options-第38章

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a　royal　heaven；　I　am　　onlymyself。　　Yet　I　am　a　man；　and　I　have　a　heart　to　do　and　dare。　　I　　have　no　title　save　that　of　an　uncrowned　sovereign；　but　I　have　an　arm　　and　a　sword　that　yet　might　free　Schutzenfestenstein　from　the　plots　of　　traitors。'

〃Think　of　a　Chicago　man　packing　a　sword；　and　talking　about　freeing　　anything　that　sounded　as　much　like　canned　pork　as　that！　　He'd　be　much　　more　likely　to　fight　to　have　an　import　duty　put　on　it。〃

〃I　think　I　understand　you；　John；〃　said　I。　　〃You　want　fiction…writers　　to　be　consistent　with　their　scenes　and　characters。　　They　shouldn't　mix　　Turkish　pashas　with　Vermont　farmers；　or　English　dukes　with　Long　Island　　clam…diggers；　or　Italian　countesses　with　Montana　cowboys；　or　　Cincinnati　brewery　agents　with　the　rajahs　of　India。〃

〃Or　plain　business　men　with　aristocracy　high　above　'em；〃　added　Pescud。　　　〃It　don't　jibe。　　People　are　divided　into　classes；　whether　we　admit　it　　or　not；　and　it's　everybody's　impulse　to　stick　to　their　own　class。　　　They　do　it；　too。　　I　don't　see　why　people　go　to　work　and　buy　hundreds　　of　thousands　of　books　like　that。　　You　don't　see　or　hear　of　any　such　　didoes　and　capers　in　real　life。〃


III


〃Well；　John；〃　said　I；　〃I　haven't　read　a　best…seller　in　a　long　time。　　　Maybe　I've　had　notions　about　them　somewhat　like　yours。　　But　tell　me　　more　about　yourself。　　Getting　along　all　right　with　the　company？〃

〃Bully；〃　said　Pescud；　brightening　at　once。　　〃I've　had　my　salary　raised　　twice　since　I　saw　you；　and　I　get　a　commission；　too。　　I've　bought　a　　neat　slice　of　real　estate　out　in　the　East　End；　and　have　run　up　a　house　　on　it。　　Next　year　the　firm　is　going　to　sell　me　some　shares　of　stock。　　　Oh；　I'm　in　on　the　line　of　General　Prosperity；　no　matter　who's　　elected！〃

〃Met　your　affinity　yet；　John？〃　I　asked。

〃Oh；　I　didn't　tell　you　about　that；　did　I？〃　said　Pescud　with　a　broader　　grin。

〃0…ho！〃　I　said。　　〃So　you've　taken　time　enough　off　from　your　plate…　glass　to　have　a　romance？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　John。　　〃No　romancenothing　like　that！　　But　I'll　tell　　you　about　it。

〃I　was　on　the　south…bound；　going　to　Cincinnati；　about　eighteen　months　　ago；　when　I　saw；　across　the　aisle；　the　finest…looking　girl　I'd　ever　　laid　eyes　on。　　Nothing　spectacular；　you　know；　but　just　the　sort　you　　want　for　keeps。　　Well；　I　never　was　up　to　the　flirtation　business；　　either　handkerchief；　automobile；　postage…stamp；　or　door…step；　and　she　　wasn't　the　kind　to　start　anything。　　She　read　a　book　and　minded　her　　business；　which　was　to　make　the　world　prettier　and　better　just　by　　residing　on　it。　　I　kept　on　looking　out　of　the　side　doors　of　my　eyes；　　and　finally　the　proposition　got　out　of　the　Pullman　class　into　a　case　　of　a　cottage　with　a　lawn　and　vines　running　over　the　porch。　　I　never　　thought　of　speaking　to　her；　but　I　let　the　plate…glass　business　go　to　　smash　for　a　while。

〃She　changed　cars　at　Cincinnati；　and　took　a　sleeper　to　Louisville　over　　the　L。　　and　N。　　There　she　bought　another　ticket；　and　went　on　through　　Shelbyville；　Frankfort；　and　Lexington。　　Along　there　I　began　to　have　a　　hard　time　keeping　up　with　her。　　The　trains　came　along　when　they　　pleased；　and　didn't　seem　to　be　going　anywhere　in　particular；　except　to　　keep　on　the　track　and　the　right　of　way　as　much　as　possible。　　Then　they　　began　to　stop　at　junctions　instead　of　towns；　and　at　last　they　stopped　　altogether。　　I'll　bet　Pinkerton　would　outbid　the　plate…glass　people　　for　my　services　any　time　if　they　knew　how　I　managed　to　shadow　that　　young　lady。　　I　contrived　to　keep　out　of　her　sight　as　much　as　I　could；　　but　I　never　lost　track　of　her。

〃The　last　station　she　got　off　at　was　away　down　in　Virginia；　about　six　　in　the　afternoon。　　There　were　about　fifty　houses　and　four　hundred　　niggers　in　sight。　　The　rest　was　red　mud；　mules；　and　speckled　hounds。

〃A　tall　old　man；　with　a　smooth　face　and　white　hair；　looking　as　proud　　as　Julius　Caesar　and　Roscoe　Conkling　on　the　same　post…card；　was　there　　to　meet　her。　　His　clothcs　were　frazzled；　but　I　didn't　notice　that　till　　later。　　He　took　her　little　satchel；　and　they　started　over　the　plank…　walks　and　went　up　a　road　along　the　hill。　　I　kept　along　a　piece　behind　　'em；　trying　to　look　like　I　was　hunting　a　garnet　ring　in　the　sand　that　　my　sister　had　lost　at　a　picnic　the　previous　Saturday。

