billy and the big stick-第2节

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delighted　with　the　idea　of　an　elopement。

〃To　where　will　we　elope　to？〃　she　demanded。　Her　English；　as　she
learned　it　from　Billy；　was　sometimes　confusing。

〃To　New　York；〃　said　Billy。　〃On　the　voyage　there　I　will　put　you　in
charge　of　the　stewardess　and　the　captain；　and　there　isn't　a　captain
on　the　Royal　Dutch　or　the　Atlas　that　hasn't　known　you　since　you
were　a　baby。　And　as　soon　as　we　dock　we'll　drive　straight　to　the
city　hall　for　a　license　and　the　mayor　himself　will　marry　us。　Then
I'll　get　back　my　old　job　from　the　Wilmot　folks　and　we'll　live　happy
ever　after！〃

〃In　New　York；　also；〃　asked　Claire　proudly；　〃are　you　directeur　of
the　electric　lights？〃

〃On　Broadway　alone；〃　Billy　explained　reprovingly；　〃there　is　one
sign　that　uses　more　bulbs　than　there　are　in　the　whole　of　Hayti！〃

〃New　York　is　a　large　town！〃　exclaimed　Claire。

〃It's　a　large　sign；〃　corrected　Billy。　〃But；〃　he　pointed　out；　〃with
no　money　we'll　never　see　it。　So　to…morrow　I'm　going　to　make　a
social　call　on　Grandpa　Ham　and　demand　my　ten　thousand　francs。〃
Claire　grasped　his　arm。

〃Be　careful；〃　she　pleaded。　〃Remember　the　chicken　soup。　If　he　offers
you　the　champagne；　refuse　it！〃

〃He　won't　offer　me　the　champagne；〃　Billy　assured　her。　〃It　won't　be
that　kind　of　a　call。〃

Billy　left　the　Cafe　Ducrot　and　made　his　way　to　the　water…　front。　He
was　expecting　some　electrical　supplies　by　the　PRINZ　DER
NEDERLANDEN；　and　she　had　already　come　to　anchor。

He　was　late；　and　save　for　a　group　of　his　countrymen；　who　with　the
customs　officials　were　having　troubles　of　their　own；　the　customs
shed　was　all　but　deserted。　Billy　saw　his　freight　cleared　and　was
going　away　when　one　of　those　in　trouble　signalled　for　assistance。

He　was　a　good…looking　young　man　in　a　Panama　hat　and　his　manner
seemed　to　take　it　for　granted　that　Billy　knew　who　he　was。　〃They
want　us　to　pay　duty　on　our　trunks；〃　he　explained；　〃and　we　want　to
leave　them　in　bond。　We'll　be　here　only　until　to…night；　when　we're
going　on　down　the　coast　to　Santo　Domingo。　But　we　don't　speak
French；　and　we　can't　make　them　understand　that。〃

〃You　don't　need　to　speak　any　language　to　give　a　man　ten　dollars；〃
said　Billy。

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　the　man　in　the　Panama。　〃I　was　afraid　if　I　tried
that　they　might　arrest　us。〃

〃They　may　arrest　you　if　you　don't；〃　said　Billy。　Acting　both　as
interpreter　and　disbursing　agent；　Billy　satisfied　the　demands　of
his　fellow　employees　of　the　government；　and　his　fellow　countrymen
he　directed　to　the　Hotel　Ducrot。

As　some　one　was　sure　to　take　their　money；　he　thought　it　might　as
well　go　to　his　mother…in…law　elect。　The　young　man　in　the　Panama
expressed　the　deepest　gratitude；　and　Billy；　assuring　him　he　would
see　him　later；　continued　to　the　power…house；　still　wondering　where
he　had　seen　him　before。

At　the　power…house　he　found　seated　at　his　desk　a　large；　bearded
stranger　whose　derby　hat　and　ready…to…wear　clothes　showed　that　he
also　had　but　just　arrived　on　the　PRINZ　DER　NEDERLANDEN。

