He paused to relight his pipe.
Aladdin stared up at the tattered ceiling with wide, wondering eyes.
"When you got warm," said Manners, "I gave you all the rest of thewhisky, and I'm sorry it made you sick, and now you're as fit as afiddle."
"Fit-as-a-fiddle," said Aladdin, slowly, as the wonder grew. And then hebegan to cry like a little child. Manners waited till he had done, andthen wiped his face for him.
"So you see," said Manners, simply, though with difficulty,--for he wasa man shy, to terror, of discussing his own feelings,--"I can't helpliking you now, and--and I hope you won't feel so hard toward me anymore."
"I feel hard toward you!" said Aladdin. "Oh, Manners!" he cried. "Ithought all along that you were just a man that knew about horses anddogs, but I see, I see; and I'm not going to worship anybody any moreexcept you and God, I'm not!"
Then he had another great long, hot cry. Manners waited patiently tillit was over.
"Manners," said Aladdin, in a choky, hoarse voice, "I think you'redifferent from what you used to be. You look as if--as if you 'd got thelove of mankind in you."
Manners did not answer. He appeared to be thinking of somethingwonderful.
"Do you think that's it?" cried Aladdin.
Manners did not answer.
"Can't I get it, too?" Aladdin cried. "Have I got to be little and meanalways? So help me, Manners, I don't love any one but you and her."
"You 're not fit to talk," said Manners, with great gentleness. "Yougo to sleep." He arose, and going to the door of the house, opened it alittle way and looked out.
"It's warm as toast out, Aladdin," he called. "There's going to be a bigthaw." He closed the door and went into the next room, and Aladdin couldhear him talking to the horse. After a little he came back.
"Greener says that she never was better stalled," he said.
"Manners," said Aladdin, "have I been raving?"
"Not been riding quite straight," said Manners.
"How soon are we going to start?" said Aladdin.
"We've got to wait till the snow's pretty well melted," said Manners."About noon, I think."
Then, because he was very tired and sick and weak, and perhaps a trifledelirious, Aladdin asked Manners if he would mind holding his hand.Manners took the hand in his, and a thrill ran up Aladdin's arm and allover him, till it settled deliciously about his heart, and he slept.
The sun rose, and dazzling beams of light filled the room.
BOOK II
"In this combat no man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard as Idid, what yelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made all the time of thefight, he spake like a Dragon; and on the other side, what sighs andgroans burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him all the while giveso much as one pleasant look, till he perceived he had wounded Apollyonwith his two-edged sword: then indeed he did smile and look upward."
XIX
Senator St. John, attended by Margaret, her maid, and a physician, hadmade the arduous journey from Washington to Portland without too muchfatigue, and it seemed reasonable to suppose that a long rest in hiscomfortable house, far from the turmoil of public affairs, would do muchto reinstate his body after the savage attack of gout with complicationsto which it had been subjected during six long weeks. Arrived atPortland, he was driven to the house of his old friend Mr. Blankinship,and helped to bed. Next morning he was seized with acute pains in theregion of the heart, and though his valiant mind refused for a singlemoment to tolerate the thought that the end might be near, was persuadedto send for his daughter and his sons.
Margaret was in the parlor with Aladdin. It was April, and the wholeland dripped. Through the open window, for the day was warm, themoisture of the soaked ground and trees was almost audible. Margarethad much to say to Aladdin, and he to her; they had not met for severalmonths.
"I want to hear about Peter," said Aladdin--"all about him. He met you,of course, and got you across the city?"
"Yes, and his father came, too," said Margaret. "Such an old dear--younever saw him, did you? He's taller than Peter, but much thinner, anda great aristocrat. He's the only man I ever saw that has more presencethan papa. He looks like a fine old bird, and you can see his skull veryplainly--especially when he laughs, if you know what I mean. And he'sreally witty. He knows all about you and wants you to go and staywith them sometime." Aladdin sighed for the pure delight of hearingMargaret's voice running on and on. He was busy looking at her, and didnot pay the slightest attention to what she said. "And the girl came tolunch, Aladdin, and she is so pretty, but not a bit serene like Peter,and the men are all wild about her, but she doesn't care that--"
"Doesn't she?" said Aladdin, annoyingly.
"No, she doesn't!" said Margaret, tartly. "She says she's going to bea horse-breaker or a nurse, and all the while she kept making eyes atbrother John, and he lost his poise entirely and smirked and blushed,and I shouldn't wonder a bit if he'd made up his mind to marry her, andif he has he will--"
Aladdin caught at the gist of the last sentence. "Is that all that'snecessary?" he said. "Has a man only got to make up his mind to marry acertain girl?"
"It's all brother John would have to do," said Margaret, provokingly.
"Admitting that," said Aladdin, "how about the other men?"
"Why," said Margaret, "I suppose that if a man really and truly makes uphis mind to get the girl he wants, he'll get her."
She looked at him with a grand innocence. Aladdin's heart leaped alittle.
"But suppose two men made up their minds," said Aladdin, "to get thesame girl."
"That would just prove the rule," said Margaret, refusing to see anypersonal application, "because one of them would get her, and the otherwould be the exception."
