the american claimant-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


progressive　and　most　alert　man　he　had　ever　seen；　in　the　matter　of
impressing　into　his　service　every　modern　convenience　the　moment　it　was
invented；　and　always　keeping　breast　to　breast　with　the　drum　major　in　the
great　work　of　material　civilization；　he　forsook　the　button　（which　hadn't
any　wire　attached　to　it；）　rang　a　vast　dinner　bell　which　stood　on　the
table；　and　remarked　that　he　had　tried　that　new…fangled　dry　battery；　now；
to　his　entire　satisfaction；　and　had　got　enough　of　it；　and　added：

〃Nothing　would　do　Graham　Bell　but　I　must　try　it；　said　the　mere　fact　of　my
trying　it　would　secure　public　confidence；　and　get　it　a　chance　to　show
what　it　could　do。　　I　told　him　that　in　theory　a　dry　battery　was　just　a
curled　darling　and　no　mistake；　but　when　it　come　to　practice；　sho！and
here's　the　result。　　Was　I　right？　　What　should　you　say；　Washington
Hawkins？　　You've　seen　me　try　that　button　twice。　　Was　I　right？that's　the
idea。　　Did　I　know　what　I　was　talking　about；　or　didn't　I？〃

〃Well；　you　know　how　I　feel　about　you；　Colonel　Sellers；　and　always　have
felt。　　It　seems　to　me　that　you　always　know　everything　about　everything。
If　that　man　had　known　you　as　I　know　you　he　would　have　taken　your　judgment
at　the　start；　and　dropped　his　dry　battery　where　it　was。〃

〃Did　you　ring；　Marse　Sellers？〃

〃No；　Marse　Sellers　didn't。〃

〃Den　it　was　you；　Marse　Washington。　　I's　heah；　suh。〃

〃No；　it　wasn't　Marse　Washington；　either。〃

〃De　good　lan'！　who　did　ring　her；　den？〃

〃Lord　Rossmore　rang　it！〃

The　old　negro　flung　up　his　hands　and　exclaimed：

〃Blame　my　skin　if　I　hain't　gone　en　forgit　dat　name　agin！　　Come　heah；
Jinnyrun　heah；　honey。〃

Jinny　arrived。

〃You　take　dish…yer　order　de　lord　gwine　to　give　you　I's　gwine　down　suller
and　study　dat　name　tell　I　git　it。〃

〃I　take　de　order！　　Who's　yo'　nigger　las'　year？　　De　bell　rung　for　you。〃

〃Dat　don't　make　no　diffunce。　　When　a　bell　ring　for　anybody；　en　old
marster　tell　me　to〃

〃Clear　out；　and　settle　it　in　the　kitchen！〃

The　noise　of　the　quarreling　presently　sank　to　a　murmur　in　the　distance；
and　the　earl　added：　〃That's　a　trouble　with　old　house　servants　that　were
your　slaves　once　and　have　been　your　personal　friends　always。〃

〃Yes；　and　members　of　the　family。〃

〃Members　of　the　family　is　just　what　they　becomeTHE　members　of　the
family；　in　fact。　　And　sometimes　master　and　mistress　of　the　household。
These　two　are　mighty　good　and　loving　and　faithful　and　honest；　but　hang
it；　they　do　just　about　as　they　please；　they　chip　into　a　conversation
whenever　they　want　to；　and　the　plain　fact　is；　they　ought　to　be　killed。〃

It　was　a　random　remark；　but　it　gave　him　an　ideahowever；　nothing　could
happen　without　that　result。

〃What　I　wanted；　Hawkins；　was　to　send　for　the　family　and　break　the　news　to
them。〃

〃O；　never　mind　bothering　with　the　servants；　then。　　I　will　go　and　bring
them　down。〃

While　he　was　gone；　the　earl　worked　his　idea。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃when　I've　got　the　materializing　down　to　a
certainty；　I　will　get　Hawkins　to　kill　them；　and　after　that　they　will　be
under　better　control。　　Without　doubt　a　materialized　negro　could　easily　be
hypnotized　into　a　state　resembling　silence。　　And　this　could　be　made
permanentyes；　and　also　modifiable；　at　willsometimes　very　silent；
sometimes　turn　on　more　talk；　more　action；　more　emotion；　according　to　what
you　want。　　It's　a　prime　good　idea。　　Make　it　adjustablewith　a　screw　or
something。〃

The　two　ladies　entered；　now；　with　Hawkins；　and　the　two　negroes　followed；
uninvited；　and　fell　to　brushing　and　dusting　around；　for　they　perceived
that　there　was　matter　of　interest　to　the　fore；　and　were　willing　to　find
out　what　it　was。

