第28章

During the hour that John Gray spent in that assemblage of men that night, the talk led always to the same front of offence: the baser truckling to England, an old enemy; the baser desertion of France, a friend.He listened to one man of commanding eloquence, while he traced the treaty to the attachment of Washington for aristocratic institutions; to another who referred it to the jealousy felt by the Eastern congressmen regarding the growth of the new power beyond the Alleghanies; to a third who foretold that like all foregoing pledges it would leave Kentucky still exposed to the fury of the Northern Indians; to a fourth who declared that let the treaty be once ratified with Lord Granville, and in the same old faithless way, nothing more would be done to extort from Spain for Kentucky the open passage of the Mississippi.

At any other time he would have borne his part in these discussions.Now he scarcely heard them.All the forces of his mind were away, on another battle-field and he longed to be absent with them, a field strewn with the sorrowful carnage of ideal and hope and plan, home, happiness, love.He was hardly aware that his own actions must seem unusual, until one of the older men took him affectionately by the hand and said:

"Marshall tells me that you teach school till sunset and read law till sunrise; and tonight you come here with your eyes blazing and your skin as pallid and dry as a monk's.Take off the leeches of the law for a good month, John! They abstract too much blood.If the Senate ratifies in June the treachery of Jay and Lord Granville, there will be more work than ever for the Democratic Societies in this country, and nowhere more than in Kentucky.We shall need you then more than the law needs you now, or than you need it.Save yourself for the cause of your tricolour.You shall have a chance to rub the velvet off your antlers.""We shall soon put him beyond the reach of his law," said a member of the Transylvania Library Committee."As soon as his school is out, we are going to send him to ask subscriptions from the President, the Vice-President, and others, and then on to Philadelphia to buy the books."A shadow fell upon the face of another officer, and in a lowered tone he said, with cold emphasis:

"I am sorry that the citizens of this town should stoop to ask anything from such a man as George Washington."The schoolmaster scarcely realized what he had done when he consented to act as a secret emissary of the Jacobin Club of Lexington to the club in Philadelphia during the summer.

The political talk ended at last, the gentlemen returned to the ladies.He found himself standing in a doorway beside an elderly man of the most polished hearing and graceful manners, who was watching a minuet.

"Ah!" he said, waving his hand with delight toward the scene."This is Virginia and Maryland brought into the West! It reminds me of the days when I danced with Martha Custis and Dolly Madison.Some day, with a beginning like this, Kentucky will be celebrated for its beautiful women.The daughters and the grand-daughters and the great-granddaughters of such mothers as these--""And of fathers like these!" interposed one of the town trustees who came up at that moment."But for the sake of these ladies isn't it time we were passing a law against the keeping of pet panthers? I heard the cry of one as I came here to-night.What can we do with these young backwoods hunters?

Will civilization ever make pets of them--ever tame them?"John felt some one touch his arm; it was Kitty with Horatio.Her cheeks were like poppies; her good kind eyes welcomed him sincerely.

"You here! I'm so glad.Haven't you seen Amy? She is in the other room with Joseph.Have they explained everything? But we will loose our place--"she cried, and with a sweet smile of adieu to him, and of warning to her partner, she glided away.

"We are entered for this horse race," remarked Mr.Turpin, lingering a moment longer."Weight for age, agreeable to the rules of New Market.Each subscriber to pay one guinea, etc., etc., etc." He was known as the rising young turfman of the town, having first run his horses down Water Street;but future member of the first Jockey Club; so that in the full blossom of his power he could name all the horses of his day with the pedigree of each:

beginning with Tiger by Tiger, and on through Sea Serpent by Shylock, and Diamond by Brilliant, and Black Snake by Sky Lark: a type of man whom long association with the refined and noble nature of the horse only vulgarizes and disennobles.