THE BEAUTIFUL MADAM WHITWORTH
Sue then made for me many introductions and all of those lovely
_grande dames_ gave to me affectionate welcomes. Some of them I
had encountered at the dance of the Gouverneur Faulkner and all of
them had smiles for me.
"Why, boy, you are Henry's very self come back to us after all these
years--only with a lot of added deviltry in the way of French beauty,"
said that Madam Taylor, who was very stately, with white hair and a
very young countenance of sweetness. "The daredevil--it was like him
to send you back to us as--as revenge," she added with something that
almost seemed like anger under the sweetness of her voice.
"It is what my father always named me, Madam, the 'daredevil,' and
will you not accept me for your cherishing?" I spoke those words to
her from an impulse that I could not understand but I saw them soothe
a hurt in her eyes as she laughed and kissed my cheek as I raised my
head from kissing her jeweled hand.
"Yes," she answered me softly.
"Come on, L'Aiglon; it's time to beat it. We are late and Sue is
beginning to shoo," called my Buzz from the door of the card room. "We
are coming home with Phil for supper to-night, Mrs. Taylor, and the
Prince wants an introduction to your custard pie. Yes'm, seven sharp!
Come on, Bob!"
"My Buzz," I said to that Mr. Buzz Clendenning as he raced the slim
car through the country and the city up to the Capitol hill, "you give
to me a life of much joy in only a few days. I would that it could so
continue."
"It just will until we are jolly old boys with long white beards and
canes, Bobby," he answered me with an affectionate grin as we rounded
a corner on two wheels of the car. "Say, let's get out of this
politics soon, go in for selling timber lands, marry two of the
calicoes and found families. We'll call the firm Carruthers and
Clendenning and I choose Sue. You can decide about your dame later."
Suddenly something very cold and dead was there in place of my heart
that had danced with happiness. What should I do at that time of
disclosing myself as one large lie to all of these kind friends who
were giving me affection on the account of my honored father and
Uncle, the General Robert? That daredevil in me had led me into this
dishonor, with the excuse, it is true, of fear that the wicked Uncle
would not have mended the hip of small Pierre if I did not obey his
summons as a nephew. And now I must stay to be of service to him and
to the Gouverneur Faulkner but also to be more involved in that lie
and to accept more confidence and affection with thievery.
"I cannot sell the lands of timber with you, my Buzz," I made answer
to him quickly and with fierceness. "As soon as this business of the
mules is settled and my Uncle, the General Robert, no longer requires
my services, I must return and go into the trenches of France." And I
felt as I spoke that my fate was decided, and a great calmness came
over me. "Then I'll go with you," answered me that Buzz with a look of
the steadfast affection which might have grown with years of
comradeship. "I'll go and fight for France with you if you'll come
back and build an American family alongside of mine. Jump out--we are
fifteen minutes late--and watch the General scalp me. Come in through
his office and take a part of it, will you?"
Even in the very short time which I had known my Uncle, the General
Robert, I had discovered that the times at which could be anticipated
explosions, none came, and also the reverse of that fact. When my Buzz
and I entered his office he very hastily concealed a book that had
some variety of richly colored pictures in it in his desk and smiled
with a wink of the eye at my Buzz. Later I should know about that book
to my great joy.
"Here's a letter for you, Robert, and go get to your knitting with
Governor Bill," he said to me with kindness in his smile as he handed
me a large letter and motioned me from the room into the small
anteroom that I now knew to be the place assigned to my Buzz and me
when not wanted in the offices of my Uncle, the General Robert, or the
Gouverneur Faulkner. I made a low bow to my Uncle, the General Robert,
and also to Monsieur the Bumble Bee and departed thence.
