第15章TheCountandtheWeddingGuest

第15章thecountandtheweddingguest

oneeveningwhenandydonovanwenttodinnerathissecondavenueboarding-house,mrs.scottintroducedhimtoanewboarder,ayounglady,missconway.missconwaywassmallandunobtrusive.sheworeaplain,snuffy-browndress,andbestowedherinterest,whichseemedlanguid,uponherplate.sheliftedherdiffidenteyelidsandshotoneperspicuous,judicialglanceatmr.donovan,politelymurmuredhisname,andreturnedtohermutton.mr.donovanbowedwiththegraceandbeamingsmilethatwasrapidlywinningforhimsocial,businessandpoliticaladvancement,anderasedthesnuffy-brownonefromthetabletsofhisconsideration.

twoweekslaterandywassittingonthefrontstepsenjoyinghiscigar.therewasasoftrustlebehindandabovehim,andandyturnedhishead—andhadhisheadturned.

justcomingoutthedoorwasmissconway.sheworeanightblackdressofcrepede—crepede—oh,thisthinblackgoods.herhatwasblack,andfromitdroopedandflutteredanebonveil,filmyasaspider'sweb.shestoodonthetopstepanddrewonblacksilkgloves.notaspeckofwhiteoraspotofcoloraboutherdressanywhere.herrichgoldenhairwasdrawn,withscarcelyaripple,intoashining,smoothknotlowonherneck.herfacewasplainratherthanpretty,butitwasnowilluminatedandmadealmostbeautifulbyherlargegreyeyesthatgazedabovethehousesacrossthestreetintotheskywithanexpressionofthemostappealingsadnessandmelancholy.

gathertheidea,girls—allblack,youknow,withthepreferenceforcrepede—oh,crepedechine—that'sit.allblack,andthatsad,farawaylook,andthehairshiningundertheblackveil(youhavetobeablonde,ofcourse),andtrytolookasif,althoughyouryounglifehadbeenblightedjustasitwasabouttogiveahop-skip-and-ajumpoverthethresholdoflife,awalkintheparkmightdoyougood,andbesuretohappenoutthedoorattherightmoment,and—oh,it'llfetch'emeverytime.butit'sfierce,now,howcynicaliam,ain'tit?—totalkaboutmourningcostumesthisway.

mr.donovansuddenlyreinscribedmissconwayuponthetabletsofhisconsideration,hethrewawaytheremaininginch-and-a-quarterofhiscigar,thatwouldhavebeengoodforeightminutesyet,andquicklyshiftedhiscenterofgravitytohislowcutpatentleathers.

"it'safine,clearevening,missconway,"hesaid;andiftheweatherbureaucouldhaveheardtheconfidentemphasisofhistonesitwouldhavehoistedthesquarewhitesignal,andnailedittothemast.

"tothemthathasthehearttoenjoyit,itis,mr.donovan,"saidmissconway,withasigh.

mr.donovan,inhisheart,cursedfairweather.heartlessweather!itshouldhailandblowandsnowtobeconsonantwiththemoodofmissconway.

"ihopenoneofyourrelatives—ihopeyouhaven'tsustainedaloss?"venturedmr.donovan.

"deathhasclaimed,"saidmissconway,hesitating—"notarelative,butonewho—butiwillnotintrudemybriefuponyou,mr.donovan."

"intrude?"protestedmr.donovan."why,say,missconway,i'dbedelighted,thatis,i'dbesorry—imeani'msurenobodycouldsympathizewithyoutruerthaniwould."

missconwaysmiledalittlesmile.andoh,itwassadderthanherexpressioninrepose.

"'laugh,andtheworldlaughswithyou;weep,andtheygiveyouthelaugh,’"shequoted."ihavelearnedthat,mr.donovan.ihavenofriendsoracquaintancesinthiscity.butyouhavebeenkindtome.iappreciateithighly."

hehadpassedherthepeppertwiceatthetable.

