English
"Ol–ol—howjerspellit,anyhow?"askedthetartyoungladytowhomArcherhadpushedhiswife'stelegramacrossthebrassledgeoftheWesternUnionoffice.
"Olenska—O–len–ska,"herepeated,drawingbackthemessageinordertoprintouttheforeignsyllablesaboveMay'sramblingscript.
"It'sanunlikelynameforaNewYorktelegraphoffice;atleastinthisquarter,"anunexpectedvoiceobserved;andturningaroundArchersawLawrenceLeffertsathiselbow,pullinganimperturbablemoustacheandaffectingnottoglanceatthemessage.
"Hallo,Newland:thoughtI'dcatchyouhere.
I'vejustheardofoldMrs.Mingott'sstroke;andasIwasonmywaytothehouseIsawyouturningdownthisstreetandnippedafteryou.Isupposeyou'vecomefromthere?"
Archernodded,andpushedhistelegramunderthelattice.
"Verybad,eh?"Leffertscontinued."Wiringtothefamily,Isuppose.IgatheritISbad,ifyou'reincludingCountessOlenska."
Archer'slipsstiffened;hefeltasavageimpulsetodashhisfistintothelongvainhandsomefaceathisside.
"Why?"hequestioned.
Lefferts,whowasknowntoshrinkfromdiscussion,raisedhiseye–browswithanironicgrimacethatwarnedtheotherofthewatchingdamselbehindthelattice.
Nothingcouldbeworse"form"thelookremindedArcher,thananydisplayoftemperinapublicplace.
Archerhadneverbeenmoreindifferenttotherequirementsofform;buthisimpulsetodoLawrenceLeffertsaphysicalinjurywasonlymomentary.
TheideaofbandyingEllenOlenska'snamewithhimatsuchatime,andonwhatsoeverprovocation,wasunthinkable.
Hepaidforhistelegram,andthetwoyoungmenwentouttogetherintothestreet.
ThereArcher,havingregainedhisself–control,wenton:"Mrs.Mingottismuchbetter:thedoctorfeelsnoanxietywhatever";andLefferts,withprofuseexpressionsofrelief,askedhimifhehadheardthattherewerebeastlybadrumoursagainaboutBeaufort....
ThatafternoontheannouncementoftheBeaufortfailurewasinallthepapers.
ItovershadowedthereportofMrs.MansonMingott'sstroke,andonlythefewwhohadheardofthemysteriousconnectionbetweenthetwoeventsthoughtofascribingoldCatherine'sillnesstoanythingbuttheaccumulationoffleshandyears.
ThewholeofNewYorkwasdarkenedbythetaleofBeaufort'sdishonour.
Therehadnever,asMr.Letterblairsaid,beenaworsecaseinhismemory,nor,forthatmatter,inthememoryofthefar–offLetterblairwhohadgivenhisnametothefirm.
Thebankhadcontinuedtotakeinmoneyforawholedayafteritsfailurewasinevitable;andasmanyofitsclientsbelongedtooneoranotheroftherulingclans,Beaufort'sduplicityseemeddoublycynical.
IfMrs.Beauforthadnottakenthetonethatsuchmisfortunes(thewordwasherown)were"thetestoffriendship,"compassionforhermighthavetemperedthegeneralindignationagainstherhusband.
Asitwas—andespeciallyaftertheobjectofhernocturnalvisittoMrs.MansonMingotthadbecomeknown—hercynicismwasheldtoexceedhis;andshehadnottheexcuse—norherdetractorsthesatisfaction—ofpleadingthatshewas"aforeigner."
Itwassomecomfort(tothosewhosesecuritieswerenotinjeopardy)tobeabletoremindthemselvesthatBeaufortWAS;but,afterall,ifaDallasofSouthCarolinatookhisviewofthecase,andgliblytalkedofhissoonbeing"onhisfeetagain,"theargumentlostitsedge,andtherewasnothingtodobuttoacceptthisawfulevidenceoftheindissolubilityofmarriage.
SocietymustmanagetogetonwithouttheBeauforts,andtherewasanendofit—exceptindeedforsuchhaplessvictimsofthedisasterasMedoraManson,thepooroldMissLannings,andcertainothermisguidedladiesofgoodfamilywho,ifonlytheyhadlistenedtoMr.HenryvanderLuyden...
"ThebestthingtheBeaufortscando,"saidMrs.Archer,summingitupasifshewerepronouncingadiagnosisandprescribingacourseoftreatment,"istogoandliveatRegina'slittleplaceinNorthCarolina.
Beauforthasalwayskeptaracingstable,andhehadbetterbreedtrottinghorses.
