the fortunes of oliver horn-第31章

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uched　the　cheery　little　hunchback；　　Mr。　Crumbs；　who　kept　a　book…stall　on　Astor　Place；　where　Bayard　Taylor；　Irving；　Halleck；　Bryant；　and　many　another　member　of　the　Century　Club　used　to　spend　their　late　afternoons　delving　among　the　old　volumes　on　his　shelves。

All　these　regular　boarders；　including　Fog…horn　Cranch　and　Fred；　breakfasted　at　eight　o'clock。　Waller；　the　painter；　and　Tomlins；　the　swell；　breakfasted　　at　nine。　As　to　that　descendant　of　the　Irish　kings；　Mr。　Cornelius　McFudd；　he　rose　at　ten；　or　twelve；　or　two；　just　as　the　spirit　（and　its　dilutions　of　the　night　before）　moved　or　retarded　him；　and　breakfasted　　whenever　Miss　Ann　or　Miss　Sarah；　who　had　presided　continuously　at　the　coffee…urn　from　eight　to　ten；　could　spare　one　of　her　two　servants　to　carry　a　tray　to　his　room。

Last　and　by　no　means　least；　with　her　eyes　devouring　　every　expression　that　flitted　across　the　new　arrival's　　face；　there　beamed　out　beside　Miss　Ann；　a　tail；　willowy　young　person；　whom　Fred；　in　answer　to　an　inquiring　lifting　of　Oliver's　eyebrows；　designated　as　the　belle　of　the　house。　This　engaging　young　woman　really　lived　with　her　mother；　in　the　next　street；　but　flitted　in　and　out；　dining；　or　breakfasting；　　or　spending　a　week　at　a　time　with　her　aunts；　the　Misses　Teetum；　whenever　an　opportunity　offeredthe　opportunity　being　a　vacant　and　non…　paying　room；　one　of　which　she　was　at　the　time　enjoying。

This　fair　damsel；　who　was　known　to　the　boarders　on　the　top　floor　as　〃our　Phemy；〃　and　to　the　world　at　large　as　Miss　Euphemia　Teetumthe　real　jewel　in　her　name　was　Phoebe；　but　she　had　reset　ithad　been　especially　beloved；　so　Fred　informed　Oliver；　by　every　member　of　the　club　except　Waller；　who；　having　lived　in　boarding…houses　all　his　life；　understood　her　thoroughly。　Her　last　flamethe　fire　was　still　smouldering　had　been　the　immaculate　Tomlins；　who　had　won　her　heart　by　going　into　raptures；　in　one　of　his　stage　whispers；　over　the　classic　outlines　of　her　face。　This　outburst　resulted　in　Miss　Euphemia　appearing　the　following　week　in　a　silk　gown；　a　Greek　fillet　and　no　hoopsa　costume　which　Waller　faithfully　portrayed　　on　the　side…wall　of　the　attic　the　night　of　her　appearancethe　fillet　being　reproduced　by　a　strip　of　brass　which　the　artist　had　torn　from　his　easel　and　nailed　to　the　plaster；　and　the　classic　curves　of　her　hair　by　a　ripple　of　brown　paint。

This　caricature　nearly　provoked　a　riot　before　the　night　was　over；　the　whole　club；　including　even　the　fun…loving　McFudd；　denouncing。　Waller's　act　as　an　outrage。　In　fact；　the　Hibernian　himself　had　once　been　so　completely　taken　off　his　feetit　was　the　first　week　of　his　stayby　the　winning　ways　of　the　young　lady；　that　Miss　Ann　had　begun　to　have　high　hopes　of　Euphemia's　being　finally　installed　mistress　in　one　of　those　shadowy　estates　which　the　distinguished　Hibernian　　described　with　such　eloquence。　That　these　hopes　did　not　materialize　was　entirely　due　to　Cockburn；　　who　took　pains　to　enlighten　the　good　woman　upon　the　intangible　character　of　the　Hibernian's　　possessions；　thus　saving　the　innocent　maiden　from　the　clutches　of　the　bold；　bad　adventurer。　At　least；　that　had　been　Cockburn's　account　of　it　when　he　came　upstairs。

But　it　was　at　dinner　that　same　nightfor　Oliver　at　Fred's　pressing　invitation　had　come　back　to　dinner　that　the　full　galaxy　of　guests　and　regulars　burst　upon　our　hero。　Then　came　not　only　Miss　Euphemia　Teetum　in　a　costume　especially　selected　for　Oliver's　capture；　but　a　person　still　more　startling　and　imposing　so　imposing；　in　fact；　that　when　she　entered　the　room　one…half　of　the　gentlemen　present　made　little　backward　movements　with　the　legs　of　their　chairs；　as　if　intending　to　rise　to　their　feet　in　honor　of　her　presence。

This　prominent　figure　in　fashionable　life；　who　had　now　settled　herself　on　the　right　of　Miss　Annthe　post　of　honor　at　the　tableand　who　was　smiling　in　so　gracious　and　condescending　a　manner　as　her　eye　lighted　on　the　several　recipients　of　her　favor；　was　none　other　than　the　distinguished　Mrs。　Schuyler　Van　Tassell；　of　Tarrytown；　another　bird　of　passage；　who　had　left　her　country…seat　on　the　Hudson　to　spend　the　winter　months　in　what　she　called　the　delights　of　　〃upper…tandem。〃　She　belonged　to　an　ancient　familyor；　at　least；　her　husband　didhe　was　under　the　sod；　poor　soul；　and　therefore　at　peaceand；　having　inherited　his　estatea　considerable　onewas　to　be　treated　with　every　distinction。

