eben holden-第38部分

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on　the　pavement；　the　police　having　kept　a　way　clear　for　them；　Still　there　was　silence　in　the　crowd　save　that　near　me　I　could　hear　a　man　sobbing。　A　trumpeter　lifted　his　bugle　and　sounded　a　bar　of　the　reveille。　The　clear　notes　clove　the　silent　air；　flooding　every　street　about　us　with　their　silver　sound。　Suddenly　the　band　began　playing。　The　tune　was　Yankee　Doodle。　A　wild；　dismal；　tremulous　cry　came　out　of　a　throat　near　me。　It　grew　arid　spread　to　a　mighty　roar　and　then　such　a　shout　went　up　to　Heaven；　as　I　had　never　heard；　and　as　I　know　full　well　I　shall　never　hear　again。　It　was　like　the　riving　of　thunderbolts　above　the　roar　of　floods　…　elemental；　prophetic；　threatening；　ungovernable。　It　did　seem　to　me　that　the　holy　wrath　of　God　Almighty　was　in　that　cry　of　the　people。　It　was　a　signal。　It　declared　that　they　were　ready　to　give　all　that　a　man　may　give　for　that　he　loves　…　his　life　and　things　far　dearer　to　him　than　his　life。　After　that；　they　and　their　sons　begged　for　a　chance　to　throw　themselves　into　the　hideous　ruin　of　war。

I　walked　slowly　back　to　the　office　and　wrote　my　article。　When。　the　Printer　came　in　at　twelve　I　went　to　his　room　before　he　had　had　time　to　begin　work

'Mr　Greeley；'I　said；　'here　is　my　resignation。　I　am　going　to　the　war。　

His　habitual　smile　gave　way　to　a　sober　look　as　he　turned　to　me；　his　big　white　coat　on　his　arm。　He　pursed　his　lips　and　blew　thoughtfully。　Then　he　threw　his　coat　in　a　chair　and　wiped　his　eyes　with　his　handkerchief。

'Well！　God　bless　you；　my　boy；'he　said。　'I　wish　I　could　go；　too。　

Chapter　38

I　worked　some　weeks　before　my　regiment　was　sent　forward。　I　planned　to　be　at　home　for　a　day；　but　they　needed　me　on　the　staff；　and　I　dreaded　the　pain　of　a　parting；　the　gravity　of　which　my　return　would　serve　only　to　accentuate。　So　I　wrote　them　a　cheerful　letter；　and　kept　at　work。　It　was　my　duty　to　interview　some　of　the　great　men　of　that　day　as　to　the　course　of　the　government。　I　remember　Commodore　Vanderbilt　came　down　to　see　me　in　shirt…sleeves　and　slippers　that　afternoon；　with　a　handkerchief　tied　about　his　neck　in　place　of　a　collar　…　a　blunt　man；　of　simple　manners　and　a　big　heart；　one　who　spoke　his　mind　in　good；　plain　talk；　and；　I　suppose；　he　got　along　with　as　little　profanity　as　possible；　considering　his　many　cares。　He　called　me　'boy'and　spoke　of　a　certain　public　man　as　a　'big　sucker　。　I　soon　learned　that　to　him　a　'sucker'was　the　lowest　and　meanest　thing　in　the　world。　He　sent　me　away　with　nothing　but　a　great　admiration　of　him。　As　a　rule；　the　giants　of　that　day　were　plain　men　of　the　people；　with　no　frills　upon　them；　and　with　a　way　of　hitting　from　the　shoulder。　They　said　what　they　meant　and　meant　it　hard。　I　have　heard　Lincoln　talk　when　his　words　had　the　whiz　of　a　bullet　and　his　arm　the　jerk　of　a　piston。

John　Trumbull　invited　McClingan；　of　whom　I　had　told　him　much；　and　myself　to　dine　with　him　an　evening　that　week。　I　went　in　my　new　dress　suit　…　that　mark　of　sinful　extravagance　for　which　Fate　had　brought　me　down　to　the　pounding　of　rocks　under　Boss　McCormick。　Trumbull's　rooms　were　a　feast　for　the　eye　…　aglow　with　red　roses。　He　introduced　me　to　Margaret　Hull　and　her　mother；　who　were　there　to　dine　with　us。　She　was　a　slight　woman　of　thirty　then；　with　a　face　of　no　striking　beauty；　but　of　singular　sweetness。　Her　dark　eyes　had　a　mild　and　tender　light　in　them；　her　voice　a　plaintive；　gentle　tone；　the　like　of　　which　one　may　hear　rarely　if　ever。　For　years　she　had　been　a　night　worker　in　the　missions　of　the　lower　city；　and　many　an　unfortunate　had　been　turned　from　the　way　of　evil　by　her　good　offices。　I　sat　beside　her　at　the　table；　and　she　told　me　of　her　work　and　how　often　she　had　met　Trumbull　in　his　night　walks。

