第 10 节
作者:
淘气 更新:2024-07-17 14:41 字数:9322
respectful; not to say deferential; than was the manner of the crowd
toward him。 In his mind he framed a discouraged remark for early entry
in his diary: 〃It is of no use; they know a lord through any disguise;
and show awe of himeven something very like fear; indeed。〃
Presently one of the gaping and adoring half…circle of boys ventured a
timid question。 My lord answered it。 The boys glanced wonderingly at
each other and from somewhere fell the comment:
〃English cowboy! Well; if that ain't curious。〃
Another mental note to be preserved for the diary: 〃Cowboy。 Now what
might a cowboy be? Perhaps〃 But the viscount perceived that some more
questions were about to be asked; so he worked his way out of the crowd;
released the sleeve; put on the coat and wandered away to seek a humble
and obscure lodging。 He found it and went to bed and was soon asleep。
In the morning; he examined his clothes。 They were rather assertive; it
seemed to him; but they were new and clean; at any rate。 There was
considerable property in the pockets。 Item; five one…hundred dollar
bills。 Item; near fifty dollars in small bills and silver。 Plug of
tobacco。 Hymn…book; which refuses to open; found to contain whiskey。
Memorandum book bearing no name。 Scattering entries in it; recording in
a sprawling; ignorant hand; appointments; bets; horse…trades; and so on;
with people of strange; hyphenated nameSix…Fingered Jake; Young…Man…
afraid…of his…Shadow; and the like。 No letters; no documents。
The young man muses…maps out his course。 His letter of credit is burned;
he will borrow the small bills and the silver in these pockets; apply
part of it to advertising for the owner; and use the rest for sustenance
while he seeks work。 He sends out for the morning paper; next; and
proceeds to read about the fire。 The biggest line in the display…head
announces his own death! The body of the account furnishes all the
particulars; and tells how; with the inherited heroism of his caste; he
went on saving women and children until escape for himself was
impossible; then with the eyes of weeping multitudes upon him; he stood
with folded arms and sternly awaited the approach of the devouring fiend;
〃and so standing; amid a tossing sea of flame and on…rushing billows of
smoke; the noble young heir of the great house of Rossmore was caught up
in a whirlwind of fiery glory; and disappeared forever from the vision of
men。〃
The thing was so fine and generous and knightly that it brought the
moisture to his eyes。 Presently he said to himself: 〃What to do is as
plain as day; now。 My Lord Berkeley is deadlet him stay so。 Died
creditably; too; that will make the calamity the easier for my father。
And I don't have to report to the American Claimant; now。 Yes; nothing
could be better than the way matters have turned out。 I have only to
furnish myself with a new name; and take my new start in life totally
untrammeled。 Now I breathe my first breath of real freedom; and how
fresh and breezy and inspiring it is! At last I am a man! a man on equal
terms with my neighbor; and by my manhood; and by it alone; I shall rise
and be seen of the world; or I shall sink from sight and deserve it。
This is the gladdest day; and the proudest; that ever poured it's sun
upon my head!〃
CHAPTER VIII。
〃GOD bless my soul; Hawkins!〃
The morning paper dropped from the Colonel's nerveless…grasp。
〃What is it?〃
〃He's gone!the bright; the young; the gifted; the noblest of his
illustrious racegone! gone up in flames and unimaginable glory!〃
〃Who?〃
〃My precious; precious young kinsmanKirkcudbright Llanover Marjoribanks
Sellers Viscount Berkeley; son and heir of usurping Rossmore。〃
〃No!〃
〃It's truetoo true。〃
〃When?〃
〃Last night。〃
〃Where?〃
〃Right here in Washington; where he arrived from England last night; the
papers say。〃
〃You don't say!〃
〃Hotel burned down。〃
〃What hotel?〃
〃The New Gadsby!〃
〃Oh; my goodness! And have we lost both of them?〃
〃Both who?〃
〃One…Arm Pete。〃
〃Oh; great guns; I forgot all about him。 Oh; I hope not。〃
〃Hope! Well; I should say! Oh; we can't spare him! We can better
afford to lose a million viscounts than our only support and stay。〃
They searched the paper diligently; and were appalled to find that a one…
armed man had been seen flying along one of the halls of the hotel in his
underclothing and apparently out of his head with fright; and as he would
listen to no one and persisted in making for a stairway which would carry
him to certain death; his case was given over as a hopeless one。
〃Poor fellow;〃 sighed Hawkins; 〃and he had friends so near。 I wish we
hadn't come away from there…maybe we could have saved him。〃
The earl looked up and said calmly:
〃His being dead doesn't matter。 He was uncertain before。 We've got him
sure; this time。〃
〃Got him? How?〃
〃I will materialize him。〃
〃Rossmore; don'tdon't trifle with me。 Do you mean that? Can you do
it?〃
〃I can do it; just as sure as you are sitting there。 And I will。〃
〃Give me your hand; and let me have the comfort of shaking it。 I was
perishing; and you have put new life into me。 Get at it; oh; get at it
right away。〃
〃It will take a little time; Hawkins; but there's no hurry; none in the
worldin the circumstances。 And of course certain duties have devolved
upon me now; which necessarily claim my first attention。 This poor young
nobleman〃
〃Why; yes; I am sorry for my heartlessness; and you smitten with this new
family affliction。 Of course you must materialize him firstI quite
understand that。〃
〃IIwell; I wasn't meaning just that; but;why; what am I thinking
of! Of course I must materialize him。 Oh; Hawkins; selfishness is the
bottom trait in human nature; I was only thinking that now; with the
usurper's heir out of the way But you'll forgive that momentary weakness;
and forget it。 Don't ever remember it against me that Mulberry Sellers
was once mean enough to think the thought that I was thinking。 I'll
materialise himI will; on my honorand I'd do it were he a thousand
heirs jammed into one and stretching in a solid rank from here to the
stolen estates of Rossmore; and barring the road forever to the rightful
earl!
〃There spoke the real Sellersthe other had a false ring; old friend。〃
〃Hawkins; my boy; it just occurs to mea thing I keep forgetting to
mention…a matter that we've got to be mighty careful about。〃
〃What is that?〃
〃We must keep absolutely still about these materializations。 Mind; not a
hint of them must escapenot a hint。 To say nothing of how my wife and
daughterhigh…strung; sensitive organizationsmight feel about them;
the negroes wouldn't stay on the place a minute。〃
〃That's true; they wouldn't。 It's well you spoke; for I'm not naturally
discreet with my tongue when I'm not warned。〃
Sellers reached out and touched a bell…button in the wall; set his eye
upon the rear door and waited; touched it again and waited; and just as
Hawkins was remarking admiringly that the Colonel was the most
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 on