Theoldman’slipswereworkingunderhisstainedbeard。Heturnedtothelawyerwithtimiddeference:“Phelpsandtherestarecomin’backtosetupwithHarve，ain’tthey？“heasked。“Thank’ee，Jim，thank’ee。“Hebrushedthehairbackgentlyfromhisson’sforehead。“Hewasagoodboy，Jim；alwaysagoodboy。Hewasezgentleezachildandthekindestof’emall——onlywedidn’tnoneofuseveronderstandhim。“Thetearstrickledslowlydownhisbeardanddroppeduponthesculptor’scoat。
　　“Martin，Martin。Oh，Martin！comehere，“hiswifewailedfromthetopofthestairs。Theoldmanstartedtimorously:
　　“Yes，Annie，I’mcoming。“Heturnedaway，hesitatedstoodforamomentinmiserableindecision；thenhereachedbackandpattedthedeadman’shairsoftly，andstumbledfromtheroom。
　　“Pooroldman，Ididn’tthinkhehadanytearsleft。Seemsasifhiseyeswouldhavegonedrylongago。Athisagenothingcutsverydeep，“remarkedthelawyer。
　　SomethinginhistonemadeSteavensglanceup。Whilethemotherhadbeenintheroomtheyoungmanhadscarcelyseenanyoneelse；butnow，fromthemomenthefirstglancedintoJimLaird’sfloridfaceandbloodshoteyes，heknewthathehadfoundwhathehadbeenheartsickatnotfindingbefore——thefeeling，theunderstanding，thatmustexistinsomeone，evenhere。
　　Themanwasredashisbeard，withfeaturesswollenandblurredbydissipation，andahot，blazingblueeye。Hisfacewasstrained——thatofamanwhoiscontrollinghimselfwithdifficulty——andhekeptpluckingathisbeardwithasortoffierceresentment。Steavens，sittingbythewindow，watchedhimturndowntheglaringlamp，stillitsjanglingpendantswithanangrygesture，andthenstandwithhishandslockedbehindhim，staringdownintothemaster’sface。Hecouldnothelpwonderingwhatlinktherecouldhavebeenbetweentheporcelainvesselandsosootyalumpofpotter’sclay。
　　Fromthekitchenanuproarwassounding；whenthedining-
　　roomdooropenedtheimportofitwasclear。Themotherwasabusingthemaidforhavingforgottentomakethedressingforthechickensaladwhichhadbeenpreparedforthewatchers。
　　Steavenshadneverheardanythingintheleastlikeit；itwasinjured，emotional，dramaticabuse，uniqueandmasterlyinitsexcruciatingcruelty，asviolentandunrestrainedashadbeenhergriefoftwentyminutesbefore。Withashudderofdisgustthelawyerwentintothediningroomandclosedthedoorintothekitchen。
　　“PoorRoxy’sgettingitnow，“heremarkedwhenhecameback。
　　“TheMerrickstookheroutofthepoorhouseyearsago；andifherloyaltywouldlether，Iguessthepooroldthingcouldtelltalesthatwouldcurdleyourblood。She’sthemulattowomanwhowasstandinginhereawhileago，withheraprontohereyes。
　　Theoldwomanisafury；thereneverwasanybodylikeherfordemonstrativepietyandingeniouscruelty。ShemadeHarvey’slifeahellforhimwhenhelivedathome；hewassosickashamedofit。Inevercouldseehowhekepthimselfsosweet。“
　　“Hewaswonderful，“saidSteavensslowly，“wonderful；butuntiltonightIhaveneverknownhowwonderful。“
　　“Thatisthetrueandeternalwonderofit，anyway；thatitcancomeevenfromsuchadungheapasthis，“thelawyercried，withasweepinggesturewhichseemedtoindicatemuchmorethanthefourwallswithinwhichtheystood。
