the american claimant-第37章

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which　had　lately　been　a　nothing；　a　purpose；　which　had　lately　been　a
fancy；　a　finished　temple；　with　the　altar…fires　lit　and　the　voice　of
worship　ascending；　where　before　had　been　but　an　architect's　confusion　of
arid　working　plans；　unintelligible　to　the　passing　eye　and　prophesying
nothing。

〃Lady〃　Gwendolen！　　The　pleasantness　of　that　sound　was　all　gone；　it　was　an
offense　to　her　ear　now。　　She　said：

〃Therethat　sham　belongs　to　the　past；　I　will　not　be　called　by　it　any
more。〃

〃I　may　call　you　simply　Gwendolen？　　You　will　allow　me　to　drop　the
formalities　straightway　and　name　you　by　your　dear　first　name　without
additions？〃

She　was　dethroning　the　pink　and　replacing　it　with　a　rosebud。

〃There…that　is　better。　　I　hate　pinkssome　pinks。　　Indeed　yes；　you　are　to
call　me　by　my　first　name　without　additionsthat　is；well；　I　don't　mean
without　additions　entirely；　but〃

It　was　as　far　as　she　could　get。　　There　was　a　pause；　his　intellect　was
struggling　to　comprehend；　presently　it　did　manage　to　catch　the　idea　in
time　to　save　embarrassment　all　around；　and　he　said　gratefully

〃Dear　Gwendolen！　　I　may　say　that？〃

〃Yespart　of　it。　　Butdon't　kiss　me　when　I　am　talking；　it　makes　me
forget　what　I　was　going　to　say。　　You　can　call　me　by　part　of　that　form；
but　not　the　last　part。　　Gwendolen　is　not　my　name。〃

〃Not　your　name？〃　This　in　a　tone　of　wonder　and　surprise。

The　girl's　soul　was　suddenly　invaded　by　a　creepy　apprehension；　a　quite
definite　sense　of　suspicion　and　alarm。　　She　put　his　arms　away　from　her；
looked　him　searchingly　in　the　eye；　and　said：

〃Answer　me　truly；　on　your　honor。　　You　are　not　seeking　to　marry　me　on
account　of　my　rank？〃

The　shot　almost　knocked　him　through　the　wall；　he　was　so　little　prepared
for　it。　　There　was　something　so　finely　grotesque　about　the　question　and
its　parent　suspicion；　that　he　stopped　to　wonder　and　admire；　and　thus　was
he　saved　from　laughing。　　Then；　without　wasting　precious　time；　he　set
about　the　task　of　convincing　her　that　he　had　been　lured　by　herself　alone；
and　had　fallen　in　love　with　her　only；　not　her　title　and　position；　that　he
loved　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　could　not　love　her　more　if　she　were　a
duchess；　or　less　if　she　were　without　home；　name　or　family。　　She　watched
his　face　wistfully；　eagerly；　hopefully；　translating　his　words　by　its
expression；　and　when　he　had　finished　there　was　gladness　in　her　heart
a　tumultuous　gladness；　indeed；　though　outwardly　she　was　calm；　tranquil；
even　judicially　austere。　　She　prepared　a　surprise　for　him；　now；
calculated　to　put　a　heavy　strain　upon　those　disinterested　protestations
of　his；　and　thus　she　delivered　it；　burning　it　away　word　by　word　as　the
fuse　burns　down　to　a　bombshell；　and　watching　to　see　how　far　the　explosion
would　lift　him：

〃Listenand　do　not　doubt　me；　for　I　shall　speak　the　exact　truth。　　Howard
Tracy；　I　am　no　more　an　earl's　child　than　you　are！〃

To　her　joyand　secret　surprise；　alsoit　never　phased　him。　　He　was
ready；　this　time；　and　saw　his　chance。　　He　cried　out　with　enthusiasm；
〃Thank　heaven　for　that！〃　and　gathered　her　to　his　arms。

To　express　her　happiness　was　almost　beyond　her　gift　of　speech。

〃You　make　me　the　proudest　girl　in　all　the　earth；〃　she　said；　with　her　head
pillowed　on　his　shoulder。　　〃I　thought　it　only　natural　that　you　should　be
dazzled　by　the　titlemaybe　even　unconsciously；　you　being　Englishand
that　you　might　be　deceiving　yourself　in　thinking　you　loved　only　me；　and
find　you　didn't　love　me　when　the　deception　was　swept　away；　so　it　makes　me
proud　that　the　revelation　stands　for　nothing　and　that　you　do　love　just
me；　only　meoh；　prouder　than　any　words　can　tell！〃

〃It　is　only　you；　sweetheart；　I　never　gave　one　envying　glance　toward　your
father's　earldom。　　That　is　utterly　true；　dear　Gwendolen。〃

