the poet at the breakfast table-第62章

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she　was　expecting　to　have　a　change　in　her　condition　of　life；　and　had
asked　me　up　so　that　I　might'　have　the　first　news　of　it。　　I　am　sure
says　II　wish　you　both　joy。　　Merriage　is　a　blessed　thing　when　folks
is　well　sorted；　and　it　is　an　honorable　thing；　and　the　first　meracle
was　at　the　merriage　in　Canaan。　　It　brings　a　great　sight　of　happiness
with　it；　as　I've　had　a　chance　of　knowing；　for　my　hus

The　Landlady　showed　her　usual　tendency　to　〃break〃　from　the
conversational　pace　just　at　this　point；　but　managed　to　rein　in　the
rebellious　diaphragm；　and　resumed　her　narrative。

Merriage！says　she；pray　who　has　said　anything　about　merriage　？
I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；says　I；I　thought　you　had　spoke　of
changing　your　condition　and　IShe　looked　so　I　stopped　right　short。

…Don't　say　another　word；　says　she；　but　jest　listen　to　what　I　am　going
to　tell　you。

My　friend；　says　she；　that　you　have　seen　with　me　so　often　lately；
was　hunting　among　his　old　Record　books；　when　all　at　once　he　come
across　an　old　deed　that　was　made　by　somebody　that　had　my　family　name。
He　took　it　into　his　head　to　read　it　over；　and　he　found　there　was　some
kind　of　a　condition　that　if　it　was　n't　kept；　the　property　would　all
go　back　to　them　that　was　the　heirs　of　the　one　that　gave　the　deed；　and
that　he　found　out　was　me。　　Something　or　other　put　it　into　his　head；
says　she；　that　the　company　that　owned　the　propertyit　was　ever　so
rich　a　company　and　owned　land　all　round　everywherehadn't　kept　to
the　conditions。　　So　he　went　to　work；　says　she；　and　hunted　through　his
books　and　he　inquired　all　round；　and　he　found　out　pretty　much　all
about　it；　and　at　last　he　come　to　meit　's　my　boarder；　you　know；　that
says　all　thisand　says　he；　Ma'am；　says　he；　if　you　have　any　kind　of
fancy　for　being　a　rich　woman　you've　only　got　to　say　so。　　I　didn't
know　what　he　meant；　and　I　began　to　think；　says　she；　he　must　be　crazy。
But　he　explained　it　all　to　me；　how　I'd　nothing　to　do　but　go　to　court
and　I　could　get　a　sight　of　property　back。　　Well；　so　she　went　on
telling　methere　was　ever　so　much　more　that　I　suppose　was　all　plain
enough；　but　I　don't　remember　it　allonly　I　know　my　boarder　was　a
good　deal　worried　at　first　at　the　thought　of　taking　money　that　other
people　thought　was　theirs；　and　the　Register　he　had　to　talk　to　her；
and　he　brought　a　lawyer　and　he　talked　to　her；　and　her　friends　they
talked　to　her；　and　the　upshot　of　it　all　was　that　the　company　agreed
to　settle　the　business　by　paying　her；　well；　I　don't　know　just　how
much；　but　enough　to　make　her　one　of　the　rich　folks　again。


I　may　as　well　add　here　that；　as　I　have　since　learned；　this　is　one　of
the　most　important　cases　of　releasing　right　of　reentry　for　condition
broken　which　has　been　settled　by　arbitration　for　a　considerable
period。　　If　I　am　not　mistaken　the　Register　of　Deeds　will　get
something　more　than　a　new　coat　out　of　this　business；　for　the　Lady
very　justly　attributes　her　change　of　fortunes　to　his　sagacity　and　his
activity　in　following　up　the　hint　he　had　come　across　by　mere
accident。

So　my　supernumerary　fellow…boarder；　whom　I　would　have　dispensed　with
as　a　cumberer　of　the　table；　has　proved　a　ministering　angel　to　one　of
the　personages　whom　I　most　cared　for。

One　would　have　thought　that　the　most　scrupulous　person　need　not　have
hesitated　in　asserting　an　unquestioned　legal　and　equitable　claim
simply　because　it　had　lain　a　certain　number　of　years　in　abeyance。
But　before　the　Lady　could　make　up　her　mind　to　accept　her　good　fortune
she　had　been　kept　awake　many　nights　in　doubt　and　inward　debate
whether　she　should　avail　herself　of　her　rights。　　If　it　had　been
private　property；　so　that　another　person　must　be　made　poor　that　she
should　become　rich；　she　would　have　lived　and　died　in　want　rather　than
claim　her　own。　　I　do　not　think　any　of　us　would　like　to　turn　out　the
possessor　of　a　fine　estate　enjoyed　for　two　or　three　generations　on
the　faith　of　unquestioned　ownership　by　making　use　of　some　old
forgotten　instrument；　which　accident　had　thrown　in　our　way。

