the fortunes of oliver horn-第57章

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woman　who　could　sit　in　one　place　and　still　be　surroundedby　half…moons　of　adorers　if　she　sat　against　the　wall；　by　full　moons　if　she　sat　in　the　open。　She　had　learned　the　art　when　a　girl。

〃If　Clayton　would　go　among　these　people；　my　dear　Lavinia；〃　said　Richard；　in　a　deprecating　tone；　drawing　up　a　chair　and　seating　himself；　beside　her；　〃he　would　find　them　very　different　from　what　he　thinks。　Some　of　the　most　delightful　men　I　have　ever　met　have　come　from　the　States　north　of　us。　You　know　that　to　be　so。〃

〃That　depends；　Richard；　on　how　far　North　you　go；〃　Miss　Clendenning　answered；　spreading　her　fan　as　she　spoke；　looking　in　between　the　sticks　as　if　searching　for　specimens。　〃In　Philadelphia　I　find　some　very　delightful　houses；　quite　like　our　own。　In　New　Yorkwell；　I　rarely　go　to　New　York。　The　journey　is　a　tiresome　one　and　the　hotels　abominable。　They　are　too　busy　there　to　be　comfortable；　and　I　do　not　like　noisy；　restless　people。　They　give　me　a　headache。〃

〃Oliver　has　met　some　charming　people；　he　tells　me；〃　said　Richard。　〃Mr。　Slade　took　him　into　his　own　home　and　treated　him　quite　like　a　son。〃

〃Of　course　he　did；　why　not？〃　Miss　Clendenning　was　erect　now；　her　eyes　snapping　with　roguish　　indignation。　〃Anybody　would　be　glad　to　take　Oliver　into　their　home；　especially　when　they　have　two　　marriageable　daughters。　Oliver's　bow　as　he　enters　a　room　is　a　passport　to　any　society　in　the　world；　my　dear　Richard。　My　Lord　Chesterfield　Clayton　has　no　better　manners　nor　any　sweeter　smile　than　our　own　Lorenzo。　Watch　Oliver　now　as　he　talks　to　those　girls。〃

Richard　had　been　watching　him；　he　had　hardly　taken　his　eyes　from　him。　Every　time　he　looked　at　him　his　heart　swelled　the　more　with　pride。

〃And　you　think；　Lavinia；　Mr。　Slade　invited　him　because　of　his　manners？〃　He　was　sure　of　it。　He　only　wanted　her　to　confirm　it。

〃Of　course。　What　else？〃　and　she　cut　her　eye　at　him　knowingly。　〃How　many　of　the　other　clerks　did　he　invite？　Not　one。　I　wanted　to　find　out　and　I　made　Ollie　write　me。　They　are　queer　people；　these　Northerners。　They　affect　to　despise　good　blood　and　good　breeding　and　good　manners。　That's　all　fol…de…rolthey　love　it。　They　are　eternally　talking　of　equalityequality；　one　man　as　GOOD　as　another。　When　they　say　that　one　man　is　as　GOOD　as　another；　Richard；　they　mean　that　THEY　are　as　good；　never　the　other　poor　fellow。〃

〃Now；　my　dear　Lavinia；　stop　a　moment；〃　laughed　the　inventor　in　protest。　〃You　do　not　mean　to　say　there　are　really　no　gentlemen　north　of　us？〃

〃Plenty　of　gentlemen；　Richard；　but　few　thoroughbreds。　　There　is　a　distinction；　you　know。〃

〃Which　do　you　value　most？〃

〃Oh；　the　thoroughbred。　A　gentleman　might　some　time　offend　you　by　telling　you　the　truth　about　yourself　or　your　friends。　The　thoroughbred；　never；〃　and　she　lifted　her　hands　in　mock　horror。

〃And　he　could　be　a　rogue　and　yet　his　manners　would　save　him？〃

〃Quite　true；　dear　Richard；　quite　true。　The　most　charming　man　I　ever　met　except　your　dear　self〃　and　she　smiled　graciously　and　lowered　her　voice　as　if　what　she　was　about　to　tell　was　in　the　strictest　　confidence〃was　a　shrivelled…up　old　prince　who　once　called　on　my　father　and　myself　in　Vienna。　He　was　as　ugly　as　a　crab；　and　walked　with　a　limp。　There　had　been　some　words　over　a　card…table；　he　told　me；　and　the　other　man　fired　first。　I　was　a　young　girl　then；　but　I　have　never　forgotten　him　to　this　day。　Indeed；　my　dear　Nathan；〃　and　she　turned　to　the　old　musician　and　laid　her　wee　hand　confidingly　on　his　knee；　〃but　for　the　fact　that　the　princess　was　a　most　estimable　woman　and　still　alive；　I　might　have　been　well；　I　really　forget　what　I　might　have　been；　for　I　do　not　remember　his　name；　but　it　was　something　most　fascinating　in　five　or　six　syllables。　Now　all　that　man　ever　did　to　make　that　unaccountable　impression　　upon　me　was　just　to　pick　up　my　handkerchief。　　Oh；　Nathan；　it　really　gives　me　a　little　quiver　to　this　day！　I　never　watch　Oliver　bow　but　I　think　of　my　prince。　Now　I　have　never　found　that　kind　of　quality；　grace；　bearing；　presencewhatever　you　may　choose　to　call　itin　the　Puritan。　He　has　not　time　to　learn　it。　He　despises　such　subtle　courtesies。　They　smack　of　the　cavalier　and　the　court　to　him。　He　is　content　with　a　nod　of　the　head　and　a　hurried　handshake。　So　are　his　neighbors。　They　would　grow　suspicious　of　each　other's　honesty　if　they　did　more。　Tut；　tut；　my　dear　Richard！　My　prince's　grooms　greeted　each　other　in　that　way。〃

