the american claimant-第15章

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rather　especially　fond　of　him；　but　you　know　that　when　a　man　loses　his　job
and　loses　his　ability　to　support　himself　and　to　pay　his　way　as　he　goes；
it　makes　a　great　difference　in　the　way　people　look　at　him　and　feel　about
him。〃

〃Is　that　so！　　Is　it　so？〃

Barrow　looked　at　Tracy　in　a　puzzled　way。　　〃Why　of　course　it's　so。
Wouldn't　you　know　that；　naturally。　　Don't　you　know　that　the　wounded　deer
is　always　attacked　and　killed　by　its　companions　and　friends？〃

Tracy　said　to　himself；　while　a　chilly　and　boding　discomfort　spread　itself
through　his　system；　〃In　a　republic　of　deer　and　men　where　all　are　free　and
equal；　misfortune　is　a　crime；　and　the　prosperous　gore　the　unfortunate　to
death。〃　　Then　he　said　aloud；　〃Here　in　the　boarding　house；　if　one　would
have　friends　and　be　popular　instead　of　having　the　cold　shoulder　turned
upon　him；　he　must　be　prosperous。〃

〃Yes；〃　Barrow　said；　〃that　is　so。　　It's　their　human　nature。　　They　do　turn
against　Brady；　now　that　he's　unfortunate；　and　they　don't　like　him　as　well
as　they　did　before；　but　it　isn't　because　of　any　lack　in　Bradyhe's　just
as　he　was　before；　has　the　same　nature　and　the　same　impulses；　but　they
well；　Brady　is　a　thorn　in　their　consciences；　you　see。　　They　know　they
ought　to　help　him　and　they're　too　stingy　to　do　it；　and　they're　ashamed　of
themselves　for　that；　and　they　ought　also　to　hate　themselves　on　that
account；　but　instead　of　that　they　hate　Brady　because　he　makes　them
ashamed　of　themselves。　　I　say　that's　human　nature；　that　occurs
everywhere；　this　boarding　house　is　merely　the　world　in　little；　it's　the
case　all　overthey're　all　alike。　　In　prosperity　we　are　popular；
popularity　comes　easy　in　that　case；　but　when　the　other　thing　comes　our
friends　are　pretty　likely　to　turn　against　us。〃

Tracy's　noble　theories　and　high　purposes　were　beginning　to　feel　pretty
damp　and　clammy。　　He　wondered　if　by　any　possibility　he　had　made　a　mistake
in　throwing　his　own　prosperity　to　the　winds　and　taking　up　the　cross
of　other　people's　unprosperity。　　But　he　wouldn't　listen　to　that　sort　of
thing；　he　cast　it　out　of　his　mind　and　resolved　to　go　ahead　resolutely
along　the　course　he　had　mapped　out　for　himself。

Extracts　from　his　diary：

Have　now　spent　several　days　in　this　singular　hive。　　I　don't　know　quite
what　to　make　out　of　these　people。　　They　have　merits　and　virtues；　but　they
have　some　other　qualities；　and　some　ways　that　are　hard　to　get　along　with。
I　can't　enjoy　them。　　The　moment　I　appeared　in　a　hat　of　the　period；
I　noticed　a　change。　　The　respect　which　had　been　paid　me　before；　passed
suddenly　away；　and　the　people　became　friendlymore　than　thatthey
became　familiar；　and　I'm　not　used　to　familiarity；　and　can't　take　to　it
right　off；　I　find　that　out。　　These　people's　familiarity　amounts　to
impudence；　sometimes。　　I　suppose　it's　all　right；　no　doubt　I　can　get　used
to　it；　but　it's　not　a　satisfactory　process　at　all。　　I　have　accomplished
my　dearest　wish；　I　am　a　man　among　men；　on　an　equal　footing　with　Tom；　Dick
and　Harry；　and　yet　it　isn't　just　exactly　what　I　thought　it　was　going　to
be。　　II　miss　home。　　Am　obliged　to　say　I　am　homesick。　　Another　thing
and　this　is　a　confessiona　reluctant　one；　but　I　will　make　it：　The　thing
I　miss　most　and　most　severely；　is　the　respect；　the　deference；　with　which
I　was　treated　all　my　life　in　England；　and　which　seems　to　be　somehow
necessary　to　me。　　I　get　along　very　well　without　the　luxury　and　the　wealth
and　the　sort　of　society　I've　been　accustomed　to；　but　I　do　miss　the
respect　and　can't　seem　to　get　reconciled　to　the　absence　of　it。　　There　is
respect；　there　is　deference　here；　but　it　doesn't　fall　to　my　share。　　It　is
lavished　on　two　men。　　One　of　them　is　a　portly　man　of　middle　age　who　is　a
retired　plumber。　　Everybody　is　pleased　to　have　that　man's　notice。
He's　full　of　pomp　and　circumstance　and　self　complacency　and　bad　grammar；
and　at　table　he　is　Sir　Oracle　and　when　he　opens　his　mouth　not　any　dog　in
the　kennel　barks。　　The　other　person　is　a　policeman　at　the　capitol…
building。　　He　represents　the　government。　　The　deference　paid　to　these　two
men　is　not　so　very　far　short　of　that　which　is　paid　to　an　earl　in　England；
though　the　method　of　it　differs。　　Not　so　much　courtliness；　but　the
deference　is　all　there。

