roads of destiny-第41部分

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anuary　so　that　the　guests　might　not　fail　to　receive　due　notice。

At　eight　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　nineteenth；　the　lower　coast　steamboat　/River　Belle/　gingerly　approached　the　long　unused　landing　at　Charleroi。　The　bridge　was　lowered；　and　a　swarm　of　the　plantation　hands　streamed　along　the　rotting　pier；　bearing　ashore　a　strange　assortment　of　freight。　Great　shapeless　bundles　and　bales　and　packets　swathed　in　cloth　and　bound　with　ropes；　tubs　and　urns　of　palms；　evergreens；　and　tropical　flowers；　tables；　mirrors；　chairs；　couches；　carpets；　and　picturesall　carefully　bound　and　padded　against　the　dangers　of　transit。

Grandemont　was　among　them；　the　busiest　there。　To　the　safe　conveyance　of　certain　large　hampers　eloquent　with　printed　cautions　to　delicate　handling　he　gave　his　superintendence；　for　they　contained　the　fragile　china　and　glassware。　The　dropping　of　one　of　those　hampers　would　have　cost　him　more　than　he　could　have　saved　in　a　year。

The　last　article　unloaded；　the　/River　Belle/　backed　off　and　continued　her　course　down　stream。　In　less　than　an　hour　everything　had　been　conveyed　to　the　house。　And　came　then　Absalom's　task；　directing　the　placing　of　the　furniture　and　wares。　There　was　plenty　of　help；　for　that　day　was　always　a　holiday　at　Charleroi；　and　the　Negroes　did　not　suffer　the　old　traditions　to　lapse。　Almost　the　entire　population　of　the　quarters　volunteered　their　aid。　A　score　of　piccaninnies　were　sweeping　at　the　leaves　in　the　yard。　In　the　big　kitchen　at　the　rear　Andre　was　lording　it　with　his　old…time　magnificence　over　his　numerous　sub…cooks　and　scullions。　Shutters　were　flung　wide；　dust　spun　in　clouds；　the　house　echoed　to　voices　and　the　tread　of　busy　feet。　The　prince　had　come　again；　and　Charleroi　woke　from　its　long　sleep。

The　full　moon；　as　she　rose　across　the　river　that　night　and　peeped　above　the　levee　saw　a　sight　that　had　long　been　missing　from　her　orbit。　The　old　plantation　house　shed　a　soft　and　alluring　radiance　from　every　window。　Of　its　two…score　rooms　only　four　had　been　refurnishedthe　larger　reception　chamber；　the　dining　hall；　and　two　smaller　rooms　for　the　convenience　of　the　expected　guests。　But　lighted　wax　candles　were　set　in　the　windows　of　every　room。

The　dining…hall　was　the　/chef　d'oeuvre/。　The　long　table；　set　with　twenty…five　covers；　sparkled　like　a　winter　landscape　with　its　snowy　napery　and　china　and　the　icy　gleam　of　crystal。　The　chaste　beauty　of　the　room　had　required　small　adornment。　The　polished　floor　burned　to　a　glowing　ruby　with　the　reflection　of　candle　light。　The　rich　wainscoting　reached　half　way　to　the　ceiling。　Along　and　above　this　had　been　set　the　relieving　lightness　of　a　few　water…colour　sketches　of　fruit　and　flower。

The　reception　chamber　was　fitted　in　a　simple　but　elegant　style。　Its　arrangement　suggested　nothing　of　the　fact　that　on　the　morrow　the　room　would　again　be　cleared　and　abandoned　to　the　dust　and　the　spider。　The　entrance　hall　was　imposing　with　palms　and　ferns　and　the　light　of　an　immense　candelabrum。

At　seven　o'clock　Grandemont；　in　evening　dress；　with　pearlsa　family　passionin　his　spotless　linen；　emerged　from　somewhere。　The　invitations　had　specified　eight　as　the　dining　hour。　He　drew　an　armchair　upon　the　porch；　and　sat　there；　smoking　cigarettes　and　half　dreaming。