"Would the one who spoke first have an advantage?" said Aladdin."Suppose he'd wanted her ever so long, and had tried to succeed becauseof her, and"--he was warming to the subject, which meant much tohim--"had never known that there was any other girl in the world, andhad pinned all his faith and hope on her, would he have any advantage?"
"I don't know," said Margaret, rather dreamily.
"Because if he would--" Aladdin reached forward and took one of herhands in his two.
She let it lie there, and for a moment they looked into each other'seyes. Margaret withdrew her hand.
"I know--I know," she said. "But you mustn't say it, 'Laddin dear,because--somehow I feel that there are heaps of things to be consideredbefore either of us ought to think of that. And how can we be quitesure? Anyway, if it's going to happen--it will happen. And that's allI'm going to say, 'Laddin."
"Tell me," he said gently, "what the trouble is, dear. Is it this: doyou think you care for me, and aren't sure? Is that it?"
She nodded gravely. Aladdin took a long breath.
"Well," he said finally, "I believe I love you well enough, Margaret, tohope that you get the man who will make you happiest. I don't know," hewent on rather gloomily, "that I'm exactly calculated to make anybodyhappy, but," he concluded, with a quavering smile, "I'd like to try."They shook hands like the two very old friends they were.
"We'll always be that, anyway," said Margaret.
"Always," said Aladdin.
"Mademoiselle!" Eugenie opened the parlor door and looked cautiously in,after the manner of the French domestic.
"What is it?" said Margaret in French.
Aladdin listened with intense admiration, for he did not understand aword.
"Monsieur does not carry himself so well," said Eugenie, "and he asks ifmademoiselle will have the goodness to mount a moment to his room."
"I'll go at once." Margaret rose. "Papa's worse," she said to Aladdin."Will you wait?"
"I am so sorry," said Aladdin. "No, I can't wait; I have to get out thepaper. I"--he smiled--"am announcing to an eager public what general,in my expert opinion, is best fitted to command the armies of the UnitedStates."
"Of course there'll be fighting."
"Of course--and in
a day or two. Good-by."
"Good-by."
"I'll come round later and inquire about your father. Give him my love."
Margaret ran up-stairs to her father's room. He was in great pain, butperfectly calm and collected. As Margaret entered, the doctor went out,and she was alone with her father.
"Are you feeling badly, dear?" she said.
"I am feeling more easy than a moment ago," said the senator. "Bring achair over here, Peggy; we must have a little talk."
She brought a little upright chair and sat down facing him, her righthand nestling over one of his.
"The doctor," said the senator, "considers that my condition iscritical."
"Papa"
"I disagree with him. I shall, I believe, live to see the end of thiscivil riot, but I cannot be sure. So it behooves me to ask my deardaughter a question." St. John asked it with eagerness. "Which is it tobe, Peggy?"
She blushed deeply.
"You are interested in Aladdin O'Brien?"
Her head drooped a little.
"Yes, papa."
The senator sighed.
"Thank you, dear," he said. "That is all I wanted to know. I had hopedthat it would be otherwise. Peggy," he said, "I love that other youngman like a son."
"Peter?"
"I have always hoped that you would see him as I have seen him. I wouldbe happy if I thought that I could leave you in such strong young hands.I trust him absolutely."
"Papa."
"Well, dear?"
"You don't like Aladdin?"
"He is not steady, Margaret." The simple word was pregnant with meaningas it fell from the senator.
"You don't mean that he--that he's like--"
"Yes, dear; I should not wish my youngest son to marry."
"Poor boy," said Margaret, softly.
"It's the Irish in him," said the senator. "He must do all things toextremes. There, in a word, lies all his strength and all his weakness."
"You would be sorry if I married Aladdin?"
"I should be afraid for your happiness. Do you love him?"
"I am not sure, papa."
"You are fond of Peter, aren't you?"
She leaned forward till her cheek touched his.
"Next to you and 'Laddin."
The senator patted her shoulder, and thus they remained for some time.
A great shouting arose in the neighborhood.
The senator sat bolt upright in bed. His nostrils began to quiver. Hewas like an old war-horse that hears bugles.
"Sumter?" he cried. "Sumter? Do I hear Sumter?"
The shouting became louder.
"Sumter?" he cried. "Have they fired upon Sumter?"
Margaret flew to the window and threw it open. It acted upon theshouting like the big swell of an organ, and the cries of excitementfilled the room to bursting. South Carolina had clenched her hand andstruck the flag in the face.
The doctor rushed in. He paused flabbergasted at sight of the man whomhe had supposed to be dying.
"Great God, man!" cried the senator, "can't you get my clothes?"
When he was dressed they brought him his whalebone stick.
"Damn it, I can walk!" said he, and he broke the faithful old thing overa knee that had not been bent for a month.
XX
New fervor of enlistment took place, and among the first to enlist wasAladdin, and when his regiment met for organization he was unanimouslyelected major. He had many friends.
At first he thought that his duty did not lie where his heart lay,because of his brother Jack, now fourteen, whom he had to support. Andthen, the old promises coming to mind, he presented himself one morningbefore Senator St. John.
