the fortunes of oliver horn- 第69部分

〃It's　nothing；　my　son；〃　he　said；　between　his　gasps　for　breath；　holding　on　to　Oliver。　〃A　sudden　giddiness。　I'm　often　subject　to　it。　I；　perhaps；　got　up　too　quickly。　It　will　pass　over。　Let　me　sit　down　for　a　moment。〃

Half　supporting　him；　Oliver　put　his　arm　about　his　father　and　laid　him　on　the　lounge。

As　Richard's　head　touched　the　cushion　that　Margaret　　had　made　ready；　he　gave　a　quick　gasp；　half　rose　as　if　to　breathe　the　better；　and　fell　back　　unconscious。


When　the　doctor　arrived　Richard　was　lying　on　Margaret's　bed；　where　Oliver　had　carried　him；　he　had　rallied　a　little；　and　had　then　sunk　into　a　deep　sleep。　Margaret　sat　beside　him；　watching　every　breath　he　drew；　the　scalding　tears　streaming　down　her　face。

The　physician　bent　closer　and　pressed　his　ear　to　the　sleeping　man's　breast

〃Has　he　been　subject　to　these　attacks？〃　he　said；　in　a　grave　tone。

〃I　know　of　only　one　some　years　ago；　the　year　the　war　broke　out；　but　he　recovered　then　very　quickly；〃　answered　Oliver。

〃Is　your　mother　living！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Better　send　her　word　at　once。〃




CHAPTER　XXV

SMOULDERING　COALS



The　night　wind　sighed　through　the　old　sycamores　of　Kennedy　Square。　A　soft　haze；　the　harbinger　of　the　coming　spring；　filled　the　air。　The　cold　moon；　hanging　low；　bleached　the　deserted　steps　of　the　silent　houses　to　a　ghostly　white。

In　the　Horn　mansion　a　dim　light　burned　in　Richard's　　room　and　another　in　the　lower　hall。　Everywhere　　else　the　house　was　dark。

Across　the　Square；　in　Miss　Clendenning's　boudoir；　　a　small　wood　fire；　tempering　the　chill　of　the　April　night；　slumbered　in　its　bed　of　ashes；　or　awakened　　with　fitful　starts；　its　restless　blaze　illumining　the　troubled　face　of　Margaret　Grant。　The　girl's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　dying　coals；　her　chin　in　her　hand；　the　brown…gold　of　her　wonderful　hair　gold…red　in　the　firelight。　Now　and　then　she　would　lift　her　head　as　if　listening　for　some　approaching　footstep。　Miss　Clendenning　sat　beside　her；　leaning　over　the　hearth　in　her　favorite　attitude；　her　tiny　feet　resting　on　the　fender。

The　years　had　touched　the　little　lady　but　lightly　since　that　night　when　she　sat　in　this　same　spot　and　Oliver　had　poured　out　his　heart　to　her。　She　was　the　same　dainty；　precise；　lovable　old　maid　that　she　had　been　in　the　old　days　of　Kennedy　Square；　when　the　crocuses　bloomed　in　the　flower…beds　and　its　drawing…rooms　were　filled　with　the　wit　and　fashion　of　the　day。　Since　that　fatal　night　when　Richard　had　laid　away　his　violin　and　brother　had　been　divided　against　brother；　and　Kennedy　Square　had　become　the　stamping　ground　of　armed　men；　she　had　watched　by　the　bedsides　of　a　thousand　wounded　soldiers；　regardless　　of　which　flag　they　had　battled　under。　The　service　had　not　withered　her。　Time　had　simply　stood　still；　forgetting　the　sum　of　its　years；　while　it　marked　her　with　perennial　sweetness。

〃I'm　afraid　he's　worse；〃　Margaret　said；　breaking　the　silence　of　the　room；　as　she　turned　to　Miss　Clendenning；　　〃or　Ollie　would　have　been　here　before　this。　Dr。　Wallace　was　to　go　to　the　house　at　eleven；　and　now　it　is　nearly　twelve。〃

〃The　doctor　may　have　been　detained；〃　Miss　Clendenning　　answered。　〃There　is　much　sickness　in　town。〃

For　a　time　neither　spoke。　Only　the　low　muttering　　of　the　fire　could　be　heard；　or　the　turning　of　some　restless　coal。

