the american claimant-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


I　suppose；　and　I　might　disintegrate　him。　　I'll　just　put　a　sly　question　or
two　at　him；　now；　and　see　if　I　can　find　out　what　his　condition　is；　and
where　he's　from。〃

He　approached　and　said　affably：

〃Don't　let　me　disturb　you；　Mr。　　Tracy；　I　only　want　to　take　a　little
glimpse　of　your　work。　　Ah；　that's　finethat's　very　fine　indeed。　　You　are
doing　it　elegantly。　　My　daughter　will　be　charmed　with　this。　　May　I　sit
down　by　you？〃

〃Oh；　do；　I　shall　be　glad。〃

〃It　won't　disturb　you？　　I　mean；　won't　dissipate　your　inspirations？〃

Tracy　laughed　and　said　they　were　not　ethereal　enough　to　be　very　easily
discommoded。

The　colonel　asked　a　number　of　cautious　and　well…considered　questions
questions　which　seemed　pretty　odd　and　flighty　to　Tracybut　the　answers
conveyed　the　information　desired；　apparently；　for　the　colonel　said　to
himself；　with　mixed　pride　and　gratification：

〃It's　a　good　job　as　far　as　I've　got；　with　it。　　He's　solid。　　Solid　and
going　to　last；　solid　as　the　real　thing。

It's　wonderfulwonderful。　　I　believe　I　couldpetrify　him。〃　　After　a
little　he　asked；　warily　〃Do　you　prefer　being　here；　oror　there？〃

〃There？　　Where？〃

〃Whyerwhere　you've　been？〃

Tracy's　thought　flew　to　his　boarding…house；　and　he　answered　with　decision

〃Oh；　here；　much！〃

The　colonel　was　startled；　and　said　to　himself；　〃There's　no　uncertain　ring
about　that。　　It　indicates　where　he's　been　to；　poor　fellow。　　Well；　I　am
satisfied；　now。　　I'm　glad　I　got　him　out。〃

He　sat　thinking；　and　thinking；　and　watching　the　brush　go。　　At　length　he
said　to　himself；　〃Yes；　it　certainly　seems　to　account　for　the　failure　of
my　endeavors　in　poor　Berkeley's　case。　　He　went　in　the　other　direction。
Well；　it's　all　right。　　He's　better　off。〃

Sally　Sellers　entered　from　the　street；　now；　looking　her　divinest；　and　the
artist　was　introduced　to　her。　　It　was　a　violent　case　of　mutual　love　at
first　sight；　though　neither　party　was　entirely　aware　of　the　fact；
perhaps。　　The　Englishman　made　this　irrelevant　remark　to　himself；　〃Perhaps
he　is　not　insane；　after　all。〃　　Sally　sat　down；　and　showed　an　interest　in
Tracy's　work　which　greatly　pleased　him；　and　a　benevolent　forgiveness　of
it　which　convinced　him　that　the　girl's　nature　was　cast　in　a　large　mould。
Sellers　was　anxious　to　report　his　discoveries　to　Hawkins；　so　he　took　his
leave；　saying　that　if　the　two　〃young　devotees　of　the　colored　Muse〃
thought　they　could　manage　without　him；　he　would　go　and　look　after　his
affairs。　　The　artist　said　to　himself；　〃I　think　he　is　a　little　eccentric；
perhaps；　but　that　is　all。〃　　He　reproached　himself　for　having　injuriously
judged　a　man　without　giving　him　any　fair　chance　to　show　what　he　really
was。

Of　course　the　stranger　was　very　soon　at　his　ease　and　chatting　along
comfortably。　　The　average　American　girl　possesses　the　valuable　qualities
of　naturalness；　honesty；　and　inoffensive　straightforwardness；　she　is
nearly　barren　of　troublesome　conventions　and　artificialities；
consequently　her　presence　and　her　ways　are　unembarrassing；　and　one　is
acquainted　with　her　and　on　the　pleasantest　terms　with　her　before　he　knows
how　it　came　about。　　This　new　acquaintanceshipfriendship；　indeed
progressed　swiftly；　and　the　unusual　swiftness　of　it；　and　the　thoroughness
of　it　are　sufficiently　evidenced　and　established　by　one　noteworthy　fact
that　within　the　first　half　hour　both　parties　had　ceased　to　be　conscious
of　Tracy's　clothes。　　Later　this　consciousness　was　re…awakened；　it　was
then　apparent　to　Gwendolen　that　she　was　almost　reconciled　to　them；　and　it
was　apparent　to　Tracy　that　he　wasn't。　　The　re…awakening　was　brought　about
by　Gwendolen's　inviting　the　artist　to　stay　to　dinner。　　He　had　to　decline；
because　he　wanted　to　live；　nowthat　is；　now　that　there　was　something　to
live　forand　he　could　not　survive　in　those　clothes　at　a　gentleman's
table。　　He　thought　he　knew　that。　　But　he　went　away　happy；　for　he　saw　that
Gwendolen　was　disappointed。

