the riverman-第24章

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a　chance　to　get　the　general's　attention。　　〃Spare　us；　father；〃　she　

said　brusquely。　　〃Will　you　have　another　cup　of　coffee？〃



The　old　gentleman；　arrested　in　mid…career；　swallowed；　looked　a　

trifle　bewildered；　but　subsided　meekly。



〃No；　thank　you；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　and　went　furiously　at　his　

breakfast。



Orde；　overwhelmed　by　embarrassment；　discovered　that　none　of　the　

others　had　paid　the　incident　the　slightest　attention。　　Only　on　the　

lips　of　Gerald　Bishop　he　surprised　a　fine；　detached　smile。



At　this　moment　the　butler　entered　bearing　the　mail。　　Mrs。　Bishop　

tore　hers　open　rapidly；　dropping　the　mangled　envelopes　at　her　side。　　

The　contents　of　one　seemed　to　vex　her。



〃Oh！〃　she　cried　aloud。　　〃That　miserable　Marie！　　She　promised　me　to　

have　it　done　to…day；　and　now　she　puts　it　off　until　Monday。　　It's　too　

provoking！〃　　She　turned　to　Orde　for　sympathy。　　〃Do　you　know　ANYTHING　

more　aggravating　than　to　work　and　slave　to　the　limit　of　endurance；　

and　then　have　everything　upset　by　the　stupidity　of　some　one　else？〃



Orde　murmured　an　appropriate　reply；　to　which　Mrs。　Bishop　paid　no　

attention　whatever。　　She　started　suddenly　up　from　the　table。



〃I　must　see　about　it！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　plainly　see　I　shall　have　to　do　

