the american claimant-第19节

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of　a　dead　silence　followed。　　He　said；

〃Good　evening　gentlemen；〃　and　sat　down。

There　was　no　response。　　He　flushed　to　the　temples　but　forced　himself　to
maintain　silence。　　He　sat　there　in　this　uncomfortable　stillness　some
time；　then　got　up　and　went　out。

The　moment　he　had　disappeared　he　heard　a　prodigious　shout　of　laughter
break　forth。　　He　saw　that　their　plain　purpose　had　been　to　insult　him。
He　ascended　to　the　flat　roof；　hoping　to　be　able　to　cool　down　his　spirit
there　and　get　back　his　tranquility。　　He　found　the　young　tinner　up　there；
alone　and　brooding；　and　entered　into　conversation　with　him。　　They　were
pretty　fairly　matched；　now；　in　unpopularity　and　general　ill…luck　and
misery；　and　they　had　no　trouble　in　meeting　upon　this　common　ground　with
advantage　and　something　of　comfort　to　both。　　But　Tracy's　movements　had
been　watched；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　tormentors　came　straggling　one
after　another　to　the　roof；　where　they　began　to　stroll　up　and　down　in　an
apparently　purposeless　way。　　But　presently　they　fell　to　dropping　remarks
that　were　evidently　aimed　at　Tracy；　and　some　of　them　at　the　tinner。
The　ringleader　of　this　little　mob　was　a　short…haired　bully　and　amateur
prize…fighter　named　Allen；　who　was　accustomed　to　lording　it　over　the
upper　floor；　and　had　more　than　once　shown　a　disposition　to　make　trouble
with　Tracy。　　Now　there　was　an　occasional　cat…call；　and　hootings；　and
whistlings；　and　finally　the　diversion　of　an　exchange　of　connected　remarks
was　introduced：

〃How　many　does　it　take　to　make　a　pair？〃

〃Well；　two　generally　makes　a　pair；　but　sometimes　there　ain't　stuff　enough
in　them　to　make　a　whole　pair。〃　　General　laugh。

〃What　were　you　saying　about　the　English　a　while　ago？〃

〃Oh；　nothing；　the　English　are　all　right；　onlyI〃　　What　was　it　you　said
about　them？〃

〃Oh；　I　only　said　they　swallow　well。〃

〃Swallow　better　than　other　people？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　the　English　swallow　a　good　deal　better　than　other　people。〃

〃What　is　it　they　swallow　best？〃

〃Oh；　insults。〃　　Another　general　laugh。

〃Pretty　hard　to　make　'em　fight；　ain't　it？〃

〃No；　taint　hard　to　make　'em　fight。〃

〃Ain't　it；　really？〃

〃No；　taint　hard。　　It's　impossible。〃　　Another　laugh。

〃This　one's　kind　of　spiritless；　that's　certain。〃

〃Couldn't　be　the　other　wayin　his　case。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Don't　you　know　the　secret　of　his　birth？〃

〃No！　has　he　got　a　secret　of　his　birth？〃

〃You　bet　he　has。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃His　father　was　a　wax…figger。〃

Allen　came　strolling　by　where　the　pair　were　sitting；　stopped；　and　said　to
the　tinner；

〃How　are　you　off　for　friends；　these　days？〃

〃Well　enough　off。〃

〃Got　a　good　many？〃

〃Well；　as　many　as　I　need。〃

〃A　friend　is　valuable；　sometimes…as　a　protector；　you　know。　　What　do　you
reckon　would　happen　if　I　was　to　snatch　your　cap　off　and　slap　you　in　the
face　with　it？〃

〃Please　don't　trouble　me；　Mr。　　Allen；　I　ain't　doing　anything　to　you。〃

You　answer　me！　　What　do　you　reckon　would　happen？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know。〃

