgotten　him　to　this　day。　Indeed；　my　dear　Nathan；〃　and　she　turned　to　the　old　musician　and　laid　her　wee　hand　confidingly　on　his　knee；　〃but　for　the　fact　that　the　princess　was　a　most　estimable　woman　and　still　alive；　I　might　have　been　well；　I　really　forget　what　I　might　have　been；　for　I　do　not　remember　his　name；　but　it　was　something　most　fascinating　in　five　or　six　syllables。　Now　all　that　man　ever　did　to　make　that　unaccountable　impression　　upon　me　was　just　to　pick　up　my　handkerchief。　　Oh；　Nathan；　it　really　gives　me　a　little　quiver　to　this　day！　I　never　watch　Oliver　bow　but　I　think　of　my　prince。　Now　I　have　never　found　that　kind　of　quality；　grace；　bearing；　presencewhatever　you　may　choose　to　call　itin　the　Puritan。　He　has　not　time　to　learn　it。　He　despises　such　subtle　courtesies。　They　smack　of　the　cavalier　and　the　court　to　him。　He　is　content　with　a　nod　of　the　head　and　a　hurried　handshake。　So　are　his　neighbors。　They　would　grow　suspicious　of　each　other's　honesty　if　they　did　more。　Tut；　tut；　my　dear　Richard！　My　prince's　grooms　greeted　each　other　in　that　way。〃

Richard　and　Nathan　laughed　heartily。　〃And　you　only　find　the　manners　of　the　ante…chamber　and　the　throne…room　South？〃　asked　the　inventor。

〃Umnot　always。　It　used　to　be　so　in　my　day　and　yours；　but　we　are　retrograding。　It　is　unpardonable　　in　our　case　because　we　have　known　better。　But　up　there〃　（and　she　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　North　Star）　〃they　never　did　know　better；　that's　some　excuse　for　them。〃

〃Ah；　you　incorrigible　woman；　you　must　not　talk　so。　You　have　not　seen　them　all。　Many　of　the　men　who　do　me　the　honor　to　come　to　my　workroom　are　most　delightful　persons。　Only　last　week　there　came　one　of　the　most　interesting　scientists　that　I　have　met　for〃

〃Of　course；　of　course；　I　have　not　a　doubt　of　it；　my　dear　Richard；　but　I　am　talking　of　men；　my　friend；　not　dried　mummies。〃

Again　Richard　laughed。　One　of　his　greatest　pleasures　was　to　draw　Miss　Clendenning　out　on　topics　　of　this　class。　He　knew　she　did　not　believe　one…　half　that　she　said。　It　was　the　way　she　parried　his　thrusts　that　delighted　him。

〃Well；　then；　take　Mr。　Winthrop　Pierce　Lawrence。　No　more　charming　gentleman　ever　entered　my　house。　You　were　in　London　at　the　time　or　you　would　certainly　　have　dined　with　him　here。　Mr。　Lawrence　is　not　only　distinguished　as　a　statesman　and　a　brilliant　scholar；　but　his　manners　are　perfect。〃

Miss　Clendenning　turned　her　head　and　looked　at　Richard　under　her　eyelashes。　〃Where　did　you　say　he　was　from？〃

〃Boston。〃

〃Boston？〃　A　rippling；　gurgling　laugh　floated　through　the　room。

〃Yes；　Boston。　Why　do　you　laugh？〃

〃Bostonians；　my　dear　Richard；　have　habits　and　customs；　never　manners。　It　is　impossible　that　they　should。　They　are　seldom　underbred；　mind　you；　they　are　always　overbred；　and；　strange　to　say；　without　　the　slightest　sense　of　humor；　for　they　are　all　brought　up　on　serious　isms　and　solemn　fads。　The　excitement　we　have　gone　through　over　this　outrageous　　book　of　this　Mrs。　Stowe's　and　all　this　woman　movement　is　but　a　part　of　their　training。　How　is　it　possible　for　people　who　believe　in　such　dreadful　persons　　as　this　Miss　Susan　Anthony　and　that　Miss　something…or…otherI　forget　her　nameto　know　what　the　word　'home'　really　means　and　what　graces　should　adorn　it？　They　could　never　understand　my　ugly　prince；　and　he？well；　he　would　be　too　polite　to　tell　them　what　he　thought　of　them。　No；　my　dear　Richard；　they　don't　know；　they　never　will　know；　and　they　never　will　be　any　better。〃

Oliver　had　crossed　the　room　and　had　reached　her　chair。

〃Who　will　never　be　any　better；　you　dear　Midget？〃　　he　cried。

〃You；　you　dear　boy；　because　you　could　not。　Come　and　sit　by　me　where　I　can　get　my　hand　on　you。　If　I　had　my　way　you　would　never　be　out　of　reach　of　my　five　fingers。〃

Oliver　brought　up　a　stool　and　sat　at　her　feet。

〃Your　Aunt　Lavinia；　Ollie；〃　said　Richard；　rising　to　his　feet　（this　relationship　was　of　the　same　character　　as　that　of　Uncle　Nathan　Gill）；　〃seems　to　think　our　manners　are　retrograding。〃

