lin mclean-第16节

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tell　it　by　his　talk　at　lunch；　and　when　the　Governor　reminded　him　that　no

rain　was　contracted　for　until　the　next　day；　he　mentioned　that　the

approach　of　a　storm　is　something　that　modern　science　is　able　to　ascertain

long　in　advance；　and　he　bade　us　come　to　his　office　whenever　we　pleased；

and　see　for　ourselves　what　science　said。　This　was；　at　any　rate；　something

to　fill　the　afternoon　with；　and　we　went　to　him　about　five。　Lin　McLean

joined　us　on　the　way。　I　came　upon　him　lingering　alone　in　the　street；　and

he　told　me　that　Mrs。　McLean　was　calling　on　friends。　I　saw　that　he　did　not

know　how　to　spend　the　short　recess　or　holiday　he　was　having。　He　seemed　to

cling　to　the　society　of　others；　and　with　them　for　the　time　regain　his

gayer　mind。　He　had　become　converted　to　Ogden；　and　the　New…Yorker；　on　his

side；　found　pleasant　and　refreshing　this　democracy　of　Governors　and

cow…punchers。　Jode　received　us　at　the　signal…service　office；　and　began　to

show　us　his　instruments　with　the　careful　pride　of　an　orchid…collector。



〃A　hair　hygrometer；〃　he　said　to　me；　waving　his　wax…like　hand　over　it。

〃The　indications　are　obtained　from　the　expansion　and　contraction　of　a

prepared　human　hair；　transferred　to　an　index　needle　traversing　the

divided　arc　of〃



〃What　oil　do　you　put　on　the　human　hair　Jode？〃　called　out　the　Governor；

who　had　left　our　group；　and　was　gamboling　about　by　himself　among　the

tubes　and　dials。　〃What　will　this　one　do？〃　he　asked；　and　poked　at　a　wet

paper　disc。　But　before　the　courteous　Jode　could　explain　that　it　had　to　do

with　evaporation　and　the　dew…point；　the　Governor's　attention　wandered；

and　he　was　blowing　at　a　little　fan…wheel。　This　instantly　revolved　and　set

a　number　of　dial　hands　going　different　ways。　〃Hi！〃　said　the　Governor；

delighted。　〃Seen　'em　like　that　down　mines。　Register　air　velocity　in　feet。

Put　it　away；　Jode。　You　don't　want　that　to…morrow。　What　you'll　need；

Hilbrun　says；　is　a　big　old　rain…gauge　and　rubber　shoes。〃



〃I　shall　require　nothing　of　the　sort；　Governor；〃　Jode　retorted　at　once。

〃And　you　can　go　to　church　without　your　umbrella　in　safety；　sir。　See

there。〃　He　pointed　to　a　storm…glass；　which　was　certainly　as　clear　as

crystal。　〃An　old…fashioned　test；　you　will　doubtless　say；　gentlemen；〃　Jode

continuedthough　none　of　us　would　have　said　anything　like　that〃but

unjustly　discredited；　and；　furthermore；　its　testimony　is　well

corroborated；　as　you　will　find　you　must　admit。〃　Jode's　voice　was　almost

threatening；　and　he　fetched　one　corroborator　after　another。　I　looked

passively　at　wet　and　dry　bulbs；　at　self…recording；　dotted　registers；　I

caught　the　fleeting　sound　of　words　like　〃meniscus　〃and　〃terrestrial

minimum　thermometer；〃　and　I　nodded　punctually　when　Jode　went　through　some

calculation。　At　last　I　heard　something　that　I　could　understanda　series

of　telegraphic　replies　to　Jode　from　brother　signal…service　officers　all

over　the　United　States。　He　read　each　one　through　from　date　of　signature；

and　they　all　made　any　rain　to…morrow　entirely　impossible。　〃And　I　tell

you；〃　Jode　concluded；　in　his　high；　egg…shell　voice；　〃there's　no　chance　of

precipitation　now；　sir。　I　tell　you；　sir；〃he　was　shrieking　jubilantly

〃there's　not　a　damn'　thing　to　precipitate！〃



We　left　him　in　his　triumph　among　his　glass　and　mercury。　〃Gee　whiz！〃　said

the　Governor。　〃I　guess　we'd　better　go　and　tell　Hilbrun　it's　no　use。〃



We　went；　and　Hilbrun　smiled　with　a　certain　compassion　for　the　antiquated

scientist。　〃That's　what　they　all　say；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　do　my　talking

