billy and the big stick-第4节

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o'clock。　The　window　gave　upon　the　harbor；　and　a　mile　from　shore　he
saw　the　cargo　lights　of　the　PRINZ　DER　NEDERLANDEN；　and　slowly
approaching；　as　though　feeling　for　her　berth；　a　great　battle…ship。
When　Billy　turned　from　the　window　his　voice　was　apparently
undisturbed。

〃We've　got　to　hurry；〃　he　said。　〃The　LOUISIANA　is　standing　in。
She'll　soon　be　sending　a　launch　for　you。　We've　just　time　to　drive
to　the　palace　and　back　before　the　launch　gets　here。〃

From　his　mind　President　Ham　had　dismissed　all　thoughts　of　the
war…ship　that　had　been　sighted　and　that　now　had　come　to　anchor。　For
the　moment　he　was　otherwise　concerned。　Fate　could　not　harm　him；　he
was　about　to　dine。

But；　for　the　first　time　in　the　history　of　his　administration；　that
solemn　ceremony　was　rudely　halted。　An　excited　aide；　trembling　at
his　own　temerity；　burst　upon　the　president's　solitary　state。

In　the　anteroom；　he　announced；　an　officer　from　the　battle…　ship
LOUISIANA　demanded　instant　audience。

For　a　moment；　transfixed　in　amazement；　anger；　and　alarm　President
Ham　remained　seated。　Such　a　visit；　uninvited；　was　against　all
tradition；　it　was　an　affront；　an　insult。　But　that　it　was　against
all　precedent　argued　some　serious　necessity。　He　decided　it　would　be
best　to　receive　the　officer。　Besides；　to　continue　his　dinner　was
now　out　of　the　question。　Both　appetite　and　digestion　had　fled　from
him。

In　the　anteroom　Billy　was　whispering　final　instructions　to　St。
Clair。

〃Whatever　happens；〃　he　begged；　〃don't　LAUGH！　Don't　even　smile
politely！　He's　very　ignorant；　you　see；　and　he's　sensitive。　When　he
meets　foreigners　and　can't　understand　their　language；　he's　always
afraid　if　they　laugh　that　he's　made　a　break　and　that　they're
laughing　at　HIM。　So；　be　solemn；　look　grave；　look　haughty！〃

〃I　got　you！〃　assented　St。　Clair。　〃　I'm　to　'register'　pride。〃

〃Exactly！〃　said　Billy。　〃The　more　pride　you　register；　the　better　for
us。〃

Inwardly　cold　with　alarm；　outwardly　frigidly　polite；　Billy
presented　〃Lieutenant　Hardy。〃　He　had　come；　Billy　explained；　in
answer　to　the　call　for　help　sent　by　himself　to　the　Secretary　of
State；　which　by　wireless　had　been　communicated　to　the　LOUISIANA。
Lieutenant　Hardy　begged　him　to　say　to　the　president　that　he　was
desolate　at　having　to　approach　His　Excellency　so　unceremoniously。
But　His　Excellency；　having　threatened　the　life　of　an　American
citizen；　the　captain；　of　the　LOUISIANA　was　forced　to　act　quickly。

〃And　this　officer？　〃　demanded　President　Ham；　〃what　does　he　want？〃

〃He　says；〃　Billy　translated　to　St。　Clair；　〃that　he　is　very　glad　to
meet　you；　and　he　wants　to　know　how　much　you　earn　a　week。〃

The　actor　suppressed　his　surprise　and　with　pardonable　pride　said
that　his　salary　was　six　hundred　dollars　a　week　and　royalties　on
each　film。　Billy　bowed　to　the　president。

〃He　says；〃　translated　Billy；　〃he　is　here　to　see　that　I　get　my　ten
thousand　francs；　and　that　if　I　don't　get　them　in　ten　minutes　he
will　return　to　the　ship　and　land　marines。〃

To　St。　Clair　it　seemed　as　though　the　president　received　his
statement　as　to　the　amount　of　his　salary；　with　a　disapproval　that
was　hardly　flattering。　With　the　heel　of　his　giant　fist　the
president　beat　upon　the　table；　his　curls　shook；　his　gorilla…like
shoulders　heaved。

