the major-第56节

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〃And　how　is　the　mine　doing？〃　inquired　Rowena；　for　Larry　had　fallen　silent。

〃The　mine？　　Oh；　there's　trouble　there；　I　am　afraid。　　Switzeryou　have　heard　of　Switzer？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know　all　about　him　and　his　tragic　disappointment。　　He's　the　manager；　isn't　he？〃

〃The　manager？　　No；　he's　the　secretary；　but　in　this　case　it　means　the　same　thing；　for　he　runs　the　mine。　　Well；　Switzer　wants　to　sell　his　stock。　　He　and　his　father　hold　about　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　between　them。　　He　means　to　resign。　　And　to　make　matters　worse；　the　manager　left　last　week。　　They　are　both　pulling　out；　and　it　makes　it　all　the　worse；　for　they　had　just　gone　in　for　rather　important　extensions。　　I　am　anxious　a　bit。　　You　see　they　are　rather　hard　up　for　money；　and　father　raised　all　he　could　on　his　ranch　and　on　his　mining　stock。〃

〃How　much　is　involved？〃　inquired　Rowena。

〃Oh；　not　so　much　money　as　you　people　count　it；　but　for　us　it　is　all　we　have。　　He　raised　some　fifty　thousand　dollars。　　While　the　mine　goes　on　and　pays　it　is　safe　enough；　but　if　the　mine　quits　then　it　is　all　up　with　us。　　There　is　no　reason　for　anxiety　at　present　as　far　as　the　mine　is　concerned；　however。　　It　is　doing　splendidly　and　promises　better　every　day。　　But　Switzer's　going　will　embarrass　them　terribly。　　He　was　a　perfect　marvel　for　work　and　he　could　handle　the　miners　as　no　one　else　could。　　Most　of　them；　you　know；　are　his　own　people。〃

〃I　see　you　are　worrying；〃　said　Rowena；　glancing　at　his　face；　which　she　thought　unusually　pale。

〃Not　a　bit。　　At　least；　not　very　much。　　Jack　is　a　levelheaded　chap　Jack　Romayne；　I　meanmy　brother…in…law。　　By　the　way；　I　had　a　wire　to　say　that　young　Jack　had　safely　arrived。〃

〃Young　Jack？　　Oh；　I　understand。　　Then　you　are　Uncle　Larry。〃

〃I　am。　　How　ancient　I　feel！　　And　what　a　lot　of　responsibility　it　lays　upon　me！〃

〃I　hope　your　sister　is　quite　well。〃

〃Everything　fine；　so　I　am　informed。　　But　what　was　I　saying？　　Oh；　yes；　Jack　is　a　level…headed　chap　and　his　brother…in…law；　Waring…　Gaunt；　who　is　treasurer　of　the　company；　is　very　solid。　　So　I　think　there's　no　doubt　but　that　they　will　be　able　to　make　all　necessary　arrangements。〃

〃Well；　don't　worry　to…night；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃I　want　you　to　have　a　good　time。　　I　am　particularly　anxious　that　you　should　meet　and　like　Professor　Schaefer。〃

〃A　German；　eh？〃　said　Larry。

〃Yesthat　is；　a　German…American。　　He　is　a　metallurgist；　quite　wonderful；　I　believe。　　He　does　a　lot　of　work　for　father；　and　you　will　doubtless　have　a　good　deal　to　do　with　him　yourself。　　And　he　spoke　so　highly　of　Canada　and　of　Canadians　that　I　felt　sure　you　would　be　glad　to　meet　him。　　He　is　really　a　very　charming　man；　musical　and　all　that；　but　chiefly　he　is　a　man　of　high　intelligence　and　quite　at　the　top　of　his　profession。　　He　asked　to　bring　a　friend　of　his　with　him；　a　Mr。　Meyer；　whom　I　do　not　know　at　all；　but　he　is　sure　to　be　interesting　if　he　is　a　friend　of　Professor　Schaefer's。　We　have　some　nice　girls；　too；　so　we　hope　to　have　an　interesting　evening。〃

