第 13 节
作者:理性的思索      更新:2024-09-11 20:30      字数:9322
  〃Yes; yes; Uncle Jake;〃 said John briskly。  〃My cousin and I have just  been notified to expect you。  We are both Carterets; you know。〃
  〃Although one of us;〃 said Blandford; 〃was born and raised in the  North。〃
  〃So if you will hand over the watch〃 said John。
  〃My cousin and I…〃 said Blandford。
  'Will then see to it〃 said John。
  〃That comfortable quarters are found for you;〃 said Blandford。
  With creditable ingenuity; old Jake set up a cackling; high…pitched;  protracted laugh。  He beat his knee; picked up his hat and bent the  brim in an apparent paroxysm of humorous appreciation。  The seizure  afforded him a mask behind which he could roll his eyes impartially  between; above; and beyond his two tormentors。
  〃I sees what!〃 he chuckled; after a while。  〃You gen'lemen is tryin'  to have fun with the po' old nigger。  But you can't fool old Jake。  I  knowed you; Marse Blandford; the minute I sot eyes on you。  You was a  po' skimpy little boy no mo' than about fo'teen when you lef' home to  come No'th; but I knowed you the minute I sot eyes on you。  You is the  mawtal image of old marster。  The other gen'leman resembles you  mightily; suh; but you can't fool old Jake on a member of the old  Vi'ginia family。  No suh。〃
  At exactly the same time both Carterets smiled and extended a hand for  the watch。
  Uncle Jake's wrinkled; black face lost the expression of amusement to  which he had vainly twisted it。  He knew that he was being teased; and  that it made little real difference; as far as its safety went; into  which of those outstretched hands he placed the family treasure。  But  it seemed to him that not only his own pride and loyalty but much of  the Virginia Carterets' was at stake。  He had heard down South during  the war about that other branch of the family that lived in the North  and fought on 〃the yuther side;〃 and it had always grieved him。  He  had followed his 〃old marster's〃 fortunes from stately luxury through  war to almost poverty。  And now; with the last relic and reminder of  him; blessed by 〃old missus;〃 and intrusted implicitly to his care; he  had come ten thousand miles (as it seemed) to deliver it into the  hands of the one who was to wear it and wind it and cherish it and  listen to it tick off the unsullied hours that marked the lives of the  Carteretsof Virginia。
  His experience and conception of the Yankees had been an impression of  tyrants〃low…down; common trash〃in blue; laying waste with fire and  sword。  He had seen the smoke of many burning homesteads almost as  grand as Carteret Hall ascending to the drowsy Southern skies。  And  now he was face to face with one of themand he could not distinguish  him from his 〃young marster〃 whom he had come to find and bestow upon  him the emblem of his kingshipeven as the arm 〃clothed in white  samite; mystic; wonderful〃 laid Excalibur in the right hand of Arthur。   He saw before him two young men; easy; kind; courteous; welcoming;  either of whom might have been the one he sought。  Troubled;  bewildered; sorely grieved at his weakness of judgment; old Jake  abandoned his loyal subterfuges。  His right hand sweated against the  buckskin cover of the watch。  He was deeply humiliated and chastened。   Seriously; now; his prominent; yellow…white eyes closely scanned the  two young men。  At the end of his scrutiny he was conscious of but one  difference between them。  One wore a narrow black tie with a white  pearl stickpin。  The other's 〃four…in…hand 〃 was a narrow blue one  pinned with a black pearl。
  And then; to old Jake's relief; there came a sudden distraction。   Drama knocked at the door with imperious knuckles; and forced Comedy  to the wings; and Drama peeped with a smiling but set face over the  footlights。
  Percival; the hater of mill supplies; brought in a card; which he  handed; with the manner of one bearing a cartel; to Blue…Tie。
  〃'Olivia De Ormond;'〃 read Blue…Tie from the card。  He looked  inquiringly at his cousin。
  〃Why not have her in;〃 said Black…Tie; 〃and bring matters to a  conclusion?〃
  〃Uncle Jake;〃 said one of the young men; 〃would you mind taking that  chair over there in the corner for a while?  A lady is coming inon  some business。  We'll take up your case afterward。〃
  The lady whom Percival ushered in was young and petulantly; decidedly;  freshly; consciously; and intentionally pretty。  She was dressed with  such expensive plainness that she made you consider lace and ruffles  as mere tatters and rags。  But one great ostrich plume that she wore  would have marked her anywhere in the army of beauty as the wearer of  the merry helmet of Navarre。
