the lion and the unicorn-第16章

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offence　to　our　humanity；　and　to　our　prated　love　of　liberty；　and
to　our　God。〃

The　young　man　threw　himself　eagerly　forward　and　beat　the　map　with
his　open　palm。　　But　the　senator　sat　apparently　unmoved　gazing
thoughtfully　into　the　open　fire；　and　shook　his　head。

While　the　luncheon　was　in　progress　the　young　gentleman　who　the
night　before　had　left　the　carriage　and　stood　at　Arkwright's　side；
had　entered　the　room　and　was　listening　intently。　　He　had　invited
himself　to　some　fresh　coffee；　and　had　then　relapsed　into　an
attentive　silence；　following　what　the　others　said　with　an　amused
and　interested　countenance。　　Stanton　had　introduced　him　as　Mr。
Livingstone；　and　appeared　to　take　it　for　granted　that　Arkwright
would　know　who　he　was。　　He　seemed　to　regard　him　with　a　certain
deference　which　Arkwright　judged　was　due　to　some　fixed　position
the　young　man　held；　either　of　social　or　of　political　value。

〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Stanton　with　consideration；　〃that　I　am
prepared　to　advocate　the　annexation　of　the　island。　　It　is　a
serious　problem。〃

〃I　am　not　urging　that；〃　Arkwright　interrupted　anxiously；　〃the
Cubans　themselves　do　not　agree　as　to　that；　and　in　any　event　it　is
an　afterthought。　　Our　object　now　should　be　to　prevent　further
bloodshed。　　If　you　see　a　man　beating　a　boy　to　death；　you　first
save　the　boy's　life　and　decide　afterward　where　he　is　to　go　to
school。　　If　there　were　any　one　else；　senator；〃　Arkwright
continued　earnestly；　〃I　would　not　trouble　you。　　But　we　all　know
your　strength　in　this　country。　　You　are　independent　and　fearless；
and　men　of　both　parties　listen　to　you。　　Surely；　God　has　given　you
this　great　gift　of　oratory；　if　you　will　forgive　my　speaking　so；
to　use　only　in　a　great　cause。　　A　grand　organ　in　a　cathedral　is
placed　there　to　lift　men's　thoughts　to　high　resolves　and
purposes；　not　to　make　people　dance。　　A　street　organ　can　do　that。　
Now；　here　is　a　cause　worthy　of　your　great　talents；　worthy　of
a　Daniel　Webster；　of　a　Henry　Clay。〃

The　senator　frowned　at　the　fire　and　shook　his　head　doubtfully。

〃If　they　knew　what　I　was　down　there　for；〃　he　asked；　〃wouldn't
they　put　me　in　prison　too？〃

Arkwright　laughed　incredulously。

〃Certainly　not；〃　he　said；　〃you　would　go　there　as　a　private
citizen；　as　a　tourist　to　look　on　and　observe。　　Spain　is　not
seeking　complications　of　that　sort。　　She　has　troubles　enough
without　imprisoning　United　States　senators。〃

〃Yes；　but　these　fevers　now；〃　persisted　Stanton；　〃they're　no
respecter　of　persons；　I　imagine。　　A　United　States　senator　is　not
above　smallpox　or　cholera。〃

Arkwright　shook　his　head　impatiently　and　sighed。

〃It　is　difficult　to　make　it　clear　to　one　who　has　not　been　there；〃
he　said。　　〃These　people　and　soldiers　are　dying　of　fever　because
they　are　forced　to　live　like　pigs；　and　they　are　already　sick　with
starvation。　　A　healthy　man　like　yourself　would　be　in　no　more
danger　than　you　would　be　in　walking　through　the　wards　of　a　New
York　hospital。〃

Senator　Stanton　turned　in　his　armchair；　and　held　up　his　hand
impressively。

〃If　I　were　to　tell　them　the　things　you　have　told　me；〃　he　said
warningly；　〃if　I　were　to　say　I　have　seen　such　thingsAmerican
property　in　flames；　American　interests　ruined；　and　that　five
times　as　many　women　and　children　have　died　of　fever　and
starvation　in　three　months　in　Cuba　as　the　Sultan　has　massacred　in
Armenia　in　three　yearsit　would　mean　war　with　Spain。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Arkwright。

Stanton　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　sank　back　again　in　his　chair。

〃It　would　either　mean　war；〃　Arkwright　went　on；　〃or　it　might　mean
the　sending　of　the　Red　Cross　army　to　Cuba。　　It　went　to
Constantinople；　five　thousand　miles　away；　to　help　the　Armenian
Christianswhy　has　it　waited　three　years　to　go　eighty　miles　to
feed　and　clothe　the　Cuban　women　and　children？　　It　is　like　sending
help　to　a　hungry　peasant　in　Russia　while　a　man　dies　on　your
doorstep。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　senator；　rising；　〃I　will　let　you　know　to…morrow。

If　it　is　the　right　thing　to　do；　and　if　I　can　do　it；　of　course　it
must　be　done。　　We　start　from　Tampa；　you　say？　　I　know　the
presidents　of　all　of　those　roads　and　they'll　probably　give　me　a
private　car　for　the　trip　down。　　Shall　we　take　any　newspaper　men
with　us；　or　shall　I　wait　until　I　get　back　and　be　interviewed？　
What　do　you　think？〃

