the fortunes of oliver horn-第77部分

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　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。　I　never　dare　ask　myself；　　but　do　you　keep　your　hand　close　in　Oliver's。　Remember；　dear；　closeclose！　Then　you　will　never　know　the　bitterness　of　a　lonely　life。〃

She　rose　from　her　seat；　bent　down；　and；　taking　Margaret's　cheeks　between　her　palms；　kissed　her　on　the　forehead。

Margaret　put　her　arms　about　the　little　lady；　and　was　about　to　draw　her　nearer；　when　the　front　door　opened　and　a　step　was　heard　in　the　hall。　Miss　Lavinia　　raised　herself　erect；　listening　to　the　sound。

〃Hark！〃　she　cried；　〃there's　the　dear　fellow；　now〃and　she　advanced　to　meet　him；　her　gentle　countenance　once　more　serene。

Oliver's　face　as　he　entered　the　room　told　the　story。

〃Not　worse？〃　Margaret　exclaimed；　starting　from　her　chair。

〃Yesmuch　worse。　I　have　just　sent　word　to　Uncle　Nat〃and　he　kissed　them　both。　〃Put　on　your　things　at　once。　The　doctor　is　anxious。

Miss　Lavinia　caught　up　her　cloak；　handed　Margaret　　her　shawl；　and　the　three　hurried　out　the　front…　door　and　along　the　Square；　passing　the　Pancoast　house；　now　turned　into　offices；　its　doors　and　windows　　covered　with　signs；　and　the　Clayton　Mansion；　surmounted　by　a　flag…pole　and　still　used　by　the　Government。　　Entering　the　park；　they　crossed　the　site　of　the　once　lovely　flower…beds；　now　trampled　flat　as　was　everything　else　in　the　groundsand　so　on　to　the　marble　steps　of　the　Horn　Mansion。

Mrs。　Horn　met　them　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　She　put　her　arms　silently　about　Margaret；　kissed　her　tenderly；　and　led　her　into　Richard's　room。　Oliver　and　Miss　Clendenning　stood　at　the　door。

The　master　lay　under　the　canopy　of　the　four…post　bedstead；　his　eyes　closed；　the　soft　white　hair　lost　in　the　pillows；　the　pale　face　tinged　with　the　glow　of　the　night　lamp。　Dr。　Wallace　was　standing　by　the　bed　watching　the　labored　breathing　of　the　prostrate　man。　Old　Hannah　sat　on　the　floor　at　Richard's　feet。　She　was　rocking　to　and　fro；　making　no　sign；　crooning　　inaudibly　to　herself　listening　to　every　sound。

Margaret　sank　to　her　knees　and　laid　her　cheek　on　the　coverlet。　She　wanted　to　touch　something　that　was　close　to　him。

The　head　of　the　sick　man　turned　uneasily。　The　doctor　bent　noiselessly　down；　put　his　ears　close　to　the　patient's　breast；　touched　his　pulse　with　his　fingers；　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　forehead。

〃Better　send　for　some　hot　water；〃　he　whispered　to　Mrs。　Horn　when　he　had　regained　her　side。　Margaret　　overheard；　and　started　to　rise　from　her　knees；　but　Mrs。　Horn　waved　her　back。　〃Hannah　will　get　it；〃　she　said；　and　stooped　close　to　the　old　woman　to　give　the　order。　There　was　a　restrained　calmness　in　her　manner　that　sent　a　shiver　through　Margaret。　She　remembered　just　such　an　expression　on　her　mother's　face　when　her　own　father　lay　dying。

The　old　servant　lifted　herself　slowly；　and　with　bent　head　and　crouching　body　crept　out　of　the　room　without　turning　her　face　toward　her　master。　The　superstition　of　the　negroes　about　the　eyes　of　a　dying　man　kept　hers　close　to　the　floorshe　did　not　want　Richard　to　look　at　her。

Dr。　Wallace　detected　the　movementhe　knew　its　causeand　passed　out　of　the　sick　chamber　to　where　Oliver　stood　with　Miss　Clendenning。

〃Better　go　down；　Oliver；　and