options-第39节

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〃Well；　I　should　think　so！〃　said　Ileen。　　〃I've　seen　pictures　of　her　　that　weren't　so　much。　　she　had　an　awfully　long　nose。〃

〃If　I　may　say　so；〃　I　went　on；　〃you　remind　me　of　Cleopatra；　Miss　　Ileen。〃

〃Why；　my　nose　isn't　so　long！〃　said　she；　opening　her　eyes　wide　and　　touching　that　comely　feature　with　a　dimpled　forefinger。

〃WhyerI　mean；〃　said　I〃　I　mean　as　to　mental　endowments。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　she；　and　then　I　got　my　smile　just　as　Bud　and　Jacks　had　got　　theirs。

〃Thank　every　one　of　you；〃　she　said；　very；　very　sweetly；　〃for　being　so　　frank　and　honest　with　me。　　That's　the　way　I　want　you　to　be　always。　　　Just　tell　me　plainly　and　truthfully　what　you　think；　and　we'll　all　be　　the　best　friends　in　the　world。　　And　now；　because　you've　been　so　good　　to　me；　and　understand　so　well　how　I　dislike　people　who　do　nothing　but　　pay　me　exaggerated　compliments；　I'll　sing　and　play　a　little　for　you。〃

Of　course；　we　expressed　our　thanks　and　joy；　but　we　would　have　been　　better　pleased　if　Ileen　had　remained　in　her　low　rocking…chair　face　to　　face　with　us　and　let　us　gaze　upon　her。　　For　she　was　no　Adelina　Patti　not　even　on　the　fare…wellest　of　the　diva's　farewell　tours。　　She　had　a　　cooing　little　voice　like　that　of　a　turtle…dove　that　could　almost　fill　　the　parlor　when　the　windows　and　doors　were　closed；　and　Betty　was　not　　rattling　the　lids　of　the　stove　in　the　kitchen。　　She　had　a　gamut　that　I　　estimate　at　about　eight　inches　on　the　piano；　and　her　runs　and　trills　　sounded　like　the　clothes　bubbling　in　your　grandmother's　iron　wash…pot。　　　Believe　that　she　must　have　been　beautiful　when　I　tell　you　that　it　　sounded　like　music　to　us。

〃She　Must　Have　Been　Beautiful　When　I　Tell　You　That　It　Sounded　Like　　Music　To　Us〃

Ileen's　musical　taste　was　catholic。　　She　would　sing　through　a　pile　of　　sheet　music　on　the　left…hand　top　of　the　piano；　laying　each　slaughtered　　composition　on　the　right…hand　top。　　The　next　evening　she　would　sing　　from　right　to　left。　　Her　favorites　were　Mendelssohn；　and　Moody　and　　Sankey。　　By　request　she　always　wound　up　with　Sweet　Violets　and　When　　the　Leaves　Begin　to　Turn。

When　we　left　at　ten　o'clock　the　three　of　us　would　go　down　to　Jacks'　　little　wooden　station　and　sit　on　the　platform；　swinging　our　feet　and　　trying　to　pump　one　another　for　dews　as　to　which　way　Miss　Ileen's　　inclinations　seemed　to　lean。　　That　is　the　way　of　rivalsthey　do　not　　avoid　and　glower　at　one　another；　they　convene　and　converse　and　　construestriving　by　the　art　politic　to　estimate　the　strength　of　the　　enemy。

One　day　there　came　a　dark　horse　to　Paloma；　a　young　lawyer　who　at　once　　flaunted　his　shingle　and　himself　spectacularly　upon　the　town。　　His　　name　was　C。　Vincent　Vesey。　　You　could　see　at　a　glance　that　he　was　a　　recent　graduate　of　a　southwestern　law　school。　　His　Prince　Albert　coat；　　light　striped　trousers；　broad…brimmed　soft　black　hat；　and　narrow　white　　muslin　bow　tie　proclaimed　that　more　loudly　than　any　diploma　could。　　　Vesey　was　a　compound　of　Daniel　Webster；　Lord　Chesterfield；　Beau　　Brummell；　and　Little　Jack　Horner。　　His　coming　boomed　Paloma。　　The　next　　day　after　he　arrived　an　addition　to　the　town　was　surveyed　and　laid　off　　in　lots。

