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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5822-h.zip b/5822-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f23b488 --- /dev/null +++ b/5822-h.zip diff --git a/5822-h/5822-h.htm b/5822-h/5822-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..129ec17 --- /dev/null +++ b/5822-h/5822-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3310 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>THE GILDED AGE, By Twain and Warner, Part 5</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {background:#faebd7; margin:10%; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; text-align: center; } + blockquote {font-size: 97% } + .figleft {float: left;} + .figright {float: right;} + .toc { margin-left: 15%; margin-bottom: 0em;} + CENTER { padding: 10px;} + // --> +</style> + +</head> +<body> + +<h2>THE GILDED AGE, Part 5</h2> +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gilded Age, Part 5. +by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Charles Dudley Warner + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Gilded Age, Part 5. + +Author: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Charles Dudley Warner + +Release Date: June 20, 2004 [EBook #5822] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GILDED AGE, PART 5. *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + +<br><hr> +<br><br><br><br><br><br> + + +<center><h1>THE GILDED AGE</h1> +</center> +<center><h3>A Tale of Today</h3> +</center> +<center><h2>by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner</h2> +</center> +<center><h3>1873</h3> +</center> +<br><br> + +<center><h3>Part 5.</h3></center> + +<br><br> + + +<center><a name="Bookcover"></a><img alt="Bookcover.jpg (118K)" src="images/Bookcover.jpg" height="1028" width="650"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + + +<a name="Frontpiece"></a><center><img alt="Frontpiece.jpg (96K)" src="images/Frontpiece.jpg" height="863" width="571"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + + + +<center><a name="Titlepage"></a><img alt="Titlepage.jpg (38K)" src="images/Titlepage.jpg" height="993" width="650"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + + + +<center><h2>CONTENTS</h2> +</center> + + +<blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote> +<a href="#ch37">CHAPTER XXXVII </a><br> +Representative Buckstone and Laura's Strategic Coquetry +<br><br> +<a href="#ch38">CHAPTER XXXVIII</a><br> +Reception Day in Washington—Laura Again Meets Col. Selby and the Effect +Upon Her +<br><br> +<a href="#ch39">CHAPTER XXXIX</a><br> +Col. Selby Visits Laura and Effects a Reconciliation +<br><br> +<a href="#ch40">CHAPTER XL</a><br> +Col. Sellers' Career in Washington—Laura's Intimacy With Col. Selby is +Talked About +<br><br> +<a href="#ch41">CHAPTER XLI</a><br> +Harry Brierly Becomes Entirely Infatuated With Laura—Declares His Love +and Gets Laughed At +<br><br> +<a href="#ch42">CHAPTER XLII</a><br> +How The Hon Mr Trollop Was Induced to Vote For Laura's Bill +<br><br> +<a href="#ch43">CHAPTER XLIII</a><br> +Progress of the Bill in the House +<br><br> +<a href="#ch44">CHAPTER XLIV</a><br> +Philip in Washington—Visits Laura +<br><br> +<a href="#ch45">CHAPTER XLV</a><br> +The Passage of the Bill in the House of Representatives + +</blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote> + + +<center><h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +</center> + +<center> +<table summary=""> +<tr><td> + +128. <a href="#p337">PLAYING TO WIN</a><br> +129. <a href="#p342">SHE SAID "PARDON"</a> <br> +130. <a href="#p344">"IT'S HE! IT'S HE!"</a> <br> +131. <a href="#p345">REFLECTION</a> <br> +132. <a href="#p350">ONCE MORE FACE TO FACE</a><br> +133. <a href="#p352">COL. SELBY KNEELS AND KISSES HER HAND</a><br> +134. <a href="#p356">JOLLY GOOD COMPANY</a> <br> +135. <a href="#p360">SUPPER OR BREAKFAST?</a> <br> +136. <a href="#p361">TAIL PIECE</a> <br> +137. <a href="#p365">A LADY-KILLER TAMED</a> <br> +138. <a href="#p367">CONSUMING LOVE</a> <br> +139. <a href="#p370">A CONVERT TO WOMEN'S RIGHTS</a> <br> +140. <a href="#p375">OPENING NEGOTIATIONS</a> <br> +141. <a href="#p380">NOT JUST YET</a> <br> +142. <a href="#p384">WELL POSTED</a> <br> +143. <a href="#p387">MR. TROLLOP THINKS IT OVER</a> <br> +144. <a href="#p388">DILWORTHY GIVES LAURA HIS BLESSING</a> <br> +145. <a href="#p391">UNNECESSARY PRECAUTION</a> <br> +146. <a href="#p392">WHERE THE PROTECTION IS NEEDED</a> <br> +147. <a href="#p393">AN OBJECT OF SYMPATHY</a> <br> +148. <a href="#p398">CHILDREN OF HOPE</a> <br> +149. <a href="#p399">THE EDITOR</a> <br> +150. <a href="#p403">PHILIP LEAVING LAURA</a> <br> +151. <a href="#p405">CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE</a> <br> +152. <a href="#p408">THE HOUSE</a> <br> +153. <a href="#p412">COL SELLERS ASLEEP IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</a> <br> +154. <a href="#p414">A HEARTY SHAKE</a> <br> + + + +</td></tr> +</table> +</center> + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> + + + + + +<center><h2><a name="ch37"></a>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p> +That Chairman was nowhere in sight. Such disappointments seldom occur in +novels, but are always happening in real life.</p> + +<p>She was obliged to make a new plan. She sent him a note, and asked him +to call in the evening—which he did.</p> + +<p>She received the Hon. Mr. Buckstone with a sunny smile, and said:</p> + +<p>"I don't know how I ever dared to send you a note, Mr. Buckstone, for you +have the reputation of not being very partial to our sex."</p> + +<p>"Why I am sure my, reputation does me wrong, then, Miss Hawkins. I have +been married once—is that nothing in my favor?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes—that is, it may be and it may not be. If you have known what +perfection is in woman, it is fair to argue that inferiority cannot +interest you now."</p> + +<p>"Even if that were the case it could not affect you, Miss Hawkins," said +the chairman gallantly. "Fame does not place you in the list of ladies +who rank below perfection." This happy speech delighted Mr. Buckstone as +much as it seemed to delight Laura. But it did not confuse him as much +as it apparently did her.</p> + +<p>"I wish in all sincerity that I could be worthy of such a felicitous +compliment as that. But I am a woman, and so I am gratified for it just +as it is, and would not have it altered."</p> + +<p>"But it is not merely a compliment—that is, an empty complement—it is +the truth. All men will endorse that."</p> + +<p>Laura looked pleased, and said:</p> + +<p>"It is very kind of you to say it. It is a distinction indeed, for a +country-bred girl like me to be so spoken of by people of brains and +culture. You are so kind that I know you will pardon my putting you to +the trouble to come this evening."</p> + +<p>"Indeed it was no trouble. It was a pleasure. I am alone in the world +since I lost my wife, and I often long for the society of your sex, Miss +Hawkins, notwithstanding what people may say to the contrary."</p> + +<p>"It is pleasant to hear you say that. I am sure it must be so. If I +feel lonely at times, because of my exile from old friends, although +surrounded by new ones who are already very dear to me, how much more +lonely must you feel, bereft as you are, and with no wholesome relief +from the cares of state that weigh you down. For your own sake, as well +as for the sake of others, you ought to go into society oftener. +I seldom see you at a reception, and when I do you do not usually give me +very, much of your attention"</p> + +<p>"I never imagined that you wished it or I would have been very glad to +make myself happy in that way.—But one seldom gets an opportunity to say +more than a sentence to you in a place like that. You are always the +centre of a group—a fact which you may have noticed yourself. But if +one might come here—"</p> + +<p>"Indeed you would always find a hearty welcome, Mr. Buckstone. I have +often wished you would come and tell me more about Cairo and the +Pyramids, as you once promised me you would."</p> + +<p>"Why, do you remember that yet, Miss Hawkins? I thought ladies' memories +were more fickle than that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, they are not so fickle as gentlemen's promises. And besides, if I +had been inclined to forget, I—did you not give me something by way of a +remembrancer?"</p> + +<p>"Did I?"</p> + +<p>"Think."</p> + +<p>"It does seem to me that I did; but I have forgotten what it was now."</p> + +<p>"Never, never call a lady's memory fickle again! Do you recognize this?"</p> + +<p>"A little spray of box! I am beaten—I surrender. But have you kept +that all this time?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p337"></a><img alt="p337.jpg (29K)" src="images/p337.jpg" height="339" width="503"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Laura's confusion was very, pretty. She tried to hide it, but the more +she tried the more manifest it became and withal the more captivating to +look upon. Presently she threw the spray of box from her with an annoyed +air, and said:</p> + +<p>"I forgot myself. I have been very foolish. I beg that you will forget +this absurd thing."</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone picked up the spray, and sitting down by Laura's side on +the sofa, said:</p> + +<p>"Please let me keep it, Miss Hawkins. I set a very high value upon it +now."</p> + +<p>"Give it to me, Mr. Buckstone, and do not speak so. I have been +sufficiently punished for my thoughtlessness. You cannot take pleasure +in adding to my distress. Please give it to me."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I do not wish to distress you. But do not consider the matter so +gravely; you have done yourself no wrong. You probably forgot that you +had it; but if you had given it to me I would have kept it—and not +forgotten it."</p> + +<p>"Do not talk so, Mr. Buckstone. Give it to me, please, and forget the +matter."</p> + +<p>"It would not be kind to refuse, since it troubles you so, and so I +restore it. But if you would give me part of it and keep the rest—"</p> + +<p>"So that you might have something to remind you of me when you wished to +laugh at my foolishness?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, by no means, no! Simply that I might remember that I had once +assisted to discomfort you, and be reminded to do so no more."</p> + +<p>Laura looked up, and scanned his face a moment. She was about to break +the twig, but she hesitated and said:</p> + +<p>"If I were sure that you—" She threw the spray away, and continued: +"This is silly! We will change the subject. No, do not insist—I must +have my way in this."</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Buckstone drew off his forces and proceeded to make a wily +advance upon the fortress under cover of carefully—contrived artifices +and stratagems of war. But he contended with an alert and suspicious +enemy; and so at the end of two hours it was manifest to him that he had +made but little progress. Still, he had made some; he was sure of that.</p> + +<p>Laura sat alone and communed with herself;</p> + +<p>"He is fairly hooked, poor thing. I can play him at my leisure and land +him when I choose. He was all ready to be caught, days and days +ago—I saw that, very well. He will vote for our bill—no fear about that; +and moreover he will work for it, too, before I am done with him. If he +had a woman's eyes he would have noticed that the spray of box had grown +three inches since he first gave it to me, but a man never sees anything +and never suspects. If I had shown him a whole bush he would have +thought it was the same. Well, it is a good night's work: the committee +is safe. But this is a desperate game I am playing in these +days—a wearing, sordid, heartless game. If I lose, I lose everything—even +myself. And if I win the game, will it be worth its cost after all? +I do not know. Sometimes I doubt. Sometimes I half wish I had not +begun. But no matter; I have begun, and I will never turn back; never +while I live."</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone indulged in a reverie as he walked homeward:</p> + +<p>"She is shrewd and deep, and plays her cards with considerable +discretion—but she will lose, for all that. There is no hurry; I shall +come out winner, all in good time. She is the most beautiful woman in +the world; and she surpassed herself to-night. I suppose I must vote for +that bill, in the end maybe; but that is not a matter of much consequence +the government can stand it. She is bent on capturing me, that is plain; +but she will find by and by that what she took for a sleeping garrison +was an ambuscade."</p> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch38"></a>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h2></center> +<br> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +<br> Now this surprising news caus'd her fall in 'a trance, +<br> Life as she were dead, no limbs she could advance, +<br> Then her dear brother came, her from the ground he took +<br> And she spake up and said, O my poor heart is broke. +<br> +<br> The Barnardcastle Tragedy. +<br> +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>"Don't you think he is distinguished looking?"</p> + +<p>"What! That gawky looking person, with Miss Hawkins?"</p> + +<p>"There. He's just speaking to Mrs. Schoonmaker. Such high-bred +negligence and unconsciousness. Nothing studied. See his fine eyes."</p> + +<p>"Very. They are moving this way now. Maybe he is coming here. But he +looks as helpless as a rag baby. Who is he, Blanche?"</p> + +<p>"Who is he? And you've been here a week, Grace, and don't know? He's +the catch of the season. That's Washington Hawkins—her brother."</p> + +<p>"No, is it?"</p> + +<p>"Very old family, old Kentucky family I believe. He's got enormous +landed property in Tennessee, I think. The family lost everything, +slaves and that sort of thing, you know, in the war. But they have a +great deal of land, minerals, mines and all that. Mr. Hawkins and his +sister too are very much interested in the amelioration of the condition +of the colored race; they have some plan, with Senator Dilworthy, to +convert a large part of their property to something another for the +freedmen."</p> + +<p>"You don't say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania. But he +is different from others. Probably he has lived all his life on his +plantation."</p> + +<p>It was a day reception of Mrs. Representative Schoonmaker, a sweet woman, +of simple and sincere manners. Her house was one of the most popular in +Washington. There was less ostentation there than in some others, and +people liked to go where the atmosphere reminded them of the peace and +purity of home. Mrs. Schoonmaker was as natural and unaffected in +Washington society as she was in her own New York house, and kept up the +spirit of home-life there, with her husband and children. And that was +the reason, probably, why people of refinement liked to go there.</p> + +<p>Washington is a microcosm, and one can suit himself with any sort of +society within a radius of a mile. To a large portion of the people who +frequent Washington or dwell where, the ultra fashion, the shoddy, the +jobbery are as utterly distasteful as they would he in a refined New +England City. Schoonmaker was not exactly a leader in the House, but he +was greatly respected for his fine talents and his honesty. No one would +have thought of offering to carry National Improvement Directors Relief +stock for him.</p> + +<p>These day receptions were attended by more women than men, and those +interested in the problem might have studied the costumes of the ladies +present, in view of this fact, to discover whether women dress more for +the eyes of women or for effect upon men. It is a very important +problem, and has been a good deal discussed, and its solution would form +one fixed, philosophical basis, upon which to estimate woman's character. +We are inclined to take a medium ground, and aver that woman dresses to +please herself, and in obedience to a law of her own nature.</p> + +<p>"They are coming this way," said Blanche. People who made way for them +to pass, turned to look at them. Washington began to feel that the eyes +of the public were on him also, and his eyes rolled about, now towards +the ceiling, now towards the floor, in an effort to look unconscious.</p> + +<p>"Good morning, Miss Hawkins. Delighted. Mr. Hawkins. My friend, Miss +Medlar."</p> + +<p>Mr. Hawkins, who was endeavoring to square himself for a bow, put his +foot through the train of Mrs. Senator Poplin, who looked round with a +scowl, which turned into a smile as she saw who it was. In extricating +himself, Mr. Hawkins, who had the care of his hat as well as the +introduction on his mind, shambled against Miss Blanche, who said pardon, +with the prettiest accent, as if the awkwardness were her own. And Mr. +Hawkins righted himself.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p342"></a><img alt="p342.jpg (52K)" src="images/p342.jpg" height="471" width="555"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Don't you find it very warm to-day, Mr. Hawkins?" said Blanche, by way +of a remark.</p> + +<p>"It's awful hot," said Washington.</p> + +<p>"It's warm for the season," continued Blanche pleasantly. "But I suppose +you are accustomed to it," she added, with a general idea that the +thermometer always stands at 90 deg. in all parts of the late slave +states. "Washington weather generally cannot be very congenial to you?"</p> + +<p>"It's congenial," said Washington brightening up, "when it's not +congealed."</p> + +<p>"That's very good. Did you hear, Grace, Mr. Hawkins says it's congenial +when it's not congealed."</p> + +<p>"What is, dear?" said Grace, who was talking with Laura.</p> + +<p>The conversation was now finely under way. Washington launched out an +observation of his own.</p> + +<p>"Did you see those Japs, Miss Leavitt?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, aren't they queer. But so high-bred, so picturesque. Do you +think that color makes any difference, Mr. Hawkins? I used to be so +prejudiced against color."</p> + +<p>"Did you? I never was. I used to think my old mammy was handsome."</p> + +<p>"How interesting your life must have been! I should like to hear about +it."</p> + +<p>Washington was about settling himself into his narrative style, +when Mrs. Gen. McFingal caught his eye.</p> + +<p>"Have you been at the Capitol to-day, Mr. Hawkins?"</p> + +<p>Washington had not. "Is anything uncommon going on?"</p> + +<p>"They say it was very exciting. The Alabama business you know. +Gen. Sutler, of Massachusetts, defied England, and they say he wants +war."</p> + +<p>"He wants to make himself conspicuous more like," said Laura. +"He always, you have noticed, talks with one eye on the gallery, while +the other is on the speaker."</p> + +<p>"Well, my husband says, its nonsense to talk of war, and wicked. +He knows what war is. If we do have war, I hope it will be for the +patriots of Cuba. Don't you think we want Cuba, Mr. Hawkins?"</p> + +<p>"I think we want it bad," said Washington. "And Santo Domingo. Senator +Dilworthy says, we are bound to extend our religion over the isles of the +sea. We've got to round out our territory, and—"</p> + +<p>Washington's further observations were broken off by Laura, who whisked +him off to another part of the room, and reminded him that they must make +their adieux.</p> + +<p>"How stupid and tiresome these people are," she said. "Let's go."</p> + +<p>They were turning to say good-by to the hostess, when Laura's attention +was arrested by the sight of a gentleman who was just speaking to Mrs. +Schoonmaker. For a second her heart stopped beating. He was a handsome +man of forty and perhaps more, with grayish hair and whiskers, and he +walked with a cane, as if he were slightly lame. He might be less than +forty, for his face was worn into hard lines, and he was pale.</p> + +<p>No. It could not be, she said to herself. It is only a resemblance. +But as the gentleman turned and she saw his full face, Laura put out her +hand and clutched Washington's arm to prevent herself from falling.</p> + +<p>Washington, who was not minding anything, as usual, looked 'round in +wonder. Laura's eyes were blazing fire and hatred; he had never seen her +look so before; and her face, was livid.</p> + +<p>"Why, what is it, sis? Your face is as white as paper."</p> + +<p>"It's he, it's he. Come, come," and she dragged him away.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p344"></a><img alt="p344.jpg (54K)" src="images/p344.jpg" height="579" width="467"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"It's who?" asked Washington, when they had gained the carriage.</p> + +<p>"It's nobody, it's nothing. Did I say he? I was faint with the heat. +Don't mention it. Don't you speak of it," she added earnestly, grasping +his arm.</p> + +<p>When she had gained her room she went to the glass and saw a pallid and +haggard face.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p345"></a><img alt="p345.jpg (28K)" src="images/p345.jpg" height="481" width="311"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"My God," she cried, "this will never do. I should have killed him, if I +could. The scoundrel still lives, and dares to come here. I ought to +kill him. He has no right to live. How I hate him. And yet I loved +him. Oh heavens, how I did love that man. And why didn't he kill me? +He might better. He did kill all that was good in me. Oh, but he shall +not escape. He shall not escape this time. He may have forgotten. He +will find that a woman's hate doesn't forget. The law? What would the +law do but protect him and make me an outcast? How all Washington would +gather up its virtuous skirts and avoid me, if it knew. I wonder if he +hates me as I do him?"</p> + +<p>So Laura raved, in tears and in rage by turns, tossed in a tumult of +passion, which she gave way to with little effort to control.</p> + +<p>A servant came to summon her to dinner. She had a headache. The hour +came for the President's reception. She had a raving headache, and the +Senator must go without her.</p> + +<p>That night of agony was like another night she recalled. How vividly it +all came back to her. And at that time she remembered she thought she +might be mistaken. He might come back to her. Perhaps he loved her, +a little, after all. Now, she knew he did not. Now, she knew he was a +cold-blooded scoundrel, without pity. Never a word in all these years. +She had hoped he was dead. Did his wife live, she wondered. She caught +at that—and it gave a new current to her thoughts. Perhaps, after +all—she must see him. She could not live without seeing him. Would he smile +as in the old days when she loved him so; or would he sneer as when she +last saw him? If be looked so, she hated him. If he should call her +"Laura, darling," and look SO! She must find him. She must end her +doubts.</p> + +<p>Laura kept her room for two days, on one excuse and another—a nervous +headache, a cold—to the great anxiety of the Senator's household. +Callers, who went away, said she had been too gay—they did not say +"fast," though some of them may have thought it. One so conspicuous and +successful in society as Laura could not be out of the way two days, +without remarks being made, and not all of them complimentary.</p> + +<p>When she came down she appeared as usual, a little pale may be, but +unchanged in manner. If there were any deepened lines about the eyes +they had been concealed. Her course of action was quite determined.</p> + +<p>At breakfast she asked if any one had heard any unusual noise during the +night? Nobody had. Washington never heard any noise of any kind after +his eyes were shut. Some people thought he never did when they were open +either.</p> + +<p>Senator Dilworthy said he had come in late. He was detained in a little +consultation after the Congressional prayer meeting. Perhaps it was his +entrance.</p> + +<p>No, Laura said. She heard that. It was later. She might have been +nervous, but she fancied somebody was trying to get into the house.</p> + +<p>Mr. Brierly humorously suggested that it might be, as none of the members +were occupied in night session.</p> + +<p>The Senator frowned, and said he did not like to hear that kind of +newspaper slang. There might be burglars about.</p> + +<p>Laura said that very likely it was only her nervousness. But she thought +she world feel safer if Washington would let her take one of his pistols. +Washington brought her one of his revolvers, and instructed her in the +art of loading and firing it.</p> + +<p>During the morning Laura drove down to Mrs. Schoonmaker's to pay a +friendly call.</p> + +<p>"Your receptions are always delightful," she said to that lady, "the +pleasant people all seem to come here."</p> + +<p>"It's pleasant to hear you say so, Miss Hawkins. I believe my friends +like to come here. Though society in Washington is mixed; we have a +little of everything."</p> + +<p>"I suppose, though, you don't see much of the old rebel element?" said +Laura with a smile.</p> + +<p>If this seemed to Mrs. Schoonmaker a singular remark for a lady to make, +who was meeting "rebels" in society every day, she did not express it in +any way, but only said,</p> + +<p>"You know we don't say 'rebel' anymore. Before we came to Washington I +thought rebels would look unlike other people. I find we are very much +alike, and that kindness and good nature wear away prejudice. And then +you know there are all sorts of common interests. My husband sometimes +says that he doesn't see but confederates are just as eager to get at the +treasury as Unionists. You know that Mr. Schoonmaker is on the +appropriations."</p> + +<p>"Does he know many Southerners?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes. There were several at my reception the other day. Among +others a confederate Colonel—a stranger—handsome man with gray hair, +probably you didn't notice him, uses a cane in walking. A very agreeable +man. I wondered why he called. When my husband came home and looked +over the cards, he said he had a cotton claim. A real southerner. +Perhaps you might know him if I could think of his name. Yes, here's his +card—Louisiana."</p> + +<p>Laura took the card, looked at it intently till she was sure of the +address, and then laid it down, with,</p> + +<p>"No, he is no friend of ours."</p> + +<p>That afternoon, Laura wrote and dispatched the following note. It was in +a round hand, unlike her flowing style, and it was directed to a number +and street in Georgetown:—</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + "A Lady at Senator Dilworthy's would like to see Col. George Selby, + on business connected with the Cotton Claims. Can he call Wednesday + at three o'clock P. M.?" +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>On Wednesday at 3 P. M, no one of the family was likely to be in the +house except Laura.</p> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch39"></a>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>Col. Selby had just come to Washington, and taken lodgings in Georgetown. +His business was to get pay for some cotton that was destroyed during the +war. There were many others in Washington on the same errand, some of +them with claims as difficult to establish as his. A concert of action +was necessary, and he was not, therefore, at all surprised to receive the +note from a lady asking him to call at Senator Dilworthy's.</p> + +<p>At a little after three on Wednesday he rang the bell of the Senator's +residence. It was a handsome mansion on the Square opposite the +President's house. The owner must be a man of great wealth, the Colonel +thought; perhaps, who knows, said he with a smile, he may have got some +of my cotton in exchange for salt and quinine after the capture of New +Orleans. As this thought passed through his mind he was looking at the +remarkable figure of the Hero of New Orleans, holding itself by main +strength from sliding off the back of the rearing bronze horse, and +lifting its hat in the manner of one who acknowledges the playing of that +martial air: "See, the Conquering Hero Comes!" "Gad," said the Colonel +to himself, "Old Hickory ought to get down and give his seat to Gen. +Sutler—but they'd have to tie him on."</p> + +<p>Laura was in the drawing room. She heard the bell, she heard the steps +in the hall, and the emphatic thud of the supporting cane. She had risen +from her chair and was leaning against the piano, pressing her left hand +against the violent beating of her heart. The door opened and the +Colonel entered, standing in the full light of the opposite window. +Laura was more in the shadow and stood for an instant, long enough for +the Colonel to make the inward observation that she was a magnificent +Woman. She then advanced a step.</p> + +<p>"Col. Selby, is it not?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p350"></a><img alt="p350.jpg (30K)" src="images/p350.jpg" height="457" width="425"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>The Colonel staggered back, caught himself by a chair, and turned towards +her a look of terror.</p> + +<p>"Laura? My God!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, your wife!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, it can't be. How came you here? I thought you were—"</p> + +<p>"You thought I was dead? You thought you were rid of me? Not so long as +you live, Col. Selby, not so long as you live;" Laura in her passion was +hurried on to say.</p> + +<p>No man had ever accused Col. Selby of cowardice. But he was a coward +before this woman. May be he was not the man he once was. Where was his +coolness? Where was his sneering, imperturbable manner, with which he +could have met, and would have met, any woman he had wronged, if he had +only been forewarned. He felt now that he must temporize, that he must +gain time. There was danger in Laura's tone. There was something +frightful in her calmness. Her steady eyes seemed to devour him.</p> + +<p>"You have ruined my life," she said; "and I was so young, so ignorant, +and loved you so. You betrayed me, and left me mocking me and trampling +me into the dust, a soiled cast-off. You might better have killed me +then. Then I should not have hated you."</p> + +<p>"Laura," said the Colonel, nerving himself, but still pale, and speaking +appealingly, "don't say that. Reproach me. I deserve it. I was a +scoundrel. I was everything monstrous. But your beauty made me crazy. +You are right. I was a brute in leaving you as I did. But what could I +do? I was married, and—"</p> + +<p>"And your wife still lives?" asked Laura, bending a little forward in her +eagerness.</p> + +<p>The Colonel noticed the action, and he almost said "no," but he thought +of the folly of attempting concealment.</p> + +<p>"Yes. She is here."</p> + +<p>What little color had wandered back into Laura's face forsook it again. +Her heart stood still, her strength seemed going from her limbs. Her +last hope was gone. The room swam before her for a moment, and the +Colonel stepped towards her, but she waved him back, as hot anger again +coursed through her veins, and said,</p> + +<p>"And you dare come with her, here, and tell me of it, here and mock me +with it! And you think I will have it; George? You think I will let you +live with that woman? You think I am as powerless as that day I fell +dead at your feet?"</p> + +<p>She raged now. She was in a tempest of excitement. And she advanced +towards him with a threatening mien. She would kill me if she could, +thought the Colonel; but he thought at the same moment, how beautiful she +is. He had recovered his head now. She was lovely when he knew her, +then a simple country girl, Now she was dazzling, in the fullness of ripe +womanhood, a superb creature, with all the fascination that a woman of +the world has for such a man as Col. Selby. Nothing of this was lost on +him. He stepped quickly to her, grasped both her hands in his, and said,</p> + +<p>"Laura, stop! think! Suppose I loved you yet! Suppose I hated my fate! +What can I do? I am broken by the war. I have lost everything almost. +I had as lief be dead and done with it."</p> + +<p>The Colonel spoke with a low remembered voice that thrilled through +Laura. He was looking into her eyes as he had looked in those old days, +when no birds of all those that sang in the groves where they walked sang +a note of warning. He was wounded. He had been punished. Her strength +forsook her with her rage, and she sank upon a chair, sobbing,</p> + +<p>"Oh! my God, I thought I hated him!"</p> + +<p>The Colonel knelt beside her. He took her hand and she let him keep it. +She, looked down into his face, with a pitiable tenderness, and said in a +weak voice.</p> + +<p>"And you do love me a little?"</p> + +<p>The Colonel vowed and protested. He kissed her hand and her lips. He +swore his false soul into perdition.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p352"></a><img alt="p352.jpg (26K)" src="images/p352.jpg" height="335" width="557"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>She wanted love, this woman. Was not her love for George Selby deeper +than any other woman's could be? Had she not a right to him? Did he +not belong to her by virtue of her overmastering passion? His wife—she +was not his wife, except by the law. She could not be. Even with the +law she could have no right to stand between two souls that were one. +It was an infamous condition in society that George should be tied to +her.