In　an　explanatory　aside　Billy　made　this　clear。

〃He　says；〃　he　interpreted；　〃that　you　get　more　as　an　actor　than　he
gets　as　president；　and　it　makes　him　mad。〃

〃I　can　see　it　does　myself；〃　whispered　St。　Clair。　〃And　I　don't
understand　French；　either。〃

President　Ham　was　protesting　violently。　It　was　outrageous；　he
exclaimed；　it　was　inconceivable　that　a　great　republic　should　shake
the　Big　Stick　over　the　head　of　a　small　republic；　and　for　a
contemptible　ten　thousand　francs。

〃I　will　not　believe；〃　he　growled；　〃that　this　officer　has　authority
to　threaten　me。　You　have　deceived　him。　If　he　knew　the　truth；　he
would　apologize。　Tell　him；〃　he　roared　suddenly；　〃that　I　DEMAND　that
he　apologize！〃

Billy　felt　like　the　man　who；　after　jauntily　forcing　the　fighting；
unexpectedly　gets　a　jolt　on　the　chin　that　drops　him　to　the　canvas。

While　the　referee　might　have　counted　three　Billy　remained　upon　the
canvas。

Then　again　he　forced　the　fighting。　Eagerly　he　turned　to　St。　Clair。

〃He　says；〃　he　translated；　〃you　must　recite　something。〃　St。　Clair
exclaimed　incredulously：　〃Recite！〃　he　gasped。

Than　his　indignant　protest　nothing　could　have　been　more
appropriate。

〃Wants　to　see　you　act　out；〃　insisted　Billy。　〃Go　on；〃　he　begged；
〃humor　him。　Do　what　he　wants　or　he'll　put　us　in　jail！〃

〃But　what　shall　I〃

〃He　wants　the　curse　of　Rome　from　Richelieu；　explained　Billy。　〃He
knows　it　in　French　and　he　wants　you　to　recite　it　in　English。　Do　you
know　it？　〃

The　actor　smiled　haughtily。

〃I　WROTE　it　he　protested。　〃　Richelieu's　my　middle　name。　I've　done
it　in　stock。〃

〃Then　do　it　now！〃　commanded　Billy。　〃Give　it　to　him　hot。　I'm　Julie
de　Mortemar。　He's　the　villain　Barabas。　Begin　where　Barabas　hands
you　the　cue；　'The　country　is　the　king！'　〃

In　embarrassment　St。　Clair　coughed　tentatively。

〃Whoever　heard　of　Cardinal　Richelieu；〃　he　protested；　〃in　a　navy
uniform？〃

〃Begin！〃　begged　Billy。

〃What'll　I　do　with　my　cap？〃　whispered　St。　Clair。

In　an　ecstasy　of　alarm　Billy　danced　from　foot　to　foot。　〃I'll　hold
your　cap；〃　he　cried。　〃Go　on！〃

St。　Clair　gave　his　cap　of　gold　braid　to　Billy　and　shifted　his
〃full…dress〃　sword…belt。　Not　without　concern　did　President　Ham
observe　these　preparations。　For　the　fraction　of　a　second；　in　alarm；
his　eyes　glanced　to　the　exits。　He　found　that　the　officers　of　his
staff　completely　filled　them。　Their　presence　gave　him　confidence
and　his　eyes　returned　to　Lieutenant　Hardy。

That　gentleman　heaved　a　deep　sigh。　Dejectedly；　his　head　fell
forward　until　his　chin　rested　upon　his　chest。　Much　to　the　relief　of
the　president；　it　appeared　evident　that　Lieutenant　Hardy　was　about
to　accede　to　his　command　and　apologize。　St。　Clair　groaned　heavily。

〃Ay；　is　it　so？〃　he　muttered。　His　voice　was　deep；　resonant；
vibrating　like　a　bell。　His　eyes　no　longer　suggested　apology。　They
were　strange；　flashing；　the　eyes　of　a　religious　fanatic；　and
balefully　they　were　fixed　upon　President　Ham。

