Speaker 1: This is section thirty eight of The Gilded Age. This
Speaker 1: LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age,
Speaker 1: A Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and Seed Warner,
Speaker 1: Chapter thirty eight. Now this surprising news caused her fall
Speaker 1: in a trance life as she were dead, no limbs
Speaker 1: she could advance. Then her dear brother came her from
Speaker 1: the ground he took and she spake up and said, oh,
Speaker 1: my poor heart is broke. The barncastle tragedy. Don't you
Speaker 1: think he is distinguished looking? What that gawky looking person
Speaker 1: with miss Hawkins there, he's just speaking to missus schoonmaker.
Speaker 1: Such high bred negligence and unconsciousness, nothing studied. See his
Speaker 1: fine eyes. Very they are moving this way now maybe
Speaker 1: he is coming here, but he looks as helpless as
Speaker 1: a rag baby. Who is he, Blanche? Oh? Is he?
Speaker 1: And you've been here a weak grace and don't know
Speaker 1: he's the catch of the season. That's Washington Hawkins, her brother.
Speaker 1: No is it? Very old family, old Kentucky family. I
Speaker 1: believe he's got enormous landed property in Tennessee. I think
Speaker 1: the family lost everything. Slaves and that sort of thing
Speaker 1: you know in the war, but they have a great
Speaker 1: deal of land, minerals, mines and all that. Mister Hawkins
Speaker 1: and his sister too, are very much interested in the
Speaker 1: amelioration of the condition of the colored race. They have
Speaker 1: some plans with Senator Dilworthy to convert a large part
Speaker 1: of their property to something and other for the freedmen.
Speaker 1: You don't say so. I thought he was some guy
Speaker 1: from Pennsylvania. But he is different from others. Probably he
Speaker 1: has lived all his life on his plantation. It was
Speaker 1: a day reception of Missus Representative Shoemaker, a sweet woman
Speaker 1: of simple and sincere manner. Her house was one of
Speaker 1: the most popular in Washington. There was less ostentation than
Speaker 1: there in some others, and people liked to go where
Speaker 1: the atmosphere reminded them of the peace and purity of home.
Speaker 1: Missus Schoonmaker was as natural and unaffected in Washington society
Speaker 1: as she was in her own New York house, and
Speaker 1: kept up the spirit of home life there with her
Speaker 1: husband and children, and that was the reason probably why
Speaker 1: people of refinement liked to go there. Washington is a microcosm,
Speaker 1: and one can suit himself with any sort of society
Speaker 1: within a radius of a mile to a large portion
Speaker 1: of the people who frequent Washington or dwell there. The
Speaker 1: ultra fashion, the shaddy, the jobbery are as utterly distasteful
Speaker 1: as they would be in a refined New England city.
Speaker 1: Shoonemaker was not exactly a leader in the house, but
Speaker 1: he was greatly respected for his fine talents and his honesty.
Speaker 1: No one would have thought of offering to carry National
Speaker 1: improve Movement Director's relief stock for him. These day receptions
Speaker 1: were attended by more women than men, and those interested
Speaker 1: in the problem might have studied the costumes of the
Speaker 1: ladies present in view of this fact to discover whether
Speaker 1: women dress more for the eyes of women or for
Speaker 1: effect upon men. It is a very important problem, and
Speaker 1: has been a good deal discussed, and its solution would
Speaker 1: form one fixed philosophical basis upon which to estimate woman's character.
Speaker 1: We are inclined to take a medium ground and of
Speaker 1: her that woman dresses to please herself and in obedience
Speaker 1: to a law of her own nature. They are coming
Speaker 1: this way, said Blanche. People who made way for them
Speaker 1: to pass turned to look at them. Washington began to
Speaker 1: feel that the eyes of the public were on him also,
Speaker 1: and his eyes rolled about now towards the ceiling, now
Speaker 1: towards the floor, in an effort to look unconscious. Good morning,
Speaker 1: Miss Hawkins, delighted, mister Hawkins, my friend, Miss Medlar. Mister Hawkins,
Speaker 1: who was endeavoring to square himself for a bow, put
Speaker 1: his foot through the train of missus Senator Poplin, who
Speaker 1: looked round with a scowl, which turned into a smile
Speaker 1: as she saw who it was. In extricating himself. Mister Hawkins,
Speaker 1: who had the care of his hat as well as
Speaker 1: the introduction on his mind, shambled against Miss Blanche, who
Speaker 1: said pardon with the prettiest accent, as if the awkwardness
Speaker 1: were her own, and mister Hawkins righted himself. Don't you
Speaker 1: find it very warm today, mister Hawkins, said Blanche, by
Speaker 1: way of a remark. It's awfully hot, said Washington. It's
Speaker 1: warm for the season, continued Blanche, pleasantly. But I suppose
Speaker 1: you are accustomed to it. She added, with a general
Speaker 1: idea that the thermometer always stands at ninety degrees in
Speaker 1: all parts of the late Slave States. Washington weather generally
Speaker 1: cannot be very congenial to you. It's congenial, Washington, brightening
Speaker 1: up when it's not congealed. That's very good. Did you hear, Grace?
