billy and the big stick-第4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！


trunk　open　I'll　join　you　in　your　room。〃

In　the　cafe；　over　the　telephone；　Billy　addressed　himself　to　the
field…marshal　in　charge　of　the　cable　office。　When　Billy　gave　his
name；　the　voice　of　that　dignitary　became　violently　agitated。

〃Monsieur　Barlow；〃　he　demanded；　〃　do　you　know　that　the　war…　ship
for　which　you　cabled　your　Secretary　of　State　makes　herself　to
arrive？〃

At　the　other　end　of　the　'phone；　although　restrained　by　the　confines
of　the　booth；　Billy　danced　joyously。　But　his　voice　was　stern。

〃Naturally；〃　he　replied。　〃Where　is　she　now？〃

An　hour　before；　so　the　field…marshal　informed　him；　the　battle…ship
LOUISIANA　had　been　sighted　and　by　telegraph　reported。　She　was
approaching　under　forced　draft。　At　any　moment　she　might　anchor　in
the　outer　harbor。　Of　this　President　Ham　had　been　informed。　He　was
grieved；　indignant；　he　was　also　at　a　loss　to　understand。

〃It　is　very　simple；〃　explained　Billy。　〃She　probably　was　somewhere
in　the　Windward　Passage。　When　the　Secretary　got　my　message　he
cabled　Guantanamo；　and　Guantanamo　wired　the　war…　ship　nearest
Port…au…Prince。〃

〃President　Poussevain；　warned　the　field　marshal；　〃is　greatly
disturbed。〃

〃Tell　him　not　to　worry；〃　said　Billy。　〃Tell　him　when　the　bombardment
begins　I　will　see　that　the　palace　is　outside　the　zone　of　fire。〃

As　Billy　entered　the　room　of　St。　Clair　his　eyes　shone　with　a
strange　light。　His　manner；　which　toward　a　man　of　his　repute　St。
Clair　had　considered　a　little　too　casual；　was　now　enthusiastic；
almost　affectionate。

〃My　dear　St。　Clair；〃　cried　Billy；　〃I'VE　FIXED　IT！　But；　until　I　was
SURE；　I　didn't　want　to　raise　your　hopes！〃

〃Hopes　of　what？〃　demanded　the　actor。

〃An　audience　with　the　president！〃　cried　Billy。　〃I've　just　called
him　up　and　he　says　I'm　to　bring　you　to　the　palace　at　once。　He's
heard　of　you；　of　course；　and　he's　very　pleased　to　meet　you。　I　told
him　about　'The　Man　Behind　the　Gun；'　and　he　says　you　must　come　in
your　makeup　as　'Lieutenant　Hardy；　U。S。A。；'　just　as　he'll　see　you　on
the　screen。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　stammered　delightedly。

〃In　uniform；〃　he　protested；　〃won't　that　be〃

〃White；　special　full　dress；〃　insisted　Billy。　〃Medals；　side…　arms；
full…dress　belt；　and　gloves。　What　a　press　story！　'The　King　of　the
Movies　Meets　the　President　of　Hayti！'　Of　course；　he's　only　an
ignorant　negro；　but　on　Broadway　they　don't　know　that；　and　it　will
sound　fine！〃　St。　Clair　coughed　nervously。

〃DON'T　forget；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　can't　speak　French；　or　understand
it；　either。〃

The　eyes　of　Billy　became　as　innocent　as　those　of　a　china　doll。

〃Then　I'll　interpret；〃　he　said。　〃And；　oh；　yes；〃　he　added；　〃he's
sending　two　of　the　palace　soldiers　to　act　as　an　escort…　sort　of
guard　of　honor！〃

The　King　of　the　Movies　chuckled　excitedly。

〃Fine！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　ARE　a　brick！〃

With　trembling　fingers　he　began　to　shed　his　outer　garments。

To　hide　his　own　agitation　Billy　walked　to　the　window　and　turned　his
back。　Night　had　fallen　and　the　electric　lights；　that　once　had　been
his　care；　sprang　into　life。　Billy　looked　at　his　watch。　It　was　seven
o'clock。　The　window　gave　upon　the　harbor；　and　a　mile　from　shore　he
saw　the　cargo　lights　of　the　PRINZ　DER　NEDERLANDEN；　and　slowly
approaching；　as　though　feeling　for　her　berth；　a　great　battle…ship。
When　Billy　turned　from　the　window　his　voice　was　apparently
undisturbed。

〃We've　got　to　hurry；〃　he　said。　〃The　LOUISIANA　is　standing　in。
She'll　soon　be　sending　a　launch　for　you。　We've　just　time　to　drive
to　the　palace　and　back　before　the　launch　gets　here。〃

From　his　mind　President　Ham　had　dismissed　all　thoughts　of　the
war…ship　that　had　been　sighted　and　that　now　had　come　to　anchor。　For
the　moment　he　was　otherwise　concerned。　Fate　could　not　harm　him；　he
was　about　to　dine。

But；　for　the　first　time　in　the　history　of　his　administration；　that
solemn　ceremony　was　rudely　halted。　An　excited　aide；　trembling　at
his　own　temerity；　burst　upon　the　president's　solitary　state。

In　the　anteroom；　he　announced；　an　officer　from　the　battle…　ship
LOUISIANA　demanded　instant　audience。

