stories of a western town-第21部分
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oranda written； he slipped the book in his pocket； reflecting cynically； 〃There's habit！ I've no need of writing that。 It's not pleasant enough to forget！〃 Thirty odd years ago； Horatio Armorerthey called him 'Raish； then had left the town to seek his fortune in Chicago。 It was his daydream to wrestle a hundred thousand dollars out of the world's tight fists； and return to live in pomp on Brady Street hill！ He should drive a buggy with two horses； and his wife should keep two girls。 Long ago； the hundred thousand limit had been reached and passed； next the million； and still he did not return。 His father； the Presbyterian minister； left his parish； or； to be exact； was gently propelled out of his parish by the disaffected； the family had a new home； and the son； struggling to help them out of his scanty resources； went to the new parish and not to the old。 He grew rich； he established his brothers and sisters in prosperity； he erected costly monuments and a memorial church to his parents （they were beyond any other gifts from him）； he married； and lavished his money on three daughters； but the home of his youth neither saw him nor his money until Margaret Ellis bought a house on Brady Street； far up town； where she could have all the grass that she wanted。 Mrs。 Ellis was a widow and rich。 Not a millionaire like her brother； but the possessor of a handsome property。 She was the best…natured woman in the world； and never guessed how hard her neighbors found it to forgive her for always calling their town of thirty thousand souls； 〃the country。〃 She said that she had pined for years to live in the country； and have horses； and a Jersey cow and chickens； and 〃a neat pig。〃 All of which modest cravings she gratified on her little estate； and the gardener was often seen with a scowl and the garden hose； keeping the pig neat。 It was later that Mr。 Armorer had bought the street railways； they having had a troublous history and being for sale cheap。 Nobody that knows Armorer as a business man would back his sentiment by so much as an old shoe； yet it was sentiment； and not a good bargain； that had enticed the financier。 Once engaged； the instincts of a shrewd trader prompted him to turn it into a good bargain； anyhow。 His fancy was pleased by a vision of a return to the home of his childhood and his struggling youth； as a greater personage than his hopes had ever dared promise。 But； in the event； there was little enough gratification for his vanity。 Not since his wife's death had he been so harassed and anxious； for he came not in order to view his new property； but because his sister had written him her suspicions that Harry Lossing wanted to marry his youngest daughter。 Armorer arrived in the early dawn。 Early as it was； a handsome victoria； with horses sleeker of skin and harness heavier and brighter than one is used to meet outside the great cities； had been in waiting for twenty minutes； while for that space of time a pretty girl had paced up and down the platform。 The keenest observer among the crowd； airing its meek impatience on the platform； did not detect any sign of anxiety in her behavior。 She walked erect； with a step that left a clean…cut footprint in the dust； as girls are trained to walk nowadays。 Her tailor…made gown of fine blue serge had not a wrinkle。 It was so simple that only a fashionable woman could guess anywhere near the awful sum total which that plain skirt； that short jacket； and that severe waistcoat had once made on a ruled sheet of paper。 When she turned her face toward the low； red station…house and the people； it looked gentle； and the least in the world sad。 She had one of those clear olive skins that easily grow pale； it was pale to…day。 Her black hair was fine as spun silk； the coil under her hat…brim shone as she moved。 The fine hair； the soft； transparent skin； and the beautiful marking of her brows were responsible for an air of fragile daintiness in her person； just as her almond…shaped； liquid dark eyes and unsmiling mouth made her look sad。 It was a most attractive face； in all its moods； sometimes it was a beautiful face； yet it did not have a single perfect feature except the mouth； whichat least so Harry Lossing told his mothermight have been stolen from the Venus of Milo。 Even the mouth； some critics called too small for her nose； but it is as easy to call her nose too large for her mouth。 The instant she turned her back on the bustle of the station； all the lines in her face seemed to waver and the eyes to brighten。 