the mansion- 第2部分

he's　rather　a　decent　chap；　in　spite　of　his　ingrowing　mind。　　

But　you？mother；　you　are　simply　magnificent！　　You　are　

father's　masterpiece。〃　　The　young　man　leaned　over　to　kiss　her；　

and　went　up　to　the　Riding　Club　for　his　afternoon　canter　in　the

Park。



So　it　came　to　pass；　early　in　December；　that　Mrs。　Weightman　and　

her　two　daughters　sailed　for　Europe；　on　their　serious　pleasure

trip；　

even　as　it　had　been　written　in　the　book　of　Providence；　and　John

Weightman；

who　had　made　the　entry；　was　left　to　pass　the　rest　of　the　winter

with　

his　son　and　heir　in　the　brownstone　mansion。



They　were　comfortable　enough。　　The　machinery　of　the　massive

establishment

ran　as　smoothly　as　a　great　electric　dynamo。　　They　were　busy

enough；　too。　

John　Weightman's　plans　and　enterprises　were　complicated；　though

his

principle　of　action　was　always　simpleto　get　good　value　for　

every　expenditure　and　effort。　　The　banking…house　of　which　he　was

the　chief；

the　brain；　the　will；　the　absolutely　controlling　hand；　was　so

admirably

organized　that　the　details　of　its　direction　took　but　little　time。　



But　the　scores　of　other　interests　that　radiated　from　it　and　were　

dependent　upon　itor　perhaps　it　would　be　more　accurate　to　say；　

that　contributed　to　its　solidity　and　successthe　many

investments；

industrial；　political；　benevolent；　reformatory；　ecclesiastical；　

that　had　made　the　name　of　Weightman　well　known　and　potent　in

city；　

church；　and　state；　demanded　much　attention　and　careful　steering；　

in　order　that　each　might　produce　the　desired　result。　　There　were　

board　meetings　of　corporations　and　hospitals；　conferences　in　

Wall　Street　and　at　Albany；　consultations　and　committee　meetings

in　

the　brownstone　mansion。



For　a　share　in　all　this　business　and　its　adjuncts　John　Weightman　

had　his　son　in　training　in　one　of　the　famous　law　firms　of　the

city；　

for　he　held　that　banking　itself　is　a　simple　affair；　the　only　real

difficulties　of　finance　are　on　its　legal　side。　　Meantime　he

wished　

the　young　man　to　meet　and　know　the　men　with　whom　he　would　have　to

deal　

when　he　became　a　partner　in　the　house。　　So　a　couple　of　dinners　

were　given　in　the　mansion　during　December；　after　which　the　father



called　the　son's　attention　to　the　fact　that　over　a　hundred

million　dollars　

had　sat　around　the　board。



But　on　Christmas　Eve　father　and　son　were　dining　together　without

guests；

and　their　talk　across　the　broad　table；　glittering　with　silver　and



cut　glass；　and　softly　lit　by　shaded　candles；　was　intimate；　though

a　little

slow　at　times。　　The　elder　man　was　in　rather　a　rare　mood；　more

expansive　and

confidential　than　usual；　and；　when　the　coffee　was　brought　in　and　

they　were　left　alone；　he　talked　more　freely　of　his　personal　plans

and　hopes

than　he　had　ever　done　before。



〃I　feel　very　grateful　to…night；〃　said　he；　at　last；　〃it　must　be

something　in

the　air　of　Christmas　that　gives　me　this　feeling　of　thankfulness

for　

the　many　divine　mercies　that　have　been　bestowed　upon　me。　　All　the

principles　by　which　I　have　tried　to　guide　my　life　have　been

justified。　　

I　have　never　made　the　value　of　this　salted　almond　by　anything

that　

the　courts　would　not　uphold；　at　least　in　the　long　run；　and

yetor　wouldn't

it　be　truer　to　say　and　therefore？my　affairs　have　been　

wonderfully　prospered。　　There's　a　great　deal　in　that　text

'Honesty　is　

the　best'but　no；　that's　not　from　the　Bible；　after　all；　is　it？　　

Wait　a　moment；　there　is　something　of　that　kind；　I　know。〃



〃May　I　light　a　cigar；　father；〃　said　Harold；　turning　away　to　hide

a　smile；

〃while　you　are　remembering　the　text？〃



〃Yes；　certainly；〃　answered　the　elder　man；　rather　shortly；　〃you

know　

I　don't　dislike　the　smell。　　But　it　is　a　wasteful；　useless　habit；　

and　therefore　I　have　never　practised　it。　　Nothing　useless　is

worth　while；

that's　my　mottonothing　that　does　not　bring　the　reward。　　

Oh；　now　I　recall　the　text；　'Verily　I　say　unto　you　they　have　their

reward。'