〃You　William　Barlow？〃　demanded　the　stranger。　〃I　understand　you　been
threatening；　unless　you　get　your　pay　raised；　to　commit　sabotage　on
these　works？〃

〃Who　the　devil　are　you？〃　inquired　Billy。

The　stranger　produced　an　impressive…looking　document　covered　with
seals。

〃Contract　with　the　president；〃　he　said。　I've　taken　over　your　job。
You　better　get　out　quiet；〃　he　advised；　〃as　they've　given　me　a　squad
of　nigger　policemen　to　see　that　you　do。〃

〃Are　you　aware　that　these　works　are　the　property　of　the　Wilmot
Company？〃　asked　Billy；　〃and　that　if　anything　went　wrong　here　they'd
hold　you　responsible？〃　The　stranger　smiled　complacently。

〃I've　run　plants；〃　he　said；　〃that　make　these　lights　look　like　a
stable　lantern　on　a　foggy　night。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　assented　Billy；　〃should　anything　happen；　you'll
know　exactly　what　to　do；　and　I　can　leave　you　in　charge　without
feeling　the　least　anxiety。〃

〃That's　just　what　you　can　do；〃　the　stranger　agreed　heartily；〃　and
you　can't　do　it　too　quick！〃　From　the　desk　he　took　Billy's　favorite
pipe　and　loaded　it　from　Billy's　tobacco…jar。　But　when　Billy　had
reached　the　door　he　called　to　him。　〃Before　you　go；　son；〃　he　said
〃you　might　give　me　a　tip　about　this　climate。　I　never　been　in　the
tropics。　It's　kind　of　unhealthy；　ain't　it？〃

His　expression　was　one　of　concern。

〃If　you　hope　to　keep　alive；〃　began　Billy；　〃there　are　two　things　to
avoid〃　The　stranger　laughed　knowingly。

〃I　got　you！〃　he　interrupted。　〃You're　going　to　tell　me　to　cut　out
wine　and　women。〃

〃I　was　going　to　tell　you；　〃　said　Billy；　〃to　cut　out　hoping　to
collect　any　wages　and　to　avoid　every　kind　of　soup。〃

From　the　power…house　Billy　went　direct　to　the　palace。　His　anxiety
was　great。　Now　that　Claire　had　consented　to　leave　Hayti；　the　loss
of　his　position　did　not　distress　him。　But　the　possible　loss　of　his
back　pay　would　be　a　catastrophe。　He　had　hardly　enough　money　to　take
them　both　to　New　York；　and　after　they　arrived　none　with　which　to
keep　them　alive。　Before　the　Wilmot　Company　could　find　a　place　for
him　a　month　might　pass；　and　during　that　month　they　might　starve。　If
he　went　alone　and　arranged　for　Claire　to　follow；　he　might　lose　her。
Her　mother　might　marry　her　to　Paillard；　Claire　might　fall　ill；
without　him　at　her　elbow　to　keep　her　to　their　purpose　the　voyage　to
an　unknown　land　might　require　more　courage　than　she　possessed。
Billy　saw　it　was　imperative　they　should　depart　together；　and　to
that　end　he　must　have　his　two　thousand　dollars。　The　money　was
justly　his。　For　it　he　had　sweated　and　slaved；　had　given　his　best
effort。　And　so；　when　he　faced　the　president；　he　was　in　no
conciliatory　mood。　Neither　was　the　president。