And　whither　did　he　go？　　He　went　straight　to　a　slopshop　and　bought　as　neat
and　reasonably　well…fitting　a　suit　of　clothes　as　an　Englishman　could　be
persuaded　to　wear。　　He　saidto　himself；　but　at　his　conscience〃I　know
it's　wrong；　but　it　would　be　wrong　not　to　do　it；　and　two　wrongs　do　not
make　a　right。〃

This　satisfied　him；　and　made　his　heart　light。　　Perhaps　it　will　also
satisfy　the　readerif　he　can　make　out　what　it　means。

The　old　people　were　troubled　about　Gwendolen　at　dinner；　because　she　was
so　distraught　and　silent。　　If　they　had　noticed；　they　would　have　found
that　she　was　sufficiently　alert　and　interested　whenever　the　talk　stumbled
upon　the　artist　and　his　work；　but　they　didn't　notice；　and　so　the　chat
would　swap　around　to　some　other　subject；　and　then　somebody　would
presently　be　privately　worrying　about　Gwendolen　again；　and　wondering　if
she　were　not　well；　or　if　something　had　gone　wrong　in　the　millinery　line。
Her　mother　offered　her　various　reputable　patent　medicines；　and　tonics
with　iron　and　other　hardware　in　them；　and　her　father　even　proposed　to
send　out　for　wine；　relentless　prohibitionist　and　head　of　the　order　in　the
District　of　Columbia　as　he　was；　but　these　kindnesses　were　all　declined
thankfully；　but　with　decision。　　At　bedtime；　when　the　family　were　breaking
up　for　the　night；　she　privately　looted　one　of　the　brushes；　saying　to
herself；　〃It's　the　one　he　has　used；　the　most。〃

The　next　morning　Tracy　went　forth　wearing　his　new　suit；　and　equipped　with
a　pink　in　his　button…holea　daily　attention　from　Puss。　　His　whole　soul
was　full　of　Gwendolen　Sellers；　and　this　condition　was　an　inspiration；
art…wise。　　All　the　morning　his　brush　pawed　nimbly　away　at　the　canvases；
almost　without　his　awarityawarity；　in　this　sense　being　the　sense　of
being　aware；　though　disputed　by　some　authoritiesturning　out　marvel　upon
marvel；　in　the　way　of　decorative　accessories　to　the　portraits；　with　a
felicity　and　celerity　which　amazed　the　veterans　of　the　firm　and　fetched
out　of　them　continuous　explosions　of　applause。

Meantime　Gwendolen　was　losing　her　morning；　and　many　dollars。　　She
supposed　Tracy　was　coming　in　the　forenoona　conclusion　which　she　had
jumped　to　without　outside　help。　　So　she　tripped　down　stairs　every　little
while　from　her　work…parlor　to　arrange　the　brushes　and　things　over　again；
and　see　if　he　had　arrived。　　And　when　she　was　in　her　work…parlor　it　was
not　profitable；　but　just　the　other　wayas　she　found　out　to　her　sorrow。

She　had　put　in　her　idle　moments　during　the　last　little　while　back；　in
designing　a　particularly　rare　and　capable　gown　for　herself；　and　this
morning　she　set　about　making　it　up；　but　she　was　absent　minded；　and　made
an　irremediable　botch　of　it。　　When　she　saw　what　she　had　done；　she　knew
the　reason　of　it　and　the　meaning　of　it；　and　she　put　her　work　away　from
her　and　said　she　would　accept　the　sign。　　And　from　that　time　forth　she
came　no　more　away　from　the　Audience　Chamber；　but　remained　there　and
waited。　　After　luncheon　she　waited　again。　　A　whole　hour。　　Then　a　great
joy　welled　up　in　her　heart；　for　she　saw　him　coming。　　So　she　flew　back　up
stairs　thankful；　and　could　hardly　wait　for　him　to　miss　the　principal
brush；　which　she　had　mislaid　down　there；　but　knew　where　she　had　mislaid
it。　　However；　all　in　good　time　the　others　were　called　in　and　couldn't
find　the　brush；　and　then　she　was　sent　for；　and　she　couldn't　find　it
herself　for　some　little　time；　but　then　she　found　it　when　the　others　had
gone　away　to　hunt　in　the　kitchen　and　down　cellar　and　in　the　woodshed；
and　all　those　other　places　where　people　look　for　things　whose　ways　they
are　not　familiar　with。　　So　she　gave　him　the　brush；　and　remarked　that　she
ought　to　have　seen　that　everything　was　ready　for　him；　but　it　hadn't
seemed　necessary；　because　it　was　so　early　that　she　wasn't　expectingbut
she　stopped　there；　surprised　at　herself　for　what　she　was　saying；　and　he
felt　caught　and　ashamed；　and　said　to　himself；　〃I　knew　my　impatience　would
drag　me　here　before　I　was　expected；　and　betray　me；　and　that　is　just　what
it　has　done；　she　sees　straight　through　meand　is　laughing　at　me；　inside；
of　course。〃

