the american claimant-第30部分

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and　had　fallen　in　love　with　her　only；　not　her　title　and　position；　that　he
loved　her　with　all　his　heart；　and　could　not　love　her　more　if　she　were　a
duchess；　or　less　if　she　were　without　home；　name　or　family。　　She　watched
his　face　wistfully；　eagerly；　hopefully；　translating　his　words　by　its
expression；　and　when　he　had　finished　there　was　gladness　in　her　heart
a　tumultuous　gladness；　indeed；　though　outwardly　she　was　calm；　tranquil；
even　judicially　austere。　　She　prepared　a　surprise　for　him；　now；
calculated　to　put　a　heavy　strain　upon　those　disinterested　protestations
of　his；　and　thus　she　delivered　it；　burning　it　away　word　by　word　as　the
fuse　burns　down　to　a　bombshell；　and　watching　to　see　how　far　the　explosion
would　lift　him：

〃Listenand　do　not　doubt　me；　for　I　shall　speak　the　exact　truth。　　Howard
Tracy；　I　am　no　more　an　earl's　child　than　you　are！〃

To　her　joyand　secret　surprise；　alsoit　never　phased　him。　　He　was
ready；　this　time；　and　saw　his　chance。　　He　cried　out　with　enthusiasm；
〃Thank　heaven　for　that！〃　and　gathered　her　to　his　arms。

To　express　her　happiness　was　almost　beyond　her　gift　of　speech。

〃You　make　me　the　proudest　girl　in　all　the　earth；〃　she　said；　with　her　head
pillowed　on　his　shoulder。　　〃I　thought　it　only　natural　that　you　should　be
dazzled　by　the　titlemaybe　even　unconsciously；　you　being　Englishand
that　you　might　be　deceiving　yourself　in　thinking　you　loved　only　me；　and
find　you　didn't　love　me　when　the　deception　was　swept　away；　so　it　makes　me
proud　that　the　revelation　stands　for　nothing　and　that　you　do　love　just
me；　only　meoh；　prouder　than　any　words　can　tell！〃

〃It　is　only　you；　sweetheart；　I　never　gave　one　envying　glance　toward　your
father's　earldom。　　That　is　utterly　true；　dear　Gwendolen。〃

〃There…you　mustn't　call　me　that。　　I　hate　that　false　name。　　I　told　you　it
wasn't　mine。　　My　name　is　Sally　Sellersor　Sarah；　if　you　like。　　From　this
time　I　banish　dreams；　visions；　imaginings；　and　will　no　more　of　them。
I　am　going　to　be　myselfmy　genuine　self；　my　honest　self；　my　natural
self；　clear　and　clean　of　sham　and　folly　and　fraud；　and　worthy　of　you。
There　is　no　grain　of　social　inequality　between　us；　I；　like　you；　am　poor；
I；　like　you；　am　without　position　or　distinction；　you　are　a　struggling
artist；　I　am　that；　too；　in　my　humbler　way。　　Our　bread　is　honest　bread；　we
work　for　our…living。　　Hand　in　hand　we　will　walk　hence　to　the　grave；
helping　each　other　in　all　ways；　living　for　each　other；　being　and
remaining　one　in　heart　and　purpose；　one　in　hope　and　aspiration；
inseparable　to　the　end。　　And　though　our　place　is　low；　judged　by　the
world's　eye；　we　will　make　it　as　high　as　the　highest　in　the　great
essentials　of　honest　work　for　what　we　eat　and　wear；　and　conduct　above
reproach。　　We　live　in　a　land；　let　us　be　thankful；　where　this　is　all…
sufficient；　and　no　man　is　better　than　his　neighbor　by　the　grace　of　God；
but　only　by　his　own　merit。〃

