autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第38章

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present　happiness　seems　to　be　overflowing；　that　she　is　most　fond　of
recalling　the　painful　hours　she　experienced　in　making　me　what　I　am。
Then　her　tears　flow　freely；　and　often　I　am　held　in　her　soft　little　hand；
while　she　prays　for　the　soul　of　her　grandmother；　or　offers　up　praises　for
her　own　existing　blessings。　I　am　no　longer　thought　of　for　balls　and　routs；
but　appear　to　be　doomed　to　the　closet；　and　those　moments　of　tender
confidence　that　so　often　occur　between　these　lovers。　I　complain　not。　So
far　from　it；　never　was　an　〃article〃　of　my　character　more　highly　favored；
passing　an　existence；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　very　bosom　of　truth　and
innocence。　Once　only　have　I　seen　an　old　acquaintance；　in　the　person　of
Clara　Caverly；　since　my　change　of　mistressthe　idea　of　calling　a　de　la
Rocheaimard；　a　boss；　or　bossess；　is　out　of　the　question。　Clara　is　a
distant　relative　of　Betts；　and　soon　became　intimate　with　her　new　cousin。
One　day　she　saw　me　lying　on　a　table；　and；　after　an　examination；　she
exclaimed

〃Two　things　surprise　me　greatly　here；　Mrs。　Shorehamthat　YOU
should　own　one　of　these　THINGS〃I　confess　I　did　not　like　the　word
〃and　that　you　should　own　this　particular　handkerchief。〃

〃Why　so；　chere　Clara？〃how　prettily　my　mistress　pronounces　that
name；　so　different　from　Clarry！

〃It　is　not　like　YOU　to　purchase　so　extravagant　and　useless　a　THING
and　then　this　looks　like　a　handkerchief　that　once　belonged　to　another
persona　poor　girl　who　has　lost　her　means　of　extravagance　by　the
change　of　the　times。　But；　of　course；　it　is　only　a　resemblance；　as　YOU〃

〃It　is　more；　Clarathe　handkerchief　is　the　same。　But　that　handkerchief
is　not　an　article　of　dress　with　me；　it　is　MY　FRIEND！〃

The　reader　may　imagine　how　proud　I　felt！　This　was　elevation　for　the
species；　and　gave　a　dignity　to　my　position；　with　which　I　am　infinitely
satisfied。　Nevertheless；　Miss　Caverly　manifested　surprise。

〃I　will　explain；〃　continued　Mrs。　Shoreham。　〃The　handkerchief　is　my　own
work；　and　is　very　precious　to　me；　on　account　des　souvenirs。〃

｛des　souvenirs　=　of　memories｝

Adrienne　then　told　the　whole　story；　and　I　may　say　Clara　Caverly
became　my　friend　also。　Yes；　she；　who　had　formerly　regarded　me　with
indifference；　or　dislike；　now　kissed　me；　and　wept　over　me；　and　in　this
manner　have　I　since　passed　from　friend　to　friend；　among　all　of
Adrienne's　intimates。

Not　so　with　the　world；　however。　My　sudden　disappearance　from　it
excited　quite　as　much　sensation　as　my　debut　in　it。　Tom　Thurston's
addresses　to　Miss　Monson　had　excited　the　envy；　and；　of　course；　the
attention　of　all　the　other　fortune…hunters　in　town；　causing　his　sudden
retreat　to　be　noticed。　Persons　of　this　class　are　celebrated　for　covering
their　retreats　skilfully。　Tom　declared　that　〃the　old　chap　broke　down
when　they　got　as　far　as　the　fortunethat；　as　he　liked　the　girl；　he　would
have　taken　her　with　75；000；　but　the　highest　offer　he　could　get　from
him　was　30；000。　This；　of　course；　no　gentleman　could　submit　to。　A　girl
with　such　a　pocket…handkerchief　OUGHT　to　bring　a　clear　100；000；
and　I　was　for　none　of　your　half…way　doings。　Old　Monson　is　a　humbug。
The　handkerchief　has　disappeared；　and；　now　they　have　taken　down　the
SIGN；　I　hope　they　will　do　business　on　a　more　reasonable　scale。〃

A　month　later；　Tom　got　married。　I　heard　John　Monson　laughing　over
the　particulars　one　day　in　Betts　Shoreham's　library；　where　I　am　usually
kept；　to　my　great　delight；　being　exceedingly　fond　of　books。　The　facts
were　as　follows。　It　seems　Tom　had　cast　an　eye　on　the　daughter　of　a
grocer　of　reputed　wealth；　who　had　attracted　the　attention　of　another
person　of　his　own　school。　To　get　rid　of　a　competitor；　this　person
pointed　out　to　Tom　a　girl；　whose　father　had　been　a　butcher；　but　had　just
retired　from　business；　and　was　building　himself　a　fine　house　somewhere
in　Butcherland。

〃That's　your　girl；〃　said　the　treacherous　adviser。　〃All　butchers　are　rich；
and　they　never　build　until　their　pockets　are　so　crammed　as　to　force
them　to　it。　They　coin　money；　and　spend　nothing。　Look　how　high　beef
has　been　of　late　years；　and　then　they　live　on　the　smell　of　their　own
meats。　This　is　your　girl。　Only　court　the　old　fellow；　and　you　are　sure　of
half　a　million　in　the　long　run。〃

Tom　was　off　on　the　instant。　He　did　court　the　old　fellow；　got　introduced
to　the　family；　was　a　favorite　from　the　first；　offered　in　a　fortnight；　was
accepted；　and　got　married　within　the　month。　Ten　days　afterward；　the
supplies　were　stopped　for　want　of　funds；　and　the　butcher　failed。　It
seems　HE；　too；　was　only　taking　a　hand　in　the　great　game　of　brag　that
most　of　the　country　had　sat　down　to。

Tom　was　in　a　dilemma。　He　had　married　a　butcher's　daughter。　After　this；
every　door　in　Broadway　and　Bond　street　was　shut　upon　him。　Instead　of
stepping　into　society　on　his　wife's　shoulders；　he　was　dragged　out　of　it　by
the　skirts；　through　her　agency。　Then　there　was　not　a　dollar。　His　empty
pockets　were　balanced　by　her　empty　pockets。　The　future　offered　a　sad
perspective。　Tom　consulted　a　lawyer　about　a　divorce；　on　the　ground　of
〃false　pretences。〃　He　was　even　ready　to　make　an　affidavit　that　he　had
been　slaughtered。　But　it　would　not　do。　The　marriage　was　found　to　stand
all　the　usual　tests；　and　Tom　went　to　Texas。







End