roads of destiny-第36节

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ay…wagons　and　the　sprinkling…cart　to　the　other　side　of　the　street。　Proceeding　to　the　post…office　in　the　care　of　his　friend；　the　esteemed　statesmen　would　there　hold　an　informal　levee　among　the　citizens　who　were　come　for　their　morning　mail。　Here；　gathering　two　or　three　prominent　in　law；　politics；　or　family；　the　pageant　would　make　a　stately　progress　along　the　Avenue；　stopping　at　the　Palace　Hotel；　where；　perhaps；　would　be　found　upon　the　register　the　name　of　some　guest　deemed　worthy　of　an　introduction　to　the　state's　venerable　and　illustrious　son。　If　any　such　were　found；　an　hour　or　two　would　be　spent　in　recalling　the　faded　glories　of　the　Governor's　long…vanished　administration。

On　the　return　march　the　General　would　invariably　suggest　that；　His　Excellency　being　no　doubt　fatigued；　it　would　be　wise　to　recuperate　for　a　few　minutes　at　the　Drug　Emporium　of　Mr。　Appleby　R。　Fentress　（an　elegant　gentleman；　sirone　of　the　Chatham　County　Fentressesso　many　of　our　best…blooded　families　have　had　to　go　into　trade；　sir；　since　the　war）。

Mr。　Appleby　R。　Fentress　was　a　/connoisseur/　in　fatigue。　Indeed；　if　he　had　not　been；　his　memory　alone　should　have　enabled　him　to　prescribe；　for　the　majestic　invasion　of　his　pharmacy　was　a　casual　happening　that　had　surprised　him　almost　daily　for　years。　Mr。　Fentress　knew　the　formula　of；　and　possessed　the　skill　to　compound；　a　certain　potion　antagonistic　to　fatigue；　the　salient　ingredient　of　which　he　described　（no　doubt　in　pharmaceutical　terms）　as　〃genuine　old　hand…made　Clover　Leaf　'59；　Private　Stock。〃

Nor　did　the　ceremony　of　administering　the　potion　ever　vary。　Mr。　Fentress　would　first　compound　two　of　the　celebrated　mixturesone　for　the　Governor；　and　the　other　for　the　General　to　〃sample。〃　Then　the　Governor　would　make　this　little　speech　in　his　high；　piping；　quavering　voice：

〃No；　sirnot　one　drop　until　you　have　prepared　one　for　yourself　and　join　us；　Mr。　Fentress。　Your　father；　sir；　was　one　of　my　most　valued　supporters　and　friends　during　My　Administration；　and　any　mark　of　esteem　I　can　confer　upon　his　son　is　not　only　a　pleasure　but　a　duty；　sir。〃

Blushing　with　delight　at　the　royal　condescension；　the　druggist　would　obey；　and　all　would　drink　to　the　General's　toast：　〃The　prosperity　of　our　grand　old　state；　gentlementhe　memory　of　her　glorious　pastthe　health　of　her　Favourite　Son。〃

Some　one　of　the　Old　Guard　was　always　at　hand　to　escort　the　Governor　home。　Sometimes　the　General's　business　duties　denied　him　the　privilege；　and　then　Judge　Broomfield　or　Colonel　Titus；　or　one　of　the　Ashford　County　Slaughters　would　be　on　hand　to　perform　the　rite。

Such　were　the　observances　attendant　upon　the　Governor's　morning　stroll　to　the　post…office。　How　much　more　magnificent；　impressive；　and　spectacular；　then；　was　the　scene　at　public　functions　when　the　General　would　lead　forth　the　silver…haired　relic　of　former　greatness；　like　some　rare　and　fragile　waxwork　figure；　and　trumpet　his　pristine　eminence　to　his　fellow　citizens！