〃There…you　mustn't　call　me　that。　　I　hate　that　false　name。　　I　told　you　it
wasn't　mine。　　My　name　is　Sally　Sellersor　Sarah；　if　you　like。　　From　this
time　I　banish　dreams；　visions；　imaginings；　and　will　no　more　of　them。
I　am　going　to　be　myselfmy　genuine　self；　my　honest　self；　my　natural
self；　clear　and　clean　of　sham　and　folly　and　fraud；　and　worthy　of　you。
There　is　no　grain　of　social　inequality　between　us；　I；　like　you；　am　poor；
I；　like　you；　am　without　position　or　distinction；　you　are　a　struggling
artist；　I　am　that；　too；　in　my　humbler　way。　　Our　bread　is　honest　bread；　we
work　for　our…living。　　Hand　in　hand　we　will　walk　hence　to　the　grave；
helping　each　other　in　all　ways；　living　for　each　other；　being　and
remaining　one　in　heart　and　purpose；　one　in　hope　and　aspiration；
inseparable　to　the　end。　　And　though　our　place　is　low；　judged　by　the
world's　eye；　we　will　make　it　as　high　as　the　highest　in　the　great
essentials　of　honest　work　for　what　we　eat　and　wear；　and　conduct　above
reproach。　　We　live　in　a　land；　let　us　be　thankful；　where　this　is　all…
sufficient；　and　no　man　is　better　than　his　neighbor　by　the　grace　of　God；
but　only　by　his　own　merit。〃

Tracy　tried　to　break　in；　but　she　stopped　him　and　kept　the　floor　herself。

〃I　am　not　through　yet。　　I　am　going　to　purge　myself　of　the　last　vestiges
of　artificiality　and　pretence；　and　then　start　fair　on　your　own　honest
level　and　be　worthy　mate　to　you　thenceforth。　　My　father　honestly　thinks
he　is　an　earl。　　Well；　leave　him　his　dream；　it　pleases　him　and　does　no　one
any　harm：　It　was　the　dream　of　his　ancestors　before　him。　　It　has　made
fools　of　the　house　of　Sellers　for　generations；　and　it　made　something　of　a
fool　of　me；　but　took　no　deep　root。　　I　am　done　with　it　now；　and　for　good。
Forty…eight　hours　ago　I　was　privately　proud　of　being　the　daughter　of　a
pinchbeck　earl；　and　thought　the　proper　mate　for　me　must　be　a　man　of　like
degree；　but　to…dayoh；　how　grateful　I　am　for　your　love　which　has　healed
my　sick　brain　and　restored　my　sanity！I　could　make　oath　that　no　earl's
son　in　all　the　world〃

〃Oh；well；　butbut〃

〃Why；　you　look　like　a　person　in　a　panic。　　What　is　it？　　What　is　the
matter？〃

〃Matter？　　Oh；　nothingnothing。　　I　was　only　going　to　say〃but　in　his
flurry　nothing　occurred　to　him　to　say；　for　a　moment；　then　by　a　lucky
inspiration　he　thought　of　something　entirely　sufficient　for　the　occasion；
and　brought　it　out　with　eloquent　force：　〃Oh；　how　beautiful　you　are！　　You
take　my　breath　away　when　you　look　like　that。〃

It　was　well　conceived；　well　timed；　and　cordially　deliveredand　it　got
its　reward。

〃Let　me　see。　　Where　was　I？　　Yes；　my　father's　earldom　is　pure　moonshine。
Look　at　those　dreadful　things　on　the　wall。　　You　have　of　course　supposed
them　to　be　portraits　of　his　ancestors；　earls　of　Rossmore。　　Well；　they　are
not。　　They　are　chromos　of　distinguished　Americansall　moderns；　but　he
has　carried　them　back　a　thousand　years　by　re…labeling　them。　　Andrew
Jackson　there；　is　doing　what　he　can　to　be　the　late　American　earl；　and　the
newest　treasure　in　the　collection　is　supposed　to　be　the　young　English
heirI　mean　the　idiot　with　the　crape；　but　in　truth　it's　a　shoemaker；　and
not　Lord　Berkeley　at　all。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Why　of　course　I　am。　　He　wouldn't　look　like　that。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　his　conduct　in　his　last　moments；　when　the　fire　was　sweeping
around　him　shows　that　he　was　a　man。　　It　shows　that　he　was　a　fine；　high…
souled　young　creature。〃

Tracy　was　strongly　moved　by　these　compliments；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that
the　girl's　lovely　lips　took　on　anew　loveliness　when　they　were　delivering
them。　　He　said；　softly：

〃It　is　a　pity　he　could　not　know　what　a　gracious　impression　his　behavior
was　going　to　leave　with　the　dearest　and　sweetest　stranger　in　the
land　of〃

〃Oh；　I　almost　loved　him！　　Why；　I　think　of　him　every　day。　　He　is　always
floating　about　in　my　mind。〃

Tracy　felt　that　this　was　a　little　more　than　was　necessary。　　He　was
conscious　of　the　sting　of　jealousy。　　He　said：

〃It　is　quite　right　to　think　of　himat　least　now　and　thenthat　is；　at
intervalsin　perhaps　an　admiring　waybut　it　seems　to　me　that〃

〃Howard　Tracy；　are　you　jealous　of　that　dead　man？〃

He　was　ashamedand　at　the　same　time　not　ashamed。　　He　was　jealousand　at
the　same　time　he　was　not　jealous。　　In　a　sense　the　dead　man　was　himself；
in　that　case　compliments　and　affection　lavished　upon　that　corpse　went
into　his　own　till　and　were　clear　profit。　　But　in　another　sense　the　dead
man　was　not　himself；　and　in　that　case　all　compliments　and