the american claimant-第13章

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been　waning　a　little　lately；　but　this　fire　will　set　her　up。　　She　lost
60；000　worth　last　night。〃

〃I　think　she's　a　fool。　　If　I　had　60；000　worth　of　diamonds　I　wouldn't
trust　them　in　a　hotel。〃

〃I　wouldn't　either；　but　you　can't　teach　an　actress　that。　　This　one's　been
burnt　out　thirty…five　times。　　And　yet　if　there's　a　hotel　fire　in　San
Francisco　to…night　she's　got　to　bleed　again；　you　mark　my　words。　　Perfect
ass；　they　say　she's　got　diamonds　in　every　hotel　in　the　country。〃

When　they　arrived　at　the　scene　of　the　fire　the　poor　old　earl　took　one
glimpse　at　the　melancholy　morgue　and　turned　away　his　face　overcome　by　the
spectacle。　　He　said：

〃It　is　too　true；　Hawkinsrecognition　is　impossible；　not　one　of　the　five
could　be　identified　by　its　nearest　friend。　　You　make　the　selection；　I
can't　bear　it。〃

〃Which　one　had　I　better〃

〃Oh；　take　any　of　them。　　Pick　out　the　best　one。〃

However；　the　officers　assured　the　earlfor　they　knew　him；　everybody　in
Washington　knew　himthat　the　position　in　which　these　bodies　were　found
made　it　impossible　that　any　one　of　them　could　be　that　of　his　noble　young
kinsman。　　They　pointed　out　the　spot　where；　if　the　newspaper　account　was
correct；　he　must　have　sunk　down　to　destruction；　and　at　a　wide　distance
from　this　spot　they　showed　him　where　the　young　man　must　have　gone　down　in
case　he　was　suffocated　in　his　room；　and　they　showed　him　still　a　third
place；　quite　remote；　where　he　might　possibly　have　found　his　death　if
perchance　he　tried　to　escape　by　the　side　exit　toward　the　rear。　　The　old
Colonel　brushed　away　a　tear　and　said　to　Hawkins：

〃As　it　turns　out　there　was　something　prophetic　in　my　fears。　　Yes；　it's　a
matter　of　ashes。　　Will　you　kindly　step　to　a　grocery　and　fetch　a　couple
more　baskets？〃

Reverently　they　got　a　basket　of　ashes　from　each　of　those　now　hallowed
spots；　and　carried　them　home　to　consult　as　to　the　best　manner　of
forwarding　them　to　England；　and　also　to　give　them　an　opportunity　to　〃lie
in　state；〃a　mark　of　respect　which　the　colonel　deemed　obligatory；
considering　the　high　rank　of　the　deceased。

They　set　the　baskets　on　the　table　in　what　was　formerly　the　library；
drawing…room　and　workshopnow　the　Hall　of　Audienceand　went　up　stairs
to　the　lumber　room　to　see　if　they　could　find　a　British　flag　to　use　as　a
part　of　the　outfit　proper　to　the　lying　in　state。　　A　moment　later；　Lady
Rossmore　came　in　from　the　street　and　caught　sight　of　the　baskets　just　as
old　Jinny　crossed　her　field　of　vision。　　She　quite　lost　her　patience　and
said：

〃Well；　what　will　you　do　next？　　What　in　the　world　possessed　you　to　clutter
up　the　parlor　table　with　these　baskets　of　ashes？〃

〃Ashes？〃　　And　she　came　to　look。　　She　put　up　her　hands　in　pathetic
astonishment。　　〃Well；　I　never　see　de　like！〃

〃Didn't　you　do　it？〃

〃Who；　me？　　Clah　to　goodness　it's　de　fust　time　I've　sot　eyes　on　'em；　Miss
Polly。　　Dat's　Dan'l。　　Dat　ole　moke　is　losin'　his　mine。〃

But　it　wasn't　Dan'l；　for　he　was　called；　and　denied　it。

〃Dey　ain't　no　way　to　'splain　dat。　　Wen　hit's　one　er　dese…yer　common
'currences；　a　body　kin　reckon　maybe　de　cat〃

〃Oh！〃　and　a　shudder　shook　Lady　Rossmore　to　her　foundations。　　〃I　see　it
all。　　Keep　away　from　themthey're　his。〃

〃His；　m'　lady？〃

〃Yesyour　young　Marse　Sellers　from　England　that's　burnt　up。〃

She　was　alone　with　the　ashesalone　before　she　could　take　half　a　breath。
Then　she　went　after　Mulberry　Sellers；　purposing　to　make　short　work　with
his　program；　whatever　it　might　be；　〃for；〃　said　she；　〃when　his
sentimentals　are　up；　he's　a　numskull；　and　there's　no　knowing　what
extravagance　he'll　contrive；　if　you　let　him　alone。〃　　She　found　him。
He　had　found　the　flag　and　was　bringing　it。　　When　she　heard　that　his　idea
was　to　have　the　remains　〃lie　in　state；　and　invite　the　government　and　the
public；〃　she　broke　it　up。　　She　said：

