the fortunes of oliver horn-第79章

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aggers　that　hung　at　their　sides；　all　genuine　and　of　the　period；　cardinals　in　red　hats　and　wonderful　church　robes；　the　candle…grease　of　the　altar　still　clinging　to　their　skirts；　Spanish　grandees　in　velvet　and　brocade；　Indian　rajahs　in　baggy　　silk　trousers　and　embroidered　waistcoats；　with　Kohinoors　flashing　from　their　turbansnot　genuine　this　time　but　brilliant　all　the　same；　Shakespeares；　Dantes　（one　of　each）；　besides　courtiers；　nobles；　gallants；　　and　gentry　of　various　climes　and　periods。

All　this　splendor　of　appointment；　all　these　shaded　candles；　hanging…lamps；　Venetian　glass；　antique　furniture；　　rich　costumes；　Japanese　curios；　and　assorted　bric…a…brac；　were　gathered　together　and　arranged　thus　sumptuously　to　add　charm　and　lustre　to　a　banquet　given　by　the　Stone　Mugs　to　those　of　their　friends　most　distinguished　in　their　several　professions　of　art；　literature；　and　music。

Indeed　any　banquet　the　Club　gave　was　sure　to　be　as　unique　as　it　was　artistic。

Sometimes　it　would　be　held　in　the　hold　of　an　abandoned　　vessel　left　high　and　dry　on　a　lonely　beach；　which；　under　the　deft　touches　of　the　artists　of　the　Club；　would　be　transformed　in　a　night　to　the　cabin　of　a　buccaneer　filled　with　the　loot　of　a　treasure　ship。　Sometimes　a　canal　boat；　which　the　week　before　had　been　loaded　with　lime　or　potatoes；　would　be　scoured　out　with　a　fire…hose；　its　deck　roofed　with　awnings　and　hung　with　lanterns；　its　hatches　lined　with　palms；　and　in　the　hold　below　a　table　spread　of　such　surprising　　beauty；　and　in　an　interior　so　gorgeous　in　its　appointments　　that　each　guest；　as　he　descended　the　carpeted　　staircase　leading　from　the　deck　above　to　the　carpeted　keelson　below；　would　rub　his　eyes　wondering　whether　he　had　not　been　asleep；　and　had　suddenly　awakened　aboard　Cleopatra's　barge。

Again　the　club　would　hold　a　Roman　feast　in　one　of　Solari's　upstairs　roomsthe　successor　to　Riley's　of　the　old　dayseach　man　speaking　ancient　Latin　with　Tenth　Street　terminals；　the　servants　dressed　in　tunics　and　sandals；　and　the　members　in　togas。　Or　they　would　make　a　descent　at　midnight　on　Fulton　Market　and　have　their　tomcods　scooped　from　the　fish…　boxes　alive　and　broiled　to　their　liking　while　they　waited；　or　they　would　take　possession　of　Brown's　or　Farrish's　for　mugs　of　ale　and　English　chops。　But　it　was　always　one　so　different　from　any　other　function　of　its　class　that　it　formed　the　topic　of　the　studios　for　weeks　thereafter。

To…night　it　was　the　humor　of　the　club　to　reproduce　as　closely　as　possible；　with　the　limited　means　at　their　disposalfor　none　of　the　Stone　Mugs　were　rolling　in　wealth；　nor　did　these　functions　require　itsome　one　of　the　great　banquets　of　former　times；　not　to　be　historically　or　chronologically　correct；　but　to　express　the　artistic　atmosphere　of　such　an　occasion。

That　there　were　certain　unavoidable　and　easily　detected　shams　under　all　this　glamour　of　color　and　form　did　not　lessen　the　charm　of　the　present　function。

Everybody；　of　course；　knew　before　the　evening　was　over；　or　could　have　found　out　had　he　tried；　that　the　two　knights　in　armor　who　guarded　the　side…walk　entrance　　to　this　royal　chamber；　and　who　had　been　the　target　of　the　street…rats　until　they　took　their　places　at　the　inside　door；　were　respectively　Mr。　Patrick　McGinnis；　who　tended　the　furnace　in　the　basement　of　the　Tenth　Street　Studio　Building；　stripped　for　the　occasion　down　to　his　red　flannels；　and　Signore　Luigi　Bennelli；　his　Italian　assistant。

A　closer　inspection　of　the　two　ebony　blackamoors；　with　drawn　scimitars；　who　guarded　the　royal　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table；　would　have　revealed　the　fact　that　they　were　not　made　of　ebony　at　all；　but　of　veritable　　flesh　and　bloodthe　blackamoor　on　the　right　being　none　other　than　Black　Sam；　the　bootblack　who　shined　shoes　on　the　corner　of　the　avenue；　and　his　bloodthirsty　pal　on　the　left　the　kinky…haired　porter　who　served　the　grocer　next　door；　the　only　〃HONEST〃　thing　about　either　of　them；　to　quote　Waller；　being　the　artistic　clothes　that　they　stood　in。

