the lost road-第8节

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West　Point；　he　had　seen　service　in　Cuba；　in　the　Boxer　business；
and　in　the　Philippines。　　For　an　act　of　conspicuous　courage　at　
Batangas；　he　had　received　the　medal　of　honor。　　He　had　had　the　
luck　of　the　devil。　　Wherever　he　held　command　turned　out　to　be　the　
place　where　things　broke　loose。　　And　Aintree　always　attacked　and　
routed　them；　always　was　the　man　on　the　job。　　It　was　his　name　that　
appeared　in　the　newspapers；　it　was　his　name　that　headed　the　list　
of　the　junior　officers　mentioned　for　distinguished　conduct。　
Standish　had　followed　his　career　with　an　admiration　and　a　joy　
that　was　without　taint　of　envy　or　detraction。　　He　gloried　in　
Aintree；　he　delighted　to　know　the　army　held　such　a　man。　　He　was
grateful　to　Aintree　for　upholding　the　traditions　of　a　profession　
to　which　he　himself　gave　all　the　devotion　of　a　fanatic。　　He　made　
a　god　of　him。　　This　was　the　attitude　of　mind　toward　Aintree　before
he　came　to　the　Isthmus。　　Up　to　that　time　he　had　never　seen　his　
idol。　　Aintree　had　been　only　a　name　signed　to　brilliant　articles
in　the　service　magazines；　a　man　of　whom　those　who　had　served　with
him　or　under　him；　when　asked　concerning　him；　spoke　with　loyalty　
and　awe；　the　man　the　newspapers　called　〃the　hero　of　Batangas。〃
And　when　at　last　he　saw　his　hero；　he　believed　his　worship　was　
justified。　　For　Aintree　looked　the　part。　　He　was　built　like　a　
greyhound　with　the　shoulders　of　a　stevedore。　　His　chin　was　as　
projecting；　and　as　hard；　as　the　pointed　end　of　a　flat…iron。　　His　every　
movement　showed　physical　fitness；　and　his　every　glance　and　tone　a
confidence　in　himself　that　approached　insolence。　　He　was　thirty…
eight；　twelve　years　older　than　the　youth　who　had　failed　to　make　
his　commission；　and　who；　as　Aintree　strode　past；　looked　after　him　
with　wistful；　hero…worshipping　eyes。　　The　revulsion；　when　it　came；　
was　extreme。　　The　hero…worship　gave　way　to　contempt；　to　indignant　
condemnation；　in　which　there　was　no　pity；　no　excuse。　　That　one　upon　
whom　so　much　had　been　lavished；　who　for　himself　had　accomplished　
such　good　things；　should　bring　disgrace　upon　his　profession；　
should　by　his　example　demoralize　his　men；　should　risk　losing　all
he　had　attained；　all　that　had　been　given；　was　intolerable。　　When　
Standish　learned　his　hero　was　a　drunkard；　when　day　after　day　
Aintree　furnished　visible　evidences　of　that　fact；　Standish　felt　
Aintree　had　betrayed　him　and　the　army　and　the　government　that　had
educated；　trained；　clothed；　and　fed　him。　　He　regarded　Aintree　as　
worse　than　Benedict　Arnold；　because　Arnold　had　turned　traitor　for
power　and　money；　Aintree　was　a　traitor　through　mere　weakness；　
because　he　could　not　say　〃no〃　to　a　bottle。

Only　in　secret　Standish　railed　against　Aintree。　　When　his　brother　
policemen　gossiped　and　jested　about　him；　out　of　loyalty　to　the　
army　he　remained　silent。　　But　in　his　heart　he　could　not　forgive。　
The　man　he　had　so　generously　envied；　the　man　after　whose　career　
he　had　wished　to　model　his　own；　had　voluntarily　stepped　from　his　
pedestal　and　made　a　swine　of　himself。　　And　not　only　could　he　not　
forgive；　but　as　day　after　day　Aintree　furnished　fresh　food　for　
his　indignation　he　felt　a　fierce　desire　to　punish。

