the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第24节
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could not laugh David out of it。 This was so； partly because he had no
sense of humor； and partly because he had a great…great…grandfather。
Among the salesmen on lower Broadway； to possess a great…great…
grandfather is unusual； even a great…grandfather is a rarity； and either is
considered superfluous。 But to David the possession of a great…great…
grandfather was a precious and open delight。 He had possessed him only
for a short time。 Undoubtedly he always had existed； but it was not until
David's sister Anne married a doctor in Bordentown； New Jersey； and
became socially ambitious； that David emerged as a Son of Washington。
It was sister Anne； anxious to 〃get in〃 as a 〃Daughter〃 and wear a
distaff pin in her shirtwaist； who discovered the revolutionary ancestor。
She unearthed him； or rather ran him to earth； in the graveyard of the
Presbyterian church at Bordentown。 He was no less a person than General
Hiram Greene； and he had fought with Washington at Trenton and at
Princeton。 Of this there was no doubt。 That； later； on moving to New York；
his descendants became peace…loving salesmen did not affect his record。
To enter a society founded on heredity； the important thing is first to catch
your ancestor； and having made sure of him； David entered the Society of
the Sons of Washington with flying colors。 He was not unlike the man
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who had been speaking prose for forty years without knowing it。 He was
not unlike the other man who woke to find himself famous。 He had gone
to bed a timid； near…sighted； underpaid salesman without a relative in the
world； except a married sister in Bordentown； and he awoke to find he was
a direct descendant of 〃Neck or Nothing〃 Greene； a revolutionary hero； a
friend of Washington； a man whose portrait hung in the State House at
Trenton。 David's life had lacked color。 The day he carried his certificate of
membership to the big jewelry store uptown and purchased two rosettes；
one for each of his two coats； was the proudest of his life。
The other men in the Broadway office took a different view。 As
Wyckoff； one of Burdett's flying squadron of travelling salesmen； said；
〃All grandfathers look alike to me； whether they're great； or great…great…
great。 Each one is as dead as the other。 I'd rather have a live cousin who
could loan me a five； or slip me a drink。 What did your great…great dad
ever do for you？〃
〃Well； for one thing；〃 said David stiffly； 〃he fought in the War of the
Revolution。 He saved us from the shackles of monarchical England； he
made it possible for me and you to enjoy the liberties of a free republic。〃
〃Don't try to tell me your grandfather did all that；〃 protested Wyckoff；
〃because I know better。 There were a lot of others helped。 I read about it in
a book。〃
〃I am not grudging glory to others；〃 returned David； 〃I am only saying
I am proud that I am a descendant of a revolutionist。〃
Wyckoff dived into his inner pocket and produced a leather
photograph frame that folded like a concertina。
〃I don't want to be a descendant；〃 he said； 〃I'd rather be an ancestor。
Look at those。〃 Proudly he exhibited photographs of Mrs。 Wyckoff with
the baby and of three other little Wyckoffs。 David looked with envy at the
children。
〃When I'm married；〃 he stammered； and at the words he blushed； 〃I
hope to be an ancestor。〃
〃If you're thinking of getting married；〃 said Wyckoff； 〃you'd better
hope for a raise in salary。〃
The other clerks were as unsympathetic as Wyckoff。 At first when
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
David showed them his parchment certificate； and his silver gilt insignia
with on one side a portrait of Washington； and on the other a Continental
soldier； they admitted it was dead swell。 They even envied him； not the
grandfather； but the fact that owing to that distinguished relative David
was constantly receiving beautifully engraved invitations to attend the
monthly meetings of the society； to subscribe to a fund to erect
monuments on battle…fields to mark neglected graves； to join in joyous
excursions to the tomb of Washington or of John Paul Jones； to inspect
West Point； Annapolis； and Bunker Hill； to be among those present at the
annual 〃banquet〃 at Delmonico's。 In order that when he opened these
letters he might have an audience； he had given the society his office
address。
In these communications he was always addressed as 〃Dear
Compatriot；〃 and never did the words fail to give him a thrill。 They
seemed to lift him out of Burdett's salesrooms and Broadway； and place
him next to things uncommercial； untainted； high； and noble。 He did not
quite know what an aristocrat was； but be believed being a compatriot
made him an aristocrat。 When customers were rude； when Mr。 John or Mr。
Robert was overbearing； this idea enabled David to rise above their ill…
temper； and he would smile and say to himself： 〃If they knew the meaning
of the blue rosette in my button…hole； how differently they would treat me！
How easily with a word could I crush them！〃
But few of the customers recognized the significance of the button。
They thought it meant that David belonged to the Y。 M。 C。 A。 or was a
teetotaler。 David； with his gentle manners and pale； ascetic face； was liable
to give that impression。
When Wyckoff mentioned marriage； the reason David blushed was
because； although no one in the office suspected it； he wished to marry the
person in whom the office took the greatest pride。 This was Miss Emily
Anthony； one of Burdett and Sons' youngest； most efficient； and prettiest
stenographers； and although David did not cut as dashing a figure as did
some of the firm's travelling men； Miss Anthony had found something in
him so greatly to admire that she had； out of office hours； accepted his
devotion； his theatre tickets； and an engagement ring。 Indeed； so far had
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matters progressed； that it had been almost decided when in a few months
they would go upon their vacations they also would go upon their
honeymoon。 And then a cloud had come between them； and from a quarter
from which David had expected only sunshine。
The trouble befell when David discovered he had a great… great…
grandfather。 With that fact itself Miss Anthony was almost as pleased as
was David himself； but while he was content to bask in another's glory；
Miss Anthony saw in his inheritance only an incentive to achieve glory for
himself。
From a hard…working salesman she had asked but little； but from a
descendant of a national hero she expected other things。 She was a
determined young person； and for David she was an ambitious young
person。 She found she was dissatisfied。 She found she was disappointed。
The great…great…grandfather had opened up a new horizonhad； in a way；
raised the standard。 She was as fond of David as always； but his tales of
past wars and battles； his accounts of present banquets at which he sat
shoulder to shoulder with men of whom even Burdett and Sons spoke with
awe； touched her imagination。
〃You shouldn't be content to just wear a button；〃 she urged。 〃If you're a
Son of Washington； you ought to act like one。〃
〃I know I'm not worthy of you；〃 David sighed。
〃I don't mean that； and you know I don't；〃 Emily replied indignantly。
〃It has nothing to do with me！ I want you to be worthy of yourself； of your
grandpa Hiram！〃
〃But HOW？〃 complained David。 〃What chance has a twenty…five
dollar a week clerk〃
It was a year before the Spanish…American War； while the patriots of
Cuba were fighting the mother co