</p> + +<p>Laura thought this, believed it; because she desired to believe it. She +came to it as an original propositions founded an the requirements of her +own nature. She may have heard, doubtless she had, similar theories that +were prevalent at that day, theories of the tyranny of marriage and of +the freedom of marriage. She had even heard women lecturers say, that +marriage should only continue so long as it pleased either party to +it—for a year, or a month, or a day. She had not given much heed to this, +but she saw its justice now in a dash of revealing desire. It must be +right. God would not have permitted her to love George Selby as she did, +and him to love her, if it was right for society to raise up a barrier +between them. He belonged to her. Had he not confessed it himself?</p> + +<p>Not even the religious atmosphere of Senator Dilworthy's house had been +sufficient to instill into Laura that deep Christian principle which had +been somehow omitted in her training. Indeed in that very house had she +not heard women, prominent before the country and besieging Congress, +utter sentiments that fully justified the course she was marking out for +herself.</p> + +<p>They were seated now, side by side, talking with more calmness. Laura +was happy, or thought she was. But it was that feverish sort of +happiness which is snatched out of the black shadow of falsehood, and is +at the moment recognized as fleeting and perilous, and indulged +tremblingly. She loved. She was loved. That is happiness certainly. +And the black past and the troubled present and the uncertain future +could not snatch that from her.</p> + +<p>What did they say as they sat there? What nothings do people usually say +in such circumstances, even if they are three-score and ten? It was +enough for Laura to hear his voice and be near him. It was enough for +him to be near her, and avoid committing himself as much as he could. +Enough for him was the present also. Had there not always been some way +out of such scrapes?</p> + +<p>And yet Laura could not be quite content without prying into tomorrow. +How could the Colonel manage to free himself from his wife? Would it be +long? Could he not go into some State where it would not take much time? +He could not say exactly. That they must think of. That they must talk +over. And so on. Did this seem like a damnable plot to Laura against +the life, maybe, of a sister, a woman like herself? Probably not. +It was right that this man should be hers, and there were some obstacles +in the way. That was all. There are as good reasons for bad actions as +for good ones,—to those who commit them. When one has broken the tenth +commandment, the others are not of much account.</p> + +<p>Was it unnatural, therefore, that when George Selby departed, Laura +should watch him from the window, with an almost joyful heart as he went +down the sunny square? "I shall see him to-morrow," she said, "and the +next day, and the next. He is mine now."</p> + +<p>"Damn the woman," said the Colonel as he picked his way down the steps. +"Or," he added, as his thoughts took a new turn, "I wish my wife was in +New Orleans."</p> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch40"></a>CHAPTER XL.</h2></center> +<br> +<blockquote><blockquote> +<br> Open your ears; for which of you will stop, +<br> The vent of hearing when loud Rumor speaks? +<br> I, from the orient to the drooping west, +<br> Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold +<br> The acts commenced on this ball of earth: +<br> Upon my tongues continual slanders ride; +<br> The which in every, language I pronounce, +<br> Stuffing the ears of men with false reports. +<br> +<br> King Henry IV. +<br> +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>As may be readily believed, Col. Beriah Sellers was by this time one of +the best known men in Washington. For the first time in his life his +talents had a fair field.</p> + +<p>He was now at the centre of the manufacture of gigantic schemes, +of speculations of all sorts, of political and social gossip. +The atmosphere was full of little and big rumors and of vast, undefined +expectations. Everybody was in haste, too, to push on his private plan, +and feverish in his haste, as if in constant apprehension that tomorrow +would be Judgment Day. Work while Congress is in session, said the +uneasy spirit, for in the recess there is no work and no device.</p> + +<p>The Colonel enjoyed this bustle and confusion amazingly; he thrived in +the air of-indefinite expectation. All his own schemes took larger shape +and more misty and majestic proportions; and in this congenial air, the +Colonel seemed even to himself to expand into something large and +mysterious. If he respected himself before, he almost worshipped Beriah +Sellers now, as a superior being. If he could have chosen an official +position out of the highest, he would have been embarrassed in the +selection. The presidency of the republic seemed too limited and cramped +in the constitutional restrictions. If he could have been Grand Llama of +the United States, that might have come the nearest to his idea of a +position. And next to that he would have luxuriated in the irresponsible +omniscience of the Special Correspondent.</p> + +<p>Col. Sellers knew the President very well, and had access to his presence +when officials were kept cooling their heels in the Waiting-room. The +President liked to hear the Colonel talk, his voluble ease was a +refreshment after the decorous dullness of men who only talked business +and government, and everlastingly expounded their notions of justice and +the distribution of patronage. The Colonel was as much a lover of +farming and of horses as Thomas Jefferson was. He talked to the +President by the hour about his magnificent stud, and his plantation at +Hawkeye, a kind of principality—he represented it. He urged the +President to pay him a visit during the recess, and see his stock farm.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p356"></a><img alt="p356.jpg (23K)" src="images/p356.jpg" height="327" width="465"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"The President's table is well enough," he used to say, to the loafers +who gathered about him at Willard's, "well enough for a man on a salary, +but God bless my soul, I should like him to see a little old-fashioned +hospitality—open house, you know. A person seeing me at home might +think I paid no attention to what was in the house, just let things flow +in and out. He'd be mistaken. What I look to is quality, sir. The +President has variety enough, but the quality! Vegetables of course you +can't expect here. I'm very particular about mine. Take celery, +now—there's only one spot in this country where celery will grow. But I an +surprised about the wines. I should think they were manufactured in the +New York Custom House. I must send the President some from my cellar. +I was really mortified the other day at dinner to see Blacque Bey leave +his standing in the glasses."</p> + +<p>When the Colonel first came to Washington he had thoughts of taking the +mission to Constantinople, in order to be on the spot to look after the +dissemination, of his Eye Water, but as that invention; was not yet quite +ready, the project shrank a little in the presence of vaster schemes. +Besides he felt that he could do the country more good by remaining at +home. He was one of the Southerners who were constantly quoted as +heartily "accepting the situation."</p> + +<p>"I'm whipped," he used to say with a jolly laugh, "the government was too +many for me; I'm cleaned out, done for, except my plantation and private +mansion. We played for a big thing, and lost it, and I don't whine, for +one. I go for putting the old flag on all the vacant lots. I said to +the President, says I, 'Grant, why don't you take Santo Domingo, annex +the whole thing, and settle the bill afterwards. That's my way. I'd, +take the job to manage Congress. The South would come into it. You've +got to conciliate the South, consolidate the two debts, pay 'em off in +greenbacks, and go ahead. That's my notion. Boutwell's got the right +notion about the value of paper, but he lacks courage. I should like to +run the treasury department about six months. I'd make things plenty, +and business look up.'"</p> + +<p>The Colonel had access to the departments. He knew all the senators and +representatives, and especially, the lobby. He was consequently a great +favorite in Newspaper Row, and was often lounging in the offices there, +dropping bits of private, official information, which were immediately, +caught up and telegraphed all over the country. But it need to surprise +even the Colonel when he read it, it was embellished to that degree that +he hardly recognized it, and the hint was not lost on him. He began to +exaggerate his heretofore simple conversation to suit the newspaper +demand.</p> + +<p>People used to wonder in the winters of 187- and 187-, where the +"Specials" got that remarkable information with which they every morning +surprised the country, revealing the most secret intentions of the +President and his cabinet, the private thoughts of political leaders, +the hidden meaning of every movement. This information was furnished by +Col. Sellers.</p> + +<p>When he was asked, afterwards, about the stolen copy of the Alabama +Treaty which got into the "New York Tribune," he only looked mysterious, +and said that neither he nor Senator Dilworthy knew anything about it. +But those whom he was in the habit of meeting occasionally felt almost +certain that he did know.</p> + +<p>It must not be supposed that the Colonel in his general patriotic labors +neglected his own affairs. The Columbus River Navigation Scheme absorbed +only a part of his time, so he was enabled to throw quite a strong +reserve force of energy into the Tennessee Land plan, a vast enterprise +commensurate with his abilities, and in the prosecution of which he was +greatly aided by Mr. Henry Brierly, who was buzzing about the capitol and +the hotels day and night, and making capital for it in some mysterious +way.</p> + +<p>"We must create, a public opinion," said Senator Dilworthy. "My only +interest in it is a public one, and if the country wants the institution, +Congress will have to yield."</p> + +<p>It may have been after a conversation between the Colonel and Senator +Dilworthy that the following special despatch was sent to a New York +newspaper:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + "We understand that a philanthropic plan is on foot in relation to + the colored race that will, if successful, revolutionize the whole + character of southern industry. An experimental institution is in + contemplation in Tennessee which will do for that state what the + Industrial School at Zurich did for Switzerland. We learn that + approaches have been made to the heirs of the late Hon. Silas + Hawkins of Missouri, in reference to a lease of a portion of their + valuable property in East Tennessee. Senator Dilworthy, it is + understood, is inflexibly opposed to any arrangement that will not + give the government absolute control. Private interests must give + way to the public good. It is to be hoped that Col. Sellers, who + represents the heirs, will be led to see the matter in this light." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>When Washington Hawkins read this despatch, he went to the Colonel in +some anxiety. He was for a lease, he didn't want to surrender anything. +What did he think the government would offer? Two millions?</p> + +<p>"May be three, may be four," said the Colonel, "it's worth more than the +bank of England."</p> + +<p>"If they will not lease," said Washington, "let 'em make it two millions +for an undivided half. I'm not going to throw it away, not the whole of +it."</p> + +<p>Harry told the Colonel that they must drive the thing through, he +couldn't be dallying round Washington when Spring opened. Phil wanted +him, Phil had a great thing on hand up in Pennsylvania.</p> + +<p>"What is that?" inquired the Colonel, always ready to interest himself in +anything large.</p> + +<p>"A mountain of coal; that's all. He's going to run a tunnel into it in +the Spring."</p> + +<p>"Does he want any capital?", asked the Colonel, in the tone of a man who +is given to calculating carefully before he makes an investment.</p> + +<p>"No. Old man Bolton's behind him. He has capital, but I judged that he +wanted my experience in starting."</p> + +<p>"If he wants me, tell him I'll come, after Congress adjourns. I should +like to give him a little lift. He lacks enterprise—now, about that +Columbus River. He doesn't see his chances. But he's a good fellow, and +you can tell him that Sellers won't go back on him."</p> + +<p>"By the way," asked Harry, "who is that rather handsome party that's +hanging 'round Laura? I see him with her everywhere, at the Capitol, in +the horse cars, and he comes to Dilworthy's. If he weren't lame, I +should think he was going to run off with her."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's nothing. Laura knows her business. He has a cotton claim. +Used to be at Hawkeye during the war.</p> + +<p>"Selby's his name, was a Colonel. Got a wife and family. +Very respectable people, the Selby's."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's all right," said Harry, "if it's business. But if a woman +looked at me as I've seen her at Selby, I should understand it. And it's +talked about, I can tell you."</p> + +<p>Jealousy had no doubt sharpened this young gentleman's observation. +Laura could not have treated him with more lofty condescension if she had +been the Queen of Sheba, on a royal visit to the great republic. And he +resented it, and was "huffy" when he was with her, and ran her errands, +and brought her gossip, and bragged of his intimacy with the lovely +creature among the fellows at Newspaper Row.</p> + +<p>Laura's life was rushing on now in the full stream of intrigue and +fashionable dissipation. She was conspicuous at the balls of the fastest +set, and was suspected of being present at those doubtful suppers that +began late and ended early. If Senator Dilworthy remonstrated about +appearances, she had a way of silencing him. Perhaps she had some hold +on him, perhaps she was necessary to his plan for ameliorating the +condition of the colored race.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p360"></a><img alt="p360.jpg (36K)" src="images/p360.jpg" height="329" width="573"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>She saw Col. Selby, when the public knew and when it did not know. +She would see him, whatever excuses he made, and however he avoided her. +She was urged on by a fever of love and hatred and jealousy, which +alternately possessed her. Sometimes she petted him, and coaxed him and +tried all her fascinations. And again she threatened him and reproached +him. What was he doing? Why had he taken no steps to free himself? +Why didn't he send his wife home? She should have money soon. +They could go to Europe—anywhere. What did she care for talk?</p> + +<p>And he promised, and lied, and invented fresh excuses for delay, like a +cowardly gambler and roue as he was, fearing to break with her, and half +the time unwilling to give her up.</p> + +<p>"That woman doesn't know what fear is," he said to himself, "and she +watches me like a hawk."</p> + +<p>He told his wife that this woman was a lobbyist, whom he had to tolerate +and use in getting through his claims, and that he should pay her and +have done with her, when he succeeded.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p361"></a><img alt="p361.jpg (18K)" src="images/p361.jpg" height="247" width="529"> +</center> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch41"></a>CHAPTER XLI.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>Henry Brierly was at the Dilworthy's constantly and on such terms of +intimacy that he came and went without question. The Senator was not an +inhospitable man, he liked to have guests in his house, and Harry's gay +humor and rattling way entertained him; for even the most devout men and +busy statesmen must have hours of relaxation.</p> + +<p>Harry himself believed that he was of great service in the University +business, and that the success of the scheme depended upon him to a great +degree. He spent many hours in talking it over with the Senator after +dinner. He went so far as to consider whether it would be worth his +while to take the professorship of civil engineering in the new +institution.</p> + +<p>But it was not the Senator's society nor his dinners—at which this +scapegrace remarked that there was too much grace and too little +wine—which attracted him to the house. The fact was the poor fellow hung +around there day after day for the chance of seeing Laura for five +minutes at a time. For her presence at dinner he would endure the long +bore of the Senator's talk afterwards, while Laura was off at some +assembly, or excused herself on the plea of fatigue. Now and then he +accompanied her to some reception, and rarely, on off nights, he was +blessed with her company in the parlor, when he sang, and was chatty and +vivacious and performed a hundred little tricks of imitation and +ventriloquism, and made himself as entertaining as a man could be.</p> + +<p>It puzzled him not a little that all his fascinations seemed to go for so +little with Laura; it was beyond his experience with women. Sometimes +Laura was exceedingly kind and petted him a little, and took the trouble +to exert her powers of pleasing, and to entangle him deeper and deeper. +But this, it angered him afterwards to think, was in private; in public +she was beyond his reach, and never gave occasion to the suspicion that +she had any affair with him. He was never permitted to achieve the +dignity of a serious flirtation with her in public.</p> + +<p>"Why do you treat me so?" he once said, reproachfully.</p> + +<p>"Treat you how?" asked Laura in a sweet voice, lifting her eyebrows.</p> + +<p>"You know well enough. You let other fellows monopolize you in society, +and you are as indifferent to me as if we were strangers."</p> + +<p>"Can I help it if they are attentive, can I be rude? But we are such old +friends, Mr. Brierly, that I didn't suppose you would be jealous."</p> + +<p>"I think I must be a very old friend, then, by your conduct towards me. +By the same rule I should judge that Col. Selby must be very new."</p> + +<p>Laura looked up quickly, as if about to return an indignant answer to +such impertinence, but she only said, "Well, what of Col. Selby, +sauce-box?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, probably, you'll care for. Your being with him so much is the +town talk, that's all?"</p> + +<p>"What do people say?" asked Laura calmly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, they say a good many things. You are offended, though, to have me +speak of it?"</p> + +<p>"Not in the least. You are my true friend. I feel that I can trust you. +You wouldn't deceive me, Harry?" throwing into her eyes a look of trust +and tenderness that melted away all his petulance and distrust. "What do +they say?"</p> + +<p>"Some say that you've lost your head about him; others that you don't +care any more for him than you do for a dozen others, but that he is +completely fascinated with you and about to desert his wife; and others +say it is nonsense to suppose you would entangle yourself with a married +man, and that your intimacy only arises from the matter of the cotton, +claims, for which he wants your influence with Dilworthy. But you know +everybody is talked about more or less in Washington. I shouldn't care; +but I wish you wouldn't have so much to do with Selby, Laura," continued +Harry, fancying that he was now upon such terms that his, advice, would +be heeded.</p> + +<p>"And you believed these slanders?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe anything against you, Laura, but Col. Selby does not +mean you any good. I know you wouldn't be seen with him if you knew his +reputation."</p> + +<p>"Do you know him?" Laura asked, as indifferently as she could.</p> + +<p>"Only a little. I was at his lodgings' in Georgetown a day or two ago, +with Col. Sellers. Sellers wanted to talk with him about some patent +remedy he has, Eye Water, or something of that sort, which he wants to +introduce into Europe. Selby is going abroad very soon."</p> + +<p>Laura started; in spite of her self-control.</p> + +<p>"And his wife!—Does he take his family? Did you see his wife?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. A dark little woman, rather worn—must have been pretty once +though. Has three or four children, one of them a baby. They'll all +go of course. She said she should be glad enough to get away from +Washington. You know Selby has got his claim allowed, and they say he +has had a run, of luck lately at Morrissey's."</p> + +<p>Laura heard all this in a kind of stupor, looking straight at Harry, +without seeing him. Is it possible, she was thinking, that this base +wretch, after, all his promises, will take his wife and children and +leave me? Is it possible the town is saying all these things about me? +And a look of bitterness coming into her face—does the fool think he can +escape so?</p> + +<p>"You are angry with me, Laura," said Harry, not comprehending in the +least what was going on in her mind.</p> + +<p>"Angry?" she said, forcing herself to come back to his presence. +"With you? Oh no. I'm angry with the cruel world, which, pursues an +independent woman as it never does a man. I'm grateful to you Harry; +I'm grateful to you for telling me of that odious man."</p> + +<p>And she rose from her chair and gave him her pretty hand, which the silly +fellow took, and kissed and clung to. And he said many silly things, +before she disengaged herself gently, and left him, saying it was time to +dress, for dinner.</p> + +<p>And Harry went away, excited, and a little hopeful, but only a little. +The happiness was only a gleam, which departed and left him thoroughly, +miserable. She never would love him, and she was going to the devil, +besides. He couldn't shut his eyes to what he saw, nor his ears to what +he heard of her.</p> + +<p>What had come over this thrilling young lady-killer? It was a pity to see +such a gay butterfly broken on a wheel. Was there something good in him, +after all, that had been touched? He was in fact madly in love with this +woman.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p365"></a><img alt="p365.jpg (32K)" src="images/p365.jpg" height="385" width="347"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>It is not for us to analyze the passion and say whether it was a worthy +one. It absorbed his whole nature and made him wretched enough. If he +deserved punishment, what more would you have? Perhaps this love was +kindling a new heroism in him.</p> + +<p>He saw the road on which Laura was going clearly enough, though he did +not believe the worst he heard of her. He loved her too passionately to +credit that for a moment. And it seemed to him that if he could compel +her to recognize her position, and his own devotion, she might love him, +and that he could save her. His love was so far ennobled, and become a +very different thing from its beginning in Hawkeye. Whether he ever +thought that if he could save her from ruin, he could give her up +himself, is doubtful. Such a pitch of virtue does not occur often in +real life, especially in such natures as Harry's, whose generosity and +unselfishness were matters of temperament rather than habits or +principles.</p> + +<p>He wrote a long letter to Laura, an incoherent, passionate letter, +pouring out his love as he could not do in her presence, and warning her +as plainly as he dared of the dangers that surrounded her, and the risks +she ran of compromising herself in many ways.</p> + +<p>Laura read the letter, with a little sigh may be, as she thought of other +days, but with contempt also, and she put it into the fire with the +thought, "They are all alike."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p367"></a><img alt="p367.jpg (25K)" src="images/p367.jpg" height="455" width="267"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Harry was in the habit of writing to Philip freely, and boasting also +about his doings, as he could not help doing and remain himself. +Mixed up with his own exploits, and his daily triumphs as a lobbyist, +especially in the matter of the new University, in which Harry was to +have something handsome, were amusing sketches of Washington society, +hints about Dilworthy, stories about Col. Sellers, who had become a +well-known character, and wise remarks upon the machinery of private +legislation for the public-good, which greatly entertained Philip in his +convalescence.</p> + +<p>Laura's name occurred very often in these letters, at first in casual +mention as the belle of the season, carrying everything before her with +her wit and beauty, and then more seriously, as if Harry did not exactly +like so much general admiration of her, and was a little nettled by her +treatment of him.</p> + +<p>This was so different from Harry's usual tone about women, that Philip +wondered a good deal over it. Could it be possible that he was seriously +affected? Then came stories about Laura, town talk, gossip which Harry +denied the truth of indignantly; but he was evidently uneasy, and at +length wrote in such miserable spirits that Philip asked him squarely +what the trouble was; was he in love?</p> + +<p>Upon this, Harry made a clean breast of it, and told Philip all he knew +about the Selby affair, and Laura's treatment of him, sometimes +encouraging him—and then throwing him off, and finally his belief that +she would go, to the bad if something was not done to arouse her from her +infatuation. He wished Philip was in Washington. He knew Laura, and she +had a great respect for his character, his opinions, his judgment. +Perhaps he, as an uninterested person whom she would have some +confidence, and as one of the public, could say some thing to her that +would show her where she stood.</p> + +<p>Philip saw the situation clearly enough. Of Laura he knew not much, +except that she was a woman of uncommon fascination, and he thought from +what he had seen of her in Hawkeye, her conduct towards him and towards +Harry, of not too much principle. Of course he knew nothing of her +history; he knew nothing seriously against her, and if Harry was +desperately enamored of her, why should he not win her if he could. +If, however, she had already become what Harry uneasily felt she might +become, was it not his duty to go to the rescue of his friend and try to +save him from any rash act on account of a woman that might prove to be +entirely unworthy of him; for trifler and visionary as he was, Harry +deserved a better fate than this.</p> + +<p>Philip determined to go to Washington and see for himself. He had other +reasons also. He began to know enough of Mr. Bolton's affairs to be +uneasy. Pennybacker had been there several times during the winter, and +he suspected that he was involving Mr. Bolton in some doubtful scheme. +Pennybacker was in Washington, and Philip thought he might perhaps find +out something about him, and his plans, that would be of service to Mr. +Bolton.</p> + +<p>Philip had enjoyed his winter very well, for a man with his arm broken +and his head smashed. With two such nurses as Ruth and Alice, illness +seemed to him rather a nice holiday, and every moment of his +convalescence had been precious and all too fleeting. With a young +fellow of the habits of Philip, such injuries cannot be counted on to +tarry long, even for the purpose of love-making, and Philip found himself +getting strong with even disagreeable rapidity.</p> + +<p>During his first weeks of pain and weakness, Ruth was unceasing in her +ministrations; she quietly took charge of him, and with a gentle firmness +resisted all attempts of Alice or any one else to share to any great +extent the burden with her. She was clear, decisive and peremptory in +whatever she did; but often when Philip, opened his eyes in those first +days of suffering and found her standing by his bedside, he saw a look of +tenderness in her anxious face that quickened his already feverish pulse, +a look that, remained in his heart long after he closed his eyes. +Sometimes he felt her hand on his forehead, and did not open his eyes for +fear she world take it away. He watched for her coming to his chamber; +he could distinguish her light footstep from all others. If this is what +is meant by women practicing medicine, thought Philip to himself, I like +it.</p> + +<p>"Ruth," said he one day when he was getting to be quite himself, +"I believe in it?"</p> + +<p>"Believe in what?"</p> + +<p>"Why, in women physicians."</p> + +<p>"Then, I'd better call in Mrs. Dr. Longstreet."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. One will do, one at a time. I think I should be well tomorrow, +if I thought I should never have any other."</p> + +<p>"Thy physician thinks thee mustn't talk, Philip," said Ruth putting her +finger on his lips.</p> + +<p>"But, Ruth, I want to tell you that I should wish I never had got well +if—"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p370"></a><img alt="p370.jpg (30K)" src="images/p370.jpg" height="331" width="471"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"There, there, thee must not talk. Thee is wandering again," and Ruth +closed his lips, with a smile on her own that broadened into a merry +laugh as she ran away.</p> + +<p>Philip was not weary, however, of making these attempts, he rather +enjoyed it. But whenever he inclined to be sentimental, Ruth would cut +him off, with some such gravely conceived speech as, "Does thee think +that thy physician will take advantage of the condition of a man who is +as weak as thee is? I will call Alice, if thee has any dying confessions +to make."</p> + +<p>As Philip convalesced, Alice more and more took Ruth's place as his +entertainer, and read to him by the hour, when he did not want to +talk—to talk about Ruth, as he did a good deal of the time. Nor was this +altogether unsatisfactory to Philip. He was always happy and contented +with Alice. She was the most restful person he knew. Better informed +than Ruth and with a much more varied culture, and bright and +sympathetic, he was never weary of her company, if he was not greatly +excited by it. She had upon his mind that peaceful influence that Mrs. +Bolton had when, occasionally, she sat by his bedside with her work. +Some people have this influence, which is like an emanation. They bring +peace to a house, they diffuse serene content in a room full of mixed +company, though they may say very little, and are apparently, unconscious +of their own power;</p> + +<p>Not that Philip did not long for Ruth's presence all the same. Since he +was well enough to be about the house, she was busy again with her +studies. Now and then her teasing humor came again. She always had a +playful shield against his sentiment. Philip used sometimes to declare +that she had no sentiment; and then he doubted if he should be pleased +with her after all if she were at all sentimental; and he rejoiced that +she had, in such matters what he called the airy grace of sanity. She +was the most gay serious person he ever saw.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he waw not so much at rest or so contented with her as with +Alice. But then he loved her. And what have rest and contentment to do +with love?</p> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch42"></a>CHAPTER XLII.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone's campaign was brief—much briefer than he supposed it +would be. He began it purposing to win Laura without being won himself; +but his experience was that of all who had fought on that field before +him; he diligently continued his effort to win her, but he presently +found that while as yet he could not feel entirely certain of having won +her, it was very manifest that she had won him. He had made an able +fight, brief as it was, and that at least was to his credit. He was in +good company, now; he walked in a leash of conspicuous captives. These +unfortunates followed Laura helplessly, for whenever she took a prisoner +he remained her slave henceforth. Sometimes they chafed in their +bondage; sometimes they tore themselves free and said their serfdom was +ended; but sooner or later they always came back penitent and worshiping. +Laura pursued her usual course: she encouraged Mr. Buckstone by turns, +and by turns she harassed him; she exalted him to the clouds at one time, +and at another she dragged him down again. She constituted him chief +champion of the Knobs University bill, and he accepted the position, at +first reluctantly, but later as a valued means of serving her—he even +came to look upon it as a piece of great good fortune, since it brought +him into such frequent contact with her.</p> + +<p>Through him she learned that the Hon. Mr. Trollop was a bitter enemy of +her bill. He urged her not to attempt to influence Mr. Trollop in any +way, and explained that whatever she might attempt in that direction +would surely be used against her and with damaging effect.</p> + +<p>She at first said she knew Mr. Trollop, "and was aware that he had a +Blank-Blank;"—[**Her private figure of speech for +Brother—or Son-in-law]—but Mr. Buckstone said that he was not able to conceive what so +curious a phrase as Blank-Blank might mean, and had no wish to pry into +the matter, since it was probably private, he "would nevertheless venture +the blind assertion that nothing would answer in this particular case and +during this particular session but to be exceedingly wary and keep clear +away from Mr. Trollop; any other course would be fatal."</p> + +<p>It seemed that nothing could be done. Laura was seriously troubled. +Everything was looking well, and yet it was plain that one vigorous and +determined enemy might eventually succeed in overthrowing all her plans. +A suggestion came into her mind presently and she said:</p> + +<p>"Can't you fight against his great Pension bill and, bring him to terms?