The　company　was　sufficiently　varied　to　forbid　monotony；　and　sufficiently　intellectual　to　be　stimulating；　and　there　was　always　the　background　of　Big　Business。　　Larry　was　conscious　that　he　was　moving　amid　large　ideas　and　far…reaching　interests；　and　that　though　he　himself　was　a　small　element；　he　was　playing　a　part　not　altogether　insignificant；　with　a　promise　of　bigger　things　in　the　future。　Professor　Schaefer　became　easily　the　centre　of　interest　in　the　party。　　He　turned　out　to　be　a　man　of　the　world。　　He　knew　great　cities　and　great　men。　　He　was　a　connoisseur　in　art　and　something　more　than　an　amateur　in　music。　　His　piano　playing；　indeed；　was　far　beyond　that　of　the　amateur。　　But　above　everything　he　was　a　man　of　his　work。　　He　knew　metals　and　their　qualities　as　perhaps　few　men　in　America；　and　he　was　enthusiastic　in　his　devotion　to　his　profession。　After　dinner；　with　apologies　to　the　ladies；　he　discoursed　from　full　and　accurate　knowledge　of　the　problems　to　be　met　within　his　daily　work　and　their　solutions。　　He　was　frequently　highly　technical；　but　to　everything　he　touched　he　lent　a　charm　that　captivated　his　audience。　　To　Larry　he　was　especially　gracious。　　He　was　interested　in　Canada。　　He　apparently　had　a　minute　knowledge　of　its　mineral　history；　its　great　deposits　in　metals；　in　coal；　and　oil；　which　he　declared　to　be　among　the　richest　in　the　world。　　The　mining　operations；　however；　carried　out　in　Canada；　he　dismissed　as　being　unworthy　of　consideration。　　He　deplored　the　lack　of　scientific　knowledge　and　the　absence　of　organisation。

〃We　should　do　that　better　in　our　country。　　Ah；　if　only　our　Government　would　take　hold　of　these　deposits；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃the　whole　world　should　hear　of　them。〃　　The　nickel　mining　industry　alone　in　the　Sudbury　district　he　considered　worthy　of　respect。　　Here　he　became　enthusiastic。　　〃If　only　my　country　had　such　a　magnificent　bit　of　ore！〃　he　cried。　　〃But　such　bungling；　such　childish　trifling　with　one　of　the　greatest；　if　not　the　very　greatest；　mining　industries　in　the　world！　　To　think　that　the　Government　of　Canada　actually　allows　the　refining　of　that　ore　to　be　done　outside　of　its　own　country！　　Folly；　folly；　criminal　folly！　　But　it　is　all　the　same　in　this　country；　too。　　The　mining　work　in　America　is　unscientific；　slovenly；　unorganised；　wasteful。　　I　am　sorry　to　say；〃　he　continued；　turning　suddenly　upon　Larry；　〃in　your　western　coal　fields　you　waste　more　in　the　smoke　of　your　coke　ovens　than　you　make　out　of　your　coal　mines。　　Ah；　if　only　those　wonderful；　wonderful　coal　fields　were　under　the　organised　and　scientific　direction　of　my　country！　　Then　you　would　seeah；　what　would　you　not　see！〃

〃Your　country？〃　said　Hugo　Raeder；　smiling。　　〃I　understood　you　were　an　American；　Professor　Schaefer。〃

〃An　American？　　Surely！　　I　have　been　eighteen　years　in　this　country。〃

〃You　are　a　citizen；　I　presume？〃　said　Mr。　Wakeham。

〃A　citizen？　　Yes。　　I　neglected　that　matter　till　recently；　but　I　love　my　Fatherland。〃

〃Speaking　of　citizenship；　I　have　always　wanted　to　know　about　the　Delbruck　Law；　Professor　Schaefer；　in　regard　to　citizenship；〃　said　Larry。

The　professor　hesitated；　〃The　Delbruck　Law？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Larry。　　〃How　does　it　affect；　for　instance；　your　American　citizenship？〃

