the lost road-第32节

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mocking　grin。

〃Congratulations；〃　he　shouted。

〃I　have　still　twenty…two　days；〃　said　Everett
。

The　aristocracy　of　Camaguay　invited　the　new　minister　to　formal
dinners　of　eighteen　courses；　and　to　picnics　less　formal。　　These
latter　Everett　greatly　enjoyed；　because　while　Monica　Ward　was　too
young　to　attend　the　state　dinners；　she　was　exactly　the　proper　age
for　the　all…day　excursions　to　the　waterfalls；　the　coffee　plantations；
and　the　asphalt　lakes。　　The　native　belles　of　Camaguay　took　no
pleasure　in　riding　farther　afield　than　the　military　parade…ground。
Climbing　a　trail　so　steep　that　you　viewed　the　sky　between　the　ears
of　your　pony；　or　where　with　both　hands　you　forced　a　way　through
hanging　vines　and　creepers；　did　not　appeal。　　But　to　Monica；　with
the　seat　and　balance　of　a　cowboy；　riding　astride；　with　her　leg　straight
and　the　ball　of　her　foot　just　feeling　the　stirrup；　these　expeditions　were
the　happiest　moments　in　her　exile。　　So　were　they　to　Everett；　and　that
on　the　trail　one　could　ride　only　in　single　file　was　a　most　poignant
regret。　　In　the　column　the　place　of　honor　was　next　to　whoever　rode
at　the　head；　but　Everett　relinquished　this　position　in　favor　of　Monica。
By　this　manoeuvre　she　always　was　in　his　sight；　and　he　could　call
upon　her　to　act　as　his　guide　and　to　explain　what　lay　on　either　hand。
His　delight　and　wonder　in　her　grew　daily。　　He　found　that　her　mind
leaped　instantly　and　with　gratitude　to　whatever　was　most　fair。　　Just
out　of　reach　of　her　pony's　hoofs　he　pressed　his　own　pony　forward；
and　she　pointed　out　to　him　what　in　the　tropic　abundance　about　them
she　found　most　beautiful。　　Sometimes　it　was　the　tumbling　waters　of
a　cataract；　sometimes；　high　in　the　topmost　branches　of　a　ceiba…tree；
a　gorgeous　orchid；　sometimes　a　shaft　of　sunshine　as　rigid　as　a
search…light；　piercing　the　shadow　of　the　jungle。　　At　first　she　would
turn　in　the　saddle　and　call　to　him；　but　as　each　day　they　grew　to　know
each　other　better　she　need　only　point　with　her　whip…hand　and　he　would
answer；　〃Yes；〃　and　each　knew　the　other　understood。

As　a　body；　the　exiles　resented　Everett。　　They　knew　his　purpose　in
regard　to　the　treaty；　and　for　them　he　always　must　be　the　enemy。
Even　though　as　a　man　they　might　like　him；　they　could　not　forget
that　his　presence　threatened　their　peace　and　safety。　　Chester　Ward
treated　him　with　impeccable　politeness；　but；　although　his　house
was　the　show…place　of　Camaguay；　he　never　invited　the　American
minister　to　cross　the　threshold。　　On　account　of　Monica；　Everett
regretted　this　and　tried　to　keep　the　relations　of　her　brother　and
himself　outwardly　pleasant。　　But　Ward　made　it　difficult。　　To　no
one　was　his　manner　effusive；　and　for　Monica　only　he　seemed　to
hold　any　real　feeling。　　The　two　were　alone　in　the　world；　he　was
her　only　relative；　and　to　the　orphan　he　had　been　father　and　mother。
When　she　was　a　child　he　had　bought　her　toys　and　dolls；　now；　had
the　sisters　permitted；　he　would　have　dressed　her　in　imported　frocks；
and　with　jewels　killed　her　loveliness。　　He　seemed　to　understand
how　to　spend　his　money　as　little　as　did　the　gossips　of　Camaguay
understand　from　whence　it　came。