it　myself。　　I　WILL　do　it　myself。　　I　promised　it　for　Sunday。〃



〃You　mustn't　do　another　stitch；　mother；〃　put　in　Carroll　Bishop　

decidedly。　　〃You　know　what　the　doctor　told　you。　　You'll　have　

yourself　down　sick。〃



〃Well；　see　for　yourself！〃　cried　Mrs。　　Bishop。　　〃That's　what　comes　of　

leaving　things　to　others！　　If　I'd　done　it　myself；　it　would　have　

saved　me　all　this　bother　and　fuss；　and　it　would　have　been　done。　　And　

now　I've　got　to　do　it　anyway。〃



〃My　dear；〃　put　in　the　general；　〃perhaps　Carroll　can　see　Marie　about　

it。　　In　any　case；　there's　nothing　to　work　yourself　up　into　such　an　

excitement　about。〃



〃It's　very　easy　for　you　to　talk；　isn't　it？〃　cried　Mrs。　Bishop；　

turning　on　him。　　〃I　like　the　way　you　all　sit　around　like　lumps　and　

do　nothing；　and　then　tell　me　how　I　ought　to　have　done　it。　　John；　

have　the　carriage　around　at　once。〃　　She　turned　tensely　to　Orde。　　〃I　

hope　you'll　excuse　me；〃　she　said　very　briefly；　〃I　have　something　

very　important　to　attend　to。〃



Carroll　had　also　risen。　　Orde　held　out　his　hand。



〃I　must　be　going；〃　said　he。



〃Well；〃　she　conceded；　〃I　suppose　I'd　better　see　if　I　can't　help　

mother　out。　　But　you'll　come　in　again。　　Come　and　dine　with　us　this　

evening。　　Mother　will　be　delighted。〃



As　Mrs。　Bishop　had　departed　from　the　room；　Orde　had　to　take　for　

granted　the　expression　of　this　delight。　　He　bowed　to　the　other　

occupants　of　the　table。　　The　general　was　eating　nervously。　　Gerald's　

eyes　were　fixed　amusedly　on　Orde。



To　Orde's　surprise；　he　was　almost　immediately　joined　on　the　street　

by　young　Mr。　Bishop；　most　correctly　appointed。



〃Going　anywhere　in　particular？〃　he　inquired。　　〃Let's　go　up　the　

avenue；　then。　　Everybody　will　be　out。〃



They　turned　up　the　great　promenade；　a　tour　of　which　was　then；　even　

more　than　now；　considered　obligatory　on　the　gracefully　idle。　　

Neither　said　anythingOrde　because　he　was　too　absorbed　in　the　

emotions　this　sudden　revelation　of　Carroll's　environment　had　aroused　

in　him；　Gerald；　apparently；　because　he　was　too　indifferent。　　

Nevertheless　it　was　the　young　exquisite　who　finally　broke　the　

silence。



〃It　was　an　altar　cloth；〃　said　he　suddenly。



〃What？〃　asked　Orde；　rather　bewildered。



〃Mother　is　probably　the　most　devout　woman　in　New　York；〃　went　on　

Gerald's　even　voice。　　〃She　is　one　of　the　hardest　workers　in　the　

church。　　She　keeps　all　the　fast　days；　and　attends　all　the　services。　　

Although　she　has　no　strength　to　speak　of；　she　has　just　completed　an　

elaborate　embroidered　altar　cloth。　　The　work　she　accomplished　while　

on　her　knees。　　Often　she　spent　five　or　six　hours　a　day　in　that　

position。　　It　was　very　devout；　but　against　the　doctor's　orders；　and　

she　is　at　present　much　pulled　down。　　Finally　she　gave　way　to　

persuasion　to　the　extent　of　sending　the　embroidery　out　to　be　bound　

and　corded。　　As　a　result；　the　altar　cloth　will　not　be　done　for　next　

Sunday。〃



He　delivered　this　statement　in　a　voice　absolutely　colourless；　

without　the　faintest　trace　discernible　of　either　approval　or　

disapproval；　without　the　slightest　irony；　yet　Orde　felt　vaguely　

uncomfortable。



〃It　must　have　been　annoying　to　her；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃and　I　hope　

she　will　get　it　done　in　time。　　Perhaps　Miss　Bishop　will　be　able　to　

do　it。〃



〃That；〃　said　Gerald；　〃is　Madison　Squareor　perhaps　you　know　New　

York？　　My　sister　would；　of　course；　be　only　too　glad　to　finish　the　

work；　but　I　fear　that　my　mother's　peculiarly　ardent　temperament　will　

now　insist　on　her　own　accomplishment　of　the　task。　　But　perhaps　you　

do　not　understand　temperaments？〃



〃Very　little；　I'm　afraid；〃　confessed　Orde。



They　walked　on　for　some　distance　farther。



〃Your　father　was　in　the　Mexican　War？〃　said　Orde；　to　change　the　trend　

of　his　own　thoughts。



〃He　was　a　most　distinguished　officer。　　I　believe　he　received　the　

Medal　of　Honour　for　a　part　in　the　affair　of　the　Molina　del　Rey。〃



〃What　command　had　he　in　the　Civil　War？〃　asked　Orde。　　〃I　fooled　

around　the　outskirts　of　that　a　little　myself。〃



〃My　father　resigned　from　the　army　in　'54；〃　replied　Gerald；　with　his　

cool；　impersonal　courtesy。



〃That　was　too　bad；　just　before　the　chance　for　more　service；〃　said　

Orde。



〃Army　life　was　incompatible　with　my　mother's　temperament；〃　stated　

Gerald。



Orde　said　nothing　more。　　It　was　Gerald's　turn　to　end　the　pause。



〃You　are　from　Redding；　of　course；〃　said　he。　　〃My　sister　is　very　

enthusiastic　about　the　place。　　You　are　in　business　there？〃



Orde　replied　briefly；　but；　forced　by　the　direct；　cold；　and　polite　

cross…questioning　of　his　companion；　he　gave　the　latter　a　succinct　

idea　of　the　sort　of　operations　in　which　he　was　interested。



〃And　you；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I　suppose　you're　either　a　broker　or　

