stories of a western town-第15章

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　shape　of　a　note　from　Tommy　Fitzmaurice！　　Were　they　going　on　Beatoun's　little　excursion　to　Alexandria？　　If　they　were；　he　would　move　heaven　and　earth　to　put　off　a　committee　meeting；　in　order　to　join　them。　By　the　way；　he　was　to　get　the　floor　for　his　speech　that　afternoon。　Wouldn't　Mrs。　Carriswood　come　to　inspire　him？　　Perhaps　Miss　Van　Harlem　would　not　be　bored　by　a　little　of　it。　It　was　a　well…worded　note；　as　Mrs。　Carriswood　read　it　she　realized　for　the　first　time　how　completely　Tommy　was　acclimated　in　society。　She　remembered　his　plaint　years　ago；　and　his　awe　of　〃oil　paintings〃　and　〃people　of　culture；〃　and　she　laughed　half…sadly　as　she　passed　the　note　over　to　Miss　Van　Harlem。　〃I　presume　it　is　the　Alexandria　excursion　that　the　Beatouns　were　talking　about　yesterday；〃　she　said；　languidly。　〃He　wants　to　show　that　young　Irishman　that　we　have　a　mild　flavor　of　antiquity；　ourselves。　　We　are　to　see　Alexandria　and　have　a　real　old　Virginian　dinner；　including　one　of　the　famous　Beatoun　hams　and　some　of　the　'69　Cha…teau　Yquem　and　the　sacred　'47　port。　I　suppose　he　will　have　the　four…in…hand　buckboard。　　'A　small　party　'　that　will　mean　the　Honorable　Basil　Sackville；　Mrs。　Beatoun；　Lilly　Denning；　probably　one　of　the　Cabinet　girls；　Colonel　Turner；　and　that　young　Russian　Beatoun　is　so　fond　of；　Tommy　Fitzmaurice　〃　〃Why　do　you　always　call　Mr。　Fitzmaurice　Tommy？〃this　interruption　comes　with　a　slight　rise　of　color　from　young　Margaret。　〃Everybody　calls　him　Tommy　in　his　own　town；　a　politician　as　popular　as　he　with　the　boys　is　naturally　Tommy　or　Jerry　or　Billy。　They　slap　him　on　the　back　or　sit　with　an　arm　around　his　neck　and　concoct　the　ways　to　rule　us。〃　〃I　don't　think　anyone　slaps　Mr。　Fitzmaurice　on　the　back　and　calls　him　Tommy；　NOW；〃　says　Margaret；　with　a　little　access　of　dignity。　〃I　dare　say　his　poor　old　father　and　mother　don't　venture　on　that　liberty；　I　wish　you　had　seen　them　〃　〃He　has　told　me　about　them；〃　says　Margaret。　And　Mrs。　Carriswood's　dismay　was　such　that　for　a　second　she　simply　gasped。　　Were　things　so　far　along　that　such　confessions　were　made？　Tommy　must　be　very　confident　to　venture；　it　was　shrewd；　very　shrewd；　to　forestall　Mrs。　Carriswood's　sure　revelationsoh；　Tommy　was　not　a　politician　for　nothing！　〃Besides；〃　Margaret　went　on；　with　the　same　note　of　repressed　feeling　in　her　voice；　〃his　is　a　good　family；　if　they　have　decayed；　his　ancestor　was　Lord　Fitzmaurice　in　King　James's　time。〃　〃She　takes　HIM　seriously　too！〃　thought　Mrs。　Carriswood；　with　inexpressible　consternation；　〃what　SHALL　I　say　to　her　mother？〃　Strange　to　say；　perhaps；　considering　that　she　was　so　frankly　a　woman　of　the　world；　her　stub…bornest　objection　to　Tommy　was　not　an　objection　of　expediency。　　She　had　insensibly　grown　to　take　his　success　for　granted；　like　the　rest　of　the　Washington　world；　he　would　be　a　governor；　a　senator；　he　might　beanything！　And　he　was　perfectly　presentable；　now；　no；　it　would　be　on　the　whole　an　investment　in　the　future　that　would　pay　well　enough；　his　parents　would　be　awkward；　but　they　were　old　people；　not　likely　to　be　too　much　_en　evidence_。　Mrs。　Carriswood；　while　not　overjoyed；　would　not　feel　crushed　by　such　a　match；　but　she　did　view　what　she　regarded　as　Tommy's　moral　instability；　with　a　dubious　and　fearful　eye。　　He　was　earnest　enough　for　his　new　principles　now；　but　what　warrant　was　there　of　his　sincerity？　　Margaret　and　her　mother　were　high…minded　women。　It　was　the　gallant　knight　of　her　party　and　her　political　faith　that　the　girl　admired；　the　valiant　fight；　not　the　triumph！　No　mere　soldier　of　fortune；　no　matter　how　successful　or　how　brilliant；　could　win　her；　if　Tommy　were　the　mercenary；　not　the　knight；　no　worldly　glory　could　compensate　his　wife。　Wherefore；　after　a　bad　quarter　of　an　hour　reflecting　on　these　things；　Mrs。　Carriswood　went　to　the　Capitol；　resolved　to　take　her　goddaughter　away。　　She　would　not　withdraw　her　acceptance　of　the　Beatouns'　invitation；　no；　let　the　Iowa　congressman　have　every　opportunity　to　display　his　social　shortcomings　in　contrast　with　the　accomplished　Russian；　and　Jack　Turner；　the　most　elegant　man　in　the　army；　the　next　day　would　be　time　enough　for　a　telegram　and　a　sudden　flitting。　