stories of a western town-第23部分
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perhaps； Essie has high…toned notions。 That's all right； it is the thing for women。 Mother had them too。 Look here； Meg； I'll tell you； I want to see if this young fellow has ANY sense！ We have an ordinance that we want passed。 If he will get his council to pass it； that will show he can put his grand theories into his pockets sometimes； and I will give him a show with Esther。 If he doesn't care enough for my girl to oblige her father； even if he doesn't please a lot of carping roosters that want the earth for their town and would like a street railway to be run to accommodate them and lose money for the stockholders； well； then； you can't blame me if I don't want him！ Now； will you do one thing for me； Meg； to help me out？ I don't want Lossing to persuade Esther to commit herself； you know how； when she was a little mite； if Esther gave her word she kept it。 I want you to promise me you won't let Esther be alone one second with young Lossing。 She is going to…morrow； but there's your whist…party to…night； I suppose he's coming？ And I want you to promise you won't let him have our address。 If he treats me square； he won't need to ask you for it。 Well？〃 He buttoned up his coat and folded his arms； waiting。 Mrs。 Ellis's sympathy had gone out to the young people as naturally as water runs down hill； for she is of a romantic temperament； though she doesn't dare to be weighed。 But she remembered the silver service； the coffee…pot； the tea…pot； the tray for spoons； the creamer； the hot…water kettle； the sugar…bowl； all on a rich salver； splendid； dazzling； what rank ingratitude it would be to oppose her generous brother！ Rather sadly she answered； but she did answer： 〃I'll do that much for you； 'Raish； but I feel we're risking Esther's happiness； and I can only keep the letter of my promise。〃 〃That's all I ask； my dear；〃 said Armorer； taking out a little shabby note…book from his breast…pocket； and scratching out a line。 The line effaced read： 〃_See E & M tea…set_。〃
〃The silver service was a good muzzle；〃 he thought。 He went away for an interview with the corporation lawyer and the superintendent of the road； leaving Mrs。 Ellis in a distraction of conscience that made her the wonder of her servants that morning； during all the preparations for the whist…party。 She might have felt more remorseful had she guessed her brother's real plan。 He knew enough of Lossing to be assured that he would not yield about the ordinance； which he firmly believed to be a dangerous one for the city。 He expected； he counted on the mayor's refusing his proffers。 He hoped that Esther would feel the sympathy which women give； without question generally； to the business plans of those near and dear to them； taking it for granted that the plans are right because they will advantage those so near and dear。 That was the beautiful and proper way that Jenny had always reasoned； why should Jenny's daughter do otherwise？ When Harry Lossing should oppose her father and refuse to please him and to win her； mustn't any high…spirited woman feel hurt？ Certainly she must； and he would take care to whisk her off to Europe before the young man had a chance to make his peace！ 〃Yes； sir；〃 says Armorer； to his only confidant； 〃you never were a domestic conspirator before； Horatio； but you have got it down fine！ You would do for Gaboriau〃Gaboriau's novels being the only fiction that ever Armorer read。 Nevertheless； his conscience pricked him almost as sharply as his sister's pricked her。 Consciences are queer things； like certain crustaceans； they grow shells in spots； and； proof against moral artillery in one part； they may be soft as a baby's cheek in another。 Armorer's conscience had two sides； business and domestic； people abused him for a business buccaneer； at the same time his private life was pure； and he was a most tender husband and father。 He had never deceived Esther before in her life。 Once he had ridden all night in a freight…car to keep a promise that he had made the child。 It hurt him to be hoodwinking her now。 But he was too angry and too frightened to cry back。 The interview with the lawyer did not take any long time； but he spent two hours with the superintendent of the road； who pronounced him 〃a little nice fellow with no airs about him。 Asked a power of questions about Harry Lossing； guess there is something in that story about Lossing going to marry his daughter！〃 Marston drove him to Lossing's office and left him there。 He was on the ground； and Marston lifting the whip to touch the horse； when he asked： 〃Say； before you gois there any danger in leaving off the conductors？