the american claimant-第10章
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always capable； let the enterprise be what it may； successful by nature
don't know what defeat is； thus； intensely and practically American by
inhaled nationalism； and at the same time intensely and aristocratically
European by inherited nobility of blood。 Just me； exactly： Mulberry
Sellers in matter of finance and invention； after office hours； what do
you find？ The same clothes； yes； but what's in them？ Rossmore of the
peerage。〃
The two friends had haunted the general post…office daily。 At last they
had their reward。 Toward evening the 20th of May； they got a letter for
XYZ。 It bore the Washington postmark； the note itself was not dated。 It
said：
〃Ash barrel back of lamp post Black horse Alley。 If you are playing
square go and set on it to…morrow morning 21st 10。22 not sooner not
later wait till I come。〃
The friends cogitated over the note profoundly。 Presently the earl said：
〃Don't you reckon he's afraid we are a sheriff with a requisition？〃
〃Why； m'lord？〃
〃Because that's no place for a seance。 Nothing friendly； nothing
sociable about it。 And at the same time； a body that wanted to know who
was roosting on that ash…barrel without exposing himself by going near
it； or seeming to be interested in it； could just stand on the street
corner and take a glance down the alley and satisfy himself； don't you
see？〃
〃Yes； his idea is plain； now。 He seems to be a man that can't be candid
and straightforward。 He acts as if he thought weshucks； I wish he had
come out like a man and told us what hotel he〃
〃Now you've struck it！ you've struck it sure； Washington； he has told
us。〃
〃Has he？〃
〃Yes； he has； but he didn't mean to。 That alley is a lonesome little
pocket that runs along one side of the New Gadsby。 That's his hotel。〃
〃What makes' you think that？〃
〃Why； I just know it。 He's got a room that's just across from that lamp
post。 He's going to sit there perfectly comfortable behind his shutters
at 10。22 to…morrow； and when he sees us sitting on the ash…barrel； he'll
say to himself； 'I saw one of those fellows on the train'and then he'll
pack his satchel in half a minute and ship for the ends of the earth。〃
Hawkins turned sick with disappointment：
〃Oh； dear； it's all up； Colonelit's exactly what he'll do。〃
〃Indeed he won't！〃
〃Won't he？ Why？〃
〃Because you won't be holding the ash barrel down； it'll be me。 You'll
be coming in with an officer and a requisition in plain clothesthe
officer； I meanthe minute you see him arrive and open up a talk with
me。〃
〃Well； what a head you have got； Colonel Sellers！ I never should have
thought of that in the world。〃
〃Neither would any earl of Rossmore； betwixt William's contribution and
Mulberryas earl； but it's office hours； now； you see； and the earl in
me sleeps。 ComeI'll show you his very room。〃
They reached the neighborhood of the New Gadsby about nine in the
evening； and passed down the alley to the lamp post。
〃There you are；〃 said the colonel； triumphantly； with a wave of his hand
which took in the whole side of the hotel。 〃There it iswhat did I tell
you？〃
〃Well； butwhy； Colonel； it's six stories high。 I don't quite make out
which window you〃
〃All the windows； all of them。 Let him have his。 choice…I'm
indifferent； now that I have located him。 You go and stand on the corner
and wait； I'll prospect tie hotel。〃
The earl drifted here and there through the swarming lobby； and finally
took a waiting position in the neighborhood of the elevator。 During an
hour crowds went up and crowds came down； and all complete as to limbs；
but at last the watcher got a glimpse of a figure that was satisfactory…
got a glimpse of the back of it； though he had missed his chance at the
face through waning alertness。 The glimpse revealed a cowboy hat； and
below it a plaided sack of rather loud pattern； and an empty sleeve
pinned up to the shoulder。 Then the elevator snatched the vision aloft
and the watcher fled away in joyful excitement； and rejoined the fellow…
conspirator。
〃We've got him； Majorgot him sure！ I've seen himseen him good； and I
don't care where or when that man approaches me backwards； I'll recognize
him every time。 We're all right。 Now for the requisition。〃
They got it； after the delays usual in such cases。 By half past eleven
they were at home and happy； and went to bed full of dreams of the
morrow's great promise。
Among the elevator load which had the suspect for fellow…passenger was a
young kinsman of Mulberry Sellers； but Mulberry was not aware of it and
didn't see him。 It was Viscount Berkeley。
CHAPTER VII。
Arrived in his room Lord Berkeley made preparations for that first and
last and all…the…time duty of the visiting Englishmanthe jotting down
in his diary of his 〃impressions〃 to date。 His preparations consisted in
ransacking his 〃box〃 for a pen。 There was a plenty of steel pens on his
table with the ink bottle； but he was English。 The English people
manufacture steel pens for nineteen…twentieths of the globe； but they
never use any themselves。 They use exclusively the pre…historic quill。
My lord not only found a quill pen； but the best one he had seen in
several yearsand after writing diligently for some time； closed with
the following entry：
BUT IN ONE THING I HAVE MADE AN IMMENSE MISTAKE； I OUGHT TO
HAVE SHUCKED MY TITLE AND CHANGED MY NAME BEFORE I STARTED。
He sat admiring that pen a while； and then went on：
〃All attempts to mingle with the common people and became permanently one
of them are going to fail； unless I can get rid of it； disappear from it；
and re…appear with the solid protection of a new name。 I am astonished
and pained to see how eager the most of these Americans are to get
acquainted with a lord； and how diligent they are in pushing attentions
upon him。 They lack English servility； it is truebut they could
acquire it； with practice。 My quality travels ahead of me in the most
mysterious way。 I write my family name without additions； on the
register of this hotel； and imagine that I am going to pass for an
obscure and unknown wanderer； but the clerk promptly calls out； 'Front！
show his lordship to four…eighty…two！' and before I can get to the lift
there is a reporter trying to interview me as they call it。 This sort of
thing shall cease at once。 I will hunt up the American Claimant the
first thing in the morning； accomplish my mission； then change my lodging
and vanish from scrutiny under a fictitious name。〃
He left his diary on the table； where it would be handy in case any new
〃impressions〃 should wake him up in the night； then he went to bed and
presently fell asleep。 An hour or two passed； and then he came slowly to
consciousness with a confusion of mysterious and augmenting sounds
hammering at the gates of his brain for admission； the next moment he was
sharply awake； and those sounds burst with the rush and roar and boom of
an undammed freshet into his ears。 Banging and slamming of shutters；
smashing of windows and the ringing clash of falling glass； clatter of
flying feet along the halls； shrieks； supplications； dumb moanings of
despair； within； hoarse shouts of command outside； cracklings and
mappings； and the windy roar of victorious flames！
Bang； bang； bang！ on the door； and a cry：
〃Turn out…the house is on fire！〃
The cry passed on； and the banging。 Lord Berkeley sprang out of bed and
moved with all possible speed toward the clothes…press in the darkness
and the gathering smoke； but fell over a chair and lost his bearings。
He groped desperately about on his hands； and presently struck his head
against the table and was deeply grateful； for it gave him his bearings
again； since it stood close by the door。 He seized his most precious
possession； his journaled Impressions of America； and darted from the
room。
He ran down the deserted hall toward the red lamp which he knew indicated
the place of a fire…escape。 The door of the room beside it was open。
In the room the gas was burning full head； on a chair was a pile of
clothing。 He ran to the window； could not get it up； but smashed it with
a
