the american claimant-第13章

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below　it；　contemplating　him　from　under　her　brows　with　a　slightly　puzzled
expression。　　She　released　the　pillow　and　said：

〃Why；　they　are　all　equal。　　Where's　any　difference　in　rank？〃

〃If　you　call　a　factory　girl　a　young　lady；　what　do　you　call　the
President's　wife？〃

〃Call　her　an　old　one。〃

〃Oh；　you　make　age　the　only　distinction？〃

〃There　ain't　any　other　to　make　as　far　as　I　can　see。〃

〃Then　all　women　are　ladies？〃

〃Certainly　they　are。　　All　the　respectable　ones。〃

〃Well；　that　puts　a　better　face　on　it。　　Certainly　there　is　no　harm　in　a
title　when　it　is　given　to　everybody。　　It　is　only　an　offense　and　a　wrong
when　it　is　restricted　to　a　favored　few。　　But　Misser〃

〃Hattie。〃

〃Miss　Hattie；　be　frank；　confess　that　that　title　isn't　accorded　by
everybody　to　everybody。　　The　rich　American　doesn't　call　her　cook　a　lady
isn't　that　so？〃

〃Yes；　it's　so。　　What　of　it？〃

He　was　surprised　and　a　little　disappointed；　to　see　that　his　admirable
shot　had　produced　no　perceptible　effect。

〃What　of　it？〃　he　said。　　〃Why　this：　equality　is　not　conceded　here；　after
all；　and　the　Americans　are　no　better　off　than　the　English。　　In　fact
there's　no　difference。〃

〃Now　what　an　idea。　　There's　nothing　in　a　title　except　what　is　put　into
ityou've　said　that　yourself。　　Suppose　the　title　is　'clean；'　instead　of
'lady。'　　You　get　that？〃

〃I　believe　so。　　Instead　of　speaking　of　a　woman　as　a　lady；　you　substitute
clean　and　say　she's　a　clean　person。〃

〃That's　it。　　In　England　the　swell　folks　don't　speak　of　the　working　people
as　gentlemen　and　ladies？〃

〃Oh；　no。〃

〃And　the　working　people　don't　call　themselves　gentlemen　and　ladies？〃

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃So　if　you　used　the　other　word　there　wouldn't　be　any　change。　　The　swell
people　wouldn't　call　anybody　but　themselves　'clean；'　and　those　others
would　drop　sort　of　meekly　into　their　way　of　talking　and　they　wouldn't
call　themselves　clean。　　We　don't　do　that　way　here。　　Everybody　calls
himself　a　lady　or　gentleman；　and　thinks　he　is；　and　don't　care　what
anybody　else　thinks　him；　so　long　as　he　don't　say　it　out　loud。　　You　think
there's　no　difference。　　You　knuckle　down　and　we　don't。　　Ain't　that　a
difference？〃

〃It　is　a　difference　I　hadn't　thought　of；　I　admit　that。　　Stillcalling
one's　self　a　lady　doesn'ter〃

〃I　wouldn't　go　on　if　I　were　you。〃

Howard　Tracy　turned　his　head　to　see　who　it　might　be　that　had　introduced
this　remark。　　It　was　a　short　man　about　forty　years　old；　with　sandy　hair；
no　beard；　and　a　pleasant　face　badly　freckled　but　alive　and　intelligent；
and　he　wore　slop…shop　clothing　which　was　neat　but　showed　wear。　　He　had
come　from　the　front　room　beyond　the　hall；　where　he　had　left　his　hat；　and
he　had　a　chipped　and　cracked　white　wash…bowl　in　his　hand。　　The　girl　came
and　took　the　bowl。

〃I'll　get　it　for　you。　　You　go　right　ahead　and　give　it　to　him；　Mr。
Barrow。　　He's　the　new　boarderMr。　Tracyand　I'd　just　got　to　where　it
was　getting　too　deep　for　me。〃