"Senator," he said, "you promised to do me a favor if I should ever askit."
The senator thought of Margaret and trembled.
"I have come to ask it."
"Well, sir?"
"I want to enlist, sir, but if I do there's nobody to look after Jack."
Again the senator thought of Margaret, and his heart warmed.
"He shall live in my house, sir," said the senator, "as a member of myfamily, sir."
"God bless you, sir!" cried Aladdin.
In a state of dancing glee he darted off to the "Spy" office to see hischief.
Mr. Blankinship was leaning against the post of the street door, readinghis own editorial in the morning issue.
"Hallo, Mr. Blankinship!" cried Aladdin.
"Hallo, Aladdin!" cried Mr. Blankinship, grinning at his favorite. "Lateas usual."
"And for the last time, sir."
"I know of only one good reason for such a statement."
"It's it, sir!"
Mr. Blankinship folded his paper carefully. His eyes were red, for hehad been up late the night before.
"I'd go, too," he said simply, "if it wasn't for the mother."
The firm of John St. John & Brothers sat in its office. The head ofthe firm was gorgeous in a new uniform; he had hurried up from New York(where he had been paying vigorous court to Ellen Manners, whom he hadmade up his mind to marry) in order, as oldest, biggest, and strongest,to enlist for the family in one of the home regiments. There lingeredon his lips the thrill of a kiss half stolen, half yielded, while in hispockets were a number of telegrams since received, and the usually graveand stern young man was jocular and bantering. The two younger membersof the firm were correspondingly savage.
"For God's sake, clear out of here," said Hamilton. "Your shingle'sdown. Bul and I are running this office now."
"Well, it's the chance of your lives, boys," said the frisky colonel."I'll have forgotten the law by the time I come back."
"Hope you may choke, John," said Hannibal, sweetly.
"Don't allow smoking in here, do you, boys?" He got no answer. It was ahard-and-fast rule which he himself had instituted.
"Well, here goes." He lighted a huge cigar and puffed it insolentlyabout the office. He surveyed himself in the cracked mirror.
"Cursed if a uniform isn't becoming to a man!" he said.
"Chicken!" said Hamilton.
"Puppy!" said Hannibal.
"Titmouse!" said Hamilton.
"Ant!" said Hannibal.
John's grin widened.
"Boys," he said, "you've got one swell looker in the family, anyway, andyou ought to be glad of that."
The boys exchanged glances.
Hannibal had upon his desk a pen-wiper which consisted of a small spongeheavy with the ink of wiped pens. Hamilton had beneath his desk anodd rubber boot which served him as a scrap-basket. These ornamentalmissiles took John St. John in the back of the head at about the samemoment, the weight and impetus of the boot knocking the cigar clean outof his mouth, so that it dashed itself against the mirror.
The gallant colonel turned, still grinning. "Which threw the boot?" saidhe.
"I did," said Hamilton.
"Then you get the first licking."
Hamilton met his brother's hostile if grinning advance with the hardestblow that he could strike him over the left eye. Then they clenched,and Hannibal joined the fray. The three brothers, roaring with laughter,proceeded to inflict as much damage to each other and the office asthey jointly could. Over and under they squirmed and contorted, hitting,tripping, falling and rising. Desks went over, lawbooks strewed thefloor, ink ran, and finally the bust of George Washington, which hadstood over the inner door since the foundation of the firm, came downwith a crash.
By this time the three brothers were helpless with laughter. The combatceased, and they sat upon the floor to survey the damage.
"You can't handle the old man yet, boys," said the colonel. His lefteye was closed, and his new uniform looked like the ribbons hung on aMay-pole.
Hamilton was bleeding at the nose. Hannibal's lip was split. The threelooked at each other and shook with laughter.
"I'm inclined to think we've had a healthy bringing-up," said Hamiltonbetween gasps.
"Better move, colonel," said Hannibal; "yo
u're sitting in a pool ofink."
"So I am," said the colonel, as the cold struck through his newtrousers.
The laughter broke out afresh.
Beau Larch, in the uniform of a private, appeared at the door.
"Hallo, Beau!"
"Come in."
"Take a hand?"
"Thank you, no," said Beau. "I just dropped in to tell you fellows thatwe've just had a hell of a licking at Bull Run."
"Us!" said the colonel, rising.
"Us!" said Hamilton. "Licked!"
"Us!" said Hannibal.
"And I've got other news, too," said Beau, bashfully. "If I stopdrinking till my year's up, and don't ever drink any more, Claire saysshe'll marry me."
Hannibal was the first to shake his hand.
"Boys," said Beau, "I hope if any of you ever sees me touch a dropyou'll strike me dead."
He went out.
"I'm going to find out about this," said John; "what did he say the nameof the licking was?"
"Bull Run."
"Bull Run. And I'll come back and tell you."
He was starting to descend the steep stairs to the street, when hecaught the sound of snickers and creeping footsteps behind him. Heturned like a panther, but was not in time. The heavily driven toes ofthe right boots of the younger St. Johns lifted him clear of the stairs,and clean to the bottom of them. There he sat, his uniform a thing ofthe past, his left eye blackening and closed, and roars of laughtershaking him.
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