Speaker 1: Mister Hawkins says it's congenial when it's not congealed. What is? Dear?
Speaker 1: Said Grace, who was talking with Laura. The conversation was
Speaker 1: now finely under way. Washington launched out an observation of
Speaker 1: his own. Did you see those Japs, miss Levitt? Oh? Yes,
Speaker 1: aren't they queer? But so high bred? So picturesque. Do
Speaker 1: you think that color makes any difference? Mister Hawkins, I
Speaker 1: used to be so prejudiced against color, did you I
Speaker 1: never was? I used to think my old mammy was handsome.
Speaker 1: How interesting your life must have been. I should like
Speaker 1: to hear about it. Washington was about settling himself into
Speaker 1: his narrative style when missus General mc fingle caught his eye.
Speaker 1: Have you been at the capital to day, mister Hawkins?
Speaker 1: Washington had not. Is anything uncommon going on? But they
Speaker 1: say it was very exciting the Alabama business. You know,
Speaker 1: a General Suttler of Massachusetts defied England, and they say
Speaker 1: he wants war. He wants to make himself conspicuous. More like,
Speaker 1: said Laura, he always, you have noticed talks with one
Speaker 1: eye on the gallery while the other is on the speaker. Well,
Speaker 1: my husband says, it's nonsense to talk of war and wicked.
Speaker 1: He knows what war is. If we do have war,
Speaker 1: I hope it will be for the patriots of Cuba.
Speaker 1: Don't you think we want Cuba, mister Hawkins, I think
Speaker 1: we wanted bad, said Washington. And Santo Domingo Senator Dilworthy says,
Speaker 1: we are bound to extend our religion over the isles
Speaker 1: of the sea. We've got to round out our territory.
Speaker 1: And Washington's further observations were broken off by Laura, who
Speaker 1: whisked him off to another part of the room and
Speaker 1: reminded him that they must make their adieu. How stupid
Speaker 1: and tiresome these people are, she said, let's go. They
Speaker 1: were turning to say good bye to the hostess when
Speaker 1: Laura's attention was arrested by the sight of a gentleman
Speaker 1: who was just speaking to missus schoonmaker. For a second,
Speaker 1: her heart stopped beating. He was a handsome man of
Speaker 1: forty and perhaps more, with grayish hair and whiskers, and
Speaker 1: he walked with a cane as if he were slightly lame.
Speaker 1: He might be less than forty, for his face was
Speaker 1: worn into hard lines, and he was pale. No, it
Speaker 1: could not be, she said to herself, it is only
Speaker 1: a resemblance. But as the gentleman turned and she saw
Speaker 1: his full face, Laura put out her hand and clutched
Speaker 1: Washington's arm to prevent herself from falling. Washington, who was
Speaker 1: not minding anything as usual, looked round in wonder. Laura's
Speaker 1: eyes were blazing fire and hatred. He had never seen
Speaker 1: her look so before, and her face was livid. Why
Speaker 1: what is it, sis, Your face is as white as paper.
Speaker 1: It's he, it's he, come, come, She dragg him away.
Speaker 1: It's who, asked Washington when they had gained the carriage.
Speaker 1: It's nobody. It's nothing, did I say? He? I was
Speaker 1: faint with the heat. Don't mention it. Don't you speak
Speaker 1: of it, she added, earnestly, grasping his arm. When she
Speaker 1: had gained her room, she went to the glass and
Speaker 1: saw a pallid and haggard face. My god, she cried,
Speaker 1: this will never do. I should have killed him if
Speaker 1: I could. The scoundrel still lives and dares to come here.
Speaker 1: I ought to kill him. He has no right to live.
Speaker 1: How I hate him, and yet I loved him. Oh, heavens,
Speaker 1: how I did love that man? And why didn't he
Speaker 1: kill me? He might better, he did kill all that
Speaker 1: was good in me. Oh, but he shall not escape.
Speaker 1: He shall not escape this time. He may have forgotten.
Speaker 1: He will find that a woman's hate doesn't forget the law.
Speaker 1: What would the law do but protect him and make
Speaker 1: me an outcast? How all Washington would gather up its
Speaker 1: virtuous skirts and avoid me if it knew. I wonder
Speaker 1: if he hates me as I do him. So Laura
Speaker 1: raved in tears and in rage by turns tossed in
Speaker 1: a tumult of passion, which she gave way to with
Speaker 1: little effort to control. A servant came to summon her
Speaker 1: to dinner. She had a headache. The hour came for
Speaker 1: the president's reception, She had a raving headache, and the
Speaker 1: senator must go without her. That night of agony was
Speaker 1: like another night. She recalled how vividly it all came
Speaker 1: back to her. And at that time she remembered, she
Speaker 1: thought she might be mistaken. He might come back to her.
