the fortunes of oliver horn-第68节

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e　Chief　of　Police　to　shake　Oliver's　hand　that　fatal　night　when　he　was　exiled　from　Kennedy　　Square。

Mrs。　Mulligan；　in　white　apron；　a　French　cap　on　her　head；　and　looking　as　fresh　and　clean　as　a　trained　nurse；　opened　the　door。　Margaret　had　looked　her　up　the　very　day　she　landed；　and　had　placed　her　in　charge　of　her　apartment　as　cook；　housekeeper；　and　lady's　maid；　with　full　control　of　the　front　door　and　of　her　studio。　The　old　woman　was　not　hard　to　trace；　she　had　followed　the　schools　of　the　academy　from　their　old　quarters　to　the　new　marble　building　on　Twenty…　third　Street；　and　was　again　posing　for　the　draped…life　class　and　occasionally　lending　a　hand　to　the　new　janitor。　　Margaret's　life　abroad　had　taught　her　the　secret　of　living　alone；　a　problem　easily　solved　when　there　are　Mrs。　Mulligans　to　be　had　for　the　asking。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Oliver；　she's　insoide。　Oh！　it's　fri'nds　ye　hev　wid　ye！〃　and　she　started　back。

〃Only　my　father　and　Mr。　Gill；〃　and　he　brushed　past　Mrs。　Mulligan；　parted　the　heavy　portieres　that　divided　Madge's　working　studio　from　the　narrow　hall；　thrust　in　his　head　and　called　out；　in　his　cheeriest　voice：

〃Madge；　who　do　you　think　is　outside？　Guess！　Father　and　Uncle　Nat。　Just　arrived　this　morning。〃

Before　Margaret　could　turn　her　head　the　two　stood　before　her：　Richard　with　his　hat　in　his　hand；　his　brown　overcoat　with　the　velvet　collar　over　his　arm　he　had　slipped　it　off　outsideand　Nathan　close　behind；　　still　in　the　long；　pen…wiper　cloak。

〃And　is　it　really　the　distinguished　young　lady　of　whom　I　have　heard　so　much？〃　exclaimed　Richard　with　his　most　courtly　bow；　taking　the　girl's　outstretched　　hand　in　both　of　his。　〃I　am　so　glad　to　see　you；　my　dear；　both　on　your　own　account　and　on　account　of　your　brother；　whom　we　once　sheltered。　And　how　is　he　now？　and　your　dear　mother？〃

To　all　of　which　Margaret　answered　in　low　gentle　tones；　her　eyes　never　leaving　Richard's；　her　hand　still　fast　in　his；　until　he　had　turned　to　introduce　Nathan　so　that　he　might　pay　his　respects。

Nathan；　in　his　timid　halting　way；　stepped　from　behind　Richard；　and　taking　her　welcoming　hand；　told　her　how　much　he　had　wanted　to　know　her；　since　he　had　seen　the　picture　she　had　painted；　then　hanging　in　Miss　Lavinia's　home；　both　because　it　was　the　work　of　a　woman　and　because　tooand　he　looked　straight　into　her　eyes　when　he　said　it　and　meant　every　wordshe　was　the　sister　of　the　poor　fellow　who　had　been　so　shamefully　treated　in　his　own　city。　And　Margaret；　her　voice　breaking；　answered　　that；　but　for　the　aid　of　such　kind　friends　as　himself　and　Oliver；　John　might　never　have　come　back；　adding；　how　grateful　she　and　her　whole　family　had　been　for　the　kindness　shown　her　brother。

While　they　were　talking；　Richard；　with　a　slight　bow　as　if　to　ask　her　permission；　began　making　the　tour　of　the　room；　his　glasses　held　to　his　eyes；　examining　　each　thing　about　him　with　the　air　of　a　connoisseur　　suddenly　ushered　into　a　new　collection　of　curios。

