eben holden-第47部分

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I　was　comfortably　settled　and　hard　at　work　on　my　article　by　noon。　At　four　I　went　to　meet　Uncle　Eb。　Hope　was　still　sick　in　bed　and　we　came　away　in　a　frame　of　mind　that　could　hardly　have　been　more　miserable。　I　tried　to　induce　him　to　stay　a　night　with　me　in　my　new　quarters。

'I　mus　n　t；'he　said　cheerfully。''Fore　long　I　m　comin'down　ag　in　but　I　can't　fool　'round　no　longer　now。　I　ll　jes'go　n　git　my　new　clothes　and　put　fer　the　steamboat。　Want　ye　t'go　n　see　Hope　tomorrow。　She's　comm　up　with　Mis　Fuller　next　week。　I　m　goin't　　find　out　what's　the　matter　uv　her　then。　Somethin's　wrong　somewhere。　Dunno　what　'tis。　She's　all　upsot。　

Poor　girl！　it　had　been　almost　as　heavy　a　trial　to　her　as　to　me'　cutting　me　off　as　she　had　done。　Remembrances　of　my　tender　devotion　to　her；　in　all　the　years　between　then　and　childhood；　must　have　made　her　sore　with　pity。　I　had　already　determined　what　I　should　do；　and　after　Uncle　Eb　had　gone　that　evening　I　wrote　her　a　long　letter　and　asked　her　if　I　might　not　still　have　some　hope　of　her　loving　me。　I　begged　her　to　let　me　know　when　I　might　come　and　talk　with　her　alone。　With　what　eloquence　I　could　bring　to　bear　I　told　her　how　my　love　had　grown　and　laid　hold　of　my　life。

I　finished　my　article　that　night　and；　in　the　morning；　took　it　to　Mr　Greeley。　He　was　at　his　desk　writing　and　at　the　same　time　giving　orders　in　a　querulous　tone　to　some　workman　who　sat　beside　him。　He　did　not　look　up　as　he　spoke。　He　wrote　rapidly；　his　nose　down　so　close　to　the　straggling；　wet　lines　that　I　felt　a　fear　of　its　touching　them。　I　stood　by；　waiting　my　opportunity。　A　full…bearded　man　in　his　shirt…sleeves　came　hurriedly　out　of　another　room。

'Mr　Greeley；'he　said；　halting　at　the　elbow　of　the　great　editor。

'Yes；　what　is　it？'the　editor　demanded　nervously；　his　hand　wobbling　over　the　white　page；　as　rapidly　as　before；　his　eyes　upon　his　work。

'Another　man　garrotted　this　morning　on　South　Street。　

'Better　write　a　paragraph；'he　said；　his　voice　snapping　with　impatience　as　he　brushed　the　full　page　aside　and　began　sowing　his　thoughts　on　another。　'Warn　our　readers。　Tell　'em　to　wear　brass　collars　with　spikes　in　'em　till　we　get　a　new　mayor。　

The　man　went　away　laughing。

Mr　Greeley　threw　down　his　pen；　gathered　his　copy　and　handed　itto　the　workman　who　sat　beside　him。

'Proof　ready　at　five！'he　shouted　as　the　man　was　going　out　of　the　room。

'Hello！　Brower；'he　said　bending　to　his　work　again。　'Thought　you　d　blown　out　the　gas　somewhere。　

'Waiting　until　you　reject　this　article；'I　said。

He　sent　a　boy　for　Mr　Ottarson；　the　city　editor。　Meanwhile　he　had　begun　to　drive　his　pen　across　the　broadsheets　with　tremendous　energy。

Somehow　it　reminded　me　of　a　man　ploughing　black　furrows　behind　a　fast　walking　team　in　a　snow　flurry。　His　mind　was　'straddle　the　furrow'when　Mr　Ottarson　came　in。　There　was　a　moment　of　silence　in　which　the　latter　stood　scanning　a　page　of　the　Herald　he　had　brought　with　him。

'Ottarson！'said　Mr　Greeley；　never　slacking　the　pace　of　his　busy　hand；　as　he　held　my　manuscript　in　the　other；　'read　this。　Tell　me　what　you　think　of　it。　If　good；　give　him　a　show。　

'The　staff　is　full；　Mr　Greeley；'said　the　man　of　the　city　desk。　His　words　cut　me　with　disappointment。

The　editor　of　the　Tribune　halted　his　hand　an　instant；　read　the　last　lines；　scratching　a　word　and　underscoring　another。

'Don't　care！'he　shrilled；　as　he　went　on　writing。　'Used　to　slide　downhill　with　his　father。　If　he's　got　brains　we　ll　pay　him　eight　dollars　a…week。　