〃Margaret；〃　Miss　Clendenning　said　at　lastit　had　always　been　〃Margaret〃　with　the　little　lady　ever　since　the　day　she　had　promised　Oliver　to　love　the　woman　whom　he　loved；　and　it　was　still　〃Margaret〃　　when　the　women　met　for　the　first　time　in　the　gray　dawn　at　the　station　and　Miss　Clendenning　herself　helped　lead　Richard　out　of　the　train　〃There　is　a　bright　side　to　every　trouble。　But　for　this　illness　you　would　never　have　known　Oliver's　mother　as　she　really　is。　All　her　prejudices　melted　away　as　soon　as　she　looked　into　your　face。　She　loves　you　better　every　day；　and　she　is　learning　to　depend　on　you　just　as　Richard　and　Oliver　have　done。〃

〃I　hope　she　will；〃　the　young　woman　answered；　without　moving。　〃It　breaks　my　heart　to　see　her　suffer　as　she　does。　I　see　my　own　mother　in　her　so　often。　She　is　different　in　many　ways；　but　she　is　the　same　underneathso　gentle　and　so　kind；　and　she　is　so　big　and　broad…minded　too。　I　am　ashamed　to　think　of　all　the　bitter　feelings　I　used　to　have　in　my　heart　toward　her。〃

She　stopped　abruptly；　her　hands　tightly　folded　in　her　lap；　her　shoulders　straightened。　Margaret's　　confessions　were　always　made　in　this　determined　way；　head　thrown　back　like　a　soldier's；　as　though　a　new　resolve　had　been　born　even　while　an　old　sin　was　being　confessed。

〃Go　on；〃　said　Miss　Clendenning。　〃I　understand。　　You　mean　that　you　did　not　know　her。〃

〃No；　but　I　thought　her　narrow　and　proud；　and　that　she　disliked　me　for　influencing　Oliver　in　his　art；　and　that　she　wanted　to　keep　him　from　me　and　from　my　ideals。　Oh；　I've　been　very；　very　wicked！〃

〃Not　wicked；　my　dearonly　human。　You　are　not　the　first　woman　who　did　not　want　to　divide　a　love　with　a　mother。〃

〃But　it　wasn't　exactly　that；　dear　Cousin　Lavinia。　I　had　never　met　anyone　who　obeyed　his　mother　as　Ollie　did；　andandI　almost　hated　her　for　being　his　guide　and　counsel　whenoh；　not　because　she　did　not　love　him　too；　just　as　I　didbut　because　I　thought　that　I　could　really　help　him　mostbecause　I　believed　in　his　talent　and　she　did　not；　and　because　I　knew　all　the　time　that　she　was　ruining　him；　keeping　　him　back；　spoiling　his　career；　and〃

Again　she　stopped　and　straightened　herself；　her　beautiful　head　held　higher。　Those　who　knew　Margaret　　well　would　have　known　that　the　worst　part　of　her　confession　was　yet　to　come。

〃I　suppose　I　was　hurt　too；〃　she　said；　slowly　accentuating　　each　pause　with　a　slight　movement　of　the　head。　〃That　I　was　LITTLE　enough　and　MEAN　enough　and　HORRID　enough　for　that。　But　he　was　always　talking　　of　his　mother　as　though　she　never　did　anything　but　sit　still　in　that　white　shawl　of　hers；　listening　to　music；　while　everybody　waited　on　her　and　came　to　her　for　advice。　And　I　always　thought　that　she　couldn't　understand　me　nor　any　other　woman　who　wanted　to　work。　When　Ollie　talked　of　you　all；　and　of　what　you　did　at　home；　I　couldn't　help　feeling　she　must　think　that　I　and　all　my　people　belonged　to　some　different　race　and　that　when　she　saw　me　she　would　judge　me　by　some　petty　thing　that　displeased　her；　the　cut　of　my　skirt；　or　the　way　I　carried　my　hands；　or　something　else　equally　trivial；　and　that　she　would　use　that　kind　of　thing　against　me　and；　perhaps；　tell　Ollie；　too。　Father　judged　Oliver　in　that　way。　He　thought　that　Ollie's　joyousness　and　his　courtesy；　even　his　way　of　taking　off　his　hat；　and　holding　it　in　his　two　hands　for　a　momentyou've　seen　him　do　it　a　hundred　timeswas　only　a　proof　of　his　Southern　　shiftlessnesscaring　more　for　manners　than　for　work。　Mother　didn't；　she　understood　Ollie　better；　and　so　did　John；　but　father　never　could。　That's　why　I　wouldn't　come　when　you　asked　me。　You　wouldn't　have　judged　me；　I　know；　but　I　thought　that　she　would。　And　nowoh；　I'm　so　sorry　I　could　cry。〃

