stories of a western town-第14节

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　large　gold…bowed　spectacles；　and　his　jaws　worked　incessantly。　The　woman　was　a　little；　mild；　wrinkled　creature；　with　an　anxious　blue　eye　and　snowy　hair；　smoothed　down　over　her　ears；　under　her　fine　bonnet。　She　was　richly　dressed；　but　her　silks　and　velvets　ill　suited　the　season。　Had　she　seen　them　anywhere　else；　Mrs。　Carriswood　might　not　have　recognized　them；　but　there；　with　Tommy　before　them；　both　of　them　feverishly　absorbed　in　Tommy；　she　recognized　them　at　a　glance。　She　had　a　twinge　of　pity；　watching　the　old　faces　pale　and　kindle。　With　the　first　rustle　of　applause；　she　saw　the　old　father　slip　his　hand　into　the　old　mother's。　They　sat　well　behind　a　pillar；　and　however　excited　they　became；　they　never　so　lost　themselves　as　to　lean　in　front　of　their　shield。　　This；　also；　she　noticed。　The　speech　over；　the　woman　wiped　her　eyes。　　The　old　man　joined　in　the　tumult　of　applause　that　swept　over　the　galleries；　but　the　old　woman　pulled　his　arm；　evidently　feeling　that　it　was　not　decent　for　them　to　applaud。　　She　sat　rigid；　with　red　cheeks　and　her　eyes　brimming；　he　was　swaying　and　clapping　and　laughing　in　a　roar　of　delight。　But　it　was　he　that　drew　her　away；　finally；　while　she　fain　would　have　lingered　to　look　at　Tommy　receiving　congratulations　below。　〃Poor　things；〃　said　Mrs。　Carriswood；　〃I　do　believe　they　haven't　let　him　know　that　they　are　here。〃　　And　she　remembered　how　she　had　pitied　them　for　this　very　possibility　of　humiliation　years　before。　But　she　did　not　pursue　the　adventure；　and　some　obscure　motive　prevented　her　speaking　of　it　to　Miss　Van　Harlem。　Did　Tommy's　parents　tell　Tommy？　　If　they　did；　Tommy　made　no　sign。　The　morning　found　him　with　the　others；　in　a　beautiful　white　flannel　suit；　with　a　silk　shirt　and　a　red　silk　sash；　looking　handsomer　than　any　man　of　the　party。　　He　took　the　congratulations　of　the　company　modestly。　Either　he　was　not　much　puffed　up；　or　he　had　the　art　of　concealment。　They　saw　Alexandria　in　a　conscientious　fashion；　for　the　benefit　of　the　guest　of　the　day。　　He　was　a　modest　young　fellow　with　a　nose　rather　too　large　for　his　face；　a　long　upper　lip；　and　frank　blue　eyes。　He　made　himself　agreeable　to　one　of　the　Cabinet　girls；　on　the　front　seat；　while　Tommy；　just　behind　him；　had　Miss　Van　Harlem　and　bliss　for　his　portion。　The　old　streets；　the　toppling　roofs；　the　musty　warehouses；　the　uneven　pavement；　all　pleased　the　young　creatures　out　in　the　sunshine。　They　made　merry　over　the　ancient　ball…room；　where　Washington　had　asked　a　far…away　ancestress　of　Beatoun　to　dance；　and　they　decorously　walked　through　the　old　church。　IT　happened　in　the　church。　　Mrs。　Carriswood　was　behind　the　others；　so　she　saw　them　come　in；　the　same　little　old　couple　of　the　Capitol。　In　the　chancel；　Beatoun　was　explaining；　beside　Beatoun　shone　a　curly　black　head　that　they　knew。　Mrs。　Carriswood　sat　in　one　of　the　high　old　pews。　　Through　a　crack　she　could　look　into　the　next　pew；　and　there　they　stood。　She　heard　the　old　man：　　〃Whist；　Molly；　let's　be　getting　out　of　this！　　HE　is　here　with　all　his　grand　friends。　Don't　let　us　be　interrupting　him。