the fortunes of oliver horn-第52节

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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　boy；　the　two　went　slowly　upstairs　to　his　little　room。　He　could　not　wait　a　minute　longer。　He　must　unburden　his　heart　about　Margaret。　This　was　what　he　had　come　for。　If　his　mother　had　only　seen　her　it　would　be　so　much　easier；　be　said　to　himself　as　he　pushed　open　his　bedroom　door。

〃You　are　greatly　improved；　my　son；〃　she　said；　with　a　tone　of　pride　in　her　voice。　〃I　see　the　change　already。〃　She　had　lighted　the　candle　and　the　two　were　seated　on　the　bed；　his　arm　still　around　her。

〃How；　mother？〃

〃Oh；　in　everything。　The　boy　is　gone　out　of　you。　You　are　more　reposeful；　more　self…reliant。　I　like　your　modesty　too。〃　She　could　tell　him　of　his　faults；　she　could　also　tell　him　of　his　virtues。

〃And　the　summer　has　done　you　good；〃　she　continued。　　〃I　felt　sure　it　would。　Mr。　Slade　has　been　a　steadfast　friend　of　yours　from　the　beginning。　Tell　me　now　about　your　new　friends。　This　Miss　Grant　is　she　not　the　same　girl　you　wrote　me　about；　some　mouths　agothe　one　who　drew　with　you　at　the　art　school？　Do　you　like　her　people？〃　This　thought　was　uppermost　in　her　mindhad　been　in　fact　ever　since　she　first　saw　Margaret's　name　in　his　letters。

〃Her　mother　is　lovely　and　she　has　got　a　brother　a　Dartmouth　manwho　is　a　fine　fellow。　I　liked　him　from　the　first　moment　I　saw　him；〃　Oliver　answered　　simply；　wondering　how　he　would　begin。

〃Is　her　father　living？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　man　is　he？〃

〃Wellof　course；　he　is　not　like　our　people。　He　is　awellhe　always　says　just　what　be　thinks；　you　know。　But　he　is　a　man　of　character　and　position。〃　He　was　speaking　for　Margaret　now。　〃They　have　more　family　portraits　than　we　have。〃　This　was　said　in　a　tone　that　was　meant　to　carry　weight。

〃And　people　of　education？〃

〃Oh；　I　should　certainly　say　so。　It　is　nothing　but　books　all　over　the　house。　Really；　he　has　more　books　than　Dad。〃　This　statement　was　to　strengthen　the　one　regarding　the　family　ancestorsboth　telling　　arguments　about　Kennedy　Square。

〃And　this　girlis　she　a　lady？〃

The　question　somehow　put　to　flight　all　his　mental　manoeuvres。　〃She　is　more　than　a　lady；　mother。　She　is　the　dearest〃　He　stopped；　hesitated　for　an　instant；　and　slipping　his　arm　around　his　mother's　neck　drew　her　close　to　him。　Then；　in　a　torrent　of　wordshis　cheeks　against　hersthe　whole　story　came　out。　He　was　a　boy　again　now；　that　quality　in　him　that　would　last　all　his　life。　She　listened　with　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　her　heart　torn　with　varying。　emotions。　She　was　disturbed；　but　not　alarmed。　One　phase　of　the　situation　stood　out　clearly　in　her　practical　mindhis　poverty　and　the　impossibility　of　any　immediate　marriage。　Before　that　obstacle　could　be　removed　she　felt　sure　his　natural　vacillation　　regarding　women　would　save　him。　He　would　forget　her　as　he　had　Sue。

〃And　you　say　her　brother　works　in　the　fields　and　that　her　father　and　mother　permitted　this　girl　to　leave　home　and　sit　night　after　night　with　you　young　men　with　no　other　protection　than　that　of　a　common　Irishwoman？〃　There　was　a　tone　of　censure　now　in　her　voice　that　roused　a　slight　antagonism　in　Oliver。

