stories of a western town-第21章

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oranda　written；　he　slipped　the　book　in　his　pocket；　reflecting　cynically；　〃There's　habit！　　I've　no　need　of　writing　that。　It's　not　pleasant　enough　to　forget！〃　Thirty　odd　years　ago；　Horatio　Armorerthey　called　him　'Raish；　then　had　left　the　town　to　seek　his　fortune　in　Chicago。　　It　was　his　daydream　to　wrestle　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　out　of　the　world's　tight　fists；　and　return　to　live　in　pomp　on　Brady　Street　hill！　He　should　drive　a　buggy　with　two　horses；　and　his　wife　should　keep　two　girls。　　Long　ago；　the　hundred　thousand　limit　had　been　reached　and　passed；　next　the　million；　and　still　he　did　not　return。　His　father；　the　Presbyterian　minister；　left　his　parish；　or；　to　be　exact；　was　gently　propelled　out　of　his　parish　by　the　disaffected；　the　family　had　a　new　home；　and　the　son；　struggling　to　help　them　out　of　his　scanty　resources；　went　to　the　new　parish　and　not　to　the　old。　He　grew　rich；　he　established　his　brothers　and　sisters　in　prosperity；　he　erected　costly　monuments　and　a　memorial　church　to　his　parents　（they　were　beyond　any　other　gifts　from　him）；　he　married；　and　lavished　his　money　on　three　daughters；　but　the　home　of　his　youth　neither　saw　him　nor　his　money　until　Margaret　Ellis　bought　a　house　on　Brady　Street；　far　up　town；　where　she　could　have　all　the　grass　that　she　wanted。　Mrs。　Ellis　was　a　widow　and　rich。　　Not　a　millionaire　like　her　brother；　but　the　possessor　of　a　handsome　property。　She　was　the　best…natured　woman　in　the　world；　and　never　guessed　how　hard　her　neighbors　found　it　to　forgive　her　for　always　calling　their　town　of　thirty　thousand　souls；　〃the　country。〃　She　said　that　she　had　pined　for　years　to　live　in　the　country；　and　have　horses；　and　a　Jersey　cow　and　chickens；　and　〃a　neat　pig。〃　All　of　which　modest　cravings　she　gratified　on　her　little　estate；　and　the　gardener　was　often　seen　with　a　scowl　and　the　garden　hose；　keeping　the　pig　neat。　It　was　later　that　Mr。　Armorer　had　bought　the　street　railways；　they　having　had　a　troublous　history　and　being　for　sale　cheap。　Nobody　that　knows　Armorer　as　a　business　man　would　back　his　sentiment　by　so　much　as　an　old　shoe；　yet　it　was　sentiment；　and　not　a　good　bargain；　that　had　enticed　the　financier。　Once　engaged；　the　instincts　of　a　shrewd　trader　prompted　him　to　turn　it　into　a　good　bargain；　anyhow。　　His　fancy　was　pleased　by　a　vision　of　a　return　to　the　home　of　his　childhood　and　his　struggling　youth；　as　a　greater　personage　than　his　hopes　had　ever　dared　promise。　But；　in　the　event；　there　was　little　enough　gratification　for　his　vanity。　Not　since　his　wife's　death　had　he　been　so　harassed　and　anxious；　for　he　came　not　in　order　to　view　his　new　property；　but　because　his　sister　had　written　him　her　suspicions　that　Harry　Lossing　wanted　to　marry　his　youngest　daughter。　Armorer　arrived　in　the　early　dawn。　　Early　as　it　was；　a　handsome　victoria；　with　horses　sleeker　of　skin　and　harness　heavier　and　brighter　than　one　is　used　to　meet　outside　the　great　cities；　had　been　in　waiting　for　twenty　minutes；　while　for　that　space　of　time　a　pretty　girl　had　paced　up　and　down　the　platform。　