lawyer；　most　men　are　down　here。〃



〃I　am　neither　one　nor　the　other；〃　stated　Gerald。　　〃I　am　possessed　of　

a　sufficient　income　from　a　legacy　to　make　business　unnecessary。〃



〃I　don't　believe　I'd　care　tobe　idle；〃　said　Orde　vaguely。



〃There　is　plenty　to　occupy　one's　time；〃　replied　Gerald。　　〃I　have　my　

clubs；　my　gymnasium；　my　horse；　and　my　friends。〃



〃Isn't　there　anything　that　particularly　attracts　you？〃　asked　Orde。



The　young　man's　languid　eyes　grew　thoughtful；　and　he　puffed　more　

strongly　on　his　cigarette。



〃I　should　like；〃　said　he　slowly；　at　last；　〃to　enter　the　navy。〃



〃Why　don't　you？〃　asked　Orde　bluntly。



〃Certain　family　reasons　make　it　inexpedient　at　present；〃　said　

Gerald。　　〃My　mother　is　in　a　very　nervous　state；　she　depends　on　us；　

and　any　hint　of　our　leaving　her　is　sufficient　to　render　her　

condition　serious。〃



By　this　time　the　two　young　men　were　well　uptown。　　On　Gerald's　

initiative；　they　turned　down　a　side　street；　and　shortly　came　to　a　

stop。



〃That　is　my　gymnasium；〃　said　Gerald；　pointing　to　a　building　across　

the　way。　　〃Won't　you　come　in　with　me？　　I　am　due　now　for　my　

practice。〃







XVII





Orde's　evening　was　a　disappointment　to　him。　　Mrs。　Bishop　had；　by　

Carroll's　report；　worked　feverishly　at　the　altar　cloth　all　the　

afternoon。　　As　a　consequence；　she　had　gone　to　bed　with　a　bad　

headache。　　This　state　of　affairs　seemed　to　throw　the　entire　family　

into　a　state　of　indecision。　　It　was　divided　in　mind　as　to　what　to　

do；　the　absolute　inutility　of　any　effort　balancing　strongly　against　

a　sense　of　what　the　invalid　expected。



〃I　wonder　if　mother　wouldn't　like　just　a　taste　of　this　beef；〃　

speculated　the　general；　moving　fussily　in　his　chair。　　〃I　believe　

somebody　ought　to　take　some　up。　　She　MIGHT　want　it。〃



The　man　departed　with　the　plate；　but　returned　a　few　moments　later；　

impassivebut　still　with　the　plate。



〃Has　she　got　her　hot…water　bag？〃　asked　the　boy　unexpectedly。



〃Yes；　Master　Kendrick；〃　replied　the　butler。



After　a　preoccupied　silence　the　general　again　broke　out：



〃Seems　to　me　somebody　ought　to　be　up　there　with　her。〃



〃You　know；　father；　that　she　can't　stand　any　one　in　the　room；〃　said　

Carroll　equably。



Toward　the　close　of　the　meal；　however；　a　distant　bell　tinkled　

faintly。　　Every　one　jumped　as　though　guilty。　　Carroll　said　a　hasty　

excuse　and　ran　out。　　After　ringing　the　bell；　the　invalid　had　

evidently　anticipated　its　answer　by　emerging　from　her　room　to　the　

head　of　the　stairs；　for　Orde　caught　the　sharp　tones　of　complaint；　

and　overheard　something　about　〃take　all　night　to　eat　a　simple　meal；　

when　I'm　lying　here　suffering。〃



At　the　end　of　an　interval　a　maid　appeared　in　the　doorway　to　say　that　

Miss　Carroll　sent　word　she　would　not　be　down　again　for　a　time；　and　

did　not　care　for　any　more　dinner。　　This　seemed　to　relieve　the　

general's　mind　of　responsibility。　　He　assumed　his　little　fussy　air　

of　cheerfulness；　told　several　stories　of　the　war；　and　finally；　after　

Kendrick　had　left；　brought　out　some　whisky　and　water。　　He　winked　

slyly　at　Orde。



〃Can't　do　this　before　the　youngsters；　you　know；〃　he　chirruped　

craftily。



Throughout　the　meal　Gerald　had　sat　back　silent；　a　faint　amusement　in　

his　eye。　　After　dinner　he　arose；　yawned；　consulted　his　watch；　and　

departed；　pleading　an　engagement。　　Orde　lingered　some　time；　

listening　to　the　general；　in　the　hope　that　Carroll　would　reappear。　　

She　did　not；　so　finally　he　took　his　leave。



He　trudged　back　to　his　hotel　gloomily。　　The　day　had　passed　in　a　most　

unsatisfactory　manner；　according　to　his　way　of　looking　at　it。　　Yet　

he　had　come　more　clearly　to　an　understanding　of　the　girl；　her　

cheerfulness；　her　unselfishness；　and；　above　all；　the　sweet；　

beautiful　philosophy　of　life　that　must　lie　back；　to　render　her　so　

uncomplainingly　the　slave　of　the　self…willed　woman；　yet　without　the　

indifferent　cynicism　of　Gerald；　the　sullen；　yet　real；　partisanship　

of　Kendrick；　or　the　general's　week…kneed　acquiescence。



The　next　morning　he　succeeded　in　making　an　arrangement　by　letter　for　

an　excursion　to　the　newly　projected　Central　Park。　　Promptly　at　two　

o'clock　he　was　at　the　Bishops'　house。　　To　his　inquiry　the　butler　

said　that　Mrs。　Bishop　had　recovered　from　her　indisposition；　and　that　

Miss　Bishop　would　be　down　immediately。　　Orde　had　not　long　to　wait　

for　her。　　The　SWISH；　PAT…PAT　of　her　joyous　descent　of　the　stairs　

brought　him　to　his　feet。　　She　swept　aside　the　portieres；　and　stood　

between　their　folds；　bidding　him　welcome。



〃I'm　so　sorry　about　last　night；〃　said　she；　〃but　poor　mother　does　

depend　on　me　so　at　such　times。　　Isn't　it　a　gorgeous　day　to　walk？　　It　

won't　be　much　like　OUR　woods；　will　it？　　But　it　will　be　something。　　

OH；　I'm　so　glad　to　get　out！〃



She　was　in　one　of　her　elfish　moods；　the　languid　grace　of　her　sleepy…

eyed　moments　forgotten。　　With　a　little　cry　of　rapture　she　ran　to　the