the american claimant-第12章

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billions！　　It　is　the　stupendous　creation　of　those　humble　unlettered；
un…college…bred　inventorsall　honor　to　their　name。

〃How　grand　that　is！〃　said　Tracy；　as　he　wended　homeward。　　〃What　a
civilization　it　is；　and　what　prodigious　results　these　are！　and　brought
about　almost　wholly　by　common　men；　not　by　Oxford…trained　aristocrats；
but　men　who　stand　shoulder　to　shoulder　in　the　humble　ranks　of　life　and
earn　the　bread　that　they　eat。　　Again；　I'm　glad　I　came。　　I　have　found　a
country　at　last　where　one　may　start　fair；　and　breast　to　breast　with　his
fellow　man；　rise　by　his　own　efforts；　and　be　something　in　the　world　and　be
proud　of　that　something；　not　be　something　created　by　an　ancestor　three
hundred　years　ago。〃




CHAPTER　XI。

During　the　first　few　days　he　kept　the　fact　diligently　before　his　mind
that　he　was　in　a　land　where　there　was　〃work　and　bread　for　all。〃　　In　fact；
for　convenience'　sake　he　fitted　it　to　a　little　tune　and　hummed　it　to
himself；　but　as　time　wore　on　the　fact　itself　began　to　take　on　a　doubtful
look；　and　next　the　tune　got　fatigued　and　presently　ran　down　and　stopped。
His　first　effort　was　to　get　an　upper　clerkship　in　one　of　the　departments；
where　his　Oxford　education　could　come　into　play　and　do　him　service。
But　he　stood　no　chance　whatever。　　There；　competency　was　no
recommendation；　political　backing；　without　competency；　was　worth　six　of
it。　　He　was　glaringly　English；　and　that　was　necessarily　against　him　in
the　political　centre　of　a　nation　where　both　parties　prayed　for　the　Irish
cause　on　the　house…top　and　blasphemed　it　in　the　cellar。　　By　his　dress　he
was　a　cowboy；　that　won　him　respectwhen　his　back　was　not　turnedbut　it
couldn't　get　a　clerkship　for　him。　　But　he　had　said；　in　a　rash　moment；
that　he　would　wear　those　clothes　till　the　owner　or　the　owner's　friends
caught　sight　of　them　and　asked　for　that　money；　and　his　conscience　would
not　let　him　retire　from　that　engagement　now。

At　the　end　of　a　week　things　were　beginning　to　wear　rather　a　startling
look。　　He　had　hunted　everywhere　for　work；　descending　gradually　the　scale
of　quality；　until　apparently　he　had　sued　for　all　the　various　kinds　df
work　a　man　without　a　special　calling　might　hope　to　be　able　to　do；　except
ditching　and　the　other　coarse　manual　sorts…and　had　got　neither　work　nor
the　promise　of　it。

He　was　mechanically　turning　over　the　leaves　of　his　diary；　meanwhile；　and
now　his　eye　fell　upon　the　first　record　made　after　he　was　burnt　out：

〃I　myself　did　not　doubt　my　stamina　before；　nobody　could　doubt　it　now；　if
they　could　see　how　I　am　housed；　and　realise　that　I　feel　absolutely　no
disgust　with　these　quarters；　but　am　as　serenely　content　with　them　as　any
dog　would　be　in　a　similar　kennel。　　Terms；　twenty…five　dollars　a　week。
I　said　I　would　start　at　the　bottom。　　I　have　kept　my　word。〃

A　shudder　went　quaking　through　him；　and　he　exclaimed：

〃What　have　I　been　thinking　of！　　This　the　bottom！　　Mooning　along　a　whole
week；　and　these　terrific　expenses　climbing　and　climbing　all　the　time！
I　must　end　this　folly　straightway。〃

He　settled　up　at　once　and　went　forth　to　find　less　sumptuous　lodgings。　　He
had　to　wander　far　and　seek　with　diligence；　but　he　succeeded。　　They　made
him　pay　in　advancefour　dollars　and　a　half；　this　secured　both　bed　and
food　for　a　week。　　The　good…natured；　hardworked　landlady　took　him　up　three
flights　of　narrow；　uncarpeted　stairs　and　delivered　him　into　his　room。
There　were　two　double…bedsteads　in　it；　and　one　single　one。　　He　would　be
allowed　to　sleep　alone　in　one　of　the　double　beds　until　some　new　boarder
should　come；　but　he　wouldn't　be　charged　extra。

So　he　would　presently　be　required　to　sleep　with　some　stranger！
The　thought　of　it　made　him　sick。　　Mrs。　　Marsh；　the　landlady；　was　very
friendly　and　hoped　he　would　like　her　house…they　all　liked　it；　she　said。