〃Why　not？　What　could　harm　her？　There　was　no　other　place　for　her　to　go　where　she　could　learn　anything。〃

Mrs。　Horn　kept　still　for　a　moment；　looking　on　the　floor。　Oliver　sat　watching　her　face。

〃And　your　family；　my　son；〃　she　protested　with　a　certain　patient　disapproval　in　her　tones。　〃Do　they　count　for　nothing？　I；　of　course；　would　love　anybody　you　would　make　your　wife；　but　you　have　others　about　you。　No　man　has　a　right　to　marry　beneath　　him。　Do　not　be　in　a　hurry　over　this　matter。　Come　home　for　your　wife　when　you　are　ready　to　marry。　Give　yourself　time　to　compare　this　girl；　who　seems　to　have　fascinated　you；　withSue；　for　　instance；　or　any　of　the　others　you　have　been　brought　up　with。〃

Oliver　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　the　mention　of　Sue's　name。　He　had　compared　her。

〃You　would　not　talk　this　way；　dearie；　if　you　could　see　her；〃　he　replied　in　a　hopeless　way　as　if　the　　futility　of　making　his　mother　understand　was　now　　becoming　apparent　to　him。　〃She　is　different　from　anyone　you　ever　metshe　is　so　strong；　so　fine　such　a　woman　in　all　that　the　word　means。　Not　something　　you　fondle　and　make　love　to；　remember；　but　a　woman　more　like　a　Madonna　that　you　worship；　or　a　Greek　goddess　that　you　might　fear。　As　to　the　family　part　of　it；　I　am　getting　tired　of　it　all；　mother。　What　good　is　Grandfather　Horn　or　anybody　else　to　me？　I　have　got　to　dig　my　way　out　just　as　they　did。　Just　as　dear　old　Dad　is　doing。　If　he　succeeds　in　his　work　who　will　help　him　but　himself？　There　have　been　times　when　I　used　to　love　to　remember　him　sitting　by　his　reading…lamp　or　with　his　violin　tucked　under　his　chin；　and　I　was　proud　to　think　he　was　my　father。　Do　you　know　what　sets　my　blood　on　fire　now？　It　is　when　I　think　of　him　standing　over　his　forge　and　blowing　his　bellows；　his　hands　black　with　coal。　I　understand　many　things；　dearie；　that　I　knew　nothing　about　when　I　left　home。　You　used　to　tell　me　yourself　that　everybody　had　to　work；　and　you　sent　me　away　to　do　it。　I　looked　upon　it　then　as　a　degradation。　I　see　it　differently　now。　I　have　worked　with　all　my　might　all　summer；　and　I　have　brought　back　a　whole　lot　of　sketches　that　the　boys　like。　Now　I　am　going　to　work　again　with　Mr。　Slade。　I　do　not　like　his　work；　and　I　do　love　mine；　but　I　am　going　to　stick　to　his　all　the　same。　I　have　got　something　　to　work　for　now；〃　and　his　face　brightened。　〃I　am　going　to　win！〃

She　did　not　interrupt　him。　It　was　better　he　should　unburden　his　heart。　She　was　satisfied　with　his　record；　if　he　went　wrong　she　only　was　to　blame。　But　he　was　not　going　wrong；　nor　was　there　anything　　to　worry　aboutnot　even　his　artnot　so　long　as　he　kept　his　place　with　Mr。　Slade　and　only　took　it　up　as　a　relaxation　from　more　weighty　cares。　It　was　only　the　girl　that　caused　her　a　moment's　thought。

She　saw　too；　through　all　his　outburst；　a　certain　　independence　and　a　fearlessness　and　a　certain　fixedness　　of　purpose　that　sent　an　exultant　thrill　through　her　even　when　her　heart　was　burdened　with　the　thought　of　this　new　danger　that　threatened　him。　She　had　sent　him　away　for　the　fault　of　instability；　and　he　had　overcome　it。　Should　she　not　now　hold　fast；　as　she　had　before；　and　save　him　the　second　time　from　this　girl　who　was　beneath　him　in　station　and　who　would　drag　him　down　to　her　level；　and　so　perhaps　　ruin　him？