Yes；　and　there　is　obsequiousness；　too。

It　does　rather　look　as　if　in　a　republic　where　all　are　free　and　equal；
prosperity　and　position　constitute　rank。




CHAPTER　XIII。

The　days　drifted　by；　and　they　grew　ever　more　dreary。　　For　Barrow's
efforts　to　find　work　for　Tracy　were　unavailing。　　Always　the　first
question　asked　was；　〃What　Union　do　you　belong　to？〃

Tracy　was　obliged　to　reply　that　he　didn't　belong　to　any　trade…union。

〃Very　well；　then；　it's　impossible　to　employ　you。　　My　men　wouldn't　stay
with　me　if　I　should　employ　a　'scab；'　or　'rat；'〃　or　whatever　the　phrase
was。

Finally；　Tracy　had　a　happy　thought。　　He　said；　〃Why　the　thing　for　me　to
do；　of　course；　is　to　join　a　trade…union。〃

〃Yes；〃　Barrow　said；　〃that　is　the　thing　for　you　to　doif　you　can。〃

〃If　I　can？　　Is　it　difficult？〃

〃Well；　Yes；〃　Barrow　said；　〃it's　sometimes　difficultin　fact；　very
difficult。　　But　you　can　try；　and　of　course　it　will　be　best　to　try。〃

Therefore　Tracy　tried；　but　he　did　not　succeed。　　He　was　refused　admission
with　a　good　deal　of　promptness；　and　was　advised　to　go　back　home；　where　he
belonged；　not　come　here　taking　honest　men's　bread　out　of　their　mouths。
Tracy　began　to　realize　that　the　situation　was　desperate；　and　the　thought
made　him　cold　to　the　marrow。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃So　there　is　an
aristocracy　of　position　here；　and　an　aristocracy　of　prosperity；　and
apparently　there　is　also　an　aristocracy　of　the　ins　as　opposed　to　the
outs；　and　I　am　with　the　outs。　　So　the　ranks　grow　daily；　here。　　Plainly
there　are　all　kinds　of　castes　here　and　only　one　that　I　belong　to；　the
outcasts。〃　　But　he　couldn't　even　smile　at　his　small　joke；　although　he　was
obliged　to　confess　that　he　had　a　rather　good　opinion　of　it。　　He　was
feeling　so　defeated　and　miserable　by　this　time　that　he　could　no　longer
look　with　philosophical　complacency　on　the　horseplay　of　the　young　fellows
in　the　upper　rooms　at　night。　　At　first　it　had　been　pleasant　to　see　them
unbend　and　have　a　good　time　after　having　so　well　earned　it　by　the　labors
of　the　day；　but　now　it　all　rasped　upon　his　feelings　and　his　dignity。
He　lost　patience　with　the　spectacle。　　When　they　were　feeling　good；　they
shouted；　they　scuffled；　they　sang　songs；　they　romped　about　the　place　like
cattle；　and　they　generally　wound　up　with　a　pillow　fight；　in　which　they
banged　each　other　over　the　head；　and　threw　the　pillows　in　all　directions；
and　every　now　and　then　he　got　a　buffet　himself；　and　they　were　always
inviting　him　to　join　in。　　They　called　him　〃Johnny　Bull；〃　and　invited　him
with　excessive　familiarity　to　take　a　hand。　　At　first　he　had　endured　all
this　with　good　nature；　but　latterly　he　had　shown　by　his　manner　that　it
was　distinctly　distasteful　to　him；　and　very　soon　he　saw　a　change　in　the
manner　of　these　young　people　toward　him。　　They　were　souring　on　him　as
they　would　have　expressed　it　in　their　language。　　He　had　never　been　what
might　be　called　popular。　　That　was　hardly　the　phrase　for　it；　he　had
merely　been　liked；　but　now　dislike　for　him　was　growing。　　His　case　was　not
helped　by　the　fact　that　he　was　out　of　luck；　couldn't　get　work；　didn't
belong　to　a　union；　and　couldn't　gain　admission　to　one：　He　got　a　good　many
slights　of　that　small　ill…defined　sort　that　you　can't　quite　put　your
finger　on；　and　it　was　manifest　that　there　was　only　one　thing　which
protected　him　from　open　insult；　and　that　was　his　muscle。　　These　young
people　had　seen　him　exercising；　mornings；　after　his　cold　sponge　bath；
and　they　had　perceived　by　his　performance　and　the　build　of　his　body；
that　he　was　athletic；　and　also　versed　in　boxing。　　He　felt　pretty　naked
now；　recognizing　that　he　was　shorn　of　all　respect　except　respect　for　his
fists。　　One　night　when　he　entered　his　room　he　found　about　a　dozen　of　the
young　fellows　there　carrying　on　a　very　lively　conversation　punctuated
with　horse…laughter。　　The　talking　ceased　instantly；　and　the　frank　affront
of　a　dead　silence　followed。　　He　said；

