the story of a bad boy-第34节

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My　grandfather；　however；　was　too　full　of　trouble　to　allow　this　to　add　to　his　distress。　He　knew　that　the　faithful　old　sailor　would　not　let　me　come　to　any　harm；　and　even　if　I　had　managed　for　the　time　being　to　elude　him；　was　sure　to　bring　me　back　sooner　or　later。

Our　return；　therefore；　by　the　first　train　on　the　following　day　did　not　surprise　him。

I　was　greatly　puzzled；　as　I　have　said；　by　the　gentle　manner　of　his　reception；　but　when　we　were　alone　together　in　the　sitting…room；　and　he　began　slowly　to　unfold　the　letter；　I　understood　it　all。　I　caught　a　sight　of　my　mother's　handwriting　in　the　superscription；　and　there　was　nothing　left　to　tell　me。

My　grandfather　held　the　letter　a　few　seconds　irresolutely；　and　then　commenced　reading　it　aloud；　but　he　could　get　no　further　than　the　date。

〃I　can't　read　it；　Tom；〃　said　the　old　gentleman；　breaking　down。　〃I　thought　I　could。〃

He　handed　it　to　me。　I　took　the　letter　mechanically；　and　hurried　away　with　it　to　my　little　room；　where　I　had　passed　so　many　happy　hours。

The　week　that　followed　the　receipt　of　this　letter　is　nearly　a　blank　in　my　memory。　I　remember　that　the　days　appeared　endless；　that　at　times　I　could　not　realize　the　misfortune　that　had　befallen　us；　and　my　heart　upbraided　me　for　not　feeling　a　deeper　grief；　that　a　full　sense　of　my　loss　would　now　and　then　sweep　over　me　like　an　inspiration；　and　I　would　steal　away　to　my　chamber　or　wander　forlornly　about　the　gardens。　I　remember　this；　but　little　more。

As　the　days　went　by　my　first　grief　subsided；　and　in　its　place　grew　up　a　want　which　I　have　experienced　at　every　step　in　life　from　boyhood　to　manhood。　Often；　even　now；　after　all　these　years；　when　I　see　a　lad　of　twelve　or　fourteen　walking　by　his　father's　side；　and　glancing　merrily　up　at　his　face；　I　turn　and　look　after　them；　and　am　conscious　that　I　have　missed　companionship　most　sweet　and　sacred。

I　shall　not　dwell　on　this　portion　of　my　story。　There　were　many　tranquil；　pleasant　hours　in　store　for　me　at　that　period；　and　I　prefer　to　turn　to　them。



One　evening　the　Captain　came　smiling　into　the　sitting…room　with　an　open　letter　in　his　hand。　My　mother　had　arrived　at　New　York；　and　would　be　with　us　the　next　day。　For　the　first　time　in　weeks…years；　it　seemed　to　me…something　of　the　old　cheerfulness　mingled　with　our　conversation　round　the　evening　lamp。　I　was　to　go　to　Boston　with　the　Captain　to　meet　her　and　bring　her　home。　I　need　not　describe　that　meeting。　With　my　mother's　hand　in　mine　once　more；　all　the　long　years　we　had　been　parted　appeared　like　a　dream。　Very　dear　to　me　was　the　sight　of　that　slender；　pale　woman　passing　from　room　to　room；　and　lending　a　patient　grace　and　beauty　to　the　saddened　life　of　the　old　house。

Everything　was　changed　with　us　now。　There　were　consultations　with　lawyers；　and　signing　of　papers；　and　correspondence；　for　my　father's　affairs　had　been　left　in　great　confusion。　And　when　these　were　settled；　the　evenings　were　not　long　enough　for　us　to　hear　all　my　mother　had　to　tell　of　the　scenes　she　had　passed　through　in　the　ill…fated　city。

Then　there　were　old　times　to　talk　over；　full　of　reminiscences　of　Aunt　Chloe　and　little　Black　Sam。　Little　Black　Sam；　by　the　by；　had　been　taken　by　his　master　from　my　father's　service　ten　months　previously；　and　put　on　a　sugar…plantation　near　Baton　Rouge。　Not　relishing　the　change；　Sam　had　run　away；　and　by　some　mysterious　agency　got　into　Canada；　from　which　place　he　had　sent　back　several　indecorous　messages　to　his　late　owner。　Aunt　Chloe　was　still　in　New　Orleans；　employed　as　nurse　in　one　of　the　cholera　hospital　wards；　and　the　Desmoulins；　near　neighbors　of　ours；　had　purchased　the　pretty　stone　house　among　the　orange…trees。

How　all　these　simple　details　interested　me　will　be　readily　understood　by　any　boy　who　has　been　long　absent　from　home。

I　was　sorry　when　it　became　necessary　to　discuss　questions　more　nearly　affecting　myself。　I　had　been　removed　from　school　temporarily；　but　it　was　decided；　after　much　consideration；　that　I　should　not　return；　the　decision　being　left；　in　a　manner；　in　my　own　hands。

The　Captain　wished　to　carry　out　his　son's　intention　and　send　me　to　college；　for　which　I　was　nearly　fitted；　but　our　means　did　not　admit　of　this。　The　Captain；　too；　could　ill　afford　to　bear　the　expense；　for　his　losses　by　the　failure　of　the　New　Orleans　business　had　been　heavy。　Yet　he　insisted　on　the　plan；　not　seeing　clearly　what　other　disposal　to　make　of　me。

In　the　midst　of　our　discussions　a　letter　came　from　my　Uncle　Snow；　a　merchant　in　New　York；　generously　offering　me　a　place　in　his　counting…house。　The　case　resolved　itself　into　this：　If　I　went　to　college；　I　should　have　to　be　dependent　on　Captain　Nutter　for　several　years；　and　at　the　end　of　the　collegiate　course　would　have　no　settled　profession。　If　I　accepted　my　uncle's　offer；　I　might　hope　to　work　my　way　to　independence　without　loss　of　time。　It　was　hard　to　give　up　the　long…cherished　dream　of　being　a　Harvard　boy；　but　I　gave　it　up。

