the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第16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！
walked the streets or sat in the hotel corridor waiting impatiently for each
fresh edition of the papers。 In them he read the signs of the great
upheaval of popular feeling that was to restore peace and health and plenty
to the island for which he had given his last three years of energy and life。
He was trembling with excitement； as well as with the cold； when at
ten o'clock precisely he stood at Senator Stanton's door。 He had forgotten
to eat his dinner； and the warmth of the dimly lit hall and the odor of rich
64
… Page 65…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
food which was wafted from an inner room touched his senses with
tantalizing comfort。
〃The senator says you are to come this way； sir；〃 the servant directed。
He took Arkwright's valise from his hand and parted the heavy curtains
that hid the dining…room； and Arkwright stepped in between them and then
stopped in some embarrassment。 He found himself in the presence of a
number of gentlemen seated at a long dinner…table； who turned their heads
as he entered and peered at him through the smoke that floated in light
layers above the white cloth。 The dinner had been served； but the
senator's guests still sat with their chairs pushed back from a table lighted
by candles under yellow shades； and covered with beautiful flowers and
with bottles of varied sizes in stands of quaint and intricate design。
Senator Stanton's tall figure showed dimly through the smoke； and his
deep voice hailed Arkwright cheerily from the farther end of the room。
〃This way； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said。 〃I have a chair waiting for you
here。〃 He grasped Arkwright's hand warmly and pulled him into the
vacant place at his side。 An elderly gentleman on Arkwright's other side
moved to make more room for him and shoved a liqueur glass toward him
with a friendly nod and pointed at an open box of cigars。 He was a fine…
looking man； and Arkwright noticed that he was regarding him with a
glance of the keenest interest。 All of those at the table were men of twice
Arkwright's age； except Livingstone； whom he recognized and who
nodded to him pleasantly and at the same time gave an order to a servant；
pointing at Arkwright as he did so。 Some of the gentlemen wore their
business suits； and one opposite Arkwright was still in his overcoat； and
held his hat in his hand。 These latter seemed to have arrived after the
dinner had begun； for they formed a second line back of those who had
places at the table； they all seemed to know one another and were talking
with much vivacity and interest。
Stanton did not attempt to introduce Arkwright to his guests
individually； but said： 〃Gentlemen； this is Mr。 Arkwright； of whom I
have been telling you； the young gentleman who has done such
magnificent work for the cause of Cuba。〃 Those who caught Arkwright's
eye nodded to him； and others raised their glasses at him； but with a smile
65
… Page 66…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
that he could not understand。 It was as though they all knew something
concerning him of which he was ignorant。 He noted that the faces of
some were strangely familiar； and he decided that he must have seen their
portraits in the public prints。 After he had introduced Arkwright； the
senator drew his chair slightly away from him and turned in what seemed
embarrassment to the man on his other side。 The elderly gentleman next
to Arkwright filled his glass； a servant placed a small cup of coffee at his
elbow； and he lit a cigar and looked about him。
〃You must find this weather very trying after the tropics；〃 his neighbor
said。
Arkwright assented cordially。 The brandy was flowing through his
veins and warming him； he forgot that he was hungry； and the kind；
interested glances of those about him set him at his ease。 It was a
propitious start； he thought； a pleasant leave…taking for the senator and
himself； full of good will and good wishes。
He turned toward Stanton and waited until he had ceased speaking。
〃The papers have begun well； haven't they？〃 he asked； eagerly。
He had spoken in a low voice； almost in a whisper； but those about the
table seemed to have heard him； for there was silence instantly and when
he glanced up he saw the eyes of all turned upon him and he noticed on
their faces the same smile he had seen there when he entered。
〃Yes；〃 Stanton answered constrainedly。 〃Yes； I〃 he lowered his
voice； but the silence still continued。 Stanton had his eyes fixed on the
table； but now he frowned and half rose from his chair。
〃I want to speak with you； Arkwright；〃 he said。 〃Suppose we go into
