the lost road-第34章

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rocks　of　the　river；　the　hot；　stale　air　was　spanked　with　sharp　reports。
In　Camaguay　theirs　was　the　only　industry；　the　only　sign　of
cleanliness；　and　recognizing　that　another　shirt　had　been　thrashed
into　subjection　and　rags；　Everett　winced。　　No　less　visibly　did　his
own　thoughts　cause　him　to　wince。　　Garland　he　had　forgotten；
and　he　was　sunk　deep　in　self…pity。　　His　thoughts　were　of　London；
with　its　world　politics；　its　splendid　traditions；　its　great　and　gracious
ladies；　of　Paris　in　the　spring　sunshine；　when　he　cantered　through　the
Bois；　of　Madrid；　with　its　pomp　and　royalty；　and　the　gray　walls　of　its
galleries　proclaiming　Murillo　and　Velasquez。　　These　things　he　had
forsaken　because　he　believed　he　was　ambitious；　and　behold　into
what　a　cul…de…sac　his　ambition　had　led　him！　A　comic…opera　country
that　was　not　comic；　but　dead　and　buried　from　the　world；　a　savage
people；　unread；　unenlightened；　unclean；　and　for　society　of　his
countrymen；　pitiful　derelicts　in　hiding　from　the　law。　In　his　soul
he　rebelled。　In　words　he　exploded　bitterly。

〃This　is　one　hell　of　a　hole；　Garland；〃　cried　the　diplomat。　　His
jaws　and　his　eyes　hardened。　　〃I'm　going　back　to　Europe。　　And
the　only　way　I　can　go　is　to　get　that　treaty。　　I　was　sent　here　to　get
it。　　Those　were　my　orders。　　And　I'll　get　it　if　I　have　to　bribe　them
out　of　my　own　pocket；　if　I　have　to　outbid　Mr。　Ward；　and　send
him　and　your　good　Colonel　Goddard　and　all　the　rest　of　the　crew
to　the　jails　where　they　belong！〃

Garland　heard　him　without　emotion。　　From　long　residence　near　the
equator　he　diagnosed　the　outbreak　as　a　case　of　tropic　choler；
aggravated　by　nostalgia　and　fleas。

〃I'll　bet　you　don't；〃　he　said。

〃I'll　bet　you　your　passage…money　home；〃　shouted　Everett；　〃against
my　passage…money　to　Europe。〃

〃Done！〃　said　Garland。　〃How　much　time　do　you　wanttwo　years？〃

The　diplomat　exclaimed　mockingly：

〃Two　months！〃

〃I　win　now；　〃said　the　consul。　〃I'll　go　home　and　pack。〃

The　next　morning　his　clerk　told　Everett　that　in　the　outer　office
Monica　Ward　awaited　him。

Overnight　Everett　had　developed　a　prejudice　against　Miss　Ward。
What　Garland　had　said　in　her　favor　had　only　driven　him　the　wrong
way。　　Her　universal　popularity　he　disliked。　　He　argued　that　to　gain
popularity　one　must　concede　and　capitulate。　　He　felt　that　the　sister
of　an　acknowledged　crook；　no　matter　how　innocent　she　might　be；
were　she　a　sensitive　woman；　would　wish　to　efface　herself。　　And
he　had　found　that；　as　a　rule；　women　who　worked　in　hospitals　and
organized　societies　bored　him。　　He　did　not　admire　the　militant；
executive　sister。　　He　pictured　Miss　Ward　as　probably　pretty；　but
with　the　coquettish　effrontery　of　the　village　belle　and　with　the
pushing；　〃good…fellow〃　manners　of　the　new　school。　　He　was　prepared
either　to　have　her　slap　him　on　the　back　or；　from　behind　tilted
eye…glasses；　make　eyes　at　him。　　He　was　sure　she　wore　eye…glasses；
and　was　large；　plump；　and　Junoesque。　　With　reluctance　he　entered
the　outer　office。　　He　saw；　all　in　white；　a　girl　so　young　that　she
was　hardly　more　than　a　child；　but　with　the　tall；　slim　figure　of　a
boy。　　Her　face　was　lovely　as　the　face　of　a　violet；　and　her　eyes
were　as　shy。　　But　shy　not　through　lack　of　confidence　in　Everett；
nor　in　any　human　being；　but　in　herself。　　They　seemed　to　say；　〃I　am
a　very　unworthy；　somewhat　frightened　young　person；　but　you；　who
are　so　big　and　generous；　will　overlook　that；　and　you　are　going　to
be　my　friend。　　Indeed；　I　see　you　are　my　friend。〃

Everett　stood　quite　still。　　He　nodded　gloomily。

〃Garland　was　right；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　do！〃

The　young　lady　was　plainly　distressed。

〃Do　what？〃　she　stammered。

〃Some　day　I　will　tell　you；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃Yes；〃　he　added；
without　shame；　〃I　am　afraid　I　will。〃　　He　bowed　her　into　the　inner
office。

〃I　am　sorry；〃　apologized　Monica；　〃but　I　am　come　to　ask　a　favor
two　favors；　one　of　you　and　one　of　the　American　minister。〃

Everett　drew　his　armchair　from　his　desk　and　waved　Monica　into　it。

〃I　was　sent　here；〃　he　said；　〃to　do　exactly　what　you　want。　　The
last　words　the　President　addressed　to　me　were；　'On　arriving　at
your　post　report　to　Miss　Monica　Ward。〃'

