elinor wyllys-2-第9章

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n　to　which　human　nature　is　inclined。　

Mr。　Clapp's　speech　was　the　last　for　the　evening。

〃I　wish　you　joy；　Mrs。　Clapp；〃　said　Mrs。　Tibbs；　leaning　forward　from　the　seat　behind　the　lawyer's　pretty　little　wife；　and　nodding　as　she　spoke。

〃I　really　congratulate　you；　Mr。　Clapp　has　surpassed　himself；　such　animation；　such　a　flow　of　eloquence！〃　added　Mrs。　Bibbs。

Kate　smiled；　and　looked　much　gratified；　she　evidently　admired　her　husband's　speeches　as　much　as　she　did　his　hair。

The　moment　for　enrolling　new　names　had　now　come；　numbers　of　the　audience　went　forward　to　sign　the　Total　Abstinence　Pledge。　There　was　one　worthy　woman；　a　widow；　sitting　near　Miss　Patsey；　whose　only　son　had；　during　the　last　year　or　two；　fallen　into　habits　of　intemperance；　his　attention　had　quite　lately　been　attracted　to　the　Temperance　Societies；　he　had　read　their　publications；　had　been　struck　by　a　short　speech　of　Mr。　Strong　on　a　former　occasion；　and　his　mother's　joy　may　possibly　be　imagined；　as　she　saw　him　rise　and　add　his　name　to　the　list　of　members　engaging　to　abstain　from　intoxicating　liquors。　There　were　several　others　whose　hearts　were　cheered；　on　the　same　occasion；　by　seeing　those　they　loved　best；　those　over　whom　they　had　often　mourned；　take　this　step　towards　reformation。　Among　the　rest；　a　man　dressed　as　a　sailor　was　seen　approaching　the　table；　when　his　turn　came　he　put　down　his　name；　and　this　was　no　sooner　done；　than　Mr。　Clapp　advanced　and　shook　him　warmly　by　the　hand。

〃Who　is　that　man；　Catherine；　speaking　to　Mr。　Clapp？he　looks　like　a　sailor；〃　inquired　Miss　Patsey。

〃I　don't　know　who　it　is；　some　client　I　suppose；　William　seemed　very　much　pleased　at　his　signing。〃

Mr。　Clapp；　after　shaking　hands　with　his　friend；　the　sailor；　made　his　way　through　the　crowd；　until　he　reached　the　pew　where　his　wife　and　little　boy　were　sitting。　Taking　Willie　by　the　hand；　he　led　him　to　the　table；　placed　the　pen　in　his　fingers；　and　left　him　to　write　William　C。　Clapp；　jr。　as　well　as　he　couldno　easy　matter；　by…the…bye；　for　the　child　was　not　very　expert　in　capital　letters。　As　Willie　was　the　youngest　individual　on　the　list；　his　signature　was　received　by　a　burst　of　applause。　The　little　fellow　was　extremely　elated　by　being　made　of　so　much　consequence；　to　tell　the　truth；　he　understood　very　little　of　what　he　was　about。　If　respect　for　temperance　were　implanted　in　his　mind　on　that　evening；　it　was　also　accompanied　by　still　more　decided　ideas　of　the　great　importance　of　little　boys；　with　the　germ　of　a　confused　notion　as　to　the　absolute　necessity　of　the　approbation　of　a　regularly　organized　public　meeting；　to　foster　every　individual　virtue　in　himself；　and　in　the　human　race　in　general。　Miss　Patsey　very　much　doubted　the　wisdom　of　making　her　little　nephew　play　such　a　prominent　part　before　the　public；　she　had　old…fashioned　notions　about　the　modesty　of　childhood　and　youth。　The　mother；　her　sister　Kate；　however；　was　never　disposed　to　find　fault　with　anything　her　husband　did；　it　was　all　right　in　her　eyes。　Mr。　Clapp　himself　took　the　opportunity　to　thank　the　audience；　in　a　short　but　emphatic　burst；　for　their　sympathy；　concluding　by　expressing　the　hope　that　his　boy　would　one　day　be　as　much　disposed　to　gratitude　for　any　public　favours；　and　as　entirely　submissive；　body　and　soul；　to　the　public　will　of　his　own　time；　as　he　himselfthe　fatherwas　conscious　of　being　at　that　momentwithin　a　few　weeks　of　election。

The　meeting　was　shortly　after　concluded　by　a　temperance　song；　and　a　good　prayer　by　the　elder　minister。

As　the　audience　crowded　out　of　the　door；　Mr。　Clapp　nodded　again　to　the　sailor；　when　passing　near　him。

〃Who　is　that　man；　William？〃　asked　Mrs。　Clapp；　as　they　reached　the　street。

〃It　is　a　person　in　whom　I　am　warmly　interestedan　injured　man。〃　

〃Indeed！one　of　your　clients　I　suppose。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　now　pledged　to　serve　him　to　the　best　of　my　ability。〃

〃He　looks　like　a　sailor。〃

〃He　is　a　sailor；　just　returned　from　a　three　years'　whaling　voyage。　You　will　be　surprised；　Catherine；　when　you　hear　that　man's　story；　but　the　time　has　come　when　it　must　be　revealed　to　the　world。〃

〃You　quite　excite　my　curiosity；　I　hope　you　will　tell　me　the　story？〃

〃Yes；　you　shall　hear　it。　But　where　are　your　sister　and　Charles；　are　they　going　home　with　us？〃

