the consul-第2节

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shelter　at　Porto　Banos。　The　consul　was　ordered　to　report。

As　Marshall　wrote　out　his　answer；　the　French　consul　exclaimed　with
interest：

〃He　is　of　importance；　then；　this　senator？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　it　that　in
your　country　ships　of　war　are　at　the　service　of　a　senator？〃

Aiken；　the　wireless　operator；　grinned　derisively。

〃At　the　service　of　THIS　senator；　they　are！〃　he　answered。　〃They　call
him　the　'king…maker；'　the　man　behind　the　throne。〃

〃But　in　your　country；〃　protested　the　Frenchman；　〃there　is　no
throne。　I　thought　your　president　was　elected　by　the　people？〃

〃That's　what　the　people　think；〃　answered　Aiken。　〃In　God's　country；〃
he　explained；　〃the　trusts　want　a　rich　man　in　the　Senate；　with　the
same　interests　as　their　own；　to　represent　them。　They　chose　Hanley。
He　picked　out　of　the　candidates　for　the　presidency　the　man　he
thought　would　help　the　interests。　He　nominated　him；　and　the　people
voted　for　him。　Hanley　is　what　we　call　a　'boss。'　〃

The　Frenchman　looked　inquiringly　at　Marshall。

〃The　position　of　the　boss　is　the　more　dangerous；〃　said　Marshall
gravely；　〃because　it　is　unofficial；　because　there　are　no　laws　to
curtail　his　powers。　Men　like　Senator　Hanley　are　a　menace　to　good
government。　They　see　in　public　office　only　a　reward　for　party
workers。〃

〃That's　right；〃　assented　Aiken。　〃Your　forty　years'　service；　Mr。
Consul；　wouldn't　count　with　Hanley。　If　he　wanted　your　job；　he'd
throw　you　out　as　quick　as　he　would　a　drunken　cook。〃

Mr。　Marshall　flushed　painfully；　and　the　French　consul　hastened　to
interrupt。

〃Then；　let　us　pray；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　fervor；　〃that　the　hurricane
has　sunk　the　SERAPIS；　and　all　on　board。〃

Two　hours　later；　the　SERAPIS；　showing　she　had　met　the　hurricane　and
had　come　out　second　best；　steamed　into　the　harbor。

Her　owner　was　young　Herbert　Livingstone；　of　Washington。　He　once　had
been　in　the　diplomatic　service；　and；　as　minister　to　The　Hague；
wished　to　return　to　it。　In　order　to　bring　this　about　he　had
subscribed　liberally　to　the　party　campaign　fund。

With　him；　among　other　distinguished　persons；　was　the　all…　powerful
Hanley。　The　kidnapping　of　Hanley　for　the　cruise；　in　itself；
demonstrated　the　ability　of　Livingstone　as　a　diplomat。　It　was　the
opinion　of　many　that　it　would　surely　lead　to　his　appointment　as　a
minister　plenipotentiary。　Livingstone　was　of　the　same　opinion。　He
had　not　lived　long　in　the　nation's　capital　without　observing　the
value　of　propinquity。　How　many　men　he　knew　were　now　paymasters；　and
secretaries　of　legation；　solely　because　those　high　in　the
government　met　them　daily　at　the　Metropolitan　Club；　and　preferred
them　in　almost　any　other　place。　And　if；　after　three　weeks　as　his
guest　on　board　what　the　newspapers　called　his　floating　palace；　the
senator　could　refuse　him　even　the　prize；　legation　of　Europe；　there
was　no　value　in　modest　merit。　As　yet；　Livingstone　had　not　hinted　at
his　ambition。　There　was　no　need。　To　a　statesman　of　Hanley's
astuteness；　the　largeness　of　Livingstone's　contribution　to　the
campaign　fund　was　self…　explanatory。