Of　course；　Vesey；　to　further　his　professional　fortunes；　must　mingle　　with　the　citizenry　and　outliers　of　Paloma。　　And；　as　well　as　with　the　　soldier　men；　he　was　bound　to　seek　popularity　with　the　gay　dogs　of　the　　place。　　So　Jacks　and　Bud　Cunningham　and　I　came　to　be　honored　by　his　　acquaintance。

The　doctrine　of　predestination　would　have　been　discredited　had　not　　Vesey　seen　Ileen　Hinkle　and　become　fourth　in　the　tourney。　　　Magnificently；　he　boarded　at　the　yellow　pine　hotel　instead　of　at　the　　Parisian　Restaurant；　but　he　came　to　be　a　formidable　visitor　in　the　　Hinkle　parlor。　　His　competition　reduced　Bud　to　an　inspired　increase　of　　profanity；　drove　Jacks　to　an　outburst　of　slang　so　weird　that　it　　sounded　more　horrible　than　the　most　trenchant　of　Bud's　imprecations；　　and　made　me　dumb　with　gloom。

For　Vesey　had　the　rhetoric。　　Words　flowed　from　him　like　oil　from　a　　gusher。　　Hyperbole；　compliment；　praise；　appreciation；　honeyed　　gallantry；　golden　opinions；　eulogy；　and　unveiled　panegyric　vied　with　　one　another　for　pre…eminence　in　his　speech。　　We　had　small　hopes　that　　Ileen　could　resist　his　oratory　and　Prince　Albert。

But　a　day　came　that　gave　us　courage。

About　dusk　one　evening　I　was　sitting　on　the　little　gallery　in　front　of　　the　Hinkle　parlor；　waiting　for　Ileen　to　come；　when　I　heard　voices　　inside。　　She　had　come　into　the　room　with　her　father；　and　Old　Man　　Hinkle　began　to　talk　to　her。　　I　had　observed　before　that　he　was　a　　shrewd　man；　and　not　unphilosophic。

〃Ily；〃　said　he；　〃I　notice　there's　three　or　four　young　fellers　that　　have　been　callin'　to　see　you　regular　for　quite　a　while。　　Is　there　any　　one　of　'em　you　like　better　than　another？〃

〃Why；　pa；〃　she　answered；　〃I　like　all　of　'em　very　well。　　I　think　Mr。　　Cuninngham　and　Mr。　Jacks　and　Mr。　Harris　are　very　nice　young　men。　　They　　are　so　frank　and　honest　in　everything　they　say　to　me。　　I　haven't　known　　Mr。　Vesey　very　long；　but　I　think　he's　a　very　nice　young　man；　he's　so　　frank　and　honest　in　everything　he　says　to　me。〃

〃Now；　that's　what　I'm　gittin'　at；〃　says　old　Hinkle。　　〃You've　always　　been　sayin'　you　like　people　what　tell　the　truth　and　don't　go　　humbuggin'　you　with　compliments　and　bogus　talk。　　Now；　suppose　you　make　　a　test　of　these　fellers；　and　see　which　one　of　'em　will　talk　the　　straightest　to　you。〃

〃But　how'll　I　do　it；　pa？〃

〃I'll　tell　you　how。　　You　know　you　sing　a　little　bit；　Ily；　you　took　　music…lessons　nearly　two　years　in　Logansport。　　It　wasn't　long；　but　it　　was　all　we　could　afford　then。　　And　your　teacher　said　you　didn't　have　　any　voice；　and　it　was　a　waste　of　money　to　keep　on。　　Now；　suppose　you　　ask　the　fellers　what　they　think　of　your　singin'；　and　see　what　each　one　　of　'em　tells　you。　　The　man　that　'll　tell　you　the　truth　about　it　'll　　have　a　mighty　lot　of　nerve；　and　'll　do　to　tie　to。　　What　do　you　think　　of　the　plan？〃

〃All　right；　pa；〃　said　Ileen。　　〃I　think　it's　a　good　idea。　　I'll　try　　it。〃

Ileen　and　Mr。　Hinkle　went　out　of　the　room　through　the　inside　doors。　　　Unobserved；　I　hurried　down　to　the　station。　　Jacks　was　at　his　telegraph　　table　waiting　for　eight　o'clock　to　come。　　It　was　Bud's　night　in　town；　　and　when　he　rode　in　I　repeated　the　conversation　to　them　both。　　I　was　　loyal　to　my　rivals；　as　all　true　admirers　of　all　Ileens　should　be。