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, never; he and I are sworn brothers on that measure; we work in +harness and are very loving—I do everything I possibly can for him +there. But I work with might and main against his Immigration +bill,—as pertinaciously and as vindictively, indeed, as he works against our +University. We hate each other through half a conversation and are all +affection through the other half. We understand each other. He is an +admirable worker outside the capitol; he will do more for the Pension +bill than any other man could do; I wish he would make the great speech +on it which he wants to make—and then I would make another and we would +be safe."</p> + +<p>"Well if he wants to make a great speech why doesn't he do it?"</p> + +<p>Visitors interrupted the conversation and Mr. Buckstone took his leave. +It was not of the least moment to Laura that her question had not been +answered, inasmuch as it concerned a thing which did not interest her; +and yet, human being like, she thought she would have liked to know. +An opportunity occurring presently, she put the same question to another +person and got an answer that satisfied her. She pondered a good while +that night, after she had gone to bed, and when she finally turned over, +to, go to sleep, she had thought out a new scheme. The next evening at +Mrs. Gloverson's party, she said to Mr. Buckstone:</p> + +<p>"I want Mr. Trollop to make his great speech on the Pension bill."</p> + +<p>"Do you? But you remember I was interrupted, and did not explain +to you—"</p> + +<p>"Never mind, I know. You must' make him make that speech. I very. +particularly desire, it."</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is easy, to say make him do it, but how am I to make him!"</p> + +<p>"It is perfectly easy; I have thought it all out."</p> + +<p>She then went into the details. At length Mr. Buckstone said:</p> + +<p>"I see now. I can manage it, I am sure. Indeed I wonder he never +thought of it himself—there are no end of precedents. But how is this +going to benefit you, after I have managed it? There is where the +mystery lies."</p> + +<p>"But I will take care of that. It will benefit me a great deal."</p> + +<p>"I only wish I could see how; it is the oddest freak. You seem to go the +furthest around to get at a thing—but you are in earnest, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes I am, indeed."</p> + +<p>"Very well, I will do it—but why not tell me how you imagine it is going +to help you?"</p> + +<p>"I will, by and by.—Now there is nobody talking to him. Go straight and +do it, there's a good fellow."</p> + +<p>A moment or two later the two sworn friends of the Pension bill were +talking together, earnestly, and seemingly unconscious of the moving +throng about them. They talked an hour, and then Mr. Buckstone came back +and said:</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p375"></a><img alt="p375.jpg (44K)" src="images/p375.jpg" height="439" width="531"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"He hardly fancied it at first, but he fell in love with it after a bit. +And we have made a compact, too. I am to keep his secret and he is to +spare me, in future, when he gets ready to denounce the supporters of the +University bill—and I can easily believe he will keep his word on this +occasion."</p> + +<p>A fortnight elapsed, and the University bill had gathered to itself many +friends, meantime. Senator Dilworthy began to think the harvest was +ripe. He conferred with Laura privately. She was able to tell him +exactly how the House would vote. There was a majority—the bill would +pass, unless weak members got frightened at the last, and deserted—a +thing pretty likely to occur. The Senator said:</p> + +<p>"I wish we had one more good strong man. Now Trollop ought to be on our +side, for he is a friend of the negro. But he is against us, and is our +bitterest opponent. If he would simply vote No, but keep quiet and not +molest us, I would feel perfectly cheerful and content. But perhaps +there is no use in thinking of that."</p> + +<p>"Why I laid a little plan for his benefit two weeks ago. I think he will +be tractable, maybe. He is to come here tonight."</p> + +<p>"Look out for him, my child! He means mischief, sure. It is said that +he claims to know of improper practices having been used in the interest +of this bill, and he thinks be sees a chance to make a great sensation +when the bill comes up. Be wary. Be very, very careful, my dear. +Do your very-ablest talking, now. You can convince a man of anything, +when you try. You must convince him that if anything improper has been +done, you at least are ignorant of it and sorry for it. And if you could +only persuade him out of his hostility to the bill, too—but don't overdo +the thing; don't seem too anxious, dear."</p> + +<p>"I won't; I'll be ever so careful. I'll talk as sweetly to him as if he +were my own child! You may trust me—indeed you may."</p> + +<p>The door-bell rang.</p> + +<p>"That is the gentleman now," said Laura. Senator Dilworthy retired to +his study.</p> + +<p>Laura welcomed Mr. Trollop, a grave, carefully dressed and very +respectable looking man, with a bald head, standing collar and old +fashioned watch seals.</p> + +<p>"Promptness is a virtue, Mr. Trollop, and I perceive that you have it. +You are always prompt with me."</p> + +<p>"I always meet my engagements, of every kind, Miss Hawkins."</p> + +<p>"It is a quality which is rarer in the world than it has been, I believe. +I wished to see you on business, Mr. Trollop."</p> + +<p>"I judged so. What can I do for you?"</p> + +<p>"You know my bill—the Knobs University bill?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, I believe it is your bill. I had forgotten. Yes, I know the bill."</p> + +<p>"Well, would you mind telling me your opinion of it?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, since you seem to ask it without reserve, I am obliged to say +that I do not regard it favorably. I have not seen the bill itself, but +from what I can hear, it—it—well, it has a bad look about it. It—"</p> + +<p>"Speak it out—never fear."</p> + +<p>"Well, it—they say it contemplates a fraud upon the government."</p> + +<p>"Well?" said Laura tranquilly.</p> + +<p>"Well! I say 'Well?' too."</p> + +<p>"Well, suppose it were a fraud—which I feel able to deny—would it be +the first one?"</p> + +<p>"You take a body's breath away! Would you—did you wish me to vote for +it? Was that what you wanted to see me about?"</p> + +<p>"Your instinct is correct. I did want you—I do want you to vote for +it."</p> + +<p>"Vote for a fr—for a measure which is generally believed to be at least +questionable? I am afraid we cannot come to an understanding, Miss +Hawkins."</p> + +<p>"No, I am afraid not—if you have resumed your principles, Mr. Trollop."</p> + +<p>"Did you send for we merely to insult me? It is time for me to take my +leave, Miss Hawkins."</p> + +<p>"No-wait a moment. Don't be offended at a trifle. Do not be offish and +unsociable. The Steamship Subsidy bill was a fraud on the government. +You voted for it, Mr. Trollop, though you always opposed the measure +until after you had an interview one evening with a certain Mrs. McCarter +at her house. She was my agent. She was acting for me. Ah, that is +right—sit down again. You can be sociable, easily enough if you have a +mind to. Well? I am waiting. Have you nothing to say?"</p> + +<p>"Miss Hawkins, I voted for that bill because when I came to examine into +it—"</p> + +<p>"Ah yes. When you came to examine into it. Well, I only want you to +examine into my bill. Mr. Trollop, you would not sell your vote on that +subsidy bill—which was perfectly right—but you accepted of some of the +stock, with the understanding that it was to stand in your +brother-in-law's name."</p> + +<p>"There is no pr—I mean, this is, utterly groundless, Miss Hawkins." But +the gentleman seemed somewhat uneasy, nevertheless.</p> + +<p>"Well, not entirely so, perhaps. I and a person whom we will call Miss +Blank (never mind the real name,) were in a closet at your elbow all the +while."</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop winced—then he said with dignity:</p> + +<p>"Miss Hawkins is it possible that you were capable of such a thing as +that?"</p> + +<p>"It was bad; I confess that. It was bad. Almost as bad as selling one's +vote for—but I forget; you did not sell your vote—you only accepted a +little trifle, a small token of esteem, for your brother-in-law. Oh, let +us come out and be frank with each other: I know you, Mr. Trollop. +I have met you on business three or four times; true, I never offered to +corrupt your principles—never hinted such a thing; but always when I had +finished sounding you, I manipulated you through an agent. Let us be +frank. Wear this comely disguise of virtue before the public—it will +count there; but here it is out of place. My dear sir, by and by there +is going to be an investigation into that National Internal Improvement +Directors' Relief Measure of a few years ago, and you know very well that +you will be a crippled man, as likely as not, when it is completed."</p> + +<p>"It cannot be shown that a man is a knave merely for owning that stock. +I am not distressed about the National Improvement Relief Measure."</p> + +<p>"Oh indeed I am not trying to distress you. I only wished, to make good +my assertion that I knew you. Several of you gentlemen bought of that +stack (without paying a penny down) received dividends from it, (think of +the happy idea of receiving dividends, and very large ones, too, from +stock one hasn't paid for!) and all the while your names never appeared +in the transaction; if ever you took the stock at all, you took it in +other people's names. Now you see, you had to know one of two things; +namely, you either knew that the idea of all this preposterous generosity +was to bribe you into future legislative friendship, or you didn't know +it. That is to say, you had to be either a knave or a—well, a +fool—there was no middle ground. You are not a fool, Mr. Trollop."</p> + +<p>"Miss Hawking you flatter me. But seriously, you do not forget that some +of the best and purest men in Congress took that stock in that way?"</p> + +<p>"Did Senator Bland?"</p> + +<p>"Well, no—I believe not."</p> + +<p>"Of course you believe not. Do you suppose he was ever approached, on +the subject?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not."</p> + +<p>"If you had approached him, for instance, fortified with the fact that +some of the best men in Congress, and the purest, etc., etc.; what would +have been the result?"</p> + +<p>"Well, what WOULD have been the result?"</p> + +<p>"He would have shown you the door! For Mr. Blank is neither a knave nor +a fool. There are other men in the Senate and the House whom no one +would have been hardy enough to approach with that Relief Stock in that +peculiarly generous way, but they are not of the class that you regard as +the best and purest. No, I say I know you Mr. Trollop. That is to say, +one may suggest a thing to Mr. Trollop which it would not do to suggest +to Mr. Blank. Mr. Trollop, you are pledged to support the Indigent +Congressmen's Retroactive Appropriation which is to come up, either in +this or the next session. You do not deny that, even in public. The man +that will vote for that bill will break the eighth commandment in any +other way, sir!"</p> + +<p>"But he will not vote for your corrupt measure, nevertheless, madam!" +exclaimed Mr. Trollop, rising from his seat in a passion.</p> + +<p>"Ah, but he will. Sit down again, and let me explain why. Oh, come, +don't behave so. It is very unpleasant. Now be good, and you shall +have, the missing page of your great speech. Here it is!"—and she +displayed a sheet of manuscript.</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop turned immediately back from the threshold. It might have +been gladness that flashed into his face; it might have been something +else; but at any rate there was much astonishment mixed with it.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p380"></a><img alt="p380.jpg (25K)" src="images/p380.jpg" height="451" width="273"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Good! Where did you get it? Give it me!"</p> + +<p>"Now there is no hurry. Sit down; sit down and let us talk and be +friendly."</p> + +<p>The gentleman wavered. Then he said:</p> + +<p>"No, this is only a subterfuge. I will go. It is not the missing page."</p> + +<p>Laura tore off a couple of lines from the bottom of the sheet.</p> + +<p>"Now," she said, "you will know whether this is the handwriting or not. +You know it is the handwriting. Now if you will listen, you will know +that this must be the list of statistics which was to be the 'nub' of +your great effort, and the accompanying blast the beginning of the burst +of eloquence which was continued on the next page—and you will recognize +that there was where you broke down."</p> + +<p>She read the page. Mr. Trollop said:</p> + +<p>"This is perfectly astounding. Still, what is all this to me? It is +nothing. It does not concern me. The speech is made, and there an end. +I did break down for a moment, and in a rather uncomfortable place, since +I had led up to those statistics with some grandeur; the hiatus was +pleasanter to the House and the galleries than it was to me. But it is +no matter now. A week has passed; the jests about it ceased three or +four days ago. The, whole thing is a matter of indifference to me, Miss +Hawkins."</p> + +<p>"But you apologized; and promised the statistics for next day. Why +didn't you keep your promise."</p> + +<p>"The matter was not of sufficient consequence. The time was gone by to +produce an effect with them."</p> + +<p>"But I hear that other friends of the Soldiers' Pension Bill desire them +very much. I think you ought to let them have them."</p> + +<p>"Miss Hawkins, this silly blunder of my copyist evidently has more +interest for you than it has for me. I will send my private secretary to +you and let him discuss the subject with you at length."</p> + +<p>"Did he copy your speech for you?"</p> + +<p>"Of course he did. Why all these questions? Tell me—how did you get +hold of that page of manuscript? That is the only thing that stirs a +passing interest in my mind."</p> + +<p>"I'm coming to that." Then she said, much as if she were talking to +herself: "It does seem like taking a deal of unnecessary pains, for a +body to hire another body to construct a great speech for him and then go +and get still another body to copy it before it can be read in the +House."</p> + +<p>"Miss Hawkins, what do yo mean by such talk as that?"</p> + +<p>"Why I am sure I mean no harm—no harm to anybody in the world. I am +certain that I overheard the Hon. Mr. Buckstone either promise to write +your great speech for you or else get some other competent person to do +it."</p> + +<p>"This is perfectly absurd, madam, perfectly absurd!" and Mr. Trollop +affected a laugh of derision.</p> + +<p>"Why, the thing has occurred before now. I mean that I have heard that +Congressmen have sometimes hired literary grubs to build speeches for +them.—Now didn't I overhear a conversation like that I spoke of?"</p> + +<p>"Pshaw! Why of course you may have overheard some such jesting nonsense. +But would one be in earnest about so farcical a thing?"</p> + +<p>"Well if it was only a joke, why did you make a serious matter of it? +Why did you get the speech written for you, and then read it in the House +without ever having it copied?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop did not laugh this time; he seemed seriously perplexed. He +said:</p> + +<p>"Come, play out your jest, Miss Hawkins. I can't understand what you are +contriving—but it seems to entertain you—so please, go on."</p> + +<p>"I will, I assure you; but I hope to make the matter entertaining to you, +too. Your private secretary never copied your speech."</p> + +<p>"Indeed? Really you seem to know my affairs better than I do myself."</p> + +<p>"I believe I do. You can't name your own amanuensis, Mr. Trollop."</p> + +<p>"That is sad, indeed. Perhaps Miss Hawkins can?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can. I wrote your speech myself, and you read it from my +manuscript. There, now!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop did not spring to his feet and smite his brow with his hand +while a cold sweat broke out all over him and the color forsook his +face—no, he only said, "Good God!" and looked greatly astonished.</p> + +<p>Laura handed him her commonplace-book and called his attention to the +fact that the handwriting there and the handwriting of this speech were +the same. He was shortly convinced. He laid the book aside and said, +composedly:</p> + +<p>"Well, the wonderful tragedy is done, and it transpires that I am +indebted to you for my late eloquence. What of it? What was all this +for and what does it amount to after all? What do you propose to do +about it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh nothing. It is only a bit of pleasantry. When I overheard that +conversation I took an early opportunity to ask Mr. Buckstone if he knew +of anybody who might want a speech written—I had a friend, and so forth +and so on. I was the friend, myself; I thought I might do you a good +turn then and depend on you to do me one by and by. I never let Mr. +Buckstone have the speech till the last moment, and when you hurried off +to the House with it, you did not know there was a missing page, of +course, but I did.</p> + +<p>"And now perhaps you think that if I refuse to support your bill, you +will make a grand exposure?"</p> + +<p>"Well I had not thought of that. I only kept back the page for the mere +fun of the thing; but since you mention it, I don't know but I might do +something if I were angry."</p> + +<p>"My dear Miss Hawkins, if you were to give out that you composed my +speech, you know very well that people would say it was only your +raillery, your fondness for putting a victim in the pillory and amusing +the public at his expense. It is too flimsy, Miss Hawkins, for a person +of your fine inventive talent—contrive an abler device than that. +Come!"</p> + +<p>"It is easily done, Mr. Trollop. I will hire a man, and pin this page on +his breast, and label it, 'The Missing Fragment of the Hon. Mr. Trollop's +Great Speech—which speech was written and composed by Miss Laura Hawkins +under a secret understanding for one hundred dollars—and the money has +not been paid.' And I will pin round about it notes in my handwriting, +which I will procure from prominent friends of mine for the occasion; +also your printed speech in the Globe, showing the connection between its +bracketed hiatus and my Fragment; and I give you my word of honor that I +will stand that human bulletin board in the rotunda of the capitol and +make him stay there a week! You see you are premature, Mr. Trollop, the +wonderful tragedy is not done yet, by any means. Come, now, doesn't it +improve?"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p384"></a><img alt="p384.jpg (29K)" src="images/p384.jpg" height="593" width="309"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Mr Trollop opened his eyes rather widely at this novel aspect of the +case. He got up and walked the floor and gave himself a moment for +reflection. Then he stopped and studied Laura's face a while, and ended +by saying:</p> + +<p>"Well, I am obliged to believe you would be reckless enough to do that."</p> + +<p>"Then don't put me to the test, Mr. Trollop. But let's drop the matter. +I have had my joke and you've borne the infliction becomingly enough. +It spoils a jest to harp on it after one has had one's laugh. I would +much rather talk about my bill."</p> + +<p>"So would I, now, my clandestine amanuensis. Compared with some other +subjects, even your bill is a pleasant topic to discuss."</p> + +<p>"Very good indeed! I thought. I could persuade you. Now I am sure you +will be generous to the poor negro and vote for that bill."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I feel more tenderly toward the oppressed colored man than I did. +Shall we bury the hatchet and be good friends and respect each other's +little secrets, on condition that I vote Aye on the measure?"</p> + +<p>"With all my heart, Mr. Trollop. I give you my word of that."</p> + +<p>"It is a bargain. But isn't there something else you could give me, +too?"</p> + +<p>Laura looked at him inquiringly a moment, and then she comprehended.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes! You may have it now. I haven't any, more use for it." She +picked up the page of manuscript, but she reconsidered her intention of +handing it to him, and said, "But never mind; I will keep it close; no +one shall see it; you shall have it as soon as your vote is recorded."</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop looked disappointed. But presently made his adieux, and had +got as far as the hall, when something occurred to Laura. She said to +herself, "I don't simply want his vote under compulsion—he might vote +aye, but work against the bill in secret, for revenge; that man is +unscrupulous enough to do anything. I must have his hearty co-operation +as well as his vote. There is only one way to get that."</p> + +<p>She called him back, and said:</p> + +<p>"I value your vote, Mr. Trollop, but I value your influence more. You +are able to help a measure along in many ways, if you choose. I want to +ask you to work for the bill as well as vote for it."</p> + +<p>"It takes so much of one's time, Miss Hawkins—and time is money, you +know."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know it is—especially in Congress. Now there is no use in you +and I dealing in pretenses and going at matters in round-about ways. +We know each other—disguises are nonsense. Let us be plain. I will +make it an object to you to work for the bill."</p> + +<p>"Don't make it unnecessarily plain, please. There are little proprieties +that are best preserved. What do you propose?"</p> + +<p>"Well, this." She mentioned the names of several prominent Congressmen.</p> + +<p>"Now," said she, "these gentlemen are to vote and work for the bill, +simply out of love for the negro—and out of pure generosity I have put +in a relative of each as a member of the University incorporation. They +will handle a million or so of money, officially, but will receive no +salaries. A larger number of statesmen are to, vote and work for the +bill—also out of love for the negro—gentlemen of but moderate +influence, these—and out of pure generosity I am to see that relatives +of theirs have positions in the University, with salaries, and good ones, +too. You will vote and work for the bill, from mere affection for the +negro, and I desire to testify my gratitude becomingly. Make free +choice. Have you any friend whom you would like to present with a +salaried or unsalaried position in our institution?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I have a brother-in-law—"</p> + +<p>"That same old brother-in-law, you good unselfish provider! I have heard +of him often, through my agents. How regularly he does 'turn up,' to be +sure. He could deal with those millions virtuously, and withal with +ability, too—but of course you would rather he had a salaried position?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said the gentleman, facetiously, "we are very humble, very +humble in our desires; we want no money; we labor solely, for our country +and require no reward but the luxury of an applauding conscience. Make +him one of those poor hard working unsalaried corporators and let him do +every body good with those millions—and go hungry himself! I will try +to exert a little influence in favor of the bill."</p> + +<p>Arrived at home, Mr. Trollop sat down and thought it all over—something +after this fashion: it is about the shape it might have taken if he had +spoken it aloud.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p387"></a><img alt="p387.jpg (22K)" src="images/p387.jpg" height="483" width="327"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"My reputation is getting a little damaged, and I meant to clear it up +brilliantly with an exposure of this bill at the supreme moment, and ride +back into Congress on the eclat of it; and if I had that bit of +manuscript, I would do it yet. It would be more money in my pocket in +the end, than my brother-in-law will get out of that incorporatorship, +fat as it is. But that sheet of paper is out of my reach—she will never +let that get out of her hands. And what a mountain it is! It blocks up +my road, completely. She was going to hand it to me, once. Why didn't +she! Must be a deep woman. Deep devil! That is what she is; +a beautiful devil—and perfectly fearless, too. The idea of her pinning +that paper on a man and standing him up in the rotunda looks absurd at a +first glance. But she would do it! She is capable of doing anything. +I went there hoping she would try to bribe me—good solid capital that +would be in the exposure. Well, my prayer was answered; she did try to +bribe me; and I made the best of a bad bargain and let her. I am +checkmated. I must contrive something fresh to get back to Congress on. +Very well; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; I will work for +the bill—the incorporatorship will be a very good thing."</p> + +<p>As soon as Mr. Trollop had taken his leave, Laura ran to Senator +Dilworthy and began to speak, but he interrupted her and said +distressfully, without even turning from his writing to look at her:</p> + +<p>"Only half an hour! You gave it up early, child. However, it was best, +it was best—I'm sure it was best—and safest."</p> + +<p>"Give it up! I!"</p> + +<p>The Senator sprang up, all aglow:</p> + +<p>"My child, you can't mean that you—"</p> + +<p>"I've made him promise on honor to think about a compromise tonight and +come and tell me his decision in the morning."</p> + +<p>"Good! There's hope yet that—"</p> + +<p>Nonsense, uncle. I've made him engage to let the Tennessee Land bill +utterly alone!"</p> + +<p>"Impossible! You—"</p> + +<p>"I've made him promise to vote with us!"</p> + +<p>"INCREDIBLE! Abso—"</p> + +<p>"I've made him swear that he'll work for us!"</p> + +<p>"PRE - - - POSTEROUS!—Utterly pre—break a window, child, before I +suffocate!"</p> + +<p>"No matter, it's true anyway. Now we can march into Congress with drums +beating and colors flying!"</p> + +<p>"Well—well—well. I'm sadly bewildered, sadly bewildered. I can't +understand it at all—the most extraordinary woman that ever—it's a +great day, it's a great day. There—there—let me put my hand in +benediction on this precious head. Ah, my child, the poor negro will +bless—"</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p388"></a><img alt="p388.jpg (100K)" src="images/p388.jpg" height="909" width="575"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Oh bother the poor negro, uncle! Put it in your speech. Good-night, +good-bye—we'll marshal our forces and march with the dawn!"</p> + +<p>Laura reflected a while, when she was alone, and then fell to laughing, +peacefully.</p> + +<p>"Everybody works for me,"—so ran her thought. "It was a good idea to +make Buckstone lead Mr. Trollop on to get a great speech written for him; +and it was a happy part of the same idea for me to copy the speech after +Mr. Buckstone had written it, and then keep back a page. Mr. B. was +very complimentary to me when Trollop's break-down in the House showed +him the object of my mysterious scheme; I think he will say, still finer +things when I tell him the triumph the sequel to it has gained for us.</p> + +<p>"But what a coward the man was, to believe I would have exposed that page +in the rotunda, and so exposed myself. However, I don't know—I don't +know. I will think a moment. Suppose he voted no; suppose the bill +failed; that is to suppose this stupendous game lost forever, that I have +played so desperately for; suppose people came around pitying me—odious! +And he could have saved me by his single voice. Yes, I would have +exposed him! What would I care for the talk that that would have made +about me when I was gone to Europe with Selby and all the world was busy +with my history and my dishonor? It would be almost happiness to spite +somebody at such a time."</p> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch43"></a>CHAPTER XLIII.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>The very next day, sure enough, the campaign opened. In due course, the +Speaker of the House reached that Order of Business which is termed +"Notices of Bills," and then the Hon. Mr. Buckstone rose in his place and +gave notice of a bill "To Found and Incorporate the Knobs Industrial +University," and then sat down without saying anything further. The busy +gentlemen in the reporters' gallery jotted a line in their note-books, +ran to the telegraphic desk in a room which communicated with their own +writing-parlor, and then hurried back to their places in the gallery; and +by the time they had resumed their seats, the line which they had +delivered to the operator had been read in telegraphic offices in towns +and cities hundreds of miles away. It was distinguished by frankness of +language as well as by brevity:</p> + +<p>"The child is born. Buckstone gives notice of the thieving Knobs +University job. It is said the noses have been counted and enough votes +have been bought to pass it."</p> + +<p>For some time the correspondents had been posting their several journals +upon the alleged disreputable nature of the bill, and furnishing daily +reports of the Washington gossip concerning it. So the next morning, +nearly every newspaper of character in the land assailed the measure and +hurled broadsides of invective at Mr. Buckstone. The Washington papers +were more respectful, as usual—and conciliatory, also, as usual. They +generally supported measures, when it was possible; but when they could +not they "deprecated" violent expressions of opinion in other +journalistic quarters.</p> + +<p>They always deprecated, when there was trouble ahead. However, 'The +Washington Daily Love-Feast' hailed the bill with warm approbation. This +was Senator Balaam's paper—or rather, "Brother" Balaam, as he was +popularly called, for he had been a clergyman, in his day; and he himself +and all that he did still emitted an odor of sanctity now that he had +diverged into journalism and politics. He was a power in the +Congressional prayer meeting, and in all movements that looked to the +spread of religion and temperance.</p> + +<p>His paper supported the new bill with gushing affection; it was a noble +measure; it was a just measure; it was a generous measure; it was a pure +measure, and that surely should recommend it in these corrupt times; and +finally, if the nature of the bill were not known at all, the 'Love +Feast' would support it anyway, and unhesitatingly, for the fact that +Senator Dilworthy was the originator of the measure was a guaranty that +it contemplated a worthy and righteous work.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p391"></a><img alt="p391.jpg (26K)" src="images/p391.jpg" height="337" width="437"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Senator Dilworthy was so anxious to know what the New York papers would +say about the bill; that he had arranged to have synopses of their +editorials telegraphed to him; he could not wait for the papers +themselves to crawl along down to Washington by a mail train which has +never run over a cow since the road was built; for the reason that it has +never been able to overtake one. It carries the usual "cow-catcher" in +front of the locomotive, but this is mere ostentation. It ought to be +attached to the rear car, where it could do some good; but instead, no +provision is made there for the protection of the traveling public, and +hence it is not a matter of surprise that cows so frequently climb aboard +that train and among the passengers.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p392"></a><img alt="p392.jpg (26K)" src="images/p392.jpg" height="319" width="435"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>The Senator read his dispatches aloud at the breakfast table. Laura was +troubled beyond measure at their tone, and said that that sort of comment +would defeat the bill; but the Senator said:</p> + +<p>"Oh, not at all, not at all, my child. It is just what we want. +Persecution is the one thing needful, now—all the other forces are +secured. Give us newspaper persecution enough, and we are safe. +Vigorous persecution will alone carry a bill sometimes, dear; and when +you start with a strong vote in the first place, persecution comes in +with double effect. It scares off some of the weak supporters, true, +but it soon turns strong ones into stubborn ones. And then, presently, +it changes the tide of public opinion. The great public is weak-minded; +the great public is sentimental; the great public always turns around and +weeps for an odious murderer, and prays for-him, and carries flowers to +his prison and besieges the governor with appeals to his clemency, as +soon as the papers begin to howl for that man's blood.—In a word, the +great putty-hearted public loves to 'gush,' and there is no such darling +opportunity to gush as a case of persecution affords."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p393"></a><img alt="p393.jpg (24K)" src="images/p393.jpg" height="481" width="329"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>"Well, uncle, dear; if your theory is right, let us go into raptures, +for nobody can ask a heartier persecution than these editorials are +furnishing."