eben holden-第39章

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re　was　abundant　heraldry　of　rugged　power　and　ox…like　vitality。　I　have　seen　a　bronze　head　of　Daniel　Webster　which；　with　a　full　blonde　beard　and　an　ample　covering　of　grey　hair　would　have　given　one　a　fairly　perfect　idea　of　the　look　of　John　Trumbull。　Imagine　it　on　a　tall；　and　powerful　body　and　let　it　speak　with　a　voice　that　has　in　it　the　deep　and　musical　vibration　one　may　hear　in　the　looing　of　an　ox　and　you　shall　see；　as　perfectly　as　my　feeble　words　can　hdp　you　to　do；　this　remarkable　man　who；　must；　hereafter；　play　before　you　his　part　…　compared　to　which　mine　is　as　the　prattle　of　a　child　…　in　this　drama　of　God's　truth。

'You　have　not　heard；'said　Mrs　Fuller　addressing　me；　'how　Mr　Trumbull　saved　Hope's　life。'　

'Saved　Hope's　life！'I　exclaimed。

'Saved　her　life；'she　repeated；　'there　isn　t　a　doubt　of　it。　We　never　sent　word　of　it　for　fear　it　would　give　you　all　needless　worry。　It　was　a　day　of　last　winter　…　fell　crossing　Broadway；　a　dangerous　place'　he　pulled　her　aside　just　in　time　…　the　horse's　feet　were　raised　above　her　…　she　would　have　been　crushed　in　a　moment　He　lifted　her　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　to　the　sidewalk　not　a　bit　the　worse　for　it。　

'Seems　as　if　it　were　fate；'said　Hope。　'I　had　seen　him　so　often　and　wondered　who　he　was。　I　recall　a　night　when　I　had　to　come　home　alone　from　rehearsal。　I　was　horribly　afraid。　I　remember　passing　him　under　a　street　lamp。　If　he　had　spoken　to　me；　then；　I　should　have　dropped　with　fear　and　he　would　have　had　to　carry　me　home　that　time。　

'It's　an　odd　thing　a　girl　like　you　should　ever　have　to　walk　home　alone；'said　Mr　Fuller。　'Doesn't　speak　well　for　our　friend　Livingstone　or　Burnham　there　or　Dobbs。　

'Mrs　Fuller　doesn't　give　us　half　a　chance；'said　Livingstone；　'she　guards　her　day　and　night。　It's　like　the　monks　and　the　Holy　Grail。　

'Hope　is　independent　of　the　young　men；'said　Mrs　Fuller　as　we　rose　from　the　table。　'If　I　cannot　go　with　her　myself；　in　the　carriase；　I　always　send　a　maid　or　a　manservant　to　walk　home　with　her。　But　Mr　Fuller　and　I　were　out　of　town　that　night　and　the　young　men　missed　their　great　opportunity。　

'Had　a　differ　nt　way　o'sparkin'years　ago；'said　Unde　Eb。　'Didn　t　never　hey　if　please　anybody　but　the　girl　then。　If　ye　liked　a　girl　ye　went　an'sot　up　with　her　an'gin　her　a　smack　an'tol'her　right　out　plain　an'square　what　ye　wanted。　An'thet　settled　it　one　way　er　t　other。　An'her　mother　she　step'in　the　next　room　with　the　door　half…open　an'never　paid　no　'tention。　Recollec'one　col'night　when　I　was　sparkin'the　mother　hollered　out　o'bed；　〃Lucy；　hey　ye　got　anythin　'round　ye？〃　an'she　hollered　back；　〃Yis；　mother；〃　an'she　hed　too　but　'twan't　nothin'but　my　arm。'

They　laughed　merrily；　over　the　quaint　reminiscence　of　my　old　friend　and　the　quainter　way　he　had　of　telling　it。　The　rude　dialect　of　the　backwoodsman　might　have　seemed　oddly　out　of　place；　there；　but　for　the　quiet；　unassuming　manner　and　the　fine　old　face　of　Uncle　Eb　in　which　the　dullest　eye　might　see　the　soul　of　a　gentleman。

'What　became　of　Lucy？'Mr　Fuller　enquired；　laughingly。　'You　never　married　her。'　

'Lucy　died；'he　answered　soberly；　'thet　was　long；　long　ago。'　

Then　he　went　away　with　John　Trumbull　to　the　smoking…room　where　I　found　them；　talking　earnestly　in　a　corner；　when　it　was　time　to　go　to　the　church　with　Hope。

Chapter　30

Hope　and　Uncle　Eb　and　I　went　away　in　a　coach　with　Mrs　Fuller。　There　was　a　great　crowd　in　the　church　that　covered；　with　sweeping　arches；　an　interior　more　vast　than　any　I　had　ever　entered。　Hope　was　gowned　in　white　silk；　a　crescent　of　diamonds　in　her　hair　…　a　birthday　gift　from　Mrs　Fuller；　her　neck　and　a　part　of　her　full　breast　unadorned　by　anything　save　the　gifts　of　God　…　their　snowy　whiteness；　their　lovely　curves。

