the fortunes of oliver horn-第74节

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s　gleamed　in　the　candle…light。

Munson；　as　if　to　humor　the　old　gentleman；　threw　up　his　foil；　made　a　pass　or　two；　and；　to　his　intense　　astonishment；　received　the　button　of　Richard's　foil　on　his　black　velvet　jacket　and　within　an　inch　of　his　heart。

Everybody　on　the　floor　at　once　circled　about　the　contestants。　The　spectacle　of　an　old　gentleman　in　a　snuff…colored　coat　and　high　collar；　having　a　bout　with　a　short　gentleman　in　shorter　velvet　trunks；　silk　hose；　and　steel　buckles；　was　one　too　droll　and　too　exhilarating　　to　loseanachronistic　it　was；　yet　quite　in　keeping　with　the　surroundings。　More　exhilarating　still　was　the　extreme　punctiliousness　with　which　the　old　gentleman　raised　the　handle　of　his　foil　to　his　chin　after　he　had　made　his　point；　and　saluted　his　antagonist　　as　if　he　had　been　some　knight　of　King　Arthur's　table。

Still　more　fascinating　was　the　way　in　which　the　younger　man　settled　down　to　work；　his　brow　knit；　his　lips　tightly　closed；　the　members　widening　out　to　give　them　room；　Oliver　and　Nathan　cheering　the　loudest　of　them　all　as　Richard's　foil　flashed　in　the　air；　parrying；　　receiving；　now　up；　now　down；　his　right　foot　edging　　closer；　his　dear　old　head　bent　low；　his　deep　eyes　fixed　on　his　young　antagonist；　until；　with　a　quick　thrust　of　his　arm　and　a　sudden　upward　twist　of　his　hand；　he　wrenched　Munson's　foil　from　his　grasp　and　sent　it　flying　across　the　room。

Best　of　all　was　the　joyful　yet　apologetic　way　with　which　Richard　sprang　forward　and　held　out　his　hand　to　Munson；　crying　out：

〃A　fluke；　my　dear　Mr。　Munson；　quite　a　fluke；　I　assure　you。　Pray　forgive　me。　A　mere　lucky　accident。　　My　old　fencing　master；　Martini；　taught　me　that　trick。　I　thought　I　had　quite　forgotten　it。　Just　think！　it　is　forty　years　since　I　have　had　a　foil　in　my　hands；〃　and；　laughing　like　a　boy　he　crossed　the　room；　picked　up　the　foil；　and；　bowing　low；　handed　it　to　the　crestfallen　man　with　the　air　of　a　gallant。


Half　the　club；　costumed　as　they　wereit　was　now　after　midnight；　and　there　were　but　few　people　in　the　streetsescorted　the　two　old　men　back　to　their　hotel。　Munson　walked　beside　Richard；　Waller；　his　flowing　　skirts　tucked　up　inside　his　overcoat；　stepped　on　the　right　of　Nathan；　Oliver；　Fred；　and　the　others　followed　behind；　the　hubbub　of　their　talk　filling　the　night：　even　when　they　reached　the　side　door　of　the　hotel　and　rang　up　the　night　porter；　they　must　still　stand　on　the　sidewalk　listening　to　Richard's　account　of　the　way　the　young　gallants　were　brought　up　in　his　day；　of　the　bouts　with　the　foils；　and　of　the　duels　which　were　fought　before　they　were　willing　to　take　their　leave。

When　the　last　good…byes　had　been　given；　and　Oliver　　had　waved　his　rapier　from　the　doorstep　as　a　final　farewell　to　his　fellow…members　before　he　saw　his　father　upstairs　to　bed；　and　the　delighted　escort　had　turned　on　their　heels　to　retrace　their　steps　up　Broadway；　　Waller　slipped　his　arm　into　Munson's；　and　said；　in　his　most　thoughtful　tone；　one　entirely　free　from　cynicism　or　badinage：

〃What　a　lovely　pair　of　old　duffers。　We　talk　about　Bohemia；　Munson；　and　think　we've　got　it；　but　we　haven't。　Our　kind　is　a　cheap　veneer　glued　to　　commonplace　pine。　Their　kind　is　old　mahogany；　solid　all　the　way　throughfine　grain；　high　polish　and　no　knots。　I　only　wish　they　lived　here。〃




CHAPTER　XXIV

IN　THE　TWILIGHT



Each　day　Margaret's　heart　warmed　more　and　more　to　Richard。　He　not　only　called　out　in　her　a　tenderness　　and　veneration　for　his　age　and　attainments　which　her　own　father　had　never　permitted　her　to　express；　but　his　personality　realized　for　her　an　ideal　which；　until　she　knew　him；　she　had　despaired　of　ever　finding。　While　his　courtesy；　his　old…time　manners；　his　quaintness　　of　speech　and　dress　captivated　her　imagination；　his　perfect　and　unfailing　sympathy　and　constant　kindness　completely　won　her　heart。　There　was；　too；　now　and　then；　a　peculiar　tone　in　his　voice　which　would　bring　the　tears　to　her　eyes　without　her　knowing　why；　until　her　mind　would　recall　some　blunt；　outspoken　speech　of　her　dead　father's　in　answer　to　the　very　　sentiments　she　was　then　expressing　to　Richard；　who　　received　them　as　a　matter　of　coursea　remembrance　which　always　caused　a　tightening　about　her　heart。

Sometimes　the　inventor　would　sit　for　her　while　she　sketched　his　head　in　different　lights；　he　watching　her　work；　interested　in　every　stroke；　every　bit　of　composition。　She　loved　to　have　him　beside　her　easel　criticising　her　work。　No　one；　she　told　Oliver；　had　ever　been　so　interested　before　with　the　little　niceties　of　her　techniquein　the　amount　of　oil　used；　in　the　way　the　paints　were　mixed；　in　the　value　of　a　palette　knife　as　a　brush　or　of　an　old　cotton　rag　as　a　blender；　nor　had　any　one　of　her　sitters　ever　been　so　enthusiastic　　over　her　results。