General　Deffenbaugh　was　the　Voice　of　Elmville。　Some　said　he　was　Elmville。　At　any　rate；　he　had　no　competitor　as　the　Mouthpiece。　He　owned　enough　stock　in　the　/Daily　Banner/　to　dictate　its　utterance；　enough　shares　in　the　First　National　Bank　to　be　the　referee　of　its　loans；　and　a　war　record　that　left　him　without　a　rival　for　first　place　at　barbecues；　school　commencements；　and　Decoration　Days。　Besides　these　acquirements　he　was　possessed　with　endowments。　His　personality　was　inspiring　and　triumphant。　Undisputed　sway　had　moulded　him　to　the　likeness　of　a　fatted　Roman　emperor。　The　tones　of　his　voice　were　not　otherwise　than　clarion。　To　say　that　the　General　was　public…spirited　would　fall　short　of　doing　him　justice。　He　had　spirit　enough　for　a　dozen　publics。　And　as　a　sure　foundation　for　it　all；　he　had　a　heart　that　was　big　and　stanch。　Yes；　General　Deffenbaugh　was　Elmville。

One　little　incident　that　usually　occurred　during　the　Governor's　morning　walk　has　had　its　chronicling　delayed　by　more　important　matters。　The　procession　was　accustomed　to　halt　before　a　small　brick　office　on　the　Avenue；　fronted　by　a　short　flight　of　steep　wooden　steps。　A　modest　tin　sign　over　the　door　bore　the　words：　〃Wm。　B。　Pemberton：　Attorney…at…Law。〃

Looking　inside；　the　General　would　roar：　〃Hello；　Billy；　my　boy。〃　The　less　distinguished　members　of　the　escort　would　call：　〃Morning；　Billy。〃　The　Governor　would　pipe：　〃Good　morning；　William。〃

Then　a　patient…looking　little　man　with　hair　turning　gray　along　the　temples　would　come　down　the　steps　and　shake　hands　with　each　one　of　the　party。　All　Elmville　shook　hands　when　it　met。

The　formalities　concluded；　the　little　man　would　go　back　to　his　table；　heaped　with　law　books　and　papers；　while　the　procession　would　proceed。

Billy　Pemberton　was；　as　his　sign　declared；　a　lawyer　by　profession。　By　occupation　and　common　consent　he　was　the　Son　of　his　Father。　This　was　the　shadow　in　which　Billy　lived；　the　pit　out　of　which　he　had　unsuccessfully　striven　for　years　to　climb　and；　he　had　come　to　believe；　the　grave　in　which　his　ambitions　were　destined　to　be　buried。　Filial　respect　and　duty　he　paid　beyond　the　habit　of　most　sons；　but　he　aspired　to　be　known　and　appraised　by　his　own　deeds　and　worth。

After　many　years　of　tireless　labour　he　had　become　known　in　certain　quarters　far　from　Elmville　as　a　master　of　the　principles　of　the　law。　Twice　he　had　gone　to　Washington　and　argued　cases　before　the　highest　tribunal　with　such　acute　logic　and　learning　that　the　silken　gowns　on　the　bench　had　rustled　from　the　force　of　it。　His　income　from　his　practice　had　grown　until　he　was　able　to　support　his　father；　in　the　old　family　mansion　（which　neither　of　them　would　have　thought　of　abandoning；　rickety　as　it　was）　in　the　comfort　and　almost　the　luxury　of　the　old　extravagant　days。　Yet；　he　remained　to　Elmville　as　only　〃Billy〃　Pemberton；　the　son　of　our　distinguished　and　honoured　fellow…townsman；　〃ex…Governor　Pemberton。〃　Thus　was　he　introduced　at　public　gatherings　where　he　sometimes　spoke；　haltingly　and　prosily；　for　his　talents　were　too　serious　and　deep　for　extempore　brilliancy；　thus　was　he　presented　to　strangers　and　to　the　lawyers　who　made　the　circuit　of　the　courts；　and　so　the　/Daily　Banner/　referred　to　him　in　print。　To　be　〃the　son　of〃　was　his　doom。　What　ever　he　should　accomplish　would　have　to　be　sacrificed　upon　the　altar　of　this　magnificent　but　fatal　parental　precedence。