"it'stoughtobealoneinnewyork—that'sacinch,"saidmr.donovan."but,say—wheneverthislittleoldtowndoesloosenupandgetfriendlyitgoesthelimit.sayyoutookalittlestrollinthepark,missconway—don'tyouthinkitmightchaseawaysomeofyourmullgrubs?andifyou'dallowme—"

"thanks,mr.donovan.i'dbepleasedtoacceptofyourescortifyouthinkthecompanyofonewhoseheartisfilledwithgloomcouldbeanywaysagreeabletoyou."

throughtheopengatesoftheiron-railed,old,downtownpark,wheretheelectoncetooktheair,theystrolled,andfoundaquietbench.

thereisthisdifferencebetweenthegriefofyouthandthatofoldage:youth'sburdenislightenedbyasmuchofitasanothershares;oldagemaygiveandgive,butthesorrowremainsthesame.

"hewasmyfiance,"confidedmissconway,attheendofanhour."weweregoingtobemarriednextspring.idon'twantyoutothinkthatiamstringingyou,mr.donovan,buthewasarealcount.hehadanestateandacastleinitaly.countfernandomazziniwashisname.ineversawthebeatofhimforelegance.papaobjected,ofcourse,andonceweeloped,butpapaovertookus,andtookusback.ithoughtsurepapaandfernandowouldfightaduel.papahasaliverybusiness—inp'kipsee,youknow."

"finally,papacame'round,allright,andsaidwemightbemarriednextspring.fernandoshowedhimproofsofhistitleandwealth,andthenwentovertoitalytogetthecastlefixedupforus.papa'sveryproud,andwhenfernandowantedtogivemeseveralthousanddollarsformytrousseauhecalledhimdownsomethingawful.hewouldn'tevenletmetakearingoranypresentsfromhim.andwhenfernandosailedicametothecityandgotapositionascashierinacandystore."

"threedaysagoigotaletterfromitaly,forwardedfromp"kipsee,sayingthatfernandohadbeenkilledinagondolaaccident.

"thatiswhyiaminmourning.myheart,mr.donovan,willremainforeverinhisgrave.iguessiampoorcompany,mr.donovan,buticannottakeanyinterestinnoone.ishouldnotcaretokeepyoufromgayetyandyourfriendswhocansmileandentertainyou.perhapsyouwouldprefertowalkbacktothehouse?"

now,girls,ifyouwanttoobserveayoungmanhustleoutafterapickandshovel,justtellhimthatyourheartisinsomeotherfellow'sgrave.youngmenaregrave-robbersbynature.askanywidow.somethingmustbedonetorestorethatmissingorgantoweepingangelsincrepedechine.deadmencertainlygottheworstofitfromallsides.

"i'mawfullysorry,"saidmr.donovangently."no,wewon'twalkbacktothehousejustyet.anddon'tsayyouhaven'tnofriendsinthiscity,missconway.i'mawfulsorry,andiwantyoutobelievei'myourfriend,andthati'mawfulsorry."

"i'vegothispicturehereinmylocket,"saidmissconway,afterwipinghereyeswithherhandkerchief."inevershowedittoanybody;butiwilltoyou,mr.donovan,becauseibelieveyoutobeatruefriend."

mr.donovangazedlongandwithmuchinterestatthephotographinthelocketthatmissconwayopenedforhim.thefaceofcountmazziniwasonetocommandinterest.itwasasmooth,intelligent,bright,almostahandsomeface—thefaceofastrong,cheerfulmanwhomightwellbealeaderamonghisfellows.

"ihavealargerone,framed,inmyroom,"saidmissconway."whenwereturniwillshowyouthat.theyareallihavetoremindmeoffernando.butheeverwillbepresentinmyheart,that'sasurething."

asubtletaskconfrontedmr.donovan,—thatofsupplantingtheunfortunatecountintheheartofmissconway.thishisadmirationforherdeterminedhimtodo.butthemagnitudeoftheundertakingdidnotseemtoweighuponhisspirits.thesympatheticbutcheerfulfriendwastheroleheessayed;andheplayeditsoessfullythatthenexthalf-hourfoundthemconversingpensivelyacrosstwoplatesofice-cream,thoughyettherewasnodiminutionofthesadnessinmissconway'slargegreyeyes.

beforetheypartedinthehallthateveningsheranupstairsandbroughtdowntheframedphotographwrappedlovinglyinawhitesilkscarf.mr.donovansurveyeditwithinscrutableeyes.