The　moon　was　an　hour　high。　Fifty　years　back　from　the　gate　stood　the　house；　under　its　noble　grove。　The　road　ran　in　front；　and　then　came　the　grass…grown　levee　and　the　insatiate　river　beyond。　Just　above　the　levee　top　a　tiny　red　light　was　creeping　down　and　a　tiny　green　one　was　creeping　up。　Then　the　passing　steamers　saluted；　and　the　hoarse　din　startled　the　drowsy　silence　of　the　melancholy　lowlands。　The　stillness　returned；　save　for　the　little　voices　of　the　nightthe　owl's　recitative；　the　capriccio　of　the　crickets；　the　concerto　of　the　frogs　in　the　grass。　The　piccaninnies　and　the　dawdlers　from　the　quarters　had　been　dismissed　to　their　confines；　and　the　melee　of　the　day　was　reduced　to　an　orderly　and　intelligent　silence。　The　six　coloured　waiters；　in　their　white　jackets；　paced；　cat…footed；　about　the　table；　pretending　to　arrange　where　all　was　beyond　betterment。　Absalom；　in　black　and　shining　pumps　posed；　superior；　here　and　there　where　the　lights　set　off　his　grandeur。　And　Grandemont　rested　in　his　chair；　waiting　for　his　guests。

He　must　have　drifted　into　a　dreamand　an　extravagant　onefor　he　was　master　of　Charleroi　and　Adele　was　his　wife。　She　was　coming　out　to　him　now；　he　could　hear　her　steps；　he　could　feel　her　hand　upon　his　shoulder

〃/Pardon　moi；　M'shi　Grande/〃it　was　Absalom's　hand　touching　him；　it　was　Absalom's　voice；　speaking　the　/patois/　of　the　blacks〃but　it　is　eight　o'clock。〃

Eight　o'clock。　Grandemont　sprang　up。　In　the　moonlight　he　could　see　the　row　of　hitching…posts　outside　the　gate。　Long　ago　the　horses　of　the　guests　should　have　stood　there。　They　were　vacant。

A　chanted　roar　of　indignation；　a　just；　waxing　bellow　of　affront　and　dishonoured　genius　came　from　Andre's　kitchen；　filling　the　house　with　rhythmic　protest。　The　beautiful　dinner；　the　pearl　of　a　dinner；　the　little　excellent　superb　jewel　of　a　dinner！　But　one　moment　more　of　waiting　and　not　even　the　thousand　thunders　of　black　pigs　of　the　quarter　would　touch　it！

〃They　are　a　little　late；〃　said　Grandemont；　calmly。　〃They　will　come　soon。　Tell　Andre　to　hold　back　dinner。　And　ask　him　if；　by　some　chance；　a　bull　from　the　pastures　has　broken；　roaring；　into　the　house。〃

He　seated　himself　again　to　his　cigarettes。　Though　he　had　said　it；　he　scarcely　believed　Charleroi　would　entertain　company　that　night。　For　the　first　time　in　history　the　invitation　of　a　Charles　had　been　ignored。　So　simple　in　courtesy　and　honour　was　Grandemont；　and；　perhaps；　so　serenely　confident　in　the　prestige　of　his　name；　that　the　most　likely　reasons　for　the　vacant　board　did　not　occur　to　him。

Charleroi　stood　by　a　road　travelled　daily　by　people　from　those　plantations　whither　his　invitations　had　gone。　No　doubt　even　on　the　day　before　the　sudden　reanimation　of　the　old　house　they　had　driven　past　and　observed　the　evidences　of　long　desertion　and　decay。　They　had　looked　at　the　corpse　of　Charleroi　and　then　at　Grandemont's　invitations；　and；　though　the　puzzle　or　tasteless　hoax　or　whatever　the　thing　meant　left　them　perplexed；　they　would　not　seek　its　solution　by　the　folly　of　a　visit　to　that　deserted　house。

The　moon　was　now　above　the　grove；　and　the　yard　was　pied　with　deep　shadows　save　where　they　lightened　in　the　tender　glow　of　outpouring　candle　light。　A　crisp　breeze　from　the　river　hinted　at　the　possibility　of　frost　when　the　night　should　have　become　older。　The　grass　at　one　side　of　the　steps　was　specked　with　the　white　stubs　of　Grandemont's　cigarettes。　The　cotton…broker's　clerk　sat　in　his　chair　with　the　smoke　spiralling　above　him。　I　doubt　that　he　once　thought　of　the　little　fortune　he　had　so　impotently　squandered。　Perhaps　it　was　compensation　enough　for　him　to　sit　thus　at　Charleroi　for　a　few　retrieved　hours。　Idly　his　mind　wandered　in　and　out　many　fanciful　paths　of　memory。　He　smiled　to　himself　as　a　paraphrased　line　of　Scripture　strayed　into　his　mind：　〃A　certain　/poor/　man　made　a　feast。〃

