the american claimant-第1节

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The　American　Claimant

by　Mark　Twain




EXPLANATORY

The　Colonel　Mulberry　Sellers　here　re…introduced　to　the　public　is　the　same
person　who　appeared　as　Eschol　Sellers　in　the　first　edition　of　the　tale
entitled　〃The　Gilded　Age；〃　years　ago；　and　as　Beriah　Sellers　in　the
subsequent　editions　of　the　same　book；　and　finally　as　Mulberry　Sellers　in
the　drama　played　afterward　by　John　T。　Raymond。

The　name　was　changed　from　Eschol　to　Beriah　to　accommodate　an　Eschol
Sellers　who　rose　up　out　of　the　vasty　deeps　of　uncharted　space　and
preferred　his　requestbacked　by　threat　of　a　libel　suitthen　went　his
way　appeased；　and　came　no　more。　　In　the　play　Beriah　had　to　be　dropped　to
satisfy　another　member　of　the　race；　and　Mulberry　was　substituted　in　the
hope　that　the　objectors　would　be　tired　by　that　time　and　let　it　pass
unchallenged。　　So　far　it　has　occupied　the　field　in　peace；　therefore　we
chance　it　again；　feeling　reasonably　safe；　this　time；　under　shelter　of　the
statute　of　limitations。

MARK　TWAIN。
Hartford；　1891。






THE　WEATHER　IN　THIS　BOOK。

No　weather　will　be　found　in　this　book。　　This　is　an　attempt　to　pull　a　book
through　without　weather。　　It　being　the　first　attempt　of　the　kind　in
fictitious　literature；　it　may　prove　a　failure；　but　it　seemed　worth　the
while　of　some　dare…devil　person　to　try　it；　and　the　author　was　in　just　the
mood。

Many　a　reader　who　wanted　to　read　a　tale　through　was　not　able　to　do　it
because　of　delays　on　account　of　the　weather。　　Nothing　breaks　up　an
author's　progress　like　having　to　stop　every　few　pages　to　fuss…up　the
weather。　　Thus　it　is　plain　that　persistent　intrusions　of　weather　are　bad
for　both　reader　and　author。

Of　course　weather　is　necessary　to　a　narrative　of　human　experience。
That　is　conceded。　　But　it　ought　to　be　put　where　it　will　not　be　in　the
way；　where　it　will　not　interrupt　the　flow　of　the　narrative。　　And　it　ought
to　be　the　ablest　weather　that　can　be　had；　not　ignorant；　poor…quality；
amateur　weather。　　Weather　is　a　literary　specialty；　and　no　untrained　hand
can　turn　out　a　good　article　of　it。　　The　present　author　can　do　only　a　few
trifling　ordinary　kinds　of　weather；　and　he　cannot　do　those　very　good。
So　it　has　seemed　wisest　to　borrow　such　weather　as　is　necessary　for　the
book　from　qualified　and　recognized　experts…giving　credit；　of　course。
This　weather　will　be　found　over　in　the　back　part　of　the　book；　out　of　the
way。　　See　Appendix。　　The　reader　is　requested　to　turn　over　and　help
himself　from　time　to　time　as　he　goes　along。




CHAPTER　I。

It　is　a　matchless　morning　in　rural　England。　　On　a　fair　hill　we　see　a
majestic　pile；　the　ivied　walls　and　towers　of　Cholmondeley　Castle；　huge
relic　and　witness　of　the　baronial　grandeurs　of　the　Middle　Ages。　　This　is
one　of　the　seats　of　the　Earl　of　Rossmore；　K。　G。　G。　C。　B。　K。　C。　M。　G。；
etc。；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。；　etc。；　who　possesses　twenty…two　thousand　acres　of
English　land；　owns　a　parish　in　London…　with　two　thousand　houses　on　its
lease…roll；　and　struggles　comfortably　along　on　an　income　of　two　hundred
thousand　pounds　a　year。　　The　father　and　founder　of　this　proud　old　line
was　William　the　Conqueror　his　very　self；　the　mother　of　it　was　not
inventoried　in　history　by　name；　she　being　merely　a　random　episode　and
inconsequential；　like　the　tanner's　daughter　of　Falaise。