Ishouldsayhehadallthequalitiesofasuccessfulhorsedealer."
Everyoneagreedwithher,butnoonecondescendedtoenquirewhattheBeaufortsreallymeanttodo.
ThenextdayMrs.MansonMingottwasmuchbetter:sherecoveredhervoicesufficientlytogiveordersthatnooneshouldmentiontheBeaufortstoheragain,andasked—whenDr.Bencombappeared—whatintheworldherfamilymeantbymakingsuchafussaboutherhealth.
"IfpeopleofmyageWILLeatchicken–saladintheeveningwhataretheytoexpect?"
sheenquired;and,thedoctorhavingopportunelymodifiedherdietary,thestrokewastransformedintoanattackofindigestion.
ButinspiteofherfirmtoneoldCatherinedidnotwhollyrecoverherformerattitudetowardlife.
Thegrowingremotenessofoldage,thoughithadnotdiminishedhercuriosityaboutherneighbours,hadbluntedherneververylivelycompassionfortheirtroubles;andsheseemedtohavenodifficultyinputtingtheBeaufortdisasteroutofhermind.
Butforthefirsttimeshebecameabsorbedinherownsymptoms,andbegantotakeasentimentalinterestincertainmembersofherfamilytowhomshehadhithertobeencontemptuouslyindifferent.
Mr.Welland,inparticular,hadtheprivilegeofattractinghernotice.
Ofhersons–in–lawhewastheoneshehadmostconsistentlyignored;andallhiswife'seffortstorepresenthimasamanofforcefulcharacterandmarkedintellectualability(ifhehadonly"chosen")hadbeenmetwithaderisivechuckle.
Buthiseminenceasavaletudinariannowmadehimanobjectofengrossinginterest,andMrs.Mingottissuedanimperialsummonstohimtocomeandcomparedietsassoonashistemperaturepermitted;foroldCatherinewasnowthefirsttorecognisethatonecouldnotbetoocarefulabouttemperatures.
Twenty–fourhoursafterMadameOlenska'ssummonsatelegramannouncedthatshewouldarrivefromWashingtonontheeveningofthefollowingday.
AttheWellands',wheretheNewlandArcherschancedtobelunching,thequestionastowhoshouldmeetheratJerseyCitywasimmediatelyraised;andthematerialdifficultiesamidwhichtheWellandhouseholdstruggledasifithadbeenafrontieroutpost,lentanimationtothedebate.
ItwasagreedthatMrs.WellandcouldnotpossiblygotoJerseyCitybecauseshewastoaccompanyherhusbandtooldCatherine'sthatafternoon,andthebroughamcouldnotbespared,since,ifMr.Wellandwere"upset"byseeinghismother–in–lawforthefirsttimeafterherattack,hemighthavetobetakenhomeatamoment'snotice.
TheWellandsonswouldofcoursebe"downtown,"Mr.LovellMingottwouldbejusthurryingbackfromhisshooting,andtheMingottcarriageengagedinmeetinghim;andonecouldnotaskMay,atthecloseofawinterafternoon,togoaloneacrosstheferrytoJerseyCity,eveninherowncarriage.
Nevertheless,itmightappearinhospitable—andcontrarytooldCatherine'sexpresswishes—ifMadameOlenskawereallowedtoarrivewithoutanyofthefamilybeingatthestationtoreceiveher.
ItwasjustlikeEllen,Mrs.Welland'stiredvoiceimplied,toplacethefamilyinsuchadilemma.
"It'salwaysonethingafteranother,"thepoorladygrieved,inoneofherrarerevoltsagainstfate;"theonlythingthatmakesmethinkMammamustbelesswellthanDr.BencombwilladmitisthismorbiddesiretohaveEllencomeatonce,howeverinconvenientitistomeether."
Thewordshadbeenthoughtless,astheutterancesofimpatienceoftenare;andMr.Wellandwasuponthemwithapounce.
"Augusta,"hesaid,turningpaleandlayingdownhisfork,"haveyouanyotherreasonforthinkingthatBencombislesstobereliedonthanhewas?
Haveyounoticedthathehasbeenlessconscientiousthanusualinfollowingupmycaseoryourmother's?"
ItwasMrs.Welland'sturntogrowpaleastheendlessconsequencesofherblunderunrolledthemselvesbeforeher;butshemanagedtolaugh,andtakeasecondhelpingofscallopedoysters,beforeshesaid,strugglingbackintoheroldarmourofcheerfulness:"Mydear,howcouldyouimaginesuchathing?
