第1章

TherewasanairofcalmandreservedopulenceabouttheWeightmanmansionthatspokenotofmoneysquandered，butofwealthprudentlyapplied。StandingonacorneroftheAvenuenolongerfashionableforresidence，itlookedupontheswellingtideofbusinesswithanexpressionofcomplacencyandhalf-disdain。

Thehousewasnotbeautiful。Therewasnothinginitsstraightfrontofchocolate-coloredstone，itsheavycornices，itsbroad，staringwindowsofplateglass，itscarvedandbronze-bedeckedmahoganydoorsatthetopofthewidestoop，tocharmtheeyeorfascinatetheimagination。

Butitwaseminentlyrespectable，andinitswayimposing。

Itseemedtosaythattheglitteringshopsofthejewelers，themilliners，theconfectioners，theflorists，thepicture-dealers，thefurriers，themakersofrareandcostlyantiquities，retailtradersinluxuriesoflife，werebeneaththenoticeofahousethathaditsfoundationsinthehighfinance，andwasbuiltliterallyandfigurativelyintheshadowofSt。Petronius\'Church。

Atthesametimetherewassomethingself-pleasedandcongratulatoryinthewayinwhichthemansionhelditsownamidthechangingneighborhood。

Italmostseemedtobeliftedupalittle，amongthetallbuildingsnearathand，asifitfelttherisingvalueofthelandonwhichitstood。

JohnWeightmanwaslikethehouseintowhichhehadbuilthimselfthirtyyearsago，andinwhichhisidealsandambitionswereincrusted。

Hewasaself-mademan。Butinmakinghimselfhehadchosenahighlyesteemedpatternandworkedaccordingtotheapprovedrules。

Therewasnothingirregular，questionable，flamboyantabouthim。

Hewassolid，correct，andjustlysuccessful。

Hisminortastes，ofcourse，hadbeencarefullykeptuptodate。

Atthepropertime，picturesoftheBarbizonmasters，oldEnglishplateandportraits，bronzesbyBaryeandmarblesbyRodin，PersiancarpetsandChineseporcelains，hadbeenintroducedtothemansion。

ItcontainedaLouisQuinzereception-room，anEmpiredrawing-room，aJacobeandining-room，andvariousapartmentsdimlyreminiscentofthestylesoffurnitureaffectedbydeceasedmonarchs。Thatthehallwaysweretooshortforthehistoricperspectivedidnotmakemuchdifference。

Americandecorativeartiscapabledetout，itabsorbsallperiods。

OfeachperiodMr。Weightmanwishedtohavesomethingofthebest。

Heunderstooditsvalue，presentasacertificate，andprospectiveasaninvestment。

Itwasonlyinthearchitectureofhistownhousethatheremainedconservative，immovable，onemightalmostsayEarly-Victorian-Christian。HiscountryhouseatDulwich-on-the-SoundwasapalaceoftheItalianRenaissance。Butintownheadheredtoanarchitecturewhichhadmoralassociations，theNineteenth-Century-Brownstoneepoch。Itwasasymbolofhissocialposition，hisreligiousdoctrine，andeven，inaway，ofhisbusinesscreed。

"Amanoffixedprinciples，"hewouldsay，"shouldexpresstheminthelooksofhishouse。NewYorkchangesitsdomesticarchitecturetoorapidly。Itislikedivorce。Itisnotdignified。Idon\'tlikeit。

Extravaganceandficklenessareadvertisedinmostofthesenewhouses。

Iwishtobeknownfordifferentqualities。Dignityandprudencearethethingsthatpeopletrust。EveryoneknowsthatIcanaffordtoliveinthehousethatsuitsme。Itisaguaranteetothepublic。

Itinspiresconfidence。Ithelpsmyinfluence。ThereisatextintheBibleabout\'ahousethathathfoundations。\'Thatistheproperkindofamansionforasolidman。"

HaroldWeightmanhadoftenlistenedtohisfatherdiscoursinginthisfashiononthefundamentalprinciplesoflife，andalwayswithadividedmind。Headmiredimmenselyhisfather\'stalentsandthesingle-mindedenergywithwhichheimprovedthem。

Butinthepaternalphilosophytherewassomethingthatdisquietedandoppressedtheyoungman，andmadehimgaspinwardlyforfreshairandfreeaction。

Attimes，duringhiscollegecourseandhisyearsatthelawschool，hehadyieldedtothisimpulseandbrokenaway——nowtowardextravaganceanddissipation，andthen，whenthereactioncame，towardaromanticdevotiontoworkamongthepoor。Hehadfelthisfather\'sdisapprovalforbothoftheseformsofimprudence；butiswasneverexpressedinaharshorviolentway，alwayswithacertaintolerantpatience，suchasonemightshowforthemistakesandvagariesoftheveryyoung。

JohnWeightmanwasnothasty，impulsive，inconsiderate，eventowardhisownchildren。Withthem，aswiththerestoftheworld，hefeltthathehadareputationtomaintain，atheorytovindicate。Hecouldaffordtogivethemtimetoseethathewasabsolutelyright。

OneofhisfavoriteScripturequotationswas，"WaitontheLord。"

Hehadappliedittorealestateandtopeople，withprofitableresults。

Buttohumanpersonsthesensationofbeingwaitedforisnotalwaysagreeable。Sometimes，especiallywiththeyoung，itproducesavaguerestlessness，adumbresentment，whichisincreasedbythefactthatonecanhardlyexplainorjustifyit。OfthisJohnWeightmanwasnotconscious。Itlaybeyondhishorizon。

Hedidnottakeitintoaccountintheplanoflifewhichhemadeforhimselfandforhisfamilyasthesharersandinheritorsofhissuccess。

"Fatherplaysus，"saidHarold，inamomentofirritation，tohismother，"likepiecesinagameofchess。

"Mydear，"saidthatlady，whosefaithinherhusbandwasreligious，"yououghtnottospeaksoimpatiently。Atleasthewinsthegame。

HeisoneofthemostrespectedmeninNewYork。Andheisverygenerous，too。"

"Iwishhewouldbemoregenerousinlettingusbeourselves，"

saidtheyoungman。"Healwayshassomethinginviewforusandexpectstomoveusuptoit。"

"Butisn\'titalwaysforourbenefit？"repliedhismother。

"Lookwhatapositionwehave。Noonecansaythereisanytaintonourmoney。Therearenorumorsaboutyourfather。HehaskeptthelawsofGodandofman。Hehasnevermadeanymistakes。"

Haroldgotupfromhischairandpokedthefire。Thenhecamebacktotheample，well-gowned，firm-lookinglady，andsatbesideheronthesofa。

Hetookherhandgentlyandlookedatthetworings——athinbandofyellowgold，andasmallsolitairediamond——whichkepttheirplaceonherthirdfingerinmodestdignity，asifnotshamed，butratherjustified，bythesplendoroftheemeraldwhichglitteredbesidethem。

"Mother，"hesaid，"youhaveawonderfulhand。Andfathermadenomistakewhenhewonyou。Butareyousurehehasalwaysbeensoinerrant？"

"Harold，"sheexclaimed，alittlestiffly，"whatdoyoumean？

Hislifeisanopenbook。"

"Oh，"heanswered，"Idon\'tmeananythingbad，motherdear。

Iknowthegovernor\'slifeisanopenbook——aledger，ifyoulike，keptinthebestbookkeepinghand，andalwaysreadyforinspection——everypagecorrect，andshowingahandsomebalance。