〃I　would　wait　until　my　return；〃　Arkwright　answered；　his　eyes
glowing　with　the　hope　the　senator's　words　had　inspired；　〃and　then
speak　to　a　mass…meeting　here　and　in　Boston　and　in　Chicago。　　Three
speeches　will　be　enough。　　Before　you　have　finished　your　last　one
the　American　warships　will　be　in　the　harbor　of　Havana。〃

〃Ah；　youth；　youth！〃　said　the　senator；　smiling　gravely；　〃it　is　no
light　responsibility　to　urge　a　country　into　war。〃

〃It　is　no　light　responsibility；〃　Arkwright　answered；　〃to　know　you
have　the　chance　to　save　the　lives　of　thousands　of　little　children
and　helpless　women　and　to　let　the　chance　pass。〃

〃Quite　so；　that　is　quite　true；〃　said　the　senator。　　〃Well；　good…
morning。　　I　shall　let　you　know　to…morrow。〃

Young　Livingstone　went　down　in　the　elevator　with　Arkwright；　and
when　they　had　reached　the　sidewalk　stood　regarding　him　for　a
moment　in　silence。

〃You　mustn't　count　too　much　on　Stanton；　you　know；〃　he　said
kindly；　〃he　has　a　way　of　disappointing　people。〃

〃Ah；　he　can　never　disappoint　me；〃　Arkwright　answered　confidently；
〃no　matter　how　much　I　expected。　　Besides；　I　have　already　heard
him　speak。〃

〃I　don't　mean　that；　I　don't　mean　he　is　disappointing　as　a
speaker。　　Stanton　is　a　great　orator；　I　think。　　Most　of　those
Southerners　are；　and　he's　the　only　real　orator　I　ever　heard。　　But
what　I　mean　is；　that　he　doesn't　go　into　things　impulsively；　he
first　considers　himself；　and　then　he　considers　every　other　side
of　the　question　before　he　commits　himself　to　it。　　Before　he
launches　out　on　a　popular　wave　he　tries　to　find　out　where　it　is
going　to　land　him。　　He　likes　the　sort　of　popular　wave　that
carries　him　along　with　it　where　every　one　can　see　him；　he
doesn't　fancy　being　hurled　up　on　the　beach　with　his　mouth　full　of
sand。〃

〃You　are　saying　that　he　is　selfish；　self…seeking？〃　Arkwright
demanded　with　a　challenge　in　his　voice。　　〃I　thought　you　were　his
friend。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　selfish；　and　yes；　I　am　his　friend；〃　the　young　man
answered；　smiling；　〃at　least；　he　seems　willing　to　be　mine。　　I　am
saying　nothing　against　him　that　I　have　not　said　to　him。　　If
you'll　come　back　with　me　up　the　elevator　I'll　tell　him　he's　a
self…seeker　and　selfish；　and　with　no　thought　above　his　own
interests。　　He　won't　mind。　　He'd　say　I　cannot　comprehend　his
motives。　　Why；　you've　only　to　look　at　his　record。　　When　the
Venezuelan　message　came　out　he　attacked　the　President　and
declared　he　was　trying　to　make　political　capital　and　to　drag　us
into　war；　and　that　what　we　wanted　was　arbitration；　but　when　the
President　brought　out　the　Arbitration　Treaty　he　attacked　that　too
in　the　Senate　and　destroyed　it。　　Why？　　Not　because　he　had
convictions；　but　because　the　President　had　refused　a　foreign
appointment　to　a　friend　of　his　in　the　South。　　He　has　been　a
free　silver　man　for　the　last　ten　years；　he　comes　from　a　free
silver　state；　and　the　members　of　the　legislature　that　elected　him
were　all　for　silver；　but　this　last　election　his　Wall　Street
friends　got　hold　of　him　and　worked　on　his　feelings；　and　he
repudiated　his　party；　his　state；　and　his　constituents　and　came
out　for　gold。〃

〃Well；　but　surely；〃　Arkwright　objected；　〃that　took　courage？　　To
own　that　for　ten　years　you　had　been　wrong；　and　to　come　out　for
the　right　at　the　last。〃

Livingstone　stared　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃It's　all　a
question　of　motives；〃　he　said　indifferently。　　〃I　don't　want　to
shatter　your　idol；　I　only　want　to　save　you　from　counting　too　much
on　him。〃

When　Arkwright　called　on　the　morrow　Senator　Stanton　was　not　at
home；　and　the　day　following　he　was　busy；　and　could　give　him　only
a　brief　interview。　　There　were　previous　engagements　and　other
difficulties　in　the　way　of　his　going　which　he　had　not　foreseen；
he　said；　and　he　feared　he　should　have　to　postpone　his　visit　to
Cuba　indefinitely。　　He　asked　if　Mr。　Arkwright　would　be　so
kind　as　to　call　again　within　a　week；　he　would　then　be　better　able
to　give　him　a　definite　answer。

Arkwright　le