the american claimant-第24章

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is　it？　　Or　doubtful？　　Just　measure　us　on　the　only　fair　linesthe　lines
of　meritand　of　course　you'll　admit　that　a　journeyman　chairmaker　that
earns　his　twenty　dollars　a　week；　and　has　had　the　good　and　genuine　culture
of　contact　with　men；　and　care；　and　hardship；　and　failure；　and　success；
and　downs　and　ups　and　ups　and　downs；　is　just　a　trifle　the　superior　of　a
young　fellow　like　you；　who　doesn't　know　how　to　do　anything　that's
valuable；　can't　earn　his　living　in　any　secure　and　steady　way；　hasn't　had
any　experience　of　life　and　its　seriousness；　hasn't　any　culture　but　the
artificial　culture　of　books；　which　adorns　but　doesn't　really　educate…
come！　if　I　wouldn't　scorn　an　earldom；　what　the　devil　right　have　you　to　do
it！〃

Tracy　dissembled　his　joy；　though　he　wanted　to　thank　the　chair…maker　for
that　last　remark。　　Presently　a　thought　struck　him；　and　he　spoke　up
briskly　and　said：

〃But　look　here；　I　really　can't　quite　get　the　hang　of　your　notionsyour；
principles；　if　they　are　principles。　　You　are　inconsistent。　　You　are
opposed　to　aristocracies；　yet　you'd　take　an　earldom　if　you　could。　　Am　I
to　understand　that　you　don't　blame　an　earl　for　being　and　remaining　an
earl？〃

〃I　certainly　don't。〃

〃And　you　wouldn't　blame　Tompkins；　or　yourself；　or　me；　or　anybody；　for
accepting　an　earldom　if　it　was　offered？〃

〃Indeed　I　wouldn't。〃

〃Well；　then；　who　would　you　blame？〃

〃The　whole　nationany　bulk　and　mass　of　population　anywhere；　in　any
country；　that　will　put　up　with　the　infamy；　the　outrage；　the　insult　of　a
hereditary　aristocracy　which　they　can't　enterand　on　absolutely　free　and
equal　terms。〃

〃Come；　aren't　you　beclouding　yourself　with　distinctions　that　are　not
differences？〃

〃Indeed　I　am　not。　　I　am　entirely　clear…headed　about　this　thing。　　If　I
could　extirpate　an　aristocratic　system　by　declining　its　honors；　then　I
should　be　a　rascal　to　accept　them。　　And　if　enough　of　the　mass　would　join
me　to　make　the　extirpation　possible；　then　I　should　be　a　rascal　to　do
otherwise　than　help　in　the　attempt。〃

〃I　believe　I　understandyes；　I　think　I　get　the　idea。　　You　have　no　blame
for　the　lucky　few　who　naturally　decline　to　vacate　the　pleasant　nest　they
were　born　into；　you　only　despise　the　all…powerful　and　stupid　mass　of　the
nation　for　allowing　the　nest　to　exist。〃

〃That's　it；　that's　it！　　You　can　get　a　simple　thing　through　your　head　if
you　work　at　it　long　enough。〃

〃Thanks。〃

〃Don't　mention　it。　　And　I'll　give　you　some　sound　advice：　when　you　go
back；　if　you　find　your　nation　up　and　ready　to　abolish　that　hoary　affront；
lend　a　hand；　but　if　that　isn't　the　state　of　things　and　you　get　a　chance
at　an　earldom；　don't　you　be　a　foolyou　take　it。〃

Tracy　responded　with　earnestness　and　enthusiasm：

〃As　I　live；　I'll　do　it！〃

Barrow　laughed。

〃I　never　saw　such　a　fellow。　　I　begin　to　think　you've　got　a　good　deal　of
imagination。　　With　you；　the　idlest…fancy　freezes　into　a　reality　at　a
breath。　　Why；　you　looked；　then；　as　if　it　wouldn't　astonish　you　if　you　did
tumble　into　an　earldom。〃

Tracy　blushed。　　Barrow　added：　〃Earldom！　　Oh；　yes；　take　it；　if　it　offers；
but　meantime　we'll　go　on　looking　around；　in　a　modest　way；　and　if　you　get
a　chance　to　superintend　a　sausage…stuffer　at　six　or　eight　dollars　a　week；
you　just　trade　off　the　earldom　for　a　last　year's　almanac　and　stick　to　the
sausage…stuffing；〃




CHAPTER　XV。

Tracy　went　to　bed　happy　once　more；　at　rest　in　his　mind　once　more。　　He　had
started　out　on　a　high　emprisethat　was　to　his　credit；　he　argued；　he　had
fought　the　best　fight　he　could；　considering　the　odds　against　himthat
was　to　his　credit；　he　had　been　defeatedcertainly　there　was　nothing
discreditable　in　that。　　Being　defeated；　he　had　a　right　to　retire　with　the
honors　of　war　and　go　back　without　prejudice　to　the　position　in　the
world's　society　to　which　he　had　been　born。　　Why　not？　even　the　rabid
republican　chair…maker　would　do　that。　　Yes；　his　conscience　was
comfortable　once　more。

