mother-第3章

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〃I　know。　But　understanding；　I　believe　that　I　should　do　the　same　again。　At

the　office；　when　not　busy；　I　wrote　more　poetry；　and　began　also　to　write

prose；　which　I　found　at　the　outset　less　easy。　When　my　first　writings　were

accepted　（they　were　four　sets　of　verses　upon　the　Summer　Resort）　I　felt

that　I　could　soon　address　Ethel；　for　I　had　made　ten　dollars　outside　my

salary。　Had　she　not　been　in　Europe　that　July；　I　believe　that　I　should

have　spoken　to　her　at　once。　But　I　sent　her　the　paper；　and　I　have　the

letter　that　she　wrote　in　reply。〃



〃I〃began　Ethel。　But　she　stopped。



〃Yes；　I　know　now　that　you　kept　the　verses；〃　said　Richard。　〃My　next

manuscript；　however；　was　rejected。　Indeed；　I　went　on　offering　my　literary

productions　nearly　every　week　until　the　following　January　before　a　second

acceptance　came。　It　was　twenty　five　dollars　this　time；　and　almost　made　me

feel　again　that　I　could　handsomely　support　Ethel。　But　not　quite。　After

the　first　charming　elation　at　earning　money　with　my　pen；　those　weeks　of

refusal　had　caused　me　to　think　more　soberly。　And　though　I　was　now　bent

upon　becoming　an　author　and　leaving　Nassau　Street；　I　burned　no　bridges

behind　me；　but　merely　filled　my　spare　hours　with　writing　and　with　showing

it　to　Ethel。〃



〃It　was　now　that　the　second　area　of　perturbation　of　my　life　came　to　me。　I

say　the　second；　because　the　first　had　been　the　recent　dawning　belief　that

Ethel　thought　about　me　when　I　was　not　there　to　remind　her　of　myself。　This

idea　had　stirred　but　you　will　understand。　And　now；　what　was　my　proper；

my　honourable　course？　It　was　a　positive　relief　that　at　this　crisis　she

went　to　Florida。　I　could　think　more　quietly。　My　writing　had　come　to　be

quite　often　accepted；　sometimes　even　solicited。　Should　I　speak　to　her；

and　ask　her　to　wait　until　I　could　put　a　decent　roof　over　her　head；　or

should　I　keep　away　from　her　until　I　could　offer　such　a　roof？　Her　father；

I　supposed；　could　do　something　for　us。　But　I　was　not　willing　to　be　a

pensioner。　His　businesswere　he　generouswould　be　to　provide　cake　and

butter；　but　the　bread　was　to　be　mine　and　bread　was　still　a　long　way　off；

according　to　New　York　standards。　These　things　I　thought　over　while　she

was　in　Florida；　yet　when　once　I　should　I　find　myself　with　her　again；　I

began　to　fear　that　I　could　not　hold　myself　frombut　these　are

circumstances　which　universal　knowledge　renders　it　needless　to　mention；

and　I　will　pass　to　the　second　perturbation。〃



〃A　sum　of　money　was　suddenly　left　me。　Then　for　the　first　time　I　understood

why　I　had　during　my　boyhood　been　so　periodically　sent　to　see　a　cross　old

brother　of　my　mother's；　who　lived　near　Cold　Spring　on　the　Hudson；　and

whom　we　called　Uncle　Snaggletooth　when　no　one　could　hear　us。　Uncle

Godfrey　（for　I　have　called　him　by　his　right　name　ever　since）　died　and　left

me　what　in　those　old　days　six　years　ago　was　still　a　large　amount。　To…day

we　understand　what　true　riches　mean。　But　in　those　bygone　times　six　years

ago；　a　million　dollars　was　a　sum　considerable　enough　to　be　still　seen；　as

it　were；　with　the　naked　eye。　That　was　my　bequest　from　Uncle　Godfrey；　and

I　felt　myself　to　be　the　possessor　of　a　fortune。〃



At　this　point　in　Richard's　narrative；　a　sigh　escaped　from　Ethel。



〃I　know；〃　he　immediately　said；　〃that　money　is　always　welcome。　But　it　is

certainly　some　consolation　to　reflect　how　slight　a　loss　a　million　dollars

is　counted　to…day　in　New　York。　And　I　did　not　lose　all　of　it。〃



〃I　met　Ethel　at　the　train　on　her　return　from　Florida；　and　crossed　with

her　on　the　ferry　from　Jersey　City　to　Desbrosses　Street。　There　I　was

obliged　to　see　her　drive　away　in　the　carriage　with　her　father。〃



〃Mr。　Field；〃　said　Mrs。　Davenport；　〃what　hour　did　that　train　arrive　at

Jersey　City？〃



Richard　looked　surprised。　〃Why；　seven…fifteen　P。　M。；〃　he　replied。　〃The

tenth　of　March。〃



〃Dark！〃　Mrs。　Davenport　exclaimed。　〃Mr。　Field；　you　and　Ethel　were　engaged

before　the　ferry　boat　landed　at　Desbrosses　Street。〃



