the gentle grafter-第27节

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was　a　fattish　man　with　an　immediate　eye；　in　a　black　skull…cap；　with　a
four…ounce　diamond　screwed　into　the　bosom　of　his　red　sweater。

〃'Are　you　George　B。　Tapley？'　I　asks。

〃'I　swear　it；'　says　he。

〃'Well；　I've　got　it；'　says　I。

〃'Designate；'　says　he。　'Are　you　the　guinea　pigs　for　the　Asiatic　python
or　the　alfalfa　for　the　sacred　buffalo？'

〃'Neither；'　says　I。　'I've　got　Beppo；　the　educated　hog；　in　a　sack　in
that　wagon。　I　found　him　rooting　up　the　flowers　in　my　front　yard　this
morning。　I'll　take　the　five　thousand　dollars　in　large　bills；　if　it's
handy。'

〃George　B。　hustles　out　of　his　tent；　and　asks　me　to　follow。　We　went
into　one　of　the　side…shows。　In　there　was　a　jet　black　pig　with　a　pink
ribbon　around　his　neck　lying　on　some　hay　and　eating　carrots　that　a　man
was　feeding　to　him。

〃'Hey；　Mac；'　calls　G。　B。　'Nothing　wrong　with　the　world…wide　this
morning；　is　there？'

〃'Him？　No；'　says　the　man。　'He's　got　an　appetite　like　a　chorus　girl　at
1　A。M。'

〃'How'd　you　get　this　pipe？'　says　Tapley　to　me。　'Eating　too　many　pork
chops　last　night？'

〃I　pulls　out　the　paper　and　shows　him　the　ad。

〃'Fake；'　says　he。　'Don't　know　anything　about　it。　You've　beheld　with
your　own　eyes　the　marvelous；　world…wide　porcine　wonder　of　the　four…
footed　kingdom　eating　with　preternatural　sagacity　his　matutinal　meal；
unstrayed　and　unstole。　Good　morning。'

〃I　was　beginning　to　see。　I　got　in　the　wagon　and　told　Uncle　Ned　to
drive　to　the　most　adjacent　orifice　of　the　nearest　alley。　There　I　took
out　my　pig；　got　the　range　carefully　for　the　other　opening；　set　his
sights；　and　gave　him　such　a　kick　that　he　went　out　the　other　end　of　the
alley　twenty　feet　ahead　of　his　squeal。

〃Then　I　paid　Uncle　Ned　his　fifty　cents；　and　walked　down　to　the
newspaper　office。　I　wanted　to　hear　it　in　cold　syllables。　I　got　the
advertising　man　to　his　window。

〃'To　decide　a　bet；'　says　I；　'wasn't　the　man　who　had　this　ad。　put　in
last　night　short　and　fat；　with　long　black　whiskers　and　a　club…foot？'

〃'He　was　not；'　says　the　man。　'He　would　measure　about　six　feet　by　four
and　a　half　inches；　with　corn…silk　hair；　and　dressed　like　the　pansies
of　the　conservatory。'

〃At　dinner　time　I　went　back　to　Mrs。　Peevy's。

〃'Shall　I　keep　some　soup　hot　for　Mr。　Tatum　till　he　comes　back？'　she
asks。

〃'If　you　do；　ma'am；'　says　I；　'you'll　more　than　exhaust　for　firewood
all　the　coal　in　the　bosom　of　the　earth　and　all　the　forests　on　the
outside　of　it。'

〃So　there；　you　see；〃　said　Jefferson　Peters；　in　conclusion；　〃how　hard
it　is　ever　to　find　a　fair…minded　and　honest　business…partner。〃

〃But；〃　I　began；　with　the　freedom　of　long　acquaintance；　〃the　rule
should　work　both　ways。　If　you　had　offered　to　divide　the　reward　you
would　not　have　lost〃

Jeff's　look　of　dignified　reproach　stopped　me。

〃That　don't　involve　the　same　principles　at　all；〃　said　he。　〃Mine　was　a
legitimate　and　moral　attempt　at　speculation。　Buy　low　and　sell　high
don't　Wall　Street　endorse　it？　Bulls　and　bears　and　pigswhat's　the
difference？　Why　not　bristles　as　well　as　horns　and　fur？〃





End