A Service of Love爱的牺牲.docx

A Service of Love爱的牺牲.docx

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AServiceofLove爱的牺牲

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Whenonelovesone'sArtnoserviceseemstoohard.

Thatisourpremise.Thisstoryshalldrawaconclusionfromit,andshowatthesametimethatthepremiseisincorrect.Thatwillbeanewthinginlogic,andafeatinstory-tellingsomewhatolderthanthegreatwallofChina.

JoeLarrabeecameoutofthepost-oakflatsoftheMiddleWestpulsingwithageniusforpictorialart.Atsixhedrewapictureofthetownpumpwithaprominentcitizenpassingithastily.Thiseffortwasframedandhunginthedrugstorewindowbythesideoftheearofcornwithanunevennumberofrows.AttwentyheleftforNewYorkwithaflowingnecktieandacapitaltiedupsomewhatcloser.

DeliaCaruthersdidthingsinsixoctavessopromisinglyinapine-treevillageintheSouththatherrelativeschippedinenoughinherchiphatforhertogo"North"and"finish."Theycouldnotseeherf--,butthatisourstory.

JoeandDeliametinanatelierwhereanumberofartandmusicstudentshadgatheredtodiscusschiaroscuro,Wagner,music,Rembrandt'sworks,pictures,Waldteufel,wallpaper,ChopinandOolong.

JoeandDeliabecameenamouredoneoftheother,oreachoftheother,asyouplease,andinashorttimeweremarried--for（seeabove）,whenonelovesone'sArtnoserviceseemstoohard.

Mr.andMrs.Larrabeebeganhousekeepinginaflat.Itwasalonesomeflat--somethingliketheAsharpwaydownattheleft-handendofthekeyboard.Andtheywerehappy;fortheyhadtheirArt,andtheyhadeachother.Andmyadvicetotherichyoungmanwouldbe--sellallthouhast,andgiveittothepoor--janitorfortheprivilegeoflivinginaflatwithyourArtandyourDelia.

Flat-dwellersshallindorsemydictumthattheirsistheonlytruehappiness.Ifahomeishappyitcannotfittooclose--letthedressercollapseandbecomeabilliardtable;letthemantelturntoarowingmachine,theescritoiretoasparebedchamber,thewashstandtoanuprightpiano;letthefourwallscometogether,iftheywill,soyouandyourDeliaarebetween.Butifhomebetheotherkind,letitbewideandlong--enteryouattheGoldenGate,hangyourhatonHatteras,yourcapeonCapeHornandgooutbytheLabrador.

JoewaspaintingintheclassofthegreatMagister--youknowhisfame.Hisfeesarehigh;hislessonsarelight--hishigh-lightshavebroughthimrenown.DeliawasstudyingunderRosenstock--youknowhisreputeasadisturberofthepianokeys.

Theyweremightyhappyaslongastheirmoneylasted.Soisevery--butIwillnotbecynical.Theiraimswereveryclearanddefined.Joewastobecomecapableverysoonofturningoutpicturesthatoldgentlemenwiththinside-whiskersandthickpocketbookswouldsandbagoneanotherinhisstudiofortheprivilegeofbuying.DeliawastobecomefamiliarandthencontemptuouswithMusic,sothatwhenshesawtheorchestraseatsandboxesunsoldshecouldhavesorethroatandlobsterinaprivatedining-roomandrefusetogoonthestage.

Butthebest,inmyopinion,wasthehomelifeinthelittleflat--theardent,volublechatsaftertheday'sstudy;thecozydinnersandfresh,lightbreakfasts;theinterchangeofambitions--ambitionsinterwoveneachwiththeother'sorelseinconsiderable--themutualhelpandinspiration;and--overlookmyartlessness--stuffedolivesandcheesesandwichesat11p.m.

ButafterawhileArtflagged.Itsometimesdoes,evenifsomeswitchmandoesn'tflagit.Everythinggoingoutandnothingcomingin,asthevulgarianssay.MoneywaslackingtopayMr.MagisterandHerrRosenstocktheirprices.Whenonelovesone'sArtnoserviceseemstoohard.So,Deliasaidshemustgivemusiclessonstokeepthechafingdishbubbling.

Fortwoorthreedaysshewentoutcanvassingforpupils.Oneeveningshecamehomeelated.

"Joe,dear,"shesaid,gleefully,"I'veapupil.And,oh,theloveliestpeople!

General--GeneralA.B.Pinkney'sdaughter--onSeventy-firststreet.Suchasplendidhouse,Joe--yououghttoseethefrontdoor!

ByzantineIthinkyouwouldcallit.Andinside!

Oh,Joe,Ineversawanythinglikeitbefore.

"MypupilishisdaughterClementina.Idearlyloveheralready.She'sadelicatething-dressesalwaysinwhite;andthesweetest,simplestmanners!

Onlyeighteenyearsold.I'mtogivethreelessonsaweek;and,justthink,Joe!

$5alesson.Idon'tminditabit;forwhenIgettwoorthreemorepupilsIcanresumemylessonswithHerrRosenstock.Now,smoothoutthatwrinklebetweenyourbrows,dear,andlet'shaveanicesupper."

"That'sallrightforyou,Dele,"saidJoe,attackingacanofpeaswithacarvingknifeandahatchet,"buthowaboutme?

DoyouthinkI'mgoingtoletyouhustleforwageswhileIphilanderintheregionsofhighart?

NotbythebonesofBenvenutoCellini!

IguessIcansellpapersorlaycobblestones,andbringinadollarortwo."

Deliacameandhungabouthisneck.

