the american claimant-第12节

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'currences；　a　body　kin　reckon　maybe　de　cat〃

〃Oh！〃　and　a　shudder　shook　Lady　Rossmore　to　her　foundations。　　〃I　see　it
all。　　Keep　away　from　themthey're　his。〃

〃His；　m'　lady？〃

〃Yesyour　young　Marse　Sellers　from　England　that's　burnt　up。〃

She　was　alone　with　the　ashesalone　before　she　could　take　half　a　breath。
Then　she　went　after　Mulberry　Sellers；　purposing　to　make　short　work　with
his　program；　whatever　it　might　be；　〃for；〃　said　she；　〃when　his
sentimentals　are　up；　he's　a　numskull；　and　there's　no　knowing　what
extravagance　he'll　contrive；　if　you　let　him　alone。〃　　She　found　him。
He　had　found　the　flag　and　was　bringing　it。　　When　she　heard　that　his　idea
was　to　have　the　remains　〃lie　in　state；　and　invite　the　government　and　the
public；〃　she　broke　it　up。　　She　said：

〃Your　intentions　are　all　rightthey　always　areyou　want　to　do　honour　to
the　remains；　and　surely　nobody　can　find　any　fault　with　that；　for　he　was
your　kin；　but　you　are　going　the　wrong　way　about　it；　and　you　will　see　it
yourself　if　you　stop　and　think。　　You　can't　file　around　a　basket　of　ashes
trying　to　look　sorry　for　it　and　make　a　sight　that　is　really　solemn；
because　the　solemner　it　is；　the　more　it　isn'tanybody　can　see　that。　　It
would　be　so　with　one　basket；　it　would　be　three　times　so　with　three。
Well；　it　stands　to　reason　that　if　it　wouldn't　be　solemn　with　one　mourner；
it　wouldn't　be　with　a　processionand　there　would　be　five　thousand　people
here。　　I　don't　know　but　it　would　be　pretty　near　ridiculous；　I　think　it
would。　　No；　Mulberry；　they　can't　lie　in　stateit　would　be　a　mistake。
Give　that　up　and　think　of　something　else。〃

So　he　gave　it　up；　and　not　reluctantly；　when　he　had　thought　it　over　and
realized　how　right　her　instinct　was。　　He　concluded　to　merely　sit　up　with
the　remains　just　himself　and　Hawkins。　　Even　this　seemed　a　doubtful
attention；　to　his　wife；　but　she　offered　no　objection；　for　it　was　plain
that　he　had　a　quite　honest　and　simple…hearted　desire　to　do　the　friendly
and　honourable　thing　by　these　forlorn　poor　relics　which　could　command　no
hospitality　in　this　far　off　land　of　strangers　but　his。　　He　draped　the
flag　about　the　baskets；　put　some　crape　on　the　door…knob；　and　said　with
satisfaction：

〃Therehe　is　as　comfortable；　now；　as　we　can　make　him　in　the
circumstances。　　Exceptyes；　we　must　strain　a　point　thereone　must　do　as
one　would　wish　to　be　done　byhe　must　have　it。〃

〃Have　what；　dear？〃

〃Hatchment。〃

The　wife　felt　that　the　house…front　was　standing　about　all　it　could　well
stand；　in　that　way；　the　prospect　of　another　stunning　decoration　of　that
nature　distressed　her；　and　she　wished　the　thing　had　not　occurred　to　him。。
She　said；　hesitatingly：

〃But　I　thought　such　an　honour　as　that　wasn't　allowed　to　any　but　very　very
near　relations；　who〃

〃Right；　you　are　quite　right；　my　lady；　perfectly　right；　but　there　aren't
any　nearer　relatives　than　relatives　by　usurpation。　　We　cannot　avoid　it；
we　are　slaves　of　aristocratic　custom　and　must　submit。〃

