the american claimant-第26章

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〃You　did？　　What　is　it？〃

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




CHAPTER　XVI。

Brady　arrived　with　a　box；　and　departed；　after　saying〃　They're　finishing
one　up；　but　they'll　be　along　as　soon　as　it's　done。〃

Barrow　took　a　frameless　oil　portrait　a　foot　square　from　the　box；　set　it
up　in　a　good　light；　without　comment；　and　reached　for　another；　taking　a
furtive　glance　at　Tracy；　meantime。　The　stony　solemnity　in　Tracy's　face
remained　as　it　was；　and　gave　out　no　sign　of　interest。　　Barrow　placed　the
second　portrait　beside　the　first；　and　stole　another　glance　while　reaching
for　a　third。　　The　stone　image　softened；　a　shade。　　No。　3　forced　the　ghost
of　a　smile；　No。　4　swept　indifference　wholly　away；　and　No。　5　started　a
laugh　which　was　still　in　good　and　hearty　condition　when　No。　14　took　its
place　　in　the　row。

〃Oh；　you're　all　right；　yet；〃　said　Barrow。　　〃You　see　you're　not　past
amusement。〃

The　pictures　were　fearful；　as　to　color；　and　atrocious　as　to　drawing　and
expression；　but　the　feature　which　squelched　animosity　and　made　them　funny
was　a　feature　which　could　not　achieve　its　full　force　in　a　single　picture；
but　required　the　wonder…working　assistance　of　repetition。　　One　loudly
dressed　mechanic　in　stately　attitude；　with　his　hand　on　a　cannon；　ashore；
and　a　ship　riding　at　anchor　in　the　offing；this　is　merely　odd；　but　when
one　sees　the　same　cannon　and　the　same　ship　in　fourteen　pictures　in　a　row；
and　a　different　mechanic　standing　watch　in　each；　the　thing　gets　to　be
funny。

〃Explainexplain　these　aberrations；〃　said　Tracy。

〃Well；　they　are　not　the　achievement　of　a　single　intellect；　a　single
talentit　takes　two　to　do　these　miracles。　　They　are　collaborations；
the　one　artist　does　the　figure；　the　other　the　accessories。　　The　figure…
artist　is　a　German　shoemaker　with　an　untaught　passion　for　art；　the　other
is　a　simple　hearted　old　Yankee　sailor…man　whose　possibilities　are
strictly　limited　to　his　ship；　his　cannon　and　his　patch　of　petrified　sea。
They　work　these　things　up　from　twenty…five…cent　tintypes；　they　get　six
dollars　apiece　for　them；　and　they　can　grind　out　a　couple　a　day　when　they
strike　what　they　call　a　boostthat　is；　an　inspiration。〃

〃People　actually　pay　money　for　these　calumnies？〃

〃They　actually　doand　quite　willingly；　too。　　And　these　abortionists
could　double　their　trade　and　work　the　women　in；　if　Capt。　Saltmarsh　could
whirl　a　horse　in；　or　a　piano；　or　a　guitar；　in　place　of　his　cannon。　　The
fact　is；　he　fatigues　the　market　with　that　cannon。　　Even　the　male　market；
I　mean。　　These　fourteen　in　the　procession　are　not　all　satisfied。　　One　is
an　old　〃independent〃　fireman；　and　he　wants　an　engine　in　place　of　the
cannon；　another　is　a　mate　of　a　tug；　and　wants　a　tug　in　place　of　the　ship
and　so　on；　and　so　on。　　But　the　captain　can't　make　a　tug　that　is
deceptive；　and　a　fire　engine　is　many　flights　beyond　his　power。〃

〃This　is　a　most　extraordinary　form　of　robbery；　I　never　have　heard　of
anything　like　it。　　It's　interesting。〃

〃Yes；　and　so　are　the　artists。　　They　are　perfectly　honest　men；　and
sincere。　　And　the　old　sailor…man　is　full　of　sound　religion；　and　is　as
devoted　a　student　of　the　Bible　and　misquoter　of　it　as　you　can　find
anywhere。　　I　don't　know　a　better　man　or　kinder　hearted　old　soul　than
Saltmarsh；　although　he　does　swear　a　little；　sometimes。〃

〃He　seems　to　be　perfect。　　I　want　to　know　him；　Barrow。〃

〃You'll　have　the　chance。　　I　guess　I　hear　them　coming；　now。　　We'll　draw
them　out　on　their　art；　if　you　like。〃

The　artists　arrived　and　shook　hands　with　great　heartiness。　　The　German
was　forty　and　a　little　fleshy；　with　a　shiny　bald　head　and　a　kindly　face
and　deferential　manner。　　Capt。　　Saltmarsh　was　sixty；　tall；　erect；
powerfully　built；　with　coal…black　hair　and　whiskers；　and　he　had　a　well
tanned　complexion；　and　a　gait　and　countenance　that　were　full　of　command；
confidence　and　decision。　　His　horny　hands　and　wrists　were　covered　with
tattoo…marks；　and　when　his　lips　parted；　his　teeth　showed　up　white　and
blemishless。　　His　voice　was　the　effortless　deep　bass　of　a　church　organ；
and　would　disturb　the　tranquility　of　a　gas　flame　fifty　yards　away。

〃They're　wonderful　pictures；〃　said　Barrow。　　〃We've　been　examining　them。〃

〃It　is　very　bleasant　dot　you　like　dem；〃　said　Handel；　the　German；　greatly
pleased。　　〃Und　you；　Herr　Tracy；　you　haf　peen　bleased　mit　dem　too；
alretty？〃

