the lion and the unicorn-第15章

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fastened　me　behind　a　horse　and　when　he　stumbled　going　down　the
trail　it　jerked　me　forward　and　the　cords　would　tighten　and　tear
the　flesh。　　But　they　have　had　a　long　time　to　heal　now。　　I　have
been　eight　months　in　prison。〃

The　young　men　at　the　carriage　window　had　ceased　smiling　and　were
listening　intently。　　One　of　them　stepped　out　and　stood
beside　the　carriage　door　looking　down　at　the　shivering
figure　before　him　with　a　close　and　curious　scrutiny。

〃Eight　months　in　prison！〃　echoed　the　police　sergeant　with　a　note
of　triumph；　〃what　did　I　tell　you？〃

〃Hold　your　tongue！〃　said　the　young　man　at　the　carriage　door。　
There　was　silence　for　a　moment；　while　the　men　looked　at　the
senator；　as　though　waiting　for　him　to　speak。

〃Where　were　you　in　prison；　Mr。　Arkwright？〃　he　asked。

〃First　in　the　calaboose　at　Santa　Clara　for　two　months；　and　then
in　Cabanas。　　The　Cubans　who　were　taken　when　I　was；　were　shot　by
the　fusillade　on　different　days　during　this　last　month。　　Two　of
them；　the　Ezetas；　were　father　and　son；　and　the　Volunteer　band
played　all　the　time　the　execution　was　going　on；　so　that　the　other
prisoners　might　not　hear　them　cry　'Cuba　Libre'　when　the　order
came　to　fire。　　But　we　heard　them。〃

The　senator　shivered　slightly　and　pulled　his　fur　collar　up
farther　around　his　face。　　〃I'd　like　to　talk　with　you；〃　he　said；
〃if　you　have　nothing　to　do　to…morrow。　　I'd　like　to　go　into
this　thing　thoroughly。　　Congress　must　be　made　to　take　some
action。〃

The　young　man　clasped　his　hands　eagerly。　　〃Ah；　Mr。　Stanton；　if
you　would；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　would　only　give　me　an　hour！　　I
could　tell　you　so　much　that　you　could　use。　　And　you　can　believe
what　I　say；　sirit　is　not　necessary　to　lieGod　knows　the　truth
is　bad　enough。　　I　can　give　you　names　and　dates　for　everything　I
say。　　Or　I　can　do　better　than　that；　sir。　　I　can　take　you　there
yourselfin　three　months　I　can　show　you　all　you　need　to　see；
without　danger　to　you　in　any　way。　　And　they　would　not　know　me；
now　that　I　have　grown　a　beard；　and　I　am　a　skeleton　to　what　I　was。

I　can　speak　the　language　well；　and　I　know　just　what　you　should
see；　and　then　you　could　come　back　as　one　speaking　with　authority
and　not　have　to　say；　'I　have　read；'　or　'have　been　told；'　but　you
can　say；　'These　are　the　things　I　have　seen'and　you　could　free
Cuba。〃

The　senator　coughed　and　put　the　question　aside　for　the　moment
with　a　wave　of　the　hand　that　held　his　cigar。　　〃We　will　talk　of
that　to…morrow　also。　　Come　to　lunch　with　me　at　one。　　My
apartments　are　in　the　Berkeley　on　Fifth　Avenue。　　But　aren't　you
afraid　to　go　back　there？〃　he　asked　curiously。　　〃I　should　think
you'd　had　enough　of　it。　　And　you've　got　a　touch　of　fever；　haven't
you？〃　　He　leaned　forward　and　peered　into　the　other's　eyes。

〃It　is　only　the　prison　fever；〃　the　young　man　answered；　〃food　and
this　cold　will　drive　that　out　of　me。　　And　I　must　go　back。　　There
is　so　much　to　do　there；〃　he　added。　　〃Ah；　if　I　could　tell　them；　as
you　can　tell　them；　what　I　feel　here。〃　　He　struck　his　chest
sharply　with　his　hand；　and　on　the　instant　fell　into　a　fit　of
coughing　so　violent　that　the　young　man　at　the　carriage　door
caught　him　around　the　waist；　and　one　of　the　policemen　supported
him　from　the　other　side。

〃You　need　a　doctor；〃　said　the　senator　kindly。　　〃I'll　ask　mine　to
have　a　look　at　you。　　Don't　forget；　then；　at　one　o'clock　to…
morrow。　　We　will　go　into　this　thing　thoroughly。〃　　He　shook
Arkwright　warmly　by　the　hand　and　stooping　stepped　into　the
carriage。　　The　young　man　who　had　stood　at　the　door　followed　him
and　crowded　back　luxuriously　against　the　cushions。　　The
footman　swung　himself　up　beside　the　driver；　and　said　〃Uptown
Delmonico's；〃　as　he　wrapped　the　fur　rug　around　his　legs；　and　with
a　salute　from　the　policemen　and　a　scraping　of　hoofs　on　the
slippery　asphalt　the　great　man　was　gone。

〃That　poor　fellow　needs　a　doctor；〃　he　said　as　the　carriage　rolled
up　the　avenue；　〃and　he　needs　an　overcoat；　and　he　needs　food。　　He
needs　about　almost　everything；　by　the　looks　of　him。〃