The　hatchments　were　unnecessarily　generous；　each　being　as　large　as　a
blanket；　and　they　were　unnecessarily　volcanic；　too；　as　to　variety　and
violence　of　color；　but　they　pleased　the　earl's　barbaric　eye；　and　they
satisfied　his　taste　for　symmetry　and　completeness；　too；　for　they　left　no
waste　room　to　speak　of　on　the　house…front。

Lady　Rossmore　and　her　daughter　assisted　at　the　sitting…up　till　near
midnight；　and　helped　the　gentlemen　to　consider　what　ought　to　be　done　next
with　the　remains。　　Rossmore　thought　they　ought　to　be　sent　home　with　a
committee　and　resolutions；at　once。　　But　the　wife　was　doubtful。　　She
said：

〃Would　you　send　all　of　the　baskets？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　all。〃

〃All　at　once？〃

〃To　his　father？　　Oh；　noby　no　means。　　Think　of　the　shock。　　Noone　at　a
time；　break　it　to　him　by　degrees。〃

〃Would　that　have　that　effect；　father？〃

〃Yes；　my　daughter。　　Remember；　you　are　young　and　elastic；　but　he　is　old。
To　send　him　the　whole　at　once　might　well　be　more　than　he　could　bear。
But　mitigatedone　basket　at　a　time；　with　restful　intervals　between；
he　would　be　used　to　it　by　the　time　he　got　all　of　him。　　And　sending　him
in　three　ships　is　safer　anyway。　　On　account　of　wrecks　and　storms。〃

〃I　don't　like　the　idea；　father。　　If　I　were　his　father　it　would　be
dreadful　to　have　him　coming　in　thatin　that〃

〃On　the　installment　plan；〃　suggested　Hawkins；　gravely；　and　proud　of　being
able　to　help。

〃Yesdreadful　to　have　him　coming　in　that　incoherent　way。　　There　would　be
the　strain　of　suspense　upon　me　all　the　time。　　To　have　so　depressing　a
thing　as　a　funeral　impending；　delayed；　waiting；　unaccomplished〃

〃Oh；　no；　my　child；〃　said　the　earl　reassuringly；　〃there　would　be　nothing
of　that　kind；　so　old　a　gentleman　could　not　endure　a　long…drawn　suspense
like　that。　　There　will　be　three　funerals。〃

Lady　Rossmore　looked　up　surprised；　and　said：

〃How　is　that　going　to　make　it　easier　for　him？　　It's　a　total　mistake；　to
my　mind。　　He　ought　to　be　buried　all　at　once；　I'm　sure　of　it。〃

〃I　should　think　so；　too；〃　said　Hawkins。

〃And　certainly　I　should；〃　said　the　daughter。

〃You　are　all　wrong；〃　said　the　earl。　　〃You　will　see　it　yourselves；　if　you
think。　　Only　one　of　these　baskets　has　got　him　in　it。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Lady　Rossmore；　〃the　thing　is　perfectly　simple…
bury　that　one。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Lady　Gwendolen。

〃But　it　is　not　simple；〃　said　the　earl；　〃because　we　do　not　know　which
basket　he　is　in。　　We　know　he　is　in　one　of　them；　but　that　is　all　we　do
know。　　You　see　now；　I　reckon；　that　I　was　right；　it　takes　three　funerals；
there　is　no　other　way。〃

〃And　three　graves　and　three　monuments　and　three　inscriptions？〃　asked　the
daughter。

〃Wellyesto　do　it　right。　　That　is　what　I　should　do。

〃It　could　not　be　done　so；　father。　　Each　of　the　inscriptions　would　give
the　same　name　and　the　same　facts　and　say　he　was　under　each　and　all　of
these　monuments；　and　that　would　not　answer　at　all。〃

The　earl　nestled　uncomfortably　in　his　chair。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃that　is　an　objection。　　That　is　a　serious　objection。　　I
see　no　way　out。〃