〃　The　old　woman's　voice　was　so　like　Tommy's　that　it　made　Mrs。　Carriswood　start。　　Very　softly　she　spoke：　〃I　only　want　to　look　at　him　a　minute；　Pat；　jest　a　minute。　I　ain't　seen　him　for　so　long。〃　〃And　is　it　any　longer　for　you　than　for　me？〃　retorted　the　husband。　〃Ye　know　what　ye　promised　if　I'd　be　taking　you　here；　unbeknownst。　Don't　look　his　way！　　Look　like　ye　was　a　stranger　to　him。　Don't　let　us　be　mortifying　him　wid　our　country　ways。　　Like　as　not　'tis　the　prisidint；　himself；　he　is　colloguein'　wid；　this　blessed　minute。　Shtep　back　and　be　a　stranger　to　him；　woman！〃　A　stranger　to　him；　his　own　mother！　　But　she　stepped　back；　she　turned　her　patient　face。　　ThenTommy　saw　her。　A　wave　of　red　flushed　all　over　his　face。　　He　took　two　steps　down　the　aisle；　and　caught　the　little　figure　in　his　arms。　〃Why；　mother？〃　he　cried；　〃why；　mother；　where　did　you　drop　from？〃　And　before　Mrs。　Carriswood　could　speak　she　saw　him　step　back　and　push　young　Sackville　forward；　crying；　〃This　is　my　father；　this　is　the　boy　that　knew　your　grandmother。〃　He　did　it　so　easily；　he　was　so　entirely　unaffected；　so　perfectly　unconscious；　that　there　was　nothing　at　all　embarrassing　for　anyone。　Even　the　Cabinet　girl；　with　a　grandmother　in　very　humble　life；　who　must　be　kept　in　the　background；　could　not　feel　disconcerted。　For　this　happy　result　Mrs。　Carriswood　owns　a　share　of　the　credit。　She　advanced　on　the　first　pause；　and　claimed　acquaintanceship　with　the　Fitzmaurices。　　The　story　of　their　last　meeting　and　Tommy's　first　triumph　in　oratory　came；　of　course；　the　famous　horseshoe　received　due　mention；　and　Tommy　described　with　much　humor　his　terror　of　the　stage。　From　the　speech　to　its　most　effective　passage　was　a　natural　transition；　equally　natural　the　transition　to　Tommy's　grandmother；　the　Irish　famine；　and　the　benevolence　of　Lady　Sackville。　Everybody　was　interested；　and　it　was　Sackville　himself；　who　brought　the　Fitzmaurices'　noble　ancestors；　the　apocryphal　Viscounts　Fitzmaurice　of　King　James's　creation；　on　to　the　carpet。　He　was　entirely　serious。　　〃My　grandmother　told　me　of　your　great…grandfather；　Lord　Fitzmaurice；　she　saw　him　ride　to　hounds　once；　when　she　was　a　little　girl。　　They　say　he　was　the　boldest　rider　in　Ireland；　and　a　renowned　duellist　too。　　King　James　gave　the　title　to　his　grandfather；　didn't　he？　and　the　countryside　kept　it；　if　it　was　given　rather　too　late　in　the　day　to　be　useful。　I　am　glad　you　have　restored　the　family　fortunes；　Mr。　Fitzmaurice。〃　The　Cabinet　girl　looked　on　Tommy　with　respect；　and　Miss　Van　Harlem　blushed　like　an　angel。　〃All　is　lost；〃　said　Mrs。　Carriswood　to　herself；　yet　she　smiled。　Going　home；　she　found　a　word　for　Tommy's　ear。　　The　old　Virginian　dinner　had　been　most　successful。　　The　Fitzmaurices　（who　had　been　almost　forced　into　the　banquet　by　Beatoun's　imperious　hospitality）　were　not　a　wet　blanket　in　the　least。　Patrick　Fitzmaurice；　brogue　and　all；　was　an　Irish　gentleman　without　a　flaw。　　He　blossomed　out　into　a　modest　wag；　and　told　two　or　three　comic　stories　as　acceptably　as　he　was　used　to　tell　them　to　a　very　different　circleonly；　carrying　a　fresher　flavor　of　wit　to　this　circle；　perhaps；　it　enjoyed　them　more。　Mrs。　