After　her　wrestling…match　with　the　hurricane；　all　those　on　board
the　SERAPIS　seemed　to　find　in　land；　even　in　the　swamp　land　of　Porto
Banos；　a　compelling　attraction。　Before　the　anchors　hit　the　water；
they　were　in　the　launch。　On　reaching　shore；　they　made　at　once　for
the　consulate。　There　were　many　cables　they　wished　to　start　on　their
way　by　wireless；　cables　to　friends；　to　newspapers；　to　the
government。

Jose；　the　Colombian　clerk；　appalled　by　the　unprecedented　invasion
of　visitors；　of　visitors　so　distinguished；　and　Marshall；　grateful
for　a　chance　to　serve　his　fellow…　countrymen；　and　especially　his
countrywomen；　were　ubiquitous；　eager；　indispensable。　At　Jose's　desk
the　great　senator；　rolling　his　cigar　between　his　teeth；　was　using；
to　Jose's　ecstasy；　Jose's　own　pen　to　write　a　reassuring　message　to
the　White　House。　At　the　consul's　desk　a　beautiful　creature；　all　in
lace　and　pearls；　was　struggling　to　compress　the　very　low　opinion
she　held　of　a　hurricane　into　ten　words。　On　his　knee；　Henry　Cairns；
the　banker；　was　inditing　instructions　to　his　Wall　Street　office；
and　upon　himself　Livingstone　had　taken　the　responsibility　of
replying　to　the　inquiries　heaped　upon　Marshall's　desk；　from　many
newspapers。

It　was　just　before　sunset；　and　Marshall　produced　his　tea　things；
and　the　young　person　in　pearls　and　lace；　who　was　Miss　Cairns；　made
tea　for　the　women；　and　the　men　mixed　gin　and　limes　with　tepid
water。　The　consul　apologized　for　proposing　a　toast　in　which　they
could　not　join。　He　begged　to　drink　to　those　who　had　escaped　the
perils　of　the　sea。　Had　they　been　his　oldest　and　nearest　friends；
his　little　speech　could　not　have　been　more　heart…felt　and　sincere。
To　his　distress；　it　moved　one　of　the　ladies　to　tears；　and　in
embarrassment　he　turned　to　the　men。

〃I　regret　there　is　no　ice；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　know　the　rule　of　the
tropics；　as　soon　as　a　ship　enters　port；　the　ice…　machine　bursts。〃

〃I'll　tell　the　steward　to　send　you　some；　sir；〃　said　Livingstone；
〃and　as　long　as　we're　here。〃

The　senator　showed　his　concern。

〃As　long　as　we're　here？〃　he　gasped。

〃Not　over　two　days；〃　answered　the　owner　nervously。　〃The　chief　says
it　will　take　all　of　that　to　get　her　in　shape。　As　you　ought　to　know；
Senator；　she　was　pretty　badly　mauled。〃

The　senator　gazed　blankly　out　of　the　window。　Beyond　it　lay　the
naked　coral　reefs；　the　empty　sky；　and　the　ragged　palms　of　Porto
Banos。

Livingstone　felt　that　his　legation　was　slipping　from　him。

〃That　wireless　operator；〃　he　continued　hastily；　〃tells　me　there　is
a　most　amusing　place　a　few　miles　down　the　coast；　Las　Bocas；　a　sort
of　Coney　Island；　where　the　government　people　go　for　the　summer。
There's　surf　bathing　and　roulette　and　cafes　chantants。　He　says
there's　some　Spanish　dancers〃

The　guests　of　the　SERAPIS　exclaimed　with　interest；　the　senator
smiled。　To　Marshall　the　general　enthusiasm　over　the　thought　of　a
ride　on　a　merry…go…round　suggested　that　the　friends　of　Mr。
Livingstone　had　found　their　own　society　far　from　satisfying。

Greatly　encouraged；　Livingstone　continued；　with　enthusiasm：

〃And　that　wireless　man　said；〃　he　added；　〃that　with　the　launch　we
can　get　there　in　half　an　hour。　We　might　run　down　after　dinner。〃　He
turned　to　Marshall。