〃And　they're　a　very　nice　set　of　boys。　　They　carry　on　a　good　deal；　but
that's　their　fun。　　You　see；　this　room　opens　right　into　this　back　one；
and　sometimes　they're　all　in　one　and　sometimes　in　the　other；　and　hot
nights　they　all　sleep　on　the　roof　when　it　don't　rain。　　They　get　out　there
the　minute　it's　hot　enough。　　The　season's　so　early　that　they've　already
had　a　night　or　two　up　there。　　If　you'd　like　to　go　up　and　pick　out　a
place；　you　can。　　You'll　find　chalk　in　the　side　of　the　chimney　where
there's　a　brick　wanting。　　You　just　take　the　chalk　andbut　of　course
you've　done　it　before。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　haven't。〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　haven't…what　am　I　thinking　of？　　Plenty　of　room　on　the
Plains　without　chalking；　I'll　be　bound。　　Well；　you　just　chalk　out　a　place
the　size　of　a　blanket　anywhere　on　the　tin　that　ain't　already　marked　off；
you　know；　and　that's　your　property。　　You　and　your　bed…mate　take　turn…
about　carrying　up　the　blanket　and　pillows　and　fetching　them　down　again；
or　one　carries　them　up　and　the　other　fetches　them　down；　you　fix　it　the
way　you　like；　you　know。　　You'll　like　the　boys；　they're　everlasting
sociableexcept　the　printer。　　He's　the　one　that　sleeps　in　that　single
bed…the　strangest　creature；　why；　I　don't　believe　you　could　get　that　man
to　sleep　with　another　man；　not　if　the　house　was　afire。　　Mind　you；　I'm　not
just　talking；　I　know。　　The　boys　tried　him；　to　see。　　They　took　his　bed　out
one　night；　and　so　when　he　got　home　about　three　in　the　morninghe　was　on
a　morning　paper　then；　but　he's　on　an　evening　one　nowthere　wasn't　any
place　for　him　but　with　the　iron…moulder；　and　if　you'll　believe　me；　he
just　set　up　the　rest　of　the　nighthe　did；　honest。　　They　say　he's
cracked；　but　it　ain't　so；　he's　Englishthey're　awful　particular。
You　won't　mind　my　saying　that。　　Youyou're　English？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　thought　so。　　I　could　tell　it　by　the　way　you　mispronounce　the　words
that's　got　a's　in　them；　you　know；　such　as　saying　loff　when　you　mean　laff
but　you'll　get　over　that。　　He's　a　right　down　good　fellow；　and　a　little
sociable　with　the　photographer's　boy　and　the　caulker　and　the　blacksmith
that　work　in　the　navy　yard；　but　not　so　much　with　the　others。　　The　fact
is；　though　it's　private；　and　the　others　don't　know　it；　he's　a　kind　of　an
aristocrat；　his　father　being　a　doctor；　and　you　know　what　style　that　is
in　England；　I　mean；　because　in　this　country　a　doctor　ain't　so　very　much；
even　if　he's　that。　　But　over　there　of　course　it's　different。　　So　this
chap　had　a　falling　out　with　his　father；　and　was　pretty　high　strung；　and
just　cut　for　this　country；　and　the　first　he　knew　he　had　to　get　to　work　or
starve。　　Well；　he'd　been　to　college；　you　see；　and　so　he　judged　he　was　all
rightdid　you　say　anything？〃

〃NoI　only　sighed。〃

〃And　there's　where　he　was　mistaken。　　Why；　he　mighty　near　starved。　　And　I
reckon　he　would　have　starved　sure　enough；　if　some　jour'　printer　or　other
hadn't　took　pity　on　him　and　got　him　a　place　as　apprentice。　　So　he　learnt
the　trade；　and　then　he　was　all　rightbut　it　was　a　close　call。　　Once　he
thought　he　had　got　to　haul　in　his　pride　and　holler　for　his　father　and
why；　you're　sighing　again。　　Is　anything　the　matter　with　you？does　my
clatter〃

〃Oh；　dearno。　　Pray　go　onI　like　it。〃

〃Yes；　you　see；　he's　been　over　here　ten　years；　he's　twenty…eight；　now；
and　he　ain't　pretty　well　satisfied　in　his　mind；　because　he　can't　get
reconciled　to　being　a　mechanic　and　associating　with　mechanics；　he　being；
as　he　says　to　me；　a　gentleman；　which　is　a　pretty　plain　letting…on　that
the　boys　ain't；　but　of　course　I　know　enough　not　to　let　that　cat　out　of
the　bag。〃

〃Why…would　there　be　any　harm　in　it？〃

〃Harm　in　it？　　They'd　lick　him；　wouldn't　they？　　Wouldn't　you？　　Of　course
you　would。　　Don't　you　ever　let　a　man　say　you　ain't　a　gentleman　in　this
country。　　But　laws；　what　am　I　thinking　about？　　I　reckon　a　body　would
think　twice　before　he　said　a　cowboy　wasn't　a　gentleman。〃