</p> + +<p>"I am not so sure of that, my daughter. I don't entirely like the tone +of some of these remarks. They lack vim, they lack venom. Here is one +calls it a 'questionable measure.' Bah, there is no strength in that. +This one is better; it calls it 'highway robbery.' That sounds something +like. But now this one seems satisfied to call it an 'iniquitous +scheme'. 'Iniquitous' does not exasperate anybody; it is weak—puerile. +The ignorant will imagine it to be intended for a compliment. But this +other one—the one I read last—has the true ring: 'This vile, dirty +effort to rob the public treasury, by the kites and vultures that now +infest the filthy den called Congress'—that is admirable, admirable! +We must have more of that sort. But it will come—no fear of that; +they're not warmed up, yet. A week from now you'll see."</p> + +<p>"Uncle, you and Brother Balaam are bosom friends—why don't you get his +paper to persecute us, too?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't worth while, my, daughter. His support doesn't hurt a bill. +Nobody reads his editorials but himself. But I wish the New York papers +would talk a little plainer. It is annoying to have to wait a week for +them to warm up. I expected better things at their hands—and time is +precious, now."</p> + +<p>At the proper hour, according to his previous notice, Mr. Buckstone duly +introduced his bill entitled "An Act to Found and Incorporate the Knobs +Industrial University," moved its proper reference, and sat down.</p> + +<p>The Speaker of the House rattled off this observation:</p> + +<p>"'Fnobjectionbilltakuzhlcoixrssoreferred!'"</p> + +<p>Habitues of the House comprehended that this long, lightning-heeled word +signified that if there was no objection, the bill would take the +customary course of a measure of its nature, and be referred to the +Committee on Benevolent Appropriations, and that it was accordingly so +referred. Strangers merely supposed that the Speaker was taking a gargle +for some affection of the throat.</p> + +<p>The reporters immediately telegraphed the introduction of the bill.—And +they added:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + "The assertion that the bill will pass was premature. It is said + that many favorers of it will desert when the storm breaks upon them + from the public press." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>The storm came, and during ten days it waxed more and more violent day by +day. The great "Negro University Swindle" became the one absorbing topic +of conversation throughout the Union. Individuals denounced it, journals +denounced it, public meetings denounced it, the pictorial papers +caricatured its friends, the whole nation seemed to be growing frantic +over it. Meantime the Washington correspondents were sending such +telegrams as these abroad in the land; Under date of—</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +SATURDAY. "Congressmen Jex and Fluke are wavering; it is believed they +will desert the execrable bill." + +MONDAY. "Jex and Fluke have deserted!" + +THURSDAY. "Tubbs and Huffy left the sinking ship last night" +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Later on:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"Three desertions. The University thieves are getting scared, though +they will not own it." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Later:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"The leaders are growing stubborn—they swear they can carry it, but it +is now almost certain that they no longer have a majority!" +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>After a day or two of reluctant and ambiguous telegrams:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"Public sentiment seems changing, a trifle in favor of the +bill—but only a trifle." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>And still later:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"It is whispered that the Hon. Mr. Trollop has gone over to the pirates. +It is probably a canard. Mr. Trollop has all along been the bravest and +most efficient champion of virtue and the people against the bill, and +the report is without doubt a shameless invention." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Next day:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"With characteristic treachery, the truckling and pusillanimous reptile, +Crippled-Speech Trollop, has gone over to the enemy. It is contended, +now, that he has been a friend to the bill, in secret, since the day it +was introduced, and has had bankable reasons for being so; but he himself +declares that he has gone over because the malignant persecution of the +bill by the newspapers caused him to study its provisions with more care +than he had previously done, and this close examination revealed the fact +that the measure is one in every way worthy of support. (Pretty thin!) +It cannot be denied that this desertion has had a damaging effect. Jex +and Fluke have returned to their iniquitous allegiance, with six or eight +others of lesser calibre, and it is reported and believed that Tubbs and +Huffy are ready to go back. It is feared that the University swindle is +stronger to-day than it has ever been before." +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Later-midnight:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> +"It is said that the committee will report the bill back to-morrow. Both +sides are marshaling their forces, and the fight on this bill is +evidently going to be the hottest of the session.—All Washington is +boiling." +</blockquote></blockquote> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch44"></a>CHAPTER XLIV.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>"It's easy enough for another fellow to talk," said Harry, despondingly, +after he had put Philip in possession of his view of the case. "It's +easy enough to say 'give her up,' if you don't care for her. What am I +going to do to give her up?"</p> + +<p>It seemed to Harry that it was a situation requiring some active +measures. He couldn't realize that he had fallen hopelessly in love +without some rights accruing to him for the possession of the object of +his passion. Quiet resignation under relinquishment of any thing he +wanted was not in his line. And when it appeared to him that his +surrender of Laura would be the withdrawal of the one barrier that kept +her from ruin, it was unreasonable to expect that he could see how to +give her up.</p> + +<p>Harry had the most buoyant confidence in his own projects always; he saw +everything connected with himself in a large way and in rosy lines. This +predominance of the imagination over the judgment gave that appearance of +exaggeration to his conversation and to his communications with regard to +himself, which sometimes conveyed the impression that he was not speaking +the truth. His acquaintances had been known to say that they invariably +allowed a half for shrinkage in his statements, and held the other half +under advisement for confirmation.</p> + +<p>Philip in this case could not tell from Harry's story exactly how much +encouragement Laura had given him, nor what hopes he might justly have of +winning her. He had never seen him desponding before. The "brag" +appeared to be all taken out of him, and his airy manner only asserted +itself now and then in a comical imitation of its old self.</p> + +<p>Philip wanted time to look about him before he decided what to do. +He was not familiar with Washington, and it was difficult to adjust his +feelings and perceptions to its peculiarities. Coming out of the sweet +sanity of the Bolton household, this was by contrast the maddest Vanity +Fair one could conceive. It seemed to him a feverish, unhealthy +atmosphere in which lunacy would be easily developed. He fancied that +everybody attached to himself an exaggerated importance, from the fact of +being at the national capital, the center of political influence, the +fountain of patronage, preferment, jobs and opportunities.</p> + +<p>People were introduced to each other as from this or that state, not from +cities or towns, and this gave a largeness to their representative +feeling. All the women talked politics as naturally and glibly as they +talk fashion or literature elsewhere. There was always some exciting +topic at the Capitol, or some huge slander was rising up like a miasmatic +exhalation from the Potomac, threatening to settle no one knew exactly +where. Every other person was an aspirant for a place, or, if he had +one, for a better place, or more pay; almost every other one had some +claim or interest or remedy to urge; even the women were all advocates +for the advancement of some person, and they violently espoused or +denounced this or that measure as it would affect some relative, +acquaintance or friend.</p> + +<p>Love, travel, even death itself, waited on the chances of the dies daily +thrown in the two Houses, and the committee rooms there. If the measure +went through, love could afford to ripen into marriage, and longing for +foreign travel would have fruition; and it must have been only eternal +hope springing in the breast that kept alive numerous old claimants who +for years and years had besieged the doors of Congress, and who looked as +if they needed not so much an appropriation of money as six feet of +ground. And those who stood so long waiting for success to bring them +death were usually those who had a just claim.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p398"></a><img alt="p398.jpg (30K)" src="images/p398.jpg" height="461" width="425"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Representing states and talking of national and even international +affairs, as familiarly as neighbors at home talk of poor crops and the +extravagance of their ministers, was likely at first to impose upon +Philip as to the importance of the people gathered here.</p> + +<p>There was a little newspaper editor from Phil's native town, the +assistant on a Peddletonian weekly, who made his little annual joke about +the "first egg laid on our table," and who was the menial of every +tradesman in the village and under bonds to him for frequent "puffs," +except the undertaker, about whose employment he was recklessly +facetious. In Washington he was an important man, correspondent, and +clerk of two house committees, a "worker" in politics, and a confident +critic of every woman and every man in Washington. He would be a consul +no doubt by and by, at some foreign port, of the language of which he was +ignorant—though if ignorance of language were a qualification he might +have been a consul at home. His easy familiarity with great men was +beautiful to see, and when Philip learned what a tremendous underground +influence this little ignoramus had, he no longer wondered at the queer +appointments and the queerer legislation.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p399"></a><img alt="p399.jpg (14K)" src="images/p399.jpg" height="325" width="279"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Philip was not long in discovering that people in Washington did not +differ much from other people; they had the same meannesses, +generosities, and tastes: A Washington boarding house had the odor of a +boarding house the world over.</p> + +<p>Col. Sellers was as unchanged as any one Philip saw whom he had known +elsewhere. Washington appeared to be the native element of this man. +His pretentions were equal to any he encountered there. He saw nothing +in its society that equalled that of Hawkeye, he sat down to no table +that could not be unfavorably contrasted with his own at home; the most +airy scheme inflated in the hot air of the capital only reached in +magnitude some of his lesser fancies, the by-play of his constructive +imagination.</p> + +<p>"The country is getting along very well," he said to Philip, "but our +public men are too timid. What we want is more money. I've told +Boutwell so. Talk about basing the currency on gold; you might as well +base it on pork. Gold is only one product. Base it on everything! +You've got to do something for the West. How am I to move my crops? +We must have improvements. Grant's got the idea. We want a canal from +the James River to the Mississippi. Government ought to build it."</p> + +<p>It was difficult to get the Colonel off from these large themes when he +was once started, but Philip brought the conversation round to Laura and +her reputation in the City.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I haven't noticed much. We've been so busy about this +University. It will make Laura rich with the rest of us, and she has +done nearly as much as if she were a man. She has great talent, and will +make a big match. I see the foreign ministers and that sort after her. +Yes, there is talk, always will be about a pretty woman so much in public +as she is. Tough stories come to me, but I put'em away. 'Taint likely +one of Si Hawkins's children would do that—for she is the same as a +child of his. I told her, though, to go slow," added the Colonel, as if +that mysterious admonition from him would set everything right.</p> + +<p>"Do you know anything about a Col. Selby?"</p> + +<p>"Know all about him. Fine fellow. But he's got a wife; and I told him, +as a friend, he'd better sheer off from Laura. I reckon he thought +better of it and did."</p> + +<p>But Philip was not long in learning the truth. Courted as Laura was by a +certain class and still admitted into society, that, nevertheless, buzzed +with disreputable stories about her, she had lost character with the best +people. Her intimacy with Selby was open gossip, and there were winks +and thrustings of the tongue in any group of men when she passed by. +It was clear enough that Harry's delusion must be broken up, and that no +such feeble obstacle as his passion could interpose would turn Laura from +her fate. Philip determined to see her, and put himself in possession of +the truth, as he suspected it, in order to show Harry his folly.</p> + +<p>Laura, after her last conversation with Harry, had a new sense of her +position. She had noticed before the signs of a change in manner towards +her, a little less respect perhaps from men, and an avoidance by women. +She had attributed this latter partly to jealousy of her, for no one is +willing to acknowledge a fault in himself when a more agreeable motive +can be found for the estrangement of his acquaintances. But now, if +society had turned on her, she would defy it. It was not in her nature +to shrink. She knew she had been wronged, and she knew that she had no +remedy.</p> + +<p>What she heard of Col. Selby's proposed departure alarmed her more than +anything else, and she calmly determined that if he was deceiving her the +second time it should be the last. Let society finish the tragedy if it +liked; she was indifferent what came after. At the first opportunity, +she charged Selby with his intention to abandon her. He unblushingly +denied it.</p> + +<p>He had not thought of going to Europe. He had only been amusing himself +with Sellers' schemes. He swore that as soon as she succeeded with her +bill, he would fly with her to any part of the world.</p> + +<p>She did not quite believe him, for she saw that he feared her, and she +began to suspect that his were the protestations of a coward to gain +time. But she showed him no doubts.</p> + +<p>She only watched his movements day by day, and always held herself ready +to act promptly.</p> + +<p>When Philip came into the presence of this attractive woman, he could not +realize that she was the subject of all the scandal he had heard. She +received him with quite the old Hawkeye openness and cordiality, and fell +to talking at once of their little acquaintance there; and it seemed +impossible that he could ever say to her what he had come determined to +say. Such a man as Philip has only one standard by which to judge women.</p> + +<p>Laura recognized that fact no doubt. The better part of her woman's +nature saw it. Such a man might, years ago, not now, have changed her +nature, and made the issue of her life so different, even after her cruel +abandonment. She had a dim feeling of this, and she would like now to +stand well with him. The spark of truth and honor that was left in her +was elicited by his presence. It was this influence that governed her +conduct in this interview.</p> + +<p>"I have come," said Philip in his direct manner, "from my friend +Mr. Brierly. You are not ignorant of his feeling towards you?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not."</p> + +<p>"But perhaps you do not know, you who have so much admiration, how +sincere and overmastering his love is for you?" Philip would not have +spoken so plainly, if he had in mind anything except to draw from Laura +something that would end Harry's passion.</p> + +<p>"And is sincere love so rare, Mr. Sterling?" asked Laura, moving her foot +a little, and speaking with a shade of sarcasm.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps not in Washington," replied Philip,—tempted into a similar +tone. "Excuse my bluntness," he continued, "but would the knowledge of +his love; would his devotion, make any difference to you in your +Washington life?"</p> + +<p>"In respect to what?" asked Laura quickly.</p> + +<p>"Well, to others. I won't equivocate—to Col. Selby?"</p> + +<p>Laura's face flushed with anger, or shame; she looked steadily at Philip +and began,</p> + +<p>"By what right, sir,—"</p> + +<p>"By the right of friendship," interrupted Philip stoutly. "It may matter +little to you. It is everything to him. He has a Quixotic notion that +you would turn back from what is before you for his sake. You cannot be +ignorant of what all the city is talking of." Philip said this +determinedly and with some bitterness.</p> + +<p>It was a full minute before Laura spoke. Both had risen, Philip as if to +go, and Laura in suppressed excitement. When she spoke her voice was +very unsteady, and she looked down.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know. I perfectly understand what you mean. Mr. Brierly is +nothing—simply nothing. He is a moth singed, that is all—the trifler +with women thought he was a wasp. I have no pity for him, not the least. +You may tell him not to make a fool of himself, and to keep away. I say +this on your account, not his. You are not like him. It is enough for +me that you want it so. Mr. Sterling," she continued, looking up; and +there were tears in her eyes that contradicted the hardness of her +language, "you might not pity him if you knew my history; perhaps you +would not wonder at some things you hear. No; it is useless to ask me +why it must be so. You can't make a life over—society wouldn't let you +if you would—and mine must be lived as it is. There, sir, I'm not +offended; but it is useless for you to say anything more."</p> + +<p>Philip went away with his heart lightened about Harry, but profoundly +saddened by the glimpse of what this woman might have been. He told +Harry all that was necessary of the conversation—she was bent on going +her own way, he had not the ghost of a chance—he was a fool, she had +said, for thinking he had.</p> + +<p>And Harry accepted it meekly, and made up his own mind that Philip didn't +know much about women.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p403"></a><img alt="p403.jpg (32K)" src="images/p403.jpg" height="399" width="421"> +</center> + + + +<br><br><br><br><br><br> +<center><h2><a name="ch45"></a>CHAPTER XLV.</h2></center> +<br> + +<p>The galleries of the House were packed, on the momentous day, not because +the reporting of an important bill back by a committee was a thing to be +excited about, if the bill were going to take the ordinary course +afterward; it would be like getting excited over the empaneling of a +coroner's jury in a murder case, instead of saving up one's emotions for +the grander occasion of the hanging of the accused, two years later, +after all the tedious forms of law had been gone through with.</p> + +<p>But suppose you understand that this coroner's jury is going to turn out +to be a vigilance committee in disguise, who will hear testimony for an +hour and then hang the murderer on the spot? That puts a different +aspect upon the matter. Now it was whispered that the legitimate forms +of procedure usual in the House, and which keep a bill hanging along for +days and even weeks, before it is finally passed upon, were going to be +overruled, in this case, and short work made of the, measure; and so, +what was beginning as a mere inquest might, torn out to be something very +different.</p> + +<p>In the course of the day's business the Order of "Reports of Committees" +was finally reached and when the weary crowds heard that glad +announcement issue from the Speaker's lips they ceased to fret at the +dragging delay, and plucked up spirit. The Chairman of the Committee on +Benevolent Appropriations rose and made his report, and just then a +blue-uniformed brass-mounted little page put a note into his hand.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p405"></a><img alt="p405.jpg (22K)" src="images/p405.jpg" height="481" width="325"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>It was from Senator Dilworthy, who had appeared upon the floor of the +House for a moment and flitted away again:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + "Everybody expects a grand assault in force; no doubt you believe, + as I certainly do, that it is the thing to do; we are strong, and + everything is hot for the contest. Trollop's espousal of our cause + has immensely helped us and we grow in power constantly. Ten of the + opposition were called away from town about noon,(but—so it is + said—only for one day). Six others are sick, but expect to be + about again tomorrow or next day, a friend tells me. A bold + onslaught is worth trying. Go for a suspension of the rules! You + will find we can swing a two-thirds vote—I am perfectly satisfied + of it. The Lord's truth will prevail. +<br><br> "DILWORTHY. +</blockquote></blockquote> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone had reported the bills from his committee, one by one, +leaving the bill to the last. When the House had voted upon the +acceptance or rejection of the report upon all but it, and the question +now being upon its disposal—Mr. Buckstone begged that the House would +give its attention to a few remarks which he desired to make. His +committee had instructed him to report the bill favorably; he wished to +explain the nature of the measure, and thus justify the committee's +action; the hostility roused by the press would then disappear, and the +bill would shine forth in its true and noble character. He said that its +provisions were simple. It incorporated the Knobs Industrial University, +locating it in East Tennessee, declaring it open to all persons without +distinction of sex, color or religion, and committing its management to a +board of perpetual trustees, with power to fill vacancies in their own +number. It provided for the erection of certain buildings for the +University, dormitories, lecture-halls, museums, libraries, laboratories, +work-shops, furnaces, and mills. It provided also for the purchase of +sixty-five thousand acres of land, (fully described) for the purposes of +the University, in the Knobs of East Tennessee. And it appropriated +[blank] dollars for the purchase of the Land, which should be the +property of the national trustees in trust for the uses named.</p> + +<p>Every effort had been made to secure the refusal of the whole amount of +the property of the Hawkins heirs in the Knobs, some seventy-five +thousand acres Mr. Buckstone said. But Mr. Washington Hawkins (one of +the heirs) objected. He was, indeed, very reluctant to sell any part of +the land at any price; and indeed—this reluctance was justifiable when +one considers how constantly and how greatly the property is rising in +value.</p> + +<p>What the South needed, continued Mr. Buckstone, was skilled labor. +Without that it would be unable to develop its mines, build its roads, +work to advantage and without great waste its fruitful land, establish +manufactures or enter upon a prosperous industrial career. Its laborers +were almost altogether unskilled. Change them into intelligent, trained +workmen, and you increased at once the capital, the resources of the +entire south, which would enter upon a prosperity hitherto unknown. +In five years the increase in local wealth would not only reimburse the +government for the outlay in this appropriation, but pour untold wealth +into the treasury.</p> + +<p>This was the material view, and the least important in the honorable +gentleman's opinion. [Here he referred to some notes furnished him by +Senator Dilworthy, and then continued.] God had given us the care of +these colored millions. What account should we render to Him of our +stewardship? We had made them free. Should we leave them ignorant? +We had cast them upon their own resources. Should we leave them without +tools? We could not tell what the intentions of Providence are in regard +to these peculiar people, but our duty was plain. The Knobs Industrial +University would be a vast school of modern science and practice, worthy +of a great nation. It would combine the advantages of Zurich, Freiburg, +Creuzot and the Sheffield Scientific. Providence had apparently reserved +and set apart the Knobs of East Tennessee for this purpose. What else +were they for? Was it not wonderful that for more than thirty years, +over a generation, the choicest portion of them had remained in one +family, untouched, as if, separated for some great use!</p> + +<p>It might be asked why the government should buy this land, when it had +millions of yes, more than the railroad companies desired, which, it +might devote to this purpose? He answered, that the government had no +such tract of land as this. It had nothing comparable to it for the +purposes of the University: This was to be a school of mining, of +engineering, of the working of metals, of chemistry, zoology, botany, +manufactures, agriculture, in short of all the complicated industries +that make a state great. There was no place for the location of such a +school like the Knobs of East Tennessee. The hills abounded in metals of +all sorts, iron in all its combinations, copper, bismuth, gold and silver +in small quantities, platinum he—believed, tin, aluminium; it was +covered with forests and strange plants; in the woods were found the +coon, the opossum, the fox, the deer and many other animals who roamed in +the domain of natural history; coal existed in enormous quantity and no +doubt oil; it was such a place for the practice of agricultural +experiments that any student who had been successful there would have an +easy task in any other portion of the country.</p> + +<p>No place offered equal facilities for experiments in mining, metallurgy, +engineering. He expected to live to see the day, when the youth of the +south would resort to its mines, its workshops, its laboratories, its +furnaces and factories for practical instruction in all the great +industrial pursuits.</p> + +<p>A noisy and rather ill-natured debate followed, now, and lasted hour +after hour. The friends of the bill were instructed by the leaders to +make no effort to check it; it was deemed better strategy to tire out the +opposition; it was decided to vote down every proposition to adjourn, and +so continue the sitting into the night; opponents might desert, then, one +by one and weaken their party, for they had no personal stake in the +bill.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p408"></a><img alt="p408.jpg (15K)" src="images/p408.jpg" height="347" width="327"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>Sunset came, and still the fight went on; the gas was lit, the crowd in +the galleries began to thin, but the contest continued; the crowd +returned, by and by, with hunger and thirst appeased, and aggravated the +hungry and thirsty House by looking contented and comfortable; but still +the wrangle lost nothing of its bitterness. Recesses were moved +plaintively by the opposition, and invariably voted down by the +University army.</p> + +<p>At midnight the House presented a spectacle calculated to interest a +stranger. The great galleries were still thronged—though only with men, +now; the bright colors that had made them look like hanging gardens were +gone, with the ladies. The reporters' gallery, was merely occupied by +one or two watchful sentinels of the quill-driving guild; the main body +cared nothing for a debate that had dwindled to a mere vaporing of dull +speakers and now and then a brief quarrel over a point of order; but +there was an unusually large attendance of journalists in the reporters' +waiting-room, chatting, smoking, and keeping on the 'qui vive' for the +general irruption of the Congressional volcano that must come when the +time was ripe for it. Senator Dilworthy and Philip were in the +Diplomatic Gallery; Washington sat in the public gallery, and Col. +Sellers was, not far away. The Colonel had been flying about the +corridors and button-holing Congressmen all the evening, and believed +that he had accomplished a world of valuable service; but fatigue was +telling upon him, now, and he was quiet and speechless—for once. Below, +a few Senators lounged upon the sofas set apart for visitors, and talked +with idle Congressmen. A dreary member was speaking; the presiding +officer was nodding; here and there little knots of members stood in the +aisles, whispering together; all about the House others sat in all the +various attitudes that express weariness; some, tilted back, had one or +more legs disposed upon their desks; some sharpened pencils indolently; +some scribbled aimlessly; some yawned and stretched; a great many lay +upon their breasts upon the desks, sound asleep and gently snoring. +The flooding gaslight from the fancifully wrought roof poured down upon +the tranquil scene. Hardly a sound disturbed the stillness, save the +monotonous eloquence of the gentleman who occupied the floor. Now and +then a warrior of the opposition broke down under the pressure, gave it +up, and went home.</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone began to think it might be safe, now, to "proceed to +business." He consulted with Trollop and one or two others. Senator +Dilworthy descended to the floor of the House and they went to meet him. +After a brief comparison of notes, the Congressmen sought their seats and +sent pages about the House with messages to friends. These latter +instantly roused up, yawned, and began to look alert. The moment the +floor was unoccupied, Mr. Buckstone rose, with an injured look, and said +it was evident that the opponents of the bill were merely talking against +time, hoping in this unbecoming way to tire out the friends of the +measure and so defeat it. Such conduct might be respectable enough in a +village debating society, but it was trivial among statesmen, it was out +of place in so august an assemblage as the House of Representatives of +the United States. The friends of the bill had been not only willing +that its opponents should express their opinions, but had strongly +desired it. They courted the fullest and freest discussion; but it +seemed to him that this fairness was but illy appreciated, since +gentlemen were capable of taking advantage of it for selfish and unworthy +ends. This trifling had gone far enough. He called for the question.</p> + +<p>The instant Mr. Buckstone sat down, the storm burst forth. A dozen +gentlemen sprang to their feet.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Speaker!"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Speaker!"</p> + +<p>"Mr. Speaker!"</p> + +<p>"Order! Order! Order! Question! Question!"</p> + +<p>The sharp blows of the Speaker's gavel rose above the din.</p> + +<p>The "previous question," that hated gag, was moved and carried. All +debate came to a sudden end, of course. Triumph No. 1.</p> + +<p>Then the vote was taken on the adoption of the report and it carried by a +surprising majority.</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone got the floor again and moved that the rules be suspended +and the bill read a first time.</p> + +<p>Mr. Trollop—"Second the motion!"</p> + +<p>The Speaker—"It is moved and—"</p> + +<p>Clamor of Voices. "Move we adjourn! Second the motion! Adjourn! +Adjourn! Order! Order!"</p> + +<p>The Speaker, (after using his gavel vigorously)—"It is moved and +seconded that the House do now adjourn. All those in favor—"</p> + +<p>Voices—"Division! Division! Ayes and nays! Ayes and nays!"</p> + +<p>It was decided to vote upon the adjournment by ayes and nays. This was +in earnest. The excitement was furious. The galleries were in commotion +in an instant, the reporters swarmed to their places. Idling members of +the House flocked to their seats, nervous gentlemen sprang to their feet, +pages flew hither and thither, life and animation were visible +everywhere, all the long ranks of faces in the building were kindled.</p> + +<p>"This thing decides it!" thought Mr. Buckstone; "but let the fight +proceed."</p> + +<p>The voting began, and every sound ceased but the calling if the names +and the "Aye!" "No!" "No!" "Aye!" of the responses. There was not a +movement in the House; the people seemed to hold their breath.</p> + +<p>The voting ceased, and then there was an interval of dead silence while +the clerk made up his count. There was a two-thirds vote on the +University side—and two over.</p> + +<p>The Speaker—"The rules are suspended, the motion is carried—first +reading of the bill!"</p> + +<p>By one impulse the galleries broke forth into stormy applause, and even +some of the members of the House were not wholly able to restrain their +feelings. The Speaker's gavel came to the rescue and his clear voice +followed:</p> + +<p>"Order, gentlemen—! The House will come to order! If spectators offend +again, the Sergeant-at-arms will clear the galleries!"