frances waldeaux-第18部分

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〃Am　I　so　envious　and　small　as　that！　　Before　God；　no　words　of　mine　shall　ever　go　into　print　again！〃　he　said；　and　he　kept　his　word。

He　came　down　every　month　or　two　to　his　mother。

〃Why　not　try　teaching；　George？〃　she　said　anxiously。　　　　〃These　great　scholars　and　scientific　men　have　places　and　reputations　which　even　you　need　not　despise。〃

He　laughed　bitterly。　　〃I　tried　for　a　place　as　tutor　in　a　third…class　school；　and　could　not　pass　the　examinations。　　I　know　nothing　accurately。　　Nothing。〃

It　occurred　to　him　to　　go　into　politics　and　help　reform　the　world　by　routing　a　certain　Irish　boss。　　He　made　a　speech　at　a　ward　meeting；　and　broke　down　in　the　middle　of　it　before　the　storm　of　gibes　and　hootings。

〃What　was　the　matter？〃　he　asked　a　friend；　whose　face　was　red　with　laughter。

〃My　dear　fellow；　you　shouldn't　lecture　them！　　You're　not　the　parson。　　They　resent　your　air　of　enormous　superiority。　　For　Heaven's　sake；　don't　speak　againin　this　campaign。〃

It　is　a　wretched　story。　　There　is　no　need　of　going　into　the　details。　　There　was　no　room　for　him。　　He　tried　in　desperation　to　get　some　foothold　in　business。　　The　times　were　hard　that　winter；　which　of　course　was　against　him。　　Besides；　his　critical；　haughty　air　naturally　did　not　prepossess　employers　in　his　favor　when　he　came　to　ask　for　a　job。

At　the　end　of　the　second　year　the　man　broke　down。

〃The　work　of　the　world；〃　he　told　Frances；　〃belongs　to　specialists。　　Even　a　bootblack　knows　his　trade。　　I　know　nothing。　　I　can　do　nothing。　　I　am　a　mass　of　flabby　pretences。〃

Every　month　she　filled　his　pocket…book。　　She　found　at　last　that　he　did　not　touch　the　money。　　He　sold　his　clothes　and　his　jewelry　to　keep　himself　alive　while　he　tramped　　the　streets　of　New　York　looking　for　work。　　He　starved　himself　to　make　this　money　last。　　His　flesh　was　lead…colored　from　want　of　proper　food；　and　he　staggered　from　weakness。　　〃‘He　that　will　not　work　neither　let　him　eat；'〃　he　said　grimly。

It　was　about　this　time　that　Miss　Vance　came　home。　　Mrs。　Waldeaux　in　a　moment　of　weakness　gave　her　a　hint　of　his　defeat。

〃Is　the　world　blind；〃　she　cried；　〃to　deny　work　to　a　man　of　George's　capacity？　　What　does　it　mean？〃

Clara　heard　of　George's　sufferings　with　equanimity。　　〃The　truth　is；〃　she　said；　when　she　told　the　story　to　Miss　Dunbar；　〃Frances　brought　that　boy　up　to　believe　that　he　was　a　Grand　Llama　among　men。　　There　is　no　work　for　Grand　Llamas　in　this　country；　and　when　he　understands　that　he　is　made　of　very　ordinary　clay　indeed；　he　will　probably　be　of　some　use　in　the　world。〃

Lucy　was　watering　her　roses。　　〃It　is　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃what　the　people　of　New　York　think　of　Mr。　Waldeaux。〃

Clara　looked　at　her　quickly。　　〃I　do　not　quite　catch　your　meaning？〃　she　said。

But　Lucy　filled　her　can；　and　forgot　to　answer。



CHAPTER　XVII

Clara　had　brought　Miss　Dunbar　back　and　established　her　in　her　own　house　near　Weir；　under　the　care　of　a　deaf　widowed　aunt。　　Dunbar　Place　was　a　stately　colonial　house；　set　in　a　large　demesne；　and　all　Kent　County　waited　breathless　to　know　what　revelations　the　heiress　would　make　to　it；　in　the　way　of　equi…pages；　marqueterie　furniture；　or　Paris　gowns。

Mrs。　Waldeaux　found　Lucy　one　day；　a　month　after　her　arrival；　seated　at　her　sewing　on　the　broad；　rose…covered　piazza；　looking　as　if　she　never　had　left　it。

〃Have　you　come　to　stay　now；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃or　will　Prince　Wolfburgh〃