That　Monica　knew　why　her　brother　lived　in　Camaguay　Everett　was
uncertain。　　She　did　not　complain　of　living　there；　but　she　was　not
at　rest；　and　constantly　she　was　asking　Everett　of　foreign　lands。
As　Everett　was　homesick　for　them；　he　was　most　eloquent。

〃I　should　like　to　see　them　for　myself；〃　said　Monica；　〃but　until　my
brother's　work　here　is　finished　we　must　wait。　　And　I　am　young；
and　after　a　few　years　Europe　will　be　just　as　old。　　When　my　brother
leaves　Amapala；　he　promises　to　take　me　wherever　I　ask　to　go：　to
London；　to　Paris；　to　Rome。　　So　I　read　and　read　of　them；　books　of
history；　books　about　painting；　books　about　the　cathedrals。　　But
the　more　I　read　the　more　I　want　to　go　at　once；　and　that　is　disloyal。〃

〃Disloyal？〃　asked　Everett。

〃To　my　brother；〃　explained　Monica。　　〃He　does　so　much　for　me。
I　should　think　only　of　his　work。　　That　is　all　that　really　counts。
For　the　world　is　waiting　to　learn　what　he　has　discovered。　　It　is
like　having　a　brother　go　in　search　of　the　North　Pole。　　You　are
proud　of　what　he　is　doing；　but　you　want　him　back　to　keep　him
to　yourself。　　Is　that　selfish？〃

Everett　was　a　trained　diplomat；　but　with　his　opinion　of　Chester　Ward
he　could　not　think　of　the　answer。　　Instead；　he　was　thinking　of　Monica
in　Europe；　of　taking　her　through　the　churches　and　galleries　which　she
had　seen　only　in　black　and　white。　　He　imagined　himself　at　her　side
facing　the　altar　of　some　great　cathedral；　or　some　painting　in　the　Louvre；
and　watching　her　face　lighten　and　the　tears　come　to　her　eyes；　as　they
did　now；　when　things　that　were　beautiful　hurt　her。　　Or　he　imagined　her
rid　of　her　half…mourning　and　accompanying　him　through　a　cyclonic
diplomatic　career　that　carried　them　to　Japan；　China；　Persia；　to　Berlin；
Paris；　and　London。　　In　these　imaginings　Monica　appeared　in　pongee
and　a　sun…hat　riding　an　elephant；　in　pearls　and　satin　receiving
royalty；　in　tweed　knickerbockers　and　a　woollen　jersey　coasting
around　the　hairpin　curve　at　Saint　Moritz。

Of　course　he　recognized　that　except　as　his　wife　Monica　could　not
accompany　him　to　all　these　strange　lands　and　high　diplomatic　posts。
And　of　course　that　was　ridiculous。　　He　had　made　up　his　mind　for
the　success　of　what　he　called　his　career；　that　he　was　too　young　to
marry；　but　he　was　sure；　should　he　propose　to　marry　Monica；　every
one　would　say　he　was　too　old。　　And　there　was　another　consideration。
What　of　the　brother？　Would　his　government　send　him　to　a　foreign
post　when　his　wife　was　the　sister　of　a　man　they　had　just　sent　to　the
penitentiary？

He　could　hear　them　say　in　London；　〃We　know　your　first　secretary；
but　who　is　Mrs。　Everett？〃　And　the　American　visitor　would　explain：
〃She　is　the　sister　of　'Inky　Dink；'　the　forger。　　He　is　bookkeeping
in　Sing　Sing。〃

Certainly　it　would　be　a　handicap。　　He　tried　to　persuade　himself
that　Monica　so　entirely　filled　his　thoughts　because　in　Camaguay
there　was　no　one　else；　it　was　a　case　of　propinquity；　her　loneliness
and　the　fact　that　she　lay　under　a　shadow　for　which　she　was　not　to
blame　appealed　to　his　chivalry。　　So；　he　told　himself；　in　thinking　of
Monica　except　as　a　charming　companion；　he　was　an　ass。　　And　then；
arguing　that　in　calling　himself　an　ass　he　had　shown　his　saneness
and　impartiality；　he　felt　justified　in　seeing　her　daily。

