The Duplicity of Hargraves.docx

The Duplicity of Hargraves.docx

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TheDuplicityofHargraves

TheDuplicityofHargraves

WhenMajorPendletonTalbot,ofMobile,sir,andhisdaughter,MissLydiaTalbot,cametoWashingtontoreside,theyselectedforaboardingplaceahousethatstoodfiftyyardsbackfromoneofthequietestavenues.Itwasanold-fashionedbrickbuilding,withaporticoupheldbytallwhitepillars.Theyardwasshadedbystatelylocustsandelms,andacatalpatreeinseasonraineditspinkandwhiteblossomsuponthegrass.Rowsofhighboxbusheslinedthefenceandwalks.ItwastheSouthernstyleandaspectoftheplacethatpleasedtheeyesoftheTalbots.

Inthispleasantprivateboardinghousetheyengagedrooms,includingastudyforMajorTalbot,whowasaddingthefinishingchapterstohisbook,AnecdotesandReminiscencesoftheAlabamaArmy,Bench,andBar.

MajorTalbotwasoftheold,oldSouth.Thepresentdayhadlittleinterestorexcellenceinhiseyes.HismindlivedinthatperiodbeforetheCivilWarwhentheTalbotsownedthousandsofacresoffinecottonlandandtheslavestotillthem;whenthefamilymansionwasthesceneofprincelyhospitality,anddrewitsguestsfromthearistocracyoftheSouth.Outofthatperiodhehadbroughtallitsoldprideandscruplesofhonor,anantiquatedandpunctiliouspoliteness,and（youwouldthink）itswardrobe.

Suchclothesweresurelynevermadewithinfiftyyears.TheMajorwastall,butwheneverhemadethatwonderful,archaicgenuflexionhecalledabow,thecornersofhisfrockcoatsweptthefloor.ThatgarmentwasasurpriseeventoWashington,whichhaslongagoceasedtoshyatthefrocksandbroad-brimmedhatsofSouthernCongressmen.Oneoftheboarderschristenedita"FatherHubbard,"anditcertainlywashighinthewaistandfullintheskirt.

ButtheMajor,withallhisqueerclothes,hisimmenseareaofplaited,ravelingshirtbosom,andthelittleblackstringtiewiththebowalwaysslippingononeside,bothwassmiledatandlikedinMrs.Vardeman'sselectboardinghouse.Someoftheyoungdepartmentclerkswouldoften"stringhim,"astheycalledit,gettinghimstarteduponthesubjectdearesttohim--thetraditionsandhistoryofhisbelovedSouthland.DuringhistalkshewouldquotefreelyfromtheAnecdotesandReminiscences.Buttheywereverycarefulnottolethimseetheirdesigns,forinspiteofhissixty-eightyearshecouldmaketheboldestofthemuncomfortableunderthesteadyregardofhispiercinggrayeyes.

MissLydiawasaplump,littleoldmaidofthirty-five,withsmoothlydrawn,tightlytwistedhairthatmadeherlookstillolder.Old-fashioned,too,shewas;butantebellumglorydidnotradiatefromherasitdidfromtheMajor.Shepossessedathriftycommonsense,anditwasshewhohandledthefinancesofthefamily,andmetallcomerswhentherewerebillstopay.TheMajorregardedboardbillsandwashbillsascontemptiblenuisances.Theykeptcominginsopersistentlyandsooften.Why,theMajorwantedtoknow,couldtheynotbefiledandpaidinalumpsumatsomeconvenientperiod--saywhentheAnecdotesandReminiscenceshadbeenpublishedandpaidfor?

MissLydiawouldcalmlygoonwithhersewingandsay,"We'llpayaswegoaslongasthemoneylasts,andthenperhapsthey'llhavetolumpit."

MostofMrs.Vardeman'sboarderswereawayduringtheday,beingnearlyalldepartmentclerksandbusinessmen;buttherewasoneofthemwhowasaboutthehouseagreatdealfrommorningtonight.ThiswasayoungmannamedHenryHopkinsHargraves--everyoneinthehouseaddressedhimbyhisfullname--whowasengagedatoneofthepopularvaudevilletheaters.Vaudevillehasrisentosucharespectableplaneinthelastfewyears,andMr.Hargraveswassuchamodestandwell-manneredperson,thatMrs.Vardemancouldfindnoobjectiontoenrollinghimuponherlistofboarders.

AtthetheaterHargraveswasknownasanall-rounddialectcomedian,havingalargerepertoireofGerman,Irish,Swede,andblack-facespecialties.ButMr.Hargraveswasambitious,andoftenspokeofhisgreatdesiretosucceedinlegitimatecomedy.

ThisyoungmanappearedtoconceiveastrongfancyforMajorTalbot.WheneverthatgentlemanwouldbeginhisSouthernreminiscences,orrepeatsomeoftheliveliestoftheanecdotes,Hargravescouldalwaysbefound,themostattentiveamonghislisteners.

ForatimetheMajorshowedaninclinationtodiscouragetheadvancesofthe"playactor,"asheprivatelytermedhim;butsoontheyoungman'sagreeablemannerandindubitableappreciationoftheoldgentleman'sstoriescompletelywonhimover.

Itwasnotlongbeforethetwowerelikeoldchums.TheMajorsetaparteachafternoontoreadtohimthemanuscriptofhisbook.DuringtheanecdotesHargravesneverfailedtolaughatexactlytherightpoint.TheMajorwasmovedtodeclaretoMissLydiaonedaythatyoungHargravespossessedremarkableperceptionandagratifyingrespectfortheoldregime.Andwhenitcametotalkingofthoseolddays--ifMajorTalbotlikedtotalk,Mr.Hargraveswasentrancedtolisten.