Simultaneously　the　three　of　us　were　smitten　by　an　uplifting　thought。　　　Surely　this　test　would　eliminate　Vesey　from　the　contest。　　He；　with　his　　unctuous　flattery；　would　be　driven　from　the　lists。　　Well　we　remembered　　Ileen's　love　of　frankness　and　honestyhow　she　treasured　truth　and　　candor　above　vain　compliment　and　blandishment。

Linking　arms；　we　did　a　grotesque　dance　of　joy　up　and　down　the　　platform；　singing　Muldoon　Was　a　Solid　Man　at　the　top　of　our　voices。

That　evening　four　of　the　willow　rocking…chairs　were　filled　besides　the　　lucky　one　that　sustained　the　trim　figure　of　Miss　Hinkle。　　Three　of　us　　awaited　with　suppressed　excitement　the　application　of　the　test。　　It　　was　tried　on　Bud　first。

〃Mr。　Cunningham；〃　said　Ileen；　with　her　dazzling　smile；　after　she　had　　sung　When　the　Leaves　Begin　to　Turn；　〃what　do　you　really　think　of　my　　voice？　　Frankly　and　honestly；　now；　as　you　know　I　want　you　to　always　be　　toward　me。〃

Bud　squirmed　in　his　chair　at　his　chance　to　show　the　sincerity　that　he　　knew　was　required　of　him。

〃Tell　you　the　truth；　Miss　Ileen；〃　he　said；　earnestly；　〃you　ain't　got　　much　more　voice　than　a　weaseljust　a　little　squeak；　you　know。　　Of　　course；　we　all　like　to　hear　you　sing；　for　it's　kind　of　sweet　and　　soothin'　after　all；　and　you　look　most　as　mighty　well　sittin'　on　the　　piano…stool　as　you　do　faced　around。　　But　as　for　real　singin'I　reckon　　you　couldn't　call　it　that。〃

I　looked　closely　at　Ileen　to　see　if　Bud　had　overdone　his　frankness；　　but　her　pleased　smile　and　sweetly　spoken　thanks　assured　me　that　we　　were　on　the　right　track。

〃And　what　do　you　think；　Mr。　Jacks？〃　she　asked　next。　〃Take　it　from　me；〃　said　Jacks；　〃you　ain't　in　the　prima　donna　class。　　　I've　heard　'em　warble　in　every　city　in　the　United　States；　and　I　tell　　you　your　vocal　output　don't　go。　　Otherwise；　you've　got　the　grand　opera　　bunch　sent　to　the　soap　factoryin　looks；　I　mean；　for　the　high　　screechers　generally　look　like　Mary　Ann　on　her　Thursday　out。　　But　nix　　for　the　gargle　work。　　Your　epiglottis　ain't　a　real　side…stepperits　　footwork　ain't　good。〃

With　a　merry　laugh　at　Jacks'　criticism；　Ileen　looked　inquiringly　at　　me。

I　admit　that　I　faltered　a　little。　　Was　there　not　such　a　thing　as　being　　too　frank？　　Perhaps　I　even　hedged　a　little　in　my　verdict；　but　I　stayed　　with　the　critics。

〃I　am　not　skilled　in　scientific　music；　Miss　Ileen；〃　I　said；　〃but；　　frankly；　I　cannot　praise　very　highly　the　singing…voice　that　Nature　has　　given　you。　　It　has　long　been　a　favorite　comparison　that　a　great　singer　　sings　like　a　bird。　　Well；　there　are　birds　and　birds。　　I　would　say　that　　your　voice　reminds　me　of　the　thrush'sthroaty　and　not　strong；　nor　of　　much　compass　or　varietybut　stillersweetineritsway；　and　er〃

〃Thank　you；　Mr。　　Harris；〃　interrupted　Miss　Hinkle。　　〃I　knew　I　could　　depend　Upon　your　frankness　and　honesty。〃

And　then　C。　Vincent　Vesey　drew　back　one　sleeve　from　his　snowy　cuff；　　and　the　water　came　down　at　Lo