First　Henry　Cooper　came　on　with　his　violin　…　a　great　master　as　I　now　remember　him。　Then　Hope　ascended　to　the　platform；　her　dainty　kid　slippers　showing　under　her　gown；　and　the　odious　Livingstone　escorting　her。　I　was　never　so　madly　in　love　or　so　insanely　jealous。　I　must　confess　it　for　I　am　trying　to　tell　the　whole　truth　of　myself'I　was　a　fool。　And　it　is　the　greater　folly　that　one　says　ever　'I　was；'and　never　'I　am'in　that　plea。　I　could　even　see　it　myself　then　and　there；　but　I　was　so　great　a　fool　I　smiled　and　spoke　fairly　to　the　young　man　although　I　could　have　wrung　his　neck　with　rage。　There　was　a　little　stir　and　a　passing　whisper　in　the　crowd　as　she　stood　waiting　for　the　prelude。　Then　she　sang　the　ballad　of　Auld　Robin　Grey　…　not　better　than　I　had　heard　her　sing　it　before；　but　so　charmingly　there　were　murmurs　of　delight　going　far　and　wide　in　the　audience　when　she　had　finished。　Then　she　sang　the　fine　melody　of　'Angels　ever　Bright　and　Fair　；　and　again　the　old　ballad　she　and　I　had　heard　first　from　the　violin　of　poor　Nick　Goodall。

By　yon　bonnie　bank　an'by　yon　bonnie　bonnie　brae　The　sun　shines　bright　on　Loch　Lomond　Where　me　an'me　true　love　were　ever　won't　if　gae　On　the　bonnie；　bonnie　bank　o'Loch　Lomond。

Great　baskets　of　roses　were　handed　to　her　as　she　came　down　from　the　platform　and　my　confusion　was　multiplied　by　their　number　for　I　had　not　thought　to　bring　any　myself。

I　turned　to　Uncle　Eb　who；　now　and　then；　had　furtively　wiped　his　eyes。　'My　stars！'he　whispered；　'ain't　itreemarkable　grand！　Never　heard　ner　seen　nothin'like　thet　in　all　my　born　days。　An't'think　it's　my　little　Hope。　

He　could　go　no　further。　His　handkerchief　was　in　his　hand　while　he　took　refuge　in　silence。

Going　home　the　flowers　were　heaped　upon　our　laps　and　I；　with　Hope　beside　me；　felt　some　restoration　of　comfort。

'Did　you　see　Trumbull？'Mrs　Fuller　asked。　'He　sat　back　of　us　and　did　seem　to　enjoy　it　so　much　…　your　singing。　He　was　almost　cheerful。　

'Tell　me　about　Mr　Trumbull；'I　said。　'He　is　interesting。　

'Speculator；'said　Mrs　Fuller。　'A　strange　man；　successful；　silent；　unmarried　and；　I　think；　in　love。　Has　beautiful　rooms　they　say　on　Gramercy　Park。　Lives　alone　with　an　old　servant。　We　got　to　know　him　through　the　accident。　Mr　Fuller　and　he　have　done　business　together　…　a　great　deal　of　it　since　then。　Operates　in　the　stock　market。　

A　supper　was　waiting　for　us　at　home　and　we　sat　a　long　time　at　the　table。　I　was　burning　for　a　talk　with　Hope　but　how　was　I　to　manage　it？　We　rose　with　the　others　and　went　and　sat　down　together　in　a　corner　of　the　great　parlour。　We　talked　of　that　night　at　the　White　Church　in　Faraway　when　we　heard　Nick　Goodall　play　and　she　had　felt　the　beginning　of　a　new　life。

'I've　heard　how　well　you　did　last　year；'she　said；　'and　how　nice　you　were　to　the　girls。　A　friend　wrote　me　all　about　it。　How　attentive　you　were　to　that　little　Miss　Brown！　

'But　decently　polite；'I　answered。　'One　has　to　have　somebody　or　…　or　　　be　a　monk。　

'One　has　to　have　somebody！'she　said；　quickly；　as　she　picked　at　thc　flower　on　her　bosom　and　looked　down　at　it　soberly。　'That　is　true　one　has　to　have　somebody　and；　you　know；　I　haven　t　had　any　lack　of　company　myself。　By　the　way；　I　have　news　to　tell　you。　

She　spoke　slowly　and　in　a　low　voice　with　a　touch　of　sadness　in　it。　I　felt　the　colour　mounting　to　my　face。

'News！'I　repeated。　'What　news；　I…lope？　

'I　am　going　away　to　England；'she　said；　'with　Mrs　Fuller　if　…　if　mother　will　let　me。　I　wish　you　would　write　and　ask　her　to　let　me　go。　

I　was　unhorsed。　What　to　say　I　knew　not；　what　it　meant　I　could　vaguely　imagine。　There　was　a　moment　of　awkward　silence。

'Of　course　I　will　ask　her　if　you　wish　to　go；'I　said。　'When　do　you　sail？　

'They　haven　t　fixed　the　day　yet。　

She　sat　looking　down　at　her　fan；　a　beautiful；　filmy　thing　between　braces　of　ivory。　Her　knees　were　crossed；　one　dainty　foot　showing　under　ruffles　of　lace。　I　looked　at　her　a　moment　dumb　with　admiration。

'What　a　big　man　you　have　grown　to　be　Will；'she　said　presently。　'I　am　almost　afraid　of　you　now。　

She　was　still　looking　down　at　the　fan　and　that　little　foot　was　moving　nervously。　Now　was　my　time。　I　began　framing　an　avowal。　I　felt　a　wild　impulse　to　throw　my　strong　arms　about　her　and　draw　her　close　to　me　and　feel　the　pink　velvet　of　her　fair　face　upon　mine。　ff1　had　only　done　it！　But　what　with　the　strangeness　and　grandeur　of　that　big　room；　the　voices　of　the　others　who　were　sitting　in　the　library；　near　by；　the　mystery　of　the　spreading　crinoline　that　was　pressing　upon　my　knees；　I　had　not　half　the　courage　of　a　lover。

'My　fr