the american claimant-第30节

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they　had　achieved；　less　pleased　by　the　pink　in　the　buttonhole。
Yesterday's　pink　had　hardly　interested　her；　this　one　was　just　like　it；
but　somehow　it　had　got　her　immediate　attention；　and　kept　it。　　She　wished
she　could　think　of　some　way　of　getting　at　its　history　in　a　properly
colorless　and　indifferent　way。　　Presently　she　made　a　venture。　　She　said：

〃Whatever　a　man's　age　may　be；　he　can　reduce　it　several　years　by　putting　a
bright…colored　flower　in　his　button…hole。　　I　have　often　noticed　that。
Is　that　your　sex's　reason　for　wearing　a　boutonniere？〃

〃I　fancy　not；　but　certainly　that　reason　would　be　a　sufficient　one。　　I've
never　heard　of　the　idea　before。〃

〃You　seem　to　prefer　pinks。　　Is　it　on　account　of　the　color；　or　the　form？〃

〃Oh　no；〃　he　said；　simply；　〃they　are　given　to　me。　　I　don't　think　I　have
any　preference。〃

〃They　are　given　to　him；〃　she　said　to　herself；　and　she　felt　a　coldness
toward　that　pink。　　〃I　wonder　who　it　is；　and　what　she　is　like。〃　　The
flower　began　to　take　up　a　good　deal　of　room；　it　obtruded　itself
everywhere；　it　intercepted　all　views；　and　marred　them；　it　was　becoming
exceedingly　annoying　and　conspicuous　for　a　little　thing。　　〃I　wonder　if　he
cares　for　her。〃　　That　thought　gave　her　a　quite　definite　pain。




CHAPTER　XXI。

She　had　made　everything　comfortable　for　the　artist；　there　was　no　further
pretext　for　staying。　　So　she　said　she　would　go；　now；　and　asked　him　to
summon　the　servants　in　case　he　should　need　anything。　　She　went　away
unhappy；　and　she　left　unhappiness　behind　her；　for　she　carried　away　all
the　sunshine。　　The　time　dragged　heavily　for　both；　now。　　He　couldn't　paint
for　thinking　of　her；　she　couldn't　design　or　millinerize　with　any　heart；
for　thinking　of　him。　　Never　before　had　painting　seemed　so　empty　to　him；
never　before　had　millinerizing　seemed　so　void　of　interest　to　her。　　She
had　gone　without　repeating　that　dinner…invitationan　almost　unendurable
disappointment　to　him。　　On　her　part…well；　she　was　suffering；　too；　for　she
had　found　she　couldn't　invite　him。　　It　was　not　hard　yesterday；　but　it　was
impossible　to…day。　　A　thousand　innocent　privileges　seemed　to　have　been
filched　from　her　unawares　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　　To…day　she　felt
strangely　hampered；　restrained　of　her　liberty。　　To…day　she　couldn't
propose　to　herself　to　do　anything　or　say　anything　concerning　this　young
man　without　being　instantly　paralyzed　into　non…action　by　the　fear　that　he
might　〃suspect。〃　　Invite　him　to　dinner　to…day？　　It　made　her　shiver　to
think　of　it。

And　so　her　afternoon　was　one　long　fret。　　Broken　at　intervals。　　Three
times　she　had　to　go　down　stairs　on　errandsthat　is；　she　thought　she　had
to　go　down　stairs　on　errands。　　Thus；　going　and　coming；　she　had　six
glimpses　of　him；　in　the　aggregate；　without　seeming　to　look　in　his
direction；　and　she　tried　to　endure　these　electric　ecstasies　without
showing　any　sign；　but　they　fluttered　her　up　a　good　deal；　and　she　felt
that　the　naturalness　she　was　putting　on　was　overdone　and　quite　too
frantically　sober　and　hysterically　calm　to　deceive。

