whirligigs-第6节
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and removed the dishes and cloth。 Reeves strewed them
table with excellent cigars； and Plunkett； with the others；
lighted one of these with evident gratification。
〃I may be dull；〃 said Morgan； with a grin and a wink
at Bridger； 〃but I want to know if I am。 Now； I say
this is all a joke of Mr。 Plunkett's； concocted to frighten。
two babes…in…the…woods。 Is this Williamson to be taken
seriously or not？〃
〃'Williams；'〃 corrected Plunkett gravely。 〃I never
got off any jokes in my life。 I know I wouldn't travel
2；000 miles to get off a poor one as this would be if I
didn't take Wade Williams back with me。 Gentlemen！〃
continued the sheriff； now letting his mild eyes travel
impartially from one of the company to another； 〃see if
you can find any joke in this case。 Wade Williams is
listening to the words I utter now； but out of politeness；
I will speak of him as a third person。 For five years he
made his wife lead the life of a dog No； I'll take that
back。 No dog in Kentucky was ever treated as she was。
He spent the money that she brought him spent it at
races； at the card table and on horses and hunting。 He
was a good fellow to his friends； but a cold； sullen demon
at home。 He wound up the five years of neglect by strik…
ing her with his closed hand a hand as hard as a stone
when she was ill and weak from suffering。 She died
the next day； and he skipped。 That's all there is to it。
It's enough。 I never saw Williams； but I knew his
wife。 I'm not a man to tell half。 She and I were keep…
ing company when she met him。 She went to Louisville
on a visit and saw him there。 I'll admit that he spoilt
my chances in no time。 I lived then on the edge of the
Cumberland mountains。 I was elected sheriff of Chatham
County a year after Wade Williams killed his wife。 My
official duty sends me out here after him； but I'll admit
that there's personal feeling； too。 And he's going
back with me。 Mr。 er Reeves； will you pass me a
match？
〃Awfully imprudent of Williams；〃 said Morgan； putting
his feet up against the wall； 〃to strike a Kentucky lady。
Seems to me I've heard they were scrappers。〃
〃Bad； bad Williams；〃 said Reeves； pouring out more
Scotch。〃
The two men spoke lightly； but the consul saw and
felt the tension and the carefulness in their actions and
words。 〃Good old fellows；〃 he said to himself； 〃they're
both all right。 Each of 'em is standing by the other like
a little brick church。〃
And then a dog walked into the room where they sat
a black…and…tan hound； long…eared； lazy； confident of
welcome。
Plunkett turned his head and looked at the animal；
which halted； confidently； within a few feet of his chair。
Suddenly the sheriff； with a deep…mouthed oath； left
his seat and； bestowed upon the dog a vicious and heavy
kick； with his ponderous shoe。
The hound； heartbroken； astonished； with flapping
ears and incurved tail； uttered a piercing yelp of pain
and surprise。
Reeves and the consul remained in their chairs； say…
ing nothing； but astonished at the unexpected show of
intolerance from the easy…going…man from Chatham
county。
But Morgan； with a suddenly purpling face； leaped；
to his feet and raised a threatening arm above the
guest。
〃You brute！〃 he shouted； passionately； 〃why did
you do that？〃
Quickly the amenities returned； Plunkett muttered
some indistinct apology and regained his seat。 Morgan
with a decided effort controlled his indignation and also
returned to his chair。
And then Plunkett with the spring of a tiger； leaped
around the corner of the table and snapped handcuffs
on the paralyzed Morgan's wrists。
〃Hound…lover and woman…killer！〃 he cried； 〃get
ready to meet your God。〃
When Bridger had finished I asked him：
〃Did he get the right man？〃
〃He did；〃 said the Consul。
〃And how did he know？〃 I inquired； being in a kind
of bewilderment。
〃When he put Morgan in the dory；〃 answered Bridger；
〃the next day to take him aboard the Pajaro； this man
Plunkett stopped to shake hands with me and I asked
him the same question。〃
〃'Mr。 Bridger；' said he； 'I'm a Kentuckian； and I've
seen a great deal of both men and animals。 And I never
yet saw a man that was overfond of horses and dogs but
what was cruel to women。'〃
THE HYPOTHESES OF FAILURE
LAWYER GOOCH bestowed his undivided attention
