搜索
Vera,TheMedium1Vera,TheMediumRichardHardingDavisVera,TheMedium2PartIHappyinthehopethatthenewswasexclusive,theDespatchhadthrownthenameofStephenHallowell,hisportrait,apictureofhishouse,andthewords,AtPointofDeath!acrossthreecolumns.Theannouncementwasheavy,lachrymose,bristlingwiththemelancholyself-importanceofthemanwhosawthedeceased,justtwominutesbeforethetrainhithim.Buttheeffectofthenewsfellshortoftheeffort.Savethatcityeditorswereirritatedthatthepresidentsofcertainrailroadsfiguredhastilyonslipsofpaper,thefactthatanoldmanandhismillionswouldsoonbeparted,leftNewYorkundisturbed.Intheearly80'sthiswouldnothavebeenso.Then,intheupliftingofthefarWest,StephenHallowellwasanationalfigure,inthemanoeuvresoftheEasternstockmarketanactive,alertpower.Inthosedays,whenamanwithafewmillionswasstilllistedasrich,hisfortunewasconsideredcolossal.Apatentcoupling-pin,theinventionofhisbrother-in-law,hadgivenhimhisstart,and,inintroducingit,andinhiseffortstoforceituponthenewrailroadsoftheWest,hehadobtainedaknowledgeoftheiraffairs.Fromthatknowledgecamehiswealth.Thatwastwentyyearsago.Sincethengiantshadarisenintheland;menwhosewealthmadethefortuneofStephenHallowellappearacomfortablecompetence,hisschemesandstratagems,which,intheirday,hadbewilderedWallStreet,assimpleasthetradingacrossthecounterofacross-roadsstore.Foryearshehadbeenoutofit.Hehadlostcount.Disuseandillhealthhadrenderedhismindfeeble,madehimattimessuspicious,attimeschildishlycredulous.Withoutfriends,alongwithhisphysicianandthebutler,whowasalsohisnurse,helivedinthehousethatin76,inaburstofvanity,hehadbuiltonFifthAvenue.Thenthehousewasamansion,anditsfrontofbrownsandstonetheoutwardsignofwealthandfashion.Now,ononeside,itrubbedshoulderswiththeshopofamanmilliner,andacrossthestreetthehouseshadbeentorndownandreplacedbyadepartmentstore.Now,insteadofasombrejail-likefacade,hisoutlookwasarowofwaxenladies,Vera,TheMedium3who,beforeeachchangeofseason,appearedinnewandgorgeousraiment,and,acrosstheavenue,forhisapproval,smiledcontinually.Itistimeyoumoved,Stephen,urgedhisfriendandlawyer,JudgeHenryGaylor.Icangetyoutwiceasmuchforthislotasyoupaidforbothitandthehouse.ButMr.Hallowellalwaysshookhishead.WherewouldIgo,Henry?hewouldask.WhatwouldIdowiththemoney?No,IwillliveinthishouseuntilIamcarriedoutofit.Withdistaste,theirritatedcityeditorsfollowedupthethree-columnstoryoftheDespatch.Findoutifthere'sanytruthinthat,theycommanded.Theoldmanwon'tseeyou,butgetatalkoutofRainey.AndseeJudgeGaylor.He'sclosetoHallowell.Findoutfromhimifthatstorydidn'tstartasabearyarninWallStreet.So,whenWalshoftheDespatchwasconductedbyGarrett,thebutlerofMr.Hallowell,upstairstothatgentlemen'slibrary,hefoundagroupofreportersalreadyentrenched.Atthedoorthatopenedfromthelibrarytothebedroom,thebutlerpaused.WhatpapershallIsay?heasked.TheDespatch,Walshtoldhim.TheservantturnedquicklyandstaredatWalsh.Heappearedthetypicalbutler,anEnglishmanofoverforty,heavilybuilt,soft-moving,withruddy,smooth-shavencheeksandprematurelygrayhair.Butnowfromhisfacethelookofperfunctorypolitenesshadfallen;thesubduedvoicehadchangedtoasnarlthatcarriedwithittheaccentsoftheTenderloin.So,you'retheone,areyou?themanmuttered.Foramomenthestoodscowling;insolent,almostthreatening,andthen,oncemore,theservantopenedthedoorandnoiselesslycloseditbehindhim.Thetransitionhadbeensoabrupt,therevelationsounexpected,thatthemenlaughed.Idon'tblamehim!saidyoungIrving.Icouldn'tfindasinglefactinthewholestory.How'dyourpeoplegetit--prettystraight?Seemedstraighttous,saidWalsh.Vera,TheMedium4Well,youdidn'thandleitthatway,returnedtheother.Whydidn'tyouquoteRaineyorGaylor?Itseemstomeifaman'sonthepointofdeath--heloweredhisvoiceandglancedtowardthecloseddoor--thathisprivatedoctorandhislawyermightknowsomethingaboutit.Standingalonewithhisbacktothewindowwasareporterwhohadgreetednooneandtowhomnoonehadspoken.Hadheheldhimselferecthewouldhavebeentall,buthestoodslouchinglazily,hisshouldersbent,hishandsinhispockets.Whenhespokehisvoicewasinkeepingwiththeindolenceofhisbearing.Itwassoft,hesitating,carryingwithitthecourteousdeferenceoftheSouth.Onlyhiseyesshowedthattowhatwasgoingforwardhewasalertandattentive.IsDr.RaineyMr.Hallowell'sfamilydoctor?heasked.Irvingsurveyedhiminamusedsuperiority.Heis!heanswered.YoubeenlonginNewYork?heasked.Uponthestrangerthesarcasmwaslost,orhechosetoignoreit,forheansweredsimply,No,I'maNewOrleansboy.I'vejustbeentakenontheRepublic.Welcometoourcity,saidIrving.WhatdoyouthinkofourMainStreet?Fromthehallatallportlymanenteredtheroomwiththeassuranceofonemuchathomehereand,withanexclamation,Irvingfelluponhim.Goodmorning,Judge,hecalled.HewavedathimtheclippingfromtheDespatch.Haveyouseenthis?JudgeGayloracceptedtheslipofpapergingerly,andinturnmovedhisfineheadpompouslytowardeachoftheyoungmen.Mostofthemwereknowntohim,butforthemomenthepreferredtoappeartoodeeplyconcernedtogreetthem.Withanexpressionofshockedindignation,herecognizedonlyWalsh.Yes,Ihaveseenit,hesaid,andthereisnotawordoftruthinit!Mr.Walsh,Iamsurprised!You,ofallpeople!Wegotitonverygoodauthority,saidthereporter.Butwhynotcallmeupandgetthefacts?demandedtheJudge