the american claimant-第32节

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a　considerable　vacancy；　then　a　sterile　remark　from　Washington　Hawkins。
Another　silence；　then；　not　Tracy's　but　her　father's　voice　again。

〃He's　gone；〃　she　said　to　herself　despairingly；　and　listlessly　opened　the
door　and　stepped　within。

〃Why；　my　child；〃　cried　the　mother；　〃how　white　you　are！　　Are　youhas
anything〃

〃White？〃　exclaimed　Sellers。　　〃It's　gone　like　a　flash；　'twasn't　serious。
Already　she's　as　red　as　the　soul　of　a　watermelon！　　Sit　down；　dear；　sit
downgoodness　knows　you're　welcome。　　Did　you　have　a　good　time？　　We've
had　great　times　hereimmense。　　Why　didn't　Miss　Belle　come？　　Mr。　Tracy　is
not　feeling　well；　and　she'd　have　made　him　forget　it。〃

She　was　content　now；　and　out　from　her　happy　eyes　there　went　a　light　that
told　a　secret　to　another　pair　of　eyes　there　and　got　a　secret　in　return。
In　just　that　infinitely　small　fraction　of　a　second　those　two　great
confessions　were　made；　received；　and　perfectly；　understood。　　All　anxiety；
apprehension；　uncertainty；　vanished　out　of　these　young　people's　hearts
and　left　them　filled　with　a　great　peace。

Sellers　had　had　the　most　confident　faith　that　with　the　new　reinforcement
victory　would　be　at　this　last　moment　snatched　from　the　jaws　of　defeat；
but　it　was　an　error。　　The　talk　was　as　stubbornly　disjointed　as　ever。
He　was　proud　of　Gwendolen；　and　liked　to　show　her　off；　even　against　Miss
Belle　Thompson；　and　here　had　been　a　great　opportunity；　and　what　had　she
made　of　it？　　He　felt　a　good　deal　put　out。　　It　vexed　him　to　think　that
this　Englishman；　with　the　traveling　Briton's　everlasting　disposition　to
generalize　whole　mountain　ranges　from　single　sample…grains　of　sand；　would
jump　to　the　conclusion　that　American　girls　were　as　dumb　as　himself
generalizing　the　whole　tribe　from　this　single　sample　and　she　at　her
poorest；　there　being　nothing　at　that　table　to　inspire　her；　give　her　a
start；　keep　her　from　going　to　sleep。　　He　made　up　his　mind　that　for　the
honor　of　the　country　he　would　bring　these　two　together　again　over　the
social　board　before　long。　　There　would　be　a　different　result　another
time；　he　judged。　　He　said　to　himself；　with　a　deep　sense　of　injury；
〃He'll　put　in　his　diarythey　all　keep　diarieshe'll　put　in　his　diary
that　she　was　miraculously　uninterestingdear；　dear；　but　wasn't　she！
I　never　saw　the　likeand　yet　looking　as　beautiful　as　Satan；　tooand
couldn't　seem　to　do　anything　but　paw　bread　crumbs；　and　pick　flowers　to
pieces；　and　look　fidgety。　　And　it　isn't　any　better　here　in　the　Hall　of
Audience。　　I've　had　enough；　I'll　haul　down　my　flag　the　others　may　fight
it　out　if　they　want　to。〃

He　shook　hands　all　around　and　went　off　to　do　some　work　which　he　said　was
pressing。　　The　idolaters　were　the　width　of　the　room　apart；　and　apparently
unconscious　of　each　other's　presence。　　The　distance　got　shortened　a
little；　now。　　Very　soon　the　mother　withdrew。　　The　distance　narrowed
again。　　Tracy　stood　before　a　chromo　of　some　Ohio　politician　which　had
been　retouched　and　chain…mailed　for　a　crusading　Rossmore；　and　Gwendolen
was　sitting　on　the　sofa　not　far　from　his　elbow　artificially　absorbed　in
examining　a　photograph　album　that　hadn't　any　photographs　in　it。

