the american claimant-第17章

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and　he　ain't　pretty　well　satisfied　in　his　mind；　because　he　can't　get
reconciled　to　being　a　mechanic　and　associating　with　mechanics；　he　being；
as　he　says　to　me；　a　gentleman；　which　is　a　pretty　plain　letting…on　that
the　boys　ain't；　but　of　course　I　know　enough　not　to　let　that　cat　out　of
the　bag。〃

〃Why…would　there　be　any　harm　in　it？〃

〃Harm　in　it？　　They'd　lick　him；　wouldn't　they？　　Wouldn't　you？　　Of　course
you　would。　　Don't　you　ever　let　a　man　say　you　ain't　a　gentleman　in　this
country。　　But　laws；　what　am　I　thinking　about？　　I　reckon　a　body　would
think　twice　before　he　said　a　cowboy　wasn't　a　gentleman。〃

A　trim；　active；　slender　and　very　pretty　girl　of　about　eighteen　walked
into　the　room　now；　in　the　most　satisfied　and　unembarrassed　way。　　She　was
cheaply　but　smartly　and　gracefully　dressed；　and　the　mother's　quick　glance
at　the　stranger's　face　as　he　rose；　was　of　the　kind　which　inquires　what
effect　has　been　produced；　and　expects　to　find　indications　of　surprise　and
admiration。

〃This　is　my　daughter　Hattiewe　call　her　Puss。　　It's　the　new　boarder；
Puss。〃　　This　without　rising。

The　young　Englishman　made　the　awkward　bow　common　to　his　nationality　and
time　of　life　in　circumstances　of　delicacy　and　difficulty；　and　these　were
of　that　sort；　for；　being　taken　by　surprise；　his　natural；　lifelong　self
sprang　to　the　front；　and　that　self　of　course　would　not　know　just　how　to
act　when　introduced　to　a　chambermaid；　or　to　the　heiress　of　a　mechanics'
boarding　house。　　His　other　selfthe　self　which　recognized　the　equality
of　all　menwould　have　managed　the　thing　better；　if　it　hadn't　been　caught
off　guard　and　robbed　of　its　chance。　　The　young　girl　paid　no　attention　to
the　bow；　but　put　out　her　hand　frankly　and　gave　the　stranger　a　friendly
shake　and　said：

〃How　do　you　do？〃

Then　she　marched　to　the　one　washstand　in　the　room；　tilted　her　head　this
way　and　that　before　the　wreck　of　a　cheap　mirror　that　hung　above　it；
dampened　her　fingers　with　her　tongue；　perfected　the　circle　of　a　little
lock　of　hair　that　was　pasted　against　her　forehead；　then　began　to　busy
herself　with　the　slops。

〃Well；　I　must　be　goingit's　getting　towards　supper　time。　　Make　yourself
at　home；　Mr。　　Tracy；　you'll　hear　the　bell　when　it's　ready。〃

The　landlady　took　her　tranquil　departure；　without　commanding　either　of
the　young　people　to　vacate　the　room。　　The　young　man　wondered　a　little
that　a　mother　who　seemed　so　honest　and　respectable　should　be　so
thoughtless；　and　was　reaching　for　his　hat；　intending　to　disembarrass　the
girl　of　his　presence；　but　she　said：

〃Where　are　you　going？〃

〃Wellnowhere　in　particular；　but　as　I　am　only　in　the　way　here〃

〃Why；　who　said　you　were　in　the　way？　　Sit　downI'll　move　you　when　you　are
in　the　way。〃

She　was　making　the　beds；　now。　　He　sat　down　and　watched　her　deft　and
diligent　performance。

〃What　gave　you　that　notion？　　Do　you　reckon　I　need　a　whole　room　just　to
make　up　a　bed　or　two　in？〃

〃Well　no；　it　wasn't　that；　exactly。　　We　are　away　up　here　in　an　empty
house；　and　your　mother　being　gone〃

The　girl　interrupted　him　with　an　amused　laugh；　and　said：

〃Nobody　to　protect　me？　　Bless　you；　I　don't　need　it。　　I'm　not　afraid。
I　might　be　if　I　was　alone；　because　I　do　hate　ghosts；　and　I　don't　deny　it。
Not　that　I　believe　in　them；　for　I　don't。　　I'm　only　just　afraid　of　them。〃

〃How　can　you　be　afraid　of　them　if　you　don't　believe　in　them？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know　the　how　of　itthat's　too　many　for　me；　I　only　know　it's
so。　　It's　the　same　with　Maggie　Lee。〃

〃Who　is　that？〃

〃One　of　the　boarders；　young　lady　that　works　in　the　factry。〃

〃She　works　in　a　factory？〃

〃Yes。　　Shoe　factory。〃

〃In　a　shoe　factory；　and　you　call　her　a　young　lady？〃

〃Why；　she's　only　twenty…two；　what　should　you　call　her？〃

〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　her　age；　I　was　thinking　of　the　title。　　The　fact　is；
I　came　away　from　England　to　get　away　from　artificial　formsfor
artificial　forms　suit　artificial　people　onlyand　here　you've　got　them
too。　　I'm　sorry。　　I　hoped　you　had　only　men　and　women；　everybody　equal；
no　differences　in　rank。〃

The　girl　stopped　with　a　pillow　in　her　teeth　and　the　case　spread　open
below　it；　contemplating　him　from　under　her　brows　with　a　slightly　puzzled
expression。　　She　released　the　pillow　and　said：

