01-the $30,000 bequest-第7章

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him　in。







CHAPTER　VII





One　Sunday　afternoon　some　time　after　this　they　were　sailing　the

summer　seas　in　their　dream　yacht；　and　reclining　in　lazy　luxury　under

the　awning　of　the　after…deck。　There　was　silence；　for　each　was　busy

with　his　own　thoughts。　　These　seasons　of　silence　had　insensibly

been　growing　more　and　more　frequent　of　late；　the　old　nearness　and

cordiality　were　waning。　　Sally's　terrible　revelation　had　done　its　work；

Aleck　had　tried　hard　to　drive　the　memory　of　it　out　of　her　mind；

but　it　would　not　go；　and　the　shame　and　bitterness　of　it　were

poisoning　her　gracious　dream　life。　　She　could　see　now　（on　Sundays）

that　her　husband　was　becoming　a　bloated　and　repulsive　Thing。　

She　could　not　close　her　eyes　to　this；　and　in　these　days　she

no　longer　looked　at　him；　Sundays；　when　she　could　help　it。



But　shewas　she　herself　without　blemish？　　Alas；　she　knew　she　was　not。　

She　was　keeping　a　secret　from　him；　she　was　acting　dishonorably

toward　him；　and　many　a　pang　it　was　costing　her。　　SHE　WAS　BREAKING

THE　COMPACT；　AND　CONCEALING　IT　FROM　HIM。　　Under　strong　temptation

she　had　gone　into　business　again；　she　had　risked　their　whole

fortune　in　a　purchase　of　all　the　railway　systems　and　coal　and　steel

companies　in　the　country　on　a　margin；　and　she　was　now　trembling；

every　Sabbath　hour；　lest　through　some　chance　word　of　hers　he　find

it　out。　　In　her　misery　and　remorse　for　this　treachery　she　could

not　keep　her　heart　from　going　out　to　him　in　pity；　she　was　filled

with　compunctions　to　see　him　lying　there；　drunk　and　contented；

and　ever　suspecting。　　Never　suspectingtrusting　her　with　a　perfect

and　pathetic　trust；　and　she　holding　over　him　by　a　thread　a　possible

calamity　of　so　devastating　a



〃SAYAleck？〃



The　interrupting　words　brought　her　suddenly　to　herself。　　She　was

grateful　to　have　that　persecuting　subject　from　her　thoughts；

and　she　answered；　with　much　of　the　old…time　tenderness　in　her　tone：



〃Yes；　dear。〃



〃Do　you　know；　Aleck；　I　think　we　are　making　a　mistakethat　is；

you　are。　　I　mean　about　the　marriage　business。〃　　He　sat　up；　fat　and

froggy　and　benevolent；　like　a　bronze　Buddha；　and　grew　earnest。　

〃Considerit's　more　than　five　years。　　You've　continued　the　same

policy　from　the　start：　　with　every　rise；　always　holding　on　for　five

points　higher。　　Always　when　I　think　we　are　going　to　have　some　weddings；

you　see　a　bigger　thing　ahead；　and　I　undergo　another　disappointment。　

_I_　think　you　are　too　hard　to　please。　　Some　day　we'll　get　left。　

First；　we　turned　down　the　dentist　and　the　lawyer。　　That　was　all　right

it　was　sound。　　Next；　we　turned　down　the　banker's　son　and　the

pork…butcher's　heirright　again；　and　sound。　　Next；　we　turned

down　the　Congressman's　son　and　the　Governor'sright　as　a　trivet；

I　confess　it。　　Next　the　Senator's　son　and　the　son　of　the　Vice…President

of　the　United　Statesperfectly　right；　there's　no　permanency　about

those　little　distinctions。　　Then　you　went　for　the　aristocracy；

and　I　thought　we　had　struck　oil　at　lastyes。　　We　would　make

a　plunge　at　the　Four　Hundred；　and　pull　in　some　ancient　lineage；

venerable；　holy；　ineffable；　mellow　with　the　antiquity　of　a　hundred

and　fifty　years；　disinfected　of　the　ancestral　odors　of　salt…cod

and　pelts　all　of　a　century　ago；　and　unsmirched　by　a　day's　work　since；

and　then！　why；　then　the　marriages；　of　course。　　But　no；　along　comes

a　pair　a　real　aristocrats　from　Europe；　and　straightway　you　throw　over

the　half…breeds。　It　was　awfully　discouraging；　Aleck！　　Since　then；

what　a　procession！　　You　turned　down　the　baronets　for　a　pair

of　barons；　you　turned　down　the　barons　for　a　pair　of　viscounts；

the　viscounts　for　a　pair　of　earls；　the　earls　for　a　pair　of　marquises；

the　marquises　for　a　brace　of　dukes。　　NOW；　Aleck；　cash　in！

you've　played　the　limit。　　You've　got　a　job　lot　of　four　dukes

under　the　hammer；　of　four　nationalities；　all　sound　in　the　wind

and　limb　and　pedigree；　all　bankrupt　and　in　debt　up　to　the　ears。　