He　heard　the　sound　of　Absalom　coughing　a　note　of　summons。　Grandemont　stirred。　This　time　he　had　not　been　asleeponly　drowsing。

〃Nine　o'clock；　/M'shi　Grande/；〃　said　Absalom　in　the　uninflected　voice　of　a　good　servant　who　states　a　fact　unqualified　by　personal　opinion。

Grandemont　rose　to　his　feet。　In　their　time　all　the　Charleses　had　been　proven；　and　they　were　gallant　losers。

〃Serve　dinner；〃　he　said　calmly。　And　then　he　checked　Absalom's　movement　to　obey；　for　something　clicked　the　gate　latch　and　was　coming　down　the　walk　toward　the　house。　Something　that　shuffled　its　feet　and　muttered　to　itself　as　it　came。　It　stopped　in　the　current　of　light　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　and　spake；　in　the　universal　whine　of　the　gadding　mendicant。

〃Kind　sir；　could　you　spare　a　poor；　hungry　man；　out　of　luck；　a　little　to　eat？　And　to　sleep　in　the　corner　of　a　shed？　For〃the　thing　concluded；　irrelevantly〃I　can　sleep　now。　There　are　no　mountains　to　dance　reels　in　the　night；　and　the　copper　kettles　are　all　scoured　bright。　The　iron　band　is　still　round　my　ankle；　and　a　link；　if　it　is　your　desire　I　should　be　chained。〃

It　set　a　foot　upon　the　step　and　drew　up　the　rags　that　hung　upon　the　limb。　Above　the　distorted　shoe；　caked　with　the　dust　of　a　hundred　leagues；　they　saw　the　link　and　the　iron　band。　The　clothes　of　the　tramp　were　wreaked　to　piebald　tatters　by　sun　and　rain　and　wear。　A　mat　of　brown；　tangled　hair　and　beard　covered　his　head　and　face；　out　of　which　his　eyes　stared　distractedly。　Grandemont　noticed　that　he　carried　in　one　hand　a　white；　square　card。

〃What　is　that？〃　he　asked。

〃I　picked　it　up；　sir；　at　the　side　of　the　road。〃　The　vagabond　handed　the　card　to　Grandemont。　〃Just　a　little　to　eat；　sir。　A　little　parched　corn；　a　/tortilla/；　or　a　handful　of　beans。　Goat's　meat　I　cannot　eat。　When　I　cut　their　throats　they　cry　like　children。〃

Grandemont　held　up　the　card。　It　was　one　of　his　own　invitations　to　dinner。　No　doubt　some　one　had　cast　it　away　from　a　passing　carriage　after　comparing　it　with　the　tenantless　house　of　Charleroi。

〃From　the　hedges　and　highways　bid　them　come；〃　he　said　to　himself；　softly　smiling。　And　then　to　Absalom：　〃Send　Louis　to　me。〃

Louis；　once　his　own　body…servant；　came　promptly；　in　his　white　jacket。

〃This　gentleman；〃　said　Grandemont；　〃will　dine　with　me。　Furnish　him　with　bath　and　clothes。　In　twenty　minutes　have　him　ready　and　dinner　served。〃

Louis　approached　the　disreputable　guest　with　the　suavity　due　to　a　visitor　to　Charleroi；　and　spirited　him　away　to　inner　regions。

Promptly；　in　twenty　minutes；　Absalom　announced　dinner；　and；　a　moment　later；　the　guest　was　ushered　into　the　dining　hall　where　Grandemont　waited；　standing；　at　the　head　of　the　table。　The　attentions　of　Louis　had　transformed　the　stranger　into　something　resembling　the　polite　animal。　Clean　linen　and　an　old　evening　suit　that　had　been　sent　down　from　town　to　clothe　a　waiter　had　worked　a　miracle　with　his　exterior。　Brush　and　comb　had　partially　subdued　the　wild　disorder　of　his　hair。　Now　he　might　have　passed　for　no　more　extravagant　a　thing　than　one　of　those　/poseurs/　in　art　and　music　who　affect　such　oddity　of　guise。　The　man's　countenance　and　demeanour；　as　he　approached　the　table；　exhibited　nothing　of　the　awkwardness　or　confusion　to　b