The　keenest　observer　among　the　crowd；　airing　its　meek　impatience　on　the　platform；　did　not　detect　any　sign　of　anxiety　in　her　behavior。　She　walked　erect；　with　a　step　that　left　a　clean…cut　footprint　in　the　dust；　as　girls　are　trained　to　walk　nowadays。　Her　tailor…made　gown　of　fine　blue　serge　had　not　a　wrinkle。　It　was　so　simple　that　only　a　fashionable　woman　could　guess　anywhere　near　the　awful　sum　total　which　that　plain　skirt；　that　short　jacket；　and　that　severe　waistcoat　had　once　made　on　a　ruled　sheet　of　paper。　When　she　turned　her　face　toward　the　low；　red　station…house　and　the　people；　it　looked　gentle；　and　the　least　in　the　world　sad。　She　had　one　of　those　clear　olive　skins　that　easily　grow　pale；　it　was　pale　to…day。　Her　black　hair　was　fine　as　spun　silk；　the　coil　under　her　hat…brim　shone　as　she　moved。　　The　fine　hair；　the　soft；　transparent　skin；　and　the　beautiful　marking　of　her　brows　were　responsible　for　an　air　of　fragile　daintiness　in　her　person；　just　as　her　almond…shaped；　liquid　dark　eyes　and　unsmiling　mouth　made　her　look　sad。　　It　was　a　most　attractive　face；　in　all　its　moods；　sometimes　it　was　a　beautiful　face；　yet　it　did　not　have　a　single　perfect　feature　except　the　mouth；　whichat　least　so　Harry　Lossing　told　his　mothermight　have　been　stolen　from　the　Venus　of　Milo。　Even　the　mouth；　some　critics　called　too　small　for　her　nose；　but　it　is　as　easy　to　call　her　nose　too　large　for　her　mouth。　The　instant　she　turned　her　back　on　the　bustle　of　the　station；　all　the　lines　in　her　face　seemed　to　waver　and　the　eyes　to　brighten。　Finally；　when　the　train　rolled　up　to　the　platform　and　a　young…looking　elderly　man　swung　himself　nimbly　off　the　steps；　the　color　flared　up　in　her　cheeks；　only　to　sink　as　suddenly；　like　a　candle　flame　in　a　gust　of　wind。　Mr。　Armorer　put　his　two　arms　and　his　umbrella　and　travelling…bag　about　the　charming　shape　in　blue；　at　the　same　time　exclaiming；　〃You're　a　good　girl　to　come　out　so　early；　Essie！　　How's　Aunt　Meg？〃　〃Oh；　very　well。　　She　would　have　come　too；　but　she　hasn't　come　back　from　training。〃　〃Training？〃　〃Yes；　dear；　she　has　a　regular　trainer；　like　John　L。　Sullivan；　you　know。　She　drives　out　to　the　park　with　Eliza　and　me；　and　walks　and　runs　races；　and　does　gymnastics。　　She　has　lost　ten　pounds。〃　Armorer　wagged　his　head　with　a　grin：　　〃I　dare　say。　　I　thought　so　when　you　began。　　Meg　is　always　moaning　and　groaning　because　she　isn't　a　sylph！　She　will　make　her　cook's　life　a　burden　for　about　two　months　and　lose　ten　pounds；　and　then　she　will　revel　in　ice…cream！　　Last　time；　she　was　raving　about　Dr。　Salisbury　and　living　on　beefsteak　sausages；　spending　a　fortune　starving　herself。〃　〃She　had　Dr。　Salisbury's　pamphlet；　but　Cardigan　told　her　it　was　a　long　way　out；　so　she　said　she　hated　to　have　it　do　no　one　any　good；　and　she　gave　it　to　Maria；　one　of　the　maids；　who　is　always　fretting　because　she　is　so　thin。〃　〃But　the　thing　was　to　cure　fat　people！〃　〃Precisely。〃　Esther　laughed　a　little　low　laugh；　at　which　her　father's　eyes　shone；　〃but　you　see　she　told　Maria　to　exactly　reverse　the　advice　and　eat　everything　that　was　injurious　to　stout　people；　and　it　would　be　just　right　for　her。〃　〃I　perceive；〃　said　Armorer；　dryly；　〃very　ingenious　and　feminine　scheme。　