They　come　high；　but　we　can　afford　it。　　Come；　Aleck；　don't　delay

any　longer；　don't　keep　up　the　suspense：　　take　the　whole　lay…out；

and　leave　the　girls　to　choose！〃



Aleck　had　been　smiling　blandly　and　contentedly　all　through　this

arraignment　of　her　marriage　policy；　a　pleasant　light；　as　of　triumph

with　perhaps　a　nice　surprise　peeping　out　through　it；　rose　in　her　eyes；

and　she　said；　as　calmly　as　she　could：



〃Sally；　what　would　you　say　toROYALTY？〃



Prodigious！　　Poor　man；　it　knocked　him　silly；　and　he　fell　over　the

garboard…strake　and　barked　his　shin　on　the　cat…heads。　He　was　dizzy

for　a　moment；　then　he　gathered　himself　up　and　limped　over　and　sat

down　by　his　wife　and　beamed　his　old…time　admiration　and　affection

upon　her　in　floods；　out　of　his　bleary　eyes。



〃By　George！〃　he　said；　fervently；　〃Aleck；　you　ARE　greatthe　greatest

woman　in　the　whole　earth！　　I　can't　ever　learn　the　whole　size　of　you。　

I　can't　ever　learn　the　immeasurable　deeps　of　you。　　Here　I've　been

considering　myself　qualified　to　criticize　your　game。　　_I！_　Why；

if　I　had　stopped　to　think；　I'd　have　known　you　had　a　lone　hand　up

your　sleeve。　　Now；　dear　heart；　I'm　all　red…hot　impatiencetell　me

about　it！〃



The　flattered　and　happy　woman　put　her　lips　to　his　ear　and　whispered

a　princely　name。　　It　made　him　catch　his　breath；　it　lit　his　face

with　exultation。



〃Land！〃　he　said；　〃it's　a　stunning　catch！　　He's　got　a　gambling…hall；

and　a　graveyard；　and　a　bishop；　and　a　cathedralall　his　very　own。　

And　all　gilt…edged　five…hundred…per…cent。　stock；　every　detail　of　it；

the　tidiest　little　property　in　Europe。　　and　that　graveyard

it's　the　selectest　in　the　world：　　none　but　suicides　admitted；

YES；　sir；　and　the　free…list　suspended；　too；　ALL　the　time。　

There　isn't　much　land　in　the　principality；　but　there's　enough：　

eight　hundred　acres　in　the　graveyard　and　forty…two　outside。　

It's　a　SOVEREIGNTYthat's　the　main　thing；　LAND'S　nothing。　

There's　plenty　land；　Sahara's　drugged　with　it。〃



Aleck　glowed；　she　was　profoundly　happy。　　She　said：



〃Think　of　it；　Sallyit　is　a　family　that　has　never　married　outside

the　Royal　and　Imperial　Houses　of　Europe：　　our　grandchildren　will

sit　upon　thrones！〃



〃True　as　you　live；　Aleckand　bear　scepters；　too；　and　handle

them　as　naturally　and　nonchantly　as　I　handle　a　yardstick。　

it's　a　grand　catch；　Aleck。　　He's　corralled；　is　he？　　Can't　get　away？　

You　didn't　take　him　on　a　margin？〃



〃No。　Trust　me　for　that。　　He's　not　a　liability；　he's　an　asset。　

So　is　the　other　one。〃



〃Who　is　it；　Aleck？〃



〃His　Royal　Highness

Sigismund…Siegfriend…Lauenfeld…Dinkelspiel…Schwartzenberg

Blutwurst；　Hereditary　Grant　Duke　of　Katzenyammer。〃



〃No！　　You　can't　mean　it！〃



〃It's　as　true　as　I'm　sitting　here；　I　give　you　my　word；〃　she　answered。



His　cup　was　full；　and　he　hugged　her　to　his　heart　with　rapture；　saying：



〃How　wonderful　it　all　seems；　and　how　beautiful！　　It's　one　of　the

oldest　and　noblest　of　the　three　hundred　and　sixty…four　ancient

German　principalities；　and　one　of　the　few　that　was　allowed　to

retain　its　royal　estate　when　Bismarck　got　done　trimming　them。　

I　know　that　farm；　I've　been　there。　　It's　got　a　rope…walk　and　a

candle…factory　and　an　army。　　Standing　army。　　Infantry　and　cavalry。　

Three　soldier　and　a　horse。　　Aleck；　it's　been　a　long　wait；　and　full

of　heartbreak　and　hope　deferred；　but　God　knows　I　am　happy　now。　

Happy；　and　grateful　to　you；　my　own；　who　have　done　it　all。　

When　is　it　to　be？〃



〃Next　Sunday。〃



〃Good。　　And　we'll　want　to　do　these　weddings　up　in　the　very　regalest

style　that's　going。　　It's　properly　due　to　the　royal　quality　of　the

parties　of　the　first　part。　　Now　as　I　understand　it；　there　is　only　one

kind　of　marriage　that　is　sacred　to　royalty；　exclusive　to　royalty：　

it's　the　morganatic。〃



〃What　do　they　call　it　that　for；　Sally？〃



〃I　don't　know；　but　anyway　it's　royal；　and　royal　only。〃



〃Then　we　will　insist　upon　it。　　MoreI　will　compel　it。　

It　is　morganatic　marriage　or　none。〃



〃That　settles　it！〃　said　Sally；　rubbing　his　hands　with　delight。　

〃And　it　will　be　the　ver