my buried treasure-第9节

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they　answered　your　cable；　sir？〃　〃They　have；〃　said　Hanley　gruffly。

〃Was　itwas　it　satisfactory？〃　pursued　the　diplomat。　〃It　WAS；〃　said
the　senator；　with　emphasis。

Far　from　discouraged；　Livingstone　continued　his　inquiries。

〃And　when；〃　he　asked　eagerly；　〃are　you　going　to　tell　him？〃

〃Now！〃　said　the　senator。

The　guests　were　leaving　the　ship。　When　all　were　seated　in　the
admiral's　steam　launch；　the　admiral　descended　the　accommodation
ladder　and　himself　picked　up　the　tiller　ropes。

〃Mr。　Marshall；〃　he　called；　〃when　I　bring　the　launch　broadside　to
the　ship　and　stop　her；　you　will　stand　ready　to　receive　the　consul's
salute。〃

Involuntarily；　Marshall　uttered　an　exclamation　of　protest。　He　had
forgotten　that　on　leaving　the　war…ship；　as　consul；　he　was　entitled
to　seven　guns。　Had　he　remembered；　he　would　have　insisted　that　the
ceremony　be　omitted。　He　knew　that　the　admiral　wished　to　show　his
loyalty；　knew　that　his　old　friend　was　now　paying　him　this　honor
only　as　a　rebuke　to　Hanley。　But　the　ceremony　was　no　longer　an
honor。　Hanley　had　made　of　it　a　mockery。　It　served　only　to　emphasize
what　had　been　taken　from　him。　But；　without　a　scene；　it　now　was　too
late　to　avoid　it。　The　first　of　the　seven　guns　had　roared　from　the
bow；　and；　as　often　he　had　stood　before；　as　never　he　would　so　stand
again；　Marshall　took　his　place　at　the　gangway　of　the　launch。　His
eyes　were　fixed　on　the　flag；　his　gray　head　was　uncovered；　his　hat
was　pressed　above　his　heart。

For　the　first　time　since　Hanley　had　left　the　consulate；　he　fell
into　sudden　terror　lest　he　might　give　way　to　his　emotions。
Indignant　at　the　thought；　he　held　himself　erect。　His　face　was　set
like　a　mask；　his　eyes　were　untroubled。　He　was　determined　they
should　not　see　that　he　was　suffering。

Another　gun　spat　out　a　burst　of　white　smoke；　a　stab　of　flame。　There
was　an　echoing　roar。　Another　and　another　followed。　Marshall　counted
seven；　and　then；　with　a　bow　to　the　admiral；　backed　from　the
gangway。

And　then　another　gun　shattered　the　hot；　heavy　silence。　Marshall；
confused；　embarrassed；　assuming　he　had　counted　wrong；　hastily
returned　to　his　place。　But　again　before　he　could　leave　it；　in
savage　haste　a　ninth　gun　roared　out　its　greeting。　He　could　not
still　be　mistaken。　He　turned　appealingly　to　his　friend。　The　eyes　of
the　admiral　were　fixed　upon　the　war…ship。　Again　a　gun　shattered　the
silence。　Was　it　a　jest？　Were　they　laughing　at　him？　Marshall　flushed
miserably。　He　gave　a　swift　glance　toward　the　others。　They　were
smiling。　Then　it　was　a　jest。　Behind　his　back；　something　of　which
they　all　were　cognizant　was　going　forward。　The　face　of　Livingstone
alone　betrayed　a　like　bewilderment　to　his　own。　But　the　others；　who
knew；　were　mocking　him。

For　the　thirteenth　time　a　gun　shook　the　brooding　swamp　land　of
Porto　Banos。　And　then；　and　not　until　then；　did　the　flag　crawl
slowly　from　the　mast…head。　Mary　Cairns　broke　the　tenseness　by
bursting　into　tears。　But　Marshall　saw　that　every　one　else；　save　she
and　Livingstone；　were　still　smiling。　Even　the　bluejackets　in　charge
of　the　launch　were　grinning　at　him。　He　was　beset　by　smiling　faces。
And　then　from　the　war…ship；　unchecked；　came；　against　all
regulations；　three　long；　splendid　cheers。

Marshall　felt　his　lips　quivering；　the　warm　tears　forcing　their　way
to　his　eyes。　He　turned　beseechingly　to　his　friend。　His　voice
trembled。

〃Charles；〃　he　begged；　〃are　they　laughing　at　me？〃

Eagerly；　before　the　other　would　answer；　Senator　Hanley　tossed　his
cigar　into　the　water　and；　scrambling　forward；　seized　Marshall　by
the　hand。

〃Mr。　Marshall；〃　he　cried；　〃our　President　has　great　faith　in　Abraham
Lincoln's　judgment　of　men。　And　this　salute　means　that　this　morning
he　appointed　you　our　new　minister　to　The　Hague。　I'm　one　of　those
politicians　who　keeps　his　word。　I　TOLD　YOU　I'd　take　your　tin　sign
away　from　you　by　sunset。　I've　done　it！〃





End