the fortunes of oliver horn-第65节

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And　then　again；　why　should　she　be　ashamed　of　her　ankles　and　her　well…turned　instep　and　dainty　toes；　as　compact　in　their　silk　covering　as　peas　in　a　pod！　She　might　have　been；　perhaps；　in　some　one　of　the　satin…　lined　drawing…rooms　around　Madison　Square　or　Irving　　Place；　but　not　here；　breathing　the　blue　smoke　of　a　dozen　pipes　and　among　her　own　kindthe　kind　she　had　known　and　loved　and　charmed　all　her　life。

After　all　it　was　but　a　question　of　economy。　Broadway　　was　a　slough　of　mud　and　slush；　and　neither　she　nor　Bianchi　had　the　price　of　a　carriage　to　spare。

Oliver　watched　her　until　the　whole　comedy　was　complete；　then；　picking　up　his　wet　sketch　and　handing　　it　with　the　greatest　care　to　Bianchi；　who　was　to　conduct　her　ladyship　to　her　lodgings；　he　placed　the　long　black　cloak　with　the　fur…trimming　and　watermelon…　colored　silk　lining　about　her　beautiful；　bare　shoulders；　and；　with　the　whole　club　following　and　waving　their　hands　good…night；　our　young　gentleman　bowed　her　out　and　downstairs　with　all　the　deference　and　respect　he　would　have　shown　the　highest　lady　in　the　land。




CHAPTER　XXII

〃MARGARET　GRANTTOP　FLOOR〃



One　spring　morning；　some　time　after　the　visit　of　the　Countess　to　the　club　and　the　painting　of　her　portrait　　by　Oliverthe　incident　had　become　the　talk　of　the　studios　before　the　week　was　outOliver　sat　in　his　own　rooms　on　the　top　floor；　drinking　his　coffee　the　coffee　he　had　boiled　himself。　The　janitor　had　just　slipped　two　letters　through　a　slit　in　the　door。　Both　lay　on　the　floor　within　reach　of　his　hand。　One　was　from　his　mother；　bearing　the　postmark　of　his　native　city；　the　other　was　from　a　prominent　picture…　dealer　on　Broadway；　with　a　gallery　and　big　window　looking　out　on　the　street。

Oliver　broke　the　seal　of　his　mother's　letter；　and　moved　his　chair　so　that　the　light　from　the　overhead　skylight　would　fall　on　its　pages。

It　read　as　follows：

〃My　Darling　Boy：　Your　father　goes　to　you　to…　morrow。　Mr。　Cobb　was　here　last　night　with　a　letter　from　some　gentleman　of　means　with　whom　he　has　been　corresponding。　They　want　to　see　the　motor；　so　your　father　and　Nathan　leave　on　the　early　train。

〃This　man's　continued　kindness　is　a　constant　surprise　　to　me。　I　have　always　thought　it　was　he　who　prevented　　the　mortgage　from　being　foreclosed；　but　I　never　knew　until　yesterday　that　he　had　written　his　name　under　my　own　the　second　time　the　note　was　to　be　renewed；　and　that　he　has　kept　it　there　ever　since。　I　cannot　speak　of　this　to　him；　nor　must　you；　if　you　see　him；　for　poor　old　Mr。　Steiger　told　me　in　confidence。　I　am　the　more　glad　now　that　we　have　always　paid　the　interest　on　the　note。　The　next　payment；　which　you　have　just　sent　me；　due　on　the　first　of　the　month；　is　now　in　my　bureau…drawer　ready　for　the　bank；　but　I　will　not　have　to　use　it　now。