The　painter　had　his　share　of　the　rapture；　he　had　his　six　glimpses；　and
they　smote　him　with　waves　of　pleasure　that　assaulted　him；　beat　upon　him；
washed　over　him　deliciously；　and　drowned　out　all　consciousness　of　what　he
was　doing　with　his　brush。　　So　there　were　six　places　in　his　canvas　which
had　to　be　done　over　again。

At　last　Gwendolen　got　some　peace　of　mind　by　sending　word　to　the
Thompsons；　in　the　neighborhood；　that　she　was　coming　there　to　dinner。
She　wouldn't　be　reminded；　at　that　table；　that　there　was　an　absentee　who
ought　to　be　a　presenteea　word　which　she　meant　to　look　out　in　the
dictionary　at　a　calmer　time。

About　this　time　the　old　earl　dropped　in　for　a　chat　with　the　artist；　and
invited　him　to　stay　to　dinner。　　Tracy　cramped　down　his　joy　and　gratitude
by　a　sudden　and　powerful　exercise　of　all　his　forces；　and　he　felt　that　now
that　he　was　going　to　be　close　to　Gwendolen；　and　hear　her　voice　and　watch
her　face　during　several　precious　hours；　earth　had　nothing　valuable　to　add
to　his　life　for　the　present。

The　earl　said　to　himself；　〃This　spectre　can　eat　apples；　apparently。
We　shall　find　out；　now；　if　that　is　a　specialty。　　I　think；　myself；　it's　a
specialty。　　Apples；　without　doubt；　constitute　the　spectral　limit。　　It　was
the　case　with　our　first　parents。　　No；　I　am　wrongat　least　only　partly
right。　　The　line　was　drawn　at　apples；　just　as　in　the　present　case；　but　it
was　from　the　other　direction。〃　　The　new　clothes　gave　him　a　thrill　of
pleasure　and　pride。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃I've　got　part　of　him　down　to
date；　anyway。〃

Sellers　said　he　was　pleased　with　Tracy's　work；　and　he　went　on　and　engaged
him　to　restore　his　old　masters；　and　said　he　should　also　want　him　to　paint
his　portrait　and　his　wife's　and　possibly　his　daughter's。　　The　tide　of　the
artist's　happiness　was　at　flood；　now。　　The　chat　flowed　pleasantly　along
while　Tracy　painted　and　Sellers　carefully　unpacked　a　picture　which　he　had
brought　with　him。　　It　was　a　chromo；　a　new　one；　just　out。　　It　was　the
smirking；　self…satisfied　portrait　of　a　man　who　was　inundating　the　Union
with　advertisements　inviting　everybody　to　buy　his　specialty；　which　was　a
three…dollar　shoe　or　a　dress…suit　or　something　of　that　kind。　　The　old
gentleman　rested　the　chromo　flat　upon　his　lap　and　gazed　down　tenderly
upon　it；　and　became　silent　and　meditative。　　Presently　Tracy　noticed　that
he　was　dripping　tears　on　it。　　This　touched　the　young　fellow's　sympathetic
nature；　and　at　the　same　time　gave　him　the　painful　sense　of　being　an
intruder　upon　a　sacred　privacy；　an　observer　of　emotions　which　a　stranger
ought　not　to　witness。　　But　his　pity　rose　superior　to　other
considerations；　and　compelled　him　to　try　to　comfort　the　old　mourner　with
kindly　words　and　a　show　of　friendly　interest。　　He　said：

〃I　am　very　sorryis　it　a　friend　whom〃

〃Ah；　more　than　that；　far　more　than　thata　relative；　the　dearest　I　had　on
earth；　although　I　was　never　permitted　to　see　him。　　Yes；　it　is　young　Lord
Berkeley；　who　perished　so　heroically　in　the　awful　conflagration；　what　is
the　matter？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；　nothing。

It　was　a　little　startling　to　be　so　suddenly　brought　face　to　face；　so　to
speak；　with　a　person　one　has　heard　so　much　talk　about。　　Is　it　a　good
likeness？〃

