the lost road-第80节

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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　moments　later　Professor　Peabody　took　his　leave；　and　it　was
not　until　he　had　turned　the　corner　of　the　Calle　Morazan　that　he
halted　and；　like　a　man　emerging　from　water；　drew　a　deep　breath。

〃Gee！〃　muttered　the　distinguished　archeologist；　〃that　was　a　close
call！〃

One　or　two　women　had　loved　Everett；　and　after　five　weeks；　in
which　almost　daily　he　had　seen　Monica；　he　knew　she　cared　for　him。
This　discovery　made　him　entirely　happy　and　filled　him　with　dismay。
It　was　a　complication　he　had　not　foreseen。　　It　left　him　at　the　parting
of　two　ways；　one　of　which　he　must　choose。　　For　his　career　he　was
willing　to　renounce　marriage；　but　now　that　Monica　loved　him；　even
though　he　had　consciously　not　tried　to　make　her　love　him；　had　he
the　right　to　renounce　it　for　her　also？　He　knew　that　the　difference
between　Monica　and　his　career　lay　in　the　fact　that　he　loved　Monica
and　was　in　love　with　his　career。　　Which　should　he　surrender？　Of　this
he　thought　long　and　deeply；　until　one　night；　without　thinking　at　all；
he　chose。

Colonel　Goddard　had　given　a　dance；　and；　as　all　invited　were
Americans；　the　etiquette　was　less　formal　than　at　the　gatherings
of　the　Amapalans。　　For　one　thing；　the　minister　and　Monica　were
able　to　sit　on　the　veranda　overlooking　the　garden　without　his
having　to　fight　a　duel　in　the　morning。

It　was　not　the　moonlight；　or　the　music；　or　the　palms　that　made
Everett　speak。　　It　was　simply　the　knowledge　that　it　was　written；
that　it　had　to　be。　　And　he　heard　himself；　without　prelude　or
introduction；　talking　easily　and　assuredly　of　the　life　they　would
lead　as　man　and　wife。　　From　this　dream　Monica　woke　him。　　The
violet　eyes　were　smiling　at　him　through　tears。

〃When　you　came；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　I　loved　you；　I　thought　that
was　the　greatest　happiness。　　Now　that　I　know　you　love　me　I　ask
nothing　more。　　And　I　can　bear　it。〃

Everett　felt　as　though　an　icy　finger　had　moved　swiftly　down　his
spine。　　He　pretended　not　to　understand。

〃Bear　what？〃　he　demanded　roughly。

〃That　I　cannot　marry　you；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃Even　had　you　not　asked
me；　in　loving　you　I　would　have　been　happy。　　Now　that　I　know　you
thought　of　me　as　your　wife；　I　am　proud。　I　am　grateful。　　And　the
obstacle〃

Everett　laughed　scornfully。

〃There　is　no　obstacle。〃

Monica　shook　her　head。　　Unafraid；　she　looked　into　his　eyes；　her
own　filled　with　her　love　for　him。

〃Don't　make　it　harder；〃　she　said。　　〃My　brother　is　hiding　from　the
law。　　What　he　did　I　don't　know。　　When　it　happened　I　was　at　the
convent；　and　he　did　not　send　for　me　until　he　had　reached　Amapala。
I　never　asked　why　we　came；　but　were　I　to　marry　you；　with　your　name
and　your　position；　every　one　else　would　ask。　　And　the　scandal　would
follow　you；　wherever　you　went　it　would　follow；　it　would　put　an　end
to　your　career。〃

His　career；　now　that　Monica　urged　it　as　her　rival；　seemed　to
Everett　particularly　trivial。

〃I　don't　know　what　your　brother　did　either；〃　he　said。　　〃His　sins
are　on　his　own　head。　　They're　not　on　yours；　nor　on　mine。　　I　don't
judge　him；　neither　do　I　intend　to　let　him　spoil　my　happiness。　　Now
that　I　have　found　you　I　will　never　let　you　go。〃

Sadly　Monica　shook　her　head　and　smiled。

〃When　you　leave　here；〃　she　said；　〃for　some　new　post；　you　won't
forget　me；　but　you'll　be　grateful　that　I　let　you　go　alone；　that　I　was
not　a　drag　on　you。　　When　you　go　back　to　your　great　people　and
your　proud　and　beautiful　princesses；　all　this　will　seem　a　strange
dream；　and　you　will　be　glad　you　are　awakeand　free。〃

〃The　idea　of　marrying　you；　Monica；〃　said　Everett；　〃is　not　new。　　It　did
not　occur　to　me　only　since　we　moved　out　here　into　the　moonlight。
Since　I　first　saw　you　I've　thought　of　you；　and　only　of　you。　　I've
thought　of　you　with　me　in　every　corner　of　the　globe；　as　my　wife；
my　sweetheart；　my　partner；　riding　through　jungles　as　we　ride　here；
sitting　opposite　me　at　our　own　table；　putting　the　proud　and　beautiful
princesses　at　their　ease。　　And　in　all　places；　at　all　moments；　you　make
all　other　women　tawdry　and　absurd。　　And　I　don't　think　you　are　the
most　wonderful　person　I　ever　met　because　I　love　you；　but　I　love　you
because　you　are　the　most　wonderful　person　I　ever　met。〃

〃I　am　young；〃　said　Monica；　〃but　since　I　began　to　love　you　I　am
very　old。　　And　I　see　clearly　that　it　cannot　be。〃

〃Dear　heart；〃　cried　Everett；　〃that　is　quite　morbid。　　What　the
devil　do　I　care　what　your　brother　has　done！　I　am　not　marrying
your　brother。〃

For　a　long　time；　leaning　forward　with　her　elbows　on　her　knees　and
her　face　buried　in　her　hands；　the　girl　sat　silent。　　It　was　as　though　she
were　praying。　　Everett　knew　it　was　not　of　him；　but　of　her　brother；
she　was　thinking；　and　his　heart　ached　for　her。　　For　him　to　cut　the
brother　out　of　his　life　was　not　difficult；　what　it　meant　to　her　he
could　guess。

When　the　girl　raised　her　eyes　they　were　eloquent　with　distress。

〃He　has　been　so　good　to　me；〃　she　said；　〃always　so　gentle。　　He　has
been　mother　and　father　to　me。　　He　is　the　first　person　I　can　remember。
When　I　was　a　child　he　put　me　to　bed；　he　dressed　me；　and　comforted
me。　　When　we　became　rich　there　was　nothing　he　did　not　wish　to　give
me。　　I　cannot　leave　him。　　He　needs　me　more　than　ever　I　needed　him。　　I
am　all　he　has。　　And　there　is　this　besides。　　Were　I　to　marry；　of　all　th