Amélie Rives

“ Jack had seen this and acted at once. He was his mother's only protector—to protect her from prison even if he could not protect her from herself was a plain and simple duty. I knew, as well as if I had seen it in his hand, that when he had fumbled in the folds of the sunshade he was transferring the ring from thence to his own pocket. I remembered the old saying, “The measure of a man.” I thought that Jack filled that measure.
We made but a poor repast that night, Miss Beech and I dining together, with Mammy to wait upon us, like two ship—wrecked waifs on an island of black mahogany. ”

“ I could not see Jefferson as a man angel, but I could very plainly see Master Jack's arches and columns—and the beauty that the ethereal landscape of cloud and mountain would have lent to that lovely campus, with its colonnaded sides and terraced rotunda. ”

“ On old Wedgwood platters this quaint table held the best ham-and-lettuce sandwiches possible to imagine.
“I made 'em,” said Jack when I commended them.
“You must be a mighty convenient chap to have about,” said I, in tones of equality.
“Oh, that ain't anything,” he replied, negligently, with his vaguely sweet smile. “I like to use my hands.”
Then like a modest host he turned the subject.
“Mother's very sorry she couldn't be here to meet you. Mr. Lockhart. A man came about the new swimming-pool. Mother couldn't let any one else see to that.” ”

“ Gordon,” I heard a breathless voice exclaiming. We both turned. Jack was standing with his back to us, his hand on the knob of the shop door.
Mr. Fraser, the head jeweller, and his assistant were before us. Which looked the more discomposed it would be hard to decide. They were changing color like schoolgirls, only no schoolgirl ever showed such painful, mottled hues even under the most exquisite embarrassment.
“Only a form—a mere form. We are obliged. ... Yes, under orders ... like an oath ... obliged. ... A mere form.” ”

“ The professional forester, usually a college man and a gentleman, has not yet been “placed” exactly by what he would call “the masses.”
That rattling drive through the tangled lanes about Charlottesville soothed me entirely, however. A freakish wind blew from the mountains. The air was a web of thrilling scents. A little covey of white lustrous clouds was now loosed upon the sky. I saw noble copses and wood lands unfolding on either hand. ”

“ You can sit anything! Old Mr. Carter was saying to one of the judges only the other day, 'Why, Captain Meg, she could set a Zelry full of whiskey!' They call my mother 'Captain Meg' round here, Mr. Lockhart, 'cause she's so brave. She's a champion swimmer, and saved a boy's life once. And she's the best woman-shot in Virginia and the best rider in America,” explained Jack. ”

“ Gordon turned to me.
“Have you ever tasted a real genuine Virginia mint julep?” said she.
I confessed that I had not.
She laughed.
“Then you can't know whether you want one or not. Wait till you've tasted one of Jack's. Run along, Jack. Don't stand there like that. You give me the fidgets. And do keep your mouth shut. You've plenty of sense and you look the image of an idiot when you hang it open like that. Aren't boys a trial?” she appealed to me as Jack disappeared into the house. leaving a lonesome “Blick” sniffing at the traces of his worshipped footsteps. ”

“ Her great Indian-like black eyes were far too lustrous for nature. But her fine gait was still that of a smart young officer in petticoats. I looked at her and wondered that she should have borne a child. Her very breast, wide and superb, was at the same time unyielding and muscular. A breast for orders and gold braid, not to pillow the tender head of a child. And for Miriam Beech, that all mother, to have lived the best part of her life. ”

“ Any proper estimating of timber is out of the question in so shrewish a down pour. One might as well try to judge the beauty of a woman with tears of rage on her cheeks. I may state in passing that I am an unbeliever in beautiful furies. Helen in a rage would have seemed to me but an ugly jade. But to return to my little lad. ”

“ She gave him an angry look, out of all proportion to the occasion, and twitched the sunshade back.
“Nonsense!” said she. “Don't bother me, Jack. Don't be a nuisance.”
I knew, of course, that the boy adored his mother and her tone was very biting, but I was surprised to see him grow so white.
The hesitated, then put his hand gently on it again.
“You'd better let me carry it, mother,” he urged. “You ... you can look at the things better without it....”
This time she gave him a singularly ugly look, but his blue eyes met the black ones full and steady. ”

“ Jack patted and patted the prisoning hand, but I knew that it was torture for him to be so sentimentalized over and cosseted before another man. I always thought of him as a man.
To your thoroughly healthy bodied and minded boy sentimentalism is a deadly dose. It actually reverses the peristaltic action, I believe—produces nausea, Jack's smile was sickly. ”

“ Well, they searched him and they found the sapphire ring in his pocket.
I never liked a man better in my life than stout, sandy-haired Mr. Fraser when he took that beastly jewel in his hand. He just gaped at it a second, then put his other hand on the lad's shoulder.
“Jack ... sonny...” said he, “I know you wouldn't have kept it ... but why did you take it at all?”
Jack tried to speak, tried to swallow. He could do neither. Mrs. Gordon was leaning against the counter with her head buried on her arms. No sound came from her.
“Here! Give him a glass of water, Mason,” said the old jeweller. ”

“ She let me go up to her, but reached me her hand very frankly when I was beside her.
“'Twas too bad about that man. Had to see to him myself. Darkies are such idiots. Jack treated you well? Hullo! Jacky, don't let that little imp of yours jump on me. His paws are filthy. Get out—you!” she ended, and assisted “Blick” in a swift scurry down the steps with the toe of her boot.
“Don't let's talk business yet,” she then said to me. “Let's sit on the east terrace and have a julep before dinner. Jacky, run and make two of your best juleps. What are you waiting for, eh?” ”

“ Gordon's smart boot-tip had helped “Blick” down the steps yesterday and of one or two other things, and I felt that were I in the same relationship to Jack as themselves I should also wear a taut expression.
Miss Beech consenting, Jack bore me company a little while that morning. I have never seen so keenly inquiring a little lad nor a more intelligent one. ”

“ The day had turned from May to June when I reached Charlottesville. As I stood on the incandescent pavement before the station, looking about me for some sign of the Redhouse carriage which was to meet me, it came down the hilly street at a slamming trot, its big black horses speckled with foam. A very smart equipage it was indeed—correct, glittering, prosperous, the old coachman almost as black as his horses and rigid in a dark livery.
“The madam says tea will be ready for you, suh,” he observed as he bestowed me and my bags safely. “The madam is kep' msfortunately—kep' by business.” ”

“ Also—another paradox in the eyes of the laity—a man may be very practical and very romantic at the same time. I use romantic in its wider sense of imaginative. A romantic man to me does not mean a sentimentalist, but one who likes and believes in the picturesque, original side of things, even, on occasions, the wild and fantastic. ”

“ I think that I will put in these soaking hours by writing down that adventure in what my wife calls my Book of Business Romances. It is a good title, I think, and very pat. Business, whatever the heretic layman may hold to the contrary. involves romance quite as much as does soldiering or law or religion. ”

“ Gordon is not at all rich.”
I smiled disagreeably, even impertinent1y I fear it would have been considered by any other than Miss Beech, but we had grown too intimate in our mutual affection and concern for Jack to allow her such conclusions.
“No—really,” she said now, “money is not plentiful at Redhouse. You must try to be impartial, Mr. Lockhart. Jack's schooling will cost a great deal.”
I thought of the swimming-pool which was to cost nearly two thousand dollars at what Mrs. Gordon informed me was “a bargain,” and I smiled a second time. ”