〃Your　intentions　are　all　rightthey　always　areyou　want　to　do　honour　to
the　remains；　and　surely　nobody　can　find　any　fault　with　that；　for　he　was
your　kin；　but　you　are　going　the　wrong　way　about　it；　and　you　will　see　it
yourself　if　you　stop　and　think。　　You　can't　file　around　a　basket　of　ashes
trying　to　look　sorry　for　it　and　make　a　sight　that　is　really　solemn；
because　the　solemner　it　is；　the　more　it　isn'tanybody　can　see　that。　　It
would　be　so　with　one　basket；　it　would　be　three　times　so　with　three。
Well；　it　stands　to　reason　that　if　it　wouldn't　be　solemn　with　one　mourner；
it　wouldn't　be　with　a　processionand　there　would　be　five　thousand　people
here。　　I　don't　know　but　it　would　be　pretty　near　ridiculous；　I　think　it
would。　　No；　Mulberry；　they　can't　lie　in　stateit　would　be　a　mistake。
Give　that　up　and　think　of　something　else。〃

So　he　gave　it　up；　and　not　reluctantly；　when　he　had　thought　it　over　and
realized　how　right　her　instinct　was。　　He　concluded　to　merely　sit　up　with
the　remains　just　himself　and　Hawkins。　　Even　this　seemed　a　doubtful
attention；　to　his　wife；　but　she　offered　no　objection；　for　it　was　plain
that　he　had　a　quite　honest　and　simple…hearted　desire　to　do　the　friendly
and　honourable　thing　by　these　forlorn　poor　relics　which　could　command　no
hospitality　in　this　far　off　land　of　strangers　but　his。　　He　draped　the
flag　about　the　baskets；　put　some　crape　on　the　door…knob；　and　said　with
satisfaction：

〃Therehe　is　as　comfortable；　now；　as　we　can　make　him　in　the
circumstances。　　Exceptyes；　we　must　strain　a　point　thereone　must　do　as
one　would　wish　to　be　done　byhe　must　have　it。〃

〃Have　what；　dear？〃

〃Hatchment。〃

The　wife　felt　that　the　house…front　was　standing　about　all　it　could　well
stand；　in　that　way；　the　prospect　of　another　stunning　decoration　of　that
nature　distressed　her；　and　she　wished　the　thing　had　not　occurred　to　him。。
She　said；　hesitatingly：

〃But　I　thought　such　an　honour　as　that　wasn't　allowed　to　any　but　very　very
near　relations；　who〃

〃Right；　you　are　quite　right；　my　lady；　perfectly　right；　but　there　aren't
any　nearer　relatives　than　relatives　by　usurpation。　　We　cannot　avoid　it；
we　are　slaves　of　aristocratic　custom　and　must　submit。〃

The　hatchments　were　unnecessarily　generous；　each　being　as　large　as　a
blanket；　and　they　were　unnecessarily　volcanic；　too；　as　to　variety　and
violence　of　color；　but　they　pleased　the　earl's　barbaric　eye；　and　they
satisfied　his　taste　for　symmetry　and　completeness；　too；　for　they　left　no
waste　room　to　speak　of　on　the　house…front。

Lady　Rossmore　and　her　daughter　assisted　at　the　sitting…up　till　near
midnight；　and　helped　the　gentlemen　to　consider　what　ought　to　be　done　next
with　the　remains。　　Rossmore　thought　they　ought　to　be　sent　home　with　a
committee　and　resolutions；at　once。　　But　the　wife　was　doubtful。　　She
said：

〃Would　you　send　all　of　the　baskets？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　all。〃

〃All　at　once？〃

〃To　his　father？　　Oh；　noby　no　means。　　Think　of　the　shock。　　Noone　at　a
time；　break　it　to　him　by　degrees。〃

〃Would　that　have　that　effect；　father？〃

〃Yes；　my　daughter。　　Remember；　you　are　young　and　elastic；　but　he　is　old。
To　send　him　the　whole　at　once　might　well　be　more　than　he　could　bear。
But　mitigatedone　basket　at　a　time；　with　restful　intervals　between；
he　would　be　used　to　it　by　the　time　he　got　all　of　him。　　And　sending　him
in　three　ships　is　safer　anyway。　　On　account　of　wrecks　and　storms。〃

〃I　don't　like　the　idea；　father。　　If　I　were　his　father　it　would　be
dreadful　to　have　him　coming　in　thatin　that〃

〃On　the　installment　plan；〃　suggested　Hawkins；　gravely；　and　proud　of　being
able　to　help。

〃Yesdreadful　to　have　him　coming　in　that　incoherent　way。　　There　would　be
the　strain　of　suspense　upon　me　all　the　time。　　To　have　so　depressing　a
thing　as　a　funeral　impending；　delayed；　waiting；　unaccomplished〃

〃Oh；　no；　my　child；〃　said　the　earl　reassuringly；　〃there　would　be　nothing
of　that　kind；　so　old　a　gentleman　could　not　endure　a　long…drawn　suspense
like　that。　　There　will　be　three　funerals。〃

Lady　Rossmore　looked　up　surprised；　and　said：

〃How　is　that　going　to　make　it　easier　for　him？　　It's　a　total　mistake；　to
my　mind。　　He　ought　to　be　buried　all　at　once；　I'm　sure　of　it。〃

〃I　should　think　so；　too；〃　said　Hawkins。

〃And　certainly　I　should；〃　said　the　daughter。

〃You　are　all　wrong；〃　said　the　earl。　　〃You　will　see　it　yourselves；　if　you
think。　　Only　one　of　these　baskets　has　got　him　in　it。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Lady　Rossmore；　〃the　thi