第26章

Hewouldmakeanysacrificebeforeitcametothat。

HedeterminedinpartingwithBellinghamtomakethesacrificewhichhehadoftenestinhismind，becauseitwasthehardest，andtosellhisnewhouse。

Thatwouldcausetheleastcomment。Mostpeoplewouldsimplythinkthathehadgotasplendidoffer，andwithhisusualluckhadmadeaverygoodthingofit；

otherswhoknewalittlemoreabouthimwouldsaythathewashaulinginhishorns，buttheycouldnotblamehim；

agreatmanyothermenweredoingthesameinthosehardtimes——theshrewdestandsafestmen：itmightevenhaveagoodeffect。HewentstraightfromBellingham’sofficetothereal—estatebrokerinwhosehandshemeanttoputhishouse，forhewasnotthesortofmantoshilly—shallywhenhehadoncemadeuphismind。

Buthefoundithardtogethisvoiceupoutofhisthroat，whenhesaidheguessedhewouldgetthebrokertosellthatnewhouseofhisonthewatersideofBeacon。

Thebrokeransweredcheerfully，yes；hesupposedColonelLaphamknewitwasaprettydulltimeinrealestate？

andLaphamsaidyes，heknewthat，butheshouldnotsellatasacrifice，andhedidnotcaretohavethebrokernamehimordescribethehousedefinitelyunlesspartiesmeantbusiness。Againthebrokersaidyes；andheadded，asajokeLaphamwouldappreciate，thathehadhalfadozenhousesonthewatersideofBeacon，onthesameterms；

thatnobodywantedtobenamedortohavehispropertydescribed。

Itdid，infact，comfortLaphamalittletofindhimselfinthesameboatwithsomanyothers；hesmiledgrimly，andsaidinhisturn，yes，heguessedthatwasaboutthesizeofitwithagoodmanypeople。Buthehadnotthehearttotellhiswifewhathehaddone，andhesattaciturnthatwholeevening，withoutevengoingoverhisaccounts，andwentearlytobed，wherehelaytossinghalfthenightbeforehefellasleep。Hesleptatlastonlyuponthepromisehemadehimselfthathewouldwithdrawthehousefromthebroker’shands；buthewentheavilytohisownbusinessinthemorningwithoutdoingso。

Therewasnosuchrush，anyhow，hereflectedbitterly；

therewouldbetimetodothatamonthlater，probably。

Itstruckhimwithasortofdismaywhenaboycamewithanotefromabroker，sayingthatapartywhohadbeenoverthehouseinthefallhadcometohimtoknowwhetheritcouldbebought，andwaswillingtopaythecostofthehouseuptothetimehehadseenit。

Laphamtookrefugeintryingtothinkwhothepartycouldbe；

heconcludedthatitmusthavebeensomebodywhohadgoneoveritwiththearchitect，andhedidnotlikethat；

buthewasawarethatthiswasnotananswertothebroker，andhewrotethathewouldgivehimananswerinthemorning。

Nowthatithadcometothepoint，itdidnotseemtohimthathecouldpartwiththehouse。Somuchofhishopeforhimselfandhischildrenhadgoneintoitthatthethoughtofsellingitmadehimtremulousandsick。

Hecouldnotkeepabouthisworksteadily，andwithhisnervesshakenbywantofsleep，andtheshockofthissuddenandunexpectedquestion，helefthisofficeearly，andwentovertolookatthehouseandtrytobringhimselftosomeconclusionhere。Thelongprocessionoflampsonthebeautifulstreetwasflaringintheclearredofthesunsettowardswhichitmarched，andLapham，withalumpinhisthroat，stoppedinfrontofhishouseandlookedattheirmultitude。Theywerenotmerelyapartofthelandscape；theywereapartofhisprideandglory，hissuccess，histriumphantlife’sworkwhichwasfadingintofailureinhishelplesshands。Hegroundhisteethtokeepdownthatlump，butthemoistureinhiseyesblurredthelamps，andthekeenpalecrimsonagainstwhichitmadethemflicker。Heturnedandlookedup，ashehadsooftendone，atthewindow—spaces，neatlyglazedforthewinterwithwhitelinen，andrecalledthenightwhenhehadstoppedwithIrenebeforethehouse，andshehadsaidthatsheshouldneverlivethere，andhehadtriedtocoaxherintocourageaboutit。

Therewasnosuchfacadeasthatonthewholestreet，tohisthinking。Throughhislongtalkswiththearchitect，hehadcometofeelalmostasintimatelyandfondlyasthearchitecthimselfthesatisfyingsimplicityofthewholedesignandthedelicacyofitsdetail。

Itappealedtohimasanexquisitebitofharmonyappealstotheunlearnedear，andherecognisedthedifferencebetweenthisfineworkandtheobstreperouspretentiousnessofthemanyoverloadedhouse—frontswhichSeymourhadmadehimnoticeforhisinstructionelsewhereontheBackBay。Now，inthedepthsofhisgloom，hetriedtothinkwhatItaliancityitwaswhereSeymoursaidhehadfirstgotthenotionoftreatingbrick—workinthatway。