〃Much　obliged　if　you　will；　Hattie。　　I　was　coming　to　borrow　of　the　boys。〃
He　sat　down　at　his　ease　on　an　old　trunk；　and　said；　〃I've　been　listening
and　got　interested；　and　as　I　was　saying；　I　wouldn't　go　on；　if　I　were　you。
You　see　where　you　are　coming　to；　don't　you？　　Calling；　yourself　a　lady
doesn't　elect　you；　that　is　what　you　were　going　to　say；　and　you　saw　that
if　you　said　it　you　were　going　to　run　right　up　against　another　difference
that　you　hadn't　thought　of：　to…wit；　Whose　right　is　it　to　do　the　electing？
Over　there；　twenty　thousand　people　in　a　million　elect　themselves
gentlemen　and　ladies；　and　the　nine　hundred　and　eighty　thousand　accept
that　decree　and　swallow　the　affront　which　it　puts　upon　them。　　Why；　if
they　didn't　accept　it；　it　wouldn't　be　an　election；　it　would　be　a　dead
letter　and　have　no　force　at　all。　　Over　here　the　twenty　thousand　would…be
exclusives　come　up　to　the　polls　and　vote　themselves　to　be　ladies　and
gentlemen。　　But　the　thing　doesn't　stop　there。　　The　nine　hundred　and
eighty　thousand　come　and　vote　themselves　to　be　ladies　and　gentlemen　too；
and　that　elects　the　whole　nation。　　Since　the　whole　million　vote
themselves　ladies　and　gentlemen；　there　is　no　question　about　that
election。　　It　does　make　absolute　equality；　and　there　is　no　fiction　about
it；　while　over　yonder　the　inequality；　（by　decree　of　the　infinitely
feeble；　and　consent　of　the　infinitely　strong；）　is　also　absoluteas　real
and　absolute　as　our　equality。〃

Tracy　had　shrunk　promptly　into　his　English　shell　when　this　speech　began；
notwithstanding　he　had　now　been　in　severe　training　several　weeks　for
contact　and　intercourse　with　the　common　herd　on　the　common　herd's　terms；
but　he　lost　no　time　in　pulling　himself　out　again；　and　so　by　the　time　the
speech　was　finished　his　valves　were　open　once　more；　and　he　was　forcing
himself　to　accept　without　resentment　the　common　herd's　frank　fashion　of
dropping　sociably　into　other　people's　conversations　unembarrassed　and
uninvited。　　The　process　was；　not　very　difficult　this　time；　for　the　man's
smile　and　voice　and　manner　were　persuasive　and　winning。　　Tracy　would　even
have　liked　him　on　the　spot；　but　for　the　factfact　which　he　was　not
really　aware　ofthat　the　equality　of　men　was　not　yet　a　reality　to　him；
it　was　only　a　theory；　the　mind　perceived；　but　the　man　failed　to　feel　it。
It　was　Hattie's　ghost　over　again；　merely　turned　around。　　Theoretically
Barrow　was　his　equal；　but　it　was　distinctly　distasteful　to　see　him
exhibit　it。　　He　presently　said：

〃I　hope　in　all　sincerity　that　what　you　have　said　is　true；　as　regards　the
Americans；　for　doubts　have　crept　into　my　mind　several　times。　　It　seemed
that　the　equality　must　be　ungenuine　where　the　sign…names　of　castes　were
still　in　vogue；　but　those　sign…names　have　certainly　lost　their　offence
and　are　wholly　neutralized；　nullified　and　harmless　if　they　are　the
undisputed　property　of　every　individual　in　the　nation。　　I　think　I　realize
that　caste　does　not　exist　and　cannot　exist　except　by　common　consent　of
the　masses　outside　of　its　limits。　　I　thought　caste　created　itself　and
perpetuated　itself；　but　it　seems　quite　true　that　it　only　creates　itself；
and　is　perpetuated　by　the　people　whom　it　despises；　and　who　can　dissolve
it　at　any　time　by　assuming　its　mere　sign…names　themselves。〃

〃It's　what　I　think。　　There　isn't　any　power　on　earth　that　can　prevent
England's　thirty　millions　from　electing　themselves　dukes　and　duchesses
to…morrow　and　calling　themselves　so。　　And　within　six　months　all　the
former　dukes　and　duchesses　would　have　retired　from　the　business。
I　wish　they'd　try　that。　　Royalty　itself　couldn't　survive　such　a　process。
A　handful　of　frowners　against　thirty　million　laughers　in　a　state　of
irruption：　　Why；　it's　Herculaneum　against　Vesuvius；　it　would　take　another
eighteen　centuries　to　find　that　Herculaneum　after　the　cataclysm。　　What's
a　Colonel　in　our　South？　　He's　a　nobody；　because　they're　all　colonels　down
there。　　No；　Tracy〃　（shudder　from　Tracy）　〃nobody　in　England　would　call　you
a　gentleman　and　you　wouldn't　call　yourself　one；　and　I　tell　you　it's　a
state　of　things　that　makes　a　man　put　himself　into　most　unbecoming
attitudes　sometimesthe　broad　and　general　recognition　and　acceptance　of
caste　as　caste　does；　I　mean。　　Makes　him　do　it　unconsciouslybeing　bred
in　him；　you　see；　and　never　thought　over　and　reasoned　out。　　You　couldn't
conceive　of　the　Matterhorn　being　flattered　by　the　notice　of　one　of　your
comely　little　English　hills；　could　you？〃

