CHAPTER XLI.
CALLS.
Peter dressed himself the next evening with particular care, even forhim. As Peter dressed, he was rather down on life. He had been kept fromhis ride that afternoon by taking evidence in a referee case. "I reallyneeded the exercise badly," he said. He had tried to work hisdissatisfaction off on his clubs and dumb-bells, but whatever they haddone for his blood and tissue, they had not eased his frame of mind.Dinner made him a little pleasanter, for few men can remain cross over aproper meal. Still, he did not look happy, when, on rising from hiscoffee, he glanced at his watch and found that it was but ten minutespast eight.
He vacillated for a moment, and then getting into his outside trappings,he went out and turned eastward, down the first side street. He walkedfour blocks, and then threw open the swing door of a brilliantly lightedplace, stepping at once into a blaze of light and warmth which was mostattractive after the keen March wind blowing outside.
He nodded to the three barkeepers. "Is Dennis inside?" he asked.
"Yes, Misther Stirling. The regulars are all there."
Peter passed through the room, and went into another without knocking.In it were some twenty men, sitting for the most part in attitudesdenoting ease. Two, at a small table in the corner, were playingdominoes. Three others, in another corner, were amusing themselves with"High, Low, Jack." Two were reading papers. The rest were collectedround the centre table, most of them smoking. Some beer mugs andtumblers were standing about, but not more than a third of the twentywere drinking anything. The moment Peter entered, one of the men jumpedto his feet.
"B'ys," he cried, "here's Misther Stirling. Begobs, sir, it's fine tosee yez. It's very scarce yez been lately." He had shaken hands, andthen put a chair in place for Peter.
The cards, papers, and dominoes had been abandoned the moment Dennisannounced Peter's advent, and when Peter had finished shaking the handsheld out to him, and had seated himself, the men were all gathered roundthe big table.
Peter laid his hat on the table, threw back his Newcastle and lit acigar. "I've been very short of time, Dennis. But I had my choice thisevening before going uptown, of smoking a cigar in my own quarters, orhere. So I came over to talk with you all about Denton."
"An' what's he been doin'?" inquired Dennis.
"I saw him to-day about the Hummel franchise that comes up in the Boardnext Tuesday. He won't vote for it, he says. I told him I thought it wasin the interest of the city to multiply means of transit, and asked himwhy he refused. He replied that he thought the Hummel gang had beenoffering money, and that he would vote against bribers."
"He didn't have the face to say that?" shouted one of the listeners.
"Yes."
"Oi never!" said Dennis. "An' he workin' night an' day to get the Boardto vote the rival road."
"I don't think there's much doubt that money is being spent by bothsides," said Peter. "I fear no bill could ever pass without it. But theHummel crowd are really responsible people, who offer the city a goodpercentage. The other men are merely trying to get the franchise, tosell it out at a profit to Hummel. I don't like the methods of either,but there's a road needed, and there'll be a road voted, so it's simplya choice between the two. I shouldn't mind if Denton voted against bothschemes, but to say he'll vote against Hummel for that reason, and yetvote for the other franchise shows that he's not square. I didn't say soto him, because I wanted to talk it over with the ward a little first tosee if they stood with me."
"That we do, sir," said Dennis, with a sureness which was cool, ifnothing more. Fortunately for the boldness of the speaker, no onedissented, and two or three couples nodded heads or pipes at each other.
Peter looked at his watch. "Then I can put the screws on him safely,you think?"
"Yes," cried several.
Peter rose. "Dennis, will you see Blunkers and Driscoll this evening, orsome time to-morrow, and ask if they think so too? And if they don't,tell them to drop in on me, when they have leisure."
"Begobs, sir, Oi'll see them inside av ten minutes. An' if they don'tagree widus, shure, Oi'll make them."
"Thank you. Good-night."
"Good-night, Mr. Stirling," came a chorus, and Peter passed into thestreet by the much maligned side-door.
Dennis turned to the group with his face shining with enthusiasm. "Didyez see him, b'ys? There was style for yez. Isn't he somethin' for theward to be proud av?"
