the fortunes of oliver horn-第77章

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If；　however；　he　had　ever　thought　her　pretty　in　this　working…costume；　he　thought　her　all　the　more　captivating　　a　few　minutes　later　in　the　little　French　jacket　all　pockets　and　buttonswhich　she　had　put　on　as　soon　as　the　greetings　were　over　and　the　tour　of　the　room　had　been　made　in　answer　to　Richard's　delighted　questions。

But　it　was　in　serving　the　luncheon；　which　Mrs。　Mulligan　had　brought　in；　that　his　sweetheart　was　most　enchanting。　Her　full…rounded　figure　moved　so　gracefully　when　she　bent　across　to　hand　someone　a　cup；　and　the　pose　of　the　head　was　so　delicious；　and　it　was　all　so　bewitching；　and　so　precisely　satisfied　his　artistic　sense。　And　he　so　loved　to　hear　her　talk　when　she　was　the　centre　of　a　group　like　this；　as　much　really　to　see　the　movement　of　her　lips　and　the　light　in　her　eyes　and　the　gracious　way　in　which　she　moved　her　head　as　to　hear　what　she　said。

He　was　indeed　so　overflowing　with　happiness　over　it　all；　and　she　was　so　enchanting　in　his　eyes　as　she　sat　there　dispensing　the　comforts　of　the　silver　tray；　that　he　must　needs　pop　out　of　the　room　with　some　impromptu　excuse　and　disappear　into　the　little　den　which　held　her　desk；　that　he　might　dash　off　a　note　which　he　tucked　under　her　writing…padone　of　their　hiding…placesand　which　bore　the　lines：　〃You　were　never　so　much　my　queen　as　you　are　to…day；　dearest；〃　and　which　she　found　later　and　covered　with　kisses　before　he　was　half　way　down　the　block　on　his　way　back　to　the　hotel　with　the　two　old　gentlemen。

She　was　indeed　beautiful。　The　brow　was　wider　and　whiter；　perhaps；　than　it　had　been　in　the　old　days　under　the　bark　slant；　and　the　look　out　of　the　eyes　a　trifle　softer；　and　with　a　certain　tenderness　in　them　not　quite　so　defiant　and　fearless；　but　there　had　been　no　other　changes。　Certainly　none　in　the　gold…brown　hair　that　Oliver　so　loved。　That　was　still　her　glory；　and　was　still　heaped　up　in　magnificent　masses；　and　with　the　same　look　about　it　of　being　ready　to　burst　its　bonds　and　flood　everything　with　a　river　of　gold。

〃Lots　of　good　news　to…day；　Madge；〃　Oliver　exclaimed；　　after　they　had　all　taken　their　seats；　his　father　　on　Margaret's　right；　with　Nathan　next。

〃Yes；　and　I　have　got　lots　of　good　news　too；　bushels　　of　it；〃　laughed　Margaret。

〃You　tell　me　first；〃　cried　Oliver　bending　toward　her；　his　face　beaming；　each　day　they　exchanged　the　minutest　occurrences　of　their　lives。

〃NoOllieLet　me　hear　yours。　What's　it　about？　Mine's　about　a　picture。〃

〃So's　mine；〃　exclaimed　Olive；　his　eyes　brimming　with　fun　and　the　joy　of　the　surprise　he　had　in　store　for　her。

〃But　it's　about　one　of　your　OWN　pictures；　Ollie。〃

〃So's　mine；〃　he　cried　again；　his　voice　rising　in　merriment。

〃Oh；　Ollie；　tell　me　first；〃　pleaded　Margaret　with　a　tone　in　her　voice　of　such　coaxing　sweetness　that　only　Richard's　and　Nathan's　presence　restrained　him　from　catching　her　up　in　his　arms　and　kissing　her　then　and　there。

〃No；　not　until　you　have　told　me　yours；〃　he　answered　with　mock　firmness。　〃Mine　came　in　a　letter。〃

〃So　did　mine；〃　cried　Margaret　clapping　her　hands。　〃I　don't　believe　yours　is　half　as　good　as　mine　and　I'm　not　going　to　wait　to　hear　it。　Now　listen〃　and　she　opened　an　envelope　that　lay　on　the　table　within　reach　of　her　hand。　〃This　is　from　my　brother　John〃　and　she　turned　toward　Richard　and　Nathan。　〃He　and　Couture；　in　whose　atelier　I　studied；　are　great　friends。　Now　please　pay　attention　Mr。　Autocrat〃　　and　she　looked　at　Oliver　over　the　edge　of　the　letter　and　began　to　read

〃Couture　came　in　to…day　on　his　way　home　and　I　showed　him　the　photograph　Ollie　sent　me　of　his　portrait　of　you　his　'Tam…o'…Shanter　Girl'　he　calls　it。　Couture　was　so　enthusiastic　about　it　that　he　wants　it　sent　to　Paris　at　　once　so　that　he　can　exhibit　it　in　his　own　studio　to　some　　of　the　painters　there。　Then　he　is　going　to　send　it　to　the　　Salon。　So　you　can　tell　that　'Johnnie　Reb'　to　pass　it　along　　to　me　by　the　first　steamer；　and　you　can　tell　him；　too；　that　　his　last　letter　is　a　month　old；　and　I　am　getting　hungry　for　another。〃

〃There　now！　what　do　you　think　of　that？　Mr。　Honorable　Mention。〃

Oliver　opened　his　eyes　in　astonishment。

〃That's　just　like　John；　bless　his　heart！〃　he　answered　　slowly；　as　his　glance　sought　the　floor。　This　last　drop　had　filled　his　cup　of　happiness　to　the　brim　Some　of　it　was　glistening　on　his　lashes。

