drift from two shores(漂流)-第29节
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of the savings bank of which he was president；a failure to which I largely
contributed； and the profits of which I enjoyed；I have since ascertained
that Eliza Jane Sniffen was forced to become a schoolmistress； departed to
take charge of a seminary in Colorado； and since then has never been
heard from。〃
Why did the Boy Chief turn pale； and clutch at the tent…pole for
support？ Why； indeed！
〃Eliza J。 Sniffen；〃 gasped Jenkins； 〃aged fourteen； red…haired； with a
slight tendency to strabismus？〃
〃The same。〃
〃Heaven help me！ She died by my mandate！〃
〃Traitor！〃 shrieked Chitterlings； rushing at Jenkins with a drawn
poniard。
But a figure interposed。 The slight girlish form of Mushymush with
outstretched hands stood between the exasperated Pirate Prodigy and the
Boy Chief。
〃Forbear；〃 she said sternly to Chitterlings； 〃you know not what you
do。〃
The two youths paused。
〃Hear me；〃 she said rapidly。 〃When captured in a confectioner's shop
at New Rochelle； E。 J。 Sniffen was taken back to poverty。 She resolved
to become a schoolmistress。 Hearing of an opening in the West； she
proceeded to Colorado to take exclusive charge of the pensionnat of Mad。
Choflie； late of Paris。 On the way thither she was captured by the
emissaries of the Boy Chief〃
〃In consummation of a fatal vow I made never to spare educational
instructors；〃 interrupted Jenkins。
〃But in her captivity；〃 continued Mushymush； 〃she managed to stain
her face with poke…berry juice； and mingling with the Indian maidens was
enabled to pass for one of the tribe。 Once undetected； she boldly
ingratiated herself with the Boy Chief；how honestly and devotedly he
best can tell；for I； Mushymush； the little sister of the Boy Chief； am
Eliza Jane Sniffen。〃
The Pirate Prodigy clasped her in his arms。 The Boy Chief； raising
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his hand； ejaculated：
〃Bless you； my children！〃
〃There is but one thing wanting to complete this reunion；〃 said
Chitterlings； after a pause； but the hurried entrance of a scout stopped his
utterance。
〃A commissioner from the Great Father in Washington。〃
〃Scalp him！〃 shrieked the Boy Chief； 〃this is no time for diplomatic
trifling。〃
〃We have； but he still insists upon seeing you； and has sent in his
card。〃
The Boy Chief took it； and read aloud； in agonized accents：
〃Charles F。 Hall Golightly； late Page in United States Senate； and
Acting Commissioner of United States。〃
In another moment； Golightly； pale； bleeding； and； as it were；
prematurely bald； but still cold and intellectual； entered the wigwam。
They fell upon his neck and begged his forgiveness。
〃Don't mention it；〃 he said； quietly； 〃these things must and will happen
under our present system of government。 My story is brief。 Obtaining
political influence through caucuses； I became at last Page in the Senate。
Through the exertions of political friends I was appointed clerk to the
commissioner whose functions I now represent。 Knowing through
political spies in your own camp who you were； I acted upon the physical
fears of the commissioner； who was an ex…clergyman； and easily induced
him to deputize me to consult with you。 In doing so； I have lost my scalp；
but as the hirsute signs of juvenility have worked against my political
progress I do not regret it。 As a partially bald young man I shall have
more power。 The terms that I have to offer are simply this： you can do
everything you want； go anywhere you choose； if you will only leave this
place。 I have a hundred thousand…dollar draft on the United States
Treasury in my pocket at your immediate disposal。〃
〃But what's to become of me？〃 asked Chitterlings。
〃Your case has already been under advisement。 The Secretary of
State； who is an intelligent man； is determined to recognize you as de jure
and de facto the only loyal representative of the Patagonian government。
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DRIFT FROM TWO SHORES
You may safely proceed to Washington as its envoy extraordinary。 I dine
with the secretary next week。〃
〃And yourself； old fellow？〃
〃I only wish that twenty years from now you will recognize by your
influence and votes the rights of C。 F。 H。 Golightly to the presidency。〃
And here ends our story。 Trusting that my dear young friends may
take whatever example or moral their respective parents and guardians
may deem fittest from these pages； I hope in future years to portray further
the career of those three young heroes I have already introduced in the
spring…time of life to their charitable consideration。
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THE MAN WHOSE YOKE WAS
NOT EASY
He was a spare man； and； physically； an ill…conditioned man； but at
first glance scarcely a seedy man。 The indications of reduced
circumstances in the male of the better class are； I fancy； first visible in the
boots and shirt； the boots offensively exhibiting a degree of polish
inconsistent with their dilapidated condition； and the shirt showing an
extent of ostentatious surface that is invariably fatal to the threadbare
waist…coat that it partially covers。 He was a pale man； and； I fancied； still
paler from his black clothes。
He handed me a note。
It was from a certain physician； a man of broad culture and broader
experience； a man who had devoted the greater part of his active life to the
alleviation of sorrow and suffering； a man who had lived up to the noble
vows of a noble profession； a man who locked in his honorable breast the
secrets of a hundred families； whose face was as kindly； whose touch was
as gentle； in the wards of the great public hospitals as it was beside the
laced curtains of the dying Narcissa； a man who； through long contact
with suffering； had acquired a universal tenderness and breadth of kindly
philosophy； a man who； day and night； was at the beck and call of anguish；
a man who never asked the creed； belief； moral or worldly standing of the
sufferer； or even his ability to pay the few coins that enabled him （the
physician） to exist and practice his calling； in brief； a man who so nearly
lived up to the example of the Great Master that it seems strange I am
writing of him as a doctor of medicine and not of divinity。
The note was in pencil； characteristically brief； and ran thus：
〃Here is the man I spoke of。 He ought to be good material for you。〃
For a moment I sat looking from the note to the man； and sounding the
〃dim perilous depths〃 of my memory for the meaning of this mysterious
communication。 The good 〃material；〃 however； soon relieved my
embarrassment by putting his hand on his waistcoat； coming toward me；
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and saying； 〃It is just here； you can feel it。〃
It was not necessary for me to do so。 In a flash I remembered that my
medical friend had told me of a certain poor patient； once a soldier； who；
among his other trials and uncertainties； was afflicted with an aneurism
caused by the buckle of his knapsack pressing upon the arch of the aorta。
It was liable to burst at any shock or any moment。 The poor fellow's
yoke had indeed been too heavy。
In the presence of such a tremendous possibility I think for an instant I
felt anxious only about myself。 What I should do； how dispose of the
body； how explain the circumstance of his taking off； how evade the
ubiquitous rep
