the queen of hearts-第61章

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slightly　acquainted　with　each　other。　Perhaps　we　should　have　got
on　better　if　there　had　been　some　ladies　among　us；　but　the　master
of　the　house　was　a　bachelor；　and；　except　the　parlor…maids　who
assisted　in　waiting　on　us　at　dinner；　no　daughter　of　Eve　was
present　to　brighten　the　dreary　scene。

We　tried　all　sorts　of　subjects；　but　they　dropped　one　after　the
other。　The　elder　gentlemen　seemed　to　be　afraid　of　committing
themselves　by　talking　too　freely　within　hearing　of　us　juniors；
and　we；　on　our　side；　restrained　our　youthful　flow　of　spirits　and
youthful　freedom　of　conversation　out　of　deference　to　our　host；
who　seemed　once　or　twice　to　be　feeling　a　little　nervous　about　the
continued　propriety　of　our　behavior　in　the　presence　of　his
respectable　guests。　To　make　matters　worse；　we　had　dined　at　a
sensible　hour。　When　the　bottles　made　their　first　round　at
dessert；　the　clock　on　the　mantel…piece　only　struck　eight。　I
counted　the　strokes；　and　felt　certain；　from　the　expression　of　his
face；　that　the　other　junior　guest；　who　sat　on　one　side　of　me　at
the　round　table；　was　counting　them　also。　When　we　came　to　the
final　eight；　we　exchanged　looks　of　despair。　〃Two　hours　more　of
this！　What　on　earth　is　to　become　of　us？〃　In　the　language　of　the
eyes；　that　was　exactly　what　we　said　to　each　other。

The　wine　was　excellent；　and　I　think　we　all　came　separately　and
secretly　to　the　same　conclusionthat　our　chance　of　getting
through　the　evening　was　intimately　connected　with　our　resolution
in　getting　through　the　bottles。

As　a　matter　of　course；　we　talked　wine。　No　company　of　Englishmen
can　assemble　together　for　an　evening　without　doing　that。　Every
man　in　this　country　who　is　rich　enough　to　pay　income…tax　has　at
one　time　or　other　in　his　life　effected　a　very　remarkable
transaction　in　wine。　Sometimes　he　has　made　such　a　bargain　as　he
never　expects　to　make　again。　Sometimes　he　is　the　only　man　in
England；　not　a　peer　of　the　realm；　who　has　got　a　single　drop　of　a
certain　famous　vintage　which　has　perished　from　the　face　of　the
earth。　Sometimes　he　has　purchased；　with　a　friend；　a　few　last　left
dozens　from　the　cellar　of　a　deceased　potentate；　at　a　price　so
exorbitant　that　he　can　only　wag　his　head　and　decline　mentioning
it；　and；　if　you　ask　his　friend；　that　friend　will　wag　his　head；
and　decline　mentioning　it　also。　Sometimes　he　has　been　at　an
out…of…the…way　country　inn；　has　found　the　sherry　not　drinkable；
has　asked　if　there　is　no　other　wine　in　the　house；　has　been
informed　that　there　is　some　〃sourish　foreign　stuff　that　nobody
ever　drinks〃；　has　called　for　a　bottle　of　it；　has　found　it
Burgundy；　such　as　all　France　cannot　now　produce；　has　cunningly
kept　his　own　counsel　with　the　widowed　landlady；　and　has　bought
the　whole　stock　for　〃an　old　song。〃　Sometimes　he　knows　the
proprietor　of　a　famous　tavern　in　London；　and　he　recommends　his
one　or　two　particular　friends；　the　next　time　they　are　passing
that　way；　to　go　in　and　dine；　and　give　his　compliments　to　the
landlord；　and　ask　for　a　bottle　of　the　brown　sherry；　with　the
light　blueas　distinguished　from　the　dark　blueseal。　Thousands
of　people　dine　there　every　year；　and　think　they　have　got　the
famous　sherry　when　they　get　the　dark　blue　seal；　but　the　real
wine；　the　famous　wine；　is　the　light　blue　seal；　and　nobody　in
England　knows　it　but　the　landlord　and　his　friends。　In　all　these
wine…conversations；　whatever　variety　there　may　be　in　the　various
experiences　related；　one　of　two　great　first　principles　is
invariably　assumed　by　each　speaker　in　succession。　Either　he　knows
more　about　it　than　any　one　else；　or　he　has　got　better　wine　of　his
own　even　than　the　excellent　wine　he　is　now　drinking。　Men　can　get
together　sometimes　without　talking　of　women；　without　talking　of
horses；　without　talking　of　politics；　but　they　cannot　assemble　to
eat　a　meal　together　without　talking　of　wine；　and　they　cannot　talk
of　wine　without　assuming　to　each　one　of　themselves　an　absolute
infallibility　in　connection　with　that　single　subject　which　they
would　shrink　from　asserting　in　relation　to　any　other　topic　under
the　sun。