〃Now　tell　me　your　good　news〃　she　continued；　her　eyes　still　dancing。　She　had　seen　the　look　but　　misunderstood　the　cause。

Oliver　raised　his　eyes

〃Oh；　it's　not　nearly　as　good　as　yours；　Madge；　in　one　way　and　yet　in　another　it's　a　heap　better。　What　do　you　think？　Old　Peter　Fish　wants　me　to　paint　his　daughter's　portrait。〃

Margaret　laid　her　hand　on　his。

〃Oh；　Oliver！　Not　Peter　Fish！　That's　the　best　thing　that　has　happened　yet；〃　and　her　face　instantly　assumed　a　more　serious　expression。　〃I　know　the　girl　she　will　be　an　easy　subject；　she's　exactly　your　type。　How　do　you　know？〃

〃Just　saw　John　Snedecor　in　answer　to　a　letter　he　wrote　me。　Fish　has　bought　the　'Woman　in　Black。'　He's　delighted　with　it。〃

〃Why；　I　thought　it　belonged　to　the　Countess。〃

〃So　it　did。　She　sold　it。〃

〃Sold　it！〃

〃Yes。　Does　it　surprise　you？〃

〃No；　I　can't　say　that　it　does。　I　am　glad；　though；　that　it　will　stay　in　the　country。　It's　by　far　the　best　thing　you　or　anybody　else　has　done　this　season。　I　was　afraid　she　would　take　it　back　with　her。　Poor　woman！　she　has　had　a　hard　life；　and　it　doesn't　seem　to　get　any　better；　from　what　I　hear。〃

〃You　know　the　original；　then；　my　dear？〃　asked　Richard；　holding　out　his　second　cup　of　tea　for　another　　lump　of　sugar；　which　Margaret　in　her　excitement　　had　forgotten。　He　and　Nathan　had　listened　with　the　keenest　interest　to　the　reading　of　John　Grant's　letter　and　to　the　discussion　that　had　followed。

〃I　know　OF　her；〃　answered　Margaret　as　she　dropped　it　in；　〃and　she　knows　me；　but　I've　never　met　her。　She's　a　Pole；　and　something　of　a　painter；　too。　She　studied　in　the　same　atelier　where　I　was；　but　that　was　before　I　went　to　Paris。　Her　husband　became　mixed　up　in　some　political　conspiracy　and　was　sent　to　Siberia；　and　she　was　put　across　the　frontier　that　same　night。　She　is　very　popular　in　Paris；　they　all　like　her；　especially　the　painters。　There　is　nothing　against　her　except　her　poverty。〃　There　could　be　nothing　　against　any　woman　in　Margaret's　eyes。　〃But　for　her　jewels　she　would　have　had　as　hard　a　time　to　get　on　as　the　rest　of　us。　Now　and　then　she　parts　with　one　of　her　pearls；　and　between　times　she　teaches　music。　You　must　see　the　picture　Oliver　painted　of　herit　will　delight　you。〃

〃Oh；　but　I　have！〃 exclaimed　Richard；　laying　down　his　cup。　〃We　looked　at　it　as　we　came　up。　It　is　really　a　great　picture。　He　tells　me　it　is　the　work　of　two　hours　and　under　gas…light。〃

〃No；　not　altogether；　father。　I　had　a　few　hours　on　it　the　next　day；〃　interrupted　Oliver。

〃Strong；　isn't　it？〃　continued　Margaret；　without　noticing　Oliver's　explanation。　〃It　is　really　better　in　many　ways　than　the　girl　in　the　Tam…o'…Shanter　cap　the　one　he　painted　of　me。　That　had　some　of　Lely's　qualities　about　it；　especially　in　the　flesh　tones。　He　always　tells　me　the　inspiration　to　paint　it　came　from　an　old　picture　belonging　to　his　uncle。　You　know　that　of　course？〃　and　she　laid　a　thin　sandwich　on　Nathan's　plate。

〃You　mean　Tilghman's　Lelythe　one　in　his　house　in　Kennedy　Square？　Oh；〃　said　Richard；　lifting　his　fingers　in　appreciation；　〃I　know　every　line　of　it。　It　is　one　of　the　best　Lely's　I　ever　saw；　and　to　me　the　gem　of　Tilghman's　collection。〃

〃Yes；　so　Ollie　tells　me；〃　continued　Margaret。　〃Now　this　picture　of　the　Countess　is　to　me　very　much　more　in　Velasquez's　method　than　in　Lely's。　Broader　and　stronger　and　with　a　surer　touch。　I　have　always　told　Ollie　he　was　right　to　give　up　landscapes。　These　two　pictures　show　it。　There　is　really；　Mr。　Horn；　no　one　on　this　side　of　the　water　who　is　doing　exactly　what　Oliver　is。〃　She　spoke　as　if　she　was　discussing　Page；　Huntington　or　Elliott　or　any　other　painter　of　the　day；　not　as　if　it　was　her　lover。　〃Did　you　notice　how　the　lace　was　brushed　in　and　all　that　work　about　the　throatespecially　the　shadow　tones？〃

She　treated　Richard　precisely　as　if　he　was　one　of　the　guild。　His　criticisms　of　her　own　workfor　he　had　insisted　on　seeing　her　latest　picture　and　had　even　been　more　enthusiastic　over　it　than　he　had　been　over　Oliver'san