〃 Marston was raised on mules； and he could not overcome a vehement distrust of electricity。 〃Well；〃 said he； 〃I guess you want the cold facts。 The children are almighty thick down on Third Street； and children are always trying to see how near they can come to being killed； you know； sir； and then； the old women like to come and stand on the track and ask questions of the motorneer on the other track； so that the car coming down has a chance to catch 'em。 The two together keep the conductors on the jump！〃 〃Is that so？〃 said Armorer； musingly； 〃well； I guess you'd better close with that insurance man and get the papers made out before we run the new way。〃 〃If we ever do run！〃 muttered the superintendent to himself as he drove away。 Armorer ran his sharp eye over the buildings of the Lossing Art Furniture Manufacturing Company； from the ugly square brick box that was the nucleusthe egg； so to speak from which the great concern had been hatched； to the handsome new structures with their great arched windows and red mortar。 〃Pretty property； very pretty property；〃 thought Armorer； 〃wonder if that story Marston tells is true！〃 The story was to the effect that a few weeks before his last sickness the older Lossing had taken his son to look at the buildings； and said； 〃Harry； this will all be yours before long。 It is a comfort to me to think that every workman I have is the better； not the worse； off for my owning it； there's no blood or dirt on my money； and I leave it to you to keep it clean and to take care of the men as well as the business。〃 〃Now； wasn't he a d fool！〃 said Armorer； cheerfully； taking out his note…book to mark； 〃_See abt road MD _〃
And he went in。 Harry greeted him with exceeding cordiality and a fine blush。 Armorer explained that he had come to speak to him about the proposed street…car ordinances； he （Armorer） always liked to deal with principals and without formality； now； couldn't they come； representing the city and the company； to some satisfactory compromise？ Thereupon he plunged into the statistics of the earnings and expenses of the road （with the aid of his note…book）； and made the absolute necessity of retrenchment plain。 Meanwhile； as he talked he studied the attentive listener before him； and Harry； on his part； made quite as good use of his eyes。 Armorer saw a tall； athletic； fair young man； very carefully； almost foppishly dressed； with bright； steady blue eyes and a firm chin； but a smile under his mustache like a child's； it was so sunny and so quick。 Harry saw a neat little figure in a perfectly fitting gray check travelling suit； with a rose in the buttonhole of the coat lapel。 Armorer wore no jewellery except a gold ring on the little finger of his right hand； from which he had taken the glove the better to write。 Harry knew that it was his dead wife's wedding…ring； and noticed it with a little moving of the heart。 The face that he saw was pale but not sickly； delicate and keen。 A silky brown mustache shot with gray and a Van…dyke beard hid either the strength or the weakness of mouth and chin。 He looked at Harry with almond…shaped； pensive dark eyes； so like the eyes that had shone on Harry's waking and sleeping dreams for months that the young fellow felt his heart rise again。 Armorer ended by asking Harry （in his most winning manner） to help him pull the ordinance out of the fire。 〃It would be；〃 he said； impressively； 〃a favor he should not forget！〃 〃And you must know； Mr。 Armorer；〃 said Harry； in a dismal tone at which the president chuckled within； 〃that there is no man whose favor I would do so much to win！〃 〃Well； here's your chance！〃 said Armorer。 Harry swung round in his chair； his clinched fists on his knee。 He was frowning with eagerness； and his eyes were like blue steel。 〃See here； Mr。 Armorer；〃 said he； 〃I am frank with you。 I want to please you； because I want to ask you to let me marry your daughter。 But I CAN'T please you； because I am mayor of this town； and I don't dare to let you dismiss the conductors。 I don't DARE； that's the point。 We have had four children killed on this road since electricity was put in。〃 〃We have had forty killed on one street railway I know； what of it？ Do you want to give up electricity because it kills children？〃 〃No； but look here！ the conductors lessen the risk。 A lady I know； only yesterday； had a little boy going from the kindergarten home； nice little fellow only five years old 〃 〃She ought to have sent a nurse with a child five years old； a baby！〃 cried Armorer； warmly。 〃That lady；〃 answered Harry； quietly； 〃goes without any servant at all in order to keep her two children at the kin