These　several　personages　of　low　and　high　degree　interested　our　young　gentleman　quite　as　much　as　our　young　gentleman　interested　them。　He　made　friends　with　them　allespecially　with　the　ladies；　who　all　agreed　that　he　was　a　most　charming　and　accomplished　　youth。　This　good　opinion　became　permanent　when　Oliver　had　paid　each　in　turn　the　compliment　of　rising　from　his　seat　when　any　one　of　them　entered　the　room；　as　much　a　habit　with　the　young　fellow　as　the　taking　off　of　his　hat　when　he　came　into　a　house；　but　which　was　so　rare　a　courtesy　at　Miss　Teetum's　that　each　recipient　appropriated　the　compliment　as　personal　to　herself。

These　sentiments　of　admiration　were　shared；　and　to　an　alarming　degree；　by　Miss　Euphemia　herself；　who；　on　learning　later　that　Oliver　had　decided　to　occupy　half　of　Fred's　room　through　the　winter；　had　at　once　determined　to　remain　during　the　week；　the　better　to　lay　siege　to　his　heart。　This　resolution；　　it　is　fair　to　Oliver　to　say；　she　abandoned　before　dinner　was　over；　when　her　experienced　eye　detected　a　certain　amused　if　not　derisive　smile　playing　around　the　corners　of　Oliver's　mouth；　a　discovery　which　so　impressed　the　young　woman　that　she　left　him　severely　　alone　ever　after。

And　so　it　was　that　Oliver　unpacked　his　trunkthe　same　old　hair　trunk；　studded　with　brass　nails；　that　had　held　his　father's　wardrobe　at　collegespread　out　and　tacked　up　the　various　knick…knacks　which　his　mother　and　Sue　and　Miss　Clendenning　had　given　him　when　he　had　left　the　old　home；　and　began　to　make　himself　comfortable　on　the　top　floor　of　Miss　Teetum's　boarding…house　on　Union　Square。




CHAPTER　X

MCFUDD'S　BRASS　BAND



Our　hero　had　been　installed　at　Miss　Teetum's　for　a　month　or　more；　when　one　night　at　dinner　a　tiny　envelope　about　the　size　of　a　visiting…card　was　brought　in　by　the　middle…aged　waitress　and　laid　beside　Simmons's　　plate。　The　envelope　contained　six　orchestra　seats　at　the　Winter　Garden　and　was　accompanied　by　a　note　which　read　as　follows：　〃Bring　some　of　the　boys；　the　piece　drags。〃

The　musician　studied　the　note　carefully　and　a　broad　smile　broke　over　his　face。　As　one　of　the　first　violins　at　the　Winter　Garden；　with　a　wide　acquaintance　　among　desirable　patrons　of　the　theatre；　he　had　peculiar　facilities　for　obtaining　free　private　boxes　and　orchestra　chairs　not　only　at　his　own　theatre；　but　often　at　Wallack's　in　Broome　Street　and　the　old　Bowery。　　Simmons　was　almost　always　sure　to　have　tickets　when　the　new　piece　needed　booming；　or　when　an　old　play　failed　to　amuse　and　the　audiences　had　begun　to　shrink。　Indeed；　the　mystery　of　Mrs。　Schuyler　Van　Tassell's　frequent　appearance　in　the　left…hand　proscenium　box　at　the　Winter　Garden　on　Friday　nightsa　mystery　unexplained　among　the　immediate　friends　in　Tarrytown；　who　knew　how　she　husbanded　her　resources　despite　her　accredited　wealthwas　no　mystery　at　all　to　the　guests　at　Miss　Teetum's　table；　who　were　in　the　habit　of　seeing　just　such　tiny　envelopes　handed　to　Simmons　during　soup；　and　duly　passed　by　him　to　that　distinguished　leader　of　society。　Should　more　than　two　tickets　be　enclosed；　Mrs。　Van　T。　would；　perhaps；　invite。　Mr。　Ruffle…shirt　Tomlins；　or　some　other　properly　attired　person；　to　accompany　hernever　Miss　Ann　or　the　little　hunchback；　who　dearly　loved　the　play；　but　who　could　seldom　afford　to　gonever　anybody；　in　fact；　who　wore　plain　clothes　or　looked　a　compromising　acquaintance。

On　this　night；　however；　Pussy　Me…ow　Simmons；　ignoring　Mrs。　Van　Tassell；　turned　to　Oliver。

〃Ollie；〃　he　whisperedthe　formalities　had　ceased　between　the　members　of　the　Skylarks〃got　anything　　to　do　to…night？〃

〃No；　why？〃

And　then；　Simmons；　with　various　imaginary　poundings　of　imaginary　canes　on　the　threadbare　carpet　　beneath　his　chair；　and　with　sundry　half…smothered　　bursts　of　real　laughter　in　which　Fred　and　Oliver　joined；　unfolded　his　programme　for　the　eveninga　programme　which　was　agreed　to　so　rapturously　that　the　trio　befor