Fearfully；　Monica　perched　herself　on　the　edge　of　the　armchair；　as
though　for　protection　she　clasped　the　broad　table　before　her。

〃The　favor　I　want；〃　she　hastily　assured　him；　〃is　not　for　myself。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　Everett；　〃for　it　is　already　granted。〃

〃You　are　very　good；〃　protested　Monica。

〃No；〃　replied　Everett；　〃I　am　only　powerful。　　I　represent　ninety…five
million　Americans；　and　they　are　all　entirely　at　your　service。　　So　is
the　army　and　navy。〃

Monica　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　　The　awe　she　felt　was　due　an
American　minister　was　rapidly　disappearing；　and　in　Mr。　Everett
himself　her　confidence　was　increasing。　　The　other　ministers
plenipotentiary　she　had　seen　at　Camaguay　had　been　old；　with
beards　like　mountain…goats；　and　had　worn　linen　dusters。　　They
always　were　very　red　in　the　face　and　very　damp。　　Monica　decided
Mr。　Everett　also　was　old；　she　was　sure　he　must　be　at　least
thirty…five；　but　in　his　silk　pongee　and　pipe…clayed　tennis…shoes
he　was　a　refreshing　spectacle。　　Just　to　look　at　him　turned　one
quite　cool。

〃We　have　a　very　fine　line　of　battle…ships　this　morning　at
Guantanamo；〃　urged　Everett；　〃if　you　want　one　I'll　cable　for　it。〃

Monica　laughed　softly。　　It　was　good　to　hear　nonsense　spoken。　　The
Amapalans　had　never　learned　it；　and　her　brother　said　just　what　he
meant　and　no　more。

〃Our　sailors　were　here　once；〃　Monica　volunteered。　　She　wanted
Mr。　Everett　to　know　he　was　not　entirely　cut　off　from　the　world。
〃During　the　revolution；〃　she　explained。　　〃We　were　so　glad　to　see
them；　they　made　us　all　feel　nearer　home。　　They　set　up　our　flag　in
the　plaza；　and　the　color…guard　let　me　photograph　it；　with　them
guarding　it。　　And　when　they　marched　away　the　archbishop　stood
on　the　cathedral　steps　and　blessed　them；　and　we　rode　out　along　the
trail　to　where　it　comes　to　the　jungle。　　And　then　we　waved　good…by；
and　they　cheered　us。　　We　all　cried。〃

For　a　moment；　quite　unconsciously；　Monica　gave　an　imitation　of
how　they　all　cried。　　It　made　the　appeal　of　the　violet　eyes　even　more
disturbing。
〃Don't　you　love　our　sailors？〃　begged　Monica。

Fearful　of　hurting　the　feelings　of　others；　she　added　hastily；
〃And；　of　course；　our　marines；　too。〃

Everett　assured　her　if　there　was　one　thing　that　meant　more　to　him
than　all　else；　it　was　an　American　bluejacket；　and　next　to　him　an
American　leatherneck。

It　took　a　long　time　to　arrange　the　details　of　the　Red　Cross
Society。　　In　spite　of　his　reputation　for　brilliancy；　it　seemed　to
Monica　Mr。　Everett　had　a　mind　that　plodded。　　For　his　benefit　it
was　necessary　several　times　to　repeat　the　most　simple　proposition。
She　was　sure　his　inability　to　fasten　his　attention　on　her　League
of　Mercy　was　because　his　brain　was　occupied　with　problems　of
state。　　It　made　her　feel　selfish　and　guilty。　　When　his　visitor
decided　that　to　explain　further　was　but　to　waste　his　valuable
time　and　had　made　her　third　effort　to　go；　Everett　went　with　her。
He　suggested　that　she　take　him　to　the　hospital　and　introduce　him
to　the　sisters。　　He　wanted　to　talk　to　them　about　the　Red　Cross
League。　　It　was　a　charming　walk。　　Every　one　lifted　his　hat　to
Monica；　the　beggars；　the　cab…drivers；　the　barefooted　policemen；
and　the　social　lights　of　Camaguay　on　the　sidewalks　in　front　of
the　cafes　rose　and　bowed。

〃It　is　like　walking　with　royalty！〃　exclaimed　Everett。

While　at　the　hospital　he　talked　to　the　Mother　Superiorhis　eyes
followed　Monica。　　As　she　moved　from　cot　to　cot　he　noted　how
the　younger　sisters　fluttered　happily　around　her；　like　bridesmaids
around　a　bride；　and　how　as　she　passed；　the　eyes　of　those　in　the
cots　followed　her　jealously；　and　after　she　had　spoken　with　them
smiled　in　content。

〃She　is　good；〃　the　Mother　Superior　was　saying；　〃and　her　brother；
too；　is　very　good。〃

Everett　had　forgotten　the　brother。　　With　a　start　he　lifted　his　eyes
and　found　the　Mother　Superior　regarding　him。

〃He　is　very　good；〃　she　repeated。　　〃For　us；　he　built　this　wing　of
the　hospital。　　It　was　his　money。　　We　should　be　very　sorry　if　any
harm　came　to　Mr。　Ward。　　Without　his　help　we　would　starve。〃　　She
smiled；　and　with　a　gesture　signifie