〃No；　I　am　very　sorry；　but　they　told　me　at　the　meeting　they　could　not　stay；　as　they　had　come　over　in　Mrs。　Van　Horne's　carriage。　It　is　a　pity；　for　I　had　made　some　ice…cream；　and　gathered　some　raspberries；　expressly　for　them；　and　we　have　hardly　seen　Charles　since　he　arrived。　But　Patsey　wants　us　to　spend　the　day　at　the　grey　house；　to…morrow；　children　and　all。〃

Mr。　Clapp　assented　to　this　arrangement；　although　he　said　he　should　not　be　able　to　do　more　than　go　over　himself　for　his　family　in　the　evening；　on　account　of　business。

Kate　had　only　her　husband　and　Willie　to　share　her　excellent　ice…cream　and　beautiful　raspberries；　on　that　warm　evening；　the　trio　did　justice；　however；　to　these　nice　refreshments；　and　little　Willie　only　wished　he　could　sign　a　temperance　pledge　every　evening；　if　he　could　sit　up　later　than　usual；　and　eat　an　excellent　supper　after　it。

After　the　little　fellow　had　been　sent　to　bed；　and　his　mother　had　taken　a　look　at　her　younger　children；　who　were　sleeping　sweetly　in　their　usual　places；　the　lawyer　and　his　wife　were　left　alone　in　the　parlour。　It　was　a　charming　moon…light　evening；　though　very　warm；　and　Kate　having　lowered　the　lamp；　threw　herself　into　a　rocking…chair　near　the　window；　while　Mr。　Clapp；　who　had　had　rather　a　fatiguing　day；　was　stretched　out　on　the　sofa。

〃It　is　early　yet；　William；　suppose　you　tell　the　story　you　promised　me；　about　your　client；　the　sailor。〃

〃I　don't　much　like　to　tell　it；　Catherine；　and　yet　it　is　time　you　knew　something　about　it；　for　we　must　proceed　to　action　immediately。〃

〃Oh；　tell　me；　by　all　means；　you　have　really　made　me　quite　curious。　You　know　very　well　that　I　can　keep　a　secret。〃

〃Certainly；　and　I　request　you　will　not　mention　the　facts　I　shall　relate；　to　any　one；　for　some　time；　not　until　we　have　taken　the　necessary　legal　steps。〃

〃Of　course　not；　if　you　wish　it；　and　now　for　the　story。　You　said　this　poor　man　had　been　injured。〃

〃Grossly　injured。〃

〃In　what　manner？〃

〃He　has　been　treated　in　the　most　unjustifiable　manner　by　his　nearest　relatives。　His　reputation　has　been　injured；　and　he　has　been　tyrannically　deprived　of　a　very　large　property。〃

〃Is　it　possible！poor　fellow！　Can　nothing　be　done　for　him？〃

〃That　is　what　we　shall　see。　Yes；　I　flatter　myself　if　there　is　law　in　the　land；　we　shall　yet　be　able　to　restore　him　to　his　rights！〃

〃Does　he　belong　to　this　part　of　the　country？〃

〃He　does　not　himself；　but　those　who　are　revelling　in　his　wealth　do。〃

〃What　is　his　name？Do　I　know　his　family？〃

〃You　will　be　distressed；　Catherine；　when　you　hear　the　name；　you　will　be　astonished　when　you　learn　the　whole　story；　but　the　time　for　concealment　has　gone　by　now。　Several　years　ago　that　poor　sailor　came　to　me；　in　ragged　clothing；　in　poverty　and　distress；　and　first　laid　his　complaint　before　me。　I　did　not　believe　a　word　of　what　he　told　me；　I　thought　the　man　mad；　and　refused　to　have　anything　to　do　with　the　cause。　He　became　disgusted；　and　went　to　sea　again；　and　for　some　time　gave　up　all　hope　of　being　reinstated　in　his　rights；　the　obstacles　seemed　too　great。　But　at　length　a　very　important　witness　in　his　favour　was　accidentally　thrown　in　his　way：　at　the　end　of　his　cruise　he　came　to　me　again；　and　I　confess　I　was　astounded　at　the　evidence　he　then　laid　before　me。　It　is　conclusive；　beyond　a　doubt；　to　any　unprejudiced　mind；〃　said　Mr。　Clapp；　rousing　himself　from　his　recumbent　position。

〃But　you　have　not　told　me　the　man's　name。〃

〃His　name　is　StanleyWilliam　Stanley。〃

〃You　said　I　knew　him；　but　I　never　heard　of　him；　I　don't　know　the　family　at　all。〃

〃Yes；　you　do；　you　know　them　only　too　well；　you　will　be　as　much　surprised　as　I　was　myselfas　I　am　still；　whenever　I　allow　myself　to　dwell　on　the　subject。　Mr。　Stanley　is　the　cousin…german　of　your　friend；　Miss　Elinor　Wyllys。　Mr。　Wyllys　himself；　Mrs。　Stanley；　the　step…mother；　and　young　Hazlehurst；　are　the　individuals　who　stand　between　him　and　his　rights；〃　continued　Mr。　Clapp；　rising；　and　walking　across　the　room；　as　he　ran　his　fingers　through　his　brown　curls。

〃Impossible