the fifth string-第6部分

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lists。



‘‘He　has　visited　you？''



‘‘Yes；　father。''



‘‘Often？''



‘‘Yes；　father；''　spoken　calmly。



‘‘Often？''　louder　and　more　imperiously

repeated　the　father；　as　if　there

must　be　some　mistake。



‘‘Quite　often；''　and　she　sat　down；

knowing　the　catechizing　would　be　likely

to　continue　for　some　minutes。



‘‘How　many　times；　do　you　think？''



She　rose；　walked　into　the　hallway；

took　the　card　basket　from　the　table；

returned　and　seated　herself　beside　her

father；　emptying　its　contents　into　her

lap。　She　picked　up　a　card。　It　read

‘‘Angelo　Diotti；''　and　she　called　the

name　aloud。　She　took　up　another　and

again　her　lips　voiced　the　beloved　name。

‘‘Angelo　Diotti；''　she　continued；　repeating

at　intervals　for　a　minute。　Then

looking　at　her　father：　‘‘He　has　called

thirty…two　times；　there　are　thirty…one

cards　here　and　on　one　occasion　he　forgot

his　card…case。''



‘‘Thirty…two！''　said　the　father；　rising

angrily　and　pacing　the　floor。



‘‘Yes；　thirty…two。　I　remember　all

of　them　distinctly。''



Her　father　came　over　to　her；　half

coaxingly；　half　seriously。　‘‘Mildred；　I

wish　his　visits　to　cease；　people　will

imagine　there　is　a　romantic　attachment

between　you。''



‘‘There　is；　father；''　out　it　came；　‘‘he

loves　me　and　I　love　him。''



‘‘What！''　shouted　Mr。　Wallace；　and

then　severely；　‘‘this　must　cease　immediately。''



She　rose　quietly　and　led　her　father

over　to　the　mantel。　Placing　a　hand　on

each　of　his　shoulders　she　said：



‘‘Father；　I　will　obey　you　implicitly

if　you　can　name　a　reasonable　objection

to　the　man　I　love。　But　you　can　not。

I　love　him　with　my　whole　soul。　I　love

him　for　the　nobility　of　his　character；

and　because　there　is　none　other　in　the

world　for　him；　nor　for　me。''









IX



Old　Sanders　as　boy　and　man

had　been　in　the　employ　of　the

banking　and　brokerage　firm　of　Wallace

Brothers　for　two　generations。　The　firm

gradually　had　advanced　his　position　until

now　he　was　confidential　adviser　and

general　manager；　besides　having　an

interest　in　the　profits　of　the　business。



He　enjoyed　the　friendship　of　Mr。

Wallace；　and　had　been　a　constant　visitor

at　his　house　from　the　first　days　of

that　gentleman's　married　life。　He　himself

was　alone　in　the　world；　a　confirmed

bachelor。　He　had　seen　Mildred　creep

from　babyhood　into　childhood；　and　bud

from　girlhood　to　womanhood。　To　Mildred

he　was　one　of　that　numerous　army

of　brevet　relations　known　as　‘‘gran…

pop；''　‘‘pop；''　or　‘‘uncle。''　To　her　he

was　Uncle　Sanders。



If　the　old　man　had　one　touch　of　human

nature　in　him　it　was　a　solicitude

for　Mildred's　futurean　authority　arrogated

to　himselfto　see　that　she　married

the　right　man；　but　even　that　was

directed　to　her　material　gain　in　this

world's　goods；　and　not　to　any　sentimental

consideration　for　her　happiness。

He　flattered　himself　that　by　timely

suggestion　he　had　‘‘stumped''　at　least　half

a　dozen　would…be　candidates　for　Mildred's

hand。　He　pooh…poohed　love　as　a

necessity　for　marital　felicity；　and　would

enforce　his　argument　by　quoting　from

the　bard：



‘‘All　lovers　swear　more　performance

than　they　are　able；　and　yet　reserve　an

ability　that　they　never　perform；　vowing

more　than　the　perfection　of　ten；　and

discharging　less　than　the　tenth　part　of　one。''