In　a　breakfast　room　of　the　castle　on　this　breezy　fine　morning　there　are
two　persons　and　the　cooling　remains　of　a　deserted　meal。　　One　of　these
persons　is　the　old　lord；　tall；　erect；　square…shouldered；　white…haired；
stern…browed；　a　man　who　shows　character　in　every　feature；　attitude；　and
movement；　and　carries　his　seventy　years　as　easily　as　most　men　carry
fifty。　　The　other　person　is　his　only　son　and　heir；　a　dreamy…eyed　young
fellow；　who　looks　about　twenty…six　but　is　nearer　thirty。　　Candor；
kindliness；　honesty；　sincerity；　simplicity；　modestyit　is　easy　to　see
that　these　are　cardinal　traits　of　his　character；　and　so　when　you　have
clothed　him　in　the　formidable　components　of　his　name；　you　somehow　seem
to　be　contemplating　a　lamb　in　armor：　his　name　and　style　being　the
Honourable　Kirkcudbright　Llanover　Marjorihanks　Sellers　Viscount…Berkeley；
of　Cholmondeley　Castle；　Warwickshire。　　（Pronounced　K'koobry　Thlanover
Marshbanks　Sellers　Vycount　Barkly；　of　Chumly　Castle；　Warrikshr。）　He　is
standing　by　a　great　window；　in　an　attitude　suggestive　of　respectful
attention　to　what　his　father　is　saying　and　equally　respectful　dissent
from　the　positions　and　arguments　offered。　　The　father　walks　the　floor　as
he　talks；　and　his　talk　shows　that　his　temper　is　away　up　toward　summer
heat。

〃Soft…spirited　as　you　are；　Berkeley；　I　am　quite　aware　that　when　you　have
once　made　up　your　mind　to　do　a　thing　which　your　ideas　of　honor　and
justice　require　you　to　do；　argument　and　reason　are　（for　the　time　being；）
wasted　upon　youyes；　and　ridicule；　persuasion；　supplication；　and　command
as　well。　　To　my　mind〃

〃Father；　if　you　will　look　at　it　without　prejudice；　without　passion；　you
must　concede　that　I　am　not　doing　a　rash　thing；　a　thoughtless；　wilful
thing；　with　nothing　substantial　behind　it　to　justify　it。　　I　did　not
create　the　American　claimant　to　the　earldom　of　Rossmore；　I　did　not　hunt
for　him；　did　not　find　him；　did　not　obtrude　him　upon　your　notice。
He　found　himself；　he　injected　himself　into　our　lives〃

〃And　has　made　mine　a　purgatory　for　ten　years　with　his　tiresome　letters；
his　wordy　reasonings；　his　acres　of　tedious　evidence；〃

〃Which　you　would　never　read；　would　never　consent　to　read。　　Yet　in　common
fairness　he　was　entitled　to　a　hearing。　　That　hearing　would　either　prove
he　was　the　rightful　earlin　which　case　our　course　would　be　plainor　it
would　prove　that　he　wasn'tin　which　case　our　course　would　be　equally
plain。　　I　have　read　his　evidences；　my　lord。　　I　have　conned　them　well；
studied　them　patiently　and　thoroughly。　　The　chain　seems　to　be　complete；
no　important　link　wanting。　　I　believe　he　is　the　rightful　earl。〃

〃And　I　a　usurperanameless　pauper；　a　tramp！　　Consider　what　you　are
saying；　sir。〃

〃Father；　if　he　is　the　rightful　earl；　would　you；　could　youthat　fact
being　establishedconsent　to　keep　his　titles　and　his　properties　from　him
a　day；　an　hour；　a　minute？〃