Meanwhile；　of　the　conduct　of　Aintree；　men　older　and　wiser；　if　less
intolerant　than　Standish；　were　beginning　to　take　notice。　　It　was
after　a　dinner　on　Ancon　Hill；　and　the　women　had　left　the　men　to
themselves。　　They　were　the　men　who　were　placing　the　Panama　Canal
on　the　map。　　They　were　officers　of　the　army　who　for　five　years　had
not　worn　a　uniform。　　But　for　five　years　they　had　been　at　war　with
an　enemy　that　never　slept。　　Daily　they　had　engaged　in　battle　with
mountains；　rivers；　swamps；　two　oceans；　and　disease。　　Where　Aintree
commanded　five　hundred　soldiers；　they　commanded　a　body　of　men
better　drilled；　better　disciplined；　and　in　number　half　as　many　as
those　who　formed　the　entire　army　of　the　United　States。　　The　mind
of　each　was　occupied　with　a　world　problem。　　They　thought　and
talked　in　millions　of　millions　of　cubic　yards　of　dirt；　of
millions　of　barrels　of　cement；　of　millions　of　tons　of　steel；　of
hundreds　of　millions　of　dollars；　of　which　latter　each　received
enough　to　keep　himself　and　his　family　just　beyond　the　reach　of
necessity。　　To　these　men　with　the　world　waiting　upon　the　outcome
of　their　endeavor；　with　responsibilities　that　never　relaxed；
Aintree's　behavior　was　an　incident；　an　annoyance　of　less
importance　than　an　overturned　dirt　train　that　for　five　minutes
dared　to　block　the　completion　of　their　work。　　But　they　were　human
and　loyal　to　the　army；　and　in　such　an　infrequent　moment　as　this；
over　the　coffee　and　cigars；　they　could　afford　to　remember　the
junior　officer；　to　feel　sorry　for　him；　for　the　sake　of　the　army；
to　save　him　from　himself。

〃He　takes　his　orders　direct　from　the　War　Department；〃　said　the
chief。　　〃I've　no　authority　over　him。　　If　he'd　been　one　of　my　workmen
I'd　have　shipped　him　north　three　months　ago。〃

〃That's　it；〃　said　the　surgeon；　〃he's　not　a　workman。　　He　has　nothing
to　do；　and　idleness　is　the　curse　of　the　army。　　And　in　this　climate〃

〃Nothing　to　do！〃　snorted　the　civil　administrator。　　〃Keeping　his
men　in　hand　is　what　he　has　to　do！　They're　running　amuck　all　over
Panama；　getting　into　fights　with　the　Spiggoty　police；　bringing
the　uniform　into　contempt。　　As　for　the　climate；　it's　the　same
climate　for　all　of　us。　　Look　at　Butler's　marines　and　Barber's　Zone
police。　　The　climate　hasn't　hurt　them。　　They're　as　smart　men　as
ever　wore　khaki。　　It's　not　the　climate　or　lack　of　work　that　ails
the　Thirty…　third；　it's　their　commanding　officer。　　'So　the
colonel；　so　the　regiment。'　　That's　as　old　as　the　hills。　　Until
Aintree　takes　a　brace；　his　men　won't。　　Some　one　ought　to　talk　to
him。　　It's　a　shame　to　see　a　fine　fellow　like　that　going　to　the
dogs　because　no　one　has　the　courage　to　tell　him　the　truth。〃

The　chief　smiled　mockingly。

〃Then　why　don't　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　a　civilian；〃　protested　the　administrator。　　〃If　I　told　him　he　was
going　to　the　dogs　he'd　tell　me　to　go　to　the　devil。　　No；　one　of　you
army　men　must　do　it。　　He'll　listen　to　you。〃

Young　Captain　Haldane　of　the　cavalry　was　at　the　table；　he　was
visiting　Panama　on　leave　as　a　tourist。　　The　chief　turned　to　him。