‘‘You　can　get　at　a　man's　income；''

he　would　say；　‘‘but　not　at　his　heart。

Love　without　money　won't　travel　as　far

as　money　without　love；''　and　many

married　people　whose　bills　were　overdue

wondered　if　the　old　fellow　was

not　right。



He　was　cold…blooded　and　generally

disliked　by　the　men　under　him。　The

more　evil…minded　gossips　in　the　bank

said　he　was　in　league　with　‘‘Old

Nick。''　That；　of　course；　was　absurd；

for　it　does　not　necessarily　follow；

because　a　man　suggests　a　means　looking

to　an　end；　disreputable　though　it　be；

that　he　has　Mephistopheles　for　a　silent

partner。　The　conservative　element

among　the　employees　would　not　openly

venture　so　far；　but　rather　thought　if　his

satanic　majesty　and　old　Sanders　ran　a

race；　the　former　would　come　in　a　bad

second；　if　he　were　not　distanced　altogether。



The　old　man　always　reached　the　office

at　nine。　Mr。　Wallace　usually　arrived　a

half　hour　later；　seldom　earlier；　which　was

so　well　understood　by　Sanders　that　he

was　greatly　surprised　when　he　walked

into　the　president's　office；　the　morning

after　that　gentleman　had　attended

Diotti's　concert；　to　find　the　head　of　the

firm　already　there　and　apparently　waiting　for　him。



‘‘Sanders；''　said　the　banker；　‘‘I

want　your　advice　on　a　matter　of　great

importance　and　concern　to　me。''



Sanders　came　across　the　room　and

stood　beside　the　desk。



‘‘Briefly　as　possible；　I　am　much

exercised　about　my　daughter。''



The　old　man　moved　up　a　chair　and

buried　himself　in　it。　Pressing　his　elbows

tightly　against　his　sides；　he　drew

his　neck　in；　and　with　the　tips　of　his

right　hand　fingers　consorted　and

coquetted　with　their　like　on　the　opposite

hand；　then　he　simply　asked；　‘‘Who　is

the　man？''



‘‘He　is　the　violinist　who　has　created

such　a　sensation　here；　Angelo　Diotti。''



‘‘Yes；　I've　seen　the　name　in　print；''

returned　the　old　man。



‘‘He　has　bewitched　Mildred。　I　never

have　seen　her　show　the　least　interest　in

a　man　before。　She　never　has　appeared

to　me　as　an　impressionable　girl　or　one

that　could　easily　be　won。''



‘‘That　is　very　true；''　ejaculated

Sanders；　‘‘she　always　seemed　tractable　and

open　to　reason　in　all　questions　of　love

and　courting。　I　can　recall　several

instances　where　I　have　set　her　right　by

my　estimation　of　men；　and　invariably

she　has　accepted　my　views。''



‘‘And　mine　until　now；''　said　the

father；　and　then　he　recounted　his

experience　of　the　night　before。　‘‘I　had

hoped　she　would　not　fall　in　love；　but

be　a　prop　and　comfort　to　me　now　that

I　am　alone。　I　am　dismayed　at　the

prospect　before　me。''



Then　the　old　man　mused：　‘‘In　the

chrysalis　state　of　girlhood；　a　parent

arranges　all　the　details　of　his　daughter's

future；　when　and　whom　she　shall　marry。

‘I　shall　not　allow　her　to　fall　in　love

until　she　is　twenty…three；'　says　the　fond

parent。　‘I　shall　not　allow　her　to　marry

until　she　is　twenty…six；'　says　the　fond

parent。　‘The　man　she　marries　will　be

the　one　I　approve　of；　and　then　she　will

live　happy　ever　after；'　concludes　the

fond　parent。''



Deluded　parent！　false　prophet！　The

anarchist；　Love；　steps　in　and　disdains

all　laws；　rules　and　regulations。　When

finally　the　father　confronts　the　defying

daughter；　she　calmly　says；　‘‘Well；

what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？''