　　“IthinkI’llseewhetherIcangetalittleair。TheroomissocloseIambeginningtofeelratherfaint，“murmuredSteavens，strugglingwithoneofthewindows。Thesashwasstuck，however，andwouldnotyield，sohesatdowndejectedlyandbeganpullingathiscollar。Thelawyercameover，loosenedthesashwithoneblowofhisredfist，andsentthewindowupafewinches。Steavensthankedhim，butthenauseawhichhadbeengraduallyclimbingintohisthroatforthelasthalf-hourlefthimwithbutonedesire——adesperatefeelingthathemustgetawayfromthisplacewithwhatwasleftofHarveyMerrick。Oh，hecomprehendedwellenoughnowthequietbitternessofthesmilethathehadseensooftenonhismaster’slips！
　　Herememberedthatonce，whenMerrickreturnedfromavisithome，hebroughtwithhimasingularlyfeelingandsuggestivebas-reliefofathin，fadedoldwoman，sittingandsewingsomethingpinnedtoherknee；whileafull-lipped，full-bloodedlittleurchin，histrousersheldupbyasinglegallows，stoodbesideher，impatientlytwitchinghergowntocallherattentiontoabutterflyhehadcaught。Steavens，impressedbythetenderanddelicatemodelingofthethin，tiredface，hadaskedhimifitwerehismother。Herememberedthedullflushthathadburnedupinthesculptor’sface。
　　Thelawyerwassittinginarockingchairbesidethecoffin，hisheadthrownbackandhiseyesclosed。Steavenslookedathimearnestly，puzzledatthelineofthechin，andwonderingwhyamanshouldconcealafeatureofsuchdistinctionunderthatdisfiguringshockofbeard。Suddenly，asthoughhefelttheyoungsculptor’skeenglance，heopenedhiseyes。
　　“Washealwaysagooddealofanoyster？“heaskedabruptly。
　　“Hewasterriblyshyasaboy。“
　　“Yes，hewasanoyster，sinceyouputitso，“rejoinedSteavens。“Althoughhecouldbeveryfondofpeople，healwaysgaveonetheimpressionofbeingdetached。Hedislikedviolentemotion；hewasreflective，andratherdistrustfulofhimself——
　　except，ofcourse，asregardedhiswork。Hewassurefootedenoughthere。Hedistrustedmenprettythoroughlyandwomenevenmore，yetsomehowwithoutbelievingillofthem。Hewasdetermined，indeed，tobelievethebest，butheseemedafraidtoinvestigate。“
　　“Aburntdogdreadsthefire，“saidthelawyergrimly，andclosedhiseyes。
　　Steavenswentonandon，reconstructingthatwholemiserableboyhood。Allthisraw，bitinguglinesshadbeentheportionofthemanwhosetasteswererefinedbeyondthelimitsofthereasonable——whosemindwasanexhaustlessgalleryofbeautifulimpressions，andsosensitivethatthemereshadowofapoplarleafflickeringagainstasunnywallwouldbeetchedandheldthereforever。Surely，ifeveramanhadthemagicwordinhisfingertips，itwasMerrick。Whateverhetouched，herevealeditsholiestsecret；liberateditfromenchantmentandrestoredittoitspristineloveliness，liketheArabianprincewhofoughttheenchantressspellforspell。Uponwhateverhehadcomeincontactwith，hehadleftabeautifulrecordoftheexperience——asortofetherealsignature；ascent，asound，acolorthatwashisown。
　　Steavensunderstoodnowtherealtragedyofhismaster’slife；neitherlovenorwine，asmanyhadconjectured，butablowwhichhadfallenearlierandcutdeeperthanthesecouldhavedone——ashamenothis，andyetsounescapablyhis，tobideinhisheartfromhisveryboyhood。Andwithout——thefrontierwarfare；
　　theyearningofaboy，castashoreuponadesertofnewnessanduglinessandsordidness，forallthatischastenedandold，andnoblewithtraditions。