〃Tell　me　who　this　sketch　is　by；〃　he　asked；　stopping　　before　Margaret；　and　pointing　to　a　small　Lambinet；　　glowing　like　an　opal　on　the　dull…green　wall　of　the　studio。　〃I　so　seldom　see　good　pictures　that　a　gem　like　this　is　a　delight。　By　a　Frenchman！　Ah！　Yes；　I　see　the　subtlety　of　coloring。　Marvellous　people；　these　Frenchmen。　And　this　little　jewel　you　have　here？　This　bit　of　mezzo　in　color。　With　this　I　am　more　familiar；　for　we　have　a　good　many　collections　of　old　prints　at　home。　It　is；　I　thinkyesI　thought　I　could　not　be　mistakenit　is　a　Morland；〃　and　he　examined　it　closely；　his　nose　almost　touching　the　glass。

The　next　instant　he　had　crossed　the　room　to　the　window　looking　out　over　the　city；　the　smoke　and　steam　of　a　thousand　fires　floating　over　its　wide　expanse。

〃Come　here；　my　son；〃　he　called　to　Oliver。　〃Look　over　that　stretch　of　energy　and　brains。　Is　it　not　　inspiring？　And　that　band　of　silver；　moving　so　quietly　and　resistlessly　out　to　sea。　What　a　power　for　good　it　all　is；　and　what　a　story　it　will　tell　before　the　century　is　out。〃

Margaret　was　by　his　side　as　he　spoke。　She　had　hardly　taken　her　eyes　from　him　since　he　entered　the　roomnot　even　when　she　was　listening　to　Nathan。　All　her　old…time；　prejudices　and　preconceived　estimates　　of　Richard　were　slipping　away。　Was　this　the　man　whom　she　used　to　think　of　as　a　dreamer　of　dreams；　and　a　shiftless　Southerner？　This　charming　old　gentleman　with　the　air　of　an　aristocrat　and　the　keen　discernment　of　an　expert？　She　could　hardly　believe　her　eyes。

As　for　Oliver；　his　very　heart　was　bursting　with　pride。　It　had　all　happened　exactly　as　he　had　wanted　ithis　father　and　Margaret　had　liked　each　other　from　the　very　first　moment。　And　then　she　had　been　so　beautiful；　too；　even　in　her　long　painting…　apron　and　her　hair　twisted　up　in　a　coil　on　her　head。　And　the　little　blush　of　surprise　and　sweetness　which　had　overspread　her　face　when　they　entered；　and　which　his　father　must　have　seen；　and　the　inimitable　grace　with　which　she　slipped　from　her　high　stool；　and　with　a　half　courtesy　held　out　her　hand　to　welcome　　her　visitors；　and　all　with　the　savoir　faire　and　charm　of　a　woman　of　the　world！　How　it　all　went　straight　to　his　heart。

If；　however；　he　had　ever　thought　her　pretty　in　this　working…costume；　he　thought　her　all　the　more　captivating　　a　few　minutes　later　in　the　little　French　jacket　all　pockets　and　buttonswhich　she　had　put　on　as　soon　as　the　greetings　were　over　and　the　tour　of　the　room　had　been　made　in　answer　to　Richard's　delighted　questions。

But　it　was　in　serving　the　luncheon；　which　Mrs。　Mulligan　had　brought　in；　that　his　sweetheart　was　most　enchanting。　Her　full…rounded　figure　moved　so　gracefully　when　she　bent　across　to　hand　someone　a　cup；　and　the　pose　of　the　head　was　so　delicious；　and　it　was　all　so　bewitching；　and　so　precisely　satisfied　his　artistic　sense。　And　he　so　loved　to　hear　her　talk　when　she　was　the　centre　of　a　group　like　this；　as　much　really　to　see　the　movement　of　her　lips　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　and　the　gracious　way　in　which　she　moved　her　head　as　to　hear　what　she　said。

He　was　indeed　so　overflowing　with　happiness　over　it　all；　and　she　was　so　enchanting　in　his　eyes　as　she　sat　there　dispensing　the　comforts　of　the　silver　tray；　that　he　must　needs　pop　out　of　the　room　with　some　impromptu　excuse　and　disappear　into　the　little　den　which　held　her　desk；　that　he　might　dash　off　a　note　which　he　tucked　under　her　writing…padone　of　their　hiding…placesand　which　bore　the　lines：　〃You　were　never　so　much　my　queen　as　you　are　to…day；　dearest；〃　and　which　she　found　later　and　covered　with　kisses　before　he　was　half　way　down　the　block　on　his　way　back　to　the　hotel　with　the　two　old　gentlemen。

