the fortunes of oliver horn-第82章

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two　men　in　armorrather　tired　knights　by　this　time；　but　still　on　dutyran　down　the　carpeted　hall　between　the　lines　of　palms　and　up　one　flight　of　stairs。　Then　came　a　series　of　low　knocks。　A　few　minutes　later　he　bounded　in　again；　his　rapier　in　his　hand　to　give　his　legs　freer　play。

〃I　rapped　up　Mitchell；　who's　sick　in　his　studio　upstairs；　and　got　his　flute；〃　he　whispered　to　Waller。　〃If　you　think　my　father　can　play　you　should　hear　Uncle　Nat　Gill；〃　and　he　walked　toward　Nathan；　the　flute　held　out　toward　him。

The　old　gentleman　woke　to　consciousness　at　the　sight　of　the　instrument；　and　a　slight　flush　overspread　his　face。

〃Oh；　Oliver！　Really；　gentlemenIOf　course；　I　love　the　instrument；　but　here　among　you　all〃　and　he　looked　up　in　a　helpless　way。

〃No；　no；　Uncle　Nat；〃　cried　Oliver；　pressing　the　flute　into　Nathan's　hand。　〃We　won't　take　any　excuse。　　There　is　no　one　in　my　town；　gentlemen；〃　and　he　faced　the　others；　〃who　can　play　as　he　does。　Please；　Uncle　Natjust　for　me；　it's　so　long　since　I　heard　you　play；〃　and　he　caught　hold　of　Nathan's　arm　to　lift　him　to　his　feet。

〃You　are　quite　right；　my　son；〃　cried　Richard；　〃and　I　will　play　his　accompaniment。〃

Oliver's　announcement　and　Richard's　endorsement　　caused　a　stir　as　great　as　Richard's　own　performance。　　A　certain　curiosity　took　possession　of　the　room；　quite　distinct　from　the　spirit　of　merriment　　which　had　characterized　it　before。　Many　of　the　men　now　left　their　seats　and　began　crowding　about　the　pianored　cardinals；　cavaliers；　nobles；　and　black…coated　guests　looking　over　each　other's　shoulders。　Everybody　was　getting　more　and　more　mystified。

〃Really；　Fred；〃　whispered　Waller；　who　still　sat　quietly　watching　the　two　visitorshe　had　not　taken　his　eyes　from　them　since　Richard　in　his　enthusiasm　sprang　forward　to　grasp　Simmons's　hand；〃this　is　the　most　ridiculous　thing　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　First　comes　this　fossil　thoroughbred　who　outplays　Simmons；　and　now　comes　this　old　nut…cracker　with　his　white　tow…hair　sticking　out　in　two　straight　mops；　who　is　going　to　play　the　flute！　What　in　thunder　is　coming　next？　Pretty　soon　one　of　them　will　be　pulling　　rabbits　out　of　somebody's　ears；　or　rubbing　gold　watches　into　canary　birds。〃

Nathan　took　the　flute　from　Oliver's　outstretched　hand；　bowed　in　a　timid　way　like　a　school…boy　about　to　speak　a　piece；　turned　it　over　carefully；　tried　the　silver　keys　to　see　that　they　responded　easily　to　the　pressure　of　his　fingers；　and　raised　it　to　his　lips。　　Richard　picked　up　the　violin　and　whispered　to　Munson；　with　whom　he　had　been　talkingthe　one　member　who　could　play　the　piano　as　well　as　he　could　paint　or　fencewho　nodded　his　head　in　assent。

Then；　with　Richard　leading；　the　fourone　of　the　guests　a　'cellist　of　distinction　took　Max　Unger's　placebegan　Max's　arrangement　of　the　overture　to　〃Fidelio〃；　the　one　Richard　and　Nathan　had　played　so　often　together　in　the　old　parlor　in　Kennedy　Square；　with　Miss　Clendenning　and　Unger：　an　arrangement　　which　had　now　become　known　to　most　musical　amateurs。

There　is　not　a　man　yet　alive　who　has　forgotten　the　tones　of　Nathan's　flute　as　they　soared　that　night　through　the　clouds　of　tobacco…smoke　that　filled　the　great　banquet…hall。　Every　shade　and　gradation　of　tone　was　a　delight。　Now　soft　as　the　cooing　of　doves；　now　low　as　the　music　of　a　brook　rippling　over　the　shallows　and　again　swelling　into　song　like　a　chorus　of　birds　rejoicing　in　the　coming　of　spring。

Not　until　the　voice　in　the　slender　instrument　had　become　silent　and　the　last　note　of　Richard's　bow　had　ceased　reverberatingnot　in　fact；　until　both　men　had　laid　down　their　instruments；　and　had　turned　from　the　pianodid　the　room　seem　to　recover　from　the　spell　that　had　bound　it。　Even　then　there　was　no　applause；　no　clapping　of　hands　nor　stamping　of　feet。　There　followed；　from　members　and　guests　alike；　only　a　deep；　pent…up　sigh　and　a　long　breath　of　relief；　as　if　from　a　strain　unbearable。　Simmons；　who　had　sat　with　his　head　buried　in　his　hands；　gave　no　other　sign　of　his　approval　than　by　rising　from　his　chair；　taking　Nathan's　thin　hand　in　his　own　and　grasping　it　tightly；　without　a　word。　Stedman　blurted　out；　in　a　low　voice　to　himself：　〃My　God！　Who　ever　heard　anything　like　that？〃　and　remained　fixed　to　his　seat。　As　for　Richard　and　Nathan；　they　resumed　their　places　on　the　divan　as　men　who　had　read　a　message　not　their　own　to　willing　ears。