</p> + +<p>Then he cast his eyes aloft and gazed at some object attentively for a +moment. All eyes followed the direction of the Speaker's, and then there +was a general titter. The Speaker said:</p> + +<p>"Let the Sergeant-at Arms inform the gentleman that his conduct is an +infringement of the dignity of the House—and one which is not warranted +by the state of the weather." Poor Sellers was the culprit. He sat in +the front seat of the gallery, with his arms and his tired body +overflowing the balustrade—sound asleep, dead to all excitements, all +disturbances. The fluctuations of the Washington weather had influenced +his dreams, perhaps, for during the recent tempest of applause he had +hoisted his gingham umbrella, and calmly gone on with his slumbers. +Washington Hawkins had seen the act, but was not near enough at hand to +save his friend, and no one who was near enough desired to spoil the +effect. But a neighbor stirred up the Colonel, now that the House had +its eye upon him, and the great speculator furled his tent like the Arab. +He said:</p> + +<p>"Bless my soul, I'm so absent-minded when I, get to thinking! I never +wear an umbrella in the house—did anybody 'notice it'? What-asleep? +Indeed? And did you wake me sir? Thank you—thank you very much indeed. +It might have fallen out of my hands and been injured. Admirable +article, sir—present from a friend in Hong Kong; one doesn't come across +silk like that in this country—it's the real—Young Hyson, I'm told."</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p412"></a><img alt="p412.jpg (73K)" src="images/p412.jpg" height="839" width="551"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>By this time the incident was forgotten, for the House was at war again. +Victory was almost in sight, now, and the friends of the bill threw +themselves into their work with enthusiasm. They soon moved and carried +its second reading, and after a strong, sharp fight, carried a motion to +go into Committee of the whole. The Speaker left his place, of course, +and a chairman was appointed.</p> + +<p>Now the contest raged hotter than ever—for the authority that compels +order when the House sits as a House, is greatly diminished when it sits +as Committee. The main fight came upon the filling of the blanks with +the sum to be appropriated for the purchase of the land, of course.</p> + +<p>Buckstone—"Mr. Chairman, I move you, sir, that the words 'three millions +of' be inserted."</p> + +<p>Mr. Hadley—"Mr. Chairman, I move that the words two and a half dollars +be inserted."</p> + +<p>Mr. Clawson—"Mr. Chairman, I move the insertion of the words five and +twenty cents, as representing the true value of this barren and isolated +tract of desolation."</p> + +<p>The question, according to rule, was taken upon the smallest sum first. +It was lost.</p> + +<p>Then upon the nest smallest sum. Lost, also.</p> + +<p>And then upon the three millions. After a vigorous battle that lasted a +considerable time, this motion was carried.</p> + +<p>Then, clause by clause the bill was read, discussed, and amended in +trifling particulars, and now the Committee rose and reported.</p> + +<p>The moment the House had resumed its functions and received the report, +Mr. Buckstone moved and carried the third reading of the bill.</p> + +<p>The same bitter war over the sum to be paid was fought over again, and +now that the ayes and nays could be called and placed on record, every +man was compelled to vote by name on the three millions, and indeed on +every paragraph of the bill from the enacting clause straight through. +But as before, the friends of the measure stood firm and voted in a solid +body every time, and so did its enemies.</p> + +<p>The supreme moment was come, now, but so sure was the result that not +even a voice was raised to interpose an adjournment. The enemy were +totally demoralized. The bill was put upon its final passage almost +without dissent, and the calling of the ayes and nays began. When it was +ended the triumph was complete—the two-thirds vote held good, and a veto +was impossible, as far as the House was concerned!</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckstone resolved that now that the nail was driven home, he would +clinch it on the other side and make it stay forever. He moved a +reconsideration of the vote by which the bill had passed. The motion was +lost, of course, and the great Industrial University act was an +accomplished fact as far as it was in the power of the House of +Representatives to make it so.</p> + +<p>There was no need to move an adjournment. The instant the last motion +was decided, the enemies of the University rose and flocked out of the +Hall, talking angrily, and its friends flocked after them jubilant and +congratulatory. The galleries disgorged their burden, and presently the +house was silent and deserted.</p> + +<br><br><br><br> +<center><a name="p414"></a><img alt="p414.jpg (24K)" src="images/p414.jpg" height="471" width="289"> +</center> +<br><br><br><br> + +<p>When Col. Sellers and Washington stepped out of the building they were +surprised to find that the daylight was old and the sun well up. Said +the Colonel:</p> + +<p>"Give me your hand, my boy! You're all right at last! You're a +millionaire! At least you're going to be. The thing is dead sure. +Don't you bother about the Senate. Leave me and Dilworthy to take care +of that. Run along home, now, and tell Laura. Lord, it's magnificent +news—perfectly magnificent! Run, now. I'll telegraph my wife. She +must come here and help me build a house. Everything's all right now!"</p> + +<p>Washington was so dazed by his good fortune and so bewildered by the +gaudy pageant of dreams that was already trailing its long ranks through +his brain, that he wandered he knew not where, and so loitered by the way +that when at last he reached home he woke to a sudden annoyance in the +fact that his news must be old to Laura, now, for of course Senator +Dilworthy must have already been home and told her an hour before. He +knocked at her door, but there was no answer.</p> + +<p>"That is like the Duchess," said he. "Always cool; a body can't excite +her-can't keep her excited, anyway. Now she has gone off to sleep again, +as comfortably as if she were used to picking up a million dollars every +day or two"</p> + +<p>Then he vent to bed. But he could not sleep; so he got up and wrote a +long, rapturous letter to Louise, and another to his mother. And he +closed both to much the same effect:</p> + +<blockquote><blockquote> + "Laura will be queen of America, now, and she will be applauded, and + honored and petted by the whole nation. Her name will be in every + one's mouth more than ever, and how they will court her and quote + her bright speeches. And mine, too, I suppose; though they do that + more already, than they really seem to deserve. Oh, the world is so + bright, now, and so cheery; the clouds are all gone, our long + struggle is ended, our, troubles are all over. Nothing can ever + make us unhappy any more. You dear faithful ones will have the + reward of your patient waiting now. How father's Wisdom is proven + at last! And how I repent me, that there have been times when I + lost faith and said, the blessing he stored up for us a tedious + generation ago was but a long-drawn curse, a blight upon us all. + But everything is well, now—we are done with poverty, sad toil, + weariness and heart-break; all the world is filled with sunshine." +</blockquote></blockquote> + + + +<br><br> +<hr> +<br><br> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gilded Age, Part 5. +by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Charles Dudley Warner + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GILDED AGE, PART 5. *** + +***** This file should be named 5822-h.htm or 5822-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/8/2/5822/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Gilded Age, Part 5. + +Author: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Charles Dudley Warner + +Release Date: June 20, 2004 [EBook #5822] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GILDED AGE, PART 5. *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +THE GILDED AGE + +A Tale of Today + +by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner + +1873 + + +Part 5. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + + +That Chairman was nowhere in sight. Such disappointments seldom occur in +novels, but are always happening in real life. + +She was obliged to make a new plan. She sent him a note, and asked him +to call in the evening--which he did. + +She received the Hon. Mr. Buckstone with a sunny smile, and said: + +"I don't know how I ever dared to send you a note, Mr. Buckstone, for you +have the reputation of not being very partial to our sex." + +"Why I am sure my, reputation does me wrong, then, Miss Hawkins. I have +been married once--is that nothing in my favor?" + +"Oh, yes--that is, it may be and it may not be. If you have known what +perfection is in woman, it is fair to argue that inferiority cannot +interest you now." + +"Even if that were the case it could not affect you, Miss Hawkins," said +the chairman gallantly. "Fame does not place you in the list of ladies +who rank below perfection." This happy speech delighted Mr. Buckstone as +much as it seemed to delight Laura. But it did not confuse him as much +as it apparently did her. + +"I wish in all sincerity that I could be worthy of such a felicitous +compliment as that. But I am a woman, and so I am gratified for it just +as it is, and would not have it altered." + +"But it is not merely a compliment--that is, an empty complement--it is +the truth. All men will endorse that." + +Laura looked pleased, and said: + +"It is very kind of you to say it. It is a distinction indeed, for a +country-bred girl like me to be so spoken of by people of brains and +culture. You are so kind that I know you will pardon my putting you to +the trouble to come this evening." + +"Indeed it was no trouble. It was a pleasure. I am alone in the world +since I lost my wife, and I often long for the society of your sex, Miss +Hawkins, notwithstanding what people may say to the contrary." + +"It is pleasant to hear you say that. I am sure it must be so. If I +feel lonely at times, because of my exile from old friends, although +surrounded by new ones who are already very dear to me, how much more +lonely must you feel, bereft as you are, and with no wholesome relief +from the cares of state that weigh you down. For your own sake, as well +as for the sake of others, you ought to go into society oftener. +I seldom see you at a reception, and when I do you do not usually give me +very, much of your attention" + +"I never imagined that you wished it or I would have been very glad to +make myself happy in that way.--But one seldom gets an opportunity to say +more than a sentence to you in a place like that. You are always the +centre of a group--a fact which you may have noticed yourself. But if +one might come here--" + +"Indeed you would always find a hearty welcome, Mr. Buckstone. I have +often wished you would come and tell me more about Cairo and the +Pyramids, as you once promised me you would." + +"Why, do you remember that yet, Miss Hawkins? I thought ladies' memories +were more fickle than that." + +"Oh, they are not so fickle as gentlemen's promises. And besides, if I +had been inclined to forget, I--did you not give me something by way of a +remembrancer?" + +"Did I?" + +"Think." + +"It does seem to me that I did; but I have forgotten what it was now." + +"Never, never call a lady's memory fickle again! Do you recognize this?" + +"A little spray of box! I am beaten--I surrender. But have you kept +that all this time?" + +Laura's confusion was very, pretty. She tried to hide it, but the more +she tried the more manifest it became and withal the more captivating to +look upon. Presently she threw the spray of box from her with an annoyed +air, and said: + +"I forgot myself. I have been very foolish. I beg that you will forget +this absurd thing." + +Mr. Buckstone picked up the spray, and sitting down by Laura's side on +the sofa, said: + +"Please let me keep it, Miss Hawkins. I set a very high value upon it +now." + +"Give it to me, Mr. Buckstone, and do not speak so. I have been +sufficiently punished for my thoughtlessness. You cannot take pleasure +in adding to my distress. Please give it to me." + +"Indeed I do not wish to distress you. But do not consider the matter so +gravely; you have done yourself no wrong. You probably forgot that you +had it; but if you had given it to me I would have kept it--and not +forgotten it." + +"Do not talk so, Mr. Buckstone. Give it to me, please, and forget the +matter." + +"It would not be kind to refuse, since it troubles you so, and so I +restore it. But if you would give me part of it and keep the rest--" + +"So that you might have something to remind you of me when you wished to +laugh at my foolishness?" + +"Oh, by no means, no! Simply that I might remember that I had once +assisted to discomfort you, and be reminded to do so no more." + +Laura looked up, and scanned his face a moment. She was about to break +the twig, but she hesitated and said: + +"If I were sure that you--" She threw the spray away, and continued: +"This is silly! We will change the subject. No, do not insist--I must +have my way in this." + +Then Mr. Buckstone drew off his forces and proceeded to make a wily +advance upon the fortress under cover of carefully--contrived artifices +and stratagems of war. But he contended with an alert and suspicious +enemy; and so at the end of two hours it was manifest to him that he had +made but little progress. Still, he had made some; he was sure of that. + +Laura sat alone and communed with herself; + +"He is fairly hooked, poor thing. I can play him at my leisure and land +him when I choose. He was all ready to be caught, days and days ago +--I saw that, very well. He will vote for our bill--no fear about that; +and moreover he will work for it, too, before I am done with him. If he +had a woman's eyes he would have noticed that the spray of box had grown +three inches since he first gave it to me, but a man never sees anything +and never suspects. If I had shown him a whole bush he would have +thought it was the same. Well, it is a good night's work: the committee +is safe. But this is a desperate game I am playing in these days +--a wearing, sordid, heartless game. If I lose, I lose everything--even +myself. And if I win the game, will it be worth its cost after all? +I do not know. Sometimes I doubt. Sometimes I half wish I had not +begun. But no matter; I have begun, and I will never turn back; never +while I live." + +Mr. Buckstone indulged in a reverie as he walked homeward: + +"She is shrewd and deep, and plays her cards with considerable +discretion--but she will lose, for all that. There is no hurry; I shall +come out winner, all in good time. She is the most beautiful woman in +the world; and she surpassed herself to-night. I suppose I must vote for +that bill, in the end maybe; but that is not a matter of much consequence +the government can stand it. She is bent on capturing me, that is plain; +but she will find by and by that what she took for a sleeping garrison +was an ambuscade." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + + Now this surprising news caus'd her fall in 'a trance, + Life as she were dead, no limbs she could advance, + Then her dear brother came, her from the ground he took + And she spake up and said, O my poor heart is broke. + + The Barnardcastle Tragedy. + +"Don't you think he is distinguished looking?" + +"What! That gawky looking person, with Miss Hawkins?" + +"There. He's just speaking to Mrs. Schoonmaker. Such high-bred +negligence and unconsciousness. Nothing studied. See his fine eyes." + +"Very. They are moving this way now. Maybe he is coming here. But he +looks as helpless as a rag baby. Who is he, Blanche?" + +"Who is he? And you've been here a week, Grace, and don't know? He's +the catch of the season. That's Washington Hawkins--her brother." + +"No, is it?" + +"Very old family, old Kentucky family I believe. He's got enormous +landed property in Tennessee, I think. The family lost everything, +slaves and that sort of thing, you know, in the war. But they have a +great deal of land, minerals, mines and all that. Mr. Hawkins and his +sister too are very much interested in the amelioration of the condition +of the colored race; they have some plan, with Senator Dilworthy, to +convert a large part of their property to something another for the +freedmen." + +"You don't say so? I thought he was some guy from Pennsylvania. But he +is different from others. Probably he has lived all his life on his +plantation." + +It was a day reception of Mrs. Representative Schoonmaker, a sweet woman, +of simple and sincere manners. Her house was one of the most popular in +Washington. There was less ostentation there than in some others, and +people liked to go where the atmosphere reminded them of the peace and +purity of home. Mrs. Schoonmaker was as natural and unaffected in +Washington society as she was in her own New York house, and kept up the +spirit of home-life there, with her husband and children. And that was +the reason, probably, why people of refinement liked to go there. + +Washington is a microcosm, and one can suit himself with any sort of +society within a radius of a mile. To a large portion of the people who +frequent Washington or dwell where, the ultra fashion, the shoddy, the +jobbery are as utterly distasteful as they would he in a refined New +England City. Schoonmaker was not exactly a leader in the House, but he +was greatly respected for his fine talents and his honesty. No one would +have thought of offering to carry National Improvement Directors Relief +stock for him. + +These day receptions were attended by more women than men, and those +interested in the problem might have studied the costumes of the ladies +present, in view of this fact, to discover whether women dress more for +the eyes of women or for effect upon men. It is a very important +problem, and has been a good deal discussed, and its solution would form +one fixed, philosophical basis, upon which to estimate woman's character. +We are inclined to take a medium ground, and aver that woman dresses to +please herself, and in obedience to a law of her own nature. + +"They are coming this way," said Blanche. People who made way for them +to pass, turned to look at them. Washington began to feel that the eyes +of the public were on him also, and his eyes rolled about, now towards +the ceiling, now towards the floor, in an effort to look unconscious. + +"Good morning, Miss Hawkins. Delighted. Mr. Hawkins. My friend, Miss +Medlar." + +Mr. Hawkins, who was endeavoring to square himself for a bow, put his +foot through the train of Mrs. Senator Poplin, who looked round with a +scowl, which turned into a smile as she saw who it was. In extricating +himself, Mr. Hawkins, who had the care of his hat as well as the +introduction on his mind, shambled against Miss Blanche, who said pardon, +with the prettiest accent, as if the awkwardness were her own. And Mr. +Hawkins righted himself. + +"Don't you find it very warm to-day, Mr. Hawkins?" said Blanche, by way +of a remark. + +"It's awful hot," said Washington. + +"It's warm for the season," continued Blanche pleasantly. "But I suppose +you are accustomed to it," she added, with a general idea that the +thermometer always stands at 90 deg. in all parts of the late slave +states. "Washington weather generally cannot be very congenial to you?" + +"It's congenial," said Washington brightening up, "when it's not +congealed." + +"That's very good. Did you hear, Grace, Mr. Hawkins says it's congenial +when it's not congealed." + +"What is, dear?" said Grace, who was talking with Laura. + +The conversation was now finely under way. Washington launched out an +observation of his own. + +"Did you see those Japs, Miss Leavitt?" + +"Oh, yes, aren't they queer. But so high-bred, so picturesque. Do you +think that color makes any difference, Mr. Hawkins? I used to be so +prejudiced against color." + +"Did you? I never was. I used to think my old mammy was handsome." + +"How interesting your life must have been! I should like to hear about +it." + +Washington was about settling himself into his narrative style, +when Mrs. Gen. McFingal caught his eye. + +"Have you been at the Capitol to-day, Mr. Hawkins?" + +Washington had not. "Is anything uncommon going on?" + +"They say it was very exciting. The Alabama business you know. +Gen. Sutler, of Massachusetts, defied England, and they say he wants +war." + +"He wants to make himself conspicuous more like," said Laura. +"He always, you have noticed, talks with one eye on the gallery, while +the other is on the speaker." + +"Well, my husband says, its nonsense to talk of war, and wicked. +He knows what war is. If we do have war, I hope it will be for the +patriots of Cuba. Don't you think we want Cuba, Mr. Hawkins?" + +"I think we want it bad," said Washington. "And Santo Domingo. Senator +Dilworthy says, we are bound to extend our religion over the isles of the +sea. We've got to round out our territory, and--" + +Washington's further observations were broken off by Laura, who whisked +him off to another part of the room, and reminded him that they must make +their adieux. + +"How stupid and tiresome these people are," she said. "Let's go." + +They were turning to say good-by to the hostess, when Laura's attention +was arrested by the sight of a gentleman who was just speaking to Mrs. +Schoonmaker. For a second her heart stopped beating. He was a handsome +man of forty and perhaps more, with grayish hair and whiskers, and he +walked with a cane, as if he were slightly lame. He might be less than +forty, for his face was worn into hard lines, and he was pale. + +No. It could not be, she said to herself. It is only a resemblance. +But as the gentleman turned and she saw his full face, Laura put out her +hand and clutched Washington's arm to prevent herself from falling. + +Washington, who was not minding anything, as usual, looked 'round in +wonder. Laura's eyes were blazing fire and hatred; he had never seen her +look so before; and her face, was livid. + +"Why, what is it, sis? Your face is as white as paper." + +"It's he, it's he. Come, come," and she dragged him away. + +"It's who?" asked Washington, when they had gained the carriage. + +"It's nobody, it's nothing. Did I say he? I was faint with the heat. +Don't mention it. Don't you speak of it," she added earnestly, grasping +his arm. + +When she had gained her room she went to the glass and saw a pallid and +haggard face. + +"My God," she cried, "this will never do. I should have killed him, if I +could. The scoundrel still lives, and dares to come here. I ought to +kill him. He has no right to live. How I hate him. And yet I loved +him. Oh heavens, how I did love that man. And why didn't he kill me? +He might better. He did kill all that was good in me. Oh, but he shall +not escape. He shall not escape this time. He may have forgotten. He +will find that a woman's hate doesn't forget. The law? What would the +law do but protect him and make me an outcast? How all Washington would +gather up its virtuous skirts and avoid me, if it knew. I wonder if he +hates me as I do him?" + +So Laura raved, in tears and in rage by turns, tossed in a tumult of +passion, which she gave way to with little effort to control. + +A servant came to summon her to dinner. She had a headache. The hour +came for the President's reception. She had a raving headache, and the +Senator must go without her. + +That night of agony was like another night she recalled. How vividly it +all came back to her. And at that time she remembered she thought she +might be mistaken. He might come back to her. Perhaps he loved her, +a little, after all. Now, she knew he did not. Now, she knew he was a +cold-blooded scoundrel, without pity. Never a word in all these years. +She had hoped he was dead. Did his wife live, she wondered. She caught +at that--and it gave a new current to her thoughts. Perhaps, after all +--she must see him. She could not live without seeing him. Would he smile +as in the old days when she loved him so; or would he sneer as when she +last saw him? If be looked so, she hated him. If he should call her +"Laura, darling," and look SO! She must find him. She must end her +doubts. + +Laura kept her room for two days, on one excuse and another--a nervous +headache, a cold--to the great anxiety of the Senator's household. +Callers, who went away, said she had been too gay--they did not say +"fast," though some of them may have thought it. One so conspicuous and +successful in society as Laura could not be out of the way two days, +without remarks being made, and not all of them complimentary. + +When she came down she appeared as usual, a little pale may be, but +unchanged in manner. If there were any deepened lines about the eyes +they had been concealed. Her course of action was quite determined. + +At breakfast she asked if any one had heard any unusual noise during the +night? Nobody had. Washington never heard any noise of any kind after +his eyes were shut. Some people thought he never did when they were open +either. + +Senator Dilworthy said he had come in late. He was detained in a little +consultation after the Congressional prayer meeting. Perhaps it was his +entrance. + +No, Laura said. She heard that. It was later. She might have been +nervous, but she fancied somebody was trying to get into the house. + +Mr. Brierly humorously suggested that it might be, as none of the members +were occupied in night session. + +The Senator frowned, and said he did not like to hear that kind of +newspaper slang. There might be burglars about. + +Laura said that very likely it was only her nervousness. But she thought +she world feel safer if Washington would let her take one of his pistols. +Washington brought her one of his revolvers, and instructed her in the +art of loading and firing it. + +During the morning Laura drove down to Mrs. Schoonmaker's to pay a +friendly call. + +"Your receptions are always delightful," she said to that lady, "the +pleasant people all seem to come here." + +"It's pleasant to hear you say so, Miss Hawkins. I believe my friends +like to come here. Though society in Washington is mixed; we have a +little of everything." + +"I suppose, though, you don't see much of the old rebel element?" said +Laura with a smile. + +If this seemed to Mrs. Schoonmaker a singular remark for a lady to make, +who was meeting "rebels" in society every day, she did not express it in +any way, but only said, + +"You know we don't say 'rebel' anymore. Before we came to Washington I +thought rebels would look unlike other people. I find we are very much +alike, and that kindness and good nature wear away prejudice. And then +you know there are all sorts of common interests. My husband sometimes +says that he doesn't see but confederates are just as eager to get at the +treasury as Unionists. You know that Mr. Schoonmaker is on the +appropriations." + +"Does he know many Southerners?" + +"Oh, yes. There were several at my reception the other day. Among +others a confederate Colonel--a stranger--handsome man with gray hair, +probably you didn't notice him, uses a cane in walking. A very agreeable +man. I wondered why he called. When my husband came home and looked +over the cards, he said he had a cotton claim. A real southerner. +Perhaps you might know him if I could think of his name. Yes, here's his +card--Louisiana." + +Laura took the card, looked at it intently till she was sure of the +address, and then laid it down, with, + +"No, he is no friend of ours." + +That afternoon, Laura wrote and dispatched the following note. It was in +a round hand, unlike her flowing style, and it was directed to a number +and street in Georgetown:-- + + "A Lady at Senator Dilworthy's would like to see Col. George Selby, + on business connected with the Cotton Claims. Can he call Wednesday + at three o'clock P. M.?" + +On Wednesday at 3 P. M, no one of the family was likely to be in the +house except Laura. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +Col. Selby had just come to Washington, and taken lodgings in Georgetown. +His business was to get pay for some cotton that was destroyed during the +war. There were many others in Washington on the same errand, some of +them with claims as difficult to establish as his. A concert of action +was necessary, and he was not, therefore, at all surprised to receive the +note from a lady asking him to call at Senator Dilworthy's. + +At a little after three on Wednesday he rang the bell of the Senator's +residence. It was a handsome mansion on the Square opposite the +President's house. The owner must be a man of great wealth, the Colonel +thought; perhaps, who knows, said he with a smile, he may have got some +of my cotton in exchange for salt and quinine after the capture of New +Orleans. As this thought passed through his mind he was looking at the +remarkable figure of the Hero of New Orleans, holding itself by main +strength from sliding off the back of the rearing bronze horse, and +lifting its hat in the manner of one who acknowledges the playing of that +martial air: "See, the Conquering Hero Comes!" "Gad," said the Colonel +to himself, "Old Hickory ought to get down and give his seat to Gen. +Sutler--but they'd have to tie him on." + +Laura was in the drawing room. She heard the bell, she heard the steps +in the hall, and the emphatic thud of the supporting cane. She had risen +from her chair and was leaning against the piano, pressing her left hand +against the violent beating of her heart. The door opened and the +Colonel entered, standing in the full light of the opposite window. +Laura was more in the shadow and stood for an instant, long enough for +the Colonel to make the inward observation that she was a magnificent +Woman. She then advanced a step. + +"Col. Selby, is it not?" + +The Colonel staggered back, caught himself by a chair, and turned towards +her a look of terror. + +"Laura? My God!" + +"Yes, your wife!" + +"Oh, no, it can't be. How came you here? I thought you were--" + +"You thought I was dead? You thought you were rid of me? Not so long as +you live, Col. Selby, not so long as you live;" Laura in her passion was +hurried on to say. + +No man had ever accused Col. Selby of cowardice. But he was a coward +before this woman. May be he was not the man he once was. Where was his +coolness? Where was his sneering, imperturbable manner, with which he +could have met, and would have met, any woman he had wronged, if he had +only been forewarned. He felt now that he must temporize, that he must +gain time. There was danger in Laura's tone. There was something +frightful in her calmness. Her steady eyes seemed to devour him. + +"You have ruined my life," she said; "and I was so young, so ignorant, +and loved you so. You betrayed me, and left me mocking me and trampling +me into the dust, a soiled cast-off. You might better have killed me +then. Then I should not have hated you." + +"Laura," said the Colonel, nerving himself, but still pale, and speaking +appealingly, "don't say that. Reproach me. I deserve it. I was a +scoundrel. I was everything monstrous. But your beauty made me crazy. +You are right. I was a brute in leaving you as I did. But what could I +do? I was married, and--" + +"And your wife still lives?" asked Laura, bending a little forward in her +eagerness. + +The Colonel noticed the action, and he almost said "no," but he thought +of the folly of attempting concealment. + +"Yes. She is here." + +What little color had wandered back into Laura's face forsook it again. +Her heart stood still, her strength seemed going from her limbs. Her +last hope was gone. The room swam before her for a moment, and the +Colonel stepped towards her, but she waved him back, as hot anger again +coursed through her veins, and said, + +"And you dare come with her, here, and tell me of it, here and mock me +with it! And you think I will have it; George? You think I will let you +live with that woman? You think I am as powerless as that day I fell +dead at your feet?" + +She raged now. She was in a tempest of excitement. And she advanced +towards him with a threatening mien. She would kill me if she could, +thought the Colonel; but he thought at the same moment, how beautiful she +is. He had recovered his head now. She was lovely when he knew her, +then a simple country girl, Now she was dazzling, in the fullness of ripe +womanhood, a superb creature, with all the fascination that a woman of +the world has for such a man as Col. Selby. Nothing of this was lost on +him. He stepped quickly to her, grasped both her hands in his, and said, + +"Laura, stop! think! Suppose I loved you yet! Suppose I hated my fate! +What can I do? I am broken by the war. I have lost everything almost. +I had as lief be dead and done with it." + +The Colonel spoke with a low remembered voice that thrilled through +Laura. He was looking into her eyes as he had looked in those old days, +when no birds of all those that sang in the groves where they walked sang +a note of warning. He was wounded. He had been punished. Her strength +forsook her with her rage, and she sank upon a chair, sobbing, + +"Oh! my God, I thought I hated him!" + +The Colonel knelt beside her. He took her hand and she let him keep it. +She, looked down into his face, with a pitiable tenderness, and said in a +weak voice. + +"And you do love me a little?" + +The Colonel vowed and protested. He kissed her hand and her lips. He +swore his false soul into perdition. + +She wanted love, this woman. Was not her love for George Selby deeper +than any other woman's could be? Had