The　decision　once　made；　it　was　Uncle　Snow's　wish　that　I　should　enter　his　counting…house　immediately。　The　cause　of　my　good　uncle's　haste　was　this…he　was　afraid　that　I　would　turn　out　to　be　a　poet　before　he　could　make　a　merchant　of　me。　His　fears　were　based　upon　the　fact　that　I　had　published　in　the　Rivermouth　Barnacle　some　verses　addressed　in　a　familiar　manner　〃To　the　Moon。〃　Now；　the　idea　of　a　boy；　with　his　living　to　get；　placing　himself　in　communication　with　the　Moon；　struck　the　mercantile　mind　as　monstrous。　It　was　not　only　a　bad　investment；　it　was　lunacy。

'We　adopted　Uncle　Snow's　views　so　far　as　to　accede　to　his　proposition　forthwith。　My　mother；　I　neglected　to　say；　was　also　to　reside　in　New　York。

I　shall　not　draw　a　picture　of　Pepper　Whitcomb's　disgust　when　the　news　was　imparted　to　him；　nor　attempt　to　paint　Sailor　Ben's　distress　at　the　prospect　of　losing　his　little　messmate。

In　the　excitement　of　preparing　for　the　journey　I　didn't　feel　any　very　deep　regret　myself。　But　when　the　moment　came　for　leaving；　and　I　saw　my　small　trunk　lashed　up　behind　the　carriage；　then　the　pleasantness　of　the　old　life　and　a　vague　dread　of　the　new　came　over　me；　and　a　mist　filled　my　eyes；　shutting　out　the　group　of　schoolfellows；　including　all　the　members　of　the　Centipede　Club；　who　had　come　down　to　the　house　to　see　me　off。

As　the　carriage　swept　round　the　corner；　I　leaned　out　of　the　window　to　take　a　last　look　at　Sailor　Ben's　cottage；　and　there　was　the　Admiral's　flag　flying　at　half…mast。

So　I　left　Rivermouth；　little　dreaming　that　I　was　not　to　see　the　old　place　again　for　many　and　many　a　year。







Chapter　Twenty…Two

Exeunt　Omnes

With　the　close　of　my　school…days　at　Rivermouth　this　modest　chronicle　ends。

The　new　life　upon　which　I　entered；　the　new　friends　and　foes　I　encountered　on　the　road；　and　what　I　did　and　what　I　did　not；　are　matters　that　do　not　come　within　the　scope　of　these　pages。　But　before　I　write　Finis　to　the　record　as　it　stands；　before　I　leave　it…feeling　as　if　I　were　once　more　going　away　from　my　boyhood…I　have　a　word　or　two　to　say　concerning　a　few　of　the　personages　who　have　figured　in　the　story；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　Gypsy　a　personage。

I　am　sure　that　the　reader　who　has　followed　me　thus　far　will　be　willing　to　hear　what　became　of　her；　and　Sailor　Ben　and　Miss　Abigail　and　the　Captain。

First　about　Gypsy。　A　month　after　my　departure　from　Rivemouth　the　Captain　informed　me　by　letter　that　he　had　parted　with　the　little　mare；　according　to　agreement。　She　had　been　sold　to　the　ring…master　of　a　travelling　circus　（I　had　stipulated　on　this　disposal　of　her）；　and　was　about　to　set　out　on　her　travels。　She　did　not　disappoint　my　glowing　anticipations；　but　became　quite　a　celebrity　in　her　way…by　dancing　the　polka　to　slow　music　on　a　pine…board　ball…room　constructed　for　the　purpose。

I　chanced　once；　a　long　while　afterwards；　to　be　in　a　country　town　where　her　troupe　was　giving　exhibitions；　I　even　read　the　gaudily　illumined　show…bill；　setting　forth　the　accomplishments　of　Zuleika；　the　famed　Arabian　Trick　Pony…but　I　failed　to　recognize　my　dear　little　Mustang　girl　behind　those　high…sounding　titles；　and　so；　alas；　did　not　attend　the　performance！　I　hope　all　the　praises　she　received　and　all　the　spangled　trappings　she　wore　did　not　spoil　her；　but　I　am　afraid　they　did；　for　she　was　always　over　much　given　to　the　vanities　of　this　world！

Miss　Abigail　regulated　the　domestic　destinies　of　my　grandfather's　household　until　the　day　of　her　death；　which　Dr。　Theophilus　Tredick　solemnly　averred　was　hastened　by　the　inveterate　habit　she　had　contracted　of　swallowing　unknown　quantities　of　hot…drops　whenever　she　fancied　herself　out　of　sorts。　Eighty…seven　empty　phials　were　found　in　a　bonnet…box　on　a　shelf　in　her　bedroom　closet。

The　old　house　became　very　lonely　when　the　family　got　reduced　to　Captain　Nutter　and　Kitty；　and　when　Kitty　passed　away；　my　grandfather　divided　his　time　between　Rivermouth　and　New　York。

Sailor　Ben　did　not　long　survive　his　little　Irish　lass；　as　he　always　fondly　called　her。　At　his　demise；　which　took　place　about　six　years　since；　he　left　his　property　in　trust　to　the　managers　of　a　〃Home　for　Aged　Mariners。〃　In　his　will；　which　was　a　very　whimsical　document…written　by　himself；　and　worded　with　much　shrewdness；　too…he　warned　the　Trustees　that　when　he　got　〃aloft〃　he　intended　to　keep　his　〃weather　eye〃　on　them