The　〃Senator〃　still　lingered。　　He　was　sorry　for　the　young　people；　it　had
been　a　dull　evening　for　them。　　In　the　goodness　of　his　heart　he　tried　to
make　it　pleasant　for　them　now；　tried　to　remove　the　ill　impression
necessarily　left　by　the　general　defeat；　tried　to　be　chatty；　even　tried　to
be　gay。　　But　the　responses　were　sickly；　there　was　no　starting　any
enthusiasm；　he　would　give　it　up　and　quitit　was　a　day　specially　picked
out　and　consecrated　to　failures。

But　when　Gwendolen　rose　up　promptly　and　smiled　a　glad　smile　and　said　with
thankfulness　and　blessing；　〃Must　you　go？〃　it　seemed　cruel　to　desert；　and
he　sat　down　again。

He　was　about　to　begin　a　remark　whenwhen　he　didn't。　　We　have　all　been
there。　　He　didn't　know　how　he　knew　his　concluding　to　stay　longer　had　been
a　mistake；　he　merely　knew　it；　and　knew　it　for　dead　certain；　too。　　And　so
he　bade　goodnight；　and　went　mooning　out；　wondering　what　he　could　have
done　that　changed　the　atmosphere　that　way。　　As　the　door　closed　behind　him
those　two　were　standing　side　by　side；　looking　at　that　doorlooking　at　it
in　a　waiting；　second…counting；　but　deeply　grateful　kind　of　way。　　And　the
instant　it　closed　they　flung　their　arms　about　each　other's　necks；　and
there；　heart　to　heart　and　lip　to　lip

〃Oh；　my　God；　she's　kissing　it！〃

Nobody　heard　this　remark；　because　Hawkins；　who　bred　it；　only　thought　it；
he　didn't　utter　it。　　He　had　turned；　the　moment　he　had　closed　the　door；
and　had　pushed　it　open　a　little；　intending　to　re…enter　and　ask　what　ill…
advised　thing　he　had　done　or　said；　and　apologize　for　it。　　But　he　didn't
re…enter；　he　staggered　off　stunned；　terrified；　distressed。




CHAPTER　XXII。

Five　minutes　later　he　was　sitting　in　his　room；　with　his　head　bowed　within
the　circle　of　his　arms；　on　the　table…final　attitude　of　grief　and　despair。
His　tears　were　flowing　fast；　and　now　and　then　a　sob　broke　upon　the
stillness。　　Presently　he　said：

〃I　knew　her　when　she　was　a　little　child　and　used　to　climb　about　my　knees；
I　love　her　as　I　love　my　own；　and　nowoh；　poor　thing；　poor　thing；　I
cannot　bear　it！　she's　gone　and　lost　her　heart　to　this　mangy
materializee！　　Why　didn't　we　see　that　that　might　happen？　　But　how　could
we？　　Nobody　could；　nobody　could　ever　have　dreamed　of　such　a　thing。　　You
couldn't　expect　a　person　would　fall　in　love　with　a　wax…work。　　And　this
one　doesn't　even　amount　to　that。〃

He　went　on　grieving　to　himself；　and　now　and　then　giving　voice　to　his
lamentations。

〃It's　done；　oh；　it's　done；　and　there's　no　help　for　it；　no　undoing　the
miserable　business。　　If　I　had　the　nerve；　I　would　kill　it。　　But　that
wouldn't　do　any　good。　　She　loves　it；　she　thinks　it's　genuine　and
authentic。　　If　she　lost　it　she　would　grieve　for　it　just　as　she　would　for
a　real　person。　　And　who's　to　break　it　to　the　family！　　Not　II'll　die
first。　　Sellers　is　the　best　human　being　I　ever　knew　and　I　wouldn't　any
more　think　ofoh；　dear；　why　it'll　break　his　heart　when　he　finds　it　out。
And　Polly's　too。　　This　comes　of　meddling　with　such　infernal　matters！
But　for　this；　the　creature　would　still　be　roasting　in　Sheol　where　it
belongs。　　How　is　it　that　these　people　don't　smell　the　brimstone？
Sometimes　I　can't　come　into　the　same　room　with　him　without　nearly
suffocating。〃