Tracy　spoke　up　with　a　good　deal　of　deliberation　and　said：

〃Don't　trouble　the　young　fellow；　I　can　tell　you　what　would　happen。〃

〃Oh；　you　can；　can　you？　　Boys；　Johnny　Bull　can　tell　us　what　would　happen
if　I　was　to　snatch　this　chump's　cap　off　and　slap　him　in　the　face　with　it。
Now　you'll　see。

He　snatched　the　cap　and　struck　the　youth　in　the　face；　and　before　he　could
inquire　what　was　going　to　happen；　it　had　already　happened；　and　he　was
warming　the　tin　with　the　broad　of　his　back。　　Instantly　there　was　a　rush；
and　shouts　of：

〃A　ring；　a　ring；　make　a　ring！　　Fair　play　all　round！　　Johnny's　grit；　give
him　a　chance。〃

The　ring　was　quickly　chalked　on　the　tin；　and　Tracy　found　himself　as　eager
to　begin　as　he　could　have　been　if　his　antagonist　had　been　a　prince
instead　of　a　mechanic。　　At　bottom　he　was　a　little　surprised　at　this；
because　although　his　theories　had　been　all　in　that　direction　for　some
time；　he　was　not　prepared　to　find　himself　actually　eager　to　measure
strength　with　quite　so　common　a　man　as　this　ruffian。　　In　a　moment　all　the
windows　in　the　neighborhood　were　filled　with　people；　and　the　roofs　also。
The　men　squared　off；　and　the　fight　began。　　But　Allen　stood　no　chance
whatever；　against　the　young　Englishman。　　Neither　in　muscle　nor　in　science
was　he　his　equal。　　He　measured　his　length　on　the　tin　time　and　again；
in　fact；　as　fast　as　he　could　get　up　he　went　down　again；　and　the　applause
was　kept　up　in　liberal　fashion　from　all　the　neighborhood　around。
Finally；　Allen　had　to　be　helped　up。　　Then　Tracy　declined　to　punish　him
further　and　the　fight　was　at　an　end。　　Allen　was　carried　off　by　some　of
his　friends　in　a　very　much　humbled　condition；　his　face　black　and　blue　and
bleeding；　and　Tracy　was　at　once　surrounded　by　the　young　fellows；　who
congratulated　him；　and　told　him　that　he　had　done　the　whole　house　a
service；　and　that　from　this　out　Mr。　Allen　would　be　a　little　more
particular　about　how　he　handled　slights　and　insults　and　maltreatment
around　amongst　the　boarders。

Tracy　was　a　hero　now；　and　exceedingly　popular。　　Perhaps　nobody　had　ever
been　quite　so　popular　on　that　upper　floor　before。　　But　if　being
discountenanced　by　these　young　fellows　had　been　hard　to　bear；　their
lavish　commendations　and　approval　and　hero…worship　was　harder　still　to
endure。　　He　felt　degraded；　but　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　analyze　the
reasons　why；　too　closely。　　He　was　content　to　satisfy　himself　with　the
suggestion　that　he　looked　upon　himself　as　degraded　by　the　public
spectacle　which　he　had　made　of　himself；　fighting　on　a　tin　roof；　for　the
delectation　of　everybody　a　block　or　two　around。　　But　he　wasn't　entirely
satisfied　with　that　explanation　of　it。　　Once　he　went　a　little　too　far　and
wrote　in　his　diary　that　his　case　was　worse　than　that　of　the　prodigal　son。
He　said　the　prodigal　son　merely　fed　swine；　he　didn't　have　to　chum　with
them。　　But　he　struck　that　out；　and　said　〃All　men　are　equal。　　I　will　not
disown　my　principles。　　These　men　are　as　good　as　I　am。〃

Tracy　was　become　popular　on　the　lower　floors　also。　　Everybody　was
grateful　for　Allen's　reduction　to　the　ranks；　and　for　his　transformation
from　a　doer　of　outrages　to　a　mere　threatener　of　them。　　The　young　girls；
of　whom　there　were　half　a　dozen；　showed　many　attentions　to　Tracy；
particularly　that　boarding　house　pet　Hattie；　the　landlady's　daughter。
She　said　to　him；　very　sweetly；