Richard　and　Nathan　laughed　heartily。　〃And　you　only　find　the　manners　of　the　ante…chamber　and　the　throne…room　South？〃　asked　the　inventor。

〃Umnot　always。　It　used　to　be　so　in　my　day　and　yours；　but　we　are　retrograding。　It　is　unpardonable　　in　our　case　because　we　have　known　better。　But　up　there〃　（and　she　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　North　Star）　〃they　never　did　know　better；　that's　some　excuse　for　them。〃

〃Ah；　you　incorrigible　woman；　you　must　not　talk　so。　You　have　not　seen　them　all。　Many　of　the　men　who　do　me　the　honor　to　come　to　my　workroom　are　most　delightful　persons。　Only　last　week　there　came　one　of　the　most　interesting　scientists　that　I　have　met　for〃

〃Of　course；　of　course；　I　have　not　a　doubt　of　it；　my　dear　Richard；　but　I　am　talking　of　men；　my　friend；　not　dried　mummies。〃

Again　Richard　laughed。　One　of　his　greatest　pleasures　was　to　draw　Miss　Clendenning　out　on　topics　　of　this　class。　He　knew　she　did　not　believe　one…　half　that　she　said。　It　was　the　way　she　parried　his　thrusts　that　delighted　him。

〃Well；　then；　take　Mr。　Winthrop　Pierce　Lawrence。　No　more　charming　gentleman　ever　entered　my　house。　You　were　in　London　at　the　time　or　you　would　certainly　　have　dined　with　him　here。　Mr。　Lawrence　is　not　only　distinguished　as　a　statesman　and　a　brilliant　scholar；　but　his　manners　are　perfect。〃

Miss　Clendenning　turned　her　head　and　looked　at　Richard　under　her　eyelashes。　〃Where　did　you　say　he　was　from？〃

〃Boston。〃

〃Boston？〃　A　rippling；　gurgling　laugh　floated　through　the　room。

〃Yes；　Boston。　Why　do　you　laugh？〃

〃Bostonians；　my　dear　Richard；　have　habits　and　customs；　never　manners。　It　is　impossible　that　they　should。　They　are　seldom　underbred；　mind　you；　they　are　always　overbred；　and；　strange　to　say；　without　　the　slightest　sense　of　humor；　for　they　are　all　brought　up　on　serious　isms　and　solemn　fads。　The　excitement　we　have　gone　through　over　this　outrageous　　book　of　this　Mrs。　Stowe's　and　all　this　woman　movement　is　but　a　part　of　their　training。　How　is　it　possible　for　people　who　believe　in　such　dreadful　persons　　as　this　Miss　Susan　Anthony　and　that　Miss　something…or…otherI　forget　her　nameto　know　what　the　word　'home'　really　means　and　what　graces　should　adorn　it？　They　could　never　understand　my　ugly　prince；　and　he？well；　he　would　be　too　polite　to　tell　them　what　he　thought　of　them。　No；　my　dear　Richard；　they　don't　know；　they　never　will　know；　and　they　never　will　be　any　better。〃

Oliver　had　crossed　the　room　and　had　reached　her　chair。

〃Who　will　never　be　any　better；　you　dear　Midget？〃　　he　cried。

〃You；　you　dear　boy；　because　you　could　not。　Come　and　sit　by　me　where　I　can　get　my　hand　on　you。　If　I　had　my　way　you　would　never　be　out　of　reach　of　my　five　fingers。〃

Oliver　brought　up　a　stool　and　sat　at　her　feet。

〃Your　Aunt　Lavinia；　Ollie；〃　said　Richard；　rising　to　his　feet　（this　relationship　was　of　the　same　character　　as　that　of　Uncle　Nathan　Gill）；　〃seems　to　think　our　manners　are　retrograding。〃

〃Not　yours？〃　protested　Oliver；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　turned　quickly　toward　Miss　Clendenning。

〃No；　you　sweetheart；　nor　yours；〃　answered　Miss　Clendenning；　with　a　sudden　burst　of　affection。　〃Come；　now；　you　have　lived　nearly　two　years　among　these　dreadful　Yankeeswhat　do　you　think　of　them？〃

〃What　could　I　think　of　people　who　have　been　so　kind　to　me？　Fred　Stone　has　been　like　a　brother；　and　so　has　everybody　else。〃

Mrs。　Horn　had　joined　the　group　and　sat　listening。

〃But　their　manners；　my　son；〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　see　no　difference　between　them　andandand　your　father's；　for　instance？〃　and　she　motioned　toward　Richard　who　was　now　moving　across　the　room　to　speak　to　other　guests。

〃Dad　is　himself　and　you　are　yourself　and　I　am　myself；〃　replied　Oliver　with　some　positiveness。　〃When　people　are　kind　I　never　stop　to　think　how　they　do　it。〃

〃Lovely；〃　Miss　Clendenning　whispered　to　Nathan。　　〃Spoken　like　a　thoroughbred。　Yes；　he　is　BETTER　than　my　ugly　prince。　He　would　a