she not a right to him? Did he +not belong to her by virtue of her overmastering passion? His wife--she +was not his wife, except by the law. She could not be. Even with the +law she could have no right to stand between two souls that were one. +It was an infamous condition in society that George should be tied to +her. + +Laura thought this, believed it; because she desired to believe it. She +came to it as an original propositions founded an the requirements of her +own nature. She may have heard, doubtless she had, similar theories that +were prevalent at that day, theories of the tyranny of marriage and of +the freedom of marriage. She had even heard women lecturers say, that +marriage should only continue so long as it pleased either party to it +--for a year, or a month, or a day. She had not given much heed to this, +but she saw its justice now in a dash of revealing desire. It must be +right. God would not have permitted her to love George Selby as she did, +and him to love her, if it was right for society to raise up a barrier +between them. He belonged to her. Had he not confessed it himself? + +Not even the religious atmosphere of Senator Dilworthy's house had been +sufficient to instill into Laura that deep Christian principle which had +been somehow omitted in her training. Indeed in that very house had she +not heard women, prominent before the country and besieging Congress, +utter sentiments that fully justified the course she was marking out for +herself. + +They were seated now, side by side, talking with more calmness. Laura +was happy, or thought she was. But it was that feverish sort of +happiness which is snatched out of the black shadow of falsehood, and is +at the moment recognized as fleeting and perilous, and indulged +tremblingly. She loved. She was loved. That is happiness certainly. +And the black past and the troubled present and the uncertain future +could not snatch that from her. + +What did they say as they sat there? What nothings do people usually say +in such circumstances, even if they are three-score and ten? It was +enough for Laura to hear his voice and be near him. It was enough for +him to be near her, and avoid committing himself as much as he could. +Enough for him was the present also. Had there not always been some way +out of such scrapes? + +And yet Laura could not be quite content without prying into tomorrow. +How could the Colonel manage to free himself from his wife? Would it be +long? Could he not go into some State where it would not take much time? +He could not say exactly. That they must think of. That they must talk +over. And so on. Did this seem like a damnable plot to Laura against +the life, maybe, of a sister, a woman like herself? Probably not. +It was right that this man should be hers, and there were some obstacles +in the way. That was all. There are as good reasons for bad actions as +for good ones,--to those who commit them. When one has broken the tenth +commandment, the others are not of much account. + +Was it unnatural, therefore, that when George Selby departed, Laura +should watch him from the window, with an almost joyful heart as he went +down the sunny square? "I shall see him to-morrow," she said, "and the +next day, and the next. He is mine now." + +"Damn the woman," said the Colonel as he picked his way down the steps. +"Or," he added, as his thoughts took a new turn, "I wish my wife was in +New Orleans." + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + + Open your ears; for which of you will stop, + The vent of hearing when loud Rumor speaks? + I, from the orient to the drooping west, + Making the wind my post-horse, still unfold + The acts commenced on this ball of earth: + Upon my tongues continual slanders ride; + The which in every, language I pronounce, + Stuffing the ears of men with false reports. + + King Henry IV. + +As may be readily believed, Col. Beriah Sellers was by this time one of +the best known men in Washington. For the first time in his life his +talents had a fair field. + +He was now at the centre of the manufacture of gigantic schemes, +of speculations of all sorts, of political and social gossip. +The atmosphere was full of little and big rumors and of vast, undefined +expectations. Everybody was in haste, too, to push on his private plan, +and feverish in his haste, as if in constant apprehension that tomorrow +would be Judgment Day. Work while Congress is in session, said the +uneasy spirit, for in the recess there is no work and no device. + +The Colonel enjoyed this bustle and confusion amazingly; he thrived in +the air of-indefinite expectation. All his own schemes took larger shape +and more misty and majestic proportions; and in this congenial air, the +Colonel seemed even to himself to expand into something large and +mysterious. If he respected himself before, he almost worshipped Beriah +Sellers now, as a superior being. If he could have chosen an official +position out of the highest, he would have been embarrassed in the +selection. The presidency of the republic seemed too limited and cramped +in the constitutional restrictions. If he could have been Grand Llama of +the United States, that might have come the nearest to his idea of a +position. And next to that he would have luxuriated in the irresponsible +omniscience of the Special Correspondent. + +Col. Sellers knew the President very well, and had access to his presence +when officials were kept cooling their heels in the Waiting-room. The +President liked to hear the Colonel talk, his voluble ease was a +refreshment after the decorous dullness of men who only talked business +and government, and everlastingly expounded their notions of justice and +the distribution of patronage. The Colonel was as much a lover of +farming and of horses as Thomas Jefferson was. He talked to the +President by the hour about his magnificent stud, and his plantation at +Hawkeye, a kind of principality--he represented it. He urged the +President to pay him a visit during the recess, and see his stock farm. + +"The President's table is well enough," he used to say, to the loafers +who gathered about him at Willard's, "well enough for a man on a salary, +but God bless my soul, I should like him to see a little old-fashioned +hospitality--open house, you know. A person seeing me at home might +think I paid no attention to what was in the house, just let things flow +in and out. He'd be mistaken. What I look to is quality, sir. The +President has variety enough, but the quality! Vegetables of course you +can't expect here. I'm very particular about mine. Take celery, now +--there's only one spot in this country where celery will grow. But I an +surprised about the wines. I should think they were manufactured in the +New York Custom House. I must send the President some from my cellar. +I was really mortified the other day at dinner to see Blacque Bey leave +his standing in the glasses." + +When the Colonel first came to Washington he had thoughts of taking the +mission to Constantinople, in order to be on the spot to look after the +dissemination, of his Eye Water, but as that invention; was not yet quite +ready, the project shrank a little in the presence of vaster schemes. +Besides he felt that he could do the country more good by remaining at +home. He was one of the Southerners who were constantly quoted as +heartily "accepting the situation." + +"I'm whipped," he used to say with a jolly laugh, "the government was too +many for me; I'm cleaned out, done for, except my plantation and private +mansion. We played for a big thing, and lost it, and I don't whine, for +one. I go for putting the old flag on all the vacant lots. I said to +the President, says I, 'Grant, why don't you take Santo Domingo, annex +the whole thing, and settle the bill afterwards. That's my way. I'd, +take the job to manage Congress. The South would come into it. You've +got to conciliate the South, consolidate the two debts, pay 'em off in +greenbacks, and go ahead. That's my notion. Boutwell's got the right +notion about the value of paper, but he lacks courage. I should like to +run the treasury department about six months. I'd make things plenty, +and business look up.'" + +The Colonel had access to the departments. He knew all the senators and +representatives, and especially, the lobby. He was consequently a great +favorite in Newspaper Row, and was often lounging in the offices there, +dropping bits of private, official information, which were immediately, +caught up and telegraphed all over the country. But it need to surprise +even the Colonel when he read it, it was embellished to that degree that +he hardly recognized it, and the hint was not lost on him. He began to +exaggerate his heretofore simple conversation to suit the newspaper +demand. + +People used to wonder in the winters of 187- and 187-, where the +"Specials" got that remarkable information with which they every morning +surprised the country, revealing the most secret intentions of the +President and his cabinet, the private thoughts of political leaders, +the hidden meaning of every movement. This information was furnished by +Col. Sellers. + +When he was asked, afterwards, about the stolen copy of the Alabama +Treaty which got into the "New York Tribune," he only looked mysterious, +and said that neither he nor Senator Dilworthy knew anything about it. +But those whom he was in the habit of meeting occasionally felt almost +certain that he did know. + +It must not be supposed that the Colonel in his general patriotic labors +neglected his own affairs. The Columbus River Navigation Scheme absorbed +only a part of his time, so he was enabled to throw quite a strong +reserve force of energy into the Tennessee Land plan, a vast enterprise +commensurate with his abilities, and in the prosecution of which he was +greatly aided by Mr. Henry Brierly, who was buzzing about the capitol and +the hotels day and night, and making capital for it in some mysterious +way. + +"We must create, a public opinion," said Senator Dilworthy. "My only +interest in it is a public one, and if the country wants the institution, +Congress will have to yield." + +It may have been after a conversation between the Colonel and Senator +Dilworthy that the following special despatch was sent to a New York +newspaper: + + "We understand that a philanthropic plan is on foot in relation to + the colored race that will, if successful, revolutionize the whole + character of southern industry. An experimental institution is in + contemplation in Tennessee which will do for that state what the + Industrial School at Zurich did for Switzerland. We learn that + approaches have been made to the heirs of the late Hon. Silas + Hawkins of Missouri, in reference to a lease of a portion of their + valuable property in East Tennessee. Senator Dilworthy, it is + understood, is inflexibly opposed to any arrangement that will not + give the government absolute control. Private interests must give + way to the public good. It is to be hoped that Col. Sellers, who + represents the heirs, will be led to see the matter in this light." + +When Washington Hawkins read this despatch, he went to the Colonel in +some anxiety. He was for a lease, he didn't want to surrender anything. +What did he think the government would offer? Two millions? + +"May be three, may be four," said the Colonel, "it's worth more than the +bank of England." + +"If they will not lease," said Washington, "let 'em make it two millions +for an undivided half. I'm not going to throw it away, not the whole of +it." + +Harry told the Colonel that they must drive the thing through, he +couldn't be dallying round Washington when Spring opened. Phil wanted +him, Phil had a great thing on hand up in Pennsylvania. + +"What is that?" inquired the Colonel, always ready to interest himself in +anything large. + +"A mountain of coal; that's all. He's going to run a tunnel into it in +the Spring." + +"Does he want any capital?", asked the Colonel, in the tone of a man who +is given to calculating carefully before he makes an investment. + +"No. Old man Bolton's behind him. He has capital, but I judged that he +wanted my experience in starting." + +"If he wants me, tell him I'll come, after Congress adjourns. I should +like to give him a little lift. He lacks enterprise--now, about that +Columbus River. He doesn't see his chances. But he's a good fellow, and +you can tell him that Sellers won't go back on him." + +"By the way," asked Harry, "who is that rather handsome party that's +hanging 'round Laura? I see him with her everywhere, at the Capitol, in +the horse cars, and he comes to Dilworthy's. If he weren't lame, I +should think he was going to run off with her." + +"Oh, that's nothing. Laura knows her business. He has a cotton claim. +Used to be at Hawkeye during the war. + +"Selby's his name, was a Colonel. Got a wife and family. +Very respectable people, the Selby's." + +"Well, that's all right," said Harry, "if it's business. But if a woman +looked at me as I've seen her at Selby, I should understand it. And it's +talked about, I can tell you." + +Jealousy had no doubt sharpened this young gentleman's observation. +Laura could not have treated him with more lofty condescension if she had +been the Queen of Sheba, on a royal visit to the great republic. And he +resented it, and was "huffy" when he was with her, and ran her errands, +and brought her gossip, and bragged of his intimacy with the lovely +creature among the fellows at Newspaper Row. + +Laura's life was rushing on now in the full stream of intrigue and +fashionable dissipation. She was conspicuous at the balls of the fastest +set, and was suspected of being present at those doubtful suppers that +began late and ended early. If Senator Dilworthy remonstrated about +appearances, she had a way of silencing him. Perhaps she had some hold +on him, perhaps she was necessary to his plan for ameliorating the +condition the tube colored race. + +She saw Col. Selby, when the public knew and when it did not know. +She would see him, whatever excuses he made, and however he avoided her. +She was urged on by a fever of love and hatred and jealousy, which +alternately possessed her. Sometimes she petted him, and coaxed him and +tried all her fascinations. And again she threatened him and reproached +him. What was he doing? Why had he taken no steps to free himself? +Why didn't he send his wife home? She should have money soon. +They could go to Europe--anywhere. What did she care for talk? + +And he promised, and lied, and invented fresh excuses for delay, like a +cowardly gambler and roue as he was, fearing to break with her, and half +the time unwilling to give her up. + +"That woman doesn't know what fear is," he said to himself, "and she +watches me like a hawk." + +He told his wife that this woman was a lobbyist, whom he had to tolerate +and use in getting through his claims, and that he should pay her and +have done with her, when he succeeded. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +Henry Brierly was at the Dilworthy's constantly and on such terms of +intimacy that he came and went without question. The Senator was not an +inhospitable man, he liked to have guests in his house, and Harry's gay +humor and rattling way entertained him; for even the most devout men and +busy statesmen must have hours of relaxation. + +Harry himself believed that he was of great service in the University +business, and that the success of the scheme depended upon him to a great +degree. He spent many hours in talking it over with the Senator after +dinner. He went so far as to consider whether it would be worth his +while to take the professorship of civil engineering in the new +institution. + +But it was not the Senator's society nor his dinners--at which this +scapegrace remarked that there was too much grace and too little wine +--which attracted him to the house. The fact was the poor fellow hung +around there day after day for the chance of seeing Laura for five +minutes at a time. For her presence at dinner he would endure the long +bore of the Senator's talk afterwards, while Laura was off at some +assembly, or excused herself on the plea of fatigue. Now and then he +accompanied her to some reception, and rarely, on off nights, he was +blessed with her company in the parlor, when he sang, and was chatty and +vivacious and performed a hundred little tricks of imitation and +ventriloquism, and made himself as entertaining as a man could be. + +It puzzled him not a little that all his fascinations seemed to go for so +little with Laura; it was beyond his experience with women. Sometimes +Laura was exceedingly kind and petted him a little, and took the trouble +to exert her powers of pleasing, and to entangle him deeper and deeper. +But this, it angered him afterwards to think, was in private; in public +she was beyond his reach, and never gave occasion to the suspicion that +she had any affair with him. He was never permitted to achieve the +dignity of a serious flirtation with her in public. + +"Why do you treat me so?" he once said, reproachfully. + +"Treat you how?" asked Laura in a sweet voice, lifting her eyebrows. + +"You know well enough. You let other fellows monopolize you in society, +and you are as indifferent to me as if we were strangers." + +"Can I help it if they are attentive, can I be rude? But we are such old +friends, Mr. Brierly, that I didn't suppose you would be jealous." + +"I think I must be a very old friend, then, by your conduct towards me. +By the same rule I should judge that Col. Selby must be very new." + +Laura looked up quickly, as if about to return an indignant answer to +such impertinence, but she only said, "Well, what of Col. Selby, +sauce-box?" + +"Nothing, probably, you'll care for. Your being with him so much is the +town talk, that's all?" + +"What do people say?" asked Laura calmly. + +"Oh, they say a good many things. You are offended, though, to have me +speak of it?" + +"Not in the least. You are my true friend. I feel that I can trust you. +You wouldn't deceive me, Harry?" throwing into her eyes a look of trust +and tenderness that melted away all his petulance and distrust. "What do +they say?" + +"Some say that you've lost your head about him; others that you don't +care any more for him than you do for a dozen others, but that he is +completely fascinated with you and about to desert his wife; and others +say it is nonsense to suppose you would entangle yourself with a married +man, and that your intimacy only arises from the matter of the cotton, +claims, for which he wants your influence with Dilworthy. But you know +everybody is talked about more or less in Washington. I shouldn't care; +but I wish you wouldn't have so much to do with Selby, Laura," continued +Harry, fancying that he was now upon such terms that his, advice, would +be heeded. + +"And you believed these slanders?" + +"I don't believe anything against you, Laura, but Col. Selby does not +mean you any good. I know you wouldn't be seen with him if you knew his +reputation." + +"Do you know him?" Laura asked, as indifferently as she could. + +"Only a little. I was at his lodgings' in Georgetown a day or two ago, +with Col. Sellers. Sellers wanted to talk with him about some patent +remedy he has, Eye Water, or something of that sort, which he wants to +introduce into Europe. Selby is going abroad very soon." + +Laura started; in spite of her self-control. + +"And his wife!--Does he take his family? Did you see his wife?" + +"Yes. A dark little woman, rather worn--must have been pretty once +though. Has three or four children, one of them a baby. They'll all +go of course. She said she should be glad enough to get away from +Washington. You know Selby has got his claim allowed, and they say he +has had a run, of luck lately at Morrissey's." + +Laura heard all this in a kind of stupor, looking straight at Harry, +without seeing him. Is it possible, she was thinking, that this base +wretch, after, all his promises, will take his wife and children and +leave me? Is it possible the town is saying all these things about me? +And a look of bitterness coming into her face--does the fool think he can +escape so? + +"You are angry with me, Laura," said Harry, not comprehending in the +least what was going on in her mind. + +"Angry?" she said, forcing herself to come back to his presence. +"With you? Oh no. I'm angry with the cruel world, which, pursues an +independent woman as it never does a man. I'm grateful to you Harry; +I'm grateful to you for telling me of that odious man." + +And she rose from her chair and gave him her pretty hand, which the silly +fellow took, and kissed and clung to. And he said many silly things, +before she disengaged herself gently, and left him, saying it was time to +dress, for dinner. + +And Harry went away, excited, and a little hopeful, but only a little. +The happiness was only a gleam, which departed and left him thoroughly, +miserable. She never would love him, and she was going to the devil, +besides. He couldn't shut his eyes to what he saw, nor his ears to what +he heard of her. + +What had come over this thrilling young lady-killer? It was a pity to see +such a gay butterfly broken on a wheel. Was there something good in him, +after all, that had been touched? He was in fact madly in love with this +woman. + +It is not for us to analyze the passion and say whether it was a worthy +one. It absorbed his whole nature and made him wretched enough. If he +deserved punishment, what more would you have? Perhaps this love was +kindling a new heroism in him. + +He saw the road on which Laura was going clearly enough, though he did +not believe the worst he heard of her. He loved her too passionately to +credit that for a moment. And it seemed to him that if he could compel +her to recognize her position, and his own devotion, she might love him, +and that he could save her. His love was so far ennobled, and become a +very different thing from its beginning in Hawkeye. Whether he ever +thought that if he could save her from ruin, he could give her up +himself, is doubtful. Such a pitch of virtue does not occur often in +real life, especially in such natures as Harry's, whose generosity and +unselfishness were matters of temperament rather than habits or +principles. + +He wrote a long letter to Laura, an incoherent, passionate letter, +pouring out his love as he could not do in her presence, and warning her +as plainly as he dared of the dangers that surrounded her, and the risks +she ran of compromising herself in many ways. + +Laura read the letter, with a little sigh may be, as she thought of other +days, but with contempt also, and she put it into the fire with the +thought, "They are all alike." + +Harry was in the habit of writing to Philip freely, and boasting also +about his doings, as he could not help doing and remain himself. +Mixed up with his own exploits, and his daily triumphs as a lobbyist, +especially in the matter of the new University, in which Harry was to +have something handsome, were amusing sketches of Washington society, +hints about Dilworthy, stories about Col. Sellers, who had become a +well-known character, and wise remarks upon the machinery of private +legislation for the public-good, which greatly entertained Philip in his +convalescence. + +Laura's name occurred very often in these letters, at first in casual +mention as the belle of the season, carrying everything before her with +her wit and beauty, and then more seriously, as if Harry did not exactly +like so much general admiration of her, and was a little nettled by her +treatment of him. + +This was so different from Harry's usual tone about women, that Philip +wondered a good deal over it. Could it be possible that he was seriously +affected? Then came stories about Laura, town talk, gossip which Harry +denied the truth of indignantly; but he was evidently uneasy, and at +length wrote in such miserable spirits that Philip asked him squarely +what the trouble was; was he in love? + +Upon this, Harry made a clean breast of it, and told Philip all he knew +about the Selby affair, and Laura's treatment of him, sometimes +encouraging him--and then throwing him off, and finally his belief that +she would go, to the bad if something was not done to arouse her from her +infatuation. He wished Philip was in Washington. He knew Laura, and she +had a great respect for his character, his opinions, his judgment. +Perhaps he, as an uninterested person whom she would have some +confidence, and as one of the public, could say some thing to her that +would show her where she stood. + +Philip saw the situation clearly enough. Of Laura he knew not much, +except that she was a woman of uncommon fascination, and he thought from +what he had seen of her in Hawkeye, her conduct towards him and towards +Harry, of not too much principle. Of course he knew nothing of her +history; he knew nothing seriously against her, and if Harry was +desperately enamored of her, why should he not win her if he could. +If, however, she had already become what Harry uneasily felt she might +become, was it not his duty to go to the rescue of his friend and try to +save him from any rash act on account of a woman that might prove to be +entirely unworthy of him; for trifler and visionary as he was, Harry +deserved a better fate than this. + +Philip determined to go to Washington and see for himself. He had other +reasons also. He began to know enough of Mr. Bolton's affairs to be +uneasy. Pennybacker had been there several times during the winter, and +he suspected that he was involving Mr. Bolton in some doubtful scheme. +Pennybacker was in Washington, and Philip thought he might perhaps find +out something about him, and his plans, that would be of service to Mr. +Bolton. + +Philip had enjoyed his winter very well, for a man with his arm broken +and his head smashed. With two such nurses as Ruth and Alice, illness +seemed to him rather a nice holiday, and every moment of his +convalescence had been precious and all too fleeting. With a young +fellow of the habits of Philip, such injuries cannot be counted on to +tarry long, even for the purpose of love-making, and Philip found himself +getting strong with even disagreeable rapidity. + +During his first weeks of pain and weakness, Ruth was unceasing in her +ministrations; she quietly took charge of him, and with a gentle firmness +resisted all attempts of Alice or any one else to share to any great +extent the burden with her. She was clear, decisive and peremptory in +whatever she did; but often when Philip, opened his eyes in those first +days of suffering and found her standing by his bedside, he saw a look of +tenderness in her anxious face that quickened his already feverish pulse, +a look that, remained in his heart long after he closed his eyes. +Sometimes he felt her hand on his forehead, and did not open his eyes for +fear she world take it away. He watched for her coming to his chamber; +he could distinguish her light footstep from all others. If this is what +is meant by women practicing medicine, thought Philip to himself, I like +it. + +"Ruth," said he one day when he was getting to be quite himself, +"I believe in it?" + +"Believe in what?" + +"Why, in women physicians." + +"Then, I'd better call in Mrs. Dr. Longstreet." + +"Oh, no. One will do, one at a time. I think I should be well tomorrow, +if I thought I should never have any other." + +"Thy physician thinks thee mustn't talk, Philip," said Ruth putting her +finger on his lips. + +"But, Ruth, I want to tell you that I should wish I never had got well +if--" + +"There, there, thee must not talk. Thee is wandering again," and Ruth +closed his lips, with a smile on her own that broadened into a merry +laugh as she ran away. + +Philip was not weary, however, of making these attempts, he rather +enjoyed it. But whenever he inclined to be sentimental, Ruth would cut +him off, with some such gravely conceived speech as, "Does thee think +that thy physician will take advantage of the condition of a man who is +as weak as thee is? I will call Alice, if thee has any dying confessions +to make." + +As Philip convalesced, Alice more and more took Ruth's place as his +entertainer, and read to him by the hour, when he did not want to talk +--to talk about Ruth, as he did a good deal of the time. Nor was this +altogether unsatisfactory to Philip. He was always happy and contented +with Alice. She was the most restful person he knew. Better informed +than Ruth and with a much more varied culture, and bright and +sympathetic, he was never weary of her company, if he was not greatly +excited by it. She had upon his mind that peaceful influence that Mrs. +Bolton had when, occasionally, she sat by his bedside with her work. +Some people have this influence, which is like an emanation. They bring +peace to a house, they diffuse serene content in a room full of mixed +company, though they may say very little, and are apparently, unconscious +of their own power. + +Not that Philip did not long for Ruth's presence all the same. Since he +was well enough to be about the house, she was busy again with her +studies. Now and then her teasing humor came again. She always had a +playful shield against his sentiment. Philip used sometimes to declare +that she had no sentiment; and then he doubted if he should be pleased +with her after all if she were at all sentimental; and he rejoiced that +she had, in such matters what he called the airy grace of sanity. She +was the most gay serious person he ever saw. + +Perhaps he waw not so much at rest or so contented with her as with +Alice. But then he loved her. And what have rest and contentment to do +with love? + + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +Mr. Buckstone's campaign was brief--much briefer than he supposed it +would be. He began it purposing to win Laura without being won himself; +but his experience was that of all who had fought on that field before +him; he diligently continued his effort to win her, but he presently +found that while as yet he could not feel entirely certain of having won +her, it was very manifest that she had won him. He had made an able +fight, brief as it was, and that at least was to his credit. He was in +good company, now; he walked in a leash of conspicuous captives. These +unfortunates followed Laura helplessly, for whenever she took a prisoner +he remained her slave henceforth. Sometimes they chafed in their +bondage; sometimes they tore themselves free and said their serfdom was +ended; but sooner or later they always came back penitent and worshiping. +Laura pursued her usual course: she encouraged Mr. Buckstone by turns, +and by turns she harassed him; she exalted him to the clouds at one time, +and at another she dragged him down again. She constituted him chief +champion of the Knobs University bill, and he accepted the position, at +first reluctantly, but later as a valued means of serving her--he even +came to look upon it as a piece of great good fortune, since it brought +him into such frequent contact with her. + +Through him she learned that the Hon. Mr. Trollop was a bitter enemy of +her bill. He urged her not to attempt to influence Mr. Trollop in any +way, and explained that whatever she might attempt in that direction +would surely be used against her and with damaging effect. + +She at first said she knew Mr. Trollop, "and was aware that he had a +Blank-Blank;"--[**Her private figure of speech for Brother--or +Son-in-law]--but Mr. Buckstone said that he was not able to conceive what +so curious a phrase as Blank-Blank might mean, and had no wish to pry +into the matter, since it was probably private, he "would nevertheless +venture the blind assertion that nothing would answer in this particular +case and during this particular session but to be exceedingly wary and +keep clear away from Mr. Trollop; any other course would be fatal." + +It seemed that nothing could be done. Laura was seriously troubled. +Everything was looking well, and yet it was plain that one vigorous and +determined enemy might eventually succeed in overthrowing all her plans. +A suggestion came into her mind presently and she said: + +"Can't you fight against his great Pension bill and, bring him to terms?" + +"Oh, never; he and I are sworn brothers on that measure; we work in +harness and are very loving--I do everything I possibly can for him +there. But I work with might and main against his Immigration bill, +--as pertinaciously and as vindictively, indeed, as he works against our +University. We hate each other through half a conversation and are all +affection through the other half. We understand each other. He is an +admirable worker outside the capitol; he will do more for the Pension +bill than any other man could do; I wish he would make the great speech +on it which he wants to make--and then I would make another and we would +be safe." + +"Well if he wants to make a great speech why doesn't he do it?" + +Visitors interrupted the conversation and Mr. Buckstone took his leave. +It was not of the least moment to Laura that her question had not been +answered, inasmuch as it concerned a thing which did not interest her; +and yet, human being like, she thought she would have liked to know. +An opportunity occurring presently, she put the same question to another +person and got an answer that satisfied her. She pondered a good while +that night, after she had gone to bed, and when she finally turned over, +to, go to sleep, she had thought out a new scheme. The next evening at +Mrs. Gloverson's party, she said to Mr. Buckstone: + +"I want Mr. Trollop to make his great speech on the Pension bill." + +"Do you? But you remember I was interrupted, and did not explain +to you--" + +"Never mind, I know. You must' make him make that speech. I very. +particularly desire, it." + +"Oh, it is easy, to say make him do it, but how am I to make him!" + +"It is perfectly easy; I have thought it all out." + +She then went into the details. At length Mr. Buckstone said: + +"I see now. I can manage it, I am sure. Indeed I wonder he never +thought of it himself--there are no end of precedents. But how is this +going to benefit you, after I have managed it? There is where the +mystery lies." + +"But I will take care of that. It will benefit me a great deal." + +"I only wish I could see how; it is the oddest freak. You seem to go the +furthest around to get at a thing--but you are in earnest, aren't you?" + +"Yes I am, indeed." + +"Very well, I will do it--but why not tell me how you imagine it is going +to help you?" + +"I will, by and by.