stories of a western town-第22节

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ica　with　a　man　who　had　not　said　a　formal　word　of　love　to　her？　〃I　can　get　ready；　I　think；　papa；〃　said　Esther。　They　drove　on。　　He　felt　a　crawling　pain　in　his　heart；　for　he　loved　his　daughter　Esther　as　he　had　loved　no　other　child　of　his；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　hurt　her。　　Naturally；　he　grew　the　more　angry　at　the　impertinent　young　man　who　was　the　cause　of　the　flitting；　for　the　whole　European　plan　had　been　cooked　up　since　the　receipt　of　Mrs。　Ellis's　letter。　They　were　on　the　very　street　down　which　he　used　to　walk　（for　it　takes　the　line　of　the　hills）　when　he　was　a　poor　boy；　a　struggling；　ferociously　ambitious　young　man。　　He　looked　at　the　changed　rows　of　buildings；　and　other　thoughts　came　uppermost　for　a　moment。　〃It　was　here　father's　church　used　to　stand；　it's　gone；　now；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　a　wood　church；　painted　a　kind　of　gray；　mother　had　a　bonnet　the　same　color；　and　she　used　to　say　she　matched　the　church。　I　bought　it　with　the　very　first　money　I　earned。　　Part　of　it　came　from　weeding；　and　the　weather　was　warm；　and　I　can　feel　the　way　my　back　would　sting　and　creak；　now！　　I　would　want　to　stop；　often；　but　I　thought　of　mother　in　church　with　that　bonnet；　and　I　kept　on！　There's　the　place　where　Seeds；　the　grocer　that　used　to　trust　us；　had　his　store；　it　was　his　children　had　the　scarlet　fever；　and　mother　went　to　nurse　them。　　My！　but　how　dismal　it　was　at　home！　We　always　got　more　whippings　when　mother　was　away。　　Your　grandfather　was　a　good　man；　too　honest　for　this　world；　and　he　loved　every　one　of　his　seven　children；　but　he　brought　us　up　to　fear　him　and　the　Lord。　We　feared　him　the　most；　because　the　Lord　couldn't　whip　us！　He　never　whipped　us　when　we　did　anything；　but　waited　until　next　day；　that　he　might　not　punish　in　anger；　so　we　had　all　the　night　to　anticipate　it。　　Did　I　ever　tell　you　of　the　time　he　caught　me　in　a　lie？　I　was　lame　for　a　week　after　it。　　He　never　caught　me　in　another　lie。〃　〃I　think　he　was　cruel；　I　can't　help　it；　papa；〃　cried　Esther；　with　whom　this　was　an　old　argument；　〃still　it　did　good；　that　time！〃　〃Oh；　no；　he　wasn't　cruel；　my　dear；〃　said　Armorer；　with　a　queer　smile　that　seemed　to　take　only　one…half　of　his　face；　not　answering　the　last　words；　〃he　was　too　sure　of　his　interpretation　of　the　Scripture；　that　was　all。　　Why；　that　man　just　slaved　to　educate　us　children；　he'd　have　gone　to　the　stake　rejoicing　to　have　made　sure　that　we　should　be　saved。　　And　of　the　whole　seven　only　one　is　a　church　member。　Is　that　the　road？〃　They　could　see　a　car　swinging　past；　on　a　parallel　street；　its　bent　pole　hitching　along　the　trolley…wire。

〃Pretty　scrubby…looking　cars；〃　commented　Armorer；　〃but　get　our　new　ordinance　through　the　council；　we　can　save　enough　to　afford　some　fine　new　cars。　　Has　Lossing　said　anything　to　you　about　the　ordinance　and　our　petition　to　be　allowed　to　leave　off　the　conductors？〃　〃He　hasn't　said　anything；　but　I　read　about　it　in　the　papers。　Is　it　so　very　important　that　it　should　be　passed？〃　〃Saving　money　is　always　important；　my　dear；〃　said　Armorer；　seriously。　The　horses　turned　again。　　