Tracy　tried　to　break　in；　but　she　stopped　him　and　kept　the　floor　herself。

〃I　am　not　through　yet。　　I　am　going　to　purge　myself　of　the　last　vestiges
of　artificiality　and　pretence；　and　then　start　fair　on　your　own　honest
level　and　be　worthy　mate　to　you　thenceforth。　　My　father　honestly　thinks
he　is　an　earl。　　Well；　leave　him　his　dream；　it　pleases　him　and　does　no　one
any　harm：　It　was　the　dream　of　his　ancestors　before　him。　　It　has　made
fools　of　the　house　of　Sellers　for　generations；　and　it　made　something　of　a
fool　of　me；　but　took　no　deep　root。　　I　am　done　with　it　now；　and　for　good。
Forty…eight　hours　ago　I　was　privately　proud　of　being　the　daughter　of　a
pinchbeck　earl；　and　thought　the　proper　mate　for　me　must　be　a　man　of　like
degree；　but　to…dayoh；　how　grateful　I　am　for　your　love　which　has　healed
my　sick　brain　and　restored　my　sanity！I　could　make　oath　that　no　earl's
son　in　all　the　world〃

〃Oh；well；　butbut〃

〃Why；　you　look　like　a　person　in　a　panic。　　What　is　it？　　What　is　the
matter？〃

〃Matter？　　Oh；　nothingnothing。　　I　was　only　going　to　say〃but　in　his
flurry　nothing　occurred　to　him　to　say；　for　a　moment；　then　by　a　lucky
inspiration　he　thought　of　something　entirely　sufficient　for　the　occasion；
and　brought　it　out　with　eloquent　force：　〃Oh；　how　beautiful　you　are！　　You
take　my　breath　away　when　you　look　like　that。〃

It　was　well　conceived；　well　timed；　and　cordially　deliveredand　it　got
its　reward。

〃Let　me　see。　　Where　was　I？　　Yes；　my　father's　earldom　is　pure　moonshine。
Look　at　those　dreadful　things　on　the　wall。　　You　have　of　course　supposed
them　to　be　portraits　of　his　ancestors；　earls　of　Rossmore。　　Well；　they　are
not。　　They　are　chromos　of　distinguished　Americansall　moderns；　but　he
has　carried　them　back　a　thousand　years　by　re…labeling　them。　　Andrew
Jackson　there；　is　doing　what　he　can　to　be　the　late　American　earl；　and　the
newest　treasure　in　the　collection　is　supposed　to　be　the　young　English
heirI　mean　the　idiot　with　the　crape；　but　in　truth　it's　a　shoemaker；　and
not　Lord　Berkeley　at　all。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Why　of　course　I　am。　　He　wouldn't　look　like　that。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　his　conduct　in　his　last　moments；　when　the　fire　was　sweeping
around　him　shows　that　he　was　a　man。　　It　shows　that　he　was　a　fine；　high…
souled　young　creature。〃

Tracy　was　strongly　moved　by　these　compliments；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that
the　girl's　lovely　lips　took　on　anew　loveliness　when　they　were　delivering
them。　　He　said；　softly：

〃It　is　a　pity　he　could　not　know　what　a　gracious　impression　his　behavior
was　going　to　leave　with　the　dearest　and　sweetest　stranger　in　the
land　of〃

〃Oh；　I　almost　loved　him！　　Why；　I　think　of　him　every　day。　　He　is　always
floating　about　in　my　mind。〃

Tracy　felt　that　this　was　a　little　more　than　was　necessary。　　He　was
conscious　of　the　sting　of　jealousy。　　He　said：

〃It　is　quite　right　to　think　of　himat　least　now　and　thenthat　is；　at
intervalsin　perhaps　an　admiring　waybut　it　seems　to　me　that〃

〃Howard　Tracy；　are　you　jealous　of　that　dead　man？〃

He　was　ashamedand　at　the　same　time　not　ashamed。　　He　was　jealousand　at
the　same　time　he　was　not　jealous。　　In　a　sense　the　dead　man　was　himself；
in　that　case　compliments　and　affection　lavished　upon　that　corpse　went
into　his　own　till　and　were　clear　profit。　　But　in　another　sense　the　dead
man　was　not　himself；　and　in　that　case　all　compliments　and　affection
lavished　there　were　wasted；　and　a　sufficient　basis　for　jealousy。　　A　tiff
was　the　result　of　the　dispute　between　the　two。　　Then　they　made　it　up；　and
were　more　loving　than　ever。　　As　an　affectionate　clincher　of　the
reconciliation；　Sally　declared　that　she　had　now　banished　Lord　Berkeley
from　her　mind；　and　added；　〃And　in　order　to　make　sure　that　he　shall　never
make　trouble　between　us　again；　I　will　teach　myself　to　detest　that　name
and　all　that　have　ever　borne　it　or　ever　shall　bear　it。〃