〃Haldane's　the　man；〃　he　said。　　〃You're　his　friend　and　you're　his
junior　in　rank；　so　what　you　say　won't　sound　official。　　Tell　him
people　are　talking；　tell　him　it　won't　be　long　before　they'll　be
talking　in　Washington。　　Scare　him！〃

The　captain　of　cavalry　smiled　dubiously。

〃Aintree's　a　hard　man　to　scare；〃　he　said。　　〃But　if　it's　as　bad　as　you
all　seem　to　think；　I'll　risk　it。　　But；　why　is　it；〃　he　complained；
〃that　whenever　a　man　has　to　be　told　anything　particularly
unpleasant　they　always　pick　on　his　best　friend　to　tell　him？　It
makes　them　both　miserable。　　Why　not　let　his　bitterest　enemy　try
it？　The　enemy　at　least　would　have　a　fine　time。〃

〃Because；〃　said　the　chief；　〃Aintree　hasn't　an　enemy　in　the　world…
except　Aintree。〃
The　next　morning；　as　he　had　promised；　Haldane　called　upon　his
friend。　　When　he　arrived　at　Las　Palmas；　although　the　morning　was
well　advanced　toward　noon；　he　found　Aintree　still　under　his
mosquito　bars　and　awake　only　to　command　a　drink。　　The　situation
furnished　Haldane　with　his　text。　　He　expressed　his　opinion　of
any　individual；　friend　or　no　friend；　officer　or　civilian；　who　on
the　Zone；　where　all　men　begin　work　at　sunrise；　could　be　found
at　noon　still　in　his　pajamas　and　preparing　to　face　the　duties　of
the　day　on　an　absinth　cocktail。　　He　said　further　that　since　he　had
arrived　on　the　isthmus　he　had　heard　only　of　Aintree's　misconduct；
that　soon　the　War　Department　would　hear　of　it；　that　Aintree　would
lose　his　commission；　would　break　the　backbone　of　a　splendid　career。

〃It's　a　friend　talking；〃　continued　Haldane；　〃and　you　know　it！　It's
because　I　am　your　friend　that　I've　risked　losing　your　friendship！
And；　whether　you　like　it　or　not；　it's　the　truth。　　You're　going　down…hill；
going　fast；　going　like　a　motor…bus　running　away；　and　unless　you　put
on　the　brakes　you'll　smash！〃

Aintree　was　not　even　annoyed。

〃That's　good　advice　for　the　right　man；〃　he　granted；　〃but　why　waste
it　on　me？　I　can　do　things　other　men　can't。　　I　can　stop　drinking　this
minute；　and　it　will　mean　so　little　to　me　that　I　won't　know　I've　stopped。〃

〃Then　stop；〃　said　Haldane。

〃Why？〃　demanded　Aintree。　　〃I　like　it。　Why　should　I　stop　anything
I　like？　Because　a　lot　of　old　women　are　gossiping？　Because　old　men
who　can't　drink　green　mint　without　dancing　turkey…trots　think　I'm
going　to　the　devil　because　I　can　drink　whiskey？　I'm　not　afraid　of
whiskey；〃　he　laughed　tolerantly。　　〃It　amuses　me；　that's　all　it　does
to　me；　it　amuses　me。〃　　He　pulled　back　the　coat　of　his　pajamas　and
showed　his　giant　chest　and　shoulder。　　With　his　fist　he　struck　his
bare　flesh　and　it　glowed　instantly　a　healthy；　splendid　pink。

〃See　that！〃　commanded　Aintree。　　〃If　there's　a　man　on　the　isthmus　in
any　better　physical　shape　than　I　am；　I'll〃　　He　interrupted　himself
to　begin　again　eagerly。　　〃I'll　make　you　a　sporting　proposition；〃
he　announced　　〃I'll　fight　any　man　on　the　isthmus　ten　rounds
no　matter　who　he　is；　a　wop　laborer；　shovel　man；　Barbadian
nigger；　marine；　anybodyand　if　he　can　knock　me　out　I'll　stop
drinking