Further　investigation　would　have　shown　that　every　one　of　the　wonderful　things　that　made　glad　and　glorious　　the　big　square　room　on　the　ground　floor　of　the　building；　from　the　brass　sconces　on　the　walls　to　the　hanging　church　lamps；　with　everything　that　their　lights　fell　upon；　had　been　gathered　up　that　same　morning　from　the　several　homes　and　studios　of　the　members　by　old　black　Jerry；　the　official　carman　of　the　Academy；　and　had　been　dumped　in　an　indiscriminate　　heap　on　the　floor　of　the　banquet　hall；　where　they　had　been　disentangled　and　arranged　by　half　a　dozen　painters　of　the　club；　that　the　table　and　table　cloth　had　been　borrowed　from　Solari's；　that　the　very　rare　and　fragrant　old　Chianti；　the　club's　private　stock；　was　from　Solari's　own　cellars　via　Duncan's；　the　grocer；　and　that　the　dinner　itself　was　cooked　and　served　by　that　distinguished　boniface　himself；　assisted　by　half　a　dozen　of　his　own　waiters；　each　one　wearing　an　original　Malay　costume　selected　from　Stedman's　collection　and　used　by　him　in　his　great　picture　of　the　Sepoy　mutiny。

Moreover　there　was　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　the　〃Ingin；〃　who　was　now　bowing　so　gravely　to　the　master　of　ceremonies；　was　no　other　than　the　distinguished　　Mr。　Thomas　Brandon　Waller；　himself；　〃N。A。；　Knight　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　Pupil　of　Piloty；　etc。；　etc。；〃　that　the　high…class　mandarin　in　the　sacred　yellow　robe　and　peacock　feather　who　accompanied　　him；　was　Crug　the　'cellist；　that　the　bald…　headed　gentleman　with　the　pointed　beard；　who　looked　the　exact　presentment　of　the　divine　William；　was　Munson；　and　that　the　gay　young　gallant　in　the　Spanish　　costume　was　none　other　than　our　Oliver。　The　other　nobles；　cavaliers；　and　hidalgos　were　the　less　known　members　of　the　club；　who；　in　their　desire　to　make　the　occasion　a　success；　had　fitted　themselves　to　their　costumes　instead　of　attempting　to　fit　the　costumes　　to　themselves；　with　the　difference　that　each　man　not　only　looked　the　character　he　assumed　but　assumed　　the　character　he　looked。

But　no　one；　even　the　most　knowing；　no　student　of　costumes；　no　reader　of　faces；　no　discerner　of　character；　　no　acute　observer　of　manners　and　timesin　glancing　over　the　motley　company　would　have　thought　for　one　instant　that；　in　all　this　atmosphere　of　real　unrealism；　the　two　old　gentlemen　who　had　just　entered　leaning　on　Oliver's　armone　in　a　brown　coat　with　high　velvet　collar　and　fluffy　silk　scarf；　and　the　other　in　a　long　pen…wiper　cloak　which；　at　the　moment　was　slipping　from　his　shoulderswere　genuine　specimens　　of　the　period　of　to…day　without　a　touch　of　makeup　　about　them；　that　their　old…time　manners；　even　to　the　quaint　bows　they　both　gave　the　master　of　ceremonies；　　as　they　entered　the　royal　chamber；　were　their　very　own；　part　of　their　daily　equipment；　and　that　nothing　in　the　gorgeous　banquet　hall；　from　the　jewelled　rapier　belted　to　Oliver's　side；　and　which　had　once　graced　the　collection　of　a　prince；　down　to　the　priceless　bit　of　satsuma　set　out　on　the　table　and　now　stuffed　full　of　cigarettes　（the　bit　could　be　traced　back　to　the　Ming　dynasty）；　were　any　more　veritable　or　genuine；　or　any　more　representative　of　the　best　their　periods　afforded　than　these　two　quaint　old　gentlemen　　from　Kennedy　Square。

Had　there　been　any　doubt　in　the　minds　of　any　such　wiseacre；　either　regarding　their　authenticity　or　their　quality；　he　had　only　to　listen　to　Oliver's　　presentation　of　his　father　and　friend　and　to　hear　Richard　say；　in　his　most　courteous　manner　and　in　his　most　winning　voice：

〃I　have　never　been　more　honored；　sir。　It　was　more　than　kind　of　you　to　wish　me　to　come。　My　only　regret　is　that　I　am　not　your　age；　or　I　would　certainly　have　appeared　in　a　costume　more　befitting　the　occasion。　　I　have　never　dreamed　of　so　beautiful　a　place。〃

Or　to　see　him　lift　his　hand　in　astonishment　as　he　swept　his　eye　over　the　room；　his　arm　still　resting　on　the　velvet　sleeve　of　Oliver's　doublet；　and　hear　him　add；　in　a　half　whisper：

〃Wonderful！　Wonderful！　Such　harmony　of　color；　such　an　exquisite　light。　I　am　amazed　at　the　splendor　of　it　all。　What　Aladdin　among　you；　my　son；　held　the　lamp　that　evoked　all　this　beauty？〃

Or　still　more　convincing　would　it　have　been　had　he　watched　him　moving　about　the　room；　shaking　every　man's　hand　in　turn；　Oliver　mentioning　their　real　names　and　their　several　qualifications；　and　af