Likealmostalloldpeoplewhotalkofthepast,theMajorlovedtolingeroverdetails.Indescribingthesplendid,almostroyal,daysoftheoldplanters,hewouldhesitateuntilhehadrecalledthenameofthenegrowhoheldhishorse,ortheexactdateofcertainminorhappenings,orthenumberofbalesofcottonraisedinsuchayear;butHargravesnevergrewimpatientorlostinterest.Onthecontrary,hewouldadvancequestionsonavarietyofsubjectsconnectedwiththelifeofthattime,andheneverfailedtoextractreadyreplies.

Thefoxhunts,the'possumsuppers,thehoe-downsandjubileesinthenegroquarters,thebanquetsintheplantation-househall,wheninvitationswentforfiftymilesaround;theoccasionalfeudswiththeneighboringgentry;theMajor'sduelwithRathboneCulbertsonaboutKittyChalmers,whoafterwardmarriedaThwaiteofSouthCarolina;andprivateyachtracesforfabuloussumsonMobileBay;thequaintbeliefs,improvidenthabits,andloyalvirtuesoftheoldslaves--alltheseweresubjectsthatheldboththeMajorandHargravesabsorbedforhoursatatime.

Sometimes,atnight,whentheyoungmanwouldbecomingupstairstohisroomafterhisturnatthetheaterwasover,theMajorwouldappearatthedoorofhisstudyandbeckonarchlytohim.Goingin,Hargraveswouldfindalittletablesetwithadecanter,sugarbowl,fruit,andabigbunchoffreshgreenmint.

"Itoccurredtome,"theMajorwouldbegin--hewasalwaysceremonious--"thatperhapsyoumighthavefoundyourdutiesatthe--atyourplaceofoccupation--sufficientlyarduoustoenableyou,Mr.Hargraves,toappreciatewhatthepoetmightwellhavehadinhismindwhenhewrote,'tiredNature'ssweetrestorer'--oneofourSouthernjuleps."

ItwasafascinationtoHargravestowatchhimmakeit.Hetookrankamongartistswhenhebegan,andhenevervariedtheprocess.Withwhatdelicacyhebruisedthemint;withwhatexquisitenicetyheestimatedtheingredients;withwhatsolicitouscarehecappedthecompoundwiththescarletfruitglowingagainstthedarkgreenfringe!

Andthenthehospitalityandgracewithwhichheofferedit,aftertheselectedoatstrawshadbeenplungedintoitstinklingdepths!

AfteraboutfourmonthsinWashington,MissLydiadiscoveredonemorningthattheywerealmostwithoutmoney.TheAnecdotesandReminiscenceswascompleted,butpublishershadnotjumpedatthecollectedgemsofAlabamasenseandwit.TherentalofasmallhousewhichtheystillownedinMobilewastwomonthsinarrears.Theirboardmoneyforthemonthwouldbedueinthreedays.MissLydiacalledherfathertoaconsultation.

"Nomoney?

"saidhewithasurprisedlook."Itisquiteannoyingtobecalledonsofrequentlyforthesepettysums,Really,I--"

TheMajorsearchedhispockets.Hefoundonlyatwo-dollarbill,whichhereturnedtohisvestpocket.

"Imustattendtothisatonce,Lydia,"hesaid."KindlygetmemyumbrellaandIwillgodowntownimmediately.Thecongressmanfromourdistrict,GeneralFulghum,assuredmesomedaysagothathewouldusehisinfluencetogetmybookpublishedatanearlydate.Iwillgotohishotelatonceandseewhatarrangementhasbeenmade."

WithasadlittlesmileMissLydiawatchedhimbuttonhis"FatherHubbard"anddepart,pausingatthedoor,ashealwaysdid,tobowprofoundly.

Thatevening,atdark,hereturned.ItseemedthatCongressmanFulghumhadseenthepublisherwhohadtheMajor'smanuscriptforreading.Thatpersonhadsaidthatiftheanecdotes,etc.,werecarefullypruneddownaboutone-half,inordertoeliminatethesectionalandclassprejudicewithwhichthebookwasdyedfromendtoend,hemightconsideritspublication.

TheMajorwasinawhiteheatofanger,butregainedhisequanimity,accordingtohiscodeofmanners,assoonashewasinMissLydia'spresence.

"Wemusthavemoney,"saidMissLydia,withalittlewrinkleabovehernose."Givemethetwodollars,andIwilltelegraphtoUncleRalphforsometo-night."

TheMajordrewasmallenvelopefromhisuppervestpocketandtosseditonthetable.

"Perhapsitwasinjudicious,"hesaidmildly,"butthesumwassomerelynominalthatIboughtticketstothetheaterto-night.It'sanewwardrama,Lydia.IthoughtyouwouldbepleasedtowitnessitsfirstproductioninWashington.IamtoldthattheSouthhasveryfairtreatmentintheplay.IconfessIshouldliketoseetheperformancemyself."

MissLydiathrewupherhandsinsilentdespair.

Still,astheticketswerebought,theymightaswellbeused.Sothatevening,astheysatinthetheaterlisteningtothelivelyoverture,evenMissLydiawasmindedtorelegatetheirtroubles,forthehour,tosecondplace.TheMajor,inspotlesslinen,withhisextr