the story of a bad boy-第31部分

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Then　there　were　old　times　to　talk　over；　full　of　reminiscences　of　Aunt　Chloe　and　little　Black　Sam。　Little　Black　Sam；　by　the　by；　had　been　taken　by　his　master　from　my　father's　service　ten　months　previously；　and　put　on　a　sugar…plantation　near　Baton　Rouge。　Not　relishing　the　change；　Sam　had　run　away；　and　by　some　mysterious　agency　got　into　Canada；　from　which　place　he　had　sent　back　several　indecorous　messages　to　his　late　owner。　Aunt　Chloe　was　still　in　New　Orleans；　employed　as　nurse　in　one　of　the　cholera　hospital　wards；　and　the　Desmoulins；　near　neighbors　of　ours；　had　purchased　the　pretty　stone　house　among　the　orange…trees。

How　all　these　simple　details　interested　me　will　be　readily　understood　by　any　boy　who　has　been　long　absent　from　home。

I　was　sorry　when　it　became　necessary　to　discuss　questions　more　nearly　affecting　myself。　I　had　been　removed　from　school　temporarily；　but　it　was　decided；　after　much　consideration；　that　I　should　not　return；　the　decision　being　left；　in　a　manner；　in　my　own　hands。

The　Captain　wished　to　carry　out　his　son's　intention　and　send　me　to　college；　for　which　I　was　nearly　fitted；　but　our　means　did　not　admit　of　this。　The　Captain；　too；　could　ill　afford　to　bear　the　expense；　for　his　losses　by　the　failure　of　the　New　Orleans　business　had　been　heavy。　Yet　he　insisted　on　the　plan；　not　seeing　clearly　what　other　disposal　to　make　of　me。

In　the　midst　of　our　discussions　a　letter　came　from　my　Uncle　Snow；　a　merchant　in　New　York；　generously　offering　me　a　place　in　his　counting…house。　The　case　resolved　itself　into　this：　If　I　went　to　college；　I　should　have　to　be　dependent　on　Captain　Nutter　for　several　years；　and　at　the　end　of　the　collegiate　course　would　have　no　settled　profession。　If　I　accepted　my　uncle's　offer；　I　might　hope　to　work　my　way　to　independence　without　loss　of　time。　It　was　hard　to　give　up　the　long…cherished　dream　of　being　a　Harvard　boy；　but　I　gave　it　up。

The　decision　once　made；　it　was　Uncle　Snow's　wish　that　I　should　enter　his　counting…house　immediately。　The　cause　of　my　good　uncle's　haste　was　this…he　was　afraid　that　I　would　turn　out　to　be　a　poet　before　he　could　make　a　merchant　of　me。　His　fears　were　based　upon　the　fact　that　I　had　published　in　the　Rivermouth　Barnacle　some　verses　addressed　in　a　familiar　manner　〃To　the　Moon。〃　Now；　the　idea　of　a　boy；　with　his　living　to　get；　placing　himself　in　communication　with　the　Moon；　struck　the　mercantile　mind　as　monstrous。　It　was　not　only　a　bad　investment；　it　was　lunacy。

'We　adopted　Uncle　Snow's　views　so　far　as　to　accede　to　his　proposition　forthwith。　My　mother；　I　neglected　to　say；　was　also　to　reside　in　New　York。

I　shall　not　draw　a　picture　of　Pepper　Whitcomb's　disgust　when　the　news　was　imparted　to　him；　nor　attempt　to　paint　Sailor　Ben's　distress　at　the　prospect　of　losing　his　little　messmate。

In　the　excitement　of　preparing　for　the　journey　I　didn't　feel　any　very　deep　regret　myself。　But　when　the　moment　came　for　leaving；　and　I　saw　my　small　trunk　lashed　up　behind　the　carriage；　then　the　pleasantness　of　the　old　life　and　a　vague　dread　of　the　new　came　over　me；　and　a　mist　filled　my　eyes；　shutting　out　the　group　of　schoolfellows；　including　all　the　members　of　the　Centipede　Club；　who　had　come　down　to　the　house　to　see　me　off。

