the american claimant-第7节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
that one of the reasons for this was that the thing was only a dummy and
hadn't any wire attached to it。 And yet the Colonel often used itwhen
visitors were presentand seemed to get messages through it。 Mourning
paper and a seal were ordered； then the friends took a rest。
Next afternoon； while Hawkins； by request； draped Andrew Jackson's
portrait with crape； the rightful earl； wrote off the family bereavement
to the usurper in Englanda letter which we have already read。 He also；
by letter to the village authorities at Duffy's Corners； Arkansas； gave
order that the remains of the late twins be embalmed by some St。 Louis
expert and shipped at once to the usurperwith bill。 Then he drafted
out the Rossmore arms and motto on a great sheet of brown paper； and he
and Hawkins took it to Hawkins's Yankee furniture…mender and at the end
of an hour came back with a couple of stunning hatchments； which they
nailed up on the front of the houseattractions calculated to draw； and
they did； for it was mainly an idle and shiftless negro neighborhood；
with plenty of ragged children and indolent dogs to spare for a point of
interest like that； and keep on sparing them for it； days and days
together。
The new earl found…without surprisethis society item in the evening
paper； and cut it out and scrapbooked it：
By a recent bereavement our esteemed fellow citizen； Colonel
Mulberry Sellers； Perpetual Member…at…large of the Diplomatic Body；
succeeds； as rightful lord； to the great earldom of Rossmore； third
by order of precedence in the earldoms of Great Britain； and will
take early measures； by suit in the House of Lords； to wrest the
title and estates from the present usurping holder of them。 Until
the season of mourning is past； the usual Thursday evening
receptions at Rossmore Towers will be discontinued。
Lady Rossmore's comment…to herself：
〃Receptions！ People who don't rightly know him may think he is
commonplace； but to my mind he is one of the most unusual men I ever saw。
As for suddenness and capacity in imagining things； his beat don't exist；
I reckon。 As like as not it wouldn't have occurred to anybody else to
name this poor old rat…trap Rossmore Towers； but it just comes natural to
him。 Well； no doubt it's a blessed thing to have an imagination that can
always make you satisfied； no matter how you are fixed。 Uncle Dave
Hopkins used to always say； 'Turn me into John Calvin； and I want to know
which place I'm going to； turn me into Mulberry Sellers and I don't
care。'〃
The rightful earl's comment…to himself：
〃It's a beautiful name； beautiful。 Pity I didn't think of it before I
wrote the usurper。 But I'll be ready for him when he answers。〃
CHAPTER V。
No answer to that telegram； no arriving daughter。 Yet nobody showed any
uneasiness or seemed surprised； that is； nobody but Washington。 After
three days of waiting； he asked Lady Rossmore what she supposed the
trouble was。 She answered； tranquilly：
〃Oh； it's some notion of hers； you never can tell。 She's a Sellers； all
throughat least in some of her ways； and a Sellers can't tell you
beforehand what he's going to do； because he don't know himself till he's
done it。 She's all right； no occasion to worry about her。 When she's
ready she'll come or she'll write； and you can't tell which； till it's
happened。〃
It turned out to be a letter。 It was handed in at that moment； and was
received by the mother without trembling hands or feverish eagerness；
or any other of the manifestations common in the case of long delayed
answers to imperative telegrams。 She polished her glasses with
tranquility and thoroughness； pleasantly gossiping along； the while；
then opened the letter and began to read aloud：
KENILWORTH KEEP； REDGAUNTLET HALL；
ROWENA…IVANHOE COLLEGE； THURSDAY。
DEAR PRECIOUS MAMMA ROSSMORE：
Oh； the joy of it！you can't think。 They had always turned up
their noses at our pretentions； you know； and I had fought back as
well as I could by turning up mine at theirs。 They always said it
might be something great and fine to be rightful Shadow of an
earldom； but to merely be shadow of a shadow； and two or three times
removed at that…pooh…pooh！ And I always retorted that not to be
able to show four generations of American…Colonial…Dutch Peddler…
and…Salt…Cod…McAllister…Nobility might be endurable； but to have to
