whirligigs-第11节

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been　itching　for　days　to　move　those　pins　along　the　crooked

line　of　the　Yalu。　　They　did　so　now；　and　in　words　of　fire

Ames　translated　Calloway's　brief　message　into　a　front

page　masterpiece　that　set　the　world　talking。　　He　told　of

the　secret　councils　of　the　Japanese　officers；　gave　Kuroki's

flaming　speeches　in　full；　counted　the　cavalry　and　infantry

to　a　man　and　a　horse；　described　the　quick　and　silent

building；　of　the　bridge　at　Stuikauchen；　across　which　the

Mikado's　legions　were　hurled　upon　the　surprised　Zas…

sulitch；　whose　troops　were　widely　scattered　along　the　river。

And　the　battle！　　　well；　you　know　what　Ames　can　do

with　a　battle　if　you　give　him　just　one　smell　of　smoke　for

a　foundation。　　And　in　the　same　story；　with　seemingly

supernatural　knowledge；　he　gleefully　scored　the　most

profound　and　ponderous　paper　in　England　for　the　false

and　misleading　account　of　the　intended　movements　of

the　Japanese　First　Army　printed　in　its　issue　of　the　same　date。



Only　one　error　was　made；　and　that　was　the　fault　of

the　cable　operator　at　Wi…ju。　　Calloway　pointed　it　out

after　he　came　back。　　The　word　〃great〃　in　his　code

should　have　been　〃gage；〃　and　its　complemental　words

〃of　battle。〃　　But　it　went　to　Ames　〃conditions　white；〃

and　of　course　he　took　that　to　mean　snow。　　His　description

of　the　Japanese　army　strum；　struggling　through　the　snowstorm；

blinded　by　the　whirling；　flakes；　was　thrillingly　vivid。　　The

artists　turned　out　some　effective　illustrations　that　made　a

hit　as　pictures　of　the　artillery　dragging　their　guns　through　

the　drifts。　　But；　as　the　attack　was　made　on　the　first　day

of　May；　〃conditions　white〃　excited　some　amusement。

But　it　in　made　no　difference　to　the　Enterprise；　anyway。

　　　　　　　　　　