〃Not　at　all；　I　should　say。　　Not　in　the　very　least；〃　replied　Professor　Schaefer　curtly　and　as　if　dismissing　the　subject。

〃I　am　not　so　sure　of　that；　Professor　Schaefer；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　〃I　was　in　Germany　when　that　law　was　passed。　　It　aroused　a　great　deal　of　interest。　　I　have　not　looked　into　it　myself；　but　on　the　face　of　it　I　should　say　it　possesses　certain　rather　objectionable　features。〃

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；　I　assure　you；〃　exclaimed　Professor　Schaefer。　　〃It　is　simply　a　concession　to　the　intense；　but　very　natural　affection　for　the　Fatherland　in　every　German　heart；　while　at　the　same　time　it　facilitates　citizenship　in　a　foreign　country。　For　instance；　there　are　millions　of　Germans　living　in　America　who　like　myself　shrank　from　taking　the　oath　which　breaks　the　bond　with　the　Fatherland。　　We　love　America；　we　are　Americans；　we　live　in　America；　we　work　in　America；　but　naturally　our　hearts　turn　to　Germany；　and　we　cannot　forget　our　childhood's　home。　　That　is　good；　that　is　worthy；　that　is　noblehence　the　Delbruck　Law。〃

〃But　what　does　it　provide　exactly？〃　enquired　Mr。　Wakeham。　　〃I　confess　I　never　heard　of　it。〃

〃It　permits　a　German　to　become　an　American　citizen；　and　at　the　same　time　allows　him　to　retain　his　connection；　his　heart　connection；　with　the　Fatherland。　　It　is　a　beautiful　law。〃

〃A　beautiful　law；〃　echoed　his　friend；　Mr。　Meyer。

〃Just　what　is　the　connection？〃　insisted　Hugo　Raeder。

〃Dear　friend；　let　me　explain　to　you。　　It　permits　him　to　retain　his　place；　his　relations　with　his　own　old　country　people。　　You　can　surely　see　the　advantage　of　that。　　For　instance：　　When　I　return　to　Germany　I　find　myself　in　full　possession　of　all　my　accustomed　privileges。　　I　am　no　stranger。　　Ah；　it　is　beautiful！　　And　you　see　further　how　it　establishes　a　new　bond　between　the　two　countries。　Every　German…American　will　become　a　bond　of　unity　between　these　two　great　nations；　the　two　great　coming　nations　of　the　world。〃

〃Beautiful；　beautiful；　glorious！〃　echoed　Meyer。

〃But　I　do　not　understand；〃　said　Larry。　　〃Are　you　still　a　citizen　of　Germany？〃

〃I　am　an　American　citizen；　and　proud　of　it；〃　exclaimed　Professor　Schaefer；　dramatically。

〃Ach；　so；　geviss；〃　said　Meyer。　　〃Sure！　an　American　citizen！〃

〃But　you　are　also　a　citizen　of　Germany？〃　enquired　Hugo　Raeder。

〃If　I　return　to　Germany　I　resume　the　rights　of　my　German　citizenship；　of　course。〃

〃Beautiful；　beautiful！〃　exclaimed　Meyer。

〃Look　here；　Schaefer。　　Be　frank　about　this。　　Which　are　you　to…day；　a　citizen　of　Germany　or　of　America？〃

〃Both；　I　tell　you；〃　exclaimed　Schaefer　proudly。　　〃That　is　the　beauty　of　the　arrangement。〃

〃Ah；　a　beautiful　arrangement！〃　said　Meyer。

〃What？　　You　are　a　citizen　of　another　country　while　you　claim　American　citizenship？〃　said　Raeder。　　〃You　can　no　more　be　a　citizen　of　two　countries　at　the　same　time　than　the　husband　of　two　wives　at　the　same　time。〃

〃Well；　why　not？〃　laughed　Schaefer。　　〃An　American　wife　for　America；　and　a　German　wife　for　Germany。　　You　will　excuse　me；〃　he　added；　bowing　toward　Mrs。　Wakeham。

〃Don't　be　disgusting；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder。　　〃Apa