lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第21章
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the Governor； delighted。 〃Seen 'em like that down mines。 Register air
velocity in feet。 Put it away； Jode。 You don't want that to…morrow。 What
you'll need； Hilbrun says； is a big old rain…gauge and rubber shoes。〃
〃I shall require nothing of the sort； Governor；〃 Jode retorted at once。
〃And you can go to church without your umbrella in safety； sir。 See there。〃
He pointed to a storm…glass； which was certainly as clear as crystal。 〃An
old…fashioned test； you will doubtless say； gentlemen；〃 Jode continued
though none of us would have said anything like that〃but unjustly
discredited； and； furthermore； its testimony is well corroborated； as you
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will find you must admit。〃 Jode's voice was almost threatening； and he
fetched one corroborator after another。 I looked passively at wet and dry
bulbs； at self…recording； dotted registers； I caught the fleeting sound of
words like 〃meniscus 〃and 〃terrestrial minimum thermometer；〃 and I
nodded punctually when Jode went through some calculation。 At last I
heard something that I could understanda series of telegraphic replies to
Jode from brother signal…service officers all over the United States。 He
read each one through from date of signature； and they all made any rain
to…morrow entirely impossible。 〃And I tell you；〃 Jode concluded； in his
high； egg…shell voice； 〃there's no chance of precipitation now； sir。 I tell you；
sir；〃he was shrieking jubilantly 〃there's not a damn' thing to
precipitate！〃
We left him in his triumph among his glass and mercury。 〃Gee whiz！〃
said the Governor。 〃I guess we'd better go and tell Hilbrun it's no use。〃
We went； and Hilbrun smiled with a certain compassion for the
antiquated scientist。 〃That's what they all say；〃 he said。 〃I'll do my talking
to…morrow。〃
〃If any of you gentlemen； or your friends；〃 said Assistant Lusk；
stepping up； 〃feel like doing a little business on this； I am ready to
accommodate you。〃
〃What do yu' want this evenin'？〃 said Lin McLean； promptly。
〃Five to one；〃 said Lusk。
〃Go yu' in twenties；〃 said the impetuous puncher； and I now perceived
this was to be a sporting event。 Lin had his wad of bills outor what of it
still survived his bride's shopping。 〃Will you hold stakes； doctor？〃 he said
to the Governor。
But that official looked at the clear sky； and thought he would do five
to one in twenties himself。 Lusk accommodated him； and then Ogden； and
then me。 None of us could very well be stake…holder； but we registered our
bets； and promised to procure an uninterested man by eight next morning。
I have seldom had so much trouble； and I never saw such a universal
search for ready money。 Every man we asked to hold stakes instantly
whipped out his own pocketbook； went in search of Lusk； and disqualified
himself。 It was Jode helped us out。 He would not bet； but was anxious to
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serve； and thus punish the bragging Lusk。
Sunday was； as usual； chronically fine； with no cloud or breeze
anywhere； and by the time the church…bells were ringing； ten to one was
freely offered。 The biscuit…shooter went to church with her friends； so she
might wear her fine clothes in a worthy place； while her furloughed
husband rushed about Cheyenne； entirely his own old self again； his wad
of money staked and in Jode's keeping。 Many citizens bitterly lamented
their lack of ready money。 But it was a good thing for these people that it
was Sunday； and the banks closed。
The church…bells ceased； the congregations sat inside； but outside the
hot town showed no Sunday emptiness or quiet。 The metal tube； the
possible smell； Jode's sustained and haughty indignation； the extraordinary
assurance of Lusk； all this had ended by turning every one restless and
eccentric。 A citizen came down the street with an umbrella。 In a moment
the by…standers had reduced it to a sordid tangle of ribs。 Old Judge
Burrage attempted to address us at the corner about the vast progress of
science。 The postmaster pinned a card on his back with the well…known
legend； 〃I am somewhat of a liar myself。〃 And all the while the sun shone
high and hot； while Jode grew quieter and colder under the certainty of
victory。 It was after twelve o'clock when the people came from church；
and no change or sign was to be seen。 Jode told us； with a chill smile； that
he had visited his instruments and found no new indications。 Fifteen
minutes after that the sky was brown。 Sudden； padded； dropsical clouds
were born in the blue above our heads。 They blackened； and a smart
shower； the first in two months； wet us all； and ceased。 The sun blazed out；
and the sky came blue again； like those rapid； unconvincing weather
changes of the drama。
Amazement at what I saw happening in the heavens took me from
things on earth； and I was unaware of the universal fit that now seized
upon Cheyenne until I heard the high cry of Jode at my ear。 His usual
punctilious bearing had forsaken him； and he shouted alike to stranger and
acquaintance： 〃It is no half…inch； sir！ Don't you tell me〃' And the crowd
would swallow him； but you could mark his vociferous course as he went
proclaiming to the world。 〃A failure； sir！ The fellow's an impostor； as I
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well knew。 It's no half…inch！〃 Which was true。
〃What have you got to say to that？〃 we asked Hilbrun； swarming
around him。
〃If you'll just keep cool；〃 said he〃it's only the first instalment。 In
about two hours and a half I'll give you the rest。〃
Soon after four the dropsical clouds materialized once again above
open…mouthed Cheyenne。 No school let out for an unexpected holiday； no
herd of stampeded range cattle； conducts itself more miscellaneously。
Gray； respectable men； with daughters married； leaped over fences and
sprang back； prominent legislators hopped howling up and down door…
steps； women waved handkerchiefs from windows and porches； the
chattering Jode flew from anemometer to rain…gauge； and old Judge
Burrage apostrophized Providence in his front yard； with the postmaster's
label still pinned to his back。 Nobody minded the sluicing downpourthis
second instalment was much more of a thing than the firstand Hilbrun
alone kept a calm exteriorthe face of the man who lifts a heavy dumb…
bell and throws an impressive glance at the audience。 Assistant Lusk was
by no means thus proof against success I saw him put a bottle back in his
pocket； his face already disintegrated with a tipsy leer。 Judge Burrage；
perceiving the rain…maker； came out of his gate and proceeded toward him；
extending the hand of congrat
