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！
te sure I can do itthe trick I was telling ye of。 I've been practizing in me room。 It's as easy as rolling off a jaunting car。〃
〃No； Mac； old man。 Go to bed again；〃 pleaded Fred。
〃Not till I show ye； me boy； one of the most beautiful feats of agility〃
〃Come off； Mac； I say；〃 cried Fred； catching the Irishman around the waist。
〃I'll come nothing！ Unhand me； gentlemen； or by the〃 and tearing himself free McFudd threw a hand…spring with the ease of a professional； toppled； for a moment； his feet in the air； scraped along the whitewashed wall with his heels； and sweeping the basins and pitchers filled with water from the wash… stand measured his length on the floor。 Then came the crash of broken china； a deluge of water； and Fred and Oliver began catching up sponges and towels to stay the flood。
A minute later a man in a long gray beard and longer night…robeone of the regular boarders bounded up the stairs two steps at a time and dashed through Fred's open door。
〃By thunder； boys！〃 he cried； 〃I don't mind how much noise you make； rather like it； but what the devil are you trying to drown us out for？ Wife is soakingit's puddling down on our bed。〃
By this time every door had been flung open； and the room was filled with half…dressed men。
〃It's that lunatic； McFudd。 He's been to the circus and thinks he's Martello；〃 cried Fred； pointing to the prostrate Irishman with the sponge which he had been squeezing out in the coal…scuttle。
〃Or the clown；〃 remarked Waller； stooping over McFudd； who was now holding his sides and roaring with laughter。
Long after Fred had fallen asleep； Oliver lay awake thinking of the night's pleasure。 He had been very； very happyhappier than he had been for many months。 The shouts of approval on his election to membership； the rounds of applause that had followed his rendering of the simple negro melodies； resounded in his ears； and the joy of it all still tingled through his veins。 This first triumph of his life had brought with it a certain confidence in himselfa new feeling of self…relianceof being able to hold his own among men； something he had never experienced before。 This made it all the more exhilarating。
And the company！
Real live painters who sold their pictures and who had studied in Munich； and who knew Paris and Dresden and all the wonderful cities of which Mr。 Crocker had talked。 And real musicians； too！who played at theatres； and Englishmen from London； and Irishmen from Dublin； and all so jolly and unconventional and companionable。 It was just as Mr。 Crocker had described it； and just what he had about despaired of ever finding。 Surely his cup of happiness was full to the brim。
We can forgive him； we who still remember those glimpses behind the scenesour first and never…to… be…forgotten！ How real everything seemed； even the grease…paint； the wigs； and the clothes。 And the walking gentleman and the leading old man and low comedian！ What splendid fellows they were and how we sympathized with them in their enforced exiles from a beloved land。 How they suffered from scheming brothers who had robbed them of their titles and estates； or flint…hearted fathers who had turned them out of doors because of their infatuation for their 〃art〃 or because of their love for some dame of noble birth or simple lass； whose name〃Me boy； will be forever sacred！〃 How proud we were of knowing them； and how delighted they were at knowing usand they so much older too！ And how tired we got of it alland of themand of all their kind when our eyes became accustomed to the glare and we saw how cheap and commonplace it all was and how much of its glamour and charm had come from our own inexperience and enthusiasmand youth。
As Oliver lay with wide…open eyes； going over every incident of the evening； he remembered； with a certain touch of exultant pride； a story his father had told him of the great Poe； and he fell to wondering whether the sweetness of his own song； falling on ears stunned by the jangle of the night； had not produced a similar effect。 Poe； his father had said； on being pressed for a story in the midst of a night of revelry in a famous house on Kennedy Square； had risen from his seat and repeated the Lord's Prayer with such power and solemnity that the guests； one and all； stunned and sobered； had pushed their chairs from the table and had left the house。 He remembered just where his father sat when he told the story and the impression it had made upon him at the time。 He wished Kennedy Square had been present to… night to have heard him and to have seen the impression his song had made upon those gathered about him。