For　a　moment；　transfixed　in　amazement；　anger；　and　alarm　President
Ham　remained　seated。　Such　a　visit；　uninvited；　was　against　all
tradition；　it　was　an　affront；　an　insult。　But　that　it　was　against
all　precedent　argued　some　serious　necessity。　He　decided　it　would　be
best　to　receive　the　officer。　Besides；　to　continue　his　dinner　was
now　out　of　the　question。　Both　appetite　and　digestion　had　fled　from
him。

In　the　anteroom　Billy　was　whispering　final　instructions　to　St。
Clair。

〃Whatever　happens；〃　he　begged；　〃don't　LAUGH！　Don't　even　smile
politely！　He's　very　ignorant；　you　see；　and　he's　sensitive。　When　he
meets　foreigners　and　can't　understand　their　language；　he's　always
afraid　if　they　laugh　that　he's　made　a　break　and　that　they're
laughing　at　HIM。　So；　be　solemn；　look　grave；　look　haughty！〃

〃I　got　you！〃　assented　St。　Clair。　〃　I'm　to　'register'　pride。〃

〃Exactly！〃　said　Billy。　〃The　more　pride　you　register；　the　better　for
us。〃

Inwardly　cold　with　alarm；　outwardly　frigidly　polite；　Billy
presented　〃Lieutenant　Hardy。〃　He　had　come；　Billy　explained；　in
answer　to　the　call　for　help　sent　by　himself　to　the　Secretary　of
State；　which　by　wireless　had　been　communicated　to　the　LOUISIANA。
Lieutenant　Hardy　begged　him　to　say　to　the　president　that　he　was
desolate　at　having　to　approach　His　Excellency　so　unceremoniously。
But　His　Excellency；　having　threatened　the　life　of　an　American
citizen；　the　captain；　of　the　LOUISIANA　was　forced　to　act　quickly。

〃And　this　officer？　〃　demanded　President　Ham；　〃what　does　he　want？〃

〃He　says；〃　Billy　translated　to　St。　Clair；　〃that　he　is　very　glad　to
meet　you；　and　he　wants　to　know　how　much　you　earn　a　week。〃

The　actor　suppressed　his　surprise　and　with　pardonable　pride　said
that　his　salary　was　six　hundred　dollars　a　week　and　royalties　on
each　film。　Billy　bowed　to　the　president。

〃He　says；〃　translated　Billy；　〃he　is　here　to　see　that　I　get　my　ten
thousand　francs；　and　that　if　I　don't　get　them　in　ten　minutes　he
will　return　to　the　ship　and　land　marines。〃

To　St。　Clair　it　seemed　as　though　the　president　received　his
statement　as　to　the　amount　of　his　salary；　with　a　disapproval　that
was　hardly　flattering。　With　the　heel　of　his　giant　fist　the
president　beat　upon　the　table；　his　curls　shook；　his　gorilla…like
shoulders　heaved。

In　an　explanatory　aside　Billy　made　this　clear。

〃He　says；〃　he　interpreted；　〃that　you　get　more　as　an　actor　than　he
gets　as　president；　and　it　makes　him　mad。〃

〃I　can　see　it　does　myself；〃　whispered　St。　Clair。　〃And　I　don't
understand　French；　either。〃

President　Ham　was　protesting　violently。　It　was　outrageous；　he
exclaimed；　it　was　inconceivable　that　a　great　republic　should　shake
the　Big　Stick　over　the　head　of　a　small　republic；　and　for　a
contemptible　ten　thousand　francs。

〃I　will　not　believe；〃　he　growled；　〃that　this　officer　has　authority
to　threaten　me。　You　have　deceived　him。　If　he　knew　the　truth；　he
would　apologize。　Tell　him；〃　he　roared　suddenly；　〃that　I　DEMAND　that
he　apologize！〃

Billy　felt　like　the　man　who；　after　jauntily　forcing　the　fighting；
unexpectedly　gets　a　jolt　on　the　chin　that　drops　him　to　the　canvas。

While　the　referee　might　have　counted　three　Billy　remained　upon　the
canvas。

Then　again　he　forced　the　fighting。　Eagerly　he　turned　to　St。　Clair。

〃He　says；〃　he　translated；　〃you　must　recite　something。〃　St。　Clair
exclaimed　incredulously：　〃Recite！〃　he　gasped。

Than　his　indignant　protest　nothing　could　have　been　more
appropriate。

〃Wants　to　see　you　act　out；〃　insisted　Billy。　〃Go　on；〃　he　begged；
〃humor　him。　Do　what　he　wants　or　he'll　put　us　in　jail！〃

〃But　what　shall　I〃

〃He　wants　the　curse　of　Rome　from　Richelieu；　explained　Billy。　〃He
knows　it　in　French　and　he　wants　you　to　recite　it　in　English。　Do　you
know　it？　〃

The　actor　smiled　haughtily。

〃I　WROTE　it　he　protested。　〃　Richelieu's　my　middle　name。　I've　done
it　in　stock。〃

〃Then　do　it　now！〃　commanded　Billy。　〃Give　it　to　him　hot。　I'm　Julie
de　Mortemar。　He's　the　villain　Barabas。　Begin　where　Barabas　hands
you　the　cue；　'The　country　is　the　king！'　〃

In　embarrassment　St。　Clair　coughed　tentatively。

〃Whoever　heard　of　Cardinal　Richelieu；〃　he　protested；　〃in　a　navy
uniform？〃

〃Begin！〃　begged　Billy。

〃What'll　I