The　city　editor　beckoned　to　me　and　I　followed　him　into　another　room。

'If　you　will　leave　your　address；'he　said；　'I　will　let　you　hear　from　me　when　we　have　read　the　article。　

With　the　hasty　confidence　of　youth　I　began　to　discount　my　future　that　very　day'ordering　a　full　dress　suit；　of　the　best　tailor；　hat　and　shoes　to　match　and　a　complement　of　neck　wear　that　would　have　done　credit　to　Beau　Brummel。　It　gave　me　a　start　when　I　saw　the　bill　would　empty　my　pocket　of　more　than　half　its　cash。　But　I　had　a　stiff　pace　to　fullow；　and　every　reason　to　look　my　best。

Chapter　32

I　took　a　walk　in　the　long　twilight　of　that　evening。　As　it　began　to　grow　dark　I　passed　the　Fuller　house　and　looked　up　at　its　windows。　Standing　under　a　tree　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　avenue　I　saw　a　man　come　out　of　the　door　and　walk　away　hurriedly　with　long　strides。　I　met　him　at　the　next　corner。

'Good…evening！'he　said。

I　recognised　then　the　voice　and　figure　ofJohn　Trumbull。　'Been　to　Fuller　s；'said　he。

'How　is　Hope？'I　asked。

'Better；'said　he。　'Walk　with　me？　

'With　pleasure；'said　I；　and　then　he　quickened　his　pace。

We　walked　awhile　in　silence；　going　so　fast！　had　hardly　time　to　speak；　and　the　darkness　deepened　into　night。　We　hurried　along　through　streets　and　alleys　that　were　but　dimly　lighted；　coming　out　at　length　on　a　wide　avenue　passing　through　open　fields　in　the　upper　part　of　the　city。　Lights　in　cabin　windows　glowed　on　the　hills　around　us。　I　made　some　remark　about　them　but　he　did　not　hear　me。　He　slackened　pace　in　a　moment　and　began　whispering　to　himself'　I　could　not　hear　what　he　said。　I　thought　of　bidding　him　good…night　and　returning　but　where　were　we　and　how　could　I　find　my　way？　We　heard　a　horse　coming　presently　at　a　gallop。　At　the　first　loud　whack　of　the　hoofs　he　turned　suddenly　and　laying　hold　of　my　arm　began　to　run。　I　followed　him　into　the　darkness　of　the　open　field。　It　gave　me　a　spell　of　rare　excitement　for　I　thought　at　once　of　highwaymen　…　having　read　so　much　of　them　in　the　Tribune。　He　stopped　suddenly　and　stooped　low　his　hands　touching　the　grass　and　neither　spoke　until　the　horse　had　gone　well　beyond　us。　Then　he　rose；　stealthily；　and　looked　about　him　in　silence；　even　turning　his　face　to　the　dark　sky　where　only　a　few　stars　were　visible。

Well！'said　he　with　a　sort　of　grunt。　'Beats　the　devil！　I　thought　it　was　　　A　wonderful　thing　was　happening　in　the　sky。　A　great　double　moon　seemed　to　be　flying　over　the　city　hooded　in　purple　haze。　A　little　spray　of　silver　light　broke　out　of　it；　as　we　looked；　and　shot　backward　and　then　floated　after　the　two　shining　disks　that　were　falling　eastward　in　a　long　curve。　They　seemed　to　be　so　near　I　thought　they　were　coming　down　upon　the　city。　It　occurred　to　me　they　must　have　some　connection　with　the　odd　experience　I　had　gone　through。　In　a　moment　they　had　passed　out　of　sight。　We　were　not　aware　that　we　had　witnessed　a　spectacle　the　like　of　which　had　not　been　seen　in　centuries；　if　ever；　since　God　made　the　heavens'　the　great　meteor　of　i86o。

'Let's　go　back；'said　Trumbull。　'We　came　too　far。　I　forgot　myself。'

'Dangerous　here？'I　enquired。

'Not　at　all；'said　he；　'but　a　long　way　out　of　town　…　tired？　

'Rather；'I　said；　grateful　for　his　evident　desire　to　quiet　my　alarm。

'Come！'said　he　as　we　came　back　to　the　pavement；　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。　'Talk　to　me。　Tell　me　…　what　are　you　going　to　do？　

We　walked　slowly　down　the　deserted　avenue；　I；　meanwhile；　talking　of　my　pians。

'You　love。　Hope；'he　said　presently。　'You　will　marry　her？　

'If　she　will　have　me；'said　I。

'You　must　wait；'he　said；　'time　enough！　

He　quickened　his　pace　again　as　we　came　in　sight　of　the　scattering　shops　and　houses　of　the　upper　city　and　no　other　word　was　spoken。　On　the　corners　we　saw　men　looking　into　the　sky　and　talking　of