〃I　think　you're　ever　so　nice。〃

And　when　he　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　think'　so；　Miss　Hattie；〃　she　said；　still
more　sweetly；

〃Don't　call　me　Miss　Hattie…call　me　Puss。〃

Ah；　here　was　promotion！　　He　had　struck　the　summit。　　There　were　no　higher
heights　to　climb　in　that　boarding　house。　　His　popularity　was　complete。

In　the　presence　of　people；　Tracy　showed　a　tranquil　outside；　but　his　heart
was　being　eaten　out　of　him　by　distress　and　despair。

In　a　little　while　he　should　be　out　of　money；　and　then　what　should　he　do？
He　wished；　now；　that　he　had　borrowed　a　little　more　liberally　from　that
stranger's　store。　　He　found　it　impossible　to　sleep。　　A　single　torturing；
terrifying　thought　went　racking　round　and　round　in　his　head；　wearing　a
groove　in　his　brain：　What　should　he　doWhat　was　to　become　of　him？　　And
along　with　it　began　to　intrude　a　something　presently　which　was　very　like
a　wish　that　he　had　not　joined　the　great　and　noble　ranks　of　martyrdom；　but
had　stayed　at　home　and　been　content　to　be　merely　an　earl　and　nothing
better；　with　nothing　more　to　do　in　this　world　of　a　useful　sort　than　an
earl　finds　to　do。　　But　he　smothered　that　part　of　his　thought　as　well　as
he　could；　he　made　every　effort　to　drive　it　away；　and　with　fair　keep　it
from　intruding　a　little　　success；　but　he　couldn't　now　and　then；　and　when
it　intruded　it　came　suddenly　and　nipped　him　like　a　bite；　a　sting；　a　burn。
He　recognized　that　thought　by　the　peculiar　sharpness　of　its　pang。　　The
others　were　painful　enough；　but　that　one　cut　to　the　quick　when　it　calm。
Night　after　night　he　lay　tossing　to　the　music　of　the　hideous　snoring　of
the　honest　bread…winners　until　two　and　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；
then　got　up　and　took　refuge　on　the　roof；　where　he　sometimes　got　a　nap　and
sometimes　failed　entirely。　　His　appetite　was　leaving　him　and　the　zest　of
life　was　going　along　with　it。　　Finally；　owe　day；　being　near　the　imminent
verge　of　total　discouragement；　he　said　to　himselfand　took　occasion　to
blush　privately　when　he　said　it；　〃If　my　father　knew　what　my　American　name
is；hewell；　my　duty　to　my　father　rather　requires　that　I　furnish　him　my
name。　　I　have　no　right　to　make　his　days　and　nights　unhappy；　I　can　do
enough　unhappiness　for　the　family　all　by　myself。　　Really　he　ought　to　know
what　my　American　name　is。〃　　He　thought　over　it　a　while　and　framed　a
cablegram　in　his　mind　to　this　effect：

〃My　American　name　is　Howard　Tracy。〃

That　wouldn't　be　suggesting　anything。　　His　father　could　understand　that
as　he　chose；　and　doubtless　he　would　understand　it　as　it　was　meant；　as　a
dutiful　and　affectionate　desire　on　the　part　of　a　son　to　make　his　old
father　happy　for　a　moment。　　Continuing　his　train　of　thought；　Tracy　said
to　himself；　〃Ah；　but　if　he　should　cable　me　to　come　home！　　IIcouldn't
do　thatI　mustn't　do　that。　　I've　started　out　on　a　mission；　and　I　mustn't
turn　my　back　on　it　in　cowardice。　　No；　no；　I　couldn't　go　home；　atat
least　I　shouldn't