〃Oh；　that　is　an　old　story；〃　interrupted　Clara。　　〃Lucy　handed　the　little　prince　over　to　Jean　Hassard；　who　married　him　after　he　had　a　long　fight　with　her　father　about　her　dot。　　He　won　the　dot；　but　Count　Odo　is　now　the　head　of　the　house。　　Jean；　I　hear；　is　in　Munich　fighting　her　way　up　among　the　Herrschaft。〃

〃Jean　has　good　fighting　qualities；〃　Lucy　said。　　〃She　will　win。〃

〃I　had　a　letter　from　her　to…day；〃　said　Miss　Vance。　〃Here　it　is。　　She　says；　‘I　mean　to　rebuild　the　Schloss；　and　I　have　put　a　stop　to　the　soap…boiling　business。　　I　will　have　no　fumes　of　scorching　fat　in　our　ancestral　halls。　　Four　of　the　princesses　live　with　us　here　in　the　flat。　　Gussy　Carson　from　Pond　City　is　staying　with　me　now。　　We　have　an　American　tea　every　Wednesday。　　Gus　receives　with　me。'〃

〃Poor　princesses！〃　said　Lucy。

Miss　Vance　folded　the　letter　with　a　complacent　nod。　　〃I　am　glad　that　Jean　is　settled　so　satisfactorily；〃　she　said。　　〃As　for　Lucy〃

No　one　answered。　　Lucy　threaded　her　needle。

〃I　start　next　week　to　Chicago；　did　you　know；　Frances？　　The　Bixbystwo　orphan　heiresseswish　me　to　take　them　to　Australia；　coming　back　by　India。　　And　I　suppose；〃　she　said；　rising　impatiently；　〃if　I　were　to　stay　away　forty　years　I　should　find　Lucy　when　I　came　back；　with　white　hair　maybe；　but　sitting　calmly　sewing；　not　caring　whether　there　was　a　man　in　the　world　or　not！〃

Lucy　laughed；　but　did　not　even　blush。

Mrs。　Waldeaux　presently　said　good…by；　and　Clara　went　home　with　her　to　spend　the　night。　　Lucy　was　left　alone　upon　the　piazza。　　It　was　there　that　George　Waldeaux　saw　her　again。


This　had　been　the　hardest　day　of　his　life。　　He　rose　that　morning　telling　himself　with　an　oath　that　he　would　earn　the　money　to　buy　his　own　food　or　never　eat　again。　　His　mother　had　sent　him　a　cheque　by　post。　　He　tore　it　up　and　went　out　of　his　cheap　lodging…house　without　breakfast。　　There　was　a　queer　change　in　hima　sudden　lofty　independencea　sudden　loathing　of　himself。　　He　knew　now　that　it　was　not　in　him　to　do　good　work　in　the　world；　but　at　least　he　would　pay　his　own　way。　　He　had　been　a　mass　of　vanity　and　now　he　was　so　mean　in　his　own　eyes　that　he　shrank　from　the　passers…by。　　Perhaps　the　long　strain　had　damaged　the　gray　matter　of　the　brain；　or　some　nervous　centreI　do　not　know　what　change　a　physician　would　have　found　in　him；　but　the　man　was　changed。

A　clerk　was　needed　in　a　provision　shop　on　Green　Street。　　George　placed　himself　in　the　line　of　dirty；　squalid　applicants。　　The　day　was　hot；　the　air　of　the　shop　was　foul　with　the　smells　of　rotting　meat　and　vegetables。　　He　felt　himself　stagger　against　a　stall。　　He　seemed　to　be　asleep；　but　he　heard　the　butchers　laughing。　　They　called　him　a　drunken　tramp；　and　then　he　was　hurled　out　on　the　muddy　pavement。

〃Too　much　whiskey　for　this　time　o'　day！〃　a　policeman　said；　hauling　him　to　his　feet。

〃Move　along；　young　man！〃

Whiskey？　　That　was　what　he　wanted。　　He　turned　into　a　shop　and　bought　a　dram　with　his　last　pennies。　　It　made　him　comfortable　for　a　few　hours；　then　he　began　to　cry　and　swear。　　George　Waldeaux　had　never　been　drunk　in　his　life。　　The　ascetic；　stainless　priest　in　him　stood　off　and　looked　at　this　dog　of　the　gutter　with　his　obscene　talk；　and　then　came　defeat　of　soul　and　body。

〃I　give　up！〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃I'll　never　try　again。〃

He　wandered　unconsciously　to　the　ferry　and；　having　his　yearly　book　of　tickets　in　his　pocket；　took　the　train　for　home　from　force　of　habit。　　He　left　the　cars　at　a　station　several　miles　from　Weir；　and　wandered　across　the　country。　　Just　at　sundown；　covered　with　mud　and　weak　from　hunger　and　drunkenness；　he　crossed　the　lawn　before　Lucy's　house　and；　looking　up；　saw　her。