Finally； when the train rolled up to the platform and a young…looking elderly man swung himself nimbly off the steps； the color flared up in her cheeks； only to sink as suddenly； like a candle flame in a gust of wind。 Mr。 Armorer put his two arms and his umbrella and travelling…bag about the charming shape in blue； at the same time exclaiming； 〃You're a good girl to come out so early； Essie！ How's Aunt Meg？〃 〃Oh； very well。 She would have come too； but she hasn't come back from training。〃 〃Training？〃 〃Yes； dear； she has a regular trainer； like John L。 Sullivan； you know。 She drives out to the park with Eliza and me； and walks and runs races； and does gymnastics。 She has lost ten pounds。〃 Armorer wagged his head with a grin： 〃I dare say。 I thought so when you began。 Meg is always moaning and groaning because she isn't a sylph！ She will make her cook's life a burden for about two months and lose ten pounds； and then she will revel in ice…cream！ Last time； she was raving about Dr。 Salisbury and living on beefsteak sausages； spending a fortune starving herself。〃 〃She had Dr。 Salisbury's pamphlet； but Cardigan told her it was a long way out； so she said she hated to have it do no one any good； and she gave it to Maria； one of the maids； who is always fretting because she is so thin。〃 〃But the thing was to cure fat people！〃 〃Precisely。〃 Esther laughed a little low laugh； at which her father's eyes shone； 〃but you see she told Maria to exactly reverse the advice and eat everything that was injurious to stout people； and it would be just right for her。〃 〃I perceive；〃 said Armorer； dryly； 〃very ingenious and feminine scheme。 But who is Cardigan？〃 〃Shuey Cardigan？ He is the trainer。 He is a fireman in a furniture shop； now； but he used to be the boxing teacher for some Harvard men； and he was a distinguished pugilist； once。 He said to me； modestly； 'I don't suppose you will have seen my name in the _Police Gazette_； miss？' But he really is a very sober； decent man； notwithstanding。〃 〃Your Aunt Meg always was picking up queer birds！ Pray； who introduced this decent pugilist？〃 Esther was getting into the carriage； her face was turned from him； but he could see the pink deepen in her ear and the oval of her cheek。 She answered that it was a friend of theirs； Mr。 Lossing。 As if the name had struck them both dumb； neither spoke for a few moments。 Armorer bit a sigh in two。 〃Essie；〃 said he； 〃I guess it is no use to side…track the subject。 You know why I came here； don't you？〃 〃Aunt Meg told me what she wrote to you。〃 〃I knew she would。 She had compunctions of conscience letting him hang round you； until she told me； and then she had awful gripes because she had told； and had to confess to YOU！〃 He continued in a different tone： 〃Essie； I have missed your mother a long while； and nobody knows how that kind of missing hurts； but it seems to me I never missed her as I do to…day。 I need her to advise me about you； Essie。 It is like this： I don't want to be a stern parent any more than you want to elope on a rope ladder。 We have got to look at this thing together； my dear little girl； and try toto trust each other。〃 〃Don't you think； papa；〃 said Esther； smiling rather tremulously； 〃that we would better wait； before we have all these solemn preparations； until we know surely whether Mr。 Lossing wants me？〃 〃Don't you know surely？〃 〃He has never said anything ofof thatkind。〃 〃Oh； he is in love with you fast enough；〃 growled Armorer； but a smile of intense relief brightened his face。 〃Now； you see； my dear； all I know about this young man； except that he wants my daughter which you will admit is not likely to prejudice me in his favor is that he is mayor of this town and has a furniture store 〃 〃A manufactory； it is a very large business！〃 〃All right； manufactory； then； all the same he is not a brilliant match for my daughter； not such a husband as your sisters have。〃 Esther's lip quivered and her color rose again； but she did not speak。 〃Still I will say that I think a fellow who can make his own fortune is better than a man with twice that fortune made for him。 My dear； if Lossing has the right stuff in him and he is a real good fellow； I shan't make you go into a decline by objecting； but you see it is a big shock to me； and you must let me get used to it； and let me size the young man up in my own way。 There is another thing； Esther； I am going to Europe Thursday； that will give me just a day in Chicago if I go to…morrow； and I wish you would come with me。 Will you mind？〃 Either she changed her seat or she started at the proposal。 But how could she say that she wanted to stay in America with a man who had not said a formal word of love to her？ 〃I can get ready； I think； papa；〃 said