He　woke　refreshed；　happy；　and　eager　for　his　cablegram。　　He　had　been　born
an　aristocrat；　he　had　been　a　democrat　for　a　time；　he　was　now　an
aristocrat　again。　　He　marveled　to　find　that　this　final　change　was　not
merely　intellectual；　it　had　invaded　his　feeling；　and　he　also　marveled　to
note　that　this　feeling　seemed　a　good　deal　less　artificial　than　any　he　had
entertained　in　his　system　for　a　long　time。　　He　could　also　have　noted；
if　he　had　thought　of　it；　that　his　bearing　had　stiffened；　over　night；
and　that　his　chin　had　lifted　itself　a　shade。　　Arrived　in　the　basement；
he　was　about　to　enter　the　breakfast　room　when　he　saw　old　Marsh　in　the　dim
light　of　a　corner　of　the　hall；　beckoning　him　with　his　finger　to　approach。
The　blood　welled　slowly　up　in　Tracy's　cheek；　and　he　said　with　a　grade　of
injured　dignity　almost　ducal：

〃Is　that　for　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　is　the　purpose　of　it？〃

〃I　want　to　speak　to　you…in　private。〃

〃This　spot　is　private　enough　for　me。〃

Marsh　was　surprised；　and　not　particularly　pleased。　　He　approached　and
said：

〃Oh；　in　public；　then；　if　you　prefer。　　Though　it　hasn't　been　my　way。〃

The　boarders　gathered　to　the　spot；　interested。

〃Speak　out；〃　said　Tracy。　　〃What　is　it　you　want？〃

〃Well；　haven't　youerforgot　something？〃

〃I？　　I'm　not　aware　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　you're　not？　　Now　you　stop　and　think；　a　minute。〃

〃I　refuse　to　stop　and　think。　　It　doesn't　interest　me。　　If　it　interests
you；　speak　out。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Marsh；　raising　his　voice　to　a　slightly　angry　pitch；〃
You　forgot　to　pay　your　board　yesterdayif　you're　bound　to　have　it
public。〃

Oh；　yes；　this　heir　to　an　annual　million　or　so　had　been　dreaming　and
soaring；　and　had　forgotten　that　pitiful　three　or　four　dollars。　　For
penalty　he　must　have　it　coarsely　flung　in　his　face　in　the　presence　of
these　peoplepeople　in　whose　countenances　was　already　beginning　to　dawn
an　uncharitable　enjoyment　of　the　situation。

〃Is　that　all！　　Take　your　money　and　give　your　terrors　a　rest。〃

Tracy's　hand　went　down　into　his　pocket　with　angry　decision。　　But…it
didn't　come　out。　　The　color　began　to　ebb　out　of　his　face。　　The
countenances　about　him　showed　a　growing　interest；　and　some　of　them　a
heightened　satisfaction。　　There　was　an　uncomfortable　pausethen　he
forced　out；　with　difficulty；　the　words：

〃I'vebeen　robbed！〃

Old　Marsh's　eyes　flamed　up　with　Spanish　fire；　and　he　exclaimed：

〃Robbed；　is　it？　　That's　your　tune？　　It's　too　oldbeen　played　in　this
house　too　often；　everybody　plays　it　that　can't　get　work　when　he　wants　it；
and　won't　work　when　he　can　get　it。　　Trot　out　Mr。　Allen；　somebody；　and　let
him　take　a　toot　at　it。　　It's　his　turn　next；　he　forgot；　too；　last　night。
I'm　laying　for　him。〃

One　of　the　negro　women　came　scrambling　down　stairs　as　pale　as　a　sorrel
horse　with　consternation　and　excitement：

〃Misto　Marsh；　Misto　Allen's　skipped　out！〃

〃What！〃

〃Yes…sah；　and　cleaned　out　his　room　clean；　tuck　bofe　towels　en　de　soap！〃

〃You　lie；　you　hussy！〃

〃It's　jes'　so；　jes'　as　I　tells　youen　Misto　Summer's　socks　is　gone；　en
Misto　Naylor's　yuther　shirt。〃

Mr。　Marsh　was　at　boiling　point　by　this　time。　　He　turned　upon　Tracy：

〃Answer　up　now…when　are　you　going　to　settle？〃

〃To…day…since　you　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry。〃

〃To…day　is　it？　　Sundayand　you　out　of　work？　　I　like　that。　　Comewhere
are　you　going　to　get　the　money？〃

Tracy's　spirit　was　rising　again。　　He　proposed　to　impress　these　people：

〃I　am　expecting　a　cablegram　from　home。〃

Old　Marsh　was　caught　out；　with　the　surprise　of　it。　　The　idea　was　so
immense；　so　extravagant；　that　he　couldn't　get　his　breath　at　first。　　When
he　did　get　it；　it　came　rancid　with　sarcasm。

〃A　cablegramthink　of　it；　ladies　and　gents；　he's　expecting　a　cablegram！
He's　expecting　a　cablegramthis　duffer；　this　scrub；　this　bilk！　　From　his
fathereh？　　Yeswithout　a　doubt。　　A　dollar　or　two　a　wordoh；　that's
nothingthey　don't　mind　a　little　thing　like　thatthis　kind's　fathers
don't。　　Now　his　father　iserwell；　I　reckon　his　father〃

〃My　father　is　an　English　earl！〃

The　crowd　fell　back　aghast…aghast　at　the　sublimity　of　the　young　loafer's
〃cheek。〃　　Then　they　burst　into　a　laugh　that　made　the　windows　rattle。
Tracy　was　too　angry　to　realize　that　he　had　done　a　foolish　thing。　　He
said：

〃Stand　aside；　please。　　I〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　your　lordship；〃　said　Marsh；　bowing　low