He　had　stumbled　into　a　world　of　peace　and　purity！　　A　soft　splendor　filled　the　sky　and　the　bay　and　the　green　slopes；　with　their　clumps　of　mighty　forest　trees。　　The　air　was　full　of　the　scents　of　flowers　and　the　good…night　song　of　happy　birds。　　And　in　the　midst　of　it　all；　lady　of　the　great　domain；　under　her　climbing　rose　vines；　sat　the　young；　fair　woman；　clad　in　some　fleecy　white　garments；　her　head　bent；　her　blue　eyes　fixed　on　the　distancewaiting。

George　stopped；　sobered　by　a　sudden　wrench　of　his　heart。　　There　was　the　world　to　which　he　belongedthere！　　His　keen　eye　noted　every　delicate　detail　of　her　beauty　and　of　her　dress。　　He　was　of　her　sort；　her　kindhe；　kicked　into　the　gutter　from　that　foul　shop　as　a　tramp！

This　is　what　I　have　lost！　his　soul　cried　to　him。

He　had　not　as　yet　recognized　Lucy。　　But　now　she　saw　him；　and　with　a　little　inarticulate　cry　like　that　of　a　bird；　she　flew　down　the　steps。　　〃Ah！　　It　is　you！〃　she　said。　　〃I　thought　you　would　come　to　welcome　me　some　time！〃

Her　voice　was　like　a　soft　breath；　her　airy　draperies　blew　against　him。　　It　was　as　if　a　wonderful；　beautiful　dream　were　folding　him　inand　in。

He　drew　back。　　〃I　am　not　fit；　Miss　Dunbar。　　I　did　not　know　you　were　here。　　Whylook　at　me！〃

〃Oh！　　You　are　ill！　　You　have　had　an　accident！〃　she　cried。　　She　had　laid　her　little　white　fingers　on　his　hand　and　now；　feeling　it　burn　and　tremble　at　her　touch；　she　caught　it　in　both　of　her　own　and　drew　him　into　the　house。

〃Mr。　　Waldeaux；〃　she　said　to　a　servant　who　appeared；　〃has　had　a　fall。　　Bring　him　water　and　towels。　　Take　care　of　him；　Stephen。〃　　She　spoke　quietly；　but　her　voice　trembled　with　fright。

The　man　led　George　to　an　inner　room。

〃Were　you　thrown；　sir？〃　he　asked　sympathetically。

George　hesitated。　　〃Yes；　I　was　thrown；〃　he　said　grimly。

He　made　himself　clean　in　angry　haste；　taking　the　whisk　from　the　man　and　brushing　off　the　dry　mud　with　a　vicious　fury。

Lucy　came　to　meet　him；　with　a　pale；　anxious　smile。　　〃You　must　not　go　without　a　cup　of　hot　coffee；〃　she　said；　leading　him　to　a　lounge　in　the　hall。　　It　was　very　sweet　to　be　treated　like　a　sick　man！

〃And　God　knows　I　am　sick；　body　and　soul！〃　he　thought；　sinking　down。

Beside　the　lounge　was　a　little　table　with　one　cover。　　He　noted　with　keen　pleasure　the　delicate　napery；　the　silver　candlesticks；　the　bowl　of　roses；　with　which　the　substantial　meal　was　set　out。　　Lucy　waited　on　him　with　the　quick　intelligence　of　a　trained　nurse。　　She　scarcely　spoke；　yet　her　every　motion；　as　she　served　him；　seemed　a　caress。　　When　he　had　finished　he　began　to　stammer　out　his　thanks。

〃No；〃　she　said；　rising　decisively。　　〃You　are　too　weak　to　talk　to　me　to…night；　Mr。　Waldeaux。　　The　coupe　is　at　the　door。　　John　will　drive　you　home。　　You　need　sleep　now。〃

As　he　sank　down　into　the　luxurious　cushions　and　drove　away　through　the　twilight；　he　saw　the　little　white　figure　in　the　door；　and　the　grave　wistful　face　looking　after　him。

〃Did　she　suspect！〃　he　suddenly　cried；　starting　up。

But　George　Waldeaux　never　knew　how　much　Lucy　suspected　that　night。


Meanwhile　Mrs。　Waldeaux's　mare　had　jogged　on　leisurely；　dragging　her　mistress　and　Miss　Vance　home　through　the　shady　country　lanes。

〃Phebe　is　old；〃　apologized　Frances。　　〃She　really　is　a　retired　car