One　morning　Garland　came　to　the　legation　to　tell　Everett　that
Peabody　was　in　danger　of　bringing　about　international
complications　by　having　himself　thrust　into　the　cartel。

〃If　he　qualifies　for　this　local　jail；〃　said　Garland；　〃you　will　have
a　lot　of　trouble　setting　him　free。　　You'd　better　warn　him　it's
easier　to　keep　out　than　to　get　out。〃

〃What　has　he　been　doing？〃　asked　the　minister。

〃Poaching　on　Ward's　ruins；〃　said　the　consul。　　〃He　certainly　is　a
hustler。　　He　pretends　to　go　to　Copan；　but　really　goes　to　Cobre。
Ward　had　him　followed　and　threatened　to　have　him　arrested。
Peabody　claims　any　tourist　has　a　right　to　visit　the　ruins　so　long
as　he　does　no　excavating。　　Ward　accused　him　of　exploring　the　place
by　night　and　taking　photographs　by　flash…light　of　the　hieroglyphs。
He's　put　an　armed　guard　at　the　ruins；　and　he　told　Peabody　they　are
to　shoot　on　sight。　　So　Peabody　went　to　Mendoza　and　said　if　anybody
took　a　shot　at　him　he'd　bring　warships　down　here　and　blow　Amapala
off　the　map。〃

〃A　militant　archaeologist；〃　said　Everett；　〃is　something　new。　　Peabody
is　too　enthusiastic。　　He　and　his　hieroglyphs　are　becoming　a　bore。〃

He　sent　for　Peabody　and　told　him　unless　he　curbed　his　spirit　his
minister　could　not　promise　to　keep　him　out　of　a　very　damp　and
dirty　dungeon。

〃I　am　too　enthusiastic；〃　Peabody　admitted；　〃but　to　me　this　fellow
Ward　is　like　a　red　flag　to　the　bull。　　His　private　graft　is　holding
up　the　whole　scientific　world。　　He　won't　let　us　learn　the　truth；
and　he's　too　ignorant　to　learn　it　himself。　　Why；　he　told　me　Cobre
dated　from　1578；　when　Palacio　wrote　of　it　to　Philip　the　Second；
not　knowing　that　in　that　very　letter　Palacio　states　that　he　found
Cobre　in　ruins。　Is　it　right　a　man　as　ignorant〃

Everett　interrupted　by　levelling　his　finger。

〃You；〃　he　commanded；　〃keep　out　of　those　ruins！　My　dear　professor；〃
he　continued　reproachfully；　〃you　are　a　student；　a　man　of　peace。
Don't　try　to　wage　war　on　these　Amapalans。　　They're　lawless；　they're
unscrupulous。　　So　is　Ward。　　Besides；　you　are　in　the　wrong；　and　if
they　turn　ugly；　your　minister　cannot　help　you。〃　　He　shook　his　head
and　smiled　doubtfully。　　〃I　can't　understand；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃why
you're　so　keen。　　It's　only　a　heap　of　broken　pottery。　　Sometimes　I
wonder　if　your　interest　in　Cobre　is　that　only　of　the　archaeologist。〃

〃What　other　interest〃　demanded　Peabody。

〃Doesn't　Ward's　buried　treasure　appeal　at　all？〃　asked　the
minister。　　〃I　mean；　of　course；　to　your　imagination。　　It　does　to
mine。〃

The　young　professor　laughed　tolerantly。

〃Buried　treasure！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃If　Ward　has　found　treasure；　and
I　think　he　has；　he's　welcome　to　it。　　What　we　want　is　what　you　call
the　broken　pottery。　　It　means　nothing　to　you；　but　to　men　like
myself；　who　live　eight　hundred　years　behind　the　times；　it　is　much
more　precious　than　gold。〃

A　few　moment