the lost road-第28节

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Sam　in　earnest　converse　with　the　great　banker；　the　senator
believed　that　without　appearing　to　seek　it　he　might　through　Sam
effect　a　meeting。　　With　a　hearty　slap　on　the　shoulder　he　greeted
his　fellow　countryman。

〃Halloo；　Sam！〃　he　cried　genially。　　〃You　walking　home　with　me？〃

Sam　did　not　even　turn　his　head。

〃No！〃　he　snapped。　　〃I'm　busy。　　Go　'way！〃

Crimson；　the　senator　disappeared。　　Baron　Haussmann　regarded　the
young　stranger　with　amazed　interest。

〃You　know　him！〃　he　protested。　　〃He　called　you　Sam！〃

〃Know　him？〃　cried　Sam　impatiently。　　〃I've　got　to　know　him！　He's
going　to　be　my　father…in…law。〃

The　fingers　of　the　rich　man　clutched　the　folded　paper　as　the
claws　of　a　parrot　cling　to　the　bars　of　his　cage。　　He　let　his　sable
coat　slip　into　the　hands　of　a　servant；　he　turned　back　toward　the
marble　staircase。

〃Come！〃　he　commanded。

Sam　led　him　to　the　secluded　corner　Polly　and　he　had　left　vacant
and　told　his　story。

〃So；　it　is　evident；〃　concluded　Sam；　〃that　each　night　some　one　in
the　service　of　the　Times　dined　at　Pavoni's；　and　that　his　hat　was
the　same　sort　of　hat　as　the　one　worn　by　Hertz；　and　each　night；
inside　the　lining　of　his　hat；　Hertz　hid　the　report　of　that　day's
proceedings。　　And　when　the　Times　man　left　the　restaurant　he
exchanged　hats　with　Hertz。　　But　to…nightI　got　Hertz's　hat　and
with　it　the　treaty！〃

In　perplexity　the　blue　eyes　of　the　little　great　man　frowned。

〃It　is　a　remarkable　story；〃　he　said。

〃You　mean　you　don't　believe　me！〃　retorted　Sam。　　〃If　I　had
financial　standingif　I　had　creditif　I　were　not　a　stranger…
you　would　not　hesitate。〃

Baron　Haussmann　neither　agreed　nor　contradicted。　　He　made　a　polite
and　deprecatory　gesture。　　Still　in　doubt；　he　stared　at　the　piece　of　white
paper。　　Still　deep　in　thought；　he　twisted　and　creased　between　his　fingers
the　Treaty　of　London！

Returning　with　the　duchess　from　supper；　Polly　caught　sight　of　Sam
and；　with　a　happy　laugh；　ran　toward　him。　　Seeing　he　was　not　alone；
she　halted　and　waved　her　hand。

〃Don't　forget！〃　she　called。　〃At　eleven！〃

She　made　a　sweet　and　lovely　picture。　　Sam　rose　and　bowed。

〃I'll　be　there　at　ten；〃　he　answered。

With　his　mild　blue　eyes　the　baron　followed　Polly　until　she　had
disappeared。　　Then　he　turned　and　smiled　at　Sam。

〃Permit　me；〃　he　said；　〃to　offer　you　my　felicitations。　　Your　young
lady　is　very　beautiful　and　very　good。〃　　Sam　bowed　his　head。　　〃If
she　trusts　you；〃　murmured　the　baron；　〃I　think　I　can　trust　you
too。〃

〃How　wonderful　is　credit！〃　exclaimed　Sam。　　〃I　was　just　saying　so
to　my　landlady。　　If　you　have　only　cash　you　spend　it　and　nothing
remains。　　But　with　credit　you　can〃

〃How　much；〃　interrupted　the　banker；　〃do　you　want　for　this？〃

Sam　returned　briskly　to　the　business　of　the　moment。

〃To　be　your　partner；〃　he　said〃to　get　half　of　what　you　make　out
of　it。〃

The　astonished　eyes　of　the　baron　were　large　with　wonder。　　Again　he
reproved　Sam。

〃What　I　shall　make　out　of　it？〃　he　demanded　incredulously。　　〃Do　you
know　how　much　I　shall　make　out　of　it？〃