--Now there is nobody talking to him. Go straight and +do it, there's a good fellow." + +A moment or two later the two sworn friends of the Pension bill were +talking together, earnestly, and seemingly unconscious of the moving +throng about them. They talked an hour, and then Mr. Buckstone came back +and said: + +"He hardly fancied it at first, but he fell in love with it after a bit. +And we have made a compact, too. I am to keep his secret and he is to +spare me, in future, when he gets ready to denounce the supporters of the +University bill--and I can easily believe he will keep his word on this +occasion." + +A fortnight elapsed, and the University bill had gathered to itself many +friends, meantime. Senator Dilworthy began to think the harvest was +ripe. He conferred with Laura privately. She was able to tell him +exactly how the House would vote. There was a majority--the bill would +pass, unless weak members got frightened at the last, and deserted--a +thing pretty likely to occur. The Senator said: + +"I wish we had one more good strong man. Now Trollop ought to be on our +side, for he is a friend of the negro. But he is against us, and is our +bitterest opponent. If he would simply vote No, but keep quiet and not +molest us, I would feel perfectly cheerful and content. But perhaps +there is no use in thinking of that." + +"Why I laid a little plan for his benefit two weeks ago. I think he will +be tractable, maybe. He is to come here tonight." + +"Look out for him, my child! He means mischief, sure. It is said that +he claims to know of improper practices having been used in the interest +of this bill, and he thinks be sees a chance to make a great sensation +when the bill comes up. Be wary. Be very, very careful, my dear. +Do your very-ablest talking, now. You can convince a man of anything, +when you try. You must convince him that if anything improper has been +done, you at least are ignorant of it and sorry for it. And if you could +only persuade him out of his hostility to the bill, too--but don't overdo +the thing; don't seem too anxious, dear." + +"I won't; I'll be ever so careful. I'll talk as sweetly to him as if he +were my own child! You may trust me--indeed you may." + +The door-bell rang. + +"That is the gentleman now," said Laura. Senator Dilworthy retired to +his study. + +Laura welcomed Mr. Trollop, a grave, carefully dressed and very +respectable looking man, with a bald head, standing collar and old +fashioned watch seals. + +"Promptness is a virtue, Mr. Trollop, and I perceive that you have it. +You are always prompt with me." + +"I always meet my engagements, of every kind, Miss Hawkins." + +"It is a quality which is rarer in the world than it has been, I believe. +I wished to see you on business, Mr. Trollop." + +"I judged so. What can I do for you?" + +"You know my bill--the Knobs University bill?" + +"Ah, I believe it is your bill. I had forgotten. Yes, I know the bill." + +"Well, would you mind telling me your opinion of it?" + +"Indeed, since you seem to ask it without reserve, I am obliged to say +that I do not regard it favorably. I have not seen the bill itself, but +from what I can hear, it--it--well, it has a bad look about it. It--" + +"Speak it out--never fear." + +"Well, it--they say it contemplates a fraud upon the government." + +"Well?" said Laura tranquilly. + +"Well! I say 'Well?' too." + +"Well, suppose it were a fraud--which I feel able to deny--would it be +the first one?" + +"You take a body's breath away! Would you--did you wish me to vote for +it? Was that what you wanted to see me about?" + +"Your instinct is correct. I did want you--I do want you to vote for +it." + +"Vote for a fr--for a measure which is generally believed to be at least +questionable? I am afraid we cannot come to an understanding, Miss +Hawkins." + +"No, I am afraid not--if you have resumed your principles, Mr. Trollop." + +"Did you send for we merely to insult me? It is time for me to take my +leave, Miss Hawkins." + +"No-wait a moment. Don't be offended at a trifle. Do not be offish and +unsociable. The Steamship Subsidy bill was a fraud on the government. +You voted for it, Mr. Trollop, though you always opposed the measure +until after you had an interview one evening with a certain Mrs. McCarter +at her house. She was my agent. She was acting for me. Ah, that is +right--sit down again. You can be sociable, easily enough if you have a +mind to. Well? I am waiting. Have you nothing to say?" + +"Miss Hawkins, I voted for that bill because when I came to examine into +it--" + +"Ah yes. When you came to examine into it. Well, I only want you to +examine into my bill. Mr. Trollop, you would not sell your vote on that +subsidy bill--which was perfectly right--but you accepted of some +of the stock, with the understanding that it was to stand in your +brother-in-law's name." + +"There is no pr--I mean, this is, utterly groundless, Miss Hawkins." But +the gentleman seemed somewhat uneasy, nevertheless. + +"Well, not entirely so, perhaps. I and a person whom we will call Miss +Blank (never mind the real name,) were in a closet at your elbow all the +while." + +Mr. Trollop winced--then he said with dignity: + +"Miss Hawkins is it possible that you were capable of such a thing as +that?" + +"It was bad; I confess that. It was bad. Almost as bad as selling one's +vote for--but I forget; you did not sell your vote--you only accepted a +little trifle, a small token of esteem, for your brother-in-law. Oh, let +us come out and be frank with each other: I know you, Mr. Trollop. +I have met you on business three or four times; true, I never offered to +corrupt your principles--never hinted such a thing; but always when I had +finished sounding you, I manipulated you through an agent. Let us be +frank. Wear this comely disguise of virtue before the public--it will +count there; but here it is out of place. My dear sir, by and by there +is going to be an investigation into that National Internal Improvement +Directors' Relief Measure of a few years ago, and you know very well that +you will be a crippled man, as likely as not, when it is completed." + +"It cannot be shown that a man is a knave merely for owning that stock. +I am not distressed about the National Improvement Relief Measure." + +"Oh indeed I am not trying to distress you. I only wished, to make good +my assertion that I knew you. Several of you gentlemen bought of that +stack (without paying a penny down) received dividends from it, (think of +the happy idea of receiving dividends, and very large ones, too, from +stock one hasn't paid for!) and all the while your names never appeared +in the transaction; if ever you took the stock at all, you took it in +other people's names. Now you see, you had to know one of two things; +namely, you either knew that the idea of all this preposterous generosity +was to bribe you into future legislative friendship, or you didn't know +it. That is to say, you had to be either a knave or a--well, a fool +--there was no middle ground. You are not a fool, Mr. Trollop." + +"Miss Hawking you flatter me. But seriously, you do not forget that some +of the best and purest men in Congress took that stock in that way?" + +"Did Senator Bland?" + +"Well, no--I believe not." + +"Of course you believe not. Do you suppose he was ever approached, on +the subject?" + +"Perhaps not." + +"If you had approached him, for instance, fortified with the fact that +some of the best men in Congress, and the purest, etc., etc.; what would +have been the result?" + +"Well, what WOULD have been the result?" + +"He would have shown you the door! For Mr. Blank is neither a knave nor +a fool. There are other men in the Senate and the House whom no one +would have been hardy enough to approach with that Relief Stock in that +peculiarly generous way, but they are not of the class that you regard as +the best and purest. No, I say I know you Mr. Trollop. That is to say, +one may suggest a thing to Mr. Trollop which it would not do to suggest +to Mr. Blank. Mr. Trollop, you are pledged to support the Indigent +Congressmen's Retroactive Appropriation which is to come up, either in +this or the next session. You do not deny that, even in public. The man +that will vote for that bill will break the eighth commandment in any +other way, sir!" + +"But he will not vote for your corrupt measure, nevertheless, madam!" +exclaimed Mr. Trollop, rising from his seat in a passion. + +"Ah, but he will. Sit down again, and let me explain why. Oh, come, +don't behave so. It is very unpleasant. Now be good, and you shall +have, the missing page of your great speech. Here it is!"--and she +displayed a sheet of manuscript. + +Mr. Trollop turned immediately back from the threshold. It might have +been gladness that flashed into his face; it might have been something +else; but at any rate there was much astonishment mixed with it. + +"Good! Where did you get it? Give it me!" + +"Now there is no hurry. Sit down; sit down and let us talk and be +friendly." + +The gentleman wavered. Then he said: + +"No, this is only a subterfuge. I will go. It is not the missing page." + +Laura tore off a couple of lines from the bottom of the sheet. + +"Now," she said, "you will know whether this is the handwriting or not. +You know it is the handwriting. Now if you will listen, you will know +that this must be the list of statistics which was to be the 'nub' of +your great effort, and the accompanying blast the beginning of the burst +of eloquence which was continued on the next page--and you will recognize +that there was where you broke down." + +She read the page. Mr. Trollop said: + +"This is perfectly astounding. Still, what is all this to me? It is +nothing. It does not concern me. The speech is made, and there an end. +I did break down for a moment, and in a rather uncomfortable place, since +I had led up to those statistics with some grandeur; the hiatus was +pleasanter to the House and the galleries than it was to me. But it is +no matter now. A week has passed; the jests about it ceased three or +four days ago. The, whole thing is a matter of indifference to me, Miss +Hawkins." + +"But you apologized; and promised the statistics for next day. Why +didn't you keep your promise." + +"The matter was not of sufficient consequence. The time was gone by to +produce an effect with them." + +"But I hear that other friends of the Soldiers' Pension Bill desire them +very much. I think you ought to let them have them." + +"Miss Hawkins, this silly blunder of my copyist evidently has more +interest for you than it has for me. I will send my private secretary to +you and let him discuss the subject with you at length." + +"Did he copy your speech for you?" + +"Of course he did. Why all these questions? Tell me--how did you get +hold of that page of manuscript? That is the only thing that stirs a +passing interest in my mind." + +"I'm coming to that." Then she said, much as if she were talking to +herself: "It does seem like taking a deal of unnecessary pains, for a +body to hire another body to construct a great speech for him and then go +and get still another body to copy it before it can be read in the +House." + +"Miss Hawkins, what do yo mean by such talk as that?" + +"Why I am sure I mean no harm--no harm to anybody in the world. I am +certain that I overheard the Hon. Mr. Buckstone either promise to write +your great speech for you or else get some other competent person to do +it." + +"This is perfectly absurd, madam, perfectly absurd!" and Mr. Trollop +affected a laugh of derision. + +"Why, the thing has occurred before now. I mean that I have heard that +Congressmen have sometimes hired literary grubs to build speeches for +them.--Now didn't I overhear a conversation like that I spoke of?" + +"Pshaw! Why of course you may have overheard some such jesting nonsense. +But would one be in earnest about so farcical a thing?" + +"Well if it was only a joke, why did you make a serious matter of it? +Why did you get the speech written for you, and then read it in the House +without ever having it copied?" + +Mr. Trollop did not laugh this time; he seemed seriously perplexed. He +said: + +"Come, play out your jest, Miss Hawkins. I can't understand what you are +contriving--but it seems to entertain you--so please, go on." + +"I will, I assure you; but I hope to make the matter entertaining to you, +too. Your private secretary never copied your speech." + +"Indeed? Really you seem to know my affairs better than I do myself." + +"I believe I do. You can't name your own amanuensis, Mr. Trollop." + +"That is sad, indeed. Perhaps Miss Hawkins can?" + +"Yes, I can. I wrote your speech myself, and you read it from my +manuscript. There, now!" + +Mr. Trollop did not spring to his feet and smite his brow with his hand +while a cold sweat broke out all over him and the color forsook his face +--no, he only said, "Good God!" and looked greatly astonished. + +Laura handed him her commonplace-book and called his attention to the +fact that the handwriting there and the handwriting of this speech were +the same. He was shortly convinced. He laid the book aside and said, +composedly: + +"Well, the wonderful tragedy is done, and it transpires that I am +indebted to you for my late eloquence. What of it? What was all this +for and what does it amount to after all? What do you propose to do +about it?" + +"Oh nothing. It is only a bit of pleasantry. When I overheard that +conversation I took an early opportunity to ask Mr. Buckstone if he knew +of anybody who might want a speech written--I had a friend, and so forth +and so on. I was the friend, myself; I thought I might do you a good +turn then and depend on you to do me one by and by. I never let Mr. +Buckstone have the speech till the last moment, and when you hurried off +to the House with it, you did not know there was a missing page, of +course, but I did. + +"And now perhaps you think that if I refuse to support your bill, you +will make a grand exposure?" + +"Well I had not thought of that. I only kept back the page for the mere +fun of the thing; but since you mention it, I don't know but I might do +something if I were angry." + +"My dear Miss Hawkins, if you were to give out that you composed my +speech, you know very well that people would say it was only your +raillery, your fondness for putting a victim in the pillory and amusing +the public at his expense. It is too flimsy, Miss Hawkins, for a person +of your fine inventive talent--contrive an abler device than that. +Come!" + +"It is easily done, Mr. Trollop. I will hire a man, and pin this page on +his breast, and label it, 'The Missing Fragment of the Hon. Mr. Trollop's +Great Speech--which speech was written and composed by Miss Laura Hawkins +under a secret understanding for one hundred dollars--and the money has +not been paid.' And I will pin round about it notes in my handwriting, +which I will procure from prominent friends of mine for the occasion; +also your printed speech in the Globe, showing the connection between its +bracketed hiatus and my Fragment; and I give you my word of honor that I +will stand that human bulletin board in the rotunda of the capitol and +make him stay there a week! You see you are premature, Mr. Trollop, the +wonderful tragedy is not done yet, by any means. Come, now, doesn't it +improve?" + +Mr Trollop opened his eyes rather widely at this novel aspect of the +case. He got up and walked the floor and gave himself a moment for +reflection. Then he stopped and studied Laura's face a while, and ended +by saying: + +"Well, I am obliged to believe you would be reckless enough to do that." + +"Then don't put me to the test, Mr. Trollop. But let's drop the matter. +I have had my joke and you've borne the infliction becomingly enough. +It spoils a jest to harp on it after one has had one's laugh. I would +much rather talk about my bill." + +"So would I, now, my clandestine amanuensis. Compared with some other +subjects, even your bill is a pleasant topic to discuss." + +"Very good indeed! I thought. I could persuade you. Now I am sure you +will be generous to the poor negro and vote for that bill." + +"Yes, I feel more tenderly toward the oppressed colored man than I did. +Shall we bury the hatchet and be good friends and respect each other's +little secrets, on condition that I vote Aye on the measure?" + +"With all my heart, Mr. Trollop. I give you my word of that." + +"It is a bargain. But isn't there something else you could give me, +too?" + +Laura looked at him inquiringly a moment, and then she comprehended. + +"Oh, yes! You may have it now. I haven't any, more use for it." She +picked up the page of manuscript, but she reconsidered her intention of +handing it to him, and said, "But never mind; I will keep it close; no +one shall see it; you shall have it as soon as your vote is recorded." + +Mr. Trollop looked disappointed. But presently made his adieux, and had +got as far as the hall, when something occurred to Laura. She said to +herself, "I don't simply want his vote under compulsion--he might vote +aye, but work against the bill in secret, for revenge; that man is +unscrupulous enough to do anything. I must have his hearty co-operation +as well as his vote. There is only one way to get that." + +She called him back, and said: + +"I value your vote, Mr. Trollop, but I value your influence more. You +are able to help a measure along in many ways, if you choose. I want to +ask you to work for the bill as well as vote for it." + +"It takes so much of one's time, Miss Hawkins--and time is money, you +know." + +"Yes, I know it is--especially in Congress. Now there is no use in you +and I dealing in pretenses and going at matters in round-about ways. +We know each other--disguises are nonsense. Let us be plain. I will +make it an object to you to work for the bill." + +"Don't make it unnecessarily plain, please. There are little proprieties +that are best preserved. What do you propose?" + +"Well, this." She mentioned the names of several prominent Congressmen. + +"Now," said she, "these gentlemen are to vote and work for the bill, +simply out of love for the negro--and out of pure generosity I have put +in a relative of each as a member of the University incorporation. They +will handle a million or so of money, officially, but will receive no +salaries. A larger number of statesmen are to, vote and work for the +bill--also out of love for the negro--gentlemen of but moderate +influence, these--and out of pure generosity I am to see that relatives +of theirs have positions in the University, with salaries, and good ones, +too. You will vote and work for the bill, from mere affection for the +negro, and I desire to testify my gratitude becomingly. Make free +choice. Have you any friend whom you would like to present with a +salaried or unsalaried position in our institution?" + +"Well, I have a brother-in-law--" + +"That same old brother-in-law, you good unselfish provider! I have heard +of him often, through my agents. How regularly he does 'turn up,' to be +sure. He could deal with those millions virtuously, and withal with +ability, too--but of course you would rather he had a salaried position?" + +"Oh, no," said the gentleman, facetiously, "we are very humble, very +humble in our desires; we want no money; we labor solely, for our country +and require no reward but the luxury of an applauding conscience. Make +him one of those poor hard working unsalaried corporators and let him do +every body good with those millions--and go hungry himself! I will try +to exert a little influence in favor of the bill." + +Arrived at home, Mr. Trollop sat down and thought it all over--something +after this fashion: it is about the shape it might have taken if he had +spoken it aloud. + +"My reputation is getting a little damaged, and I meant to clear it up +brilliantly with an exposure of this bill at the supreme moment, and ride +back into Congress on the eclat of it; and if I had that bit of +manuscript, I would do it yet. It would be more money in my pocket in +the end, than my brother-in-law will get out of that incorporatorship, +fat as it is. But that sheet of paper is out of my reach--she will never +let that get out of her hands. And what a mountain it is! It blocks up +my road, completely. She was going to hand it to me, once. Why didn't +she! Must be a deep woman. Deep devil! That is what she is; +a beautiful devil--and perfectly fearless, too. The idea of her pinning +that paper on a man and standing him up in the rotunda looks absurd at a +first glance. But she would do it! She is capable of doing anything. +I went there hoping she would try to bribe me--good solid capital that +would be in the exposure. Well, my prayer was answered; she did try to +bribe me; and I made the best of a bad bargain and let her. I am +check-mated. I must contrive something fresh to get back to Congress on. +Very well; a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; I will work for +the bill--the incorporatorship will be a very good thing." + +As soon as Mr. Trollop had taken his leave, Laura ran to Senator +Dilworthy and began to speak, but he interrupted her and said +distressfully, without even turning from his writing to look at her: + +"Only half an hour! You gave it up early, child. However, it was best, +it was best--I'm sure it was best--and safest." + +"Give it up! I!" + +The Senator sprang up, all aglow: + +"My child, you can't mean that you--" + +"I've made him promise on honor to think about a compromise tonight and +come and tell me his decision in the morning." + +"Good! There's hope yet that--" + +Nonsense, uncle. I've made him engage to let the Tennessee Land bill +utterly alone!" + +"Impossible! You--" + +"I've made him promise to vote with us!" + +"INCREDIBLE! Abso--" + +"I've made him swear that he'll work for us!" + +"PRE - - - POSTEROUS!--Utterly pre--break a window, child, before I +suffocate!" + +"No matter, it's true anyway. Now we can march into Congress with drums +beating and colors flying!" + +"Well--well--well. I'm sadly bewildered, sadly bewildered. I can't +understand it at all--the most extraordinary woman that ever--it's a +great day, it's a great day. There--there--let me put my hand in +benediction on this precious head. Ah, my child, the poor negro will +bless--" + +"Oh bother the poor negro, uncle! Put it in your speech. Good-night, +good-bye--we'll marshal our forces and march with the dawn!" + +Laura reflected a while, when she was alone, and then fell to laughing, +peacefully. + +"Everybody works for me,"--so ran her thought. "It was a good idea to +make Buckstone lead Mr. Trollop on to get a great speech written for him; +and it was a happy part of the same idea for me to copy the speech after +Mr. Buckstone had written it, and then keep back a page. Mr. B. was +very complimentary to me when Trollop's break-down in the House showed +him the object of my mysterious scheme; I think he will say, still finer +things when I tell him the triumph the sequel to it has gained for us. + +"But what a coward the man was, to believe I would have exposed that page +in the rotunda, and so exposed myself. However, I don't know--I don't +know. I will think a moment. Suppose he voted no; suppose the bill +failed; that is to suppose this stupendous game lost forever, that I have +played so desperately for; suppose people came around pitying me--odious! +And he could have saved me by his single voice. Yes, I would have +exposed him! What would I care for the talk that that would have made +about me when I was gone to Europe with Selby and all the world was busy +with my history and my dishonor? It would be almost happiness to spite +somebody at such a time." + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +The very next day, sure enough, the campaign opened. In due course, the +Speaker of the House reached that Order of Business which is termed +"Notices of Bills," and then the Hon. Mr. Buckstone rose in his place and +gave notice of a bill "To Found and Incorporate the Knobs Industrial +University," and then sat down without saying anything further. The busy +gentlemen in the reporters' gallery jotted a line in their note-books, +ran to the telegraphic desk in a room which communicated with their own +writing-parlor, and then hurried back to their places in the gallery; and +by the time they had resumed their seats, the line which they had +delivered to the operator had been read in telegraphic offices in towns +and cities hundreds of miles away. It was distinguished by frankness of +language as well as by brevity: + +"The child is born. Buckstone gives notice of the thieving Knobs +University job. It is said the noses have been counted and enough votes +have been bought to pass it." + +For some time the correspondents had been posting their several journals +upon the alleged disreputable nature of the bill, and furnishing daily +reports of the Washington gossip concerning it. So the next morning, +nearly every newspaper of character in the land assailed the measure and +hurled broadsides of invective at Mr. Buckstone. The Washington papers +were more respectful, as usual--and conciliatory, also, as usual. They +generally supported measures, when it was possible; but when they could +not they "deprecated" violent expressions of opinion in other +journalistic quarters. + +They always deprecated, when there was trouble ahead. However, 'The +Washington Daily Love-Feast' hailed the bill with warm approbation. This +was Senator Balaam's paper--or rather, "Brother" Balaam, as he was +popularly called, for he had been a clergyman, in his day; and he himself +and all that he did still emitted an odor of sanctity now that he had +diverged into journalism and politics. He was a power in the +Congressional prayer meeting, and in all movements that looked to the +spread of religion and temperance. + +His paper supported the new bill with gushing affection; it was a noble +measure; it was a just measure; it was a generous measure; it was a pure +measure, and that surely should recommend it in these corrupt times; and +finally, if the nature of the bill were not known at all, the 'Love +Feast' would support it anyway, and unhesitatingly, for the fact that +Senator Dilworthy was the originator of the measure was a guaranty that +it contemplated a worthy and righteous work. + +Senator Dilworthy was so anxious to know what the New York papers would +say about the bill; that he had arranged to have synopses of their +editorials telegraphed to him; he could not wait for the papers +themselves to crawl along down to Washington by a mail train which has +never run over a cow since the road was built; for the reason that it has +never been able to overtake one. It carries the usual "cow-catcher" in +front of the locomotive, but this is mere ostentation. It ought to be +attached to the rear car, where it could do some good; but instead, no +provision is made there for the protection of the traveling public, and +hence it is not a matter of surprise that cows so frequently climb aboard +that train and among the passengers. + +The Senator read his dispatches aloud at the breakfast table. Laura was +troubled beyond measure at their tone, and said that that sort of comment +would defeat the bill; but the Senator said: + +"Oh, not at all, not at all, my child. It is just what we want. +Persecution is the one thing needful, now--all the other forces are +secured. Give us newspaper persecution enough, and we are safe. +Vigorous persecution will alone carry a bill sometimes, dear; and when +you start with a strong vote in the first place, persecution comes in +with double effect. It scares off some of the weak supporters, true, +but it soon turns strong ones into stubborn ones. And then, presently, +it changes the tide of public opinion. The great public is weak-minded; +the great public is sentimental; the great public always turns around and +weeps for an odious murderer, and prays for-him, and carries flowers to +his prison and besieges the governor with appeals to his clemency, as +soon as the papers begin to howl for that man's blood.--In a word, the +great putty-hearted public loves to 'gush,' and there is no such darling +opportunity to gush as a case of persecution affords." + +"Well, uncle, dear; if your theory is right, let us go into raptures, +for nobody can ask a heartier persecution than these editorials are +furnishing." + +"I am not so sure of that, my daughter. I don't entirely like the tone +of some of these remarks. They lack vim, they lack venom. Here is one +calls it a 'questionable measure.' Bah, there is no strength in that. +This one is better; it calls it 'highway robbery.' That sounds something +like. But now this one seems satisfied to call it an 'iniquitous +scheme'. 'Iniquitous' does not exasperate anybody; it is weak--puerile. +The ignorant will imagine it to be intended for a compliment. But this +other one--the one I read last--has the true ring: 'This vile, dirty +effort to rob the public treasury, by the kites and vultures that now +infest the filthy den called Congress'--that is admirable, admirable! +We must have more of that sort. But it will come--no fear of that; +they're not warmed up, yet. A week from now you'll see." + +"Uncle, you and Brother Balaam are bosom friends--why don't you get his +paper to persecute us, too?" + +"It isn't worth while, my, daughter. His support doesn't hurt a bill. +Nobody reads his editorials but himself. But I wish the New York papers +would talk a little plainer. It is annoying to have to wait a week for +them to warm up. I expected better things at their hands--and time is +precious, now." + +At the proper hour, according to his previous notice, Mr. Buckstone duly +introduced his bill entitled "An Act to Found and Incorporate the Knobs +Industrial University," moved its proper reference, and sat down. + +The Speaker of the House rattled off this observation: + +"'Fnobjectionbilltakuzhlcoixrssoreferred!'" + +Habitues of the House comprehended that this long, lightning-heeled word +signified that if there was no objection, the bill would take the +customary course of a measure of its nature, and be referred to the +Committee on Benevolent Appropriations, and that it was accordingly so +referred. Strangers merely supposed that the Speaker was taking a gargle +for some affection of the throat. + +The reporters immediately telegraphed the introduction of the bill.--And +they added: + + "The assertion that the bill will pass was premature. It is said + that many favorers of it will desert when the storm breaks upon them + from the public press." + +The storm came, and during ten days it waxed more and more violent day by +day. The great "Negro University Swindle" became the one absorbing topic +of conversation throughout the Union. Individuals denounced it, journals +denounced it, public meetings denounced it, the pictorial papers +caricatured its friends, the whole nation seemed to be growing frantic +over it. Meantime the Washington correspondents were sending such +telegrams as these abroad in the land; Under date of-- + +SATURDAY. "Congressmen Jex and Fluke are wavering; it is believed they +will desert the execrable bill." + +MONDAY. "Jex and Fluke have deserted!" + +THURSDAY. "Tubbs and Huffy left the sinking ship last night" + +Later on: + +"Three desertions. The University thieves are getting scared, though +they will not own it." + +Later: + +"The leaders are growing stubborn--they swear they can carry it, but it +is now almost certain that they no longer have a majority!" + +After a day or two of reluctant and ambiguous telegrams: + +"Public sentiment seems changing, a trifle in favor of the bill +--but only a trifle." + +And still later: + +"It is whispered that the Hon. Mr. Trollop has gone over to the pirates. +It is probably a canard. Mr. Trollop has all along been the bravest and +most efficient champion of virtue and the people against the bill, and +the report is without doubt a shameless invention." + +Next day: + +"With characteristic treachery, the truckling and pusillanimous reptile, +Crippled-Speech Trollop, has gone over to the enemy. It is contended, +now, that he has been a friend to the bill, in secret, since the day it +was introduced, and has had bankable reasons for being so; but he himself +declares that he has gone over because the malignant persecution of the +bill by the newspapers caused him to study its provisions with more care +than he had previously done, and this close examination revealed the fact +that the measure is one in every way worthy of support. (Pretty thin!) +It cannot be denied that this desertion has had a damaging effect. Jex +and Fluke have returned to their iniquitous allegiance, with six or eight +others of lesser calibre, and it is reported and believed that Tubbs and +Huffy are ready to go back. It is feared that the University swindle is +stronger to-day than it has ever been before." + +Later-midnight: + +"It is said that the committee will report the bill back to-morrow. Both +sides are marshaling their forces, and the fight on this bill is +evidently going to be the hottest of the session.