Ionlymeantthat,afterthedecidedstandMammatookaboutitsbeingEllen'sdutytogobacktoherhusband,itseemsstrangethatsheshouldbeseizedwiththissuddenwhimtoseeher,whentherearehalfadozenothergrandchildrenthatshemighthaveaskedfor.
ButwemustneverforgetthatMamma,inspiteofherwonderfulvitality,isaveryoldwoman."
Mr.Welland'sbrowremainedclouded,anditwasevidentthathisperturbedimaginationhadfastenedatonceonthislastremark.
"Yes:yourmother'saveryoldwoman;andforallweknowBencombmaynotbeassuccessfulwithveryoldpeople.
Asyousay,mydear,it'salwaysonethingafteranother;andinanothertenorfifteenyearsIsupposeIshallhavethepleasingdutyoflookingaboutforanewdoctor.
It'salwaysbettertomakesuchachangebeforeit'sabsolutelynecessary."
AndhavingarrivedatthisSpartandecisionMr.Wellandfirmlytookuphisfork.
"Butallthewhile,"Mrs.Wellandbeganagain,assherosefromtheluncheon–table,andledthewayintothewildernessofpurplesatinandmalachiteknownasthebackdrawing–room,"Idon'tseehowEllen'stobegotheretomorrowevening;andIdoliketohavethingssettledforatleasttwenty–fourhoursahead."
ArcherturnedfromthefascinatedcontemplationofasmallpaintingrepresentingtwoCardinalscarousing,inanoctagonalebonyframesetwithmedallionsofonyx.
"ShallIfetchher?"heproposed."Icaneasilygetawayfromtheofficeintimetomeetthebroughamattheferry,ifMaywillsenditthere."Hisheartwasbeatingexcitedlyashespoke.
Mrs.Wellandheavedasighofgratitude,andMay,whohadmovedawaytothewindow,turnedtoshedonhimabeamofapproval.
"Soyousee,Mamma,everythingWILLbesettledtwenty–fourhoursinadvance,"shesaid,stoopingovertokisshermother'stroubledforehead.
May'sbroughamawaitedheratthedoor,andshewastodriveArchertoUnionSquare,wherehecouldpickupaBroadwaycartocarryhimtotheoffice.
Asshesettledherselfinhercornershesaid:"Ididn'twanttoworryMammabyraisingfreshobstacles;buthowcanyoumeetEllentomorrow,andbringherbacktoNewYork,whenyou'regoingtoWashington?"
"Oh,I'mnotgoing,"Archeranswered.
"Notgoing?Why,what'shappened?"Hervoicewasasclearasabell,andfullofwifelysolicitude.
"Thecaseisoff—postponed."
"Postponed?Howodd!
IsawanotethismorningfromMr.LetterblairtoMammasayingthathewasgoingtoWashingtontomorrowforthebigpatentcasethathewastoarguebeforetheSupremeCourt.
Yousaiditwasapatentcase,didn'tyou?"
"Well—that'sit:thewholeofficecan'tgo.Letterblairdecidedtogothismorning."
"Thenit'sNOTpostponed?"shecontinued,withaninsistencesounlikeherthathefeltthebloodrisingtohisface,asifhewereblushingforherunwontedlapsefromallthetraditionaldelicacies.
"No:butmygoingis,"heanswered,cursingtheunnecessaryexplanationsthathehadgivenwhenhehadannouncedhisintentionofgoingtoWashington,andwonderingwherehehadreadthatcleverliarsgivedetails,butthatthecleverestdonot.
ItdidnothurthimhalfasmuchtotellMayanuntruthastoseehertryingtopretendthatshehadnotdetectedhim.
"I'mnotgoingtilllateron:luckilyfortheconvenienceofyourfamily,"hecontinued,takingbaserefugeinsarcasm.
Ashespokehefeltthatshewaslookingathim,andheturnedhiseyestohersinordernottoappeartobeavoidingthem.
Theirglancesmetforasecond,andperhapsletthemintoeachother'smeaningsmoredeeplythaneithercaredtogo.
"Yes;itISawfullyconvenient,"Maybrightlyagreed,"thatyoushouldbeabletomeetEllenafterall;yousawhowmuchMammaappreciatedyourofferingtodoit."
"Oh,I'mdelightedtodoit."Thecarriagestopped,andashejumpedoutsheleanedtohimandlaidherhandonhis.
"Good–bye,dearest,"shesaid,hereyessobluethathewonderedafterwardiftheyhadshoneonhimthroughtears.
HeturnedawayandhurriedacrossUnionSquare,repeatingtohimself,inasortofinwardchant:"It'salloftwohoursfromJerseyCitytooldCatherine's.It'salloftwohours—anditmaybemore."
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