按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
doubt。 That； later； on moving to New York； his descendants became
peace…loving salesmen did not affect his record。 To enter a
society founded on heredity； the important thing is first to
catch your ancestor； and having made sure of him； David entered
the Society of the Sons of Washington with flying colors。 He was
not unlike the man who had been speaking prose for forty years
without knowing it。 He was not unlike the other man who woke to
find himself famous。 He had gone to bed a timid； near…sighted；
underpaid salesman without a relative in the world； except a
married sister in Bordentown； and he awoke to find he was a
direct descendant of 〃Neck or Nothing〃 Greene； a revolutionary
hero； a friend of Washington； a man whose portrait hung in the
State House at Trenton。 David's life had lacked color。 The day he
carried his certificate of membership to the big jewelry store
uptown and purchased two rosettes； one for each of his two coats；
was the proudest of his life。
The other men in the Broadway office took a different view。 As
Wyckoff； one of Burdett's flying squadron of travelling salesmen；
said； 〃All grandfathers look alike to me； whether they're great；
or great…great…great。 Each one is as dead as the other。 I'd
rather have a live cousin who could loan me a five； or slip me a
drink。 What did your great…great dad ever do for you？〃
〃Well； for one thing；〃 said David stiffly； 〃he fought in the War
of the Revolution。 He saved us from the shackles of monarchical
England； he made it possible for me and you to enjoy the
liberties of a free republic。〃
〃Don't try to tell me your grandfather did all that；〃 protested
Wyckoff； 〃because I know better。 There were a lot of others
helped。 I read about it in a book。〃
〃I am not grudging glory to others；〃 returned David； 〃I am only
saying I am proud that I am a descendant of a revolutionist。〃
Wyckoff dived into his inner pocket and produced a leather
photograph frame that folded like a concertina。
〃I don't want to be a descendant；〃 he said； 〃I'd rather be an
ancestor。 Look at those。〃 Proudly he exhibited photographs of
Mrs。 Wyckoff with the baby and of three other little Wyckoffs。
David looked with envy at the children。
〃When I'm married；〃 he stammered； and at the words he blushed； 〃I
hope to be an ancestor。〃
〃If you're thinking of getting married；〃 said Wyckoff； 〃you'd
better hope for a raise in salary。〃
The other clerks were as unsympathetic as Wyckoff。 At first when
David showed them his parchment certificate； and his silver gilt
insignia with on one side a portrait of Washington； and on the
other a Continental soldier； they admitted it was dead swell。
They even envied him； not the grandfather； but the fact that
owing to that distinguished relative David was constantly
receiving beautifully engraved invitations to attend the monthly
meetings of the society； to subscribe to a fund to erect
monuments on battle…fields to mark neglected graves； to join in
joyous excursions to the tomb of Washington or of John Paul
Jones； to inspect West Point； Annapolis； and Bunker Hill； to be
among those present at the annual 〃banquet〃 at Delmonico's。 In
order that when he opened these letters he might have an
audience； he had given the society his office address。
In these communications he was always addressed as 〃Dear
Compatriot；〃 and never did the words fail to give him a thrill。
They seemed to lift him out of Burdett's salesrooms and Broadway；
and place him next to things uncommercial； untainted； high； and
noble。 He did not quite know what an aristocrat was； but be
believed being a compatriot made him an aristocrat。 When
customers were rude； when Mr。 John or Mr。 Robert was overbearing；
this idea enabled David to rise above their ill…temper； and he
would smile and say to himself： 〃If they knew the meaning of the
blue rosette in my button…hole； how differently they would treat
me！ How easily with a word could I crush them！〃
But few of the customers recognized the significance of the
button。 They thought it meant that David belonged to the Y。 M。 C。
A。 or was a teetotaler。 David； with his gentle manners and pale；
ascetic face； was liable to give that impression。
When Wyckoff mentioned marriage； the reason David blushed was
because； although no one in the office suspected it； he wished to
marry the person in whom the office took the greatest pride。 This
was Miss Emily Anthony； one of Burdett and Sons' youngest； most
efficient； and prettiest stenographers； and although David did
not cut as dashing a figure as did some of the firm's travelling
