the american claimant-第31章

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earl's　face　began　to　glow　with　an　inspiration；　and　he　said；　impressively：

〃Hawkins；　this　materialization　is　a　grander　and　nobler　science　than　we
have　dreamed　of。　　We　have　little　imagined　what　a　solemn　and　stupendous
thing　we　have　done。　　The　whole　secret　is　perfectly　clear　to　me；　now；
clear　as　day。　　Every　man　is　made　up　of　heredities；　long…descended　atoms
and　particles　of　his　ancestors。　　This　present　materialization　is
incomplete。　　We　have　only　brought　it　down　to　perhaps　the　beginning　of
this　century。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Colonel！〃　cried　Hawkins；　filled　with　vague　alarms　by
the　old　man's　awe…compelling　words　and　manner。

〃This。　　We've　materialized　this　burglar's　ancestor！〃

〃Oh；　don't…don't　say　that。　　It's　hideous。〃

〃But　it's　true；　Hawkins；　I　know　it。　　Look　at　the　facts。　　This　apparition
is　distinctly　English…note　that。　　It　uses　good　grammarnote　that。　　It　is
an　Artistnote　that。　　It　has　the　manners　and　carriage　of　a　gentleman
note　that。　　Where's　your　cow…boy？　　Answer　me　that。〃

〃Rossmore；　this　is　dreadful…it's　too　dreadful　to　think　of！〃

〃Never　resurrected　a　rag　of　that　burglar　but　the　clothes；　not　a　solitary
rag　of　him　but　the　clothes。〃

〃Colonel；　do　you　really　mean〃

The　Colonel　brought　his　fist　down　with　emphasis　and　said：

〃I　mean　exactly　this。　　The　materialization　was　immature；　the　burglar　has
evaded　us；　this　is　nothing　but　a　damned　ancestor！〃

He　rose　and　walked　the　floor　in　great　excitement。

Hawkins　said　plaintively：

〃It's　a　bitter　disappointment…bitter。〃

〃I　know　it。　　I　know　it；　Senator；　I　feel　it　as　deeply　as　anybody　could。
But　we've　got　to　submiton　moral　grounds。　　I　need　money；　but　God　knows
I　am　not　poor　enough　or　shabby　enough　to　be　an　accessory　to　the　punishing
of　a　man's　ancestor　for　crimes　committed　by　that　ancestor's　posterity。〃

〃But　Colonel！〃　implored　Hawkins；　〃stop　and　think；　don't　be　rash；　you　know
it's　the　only　chance　we've　got　to　get　the　money；　and　besides；　the　Bible
itself　says　posterity　to　the　fourth　generation　shall　be　punished　for　the
sins　and　crimes　committed　by　ancestors　four　generations　back　that　hadn't
anything　to　do　with　them；　and　so　it's　only　fair　to　turn　the　rule　around
and　make　it　work　both　ways。〃

The　Colonel　was　struck　with　the　strong　logic　of　this　position。　　He　strode
up　and　down；　and　thought　it　painfully　over。　　Finally　he　said：

〃There's　reason　in　it；　yes；　there's　reason　in　it。　　And　so；　although　it
seems　a　piteous　thing　to　sweat　this　poor　ancient　devil　for　a　burglary　he
hadn't　the　least　hand　in；　still　if　duty　commands　I　suppose　we　must　give
him　up　to　the　authorities。〃

〃I　would；〃　said　Hawkins；　cheered　and　relieved；　〃I'd　give　him　up　if　he　was
a　thousand　ancestors　compacted　into　one。〃

〃Lord　bless　me；　that's　just　what　he　is；〃　said　Sellers；　with　something
like　a　groan；　〃it's　exactly　what　he　is；　there's　a　contribution　in　him
from　every　ancestor　he　ever　had。　　In　him　there's　atoms　of　priests；
soldiers；　crusaders；　poets；　and　sweet　and　gracious　womenall　kinds　and
conditions　of　folk　who　trod　this　earth　in　old；　old　centuries；　and
vanished　out　of　it　ages　ago；　and　now　by　act　of　ours　they　are　summoned
from　their　holy　peace　to　answer　for　gutting　a　one…horse　bank　away　out　on
the　borders　of　Cherokee　Strip；　and　it's　just　a　howling　outrage！〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　like　that；　Colonel；　it　takes　the　heart　all　out　of　me；　and
makes　me　ashamed　of　the　part　I　am　proposing　to〃

〃Wait…I've　got　it！〃

〃A　saving　hope？　　Shout　it　out；　I　am　perishing。〃

〃It's　perfectly　simple；　a　child　would　have　thought　of　it。　　He　is　all
right；　not　a　flaw　in　him；　as　far　as　I　have　carried　the　work。　　If　I've
been　able　to　bring　him　as　far　as　the　beginning　of　this　century；　what's　to
stop　me　now？　　I'll　go　on　and　materialize　him　down　to　date。〃

〃Land；　I　never　thought　of　that！〃　said　Hawkins　all　ablaze　with　joy　again。
〃It's　the　very　thing。　　What　a　brain　you　have　got！　　And　will　he　shed　the
superfluous　arm？〃

〃He　will。〃

〃And　lose　his　English　；accent？〃

〃It　will　wholly　disappear。　　He　will　speak　Cherokee　Stripand　other　forms
of　profanity。〃