On seating myself at my table to await the bell of the Gouverneur
Faulkner, without which ringing my Buzz had instructed me I must never
on pain of extinction as a secretary enter His Excellency's office, I
opened that letter and began to read with difficulty a letter of a few
words from my wee Pierre, now in the hospital of that kind Doctor
Burns. I read not more than one sentence when I leaped to my feet with
a cry of joy and my heart beat very high with happiness. To whom
should I turn to tell of that happiness? I did not pause to answer
that question in my heart but I quickly opened the door of the august
Gouverneur of Harpeth and presented myself to him in a disobedience of
strict orders. And then what befell me?
Seated at his desk was that great and good man, with his head bowed
upon his hands; and at my entrance he raised that head with an alarm.
I could see that his face was heavy and sad with deep pondering and I
was instantly thrown into mortification that I had so interrupted him.
I faltered there beside him and found halting words to exclaim:
"Oh, it is a pardon I ask Your Excellency for intruding into your
door, but it is that my small Pierre has stood upon two feet for
perhaps a whole minute in the hospital of that good Dr. Burns and I
must run to tell you of my joy. Is it quite possible now that Pierre
will no longer be for life crooked in the back?" And as I spoke I held
out to him the letter upon which tears were dripping and one of my
hands I clasped trembling at my breast that shook under that stylish
cheviot bag of a coat I had that morning put upon me for the first
time. And did that great Gouverneur Faulkner repulse his wicked
secretary? He did not.
"God bless you, youngster! Of course you run right to tell me when a
big thing like that happens. Sure that back will be all straight in no
time and we'll have the little maid down, running in and out at her
will in just a few months," and as he spoke that Gouverneur Faulkner
came to my side and took the hand that held the tear-besprinkled
letter and also drew the one from my breast into his own two large and
warm ones. "I've been hearing people's troubles for what seems like an
eternity, boy, but not a single son-of-a-gun has run to me with his
joy until you have. Here, use one corner of my handkerchief while I
use the other," and as he spoke that very large and broad-shouldered
man released one of my hands, dabbed his own eyes that were sparkling
with perhaps a tear, and then handed that handkerchief to me.
And those tears of both of us ended in a large laugh.
"It is my habit that I shed tears when in joy," I said with apology,
as I returned that large white handkerchief to that Gouverneur
Faulkner.
"Mind you don't tell anybody that Governor Bill Faulkner does the same
thing," he answered with a laugh.
"I have a feeling that is of longing to rush to small Pierre and to
prostrate myself at the feet of that good Doctor," I said as again the
great joy of that news rushed upon me.
"No, boy, not right now," answered that great Gouverneur Faulkner as
he turned and laid a large warm hand on each of my shoulders. "The
crisis is at hand and I need you here for a little time. I can't
explain it, but--but you seem to feed--feed my faith in myself. In
just a few days I've grown to depend on you to--to--. You ridiculous
boy, you, with your storms and joy sunbursts, get out of here and tell
Cato to send Mr. Whitworth and Mr. Brown into my office immediately."
And with a laugh and a shake of me away from his side, the Gouverneur
Faulkner picked up the two long sheets of paper which had been of so
much labor to my Buzz and me and began to scowl back of his black,
white-tipped eyebrows over them. I departed with great rapidity.
Then with much more calmness I told the great news of the back of
Pierre to my Uncle, the General Robert.
"That's fine--now we can give her away without any trouble. I knew
Burns could do the trick. It's a bargain at two thousand dollars to
get a girl in the shape to give away. She could give us no end of
bother if we had to keep her. Go find that flea, Clendenning, and tell
him to come to me immediately; I think he is buzzing in the telephone
closet to that Susan. And you go get busy yourself to earn your salary
from the State of Harpeth. Telegraph twenty dollars to that fool nurse
to buy a doll for the girl. Now go!" That was the way that my Uncle,
the General Robert, received my news of the improved health of the
back of small Pierre, and with my two eyes I shed a few secret tears
that did roll down into my mouth which was broad from a laugh as I
went in search of my Buzz.
"Bully, old top," said my Bumble Bee as I imparted also my joy to him.