There　was　one　half…hour　sketch　which　more　than　all　the　others　astonished　and　delighted　himone　in　which　Margaret　in　her　finishing　touches　had　eschewed　brushes；　palette…knife　and　rag；　and　with　one　dash　of　her　dainty　thumb　had　brought　into　instant　relief　the　subtle　curves　about　his　finely　modelled　nose。　This　filled　him　with　wonder　and　admiration。　His　own　finger　had　always　obeyed　him；　and　he　loved　to　find　the　same　skill　in　another。

To　Richard　these　hours　of　intercourse　with　Margaret　　were　among　the　happiest　of　his　life。　It　was　Margaret；　indeed；　who　really　helped　him　bear　with　patience　the　tedious　delays　attendant　upon　the　completion　　of　his　financial　operations。　Even　when　the　final　sum　was　agreed　uponand　it　was　a　generous　one；　that　filled　Oliver's　heart　with　joy　and　set　Nathan's　　imagination　on　firethe　best　part　of　two　weeks　had　been　consumed　before　the　firm　of　lawyers　who　were　to　pass　upon　Richard's　patents　were　willing　to　certify　to　the　purchasers　of　the　stock　of　the　horn　Magnetic　Motor　Company；　as　to　the　priority　of　Richard's　　invention　based　on　the　patent　granted　on　August　13；　1856；　and　which　covered　the　principle　of　the　levers　working　in　connection　with　the　magnets。

During　these　tedious　delays；　in　which　his　heart　had　vibrated　between　hope　and　fear；　he　had　found　his　way　every　afternoon　to　Margaret's　studio；　Nathan　having　gone　home　to　Kennedy　Square　with　his　head　in　the　clouds　when　the　negotiations　became　a　certainty。　　In　these　weeks　of　waiting　the　Northern　girl　had　not　only　stolen　his　heart；　taking　the　place　of　a　daughter　he　had　never　knowna　void　never　filled　in　any　man's　soulbut　she　had　satisfied　a　craving　no　less　intense；　the　hunger　for　the　companionship　of　one　who　really　understood　his　aims　and　purposes。　Nathan　had　in　a　measure　met　this　need　as　far　as　unselfish　　love　and　unswerving　loyalty　could　go；　and　so　had　his　dear　wife；　especially　in　these　later　years；　when　her　mind　had　begun　to　grasp　the　meaning　of　the　social　and　financial　changes　that　the　war　had　brought；　and　what　place　her　husband's　inventions　might　hold　in　the　new　regime。　But　no　one　of　these；　not　even　Nathan；　had　ever　understood　him　as　clearly　as　had　this　young　girl。

When　it　grew　too　dark　to　paint；　he　would　make　her　sit　on　a　stool　at　his　feet；　while　he　would　talk　to　her　of　his　life　work　and　of　the　future　as　he　saw　itoften　of　things　which　he　had　kept　shut　away　in　his　heart　even　from　Nathan。　He　would　tell　her　of　the　long　years　of　anxiety；　of　the　sleepless　nights；　of　his　utter　loneliness；　without　a　friend　to　guide　him；　while　he　was　trying　to　solve　the　problems　that　had　blocked　his　path；　of　the　poverty　of　these　late　years；　all　the　more　pitiful　because　of　his　inability　at　times　to　buy　even　the　bare　materials　and　instruments　needed　for　his　work；　and；　again；　of　his　many　disappointments　in　his　search　for　the　hoped…for　link　that　was　needed　to　make　his　motor　a　success。

Once；　in　lowered　tones　and　with　that　eager；　restless　　expression　which　so　often　came　into　his　face　when　standing　over　his　work…bench　in　his　little　shop；　baffled　by　some　unsolved　problem；　he　told　her　of　his　many　anxieties　lest　some　other　brain　groping　along　the　same　paths　should　reach　the　goal　before　him；　how　the　Scientific　Review；　the　one　chronicle　of　the　discoveries　　of　the　time；　would　often　lie　on　his　table　for　hours　before　he　had　the　courage　to　open　it　and　read　the　list　of　patents　granted　during　the　preceding　months；　adding；　with　a　voice　full　of　gentleness；　〃I　was　ashamed　of　it　all；　afterward；　my　dear；　but　Mrs。　Horn　became　so　anxious　over　our　daily　expenses；　and　so　much　depended　on　my　success。〃

This　brave　pioneer　did　not　realize；　nor　did　she；　that　they　were　both　valiant　soldiers　fighting　the　good　fight　of　science　and　art　against　tradition　and　　provincialismpart　of　that　great　army　of　progress　which　was　steadily　conquering　the　world！

As　she　listened　in　the　darkening　shadows；　her　hand　in　his；　her　fingers　tight　about　his　own；　he；　reading　the　sympathy　of　her　touch；　and　fearing　to　have　distressed　　her　by　his　talk；　had　started　up；　and　in　his　cheery；　buoyant　voice　cried　out：

〃But　it　is　all　over　now；　my　child。　All　past　and　gone。　The　work　of　my　life　is　finished。　There's　plenty　now　for　all　of　us。　For　my　dear　wife　who　has　borne　up　so　bravely　and　has　never　complained；　and　for　you　and　Oliver。　Your　waiting　need　not　be　long；　my　dear。　This　last　happiness　which　has　come　to　me〃　and　he　smoothed　her　hair　gently　with　his　thin　hand　and　drew　her　closer　to　him〃seems　the　greatest　　of　them　all。〃


The　two　were　seated　in　this　way　one　afternoon；　Margaret　restin