How　long　the　inevitable　wine…talk　lasted　on　the　particular　social
occasion　of　which　I　am　now　writing　is　more　than　I　can　undertake
to　say。　I　had　heard　so　many　other　conversations　of　the　same　sort
at　so　many　other　tables　that　my　attention　wandered　away　wearily；
and　I　began　to　forget　all　about　the　dull　little　dinner…party　and
the　badly…assorted　company　of　guests　of　whom　I　formed　one。　How
long　I　remained　in　this　not　over…courteous　condition　of　mental
oblivion　is　more　than　I　can　tell；　but　when　my　attention　was
recalled；　in　due　course　of　time；　to　the　little　world　around　me；　I
found　that　the　good　wine　had　begun　to　do　its　good　office。

The　stream　of　talk　on　either　side　of　the　host's　chair　was　now
beginning　to　flow　cheerfully　and　continuously；　the
wine…conversation　had　worn　itself　out；　and　one　of　the　elder
guestsMr。　Wendellwas　occupied　in　telling　the　other　guestMr。
Trowbridgeof　a　small　fraud　which　had　lately　been　committed　on
him　by　a　clerk　in　his　employment。　The　first　part　of　the　story　I
missed　altogether。　The　last　part；　which　alone　caught　my
attention；　followed　the　career　of　the　clerk　to　the　dock　of　the
Old　Bailey。

〃So；　as　I　was　telling　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Wendell；　〃I　made　up　my
mind　to　prosecute；　and　I　did　prosecute。　Thoughtless　people　blamed
me　for　sending　the　young　man　to　prison；　and　said　I　might　just　as
well　have　forgiven　him；　seeing　that　the　trifling　sum　of　money　I
had　lost　by　his　breach　of　trust　was　barely　as　much　as　ten　pounds。
Of　course；　personally　speaking；　I　would　much　rather　not　have　gone
into　court；　but　I　considered　that　my　duty　to　society　in　general；
and　to　my　brother　merchants　in　particular；　absolutely　compelled
me　to　prosecute　for　the　sake　of　example。　I　acted　on　that
principle；　and　I　don't　regret　that　I　did　so。　The　circumstances
under　which　the　man　robbed　me　were　particularly　disgraceful。　He
was　a　hardened　reprobate；　sir；　if　ever　there　was　one　yet；　and　I
believe；　in　my　conscience；　that　he　wanted　nothing　but　the
opportunity　to　be　as　great　a　villain　as　Fauntleroy　himself。〃

At　the　moment　when　Mr。　Wendell　personified　his　idea　of　consummate
villainy　by　quoting　the　example　of　Fauntleroy；　I　saw　the　other
middle…aged　gentlemanMr。　Trowbridgecolor　up　on　a　sudden；　and
begin　to　fidget　in　his　chair。

〃The　next　time　you　want　to　produce　an　instance　of　a　villain；
sir；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge；　〃I　wish　you　could　contrive　to　quote
some　other　example　than　Fauntleroy。〃

Mr。　Wendell　naturally　enough　looked　excessively　astonished　when
he　heard　these　words；　which　were　very　firmly　and；　at　the　same
time；　very　politely　addressed　to　him。

〃May　I　inquire　why　you　object　to　my　example？〃　he　asked。

〃I　object　to　it；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge；　〃because　it　makes　me
very　uncomfortable　to　hear　Fauntleroy　called　a　villain。〃

〃Good　heavens　above！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Wendell；　utterly　bewildered。
〃Uncomfortable！you；　a　mercantile　man　like　myselfyou；　whose
character　stands　so　high　everywhereyou　uncomfortable　when　you
hear　a　man　who　was　hanged　for　forgery　called　a　villain！　In　the
name　of　wonder；　why？〃

〃Because；〃　answered　Mr。　Trowbridge；　with　perfect　composure；
〃Fauntleroy　was　a　friend　of　mine。〃

〃Excuse　me；　my　dear　sir；〃　retorted　Mr。　Wendell；　in　as　polished　a
tone　of　sarcasm　as　he　could　command；　〃but　of　all　the　friends　whom
you　have　made　in　the　course　of　your　useful　and　honorable　career；
I　should　have　thought　the　friend　you　have　just　mentioned　would
have　been　the　very　last　to　whom　you　were　likely　to　refer　in
respectable　society；　at　least　by　name。〃

