adventures and letters-第36章
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uch a swell。 He made us feel like dudes from Paterson； New Jersey。 He had three diamond eagles in an astrakan cap； a white cloak； a gray uniform； top boots and three rows of medals。 He spoke English perfectly； with the most politely insolent manner that I have ever had to listen to； and eight servants； each of whom we had； in turn； mistaken for a prince royal； bowed at him all the brief time he talked over our heads。 He sent us to the bureau for correspondents； where they gave me a badge and a pocketbook； with my photo in it。 They are good for nothing； except to get through the police lines。 No one at the bureau gave us the least encouragement as to my getting in at the coronation。 We were frantic； and I went back to Breckenridge； our Minister； and wrote him a long letter explaining what had happened； and that what I wrote would 〃live；〃 that I was advertised and had been advertised to write this story for months。 I dropped The Journal altogether； and begged him to represent me as a literary light of the finest color。 This he did in a very strong letter to Daschoff； and I presented it this morning； but the Minister； like Edison； said he would let me know when he could see me。 Then I wrote Breck a letter of thanks so elegant and complimentary that he answered with another； saying if his first failed he would try again。 That means he is for me； and at the bureau they say whichever one he insists on will get in； but they also say he is so good…natured that he helps every one who comes。 I told him this； and he has promised to continue in my behalf as soon as we hear from Daschoff。
The second thing of importance is the getting the story； IF WE GET IT； on the wire。 That； I am happy to say； we are as assured of as I could hope to be。 I own the head of the Telegraph Bureau soul； body and mind。 He loves the ground T。 and I spurn； and he sent out my first cable today； one of interrogation merely； ahead of twelve others； he has also given us the entree to a private door to his office； all the other correspondents having to go to the press…rooms and undergo a sort of press censorship； which entails on each man the cutting up of his story into three parts； so as to give all a chance。 I gave T。 three dictums to guide him； the first was that we did not want a fair chancewe wanted an unfair advantage over every one else。 Second； to never accept a 〃No〃 or a 〃Yes〃 from a subordinate； but to take everything from head…quarters。 Third； to use every mouse； and not to trust to the lions。 He had practise on the train。 When he told me we would be in Moscow in ten hours； I would say； 〃Who told you that；〃 and back he would go to the Herr Station Director in a red gown； and return to say that we would get there in twenty hours。 By this time I will match him against any newspaper correspondent on earth。 He flatters； lies； threatens and bribes with a skill and assurance that is simply beautiful； and his languages and his manners pull me out of holes from which I could never have risen。 With it all he is as modest as can be； and says I am the greatest diplomat out of office； which I really think he believes； but I am only using old reporters' ways and applying the things other men did first。
My best stroke was to add to my cable to The Journal； 〃Recommend ample recognition of special facilities afforded by telegraph official〃and then get him to read it himself under the pretext of wishing to learn if my writing was legible。 He grinned all over himself； and said it was。 After my first story is gone I will give him 200 roubles for himself in an envelope and say Journal wired me to do it。 That will fix him for the coronation story； as it amounts to six months' wages about。 But； my dear brother； in your sweet and lovely home； where the sun shines on the Cascine and the workmen sleep on the bridges； and dear old ladies knit in the streets； that is only one of the thousand things we have had to do。 It would take years to give you an account of what we have done and why we do it。 It is like a game of whist and poker combined and we bluff on two flimsy fours； and crawl the next minute to a man that holds a measly two…spot。 There is not a wire we have not pulled； or a leg； either； and we go dashing about all day in a bath…chair； with a driver in a bell hat and a blue nightgown； leaving cards and writing notes and giving drinks and having secretaries to lunch and buying flowers for wives and cigar boxes for husbands； and threatening the Minister with Cleveland's name。
John A。 Logan； Jr。； is coming dressed in a Russian Uniform； and he wore it on the steamer； and says he is the special guest of the Czar and the Secretary of the visiting mission。 Mrs。 P。 P。 is paying 10；000 for a hotel for one week。 That is all the gossip there is。 We lunched with the McCooks today and enjoyed hearing American spoken； and they were apparently very glad to have us； and made much of T。 and of me。 We only hope they can help us； and I am telling the General the only man to meet is Daschoff； and when he does I will tell him to tell Daschoff I am the only man to be allowed in the coronation。 I wish I could tell you about the city； but we see it only out of the corner of our eyes as we dash to bureau after bureau and 〃excellency〃 and 〃royal highness〃 people； and then dash off to strengthen other bridges and make new friends。 It is great fun； and I am very happy and T。 is having the time of his life。 He told me he would rather be with me on this trip than travel with the German Emperor； and you will enjoy to hear that he wrote Sarah I was the most 〃good…natured〃 man he ever met。 God bless you all； and dear； dear Florence。 Lots of love。
DICK。
MoscowMay； 1896。 DEAR CHAS：
I have just sent off my coronation story； and the strain of this thing； which has really been on me for six months； is off。 You can imagine what a relief it is； or； rather； you cannot； for no one who has not been with us these last ten days can know what we have had to do。 The story I sent is not a good one。 It was impossible to tell it by cable； and the first one on the entry was a much better one。 I do not care much； though； of course； I do care； as I ought to have made a great hit with it； but there was no time； and there was so much detail and minutia that I could not treat it right。 However； after the awful possibility； or rather certainty； that we have had to face of not getting any story at all； I am only too thankful。 I would not do it again for ten thousand dollars。 Edwin Arnold； who did it for The Telegraph； had 25；000； and if I told you of the way Hearst acted and Ralph interfered with impertinent cables； you would wonder I am sane。 They never sent me a cent for the cables until it was so late that I could not get it out of the bank； and we have spent and borrowed every penny we have。 Imagine having to write a story and to fight to be allowed a chance to write it； and at the same time to be pressed for money for expenses and tolls so that you were worn out by that alone。 The brightest side of the whole thing was the way everybody in this town was fighting for me。 The entire town took sides； and even men who disliked me； and who I certainly dislike； like C。 W。 and R of the Paris Embassy； turned in and fought for my getting in like relations。 And the womenI had grand dukes and ambassadors and princes； whom I do not know by sight； moving every lever； and as Stanhope of The Herald； testified 〃every man； woman and child in the visiting and resident legation is crazy on the subject of getting Davis into the coronation。〃 They made it a personal matter； and when I got my little blue badge； the women kissed me and each other； and cheered； and the men came to congratulate me； and acted exactly as though they had got it themselves。
It was a beautiful sight； the Czarina much more beautiful and more sad…looking than ever before。 But it was not solemn enough； and the priests groaned and wailed and chanted and sang； and every one stood still and listened。 All that the Czar and Czarina did was over ten minutes after they entered the chapel； and then for three hours the priests took the center of the stage and groaned。 I was there from seven until one。 Six solid hour