〃Whether　the　mortgage　can　ever　be　paid　off　I　do　not　know；　for　the　farm　is　ruined；　I　fear。　Mr。　Mowbray's　　cousin；　who　drove　over　last　week　to　see　what　was　left　of　the　plantations　in　that　section；　writes　me　that　there　is　nothing　remaining　of　your　grandfather's　place　but　the　bare　ground　and　the　house。　All　the　fences　have　been　burned　and　many　of　the　beautiful　trees　cut　down　for　firewood。　The　Government　still　occupies　the　house　and　one　of　the　outbuildings；　although　　most　of　the　hospital　stores　have　been　moved　away。　The　last　half…year's　rent　which　was　held　back；　owing　to　some　new　ruling　from　Washington；　came；　I　am　thankful　to　say；　two　days　ago　in　a　check　from　the　paymaster　here；　owing　to　Mr。　Cobb's　intercession。　He　never　loses　an　opportunity　to　praise　you　for　what　you　did　for　that　poor　young　soldier；　and　Mr。　Steiger　told　me　that　when　those　in　authority　heard　from　Mr。　Cobb　which　Mrs。　Horn　it　was；　they　ordered　the　rent　paid　at　once。　He　is　always　doing　just　such　kindnesses　for　us。　But　for　this　rental　I　don't　know　how　we　would　have　been　able　to　live　and　take　care　of　those　dependent　upon　us。　We　little　knew；　my　son；　when　we　both　strove　so　hard　to　save　the　farm　that　it　would　really　be　our　only　support。　This　rent；　however；　will　soon　cease　and　I　tremble　for　the　future。　I　can　only　pray　my　Heavenly　Father　that　something　will　come　out　of　this　visit　to　New　York。　it　is　our　only　hope　now。

〃Don't　lose　sight　of　your　father　for　a　moment；　my　son。　He　is　not　well　and　gets　easily　fatigued；　and　although　he　is　greatly　elated　over　his　promised　success；　as　we　all　areand　he　certainly　deserves　to　beI　think　you　will　see　a　great　change　in　him　these　last　few　months。　I　would　not　have　consented　to　his　going　had　not　Nathan　gone　with　him。　Nathan　insists　upon　paying　the　expenses　of　the　trip；　he　says　it　is　only　fair　that　he　should；　as　your　father　has　given　him　an　interest　in　the　motor。　I　earnestly　hope　for　some　results；　　for　I　shall　have　no　peace　until　the　whole　amount　of　the　mortgage　is　paid　back　to　the　bank　and　you　and　Mr。　Cobb　are　released　from　the　burden；　so　heavy　on　you；　my　boy。

〃There　is　no　other　news　to　tell　you。　Sue　Clayton　brought　her　boy　in　to…day。　He　is　a　sweet　little　fellow　and　has　Sue's　eyes。　She　has　named　him　John　Clayton；　　after　her　father。　They　have　made　another　attempt　　to　find　the　Colonel's　body　on　the　battle…field；　but　without　success。　I　am　afraid　it　will　never　be　recovered。

〃Lavinia　sends　her　love。　She　has　been　much　better　　lately。　Her　army　hospital　work　has　weighed　upon　her；　I　think。　Three　years　was　too　long。

〃I　have　the　last　newspaper　notices　of　your　academy　　picture　pinned　on　my　cushion；　and　I　show　them　to　everybody　who　comes　in。　They　always　delight　me。　You　have　had　a　hard　fight；　my　son；　but　you　are　winning　now。　No　one　rejoices　more　than　I　do　in　your　success。　As　you　said　in　your　last　letter；　the　times　have　really　changed。　They　certainly　have　for　me。　Sorrow　and　suffering　have　made　me　see　many　things　in　a　different　light　these　last　few　years。

〃Malachi　and　Hannah　are　well；　but　the　old　man　seems　quite　feeble　at　times。

〃Your　loving　mother；

〃Sallie　T。　Horn。〃

Dear　lady；　with　your　soft　white　hair　and　deep　brown　eyes　that　have　so　often　looked　into　mine！　How　dreary　were　those　long　days　of　hate　and　misery！　How　wise　and　helpful　you　were　to　every　living　soul　who　sought　your　aid；　friend　and　foe　alike。　Your　great　heart　sheltered　and　comforted　them　all。

