the man between-第30章

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seems　no　wonder；　after　the　carryings…on　at　Rawdon　Court。〃

〃Dear　grandmother；　we　had　the　loveliest　time　you　can　imagine。　And　there　is　not；　in　all　the　world；　such　a　noble　old　gentleman　as　Squire　Percival　Rawdon。〃

〃I　know　all　about　Percival　Rawdona　proud；　careless；　extravagant；　loose…at…ends　man；　dancing　and　singing　and　loving　as　it　suited　time　and　season；　taking　no　thought　for　the　future；　and　spending　with　both　hands；　hard　on　women；　too；　as　could　be。〃

〃Grandmother；　I　never　saw　a　more　courteous　gentleman。　He　worships　women。　He　was　never　tired　of　talking　about　you。〃

〃What　had　he　to　say　about　me？〃

〃That　you　were　the　loveliest　girl　in　the　county；　and　that　he　never　could　forget　the　first　time　he　saw　you。　He　said　you　were　like　the　vision　of　an　angel。〃

〃Nonsense！　I　was　just　a　pretty　girl　in　a

book　muslin　frock　and　a　white　sash；　with　a　rose　at　my　breast。　I　believe　they　use　book　muslin　for　linings　now；　but　it　did　make　the　sheerest；　lightest　frocks　any　girl　could　want。　Yes；　I　remember　that　time。　I　was　going　to　a　little　party　and　crossing　a　meadow　to　shorten　the　walk；　and　Squire　Percival　had　been　out　with　his　gun；　and　he　laid　it　down　and　ran　to　help　me　over　the　stile。　A　handsome　young　fellow　he　was　then　as　ever　stepped　in　shoe　leather。〃

〃And　he　must　have　loved　you　dearly。　He　would　sit　hour　after　hour　telling　Ruth　and　me　how　bright　you　were；　and　how　all　the　young　beaux　around　Monk…Rawdon　adored　you。〃

〃Nonsense！　Nonsense！　I　had　beaux　to　be　sure。　What　pretty　girl　hasn't？〃

〃And　he　said　his　brother　Edward　won　you　because　he　was　most　worthy　of　your　love。〃

〃Well；　now；　I　chose　Edward　Rawdon　because　he　was　willing　to　come　to　America。　I　longed　to　get　away　from　Monk…Rawdon。　I　was　faint　and　weary　with　the　whole　stupid　place。　And　the　idea　of　living　a　free　and　equal　life；　and　not　caring　what　lords　and　squires　and　their　proud　ladies　said　or　did；　pleased　me　wonderfully。　We　read　about　Niagara　and　the　great　prairies　and　the　new　bright　cities；　and　Edward　and　I　resolved　to　make　our　home　there。　Your　grandfather　wasn't　a　man　to　like　being　‘the　Squire's　brother。'　He　could　stand　alone。〃

〃Are　you　glad　you　came　to　America？〃

〃Never　sorry　a　minute　for　it。　Ten　years　in　New　York　is　worth　fifty　years　in　Monk…　Rawdon；　or　Rawdon　Court　either。〃

〃Squire　Percival　was　very　fond　of　me。　He　thought　I　resembled　you；　grandmother；　but　he　never　admitted　I　was　as　handsome　as　you　were。〃

〃Well；　Ethel　dear；　you　are　handsome　enough　for　the　kind　of　men　you'll　pick　up　in　this　generationmost　of　them　bald　at　thirty；　wearing　spectacles　at　twenty　or　earlier；　and　in　spite　of　the　fuss　they　make　about　athletics　breaking　all　to　nervous　bits　about　fifty。〃

〃Grandmother；　that　is　pure　slander。　I　know　some　very　fine　young　men；　handsome　and　athletic　both。〃

〃Beauty　is　a　matter　of　taste；　and　as　to　their　athletics；　they　can　run　a　mile　with　a　blacksmith；　but　when　the　thermometer　rises　to　eighty…five　degrees　it　knocks　them　all　to　pieces。　They　sit　fanning　themselves　like　schoolgirls；　and　call　for　juleps　and　ice…water。　I've　got　eyes　yet；　my　dear。　Squire　Percival　was　a　different　kind　of　man；　he　could　follow　the　hounds　all　day　and　dance　all　night。　The　hunt　had　not　a　rider　like　him；　he　balked　at　neither　hedge；　gate；　nor　water；　a　right　gallant；　courageous；　honorable；　affectionate　gentleman　as　ever　Yorkshire　bred；　and　she's　bred　lots　of　superfine　ones。　What　ever　made　him　get　into　such　a　mess　with　his　estate？　Your　grandfather　thought　him　as　straight　as　a　string　in　money　matters。〃

〃You　said　just　now　he　was　careless　and　extravagant。〃

〃Well；　I　did　him　wrong；　and　I'm　sorry　for　it。　How　did　he　manage　to　need　eighty　thousand　pounds？〃

〃It　is　rather　a　pitiful　story；　grandmother；　but　he　never　once　blamed　those　who　were　in　the　wrong。　His　son　for　many　years　had　been　the　real　manager　of　the　estate。　He　was　a　speculator；　his　grandsons　were　wild　and　extravagant。　They　began　to　borrow　money　ten　years　ago　and　had　to　go　on。〃

〃Whom　did　they　borrow　from？〃

〃Fred　Mostyn's　father。〃

〃The　devil！　Excuse　me；　Ethelbut　the　name　suits　and　may　stand。〃

〃The　dear　old　Squire　would　have　taken　the　fault　on　himself　if　he　could　have　done　so。　They　that　wronged　him　were　his　own；　and　they　were　dead。　He　never　spoke　of　them　but　with　affection。〃

