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the dead…and…forgotten wall； where a Roman sentinel had once paced；
to the little grating in the cloistered quadrangle； where it had
seen a Cistercian brother place the morning dole。 It had daily
welcomed the growth of this vast and picturesque excrescence of the
times； it had smiled every morning upon this formidable yet quaint
incrustation of power and custom； ignoring； as Oldenhurst itself
had ignored； the generations who possessed it； the men who built
it； the men who carried it with fire and sword； the men who had
lied and cringed for it； the King who had given it to a favorite；
the few brave hearts who had died for it in exile； and the one or
two who had bought and paid for it。 For Oldenhurst had absorbed
all these and more until it had become a story of the past；
incarnate in stone； greenwood； and flower； it had even drained the
life…blood from adjacent hamlets； repaying them with tumuli growths
like its own； in the shape of purposeless lodges； quaintly
incompetent hospitals and schools； and churches where the
inestimable blessing and knowledge of its gospel were taught and
fostered。 Nor had it dealt more kindly with the gentry within its
walls； sending some to the scaffold； pillorying others in infamous
office； reducing a few to poverty； and halting its later guests
with gout and paralysis。 It had given them in exchange the dubious
immortality of a portrait gallery； from which they stared with
stony and equal resignation； it had preserved their useless armor
and accoutrements； it had set up their marble effigies in churches
or laid them in cross…legged attitudes to trip up the unwary； until
in death； as in life； they got between the congregation and the
Truth that was taught there。 It had allowed an Oldenhurst
crusader； with a broken nose like a pugilist； on the strength of
his having been twice to the Holy Land； to hide the beautifully
illuminated Word from the lowlier worshipper on the humbler
benches； it had sent an iconoclastic Bishop of the Reformation
to a nearer minster to ostentatiously occupy the place of the
consecrated image he had overthrown。 Small wonder that crowding
the Oldenhurst retainers gradually into smaller space； with
occasional Sabbath glimpses of the living rulers of Oldenhurst
already in railed…off exaltation； it had forced them to accept
Oldenhurst as a synonym of eternity； and left the knowledge of a
higher Power to what time they should be turned out to their longer
sleep under the tender grass of the beautiful outer churchyard。
And even so； while every stone of the pile of Oldenhurst and every
tree in its leafy park might have been eloquent with the story of
vanity； selfishness； and unequal justice； it had been left to the
infinite mercy of Nature to seal their lips with a spell of beauty
that left mankind equally dumb； earth； air； and moisture had
entered into a gentle conspiracy to soften； mellow； and clothe its
external blemishes of breach and accident； its irregular design；
its additions； accretions； ruins； and lapses with a harmonious
charm of outline and color； poets； romancers； and historians had
equally conspired to illuminate the dark passages and uglier
inconsistencies of its interior life with the glamour of their own
fancy。 The fragment of menacing keep； with its choked oubliettes；
became a bower of tender ivy； the grim story of its crimes；
properly edited by a contemporary bard of the family； passed into a
charming ballad。 Even the superstitious darkness of its religious
house had escaped through fallen roof and shattered wall； leaving
only the foliated and sun…pierced screen of front； with its rose…
window and pinnacle of cross behind。 Pilgrims from all lands had
come to see it； fierce Republicans had crossed the seas to gaze at
its mediaeval outlines； and copy them in wood and stucco on their
younger soil。 Politicians had equally pointed to it as a
convincing evidence of their own principles and in refutation of
each other； and it had survived both。 For it was this belief in
its own perpetuity that was its strength and weakness。 And that
belief was never stronger than on this bright August morning； when
it was on the verge of dissolution。 A telegram brought to Sir
Robert Mainwaring had even then as completely shattered and
disintegrated Oldenhurst； in all it was and all it meant； as if
the brown…paper envelope had been itself charged with the electric
fluid。
Sir Robert Mainwaring； whose family had for three centuries
possessed Oldenhurst； had received the news of his financial ruin；
and the vast pile which had survived the repeated invasion of
superstition； force； intrigue； and even progress； had succumbed to
a foe its founders and proprietors had loftily ignored and left to
Jews and traders。 The acquisition of money； except by despoilment；
gift； royal favor； or inheritance； had been unknown at Oldenhurst。
The present degenerate custodian of its fortunes； staggering under
the weight of its sentimental mortmain already alluded to； had
speculated in order to keep up its material strength； that was
gradually shrinking through impoverished land and the ruined trade
it had despised。 He had invested largely in California mines； and
was the chief shareholder in a San Francisco Bank。 But the mines
had proved worthless； the Bank had that morning suspended payment；
owing to the failure of a large land and timber company on the
Sierras which it had imprudently 〃carried。〃 The spark which had
demolished Oldenhurst had been fired from the new telegraph…station
in the hotel above the great Sierran canyon。
There was a large house…party at Oldenhurst that morning。 But it
had been a part of the history of the Mainwarings to accept defeat
gallantly and as became their blood。 Sir Percival；the second
gentleman on the left as you entered the library；unhorsed； dying
on a distant moor； with a handful of followers； abandoned by a
charming Prince and a miserable cause； was scarcely a greater hero
than this ruined but undaunted gentleman of eighty； entering the
breakfast…room a few hours later as jauntily as his gout would
permit； and conscientiously dispensing the hospitalities of his
crumbling house。 When he had arranged a few pleasure parties for
the day and himself thoughtfully anticipated the different tastes
of his guests； he turned to Lady Mainwaring。
〃Don't forget that somebody ought to go to the station to meet the
Bradleys。 Frank writes from St。 Moritz that they are due here
to…day。〃
Lady Mainwaring glanced quickly at her husband； and said sotto
voce； 〃Do you think they'll care to come NOW？ They probably have
heard all about it。〃
〃Not how it affects me；〃 returned Sir Robert； in the same tone；
〃and as they might think that because Frank was with them on that
California mountain we would believe it had something to do with
Richardson involving the Bank in that wretched company； we must
really INSIST upon their coming。〃
〃Bradl