eben holden-第52部分

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　shared　my　confidence；　they　taxed　my　credulity；　and　I　saw　the　truth　at　last。

'Tom's　breaking　down；'said　a　co4abourer　on　the　staff　one　day。　'How　is　that？'I　enquired。

'Served　me　a　mean　irick。　

'Indeed！　

'Deceived　me；'said　he　sorrowfully。

'Lied；　I　suppose？　

'No。　He　told　the　truth；　as　God's　my　witness。　

Tom　had　been　absolutely　reliable　up　to　that　time。

Chapter　36

Those　were　great　days　in　mid　autumn。　The　Republic　was　in　grave　peril　of　dissolution。　Liberty　that　had　hymned　her　birth　in　the　last　century　now　hymned　her　destiny　in　the　voices　of　bard　and　orator。　Crowds　of　men　gathered　in　public　squares；　at　bulletin　boards；　on　street　corners　arguing；　gesticulating；　exclaiming　and　cursing。　Cheering　multitudes　went　up　and　down　the　city　by　night；　with　bands　and　torches；　and　there　was　such　a　howl　of　oratory　and　applause　on　the　lower　half　of　Manhattan　Island　that　it　gave　the　reporter　no　rest。　William　H。　Seward；　Charles　Sumner；　John　A。　Dix；　Henry　Ward　Beecher　and　Charles　O　Connor　were　the　giants　of　the　stump。　There　was　more　violence　and　religious　fervour　in　the　political　feeling　of　that　time　than　had　been　mingled　since　'76。　A　sense　of　outrage　was　in　the　hearts　of　men。　'Honest　Abe'Lincoln　stood；　as　they　took　it；　for　their　homes　and　their　country；　for　human　liberty　and　even　for　their　God。

I　remember　coming　into　the　counting…room　late　one　evening。　Loud　voices　had　halted　me　as　I　passed　the　door。　Mr　Greeley　stood　back　of　the　counter；　a　rather　tall；　wiry　grey…headed　man　before　it。　Each　was　shaking　a　right　fist　under　the　other's　nose。　They　were　shouting　loudly　as　they　argued。　The　stranger　was　for　war；　Mr　Greeley　for　waiting。　The　publisher　of　the　Tribune　stood　beside　the　latter；　smoking　a　pipe；　a　small　man　leaned　over　the　counter　at　the　stranger's　elbow；　putting　in　a　word　here　and　there；　half　a　dozen　people　stood　by；　listening。　Mr　Greeley　turned　to　his　publisher　in　a　moment。

'Rhoades；'said　he；　'I　wish　ye　d　put　these　men　out。　They　holler　'n　yell；　so　I　can't　hear　myself　think。　

Then　there　was　a　general　laugh。

I　learned　to　my　surprise；　when　they　had　gone；　that　the　tall　man　was　William　H。　Seward；　the　other　John　A。　DiL

Then　one　of　those　fevered　days　came　the　Prince　of　Wales　…　a　Godsend；　to　allay　passion　with　curiosity。

It　was　my　duty　to　handle　some　of　'the　latest　news　by　magnetic　telegraph　；　and　help　to　get　the　plans　and　progress　of　the　campaign　at　headquarters。　The　Printer；　as　they　called　Mr　Greeley；　was　at　his　desk　when　I　came　in　at　noon；　never　leaving　the　office　but　for　dinner；　until　past　midnight；　those　days。　And　he　made　the　Tribune　a　mighty　power　in　the　state。　His　faith　in　its　efficacy　was　sublime；　and　every　line　went　under　his　eye　before　it　went　to　his　readers。　I　remember　a　night　when　he　called　me　to　his　office　about　twelve　o　clock。　He　was　up　to　his　knees　in　the　rubbish　of　the　day…newspapers　that　he　had　read　and　thrown　upon　the　floor；　his　desk　was　littered　with　proofs。

'Go　an'see　the　Prince　o'Wales；'he　said。　（That　interesting　young　man　had　arrived　on　the　Harriet　Lane　that　morning　and　ridden　up　Broadway　between　cheering　hosts。）　'I've　got　a　sketch　of　him　here　an'it's　all　twaddle。　Tell　us　something　new　about　him。　If　he's　got　a　hole　in　his　sock　we　ought　to　know　it。　

Mr　Dana　came　in　to　see　him　while　I　was　there。

'Look　here；　Dana；'said　the　Printer；　in　a　rasping　humour。　'By　the　gods　of　war！　here's　two　colunms　about　that　perfonnance　at　the　Academy　and　only　two　sticks　of　the　speech　of　Seward　at　St　Paul。　I　ll　have　to　get　someone　if　go　an'burn　that　theatre　an'send　the　bill　to　me。　