men； Miss Anthony had found something in him so greatly to admire
that she had； out of office hours； accepted his devotion； his
theatre tickets； and an engagement ring。 Indeed； so far had
matters progressed； that it had been almost decided when in a few
months they would go upon their vacations they also would go upon
their honeymoon。 And then a cloud had come between them； and from
a quarter from which David had expected only sunshine。
The trouble befell when David discovered he had a great…
great…grandfather。 With that fact itself Miss Anthony was almost
as pleased as was David himself； but while he was content to bask
in another's glory； Miss Anthony saw in his inheritance only an
incentive to achieve glory for himself。
From a hard…working salesman she had asked but little； but from
a descendant of a national hero she expected other things。 She
was a determined young person； and for David she was an ambitious
young person。 She found she was dissatisfied。 She found she was
disappointed。 The great…great…grandfather had opened up a new
horizonhad； in a way； raised the standard。 She was as fond of
David as always； but his tales of past wars and battles； his
accounts of present banquets at which he sat shoulder to shoulder
with men of whom even Burdett and Sons spoke with awe； touched
her imagination。
〃You shouldn't be content to just wear a button；〃 she urged。 〃If
you're a Son of Washington； you ought to act like one。〃
〃I know I'm not worthy of you；〃 David sighed。
〃I don't mean that； and you know I don't；〃 Emily replied
indignantly。 〃It has nothing to do with me！ I want you to be
worthy of yourself； of your grandpa Hiram！〃
〃But HOW？〃 complained David。 〃What chance has a twenty…five
dollar a week clerk〃
It was a year before the Spanish…American War； while the patriots
of Cuba were fighting the mother country for their independence。
〃If I were a Son of the Revolution；〃 said Emily； 〃I'd go to Cuba
and help free it。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense；〃 cried David。 〃If I did that I'd lose my
job； and we'd never be able to marry。 Besides； what's Cuba done
for me？ All I know about Cuba is； I once smoked a Cuban cigar and
it made me ill。〃
〃Did Lafayette talk like that？〃 demanded Emily。 〃Did he ask what
have the American rebels ever done for me？〃
〃If I were in Lafayette's class；〃 sighed David； 〃I wouldn't be
selling automatic punches。〃
〃There's your trouble；〃 declared Emily 〃You lack self…
confidence。 You're too humble； you've got fighting blood and you
ought to keep saying to yourself； 'Blood will tell；' and the
first thing you know； it WILL tell！ You might begin by going into
politics in your ward。 Or； you could join the militia。 That takes
only one night a week； and then； if we DID go to war with Spain；
you'd get a commission； and come back a captain！〃
Emily's eyes were beautiful with delight。 But the sight gave
David no pleasure。 In genuine distress； he shook his head。
〃Emily；〃 he said； 〃you're going to be awfully disappointed in
me。〃
Emily's eyes closed as though they shied at some mental picture。
But when she opened them they were bright； and her smile was kind
and eager。
〃No； I'm not；〃 she protested； 〃only I want a husband with a
career； and one who'll tell me to keep quiet when I try to run it
for him。〃
〃I've often wished you would；〃 said David。
〃Would what？ Run your career for you？〃
〃No； keep quiet。 Only it didn't seem polite to tell you so。〃
〃Maybe I'd like you better；〃 said Emily； 〃if you weren't so
darned polite。〃
A week later； early in the spring of 1897； the unexpected
happened； and David was promoted into the flying squadron。 He now
was a travelling salesman； with a rise in salary and a commission
on orders。 It was a step forward； but as going on the road meant
absence from Emily； David was not elated。 Nor did it satisfy
Emily。 It was not money she wanted。 Her ambition for David could
not be silenced with a raise in wages。 She did not say this； but
David knew that in him she still found something lacking； and
when they said good…by they both were ill at ease and completely
unhappy。 Formerly； each day when Emily in passing David in the
office said good…morning； she used to add the number of the days
that still separated them from the vacation which also was to be
their honeymoon。 But； for the last month she had stopped counting
the daysat least she did not count them aloud。
David did not ask her why this was so。 He did not dare。 And；
sooner than learn the truth that she had decided not to marry
him； or that she was even considering not marrying him； he asked
no questions； but