Sellers　broke　the；　news　with　stateliness　and　ceremony；　first　warning　the
ladies；　with　gentle　art；　that　a　pang　of　peculiar　sharpness　was　about　to
be　inflicted　upon　their　heartshearts　still　sore　from　a　like　hurt；　still
lamenting　a　like　lossthen　he　took　the　paper；　and　with　trembling　lips
and　with　tears　in　his　voice　he　gave　them　that　heroic　death…picture。

The　result　was　a　very　genuine　outbreak　of　sorrow　and　sympathy　from　all
the　hearers。　　The　elder　lady　cried；　thinking　how　proud　that　great…hearted
young　hero's　mother　would　be；　if　she　were　living；　and　how　unappeasable
her　grief；　and　the　two　old　servants　cried　with　her；　and　spoke　out　their
applauses　and　their　pitying　lamentations　with　the　eloquent　sincerity　and
simplicity　native　to　their　race。　　Gwendolen　was　touched；　and　the　romantic
side　of　her　nature　was　strongly　wrought　upon。　　She　said　that　such　a
nature　as　that　young　man's　was　rarely　and　truly　noble；　and　nearly
perfect；　and　that　with　nobility　of　birth　added　it　was　entirely　perfect。
For　such　a　man　she　could　endure　all　things；　suffer　all　things；　even　to
the　sacrificing　of　her　life。　　She　wished　she　could　have　seen　him；　the
slightest；　the　most　momentary；　contact　with　such　a　spirit　would　have
ennobled　her　own　character　and　made　ignoble　thoughts　and　ignoble　acts
thereafter　impossible　to　her　forever。

〃Have　they　found　the　body；　Rossmore？〃　asked　the　wife。

〃Yes；　that　is；　they've　found　several。　　It　must　be　one　of　them；　but　none
of　them　are　recognizable。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　am　going　down　there　and　identify　one　of　them　and　send　it　home　to　the
stricken　father。〃

〃But　papa；　did　you　ever　see　the　young　man？〃

〃No；　Gwendolen…why？〃

〃How　will　you　identify　it？〃

〃Iwell；　you　know　it　says　none　of　them　are　recognizable。　　I'll　send　his
father　one　of　themthere's　probably　no　choice。〃

Gwendolen　knew　it　was　not　worth　while　to　argue　the　matter　further；　since
her　father's　mind　was　made　up　and　there　was　a　chance　for　him　to　appear
upon　that　sad　scene　down　yonder　in　an　authentic　and　official　way。　　So　she
said　no　moretill　he　asked　for　a　basket。

〃A　basket；　papa？　　What　for？〃

〃It　might　be　ashes。〃




CHAPTER　IX。

The　earl　and　Washington　started　on　the　sorrowful　errand；　talking　as　they
walked。

〃And　as　usual！〃

〃What；　Colonel？〃

〃Seven　of　them　in　that　hotel。　　Actresses。　　And　all　burnt　out；　of
course。〃

〃Any　of　them　burnt　up？〃

〃Oh；　no　they　escaped；　they　always　do；　but　there's　never　a　one　of　them
that　knows　enough　to　fetch　out　her　jewelry　with　her。〃

〃That's　strange。〃

〃Strangeit's　the　most　unaccountable　thing　in　the　world。　　Experience
teaches　them　nothing；　they　can't　seem　to　learn　anything　except　out　of　a
book。　　In　some　uses　there's　manifestly　a　fatality　about　it。　　For
instance；　take　What's…her…name；　that　plays　those　sensational　thunder　and
lightning　parts。　　She's　got　a　perfectly　immense　reputationdraws　like　a
dog…fightand　it　all　came　from　getting　burnt　out　in　hotels。〃

〃Why；　how　could　that　give　her　a　reputation　as　an　actress？〃

〃It　didn'tit　only　made　her　name　familiar。　　People　want　to　see　her　play
because　her　name　is　familiar；　but　they　don't　know　what　made　it　familiar；
because　they　don't　remember。　　First；　she　was　at　the　bottom　of　the
ladder；　and　absolutely　obscure　wages　thirteen　dollars　a　week　and　find　her
own　pads。〃

〃Pads？〃

〃Yes…things　to　fat　up　her　spindles　with　so　as　to　be　plump　and　attractive。
Well；　she　got　burnt　out　in　a　hotel　and　lost　30；000　worth　of　diamonds。〃

〃She？　　Where'd　she　get　them？〃

〃Goodness　knowsgiven　to　her；　no　doubt；　by　spoony　young　flats　and　sappy
old　bald…heads　in　the　front　row。　　All　the　papers　were　full　of　it。　　She
struck　for　higher　pay　and　got　it。　　Well；　she　got　burnt　out　again　and　lost
all　her　diamonds；　and　it　gave　her　such　a　lift　that　she　went　starring。〃

〃Well；　if　hotel　fires　are　all　she's　got　to　depend　on　to　keep　up　her　name；
it's　a　pretty　precarious　kind　of　a　reputation　I　should　think。〃