〃I　can　honestly　say　I　have　never　seen　anything　just　like　them　before。〃

〃Schon！〃　cried　the　German；　delighted。　　〃You　hear；　Gaptain？　　Here　is　a
chentleman；　yes；　vot　abbreviate　unser　aart。〃

The　captain　was　charmed；　and　said：

〃Well；　sir；　we're　thankful　for　a　compliment　yet；　though　they're　not　as
scarce　now　as　they　used　to　be　before　we　made　a　reputation。〃

〃Getting　the　reputation　is　the　up…hill　time　in　most　things；　captain。〃

〃It's　so。　　It　ain't　enough　to　know　how　to　reef　a　gasket；　you　got　to　make
the　mate　know　you　know　it。　　That's　reputation。　　The　good　word；　said　at
the　right　time；　that's　the　word　that　makes　us；　and　evil　be　to　him　that
evil　thinks；　as　Isaiah　says。〃

〃It's　very　relevant；　and　hits　the　point　exactly；〃　said　Tracy。

〃Where　did　you　study　art；　Captain？〃

〃I　haven't　studied；　it's　a　natural　gift。〃

〃He　is　born　mit　dose　cannon　in　him。　　He　tondt　haf　to　do　noding；　his
chenius　do　all　de　vork。　　Of　he　is　asleep；　and　take　a　pencil　in　his　hand；
out　come　a　cannon。　　Py　crashus；　of　he　could　do　a　clavier；　of　he　could　do
a　guitar；　of　he　could　do　a　vashtub；　it　is　a　fortune；　heiliger　Yohanniss
it　is　yoost　a　fortune！〃

〃Well；　it　is　an　immense　pity　that　the　business　is　hindered　and　limited　in
this　unfortunate　way。〃

The　captain　grew　a　trifle　excited；　himself；　now：

〃You've　said　it；　Mr。　Tracy！Hindered？　　well；　I　should　say　so。　　Why；　look
here。　　This　fellow　here；　No。　11；　he's　a　hackman；a　flourishing　hackman；
I　may　say。　　He　wants　his　hack　in　this　picture。　　Wants　it　where　the　cannon
is。　　I　got　around　that　difficulty；　by　telling　him　the　cannon's　our
trademark；　so　to　speak…proves　that　the　picture's　our　work；　and　I　was
afraid　if　we　left　it　out　people　wouldn't　know　for　certain　if　it　was　a
SaltmarshHandelnow　you　wouldn't　yourself〃

〃What；　Captain？　　You　wrong　yourself；　indeed　you　do。　　Anyone　who　has　once
seen　a　genuine　Saltmarsh…Handel　is　safe　from　imposture　forever。　　Strip
it；　flay　it；　skin　it　out　of　every　detail　but　the　bare　color　and
expression；　and　that　man　will　still　recognize　itstill　stop　to
worship〃

〃Oh；　how　it　makes　me　feel　to　hear　dose　oxpressions！〃

〃still　say　to　himself　again　as　he　had；　said　a　hundred　times　before；　the
art　of　the　Saltmarsh…Handel　is　an　art　apart；　there　is　nothing　in　the
heavens　above　or　in　the　earth　beneath　that　resembles　it；〃

〃Py　chiminy；　nur　horen　Sie　einmal！　　In　my　life　day　haf　I　never　heard　so
brecious　worts。〃

〃So　I　talked　him　out　of　the　hack；　Mr。　Tracy；　and　he　let　up　on　that；　and
said　put　in　a　hearse；　thenbecause　he's　chief　mate　of　a　hearse　but　don't
own　itstands　a　watch　for　wages；　you　know。　　But　I　can't　do　a　hearse　any
more　than　I　can　a　hack；　so　here　we　arebecalmed；　you　see。　　And　it's　the
same　with　women　and　such。　　They　come　and　they　want　a　little　johnry
picture〃

〃It's　the　accessories　that　make　it　a　'genre？'〃

〃Yescannon；　or　cat；　or　any　little　thing　like　that；　that　you　heave　into
whoop　up　the　effect。　　We　could　do　a　prodigious　trade　with　the　women　if　we
could　foreground　the　things　they　like；　but　they　don't　give　a　damn　for
artillery。　　Mine's　the　lack；〃　continued　the　captain　with　a　sigh；　〃Andy's
end　of　the　business　is　all　right　I　tell　you　he's　an　artist　from　way
back！〃

〃Yoost　hear　dot　old　man！　　He　always　talk　'poud　me　like　dot；〃　purred　the
pleased　German。

〃Look　at　his　work　yourself！　　Fourteen　portraits　in　a　row。　　And　no　two　of
them　alike。〃

〃Now　that　you　speak　of　it；　it　is　true；　I　hadn't　noticed　it　before。　　It　is
very　remarkable。　　Unique；　I　suppose。〃

〃I　should　say　so。　　That's　the　very　thing　about　Andyhe　discriminates。
Discrimination's　the　thief　of　timeforty…ninth　Psalm；　but　that　ain't　any
matter；　it's　the　honest　thing；　and　it　pays　in　the　end。〃

〃Yes；　he　certainly　is　great　in　that　feature；　one　is　obliged　to　admit　it；
butnow　mind；　I'm　not　really　criticisingdon't　you　think　he　is　just　a
trifle　overstrong　in　technique？〃