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display。 How tawdry and trivial it looked beside those later and
more solid structures！ How inconsistent were those long latticed
verandas and balconies； pathetic record of that first illusion of
the pioneers that their climate was a tropical one！ A restaurant
and billiard…saloon had aggrandized all of the lower story； but
there was still the fanlight； over which the remembered title of
〃St。 Charles；〃 in gilded letters； was now reinforced by the too
demonstrative legend； 〃Apartments and Board； by the Day or Week。〃
Was it possible that this narrow； creaking staircase had once
seemed to him the broad steps of Fame and Fortune？ On the first
landing； a preoccupied Irish servant…girl； with a mop； directed him
to a door at the end of the passage； at which he knocked。 The door
was opened by a grizzled negro servant； who was still holding a
piece of oily chamois…leather in his hand； and the contents of a
dueling…case； scattered upon a table in the centre of the room；
showed what had been his occupation。 Admitting Hathaway with great
courtesy； he said：
〃Marse Harry bin havin' his ole trubble； sah； and bin engaged just
dis momen' on his toylet； ef yo'll accommodate yo'self on de sofa；
I inform him yo' is heah。〃
As the negro passed into the next room； Paul cast a hasty glance
around the apartment。 The furniture； originally rich and elegant；
was now worn threadbare and lustreless。 A book…case； containing；
among other volumes； a few law booksthere being a vague
tradition； as Paul remembered； that Colonel Pendleton had once been
connected with the lawa few French chairs of tarnished gilt； a
rifle in the corner； a presentation sword in a mahogany case； a few
classical prints on the walls； and one or two iron deed…boxes
marked 〃El Dorado Bank；〃 were the principal objects。 A mild flavor
of dry decay and methylated spirits pervaded the apartment。 Yet it
was scrupulously clean and well kept； and a few clothes neatly
brushed and folded on a chair bore witness to the servant's care。
As Paul； however； glanced behind the sofa； he was concerned to see
a coat； which had evidently been thrust hurriedly in a corner； with
the sleeve lining inside out； and a needle and thread still
sticking in the seam。 It struck him instantly that this had been
the negro's occupation； and that the pistol…cleaning was a polite
fiction。
〃Yo' 'll have to skuse Marse Harry seein' yo in bed； but his laig's
pow'ful bad to…day； and he can't stand；〃 said the servant
reentering the room。 〃Skuse me； sah；〃 he added in a dignified
confidential whisper； half closing the door with his hand； 〃but if
yo' wouldn't mind avoidin' 'xcitin' or controversical topics in yo'
conversation； it would be de better fo' him。〃
Paul smilingly assented； and the black retainer； with even more
than the usual solemn ceremonious exaggeration of his race； ushered
him into the bedroom。 It was furnished in the same faded glory as
the sitting…room； with the exception of a low； iron camp…bedstead；
in which the tall； soldierly figure of Colonel Pendleton； clad in
threadbare silk dressing…gown； was stretched。 He had changed in
eight years： his hair had become gray； and was thinned over the
sunken temples； but his iron…gray moustache was still particularly
long and well pointed。 His face bore marks of illness and care；
there were deep lines down the angle of the nostril that spoke of
alternate savage outbreak and repression； and gave his smile a
sardonic rigidity。 His dark eyes； that shone with the exaltation
of fever； fixed Paul's on entering； and with the tyranny of an
invalid never left them。
〃Well； Hathaway？〃
With the sound of that voice Paul felt the years slip away； and he
was again a boy； looking up admiringly to the strong man； who now
lay helpless before him。 He had entered the room with a faint
sense of sympathizing superiority and a consciousness of having had
experience in controlling men。 But all this fled before Colonel
Pendleton's authoritative voice； even its broken tones carried the
old dominant spirit of the man； and Paul found himself admiring a
quality in his old acquaintance that he missed in his newer
friends。
〃I haven't seen you for eight years； Hathaway。 Come here and let
me look at you。〃
Paul approached the bedside with boyish obedience。 Pendleton took
his hand and gazed at him critically。
〃I should have recognized you； sir； for all your moustache and your
inches。 The last time I saw you was in Jack Hammersley's office。
Well； Jack's dead； and here I am； little better； I reckon。 You
remember Hammersley's house？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Paul； albeit wondering at the question。
〃Something like this； Swiss villa style。 I remember when Jack put
it up。 Well； the last time I was out； I passed there。 And what do
you think they've done to it？〃
Paul could not imagine。
〃Well； sir；〃 said the colonel gravely； 〃they've changed it into a
church missionary shop and young men's Christian reading…room！ But
that's 'progress' and 'improvement'！〃 He paused； and； slowly
withdrawing his hand from Paul's； added with grim apology； 〃You're
young； and belong to the new school； perhaps。 Well； sir； I've read
your speech； I don't belong to your partymine died ten years ago
but I congratulate you。 George！ Confound it where's that boy
gone？〃
The negro indicated by this youthful title； although he must have
been ten years older than his master； after a hurried shuffling in
the sitting…room eventually appeared at the door。
〃George； champagne and materials for cocktails for the gentleman。
The BEST； you understand。 No new…fangled notions from that new
barkeeper。〃
Paul； who thought he observed a troubled blinking in George's
eyelid； and referred it to a fear of possible excitement for his
patient； here begged his host not to trouble himselfthat he
seldom took anything in the morning。
〃Possibly not； sir； possibly not；〃 returned the colonel； hastily。
〃I know the new ideas are prohibitive； and some other blank thing；
but you're safe here from your constituents； and by gad； sir； I
shan't force you to take it！ It's MY custom； Hathawayan old one
played out； perhaps； like all the others； but a custom
nevertheless； and I'm only surprised that George； who knows it；
should have forgotten it。〃
〃Fack is； Marse Harry；〃 said George； with feverish apology； 〃it bin
gone 'scaped my mind dis mo'nin' in de prerogation ob business； but
I'm goin' now； shuah！〃 and he disappeared。
〃A good boy； sir； but beginning to be contaminated。 Brought him
here from Nashville over ten years ago。 Eight years ago they
proved to him that he was no longer a slave； and made him dd
unhappy until I promised him it should make no difference to him
and he could stay。 I had to send for his wife and childof
course； a dead loss of eighteen hundred dollars when they set foot
in the Statebut I'm blanked if he isn't just as miserable with
them here； for he has to take two hours in the morning and three in
the afternoon every day to be with 'em。 I tried to get him to take
his family to the mines and make his fortune； like those fellows
they call bankers and operators and stockbrokers nowadays； or to go
t