stories of a western town-第25章

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of　wood　and　stone　built　after　the　old　colonial　pattern；　as　modern　architects　see　it。　　Esther　pointed；　saying：　〃Aunt　Meg's；　papa；　isn't　it　pretty？〃　〃Very　handsome；　very　fine；〃　said　the　financier；　who　knew　nothing　about　architecture；　except　its　exceeding　expense。　　〃Esther；　I've　a　notion；　if　that　young　man　of　yours　has　brains　and　is　fond　of　you　he　ought　to　be　able　to　get　my　ordinance　through　his　little　eight　by　ten　city　council。　There　is　our　chance　to　see　what　stuff　he　is　made　of！〃　〃Oh；　he　has　a　great　deal　of　influence；〃　said　Esther；　〃he　can　do　it；　unlessunless　he　thinks　the　ordinance　would　be　bad　for　the　city；　you　know。〃　〃Confound　the　modern　way　of　educating　girls！〃　thought　Armorer。　〃Now；　it　would　have　been　enough　for　Esther's　mother　to　know　that　anything　was　for　my　interests；　it　wouldn't　have　to　help　all　out…doors；　too！〃　But　instead　of　enlarging　on　this　point；　he　went　into　a　sketch　of　the　improvements　the　road　could　make　with　the　money　saved　by　the　change；　and　was　waxing　eloquent　when　a　lady　of　a　pleasant　and　comely　face；　and　a　trig　though　not　slender　figure；　advanced　to　greet　them。

It　was　after　breakfast　（and　the　scene　was　the　neat　pig's　pen；　where　Armorer　was　displaying　his　ignorance　of　swine）　that　he　found　his　first　chance　to　talk　with　his　sister　alone。　〃Oh；　first；　Sis；〃　said　he；　〃about　your　birthday；　to…day；　I　telegraphed　to　Tiffany's　for　that　silver　service；　you　know；　that　you　liked；　so　you　needn't　think　there's　a　mistake　when　it　comes。〃　〃Oh；　'Raish；　that　gorgeous　thing！　　I　must　kiss　you；　if　Daniel　does　see　me！〃　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　said　Armorer；　hastily；　and　began　to　talk　of　the　pig。　　Suddenly；　without　looking　up；　he　dropped　into　the　pig…pen　the　remark：　　〃I'm　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　writing　me；　Meg。〃　〃I　don't　know　whether　to　feel　more　like　a　virtuous　sister　or　a　villanous　aunt；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Ellis；　〃things　seemed　to　be　getting　on　so　rapidly　that　it　didn't　seem　right；　Esther　visiting　me　and　all；　not　to　give　you　a　hint；　still；　I　am　sure　that　nothing　has　been　said；　and　it　is　horrid　for　Esther；　perfectly　HORRID；　discussing　her　proposals　that　haven't　been　proposed！〃　〃I　don't　want　them　ever　to　be　proposed；〃　said　Armorer；　gloomily。　〃I　know　you　always　said　you　didn't　want　Esther　to　marry；　but　I　thought　if　she　fell　in　love　with　the　right　manwe　know　that　marriage　is　a　very　happy　estate；　sometimes；　Horatio！〃　　She　sighed　again。　In　her　case　it　was　only　the　memory　of　happiness；　for　Colonel　Ellis　had　been　dead　these　twelve　years；　but　his　widow　mourned　him　still。　〃If　you　marry　the　right　one；　maybe；〃　answered　Armorer；　grudgingly；　〃but　see　here；　Meg；　Esther　is　different　from　the　other　girls；　they　got　married　when　Jenny　was　alive　to　look　after　them；　and　I　knew　the　men；　and　they　were　both　big　matches；　you　know。　Then；　too；　I　was　so　busy　making　money　while　the　other　girls　grew　up　that　I　hadn't　time　to　get　real　well　acquainted　with　them。　I　don't　think　they　ever　kissed　me；　except　when　I　gave　them　a　check。　