the lion and the unicorn-第18章
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kind； interested glances of those about him set him at his ease。
It was a propitious start； he thought； a pleasant leave…taking
for the senator and himself； full of good will and good wishes。
He turned toward Stanton and waited until he had ceased speaking。
〃The papers have begun well； haven't they？〃 he asked； eagerly。
He had spoken in a low voice； almost in a whisper； but those
about the table seemed to have heard him； for there was silence
instantly and when he glanced up he saw the eyes of all turned
upon him and he noticed on their faces the same smile he had seen
there when he entered。
〃Yes；〃 Stanton answered constrainedly。 〃Yes； I〃 he
lowered his voice； but the silence still continued。 Stanton had
his eyes fixed on the table； but now he frowned and half rose
from his chair。
〃I want to speak with you； Arkwright；〃 he said。 〃Suppose we go
into the next room。 I'll be back in a moment；〃 he added； nodding
to the others。
But the man on his right removed his cigar from his lips and said
in an undertone； 〃No； sit down； stay where you are；〃 and the
elderly gentleman at Arkwright's side laid his hand detainingly
on his arm。 〃Oh； you won't take Mr。 Arkwright away from us；
Stanton？〃 he asked； smiling。
Stanton shrugged his shoulders and sat down again； and there was
a moment's pause。 It was broken by the man in the overcoat； who
laughed。
〃He's paying you a compliment； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said。 He
pointed with his cigar to the gentleman at Arkwright's side。
〃I don't understand；〃 Arkwright answered doubtfully。
〃It's a compliment to your eloquencehe's afraid to leave you
alone with the senator。 Livingstone's been telling us that
you are a better talker than Stanton。〃 Arkwright turned a
troubled countenance toward the men about the table； and then
toward Livingstone； but that young man had his eyes fixed gravely
on the glasses before him and did not raise them。
Arkwright felt a sudden； unreasonable fear of the circle of
strong…featured； serene and confident men about him。 They seemed
to be making him the subject of a jest； to be enjoying something
among themselves of which he was in ignorance； but which
concerned him closely。 He turned a white face toward Stanton。
〃You don't mean；〃 he began piteously； 〃thatthat you are not
going？ Is that ittell meis that what you wanted to say？〃
Stanton shifted in his chair and muttered some words between his
lips； then turned toward Arkwright and spoke quite clearly and
distinctly。
〃I am very sorry； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said； 〃but I am afraid I'll
have to disappoint you。 Reasons I cannot now explain have arisen
which make my going impossiblequite impossible；〃 he added
firmly〃not only now； but later；〃 he went on quickly； as
Arkwright was about to interrupt him。
Arkwright made no second attempt to speak。 He felt the muscles
of his face working and the tears coming to his eyes； and to hide
his weakness he twisted in his chair and sat staring ahead of him
with his back turned to the table。 He heard Livingstone's voice
break the silence with some hurried question； and immediately his
embarrassment was hidden in a murmur of answers and the moving of
glasses as the men shifted in their chairs and the laughter and
talk went on as briskly as before。 Arkwright saw a sideboard
before him and a servant arranging some silver on one of the
shelves。 He watched the man do this with a concentrated interest
as though the dull； numbed feeling in his brain caught at the
trifle in order to put off； as long as possible； the
consideration of the truth。
And then beyond the sideboard and the tapestry on the wall above
it； he saw the sun shining down upon the island of Cuba； he saw
the royal palms waving and bending； the dusty columns of
Spanish infantry crawling along the white roads and leaving
blazing huts and smoking cane…fields in their wake； he saw
skeletons of men and women seeking for food among the refuse of
the street； he heard the order given to the firing squad； the
splash of the bullets as they scattered the plaster on the prison
wall； and he saw a kneeling figure pitch forward on its face；
with a useless bandage tied across its sightless eyes。
Senator Stanton brought him back with a sharp shake of the
shoulder。 He had also turned his back on the others； and was
leaning forward with his elbows on his knees。 He spoke rapidly；
and in a voice only slightly raised above a whisper。
〃I am more than sorry； Arkwright；〃 he said earnestly。 〃You
mustn't blame me altogether。 I have had a hard time of it this
afternoon。 I wanted to go。 I really wanted to go。 The thing
appealed to me； it touched me； it seemed as if I owed it to
myself to do it。 But they were too many for me；〃 he added with a
backward toss of his head toward the men around his table。
〃If the papers had not told on me I could have got well away；〃 he
went on in an eager tone； 〃but as soon as they read of it； they
came here straight from their offices。 You know who they are；
don't you？〃 he asked； and even in his earnestness there was an
added touch of importance in his tone as he spoke the name of his
party's leader； of men who stood prominently in Wall Street and
who were at the head of great trusts。
〃You see how it is；〃 he said with a shrug of his shoulders。
〃They have enormous interests at stake。 They said I would drag
them into war； that I would disturb values； that the business
interests of the country would suffer。 I'm under obligations to
most of them； they have advised me in financial matters； and they
threatenedthey threatened to make it unpleasant for me。〃 His
voice hardened and he drew in his breath quickly； and laughed。
〃You wouldn't understand if I were to tell you。 It's rather
involved。 And after all； they may be right； agitation may be bad
for the country。 And your party leader after all is your party
leader； isn't he； and if he says 'no' what are you to do？
My sympathies are just as keen for these poor women and children
as ever； but as these men say； 'charity begins at home；' and we
mustn't do anything to bring on war prices again； or to send
stocks tumbling about our heads； must we？〃 He leaned back in his
chair again and sighed。 〃Sympathy is an expensive luxury； I
find；〃 he added。
Arkwright rose stiffly and pushed Stanton away from him with his
hand。 He moved like a man coming out of a dream。
〃Don't talk to me like that；〃 he said in a low voice。 The noise
about the table ended on the instant； but Arkwright did not
notice that it had ceased。 〃You know I don't understand that；〃
he went on； 〃what does it matter to me！〃 He put his hand up to
the side of his face and held it there； looking down at Stanton。
He had the dull； heavy look in his eyes of a man who has just
come through an operation under some heavy drug。 〃'Wall Street；'
'trusts；' 'party leaders；'〃 he repeated； 〃what are they to me？
The words don't reach me； they have lost their meaning； it is a
language I have forgotten； thank God！〃 he added。 He turned
and moved his eyes around the table； scanning the faces of the
men before him。
〃Yes； you are twelve to one；〃 he said at last； still speaking
dully and in a low voice； as though he were talking to himself。
〃You have won a noble victory； gentlemen。 I congratulate you。
But I do not blame you； we are all selfish and self…seeking。 I
thought I was working only for Cuba； but I was working for
myself； just as you are。 I wanted to feel that it was I who had
helped to bring relief to that plague…spot； that it was through
my efforts the help had come。 Yes； if he had done as I asked； I
suppose I would have taken the credit。〃
He swayed slightly； and to steady himself caught at the back of
his chair。 But at the same moment his eyes glowed fiercely and
he held himself erect again。 He pointed with his finger at the
circle of great men who sat looking up at him in curious silence。
〃You are like a ring of gamblers around a gaming table；〃 he cried
wildly； 〃who see nothing but the green cloth and the wheel and
the piles of money before them； who forget in watching the
money rise and fall； that outside the sun is shining； that human
beings a