They　were　now　opposite　a　fair　lawn　and　a　house　of　wood　and　stone　built　after　the　old　colonial　pattern；　as　modern　architects　see　it。　　Esther　pointed；　saying：　〃Aunt　Meg's；　papa；　isn't　it　pretty？〃　〃Very　handsome；　very　fine；〃　said　the　financier；　who　knew　nothing　about　architecture；　except　its　exceeding　expense。　　〃Esther；　I've　a　notion；　if　that　young　man　of　yours　has　brains　and　is　fond　of　you　he　ought　to　be　able　to　get　my　ordinance　through　his　little　eight　by　ten　city　council。　There　is　our　chance　to　see　what　stuff　he　is　made　of！〃　〃Oh；　he　has　a　great　deal　of　influence；〃　said　Esther；　〃he　can　do　it；　unlessunless　he　thinks　the　ordinance　would　be　bad　for　the　city；　you　know。〃　〃Confound　the　modern　way　of　educating　girls！〃　thought　Armorer。　〃Now；　it　would　have　been　enough　for　Esther's　mother　to　know　that　anything　was　for　my　interests；　it　wouldn't　have　to　help　all　out…doors；　too！〃　But　instead　of　enlarging　on　this　point；　he　went　into　a　sketch　of　the　improvements　the　road　could　make　with　the　money　saved　by　the　change；　and　was　waxing　eloquent　when　a　lady　of　a　pleasant　and　comely　face；　and　a　trig　though　not　slender　figure；　advanced　to　greet　them。

It　was　after　breakfast　（and　the　scene　was　the　neat　pig's　pen；　where　Armorer　was　displaying　his　ignorance　of　swine）　that　he　found　his　first　chance　to　talk　with　his　sister　alone。　〃Oh；　first；　Sis；〃　said　he；　〃about　your　birthday；　to…day；　I　telegraphed　to　Tiffany's　for　that　silver　service；　you　know；　that　you　liked；　so　you　needn't　think　there's　a　mistake　when　it　comes。〃　〃Oh；　'Raish；　that　gorgeous　thing！　　I　must　kiss　you；　if　Daniel　does　see　me！〃　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　said　Armorer；　hastily；　and　began　to　talk　of　the　pig。　　Suddenly；　without　looking　up；　he　dropped　into　the　pig…pen　the　remark：　　〃I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　writing　me；　Meg。〃　〃I　don't　know　whether　to　feel　more　like　a　virtuous　sister　or　a　villanous　aunt；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Ellis；　〃things　seemed　to　be　getting　on　so　rapidly　that　it　didn't　seem　right；　Esther　visiting　me　and　all；　not　to　give　you　a　hint；　still；　I　am　sure　that　nothing　has　been　said；　and　it　is　horrid　for　Esther；　perfectly　HORRID；　discussing　her　proposals　that　haven't　been　proposed！〃　〃I　don't　want　them　ever　to　be　proposed；〃　said　Armorer；　gloomily。　〃I　know　you　always　said　you　didn't　want　Esther　to　marry；　but　I　thought　if　she　fell　in　love　with　the　right　manwe　know　that　marriage　is　a　very　happy　estate；　sometimes；　Horatio！〃　　She　sighed　again。　In　her　case　it　was　only　the　memory　of　happiness；　for　Colonel　Ellis　had　been　dead　these　twelve　years；　but　his　widow　mourned　him　still。　〃If　you　marry　the　right　one；　maybe；〃　answered　Armorer；　grudgingly；　〃but　see　here；　Meg；　Esther　is　different　from　the　other　girls；　they　got　married　when　Jenny　was　alive　to　look　after　them；　and　I　knew　the　men；　and　they　were　both　big　matches；　you　know。　Then；　too；　I　was　so　busy　making　money　while　the　other　girls　grew　up　that　I　hadn't　time　to　get　real　well　acquainted　with　them。　I　don't　think　they　ever　kissed　me；　except　when　I　gave　them　a　check。　But　Esther　and　I　〃　he　drummed　with　his　fingers　on　the　boards；　his　thin；　keen　face　wearing　a　look　that　would　have　amazed　his　business　acquaintances〃you　remember　when　her　mother　died；　Meg？　　