But　the　voice　of　the　young　man　in　the　corner　of　the　carriage
objected　drowsily

〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　said；　〃it　seemed　to　me　that　he　had　the　one
thing　needful。〃

By　one　o'clock　of　the　day　following；　Senator　Stanton；　having　read
the　reports　of　his　speech　in　the　morning　papers；　punctuated　with
〃Cheers；〃　〃Tremendous　enthusiasm〃　and　more　〃Cheers；〃　was　still　in
a　willing　frame　of　mind　toward　Cuba　and　her　self…appointed　envoy；
young　Mr。　Arkwright。

Over　night　he　had　had　doubts　but　that　the　young　man's　enthusiasm
would　bore　him　on　the　morrow；　but　Mr。　Arkwright；　when　he
appeared；　developed；　on　the　contrary；　a　practical　turn　of　mind
which　rendered　his　suggestions　both　flattering　and　feasible。　　He
was　still　terribly　in　earnest；　but　he　was　clever　enough　or
serious　enough　to　see　that　the　motives　which　appealed　to　him
might　not　have　sufficient　force　to　move　a　successful　statesman
into　action。　　So　he　placed　before　the　senator　only　those
arguments　and　reasons　which　he　guessed　were　the　best　adapted　to
secure　his　interest　and　his　help。　　His　proposal　as　he　set　it
forth　was　simplicity　itself。

〃Here　is　a　map　of　the　island；〃　he　said；　〃on　it　I　have　marked　the
places　you　can　visit　in　safety；　and　where　you　will　meet　the
people　you　ought　to　see。　　If　you　leave　New　York　at　midnight　you
can　reach　Tampa　on　the　second　day。　　From　Tampa　we　cross　in
another　day　to　Havana。　　There　you　can　visit　the　Americans
imprisoned　in　Morro　and　Cabanas；　and　in　the　streets　you　can　see
the　starving　pacificos。　　From　Havana　I　shall　take　you　by　rail　to
Jucaro；　Matanzas；　Santa　Clara　and　Cienfuegos。　　You　will　not　be
able　to　see　the　insurgents　in　the　fieldsit　is　not　necessary
that　you　shouldbut　you　can　visit　one　of　the　sugar
plantations　and　some　of　the　insurgent　chiefs　will　run　the　forts
by　night　and　come　in　to　talk　with　you。　　I　will　show　you　burning
fields　and　houses；　and　starving　men　and　women　by　the　thousands；
and　men　and　women　dying　of　fevers。　　You　can　see　Cuban　prisoners
shot　by　a　firing　squad　and　you　can　note　how　these　rebels　meet
death。　　You　can　see　all　this　in　three　weeks　and　be　back　in　New
York　in　a　month；　as　any　one　can　see　it　who　wishes　to　learn　the
truth。　　Why；　English　members　of　Parliament　go　all　the　way　to
India　and　British　Columbia　to　inform　themselves　about　those
countries；　they　travel　thousands　of　miles；　but　only　one　member　of
either　of　our　houses　of　Congress　has　taken　the　trouble　to　cross
these　eighty　miles　of　water　that　lie　between　us　and　Cuba。　　You
can　either　go　quietly　and　incognito；　as　it　were；　or　you　can
advertise　the　fact　of　your　going；　which　would　be　better。　　And
from　the　moment　you　start　the　interest　in　your　visit　will　grow
and　increase　until　there　will　be　no　topic　discussed　in　any　of　our
papers　except　yourself；　and　what　you　are　doing　and　what　you　mean
to　do。　

〃By　the　time　you　return　the　people　will　be　waiting；　ready　and
eager　to　hear　whatever　you　may　have　to　say。　　Your　word　will　be
the　last　word　for　them。　　It　is　not　as　though　you　were　some
demagogue　seeking　notoriety；　or　a　hotel　piazza　correspondent　at
Key　West　or　Jacksonville。　　You　are　the　only　statesman　we　have；
the　only　orator　Americans　will　listen　to；　and　I　tell　you　that
when　you　come　before　them　and　bring　home　to　them　as　only　you　can
the　horrors　of　this　war；　you　will　be　the　only　man　in　this
country。　　You　will　be　the　Patrick　Henry　of　Cuba；　you　can　go　down
to　history　as　the　man　who　added　the　most　beautiful　island　in　the
seas　to　the　territory　of　the　United　States；　who　saved　thousands
of　innocent　children　and　women；　and　who　dared　to　do　what　no　other
politician　has　dared　to　doto　go　and　see　for　himself　and　to　come
back　and　speak　the　truth。　　It　only　means　a　month　out　of　your
life；　a　month's　trouble　and　discomfort；　but　with　no　risk。　　What
is　a　month　out　of　a　lifetime；　when　that　month　means　immortality
to　you　and　life　to　thousands？　　In　a　month　you　would　make　a　half
dozen　after…dinner　speeches　and　cause　your　friends　to　laugh
and　applaud。　　Why　not　wring　their　hearts　instead；　and　hold　this
thing　up　before　them　as　it　is；　and　shake　it　in　their　faces？　　Show
it　to　them　in　all　its　horrorbleeding；　diseased　and　naked；　an
offence　to　our　humanity；　and　to　our　prated　love　of　liberty；　and
to　our　God。〃

Th