But　it　was　all　nonsense　to　indulge　in　any　sentiment　in　a　case　like
this；　where　it　was　not　only　a　right；　but　a　duty　which　she　owed
herself　and　others　in　relation　with　her；　to　accept　what　Providence；
as　it　appeared；　had　thrust　upon　her；　and　when　no　suffering　would　be
occasioned　to　anybody。　　Common　sense　told　her　not　to　refuse　it。　　So
did　several　of　her　rich　friends；　who　remembered　about　this　time　that
they　had　not　called　upon　her　for　a　good　while；　and　among　them　Mrs。
Midas　Goldenrod。

Never　had　that　lady's　carriage　stood　before　the　door　of　our　boarding…
house　so　long；　never　had　it　stopped　so　often；　as　since　the　revelation
which　had　come　from　the　Registry　of　Deeds。　　Mrs。　Midas　Goldenrod　was
not　a　bad　woman；　but　she　loved　and　hated　in　too　exclusive　and
fastidious　a　way　to　allow　us　to　consider　her　as　representing　the
highest　ideal　of　womanhood。　　She　hated　narrow　ill…ventilated　courts；
where　there　was　nothing　to　see　if　one　looked　out　of　the　window　but
old　men　in　dressing…gowns　and　old　women　in　caps；　she　hated　little
dark　rooms　with　air…tight　stoves　in　them；　she　hated　rusty　bombazine
gowns　and　last　year's　bonnets；　she　hated　gloves　that　were　not　as
fresh　as　new…laid　eggs；　and　shoes　that　had　grown　bulgy　and　wrinkled
in　service；　she　hated　common　crockeryware　and　teaspoons　of　slight
constitution；　she　hated　second　appearances　on　the　dinner…table；　she　~
hated　coarse　napkins　and　table…cloths；　she　hated　to　ride　in　the
horsecars；　she　hated　to　walk　except　for　short　distances；　when　she　was
tired　of　sitting　in　her　carriage。　　She　loved　with　sincere　and
undisguised　affection　a　spacious　city　mansion　and　a　charming　country
villa；　with　a　seaside　cottage　for　a　couple　of　months　or　so；　she　loved
a　perfectly　appointed　household；　a　cook　who　was　up　to　all　kinds　of
salmis　and　vol…au…vents；　a　French　maid；　and　a　stylish…looking
coachman；　and　the　rest　of　the　people　necessary　to　help　one　live　in　a
decent　manner；　she　loved　pictures　that　other　people　said　were　first…
rate；　and　which　had　at　least　cost　first…rate　prices；　she　loved　books
with　handsome　backs；　in　showy　cases；　she　loved　heavy　and　richly
wought　plate；　fine　linen　and　plenty　of　it；　dresses　from　Paris
frequently；　and　as　many　as　could　be　got　in　without　troubling　the
customhouse；　Russia　sables　and　Venetian　point…lace；　diamonds；　and
good　big　ones；　and；　speaking　generally；　she　loved　dear　things　in
distinction　from　cheap　ones；　the　real　article　and　not　the　economical
substitute。

For　the　life　of　me　I　cannot　see　anything　Satanic　in　all　this。　　Tell
me；　Beloved；　only　between　ourselves；　if　some　of　these　things　are　not
desirable　enough　in　their　way；　and　if　you　and　I　could　not　make　up　our
minds　to　put　up　with　some　of　the　least　objectionable　of　them　without
any　great　inward　struggle？　　Even　in　the　matter　of　ornaments　there　is
something　to　be　said。　　Why　should　we　be　told　that　the　New　Jerusalem
is　paved　with　gold；　and　that　its　twelve　gates　are　each　of　them　a
pearl；　and　that　its　foundations　are　garnished　with　sapphires　and
emeralds　and　all　manner　of　precious　stones；　if　these　are　not　among
the　most　desirable　of　objects？　　And　is　there　anything　very　strange　in
the　fact　that　many　a　daughter　of　earth　finds　it　a　sweet　foretaste　of
heaven　to　wear　about　her　frail　earthly　tabernacle　these　glittering
reminders　of　the　celestial　city？

Mrs。　　Midas　Goldenrod　was　not　so　entirely　peculiar　and　anomalous　in
her　likes　and　dislikes；　the　only　trouble　was　that　she　mixed　up　these
accidents　of　life　too　much　with　life　itself；　which　is　so　often
serenely　or　actively　noble　and　happy　without　reference　to　them。　　She
valued　persons　chiefly　according　to　their　external　conditions；　and　of
course　the　very　moment　her　relative；　the　Lady　of　our　breakfast…table；
began　to　find　herself　in　a　streak　of　sunshine　she　came　forward　with　a
lighted　candle　to　show　her　which　way　her　path　lay　before　her。

The　Lady　saw　all　this；　how　plainly；　how　painfully！　yet　she　exercised
a　true　charity　for　the　weakness　of　her　relative。　　Sensible　people
have　as　much　consideration　for　the　frailties　of　the　rich　as　for　those
of　the　poor。　　There　is　a　good　deal　of　excuse　for　them。　　Even　you　and
I；　philosophers　and　philanthropists　as　we　may　think　ourselves；　have　a
dislike　for　the　enforce