the fortunes of oliver horn-第11节

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〃Money　is　not　everything；　my　dear；　nor　social　recognition。　There　are　many　things　I　would　value　more。〃

〃What　are　they？〃　She　was　facing　him　now；　her　brows　knit；　a　marked　antagonism　in　her　voice。

〃Good　manners　and　good　taste；　Sallie；　and　kindly　consideration　for　another's　feelings；〃　he　answered。　He　spoke　calmly　and　kindly；　as　was　his　custom。　He　had　lived　almost　all　his　life　with　this　high…strung　Sallie　　Horn；　whose　eyes　flashed　now　and　then　as　they　had　done　in　the　old　days　when　he　won　her　hand。　He　knew　every　side　of　her　temperament。　〃Good　manners；　and　good　taste〃he　repeated；　as　if　wishing　　to　emphasize　his　thoughts〃Oliver　has　all　of　these；　and　he　has；　besides；　loyalty　to　his　friends。　He　never　speaks　of　Mr。　Crocker　but　with　affection；　and　I　love　to　hear　him。　That　man　is　an　artist　of　great　talent；　and　yet　it　seems　to　be　the　fashion　in　this　town　to　ridicule　him。　If　Ollie　has　any　gifts　which　would　fit　him　to　be　a　painter；　I　should　be　delighted　to　see　him　a　painter。　It　is　a　profession　despised　now；　as　are　many　others；　but　it　is　the　profession　of　a　gentleman；　　for　all　they　say；　and　a　noble　one！〃　Then　he　stopped　and　said；　thoughtfully；　as　if　communing　with　himself〃I　wish　he　could　be　a　painter。　Since　Gilbert　Stuart's　time　we　have　had　so　few　men　of　whom　we　can　boast。　This　country　will　one　day　be　proud　to　honor　her　artists。〃

Mrs。　Horn　sank　back　in　her　chair。　She　felt　the　hopelessness　of　all　further　discussion　with　her　husband。　　〃He　would　not　have　talked　this　way　ten　years　ago；〃　she　said　to　herself。　〃Everything　has　gone　wrong　since　he　left　the　law。〃　But　to　her　husband　she　said：

〃You　always　measure　everything　by　your　hopes；　Richard；　and　you　never　look　at　the　practical　side　of　anything。　Ollie　is　old　enough　to　begin　to　think　how　he　will　earn　his　bread。　I　see　now　how　hopeless　it　is　for　us　to　try　and　make　a　lawyer　of　himhis　heart　is　not　in　it。　I　have　come　little　by　little　to　the　　conclusion　that　what　he　wants　most　is　hard　work；　and　he　wants　it　right　away；　just　as　soon　as　we　can　find　something　for　him　to　dosomething　with　his　hands；　if　necessary；　not　something　full　of　dreams　and　imaginings；〃　　and　her　voice　rose　in　its　earnestness。　〃I　am　getting　more　and　more　anxious　about　him　every　day；〃　she　added；　suddenly　controlling　herself；　〃and　when　you　encourage　him　in　foolish　vagaries　you　only　make　it　harder　for　me；　dear；〃　and　her　voice　softened　and　broke　with　emotion。

〃He　ought　to　have　gone　into　the　laboratory；　Sallie；〃　　Richard　added　quickly；　in　a　reflective　tonelaying　　his　hand　on　her　shoulder　as　he　noticed　the　change　of　voice〃　just　as　I　wanted　him　to　do　when　he　left　school。　There　is　a　future　for　scientific　men　in　this　country　which　you　do　not　seea　future　which　few　around　me　seem　to　see。　Great　changes　are　coming；　not　only　in　science；　but　in　the　arts　and　in　all　useful　knowledge。　If　Ollie　can　add　to　the　brilliancy　of　this　future　by　becoming　a　brilliant　painter；　able　to　help　educate　those　about　him；　there　could　be　no　higher　calling　for　him。　Three　things　are　coming；　my　dear　perhaps　four。〃　The　inventor　had　risen　from　his　seat　and　stood　beside　her；　his　eyes　turned　away　into　the　dark　as　if　he　were　addressing　some　unseen　person。　　〃The　superseding　of　steam；　aerial　locomotion；　and　the　education　of　the　common　people；　black　and　white。　One　other　may　comethe　freeing　of　the　slavesbut　the　others　are　sure。　Science；　not　money；　nor　family　traditions；　nor　questions　of　birth；　will　shape　the　destinies　of　the　country。　We　may　not　live　to　see　it；　but　Oliver　will；　and　I　want　him　to　be　where　he　can　help　on　the　movement。　You　were　opposed　to　his　becoming　a　scientist；　and　I　feel　assured　made　a　mistake。　Don't　stand　in　his　way　again；　dear。〃