〃Why；　no。〃

〃Well；　then；　let　a　man　in　his　right　mind　try　to　conceive　of　Darwin
feeling　flattered　by　the　notice　of　a　princess。　　It's　so　grotesque　that
itwell；　it　paralyzes　the　imagination。　　Yet　that　Memnon　was　flattered　by
the　notice　of　that　statuette；　he　says　so…says　so　himself。　　The　system
that　can　make　a　god　disown　his　godship　and　profane　itoh；　well；　it's　all
wrong；　it's　all　wrong　and　ought　to　be　abolished；　I　should　say。〃

The　mention　of　Darwin　brought　on　a　literary　discussion；　and　this　topic
roused　such　enthusiasm　in　Barrow　that　he　took　off　his　coat　and　made
himself　the　more　free　and　comfortable　for　it；　and　detained　him　so　long
that　he　was　still　at　it　when　the　noisy　proprietors　of　the　room　came
shouting　and　skylarking　in　and　began　to　romp；　scuffle；　wash；　and
otherwise　entertain　themselves。　　He　lingered　yet　a　little　longer　to　offer
the　hospitalities　of　his　room　and　his　book　shelf　to　Tracy　and　ask　him　a
personal　question　or　two：

〃What　is　your　trade？〃

〃Theywell；　they　call　me　a　cowboy；　but　that　is　a　fancy。　　I'm　not　that。
I　haven't　any　trade。〃

〃What　do　you　work　at　for　your　living？〃

Oh；　anythingI　mean　I　would　work　at；　anything　I　could　get　to　do；　but
thus　far　I　haven't　been　able　to　find　an　occupation。〃

〃Maybe　I　can　help　you；　I'd　like　to　try。〃

〃I　shall　be　very　glad。　　I've　tried；　myself；　to　weariness。〃

〃Well；　of　course　where　a　man　hasn't　a　regular　trade　he's　pretty　bad　off
in　this　world。　　What　you　needed；　I　reckon；　was　less　book　learning　and
more　bread…and…butter　learning。　　I　don't　know　what　your　father　could　have
been　thinking　of。　　You　ought　to　have　had　a　trade；　you　ought　to　have　had　a
trade；　by　all　means。　　But　never　mind　about　that；　we'll　stir　up　something
to　do；　I　guess。　　And　don't　you　get　homesick；　that's　a　bad　business。
We'll　talk　the　thing　over　and　look　around　a　little。　　You'll　come　out　all
right。　　Wait　for　meI'll　go　down　to　supper　with　you。〃

By　this　time　Tracy　had　achieved　a　very　friendly　feeling　for　Barrow　and
would　have　called　him　a　friend；　maybe；　if　not　taken　too　suddenly　on　a
straight…out　requirement　to　realize　on　his　theories。　　He　was　glad　of　his
society；　anyway；　and　was　feeling　lighter　hearted　than　before。　　Also　he
was　pretty　curious　to　know　what　vocation　it　might　be　which　had　furnished
Barrow　such　a　large　acquaintanceship　with　books　and　allowed　him　so　much
time　to　read。




CHAPTER　XII。

Presently　the　supper　bell　began　to　ring　in　the　depths　of　the　house；　and
the　sound　proceeded　steadily　upward；　growing　in　intensity　all　the　way　up
towards　the　upper　floors。　　The　higher　it　came　the　more　maddening　was　the
noise；　until　at　last　what　it　lacked　of　being　absolutely　deafening；　was
made　up　of　the　sudden　crash　and　clatter　of　an　avalanche　of　boarders　down
the　uncarpeted　stairway。　　The　peerage　did　not　go　to　meals　in　this
fashion；　Tracy's　training　had　not　fitted　him　to　enjoy　this　hilarious
zoological　clamor　and　enthusiasm。　　He　had　to　confess　that　there　was
something　about　this　extraordinary　outpouring　of　animal　spirits　which　he
would　have　to　get　inured　to　before　he　could　accept　it。　　No　doubt　in　time
he　would　prefer　it；　but　he　wished　the　process　might　be　modified　and　made
just　a　little　more　gradual；　and　not　quite　so　pronounced　and　violent。
Barrow　and　Tracy　followed　the　avalanche　down　through　an　ever　increasing
and　ever　more　and　more　aggressive　stench　of　bygone　cabbage　and　kindred
smells；　smells　which　are　to　be　found　nowhere　but　in　a　cheap　private
boarding　house；　smells　which　once　encountered　can　never　be　forgotten；
smells　which　encountered　generations　later　are　instantly　recognizable；
but　never　recognizable　with　pleasure。　　To　Tracy　these　odors　were
suffocating；　horrible；　almost　unendurable；　but　he　held　his　peace　and　said
nothing。　　Arrived　in　the　basement；　they　entered　a　large　dining…room　where
thirty…five　or　forty　people　sat　at　a　long　table。　　They　took　their　places。
The　feast　had　already　b