the american claimant-第25章

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said：

〃Stand　aside；　please。　　I〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　your　lordship；〃　said　Marsh；　bowing　low；　〃where　is　your
lordship　going？〃

〃For　the　cablegram。　　Let　me　pass。〃

〃Excuse　me；　your　lordship；　you'll　stay　right　where　you　are。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　mean　that　I　didn't　begin　to　keep　boarding…house　yesterday。　　It　means
that　I　am　not　the　kind　that　can　be　taken　in　by　every　hack…driver's　son
that　comes　loafing　over　here　because　he　can't　bum　a　living　at　home。　　It
means　that　you　can't　skip　out　on　any　such〃

Tracy　made　a　step　toward　the　old　man；　but　Mrs。　　Marsh　sprang　between；　and
said：

〃Don't；　Mr。　Tracy；　please。〃　　She　turned　to　her　husband　and　said；　〃Do
bridle　your　tongue。　　What　has　he　done　to　be　treated　so？　　Can't　you　see　he
has　lost　his　mind；　with　trouble　and　distress？　　He's　not　responsible。〃

〃Thank　your　kind　heart；　madam；　but　I've　not　lost　my　mind；　and　if　I　can
have　the　mere　privilege　of　stepping　to　the　telegraph　office〃

〃Well；　you　can't；〃　cried　Marsh。

〃or　sending〃

〃Sending！　　That　beats　everything。　　If　there's　anybody　that's　fool　enough
to　go　on　such　a　chuckle…headed　errand〃

〃Here　comes　Mr。　Barrowhe　will　go　for　me。　　Barrow〃

A　brisk　fire　of　exclamations　broke　out

〃Say；　Barrow；　he's　expecting　a　cablegram！〃

〃Cablegram　from　his　father；　you　know！〃

〃Yescablegram　from　the　wax…figger！〃

〃And　say；　Barrow；　this　fellow's　an　earltake　off　your　hat；　pull　down
your　vest！〃

〃Yes；　he's　come　off　and　forgot　his　crown；　that　he　wears　Sundays。　　He's
cabled　over　to　his　pappy　to　send　it。〃

〃You　step　out　and　get　that　cablegram；　Barrow；　his　majesty's　a　little　lame
to…day。〃

〃Oh　stop；〃　cried　Barrow；　〃give　the　man　a　chance。〃　　He　turned；　and　said
with　some　severity；　〃Tracy；　what's　the　matter　with　you？　　What　kind　of
foolishness　is　this　you've　been　talking。　　You　ought　to　have　more　sense。〃

〃I've　not　been　talking　foolishness；　and　if　you'll　go　to　the　telegraph
office〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　so。　　I'm　your　friend　in　trouble　and　out　of　it；　before
your　face　and　behind　your　back；　for　anything　in　reason；　but　you've　lost
your　head；　you　see；　and　this　moonshine　about　a　cablegram〃

〃I'll　go　there　and　ask　for　it！〃

〃Thank　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　Brady。　　Here；　I'll　give　you　a
Written　order　for　it。　　Fly；　now；　and　fetch　it。　　We'll　soon　see！〃

Brady　flew。　　Immediately　the　sort　of　quiet　began　to　steal　over　the　crowd
which　means　dawning　doubt；　misgiving；　and　might　be　translated　into　the
words；　〃Maybe　he　is　expecting　a　cablegrammaybe　he　has　got　a　father
somewheremaybe　we've　been　just　a　little　too　fresh；　just　a　shade　too
'previous'！〃

Loud　talk　ceased；　then　the　mutterings　and　low　murmurings　and　whisperings
died　out。　　The　crowd　began　to　crumble　apart。　　By　ones　and　twos　the
fragments　drifted　to　the　breakfast　table。　　Barrow　tried　to　bring　Tracy
in；　but　he　said：

〃Not　yet；　Barrow…presently。〃

Mrs。　Marsh　and　Hattie　tried；　offering　gentle　and　kindly　persuasions；　but
he　said；

〃I　would　rather　wait…till　he　comes。〃

Even　old　Marsh　began　to　have　suspicions　that　maybe　he　had　been　a　trifle
too　〃brash；〃　as　he　called　it　in　the　privacy　of　his　soul；　and　he　pulled
himself　together　and　started　toward　Tracy　with　invitation　in　his　eyes；
but　Tracy　warned　him　off　with　a　gesture　which　was　quite　positive　and
eloquent。　　Then　followed　the　stillest　quarter　of　an　hour　which　had　ever
been　known　in　that　house　at　that　time　of　day。　　It　was　so　still；　and　so
solemn　withal；　that　when　somebody's　cup　slipped　from　his　fingers　and
landed　in　his　plate　the　shock　made　people　start；　and　the　sharp　sound
seemed　as　indecorous　there　and　as　out　of　place　as　if　a　coffin　and
mourners　were　imminent　and　being　waited　for。　　And　at　last　when　Brady's
feet　came　clattering　down　the　stairs　the　sacrilege　seemed　unbearable。
Everybody　rose　softly　and　turned　toward　the　door；　where　stood　Tracy；
then　with　a　common　impulse；　moved　a　step　or　two　in　that　direction；　and
stopped。　　While　they　gazed；　young　Brady　arrived；　panting；　and　put　into
Tracy's　hand；sure　enoughan　envelope。　　Tracy　fastened　a　bland
victorious　eye　upon　the　gazers；　and　kept　it　there　till　one　by　one　they
dropped　their　eyes；　vanquished　and　embarrassed。　　Then　he　tore　open　the
telegram　and　glanced　at　its　message。　　The　yellow　paper　fell　from　his
fingers　and　fluttered　to　the　floor；　and　his　face　turned　white。　　There　was
nothing　there　but　one　word