Heunlockedthetemporarydoorwiththekeyhealwayscarried，sothathecouldlethimselfinandoutwheneverheliked，andenteredthehouse，dimandverycoldwiththeaccumulatedfrigidityofthewholewinterinit，andlookingasifthearrestofworkuponithadtakenplaceathousandyearsbefore。Itsmeltoftheunpaintedwoodsandtheclean，hardsurfacesoftheplaster，wheretheexperimentsindecorationhadleftituntouched；

andmingledwiththeseodourswasthatofsomerankpigmentsandmetalliccompositionswhichSeymourhadusedintryingtorealiseacertaindaringnoveltyoffinish，whichhadnotprovedsuccessful。Aboveall，Laphamdetectedthepeculiarodourofhisownpaint，withwhichthearchitecthadbeengreatlyinterestedoneday，whenLaphamshowedittohimattheoffice。HehadaskedLaphamtolethimtrythePersisBrandinrealisingalittleideahehadforthefinishofMrs。Lapham’sroom。

Ifitsucceededtheycouldtellherwhatitwas，forasurprise。

Laphamglancedatthebay—windowinthereception—room，wherehesatwithhisgirlsonthetrestleswhenCoreyfirstcameby；andthenheexploredthewholehousetotheattic，inthelightfaintlyadmittedthroughthelinensashes。

Thefloorswerestrewnwithshavingsandchipswhichthecarpentershadleft，andinthemusic—roomthesehadbeenblownintolongirregularwindrowsbythedraughtsthroughawiderentinthelinensash。Laphamtriedtopinitup，butfailed，andstoodlookingoutofitoverthewater。

Theicehadlefttheriver，andthelowtidelaysmoothandredinthelightofthesunset。TheCambridgeflatsshowedthesad，soddenyellowofmeadowsstrippedbareafteralongsleepundersnow；thehills，thenakedtrees，thespiresandroofshadablackoutline，asiftheywereobjectsinalandscapeoftheFrenchschool。

ThewhimseizedLaphamtotestthechimneyinthemusic—room；

ithadbeentriedinthedining—roombelow，andinhisgirls’

fireplacesabove，butherethehearthwasstillclean。

Hegatheredsomeshavingsandblockstogether，andkindledthem，andastheflamemountedgailyfromthem，hepulledupanail—kegwhichhefoundthereandsatdowntowatchit。Nothingcouldhavebeenbetter；

thechimneywasaperfectsuccess；andasLaphamglancedoutofthetornlinensashhesaidtohimselfthatthatparty，whoeverhewas，whohadofferedtobuyhishousemightgotothedevil；hewouldneversellitaslongashehadadollar。Hesaidthatheshouldpullthroughyet；

anditsuddenlycameintohismindthat，ifhecouldraisethemoneytobuyoutthoseWestVirginiafellows，heshouldbeallright，andwouldhavethewholegameinhisownhand。Heslappedhimselfonthethigh，andwonderedthathehadneverthoughtofthatbefore；

andthen，lightingacigarwithasplinterfromthefire，hesatdownagaintoworktheschemeoutinhisownmind。

Hedidnothearthefeetheavilystampingupthestairs，andcomingtowardstheroomwherehesat；andthepolicemantowhomthefeetbelongedhadtocallouttohim，smokingathischimney—corner，withhisbackturnedtothedoor，"Hello！whatareyoudoinghere？"

"What’sthattoyou？"retortedLapham，wheelinghalfroundonhisnail—keg。

"I’llshowyou，"saidtheofficer，advancinguponhim，andthenstoppingshortasherecognisedhim。"Why，ColonelLapham！Ithoughtitwassometrampgotinhere！"

"Haveacigar？"saidLaphamhospitably。"Sorrythereain’tanothernail—keg。"

Theofficertookthecigar。"I’llsmokeitoutside。

I’vejustcomeon，andIcan’tstop。Tryin’yourchimney？"

"Yes，IthoughtI’dseehowitwoulddraw，inhere。

Itseemstogofirst—rate。"

Thepolicemanlookedabouthimwithaneyeofinspection。

"Youwanttogetthatlinenwindow，there，mendedup。"

"Yes，I’llspeaktothebuilderaboutthat。Itcangoforonenight。"

ThepolicemanwenttothewindowandfailedtopinthelinentogetherwhereLaphamhadfailedbefore。"Ican’tfixit。"

Helookedroundoncemore，andsaying，"Well，goodnight，"

wentoutanddownthestairs。

Laphamremainedbythefiretillhehadsmokedhiscigar；

thenheroseandstampedupontheembersthatstillburnedwithhisheavyboots，andwenthome。Hewasverycheerfulatsupper。Hetoldhiswifethatheguessedhehadasurethingofitnow，andinanothertwenty—fourhoursheshouldtellherjusthow。HemadePenelopegotothetheatrewithhim，andwhentheycameout，aftertheplay，thenightwassofinethathesaidtheymustwalkroundbythenewhouseandtakealookatitinthestarlight。

Hesaidhehadbeentherebeforehecamehome，andtriedSeymour’schimneyinthemusic—room，anditworkedlikeacharm。

AstheydrewnearBeaconStreettheywereawareofunwontedstirandtumult，andpresentlythestillairtransmittedaturmoilofsound，throughwhichapowerfulandincessantthrobbingmadeitselffelt。

Theskyhadreddenedabovethem，andturningthecorneratthePublicGarden，theysawablackmassofpeopleobstructingtheperspectiveofthebrightly—lightedstreet，andoutofthismassahalf—dozenengines，whosestrongheart—beatshadalreadyreachedthem，sentupvolumesoffire—tingedsmokeandsteamfromtheirfunnels。

Ladderswereplantedagainstthefaca