第29章OneThousandDollars

第29章onethousanddollars

"onethousanddollars,"repeatedlawyertol"man,sol-emnlyandseverely,"andhereisthemoney.

younggilliangaveadecidedlyamusedlaughashefingeredthethinpackageofnewfifty-dollarnotes.

"it'ssuchaconfoundedlyawkwardamount,"heexplained,genially,tothelawyer."ifithadbeententhousandafellowmightwindupwithalotoffireworksanddohimselfcredit.evenfiftydollarswouldhavebeenlesstrouble."

"youheardthereadingofyouruncle'swill,"continuedlawyertolman,professionallydryinhistones."idonotknowifyoupaidmuchattentiontoitsdetails.imustremindyouofone.youarerequiredtorendertousanaccountofthemannerofexpenditureofthis$1,000assoonasyouhavedisposedofit.thewillstipulatesthat.itrustthatyouwillsofarcomplywiththelatemr.gillian'swishes."

"youmaydependuponit,"saidtheyoungmanpolitely,"inspiteoftheextraexpenseitwillentail.imayhavetoengageasecretary.iwasnevergoodataccounts."

gillianwenttohisclub.therehehuntedoutonewhomhecalledoldbryson.

oldbrysonwascalmandfortyandsequestered.hewasinacornerreadingabook,andwhenhesawgillianapproachinghesighed,laiddownhisbookandtookoffhisglasses.

"oldbryson,wakeup,"saidgillian."i'veafunnystorytotellyou."

"iwishyouwouldtellittosomeoneinthebilliardroom,"saidoldbryson."youknowhowihateyourstories."

"thisisabetteronethanusual,"saidgillian,rollingacigarette,"andi'mgladtotellittoyou.it'stoosadandfunnytogowiththerattlingofbilliardballs.i'vejustcomefrommylateuncle'sfirmoflegalcorsairs,heleavesmeaneventhousanddollars.now,whatcanamanpossiblydowithathousanddollars?"

"ithought."saidoldbryson,showingasmuchinterestasabeeshowsinavinegarcruet,"thatthelateseptimusgillianwasworthsomethinglikehalfamillion."

"hewas,"assentedgillian,joyously,"andthat'swherethejokecomesin.he'slefthiswholecargoofdoubloonstoamicrobe.thatis,partofitgoestothemanwhoinventsanewbacillus,andtheresttoestablishahospitalfordoingawaywithitagain.thereareoneortwotriflingbequestsontheside.thebutlerandthehousekeepergetasealringand$10each.hisnephewgets$1,000."

"you'vealwayshadplentyofmoneytospend,"observedoldbryson.

"tons,"saidgillian."unclewasthefairygodmotherasfarasanallowancewasconcerned."

"anyotherheirs?"askedoldbryson.

"none."gillianfrownedathiscigaretteandkickedtheupholsteredleatherofadivanuneasily."thereisamisshayden,awardofmyunclewholivedinhishouse.she'saquietthing—musical—thedaughterofsomebodywhowasunluckyenoughtobehisfriend.iforgottosaythatshewasinonthesealringand$10joke,too.iwishihadbeen.thenicouldhavehadtwobottlesofbrut,tippedthewaiterwiththering,andhadthewholebusinessoffmyhands.don'tbesuperiorandinsulting,oldbryson—tellmewhatafellowcandowithathousanddollars."

oldbrysonrubbedhisglassesandsmiled.andwhenoldbrysonsmiled,gillianknewthatheintendedtobemoreoffensivethanever.

"athousanddollars,"hesaid,"meansmuchorlittle.onemanmaybuyahappyhomewithitandlaughatrockefeller.anothercouldsendhiswifesouthwithitandsaveherlife.athousanddollarswouldbuypuremilkforonehundredbabiesduringjune,july,andaugust,andsavefiftyoftheirlives.youcouldcountuponahalfhour'sdiversionwithitatfaroinoneofthefortifiedartgalleries.itwouldfurnishaneducationtoanambitiousboy.iamtoldthatagenuinecorotwassecuredforthatamountinanauctionroomyesterday.youcouldmovetoanewhampshiretownandliverespectablytwoyearsonit.youcouldrentmadisonsquaregardenforoneeveningwithit,andlectureyouraudience,ifyoushouldhaveone,ontheprecariousnessoftheprofessionofheirpresumptive."

"peoplemightlikeyou,oldbryson,"saidgillian,alwaysunruffled,"ifyouwouldn'tmoralize.iaskedyoutotellmewhaticoulddowithathousanddollars."