the next room。 I'll be back in a moment；〃 he added； nodding to the
others。
But the man on his right removed his cigar from his lips and said in an
undertone； 〃No； sit down； stay where you are；〃 and the elderly gentleman
at Arkwright's side laid his hand detainingly on his arm。 〃Oh； you won't
take Mr。 Arkwright away from us； Stanton？〃 he asked； smiling。
Stanton shrugged his shoulders and sat down again； and there was a
moment's pause。 It was broken by the man in the overcoat； who laughed。
〃He's paying you a compliment； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said。 He pointed
66
… Page 67…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
with his cigar to the gentleman at Arkwright's side。
〃I don't understand；〃 Arkwright answered doubtfully。
〃It's a compliment to your eloquencehe's afraid to leave you alone
with the senator。 Livingstone's been telling us that you are a better talker
than Stanton。〃 Arkwright turned a troubled countenance toward the men
about the table； and then toward Livingstone； but that young man had his
eyes fixed gravely on the glasses before him and did not raise them。
Arkwright felt a sudden； unreasonable fear of the circle of strong…
featured； serene and confident men about him。 They seemed to be
making him the subject of a jest； to be enjoying something among
themselves of which he was in ignorance； but which concerned him
closely。 He turned a white face toward Stanton。
〃You don't mean；〃 he began piteously； 〃thatthat you are not going？
Is that ittell meis that what you wanted to say？〃
Stanton shifted in his chair and muttered some words between his lips；
then turned toward Arkwright and spoke quite clearly and distinctly。
〃I am very sorry； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said； 〃but I am afraid I'll have to
disappoint you。 Reasons I cannot now explain have arisen which make
my going impossiblequite impossible；〃 he added firmly〃not only now；
but later；〃 he went on quickly； as Arkwright was about to interrupt him。
Arkwright made no second attempt to speak。 He felt the muscles of
his face working and the tears coming to his eyes； and to hide his
weakness he twisted in his chair and sat staring ahead of him with his back
turned to the table。 He heard Livingstone's voice break the silence with
some hurried question； and immediately his embarrassment was hidden in
a murmur of answers and the moving of glasses as the men shifted in their
chairs and the laughter and talk went on as briskly as before。 Arkwright
saw a sideboard before him and a servant arranging some silver on one of
the shelves。 He watched the man do this with a concentrated interest as
though the dull； numbed feeling in his brain caught at the trifle in order to
put off； as long as possible； the consideration of the truth。
And then beyond the sideboard and the tapestry on the wall above it；
he saw the sun shining down upon the island of Cuba； he saw the royal
palms waving and bending； the dusty columns of Spanish infantry
67
… Page 68…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
crawling along the white roads and leaving blazing huts and smoking
cane…fields in their wake； he saw skeletons of men and women seeking for
food among the refuse of the street； he heard the order given to the firing
squad； the splash of the bullets as they scattered the plaster on the prison
wall； and he saw a kneeling figure pitch forward on its face； with a useless
bandage tied across its sightless eyes。
Senator Stanton brought him back with a sharp shake of the shoulder。
He had also turned his back on the others； and was leaning forward with
his elbows on his knees。 He spoke rapidly； and in a voice only slightly
raised above a whisper。
〃I am more than sorry； Arkwright；〃 he said earnestly。 〃You mustn't
blame me altogether。 I have had a hard time of it this afternoon。 I
wanted to go。 I really wanted to go。 The thing appealed to me； it
touched me； it seemed as if I owed it to myself to do it。 But they were
too many for me；〃 he added with a backward toss of his head toward the
men around his table。
〃If the papers had not told on me I could have got well away；〃 he went
on in an eager tone； 〃but as soon as they read of it； they came here straight
from their offices。 You know who they are； don't you？〃 he asked； and
even in his earnestness there was an added touch of importance in his tone
as he spoke the name of his party's leader； of men who stood prominently
in Wall Street and who were at the head of great trusts。
〃You see how it is；〃 he said with a shrug of his shoulders。 〃They
have enormous interests at stake。 They said I would drag them into war；
that I would disturb values； that the business interests of the country would
suffer。
