the fortunes of oliver horn-第83章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ce； having mounted the divan to see the better； clapping his hands like any boy and shouting； 〃Bravo！ Bravo！ Now the uppercut； now the thrust！ Ah； well done。 Capital！ Capital！〃
Oliver listened in wonder to the strange expressions that dropped from his father's lips。 Up to that moment he had never known that the old gentleman had ever touched a foil in his life。
The next instant Richard was on the floor again； commiserating with Waller； who was out of Munson's reach and out of breath with laughter； and congratulating Munson on his skill as a swordsman。
〃I only noticed one flaw； my dear Mr。 Munson； in your handling；〃 he cried； with a graceful wave of the hand； 〃and that may be due to your more modern way of fencing。 Pardon me〃and he picked up Waller's foil where he had dropped it； and the fine wrist with the nimble fingers； that had served him so well all his days； closed over the handle of the foil。 〃The thrust in the old days was made SO。 You； I think； made it SO〃and two flashes at different angles gleamed in the candle…light。
Munson； as if to humor the old gentleman； threw up his foil； made a pass or two； and； to his intense astonishment； received the button of Richard's foil on his black velvet jacket and within an inch of his heart。
Everybody on the floor at once circled about the contestants。 The spectacle of an old gentleman in a snuff…colored coat and high collar； having a bout with a short gentleman in shorter velvet trunks； silk hose； and steel buckles； was one too droll and too exhilarating to loseanachronistic it was； yet quite in keeping with the surroundings。 More exhilarating still was the extreme punctiliousness with which the old gentleman raised the handle of his foil to his chin after he had made his point； and saluted his antagonist as if he had been some knight of King Arthur's table。
Still more fascinating was the way in which the younger man settled down to work； his brow knit； his lips tightly closed； the members widening out to give them room； Oliver and Nathan cheering the loudest of them all as Richard's foil flashed in the air； parrying； receiving； now up； now down； his right foot edging closer； his dear old head bent low； his deep eyes fixed on his young antagonist； until； with a quick thrust of his arm and a sudden upward twist of his hand； he wrenched Munson's foil from his grasp and sent it flying across the room。
Best of all was the joyful yet apologetic way with which Richard sprang forward and held out his hand to Munson； crying out：
〃A fluke； my dear Mr。 Munson； quite a fluke； I assure you。 Pray forgive me。 A mere lucky accident。 My old fencing master； Martini； taught me that trick。 I thought I had quite forgotten it。 Just think！ it is forty years since I have had a foil in my hands；〃 and； laughing like a boy he crossed the room； picked up the foil； and； bowing low； handed it to the crestfallen man with the air of a gallant。
Half the club； costumed as they wereit was now after midnight； and there were but few people in the streetsescorted the two old men back to their hotel。 Munson walked beside Richard； Waller； his flowing skirts tucked up inside his overcoat； stepped on the right of Nathan； Oliver； Fred； and the others followed behind； the hubbub of their talk filling the night： even when they reached the side door of the hotel and rang up the night porter； they must still stand on the sidewalk listening to Richard's account of the way the young gallants were brought up in his day； of the bouts with the foils； and of the duels which were fought before they were willing to take their leave。
When the last good…byes had been given； and Oliver had waved his rapier from the doorstep as a final farewell to his fellow…members before he saw his father upstairs to bed； and the delighted escort had turned on their heels to retrace their steps up Broadway； Waller slipped his arm into Munson's； and said； in his most thoughtful tone； one entirely free from cynicism or badinage：
〃What a lovely pair of old duffers。 We talk about Bohemia； Munson； and think we've got it； but we haven't。 Our kind is a cheap veneer glued to commonplace pine。 Their kind is old mahogany； solid all the way throughfine grain； high polish and no knots。 I only wish they lived here。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
IN THE TWILIGHT
Each day Margaret's heart warmed more and more to Richard。 He not only called out in her a tenderness and veneration for his age and attainments which her own father had never permitted her to express； but his personality realized for her an ideal which； until she knew him； she had despaired of ever finding。 While his courtesy； his old…time manners； his quaintness of speech and dress captivated her imagination； his perfect and unfailing sympathy and constant kindness completely won her heart。 There was； too； now and then； a peculiar tone in his voice which would bring the tears to her eyes without her knowing why； until her mind would recall some blunt； outspoken speech of her dead father's in answer to the very sentiments she was then expressing to Richard； who received them as a matter of coursea remembrance which always caused a tightening about her heart。
Sometimes the inventor would sit for her while she sketched his head in different lights； he watching her work； interested in every stroke； every bit of composition。 She loved to have him beside her easel criticising her work。 No one； she told Oliver； had ever been so interested before with the little niceties of her techniquein the amount of oil used； in the way the paints were mixed； in the value of a palette knife as a brush or of an old cotton rag as a blender； nor had any one of her sitters ever been so enthusiastic over her results。
There was one half…hour sketch which more than all the others astonished and delighted himone in which Margaret in her finishing touches had eschewed brushes； palette…knife and rag； and with one dash of her dainty thumb had brought into instant relief the subtle curves about his finely modelled nose。 This filled him with wonder and admiration。 His own finger had always obeyed him； and he loved to find the same skill in another。
To Richard these hours of intercourse with Margaret were among the happiest of his life。 It was Margaret； indeed； who really helped him bear with patience the tedious delays attendant upon the completion of his financial operations。 Even when the final sum was agreed uponand it was a generous one； that filled Oliver's heart with joy and set Nathan's imagination on firethe best part of two weeks had been consumed before the firm of lawyers who were to pass upon Richard's patents were willing to certify to the purchasers of the stock of the horn Magnetic Motor Company； as to the priority of Richard's invention based on the patent granted on August 13； 1856； and which covered the principle of the levers working in connection with the magnets。
During these tedious delays； in which his heart had vibrated between hope and fear； he had found his way every afternoon to Margaret's studio； Nathan having gone home to Kennedy Square with his head in the clouds when the negotiations became a certainty。 In these weeks of waiting the Northern girl had not only stolen his heart； taking the place of a daughter he had never knowna void never filled in any man's soulbut she had satisfied a craving no less intense； the hunger for the companionship of one who really understood his aims and purposes。 Nathan had in a measure met this need as far as unselfish love and unswerving loyalty could go； and so had his dear wife； especially in these later years； when her mind had begun to grasp the meaning of the social and financial changes that the war had brought； and what place her husband's inventions might hold in the new regime。 But no one of these； not even Nathan； had ever understood him as clearly as had this young girl。
When it grew too dark to paint； he would make her sit on a stool at his feet； while he would talk to her of his life work and of the future as he saw itoften of things which he had kept shut away in his heart even from Nathan。 He would tell her of the long years of anxiety； of the sleepless nights； of his utter loneliness； without a f