Peter turned to Broadway, and fell into a long rapid stride. In spite ofthe cold he threw open his coat, and carried his outer covering on hisarm. Peter had no intention of going into an up-town drawing-room withany suggestion of "sixt" ward tobacco. So he walked till he reachedMadison Square, when, after a glance at his watch, he jumped into a cab.
It was a quarter-past nine when the footman opened the door of theFifty-seventh Street house, in reply to Peter's ring. Yet he was toldthat, "The ladies are still at dinner."
Peter turned and went down the stoop. He walked to the Avenue, andstopped at a house not far off.
"Is Mrs. Pell at home?" he asked, and procured entrance for both hispasteboard and himself.
"Welcome, little stranger," was his greeting. "And it is so nice thatyou came this evening. Here is Van, on from Washington for two days."
"I was going to look you up, and see what 'we, the people' were talkingabout, so that I could enlighten our legislators when I go back," said aman of forty.
"I wrote Pope a long letter to-day, which I asked him to show you," saidPeter. "Things are in a bad shape, and getting worse."
"But, Peter," queried the woman, "if you are the leader, why do you letthem get so?"
"So as to remain the leader," said Peter, smiling quietly.
"Now that's what comes of ward politics," cried Mrs. Pell, "You arebeginning to make Irish bulls."
"No," replied Peter, "I am serious, and because people don't understandwhat I mean, they don't understand American politics."
"But you say in effect that the way you retain your leadership, is bynot leading. That's absurd!"
"No. Contradiction though it may seem the way to lose authority, is toexercise it too much. Christ enunciated the great truth of democraticgovernment, when he said, 'He that would be the greatest among you,shall be the servant of all'"
"I hope you won't carry your theory so far as to let them nominateMaguire?" said Mr. Pell, anxiously.
"Now, please don't begin on politics," said the woman. "Here is Van,whom I haven't seen for nine weeks, and here is Peter whom I haven'tseen for time out of mind, and just as I think I have a red-letterevening before me, you begin your everlasting politics."
"I merely stopped in to shake hands," said Peter. "I have a call to makeelsewhere, and can stay but twenty minutes. For that time we choose youspeaker, and you can make us do as it pleases you."
Twenty minutes later Peter passed into the D'Alloi drawing-room. Heshook Mrs. D'Alloi's hand steadily, which was more than she did withhis. Then he was made happy for a moment, with that of Leonore. Then hewas introduced to a Madame Mellerie, whom he placed at once as thehalf-governess, half-companion, who had charge of Leonore's education; aMr. Maxwell, and a Marquis de somebody. They were both good-lookingyoung fellows; and greeted Peter in a friendly way. But Peter did notlike them.
He liked them less when Mrs. D'Alloi told him to sit in a given place,and then put Madame Mellerie down by him. Peter had not called to seeMadame Mellerie. But he made a virtue of necessity, and he was tooinstinctively courteous not to treat the Frenchwoman with the same touchof deference his manner towards women always had. After they had beenchatting for a little on French literature, it occurred to Peter thather opinion of him might have some influence with Leonore, so he decidedthat he would try and please her. But this thought turned his mind toLeonore, and speaking of her to her governess, he at once became sointerested in the facts she began to pour out to him, that he forgotentirely about his diplomatic scheme.
This arrangement continued half an hour, when a dis
location of the_statu quo_ was made by the departure of Mr. Maxwell. When the exit wascompleted, Mrs. D'Alloi turned to place her puppets properly again. Butshe found a decided bar to her intentions. Peter had formed his ownconclusions as to why he had been set to entertain Madame Mellerie, notmerely from the fact itself, but from the manner in which it had beendone, and most of all, from the way Mrs. D'Alloi had managed to standbetween Leonore and himself, as if protecting the former, till she hadbeen able to force her arrangements. So with the first stir Peter hadrisen, and when the little bustle had ceased he was already standing byLeonore, talking to her. Mrs. D'Alloi did not look happy, but for themoment she was helpless.
Peter had had to skirt the group to get to Leonore, and so had stoodbehind her during the farewells. She apparently had not noticed hisadvent, but the moment she had done the daughter-of-the-house duty, sheturned to him, and said: "I wondered if you would go away without seeingme. I was so afraid you were one of the men who just say, 'How d'ye do'and 'Good-bye,' and think they've paid a call."
