my buried treasure-第9章
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〃but the agent of the Royal Mail here won't sell me a ticket until
you've put your seal to this。〃 He extended a piece of printed
paper。
As Hanley had been talking； the face of the consul had grown grave。
He accepted the paper； but did not look at it。 Instead； he regarded
the senator with troubled eyes。 When he spoke； his tone was one of
genuine concern。
〃It is most unfortunate；〃 he said。 〃But I am afraid the ROYAL MAIL
will not take you on board。 Because of Las Bocas；〃 he explained。
〃If we had only known！〃 he added remorsefully。 〃It is MOST
unfortunate。〃
〃Because of Las Bocas？〃 echoed Hanley。
〃You don't mean they'll refuse to take me to Jamaica because I
spent half an hour at the end of a wharf listening to a squeaky
gramophone？〃
〃The trouble；〃 explained Marshall； 〃is this： if they carried you；
all the other passengers would be held in quarantine for ten days；
and there are fines to pay； and there would be difficulties over
the mails。 But；〃 he added hopefully； 〃maybe the regulations have
been altered。 I will see her captain； and tell him〃
〃See her captain！〃 objected Hanley。 〃Why see the captain？ He
doesn't know I've been to that place。 Why tell him？ All I need is
a clean bill of health from you。 That's all HE wants。 You have only
to sign that paper。〃 Marshall regarded the senator with surprise。
〃But I can't；〃 he said。
〃You can't？ Why not？〃
〃Because it certifies to the fact that you have not visited Las
Bocas。 Unfortunately； you have visited Las Bocas。〃
The senator had been walking up and down the room。 Now he seated
himself； and stared at Marshall curiously。
〃It's like this； Mr。 Marshall；〃 he began quietly。 〃The President
desires my presence in Washington； thinks I can be of some use to
him there in helping carry out certain party measuresmeasures to
which he pledged himself before his election。 Down here； a British
steamship line has laid down local rules which； in my case anyway；
are ridiculous。 The question is； are you going to be bound by the
red tape of a ha'penny British colony； or by your oath to the
President of the United States？〃
The sophistry amused Marshall。 He smiled good…naturedly and shook
his head。
〃I'm afraid； Senator；〃 he said； 〃that way of putting it is hardly
fair。 Unfortunately； the question is one of fact。 I will explain to
the captain〃
〃You will explain nothing to the captain！〃 interrupted Hanley。
〃This is a matter which concerns no one but our two selves。 I am
not asking favors of steamboat captains。 I am asking an American
consul to assist an American citizen in trouble； and； 〃he added；
with heavy sarcasm； 〃incidentally； to carry out the wishes of his
President。〃
Marshall regarded the senator with an expression of both surprise
and disbelief。
〃Are you asking me to put my name to what is not so？〃 he said。 〃Are
you serious？〃
〃That paper； Mr。 Marshall；〃 returned Hanley steadily； 〃is a mere
form； a piece of red tape。 There's no more danger of my carrying
the plague to Jamaica than of my carrying a dynamite bomb。 You KNOW
that。〃
〃I DO know that；〃 assented Marshall heartily。〃I appreciate your
position； and I regret it exceedingly。 You are the innocent victim
of a regulation which is a wise regulation； but which is most
unfair to you。 My own position；〃 he added； 〃is not important； but
you can believe me； it is not easy。 It is certainly no pleasure for
me to be unable to help you。〃
Hanley was leaning forward； his hands on his knees； his eyes
watching Marshall closely。 〃Then you refuse？〃 he said。 〃Why？〃
Marshall regarded the senator steadily。 His manner was untroubled。
The look he turned upon Hanley was one of grave disapproval。
〃You know why；〃 he answered quietly。 〃It is impossible。〃
In sudden anger Hanley rose。 Marshall； who had been seated behind
his desk； also rose。 For a moment； in silence； the two men
confronted each other。 Then Hanley spoke； his tone was harsh and
threatening。
〃Then I am to understand；〃 he exclaimed； 〃that you refuse to carry
out the wishes of a United States Senator and of the President of