〃Not　yours？〃　protested　Oliver；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　turned　quickly　toward　Miss　Clendenning。

〃No；　you　sweetheart；　nor　yours；〃　answered　Miss　Clendenning；　with　a　sudden　burst　of　affection。　〃Come；　now；　you　have　lived　nearly　two　years　among　these　dreadful　Yankeeswhat　do　you　think　of　them？〃

〃What　could　I　think　of　people　who　have　been　so　kind　to　me？　Fred　Stone　has　been　like　a　brother；　and　so　has　everybody　else。〃

Mrs。　Horn　had　joined　the　group　and　sat　listening。

〃But　their　manners；　my　son；〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　see　no　difference　between　them　andandand　your　father's；　for　instance？〃　and　she　motioned　toward　Richard　who　was　now　moving　across　the　room　to　speak　to　other　guests。

〃Dad　is　himself　and　you　are　yourself　and　I　am　myself；〃　replied　Oliver　with　some　positiveness。　〃When　people　are　kind　I　never　stop　to　think　how　they　do　it。〃

〃Lovely；〃　Miss　Clendenning　whispered　to　Nathan。　　〃Spoken　like　a　thoroughbred。　Yes；　he　is　BETTER　than　my　ugly　prince。　He　would　always　have　remembered　how　they　did　it。〃

〃And　you　see　no　difference　either　in　the　ladies？〃　continued　Mrs。　Horn；　with　increasing　interest　in　her　tones。　〃Are　the　young　girls　as　sweet　and　engaging？〃　　She　had　seen　Margaret's　name　rather　often　in　his　letters　and　wondered　what　impression　she　had　made　upon　him。　Oliver's　eyes　flashed　and　the　color　mounted　to　his　cheeks。　Miss　Clendenning　saw　it　and　bent　forward　a　little　closer　to　get　his　answer。

〃Well；　you　see；　mother；　I　do　not　know　a　great　many；　I　am　so　shut　up。　Miss　Grant；　whom　I　wrote　you　about；　iswell；　you　must　see　her。　She　is　not　the　kind　of　girl　that　you　can　describe　very　well　she　really　is　not　the　kind　of　girl　that　you　can　describe　at　all。　We　have　been　together　all　summer；　and　I　stopped　at　her　father's　house　for　a　few　days　when　I　came　down　from　the　mountains。　They　live　in　the　most　beautiful　valley　you　ever　saw。〃

Miss　Clendenning　was　watching　him　closely。　She　caught　a　look　that　his　mother　had　missed。

〃Is　she　pretty；　Ollie？〃　asked　Miss　Lavinia。

〃She　is　better　than　pretty。　You　would　not　say　the　Milo　was　pretty；　would　you？　There　is　too　much　in　her　for　prettiness。〃

〃And　are　the　others　like　her？〃　The　little　lady　was　only　feeling　about；　trying　to　put　her　finger　on　the　pulse　of　his　heart。

〃No；　there　is　nobody　like　her。　Nobody　I　have　ever　met。〃

Miss　Clendenning　was　sure　now。

Malachi's　second　entrancethis　time　with　the　great　china　bowl　held　above　his　headagain　interrupted　　the　general　talk。

Since　the　memory　of　man　no　such　apple…toddy　had　ever　been　brewed！

Even　Colonel　Clayton；　when　he　tasted　it；　looked　over　his　glass　and　nodded　approvingly　at　its　creator　a　recognition　of　genius　which　that　happy　darky　acknowledged　by　a　slight　bend　of　his　back；　anything　else　being　out　of　the　question　by　reason　of　the　size　of　the　bowl　he　was　carrying　and　the　presence　of　his　master　and　of　his　master's　guests。

This　deposited　on　a　side　table；　another　bowl　filled　with　Olioa　most　surprising　and　never…to…be…forgotten　　salad　of　chicken　and　celery　and　any　number　of　other　toothsome　thingswas　placed　beside　it；　together　　with　a　plate　of　moonshines　and　one　of　Maryland　　biscuits。

Then　came　some　music；　in　which　Oliver　sang　and　Miss　Clendenning　played　his　accompanimentsthe　old　plantation　melodies；　not　the　new　songsand　next　the　〃wrappings　up〃　in　the　hall；　the　host　and　hostess　　and　the　whole　party　moving　out　of　the　drawing…　room　in　a　body。　Here　Nathan；　with　great　gallantry；　insisted　on　getting　down　on　his　stiff　marrow…bones　to　put　on　Miss　Clendenning's　boots；　while　the　young　men　and　Oliver　tied　on　the　girls'　hoods；　amid　〃good…　byes〃　and　〃so　glads〃　that　he　could　come　home　if　only　for　a　day；　and　that　he　had　not　forgotten　them；　Oliver's　last　words　being　whispered　in　Miss　Clendenning's　　ear　informing　her　that　he　would　come　over　in　the　morning　and　see　her　about　a　matter　of　the　greatest　importance。　And　so　the　door　was　shut　on　the　last　guest。

When　the　hall　was　empty　Oliver　kissed　his　father　good…night；　and；　slipping　his　arm　around　his　mother's　　waist；　as　he　had　always　done　when　a　b