"Say, if that kid is eight years old and is going to walk all right,
we must see to it that she starts in with a good dancing teacher as
soon as she can spin around. We want to make a real winner out of
her."
"I do love you, my Buzz," I answered to him as I clung with both my
hands to his arm across my shoulder.
"That's all right. Prince, but don't talk about it," he answered me
with a laugh and a shake.
"And, say, let's get to work, because at about four o'clock I'll have
something that'll give you a start."
"Oh, but, my Buzz, at four o'clock I must go for tea to the home of
beautiful Madam Whitworth."
"Whe-ee-uh!" whistled my Buzz as he looked at me from the top of my
head to the toe of my shoe.
"It would give me a much greater pleasure to be startled by you, my
Buzz, but this is a promise I did make the last evening," I pleaded to
him.
"Go ahead, sport, but accept it from me that Madam Pat is the genuine
and original pump; so don't let her empty you. Do you want me to come
by and extract you at about fifteen to five? I'm sorry, but I really
must have a business interview with you before six." And my Buzz's
eyes twinkled with something that was of a great pleasure to him I
could observe.
"It would be of more pleasure to me if you came at the half of five,
my Buzz," I made a hurry to assure him, for I had a great dread of all
of the falsehoods I was to say to that Madam Whitworth that afternoon
for the purpose of extracting perhaps a little wicked truth from her
to help in the defense of my Gouverneur Faulkner.
"I'm on," answered my Buzz promptly. "Beat it! I hear the old boy
growling." And he disappeared behind the door of my Uncle, the General
Robert. I went to the duty of assuring the nice gentleman in very
rough clothing that the Gouverneur would in the morning read the paper
on the subject of making a long road past his property in good
condition by a vote, and I was of a very great success in my efforts,
the good Cato assured me.
"You's got a fine oiled tongue tied in the middle and loose at both
ends, honey. Yo' father had the same," he assured me as he handed me
my hat and walking cane at the hour of four, which ended my duties for
the day. Roberta, Marquise of Grez and Bye, did so long to go into
that room of the Gouverneur Faulkner and receive upon her hand one
nice kiss of good night from him, but Mr. Robert Carruthers walked
down from the Capitol and only paused to lift for a little second his
very handsome hat towards the window of His Excellency's room high up
above.
And the encounter with the beautiful Madam Whitworth was much worse
than I had thought that it would be, though also it was of a very
interesting excitement. She had made armaments for the encounter in
the shape of a very lovely tea apparel of an increditable thinness to
be used for covering, a little low fire in the golden grate, and
curtains of rose to throw somewhat of glow over the situation.
Immediately I was seated beside her on a small divan upon which there
was room for only one and a half persons, and my stupidity was called
into vigorous action.
"I suppose you have spent the day in translating a lot of those long
and tiresome French documents for the General and the Governor. Thank
goodness, that is no longer my task," she remarked as she tipped the
cognac bottle over my tea and handed the cup to me.
"It is of a great fatigue to work upon a matter that one does not at
all understand," I answered her as I sipped at that tea of a very
disagreeable taste because of the cognac.
"Did they give you the two sets of specifications to compare?" she
asked of me with not much of interest apparent in her manner, though
her hand shook as she poured for herself a very small cup of tea,
which was then filled complete with the cognac.
"_Helas_," I answered with a sigh. "And it is impossible for me
to add more figures to each other than my fingers will allow. I cannot
even use my toes."
"Then he didn't get them ready for the conference this afternoon?" she
demanded with a great illumination of joy in her face.
"Oh, indeed, I handed them back completed to His Excellency in a short
space of time. Is not one mule like to another exactly, and why should
a paper make them different?" I questioned with deceit of stupidity.
"You are a dear boy," laughed that Madam Whitworth. "Of course those
specifications agree, for I worked a whole day over them; and I'm glad
you didn't tire your eyes out with them. You know you are really a
very beautiful creature and I think I'll kiss you just once, purely
for the pleasure of it." And I thereupon received a kiss upon my lips
from the curled flower which was the mouth of that beautiful Madam
Whitworth.