After　a　while　he　broke　out　again：

〃Well；　there's　one　thing；　sure。　　The　materializing　has　got　to　stop　right
where　it　is。　　If　she's　got　to　marry　a　spectre；　let　her　marry　a　decent　one
out　of　the　Middle　Ages；　like　this　onenot　a　cowboy　and　a　thief　such　as
this　protoplasmic　tadpole's　going　to　turn　into　if　Sellers　keeps　on
fussing　at　it。　　It　costs　five　thousand　dollars　cash　and　shuts　down　on　the
incorporated　company　to　stop　the　works　at　this　point；　but　Sally　Sellers's
happiness　is　worth　more　than　that。〃

He　heard　Sellers　coming；　and　got　himself　to　rights。　　Sellers　took　a　seat；
and　said：

〃Well；　I've　got　to　confess　I'm　a　good　deal　puzzled。　　It　did　certainly
eat；　there's　no　getting　around　it。　　Not　eat；　exactly；　either；　but　it
nibbled；　nibbled　in　an　appetiteless　way；　but　still　it　nibbled；　and　that's
just　a　marvel。　　Now　the　question　is；　what　does　it　do　with　those
nibblings？　　That's　itwhat　does　it　do　with　them？　　My　idea　is　that　we
don't　begin　to　know　all　there　is　to　this　stupendous　discovery　yet。
But　time　will　show…time　and　science…give　us　a　chance；　and　don't　get
impatient。〃

But　he　couldn't　get　Hawkins　interested；　couldn't　make　him　talk　to　amount
to　anything；　couldn't　drag　him　out　of　his　depression。　　But　at　last　he
took　a　turn　that　arrested　Hawkins's　attention。

〃I'm　coming　to　like　him；　Hawkins。　　He　is　a　person　of　stupendous
characterabsolutely　gigantic。　　Under　that　placid　exterior　is　concealed
the　most　dare…devil　spirit　that　was　ever　put　into　a　manhe's　just　a
Clive　over　again。　　Yes；　I'm　all　admiration　for　him；　on　account　of　his
character；　and　liking　naturally　follows　admiration；　you　know。　　I'm　coming
to　like　him　immensely。　　Do　you　know；　I　haven't　the　heart　to　degrade　such
a　character　as　that　down　to　the　burglar　estate　for　money　or　for　anything
else；　and　I've　come　to　ask　if　you　are　willing　to　let　the　reward　go；　and
leave　this　poor　fellow〃Where　he　is？〃

〃Yesnot　bring　him　down　to　date。〃

〃Oh；　there's　my　hand；　and　my　heart's　in　it；　too！〃

〃I'll　never　forget　you　for　this；　Hawkins；〃　said　the　old　gentleman　in　a
voice　which　he　found　it　hard　to　control。　　〃You　are　making　a　great
sacrifice　for　me；　and　one　which　you　can　ill　afford；　but　I'll　never　forget
your　generosity；　and　if　I　live　you　shall　not　suffer　for　it；　be　sure　of
that。〃

Sally　Sellers　immediately　and　vividly　realized　that　she　was　become　a　new
being；　a　being　of　a　far　higher　and　worthier　sort　than　she　had　been　such　a
little　while　before；　an　earnest　being；　in　place　of　a　dreamer；　and
supplied　with　a　reason　for　her　presence　in　the　world；　where　merely　a
wistful　and　troubled　curiosity　about　it　had　existed　before。　　So　great　and
so　comprehensive　was　the　change　which　had　been　wrought；　that　she　seemed
to　herself　to　be　a　real　person　who　had　lately　been　a　shadow；　a　something
which　had　lately　been　a　nothing；　a　purpose；　which　had　lately　been　a
fancy；　a　finished　temple；　with