stories of a western town-第29章

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here　was　no　reason　for　me　to　expect　any　more　of　them　would！　There　isn't　one　d　bit　of　need　for　Esther　to　marry！〃　〃But　if　she　loves　the　young　fellow　and　he　loves　her；　won't　you　let　them　be　happy？〃　〃He　won't　make　her　happy。〃　〃He　is　a　very　good　fellow；　truly　and　really；　'Raish。　And　he　comes　of　a　good　family　〃　〃I　don't　care　for　his　family；　and　as　to　his　being　moral　and　all　that；　I　know　several　young　fellows　that　could　skin　him　alive　in　a　bargain　that　are　moral　as　you　please。　　I　have　been　a　moral　man；　myself。　　But　the　trouble　with　this　Lossing　（I　told　Esther　I　didn't　know　anything　about　him；　but　I　do）；　the　trouble　with　him　is　that　he　is　chock　full　of　all　kinds　of　principles！　Just　as　father　was。　　Don't　you　remember　how　he　lost　parish　after　parish　because　he　couldn't　smooth　over　the　big　men　in　them？　Lossing　is　every　bit　as　pig…headed。　I　am　not　going　to　have　my　daughter　lead　the　kind　of　life　my　mother　did。　I　want　a　son…in…law　who　ain't　going　to　think　himself　so　much　better　than　I　am；　and　be　rowing　me　for　my　way　of　doing　business。　If　Esther　MUST　marry　I'd　like　her　to　marry　a　man　with　a　head　on　him　that　I　can　take　into　business；　and　who　will　be　willing　to　live　with　the　old　man。　　This　Lossing　has　got　his　notions　of　making　a　sort　of　Highland　chief　affair　of　the　labor　question；　and　we　should　get　along　about　as　well　as　the　Kilkenny　cats！〃　Mrs。　Ellis　knew　more　than　Esther　about　Armorer's　business　methods；　having　the　advantage　of　her　husband's　point　of　view；　and　Colonel　Ellis　had　kept　the　army　standard　of　honor　as　well　as　the　army　ignorance　of　business。　　To　counterbalance；　she　knew　more　than　anyone　alive　what　a　good　son　and　brother　Horatio　had　always　been。　But　she　could　not　restrain　a　smile　at　the　picture　of　the　partnership。　〃Precisely；　you　see　yourself；〃　said　Armorer。　　〃Meg〃hesitating　〃you　don't　suppose　it　would　be　any　use　to　offer　Esther　a　cool　hundred　thousand　to　promise　to　bounce　this　young　fellow？〃　〃Horatio；　NO！〃　cried　Mrs。　Ellis；　tossing　her　pretty　gray　head　indignantly；　〃you'd　insult　her！〃　〃Take　it　the　same　way；　eh？　　Well；　perhaps；　Essie　has　high…toned　notions。　That's　all　right；　it　is　the　thing　for　women。　　Mother　had　them　too。　Look　here；　Meg；　I'll　tell　you；　I　want　to　see　if　this　young　fellow　has　ANY　sense！　　We　have　an　ordinance　that　we　want　passed。　If　he　will　get　his　council　to　pass　it；　that　will　show　he　can　put　his　grand　theories　into　his　pockets　sometimes；　and　I　will　give　him　a　show　with　Esther。　　If　he　doesn't　care　enough　for　my　girl　to　oblige　her　father；　even　if　he　doesn't　please　a　lot　of　carping　roosters　that　want　the　earth　for　their　town　and　would　like　a　street　railway　to　be　run　to　accommodate　them　and　lose　money　for　the　stockholders；　well；　then；　you　can't　blame　me　if　I　don't　want　him！　　Now；　will　you　do　one　thing　for　me；　Meg；　to　help　me　out？　I　don't　want　Lossing　to　persuade　Esther　to　commit　herself；　you　know　how；　when　she　was　a　little　mite；　if　Esther　gave　her　word　she　kept　it。　　I　want　you　to　promise　me　you　won't　let　Esther　be　alone　one　second　with　young　Lossing。　　She　is　going　to…morrow；　but　there's　your　whist…party　to…night；　I　suppose　he's　coming？　And　I　want　you　to　promise　you　won't　let　him　have　our　address。　If　he　treats　me　square；　he　won't　need　to　ask　you　for　it。　　Well？〃　He　buttoned　up　his　coat　and　folded　his　arms；　waiting。　Mrs。　Ellis's　sympathy　had　gone　out　to　the　young　people　as　naturally　as　water　runs　down　hill；　for　she　is　of　a　romantic　temperament；　though　she　doesn't　dare　to　be　weighed。　But　she　remembered　the　silver　service；　the　coffee…pot；　the　tea…pot；　the　tray　for　spoons；　the　creamer；　the　hot…water　kettle；　the　sugar…bowl；　all　on　a　rich　salver；　splendid；　dazzling；　what　rank　ingratitude　it　would　be　to　oppose　her　generous　brother！　Rather　sadly　she　answered；　but　she　did　answer：　　〃I'll　do　that　much　for　you；　'Raish；　but　I　feel　we're　risking　Esther's　happiness；　and　I　can　only　keep　the　letter　of　my　promise。〃　〃That's　all　I　ask；　my　dear；〃　said　Armorer；　taking　out　a　little　shabby　note…book　from　his　breast…pocket；　and　scratching　out　a　line。　The　line　effaced　read：　〃_See　E　&　M　tea…set_。〃