This　inflicted　another　pang；　and　Tracy　was　minded　to　ask　her　to　modify
that　a　little　just　on　general　principles；　and　as　practice　in　not
overdoing　a　good　thingperhaps　he　might　better　leave　things　as　they　were
and　not　risk　bringing　on　another　tiff。　　He　got　away　from　that　particular；
and　sought　less　tender　ground　for　conversation。

〃I　suppose　you　disapprove　wholly　of　aristocracies　and　nobilities；　now
that　you　have　renounced　your　title　and　your　father's　earldom。〃

〃Real　ones？　　Oh；　dear　nobut　I've　thrown　aside　our　sham　one　for　good。〃

This　answer　fell　just　at　the　right　time　and　just　in　the　right　place；　to
save　the　poor　unstable　young　man　from　changing　his　political　complexion
once　more。　　He　had　been　on　the　point　of　beginning　to　totter　again；　but
this　prop　shored　him　up　and　kept　him　from　floundering　back　into　democracy
and　re…renouncing　aristocracy。　　So　he　went　home　glad　that　he　had　asked
the　fortunate　question。　　The　girl　would　accept　a　little　thing　like　a
genuine　earldom；　she　was　merely　prejudiced　against　the　brummagem　article。
Yes；　he　could　have　his　girl　and　have　his　earldom；　too：　that　question　was
a　fortunate　stroke。

Sally　went　to　bed　happy；　too；　and　remained　happy；　deliriously　happy；　for
nearly　two　hours；　but　at　last；　just　as　she　was　sinking　into　a　contented
and　luxurious　unconsciousness；　the　shady　devil　who　lives　and　lurks　and
hides　and　watches　inside　of　human　beings　and　is　always　waiting　for　a
chance　to　do　the　proprietor　a　malicious　damage；　whispered　to　her　soul　and
said；　〃That　question　had　a　harmless　look；　but　what　was　back　of　it？　what
was　the　secret　motive　of　it？　what　suggested　it？〃

The　shady　devil　had　knifed　her；　and　could　retire；　now；　and　take　a　rest；
the　wound　would　attend　to　business　for　him。　　And　it　did。

Why　should　Howard　Tracy　ask　that　question？　　If　he　was　not　trying　to　marry
her　for　the　sake　of　her　rank；　what　should　suggest　that　question　to　him？
Didn't　he　plainly　look　gratified　when　she　said　her　objections　to
aristocracy　had　their　limitations？　　Ah；　he　is　after　that　earldom；　that
gilded　shamit　isn't　poor　me　he　wants。

So　she　argued；　in　anguish　and　tears。　　Then　she　argued　the　opposite
theory；　but　made　a　weak；　poor　business　of　it；　and　lost　the　case。　　She
kept　the　arguing　up；　one　side　and　then　the　other；　the　rest　of　the　night；
and　at　last　fell　asleep　at　dawn；　fell　in　the　fire　at　dawn；　one　may　say；
for　that　kind　of　sleep　resembles　fire；　and　one　comes　out　of　it　with　his
brain　baked　and　his　physical　forces　fried　out　of　him。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

Tracy　wrote　his　father　before　he　sought　his　bed。　　He　wrote　a　letter　which
he　believed　would　get　better　treatment　than　his　cablegram　received；　for
it　contained　what　ought　to　be　welcome　news；　namely；　that　he　had　tried
equality　and　working　for　a　living；　had　made　a　fight　which　he　could　find
no　reason　to　be　ashamed　of；　and　in　the　matter　of　earning　a　living　had
proved　that　he　was　able　to　do　it；　but　that　on　the　whole　he　had　arrived　at
the　conclusion　that　he　could　not　reform　the　world　single…handed；　and　was
willing　to　retire　from　the　conflict　with　the　fair　degree　of　honor　which
he　had　gained；　and　was　also　willing　to　return　home　and　resume　his
position　and　be　content　with　it　and　thankful　for　it　for　the　future；
leaving　further　experiment　of　a　missionary　sort　to　other　young　people
needing　the　chastening　and　quelling　persuasions　of　experience；　the　only
logic　sure　to　convince　a　diseased　imagination　and　restore　it　to　rugged
health。　　Then　he　approached　the　subject　of　marriage　with　the　daughter　of
the　American　Claimant