I　shall　ask　Doctor　Snodgrass　to　preach　a　sermon　on　that　verse

some　day。〃



〃Using　you　as　an　illustration？〃



〃Well；　not　exactly　that；　but　I　could　give　him　some　good　materials

from　

my　own　experience　to　prove　the　truth　of　Scripture。　　I　can

honestly　say　that

there　is　not　one　of　my　charities　that　has　not　brought　me　in　a

good　return；

either　in　the　increase　of　influence；　the　building　up　of　credit；　

or　the　association　with　substantial　people。　　Of　course　you　have

to　

be　careful　how　you　give；　in　order　to　secure　the　best　resultsno

indiscriminate　givingno　pennies　in　beggars'　hats！　　It　has　been　

one　of　my　principles　always　to　use　the　same　kind　of　judgment　in

charities　

that　I　use　in　my　other　affairs；　and　they　have　not　disappointed

me。〃



〃Even　the　check　that　you　put　in　the　plate　when　you　take　the

offertory　

up　the　aisle　on　Sunday　morning？〃



〃Certainly；　though　there　the　influence　is　less　direct；　and　I　must

confess

that　I　have　my　doubts　in　regard　to　the　collection　for　Foreign

Missions。　

That　always　seems　to　me　romantic　and　wasteful。　　You　never　hear

from　it　in

any　definite　way。　　They　say　the　missionaries　have　done　a　good

deal　

to　open　the　way　for　trade；　perhapsbut　they　have　also　gotten　us

into

commercial　and　political　difficulties。　　Yet　I　give　to　thema

littleit　is

a　matter　of　conscience　with　me　to　identify　myself　with　all　the

enterprises

of　the　Church；　it　is　the　mainstay　of　social　order　and　a　

prosperous　civilization。　　But　the　best　forms　of　benevolence　are　

the　well…established；　organized　ones　here　at　home；　where　people

can　

see　them　and　know　what　they　are　doing。〃



〃You　mean　the　ones　that　have　a　local　habitation　and　a　name。〃



〃Yes；　they　offer　by　far　the　safest　return；　though　of　course　there

is

something　gained　by　contributing　to　general　funds。　　A　public　man　

can't　afford　to　be　without　public　spirit。　　But　on　the　whole　

I　prefer　a　building；　or　an　endowment。　　There　is　a　mutual

advantage　to　

a　good　name　and　a　good　institution　in　their　connection　in　the

public　mind。　

It　helps　them　both。　　Remember　that；　my　boy。　　Of　course　at　the

beginning　

you　will　have　to　practise　it　in　a　small　way；　later；　you　will　have



larger　opportunities。　　But　try　to　put　your　gifts　where　they　can

be

identified　and　do　good　all　around。　　You'll　see　the　wisdom　of　it

in　

the　long　run。〃



〃I　can　see　it　already；　sir；　and　the　way　you　describe　it　looks　

amazingly　wise　and　prudent。　　In　other　words；　we　must　cast　our

bread　on　

the　waters　in　large　loaves；　carried　by　sound　ships　marked　with　

the　owner's　name；　so　that　the　return　freight　will　be　sure　to　

come　back　to　us。〃



The　father　laughed；　but　his　eyes　were　frowning　a　little　as　if　

he　suspected　something　irreverent　under　the　respectful　reply。　　

〃You　put　it　humorously；　but　there's　sense　in　what　you　say。　　Why

not？　　

God　rules　the　sea；　but　He　expects　us　to　follow　the　laws　of　

navigation　and　commerce。　　Why　not　take　good　care　of　your　bread；　

even　when　you　give　it　away？〃