〃Yes；　Richard；　I　was　opposed　to　it；　because　I　did　not　want　him　to　waste　his　time　over　all　sorts　of　foolish　　experiments；　which　would　certainly〃　She　did　not　finish　the　sentence。　Her　anxiety　had　not　yet　gone　as　far　as　that。　With　a　quick　gesture　she　rose　from　her　chair　and　drawing　her　white　gossamer　shawl　about　her　shouldersleft　the　room　and　walked　out　onto　the　front　steps；　followed　by　Richard。

If　the　inventor　heard　the　thrust　he　did　not　reply。　He　would　not　argue　with　his　wife　over　it；　nor　did　it　check　the　flow　of　his　courtesy。　She　had　never　seen　the　value　of　what　he　was　striving　for；　but　she　would　in　time　he　knew。

〃Yes；　I　think　it　is　cooler　out　here；〃　was　all　he　said；　as　he　placed　a　cushion　to　soften　her　seat　on　the　threshold。　When　he　had　arranged　another　pillow　　behind　her　back　and　hunted　round　the　dark　parlor　　for　a　stool　for　her　feet；　he　found　a　chair　for　himself　and　sat　down　beside　her。　She　thanked　him；　but　her　thoughts　were　evidently　far　away。　She　was　weighing　in　her　mind　what　must　be　her　next　move　if　Oliver　persisted　in　this　new　departure。　Richard　broke　the　silence。

〃I　haven't　told　you　of　the　good　offer　I've　had　for　the　farm；　Sallie。〃

〃No；　but　we're　not　going　to　sell　it；　of　course。〃　She　was　leaning　back　against　the　jamb　of　the　door　as　she　spoke；　the　shawl　hanging　loose；　her　delicate　white　hands　in　her　lap。　It　was　an　idle　answer　to　an　idle　question；　for　her　mind　was　still　with　Oliver。

〃Well；　I　hadn't　thought　of　doing　so　until　to…day；〃　he　answered；　slowly；　〃but　I　had　a　notice　from　the　bank　that　they　must　call　in　the　mortgage；　and　so　I　thought　I　might　as　well　sell　the　whole　place；　pay　off　the　debt；　and　use　the　balance　for〃

〃Sell　the　farm；　Richard？〃　It　was　her　hand　now　that　sought　his；　and　with　a　firm　grasp　as　if　she　would　restrain　him　then　and　there　in　his　purpose。

〃Yes；　I　can　get　several　thousand　dollars　over　and　above　the　mortgage；　and　I　need　the　money；　Sallie。　It　will　only　be　a　temporary　matter〃　and　he　smoothed　her　arm　tenderly；　speaking　as　a　lover　of　long　standing　might　do　who　is　less　absorbed　with　the　caress　than　with　the　subject　under　discussion。　〃The　motor　will　be　ready　in　a　few　weeksas　soon　as　the　new　batteries　are　finished。　Then；　my　dear；　you　won't　have　to　curtail　your　expenses　as　you　have　done。〃　His　voice　was　full　of　hope　now；　a　smile　lighting　his　face　as　he　thought　of　all　the　pleasure　and　comfort　his　success　would　bring　her。

〃But　you　said　that　same　thing　when　you　were　working　on　the　steam…valve；　for　which　you　put　that　very　mortgage　on　the　farm；　and　now　that's　all　gone　and〃

