the fortunes of oliver horn-第30章
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h influences； was willing to live amid such desolate surroundings。
When he stepped out into the square hall； the scene of the night's revelry； and glanced about him； the crude bareness and reckless disorder that the merciful glow of the gas…light and its attendant shadows had kindly concealed； stood out in bold relief under the white light of the day now streaming through an oval skylight immediately above the piano。 The floor was strewn with the various properties of the night's performanceoverturned stools； china mugs； bits of lemon…peel； stumps of cigars； and stray pipes； while scattered about under the piano and between the legs of the chairs； and even upon the steps of the staircase； were the pieces of coal which Fog…horn Cranch and Waller； who held the scuttle； had pounded into bits when they produced that wild jangle which had added so much of dignity and power to the bass notes of the Dead Man's Chorus。
These cold facts aroused in Oliver a sense of repugnance which he could not shake off。 It was as if the head of some jolly clown of the night before had been suddenly thrust through the canvas of the tent in broad daylight； showing the paint； the wrinkles beneath； the yellow teeth； and the coarse mouth。
Oliver was about to turn back to Fred's room； this feeling of revolt strong upon him； when his attention was arrested by a collection of drawings that covered almost every square inch of the ceiling。 To his astonishment he discovered that what in the smoke of the night before he had supposed to be only hasty sketches scrawled over the white plaster； were in reality； now that he saw them in a clearer atmosphere； effective pictures in pastel； oil； and charcoal。 That the basis of these cartoons was but the grimy stain made by the water which had beaten through the rickety sash during the drive and thrash of winter storms； flooding the whitewashed ceiling and trickling down the side…walls in smears of brown rust； did not lessen their value in his eyes。
Closer inspection showed him that these discolorations some round or curved； others straight or angularhad been altered and amended as the signatures indicated by the deft pencils of Waller； Fred； Bowdoin； and the others； into flying Cupids； Dianas； Neptunes； and mermaids fit to grace the ceiling of a salon if properly enlarged； while the up…and…down smears had suggested the opportunity for caricaturing half the boarders of the house。 Every fresh leak and its accompanying stains evidently presented a new problem to the painters； and were made the subject of prolonged study and much consultation before a brush was permitted to touch them； the point apparently being to help the discolorations express themselves with the fewest possible touches。
In addition to these decorations overhead； Oliver found； framed in on the cleaner plaster of the side… walls； between broad bands of black paint； several taking bits of landscape in color and black and white； stretches of coast with quaint boats and dots of figures； winter wood interiors with white plaster for snow and scrapings of charcoal for tree…trunks； each one marked with that sure crispness of touch which denotes the master…hand。 Moreover； the panels of all the doors； as well as their jambs and frames； were ornamented with sketches in all mediums； illustrating incidents in the lives of the various boarders who occupied the rooms below； and whoso Fred told him afterwardstole into this sacred spot on the sly； to gloat over the night's work whenever a new picture was reported and the rightful denizens were known to be absent。
As he stood absorbed before these marvels of brush and pencil； scrutinizing each one in turn； his sense of repulsion for the debris on the floor gave way to a feeling of enthusiasm。 Not only were the sketches far superior to any he had ever seen； but the way in which they were done and the uses of the several mediums were a revelation to him。 It was only when Fog…horn Cranch's big voice roused him to consciousness that he realized where he was。 The auctioneer was coming out of his room； resplendent in a striped suit； gaiters； and white necktiethis being his real…estate day。
〃My dear fellow；〃 Cranch shouted； bringing his hand down on Oliver's shoulder； 〃do you know you've got a voice like an angel's？〃
Before Oliver could reply； My Lord Cockburn joined them； his first word one of pleasure at meeting him； and his second a hope that he would know him better； then Fred ran out； flinging on his coat and laughing as he came。 Under these combined influences of praise and good…cheer Oliver's spirits rose and his blood began once more to surge through his veins。 With his old…time buoyancy he put his arm through Fred's； while the two tramped gayly down the four flights of stairs to be ushered into the long； narrow； stuffy dining…room on the basement floor； there to be presented to the two Misses Teetum； who as the young men entered bent low over their plates in unison。 This perfunctory salute our young gentleman acknowledged by bowing grandly in return； after which he dropped into a seat next to Fred's his back to a tin box filled with plates； placed over the hot…air registerdrew out a damp napkin from a bone ring； and took a bird's…eye view of the table and its occupants。
The two Misses Teetum sat one at either end Miss Ann； thin； severe； precise； Miss Sarah； stout； coy； and a trifle kittenish； as doubtless became a young woman of forty…seven； and her sister's junior by eight years。 Miss Ann had evidently passed the dead…line of middle age； and had given up the fight； and was fast becoming a very prim and very proper old lady； but Miss Sarah； being out of range； could still smile； and nod her head； and shake her curls； and laugh little； hollow； girlish laughs； and otherwise disport herself in a light and kittenish way； after the manner of her day and age。 All of which betrayed not only her earnest desire to please； but her increasing anxiety to get in under matrimonial cover before one of Father Time's sharpshooters picked her off； and thus ended her youthful career。
The guests seated on either side of these two presiding goddesses； Oliver was convinced； as he studied the double row of faces； would have stretched the wondering eyelids of Kennedy Square to their utmost limits。
Old Mr。 Lang； who with his invalid wife occupied the room immediately below Fred's； and who had been so nearly drowned out the night before because of McFudd's acrobatic tendencies； sat on Fred's left。 Properly clothed and in his right mind； he proved to be a most delightful old gentleman； with gold spectacles and snow…white side…whiskers； and a welcoming smile for everyone who entered。 Fred said that the smile never wavered even when the old gentleman had been up all night with his wife。
Across the table； with her eye…glasses trained on Oliver； half concealed by a huge china 〃compoteer〃 （to quote the waitress）； and at present filled with last week's fruit； caulked with almonds； sat Mrs。 Southwark Boggssole surviving relic of S。 B。； Esq。 This misfortune she celebrated by wearing his daguerreotype； set in plain gold； as a brooch with which she fastened her crocheted collar。 She was a thin； faded； funereal…looking person； her body encased in a black silk dress； which looked as if it had been pressed and ironed over night； and her hands in black silk mitts which reached to her knuckles。
On Mrs。 Boggs's right sat Batesa rising young lawyer with political tendenciesone of the first men to cut his hair so 〃Zou…Zou〃 that it stood straight up from his forehead； and next to him Morgan； the editor； who pored over manuscript while his coffee got cold； and then Nelson； and Webster； and Cummings all graded in Miss Ann's mind as being eight； or ten； or twelve…dollar…a…week men； depending on the rooms that they occupied； and farther along； toward Miss Sarah； Cranch and Cockburnfive…dollar boys these （Fred was another）； with the privilege of lighting their own coke fires； and of trimming the wicks and filling the bulbs of their own burning…fluid lamps。 And away down in the far corner； crumpled up in his chair； crouched the cheery little hunchback； Mr。 Crumbs； who kept a book…stall on Astor Place； where Bayard T