Kennedy Square！ What would dear old Richard Horn； with his violin tucked lovingly under his chin； and gentle； white…haired Nathan； with his lips caressing his flute； have thought of it all； as they listened to the uproar of Cockburn's coal…scuttle？ And； that latter…day Chesterfield； Colonel John Howard Clayton； of Pongateague； whose pipe…stemmed Madeira glasses were kept submerged in iced finger…bowls until the moment of their use； and whose rare Burgundies were drunk out of ruby…colored soap…bubbles warmed to an exact temperature。 What would this old aristocrat have thought of McFudd's mixture and the way it was served？
No！ It was just as well that Kennedy Square； at the moment of Oliver's triumph； was fast asleep。
CHAPTER IX
MISS TEETUM'S LONG TABLE
The prying sun peeped through the dingy curtains of Fred's bedroom on the morning after Oliver's revels； stencilling a long slant of yellow light down its grimy walls； and awaking our young hero with a start。 Except for the shattered remnants of the basins and pitchers that he saw as he looked around him； and the stringy towels； still wet； hanging over the backs of the chairs； he would not have recognized it as the same room in which he had met such brilliant company the night beforeso kindly a glamour does the night throw over our follies。
With the vision of the room and its tokens of their frolic came an uneasy sense of an unpleasant remembrance。 The thrill of his own triumph no longer filled his heart； only the memory of the uproar remained。 As he caught sight of the broken pieces of china still littering the carpet； and recalled McFudd's sprawling figure； a slight color suffused his cheek。
The room itself； in the light of day； was not only cold and uninviting； but so bare of even the commonest comforts that Oliver shivered。 The bottoms were half out of the chairs； the painted wash…stand stood on a square of chilly oil…cloth； the rusty grate and broken hearth were unswept of their ashes； the carpet patched and threadbare。 He wondered； as he studied each detail； how Miss Teetum could expect her boarders to be contented in such quarters。
He saw at a glance how much more cosey and restful the room might be made with the addition of a few touches here and there； a colored print or two a plaster casta bit of cheap stuff or some gay…colored cushions。 It surprised him； above all； to discover that Fred； who was studying art and should； therefore； be sensitive to such influences； was willing to live amid such desolate surroundings。
When he stepped out into the square hall； the scene of the night's revelry； and glanced about him； the crude bareness and reckless disorder that the merciful glow of the gas…light and its attendant shadows had kindly concealed； stood out in bold relief under the white light of the day now streaming through an oval skylight immediately above the piano。 The floor was strewn with the various properties of the night's performanceoverturned stools； china mugs； bits of lemon…peel； stumps of cigars； and stray pipes； while scattered about under the piano and between the legs of the chairs； and even upon the steps of the staircase； were the pieces of coal which Fog…horn Cranch and Waller； who held the scuttle； had pounded into bits when they produced that wild jangle which had added so much of dignity and power to the bass notes of the Dead Man's Chorus。
These cold facts aroused in Oliver a sense of repugnance which he could not shake off。 It was as if the head of some jolly clown of the night before had been suddenly thrust through the canvas of the tent in broad daylight； showing the paint； the wrinkles beneath； the yellow teeth； and the coarse mouth。
Oliver was about to turn back to Fred's room； this feeling of revolt strong upon him； when his attention was arrested by a collection of drawings that covered almost every square inch of the ceiling。 To his astonishment he discovered that what in the smoke of the night before he had supposed to be only hasty sketches scrawled over the white plaster； were in reality； now that he saw them in a clearer atmosphere； effective pictures in pastel； oil； and charcoal。 That the basis of these cartoons was but the grimy stain made by the water which had beaten through the rickety sash during the drive and thrash of winter storms； flooding the whitewashed ceiling and trickling down the side…walls in smears of brown rust； did not lessen their value in his eyes。
Closer inspection showed him that these discolorations some round or curved； others straight or angularhad been altered and amended as the si