There　was　a　general　silence　for　a　while。　　Then　Hawkins　said：

〃It　seems　to　me　that　if　we　mixed　the　three　ramifications　together〃

The　earl　grasped　him　by　the　hand　and　shook　it　gratefully。

〃It　solves　the　whole　problem；〃　he　said。　　〃One　ship；　one　funeral；　one
grave；　one　monumentit　is　admirably　conceived。　　It　does　you　honor；　Major
Hawkins；　it　has　relieved　me　of　a　most　painful　embarrassment　and　distress；
and　it　will　save　that　poor　stricken　old　father　much　suffering。　　Yes；　he
shall　go　over　in　one　basket。〃

〃When？〃　asked　the　wife。

〃To…morrow…immediately；　of　course。〃

〃I　would　wait；　Mulberry。〃

〃Wait？　　Why？〃

〃You　don't　want　to　break　that　childless　old　man's　heart。〃

〃God　knows　I　don't！〃

〃Then　wait　till　he　sends　for　his　son's　remains。　　If　you　do　that；　you　will
never　have　to　give　him　the　last　and　sharpest　pain　a　parent　can　know
I　mean；　the　certainty　that　his　son　is　dead。　　For　he　will　never　send。〃

〃Why　won't　he？〃

〃Because　to　sendand　find　out　the　truthwould　rob　him　of　the　one
precious　thing　left　him；　the　uncertainty；　the　dim　hope　that　maybe；　after
all；　his　boy　escaped；　and　he　will　see　him　again　some　day。〃

〃Why　Polly；　he'll　know　by　the　papers　that　he　was　burnt　up。〃

〃He　won't　let　himself　believe　the　papers；　he'll　argue　against　anything
and　everything　that　proves　his　son　is　dead；　and　he　will　keep　that　up　and
live　on　it；　and　on　nothing　else　till　he　dies。　　But　if　the　remains　should
actually　come；　and　be　put　before　that　poor　old　dim…hoping　soul〃

〃Oh；　my　God；　they　never　shall！　　Polly；　you've　saved　me　from　a　crime；　and
I'll　bless　you　for　it　always。　　Now　we　know　what　to　do。　　We'll　place　them
reverently　away；　and　he　shall　never　know。〃




CHAPTER　X。

The　young　Lord　Berkeley；　with　the　fresh　air　of　freedom　in　his　nostrils；
was　feeling　invincibly　strong　for　his　new　career；　and　yetand　yetif
the　fight　should　prove　a　very　hard　one　at　first；　very　discouraging；　very
taxing　on　untoughened　moral　sinews；　he　might　in　some　weak　moment　want　to
retreat。　　Not　likely；　of　course；　but　possibly　that　might　happen。　　And　so
on　the　whole　it　might　be　pardonable　caution　to　burn　his　bridges　behind
him。　　Oh；　without　doubt。　　He　must　not　stop　with　advertising　for　the　owner
of　that　money；　but　must　put　it　where　he　could　not　borrow　from　it　himself；
meantime；　under　stress　of　circumstances。　　So　he　went　down　town；　and　put
in　his　advertisement；　then　went　to　a　bank　and　handed　in　the　500　for
deposit。

〃What　name？〃

He　hesitated　and　colored　a　little；　he　had　forgotten　to　make　a　selection。
He　now　brought　out　the　first　one　that　suggested　itself：

〃Howard　Tracy。〃

When　he　was　gone　the　clerks；　marveling；　said：

〃The　cowboy　blushed。〃

The　first　step　was　accomplished。　　The　money　was　still　under　his　command
and　at　his　disposal；　but　the　next　step　would　dispose　of　that　difficulty。
He　went　to　another　bank　and　drew　upon　the　first　bank　for　the　500　by
check。　　The　money　was　collected　and　deposited　a　second　time　to　the　credit
of　Howard　Tracy。　　He　was　asked　to　leave　a　few　samples　of　his　signature；
which　he　did。　　Then　he　went　away；　once　more　proud　and　of　perfect　courage；
saying：

〃No　help　for　me　now；　for　henceforth　I　couldn't　draw　that　money　without
identification；　and　that　is　become　legally　impossibl