the fortunes of oliver horn-第8章

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s　a　duet　in　their　younger　days。

Leaning　back　in　her　easy…chair　with　half…closed　eyes；　her　clear…cut　features　in　silhouette　against　the　glow　of　the　fire；　her　soft　gray　curls　nestling　in　the　filmy　lace　that　fell　about　her　temples；　she　expressed；　in　every　line　of　her　face　and　figure；　that　air　of　graceful　　repose　which　only　comes　to　those　highly　favored　women　who　have　all　their　lives　been　nurtured　in　a　home　of　loving　hands；　tender　voices；　and　noiseless　servantslives　of　never…ending　affection　without　care　or　sorrow。

And　yet　had　you；　even　as　she　sat　there；　studied　carefully　this　central　figure　of　the　Horn　mansion　this　practical；　outspoken；　gentle…voiced；　tender　wife　and　mother；　tenacious　of　her　opinions；　yet　big　enough　and　courageous　enough　to　acknowledge　her　mistakes；　this　woman；　wise　in　counsel；　sympathetic　in　sorrow；　joyous　with　the　young；　restful　with　the　old；　you　would　have　discovered　certain　lines　about　her　white　forehead　which　advancing　years　alone　could　not　have　accounted　for。

These　lines　seemed　all　the　deeper　to…night。　Only　a　few　hours　before；　Richard　had　come　to　her；　while　Malachi　was　arranging　his　clothes；　with　the　joyful　news　of　a　new　device　which　he　had　developed　during　the　day　for　his　motor。　He　could　hardly　wait　to　tell　her；　he　had　said。　The　news　was　anything　but　joyful　to　her。　She　knew　what　it　meantshe　knew　what　sums　had　been　wasted　on　the　other　devices；　involving　　losses　which　at　this　time　they　could　so　little　　afford。　She　was　glad；　therefore；　to　free　her　mind　for　the　moment　from　these　anxieties；　glad　to　sit　alone　and　drink　in　the　melodies　that　the　quartette　set　free。

As　she　sat　listening；　beating　time　noiselessly　with　her　thin；　upraised　hand；　her　head　resting　quietly；　a　clear；　silvery　noteclear　as　a　bird'sleaped　from　Nathan's　flute；　soared　higher　and　higher；　trembled　like　a　lark　poised　in　air；　and　died　away　in　tones　of　such　exquisite　sweetness　that　she　turned　her　head　in　delight　toward　the　group　about　the　piano；　fixing　her　gaze　on　Nathan。　The　old　man's　eyes　were　riveted　on　the　score；　his　figure　bent　forward　in　the　intensity　of　his　absorption；　his　whole　face　illumined　with　the　ecstasy　that　possessed　him。　Then　she　looked　at　Richard；　standing。　with　his　back　to　her；　his　violin　tucked　under　his　chin；　his　body　swaying　in　rhythm　with　the　music。　Unger　sat　next　to　him；　his　instrument　　between　his　knees；　his　stolid；　shiny　face　unruffled　　by　the　glorious　harmonies　of　Beethoven。

Then　her　glance　rested　on　Oliver。　He　was　hanging　　over　the　piano　whispering　in　Miss　Clendenning's。　ear；　his　face　breaking　into　smiles　at　her　playful　chidings。　　If　the　pathos　of　the　melody　had　reached　him　he　showed　no　sign　of　its　effects。

Instantly　there　welled　up　in　her　heart　a　sudden　gush　of　tendernessone　of　those　quick　outbursts　that　often　overwhelm　a　mother　when　her　eyes　rest　on　a　son　whose　heart　is　her　ownan　outburst　all　the　more　intensified　by　the　melody　that　thrilled　her。　Why　should　her　heart　have　been　troubled？　Here　was　her　strong　hope！　Here　was　her　chief　reliance！　Here　the　hope　of　the　future。　How　could　she　doubt　or　suffer　when　this　promise　of　the　coming　day　was　before　her　in　all　the　beauty　and　strength　of　his　young　manhood。

With　the　echoes　of　Nathan's　flute　still　vibrating　in　her；　and　with　her　mind　filled　with　the　delight　of　these　fresh　hopes；　she　suddenly　recalled　the　anxious　look　on　her　boy's　face　as　he　led　Miss　Clendenning　into　the　librarya　new　lookone　she　had　never　seen　before。　Still　under　the　quickening　spell　of　the　music　she　began　to　exaggerate　its　cause。　What　had　troubled　him？　Why　had　he　told　Lavinia；　and　not　her？　Was　there　anything　serious？something　he　had　kept　from　her　to　save　her　pain？

From　this　moment　her　mind　became　absorbed　in　her　boy。　With　restless；　impatient　fingers　she　began　thrumming　on　the　arm　of　her　chair。　Oliver　would　tell　her；　she　knew；　before　many　hours；　but　she　could　not　waitshe　wanted　to　know　at　once。

With　the　ending　of　the　first　part　of　the　overture；　and　before　the　two　gentlemen　had　laid　down　their　instruments　to　grasp　Unger's　hands；　she　called　to　Miss　Clendenning；　who　sat　at　the　piano　alone；　Oliver　having　slipped　away　unobserved。

Miss　Clendenning　raised　her　eyes　in　answer。　〃Come　over　and　sit　by　me；　dear；　while　the　gentlemen　　rest。〃