〃They　went　in　a　gate　on　top　of　the　hill。　　It　nearly　took　my　breath　　away　when　I　looked　up。　　Up　there　in　the　biggest　grove　I　ever　saw　was　a　　tremendous　house　with　round　white　pillars　about　a　thousand　feet　high；　　and　the　yard　was　so　full　of　rose…bushes　and　box…bushes　and　lilacs　that　　you　couldn't　have　seen　the　house　if　it　hadn't　been　as　big　as　the　　Capitol　at　Washington。

〃'Here's　where　I　have　to　trail；'　says　I　to　myself。　　〃I　thought　before　　that　she　seemed　to　be　in　moderate　circumstances；　at　least。　　This　must　　be　the　Governor's　mansion；　or　the　Agricultural　Building　of　a　new　　World's　Fair；　anyhow。　　I'd　better　go　back　to　the　village　and　get　　posted　by　the　postmaster；　or　drug　the　druggist　for　some　information。

〃In　the　village　I　found　a　pine　hotel　called　the　Bay　View　House。　　The　　only　excuse　for　the　name　was　a　bay　horse　grazing　in　the　front　yard。　　I　　set　my　sample…case　down；　and　tried　to　be　ostensible。　　I　told　the　　landlord　I　was　taking　orders　for　plate…glass。

〃'I　don't　want　no　plates；'　says　he；　'but　I　do　need　another　glass　　molasses…pitcher。'

〃By…and…by　I　got　him　down　to　local　gossip　and　answering　questions。

〃'Why；'　says　he；　'I　thought　everybody　knowed　who　lived　in　the　big　　white　house　on　the　hill。　　It's　Colonel　Allyn；　the　biggest　man　and　the　　finest　quality　in　Virginia；　or　anywhere　else。　　They're　the　oldest　　family　in　the　State。　　That　was　his　daughter　that　got　off　the　train。　　　She's　been　up　to　Illinois　to　see　her　aunt；　who　is　sick。'

〃I　registered　at　the　hotel；　and　on　the　third　day　I　caught　the　young　　lady　walking　in　the　front　yard；　down　next　to　the　paling　fence。　　I　　stopped　and　raised　my　hatthere　wasn't　any　other　way。

〃'Excuse　me；'　says　I；　'can　you　tell　me　where　Mr。　　Hinkle　lives？'

〃She　looks　at　me　as　cool　as　if　I　was　the　man　come　to　see　about　the　　weeding　of　the　garden；　but　I　thought　I　saw　just　a　slight　twinkle　of　　fun　in　her　eyes。

〃'No　one　of　that　name　lives　in　Birchton；'　says　she。　　'That　is；'　she　　goes　on；　'as　far　as　I　know。　　Is　the　gentleman　you　are　seeking　white？'

〃Well；　that　tickled　me。　　'No　kidding；'　says　I。　　'I'm　not　looking　for　　smoke；　even　if　I　do　come　from　Pittsburgh。'

〃'You　are　quite　a　distance　from　home；'　says　she。

〃'I'd　have　gone　a　thousand　miles　farther；'　says　I。

〃'Not　if　you　hadn't　waked　up　when　the　train　started　in　Shelbyville；'　　says　she；　and　then　she　turned　almost　as　red　as　one　of　the　roses　on　the　　bushes　in　the　yard。　　I　remembered　I　had　dropped　off　to　sleep　on　a　　bench　in　the　Shelbyville　station；　waiting　to　see　which　train　she　took；　　and　only　just　managed　to　wake　up　in　time。

〃And　then　I　told　her　why　I　had　come；　as　respectful　and　earnest　as　I　　could。　　And　I　told　her　everything　about　myself；　and　what　I　was　making；　　and　how　that　all　I　asked　was　just　to　get　acquainted　with　her　and　try　　to　get　her　to　like　me。

〃She　smiles　a　little；　and　blushes　some；　but　her　eyes　never　get　mixed　　up。　　They　look　straight　at　whatever　she's　talking　to。

〃'I　never　had　any　one　talk　like　this　to　me　before；　Mr。　　Pescud；'　says　　she。　　'What　did　you　say　your　name　isJohn？'

〃'John　A。；'　says　I。

〃'And　you　came　mighty　near　missing　the　train　at　Powhatan　Junction；　　too；'　says　she；　with　a　laugh　that　sounded　as　good　as　a　mileage…book　to　　me。

〃'How　did　you　know？'　I　asked。

〃'Men　are　very　clumsy；'　said　she。　　'I　knew　you　were　on　every　train。　　I　　thought　you　were　going　to　speak　to　me；　and　I'm　glad　you　didn't。'

〃Then　we　had　more　talk；　and　at　last　a　kind　of　proud；　serious　look　came　　on　her　face；　and　she　turned　and　pointed　a　finger　at　the　big　house。

〃'The　Allyns；'　says　she；　'have　lived　in　Elmcroft　for　a　hundred　years。　　　We　are　a　proud　family。　　Look　at　that　mansion。　　It　has　fifty　rooms。　　　See　the　pillars　and　porches　and　balconies。　　The　ceilings　in　the　　reception…rooms　and　the　ball…room　are　twenty…eight　feet　high。　　My　　father　is　a　lineal　descendant　of　belted　earls。'

〃'I　belted　one　of　'em　once　in　the　Duquesne　Hotel；　in　Pittsburgh；'　says　　I；　'and　he　didn't　offer　to　resent　it。　　He　was　there　dividing　his　　attentions　between　Monongahela　whi