But　who　is　Cardigan？〃　〃Shuey　Cardigan？　　He　is　the　trainer。　　He　is　a　fireman　in　a　furniture　shop；　now；　but　he　used　to　be　the　boxing　teacher　for　some　Harvard　men；　and　he　was　a　distinguished　pugilist；　once。　He　said　to　me；　modestly；　'I　don't　suppose　you　will　have　seen　my　name　in　the　_Police　Gazette_；　miss？'　　But　he　really　is　a　very　sober；　decent　man；　notwithstanding。〃　〃Your　Aunt　Meg　always　was　picking　up　queer　birds！　　Pray；　who　introduced　this　decent　pugilist？〃　Esther　was　getting　into　the　carriage；　her　face　was　turned　from　him；　but　he　could　see　the　pink　deepen　in　her　ear　and　the　oval　of　her　cheek。　She　answered　that　it　was　a　friend　of　theirs；　Mr。　Lossing。　　As　if　the　name　had　struck　them　both　dumb；　neither　spoke　for　a　few　moments。　Armorer　bit　a　sigh　in　two。　　〃Essie；〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　it　is　no　use　to　side…track　the　subject。　　You　know　why　I　came　here；　don't　you？〃　〃Aunt　Meg　told　me　what　she　wrote　to　you。〃　〃I　knew　she　would。　　She　had　compunctions　of　conscience　letting　him　hang　round　you；　until　she　told　me；　and　then　she　had　awful　gripes　because　she　had　told；　and　had　to　confess　to　YOU！〃　He　continued　in　a　different　tone：　　〃Essie；　I　have　missed　your　mother　a　long　while；　and　nobody　knows　how　that　kind　of　missing　hurts；　but　it　seems　to　me　I　never　missed　her　as　I　do　to…day。　I　need　her　to　advise　me　about　you；　Essie。　　It　is　like　this：　　I　don't　want　to　be　a　stern　parent　any　more　than　you　want　to　elope　on　a　rope　ladder。　We　have　got　to　look　at　this　thing　together；　my　dear　little　girl；　and　try　toto　trust　each　other。〃　〃Don't　you　think；　papa；〃　said　Esther；　smiling　rather　tremulously；　〃that　we　would　better　wait；　before　we　have　all　these　solemn　preparations；　until　we　know　surely　whether　Mr。　Lossing　wants　me？〃　〃Don't　you　know　surely？〃　〃He　has　never　said　anything　ofof　thatkind。〃　〃Oh；　he　is　in　love　with　you　fast　enough；〃　growled　Armorer；　but　a　smile　of　intense　relief　brightened　his　face。　　〃Now；　you　see；　my　dear；　all　I　know　about　this　young　man；　except　that　he　wants　my　daughter　which　you　will　admit　is　not　likely　to　prejudice　me　in　his　favor　is　that　he　is　mayor　of　this　town　and　has　a　furniture　store　〃　〃A　manufactory；　it　is　a　very　large　business！〃　〃All　right；　manufactory；　then；　all　the　same　he　is　not　a　brilliant　match　for　my　daughter；　not　such　a　husband　as　your　sisters　have。〃　Esther's　lip　quivered　and　her　color　rose　again；　but　she　did　not　speak。　〃Still　I　will　say　that　I　think　a　fellow　who　can　make　his　own　fortune　is　better　than　a　man　with　twice　that　fortune　made　for　him。　My　dear；　if　Lossing　has　the　right　stuff　in　him　and　he　is　a　real　good　fellow；　I　shan't　make　you　go　into　a　decline　by　objecting；　but　you　see　it　is　a　big　shock　to　me；　and　you　must　let　me　get　used　to　it；　and　let　me　size　the　young　man　up　in　my　own　way。　There　is　another　thing；　Esther；　I　am　going　to　Europe　Thursday；　that　will　give　me　just　a　day　in　Chicago　if　I　go　to…morrow；　and　I　wish　you　would　come　with　me。　　Will　you　mind？〃　Either　she　changed　her　seat　or　she　started　at　the　proposal。　But　how　could　she　say　that　she　wanted　to　stay　in　America　with　a　man　who　had　not　said　a　formal　word　of　love　to　her？　〃I　can　get　ready；　I　think；　papa；〃　said