〃Will　you　join　us；　Mr。　Consul？〃　he　asked；　〃and　dine　with　us；
first？〃

Marshall　accepted　with　genuine　pleasure。　It　had　been　many　months
since　he　had　sat　at　table　with　his　own　people。　But　he　shook　his
head　doubtfully。

〃I　was　wondering　about　Las　Bocas；〃　he　explained；　〃if　your　going
there　might　not　get　you　in　trouble　at　the　next　port。　With　a　yacht；
I　think　it　is　different；　but　Las　Bocas　is　under　quarantine〃

There　was　a　chorus　of　exclamations。

〃It's　not　serious；〃　Marshall　explained。　〃There　was　bubonic　plague
there；　or　something　like　it。　You　would　be　in　no　danger　from　that。
It　is　only　that　you　might　be　held　up　by　the　regulations。　Passenger
steamers　can't　land　any　one　who　has　been　there　at　any　other　port　of
the

West　Indies。　The　English　are　especially　strict。　The　Royal　Mail
won't　even　receive　any　one　on　board　here　without　a　certificate　from
the　English　consul　saying　he　has　not　visited　Las　Bocas。　For　an
American　they　would　require　the　same　guarantee　from　me。　But　I　don't
think　the　regulations　extend　to　yachts。　I　will　inquire。　I　don't
wish　to　deprive　you　of　any　of　the　many　pleasures　of　Porto　Banos；〃
he　added；　smiling；　〃but　if　you　were　refused　a　landing　at　your　next
port　I　would　blame　myself。〃

〃It's　all　right；〃　declared　Livingstone　decidedly。　〃It's　just　as　you
say；　yachts　and　warships　are　exempt。　Besides；　I　carry　my　own
doctor；　and　if　he　won't　give　us　a　clean　bill　of　health；　I'll　make
him　walk　the　plank。　At　eight；　then；　at　dinner。　I'll　send　the　cutter
for　you。　I　can't　give　you　a　salute；　Mr。　Consul；　but　you　shall　have
all　the　side　boys　I　can　muster。〃

Those　from　the　yacht　parted　from　their　consul　in　the　most　friendly
spirit。

〃I　think　he's　charming！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Cairns。　〃And　did　you　notice
his　novels？　They　were　in　every　language。　It　must　be　terribly　lonely
down　here；　for　a　man　like　that。〃

〃He's　the　first　of　our　consuls　we've　met　on　this　trip；〃　growled　her
father；　〃that　we've　caught　sober。〃

〃Sober！〃　exclaimed　his　wife　indignantly。

〃He's　one　of　the　Marshalls　of　Vermont。　I　asked　him。〃

〃I　wonder；〃　mused　Hanley；　〃how　much　the　place　is　worth？　Hamilton；
one　of　the　new　senators；　has　been　deviling　the　life　out　of　me　to
send　his　son　somewhere。　Says　if　he　stays　in　Washington　he'll
disgrace　the　family。　I　should　think　this　place　would　drive　any　man
to　drink　himself　to　death　in　three　months；　and　young　Hamilton；　from
what　I've　seen　of　him；　ought　to　be　able　to　do　it　in　a　week。　That
would　leave　the　place　open　for　the　next　man。〃

〃There's　a　postmaster　in　my　State　thinks　he　carried　it。〃　The
senator　smiled　grimly。　〃He　has　consumption；　and　wants　us　to　give
him　a　consulship　in　the　tropics。　I'll　tell　him　I've　seen　Porto
Banos；　and　that　it's　just　the　place　for　him。〃

The　senator's　pleasantry　was　not　well　received。　But　Miss　Cairns
alone　had　the　temerity　to　speak　of　what　the　others　were　thinking。

〃What　would　become　of　Mr。　Marshall？〃　she　asked。　The　senator　smiled
tolerantly。

〃I　don't　know　that　I　was　thinking　o