〃Then　wakes　the　power；〃　the　deep　voice　rumbled；　〃that　in　the　age　of
iron　burst　forth　to　curb　the　great　and　raise　the　low。〃　He　flung　out
his　left　arm　and　pointed　it　at　Billy。

〃Mark　where　she　stands！〃　he　commanded。

With　a　sweeping；　protecting　gesture　he　drew　around　Billy　an
imaginary　circle。　The　pantomime　was　only　too　clear。　To　the　aged
negro；　who　feared　neither　God　nor　man；　but　only　voodoo；　there　was
in　the　voice　and　gesture　that　which　caused　his　blood　to　chill。

〃Around　her　form；〃　shrieked　St。　Clair；　〃I　draw　the　awful　circle　of
our　solemn　church！　Set　but　one　foot　within　that　holy　ground　and　on
thy　head〃　Like　a　semaphore　the　left　arm　dropped；　and　the　right
arm；　with　the　fore…finger　pointed；　shot　out　at　President　Ham。　〃Yea；
though　it　wore　a　CROWN　I　launch　the　CURSE　OF　ROME！〃

No　one　moved。　No　one　spoke。　What　terrible　threat　had　hit　him
President　Ham　could　not　guess。　He　did　not　ask。　Stiffly；　like　a　man
in　a　trance；　he　turned　to　the　rusty　iron　safe　behind　his　chair　and
spun　the　handle。　When　again　he　faced　them　he　held　a　long　envelope
which　he　presented　to　Billy。

〃There　are　the　ten　thousand　francs；〃　he　said。　〃Ask　him　if　he　is
satisfied；　and　demand　that　he　go　at　once！〃

Billy　turned　to　St。　Clair。

〃He　says；〃　translated　Billy；　〃he's　very　much　obliged　and　hopes　we
will　come　again。　Now；〃　commanded　Billy；　〃bow　low　and　go　out　facing
him。　We　don't　want　him　to　shoot　us　in　the　back！〃

Bowing　to　the　president；　the　actor　threw　at　Billy　a　glance　full　of
indignation。　〃Was　I　as　BAD　as　that？　〃　he　demanded。

On　schedule　time　Billy　drove　up　to　the　Hotel　Ducrot　and
relinquished　St。　Clair　to　the　ensign　in　charge　of　the　launch　from
the　LOUISIANA。　At　sight　of　St。　Clair　in　the　regalia　of　a　superior
officer；　that　young　gentleman　showed　his　surprise。

〃I've　been　giving　a　'command'　performance　for　the　president；〃
explained　the　actor　modestly。　〃I　recited　for　him；　and；　though　I
spoke　in　English；　I　think　I　made　quite　a　hit。〃

〃You　certainly；〃　Billy　assured　him　gratefully；　〃made　a　terrible　hit
with　me。〃

As　the　moving…picture　actors；　escorted　by　the　ensign；　followed
their　trunks　to　the　launch；　Billy　looked　after　them　with　a　feeling
of　great　loneliness。　He　was　aware　that　from　the　palace　his　carriage
had　been　followed；　that　drawn　in　a　cordon　around　the　hotel　negro
policemen　covertly　observed　him。　That　President　Ham　still　hoped　to
recover　his　lost　prestige　and　his　lost　money　was　only　too　evident。

It　was　just　five　minutes　to　eight。

Billy　ran　to　his　room；　and　with　his　suit…case　in　his　hand　slipped
down　the　back　stairs　and　into　the　garden。　Cautiously　he　made　his
way　to　the　gate　in　the　wall；　and　in　the　street　outside　found　Claire
awaiting　him。

With　a　cry　of　relief　she　clasped　his　arm。

〃You　are　safe！〃　she　cried。　〃I　was　so　frightened　for　you。　That
President　Ham；　he　is　a　beast；　an　ogre！〃　Her　voice　sank　to　a
whisper。　〃And　for　myself　also　I　have　been　frightened。　The　police；
they　are　at　each　corner。　They　watch　the　hotel。　They　watch　ME！　Why？
What　do　they　want？〃

〃They　want　something　of　mine；〃　said　Billy。