She　was　indeed　beautiful。　The　brow　was　wider　and　whiter；　perhaps；　than　it　had　been　in　the　old　days　under　the　bark　slant；　and　the　look　out　of　the　eyes　a　trifle　softer；　and　with　a　certain　tenderness　in　them　not　quite　so　defiant　and　fearless；　but　there　had　been　no　other　changes。　Certainly　none　in　the　gold…brown　hair　that　Oliver　so　loved。　That　was　still　her　glory；　and　was　still　heaped　up　in　magnificent　masses；　and　with　the　same　look　about　it　of　being　ready　to　burst　its　bonds　and　flood　everything　with　a　river　of　gold。

〃Lots　of　good　news　to…day；　Madge；〃　Oliver　exclaimed；　　after　they　had　all　taken　their　seats；　his　father　　on　Margaret's　right；　with　Nathan　next。

〃Yes；　and　I　have　got　lots　of　good　news　too；　bushels　　of　it；〃　laughed　Margaret。

〃You　tell　me　first；〃　cried　Oliver　bending　toward　her；　his　face　beaming；　each　day　they　exchanged　the　minutest　occurrences　of　their　lives。

〃NoOllieLet　me　hear　yours。　What's　it　about？　Mine's　about　a　picture。〃

〃So's　mine；〃　exclaimed　Olive；　his　eyes　brimming　with　fun　and　the　joy　of　the　surprise　he　had　in　store　for　her。

〃But　it's　about　one　of　your　OWN　pictures；　Ollie。〃

〃So's　mine；〃　he　cried　again；　his　voice　rising　in　merriment。

〃Oh；　Ollie；　tell　me　first；〃　pleaded　Margaret　with　a　tone　in　her　voice　of　such　coaxing　sweetness　that　only　Richard's　and　Nathan's　presence　restrained　him　from　catching　her　up　in　his　arms　and　kissing　her　then　and　there。

〃No；　not　until　you　have　told　me　yours；〃　he　answered　with　mock　firmness。　〃Mine　came　in　a　letter。〃

〃So　did　mine；〃　cried　Margaret　clapping　her　hands。　〃I　don't　believe　yours　is　half　as　good　as　mine　and　I'm　not　going　to　wait　to　hear　it。　Now　listen〃　and　she　opened　an　envelope　that　lay　on　the　table　within　reach　of　her　hand。　〃This　is　from　my　brother　John〃　and　she　turned　toward　Richard　and　Nathan。　〃He　and　Couture；　in　whose　atelier　I　studied；　are　great　friends。　Now　please　pay　attention　Mr。　Autocrat〃　　and　she　looked　at　Oliver　over　the　edge　of　the　letter　and　began　to　read

〃Couture　came　in　to…day　on　his　way　home　and　I　showed　him　the　photograph　Ollie　sent　me　of　his　portrait　of　you　his　'Tam…o'…Shanter　Girl'　he　calls　it。　Couture　was　so　enthusiastic　about　it　that　he　wants　it　sent　to　Paris　at　　once　so　that　he　can　exhibit　it　in　his　own　studio　to　some　　of　the　painters　there。　Then　he　is　going　to　send　it　to　the　　Salon。　So　you　can　tell　that　'Johnnie　Reb'　to　pass　it　along　　to　me　by　the　first　steamer；　and　you　can　tell　him；　too；　that　　his　last　letter　is　a　month　old；　and　I　am　getting　hungry　for　another。〃

〃There　now！　what　do　you　think　of　that？　Mr。　Honorable　Mention。〃

Oliver　opened　his　eyes　in　astonishment。

〃That's　just　like　John；　bless　his　heart！〃　he　answered　　slowly；　as　his　glance　sought　th