〃Why；　they　are　all　equal。　　Where's　any　difference　in　rank？〃

〃If　you　call　a　factory　girl　a　young　lady；　what　do　you　call　the
President's　wife？〃

〃Call　her　an　old　one。〃

〃Oh；　you　make　age　the　only　distinction？〃

〃There　ain't　any　other　to　make　as　far　as　I　can　see。〃

〃Then　all　women　are　ladies？〃

〃Certainly　they　are。　　All　the　respectable　ones。〃

〃Well；　that　puts　a　better　face　on　it。　　Certainly　there　is　no　harm　in　a
title　when　it　is　given　to　everybody。　　It　is　only　an　offense　and　a　wrong
when　it　is　restricted　to　a　favored　few。　　But　Misser〃

〃Hattie。〃

〃Miss　Hattie；　be　frank；　confess　that　that　title　isn't　accorded　by
everybody　to　everybody。　　The　rich　American　doesn't　call　her　cook　a　lady
isn't　that　so？〃

〃Yes；　it's　so。　　What　of　it？〃

He　was　surprised　and　a　little　disappointed；　to　see　that　his　admirable
shot　had　produced　no　perceptible　effect。

〃What　of　it？〃　he　said。　　〃Why　this：　equality　is　not　conceded　here；　after
all；　and　the　Americans　are　no　better　off　than　the　English。　　In　fact
there's　no　difference。〃

〃Now　what　an　idea。　　There's　nothing　in　a　title　except　what　is　put　into
ityou've　said　that　yourself。　　Suppose　the　title　is　'clean；'　instead　of
'lady。'　　You　get　that？〃

〃I　believe　so。　　Instead　of　speaking　of　a　woman　as　a　lady；　you　substitute
clean　and　say　she's　a　clean　person。〃

〃That's　it。　　In　England　the　swell　folks　don't　speak　of　the　working　people
as　gentlemen　and　ladies？〃

〃Oh；　no。〃

〃And　the　working　people　don't　call　themselves　gentlemen　and　ladies？〃

〃Certainly　not。〃

〃So　if　you　used　the　other　word　there　wouldn't　be　any　change。　　The　swell
people　wouldn't　call　anybody　but　themselves　'clean；'　and　those　others
would　drop　sort　of　meekly　into　their　way　of　talking　and　they　wouldn't
call　themselves　clean。　　We　don't　do　that　way　here。　　Everybody　calls
himself　a　lady　or　gentleman；　and　thinks　he　is；　and　don't　care　what
anybody　else　thinks　him；　so　long　as　he　don't　say　it　out　loud。　　You　think
there's　no　difference。　　You　knuckle　down　and　we　don't。　　Ain't　that　a
difference？〃

〃It　is　a　difference　I　hadn't　thought　of；　I　admit　that。　　Stillcalling
one's　self　a　lady　doesn'ter〃

〃I　wouldn't　go　on　if　I　were　you。〃

Howard　Tracy　turned　his　head　to　see　who　it　might　be　that　had　introduced
this　remark。　　It　was　a　short　man　about　forty　years　old；　with　sandy　hair；
no　beard；　and　a　pleasant　face　badly　freckled　but　alive　and　intelligent；
and　he　wore　slop…shop　clothing　which　was　neat　but　showed　wear。　　He　had
come　from　the　front　room　beyond　the　hall；　where　he　had　left　his　hat；　and
he　had　a　chipped　and　cracked　white　wash…bowl　in　his　hand。　　The　girl　came
and　took　the　bowl。

〃I'll　get　it　for　you。　　You　go　right　ahead　and　give　it　to　him；　Mr。
Barrow。　　He's　the　new　boarderMr。　Tracyand　I'd　just　got　to　where　it
was　getting　too　deep　for　me。〃

〃Much　obliged　if　you　will；　Hattie。　　I　was　coming　to　borrow　of　the　boys。〃
He　sat　down　at　his　ease　on　an　old　trunk；　and　said；　〃I've　been　listening
and　got　interested；　and　as　I　was　saying；　I　wouldn't　go　on；　if　I　were　you。
You　see　where　you　are　coming　to；　don't　you？　　Calling；　yourself　a　lady
doesn't　elect　you；　that　is　what　you　were　going　to　say；　and　you　saw　that
if　you　said　it　you　were　going　to　run　right　up　against　another　difference
that　you　hadn't　thought　of：　to…wit；　Whose　right　is　it　to　do　the　electing？
Over　there；　twenty　thousand　people　in　a　million　elect　themselves
gentlemen　and　ladies；　and　the　nine　hundred　and　eighty　thousand　accept
that　decree　and　swallow　the　affront　which　it　puts　upon　them。　　Why；　if
they　didn't　accept　it；　it　wouldn't　be　an　election；　it　would　be　a　dead
letter　and　have　no　force　at　all。　　Over　here　the　twenty　thousand　would…be
exclusives　come　up　to　the　polls　and　vote　themselves　to　be　ladies　and
gentlemen。　　But　the　thing　doesn't　stop　there。　　The　nine　hundred　and
eighty　thousand　come　and　vote　themselves　to　be　ladies　and　gentlemen　too；
and　that　elects　the　whole　nation。　　Since　the　whole　million　vote
themselves　ladies　and　gentlemen；　there　is　no　question　about　that
elec