〃I　cannot　even　guess；〃　said　Sam；　〃but　I　want　half。〃

The　baron　smiled　tolerantly。

〃And　how；〃　he　asked；　〃could　you　possibly　know　what　I　give　you　is
really　half？〃

In　his　turn；　Sam　made　a　deprecatory　gesture。

〃Your　credit；〃　said　Sam；　〃is　good！〃

That　morning；　after　the　walk　in　St。　James's　Park；　when　Sam　returned
with　Polly　to　Claridge's；　they　encountered　her　father　in　the　hall。
Mindful　of　the　affront　of　the　night　before；　he　greeted　Sam　only
with　a　scowl。

〃Senator；〃　cried　Sam　happily；　〃you　must　be　the　first　to　hear　the　news！
Polly　and　I　are　going　into　partnership。　　We　are　to　be　married。〃

This　time　Senator　Seward　did　not　trouble　himself　even　to　tell　Sam
he　was　an　ass。　　He　merely　grinned　cynically。

〃Is　that　all　your　news？〃　he　demanded　with　sarcasm。

〃No；〃　said　Sam〃I　am　going　into　partnership　with　Baron　Haussmann
too！〃





THE　BURIED　TREASURE　OF　COBRE



Young　Everett　at　last　was　a　minister　plenipotentiary。　　In　London
as　third　secretary　he　had　splashed　around　in　the　rain　to　find　the
ambassador's　carriage。　　In　Rome　as　a　second　secretary　he　had
served　as　a　clearing…house　for　the　Embassy's　visiting…cards；　and
in　Madrid　as　first　secretary　he　had　acted　as　interpreter　for　a
minister　who；　though　valuable　as　a　national　chairman；　had　much
to　learn　of　even　his　own　language。　　But　although　surrounded　by
all　the　wonders　and　delights　of　Europe；　although　he　walked；　talked；
wined；　and　dined　with　statesmen　and　court　beauties；　Everett　was
not　happy。　　He　was　never　his　own　master。　　Always　he　answered　the
button　pressed　by　the　man　higher　up。　　Always　over　him　loomed　his
chief；　always；　for　his　diligence　and　zeal；　his　chief　received　credit。

As　His　Majesty's　naval　attache　put　it　sympathetically；　〃Better　be
a　top…side　man　on　a　sampan　than　First　Luff　on　the　Dreadnought。
Don't　be　another　man's　right　hand。　　Be　your　own　right　hand。〃
Accordingly　when　the　State　Department　offered　to　make　him
minister　to　the　Republic　of　Amapala；　Everett　gladly　deserted　the
flesh…pots　of　Europe；　and；　on　mule…back　over　trails　in　the　living
rock；　through　mountain　torrents　that　had　never　known　the　shadow
of　a　bridge；　through　swamp　and　jungle；　rode　sunburnt　and
saddle…sore　into　his　inheritance。

When　giving　him　his　farewell　instructions；　the　Secretary　of　State
had　not　attempted　to　deceive　him。

〃Of　all　the　smaller　republics　of　Central　America；〃　he　frankly　told
him；　〃Amapala　is　the　least　desirable；　least　civilized；　least　acceptable。
It　offers　an　ambitious　young　diplomat　no　chance。　　But　once　a　minister；
always　a　minister。　　Having　lifted　you　out　of　the　secretary　class　we　can't
demote　you。　　Your　days　of　deciphering　cablegrams　are　over；　and　if　you
don't　die　of　fever；　of　boredom；　or　brandy；　call　us　up　in　a　year　or　two
and　we　will　see　what　we　can　do。〃

Everett　regarded　the　Secretary　blankly。

〃Has　the　department　no　interest　in　Amapala？〃　he　begged。　　〃Is　there
nothing　you　want　there？〃

〃There　is　one　thing　we　very　much　want；〃　returned　the　Secretary；
〃but　we　can't　get　it。　　We　want　a　treaty　to　extradite　criminals。〃