〃Thanks。〃

The　humorist　of　the　house；　the　tall；　raw…boned　Billy　Nash；　caulker　from
the　navy　yard；　was　standing　in　the　rear　of　the　crowd。　　In　the　midst　of
the　pathetic　silence　that　was　now　brooding　over　the　place　and　moving　some
few　hearts　there　toward　compassion；　he　began　to　whimper；　then　he　put　his
handkerchief　to　his　eyes　and　buried　his　face　in　the　neck　of　the；
bashfulest　young　fellow　in　the　company；　a　navy…yard　blacksmith；　shrieked
〃Oh；　pappy；　how　could　you！〃　and　began　to　bawl　like　a　teething　baby；　if
one　may　imagine　a　baby　with　the　energy　and　the　devastating　voice　of　a
jackass。

So　perfect　was　that　imitation　of　a　child's　cry；　and　so　vast　the　scale　of
it　and　so　ridiculous　the　aspect　of　the　performer；　that　all　gravity　was
swept　from　the　place　as　if　by　a　hurricane；　and　almost　everybody　there
joined　in　the　crash　of　laughter　provoked　by　the　exhibition。　　Then　the
small　mob　began　to　take　its　revengerevenge　for　the　discomfort　and
apprehension　it　had　brought　upon　itself　by　its　own　too　rash　freshness　of
a　little　while　before。　　It　guyed　its　poor　victim；　baited　him；　worried
him；　as　dogs　do　with　a　cornered　cat。　　The　victim　answered　back　with
defiances　and　challenges　which　included　everybody；　and　which　only　gave
the　sport　new　spirit　and　variety；　but　when　he　changed　his　tactics　and
began　to　single　out　individuals　and　invite　them　by　name；　the　fun　lost　its
funniness　and　the　interest　of　the　show　died　out；　along　with　the　noise。

Finally　Marsh　was　about　to　take　an　innings；　but　Barrow　said：

〃Never　mind；　nowleave　him　alone。　　You've　no　account　with　him　but　a
money　account。　　I'll　take　care　of　that　myself。〃

The　distressed　and　worried　landlady　gave　Barrow　a　fervently　grateful　look
for　his　championship　of　the　abused　stranger；　and　the　pet　of　the　house；　a
very　prism　in　her　cheap　but　ravishing　Sunday　rig；　blew　him　a　kiss　from
the　tips　of　her　fingers　and　said；　with　the　darlingest　smile　and　a　sweet
little　toss　of　her　head：

〃You're　the　only　man　here；　and　I'm　going　to　set　my　cap　for　you；　you　dear
old　thing！〃

〃For　shame；　Puss！　　How　you　talk！　　I　never　saw　such　a　child！〃

It　took　a　good　deal　of　argument　and　persuasionthat　is　to　say；　petting；
under　these　disguisesto　get　Tracy　to　entertain　the　idea　of　breakfast。
He　at　first　said　he　would　never　eat　again　in　that　house；　and　added　that
he　had　enough　firmness　of　character；　he　trusted；　to　enable　him　to　starve
like　a　man　when　the　alternative　was　to　eat　insult　with　his　bread。

When　he　had　finished　his　breakfast；　Barrow　took　him　to　his　room；
furnished　him　a　pipe；　and　said　cheerily：

〃Now；　old　fellow；　take　in　your　battle…flag　out　of　the　wet；　you're　not　in
the　hostile　camp　any　more。　　You're　a　little　upset　by　your　troubles；
and　that's　natural　enough；　but　don't　let　your　mind　run　on　them　anymore
than　you　can　help；　drag　your　thoughts　away　from　your　troubles　by　the
ears；　by　the　heels；　or　any　other　way；　so　you　manage　it；　it's　the
healthiest　thing　a　body　can　do；　dwelling　on　troubles　is　deadly；　just
deadlyand　that's　the　softest　name　there　is　for　it。　　You　must　keep　your
mind　amusedyou　must；　indeed。〃

〃Oh；　miserable　me！〃

〃Don't！　　There's　just　pure　heart…break　in　that　tone。　　It's　just　as　I　say；
you've　got　to　get　right　down　to　it　and　amuse　your　mind；　as　if　it　was
salvation。〃

〃They're　easy　words　to　say；　Barrow；　but　how　am　I　going　to　amuse；
entertain；　divert　a　mind　that　finds　itself　suddenly　assaulted　and
overwhelmed　by　disasters　of　a　sort　not　dreamed　of　and　not　provided　for？
No…no；　the　bare　idea　of　amusement　is　repulsive　to　my　feelings：　Let　us
talk　of　death　and　funerals。〃

〃No…not　yet。　　That　would　be　giving　up　the　ship。　　We'll　not　give　up　the
ship　yet。　　I'm　going　to　amuse　you；　I　sent　Brady　out　for　the　wherewithal
before　you　finished　breakfast。〃

〃You　did？　　What　is　it？〃

〃Come；　this　is　a　good　sign…curiosity。　　Oh；　there's'　hope　for　you　yet。〃




CHAPTER　XVI