'Found　me　a　hopeless　heathen；'he　remarked。

'To　save　him　I　had　to　consent　to　marry　him；'she　said；　laughing。

'〃Who　hath　found　love　is　already　in　Heaven；〃'said　McClingan。　'I　have　not　found　it　and　I　am　in''　he　hesitated；　as　if　searching　for　a　synonym。

'A　boarding　house　on　William　Street；'he　added。

The　remarkable　thing　about　Margaret　Hull　was　her　simple　faith。　It　looked　to　no　glittering　generality　for　its　reward；　such　as　the　soul　s　'highest　good　much　talked　of　in　the　philosophy　of　that　time。　She　believed　that；　for　every　soul　she　saved；　one　jewel　would　be　added　to　her　crown　in　Heaven。　And　yet　she　wore　no　jewel　upon　her　person。　Her　black　costume　was　beautifully　fitted　to　her　fine　form；　but　was　almost　severely　plain。　It　occurred　to　me　that　she　did　not　quite　understand　her　own　heart；　and；　for　that　matter；　who　does？　But　she　had　somewhat　in　her　soul　that　passeth　all　understanding　…　I　shall　not　try　to　say　what；　with　so　little　knowledge　of　those　high　things；　save　that　I　know　it　was　of　God。　To　what　patience　and　unwearying　effort　she　had　schooled　herself　I　was　soon　to　know。

'Can　you　not　find　anyone　to　love　you？'she　said；　turning　to　McClingan。　'You　know　the　Bible　says　it　is　not　good　for　man　to　live　alone。　

'It　does；　Madame；'said　he；　'but　I　have　a　mighty　fear　in　me；　remembering　the　twenty…fourth　verse　of　the　twenty…fifth　chapter　of　Proverbs：　〃It　is　better　to　dwell　in　the　corner　of　the　housetops　than　with　a　brawling　woman　in　a　wide　house。〃　We　cannot　all　be　so　fortunate　as　our　friend　Trumbull。　But　I　have　felt　the　great　passion。　

He　smiled　at　her　faintly　as　he　spoke　in　a　quiet　manner；　his　r　s　coming　off　his　tongue　with　a　stately　roll。　His　environment　and　the　company　had　given　him　a　fair　degree　of　stimulation。　There　was　a　fine　dignity　in　his　deep　voice；　and　his　body　bristled　with　it；　from　his　stiff　and　heavy　shock　of　blonde　hair　parted　carefully　on　the　left　side；　to　his　high…heeled　boots。　The　few　light　hairs　that　stood　in　lonely　abandonment　on　his　upper　lip；　the　rest　of　his　lean　visage　always　well　shorn；　had　no　small　part　in　the　grand　effect　of　McClingan。

'A　love　story！'said　Miss　Hull。　'I　do　wish　I　had　your　confidence。　I　like　a　real；　true　love　story。　

'A　simple　stawry　it　is；'said　McClingan；　'and　Jam　proud　of　my　part　in　it。　I　shall　be　glad　to　tell　the　stawry　if　you　are　to　hear　it。　

We　assured　him　of　our　interest。

'Well；'said　he；　'there　was　one　Tom　Douglass　at　Edinburgh　who　was　my　friend　and　dassmate。　We　were　together　a　good　bit　of　the　time；　and　when　we　had　come　to　the　end　of　our　course　we　both　went　to　engage　in　journalism　at　Glasgow。　We　had　a　mighty　conceit　of　ourselves　…　you　know　how　it　is；　Brower；　with　a　green　lad　…　but　we　were　a　mind　to　be　modest；　with　all　our　learning；　so　we　made　an　agreement：　I　would　blaw　his　horn　and　he　would　blaw　mine。　We　were　not　to　lack　appreciation。　He　was　on　one　paper　and　I　on　another；　and　every　time　he　wrote　an　article　I　went　up　and　down　the　office　praising　him　for　a　man　o'mighty　skill；　and　he　did　the　same　for　me。　If　anyone　spoke　of　him　in　my　hearing　I　said　every　word　of　flattery　at　my　command。　〃What　Tom　Douglass？〃　I　would　say；　〃the　man　o'the　Herald　that's　written　those　wonderful　articles　from　the　law　court？　A　genius；　sir！　an　absolute　genius！〃　Well；　we　were　rapidly　gaining　reputation。　One　of　those　days　I　found　myself　in　love　with　as　comely　a　lass　as　ever　a　man　courted。　Her　mother　had　a　proper　curiosity　as　to　my　character。　I　referred　them　to　Tom　Douglass　of　the　Herald　…　he　was　the　only　man　there　who　had　known　me　well。　The　girl　and　her　mother　both　went　to　him。