The　young　minister　laughed　confidently。

〃Why！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃that　should　be　easy。〃

The　Secretary　smiled。

〃You　have　our　full　permission　to　get　it；〃　he　said。　　〃This　department；〃
he　explained；　〃under　three　administrations　has　instructed　four
ministers　to　arrange　such　a　treaty。　　The　Bankers'　Association　wants
it；　the　Merchants'　Protective　Alliance　wants　it。　　Amapala　is　the　only
place　within　striking　distance　of　our　country　where　a　fugitive　is　safe。
It　is　the　only　place　where　a　dishonest　cashier；　swindler；　or　felon　can
find　refuge。　　Sometimes　it　seems　almost　as　though　when　a　man　planned
a　crime　he　timed　it　exactly　so　as　to　catch　the　boat　for　Amapala。　　And；
once　there；　we　can't　lay　our　hands　on　him；　and；　what's　more；　we　can't
lay　our　hands　on　the　money　he　takes　with　him。　　I　have　no　right　to　make
a　promise；〃　said　the　great　man；　〃but　the　day　that　treaty　is　signed　you
can　sail　for　a　legation　in　Europe。　　Do　I　make　myself　clear？〃

〃So　clear；　sir；〃　cried　Everett；　laughing；　〃that　if　I　don't
arrange　that　treaty　I　will　remain　in　Amapala　until　I　do。〃

〃Four　of　your　predecessors；〃　remarked　the　Secretary；　〃made
exactly　the　same　promise；　but　none　of　them　got　us　the　treaty。〃

〃Probably　none　of　them　remained　in　Amapala；　either；〃　retorted
Everett。

〃Two　did；〃　corrected　the　Secretary；　〃as　you　ride　into　Camaguay
you　see　their　tombstones。〃

Everett　found　the　nine…day　mule…ride　from　the　coast　to　the　capital
arduous；　but　full　of　interest。　　After　a　week　at　his　post　he　appreciated
that　until　he　left　it　and　made　the　return　journey　nothing　of　equal
interest　was　again　likely　to　occur。　　For　life　in　Camaguay；　the　capital
of　Amapala；　proved　to　be　one　long；　dreamless　slumber。　　In　the　morning
each　of　the　inhabitants　engaged　in　a　struggle　to　get　awake；　after　the
second　breakfast　he　ceased　struggling；　and　for　a　siesta　sank　into　his
hammock。　　After　dinner；　at　nine　o'clock；　he　was　prepared　to　sleep　in
earnest；　and　went　to　bed。　　The　official　life　as　explained　to　Everett　by
Garland；　the　American　consul；　was　equally　monotonous。　　When
President　Mendoza　was　not　in　the　mountains　deer…hunting；　or
suppressing　a　revolution；　each　Sunday　he　invited　the　American
minister　to　dine　at　the　palace。　　In　return　His　Excellency　expected
once　a　week　to　be　invited　to　breakfast　with　the　minister。　　He　preferred
that　the　activities　of　that　gentleman　should　go　no　further。　　Life　in　the
diplomatic　circle　was　even　less　strenuous。　　Everett　was　the　doyen
of　the　diplomatic　corps　because　he　was　the　only　diplomat。　　All
other　countries　were　represented　by　consuls　who　were　commission
merchants　and　shopkeepers。　　They　were　delighted　at　having　among
them　a　minister　plenipotentiary。　　When　he　took　pity　on　them　and
invited　them　to　tea；　which　invitations　he　delivered　in　person　to
each　consul　at　the　door　of　each　shop；　the　entire　diplomatic　corps；
as　the　consuls　were　pleased　to　describe　themselves；　put　up　the
shutters；　put　on　their　official　full…dress　uniforms　and　arrived　in
a　body。
The　first　week　at　his　post　Everett　spent　in　reading　the　archives　of
the　legation。　　They　were　most　discouraging。　　He　found　that　for　the
sixteen　years　prior　to　his　arrival　the