〃Poor　Percival！　Your　father　told　me　he　was　now　out　of　Mostyn's　power；　he　said　you　had　saved　the　estate；　but　he　gave　me　no　particulars。　How　did　you　save　it？〃

〃Bought　it！〃

〃Nonsense！〃

〃House　and　lands　and　outlying　farms　and　timbereverything。〃

Then　a　rosy　color　overspread　Madam's　face；　her　eyes　sparkled；　she　rose　to　her　feet；　made　Ethel　a　sweeping　courtesy；　and　said：

〃My　respect　and　congratulations　to　Ethel；　Lady　of　Rawdon　Manor。〃

〃Dear　grandmother；　what　else　could　I　do？〃

〃You　did　right。〃

〃The　Squire　is　Lord　of　the　Manor　as　long　as　he　lives。　My　father　says　I　have　done　well　to　buy　it。　In　the　future；　if　I　do　not　wish　to　keep　it；　Nicholas　Rawdon　will　relieve　me　at　a　great　financial　advantage。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　let　Nicholas　Rawdon　buy　it　now？〃

〃He　would　have　wanted　prompt　possession。　The　Squire　would　have　had　to　leave　his　home。　It　would　have　broken　his　heart。〃

〃I　dare　say。　He　has　a　soft；　loving　heart。　That　isn't　always　a　blessing。　It　can　give　one　a　deal　of　suffering。　And　I　hear　you　have　all　been　making　idols　of　these　Tyrrel…Rawdons。　Fred　tells　me　they　are　as　vulgar　a　lot　as　can　be。〃

〃Fred　lies！　Excuse　me；　grandmotherbut　the　word　suits　and　may　stand。　Mr。　Nicholas　is　pompous；　and　walks　as　slowly　as　if　he　had　to　carry　the　weight　of　his　great　fortune；　but　his　manners　are　all　right；　and　his　wife　and　son　are　delightful。　She　is　handsome；　well　dressed；　and　so　good…hearted　that　her　pretty　county　idioms　are　really　charming。　John　Thomas　is　a　man　by　himselfnot　handsome；　but　running　over　with　good　temper；　and　exceedingly　clever　and　wide…awake。　Many　times　I　was　forced　to　tell　myself；　John　Thomas　would　make　an　ideal　Squire　of　Rawdon。〃

〃Why　don't　you　marry　him。〃

〃He　never　asked　me。〃

〃What　was　the　matter　with　the　men？〃

〃He　was　already　engaged　to　a　very　lovely　young　lady。〃

〃I　am　glad　she　is　a　lady。〃

〃She　is　also　very　clever。　She　has　been　to　college　and　taken　high　honors；　a　thing　I　have　not　done。〃

〃You　might　have　done　and　overdone　that　caper；　you　were　too　sensible　to　try　it。　Well；　I'm　glad　that　part　of　the　family　is　looking　up。　They　had　the　right　stuff　in　them；　and　it　is　a　good　thing　for　families　to　dwell　together　in　unity。　We　have　King　David's　word　for　that。　My　observation　leads　me　to　think　it　is　far　better　for　families　to　dwell　apart；　in　unity。　They　seldom　get　along　comfortably　together。〃

Then　Ethel　related　many　pleasant；　piquant　scenes　between　the　two　families　at　Monk…　Rawdon；　and　especially　that　one　in　which　the　room　of　the　first　Tyrrel　had　been　opened　and　his　likeness　restored　to　its　place　in　the　family　gallery。　It　touched　the　old　lady　to　tears；　and　she　murmured；　〃Poor　lad！　Poor　lad！　I　wonder　if　he　knows！　I　wonder　if　he　knows！〃

The　crucial　point　of　Ethel's　revelations　had　not　yet　been　revealed；　but　Madam　was　now　in　a　gentle　mood；　and　Ethel　took　the　opportunity　to　introduce　her　to　Tyrrel　Rawdon。　She　was　expecting　and　waiting　for　this　topic；　but　stubbornly　refused　to　give　Ethel　any　help　toward　bringing　it　forward。　At　last；　the　girl　felt　a　little　anger　at　her　pretended　indifference；　and　said；　〃I　suppose　Fred　Mostyn　told　you　about　Mr。　Tyrrel　Rawdon；　of　California？〃

〃Tyrrel　Rawdon；　of　California！　Pray；　who　may　he　be？〃

〃The　son　of　Colonel　Rawdon；　of　the　United　States　Army。〃

〃Oh；　to　be　sure！　Well；　what　of　him？〃

〃I　am　going　to　marry　him。〃

〃I　shall　see　about　that。〃

〃We　were　coming　here　together　to　see　you；　but　before　we　left　the　steamer　he　got　a　telegram　urging　him　to　go　at　once　to　his　father；　who　is　very　ill。〃

〃I　have　not　asked　him　to　come　and　see　me。　Perhaps　he　will　wait　till　I　do　so。〃

〃If　you　are　not　going　to　love　Tyrrel；　you　need　not　love　me。　I　won't　have　you　for　a　grandmother　any　longer。〃

〃I　did　without　you　sixty　years。　I　shall　not　live　another　twelve　months；　and　I　think　I　can　manage　to　do　without　you　for　a　granddaughter　any　longer。〃

〃You　cannot　do　without　me。　You　would　break　your　heart；　and　I　should　break　mine。〃　Whereupon　Ethel　began　to　cry　with　a　passion　that　quite　gratified　the　old　lad