And　then　tears；　forgiveness；　complete

capitulation；　and；　sometimes；　she　and

her　husband　live　happily　ever　afterwards。



‘‘We　must　find　some　means　to　end

this　attachment。　A　union　between　a

musician　and　my　daughter　would　be

most　mortifying　to　me。　Some　plan

must　be　devised　to　separate　them；　but

she　must　not　know　of　it；　for　she　is

impatient　of　restraint　and　will　not　brook

opposition。''



‘‘Are　you　confident　she　really　loves

this　violinist？''



‘‘She　confessed　as　much　to　me；''

said　the　perturbed　banker。



Old　Sanders　tapped　with　both　hands

on　his　shining　cranium　and　asked；

‘‘Are　you　confident　he　loves　her？''



‘‘No。　Even　if　he　does　not；　he　no　doubt

makes　the　pretense；　and　she　believes

him。　A　man　who　fiddles　for　money

is　not　likely　to　ignore　an　opportunity　to

angle　for　the　same　commodity；''　and

the　banker；　with　a　look　of　scorn　on　his

face；　threw　himself　back　into　the　chair。



‘‘Does　she　know　that　you　do　not

approve　of　this　man？''



‘‘I　told　her　that　I　desired　the

musician's　visits　to　cease。''



‘‘And　her　answer？''



‘‘She　said　she　would　obey　me　if　I

could　name　one　reasonable　objection　to

the　man；　and　then；　with　an　air　of　absolute

confidence　in　the　impossibility　of

such　a　contingency；　added；　‘But　you

can　not。'　''



‘‘Yes；　but　you　must；''　said　Sanders。

‘‘Mildred　is　strangely　constituted。　If

she　loves　this　man；　her　love　can　be

more　deadly　to　the　choice　of　her　heart

than　her　hate　to　one　she　abhors。　The

impatience　of　restraint　you　speak　of　and

her　very　inability　to　brook　opposition

can　be　turned　to　good　account　now。''

And　old　Sanders　again　tapped　in　the

rhythm　of　a　dirge　on　his　parchment…

bound　cranium。



‘‘Your　plan？''　eagerly　asked　the

father；　whose　confidence　in　his　secretary

was　absolute。



‘‘I　would　like　to　study　them　together。

Your　position　will　be　stronger　with

Mildred　if　you　show　no　open　opposition

to　the　man　or　his　aspirations；　bring　us

together　at　your　house　some　evening；

and　if　I　can　not　enter　a　wedge　of

discontent；　then　they　are　not　as　others。''



***



Mildred　was　delighted　when　her

father　told　her　on　his　return　in　the

evening　that　he　was　anxious　to　meet

Signor　Diotti；　and　suggested　a　dinner

party　within　a　few　days。　He　said　he

would　invite　Mr。　Sanders；　as　that

gentleman；　no　doubt；　would　consider　it　a

great　privilege　to　meet　the　famous

musician。　Mildred　immediately　sent　an

invitation　to　Diotti；　adding　a　request

that　he　bring　his　violin　and　play　for

Uncle　Sanders；　as　the　latter　had　found

it　impossible　to　attend　his　concerts　during

the　season；　yet　was　fond　of　music；

especially　violin　music。







X



The　little　dinner　party　passed　off

pleasantly；　and　as　old　Sanders

lighted　his　cigar　he　confided　to　Diotti；

with　a　braggart's　assurance；　that　when

he　was　a　youngster　he　was　the　best　fiddler

for　twenty　miles　around。　‘‘I　tell

you　there　is　nothing　like　a　fiddler　to

catch　a　petticoat；''　he　said；　with　a　sharp

nudge　of　his　elbow　into　Diotti's　ribs。

‘‘When　I　played　the　Devil's　Dream

there　wasn't　a　girl　in　the　country　could

keep　from　dancing；　and　‘Rosalie；　the

Prairie　Flower；'　brought　them　on　their

knees　to　me　every　time；''　then　after　a

pause；　‘‘I　don't　believe　people　fiddle　as

well　no