A　trim；　active；　slender　and　very　pretty　girl　of　about　eighteen　walked
into　the　room　now；　in　the　most　satisfied　and　unembarrassed　way。　　She　was
cheaply　but　smartly　and　gracefully　dressed；　and　the　mother's　quick　glance
at　the　stranger's　face　as　he　rose；　was　of　the　kind　which　inquires　what
effect　has　been　produced；　and　expects　to　find　indications　of　surprise　and
admiration。

〃This　is　my　daughter　Hattiewe　call　her　Puss。　　It's　the　new　boarder；
Puss。〃　　This　without　rising。

The　young　Englishman　made　the　awkward　bow　common　to　his　nationality　and
time　of　life　in　circumstances　of　delicacy　and　difficulty；　and　these　were
of　that　sort；　for；　being　taken　by　surprise；　his　natural；　lifelong　self
sprang　to　the　front；　and　that　self　of　course　would　not　know　just　how　to
act　when　introduced　to　a　chambermaid；　or　to　the　heiress　of　a　mechanics'
boarding　house。　　His　other　selfthe　self　which　recognized　the　equality
of　all　menwould　have　managed　the　thing　better；　if　it　hadn't　been　caught
off　guard　and　robbed　of　its　chance。　　The　young　girl　paid　no　attention　to
the　bow；　but　put　out　her　hand　frankly　and　gave　the　stranger　a　friendly
shake　and　said：

〃How　do　you　do？〃

Then　she　marched　to　the　one　washstand　in　the　room；　tilted　her　head　this
way　and　that　before　the　wreck　of　a　cheap　mirror　that　hung　above　it；
dampened　her　fingers　with　her　tongue；　perfected　the　circle　of　a　little
lock　of　hair　that　was　pasted　against　her　forehead；　then　began　to　busy
herself　with　the　slops。

〃Well；　I　must　be　goingit's　getting　towards　supper　time。　　Make　yourself
at　home；　Mr。　　Tracy；　you'll　hear　the　bell　when　it's　ready。〃

The　landlady　took　her　tranquil　departure；　without　commanding　either　of
the　young　people　to　vacate　the　room。　　The　young　man　wondered　a　little
that　a　mother　who　seemed　so　honest　and　respectable　should　be　so
thoughtless；　and　was　reaching　for　his　hat；　intending　to　disembarrass　the
girl　of　his　presence；　but　she　said：

〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃Wellnowhere　in　particular；　but　as　I　am　only　in　the　way　here〃

〃Why；　who　said　you　were　in　the　way？　　Sit　downI'll　move　you　when　you　are
in　the　way。〃

She　was　making　the　beds；　now。　　He　sat　down　and　watched　her　deft　and
diligent　performance。

〃What　gave　you　that　notion？　　Do　you　reckon　I　need　a　whole　room　just　to
make　up　a　bed　or　two　in？〃

〃Well　no；　it　wasn't　that；　exactly。　　We　are　away　up　here　in　an　empty
house；　and　your　mother　being　gone〃

The　girl　interrupted　him　with　an　amused　laugh；　and　said：

〃Nobody　to　protect　me？　　Bless　you；　I　don't　need　it。　　I'm　not　afraid。
I　might　be　if　I　was　alone；　because　I　do　hate　ghosts；　and　I　don't　deny　it。
Not　that　I　believe　in　them；　for　I　don't。　　I'm　only　just　afraid　of　them。〃

〃How　can　you　be　afraid　of　them　if　you　don't　believe　in　them？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　the　how　of　itthat's　too　many　for　me；　I　only　know　it's
so。　　It's　the　same　with　Maggie　Lee。〃

〃Who　is　that？〃

〃One　of　the　boarders；　young　lady　that　works　in　the　factry。〃

〃She　works　in　a　factory？〃

〃Yes。　　Shoe　factory。〃

〃In　a　shoe　factory；　and　you　call　her　a　young　lady？〃

〃Why；　she's　only　twenty…two；　what　should　you　call　her？〃

〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　her　age；　I　was　thinking　of　the　title。　　The　fact　is；
I　came　away　from　England　to　get　away　from　artificial　formsfor
artificial　forms　suit　artificial　people　onlyand　here　you've　got　them
too。　　I'm　sorry。　　I　hoped　you　had　only　men　and　women；　everybody　equal；
no　differences　in　rank。〃

The　girl　stopped　with　a　pillow　in　her　teeth　and　the　case　spread　open
below　it；　contemplating　him　from　under　her　brows　with　a　slightly　puzzled
expression。　　She　release