The Crisis (Historical Novel). Winston Churchill

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ and began to work. But he was unable to meet the displeasure in her face.

      “What is your name?” Miss Carvel demanded.

      “Hopper.”

      “Then, Mr. Hopper, please find Ephum, or Mr. Hood.”

      Two more bolts were taken off the truck. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her, and she seemed very tall, like her father. She was taller than he, in fact.

      “I ain't a servant, Miss Carvel,” he said, with a meaning glance at the negress.

      “Laws, Miss Jinny,” cried she, “I may's 'ell find Ephum. I knows he's loafin' somewhar hereabouts. An' I ain't seed him dese five month.” And she started for the back of the store.

      “Mammy!”

      The old woman stopped short. Eliphalet, electrified, looked up and instantly down again.

      “You say you are employed by Mr. Carvel, and refuse to do what I ask?”

      “I ain't a servant,” Mr. Hopper repeated doggedly. He felt that he was in the right,—and perhaps he was.

      It was at this critical juncture in the proceedings that a young man stepped lightly into the store behind Miss Jinny. Mr. Hopper's eye was on him, and had taken in the details of his costume before realizing the import of his presence. He was perhaps twenty, and wore a coat that sprung in at the waist, and trousers of a light buff-color that gathered at the ankle and were very copious above. His features were of the straight type which has been called from time immemorial patrician. He had dark hair which escaped in waves from under his hat, and black eyes that snapped when they perceived Miss Virginia Carvel. At sight of her, indeed, the gold-headed cane stopped in its gyrations in midair.

      “Why, Jinny!” he cried—“Jinny!”

      Mr. Hopper would have sold his soul to have been in the young man's polished boots, to have worn his clothes, and to have been able to cry out to the young lady, “Why, Jinny!”

      To Mr. Hopper's surprise, the young lady did not turn around. She stood perfectly still. But a red flush stole upon her cheek, and laughter was dancing in her eyes yet she did not move. The young man took a step forward, and then stood staring at her with such a comical expression of injury on his face as was too much for Miss Jinny's serenity. She laughed. That laugh also struck minor chords upon Mr. Hopper's heart-strings.

      But the young gentleman very properly grew angry.

      “You've no right to treat me the way you do, Virginia,” he cried. “Why didn't you let me know that you were coming home?” His tone was one of authority. “You didn't come from Kentucky alone!”

      “I had plenty of attendance, I assure you,” said Miss Carvel. “A governor, and a senator, and two charming young gentlemen from New Orleans as far as Cairo, where I found Captain Lige's boat. And Mr. Brinsmade brought me here to the store. I wanted to surprise Pa,” she continued rapidly, to head off the young gentleman's expostulations. “How mean of him not to be here!”

      “Allow me to escort you home,” said he, with ceremony:

      “Allow me to decline the honah, Mr. Colfax,” she cried, imitating him. “I intend to wait here until Pa comes in.”

      Then Eliphalet knew that the young gentleman was Miss Virginia's first cousin. And it seemed to him that he had heard a rumor, amongst the clerks in the store; that she was to marry him one day.

      “Where is Uncle Comyn?” demanded Mr. Colfax, swinging his cane with impatience.

      Virgina looked hard at Mr. Hopper.

      “I don't know,” she said.

      “Ephum!” shouted Mr. Colfax. “Ephum! Easters where the deuce is that good-for-nothing husband of yours?”

      “I dunno, Marse Clarence. 'Spec he whah he oughtn't ter be.”

      Mr. Colfax spied the stooping figure of Eliphalet.

      “Do you work here?” he demanded.

      “I callate.”

      “What?”

      “I callate to,” responded Mr. Hopper again, without rising.

      “Please find Mr. Hood,” directed Mr. Colfax, with a wave of his cane, “and say that Miss Carvel is here—”

      Whereupon Miss Carvel seated herself upon the edge of a bale and giggled, which did not have a soothing effect upon either of the young men. How abominably you were wont to behave in those days, Virginia.

      “Just say that Mr. Colfax sent you,” Clarence continued, with a note of irritation. “There's a good fellow.”

      Virginia laughed outright. Her cousin did not deign to look at her. His temper was slipping its leash.

      “I wonder whether you hear me,” he remarked.

      No answer.

      “Colonel Carvel hires you, doesn't he? He pays you wages, and the first time his daughter comes in here you refuse to do her a favor. By thunder, I'll see that you are dismissed.”

      Still Eliphalet gave him no manner of attention, but began marking the tags at the bottom of the pile.

      It was at this unpropitious moment that Colonel Carvel walked into the store, and his daughter flew into his arms.

      “Well, well,” he said, kissing her, “thought you'd surprise me, eh, Jinny?”

      “Oh, Pa,” she cried, looking reproachfully up at his Face. “You knew—how mean of you!”

      “I've been down on the Louisiana, where some inconsiderate man told me, or I should not have seen you today. I was off to Alton. But what are these goings-on?” said the Colonel, staring at young Mr. Colfax, rigid as one of his own gamecocks. He was standing defiantly over the stooping figure of the assistant manager.

      “Oh,” said Virginia, indifferently, “it's only Clarence. He's so tiresome. He's always wanting to fight with somebody.”

      “What's the matter, Clarence?” asked the Colonel, with the mild unconcern which deceived so many of the undiscerning.

      “This person, sir, refused to do a favor for your daughter. She told him, and I told him, to notify Mr. Hood that Miss Carvel was here, and he refused.”

      Mr. Hopper continued his occupation, which was absorbing. But he was listening.

      Colonel Carvel pulled his goatee, and smiled.

      “Clarence,” said he, “I reckon I can run this establishment without any help from you and Jinny. I've been at it now for a good many years.”

      If Mr. Barbo had not been constitutionally unlucky, he might have perceived Mr. Hopper, before dark that evening, in conversation with Mr. Hood about a certain customer who lived up town, and presently leave the store by the side entrance. He walked as rapidly as his legs would carry him, for they were a trifle short for his body; and СКАЧАТЬ