As　the　carriage　swept　round　the　corner；　I　leaned　out　of　the　window　to　take　a　last　look　at　Sailor　Ben's　cottage；　and　there　was　the　Admiral's　flag　flying　at　half…mast。

So　I　left　Rivermouth；　little　dreaming　that　I　was　not　to　see　the　old　place　again　for　many　and　many　a　year。







Chapter　Twenty…Two

Exeunt　Omnes

With　the　close　of　my　school…days　at　Rivermouth　this　modest　chronicle　ends。

The　new　life　upon　which　I　entered；　the　new　friends　and　foes　I　encountered　on　the　road；　and　what　I　did　and　what　I　did　not；　are　matters　that　do　not　come　within　the　scope　of　these　pages。　But　before　I　write　Finis　to　the　record　as　it　stands；　before　I　leave　it…feeling　as　if　I　were　once　more　going　away　from　my　boyhood…I　have　a　word　or　two　to　say　concerning　a　few　of　the　personages　who　have　figured　in　the　story；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　call　Gypsy　a　personage。

I　am　sure　that　the　reader　who　has　followed　me　thus　far　will　be　willing　to　hear　what　became　of　her；　and　Sailor　Ben　and　Miss　Abigail　and　the　Captain。

First　about　Gypsy。　A　month　after　my　departure　from　Rivemouth　the　Captain　informed　me　by　letter　that　he　had　parted　with　the　little　mare；　according　to　agreement。　She　had　been　sold　to　the　ring…master　of　a　travelling　circus　（I　had　stipulated　on　this　disposal　of　her）；　and　was　about　to　set　out　on　her　travels。　She　did　not　disappoint　my　glowing　anticipations；　but　became　quite　a　celebrity　in　her　way…by　dancing　the　polka　to　slow　music　on　a　pine…board　ball…room　constructed　for　the　purpose。

I　chanced　once；　a　long　while　afterwards；　to　be　in　a　country　town　where　her　troupe　was　giving　exhibitions；　I　even　read　the　gaudily　illumined　show…bill；　setting　forth　the　accomplishments　of　Zuleika；　the　famed　Arabian　Trick　Pony…but　I　failed　to　recognize　my　dear　little　Mustang　girl　behind　those　high…sounding　titles；　and　so；　alas；　did　not　attend　the　performance！　I　hope　all　the　praises　she　received　and　all　the　spangled　trappings　she　wore　did　not　spoil　her；　but　I　am　afraid　they　did；　for　she　was　always　over　much　given　to　the　vanities　of　this　world！

Miss　Abigail　regulated　the　domestic　destinies　of　my　grandfather's　household　until　the　day　of　her　death；　which　Dr。　Theophilus　Tredick　solemnly　averred　was　hastened　by　the　inveterate　habit　she　had　contracted　of　swallowing　unknown　quantities　of　hot…drops　whenever　she　fancied　herself　out　of　sorts。　Eighty…seven　empty　phials　were　found　in　a　bonnet…box　on　a　shelf　in　her　bedroom　closet。

The　old　house　became　very　lonely　when　the　family　got　reduced　to　Captain　Nutter　and　Kitty；　and　when　Kitty　passed　away；　my　grandfather　divided　his　time　between　Rivermouth　and　New　York。

Sailor　Ben　did　not　long　survive　his　little　Irish　lass；　as　he　always　fondly　called　her。　At　his　demise；　which　took　place　about　six　years　since；　he　left　his　property　in　trust　to　the　managers　of　a　〃Home　for　Aged　Mariners。〃　In　his　will；　which　was　a　very　whimsical　document…written　by　himself；　and　worded　with　much　shrewdness；　too…he　warned　the　Trustees　that　when　he　got　〃aloft〃　he　intended　to　keep　his　〃weather　eye〃　on　them；　and　should　send　〃a　speritual　shot　across　their　bows〃　and　bring　them　to；　if　they　didn't　treat　the　Aged　Mariners　handsomely。