〃It　was　only　another　of　the　mistakes　and　misunderstandings　　that　divided　us　all　at　that　time；　my　dear；〃　Miss　Clendenning　answered。　〃This　dreadful　war　could　have　been　averted；　if　people　had　only　come　together　and　understood　each　other。　I　did　not　think　so　then；　but　I　do　now。〃

〃And　you　don't　think　me　wicked；　Cousin　Lavinia？〃　　Margaret　asked　with　a　sudden　relaxation　of　her　figure　and　something　infinitely　childlike　and　　appealing　in　her　tone。　〃You　really　don't　think　me　wicked；　do　you？〃

〃Not　wicked；　dear；　only　human；　as　I　said　a　moment　　ago。　Yet　you　have　been　stronger　than　I。　You　have　held　on　and　won；　I　let　go　and　lost。〃

Margaret　bent　forward　and　laid　her　finger　on　Miss　Clendenning's　knee。

〃Lost　what；　Cousin　Lavinia？〃　she　asked；　in　surprise。

〃My　lover。〃

〃When？〃

〃When　I　was　just　your　age。〃

〃Did　he　die？〃　asked　Margaret　in　awed　tones；　overcome　all　at　once　with　the　solemnity　of　the　hour　and　a　strange　new　note　in　Miss　Lavinia's　voice。

〃No；　he　married　someone　else。〃

〃He　nevernever　loved　you；　then。〃　There　was　a　positiveness　now　in　her　intonations。

〃Yes；　he　did；　with　all　his　heart。　His　mother　came　between　us。〃

Again　silence　fell　on　the　room。　Margaret　would　not　look　at　Miss　Clendenning。　The　little　old　maid　had　suddenly　opened　the　windows　of　her　heart；　but　whether　to　let　a　long…caged　sorrow　out　or　some　friendly　sympathy　in；　she　could　not　tell。

〃May　I　know　about　it！〃　There　was　a　softer　cadence　now　in　the　girl's　voice。

〃It　would　only　make　you　unhappy；　dear。　It　was　all　over　forty　years　or　more　ago。　Sallie；　when　she　saw　you；　put　her　arms　about　you。　You　had　only　to　come　together。　The　oftener　she　sees　you；　the　more　she　will　love　you。　My　lover's　mother　shut　the　door　in　my　face。〃

〃In　your　face？　Why？〃

Margaret　moved　closer　to　Miss　Clendenning；　stirred　by　a　sudden　impulse；　as　if　she　could　even　now　protect　her　from　one　who　had　hurt　her。

Miss　Lavinia　bent　forward　and　picked　up　the　brass　tongs　that　lay　on　the　fender　at　her　feet。　She　saw　Margaret's　gesture；　but　she　did　not　turn　her　head。　Her　eyes　were　still　watching　the　smouldering　embers。

〃For　no　reason；　dear；　that　you　or　any　other　Northern　woman　could　understand。　An　old　family　quarrel　that　began　before　I　was　born。〃

Margaret's　cheeks　flushed　and　a　determined　look　came　into　her　face。

〃The　coward！　I　would　not　have　cared　what　his　mother　or　anybody　else　did；　or　how　they　quarrelled。　If　I　loved　you　I　would　have　married　you　in　spite　of　everything。〃

〃And　so　would　he。〃　She　was　balancing　the　tongs　in　her　hand　now；　her　eyes　still　on　the　fire。　She　had　not　looked　at　Margaret　once。

〃What　happened　then？〃

Miss　Clendenning　leaned　forward；　spread　the　tongs　in　her　little　hands；　lifted　an　ember　and　tucked　it　closer　to　its　neighbor。　The　charred　mass　crumbled　　at　the　touch　and　fell　into　a　heap　of　broken　coals。

〃I　am　a　Clendenning；　my　dear；　that　is　all；〃　she　answered；　slowly。

Margaret　stared　at　her　with　wide…open　eyes。　That　a　life　should　be　wrecked　for　a　mere　question　of　family　pride　was　something　her　mind　could　not　fathom。

〃Have　you　regretted　it　since；　Cousin　Lavinia？〃　she　asked；　calmly。　She　wanted　to　follow　it　out　now　to　the　end。

Miss　Clendenning　heaped　the　broken　coals　closer　together；　laid　the　tongs　back　in　their　place　on　the　fender；　and；　turning　to　Margaret；　said；　with　a　sigh：

〃Don't　ask　me；　my　dear。