〃It's　not　for　me　to　say　why　notand　yet　I　can　think　of　cases〃　



The　young　man　hesitated　for　a　moment。　　His　half…finished　cigar

had　

gone　out。　　He　rose　and　tossed　it　into　the　fire；　in　front　of　which



he　remained　standinga　slender；　eager；　restless　young　figure；　

with　a　touch　of　hunger　in　the　fine　face；　strangely　like　and

unlike　

the　father；　at　whom　he　looked　with　half…wistful　curiosity。



〃The　fact　is；　sir；〃　he　continued；　〃there　is　such　a　case　in　my

mind　now；　

and　it　is　a　good　deal　on　my　heart；　too。　　So　I　thought　of　speaking

to　you

about　it　to…night。　　You　remember　Tom　Rollins；　the　Junior　who　was　

so　good　to　me　when　I　entered　college？〃



The　father　nodded。　　He　remembered　very　well　indeed　the　annoying

incidents

of　his　son's　first　escapade；　and　how　Rollins　had　stood　by　him　and

helped　to

avoid　a　public　disgrace；　and　how　a　close　friendship　had　grown

between　

the　two　boys；　so　different　in　their　fortunes。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　remember　him。　　He　was　a　promising　young　man。　　

Has　he　succeeded？〃



〃Not　exactlythat　is　not　yet。　　His　business　has　been　going

rather　badly。　

He　has　a　wife　and　little　baby；　you　know。　　And　now　he　has　broken

down；

something　wrong　with　his　lungs。　　The　doctor　says　his　only　chance

is　

a　year　or　eighteen　months　in　Colorado。　　I　wish　we　could　help

him。〃



〃How　much　would　it　cost？〃



〃Three　or　four　thousand；　perhaps；　as　a　loan。〃



〃Does　the　doctor　say　he　will　get　well？〃



〃A　fighting　chancethe　doctor　says。〃



The　face　of　the　older　man　changed　subtly。　　Not　a　line　was

altered；　

but　it　seemed　to　have　a　different　substance；　as　if　it　were　

carved　out　of　some　firm；　imperishable　stuff。



〃A　fighting　chance；〃　he　said；　〃may　do　for　a　speculation；　but　it

is　

not　a　good　investment。　　You　owe　something　to　young　Rollins。　　

Your　grateful　feeling　does　you　credit。　　But　don't　overwork　it。　　

Send　him　three　or　four　hundred；　if　you　like。　　You'll　never　

hear　from　it　again；　except　in　the　letter　of　thanks。　　But　for

Heaven's　sake

don't　be　sentimental。　　Religion　is　not　a　matter　of　sentiment；　

it's　a　matter　of　principle。〃



The　face　of　the　younger　man　changed　now。　　But　instead　of　becoming



fixed　and　graven；　it　seemed　to　melt　into　life　by　the　heat　of　

an　inward　fire。　　His　nostrils　quivered　with　quick　breath；　

his　lips　were　curled。　〃Principle！〃　he　said。　　〃You　mean

principaland

interest　too。　　Well；　sir；　you　know　best　whether　that　is　religion

or　not。　

But　if　it　is；　count　me　out；　please。　　Tom　saved　me　from　going　to

the　devil；

six　years　ago；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　I　don't　help　him　to　the　best

of　

my　ability　now。〃



John　Weightman　looked　at　his　son　steadily。　　〃Harold；〃　he　said　at

last；　

〃you　know　I　dislike　violent　language；　and　it　never　has　any　

influence　with　me。　　If　I　could　honestly　approve　of　this　

proposition　of　yours；　I'd　let　you　have　the　money；　but　I　can't；　

it's　extravagant　and　useless。　　But　you　hav