to…morrow。〃



〃If　any　of　you　gentlemen；　or　your　friends；〃　said　Assistant　Lusk；　stepping

up；　〃feel　like　doing　a　little　business　on　this；　I　am　ready　to　accommodate

you。〃



〃What　do　yu'　want　this　evenin'？〃　said　Lin　McLean；　promptly。



〃Five　to　one；〃　said　Lusk。



〃Go　yu'　in　twenties；〃　said　the　impetuous　puncher；　and　I　now　perceived

this　was　to　be　a　sporting　event。　Lin　had　his　wad　of　bills　outor　what　of

it　still　survived　his　bride's　shopping。　〃Will　you　hold　stakes；　doctor？〃

he　said　to　the　Governor。



But　that　official　looked　at　the　clear　sky；　and　thought　he　would　do　five

to　one　in　twenties　himself。　Lusk　accommodated　him；　and　then　Ogden；　and

then　me。　None　of　us　could　very　well　be　stake…holder；　but　we　registered

our　bets；　and　promised　to　procure　an　uninterested　man　by　eight　next

morning。　I　have　seldom　had　so　much　trouble；　and　I　never　saw　such　a

universal　search　for　ready　money。　Every　man　we　asked　to　hold　stakes

instantly　whipped　out　his　own　pocketbook；　went　in　search　of　Lusk；　and

disqualified　himself。　It　was　Jode　helped　us　out。　He　would　not　bet；　but

was　anxious　to　serve；　and　thus　punish　the　bragging　Lusk。



Sunday　was；　as　usual；　chronically　fine；　with　no　cloud　or　breeze　anywhere；

and　by　the　time　the　church…bells　were　ringing；　ten　to　one　was　freely

offered。　The　biscuit…shooter　went　to　church　with　her　friends；　so　she

might　wear　her　fine　clothes　in　a　worthy　place；　while　her　furloughed

husband　rushed　about　Cheyenne；　entirely　his　own　old　self　again；　his　wad

of　money　staked　and　in　Jode's　keeping。　Many　citizens　bitterly　lamented

their　lack　of　ready　money。　But　it　was　a　good　thing　for　these　people　that

it　was　Sunday；　and　the　banks　closed。



The　church…bells　ceased；　the　congregations　sat　inside；　but　outside　the

hot　town　showed　no　Sunday　emptiness　or　quiet。　The　metal　tube；　the

possible　smell；　Jode's　sustained　and　haughty　indignation；　the

extraordinary　assurance　of　Lusk；　all　this　had　ended　by　turning　every　one

restless　and　eccentric。　A　citizen　came　down　the　street　with　an　umbrella。

In　a　moment　the　by…standers　had　reduced　it　to　a　sordid　tangle　of　ribs。

Old　Judge　Burrage　attempted　to　address　us　at　the　corner　about　the　vast

progress　of　science。　The　postmaster　pinned　a　card　on　his　back　with　the

well…known　legend；　〃I　am　somewhat　of　a　liar　myself。〃　And　all　the　while

the　sun　shone　high　and　hot；　while　Jode　grew　quieter　and　colder　under　the

certainty　of　victory。　It　was　after　twelve　o'clock　when　the　people　came

from　church；　and　no　change　or　sign　was　to　be　seen。　Jode　told　us；　with　a

chill　smile；　that　he　had　visited　his　instruments　and　found　no　new

indications。　Fifteen　minutes　after　that　the　sky　was　brown。　Sudden；

padded；　dropsical　clouds　were　born　in　the　blue　above　our　heads。　They