By　what　right；　he　demanded；　did　this　foreigner　affront　his　ears
with　demands　for　money；　how　dared　he　force　his　way　into　his
presence　and　to　his　face　babble　of　back　pay？　It　was　insolent；
incredible。　With　indignation　the　president　set　forth　the　position
of　the　government　：　Billy　had　been　discharged　and；　with　the
appointment　of　his　successor；　the　stranger　in　the　derby　hat；　had
ceased　to　exist。　The　government　could　not　pay　money　to　some　one　who
did　not　exist。　All　indebtedness　to　Billy　also　had　ceased　to　exist。
The　account　had　been　wiped　out。　Billy　had　been　wiped　out。　The　big
negro；　with　the　chest　and　head　of　a　gorilla；　tossed　his　kinky　white
curls　so　violently　that　the　ringlets　danced。　Billy；　he　declared；
had　been　a　pest；　a　fly　that　buzzed　and　buzzed　and　disturbed　his
slumbers。　And　now　when　the　fly　thought　he　slept　he　had　caught　and
crushed　it…so。　President　Ham　clinched　his　great　fist　convulsively
and；　with　delight　in　his　pantomime；　opened　his　fingers　one　by　one；
and　held　out　his　pink　palm；　wrinkled　and　crossed　like　the　hand　of
a　washerwoman；　as　though　to　show　Billy　that　in　it　lay　the　fly；
dead。

〃C'EST　UNE　CHOSE　JUGEE！〃　thundered　the　president。　He　reached　for
his　quill　pen。

But　Billy；　with　Claire　in　his　heart；　with　the　injustice　of　it
rankling　in　his　mind；　did　not　agree。

〃It　is　not　an　affair　closed；〃　shouted　Billy　in　his　best　French。　〃It
is　an　affair　international；　diplomatic；　a　cause　for　war！〃

Believing　he　had　gone　mad；　President　Ham　gazed　at　him　speechless。

〃From　here　I　go　to　the　cable　Office；　〃shouted　Billy。　〃I　cable　for
a　warship！　If；　by　to…night；　I　am　not　paid　my　money；　marines　will
surround　our　power…house；　and　the　Wilmot　people　will　back　me　up；
and　my　government　will　back　me　up！〃

It　was；　so　Billy　thought；　even　as　he　launched　it；　a　tirade
satisfying　and　magnificent。　But　in　his　turn　the　president　did　not
agree。

He　rose。　He　was　a　large　man。　Billy　wondered　he　had　not　previously
noticed　how　very　large　he　was。

〃To…night　at　nine　o'clock；〃　he　said；　〃the　German　boat　departs　for
New　York。〃　As　though　aiming　a　pistol；　he　raised　his　arm　and　at
Billy　pointed　a　finger。　〃If；　after　she　departs；　you　are　found　in
Port…au…Prince；　you　will　be　shot！　〃

The　audience…chamber　was　hung　with　great　mirrors　in　frames　of
tarnished　gilt。　In　these　Billy　saw　himself　reproduced　in　a　wavering
line　of　Billies　that；　like　the　ghost　of　Banquo；　stretched　to　the
disappearing　point。　Of　such　images　there　was　an　army；　but　of　the
real　Billy；　as　he　was　acutely　conscious；　there　was　but　one。　Among
the　black　faces　scowling　from　the　doorways　he　felt　the　odds　were
against　him。　Without　making　a　reply　he　passed　out　between　the　racks
of　rusty　muskets　in　the　anteroom；　between　the　two　Gatling　guns
guarding　the　entrance；　and　on　the　palace　steps；　in　indecision；
halted。

As　Billy　hesitated　an　officer　followed　him　from　the　palace　and
beckoned　to　the　guard　that　sat　in　the　bare　dust　of　the　Champ　de
Mars　playing　cards　for　cartridges。　Two　abandoned　the　game；　and；
having　received　their　orders；　picked　their　muskets　from　the　dust
and　stood　looking　expectantly　at　Billy。

They　were　his　escort；　and　it　was　evident　that　until　nine　o'clock；
when　he　sailed；　his　movements　would　be　spied　upon；　his　acts
reported　to　the　president。

Such　being　the　situation；　Billy　determined　that　his　first　act　to　be
reported　should　be　of　a　nature　to　cause　the　president　active　mental
anguish。　With　his　guard　at　his　heels　he　went　directly　to　the　cable
station；　and　to　the　Secretary　of　State　of　the　United　States
addressed　this　message：　〃President　refuses　my　pay；　threatens　shoot；
wireless　nearest　wa