"you?"saidbryson,withagentlelaugh."why,bobbygillian,there'sonlyonelogicalthingyoucoulddo.youcangobuymisslottalauriereadiamondpendantwiththemoney,andthentakeyourselfofftoidahoandinflictyourpresenceuponaranch.iadviseasheepranch,asihaveaparticulardislikeforsheep."

"thanks,"saidgillian,rising,"ithoughticoulddependuponyou,oldbryson.you'vehitontheveryscheme.iwantedtochuckthemoneyinalump,fori'vegottoturninanaccountforit,andihateitemizing."

gillianphonedforacabandsaidtothedriver:

"thestageentranceofthecolumbinetheatre."

misslottalanrierewasassistingnaturewithapowderpuff,almostreadyforhercallatacrowdedmatinee,whenherdressermentionedthenameofmr.gillian.

"letitin,"saidmisslauriere."now,whatisit,bobby?i'mgoingonintwominutes."

"rabbit-footyourrightearalittle,"estedgillian,critically."that'sbetter.itwon'ttaketwominutesforme.whatdoyousaytoalittlethinginthependantline?icanstandthreecipherswithafigureoneinfrontof'em."

"oh,justasyousay,"caroledmisslauriere."myrightglove,adams.say,bobby,didyouseethatnecklacedellastaceyhadontheothernight?twenty-twohundreddollarsitcostattiffany's.but,ofcourse—pullmysashalittletotheleft,adams."

"misslaurierefortheopeningchorus!"criedthecallboywithout.

gillianstrolledouttowherehiscabwaswaiting.

"whatwouldyoudowithathousanddollarsifyouhadit?"heaskedthedriver.

"openas'loon,"saidthecabby,promptlyandhuskily."iknowaplaceicouldtakemoneyinwithbothhands.it'safour-storybrickonacorner.i'vegotitfiguredout.secondstory—chinksandchopsuey;thirdfloor—manicuresandforeignmissions;fourthfloor—poolroom.ifyouwasthinkingofputtingupthecap-"

"oh,no,"saidgillian,"imerelyaskedfromcuriosity.itakeyoubythehour.drivetillitellyoutostop."

eightblocksdownbroadwaygillianpokedupthetrapwithhiscaneandgotout.ablindmansatuponastoolonthesidewalksellingpencils.gillianwentoutandstoodbeforehim.

"excuseme,"besaid,"butwouldyoumindtellingmewhatyouwoulddoifyouhadathousanddollars?"

"yougotoutofthatcabthatjustdroveup,didn'tyou?"askedtheblindman.

"ldid,"saidgillian.

"iguessyouareallright,"saidthepencildealer,"torideinacabbydaylight.takealookatthat,ifyoulike."

hedrewasmallbookfromhiscoatpocketandhelditout.gillianopeneditandsawthatitwasabankdepositbook.itshowedabalanceof$1,785totheblindman'scredit.

gillianreturnedthebookandgotintothecab.

"iforgotsomething,"hesaid."youmaydrivetothelawofficesoftolman&sharp,at—broadway."

lawyertolmanlookedathimhostilelyandinquiringlythroughhisgold-rimmedglasses.

"ibegyourpardon,"saidgillian,cheerfully,"butmayiaskyouaquestion?itisnotanimpertinentone,ihope.wasmisshaydenleftanythingbymyuncle'swillbesidestheringandthe$10?"

"nothing,"saidmr.tolman.

"ithankyouverymuch,sir,"saidgillian,andonhewenttohiscab.hegavethedrivertheaddressofhislateuncle'shome.

misshaydenwaswritinglettersinthelibrary.shewassmallandslenderandclothedinblack.butyouwouldhavenoticedhereyes.gilliandriftedinwithhisairofregardingtheworldasinconsequent.

"i'vejustcomefromoldtolman's,"heexplained."they'vebeengoingoverthepapersdowntheretheyfounda"—gilliansearchedhismemoryforalegalterm—"theyfoundanamendmentorapost-scriptorsomethingtothewill.itseemedthattheoldboyloosenedupalittleonsecondthoughtsandwilledyouathousanddollars.iwasdrivingupthiswayandtolmanaskedmetobringyouthemoney.hereitis.you'dbettercountittoseeifit'sright."gillianlaidthemoneybesideherhandonthedesk.

misshaydenturnedwhite."oh!"shesaid,andagain"oh!"

gillianhalfturnedandlookedoutthewindow.

"isuppose,ofcourse,"hesaid,inalowvoice,"thatyouknowiloveyou."