lady baltimore-第42部分

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rican　civilization　should　be　called　Drummer's　Delightand　there's　nothing　in　your　fire…eater　to　delight　a　drummer：　he's　a　gentleman；　he'll　be　only　so…so　rich；　and　he's　away　back　out　of　the　lime…light；　while　poor　old　Charley's　a　bounder；　and　worth　forty　millions　anyhow；　and　right　in　the　centre　of　the　glare。　How　should　he　see　any　danger　in　John？〃

〃I　wonder　if　he　hasn't　begun　to？〃

〃Well；　perhaps。　He　and　Hortense　have　been　'talking　business'；　I　know　that。　Ohand　why　do　you　think　she　said　he　must　go　to　New　York？　To　make　a　better　deal　for　the　fire…eater's　phosphates　than　his　fuddling　old　trustee　here　was　going　to　close　with。　Charley　said　that　could　be　arranged　by　telegram。　But　she　made　him　go　himself！　She's　extraordinary。　He'll　arrive　in　town　to…morrow；　he'll　leave　next　day；　he'll　reach　here　by　the　Southern　on　Saturday　night　in　time　for　our　Sunday　yacht　picnic；　and　then　something　has　got　to　happen；　I　should　think。〃

Here　was　another　key；　unlocking　a　further　piece　of　knowledge　for　me。　I　had　not　been　able　to　guess　why　Hortense　should　be　keeping　Charley　〃on〃；　but　how　natural　was　this　policy；　when　understood　clearly！　She　still　needed　Charley's　influence　in　the　world　of　affairs。　Charley's　final　service　was　to　be　the　increasing　of　his　successful　rival's　fortune。　I　wondered　what　Charley　would　do；　when　the　full　extent　of　his　usefulness　dawned　upon　him；　and　with　wonder　renewed　I　thought　of　General　Rieppe；　and　this　daughter　he　had　managed　to　beget。　Surely　the　mother　of　Hortense；　whoever　she　may　have　been；　must　have　been　a　very　richly　endowed　character！

〃Something　has　most　certainly　got　to　happen　and　soon；〃　I　said　to　Beverly　Rodgers。　〃Especially　if　my　busy　boarding…house　bodies　are　right　in　saying　that　the　invitations　for　the　wedding　are　to　be　out　on　Monday。〃

Well；　I　had　Friday；　I　had　Udolpho；　and　there；　while　on　that　excursion；　when　I　should　be　alone　with　John　Mayrant　during　many　hours；　and　　especially　the　hours　of　deep；　confidential　night；　I　swore　to　myself　on　oath　I　would　say　to　the　boy　the　last　word；　up　to　the　verge　of　offense；　that　my　wits　could　devise。　Apart　from　a　certain　dramatic　excitement　as　of　battlebattle　between　Hortense　and　meI　truly　wished　to　help　him　out　of　the　miserable　mistake　his　wrong　standard；　his　chivalry　gone　perverted；　was　spurring　him　on　to　make；　and　I　had　a　comic　image　of　myself；　summoning　Miss　Josephine；　summoning　Miss　Eliza；　summoning　Mrs。　Gregory　and　Mrs。　Weguelin；　and　the　whole　company　of　aunts　and　cousins；　and　handing　to　them　the　rescued　John　with　the　single　but　sufficient　syllable：　〃There！〃

He　was　in　apparent　spirits；　was　John；　at　that　hour　of　our　departure　for　Udolpho；　he　pretended　so　well　that　I　was　for　a　while　altogether　deceived。　He　had　wished　to　call　for　me　with　the　conveyance　in　which　he　should　drive　us　out　into　the　lonely　country　through　the　sunny　afternoon；　but　instead；　I　chose　to　walk　round　to　where　he　lived；　and　where　I　found　him　stuffing　beneath　the　seats　of　the　vehicle　the　baskets　and　the　parcels　which　con…　tained　the　provisions　for　our　ample　supper。

〃I　have　never　seen　you　drink　hearty　yet；　and　now　I　purpose　to；〃　said　John。

As　the　packing　was　finishing　Miss　Josephine　St。　Michael　came　by；　and　the　sight　of　the　erect　old　lady　reminded　me　that　of　all　Kings　Port　figures　known　to　me　and　seen　in　the　garden　paying　their　visit　of　ceremony　to　Hortense；　she　aloneshe　and　Eliza　La　Heuhad　been　absent。　Eliza's　declining　to　share　in　that　was　well…nigh　inevitable；　but　Miss　Josephine　was　another　matter。　Perhaps　she　had　considered　her　sister's　going　there　to　be　enough；　at　any　rate；　she　had　not　been　party　to　the　surrender；　and　this　gave　me　whimsical　satisfaction。　Moreover；　it　had　evidently　occasioned　no　ruffle　in　the　affectionate　relations　between　herself　and　John。