〃Good　evening　gentlemen；〃　and　sat　down。

There　was　no　response。　　He　flushed　to　the　temples　but　forced　himself　to
maintain　silence。　　He　sat　there　in　this　uncomfortable　stillness　some
time；　then　got　up　and　went　out。

The　moment　he　had　disappeared　he　heard　a　prodigious　shout　of　laughter
break　forth。　　He　saw　that　their　plain　purpose　had　been　to　insult　him。
He　ascended　to　the　flat　roof；　hoping　to　be　able　to　cool　down　his　spirit
there　and　get　back　his　tranquility。　　He　found　the　young　tinner　up　there；
alone　and　brooding；　and　entered　into　conversation　with　him。　　They　were
pretty　fairly　matched；　now；　in　unpopularity　and　general　ill…luck　and
misery；　and　they　had　no　trouble　in　meeting　upon　this　common　ground　with
advantage　and　something　of　comfort　to　both。　　But　Tracy's　movements　had
been　watched；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　tormentors　came　straggling　one
after　another　to　the　roof；　where　they　began　to　stroll　up　and　down　in　an
apparently　purposeless　way。　　But　presently　they　fell　to　dropping　remarks
that　were　evidently　aimed　at　Tracy；　and　some　of　them　at　the　tinner。
The　ringleader　of　this　little　mob　was　a　short…haired　bully　and　amateur
prize…fighter　named　Allen；　who　was　accustomed　to　lording　it　over　the
upper　floor；　and　had　more　than　once　shown　a　disposition　to　make　trouble
with　Tracy。　　Now　there　was　an　occasional　cat…call；　and　hootings；　and
whistlings；　and　finally　the　diversion　of　an　exchange　of　connected　remarks
was　introduced：

〃How　many　does　it　take　to　make　a　pair？〃

〃Well；　two　generally　makes　a　pair；　but　sometimes　there　ain't　stuff　enough
in　them　to　make　a　whole　pair。〃　　General　laugh。

〃What　were　you　saying　about　the　English　a　while　ago？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；　the　English　are　all　right；　onlyI〃　　What　was　it　you　said
about　them？〃

〃Oh；　I　only　said　they　swallow　well。〃

〃Swallow　better　than　other　people？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　the　English　swallow　a　good　deal　better　than　other　people。〃

〃What　is　it　they　swallow　best？〃

〃Oh；　insults。〃　　Another　general　laugh。

〃Pretty　hard　to　make　'em　fight；　ain't　it？〃

〃No；　taint　hard　to　make　'em　fight。〃

〃Ain't　it；　really？〃

〃No；　taint　hard。　　It's　impossible。〃　　Another　laugh。

〃This　one's　kind　of　spiritless；　that's　certain。〃

〃Couldn't　be　the　other　wayin　his　case。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Don't　you　know　the　secret　of　his　birth？〃

〃No！　has　he　got　a　secret　of　his　birth？〃

〃You　bet　he　has。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃His　father　was　a　wax…figger。〃

Allen　came　strolling　by　where　the　pair　were　sitting；　stopped；　and　said　to
the　tinner；

〃How　are　you　off　for　friends；　these　days？〃

〃Well　enough　off。〃

〃Got　a　good　many？〃

〃Well；　as　many　as　I　need。〃

〃A　friend　is　valuable；　sometimes…as　a　protector；　you　know。　　What　do　you
reckon　would　happen　if　I　was　to　snatch　your　cap　off　and　slap　you　in　the
face　with　it？〃

〃Please　don't　trouble　me；　Mr。　　Allen；　I　ain't　doing　anything　to　you。〃

You　answer　me！　　What　do　you　reckon　would　happen？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。〃

Tracy　spoke　up　with　a　good　deal　of　deliberation　and　said：

〃Don't　trouble　the　young　fellow；　I　can　tell　you　what　would　happen。〃

〃Oh；　you　can；　can　you？　　Boys；　Johnny　Bull　can　tell　us　what　would　happen
if　I　was