"I called to see you to-night, and I should not have gone till I hadseen you. I'm rather a persistent man in some things."
"Yes," said Leonore, bobbing her head in a very knowing manner, "Miss DeVoe told me."
"Mr. Stirling," said Mrs. D'Alloi, "can't you tell us the meaning of theLatin motto on this seal?" Mrs. D'Alloi held a letter towards him, butdid not stir from her position across the room.
Peter understood the device. He was to be drawn off, and made to sit byMrs. D'Alloi, not because she wanted to see him, but because she did notwant him to talk to Leonore. Peter had no intention of being dragooned.So he said: "Madame Mellerie has been telling me what a good Latinscholar Miss D'Alloi is. I certainly shan't display my ignorance, tillshe has looked at it." Then he carried the envelope over to Leonore,and in handing it to her, moved a chair for her, not neglecting one forhimself. Mrs. D'Alloi looked discouraged, the more when Peter andLeonore put their heads close together, to examine the envelope.
"'_In bonam partem_,'" read Leonore. "That's easy, mamma. It's--why, sheisn't listening!"
"You can tell her later. I have something to talk to you about."
"What is that?"
"Your dinner in my quarters. Whom would you like to have there?"
"Will you really give me a dinner?"
"Yes."
"And let me have just whom I want?"
"Yes."
"Oh, lovely! Let me see. Mamma and papa, of course."
"That's four. Now you can have two more."
"Peter. Would you mind--I mean----" Leonore hesitated a moment and thensaid in an apologetic tone--"Would you like to invite madame? I've beentelling her about your rooms--and you--and I think it would please herso."
"That makes five," said Peter.
"Oh, goody!" said Leonore, "I mean," she said, correcting herself, "thatthat is very kind of you."
"And now the sixth?"
"That must be a man of course," said Leonore, wrinkling up her foreheadin the intensity of puzzlement. "And I know so few men." She looked outinto space, and Peter had a moment's fear lest she should see themarquis, and name him. "There's one friend of yours I'm very anxious tomeet. I wonder if you would be willing to ask him?"
"Who is that?"
"Mr. Moriarty."
"No, I can't ask him, I don't want to cheapen him by making a show ofhim."
"Oh! I haven't that feeling about him. I----"
"I think you would understand him and see the fine qualities. But do youthink others would?" Peter mentioned no names, but Leonore understood.
"No," she said. "You are quite right."
"You shall meet him some day," said Peter, "if you wish, but when we canhave only people who won't embarrass or laugh at him."
"Really, I don't know whom to select."
"Perhaps you would like to meet Le Grand?"
"Very much. He is just the man."
"Then we'll consider that settled. Are you free for the ninth?"
"Yes. I'm not going out this spring, and mamma and papa haven't reallybegun yet, and it's so late in the season that I'm sure we are free."
"Then I will ice the canvas-backs and champagne and dust off theBurgundy for that day, if your mamma accedes."
"Peter, I wanted to ask you the other day about that. I thought youdidn't drink wine."
"I don't. But I give my friends a glass, when they are good enough tocome to me. I live my own life, to please myself, but for that veryreason, I want others to live their lives to please themselves. Tryingto live other people's lives for them, is a pretty dog-in-the-mangerbusiness."
Just then Mrs. D'Alloi joined them. "Were you able to translate it?" sheasked, sitting down by them.
"Yes, indeed," said Leonore. "It means 'Towards the right side,' or as amotto it might be translated, 'For the right side.'"
Mrs. D'Alloi had clearly, to use a western expression, come determinedto "settle down and grow up with the country." So Peter broached thesubject of the dinner, and when she hesitated, Leonore called Watts intothe group. He threw the casting ballot in favor of the dinner, and so itwas agreed upon. Peter was asked to come to Leonore's birthday festival,"If you don't mind such short notice," and he didn't mind, apparently.Then the conversation wandered at will till Peter rose. In doing so, heturned to Leonore, and said:
"I looked the question of nationality up to-day, and found I was right.I've written out a legal opinion in my best hand, and will deliver it toyou, on receiving my fee."
"How much is that?" said Leonore, eagerly.
"That you come and get it."
The Honorable Peter Stirling and What People Thought of Him Page 41