The　peculiarity　and　the　saddest　thing　about　Billy's　ambition　was　that　the　only　world　he　thirsted　to　conquer　was　Elmville。　His　nature　was　diffident　and　unassuming。　National　or　State　honours　might　have　oppressed　him。　But；　above　all　things；　he　hungered　for　the　appreciation　of　the　friends　among　whom　he　had　been　born　and　raised。　He　would　not　have　plucked　one　leaf　from　the　garlands　that　were　so　lavishly　bestowed　upon　his　father；　he　merely　rebelled　against　having　his　own　wreathes　woven　from　those　dried　and　self…same　branches。　But　Elmville　〃Billied〃　and　〃sonned〃　him　to　his　concealed　but　lasting　chagrin；　until　at　length　he　grew　more　reserved　and　formal　and　studious　than　ever。

There　came　a　morning　when　Billy　found　among　his　mail　a　letter　from　a　very　high　source；　tendering　him　the　appointment　to　an　important　judicial　position　in　the　new　island　possessions　of　our　country。　The　honour　was　a　distinguished　one；　for　the　entire　nation　had　discussed　the　probable　recipients　of　these　positions；　and　had　agreed　that　the　situation　demanded　only　men　of　the　highest　character；　ripe　learning；　and　evenly　balanced　mind。

Billy　could　not　subdue　a　certain　exultation　at　this　token　of　the　success　of　his　long　and　arduous　labours；　but；　at　the　same　time；　a　whimsical　smile　lingered　around　his　mouth；　for　he　foresaw　in　which　column　Elmville　would　place　the　credit。　〃We　congratulate　Governor　Pemberton　upon　the　mark　of　appreciation　conferred　upon　his　son〃　〃Elmville　rejoices　with　our　honoured　citizen；　Governor　Pemberton；　at　his　son's　success〃〃Put　her　there；　Billy！〃〃Judge　Billy　Pemberton；　sir；　son　of　our　State's　war　hero　and　the　people's　pride！〃these　were　the　phrases；　printed　and　oral；　conjured　up　by　Billy's　prophetic　fancy。　Grandson　of　his　State；　and　stepchild　to　Elmvillethus　had　fate　fixed　his　kinship　to　the　body　politic。

Billy　lived　with　his　father　in　the　old　mansion。　The　two　and　an　elderly　ladya　distant　relativecomprised　the　family。　Perhaps；　though；　old　Jeff；　the　Governor's　ancient　coloured　body…servant；　should　be　included。　Without　doubt；　he　could　have　claimed　the　honour。　There　were　other　servants；　but　Thomas　Jefferson　Pemberton；　sah；　was　a　member　of　〃de　fambly。〃

Jeff　was　the　one　Elmvillian　who　gave　to　Billy　the　gold　of　approval　unmixed　with　the　alloy　of　paternalism。　To　him　〃Mars　William〃　was　the　greatest　man　in　Talbot　County。　Beaten　upon　though　he　was　by　the　shining　light　that　emanates　from　an　ex…war　governor；　and　loyal　as　he　remained　to　the　old　/regime/；　his　faith　and　admiration　were　Billy's。　As　valet　to　a　hero；　and　a　member　of　the　family；　he　may　have　had　superior　opportunities　for　judging。

Jeff　was　the　first　one　to　whom　Bill　revealed　the　news。　When　he　reached　home　for　supper　Jeff　took　his　〃plug〃　hat　and　smoothed　it　before　hanging　it　upon　the　hall…rack。

〃Dar　now！〃　said　the　old　man：　〃I　knowed　it　was　er　comin'。　I　knowed　it　was　gwine　ter　happen。　Er　Judge；　you　says；　Mars　William？　Dem　Yankees　done　made　you　er　judge？　It's　high　time；　sah；　dey　w