〃John；〃　said　she；　〃as　you　drive　by；　do　get　me　a　plumber。〃

〃Much　better　get　a　burglar；　Aunt　Josephine。　Cheaper　in　the　end；　and　neater　work。〃

It　was　thus；　at　the　outset；　that　I　came　to　believe　John's　spirits　were　high；　and　this　illusion　he　successfully　kept　up　until　after　we　had　left　the　plumber　and　Kings　Port　several　sordid　miles　behind　us；　the　approach　to　Kings　Port　this　way　lies　through　dirtiest　Africa。　John　was　loquacious；　John　discoursed　upon　the　Replacers；　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael　had　quite　evidently　expressed　to　her　own　circle　what　she　thought　of　them；　and　the　town　in　consequence；　although　it　did　not　see　them　or　their　automobiles；　because　it　appeared　they　were　gone　some　twenty　miles　inland　upon　an　excursion　to　a　resort　where　was　a　large　hotel；　and　a　little　variety　in　the　way　of　some　tourists　of　the　Replacer　stripe；the　town　kept　them　well　in　its　mind's　eye。　The　automobiles　would　have　sufficed　to　bring　them　into　disrepute；　but　Kings　Port　had　a　better　reason　in　their　conduct　in　the　church；　and　John　found　many　things　to　say　to　me；　as　we　drove　along；　about　Bohm　and　Charley　and　Kitty。　Gazza　he　forgot；　although；　as　shall　appear　in　its　place；　Gazza　was　likely　to　live　a　long　while　in　his　memory。　Beverly　Rodgers　he；　of　course；　recognized　as　being　a　gentlemanit　was　clear　that　Beverly　met　with　Kings　Port's　approvaland；　from　his　Newport　experiences；　John　was　able　to　make　out　quite　as　well　as　if　he　had　heard　Beverly　explain　it　himself　the　whole　wise　philosophic　system　of　joining　with　the　Replacers　in　order　that　you　be　not　replaced　yourself。

〃In　his　shoes　mightn't　I　do　the　same？〃　he　surmised。　〃I　fear　I'm　not　as　Spartan　as　my　auntsonly　pray　don't　mention　it　to　them！〃

And　then；　because　I　had　been　answering　him　with　single　syllables；　or　with　nods；　or　not　at　all；　he　taxed　me　with　my　taciturnity；　he　even　went　so　far　as　to　ask　me　what　thoughts　kept　me　so　silentwhich　I　did　not　tell　him。

〃I　am　wondering；〃　I　told　him　instead；　〃how　much　they　steal　every　week。〃

〃Those　financiers？〃

〃Yes。　Bohm　is　president　of　an　insurance　company；　and　Charley's　a　director；　and　reorganizes　railroads。〃

〃Well；　if　other　people　share　your　pleasant　opinion　of　them；　how　do　they　get　elected？〃

〃Other　people　share　their　pleasant　spoilssenators；　vestrymenyou　can't　be　sure　who　you're　sitting　next　to　at　dinner　any　more。　Come　live　North。　You'll　find　the　only　safe　way　is　never　to　know　anybody　worth　more　than　five　millionsif　you　wish　to　keep　the　criminal　classes　off　your　visiting　list。〃

This　made　him　merry。　〃Put　'em　in　jail；　then！〃

〃Ah；　the　jail！〃　I　returned。　〃It's　the　great　American　joke。　It　reverses　the　rule　of　our　smart　society。　Only　those　who　have　no　incomes　are　admitted。〃