the United States？〃
In front of Marshall； on his desk； was the little iron stamp of the
consulate。 Protectingly； almost caressingly； he laid his hand upon
it。
〃I refuse；〃 he corrected； 〃to place the seal of this consulate on
a lie。〃
There was a moment's pause。 Miss Cairns； unwilling to remain； and
unable to withdraw； clasped her hands unhappily and stared at the
floor。 Livingstone exclaimed in indignant protest。 Hanley moved a
step nearer and； to emphasize what he said； tapped his knuckles on
the desk。 With the air of one confident of his advantage； he spoke
slowly and softly。
〃Do you appreciate；〃 he asked； 〃that； while you may be of some
importance down here in this fever swamp； in Washington I am
supposed to carry some weight？ Do you appreciate that I am a
senator from a State that numbers four millions of people； and that
you are preventing me from serving those people？〃
Marshall inclined his head gravely and politely。
〃And I want you to appreciate；〃 he said； 〃that while I have no
weight at Washington； in this fever swamp I have the honor to
represent eighty millions of people； and as long as that consular
sign is over my door I don't intend to prostitute it for YOU； or
the President of the United States； or any one of those eighty
millions。〃
Of the two men； the first to lower his eyes was Hanley。 He laughed
shortly； and walked to the door。 There he turned； and
indifferently； as though the incident no longer interested him；
drew out his watch。
〃Mr。 Marshall；〃 he said； 〃if the cable is working； I'll take your
tin sign away from you by sunset。〃
For one of Marshall's traditions； to such a speech there was no
answer save silence。 He bowed； and； apparently serene and
undismayed； resumed his seat。 From the contest； judging from the
manner of each； it was Marshall； not Hanley； who had emerged
victorious。
But Miss Cairns was not deceived。 Under the unexpected blow；
Marshall had turned older。 His clear blue eyes had grown less
alert； his broad shoulders seemed to stoop。 In sympathy； her own
eyes filled with sudden tears。
〃What will you do？〃 she whispered。
〃I don't know what I shall do；〃 said Marshall simply。 〃I should
have liked to have resigned。 It's a prettier finish。 After forty
yearsto be dismissed by cable isit's a poor way of ending it。〃
Miss Cairns rose and walked to the door。 There she turned and
looked back。
〃I am sorry；〃 she said。 And both understood that in saying no more
than that she had best shown her sympathy。
An hour later the sympathy of Admiral Hardy was expressed more
directly。
〃If he comes on board my ship；〃 roared that gentleman； 〃I'll push
him down an ammunition hoist and break his damned neck！〃
Marshall laughed delightedly。 The loyalty of his old friend was
never so welcome。
〃You'll treat him with every courtesy；〃 he said。 〃The only
satisfaction he gets out of this is to see that he has hurt me。 We
will not give him that satisfaction。〃
But Marshall found that to conceal his wound was more difficult
than he had anticipated。 When； at tea time； on the deck of the
war…ship； he again met Senator Hanley and the guests of the
SERAPIS； he could not forget that his career had come to an end。
There was much to remind him that this was so。 He was made aware of
it by the sad； sympathetic glances of the women； by their tactful
courtesies； by the fact that Livingstone； anxious to propitiate
Hanley； treated him rudely； by the sight of the young officers；
each just starting upon a career of honor； and possible glory； as
his career ended in humiliation； and by the big war…ship herself；
that recalled certain crises when he had only to press a button and
war…ships had come at his bidding。
At five o'clock there was an awkward moment。 The Royal Mail boat；
having taken on her cargo； passed out of the harbor on her way to
Jamaica； and dipped her colors。 Senator Hanley； abandoned to his
fate； observed her departure in silence。
Livingstone； hovering at his side； asked sympathetically： 〃Have
they answered your cable； sir？〃 〃They have；〃 said Hanley gruffly。
〃Was itwas it satisfactory？〃