〃Colonel；　maybe　he'll　confess！〃

〃Confess？　　Merely　that　bank　robbery？〃

〃　Merely？　　Yes；　but　why　'merely'？〃

The　Colonel　said　in　his　most　impressive　manner：　〃Hawkins；　he　will　be
wholly　under　my　command。　　I　will　make　him　confess　every　crime　he　ever
committed。　　There　must　be　a　thousand。　　Do　you　get　the　idea？〃

〃Wellnot　quite。〃

〃The　rewards　will　come　to　us。〃

〃Prodigious　conception！　　I　never　saw　such　ahead　for　seeing　with　a
lightning　glance　all　the　outlying　ramifications　and　possibilities　of　a
central　idea。〃

〃It　is　nothing；　it　comes　natural　to　me。　　When　his　time　is　out　in　one　jail
he　goes　to　the　next　and　the　next；　and　we　shall　have　nothing　to　do　but
collect　the　rewards　as　he　goes　along。　　It　is　a　perfectly　steady　income　as
long　as　we　live；　Hawkins。　　And　much　better　than　other　kinds　of
investments；　because　he　is　indestructible。〃

〃It　looksit　really　does　look　the　way　you　say；　it　does　indeed。〃

〃Look？why　it　is。　　It　will　not　be　denied　that　I　have　had　a　pretty　wide
and　comprehensive　financial　experience；　and　I　do　not　hesitate　to　say　that
I　consider　this　one　of　the　most　valuable　properties　I　have　ever
controlled。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　so？〃

〃I　do；　indeed。〃

〃O；　Colonel；　the　wasting　grind　and　grief　of　poverty！　　If　we　could　realize
immediately。　　I　don't　mean　sell　it　all；　but　sell　part…enough；　you　know；
to〃

〃See　how　you　tremble　with　excitement。　　That　comes　of　lack　of　experience。
My　boy；　when　you　have　been　familiar　with　vast　operations　as　long　as　I
have；　you'll　be　different。　　Look　at　me；　is　my　eye　dilated？　do　you　notice
a　quiver　anywhere？　　Feel　my　pulse：　plunk…plunk…plunksame　as　if　I　were
asleep。　　And　yet；　what　is　passing　through　my　calm　cold　mind？　　A
procession　of　figures　which　would　make　a　financial　novice　drunk　just　the
sight　of　them。　　Now　it　is　by　keeping　cool；　and　looking　at　a　thing　all
around；　that　a　man　sees　what's　really　in　it；　and　saves　himself　from　the
novice's　unfailing　mistakethe　one　you've　just　suggestedeagerness　to
realize。　　Listen　to　me。　　Your　idea　is　to　sell　a　part　of　him　for　ready
cash。　　Now　mine　isguess。〃

〃I　haven't　an　idea。　　What　is　it？〃

〃Stock　himof　course。〃

〃Well；　I　should　never　have　thought　of　that。〃

〃Because　you　are　not　a　financier。　　Say　he　has　committed　a　thousand
crimes。　　Certainly　that's　a　low　estimate。　　By　the　look　of　him；　even　in
his　unfinished　condition；　he　has　committed　all　of　a　million。　　But　call　it
only　a　thousand　to　be　perfectly　safe；　five　thousand　reward；　multiplied　by
a　thousand；　gives　us　a　dead　sure　cash　basis　ofwhat？　　Five　million
dollars！〃

〃Waitlet　me　get　my　breath。〃

〃And　the　property　indestructible。　　Perpetually　fruitfulperpetually；　for
a　property　with　his　disposition　will　go　on　committing　crimes　and　winning
rewards。〃

〃You　daze　me；　you　make　my　head　whirl！〃

〃Let　it　whirl；　it　won't　do　it　any　harm。　　Now　that　matter　is　all　fixed
leave　it　alone。　　I'll　get　up　the　company　and　issue　the　stock；　all　in　good
time。　　Just　leave　it　in　my　hands。　　I　judge　you　don't　doubt　my　ability　to
work　it　up　for　all　it　is　worth。〃。

〃Indeed　I　don't。　　I　can　say　that　with　truth。〃

〃All　right；　then。　　That's　disposed　of。　　Everything　in　its　turn。　　We　old
operators；　go　by　order　and　systemno　helter…skelter　business　with　us。
What's　the　next　thing　on　the　docket？　　The　carrying　on　of　the
materializationthe　bringing　it　down　to　date。　　I　will　begin　on　that　at
once。　　I　think

〃Look　here；　Rossmore。　　You　didn't　lock　It　in。　　A　hundred　to　one　it　has
escaped！〃

〃Calm　yourself；　as　to　that；　don't　give　yourself　any　uneasiness。〃

〃But　why　shouldn't　it　escape？〃

〃Let　it；　if　it　wants　to？　　What　of　it？〃

〃Well；　I　should　consider　it　a　pretty　serious　calamity。〃

〃Why；　my　dear　boy；　once　in　my　power；　always　in　my　power。　　It　may　go　and
come　freely。　　I　can　produce　it　here　whenever　I　want　it；　just　by　the
exercise　of　my　will。〃

〃Well；　I　am　truly　glad　to　hear　that；　I　do　assure　you。〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　give　it　all　the　painting　it　wants　to　do；　and　we　and　the
family　will　make　it　as　comfortable　and　contented　as　we　can。　　No　occasion
to　restrain　its　movements。　　I　hope　to　persuade　it　to　remain　pretty　quiet；
though；　because　a　materialization　which　is　in　a　state　of　arreste