〃Fauntleroy　committed　an　unpardonable　crime；　and　died　a
disgraceful　death；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge。　〃But；　for　all　that；
Fauntleroy　was　a　friend　of　mine；　and　in　that　character　I　shall
always　acknowledge　him　boldly　to　my　dying　day。　I　have　a
tenderness　for　his　memory；　though　he　violated　a　sacred　trust；　and
die　d　for　it　on　the　gallows。　Don't　look　shocked；　Mr。　Wendell。　I
will　tell　you；　and　our　other　friends　here；　if　they　will　let　me；
why　I　feel　that　tenderness；　which　looks　so　strange　and　so
discreditable　in　your　eyes。　It　is　rather　a　curious　anecdote；　sir；
and　has　an　interest；　I　think；　for　all　observers　of　human　nature
quite　apart　from　its　connection　with　the　unhappy　man　of　whom　we
have　been　talking。　You　young　gentlemen；〃　continued　Mr。
Trowbridge；　addressing　himself　to　us　juniors；　〃have　heard　of
Fauntleroy；　though　he　sinned　and　suffered；　and　shocked　all
England　long　before　your　time？〃

We　answered　that　we　had　certainly　heard　of　him　as　one　of　the
famous　criminals　of　his　day。　We　knew　that　he　had　been　a　partner
in　a　great　London　banking…house；　that　he　had　not　led　a　very
virtuous　life；　that　he　had　possessed　himself；　by　forgery；　of
trust…moneys　which　he　was　doubly　bound　to　respect；　and　that　he
had　been　hanged　for　his　offense；　in　the　year　eighteen　hundred　and
twenty…four；　when　the　gallows　was　still　set　up　for　other　crimes
than　murder；　and　when　Jack　Ketch　was　in　fashion　as　one　of　the
hard…working　reformers　of　the　age。

〃Very　good；〃　said　Mr。　Trowbridge。　〃You　both　of　you　know　quite
enough　of　Fauntleroy　to　be　interested　in　what　I　am　going　to　tell
you。　When　the　bottles　have　been　round　the　table；　I　will　start
with　my　story。〃

The　bottles　went　roundclaret　for　the　degenerate　youngsters；
port　for　the　sterling；　steady…headed；　middle…aged　gentlemen。　Mr。
Trowbridge　sipped　his　winemeditated　a　littlesipped　againand
started　with　the　promised　anecdote　in　these　terms：

CHAPTER　II。

WHAT　I　am　going　to　tell　you；　gentlemen；　happened　when　I　was　a
very　young　man；　and　when　I　was　just　setting　up　in　business　on　my
own　account。

My　father　had　been　well　acquainted　for　many　years　with　Mr。
Fauntleroy；　of　the　famous　London　banking　firm　of　Marsh；　Stracey；
Fauntleroy　&　Graham。　Thinking　it　might　be　of　some　future　service
to　me　to　make　my　position　known　to　a　great　man　in　the　commercial
world；　my　father　mentioned　to　his　highly…respected　friend　that　I
was　about　to　start　in　business　for　myself　in　a　very　small　way；
and　with　very　little　money。　Mr。　Fauntleroy　received　the
intimation　with　a　kind　appearance　of　interest；　and　said　that　he
would　have　his　eye　on　me。　I　expected　from　this　that　he　would　wait
to　see　if　I　could　keep　on　my　legs　at　starting；　and　that；　if　he
found　I　succeeded　pretty　well；　he　would　then　help　me　forward　if
it　lay　in　his　power。　As　events　turned　out；　he　proved　to　be　a　far
better　friend　than　that；　and　he　soon　showed　me　that　I　had　very
much　underrated　the　hearty　and　generous　interest　which　he　had
felt　in　my　welfare　from　the　first。

While　I　was　still　fighting　with　the　difficulties　of　setting　up　my
office；　and　recommending　myself　to　my　connection；　and　so　forth；　I
got　a　message　from　Mr。　Fauntleroy　telling　me　to　call　on　him；　at
the　banking…house；　the　first　time　I　was　passing　that　way。　As　you
may　easily　imagine；　I　contrived　to　be　passing　that　way　on　a
particularly　early　occasion；　and；　on　presenting　myself　at　the
bank；　I　was　shown　at　once　into　Mr。　Fauntleroy's　private　room。

He　was　as　pleasant　a　man　to　speak　to　as　ever　I　met　withbright；
and　gay；　and　companionable　in　his　mannerwith　a　sort　of　easy；
hearty；　jovial　bluntness　about　him　that　attracted　everybody。　The
clerks　all　liked　himand　that　is　something　to　say　of　a　partner
in　a　banking…house；　I　can