〃Without　doubt；　yes。　　I　never　saw　him；　but　you　can　easily　see　the
resemblance　to　his　father；〃　said　Sellers；　holding　up　the　chromo　and
glancing　from　it　to　the　chromo　misrepresenting　the　Usurping　Earl　and　back
again　with　an　approving　eye。

〃Well；　noI　am　not　sure　that　I　make　out　the　likeness。　　It　is　plain　that
the　Usurping　Earl　there　has　a　great　deal　of　character　and　a　long　face
like　a　horse's；　whereas　his　heir　here　is　smirky；　moon…faced　and
characterless。〃

〃We　are　all　that　way　in　the　beginningall　the　line；〃　said　Sellers；
undisturbed。　　〃We　all　start　as　moonfaced　fools；　then　later　we　tadpole
along　into　horse…faced　marvels　of　intellect　and　character。　　It　is　by　that
sign　and　by　that　fact　that　I　detect　the　resemblance　here　and　know　this
portrait　to　be　genuine　and　perfect。　　Yes；　all　our　family　are　fools　at
first。〃

〃This　young　man　seems　to　meet　the　hereditary　requirement；　certainly。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　he　was　a　fool；　without　any　doubt。　　Examine　the　face；　the　shape
of　the　head；　the　expression。　　It's　all　fool；　fool；　fool；　straight
through。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Tracy；　involuntarily。

〃Thanks？　〃

〃I　mean　for　explaining　it　to　me。　　Go　on；　please。〃

〃As　I　was　saying；　fool　is　printed　all　over　the　face。

〃A　body　can　even　read　the　details。〃

〃What　do　they　say？〃

〃Well；　added　up；　he　is　a　wobbler。〃

〃A　which？〃

〃Wobbler。　　A　person　that's　always　taking　a　firm　stand　about　something　or
otherkind　of　a　Gibraltar　stand；　he　thinks；　for　unshakable　fidelity　and
everlastingnessand　then；　inside　of　a　little　while；　he　begins　to　wobble；
no　more　Gibraltar　there；　no；　sir；　a　mighty　ordinary　commonplace　weakling
wobblingaround　on　stilts。　　That's　Lord　Berkeley　to　a　dot；　you　can　see
it　look　at　that　sheep！　　But；why　are　you　blushing　like　sunset！　　Dear
sir；　have　I　unwittingly　offended　in　some　way？〃

〃Oh；　no　indeed；　no　indeed。　　Far　from　it。　　But　it　always　makes　me　blush　to
hear　a　man　revile　his　own　blood。〃　　He　said　to　himself；　〃How　strangely　his
vagrant　and　unguided　fancies　have　hit　upon　the　truth。　　By　accident；　he
has　described　me。　　I　am　that　contemptible　thing。　　When　I　left　England　I
thought　I　knew　myself；　I　thought　I　was　a　very　Frederick　the　Great　for
resolution　and　staying　capacity；　whereas　in　truth　I　am　just　a　Wobbler；
simply　a　Wobbler。　　Wellafter　all；　it　is　at　least　creditable　to　have
high　ideals　and　give　birth　to　lofty　resolutions；　I　will　allow　myself　that
comfort。〃　　Then　he　said；　aloud；　〃Could　this　sheep；　as　you　call　him；　breed
a　great　and　self…sacrificing　idea　in　his　head；　do　you　think？　　Could　he
meditate　such　a　thing；　for　instance；　as　the　renunciation　of　the　earldom
and　its　wealth　and　its　glories；　and　voluntary　retirement　to　the　ranks　of
the　commonalty；　there　to　rise　by　his　own　merit　or　remain　forever　poor　and
obscure？〃

〃Could　he？　　Why；　look　at　himlook　at　this　simpering　self…righteous　mug！
There　is　your　answer。　　It's　the　very　thing　he　would　think　of。　　And　he
would　start　in　to　do　it；　too。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃He'd　wobble。〃

〃And　back　down？〃