Yet　in　the　midst　of　her　plans　for　Tommy's　discomfiture　she　was　assailed　by　a　queer　regret　and　reluctance。　Tommy's　fascination　had　affected　even　a　professional　critic　of　life；　he　had　been　so　amusing；　so　willing；　so　trusting；　so　useful；　that　her　chill　interest　had　warmed　into　liking。　She　felt　a　moving　of　the　heart　as　the　handsome　black　head　arose；　and　the　first　notes　of　that　resonant；　thrilling　voice　swelled　above　the　din　on　the　floor。　It　was　the　day　of　his　great　speech；　the　speech　that　made　him；　it　was　said。　As　Mrs。　Carriswood　sank　back；　turning　a　little　in　an　instinctive　effort　to　repulse　her　own　sympathy；　she　was　aware　of　the　presence　near　her　of　an　elderly　man　and　woman。　　The　old　man　wore　a　shining　silk　hat　and　shining　new　black　clothes。　　His　expansive　shirt…bosom　was　very　white；　but　not　glossy；　and　rumpled　in　places；　and　his　collar　was　of　the　spiked　and　antique　pattern　known　as　a　〃dickey。〃　His　wrinkled；　red　face　was　edged　by　a　white　fringe　of　whisker。　He　wore　large　gold…bowed　spectacles；　and　his　jaws　worked　incessantly。　The　woman　was　a　little；　mild；　wrinkled　creature；　with　an　anxious　blue　eye　and　snowy　hair；　smoothed　down　over　her　ears；　under　her　fine　bonnet。　She　was　richly　dressed；　but　her　silks　and　velvets　ill　suited　the　season。　Had　she　seen　them　anywhere　else；　Mrs。　Carriswood　might　not　have　recognized　them；　but　there；　with　Tommy　before　them；　both　of　them　feverishly　absorbed　in　Tommy；　she　recognized　them　at　a　glance。　She　had　a　twinge　of　pity；　watching　the　old　faces　pale　and　kindle。　With　the　first　rustle　of　applause；　she　saw　the　old　father　slip　his　hand　into　the　old　mother's。　They　sat　well　behind　a　pillar；　and　however　excited　they　became；　they　never　so　lost　themselves　as　to　lean　in　front　of　their　shield。　　This；　also；　she　noticed。　The　speech　over；　the　woman　wiped　her　eyes。　　The　old　man　joined　in　the　tumult　of　applause　that　swept　over　the　galleries；　but　the　old　woman　pulled　his　arm；　evidently　feeling　that　it　was　not　decent　for　them　to　applaud。　　She　sat　rigid；　with　red　cheeks　and　her　eyes　brimming；　he　was　swaying　and　clapping　and　laughing　in　a　roar　of　delight。　But　it　was　he　that　drew　her　away；　finally；　while　she　fain　would　have　lingered　to　look　at　Tommy　receiving　congratulations　below。　〃Poor　things；〃　said　Mrs。　Carriswood；　〃I　do　believe　they　haven't　let　him　know　that　they　are　here。〃　　And　she　remembered　how　she　had　pitied　them　for　this　very　possibility　of　humiliation　years　before。　But　she　did　not　pursue　the　adventure；　and　some　obscure　motive　prevented　her　speaking　of　it　to　Miss　Van　Harlem。　Did　Tommy's　parents　tell　Tommy？　　If　they　did；　Tommy　made　no　sign。　The　morning　found　him　with　the　others；　in　a　beautiful　white　flannel　suit；　with　a　silk　shirt　and　a　red　silk　sash；　looking　handsomer　than　any　man　of　the　party。　　He　took　the　congratulations　of　the　company　modestly。　Either　he　was　not　much　puffed　up；　or　he　had　the　art　of　concealment。　They　saw　Alexandria　in　a　conscientious　fashion；　for　the　benefit　of　the　guest　of　the　day。　　He　was　a　modest　young　fellow　with　a　nose　rather　too　large　for　his　face；　a　long　upper　lip；　and　frank　blue　eyes。　He　made　himself　agreeable　to　one　of　the　Cabinet　girls；　on　the　front　seat；　while　Tommy；　just　behind　him；　had　Miss　Van　Harlem　and　bliss　for　his　portion。　The　old　streets；　the　toppling　roofs；　the　musty　warehouses；　the　uneven　pavement；　all　pleased　the　young　creatures　out　in　the　sunshine。　They　made　merry　over　the　ancient　ball…room；　where　Washington　had　asked　a　far…away　ancestress　of　Beatoun　to　dance；　and　they　decorously　walked　through　the　old　church。　IT　happened　in　the　church。　　Mrs。　Carriswood　was　behind　the　others；　so　she　saw　them　come　in；　the　same　little　old　couple　of　the　Capitol。　In　the　chancel；　Beatoun　was　explaining；　beside　Beatoun　shone　a　curly　black　head　that　they　knew。　Mrs。　Carriswood　sat　in　one　of　the　high　old　pews。　　Through　a　crack　she　could　look　into　the　next　pew；　and　there　they　stood。　She　heard　the　old　man：　　〃Whist；　Molly；　let's　be　getting　out　of　this！　　HE　is　here　with　all　his　grand　friends。　Don't　let　us　be　interrupting　him。〃　The　old　woman's　voice　was　so　like　Tommy's　that　it　made　Mrs。　Carriswood　start。　　Very　softly　she　spoke：　〃I　only　want　to　loo