〃The　failure　of　the　steam…valve；　as　I　have　always　told　you；　was　due　to　my　own　carelessness；　Sallie。　I　should　have　patented　it　sooner。　They　are　making　enormous　sums　on　it；　I　hear；　and　are　using　my　cut…　off；　and　I　think　dishonestly。　But　the　motor　has　been　protected　at　every　new　step　that　I　have　taken。　My　first　patent　of　August　13；　1856；　supersedes　all　others；　and　cannot　be　shaken。　Now；　my　dear；　don't　worry　about　ityou　have　never　known　me　to　fail；　and　I　won't　now。　Besides；　you　forget　my　successes；　Salliethe　turbine　water…wheel　and　the　others。　It　will　all　come；　right。〃

〃It　will　never　come　right。〃　She　had　risen　from　her　seat；　and　was　standing　over；　him；　both　hands　on　his　shoulders；　her　eyes　looking　down　into　his；　her　voice　trembling。　〃Oh；　Richard；　Richard！　Give　up　this　life　of　dreams　you　are　living；　and　go　back　to　your　law…office。　You　always　succeeded　in　the　law。　This　new　career　of　yours　is　ruining　us。　I　can　economize；　　dear；　just　as　I　have　always　done；〃　she　added；　with　another　sudden　change　of　tone；　bending　over　him　and　slipping　her　hand　caressingly　into　his。　〃I　will　do　everything　to　help　you。　I　did　not　mean　to　be　cross　a　moment　ago。　I　was　worried　about　Oliver's　talk。　I　have　been　silent　so　longI　must　speak。　Don't　be　angry；　dear；　but　you　must　keep　the　farm。　I　will　go　myself　and　see　about　the　mortgage　at　the　　bankwe　cannotwe　must　not；　go　on　this　way　we　will　have　nothing　left。〃

He　patted　her　arm　again　in　his　gentle　waynot　to　calm　her　fears；　he　knew　so　well　that　she　was　wrong；　but　to　quiet　the　nerves　that　he　thought　unstrung。

〃But　I　need　this　extra　money　for　some　improvements　　which　I〃

〃Yes；　I　know　you　THINK　so；　but　you　don't；　Richard；　　you　don't？〃　For　Heaven's　sake；　throw　the　motor　out　into　the　street；　and　be　done　with　it。　It　will　ruin　us　all　if　things　go　on　as　they　have　done。〃

The　inventor　raised　his　eyes　quickly。　He　had　never　seen　her　so　disturbed　in　all　their　married　life。　She　had　never　spoken　in　this　way　before。

〃Don't　excite　yourself；　Sallie；〃　he　said；　gravely；　and　with　a　certain　air　of　authority　in　his　manner。　〃You'll　bring　on　one　of　your　headachesit　will　all　come　right。　Come；　my　dear；　let　us　go　into　the　house。　People　are　passing；　and　will　wonder。〃

She　followed　him　back　into　the　drawing…room；　his　hand　still　held　fast　in　hers。

〃Promise　me　one　thing；〃　she　said；　stopping　at　the　door　and　looking　up　into　his　eyes；　〃and　I　won't　say　another　word。　Please　do　nothing　more　about　the　farm　unless　you　let　me　know。　Let　me　think　first　how　I　can　help。　It　will　all　come　out　right；　as　you　say；　but　it　will　be　because　we　will　make　it　come　right；　dear。〃　She　drew　his　face　down　toward　her　with　one　hand　and　kissed　him　tenderly　on　his　cheek。　Then　she　bade　him　good…night　and　resumed　her　seat　by　the　window；　to　watch　for　Oliver's　return。

Try　as　she　would；　she　could　not　banish　her　fears。　The　news　of　Richard's　intention　to　pay　off　the　loan　by　selling　the　farm　had　sent　a　shudder　through　her　heart　such　as　she　had　never　before　experienced；　for　that　which　she　had　dreaded　had　come　to　pass。　Loyal　as　she　had　always　been　to　her　husband；　and　proud　a