〃You　are　talking　nonsensenonsenselurid　idiotcy！　　Now；　listen　to　me。
I　will　make　a　confessionif　you　wish　to　call　it　by　that　name。　　I　did　not
read　those　evidences　because　I　had　no　occasion　toI　was　made　familiar
with　them　in；　the　time　of　this　claimant's　father　and　of　my　own　father
forty　years　ago。　　This　fellow's　predecessors　have　kept　mine　more　or　less
familiar　with　them　for　close　upon　a　hundred　and　fifty　years。　　The　truth
is；　the　rightful　heir　did　go　to　America；　with　the　Fairfax　heir　or　about
the　same　timebut　disappearedsomewhere　in　the；　wilds　of　Virginia；　got
married；　end　began　to　breed　savages　for　the　Claimant　market；　wrote　no
letters　home；　was　supposed　to　be　dead；　his　younger　brother　softly　took
possession；　presently　the　American　did　die；　and　straightway　his　eldest
product　put　in　his　claimby　letterletter　still　in　existenceand　died
before　the　uncle　in…possession　found　timeor　maybe　inclinationto
answer。　　The　infant　son　of　that　eldest　product　grew　uplong　interval；
you　seeand　he　took　to　writing　letters　and　furnishing　evidences。　　Well；
successor　after　successor　has　done　the　same；　down　to　the　present　idiot。
It　was　a　succession　of　paupers；　not　one　of　them　was　ever　able　to　pay　his
passage　to　England　or　institute　suit。　　The　Fairfaxes　kept　their　lordship
alive；　and　so　they　have　never　lost　it　to　this　day；　although　they　live　in
Maryland；　their　friend　lost　his　by　his　own　neglect。　　You　perceive　now；
that　the　facts　in　this　case　bring　us　to　precisely　this　result：　morally
the　American　tramp　is　rightful　earl　of　Rossmore；　legally　he　has　no　more
right　than　his　dog。　　There　noware　you　satisfied？〃

There　was　a　pause；　then　the　son　glanced　at　the　crest　carved　in　the　great
oaken　mantel　and　said；　with　a　regretful　note　in　his　voice：

〃Since　the　introduction　of　heraldic　symbols；the　motto　of　this　house　has
been　'Suum　cuique'to　every　man　his　own。　　By　your　own　intrepidly　frank
confession；　my　lord；　it　is　become　a　sarcasm：　If　Simon　Lathers'

Keep　that　exasperating　name　to　yourself！　　For　ten　years　it　has　pestered
my　eyeand　tortured　my　ear；　till　at　last　my　very　footfalls　time
themselves　to　the　brain…racking　rhythm　of　Simon　Lathers！Simon　Lathers！
Simon　Lathers！　　And　now；　to　make　its　presence　in　my　soul　eternal；
immortal；　imperishable；　you　have　resolved　totowhat　is　it　you　have
resolved　to　do？〃

〃To　go　to　Simon　Lathers；　in　America；　and　change　places　with　him。〃

〃What？　　Deliver　the　reversion　of　the　earldom　into　his　hands？〃

〃That　is　my　purpose。〃

〃Make　this　tremendous　surrender　without　even　trying　the　fantastic　case　in
the　Lords？〃

〃Yes〃　with　hesitation　and　some　embarrassment。

〃By　all　that　is　amazing；　I　believe　you　are　insane；　my　son。　　See　here
have　you　been　training　with　that　ass　againthat　radical；　if　you　prefer
the　term；　though　the　words　are　synonymousLord　Tanzy；　of　Tollmache？〃

The　son　did　not　reply；　and　the　old　lord　continued：

〃Yes；　you　confess。　　That　puppy；　that　shame　to　his　birth　and　caste；　who
holds　all　hereditary　lordships　and　privilege　to　be　usurpation；　all
nobility　a　tinsel　sham；　all　aristocratic　institutions　a　fraud；