Miss　Clendenning　picked　up　her　white　silk　mits　and　fan　lying　beside　the　candles；　and　moved　toward　the　fireplace。　Malachi　saw　her　cominghe　was　always　　in　the　room　during　the　interludesand　with　an　alacrity　common　to　him　when　the　distinguished　little　lady　was　present；　drew　up　a　low　chair　beside　his　mistress　and　stood　behind　it　until　she　took　her　seat。　Miss　Clendenning　smoothed　out　her　skirt　and　settled　herself　with　the　movement　of　a　pigeon　filling　her　nest。　Then　she　laid　her　mits　in　her　lap　and　fanned　herself　softly。

〃Well；　Sallie；　what　is　it？　Did　you　ever　hear　Nathan　play　so　well！〃　she　asked；　at　last。

〃What　did　Oliver　want；　my　dear？〃　replied　Mrs。　Horn；　ignoring　her　question。　〃Is　there　anything　worrying　him；　or　is　Sue　at　the　bottom　of　it！〃

The　little　woman　smiled　quizzically。　〃No；　Sallie　not　Suenot　this　time。　That　little　rattle…brain's　affections　will　only　last　the　week　out。　Nothing　very　importantthat　is；　nothing　urgent。　We　were　talking　　about　the　Tilghman　portraits　and　the　Lely　that　Cousin　John　has　brought　into　town　from　Claymore　　Manor；　and　what　people　should　and　should　not　do　to　earn　their　living；　and　what　professions　were　respectable。　I　thought　one　thing　and　Ollie　thought　another。　Now；　what　profession　of　all　others　would　you　choose　for　a　young　man　starting　out　in　life？〃

〃What　has　he　been　telling　you；　Lavinia？　Does　he　want　to　leave　Judge　Ellicott's　office？〃　Mrs。　Horn　asked；　quietly；　She　always　went　straight　to　the　root　of　any　matter。

〃Just　answer　my　question；　Sallie。〃

〃I'd　rather　he'd　be　a　lawyer；　of　course；　why？〃

〃Suppose　he　won't；　or　can't？〃

〃Is　that　what　he　told　you；　Lavinia；　on　the　sofa？〃　She　was　leaning　forward；　her　cheek　on　her　hand；　her　eyes　fixed　on　the　blazing　logs。

〃He　told　me　a　great　many　things；　half　of　them　boy's　talk。　Now　answer　my　question；　suppose　he　couldn't　study　law　because　his　heart　wasn't　in　it；　what　then？〃

〃I　know；　Lavinia；　what　you　mean。〃　There　was　an　anxious　tone　now　in　the　mother's　voice。　〃And　Oliver　talked　to　you　about　this？〃　As　she　spoke　she　settled　back　in　her　chair　and　a　slight　sigh　escaped　her。

〃Don't　ask　me；　Sallie；　for　I'm　not　going　to　tell　you。　I　want　to　know　for　myself　what　you　think；　so　that　I　can　help　the　boy。〃

Mrs。　Horn　turned　her　head　and　looked　toward　Richard。　She　had　suspected　as　much　from　some　hints　that　Judge　Ellicott　had　dropped　when　she　had　asked　him　about　Oliver's　progress。　〃He　is　still　holding　down　his　chair；　Madam。〃　She　thought　at　the　time　that　it　was　one　of　the　Judge's　witticisms；　but　she　saw　now　that　it　had　a　deeper　meaning。　After　some　moments　　she　said；　fixing　her　eyes　on　Miss　Clendenning：

〃Well；　now；　Lavinia；　tell　me　what　YOU　think。　I　should　like　your　opinion。　What　would　you　wish　to　do　with　him　if　he　were　your　son？〃

Miss　Lavinia　smiled　and　her　eyes　half…closed。　For　a　brief　moment　there　came　to　her　the　picture　of　what　such　a　blessing　would　have　been。　Her　son！　No！　It　was　always　somebody　else's　son　or　daughter　to　whom　her　sympathy　must　go。

〃Well；　Sallie；〃　she　answeredshe　was　leaning　over　now；　her　hands　in　her　lap；　apparently　with　lowered　　eyelids；　but　really　watching　Mrs。　Horn's；　face　from　the　corner　of　her　eye〃I　don't　think　we　can　make　a　clergyman　out　of　him；　do　you？〃　Mrs。　Horn　frowned；　but　she　did　not　interrupt。　〃No；　we　cannot　　make　a　parson　out　of　him。　I　meant；　my　love；　something　in　surplices；　not　in　camp…meetings；　of　course。　Think　of　those　lovely　pink　cheeks　in　a　high　collar　and　Bishop's　sleeves；　wouldn't　he　be　too　sweet　for　anything？〃　and　she　laughed　one　of　her　little　cooing　　laughs。　〃Nor　a　doctor；〃　she　continued；　with　a　slight　interrogation　in　her　tone；　〃nor　a　shopkeeper；　　nor　a　painter〃and　she　shot　a　quick　glance　from　under　her　arching　eyebrows　at　her　companion　but　Mrs。　Horn's　face　gave　no　sign〃nor　a　musician。　　Why　not　a　musician；　Sallie；　he　sings　like　an　angel；　you　know？〃　She　was　planting　her　shafts　all　about　the　target；　her　eyes　following　the　flight　of　each　arrow。

Mrs。　Horn　raised　her　head　and　laid　her　hand　firmly　on　Miss　Clendenning's　wrist。

〃We　won't　have　him