the fortunes of oliver horn-第6章

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er　let　Malachi　touch　itnot　Max　at　all；　but　a　fresh；　rosy…　cheeked　young　fellow　of　twenty…two；　who　came　bounding　in　with　a　laugh；　tossing　his　hat　to　Malachi　a　well…knit；　muscular　young　fellow；　with　a　mouth　full　of　white　teeth　and　a　broad　brow　projecting　over　two　steel…blue　eyes　that　were　snapping　with　fun。

With　his　coming　the　quiet　of　the　place　departed　and　a　certain　breezy　atmosphere　permeated　the　room　as　if　a　gust　of　cool　wind　had　followed　him。　With　him；　too；　came　a　hearty；　whole…souled　joyousness　a　joyousness　of　so　sparkling　and　so　radiant　a　kind　that　it　seemed　as　if　all　the　sunshine　he　had　breathed　for　twenty　years　in　Kennedy　Square　had　somehow　been　stored　away　in　his　boyish　veins。

〃Oh；　here　you　are；　you　dear　Miss　Lavinia；〃　he　cried　out；　his　breath　half　gone　from　his　dash　across　the　Square。　〃How　did　you　get　here　first？〃

〃On　my　two　feet；　you　stupid　Oliver；〃　cried　Miss　Lavinia；　shaking　her　curls　at　him。　〃Did　you　think　somebody　carried　me？〃

〃No；　I　didn't；　but　that　wouldn't　be　much　to　carry；　Miss　Midget。〃　His　pet　name　for　her。　〃But　which　way　did　you　come？　I　looked　up　and　down　every　path　and〃

〃And　went　all　the　way　round　by　Sue　Clayton's　to　find　me；　didn't　you？　Oh；　you　can't　throw　dust　in　the　Midget's　eyes；　you　young　rascal！〃　and　she　stretched　up　her　two　dainty　hands；　drew　his　face　toward　her；　and　kissed　him　on　the　lips。

〃There〃　and　she　patted　his　cheek　〃now　tell　me　all　about　it；　you　dear　Ollie。　What　did　you　want　to　see　me　for？〃　she　added　with　one　of　those　quick　divinations　that　made　her　so　helpful　a　confidante。　　Then；　in　a　lowered　voice　〃What　has　Sue　done？〃

〃Nothingnot　one　thing。　She　isn't　bothering　her　head　about　me。　I　only　stopped　there　to　leave　a　book；　and〃

Mrs。　Horn；　with　laughing；　inquiring　eyes；　looked　up　from　her　chair　at　Miss　Clendenning；　and　made　a　little　doubting　sound　with　her　lips。　Black…eyed　Sue　Clayton；　with　her　curls　down　her　back；　home　from　boarding…school　for　the　Easter　holidays；　was　Oliver's　latest　flame。　His　mother　loved　to　tease　him　about　his　love…affairs；　and　always　liked　him　to　have　a　new　one。　She　could　see　farther　into　his　heart　she　thought　when　the　face　of　some　sweet　girl　lay　mirrored　in　its　depths。

Oliver　heard　the　doubting　sound　his　mother　made；　and；　reaching　over　her　chair；　flung　his　arms　about　her　neck　and　kissed　her　as　if　she　had　been　a　girl。

〃Now；　don't　you　laugh；　you　dear　old　motherkins；〃　he　cried；　drawing　her　nearer　to　him　until　her　face　touched　his。　〃Sue　don't　care　a　thing　about　me；　and　I　did　promise　her　the　book；　and　I　ran　every　step　of　the　way　to　give　it　to　herdidn't　I；　Uncle　Nat？〃　he　added；　gayly；　hoping　to　divert　the　topic。　〃You　were　behind　the　sun…dial　when　I　passeddon't　you　remember？〃　　He　shrank　a　little　from　the　badinage。

The　old　musician　heard　the　question；　but　only　waved　his　flute　behind　him　in　answer。　He　did　not　even　lift　his　head　from　beside　Richard's　at　the　score。

Oliver　waited　an　instant；　and　getting　no　further　reply；　released　his　hold　about　his　mother's　neck；　now　that　he　had　kissed　her　into　silence；　and　turned　to　Miss　Clendenning　again。

〃Come；　Miss　Laviniacome　into　the　library。　I've　something　very　important　to　talk　to　you　about。　Really；　now；　no　nonsense　about　it！　You've　plenty　of　timeold　Max　won't　be　here　for　an　hour；　he's　always　　late；　isn't　he；　mother？〃

Miss　Clendenning　turned　quietly；　lifted　her　eyes　in　a　martyr…like　way　toward　Mrs。　Horn；　who　shook　her　head　playfully　in　answer；　and　with　Oliver's　arm　about　her　entered　the　library。　She　could　never　refuse　　any　one　of　the　young　people　when　they　came　to　her　with　their　secretsmost　important　and　never…　to…be…postponed　secrets；　of　course；　that　could　hardly　wait　the　telling。　Her　little　tea…room　across　the　Square；　with　its　red　damask　curtains；　its　shiny　brass　andirons；　easy…chairs　and　lounges；　was　really　more　of　a　confessional　than　a　boudoir。　Many　a　sorrow　had　been　drowned　in　the　cups　of　tea　that　she　had　served　with　her　own　hand　in　egg…shell　Spode　cups；　and　many　a　young　girl　and　youth　who　had　entered　its　cosey　interior　with　heavy　hearts　had　left　it　with　the　sunshine　　of　a　new　hope　breaking　through　their　tears。　But　then　everybody　knew　the　bigness　of　Miss　Clendenning's　　sympathies。　It　was　one　of　the　things　for　which　they　loved　her。