〃The　silver　service　was　a　good　muzzle；〃　he　thought。　He　went　away　for　an　interview　with　the　corporation　lawyer　and　the　superintendent　of　the　road；　leaving　Mrs。　Ellis　in　a　distraction　of　conscience　that　made　her　the　wonder　of　her　servants　that　morning；　during　all　the　preparations　for　the　whist…party。　She　might　have　felt　more　remorseful　had　she　guessed　her　brother's　real　plan。　　He　knew　enough　of　Lossing　to　be　assured　that　he　would　not　yield　about　the　ordinance；　which　he　firmly　believed　to　be　a　dangerous　one　for　the　city。　He　expected；　he　counted　on　the　mayor's　refusing　his　proffers。　He　hoped　that　Esther　would　feel　the　sympathy　which　women　give；　without　question　generally；　to　the　business　plans　of　those　near　and　dear　to　them；　taking　it　for　granted　that　the　plans　are　right　because　they　will　advantage　those　so　near　and　dear。　That　was　the　beautiful　and　proper　way　that　Jenny　had　always　reasoned；　why　should　Jenny's　daughter　do　otherwise？　When　Harry　Lossing　should　oppose　her　father　and　refuse　to　please　him　and　to　win　her；　mustn't　any　high…spirited　woman　feel　hurt？　Certainly　she　must；　and　he　would　take　care　to　whisk　her　off　to　Europe　before　the　young　man　had　a　chance　to　make　his　peace！　〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　Armorer；　to　his　only　confidant；　〃you　never　were　a　domestic　conspirator　before；　Horatio；　but　you　have　got　it　down　fine！　You　would　do　for　Gaboriau〃Gaboriau's　novels　being　the　only　fiction　that　ever　Armorer　read。　　Nevertheless；　his　conscience　pricked　him　almost　as　sharply　as　his　sister's　pricked　her。　Consciences　are　queer　things；　like　certain　crustaceans；　they　grow　shells　in　spots；　and；　proof　against　moral　artillery　in　one　part；　they　may　be　soft　as　a　baby's　cheek　in　another。　Armorer's　conscience　had　two　sides；　business　and　domestic；　people　abused　him　for　a　business　buccaneer；　at　the　same　time　his　private　life　was　pure；　and　he　was　a　most　tender　husband　and　father。　　He　had　never　deceived　Esther　before　in　her　life。　Once　he　had　ridden　all　night　in　a　freight…car　to　keep　a　promise　that　he　had　made　the　child。　　It　hurt　him　to　be　hoodwinking　her　now。　But　he　was　too　angry　and　too　frightened　to　cry　back。　The　interview　with　the　lawyer　did　not　take　any　long　time；　but　he　spent　two　hours　with　the　superintendent　of　the　road；　who　pronounced　him　〃a　little　nice　fellow　with　no　airs　about　him。　Asked　a　power　of　questions　about　Harry　Lossing；　guess　there　is　something　in　that　story　about　Lossing　going　to　marry　his　daughter！〃　Marston　drove　him　to　Lossing's　office　and　left　him　there。　He　was　on　the　ground；　and　Marston　lifting　the　whip　to　touch　the　horse；　when　he　asked：　　〃Say；　before　you　gois　there　any　danger　in　leaving　off　the　conductors？〃　Marston　was　raised　on　mules；　and　he　could　not　overcome　a　vehement　distrust　of　electricity。　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　you　want　the　cold　facts。　The　children　are　almighty　thick　down　on　Third　Street；　and　children　are　always　trying　to　see　how　near　they　can　come　to　being　killed；　you　know；　sir；　and　then；　the　old　women　like　to　come　and　stand　on　the　track　and　ask　questions　of　the　motorneer　on　the　other　track；　so　that　the　car　coming　down　has　a　chance　to　catch　'em。　The　two　together　keep　the　conductors　on　the　jump！〃　〃Is　that　so？〃　said　Armorer；　musingly；　〃well；　I　guess　you'd