--All Washington is +boiling." + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +"It's easy enough for another fellow to talk," said Harry, despondingly, +after he had put Philip in possession of his view of the case. "It's +easy enough to say 'give her up,' if you don't care for her. What am I +going to do to give her up?" + +It seemed to Harry that it was a situation requiring some active +measures. He couldn't realize that he had fallen hopelessly in love +without some rights accruing to him for the possession of the object of +his passion. Quiet resignation under relinquishment of any thing he +wanted was not in his line. And when it appeared to him that his +surrender of Laura would be the withdrawal of the one barrier that kept +her from ruin, it was unreasonable to expect that he could see how to +give her up. + +Harry had the most buoyant confidence in his own projects always; he saw +everything connected with himself in a large way and in rosy lines. This +predominance of the imagination over the judgment gave that appearance of +exaggeration to his conversation and to his communications with regard to +himself, which sometimes conveyed the impression that he was not speaking +the truth. His acquaintances had been known to say that they invariably +allowed a half for shrinkage in his statements, and held the other half +under advisement for confirmation. + +Philip in this case could not tell from Harry's story exactly how much +encouragement Laura had given him, nor what hopes he might justly have of +winning her. He had never seen him desponding before. The "brag" +appeared to be all taken out of him, and his airy manner only asserted +itself now and then in a comical imitation of its old self. + +Philip wanted time to look about him before he decided what to do. +He was not familiar with Washington, and it was difficult to adjust his +feelings and perceptions to its peculiarities. Coming out of the sweet +sanity of the Bolton household, this was by contrast the maddest Vanity +Fair one could conceive. It seemed to him a feverish, unhealthy +atmosphere in which lunacy would be easily developed. He fancied that +everybody attached to himself an exaggerated importance, from the fact of +being at the national capital, the center of political influence, the +fountain of patronage, preferment, jobs and opportunities. + +People were introduced to each other as from this or that state, not from +cities or towns, and this gave a largeness to their representative +feeling. All the women talked politics as naturally and glibly as they +talk fashion or literature elsewhere. There was always some exciting +topic at the Capitol, or some huge slander was rising up like a miasmatic +exhalation from the Potomac, threatening to settle no one knew exactly +where. Every other person was an aspirant for a place, or, if he had +one, for a better place, or more pay; almost every other one had some +claim or interest or remedy to urge; even the women were all advocates +for the advancement of some person, and they violently espoused or +denounced this or that measure as it would affect some relative, +acquaintance or friend. + +Love, travel, even death itself, waited on the chances of the dies daily +thrown in the two Houses, and the committee rooms there. If the measure +went through, love could afford to ripen into marriage, and longing for +foreign travel would have fruition; and it must have been only eternal +hope springing in the breast that kept alive numerous old claimants who +for years and years had besieged the doors of Congress, and who looked as +if they needed not so much an appropriation of money as six feet of +ground. And those who stood so long waiting for success to bring them +death were usually those who had a just claim. + +Representing states and talking of national and even international +affairs, as familiarly as neighbors at home talk of poor crops and the +extravagance of their ministers, was likely at first to impose upon +Philip as to the importance of the people gathered here. + +There was a little newspaper editor from Phil's native town, the +assistant on a Peddletonian weekly, who made his little annual joke about +the "first egg laid on our table," and who was the menial of every +tradesman in the village and under bonds to him for frequent "puffs," +except the undertaker, about whose employment he was recklessly +facetious. In Washington he was an important man, correspondent, and +clerk of two house committees, a "worker" in politics, and a confident +critic of every woman and every man in Washington. He would be a consul +no doubt by and by, at some foreign port, of the language of which he was +ignorant--though if ignorance of language were a qualification he might +have been a consul at home. His easy familiarity with great men was +beautiful to see, and when Philip learned what a tremendous underground +influence this little ignoramus had, he no longer wondered at the queer +appointments and the queerer legislation. + +Philip was not long in discovering that people in Washington did not +differ much from other people; they had the same meannesses, +generosities, and tastes: A Washington boarding house had the odor of a +boarding house the world over. + +Col. Sellers was as unchanged as any one Philip saw whom he had known +elsewhere. Washington appeared to be the native element of this man. +His pretentions were equal to any he encountered there. He saw nothing +in its society that equalled that of Hawkeye, he sat down to no table +that could not be unfavorably contrasted with his own at home; the most +airy scheme inflated in the hot air of the capital only reached in +magnitude some of his lesser fancies, the by-play of his constructive +imagination. + +"The country is getting along very well," he said to Philip, "but our +public men are too timid. What we want is more money. I've told +Boutwell so. Talk about basing the currency on gold; you might as well +base it on pork. Gold is only one product. Base it on everything! +You've got to do something for the West. How am I to move my crops? +We must have improvements. Grant's got the idea. We want a canal from +the James River to the Mississippi. Government ought to build it." + +It was difficult to get the Colonel off from these large themes when he +was once started, but Philip brought the conversation round to Laura and +her reputation in the City. + +"No," he said, "I haven't noticed much. We've been so busy about this +University. It will make Laura rich with the rest of us, and she has +done nearly as much as if she were a man. She has great talent, and will +make a big match. I see the foreign ministers and that sort after her. +Yes, there is talk, always will be about a pretty woman so much in public +as she is. Tough stories come to me, but I put'em away. 'Taint likely +one of Si Hawkins's children would do that--for she is the same as a +child of his. I told her, though, to go slow," added the Colonel, as if +that mysterious admonition from him would set everything right. + +"Do you know anything about a Col. Selby?" + +"Know all about him. Fine fellow. But he's got a wife; and I told him, +as a friend, he'd better sheer off from Laura. I reckon he thought +better of it and did." + +But Philip was not long in learning the truth. Courted as Laura was by a +certain class and still admitted into society, that, nevertheless, buzzed +with disreputable stories about her, she had lost character with the best +people. Her intimacy with Selby was open gossip, and there were winks +and thrustings of the tongue in any group of men when she passed by. +It was clear enough that Harry's delusion must be broken up, and that no +such feeble obstacle as his passion could interpose would turn Laura from +her fate. Philip determined to see her, and put himself in possession of +the truth, as he suspected it, in order to show Harry his folly. + +Laura, after her last conversation with Harry, had a new sense of her +position. She had noticed before the signs of a change in manner towards +her, a little less respect perhaps from men, and an avoidance by women. +She had attributed this latter partly to jealousy of her, for no one is +willing to acknowledge a fault in himself when a more agreeable motive +can be found for the estrangement of his acquaintances. But now, if +society had turned on her, she would defy it. It was not in her nature +to shrink. She knew she had been wronged, and she knew that she had no +remedy. + +What she heard of Col. Selby's proposed departure alarmed her more than +anything else, and she calmly determined that if he was deceiving her the +second time it should be the last. Let society finish the tragedy if it +liked; she was indifferent what came after. At the first opportunity, +she charged Selby with his intention to abandon her. He unblushingly +denied it. + +He had not thought of going to Europe. He had only been amusing himself +with Sellers' schemes. He swore that as soon as she succeeded with her +bill, he would fly with her to any part of the world. + +She did not quite believe him, for she saw that he feared her, and she +began to suspect that his were the protestations of a coward to gain +time. But she showed him no doubts. + +She only watched his movements day by day, and always held herself ready +to act promptly. + +When Philip came into the presence of this attractive woman, he could not +realize that she was the subject of all the scandal he had heard. She +received him with quite the old Hawkeye openness and cordiality, and fell +to talking at once of their little acquaintance there; and it seemed +impossible that he could ever say to her what he had come determined to +say. Such a man as Philip has only one standard by which to judge women. + +Laura recognized that fact no doubt. The better part of her woman's +nature saw it. Such a man might, years ago, not now, have changed her +nature, and made the issue of her life so different, even after her cruel +abandonment. She had a dim feeling of this, and she would like now to +stand well with him. The spark of truth and honor that was left in her +was elicited by his presence. It was this influence that governed her +conduct in this interview. + +"I have come," said Philip in his direct manner, "from my friend +Mr. Brierly. You are not ignorant of his feeling towards you?" + +"Perhaps not." + +"But perhaps you do not know, you who have so much admiration, how +sincere and overmastering his love is for you?" Philip would not have +spoken so plainly, if he had in mind anything except to draw from Laura +something that would end Harry's passion. + +"And is sincere love so rare, Mr. Sterling?" asked Laura, moving her foot +a little, and speaking with a shade of sarcasm. + +"Perhaps not in Washington," replied Philip,--tempted into a similar +tone. "Excuse my bluntness," he continued, "but would the knowledge of +his love; would his devotion, make any difference to you in your +Washington life?" + +"In respect to what?" asked Laura quickly. + +"Well, to others. I won't equivocate--to Col. Selby?" + +Laura's face flushed with anger, or shame; she looked steadily at Philip +and began, + +"By what right, sir,--" + +"By the right of friendship," interrupted Philip stoutly. "It may matter +little to you. It is everything to him. He has a Quixotic notion that +you would turn back from what is before you for his sake. You cannot be +ignorant of what all the city is talking of." Philip said this +determinedly and with some bitterness. + +It was a full minute before Laura spoke. Both had risen, Philip as if to +go, and Laura in suppressed excitement. When she spoke her voice was +very unsteady, and she looked down. + +"Yes, I know. I perfectly understand what you mean. Mr. Brierly is +nothing--simply nothing. He is a moth singed, that is all--the trifler +with women thought he was a wasp. I have no pity for him, not the least. +You may tell him not to make a fool of himself, and to keep away. I say +this on your account, not his. You are not like him. It is enough for +me that you want it so. Mr. Sterling," she continued, looking up; and +there were tears in her eyes that contradicted the hardness of her +language, "you might not pity him if you knew my history; perhaps you +would not wonder at some things you hear. No; it is useless to ask me +why it must be so. You can't make a life over--society wouldn't let you +if you would--and mine must be lived as it is. There, sir, I'm not +offended; but it is useless for you to say anything more." + +Philip went away with his heart lightened about Harry, but profoundly +saddened by the glimpse of what this woman might have been. He told +Harry all that was necessary of the conversation--she was bent on going +her own way, he had not the ghost of a chance--he was a fool, she had +said, for thinking he had. + +And Harry accepted it meekly, and made up his own mind that Philip didn't +know much about women. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +The galleries of the House were packed, on the momentous day, not because +the reporting of an important bill back by a committee was a thing to be +excited about, if the bill were going to take the ordinary course +afterward; it would be like getting excited over the empaneling of a +coroner's jury in a murder case, instead of saving up one's emotions for +the grander occasion of the hanging of the accused, two years later, +after all the tedious forms of law had been gone through with. + +But suppose you understand that this coroner's jury is going to turn out +to be a vigilance committee in disguise, who will hear testimony for an +hour and then hang the murderer on the spot? That puts a different +aspect upon the matter. Now it was whispered that the legitimate forms +of procedure usual in the House, and which keep a bill hanging along for +days and even weeks, before it is finally passed upon, were going to be +overruled, in this case, and short work made of the, measure; and so, +what was beginning as a mere inquest might, torn out to be something very +different. + +In the course of the day's business the Order of "Reports of Committees" +was finally reached and when the weary crowds heard that glad +announcement issue from the Speaker's lips they ceased to fret at the +dragging delay, and plucked up spirit. The Chairman of the Committee on +Benevolent Appropriations rose and made his report, and just then a +blue-uniformed brass-mounted little page put a note into his hand. + +It was from Senator Dilworthy, who had appeared upon the floor of the +House for a moment and flitted away again: + + "Everybody expects a grand assault in force; no doubt you believe, + as I certainly do, that it is the thing to do; we are strong, and + everything is hot for the contest. Trollop's espousal of our cause + has immensely helped us and we grow in power constantly. Ten of the + opposition were called away from town about noon,(but--so it is + said--only for one day). Six others are sick, but expect to be + about again tomorrow or next day, a friend tells me. A bold + onslaught is worth trying. Go for a suspension of the rules! You + will find we can swing a two-thirds vote--I am perfectly satisfied + of it. The Lord's truth will prevail. + "DILWORTHY." + +Mr. Buckstone had reported the bills from his committee, one by one, +leaving the bill to the last. When the House had voted upon the +acceptance or rejection of the report upon all but it, and the question +now being upon its disposal--Mr. Buckstone begged that the House would +give its attention to a few remarks which he desired to make. His +committee had instructed him to report the bill favorably; he wished to +explain the nature of the measure, and thus justify the committee's +action; the hostility roused by the press would then disappear, and the +bill would shine forth in its true and noble character. He said that its +provisions were simple. It incorporated the Knobs Industrial University, +locating it in East Tennessee, declaring it open to all persons without +distinction of sex, color or religion, and committing its management to a +board of perpetual trustees, with power to fill vacancies in their own +number. It provided for the erection of certain buildings for the +University, dormitories, lecture-halls, museums, libraries, laboratories, +work-shops, furnaces, and mills. It provided also for the purchase of +sixty-five thousand acres of land, (fully described) for the purposes of +the University, in the Knobs of East Tennessee. And it appropriated +[blank] dollars for the purchase of the Land, which should be the +property of the national trustees in trust for the uses named. + +Every effort had been made to secure the refusal of the whole amount of +the property of the Hawkins heirs in the Knobs, some seventy-five +thousand acres Mr. Buckstone said. But Mr. Washington Hawkins (one of +the heirs) objected. He was, indeed, very reluctant to sell any part of +the land at any price; and indeed--this reluctance was justifiable when +one considers how constantly and how greatly the property is rising in +value. + +What the South needed, continued Mr. Buckstone, was skilled labor. +Without that it would be unable to develop its mines, build its roads, +work to advantage and without great waste its fruitful land, establish +manufactures or enter upon a prosperous industrial career. Its laborers +were almost altogether unskilled. Change them into intelligent, trained +workmen, and you increased at once the capital, the resources of the +entire south, which would enter upon a prosperity hitherto unknown. +In five years the increase in local wealth would not only reimburse the +government for the outlay in this appropriation, but pour untold wealth +into the treasury. + +This was the material view, and the least important in the honorable +gentleman's opinion. [Here he referred to some notes furnished him by +Senator Dilworthy, and then continued.] God had given us the care of +these colored millions. What account should we render to Him of our +stewardship? We had made them free. Should we leave them ignorant? +We had cast them upon their own resources. Should we leave them without +tools? We could not tell what the intentions of Providence are in regard +to these peculiar people, but our duty was plain. The Knobs Industrial +University would be a vast school of modern science and practice, worthy +of a great nation. It would combine the advantages of Zurich, Freiburg, +Creuzot and the Sheffield Scientific. Providence had apparently reserved +and set apart the Knobs of East Tennessee for this purpose. What else +were they for? Was it not wonderful that for more than thirty years, +over a generation, the choicest portion of them had remained in one +family, untouched, as if, separated for some great use! + +It might be asked why the government should buy this land, when it had +millions of yes, more than the railroad companies desired, which, it +might devote to this purpose? He answered, that the government had no +such tract of land as this. It had nothing comparable to it for the +purposes of the University: This was to be a school of mining, of +engineering, of the working of metals, of chemistry, zoology, botany, +manufactures, agriculture, in short of all the complicated industries +that make a state great. There was no place for the location of such a +school like the Knobs of East Tennessee. The hills abounded in metals of +all sorts, iron in all its combinations, copper, bismuth, gold and silver +in small quantities, platinum he--believed, tin, aluminium; it was +covered with forests and strange plants; in the woods were found the +coon, the opossum, the fox, the deer and many other animals who roamed in +the domain of natural history; coal existed in enormous quantity and no +doubt oil; it was such a place for the practice of agricultural +experiments that any student who had been successful there would have an +easy task in any other portion of the country. + +No place offered equal facilities for experiments in mining, metallurgy, +engineering. He expected to live to see the day, when the youth of the +south would resort to its mines, its workshops, its laboratories, its +furnaces and factories for practical instruction in all the great +industrial pursuits. + +A noisy and rather ill-natured debate followed, now, and lasted hour +after hour. The friends of the bill were instructed by the leaders to +make no effort to check it; it was deemed better strategy to tire out the +opposition; it was decided to vote down every proposition to adjourn, and +so continue the sitting into the night; opponents might desert, then, one +by one and weaken their party, for they had no personal stake in the +bill. + +Sunset came, and still the fight went on; the gas was lit, the crowd in +the galleries began to thin, but the contest continued; the crowd +returned, by and by, with hunger and thirst appeased, and aggravated the +hungry and thirsty House by looking contented and comfortable; but still +the wrangle lost nothing of its bitterness. Recesses were moved +plaintively by the opposition, and invariably voted down by the +University army. + +At midnight the House presented a spectacle calculated to interest a +stranger. The great galleries were still thronged--though only with men, +now; the bright colors that had made them look like hanging gardens were +gone, with the ladies. The reporters' gallery, was merely occupied by +one or two watchful sentinels of the quill-driving guild; the main body +cared nothing for a debate that had dwindled to a mere vaporing of dull +speakers and now and then a brief quarrel over a point of order; but +there was an unusually large attendance of journalists in the reporters' +waiting-room, chatting, smoking, and keeping on the 'qui vive' for the +general irruption of the Congressional volcano that must come when the +time was ripe for it. Senator Dilworthy and Philip were in the +Diplomatic Gallery; Washington sat in the public gallery, and Col. +Sellers was, not far away. The Colonel had been flying about the +corridors and button-holing Congressmen all the evening, and believed +that he had accomplished a world of valuable service; but fatigue was +telling upon him, now, and he was quiet and speechless--for once. Below, +a few Senators lounged upon the sofas set apart for visitors, and talked +with idle Congressmen. A dreary member was speaking; the presiding +officer was nodding; here and there little knots of members stood in the +aisles, whispering together; all about the House others sat in all the +various attitudes that express weariness; some, tilted back, had one or +more legs disposed upon their desks; some sharpened pencils indolently; +some scribbled aimlessly; some yawned and stretched; a great many lay +upon their breasts upon the desks, sound asleep and gently snoring. +The flooding gaslight from the fancifully wrought roof poured down upon +the tranquil scene. Hardly a sound disturbed the stillness, save the +monotonous eloquence of the gentleman who occupied the floor. Now and +then a warrior of the opposition broke down under the pressure, gave it +up, and went home. + +Mr. Buckstone began to think it might be safe, now, to "proceed to +business." He consulted with Trollop and one or two others. Senator +Dilworthy descended to the floor of the House and they went to meet him. +After a brief comparison of notes, the Congressmen sought their seats and +sent pages about the House with messages to friends. These latter +instantly roused up, yawned, and began to look alert. The moment the +floor was unoccupied, Mr. Buckstone rose, with an injured look, and said +it was evident that the opponents of the bill were merely talking against +time, hoping in this unbecoming way to tire out the friends of the +measure and so defeat it. Such conduct might be respectable enough in a +village debating society, but it was trivial among statesmen, it was out +of place in so august an assemblage as the House of Representatives of +the United States. The friends of the bill had been not only willing +that its opponents should express their opinions, but had strongly +desired it. They courted the fullest and freest discussion; but it +seemed to him that this fairness was but illy appreciated, since +gentlemen were capable of taking advantage of it for selfish and unworthy +ends. This trifling had gone far enough. He called for the question. + +The instant Mr. Buckstone sat down, the storm burst forth. A dozen +gentlemen sprang to their feet. + +"Mr. Speaker!" + +"Mr. Speaker!" + +"Mr. Speaker!" + +"Order! Order! Order! Question! Question!" + +The sharp blows of the Speaker's gavel rose above the din. + +The "previous question," that hated gag, was moved and carried. All +debate came to a sudden end, of course. Triumph No. 1. + +Then the vote was taken on the adoption of the report and it carried by a +surprising majority. + +Mr. Buckstone got the floor again and moved that the rules be suspended +and the bill read a first time. + +Mr. Trollop--"Second the motion!" + +The Speaker--"It is moved and--" + +Clamor of Voices. "Move we adjourn! Second the motion! Adjourn! +Adjourn! Order! Order!" + +The Speaker, (after using his gavel vigorously)--"It is moved and +seconded that the House do now adjourn. All those in favor--" + +Voices--"Division! Division! Ayes and nays! Ayes and nays!" + +It was decided to vote upon the adjournment by ayes and nays. This was +in earnest. The excitement was furious. The galleries were in commotion +in an instant, the reporters swarmed to their places. Idling members of +the House flocked to their seats, nervous gentlemen sprang to their feet, +pages flew hither and thither, life and animation were visible +everywhere, all the long ranks of faces in the building were kindled. + +"This thing decides it!" thought Mr. Buckstone; "but let the fight +proceed." + +The voting began, and every sound ceased but the calling if the names +and the "Aye!" "No!" "No!" "Aye!" of the responses. There was not a +movement in the House; the people seemed to hold their breath. + +The voting ceased, and then there was an interval of dead silence while +the clerk made up his count. There was a two-thirds vote on the +University side--and two over. + +The Speaker--"The rules are suspended, the motion is carried--first +reading of the bill!" + +By one impulse the galleries broke forth into stormy applause, and even +some of the members of the House were not wholly able to restrain their +feelings. The Speaker's gavel came to the rescue and his clear voice +followed: + +"Order, gentlemen--! The House will come to order! If spectators offend +again, the Sergeant-at-arms will clear the galleries!" + +Then he cast his eyes aloft and gazed at some object attentively for a +moment. All eyes followed the direction of the Speaker's, and then there +was a general titter. The Speaker said: + +"Let the Sergeant-at Arms inform the gentleman that his conduct is an +infringement of the dignity of the House--and one which is not warranted +by the state of the weather." Poor Sellers was the culprit. He sat in +the front seat of the gallery, with his arms and his tired body +overflowing the balustrade--sound asleep, dead to all excitements, all +disturbances. The fluctuations of the Washington weather had influenced +his dreams, perhaps, for during the recent tempest of applause he had +hoisted his gingham umbrella, and calmly gone on with his slumbers. +Washington Hawkins had seen the act, but was not near enough at hand to +save his friend, and no one who was near enough desired to spoil the +effect. But a neighbor stirred up the Colonel, now that the House had +its eye upon him, and the great speculator furled his tent like the Arab. +He said: + +"Bless my soul, I'm so absent-minded when I, get to thinking! I never +wear an umbrella in the house--did anybody 'notice it'? What-asleep? +Indeed? And did you wake me sir? Thank you--thank you very much indeed. +It might have fallen out of my hands and been injured. Admirable +article, sir--present from a friend in Hong Kong; one doesn't come across +silk like that in this country--it's the real--Young Hyson, I'm told." + +By this time the incident was forgotten, for the House was at war again. +Victory was almost in sight, now, and the friends of the bill threw +themselves into their work with enthusiasm. They soon moved and carried +its second reading, and after a strong, sharp fight, carried a motion to +go into Committee of the whole. The Speaker left his place, of course, +and a chairman was appointed. + +Now the contest raged hotter than ever--for the authority that compels +order when the House sits as a House, is greatly diminished when it sits +as Committee. The main fight came upon the filling of the blanks with +the sum to be appropriated for the purchase of the land, of course. + +Buckstone--"Mr. Chairman, I move you, sir, that the words 'three millions +of' be inserted." + +Mr. Hadley--"Mr. Chairman, I move that the words two and a half dollars +be inserted." + +Mr. Clawson--"Mr. Chairman, I move the insertion of the words five and +twenty cents, as representing the true value of this barren and isolated +tract of desolation." + +The question, according to rule, was taken upon the smallest sum first. +It was lost. + +Then upon the nest smallest sum. Lost, also. + +And then upon the three millions. After a vigorous battle that lasted a +considerable time, this motion was carried. + +Then, clause by clause the bill was read, discussed, and amended in +trifling particulars, and now the Committee rose and reported. + +The moment the House had resumed its functions and received the report, +Mr. Buckstone moved and carried the third reading of the bill. + +The same bitter war over the sum to be paid was fought over again, and +now that the ayes and nays could be called and placed on record, every +man was compelled to vote by name on the three millions, and indeed on +every paragraph of the bill from the enacting clause straight through. +But as before, the friends of the measure stood firm and voted in a solid +body every time, and so did its enemies. + +The supreme moment was come, now, but so sure was the result that not +even a voice was raised to interpose an adjournment. The enemy were +totally demoralized. The bill was put upon its final passage almost +without dissent, and the calling of the ayes and nays began. When it was +ended the triumph was complete--the two-thirds vote held good, and a veto +was impossible, as far as the House was concerned! + +Mr. Buckstone resolved that now that the nail was driven home, he would +clinch it on the other side and make it stay forever. He moved a +reconsideration of the vote by which the bill had passed. The motion was +lost, of course, and the great Industrial University act was an +accomplished fact as far as it was in the power of the House of +Representatives to make it so. + +There was no need to move an adjournment. The instant the last motion +was decided, the enemies of the University rose and flocked out of the +Hall, talking angrily, and its friends flocked after them jubilant and +congratulatory. The galleries disgorged their burden, and presently the +house was silent and deserted. + +When Col. Sellers and Washington stepped out of the building they were +surprised to find that the daylight was old and the sun well up. Said +the Colonel: + +"Give me your hand, my boy! You're all right at last! You're a +millionaire! At least you're going to be. The thing is dead sure. +Don't you bother about the Senate. Leave me and Dilworthy to take care +of that. Run along home, now, and tell Laura. Lord, it's magnificent +news--perfectly magnificent! Run, now. I'll telegraph my wife. She +must come here and help me build a house. Everything's all right now!" + +Washington was so dazed by his good fortune and so bewildered by the +gaudy pageant of dreams that was already trailing its long ranks through +his brain, that he wandered he knew not where, and so loitered by the way +that when at last he reached home he woke to a sudden annoyance in the +fact that his news must be old to Laura, now, for of course Senator +Dilworthy must have already been home and told her an hour before. He +knocked at her door, but there was no answer. + +"That is like the Duchess," said he. "Always cool; a body can't excite +her-can't keep her excited, anyway. Now she has gone off to sleep again, +as comfortably as if she were used to picking up a million dollars every +day or two" + +Then he vent to bed. But he could not sleep; so he got up and wrote a +long, rapturous letter to Louise, and another to his mother. And he +closed both to much the same effect: + + "Laura will be queen of America, now, and she will be applauded, and + honored and petted by the whole nation. Her name will be in every + one's mouth more than ever, and how they will court her and quote + her bright speeches. And mine, too, I suppose; though they do that + more already, than they really seem to deserve. Oh, the world is so + bright, now, and so cheery; the clouds are all gone, our long + struggle is ended, our, troubles are all over. Nothing can ever + make us unhappy any more. You dear faithful ones will have the + reward of your patient waiting now. How father's Wisdom is proven + at last! And how I repent me, that there have been times when I + lost faith and said, the blessing he stored up for us a tedious + generation ago was but a long-drawn curse, a blight upon us all. + But everything is well, now--we are done with poverty, sad toil, + weariness and heart-break; all the world is filled with sunshine." + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gilded Age, Part 5. +by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and Charles Dudley Warner + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GILDED AGE, PART 5. *** + +***** This file should be named 5822.txt or 5822.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/8/2/5822/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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