But　Esther　and　I　〃　he　drummed　with　his　fingers　on　the　boards；　his　thin；　keen　face　wearing　a　look　that　would　have　amazed　his　business　acquaintances〃you　remember　when　her　mother　died；　Meg？　　Only　fifteen；　and　how　she　took　hold　of　things！　　And　we　have　been　together　ever　since；　and　she　makes　me　think　of　her　grandmother　and　her　mother　both。　She's　never　had　a　wish　I　knew　that　I　haven't　grantedwhy；　d　it！　I've　bought　my　clothes　to　please　her　〃　〃That's　why　you　are　become　so　well…dressed；　Horatio；　I　wondered　how　you　came　to　spruce　up　so！〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Ellis。　〃It　has　been　so　blamed　lonesome　whenever　she　went　to　visit　you；　but　yet　I　wouldn't　say　a　word　because　I　knew　what　a　good　time　she　had；　but　if　I　had　known　that　there　was　a　confounded；　long…legged；　sniffy　young　idiot　all　that　while　trying　to　steal　my　daughter　away　from　me！〃　In　an　access　of　wrath　at　the　idea　Armorer　wrenched　off　the　picket　that　he　clutched；　at　which　he　laughed　and　stuck　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　〃Why；　Meg；　the　papers　and　magazines　are　always　howling　that　women　won't　marry；〃　cried　he；　with　a　fresh　sense　of　grievance；　〃now；　two　of　my　girls　have　married；　that's　enough；　there　was　no　reason　for　me　to　expect　any　more　of　them　would！　There　isn't　one　d　bit　of　need　for　Esther　to　marry！〃　〃But　if　she　loves　the　young　fellow　and　he　loves　her；　won't　you　let　them　be　happy？〃　〃He　won't　make　her　happy。〃　〃He　is　a　very　good　fellow；　truly　and　really；　'Raish。　And　he　comes　of　a　good　family　〃　〃I　don't　care　for　his　family；　and　as　to　his　being　moral　and　all　that；　I　know　several　young　fellows　that　could　skin　him　alive　in　a　bargain　that　are　moral　as　you　please。　　I　have　been　a　moral　man；　myself。　　But　the　trouble　with　this　Lossing　（I　told　Esther　I　didn't　know　anything　about　him；　but　I　do）；　the　trouble　with　him　is　that　he　is　chock　full　of　all　kinds　of　principles！　Just　as　father　was。　　Don't　you　remember　how　he　lost　parish　after　parish　because　he　couldn't　smooth　over　the　big　men　in　them？　Lossing　is　every　bit　as　pig…headed。　I　am　not　going　to　have　my　daughter　lead　the　kind　of　life　my　mother　did。　I　want　a　son…in…law　who　ain't　going　to　think　himself　so　much　better　than　I　am；　and　be　rowing　me　for　my　way　of　doing　business。　If　Esther　MUST　marry　I'd　like　her　to　marry　a　man　with　a　head　on　him　that　I　can　take　into　business；　and　who　will　be　willing　to　live　with　the　old　man。　　This　Lossing　has　got　his　notions　of　making　a　sort　of　Highland　chief　affair　of　the　labor　question；　and　we　should　get　along　about　as　well　as　the　Kilkenny　cats！〃　Mrs。　Ellis　knew　more　than　Esther　about　Armorer's　business　methods；　having　the　advantage　of　her　husband's　point　of　view；　and　Colonel　Ellis　had　kept　the　army　standard　of　honor　as　well　as　the　army　ignorance　of　business。　　To　counterbalance；　she　knew　more　than　anyone　alive　what　a　good　son　and　brother　Horatio　had　always　been。　But　she　could　not　restrain　a　smile　at　the　picture　of　the　partnership。　〃Precisely；　you　see　yourself；〃　said　Armorer。　　〃Meg〃hesitating　〃you　don't　suppose　it　would　be　any　use　to　offer　Esther　a　cool　hundred　thousand　to　promise　to　bounce　this　young　fellow？〃　〃Horatio；　NO！〃　cried　Mrs。　Ellis；　tossing　her　pretty　gray　head　indignantly；　〃you'd　insult　her！〃　〃Take　it　the　same　way；　eh？　　Well；　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　ro