"Is it that the stupid Gouverneur Faulkner must very soon sign that
paper that sends the many strong mules to carry food to the soldiers
of France fighting in the trenches?" I asked of her as I made her
comfortable in the hollow of my arm.
"If he doesn't sign them in a very few days the deal is all off," she
answered me. "Jeff has got his capital to put up from some Northern
men who are--are restless and--and suspicious. It must go through and
immediately."
"Then it must be accomplished immediately," I answered her with
decision.
"The agent of the French Government will be here on Tuesday and all of
these preliminary papers must be signed before he can close the matter
up finally. I hope that the conference over those specifications this
afternoon will be the last. Are you sure you discovered no flaw over
which the old General or the big stupid Governor can haggle?"
"I discovered not a flaw," I answered her with a great positiveness.
"Do you say that it is soon that those representatives of my
government come to make a last signing of the papers about the
excellent mules to be sent from the great State of Harpeth to France
who is at a war of death? I had not heard of the nearness of the visit
at the Capitol."
"They don't know it--that is, Governor Faulkner does, but has told
only me. He sees things my way but of--of course, he has to keep his
councils from his Secretary of State for the time being. And I'm
telling you all about it, because--because it is for France we plot
and because I--this is the way to say it." And with those wicked
words, which involved the honor of the great Gouverneur Faulkner, she
pressed her body close to mine and her lips upon my mouth.
For that caress of that wicked woman I had not sufficient endurance
and I pushed her from me with roughness and sprang to my feet.
"It is not true, Madam Whitworth, that--" I was exclaiming when I
caught myself in the midst of my own betrayal, just as I was about to
be shown into a plot which it was of much value to know. And as my
words ceased I stood and trembled before her wickedness.
"Do you know, Mr. Robert Carruthers, I do not entirely understand
you," she said with a great and beautiful calmness as she lighted a
cigarette and looked at me trembling before her. "You are a very bold
young cavalier but you have the shrinking nature of--shall I say?--a
French--_girl_!"
As she spoke those words, which began in sarcasm but ended in a queer
uncertain tone of suspicion, as if she had blundered on a reason to
soothe her vanity for the recoil of my lips from hers, an ugly gleam
shot from under her lowered lashes.
"I am the son of the house of Carruthers as well as of Grez and Bye,
beautiful Madam, and I cannot endure that you put upon my very good
Uncle, the General Carruthers, an unfriendliness to France," I
exclaimed with a quickness of my brain that I had not before
discovered. "On points of honor I have that sensitiveness that you say
to be--be of a woman."
"Oh, my darling boy, I didn't mean to hurt you about that absurd old
feud of--" And as she spoke the beautiful Madam Patricia rose and came
upon me with outstretched arms for another abhorred embrace, which it
was to my good fortune to have interrupted. But I had a fear of that
suspicion I had seen flashed into her mind even though lulled by my
fine assumption of the attitude of a man of honor.
"Lovely and beautiful Madam," I made a beginning to say, when--
"Oh, yes, Mr. Carruthers is here, for I have an appointment to call
for him," an interruption came in the voice of my Buzz in remonstrance
with the black maid of Madam Whitworth in the hall of her house.
"Come in, Buzz, dear," called that beautiful Madam Whitworth as in one
small instant she changed both her position with arms on my shoulder
and her countenance of anger and anxiety. She was a very wise and
beautiful and much experienced woman, was that Madam Whitworth, but
she had given to me, unlessoned as I was in the art of politics, the
fact that I most wanted: that the two papers containing the
specifications concerning the mules had been mistranslated by her.
"Put a shawl around you, Madam Pat, and come out here to the street a
minute to see what is going to happen to the Prince of Carruthers,"
said my rescuer as he inserted his head into the room for one little
minute and beckoned us to follow him.
And what did I find out there upon that street?