the lost road-第76节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　only　events　reported　to　the
department　by　his　predecessors　were　revolutions　and　the　refusals
of　successive　presidents　to　consent　to　a　treaty　of　extradition。　　On
that　point　all　Amapalans　were　in　accord。　　Though　overnight　the
government　changed　hands；　though　presidents　gave　way　to　dictators；
and　dictators　to　military　governors；　the　national　policy　of　Amapala
continued　to　be　〃No　extradition！〃　　The　ill　success　of　those　who　had
preceded　him　appalled　Everett。　　He　had　promised　himself　by　a
brilliant　assault　to　secure　the　treaty　and　claim　the　legation　in
Europe。　　But　the　record　of　sixteen　years　of　failure　caused　him
to　alter　his　strategy。　　Instead　of　an　attack　he　prepared　for　a　siege。
He　unpacked　his　books；　placed　the　portrait　of　his　own　President
over　the　office　desk；　and　proceeded　to　make　friends　with　his　fellow
exiles。

Of　the　foreign　colony　in　Camaguay　some　fifty　were　Americans；　and
from　the　rest　of　the　world　they　were　as　hopelessly　separated　as　the
crew　of　a　light…ship。　　From　the　Pacific　they　were　cut　off　by　the
Cordilleras；　from　the　Caribbean　by　a　nine…day　mule…ride。　　To　the
north　and　south；　jungle；　forests；　swamp…lands；　and　mountains
hemmed　them　in。

Of　the　fifty　Americans；　one…half　were　constantly　on　the　trail；
riding　to　the　coast　to　visit　their　plantations；　or　into　the　mountains
to　inspect　their　mines。　　When　Everett　arrived；　of　those　absent
the　two　most　important　were　Chester　Ward　and　Colonel　Goddard。
Indeed；　so　important　were　these　gentlemen　that　Everett　was　made
to　understand　that；　until　they　approved；　his　recognition　as　the
American　minister　was　in　a　manner　temporary。

Chester　Ward；　or　〃Chet；〃　as　the　exiles　referred　to　him；　was　one　of
the　richest　men　in　Amapala；　and　was　engaged　in　exploring　the　ruins
of　the　lost　city　of　Cobre；　which　was　a　one…hour　ride　from　the　capital。
Ward　possessed　the　exclusive　right　to　excavate　that　buried　city　and
had　held　it　against　all　comers。　　The　offers　of　American　universities；
of　archaeological　and　geographical　societies　that　also　wished　to　dig
up　the　ancient　city　and　decipher　the　hieroglyphs　on　her　walls；　were
met　with　a　curt　rebuff。　　That　work；　the　government　of　Amapala　would
reply；　was　in　the　trained　hands　of　Senor　Chester　Ward。　　In　his　chosen
effort　the　government　would　not　disturb　him；　nor　would　it　permit　others
coming　in　at　the　eleventh　hour　to　rob　him　of　his　glory。　　This　Everett
learned　from　the　consul；　Garland。

〃Ward　and　Colonel　Goddard；〃　the　consul　explained；　〃are　two　of
five　countrymen　of　ours　who　run　the　American　colony；　and；　some
say；　run　the　government。　　The　others　are　Mellen；　who　has　the
asphalt　monopoly；　Jackson；　who　is　building　the　railroads；　and
Major　Feiberger；　of　the　San　Jose　silver…mines。　　They　hold
monopolies　and　pay　President　Mendoza　ten　per　cent　of　the
earnings；　and；　on　the　side；　help　him　run　the　country。　　Of　the
five；　the　Amapalans　love　Goddard　best；　because　he's　not　trying
to　rob　them。　　Instead；　he　wants　to　boost　Amapala。　　His　ideas　are
perfectly　impracticable；　but　he　doesn't　know　that；　and　neither　do
they。　　He's　a　kind　of　Colonel　Mulberry　Sellers　and　a　Southerner。
Not　the　professional　sort；　that　fight　elevator…boys　because　they're
colored；　and　let　off　rebel　yells　in　rathskellers　when　a　Hungarian
band　plays　'Dixie；'　but　the　sort　you　read　about　and　so　seldom　see。
He　was　once　State　Treasurer　of　Alabama。〃

〃What's　he　doing　down　here？〃　asked　the　minister。

〃Never　the　same　thing　two　months　together；〃　the　consul　told　him；
〃railroads；　mines；　rubber。　　He　says　all　Amapala　needs　is　developing。〃

As　men　who　can　see　a　joke　even　when　it　is　against　themselves；　the
two　exiles　smiled　ruefully。

〃That's　all　it　needs；〃　said　Everett。

For　a　moment　the　consul　regarded　him　thoughtfully。

〃I　might　as　well　tell　you；〃　he　said；　〃you'll　learn　it　soon　enough
anyway；　that　the　men　who　will　keep　you　from　getting　your　treaty
are　these　five；　especially　old　man　Goddard　and　Ward。〃

Everett　exclaimed　indignantly：

〃Why　should　they　interfere？〃

〃Because；〃　explained　the　consul；　〃they　are　fugitives　from　justice；
and　they　don't　want　to　go　home。　　Ward　is　wanted　for　forgery　or
some　polite　crime；　I　don't　know　which。　　And　Colonel　Goddard
for　appropriating　the　State　funds　of　Alabama。　　Ward　knew　what
he　was　doing　and　made　a　lot　out　of　it。　　He's　still　rich。　　No　one's
weeping　over　him。　　Goddard's　case　is　different。　　He　was　imposed
on　and　made　a　catspaw。　　When　he　was　State　treasurer　the　men
who　appointed　him　came　to　him　one　night　and　said　they　must
have　some　of　the　State's　funds　to　show　a　bank　examiner　in　the
morning。　　They　appealed　to　him　on　the　ground　of　friendship；　as
the　men　who'd　given　him　his　job。　　They　would　return　the　money
the　next　evening。　　Goddard　believed　they　would。　　They　didn't；
and　when　some　one　called　for　a　show…down　the　colonel　was　shy
about　fifty　thousand　dollars　of　the　State's　money。　　He　lost　his　head；
took　the　boat　out　of　Mobile　to　Porto　Cortez；　and　hid　here。　　He's
been　here　twenty　years　and　all　the　Amapalans　love　him。　　He's　the
adopted　father　of　their　country。　　They're　so　afraid　he'll　be　taken
back　and　punished　that　they'll　never　consent　to　an　extradition
treaty　even　if　the　other　Americans；　Mellen；　Jackson；　and　Feiberger；