the fortunes of oliver horn-第54章

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pened　and　what　it　meant　to　them　if　it　did；　and　how　much　more　if　it　did　not；　and　she　be　compelled　to　remain　in　Brookfield　with　Oliver　away　all　winter　in　New　York；　and　of　a　thousand　and　one　other　things　that　lay　nearest　their　hearts　and　with　which　neither　you　nor　I　have　anything　　to　do。

It　was　good；　Margaret　thought；　to　talk　to　him　in　this　way；　and　see　the　quick　response　in　his　eyes　and　feel　how　true　and　helpful　he　was。

She　had　dreaded　his　comingdreaded　the　contrasts　　which　she　knew　his　presence　among　them　would　reveal。　She　knew　how　punctiliously　polite　he　was；　and　how　brusque　and　positive　was　her　father。　She　realized；　too；　how　outspoken　and　bluff　was　John；　and　how　unaccustomed　both　he　and　her　dear　deaf　mother　were　to　the　ways　of　the　outside　world。　What　would　Oliver　think　of　them？　What　effect　would　her　home　life　have　on　their　future？　she　kept　saying　to　herself。

Not　that　she　was　ashamed　of　her　people；　certainly　not　of　her　father；　who　really　occupied　a　higher　position　　than　any　of　his　neighbors。　He　was　not　only　a　deacon　in　the　church　and　chairman　of　the　School　Board；　but　he　had　been　twice　sent　to　the　Legislature；　and　at　one　time　had　been　widely　discussed　as　a　fitting　candidate　for　Governor。　Nobody　in　Brookfield　thought　the　less　of　him　because　of　his　peculiarities　many　of　his　neighbors　liked　him　the　better　for　his　brusqueness；　they　believed　in　a　man　who　had　the　courage　of　his　convictions　and　who　spoke　out；　no　matter　whose　toes　he　trod　on。

Nor　could　she　be　ashamed　of　her　brother　John　so　kind　to　everybody；　so　brave　and　generous；　and　such　a　good　brother。　Only　she　wished　that　he　had　some　of　Oliver's　courtesy；　and　that　he　would　take　off　his　hat　when　a　lady　spoke　to　him　in　the　road；　and　keep　it　off　till　she　bade　him　replace　it；　and　observe　a　few　of　the　other　amenities；　but　even　with　all　his　defects　of　mannerall　of　which　she　had　never　before　　noticedhe　was　still　her　own　dear　brother　John；　and　she　loved　him　dearly。

And　as　for　her　motherthat　most　gentle　and　gracious　　of　womenthat　one　person　in　the　house　who　was　considerate　of　everybody's　feelings　and　tolerant　of　everybody's　impatience！　What　could　Oliver　find　in　her　except　what　was　adorable？　As　she　thought　of　her　mother；　a　triumphant　smile　crossed　her　face。　〃That's　the　one　member　of　the　Grant　family；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃whom　my　fine　gentleman　must　admit　　is　the　equal　of　any　one　of　his　top…lofty　kinsfolk　in　Kennedy　Square　or　anywhere　else。〃　Which　outburst　　the　scribe　must　admit　to　himself　was　but　another　　proof　of　the　fact　that　no　such　thing　as　true　democracy　exists　the　world　over。

None　of　these　thoughts　had　ever　crossed　her　mind　up　to　the　time　she　met　Oliver　on　the　bridge　that　first　sunny　morning。　He　had　never　discussed　the　subject　　of　any　difference　between　their　two　families；　nor　had　he　ever　criticised　the　personality　of　anyone　she　knew。　He　had　only　BEEN　HIMSELF。　The　change　in　her　views　had　come　gradually　and　unconsciously　to　her　as　the　happy　weeks　flew　by。　Before　she　knew　it　she　had　realized　from　his　talk；　from　his　gestures；　even　from　the　way　he　sat　down　or　got　up；　or　handled　his　knife　and　fork；　or　left　the　room　or　entered　it；　that　some　of　her　early　teachings　had　led　her　astray；　and　that　there　might　be　something　else　in　life　worth　having　　outside　of　the　four　cardinal　virtueseconomy；　industry；　pluck；　and　plain…speaking。　And　if　there　wereand　she　was　quite　certain　of　it　nowwould　Oliver　find　them　at　Brookfield　Farm？　This　was　really　the　basis　of　her　disquietude；　the　kernel　of　the　nut　which　she　was　trying　to　crack。

If　any　of　these　shortcomings　on　the　part　of　his　entertainers　had　been　apparent　to　Oliver；　or　if　he　had　ever　drawn　any　such　deductions；　or　noted　any　such　contrasts；　judged　by　the　Kennedy　Square　code；　no　word　of　disappointment　had　passed　his　lips。

Some　things；　it　is　true；　during　his　visit　at　the　farm；　had　deeply　impressed　him；　but　they　were　not　those　that　Margaret　feared。　He　had　thought　of　them　that　first　night　when　going　over　the　events　of　the　day　as　they　passed　in　review　before　him。　One　personality　and　one　incident　had　made　so　profound　an　impression　　upon　him　that　he　could　not　get　to　sleep　for　an　hour　thinking　about　them。　It　was　the　stalwart　figure　　of　John　Grant　in　his　broad…brimmed　straw　hat　and　heavy　boots　striding　up　the　garden…path　with　his　scythe　over　his　shoulder。　This　apparition；　try　as　he　might；　would　not　down　at　his　bidding。

