vera, the medium-第1章

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Vera；　The　Medium

by　Richard　Harding　Davis




Part　I

Happy　in　the　hope　that　the　news　was　〃exclusive〃；　the　Despatch
had　thrown　the　name　of　Stephen　Hallowell；　his　portrait；　a
picture　of　his　house；　and　the　words；　〃At　Point　of　Death！〃　across
three　columns。　The　announcement　was　heavy；　lachrymose；　bristling
with　the　melancholy　self…importance　of　the　man　who　〃saw　the
deceased；　just　two　minutes　before　the　train　hit　him。〃

But　the　effect　of　the　news　fell　short　of　the　effort。　Save　that
city　editors　were　irritated　that　the　presidents　of　certain
railroads　figured　hastily　on　slips　of　paper；　the　fact　that　an
old　man　and　his　millions　would　soon　be　parted；　left　New　York
undisturbed。

In　the　early　80's　this　would　not　have　been　so。　Then；　in　the
uplifting　of　the　far　West；　Stephen　Hallowell　was　a　national
figure；　in　the　manoeuvres　of　the　Eastern　stock　market　an　active；
alert　power。　In　those　days；　when　a　man　with　a　few　millions　was
still　listed　as　rich；　his　fortune　was　considered　colossal。

A　patent　coupling…pin；　the　invention　of　his　brother…in…law；　had
given　him　his　start；　and；　in　introducing　it；　and　in　his　efforts
to　force　it　upon　the　new　railroads　of　the　West；　he　had　obtained
a　knowledge　of　their　affairs。　From　that　knowledge　came　his
wealth。　That　was　twenty　years　ago。　Since　then　giants　had　arisen
in　the　land；　men　whose　wealth　made　the　fortune　of　Stephen
Hallowell　appear　a　comfortable　competence；　his　schemes　and
stratagems；　which；　in　their　day；　had　bewildered　Wall　Street；　as
simple　as　the　trading　across　the　counter　of　a　cross…roads　store。
For　years　he　had　been　out　of　it。　He　had　lost　count。　Disuse　and
ill　health　had　rendered　his　mind　feeble；　made　him　at　times
suspicious；　at　times　childishly　credulous。　Without　friends；
along　with　his　physician　and　the　butler；　who　was　also　his　nurse；
he　lived　in　the　house　that　in　76；　in　a　burst　of　vanity；　he　had
built　on　Fifth　Avenue。　Then　the　house　was　a　〃mansion；〃　and　its
front　of　brown　sandstone　the　outward　sign　of　wealth　and　fashion。
Now；　on　one　side；　it　rubbed　shoulders　with　the　shop　of　a　man
milliner；　and　across　the　street　the　houses　had　been　torn　down
and　replaced　by　a　department　store。　Now；　instead　of　a　sombre
jail…like　facade；　his　outlook　was　a　row　of　waxen　ladies；　who；
before　each　change　of　season；　appeared　in　new　and　gorgeous
raiment；　and；　across　the　avenue；　for　his　approval；　smiled
continually。

〃It　is　time　you　moved；　Stephen；〃　urged　his　friend　and　lawyer；
Judge　Henry　Gaylor。　〃I　can　get　you　twice　as　much　for　this　lot　as
you　paid　for　both　it　and　the　house。〃

But　Mr。　Hallowell　always　shook　his　head。　〃　Where　would　I　go；
Henry？〃　he　would　ask。　〃What　would　I　do　with　the　money？　No；　I
will　live　in　this　house　until　I　am　carried　out　of　it。〃

With　distaste；　the　irritated　city　editors　〃followed　up〃　the
three…column　story　of　the　Despatch。

〃Find　out　if　there's　any　truth　in　that；〃　they　commanded。　〃The
old　man　won't　see　you；　but　get　a　talk　out　of　Rainey。　And　see
Judge　Gaylor。　He's　close　to　Hallowell。　Find　out　from　him　if　that
story　didn't　start　as　a　bear　yarn　in　Wall　Street。〃

So；　when　Walsh　of　the　Despatch　was　conducted　by　Garrett；　the
butler　of　Mr。　Hallowell；　upstairs　to　that　gentlemen's　library；
he　found　a　group　of　reporters　already　entrenched。　At　the　door
that　opened　from　the　library　to　the　bedroom；　the　butler　paused。
〃What　paper　shall　I　say？〃　he　asked。

〃The　Despatch；〃　Walsh　told　him。

The　servant　turned　quickly　and　stared　at　Walsh。

He　appeared　the　typical　butler；　an　Englishman　of　over　forty；
heavily　built；　soft…　moving；　with　ruddy；　smooth…shaven　cheeks
and　prematurely　gray　hair。　But　now　from　his　face　the　look　of
perfunctory　politeness　had　fallen；　the　subdued　voice　had　changed
to　a　snarl　that　carried　with　it　the　accents　of　the　Tenderloin。

〃So；　you're　the　one；　are　you？〃　the　man　muttered。

For　a　moment　he　stood　scowling；　insolent；　almost　threatening；
and　then；　once　more；　the　servant　opened　the　door　and　noiselessly
closed　it　behind　him。

The　transition　had　been　so　abrupt；　the　revelation　so　unexpected；
that　the　men　laughed。

〃I　don't　blame　him！〃　said　young　Irving。　〃I　couldn't　find　a
single　fact　in　the　whole　story。　How'd　your　people　get　it　
pretty　straight？〃