Gwendolen　was　very　much　pleased；　on　one　account；　and　a　little　the　other
way　in　another；　pleased　with　the　new　clothes　and　the　improvement　which
they　had　achieved；　less　pleased　by　the　pink　in　the　buttonhole。
Yesterday's　pink　had　hardly　interested　her；　this　one　was　just　like　it；
but　somehow　it　had　got　her　immediate　attention；　and　kept　it。　　She　wished
she　could　think　of　some　way　of　getting　at　its　history　in　a　properly
colorless　and　indifferent　way。　　Presently　she　made　a　venture。　　She　said：

〃Whatever　a　man's　age　may　be；　he　can　reduce　it　several　years　by　putting　a
bright…colored　flower　in　his　button…hole。　　I　have　often　noticed　that。
Is　that　your　sex's　reason　for　wearing　a　boutonniere？〃

〃I　fancy　not；　but　certainly　that　reason　would　be　a　sufficient　one。　　I've
never　heard　of　the　idea　before。〃

〃You　seem　to　prefer　pinks。　　Is　it　on　account　of　the　color；　or　the　form？〃

〃Oh　no；〃　he　said；　simply；　〃they　are　given　to　me。　　I　don't　think　I　have
any　preference。〃

〃They　are　given　to　him；〃　she　said　to　herself；　and　she　felt　a　coldness
toward　that　pink。　　〃I　wonder　who　it　is；　and　what　she　is　like。〃　　The
flower　began　to　take　up　a　good　deal　of　room；　it　obtruded　itself
everywhere；　it　intercepted　all　views；　and　marred　them；　it　was　becoming
exceedingly　annoying　and　conspicuous　for　a　little　thing。　　〃I　wonder　if　he
cares　for　her。〃　　That　thought　gave　her　a　quite　definite　pain。




CHAPTER　XXI。

She　had　made　everything　comfortable　for　the　artist；　there　was　no　further
pretext　for　staying。　　So　she　said　she　would　go；　now；　and　asked　him　to
summon　the　servants　in　case　he　should　need　anything。　　She　went　away
unhappy；　and　she　left　unhappiness　behind　her；　for　she　carried　away　all
the　sunshine。　　The　time　dragged　heavily　for　both；　now。　　He　couldn't　paint
for　thinking　of　her；　she　couldn't　design　or　millinerize　with　any　heart；
for　thinking　of　him。　　Never　before　had　painting　seemed　so　empty　to　him；
never　before　had　millinerizing　seemed　so　void　of　interest　to　her。　　She
had　gone　without　repeating　that　dinner…invitationan　almost　unendurable
disappointment　to　him。　　On　her　part…well；　she　was　suffering；　too；　for　she
had　found　she　couldn't　invite　him。　　It　was　not　hard　yesterday；　but　it　was
impossible　to…day。　　A　thousand　innocent　privileges　seemed　to　have　been
filched　from　her　unawares　in　the　past　twenty…four　hours。　　To…day　she　felt
strangely　hampered；　restrained　of　her　liberty。　　To…day　she　couldn't
propose　to　herself　to　do　anything　or　say　anything　concerning　this　young
man　without　being　instantly　paralyzed　into　non…action　by　the　fear　that　he
might　〃suspect。〃　　Invite　him　to　dinner　to…day？　　It　made　her　shiver　to
think　of　it。

And　so　her　afternoon　was　one　long　fret。　　Broken　at　intervals。　　Three
times　she　had　to　go　down　stairs　on　errandsthat　is；　she　thought　she　had
to　go　down　stairs　on　errands。　　Thus；　going　and　coming；　she　had　six
glimpses　of　him；　in　the　aggregate；　without　seeming　to　look　in　his
direction；　and　she　tried　to　endure　these　electric　ecstasies　without
showing　any　sign；　but　they　fluttered　her　up　a　good　deal；　and　she　felt
that　the　naturalness　she　was　putting　on　was　overdone　and　quite　too
frantically　sober　and　hysterically　calm　to　deceive。

The　painter　had　his　share　of　the　rapture；　he　had　his　six　glimpses；　and
they　sm