Richard　and　Ethel　both　sat　straight　up；　but　remained　speechless。



〃Pardon　my　interruption；〃　said　Mrs。　Davenport；　smiling。　〃I　didn't　want　to

miss　a　single　point　in　this　storydo　go　on！〃



Richard　was　obliged　to　burst　out　laughing；　in　which　Ethel；　after　a

moment；　followed　him；　though　perhaps　less　heartily。　And　as　he　continued；

his　blush　subsided。



〃With　my　Uncle　Godfrey's　legacy　I　was　no　longer　dependent　upon　my　salary；

or　my　pen；　or　my　father's　purse；　and　I　decided　that　with　the　money

properly　invested；　I　could　maintain　a　modest　establishment　of　my　own。

Ethel　agreed　with　me　entirely；　and；　after　a　little；　we　disclosed　our

plans　to　our　families；　and　they　met　with　approval。　This　was　in　April；　and

we　thought　of　October　or　November　for　the　wedding。　It　seemed　long　to

wait；　but　it　came　near　being　so　much　longer；　that　I　grow　chilly　now　to

think　of　it。〃



〃Of　course；　I　went　steadily　on　with　my　work　at　the　office　in　Nassau

Street；　nor　did　I　neglect　my　writing　entirely。　My　attention；　however；　was

now　turned　to　the　question　of　investing　my　fortune。　Just　round　the　corner

from　our　office　was　the　firm　of　Blake　and　Beverly；　Stocks　and　Bonds。

Thither　my　steps　began　frequently　to　turn。　Mr。　Beverly　had　business　which

brought　him　every　week　to　the　room　of　our　president；　and　so　having　a　sort

of　acquaintance　with　him；　I　felt　it　easier　to　consult　him　than　to　seek

any　other　among　the　brokers；　to　which　class　I　was　a　well　nigh　total

stranger。　He　very　kindly　consented　to　be　my　adviser。　I　was　well　pleased

to　find　how　much　I　had　underrated　the　interest…bearing　capacity　of　my

windfall。　'Four　per　cent！'　he　cried；　when　I　told　him　this　was　the　extent

of　my　expectations。　'Why；　you're　talking　like　a　trustee。'　And　then　seeing

that　his　meaning　was　beyond　me；　he　explained　in　his　bluff；　humorous

manner。　'All　a　trustee　cares　for　you　know；　is　his　reputation　for　safety。

It's　not　his　own　income　he's　nursing；　and　so　he　doesn't　care　how　small　he

makes　it；　provided　only　that　his　investments　would　be　always　called　safe。

Now　there　are　ways　of　being　safe　without　spending　any　trouble　or　time

upon　it；　and　those　are　the　ways　a　trustee　will　take。　For　example；'　and

here　he　arose　and　unhooking　a　file　of　current　quotations　from　the　wall；

placed　it　in　my　lap　as　I　sat　beside　him。　'now　here　are　Government　three's

selling　at　108　3…8。　They　are　as　safe　as　the　United　States；　and　if　I

advised　you　to　buy　them；　it　would　cost　me　no　thought；　and　my　character

for　safety　would　run　no　risk　of　a　blemish。　That　is　the　sort　of　bond　that

a　trustee　recommends。　But　see　what　income　it　gives　you。　Roughly　speaking；

about　twenty…eight　thousand　dollars。'〃



〃'That　would　not　do　at　all；'　said　I；　thinking　of　Ethel　and　October。〃



〃'Certainly　not　for　you；'　returned　Mr。　Beverly；　gaily。　If　you　were　a

timorous　old　maid；　now；　who　would　really　like　all　her　money　in　her

stocking　in　gold　pieces；　only　she's　ashamed　to　say　so！　But　a　young　fellow

like　you　with　no　responsibility；　no　wife；　and　butcher's　billit's　quite

another　thing！'〃



〃'Quite；'　said　I；　'oh；　quite！'〃



〃Richard；〃　interrupted　Ethel；　〃do　you　have　to　make　yourself　out　so

simple？〃



〃My　dear；　you　forget　that　I　said　I　should　invent　nothing；　but　should　keep

myself　to　actual　experiences。　The　part　of　my　story　that　is　coming　now　is

one　where　I　should　be　very　glad　to　draw　upon　my　imagination。〃



〃Mr。　Beverly　now　ran　his　finger　up　and　down　various　columns。　'Here

again；'　said　he；　'is　a　typical　trustee　bond；　and　nets　you　a　few　thousand

dollars　more　at　present　prices。　New　York　Central　and　Hudson　River　3

1…2's。　Or　here　are　West　Shore　4's　at　113　5…8。　But　you　see　it　scales　down

to　pretty　much　the　same　thing。　The　sort　of　bond　that　a　trustee　will　call

safe　does　not　bring　the　owner　more　than　about　three　and　one…half　per

cent。'〃



〃'Why；　there　are　some　six　per　cent　bonds！'　I　said；　and　I　pointed　them　out

to　him。〃



〃'Selling　at　137　7…8；　you　see；'　said　Mr。　Beverly。　'Deducting　the　tax；

there　you　are　scaled　down　again。'　He　pencilled　some　swift　calculations