confess such an originpfew…few！ Well； the telegram； it was just a
cyclone！ The messenger came right into the great Rob Roy Hall of
Audience； as excited as he could be； singing out； 〃Dispatch for Lady
Gwendolen Sellers！〃 and you ought to have seen that simpering
chattering assemblage of pinchbeck aristocrats； turn to stone！
I as off in the corner； of course； by myselfit's where Cinderella
belongs。 I took the telegram and read it； and tried to faintand I
could have done it if I had had any preparation； but it was all so
sudden； you knowbut no matter； I did the next best thing： I put my
handkerchief to my eyes and fled sobbing to my room； dropping the
telegram as I started。 I released one corner of my eye a moment
just enough to see the herd swarm for the telegramand then
continued my broken…hearted flight just as happy as a bird。
Then the visits of condolence began； and I had to accept the loan of
Miss Augusta…Templeton…Ashmore Hamilton's quarters because the press
was so great and there isn't room for three and a cat in mine。 And
I've been holding a Lodge of Sorrow ever since and defending myself
against people's attempts to claim kin。 And do you know； the very
first girl to fetch her tears and sympathy to my market was that
foolish Skimperton girl who has always snubbed me so shamefully and
claimed lordship and precedence of the whole college because some
ancestor of hers； some time or other； was a McAllister。 Why it was
like the bottom bird in the menagerie putting on airs because its
head ancestor was a pterodactyl。
But the ger…reatest triumph of all was…guess。 But you'll never。
This is it。 That little fool and two others have always been
fussing and fretting over which was entitled to precedenceby rank；
you know。 They've nearly starved themselves at it； for each claimed
the right to take precedence of all the college in leaving the
table； and so neither of them ever finished her dinner； but broke
off in the middle and tried to get out ahead of the others。 Well；
after my first day's grief and seclusionI was fixing up a mourning
dress you seeI appeared at the public table again； and thenwhat
do you think？ Those three fluffy goslings sat there contentedly；
and squared up the long faminelapped and lapped； munched and
munched； ate and ate； till the gravy appeared in their eyeshumbly
waiting for the Lady Gwendolen to take precedence and move out
first； you see！
Oh； yes； I've been having a darling good time。 And do you know； not
one of these collegians has had the cruelty to ask me how I came by
my new name。 With some； this is due to charity； but with the others
it isn't。 They refrain； not from native kindness but from educated
discretion。 I educated them。
Well； as soon as I shall have settled up what's left of the old
scores and snuffed up a few more of those pleasantly intoxicating
clouds of incense。 I shall pack and depart homeward。 Tell papa I
am as fond of him as I am of my new name。 I couldn't put it
stronger than that。 What an inspiration it was！ But inspirations
come easy to him。
These； from your loving daughter；
GWENDOLEN。
Hawkins reached for the letter and glanced over it。
〃Good hand；〃 he said； 〃and full of confidence and animation； and goes
racing right along。 She's brightthat's plain。〃
〃Oh； they're all brightthe Sellerses。 Anyway； they would be； if there
were any。 Even those poor Latherses would have been bright if they had
been Sellerses； I mean full blood。 Of course they had a Sellers strain
in thema big strain of it； toobut being a Bland dollar don't make it
a dollar just the same。〃
The seventh day after the date of the telegram Washington came dreaming
down to breakfast and was set wide awake by an electrical spasm of
pleasure。
Here was the most beautiful young creature he had ever seen in his life。
It was Sally Sellers Lady Gwendolen； she had come in the night。 And it
seemed to him that her clothes were the prettiest and the daintiest he
had ever looked upon； and the most exquisitely contrived and fashioned
and combined； as to decorative trimmings； and fixings； and melting
harmonies of color。 It was only a morning dress； and inexpensive； but he
confessed to himself； in the English common to Cherokee Strip； that it
was a 〃corker。〃 And now； as he perceived； the reason why the Sellers
household poverties and sterilities had been made t