〃We　will　not　talk　any　more　about　it　to…night；　my　son；〃　she　said；　in　tender　tones；　leaning　forward　and　kissing　him　on　the　cheekit　was　through　his　affections　　that　she　controlled　him。　〃You　should　be　tired　out　with　your　day's　journey　and　ought　to　rest。　Take　my　advicedo　not　ask　her　to　be　your　wife　yet。　Think　about　it　a　little　and　see　some　other　women　before　you　make　up　your　mind。〃

A　delicious　tremor　passed　through　Oliver。　He　HAD　asked　her；　and　she　HAD　promised！　He　remembered　　just　the　very　day；　the　hour；　the　minute。　That　was　the　bliss　of　it　all！　But　this　he　did　not　tell　his　mother。　He　would　not　hurt　her　any　further　now。　Some　other　day　he　would　tell　her；　when　she　could　see　Madge　and　judge　for　herself。　No；　not　to…night；　and　so　with　the　secret　untold　he　kissed　her　and　led　her　to　her　room。

And　yet　strange　to　say　it　was　the　one　only　thing　in　all　his　life　that　he　had　kept　from　her。

Ah！　these　mothers！　who　make　lovers　of　their　only　sons；　dominating　their　lives！　How　bitter　must　be　the　hours　when　they　realize　that　another's　arms　are　opening　for　them！

And　these　boyswhat　misgivings　come；　what　doubts。　How　the　old　walls；　impregnable　from　childhood；　　begin　to　crumble！　How　little　now　the　dear　mother　knowsshe　so　wise　but　a　few　moons　since。　How　this　new　love　steps　in　front　of　the　old　love　and　claims　every　part　of　the　boy　as　its　very　own。


Faithful　to　her　promise；　Miss　Clendenning　waited　the　next　morning　for　Oliver　in　her　little　boudoir　that　opened　out　of　the　library。　A　bright　fire　blazed　and　crackled；　sending　its　beams　dancing　over　the　room　and　lighting　up　the　red　curtains　that　hung　behind　her　writing…desk；　its　top　covered　with　opened　lettersher　morning's　mail：　many　bore　foreign　postmarks；　and　not　a　few　were　emblazoned　with　rampant　　crests　sunk　in　little　dabs　of　colored　wax。　She　wore　a　morning　gown　of　soft　white　flannel　belted　in　at　the　waist。　Covering　her　head　and　wound　loosely　about　her　throat　was　a　fluff　of　transparent　silk；　half…　concealing　the　two　nests　of　little　gray　and　brown　knots　impaled　on　hair…pins。　These　were　the　chrysalides　　of　those　gay　butterfly　side…curls　which　framed　her　sweet　face　at　night　and　to　which　she　never　gave　wing　until　after　luncheon；　no　matter　who　called。　The　silk　scarf　that　covered　them　this　morning　was　in　recognition　of　Oliver's　sex。

She　had　finished　her　breakfast　and　was　leaning　forward　　in　her　rocking…chair；　her　elbows　on　her　knees；　her　tiny　feet　resting　on　the　fender。　She　was　watching　　the　fire…fairies　at　work　building　up　their　wonderful　　palaces　of　molten　gold　studded　with　opals　and　rubies。　The　little　lady　must　have　been　in　deep　thought；　for　she　did　not　know　Oliver　had　entered　until　she　felt　his　arm　on　her　shoulder。

〃Ah；　you　dear　fellow。　No；　not　there；　sit　right　here　on　this　cricket　by　my　side。　Stop；　do　not　say　a　word。　I　have　been　studying　it　all　out　in　these　coals。　I　know　all　about　it