"Joe,dear,youaresilly.Youmustkeeponatyourstudies.ItisnotasifIhadquitmymusicandgonetoworkatsomethingelse.WhileIteachIlearn.Iamalwayswithmymusic.Andwecanliveashappilyasmillionaireson$15aweek.Youmustn'tthinkofleavingMr.Magister."

"Allright,"saidJoe,reachingforthebluescallopedvegetabledish."ButIhateforyoutobegivinglessons.Itisn'tArt.Butyou'reatrumpandadeartodoit."

"Whenonelovesone'sArtnoserviceseemstoohard,"saidDelia.

"MagisterpraisedtheskyinthatsketchImadeinthepark,"saidJoe."AndTinklegavemepermissiontohangtwooftheminhiswindow.Imayselloneiftherightkindofamoneyedidiotseesthem."

"I'msureyouwill,"saidDelia,sweetly."Andnowlet'sbethankfulforGen.Pinkneyandthisvealroast."

DuringallofthenextweektheLarrabeeshadanearlybreakfast.Joewasenthusiasticaboutsomemorning-effectsketcheshewasdoinginCentralPark,andDeliapackedhimoffbreakfasted,coddled,praisedandkissedat7o'clock.Artisanengagingmistress.Itwasmosttimes7o'clockwhenhereturnedintheevening.

AttheendoftheweekDelia,sweetlyproudbutlanguid,triumphantlytossedthreefive-dollarbillsonthe8x10（inches）centretableofthe8x10（feet）flatparlour.

Sometimes,"shesaid,alittlewearily,"Clementinatriesme.I'mafraidshedoesn'tpractiseenough,andIhavetotellherthesamethingssooften.Andthenshealwaysdressesentirelyinwhite,andthatdoesgetmonotonous.ButGen.Pinkneyisthedearestoldman!

Iwishyoucouldknowhim,Joe.HecomesinsometimeswhenIamwithClementinaatthepiano--heisawidower,youknow--andstandstherepullinghiswhitegoatee.'Andhowarethesemiquaversandthedemisemiquaversprogressing?

'

healwaysasks.

"Iwishyoucouldseethewainscotinginthatdrawing-room,Joe!

AndthoseAstrakhanrugportieres.AndClementinahassuchafunnylittlecough.Ihopesheisstronger

thanshelooks.Oh,Ireallyamgettingattachedtoher,sheissogentleandhighbred.Gen.Pinkney'sbrotherwasonceMinistertoBolivia."

AndthenJoe,withtheairofaMonteCristo,drewforthaten,afive,atwoandaone--alllegaltendernotes--andlaidthembesideDelia'searnings.

"SoldthatwatercolouroftheobelisktoamanfromPeoria,"heannouncedoverwhelmingly.

"Don'tjokewithme,"saidDelia,"notfromPeoria!

"

"Alltheway.Iwishyoucouldseehim,Dele.Fatmanwithawoollenmufflerandaquilltoothpick.HesawthesketchinTinkle'swindowandthoughtitwasawindmillatfirst,hewasgame,though,andboughtitanyhow.Heorderedanother--anoilsketchoftheLackawannafreightdepot--totakebackwithhim.Musiclessons!

Oh,IguessArtisstillinit."

"I'msogladyou'vekepton,"saidDelia,heartily."You'reboundtowin,dear.Thirty-threedollars!

Weneverhadsomuchtospendbefore.We'llhaveoystersto-night."

"Andfiletmignonwithchampignons,"saidJoe."Wereistheolivefork?

"

OnthenextSaturdayeveningJoereachedhomefirst.Hespreadhis$18ontheparlourtableandwashedwhatseemedtobeagreatdealofdarkpaintfromhishands.

HalfanhourlaterDeliaarrived,herrighthandtiedupinashapelessbundleofwrapsandbandages.

"Howisthis?

"askedJoeaftertheusualgreetings.Delialaughed,butnotveryjoyously.

Clementina,"sheexplained,"insisteduponaWelshrabbitafterherlesson.Sheissuchaqueergirl.Welshrabbitsat5intheafternoon.TheGeneralwasthere.Youshouldhaveseenhimrunforthechafingdish,Joe,justasiftherewasn'taservantinthehouse.IknowClementinaisn'tingoodhealth;sheissonervous.Inservingtherabbitshespilledagreatlotofit,boilinghot,overmyhandandwrist.Ithurtawfully,Joe.Andthedeargirlwassosorry!

ButGen.Pinkney!

--Joe,thatoldmannearlywentdistracted.Herusheddownstairsandsentsomebody--theysaidthefurnacemanorsomebodyinthebasement--outtoadrugstoreforsomeoilandthingstobinditupwith.Itdoesn'thurtsomuchnow."

"What'sthis?

"askedJoe,takingthehandtenderlyandpullingatsomewhitestrandsbeneaththebandages.

"It'ssomethingsoft,"saidDelia,"thathadoilonit.Oh,Joe,didyousellanothersketch?

"Shehadseenthemoneyonthetable.

"DidI?

"saidJoe;"justaskthemanfromPeoria.Hegothisdepotto-day,andheisn'tsurebuthethinkshewantsanotherparkscapeandaviewontheHudson.Whattimethisafternoondidyouburnyourhand,Dele?

"

"Fiveo'clock,Ithink,"saidDele,plaintively."Theiron--Imeantherabbitcameoffthefireaboutthattime.YououghttohaveseenGen.Pinkney,Joe,when--"

"Sitdownhereamoment,Dele,"saidJoe.Hedrewhertothecouch,satbesideherandputhisarmacrosshershoulders.

"Whathaveyoubeendoingforthelasttwoweeks,Dele?

"heasked.

Shebraveditforamoment