  Miss De Ormond accepted the swivel chair at Blue…Tie's desk。  Then the  gentlemen drew leather…upholstered seats conveniently near; and spoke  of the weather。
  〃Yes;〃 said she; 〃I noticed it was warmer。  But I mustn't take up too  much of your time during business hours。  That is;〃 she continued;  〃unless we talk business。〃
  She addressed her words to Blue…Tie; with a charming smile。
  〃Very well;〃 said he。  〃You don't mind my cousin being present; do  you?  We are generally rather confidential with each other…especially  in business matters。〃
  〃Oh no;〃 caroled Miss De Ormond。  〃I'd rather he did hear。  He knows  all about it; anyhow。  In fact; he's quite a material witness because  he was present when youwhen it happened。  I thought you might want  to talk things over beforewell; before any action is taken; as I  believe the lawyers say。〃
  〃Have you anything in the way of a proposition to make?〃 asked Black… Tie。
  Miss De Ormond looked reflectively at the neat toe of one of her dull  kid…pumps。
  〃I had a proposal made to me;〃 she said。  〃If the proposal sticks it  cuts out the proposition。  Let's have that settled first。〃
  〃Well; as far as〃 began Blue…Tie。
  〃Excuse me; cousin;〃 interrupted Black…Tie; 〃if you don't mind my  cutting in。〃  And then he turned; with a good…natured air; toward the  lady。
  〃Now; let's recapitulate a bit;〃 he said cheerfully。  〃All three of  us; besides other mutual acquaintances; have been out on a good many  larks together。〃
  〃I'm afraid I'll have to call the birds by another name;〃 said Miss De  Ormond。
  〃All right;〃 responded Black…Tie; with unimpaired cheerfulness;  〃suppose we say 'squabs' when we talk about the 'proposal' and 'larks'  when we discuss the 'proposition。'  You have a quick mind; Miss De  Ormond。  Two months ago some half…dozen of us went in a motor…car for  day's run into the country。  We stopped at a road…house for dinner。   My cousin proposed marriage to you then and there。  He was influenced  to do so; of course; by the beauty and charm which no one can deny  that you possess。〃
  〃I wish I had you for a press agent; Mr。  Carteret;〃 said the beauty;  with a dazzling smile。
  〃You are on the stage; Miss De Ormond;〃 went on Black…Tie。  〃You have  had; doubtless; many admirers; and perhaps other proposals。  You must  remember; too; that we were a party of merrymakers on that occasion。   There were a good many corks pulled。  That the proposal of marriage  was made to you by my cousin we cannot deny。  But hasn't it been your  experience that; by common consent; such things lose their seriousness  when viewed in the next day's sunlight?  Isn't there something of a  'code' among good 'sports'I use the word in its best sensethat  wipes out each day the follies of the evening previous?〃
  〃Oh yes;〃 said Miss De Ormond。  〃I know that very well。  And I've  always played up to it。  But as you seem to be conducting the case with the silent consent of the defendantI'll tell you something  more。  I've got letters from him repeating the proposal。  And they're  signed; too。〃
  〃I understand;〃 said Black…Tie gravely。  〃What's your price for the  letters?〃
  〃I'm not a cheap one;〃 said Miss De Ormond。  〃But I had decided to  make you a rate。  You both belong to a swell family。  Well; if I am on  the stage nobody can say a word against me truthfully。  And the money  is only a secondary consideration。  It isn't the money I was after。   II believed himandand I liked him。〃
  She cast a soft; entrancing glance at Blue…Tie from under her long  eyelashes。
  〃And the price?〃 went on Black…Tie; inexorably。
  〃Ten thousand dollars;〃 said the lady; sweetly。
  〃Or〃
  〃Or the fulfillment of the engagement to marry。〃
  〃I think it is time;〃 interrupted Blue…Tie; 〃for me to be allowed to  say a word or two。  You and I; cousin; belong to a family that has  held its head pretty high。  You have been brought up in a section of  the country very different from the one where our branch of the family  lived。  Yet both of us are Carterets; even if some of our ways and  theories differ。  You remember; it is a tradition of the family; that  no Carteret ever failed in chivalry to a lady or failed to keep his  word when it was given。〃
  Then Blue…Tie; with frank decision showing on his countenance; turned  to Miss De Ormond。
  〃Olivia;〃 said he; 〃on what date will you marry me?〃
  Before she could answer; Black…Tie again interposed。
  〃It is a long journey;〃 said he; 〃from Plymouth rock to Norfolk Bay。   Between the two points we find the changes that nearly three centuries  have brought。  In that time the old order has changed。  W