It　was　wonderful。　　And　Calloway　was　wonderful　in

having　made　the　new　censor　believe　that　his　jargon　of

words　meant　no　more　than　a　complaint　of　the　dearth　of

news　and　a　petition　for　more　expense　money。　　And

Vesey　was　wonderful。　　And　most　wonderful　of　all　are

words；　and　how　they　make　friends　one　with　another；

being　oft　associated；　until　not　even　obituary　notices

them　do　part。



On　the　second　day　following；　the　city　editor　halted　at

Vesey's　desk　where　the　reporter　was　writing　the　story　of

a　man　who　had　broken　his　leg　by　falling　into　a　coal…hole

　Ames　having　failed　to　find　a　murder　motive　in　it。



〃The　old　man　says　your　salary　is　to　be　raised　to　twenty

a　week；〃　said　Scott。



〃All　right；〃　said　Vesey。　　〃Every　little　helps。　　Say

　Mr。　Scott；　which　would　you　say　　'We　can　state

without　fear　of　successful　contradiction；'　or；　'On　the　whole

it　can　be　safely　asserted'？〃







　　　　　　　　　A　MATTER　OF　MEAN　ELEVATION



ONE　winter　the　Alcazar　Opera　Company　of　New

Orleans　made　a　speculative　trip　along　the　Mexican；

Central　American　and　South　American　coasts。　　The

venture　proved　a　most　successful　one。　　The　music…

loving；　impressionable　Spanish…Americans　deluged　the

company　with　dollars　and　〃vivas。〃　　The　manager　waxed

plump　and　amiable。　　But　for　the　prohibitive　climate

he　would　have　put　forth　the　distinctive　flower　of　his

prosperity　　the　overcoat　of　fur；　braided；　frogged　and

opulent。　　Almost　was　he　persuaded　to　raise　the　salaries

of　his　company。　　But　with　a　mighty　effort　he　conquered

the　impulse　toward　such　an　unprofitable　effervescence　of

joy。



At　Macuto；　on　the　coast　of　Venezuela；　the　company

scored　its　greatest　success。　　Imagine　Coney　Island

translated　into　Spanish　and　you　will　comprehend　Macuto。

The　fashionable　season　is　from　November　to　March。

Down　from　La　Guayra　and　Caracas　and　Valencia　and

other　interior　towns　flock　the　people　for　their　holiday　sea…

son。　　There　are　bathing　and　fiestas　and　bull　fights　and

scandal。　　And　then　the　people　have　a　passion　for　music

that　the　bands　in　the　plaza　and　on　the　sea　beach　stir　but

do　not　satisfy。　　The　coming　of　the　Alcazar　Opera　Com…

pany　aroused　the　utmost　ardour　and　zeal　among　the

pleasure　seekers。



The　illustrious　Guzman　Blanco；　President　and　Dic…

tator　of　Venezuela；　sojourned　in　Macuto　with　his　court

for　the　season。　　That　potent　ruler　　who　himself　paid

a　subsidy　of　40；000　pesos　each　year　to　grand　opera　in

Caracas　　ordered　one　of　the　Government　warehouses

to　be　cleared　for　a　temporary　theatre。　　A　stage　was　quickly

constructed　and　rough　wooden　benches　made　for　the

audience。　　Private　boxes　were　added　for　the　use　of　the

President　and　the　notables　of　the　army　and　Government。



The　company　remained　in　Macuto　for　two　weeks。

Each　performance　filled　the　house　as　closely　as　it　could

be　packed。　　Then　the　music…mad　people　fought　for

room　in　the　open　doors　and　windows；　and　crowded　about；

hundreds　deep；　on　the　outside。　　Those　audiences　formed

a　brilliantly　diversified　patch　of　colour。　　The　hue　of　their

faces　ranged　from　the　clear　olive　of　the　pure…blood　Span…

iards　down　through　the　yellow　and　brown　shades　of　the

Mestizos　to　the　coal…black　Carib　and　the　Jamaica　Negro。

Scattered　among　them　were　little　groups　of　Indians　with

faces　like　stone　idols；　wrapped　in　gaudy　fibre…woven

blankets　　Indians　down　from　the　mountain　states　of

Zamora　and　Los　Andes　and　Miranda　to　trade　their　gold

dust　in　the　coast　towns。



The　spell　cast　upon　these　denizens　of　the　interior

fastnesses　was　remarkable。　　They　sat　in　petrified　ecstasy；

conspicuous　among　the　excitable　Macutians；　who　wildly

strove　with　tongue　and　hand　to　give　evidence　of　their

delight。　　Only　once　did　the　sombre　rapture　of　these

aboriginals　find　expression。　　During　the　rendition　of

〃Faust；〃　Guzman　Blanco；　extravagantly　pleased　by　the

〃Jewel　Song；〃　cast　upon　the　stage　a　purse　of　gold　pieces。

Other　distinguished　citizens　followed　his　lead　to　the　extent

of　whatever　loose　coin　they　had　convenient；　while　some

of　the　fair　and　fashionable　se駉ras　were　moved；　in　imita…

tion；　to　fling　a　jewel　or　a　ring　or　two　at　the　feet　of　the

Marguerite　　who　was；　according　to　the　bills；　Mlle。

Nina　Giraud。　　Then；　from　different　parts　of　the　house

rose　sundry　of　the　stolid　hillmen　and　cast　upon　the　stage

little　brown　and　dun　bags　that　fell　with　soft　〃thumps〃

and　did　not　rebound。　　It　was；　no　doubt；　pleasure　at　the

tribute　to　her　art　that　caused　Mlle。　　Giraud's　eyes　to

shine　so　brightly　when　she　opened　these　little　deerskin

bags　in　her　dressing　room　and　found　them　to　contain

pure　gold　dust。　　If　so；　the　pleasure　was　rightly　hers；　for

her　voice　in　song；　pure；　strong　and　thrilling　with　the　feeling

of　the　emotional　artist；　deserved　the　tribute　that　it　earned。



But　the　triumph　of　the　Alcazar　Opera　Company　is　not

the　theme　　it　but　leans　upon　and　colours　it。　　There

happened　in　Macuto　a　tragic　thing；　an　unsolvable　mystery；

that　sobered　for　a　time　the　gaiety　of　the　happy　season。



One　evening　between　the　short　twilight　and　the　time

when　she　should　have　whirled　upon　the　stage　in　the　red

and　black　of　the　ardent　Carmen；　Mlle。　Nina　Giraud　dis…

appeared　from　the　sight　and　ken　of　6；000　pairs　of　eyes

and　as　many　minds　in　Macuto。　　There　was　the　usual

turmoil　and　hurrying　to　seek　her。　　Messengers　flew　to

the　little　French…kept　hotel　where　she　stayed；　others　of

the　company　hastened　here　or　there　where　she　might　be

lingering　in　some　tienda　or　unduly　prolonging　her　bath

upon　the　beach。　　All　search　was　fruitless。　　Mademoi…

selle　had　vanished。



Half　an　hour　passed　and　she　did　not　appear。　　The

dictator；　unused　to　the　caprices　of　prime　donne；　became

impatient。　　He　sent　an　aide　from　his　box　to　say　to　the

manager　that　if　the　curtain　did　not　at　once　rise　he　would

immediately　hale　the　entire　company　to　the　calabosa；

though　it　would　desolate　his　heart；　indeed；　to　be　com…

pelled　to　such　an　act。　　Birds　in　Macuto　could　be　made

to　sing。



The　manager　abandoned　hope　for　the　time　of　Mlle。

Giraud。　　A　member　of　the　chorus；　who　had　dreamed

hopelessly　for　years　of　the　blessed　opportunity；　quickly

Carmenized　herself　and　the　opera　went　on。



Afterward；　when　the　lost　cantatrice　appeared　not；　the

aid　of　the　authorities　was　invoked。　　The　President　at

once　set　the　army；　the　police　and　all　citizens　to　the　search。

Not　one　clue　to　Mlle。　Giraud's　disappearance　was　found。

The　Alcazar　left　to　fill　engagements　farther　down　the

coast。



On　the　way　back　the　steamer　stopped　at　Macuto　and

the　manager　made　anxious　inquiry。　　Not　a　trace　of　the

lady　had　been　discovered。　　The　Alcazar　could　do　no

more。　　The　personal　belongings　of　the　missing　lady　were

stored　in　the　hotel　against　her　possible　later　reappearance

and　the　opera　company　continued　upon　its　homeward

voyage　to　New　Orleans。



On　the　camino　real　along　the　beach　the　two　saddle

mules　and　the　four　pack　mules　of　Don　Se駉r　Johnny

Armstrong　stood；　patiently　awaiting　the　crack　of　the　whip

of　the　arriero；　Luis。　　That　would　be　the　signal　for　the

start　on　another　long　journey　into　the　mountains。　　The

pack　mules　were　loaded　with　a　varied　assortment　of　hard…

ware　and　cutlery。　　These　articles　Don　Johnny　traded　to

the　interior　Indians　for