the fortunes of oliver horn-第58章

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〃Lovely；〃　Miss　Clendenning　whispered　to　Nathan。　　〃Spoken　like　a　thoroughbred。　Yes；　he　is　BETTER　than　my　ugly　prince。　He　would　always　have　remembered　how　they　did　it。〃

〃And　you　see　no　difference　either　in　the　ladies？〃　continued　Mrs。　Horn；　with　increasing　interest　in　her　tones。　〃Are　the　young　girls　as　sweet　and　engaging？〃　　She　had　seen　Margaret's　name　rather　often　in　his　letters　and　wondered　what　impression　she　had　made　upon　him。　Oliver's　eyes　flashed　and　the　color　mounted　to　his　cheeks。　Miss　Clendenning　saw　it　and　bent　forward　a　little　closer　to　get　his　answer。

〃Well；　you　see；　mother；　I　do　not　know　a　great　many；　I　am　so　shut　up。　Miss　Grant；　whom　I　wrote　you　about；　iswell；　you　must　see　her。　She　is　not　the　kind　of　girl　that　you　can　describe　very　well　she　really　is　not　the　kind　of　girl　that　you　can　describe　at　all。　We　have　been　together　all　summer；　and　I　stopped　at　her　father's　house　for　a　few　days　when　I　came　down　from　the　mountains。　They　live　in　the　most　beautiful　valley　you　ever　saw。〃

Miss　Clendenning　was　watching　him　closely。　She　caught　a　look　that　his　mother　had　missed。

〃Is　she　pretty；　Ollie？〃　asked　Miss　Lavinia。

〃She　is　better　than　pretty。　You　would　not　say　the　Milo　was　pretty；　would　you？　There　is　too　much　in　her　for　prettiness。〃

〃And　are　the　others　like　her？〃　The　little　lady　was　only　feeling　about；　trying　to　put　her　finger　on　the　pulse　of　his　heart。

〃No；　there　is　nobody　like　her。　Nobody　I　have　ever　met。〃

Miss　Clendenning　was　sure　now。

Malachi's　second　entrancethis　time　with　the　great　china　bowl　held　above　his　headagain　interrupted　　the　general　talk。

Since　the　memory　of　man　no　such　apple…toddy　had　ever　been　brewed！

Even　Colonel　Clayton；　when　he　tasted　it；　looked　over　his　glass　and　nodded　approvingly　at　its　creator　a　recognition　of　genius　which　that　happy　darky　acknowledged　by　a　slight　bend　of　his　back；　anything　else　being　out　of　the　question　by　reason　of　the　size　of　the　bowl　he　was　carrying　and　the　presence　of　his　master　and　of　his　master's　guests。

This　deposited　on　a　side　table；　another　bowl　filled　with　Olioa　most　surprising　and　never…to…be…forgotten　　salad　of　chicken　and　celery　and　any　number　of　other　toothsome　thingswas　placed　beside　it；　together　　with　a　plate　of　moonshines　and　one　of　Maryland　　biscuits。

Then　came　some　music；　in　which　Oliver　sang　and　Miss　Clendenning　played　his　accompanimentsthe　old　plantation　melodies；　not　the　new　songsand　next　the　〃wrappings　up〃　in　the　hall；　the　host　and　hostess　　and　the　whole　party　moving　out　of　the　drawing…　room　in　a　body。　Here　Nathan；　with　great　gallantry；　insisted　on　getting　down　on　his　stiff　marrow…bones　to　put　on　Miss　Clendenning's　boots；　while　the　young　men　and　Oliver　tied　on　the　girls'　hoods；　amid　〃good…　byes〃　and　〃so　glads〃　that　he　could　come　home　if　only　for　a　day；　and　that　he　had　not　forgotten　them；　Oliver's　last　words　being　whispered　in　Miss　Clendenning's　　ear　informing　her　that　he　would　come　over　in　the　morning　and　see　her　about　a　matter　of　the　greatest　importance。　And　so　the　door　was　shut　on　the　last　guest。

When　the　hall　was　empty　Oliver　kissed　his　father　good…night；　and；　slipping　his　arm　around　his　mother's　　waist；　as　he　had　always　done　when　a　boy；　the　two　went　slowly　upstairs　to　his　little　room。　He　could　not　wait　a　minute　longer。　He　must　unburden　his　heart　about　Margaret。　This　was　what　he　had　come　for。　If　his　mother　had　only　seen　her　it　would　be　so　much　easier；　be　said　to　himself　as　he　pushed　open　his　bedroom　door。

〃You　are　greatly　improved；　my　son；〃　she　said；　with　a　tone　of　pride　in　her　voice。　〃I　see　the　change　already。〃　She　had　lighted　the　candle　and　the　two　were　seated　on　the　bed；　his　arm　still　around　her。

〃How；　mother？〃

〃Oh；　in　everything。　The　boy　is　gone　out　of　you。　You　are　more　reposeful；　more　self…reliant。　I　like　your　modesty　too。〃　She　could　tell　him　of　his　faults；　she　could　also　tell　him　of　his　virtues。