Speaker 1: Perhaps he loved her a little after all. Now she
Speaker 1: knew he did not. Now she knew he was a
Speaker 1: cold blooded scoundrel, without pity, never a word in all
Speaker 1: these years she had hoped he was dead. Did his
Speaker 1: wife live, she wondered. She caught at that, and it
Speaker 1: gave a new current to her thoughts. Perhaps, after all,
Speaker 1: she must see him. She could not live without seeing him.
Speaker 1: Would he smile as in the old days when she
Speaker 1: loved him so? Or would he sneer as when she
Speaker 1: last saw him? If he looked so, she hated him.
Speaker 1: If he should call her Laura darling and look so,
Speaker 1: she must find him. She must end her doubts. Laura
Speaker 1: kept her room for two days on one excuse, in another,
Speaker 1: a nervous headache, a cold to the great anxiety of
Speaker 1: the senator's household. Callers who went away said she had
Speaker 1: been too gay. They did not say fast, though some
Speaker 1: of them may have thought it. One so conspicuous and
Speaker 1: successful in society as Laura could not be out of
Speaker 1: the way two days without remarks being made, and not
Speaker 1: all of them complimentary. When she came down, she appeared
Speaker 1: as usual, a little pale, maybe, but unchanged in manner.
Speaker 1: If there were any deepened blinds about the eyes, they
Speaker 1: had been concealed her course of action was quite determined.
Speaker 1: At breakfast, she asked if any one had heard any
Speaker 1: unusual noise during the night. Nobody had. Washington never heard
Speaker 1: any noise of any kind after his eyes were shut.
Speaker 1: Some people thought he never did when they were open either.
Speaker 1: Senator Dilworthy said he had come in late. He was
Speaker 1: detained in a little consultation after the Congressional Prayer meeting.
Speaker 1: Perhaps it was his entrance. No, Laura said she heard
Speaker 1: that it was later. She might have been nervous, but
Speaker 1: she fancied somebody was trying to get into the house.
Speaker 1: Mister Brierly humorously suggested that it might be as none
Speaker 1: of the members were occupied in night session. The Senator
Speaker 1: frowned and said he did not like to hear that
Speaker 1: kind of newspaper slang. There might be burglars about. Laura
Speaker 1: said that very likely it was only her nervousness, but
Speaker 1: she thought she would feel safer if Washington would let
Speaker 1: her take one of his pistols. Washington brought her one
Speaker 1: of his revolvers and instructed her in the art of
Speaker 1: loading and firing it. During the morning, Laura drove down
Speaker 1: to missus Shoemaker's to pay a friendly call. Your receptions
Speaker 1: are always delightful, she said to that lady. The pleasant
Speaker 1: people all seem to come here. It's pleasant to hear
Speaker 1: you say so, Miss Hawkins, I believe my friends like
Speaker 1: to come here. Though society in Washington is mixed, we
Speaker 1: have a little of everything, I suppose, though you don't
Speaker 1: see much of the old rebel element, said Laura with
Speaker 1: a smile. If this seemed to missus Shoemaker a singular
Speaker 1: remark for a lady to make who was meeting rebels
Speaker 1: in society every day, she did not express it in
Speaker 1: any way, but only said, you know, we don't say
Speaker 1: rebel any more. Before we came to Washington, I thought
Speaker 1: rebels would look unlike other people. I find we are
Speaker 1: very much alike, and that kindness and good nature wear
Speaker 1: awayed prejudice. And then you know, there are all sorts
Speaker 1: of common interests. My husband sometimes says that he doesn't see,
Speaker 1: but Confederates are just as eager to get as the
Speaker 1: treasury as Unionists. You know that mister Shoemaker is on
Speaker 1: the appropriations. Does he know many Southerners? Oh? Yes, there
Speaker 1: were several at my reception the other day. Among others,
Speaker 1: a Confederate colonel a stranger, handsome man with gray hair.
Speaker 1: Probably you didn't notice him, uses a cane in walking,
Speaker 1: A very agreeable man. I wondered why he called. When
Speaker 1: my husband came home and looked over the cards, he
Speaker 1: said he had a cotton claim, A real Southerner. Perhaps
Speaker 1: you might know him if I could think of his name. Yes,
Speaker 1: here's his card, Louisiana. Laura took the card, looked at
Speaker 1: it intently till she was sure of the address, and
Speaker 1: then laid it down with no. He is no friend
Speaker 1: of ours. That afternoon, Laura wrote and despatched the following note.
Speaker 1: It was in a round hand, unlike her flowing style,
Speaker 1: and it was directed to a number and street in Georgetown.
Speaker 1: A lady at Senator Dilworthy's would like to see Colonel
Speaker 1: George Selby on business connected with the cotton claims. Can
Speaker 1: he call? Call Wednesday at three o'clock pm. On Wednesday
Speaker 1: at three pm, no one of the family was likely
Speaker 1: to be in the house except Laura. End of Chapter
Speaker 1: thirty eight.