In　the　morning　Mayor　Wood　introduced　me　to　the　Duke　of　Newcastle；　who　in　turn　presented　me　to　the　Prince　of　Wales　…　then　a　slim；　blue…yed　youngster　of　nineteen；　as　gentle　mannered　as　any　I　have　ever　met。　It　was　my　unpleasant　duty　to　keep　as　near　as　possible　to　the　royal　party　in　all　the　festivities　of　that　week。

The　ball；　in　the　Prince's　honour；　at　the　Academy　of　Music；　was　one　of　the　great　social　events　of　the　century。　No　fair　of　vanity　in　the　western　hemisphere　ever　quite　equalled　it。　The　fashions　of　the　French　Court　had　taken　the　city；　as　had　the　Prince；　by　unconditional　surrender。　Not　in　the　palace　of　Versailles　could　one　have　seen　a　more　generous　exposure　of　the　charms　of　fair　women。　None　were　admitted　without　a　low…cut　bodice；　and　many　came　that　had　not　the　proper　accessories。　But　it　was　the　most　brilliant　company　New　York　had　ever　seen。

Too　many　tickets　had　been　distributed　and　soon　'there　was　an　elbow　on　every　rib　and　a　heel　on　every　toe　；　as　Mr　Greeley　put　it。　Every　miss　and　her　mamma　tiptoed　for　a　view　of　the　Prince　and　his　party；　who　came　in　at　ten；　taking　their　seats　on　a　dais　at　one　side　of　the　crowded　floor。　The　Prince　sat　with　his　hands　folded　before　him；　like　one　in　a　reverie。　Beside　him　were　the　Duke　of　Newcastle；　a　big；　stern　man；　with　an　aggressive　red　beard；　the　blithe　and　sparkling　Earl　of　St　Germans；　then　Steward　of　the　Royal　Household；　the　curly　Major　Teasdale；　the　gay　Bruce；　a　major…general；　who　behaved　himself　always　like　a　lady。　Suddenly　the　floor　sank　beneath　the　crowd　of　people；　who　retired　in　some　disorder。　Such　a　compression　of　crinoline　was　never　seen　as　at　that　moment；　when　periphery　pressed　upon　periphery；　and　held　many　a　man　captive　in　the　cold　embrace　of　steel　and　whalebone。　The　royal　party　retired　to　its　rooms　again　and　carpenters　came　in　with　saws　and　hammers。　The　floor　repaired；　an　area　was　roped　off　for　dancing　…　as　much　as　could　be　spared。　The　Prince　opened　the　dance　with　Mrs　Governor　Morgan；　after　which　other　ladies　were　honoured　with　his　gallantry。

I　saw　Mrs　Fuller　in　one　of　the　boxes　and　made　haste　to　speak　with　her。　She　had　just　landed；　having　left　Hope　to　study　a　time　in　the　Conservatory　of　Leipzig。

'Mrs　Livingstone　is　with　her；'said　she；　'and　they　will　return　together　inApril。　

'Mrs　Fuller；　did　she　send　any　word　to　me？'I　enquired　anxiously。　'Did　she　give　you　no　message？　

'None；'she　said　coldly；　'except　one　to　her　mother　and　father；　which　I　have　sent　in　a　letter　to　them。　

I　left　her　heavy　hearted；　went　to　the　reporter's　table　and　wrote　my　story；　very　badly　I　must　admit；　for　I　was　cut　deep　with　sadness。　Then　I　came　away　and　walked　for　hours；　not　caring　whither。　A　great　homesickness　had　come　over　me。　I　felt　as　if　a　talk　with　Uncle　Eb　or　Elizabeth

　Brower　would　have　given　me　the　comfort　I　needed。　I　walked　rapidly　through　dark；　deserted　streets。　A　steeple　clock　was　striking　two；　when　I　heard　someone　coming　hurriedly　on　the　walk　behind　me。　I　looked　over　my　shoulder；　but　could　not　make　him　out　in　the　darkness；　and　yet　there　was　something　familiar　in　the　step。　As　he　came　near　I　felt　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder。

'Better　go　home；　Brower；'he　said；　as　I　recognised　the　voice　of　Trumbull。　'You　ve　been　out　a　long　time。　Passed　you　before　tonight。　

'Why　didn't　you　speak？　

'You　were　preoccupied。　

'Not　keeping　good　hours　yourself；'I　said。

'Rather　late；'he　answered；　'but　I　am　a　walker；　and　I　love　the　night。　It　is　so　still　in　this　part　of　the　town。　

We　were　passing　the　Five　Points。

'When　do　you　sleep；'I　enquired。

'Never　sleep　at　night；'he　said；　'unless　uncommonly　tired。　Out　every　night　more　or　less。　Sleep　two　hours　in　the　morning　and　two　in　the　afternoon　…　that's