〃Your　friend　was　just　here；〃　said　the　young　lady；　when　I　called　again。　〃He　is　a　very　handsome　man。〃

'〃And　a　noble　man！〃　I　said。

〃And　didn　t　I　hear　you　say　that　he　was　a　very　skilful　man；　too？〃

'〃A　genius！〃　I　answered；　〃an　absolute　genius！〃　

McClingan　stopped　and　laughed　heartily　as　he　took　a　sip　of　water。

'What　happened　then？'said　Miss　I…lull。

'She　took　him　on　my　recommendation；'he　answered。　'She　said　that；　while　he　had　the　handsomer　face；　I　had　the　more　eloquent　tongue。　And　they　both　won　for　him。　And；　upon　me　honour　as　a　gentleman；　it　was　the　luckiest　thing　that　ever　happened　to　me；　for　she　became　a　brawler　and　a　scold。　My　mother　says　there　is　〃no　the　like　o'her　in　Scotland〃。　

I　shall　never　forget　how　fondly　Margaret　Hull　patted　the　brown　cheek　of　Trumbull　with　her　delicate　white　band；　as　we　rose。

'We　all　have　our　love　stawries；'said　McClingan。

'Mine　is　better　than　yours；'she　answered；　'but　it　shall　never　be　told。　

'Except　one　little　part　if　it；'said　Trumbull；　as　he　put　his　hands　upon　her　shoulders；　and　looked　down　into　her　face。　'It　is　the　only　thing　that　has　made　my　life　worth　living。　

Then　she　made　us　to　know　many　odd　things　about　her　work　for　the　children　of　misfortune　…　inviting　us　to　come　and　see　it　for　ourselves。　We　were　to　go　the　next　evening。

I　finished　my　work　at　nine　that　night　and　then　we　walked　through　noisome　streets　and　alleys　…　New　York　was　then　far　from　being　so　clean　a　city　as　now　…　to　the　big　mission　house。　As　we　came　in　at　the　door　we　saw　a　group　of　women　kneeling　before　the　altar　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　and　heard　the　voice　of　Margaret　Hull　praying'　a　voice　so　sweet　and　tender　that　we　bowed　our　heads　at　once；　and　listened　while　it　quickened　the　life　in　us。　She　plead　for　the　poor　creatures　about　her；　to　whom　Christ　gave　always　the　most　abundant　pity；　seeing　they　were　more　sinned　against　than　sinning。　There　was　not　a　word　of　cant　in　her　petition。　It　was　full　of　a　simple；　unconscious　eloquence；　a　higher　feeling　than　I　dare　try　to　define。　And　when　it　was　over　she　had　won'their　love　and　confidence　so　that　they　clung　to　her　hands　and　kissed　them　and　wet　them　with　their　tears。　She　came　and　spoke　to　us　presently；　in　the　same　sweet　manner　that　had　charmed　us　the　night　before'　there　was　no　change　in　it　We　offered　to　walk　home　with　her；　but　she　said　Trumbull　was　coming　at　twelve。

'So　that　is　〃The　Little　Mother〃　of　whom　I　have　heard　so　often；'said　McClingan；　as　we　came　away。

'What　do　you　think　of　her？'I　enquired。

'Wonderful　woman！'he　said。　'I　never　heard　such　a　voice。　It　gives　me　visions。　Every　other　is　as　the　crackling　of　thorns　under　a　pot　

I　came　back　to　the　office　and　went　into　Mr　Greeley's　room　to　bid　him　goodbye。　He　stood　by　the　gas　jet；　in　a　fine　new　suit　of　clothes；　reading　a　paper；　while　a　boy　was　blacking　one　of　his　boots。　I　sat　down；　awaiting　a　more　favourable　moment。　A　very　young　man　had　come　into　the　room　and　stood　timidly　holding　his　hat。

'I　wish　to　see　Mr　Greeley；'he　said。

'There　he　is；'I　answered；　'go　and　speak　to　him。　

'Mr　Greeley；'said　he；