blackened；　and　a　smart　shower；　the　first　in　two　months；　wet　us　all；　and

ceased。　The　sun　blazed　out；　and　the　sky　came　blue　again；　like　those

rapid；　unconvincing　weather　changes　of　the　drama。



Amazement　at　what　I　saw　happening　in　the　heavens　took　me　from　things　on

earth；　and　I　was　unaware　of　the　universal　fit　that　now　seized　upon

Cheyenne　until　I　heard　the　high　cry　of　Jode　at　my　ear。　His　usual

punctilious　bearing　had　forsaken　him；　and　he　shouted　alike　to　stranger

and　acquaintance：　〃It　is　no　half…inch；　sir！　Don't　you　tell　me〃'　And　the

crowd　would　swallow　him；　but　you　could　mark　his　vociferous　course　as　he

went　proclaiming　to　the　world。　〃A　failure；　sir！　The　fellow's　an　impostor；

as　I　well　knew。　It's　no　half…inch！〃　Which　was　true。



〃What　have　you　got　to　say　to　that？〃　we　asked　Hilbrun；　swarming　around

him。



〃If　you'll　just　keep　cool；〃　said　he〃it's　only　the　first　instalment。　In

about　two　hours　and　a　half　I'll　give　you　the　rest。〃



Soon　after　four　the　dropsical　clouds　materialized　once　again　above

open…mouthed　Cheyenne。　No　school　let　out　for　an　unexpected　holiday；　no

herd　of　stampeded　range　cattle；　conducts　itself　more　miscellaneously。

Gray；　respectable　men；　with　daughters　married；　leaped　over　fences　and

sprang　back；　prominent　legislators　hopped　howling　up　and　down　door…steps；

women　waved　handkerchiefs　from　windows　and　porches；　the　chattering　Jode

flew　from　anemometer　to　rain…gauge；　and　old　Judge　Burrage　apostrophized

Providence　in　his　front　yard；　with　the　postmaster's　label　still　pinned　to

his　back。　Nobody　minded　the　sluicing　downpourthis　second　instalment　was

much　more　of　a　thing　than　the　firstand　Hilbrun　alone　kept　a　calm

exteriorthe　face　of　the　man　who　lifts　a　heavy　dumb…bell　and　throws　an

impressive　glance　at　the　audience。　Assistant　Lusk　was　by　no　means　thus

proof　against　success　I　saw　him　put　a　bottle　back　in　his　pocket；　his　face

already　disintegrated　with　a　tipsy　leer。　Judge　Burrage；　perceiving　the

rain…maker；　came　out　of　his　gate　and　proceeded　toward　him；　extending　the

hand　of　congratulation。　〃Mr。　Hilbrun；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　Judge　Burragethe

Honorable　T。　Coleman　Burrageand　I　will　say　that　I　am　most　favorably

impressed　with　your　shower。〃



〃His　shower！〃　yelped　Jode；　flourishing　measurements。



〃Why；　yu'　don't　claim　it's　yourn；　do　yu'？〃　said　Lin　McLean；　grinning。



〃I　tell　you　it's　no　half…inch　yet；　gentlemen；〃　said　Jode；　ignoring　the

facetious　puncher。



〃You're　mistaken；〃　said　Hilbrun；　sharply。



〃It's　a　plumb　big　show；　half…inch　or　no　half…inch；〃　said　Lin。



〃If　he's　short　he　don't　get　his　money；〃　said　some　ignoble　subscriber



〃Yes；　he　will；〃　said　the　Governor；〃or　I'm　a　short。　He's　earned　it。〃



〃You　bet　〃'　said　Lin。　〃Fair　and　square。　If　they're　goin'　back　o