〃But　what　do　you　have　laws　and　lawyers　for？〃

〃To　keep　the　rich　out　of　jail。　It's　called　'professional　etiquette。'〃

〃Your　picture　flatters！〃

〃You　flatter　me；　it's　only　a　photograph。　Come　North　and　see。〃

〃One　might　think；　from。　your　account；　the　American　had　rather　be　bad　than　good。〃

〃O　dear；　no！　The　American　had　much　rather　be　good　than　bad！〃

〃Your　admission　amazes　me！〃

〃But　also　the　American　had　rather　be　rich　than　good。　And　he　is　having　his　wish。　And　money's　golden　hand　is　tightening　on　the　throat　of　liberty　while　the　labor　union　stabs　liberty　in　the　backfor　trusts　and　unions　are　both　trying　to　kill　liberty。　And　the　soul　of　Uncle　Sam　has　turned　into　a　dollar…inside　his　great；　big；　strong；　triumphant　flesh；　so　that　even　his　new　religion；　his　own　special　invention；　his　last　offering　to　the　creeds　of　the　world；　his　gatherer　of　converted　hordes；　his　Christian　Science；　is　based　upon　physical　benefit。〃

John　touched　the　horses。　〃You're　particularly　cheerful　to…day！〃

〃No。　I　merely　summarize　what　I'm　seeing。〃

〃Well；　a　moral　awakening　will　come；〃　he　declared。

〃Inevitably。　To…morrow；　perhaps。　The　flesh　has　had　a　good；　long；　prosperous　day；　and　the　hour　of　the　spirit　must　be　near　striking。　And　the　moral　awakening　will　be　followed　by　a　moral　slumber；　since；　in　the　uncomprehended　scheme　of　things；　slumber　seems　necessary；　and　you　needn't　pull　so　long　a　face；　Mr。　Mayrant；　because　the　slumber　will　be　followed　by　another　moral　awakening。　The　alcoholic　society　girl　you　don't　like　will　very　probably　give　birth　to　a　water…drinking　daughterwho　in　her　turn　may　produce　a　bibulous　progeny：　how　often　must　I　tell　you　that　nothing　is　final？〃

John　Mayrant　gave　the　horses　a　somewhat　vicious　lash　after　these　last　words　of　mine；　and；　as　he　made　no　retort　to　them；　we　journeyed　some　little　distance　in　silence　through　the　mild；　enchanting　light　of　the　sun。　My　deliberate　allusion　to　alcoholic　girls　had　made　plain　what　I　had　begun　to　suspect。　I　could　now　discern　that　his　cloak　of　gayety　had　fallen　from　him；　leaving　bare　the　same　harassed　spirit；　the　same　restless　mood；　which　had　been　his　upon　the　last　occasion　when　we　had　talked　at　length　together　upon　some　of　the　present　social　and　political　phases　of　our　republic　that　day　of　the　New　Bridge　and　the　advent　of　Hortense。　Only；　upon　that　day；　he　had　by　his　manner　in　some　subtle　fashion　conveyed　to　me　a　greater　security　in　my　discretion　than　I　felt　him　now　to　entertain。　His　many　observations　about　the　Replacers；　with　always　the　significant　and　conspicuous　omission　of　Hortense；　proved　more　and　more；　as　I　thought　it　over；　that　his　state　was　unsteady。　Even　now；　he　did　not　long　endure　silence　between　us；　yet　the　eagerness　which　he　threw　into　our　discussions　did　not；　it　seemed　to　me；　so　much　proceed　from　present　interest　in　their　subjects　（though　interest　there　was　at　times）　as　from　anxiety　lest　one　particular　subject；　ever　present　with　him；　should　creep　in　unawares。　So　much　I；　at　any　rate；　concluded；　and　bided　my　time　for　the　creeping　in　unawares；　content　meanwhile　to　parry　some　of　the　reproaches　which　he　now　and　again　cast　at　me　with　an　earnestness　real　or　feigned。

We　had　made　now　considerable　progress；　and　were　come　to　a　space　of　sand　and　cabins　and　intersecting　railroad　tracks；　where　freight　cars　and　locomotives　stood；　and　negroes　of　all　shapes；　but　of　one　lowering　and　ragged　appearance；　lounged　and　stared。

〃There　used　to　be　a　murder　here　about　once　a　day；〃　said　John；　〃before　the　dispensary　system。　Now；　it　is　about　once　a　week。〃

〃That　law　is　of　benefit；　then？〃　I　inquired。

〃To　those　who　drink　the　whiskey；　possibly；　certainly　to　those　who　sell　it！〃　And　he　condensed　for　me　the　long　story　of　the　state　dispensary；　which　in　brief　appeared　to　be　that　South　Carolina　had　gone　into　the　liquor　business。　The　profits　were　to　pay　for　compulsory　educatio