〃Think　of　that　young　fellow；〃　he　kept　repeating　to　himself。　〃The　eldest　son　and　heir　to　the　estate　no　doubt；　a　college…bred　man　and　a　most　charming　gentleman；　working　like　a　common　laborer　in　his　father's　field。　And　proud　of　it；　tooand　would　do　it　again　and　talk　about　it。　And　yet　I　was　so　ashamed　of　working　with　my　hands　that　I　had　to　run　away　from　home　for　fear　the　boys　would　laugh　at　me。

Margaret　heard　the　whole　story　from　Oliver's　lips　the　next　morning　with　many　adornments；　and　with　any　amount　of　good　resolutions　for　the　future。　She　listened　quietly　and　held　his　hand　the　closer；　her　eyes　dancing　in　triumph；　the　color　mounting　to　her　cheeks；　but　she　made　no　reply。

Neither　did　she　return　the　confidence　and　tell　Oliver　　how　she　wished　her　father　could　see　some　things　in　as　clear　a　light；　and　be　more　gentle　and　less　　opinionated。　She　was　too　proud　for　that。

And　so　the　days；　crowded　thick　with　emotions；　sped　on。

The　evening　of　their　first　one　came　and　passed；　with　its　half…hours　when　neither　spoke　a　word　and　when　both　trembled　all　over　for　the　very　joy　of　living；　　and　the　morning　of　the　second　arrived；　bringing　　with　it　a　happiness　she　had　never　known　before；　and　then　the　morning　of　the　thirdand　the　last　day。

They　had　kept　their　secret　even　from　John。　Oliver　　wanted　to　inform　her　father　at　once　of　his　attachment；　　telling　her　it　was　not　right　for　him　to　accept　the　hospitality　of　her　parents　unless　they　　understood　the　whole　situation；　but　she　begged　him　to　wait；　and　he　had　yielded　to　her　wishes。

They　had　all　discussed　him　at　their　pleasure。

〃Nice　chap　that　young　Horn；〃　John　had　said　to　her　the　night　before。　〃We　had　three　or　four　of　'em　in　my　class；　one　from　Georgia　and　two　from　Alabama。　They'd　fight　in　a　minute；　but　they'd　make　up　just　as　quick。　This　one's　the　best　of　the　lot。〃　He　spoke　as　if　they　had　all　belonged　to　another　race　denizens　of　Borneo　or　Madagascar　or　the　islands　of　the　Pacific。

〃I　have　sent　my　love　to　his　mother；　my　dear；〃　Mrs。　Grant　had　confided　to　her　early　that　same　morning。　　〃I　am　sure　he　has　a　good　mother。　He　is　so　kind　and　polite　to　me；　he　never　lets　me　remember　that　I　am　deaf　when　I　talk　to　him；〃　and　she　looked　about　her　in　her　simple；　patient　way。

〃Yesperhaps　so；〃　said　Silas；　sitting　hunched　up　in　his　chair。　〃Seems　sort　of　skippy…like　to　me。　Something　of　a　Dandy　Jim；　I　should　say。　Good　enough　to　make　men　painters　of；　I　guess。〃　Artists　in　those　days　had　few　friends　North　or　South。

None　of　these　criticisms　affected　Margaret。　She　didn't　care　what　they　thought　of　him。　She　knew　his　heart；　and　so　would　they　in　time。

When　Oliver　had　said　all　his　public　good…byes　to　the　rest　of　the　familythe　good…byes　with　which　we　have　nothing　to　do　had　been　given　and　taken　in　the　studio　with　the　curtains　drawnhe　joined　Margaret　at　the　gate。

They　were　standing　in　the　road　now；　under　the　giant　elm；　waiting　for　the　stage。　She　stood　close　beside　him；　touching　his　arm　with　her　own；　mournfully　　counting　the　minutes　before　the　stage　would　come；　her　eyes　up　the　road。　All　the　light　and　loveliness　　of　the　summers　all　the　joy　and　gladness　of　life；　would　go　out　of　her　heart　when　the　door　of　the　lumbering　　vehicle　closed　on　Oliver。




CHAPTER　XVII

LIVE　COALS　FROM　MISS　CLENDENNING'S　WOOD…FIRE



His　good…byes　said；　one　absorbing　thought　now　filled　Oliver's　mindto　reach　Kennedy　Square　on　the　wings　of　the　wind　and　there　to　pour　into　the　ears　of　his　mother　and　Miss　Lavinia；　and　of　anyone　else　who　would　listen；　the　whys　and　wherefores　of　his　love　for　Margaret；　with　such　additional　description　of　her　personal　charms；　qualities；　and　talents　as　would　bring　about；　in　the　shortest　possible　time；　the　most　amicable　of　relations　between　Kennedy　Square　and　Brookfield　　Farm。　He　was　determined　that　his　mother　should　know　her　at　once。　He　knew　how　strong　her　prejudices　were　and　what　her　traditions　would　cause　her　to