〃Not　with　her。　　No；　anything　but　that。　　Because　she's　so　lucky；　born
lucky；　I　reckon。　　Every　time　there's　a　hotel　fire　she's　in　it。　　She's
always　thereand　if　she　can't　be　there　herself；　her　diamonds　are。　　Now
you　can't　make　anything　out　of　that　but　just　sheer　luck。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。　　She　must　have　lost　quarts　of　diamonds。〃

〃Quarts；　she's　lost　bushels　of　them。　　It's　got　so　that　the　hotels　are
superstitious　about　her。　　They　won't　let　her　in。　　They　think　there　will
be　a　fire；　and　besides；　if　she's　there　it　cancels　the　insurance。　　She's
been　waning　a　little　lately；　but　this　fire　will　set　her　up。　　She　lost
60；000　worth　last　night。〃

〃I　think　she's　a　fool。　　If　I　had　60；000　worth　of　diamonds　I　wouldn't
trust　them　in　a　hotel。〃

〃I　wouldn't　either；　but　you　can't　teach　an　actress　that。　　This　one's　been
burnt　out　thirty…five　times。　　And　yet　if　there's　a　hotel　fire　in　San
Francisco　to…night　she's　got　to　bleed　again；　you　mark　my　words。　　Perfect
ass；　they　say　she's　got　diamonds　in　every　hotel　in　the　country。〃

When　they　arrived　at　the　scene　of　the　fire　the　poor　old　earl　took　one
glimpse　at　the　melancholy　morgue　and　turned　away　his　face　overcome　by　the
spectacle。　　He　said：

〃It　is　too　true；　Hawkinsrecognition　is　impossible；　not　one　of　the　five
could　be　identified　by　its　nearest　friend。　　You　make　the　selection；　I
can't　bear　it。〃

〃Which　one　had　I　better〃

〃Oh；　take　any　of　them。　　Pick　out　the　best　one。〃

However；　the　officers　assured　the　earlfor　they　knew　him；　everybody　in
Washington　knew　himthat　the　position　in　which　these　bodies　were　found
made　it　impossible　that　any　one　of　them　could　be　that　of　his　noble　young
kinsman。　　They　pointed　out　the　spot　where；　if　the　newspaper　account　was
correct；　he　must　have　sunk　down　to　destruction；　and　at　a　wide　distance
from　this　spot　they　showed　him　where　the　young　man　must　have　gone　down　in
case　he　was　suffocated　in　his　room；　and　they　showed　him　still　a　third
place；　quite　remote；　where　he　might　possibly　have　found　his　death　if
perchance　he　tried　to　escape　by　the　side　exit　toward　the　rear。　　The　old
Colonel　brushed　away　a　tear　and　said　to　Hawkins：

〃As　it　turns　out　there　was　something　prophetic　in　my　fears。　　Yes；　it's　a
matter　of　ashes。　　Will　you　kindly　step　to　a　grocery　and　fetch　a　couple
more　baskets？〃

Reverently　they　got　a　basket　of　ashes　from　each　of　those　now　hallowed
spots；　and　carried　them　home　to　consult　as　to　the　best　manner　of
forwarding　them　to　England；　and　also　to　give　them　an　opportunity　to　〃lie
in　state；〃a　mark　of　respect　which　the　colonel　deemed　obligatory；
considering　the　high　rank　of　the　deceased。

They　set　the　baskets　on　the　table　in　what　was　formerly　the　library；
drawing…room　and　workshopnow　the　Hall　of　Audienceand　went　up　stairs
to　the　lumber　room　to　see　if　they　could　find　a　British　flag　to　use　as　a
part　of　the　outfit　proper　to　the　lying　in　state。　　A　moment　later；　Lady
Rossmore　came　in　from　the　street　and　caught　sight　of　the　baskets　just　as
old　Jinny　crossed　her　field　of　vision。　　She　quite　lost　her　patience　and
said：

〃Well；　what　will　you　do　next？　　What　in　the　world　possessed　you　to　clutter
up　the　parlor　table　with　these　baskets　of　ashes？〃

〃Ashes？〃　　And　she　came　to　look。　　She　put　up　her　hands　in　pathetic
astonishment。　　〃Well；　I　never　see　de　like！〃

〃Didn't　you　do　it？〃

〃Who；　me？　　Clah　to　goodness　it's　de　fust　time　I've　sot　eyes　on　'em；　Miss
Polly。　　Dat's　Dan'l。　　Dat　ole　moke　is　losin'　his　mine。〃

But　it　wasn't　Dan'l；　for　he　was　called；　and　denied　it。

〃Dey　ain't　no　way　to　'splain　dat。　　Wen　hit's　one　er　dese…yer　common
'currences；　a　body　kin　reckon　maybe　de　cat〃

〃Oh！〃　and　a　shudder　shook　Lady　Rossmore　to　her　foundations。