Only　fifteen；　and　how　she　took　hold　of　things！　　And　we　have　been　together　ever　since；　and　she　makes　me　think　of　her　grandmother　and　her　mother　both。　She's　never　had　a　wish　I　knew　that　I　haven't　grantedwhy；　d　it！　I've　bought　my　clothes　to　please　her　〃　〃That's　why　you　are　become　so　well…dressed；　Horatio；　I　wondered　how　you　came　to　spruce　up　so！〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Ellis。　〃It　has　been　so　blamed　lonesome　whenever　she　went　to　visit　you；　but　yet　I　wouldn't　say　a　word　because　I　knew　what　a　good　time　she　had；　but　if　I　had　known　that　there　was　a　confounded；　long…legged；　sniffy　young　idiot　all　that　while　trying　to　steal　my　daughter　away　from　me！〃　In　an　access　of　wrath　at　the　idea　Armorer　wrenched　off　the　picket　that　he　clutched；　at　which　he　laughed　and　stuck　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　〃Why；　Meg；　the　papers　and　magazines　are　always　howling　that　women　won't　marry；〃　cried　he；　with　a　fresh　sense　of　grievance；　〃now；　two　of　my　girls　have　married；　that's　enough；　there　was　no　reason　for　me　to　expect　any　more　of　them　would！　There　isn't　one　d　bit　of　need　for　Esther　to　marry！〃　〃But　if　she　loves　the　young　fellow　and　he　loves　her；　won't　you　let　them　be　happy？〃　〃He　won't　make　her　happy。〃　〃He　is　a　very　good　fellow；　truly　and　really；　'Raish。　And　he　comes　of　a　good　family　〃　〃I　don't　care　for　his　family；　and　as　to　his　being　moral　and　all　that；　I　know　several　young　fellows　that　could　skin　him　alive　in　a　bargain　that　are　moral　as　you　please。　　I　have　been　a　moral　man；　myself。　　But　the　trouble　with　this　Lossing　（I　told　Esther　I　didn't　know　anything　about　him；　but　I　do）；　the　trouble　with　him　is　that　he　is　chock　full　of　all　kinds　of　principles！　Just　as　father　was。　　Don't　you　remember　how　he　lost　parish　after　parish　because　he　couldn't　smooth　over　the　big　men　in　them？　Lossing　is　every　bit　as　pig…headed。　I　am　not　going　to　have　my　daughter　lead　the　kind　of　life　my　mother　did。　I　want　a　son…in…law　who　ain't　going　to　think　himself　so　much　better　than　I　am；　and　be　rowing　me　for　my　way　of　doing　business。　If　Esther　MUST　marry　I'd　like　her　to　marry　a　man　with　a　head　on　him　that　I　can　take　into　business；　and　who　will　be　willing　to　live　with　the　old　man。　　This　Lossing　has　got　his　notions　of　making　a　sort　of　Highland　chief　affair　of　the　labor　question；　and　we　should　get　along　about　as　well　as　the　Kilkenny　cats！〃　Mrs。　Ellis　knew　more　than　Esther　about　Armorer's　business　methods；　having　the　advantage　of　her　husband's　point　of　view；　and　Colonel　Ellis　had　kept　the　army　standard　of　honor　as　well　as　the　army　ignorance　of　business。　　To　counterbalance；　she　knew　more　than　anyone　alive　what　a　good　son　and　brother　Horatio　had　always　been。　But　she　could　not　restrain　a　smile　at　the　picture　of　the　partnership。　〃Precisely；　you　see　yourself；〃　said　Armorer。　　〃Meg〃hesitating　〃you　don't　suppose　it　would　be　any　use　to　offer　Esther　a　cool　hundred　thousand　to　promise　to　bounce　this　young　fellow？〃　〃Horatio；　NO！〃　cried　Mrs。　Ellis；　tossing　her　pretty　gray　head　indignantly；　〃you'd　insult　her！〃　〃Take　it　the　same　way；　eh？　　Well；　perhaps；　Essie　has　high…toned　notions。　That's　all　right；　it　is　the　thing　for　women。　　Mother　had　the