Another；　and　quite　a　different　mood　now　took　possession　　of　the　room。　Somehow　the　mellow　tones　of　Nathan's　flute　had　silenced　the　spirit　of　the　rollicking　buffoonery　which　had　pervaded　the　evening。

The　black…coated　guests；　with　superlative　praise　of　the　good　time　they　had　had；　and　with　renewed　thanks　for　the　privilege；　began　to　bid　Fred；　the　Master　of　Ceremonies；　good…night。　Soon　only　the　costumed　members；　with　Richard　and　Nathan；　were　left。　So　far　from　being　tired　out　with　the　night's　diversion；　these　two　old　gentlemen　seemed　to　have　just　wakened　up。

Those　remaining　drew　their　chairs　together；　lighted　fresh　cigars；　and　sat　down　to　talk　over　the　events　of　the　evening。　Richard　related　an　anecdote　of　Macready　when　playing　the　part　of　Hamlet；　Stedman　　told　of　the　graceful　manner；　in　which　Booth；　a　few　months　before；　in　the　same　part；　had　handed　the　flageolet　to　the　musicians；　and　the　way　the　words　fell　from　his　lips；　〃You　would　play　upon　me　〃；　Oliver；　addressing　his　words　rather　to　his　father　than　to　the　roomacting　the　scene　as　he　talked；　and　in　his　tight…　fitting　doublet；　looking　not　unlike　the　tragedian　himself；　　cut　in　with　a　description　of　the　great　tragedian's　first　night　at　the　Winter　Garden　after　his　seclusion　a　night　when　the　whole　house　rose　to　greet　their　favorite　and　cheered　and　roared　and　pounded　everything　within　reach　of　their　hands　and　feet　for　twenty　minutes；　while　Booth　stood　with　trembling　knees；　the　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　Munson　remarked　with　some　feelinghe　was　an　intimate　friend　of　the　actorthat　he　remembered　the　night　perfectly；　having　sat　behind　Oliver；　and　that　Booth　was　not　only　the　most　accomplished　actor　but　the　best　swordsman　ever　seen　on　the　American　or　any　other　stage。　Munson　was　an　expert　fencer　himself；　as　was　evidenced　by　the　scar　on　his　left　cheek；　received　　when　be　was　a　student　at　Heidelberg；　and　so　thought　himself　competent　to　judge。

While　Munson　was　speaking　the　great　Waller　had　risen　from　his　seat　for　the　first　time；　gathered　his　gorgeous　raiment　closer　about　him；　crossed　the　room；　and　now　stood　filling　a　thin　glass　from　a　Venetian　flagon　that　graced　the　demoralized　table。

〃Booth's　a　swordsman；　is　he？〃　he　said；　pushing　back　his　turban　from　his　forehead；　and　walking　toward　　Munson；　glass　in　hand；　his　baggy　trousers　and　tunic　making　him　look　twice　his　regular　size。　〃You　know　as　much　about　fencing；　Munson；　as　you　do　about　the　lost　tribes　of　Israel。　Booth　handles　his　foil　as　a　policeman　does　a　rattan　cane　in　the　pit　of　the　Bowery。　Forrest　is　the　only　man　in　this　country　who　can　handle　a　blade。〃

〃I　do；　do　I？〃　cried　Munson；　springing　to　his　feet　and　unhooking　a　pair　of　foils　decorating　the　wall。　〃Stop　where　you　are；　you　caricature　of　Nana　Sahib；　　or　I'll　run　you　through　the　body　and　pin　you　to　the　wall　like　a　beetle；　where　you　can　kick　to　your　heart's　content。　Here；　catch　this；〃　and　he　tossed　one　of　the　foils　to　Waller。

〃A　ring！　A　ring！〃　cried　the　men；　with　one　of　those　sudden　inspirations　that　often　swept　over　them；　jumping　from　their　seats　and　pushing　back　the　chairs　and　music…racks　to　give　the　contestants　room。

Waller　laid　down　his　wine…glass；　slipped　off　his　turban　　and　gold　embroidered　tunic　with　great　deliberation；　　threw　them　over　to　Oliver；　who　caught　them　in　his　arms；　tightened　his　sash；　grasped　the　foil　in　his　fat　hand；　and　with　great　gravity　made　a　savage　lunge　at　the　counterfeit　presentment　of　William　Shakespeare；　　who　parried　his　blow　without　moving　from　where　he　stood。　Thereupon　the　lithe；　well…built　young　fellow　teetered　his　foil　in　the　air；　and　with　great　nicety　pinked　his　fat　antagonist　in　the　stomach；　selecting　a　gilt　band　just　above　his　sash　as　the　point　of　contact。

A　mock　battle　now　ensued；　Munson　chasing　Waller　　about　the　room；　the；　members　roaring　with　laughter；　　Richard；　with　Oliver's　assistance；　having　mounted　　the　divan　to　see　the　better；　clapping　his　hands　like　any　boy　and　shouting；　〃Brav