"hegavemethisthenightheleftforitaly,"saidmissconway."ihadtheoneforthelocketmadefromthis."

"afine-lookingman,"saidmr.donovan,heartily."howwoulditsuityou,missconway,togivemethepleasureofyourcompanytoconeynextsundayafternoon?"

amonthlatertheyannouncedtheirengagementtomrs.scottandtheotherboarders.missconwaycontinuedtowearblack.

aweekaftertheannouncementthetwosatonthesamebenchinthedowntownpark,whiletheflutteringleavesofthetreesmadeadimkinetoscopicpictureoftheminthemoonlight.butdonovanhadwornalookofabstractedgloomallday.hewassosilenttonightthatlove'slipscouldnotkeepbackanylongerthequestionsthatlove'sheartpropounded.

"what'sthematter,andy,youaresosolemnandgrouchytonight?"

"nothing,ie."

"iknowbetter.can'titell?youneveractedthiswaybefore.whatisit?"

"it'snothingmuch,ie."

"yes,itis;andiwanttoknow.i'llbetit'ssomeothergirlyouarethinkingabout.allright.whydon'tyougogetherifyouwanther?takeyourarmaway,ifyouplease."

"i'lltellyou,then,"saidandy,wisely,"butiguessyouwon'tunderstanditexactly.you'veheardofmikesullivan,haven'tyou?'bigmike’sullivan,everybodycallshim."

"no,ihaven't,"saidie."andidon'twantto,ifhemakesyouactlikethis.whoishe?"

"he'stheestmaninnewyork,"saidandy,almostreverently."hecanaboutdoanythinghewantstowithtammanyoranyotheroldthinginthepoliticalline.he'samilehighandasbroadaseastriver.yousayanythingagainstbigmike,andyou'llhaveamillionmenonyourcollarboneinabouttwoseconds.why,hemadeavisitovertotheoldcountryawhileback,andthekingstooktotheirholeslikerabbits."

"well,bigmike'safriendofmine.iain'tmorethandeuce-highinthedistrictasfarasinfluencegoes,butmike'sasgoodafriendtoalittleman,orapoormanasheistoabigone.imethimtodayonthebowery,andwhatdoyouthinkhedoes?comesupandshakeshands.'andy,’sayshe.'i'vebeenkeepingcasesonyou.you'vebeenputtinginsomegoodlicksoveronyoursideofthestreet,andi'mproudofyou.what'llyoutaketodrink?’hetakesacigar,anditakeahighball.itoldhimiwasgoingtogetmarriedintwoweeks.'andy,’sayshe,'sendmeaninvitation,soi'llkeepinmindofit,andi'llcometothewedding.’that'swhatbigmikesaystome;andhealwaysdoeswhathesays.

"youdon'tunderstandit,ie,buti’dhaveoneofmyhandscatofftohavebigmikesullivanatourwedding.itwouldbetheproudestdayofmylife.whenhegoestoaman'swedding,there'saguybeingmarriedthat'smadeforlife.now,that'swhyi'mmaybelookingsoretonight."

"whydon'tyouinvitehim,then,ifhe'ssomuchtothemustard?"saidie,lightly.

"there'sareasonwhyican't,"saidandy,sadly."there'sareasonwhyhemustn'tbethere.don'taskmewhatitis,forican'ttellyou."

"oh,idon'tcare,"saidie."it'ssomethingaboutpolitics,ofcourse.butit'snoreasonwhyyoucan'tsmileatme."

"ie,"saidandy,presently,"doyouthinkasmuchofmeasyoudidofyour—asyoudidofthecountmazzini?"

hewaitedalongtime,butiedidnotreply.andthen,suddenlysheleanedagainsthisshoulderandbegantocry—tocryandshakewithsobs,holdinghisarmtightly,andwettingthecrepedechinewithtears.

"there,there,there!"soothedandy,puttingasidehisowntrouble."andwhatisit,now?"