　　Ateleveno’clockthetall，flatwomaninblackcrepeentered，announcedthatthewatcherswerearriving，andaskedthem“tostepintothediningroom。“AsSteavensrosethelawyersaiddryly:“Yougoon——it’llbeagoodexperienceforyou，doubtless；asforme，I’mnotequaltothatcrowdtonight；I’vehadtwentyyearsofthem。“
　　AsSteavensclosedthedoorafterhimbeglancedbackatthelawyer，sittingbythecoffininthedimlight，withhischinrestingonhishand。
　　Thesamemistygroupthathadstoodbeforethedooroftheexpresscarshuffledintothediningroom。Inthelightofthekerosenelamptheyseparatedandbecameindividuals。Theminister，apale，feeble-lookingmanwithwhitehairandblondchin-whiskers，tookhisseatbesideasmallsidetableandplacedhisBibleuponit。TheGrandArmymansatdownbehindthestoveandtiltedhischairbackcomfortablyagainstthewall，fishinghisquilltoothpickfromhiswaistcoatpocket。Thetwobankers，PhelpsandElder，satoffinacornerbehindthedinnertable，wheretheycouldfinishtheirdiscussionofthenewusurylawanditseffectonchattelsecurityloans。Therealestateagent，anoldmanwithasmiling，hypocriticalface，soonjoinedthem。Thecoal-and-lumberdealerandthecattleshippersatonoppositesidesofthehardcoal-burner，theirfeetonthenickelwork。
　　Steavenstookabookfromhispocketandbegantoread。Thetalkaroundhimrangedthroughvarioustopicsoflocalinterestwhilethehousewasquietingdown。WhenitwasclearthatthemembersofthefamilywereinbedtheGrandArmymanhitchedhisshouldersand，untanglinghislonglegs，caughthisheelsontheroundsofhischair。
　　“S’posethere’llbeawill，Phelps？“hequeriedinhisweakfalsetto。
　　Thebankerlaugheddisagreeablyandbegantrimminghisnailswithapearl-handledpocketknife。
　　“There’llscarcelybeanyneedforone，willthere？“hequeriedinhisturn。
　　TherestlessGrandArmymanshiftedhispositionagain，gettinghiskneesstillnearerhischin。“Why，theolemansaysHarve’sdonerightwelllately，“hechirped。
　　Theotherbankerspokeup。“IreckonhemeansbythatHarveain’taskedhimtomortgageanymorefarmslately，soashecouldgoonwithhiseducation。“
　　“Seemslikemyminddon’treachbacktoatimewhenHarvewasn’tbein’edycated，“titteredtheGrandArmyman。
　　Therewasageneralchuckle。Theministertookouthishandkerchiefandblewhisnosesonorously。BankerPhelpsclosedhisknifewithasnap。“It’stoobadtheoldman’ssonsdidn’tturnoutbetter，“heremarkedwithreflectiveauthority。“Theyneverhungtogether。HespentmoneyenoughonHarvetostockadozencattlefarmsandhemightaswellhavepoureditintoSandCreek。IfHarvehadstayedathomeandhelpednursewhatlittletheyhad，andgoneintostockontheoldman’sbottomfarm，theymightallhavebeenwellfixed。Buttheoldmanhadtotrusteverythingtotenantsandwascheatedrightandleft。“
　　“Harvenevercouldhavehandledstocknone，“interposedthecattleman。“Hehadn’titinhimtobesharp。DoyourememberwhenheboughtSander’smulesforeight-year-olds，wheneverybodyintownknewthatSander’sfather-in-lawgive’emtohiswifeforaweddingpresenteighteenyearsbefore，an’theywasfull-grownmulesthen。“
　　Everyonechuckled，andtheGrandArmymanrubbedhiskneeswithaspasmofchildishdelight。
　　“Harveneverwasmuchaccountforanythingpractical，andheshorewasneverfondofwork，“beganthecoal-and-lumberdealer。