upon the engrossing arts of his profession。 But one
flight of fancy did he allow his mind to entertain。 He
was fond of likening his suite of office rooms to the bot…
tom of a ship。 The rooms were three in number； with a
door opening from one to another。 These doors could
also be closed。
〃Ships；〃 Lawyer Gooch would say； 〃are constructed
for safety； with separate； water…tight compartments in
their bottoms。 If one compartment springs a leak it fills
with water； but the good ship goes on unhurt。 Were it
not for the separating bulkheads one leak would sink
the vessel。 Now it often happens that while I am occu…
pied with clients； other clients with conflicting interests
call。 With the assistance of Archibald an office boy
with a future I cause the dangerous influx to be
diverted into separate compartments； while I sound
with my legal plummet the depth of each。 If neces…
sary； they may be haled into the hallway and permitted
to escape by way of the stairs； which we may term the lee
scuppers。 Thus the good ship of business is kept afloat；
whereas if the element that supports her were allowed
to mingle freely in her hold we might be swamped ha；
ha； ha！
The law is dry。 Good jokes are few。 Surely it
might be permitted Lawyer Gooch to mitigate the bore
of briefs； the tedium of torts and the prosiness of processes
with even so light a levy upon the good property of humour。
Lawyer Gooch's practice leaned largely to the settle…
ment of marital infelicities。 Did matrimony languish
through complications； he mediated； soothed and arbi…
trated。 Did it suffer from implications； he readjusted；
defended and championed。 Did it arrive at the extremity
of duplications； he always got light sentences for his
clients。
But not always was Lawyer Gooch the keen； armed；
wily belligerent； ready with his two…edged sword to lop
off the shackles of Hymen。 He had been known to build
up instead of demolishing； to reunite instead of severing；
to lead erring and foolish ones back into the fold instead
of scattering the flock。 Often had he by his eloquent
and moving appeals sent husband and wife； weeping； back
into each other's arms。 Frequently he had coached
childhood so successfully that； at the psychological
moment （and at a given signal） the plaintive pipe of
〃Papa； won't you turn home adain to me and muvver？〃
had won the day and upheld the pillars of a tottering home。
Unprejudiced persons admitted that Lawyer Gooch
received as big fees from these revoked clients as would
have been paid him had the cases been contested in court。
Prejudiced ones intimated that his fees were doubled。
because the penitent couples always came back later for
the divorce； anyhow。
There came a season in June when the legal ship of
Lawyer Gooch （to borrow his own figure） was nearly
becalmed。 The divorce mill grinds slowly in June。 It
is the month of Cupid and Hymen。
Lawyer Gooch； then； sat idle in the middle room of
his clientless suite。 A small anteroom connected or
rather separated this apartment from the hallway。
Here was stationed Archibald； who wrested from visitors
their cards or oral nomenclature which he bore to his
master while they waited。
Suddenly； on this day； there came a great knocking
at the outermost door。
Archibald； opening it； was thrust aside as superfluous
by the visitor； who without due reverence at once pene…
trated to the office of Lawyer Gooch and threw himself
with good…natured insolence into a comfortable chair
facing that gentlemen。
〃You are Phineas C。 Gooch； attorney…at…law？〃 said
the visitor； his tone of voice and inflection making his
words at once a question； an assertion and an accusation。
Before committing himself by a reply； the lawyer esti…
mated his possible client in one of his brief but shrewd
and calculating glances。
The man was of the emphatic type large…sized； active；
bold and debonair in demeanour； vain beyond a doubt；
slightly swaggering； ready and at ease。 He was well…
clothed； but with a shade too much ornateness。 He was
seeking a lawyer； but if that fact would seem to saddle
him with troubles they were not patent in his beaming
eye and courageous air。
〃My name is Gooch；〃 at length the lawyer admitted。
Upon pressure he would also have confessed to the Phineas
C。 But he did not consider it good practice to volunteer
information。 〃I did not receive your card；〃 he continued