She；　of　course；　knew　what　the　boy　wanted　now。　If　it　were　not　to　talk　about　Sue　Clayton　it　was　sure　to　be　about　some　one　of　the　other　girls。　The　young　people　thought　of　nothing　else　but　their　love…affairs；　and　talked　of　nothing　else；　and　the　old　people　loved　to　live　their　youth　over　again　in　listening。　It　was　one　of　the　traditional　customs　of　Kennedy　Square。

Miss　Clendenning　settled　herself　in　a　corner　of　the　carved　haircloth　sofa；　touched　her　side…combs　with　her　finger　to　see　that　they　were　in　place；　tucked　a　red　cushion　behind　her　back；　crossed　her　two　little　feet　on　a　low　stool；　the　two　toes　peeping　out　like　the　heads　of　two　mice；　and　taking　Oliver's　hand　in　hers　said；　in　her　sweet；　coaxing　voice：

〃Now；　you　dear　boy；　it　is　Sue；　isn't　it？〃

〃No！〃

〃Not　Sue？　Who　then？〃

〃Mr。　Crocker。〃

〃What　Mr。　Crocker？〃　She　arched　her　eyebrows　and　looked　at　him　in　surprise。　The　name　came　as　a　shock。　She　knew　of　Mr。　Crocker；　of　course；　but　she　wanted　Oliver　to　describe　him。　Surely；　she　thought；　with　a　sudden　sense　of　alarm；　the　boy　has　not　fallen　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　that　shabby　old　man。

〃Why；　the　landscape…painterthe　one　father　knows。　I　have　been　taking　drawing　lessons　of　him　and　he　says　I've　got　a　lot　of　talent　and　that　all　I　want　is　practice。　He　says　that　if　I　begin　now　and　draw　from　the　cast　three　or　four　hours　a　day　that　by　the　end　of　the　year　I　can　begin　in　color；　and　then　I　can　go　to　New　York　and　study；　and　then　to　Paris。〃

The　little　lady　scrutinized　him　from　under　her　eyelids。　The　boy's　enthusiasm　always　delighted　her；　she　would　often　forget　what　he　was　talking　about；　so　interested　was　she　in　following　his　gestures　as　he　spoke。

〃And　what　then？〃

〃Why　then　I　can　be　a　painter；　of　course。　Isn't　that　a　great　deal　better　than　sitting　every　day　in　Judge　Ellicott's　dingy　office　reading　law…books？　I　hate　the　law！〃

〃And　you　love　Mr。　Crocker？〃

〃Yes；　don't　you？〃

〃I　don't　know　him；　Ollie。　Tell　me　what　he　is　like。〃

〃Well；　he　isn't　young　any　more。　He's　about　father's　age；　but　he's　a　splendid　old　man；　and　he's　so　poor！　Nobody　buys　his　pictures；　nor　appreciates　him；　and；　just　think；　he　has　to　paint　portraits　and　dogs　and　anything　he　can　get　to　do。　Don't　you　think　that's　a　shame？　Nobody　goes　to　see　him　but　father　and　Uncle　Nat　and　one　or　two　others。　They　don't　seem　to　think　him　a　gentleman。〃　He　was　putting　the　case　so　as　to　enlist　all　her　sympathies　at　once。

〃He　has　a　daughter；　hasn't　he？〃　She　was　probing　him　quietly　and　without　haste。　Time　enough　for　her　sympathies　to　work　when　she　got　at　the　facts。

〃Yes；　but　I　don't　like　her　very　much；　for　I　don't　think　she's　very　good　to　him。〃　Miss　Clendenning　smothered　a　little　sigh　of　relief；　there　was　no　danger；　thank　Heaven；　in　that　direction！　What；　then；　could　he　want；　she　thought　to　herself。

〃And　he's　so　different　from　anybody　I　ever　met；〃　Oliver　continued。　〃He　doesn't　talk　about　horses　and　duck…shooting　and　politics；　or　music　or　cards　like　everyone　you　meet；　except　Daddy；　but　he　talks　about　pictures　and　artists　and　great　men。　Just　think；　he　was　a　young　student　in　Dusseldorf　for　two　years；　and　then　he　shouldered　a　knapsack　and　tramped　all　through　Switzerland；　painting　as　he　went；　and　often　paying　for　his　lodgings　with　his　sketches。　Then　he　was　in　Paris　for　ever　so　long；　and　now　he　is　here；　where〃

〃Where　you　tell　me　he　is　painting　dogs　for　a　living；〃　interrupted　Miss　Clendenning。　〃Do　you　think；　you　young　scapegrace；　that　this　would　be　better　　than　being　a　lawyer　like　Judge　Ellicott？〃　and　she　turned　upon　him　with　one　of　her　quick　outbursts　of　mock　indignation。

〃But　I'm　not　going　to　paint　dogs；〃　he　replied；　with　some　impatience。　〃I　am　going　to　paint　women；　like　the　Sir　Peter　Lely　that　Uncle　John　Tilghman　has。　Oh；　she's　a　beauty！　I　took　Mr。　Crocker　to　see　her　the　other　day。　It　had　just　been　brought　in　from　the　country；　you　know。　You　should　have　heard　him　go　on。　He　says　there's　nobody　who　can　paint　a　portrait　　like　it　nowadays。　He　raved　about　her。　You　know　it　is　Uncle　John　Tilghman's　grandmother　when　she　w