Fitzmaurice　looked　scared　and　ate　almost　nothing；　with　the　greatest　propriety；　and　her　fork　in　her　left　hand。　Yet　even　she　thawed　under　Miss　Van　Harlem's　attentions　and　gentle　Mrs。　Beatoun's　tact；　and　the　winning　ways　of　the　last　Beatoun　baby。　She　took　this　absent　cherub　to　her　heart　with　such　undissembled　warmth　that　its　mother　ever　since　has　called　her　〃a　sweet；　funny　little　old　lady。〃　They　were　both　（Patrick　and　his　wife）　quite　unassuming　and　retiring；　and　no　urging　could　dissuade　them　from　parting　with　the　company　at　the　tavern　door。　〃My　word；　Tommy；　your　mother　and　I　can　git　home　by　ourselves；〃　whispered　honest　Patrick；　〃we've　not　exceededif　the　wines　WERE　good。　I　never　exceeded　in　my　life；　God　take　the　glory！〃　But　he　embraced　Tommy　so　affectionately　in　parting　that　I　confess　Mrs。　Carriswood　had　suspicions。　　Yet；　surely；　it　is　more　likely　that　his　brain　waslet　us　not　say　TURNED；　but　just　a　wee　bit　TILTED；　by　the　joy　and　triumph　of　the　occasion　rather　than　by　Beatoun's　port　or　champagne。　But　Mrs。　Carriswood's　word　had　nothing　to　do　with　Tommy's　parents；　ostensibly；　though；　in　truth；　it　had　everything　to　do。　　She　said：　〃Will　you　dine　with　us　to…morrow；　quite　_en　famille_；　Thomas？〃　〃I　ought　to　tell　you；　I　suppose；　that　I　find　your　house　a　pretty　dangerous　paradise；　Mrs。　Carriswood；〃　says　Tommy。　〃And　I　find　you　a　most　dangerous　angel；　Thomas；　butyou　see　I　ask　you！〃　〃Thank　you；〃　answers　Tommy；　in　a　different　tone；　〃you've　always　been　an　angel　to　me。　　What　I　owe　to　you　and　Harry　Lossingwell；　I　can't　talk　about　it。　　But　see　here；　Mrs。　Carriswood；　you　always　have　called　me　Tommy；　now　you　say　Thomas；　why　this　state？〃　〃I　think　you　have　won　your　brevet；　Thomas。〃　He　looked　puzzled；　and　she　liked　him　the　better　that　he　should　not　make　enough　of　his　conduct　to　understand　her；　but；　though　she　has　called　him　Tommy　often　since；　he　keeps　the　brevet　in　her　thoughts。　　In　fact；　Mrs。　Carriswood　is　beginning　to　take　the　Honorable　Thomas　Fitzmaurice　and　his　place　in　the　world　seriously；　herself。

MOTHER　EMERITUS　THE　Louders　lived　on　the　second　floor；　at　the　head　of　the　stairs；　in　the　Lossing　Building。　　There　is　a　restaurant　to　the　right；　and　a　new　doctor；　every　six　months；　who　is　every　kind　of　a　healer　except　〃regular；〃　keeps　the　permanent　boarders　in　gossip；　to　the　left；　two　or　three　dressmakers；　a　dentist；　and　a　diamond　merchant　up…stairs；　one　flight；　and　half　a　dozen　families　and　a　dozen　single　tenants　higherso　you　see　the　Louders　had　plenty　of　neighbors。　In　fact；　the　multitude　of　the　neighbors　is　one　cause　of　my　story。　Tilly　Louder　came　home　from　the　Lossing　factory　（where　she　is　a　typewriter）　one　February　afternoon。　　As　she　turned　the　corner；　she　was　face　to　the　river；　which　is　not　so　full　of　shipping　in　winter　that　one　cannot　see　the　steel…blue　glint　of　the　water。　Back　of　her　the　brick　paved　street　climbed　the　hill；　under　a　shapeless　arch　of　trees。　　The　remorseless　pencil　of　a　railway　has　drawn　black　lines　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and；　all　day　and　all　night；　slender　red　bars　rise　and　sink　in　their　black　sockets；　to　the　accompaniment　of　the　outcry　of　tortured　steam。　All　day；　if　not　all　ni