Oliver　read　the　letter　through　and　put　his　lips　to　the　signature。　In　all　his　life　he　had　never　failed　to　kiss　his　mother's　name　at　the　bottom　of　her　letters。　The　only　difference　was　that　now　he　kissed　them　with　an　added　reverence。　The　fact　of　his　having　proved　himself　right　and　her　wrong　in　the　choice　of　his　profession　made　loyalty　with　him　the　more　tender。

〃Dear；　dear　mother！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃You　have　had　so　much　trouble　lately；　and　you　have　been　so　plucky　through　it　all。〃　He　stopped；　looked　dreamily　　across　the　room；　and　added　with　a　sigh：　〃But　she　has　not　said　one　word　about　Madge；　not　one　single　word。　She　doesn't　answer　that　part　of　my　letter；　she　doesn't　intend　to。〃

Then　he　opened　the　other　communication　which　read：

〃Dear　Mr。　Horn：　Please　call　here　in　the　morning。　　I　have　some　good　news　for　you。

〃John　Snedecor。〃

Oliver　turned　the　picture…dealer's　letter　over；　peered　into　the　envelope　as　if　he　expected　to　find　some　trace　of　the　good　news　tucked　away　in　its　corners；　lifted　the　tray　holding　his　frugal　breakfast；　and　laid　it　on　the　floor　outside　his　door　ready　for　the　janitor's　morning　round。　Then；　picking　up　his　hat；　he　locked　his　door；　hung　an　〃out　card〃　on　the　knob；　and；　strolling　downstairs；　stepped　into　the　fresh　morning　air。　He　knew　the　dealer　well。　He　had　placed　two　of　old　Mr。　Crocker's　pictures　with　himone　of　which　had　been　sold。

When　he　reached　Snedecor's　gallery　he　found　the　big　window　surrounded　with　a　crowd　gazing　intently　at　an　upright　portrait　in　a　glittering　gold　frame；　to　which　was　affixed　an　imposing…looking　name…plate　bearing　the　inscription：

〃THE　WOMAN　IN　BLACK；　BY　OLIVER　HORN〃

So　this　was　Snedecor's　good　news！

Oliver　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　into　the　open　door　of　the　shopthe　shop　was；　in　front；　the　gallery　in　the　rearand　found　the　proprietor　leaning　over　a　case　filled　with　artists'　supplies。

〃Has　she　had　it　FRAMED；　Snedecor？〃　asked　Oliver；　with　a　light　laugh。

〃Not　to　any　alarming　extent！　I　made　that　frame　for　Mr。　Peter　Fish。　She　sent　it　here　for　sale；　and　Fish　bought　it。　He's　wild　about　it。　Says　it's　the　best　thing　since　Sully。　He　wants　you　to　paint　his　daughter；　　that's　what　I　wanted　to　see　you　about。　Great　card　for　you；　Mr。　Horn。　I　congratulate　you！〃

Oliver　gave　a　low　whistle。　His　own　good　fortune　was　for　the　moment　forgotten　in　his　surprise　at　the　woman's　audacity。　Selling　a　sketch　painted　by　one　of　the　club！　one　which　had　virtually　been　GIVEN　to　her。

〃Poor　Bianchi！　He　does　pick　up　the　queerest　people。　　I　wonder　if　she　was　out　of　stockings；〃　he　said　half…aloud。

〃Oh；　you　needn't　worry　about　the　Madame；　she　won't　suffer　for　clothes　as　long　as　she's　got　that　pair　of　eyes　in　her　head。　You　just　ought　to　have　seen　her　handle　old　Fish。　It　was　beautiful。　But；　see　here　now；　you　don't　want　to　make　old　Peter　a　present　of　this　portrait　of　his　daughter。　He's　good　for　a　thousand；　I　tell　you。　She　got　a　cracking　price　for　that　one；〃　and　he　pointed　to　the　picture。

Again　Oliver　laughed。

〃A　cracking　price？　She　must　have　needed　the　money　bad。〃　The　more　he　thought　of　it　the　funnier　it　seemed。

Sn