〃Seemed　straight　to　us；〃　said　Walsh。

〃Well；　you　didn't　handle　it　that　way；〃　returned　the　other。　〃Why
didn't　you　quote　Rainey　or　Gaylor？　It　seems　to　me　if　a　man's　on
the　point　of　death〃　　he　lowered　his　voice　and　glanced　toward
the　closed　door　　〃that　his　private　doctor　and　his　lawyer　might
know　something　about　it。〃

Standing　alone　with　his　back　to　the　window　was　a　reporter　who
had　greeted　no　one　and　to　whom　no　one　had　spoken。

Had　he　held　himself　erect　he　would　have　been　tall；　but　he　stood
slouching　lazily；　his　shoulders　bent；　his　hands　in　his　pockets。
When　he　spoke　his　voice　was　in　keeping　with　the　indolence　of　his
bearing。　It　was　soft；　hesitating；　carrying　with　it　the　courteous
deference　of　the　South。　Only　his　eyes　showed　that　to　what　was
going　forward　he　was　alert　and　attentive。

〃Is　Dr。　Rainey　Mr。　Hallowell's　family　doctor？〃　he　asked。


Irving　surveyed　him　in　amused　superiority。

〃He　is！〃　he　answered。　You　been　long　in　New　York？〃　he　asked。

Upon　the　stranger　the　sarcasm　was　lost；　or　he　chose　to　ignore
it；　for　he　answered　simply；　〃No；　I'm　a　New　Orleans　boy。　I've
just　been　taken　on　the　Republic。〃

〃Welcome　to　our　city；〃　said　Irving。　〃What　do　you　think　of　our
Main　Street？〃

From　the　hall　a　tall　portly　man　entered　the　room　with　the
assurance　of　one　much　at　home　here　and；　with　an　exclamation；
Irving　fell　upon　him。

〃Good　morning；　Judge；〃　he　called。　He　waved　at　him　the　clipping
from　the　Despatch。　〃Have　you　seen　this？〃

Judge　Gaylor　accepted　the　slip　of　paper　gingerly；　and　in　turn
moved　his　fine　head　pompously　toward　each　of　the　young　men。　Most
of　them　were　known　to　him；　but　for　the　moment　he　preferred　to
appear　too　deeply　concerned　to　greet　them。　With　an　expression　of
shocked　indignation；　he　recognized　only　Walsh。

〃Yes；　I　have　seen　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　there　is　not　a　word　of
truth　in　it！　Mr。　Walsh；　I　am　surprised！　You；　of　all　people！〃

〃We　got　it　on　very　good　authority；〃　said　the　reporter。

〃But　why　not　call　me　up　and　get　the　facts？〃　demanded　the　Judge。
〃I　was　here　until　twelve　o'clock；　and　　〃

〃Here！〃　interrupted　Irving。　〃Then　he　did　have　a　collapse？〃

Judge　Gaylor　swung　upon　his　heel。

〃Certainly　not；〃　he　retorted　angrily。　〃I　was　here　on　business；
and　I　have　never　known　his　mind　more　capable；　more　alert。〃　He
lifted　his　hands　with　an　enthusiastic　gesture。　〃I　wish　you　could
have　seen　him！〃

〃Well；〃　urged　Irving；　〃how　about　our　seeing　him　now？〃

For　a　moment　Judge　Gaylor　permitted　his　annoyance　to　appear；　but
he　at　once　recovered　and；　murmuring　cheerfully；　〃Certainly；
certainly；　I'll　try　to　arrange　it；〃　turned　to　the　butler　who　had
re…entered　the　room。

〃Garett；〃　he　inquired；　〃is　Mr。　Hallowell　awake　yet？〃　As　he　asked
the　question　his　eyebrows　rose；　with　an　almost　imperceptible
shake　of　the　head　he　signaled　for　an　answer　in　the　negative。

〃Well；　there　you　are！〃　the　Judge　exclaimed　heartily。　〃I　can't
wake　him；　even　to　oblige　you。　In　a　word；　gentlemen；　Stephen
Hallowell　has　never　been　in　better　health；　mentally　and　bodily。
You　can　say　that　from　me　　and　that's　all　there　is　to　say。〃

〃Then；　we　can　say；〃　persisted　Irving；　〃that　you　say；　that
Walsh's　story　is　a　fake？〃

〃You　can　say　it　is　not　true；〃　corrected　Gaylor。　〃That's　all；
gentlemen。〃　The　audience　was　at　an　end。　The　young　men　moved
toward　the　hall　and　Judge　Gaylor　turned　to　the　bedroom。　As　he
did　so；　he　found　that　the　new　man　on　the　Republic　still　held　his
ground。


〃Could　I　have　a　word　with　you；　sir？〃　the　stranger　asked。　The
reporters　halted　jealously。　Again　Gaylor　showed　his　impatience。

〃About　Mr。　Hallowell's　health？〃　he　demanded。　〃There's　nothing
more　to　say。〃

〃No；　it's　not　about　his　health；〃　ventured　the　reporter。

〃Well；　not　now。　I　am　very　late　this　morning。〃　The　Judge　again
moved　to　the　bedroom　and　the　reporter；　as　though　accepting　the
verdict；　started　to　follow　the　others。　As　he　did　so；　as　though
in　explanation　or　as　a　warning　he　added：　〃You　said　to　always
come　to　you　for　the　facts。〃　The　lawyer　halted；　hesitated。　〃Wha