〃And　the　summer　has　done　you　good；〃　she　continued。　　〃I　felt　sure　it　would。　Mr。　Slade　has　been　a　steadfast　friend　of　yours　from　the　beginning。　Tell　me　now　about　your　new　friends。　This　Miss　Grant　is　she　not　the　same　girl　you　wrote　me　about；　some　mouths　agothe　one　who　drew　with　you　at　the　art　school？　Do　you　like　her　people？〃　This　thought　was　uppermost　in　her　mindhad　been　in　fact　ever　since　she　first　saw　Margaret's　name　in　his　letters。

〃Her　mother　is　lovely　and　she　has　got　a　brother　a　Dartmouth　manwho　is　a　fine　fellow。　I　liked　him　from　the　first　moment　I　saw　him；〃　Oliver　answered　　simply；　wondering　how　he　would　begin。

〃Is　her　father　living？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　kind　of　a　man　is　he？〃

〃Wellof　course；　he　is　not　like　our　people。　He　is　awellhe　always　says　just　what　be　thinks；　you　know。　But　he　is　a　man　of　character　and　position。〃　He　was　speaking　for　Margaret　now。　〃They　have　more　family　portraits　than　we　have。〃　This　was　said　in　a　tone　that　was　meant　to　carry　weight。

〃And　people　of　education？〃

〃Oh；　I　should　certainly　say　so。　It　is　nothing　but　books　all　over　the　house。　Really；　he　has　more　books　than　Dad。〃　This　statement　was　to　strengthen　the　one　regarding　the　family　ancestorsboth　telling　　arguments　about　Kennedy　Square。

〃And　this　girlis　she　a　lady？〃

The　question　somehow　put　to　flight　all　his　mental　manoeuvres。　〃She　is　more　than　a　lady；　mother。　She　is　the　dearest〃　He　stopped；　hesitated　for　an　instant；　and　slipping　his　arm　around　his　mother's　neck　drew　her　close　to　him。　Then；　in　a　torrent　of　wordshis　cheeks　against　hersthe　whole　story　came　out。　He　was　a　boy　again　now；　that　quality　in　him　that　would　last　all　his　life。　She　listened　with　her　eyes　on　the　floor；　her　heart　torn　with　varying。　emotions。　She　was　disturbed；　but　not　alarmed。　One　phase　of　the　situation　stood　out　clearly　in　her　practical　mindhis　poverty　and　the　impossibility　of　any　immediate　marriage。　Before　that　obstacle　could　be　removed　she　felt　sure　his　natural　vacillation　　regarding　women　would　save　him。　He　would　forget　her　as　he　had　Sue。

〃And　you　say　her　brother　works　in　the　fields　and　that　her　father　and　mother　permitted　this　girl　to　leave　home　and　sit　night　after　night　with　you　young　men　with　no　other　protection　than　that　of　a　common　Irishwoman？〃　There　was　a　tone　of　censure　now　in　her　voice　that　roused　a　slight　antagonism　in　Oliver。

〃Why　not？　What　could　harm　her？　There　was　no　other　place　for　her　to　go　where　she　could　learn　anything。〃

Mrs。　Horn　kept　still　for　a　moment；　looking　on　the　floor。　Oliver　sat　watching　her　face。

〃And　your　family；　my　son；〃　she　protested　with　a　certain　patient　disapproval　in　her　tones。　〃Do　they　count　for　nothing？　I；　of　course；　would　love　anybody　you　would　make　your　wife；　but　you　have　others　about　you。　No　man　has　a　right　to　marry　beneath　　him。　Do　not　be　in　a　hurry　over　this　matter。　Come　home　for　your　wife　when　you　are　ready　to　marry。　Give　yourself　time　to　compare　this　girl；　who　seems　to　have　fascinated　you；　withSue；　for　　instance；　or　any　of　the　others　you　have　been　brought　up　with。〃

Oliver　shrugged　his　shoulders　at　the　mention　of　Sue's　name。　He　had　compared　her。

〃You　would　not　talk　this　way；　dearie；　if　you　could　see　her；〃　he　replied　in　a　hopeless　way　as　if　the　　futility　of　making　his　mother　understand　was　now　　becoming　apparent　to　him。　〃She　is　different　from　anyone　you　ever　metshe　is　so　strong；　so　fine　such　a　woman　in　all　that　the　word　means。　Not　something　　you　fondle　and　make　love　to；　remember；　but　a　woman　more　like　a　Madonna　that　you　worship；　or　a　Greek　goddess　that　you　might　fear。　As　to　the　family　part　of　it；　I　am　getting　tired　of　it　all；　mother。　What　good　is　Grandfather　Horn　or　anybody　else　to　me？　I　have　got　to　dig　my　way　out　just　as　they　did。　Just　as　dear　old　Dad　is　doing。　If　he　succeeds　in　his　work　who　will　help　him　but　himself？　There　have　been　times　when　I　used　to　love　to　remember　him　sitting　by　his　reading…lamp　or　with　his　violin　tucked　under　his　chin；　and　I　was　proud　to　think　he　was　my　father。　Do　you　know　what　sets　my　blood　on　fire　now？　It　is　when　I　think　of　him　standing　over　his　forge　and　blowing　his　bellows；　his　hands　black　with　coal。　I　understand　many　things；　dearie；　that　I　knew　nothing　about　when　I　left　home。　You　used　to　tell　me　yourself　that　everybody　had　to　work；　and　you　sent　me　away　to　do　it。　I　looked　upon　it　then　as　a　degradation。　I　see　it　differently　now。　I　have　worked　with　all　my　might　all　summ