He　also　expressed　a　wish　to　have　his　body　stitched　up　in　a　shotted　hammock　and　dropped　into　the　harbor；　but　as　he　did　not　strenuously　insist　on　this；　and　as　it　was　not　in　accordance　with　my　grandfather's　preconceived　notions　of　Christian　burial；　the　Admiral　was　laid　to　rest　beside　Kitty；　in　the　Old　South　Burying　Ground；　with　an　anchor　that　would　have　delighted　him　neatly　carved　on　his　headstone。

I　am　sorry　the　fire　has　gone　out　in　the　old　ship's　stove　in　that　sky…blue　cottage　at　the　head　of　the　wharf；　I　am　sorry　they　have　taken　down　the　flag…staff　and　painted　over　the　funny　port…holes；　for　I　loved　the　old　cabin　as　it　was。　They　might　have　let　it　alone！

For　several　months　after　leaving　Rivermouth　I　carried　on　a　voluminous　correspondence　with　Pepper　Whitcomb；　but　it　gradually　dwindled　down　to　a　single　letter　a　month；　and　then　to　none　at　all。　But　while　he　remained　at　the　Temple　Grammar　School　he　kept　me　advised　of　the　current　gossip　of　the　town　and　the　doings　of　the　Centipedes。

As　one　by　one　the　boys　left　the　academy…Adams；　Harris；　Marden；　Blake；　and　Langdon…to　seek　their　fortunes　elsewhere；　there　was　less　to　interest　me　in　the　old　seaport；　and　when　Pepper　himself　went　to　Philadelphia　to　read　law；　I　had　no　one　to　give　me　an　inkling　of　what　was　going　on。

There　wasn't　much　to　go　on；　to　be　sure。　Great　events　no　longer　considered　it　worth　their　while　to　honor　so　quiet　a　place。

One　Fourth　of　July　the　Temple　Grammar　School　burnt　down…set　on　fire；　it　was　supposed；　by　an　eccentric　squib　that　was　seen　to　bolt　into　an　upper　window…and　Mr。　Grimshaw　retired　from　public　life；　married；　〃and　lived　happily　ever　after；〃　as　the　story…books　say。

The　Widow　Conway；　I　am　able　to　state；　did　not　succeed　in　enslaving　Mr。　Meeks；　the　apothecary；　who　united　himself　clandestinely　to　one　of　Miss　Dorothy　Gibbs's　young　ladies；　and　lost　the　patronage　of　Primrose　Hall　in　consequence。

Young　Conway　went　into　the　grocery　business　with　his　ancient　chum；　Rodgers…RODGERS　&　CONWAY！　I　read　the　sign　only　last　summer　when　I　was　down　in　Rivermouth；　and　had　half　a　mind　to　pop　into　the　shop　and　shake　hands　with　him；　and　ask　him　if　he　wanted　to　fight。　I　contented　myself；　however；　with　flattening　my　nose　against　his　dingy　shop…window；　and　beheld　Conway；　in　red　whiskers　and　blue　overalls；　weighing　out　sugar　for　a　customer…giving　him　short　weight；　I'll　bet　anything！

I　have　reserved　my　pleasantest　word　for　the　last。　It　is　touching　the　Captain。　The　Captain　is　still　hale　and　rosy；　and　if　he　doesn't　relate　his　exploit　in　the　War　of　1812　as　spiritedly　as　he　used　to；　he　makes　up　by　relating　it　more　frequently　and　telling　it　differently　every　time！　He　passes　his　winters　in　New　York　and　his　summers　in　the　Nutter　House；　which　threatens　to　prove　a　hard　nut　for　the　destructive　gentleman　with　the　scythe　and　the　hour…glass；　for　the　seaward　gable　has　not　yielded　a　clapboard　to　the　eastwind　these　twenty　years。　The　Captain　has　now　become　the　Oldest　Inhabitant　in　Rivermouth；　and　so　I　don't　laugh　at　the　Oldest　Inhabitant　any　more；　but　pray　in　my　heart　that　he　may　occupy　the　post　of　honor　for　half　a　century　to　come！

So　ends　the　Story　of　a　Bad　Boy…but　not　such　a　very　bad　boy；　as　I　told　you　to　begin　with。






End