the american claimant-第2节

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nobility　a　tinsel　sham；　all　aristocratic　institutions　a　fraud；　all
inequalities　in　rank　a　legalized　crime　and　an　infamy；　and　no　bread　honest
bread　that　a　man　doesn't　earn　by　his　own　workwork；　pah！〃and　the　old
patrician　brushed　imaginary　labor…dirt　from　his　white　hands。　　〃You　have
come　to　hold　just　those　opinions　yourself；　suppose；〃he　added　with　a
sneer。

A　faint　flush　in　the　younger　man's　cheek　told　that　the　shot　had　hit　and
hurt；　but　he　answered　with　dignity：

〃I　have。　　I　say　it　without　shameI　feel　none。　　And　now　my　reason　for
resolving　to　renounce　my　heirship　without　resistance　is　explained。
I　wish　to　retire　from　what　to　me　is　a　false　existence；　a　false　position；
and　begin　my　life　over　againbegin　it　rightbegin　it　on　the　level　of
mere　manhood；　unassisted　by　factitious　aids；　and　succeed　or　fail　by　pure
merit　or　the　want　of　it。　　I　will　go　to　America；；　where　all　men　are　equal
and　all　have　an　equal　chance；　I　will　live　or　die；　sink　or　swim；　win　or
lose　as　just　a　manthat　alone；　and　not　a　single　helping　gaud　or　fiction
back　of　it。〃

〃Hear；　hear！〃　　The　two　men　looked　each　other　steadily　in　the　eye　a　moment
or　two；　then　the　elder　one　added；　musingly；　〃Ab…so…lutely
cra…zy…ab…solutely！　　〃After　another　silence；　he　said；　as　one　who；　long
troubled　by　clouds；　detects　a　ray　of　sunshine；〃　Well；　there　will　be　one
satisfactionSimon　Lathets　will　come　here　to　enter　into　his　own；　and　I
will　drown　him　in　the　horsepond。　　That　poor　devilalways　so　humble　in
his　letters；　so　pitiful；　so　deferential；　so　steeped　in　reverence　for　our
great　line　and　lofty…station；　so　anxious　to　placate　us；　so　prayerful　for
recognition　as　a　relative；　a　bearer　in　his　veins　of　our　sacred　blood
and　withal　so　poor；　so　needy；　so　threadbare　and　pauper…shod　as　to
raiment；　so　despised；　so　laughed　at　for　his　silly　claimantship　by　the
lewd　American　scum　around　himah；　the　vulgar；　crawling；　insufferable
tramp！　　To　read　one　of　his　cringing；　nauseating　letterswell？〃

This　to　a　splendid　flunkey；　all　in　inflamed　plush　and　buttons　and
knee…breeches　as　to　his　trunk；　and　a　glinting　white　frost…work　of
ground…glass　paste　as　to　his　head；　who　stood　with　his　heels　together　and
the　upper　half　of　him　bent　forward；　a　salver　in　his　hands：

〃The　letters；　my　lord。〃

My　lord　took　them；　and　the　servant　disappeared。

〃Among　the　rest；　an　American　letter。　　From　the　tramp；　of　course。　　Jove；
but　here's　a　change！　　No　brown　paper　envelope　this　time；　filched　from　a
shop；　and　carrying　the　shop's　advertisement　in　the　corner。　　Oh；　no；　a
proper　enough　envelopewith　a　most　ostentatiously　broad　mourning
borderfor　his　cat；　perhaps；　since　he　was　a　bachelorand　fastened　with
red　waxa　batch　of　it　as　big　as　a　half…crownandandour　crest　for　a
seal！motto　and　all。　　And　the　ignorant；　sprawling　hand　is　gone；　he
sports　a　secretary；　evidentlya　secretary　with　a　most　confident　swing
and　flourish　to　his　pen。　　Oh　indeed；　our　fortunes　are　improving　over
thereour　meek　tramp　has　undergone　a　metamorphosis。〃

〃Read　it；　my　lord；　please。〃

〃Yes；　this　time　I　will。　　For　the　sake　of　the　cat：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　14；042　SIXTEENTH。　　STREET；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WASHINGTON；　May　2。

It　is　my　painful　duty　to　announce　to　you　that　the　head　of　our　illustrious
house　is　no　moreThe　Right　Honourable；　The　Most　Noble；　The　Most　Puissant
Simon　Lathers　Lord　Rossmore　having　departed　this　life　（〃Gone　at　last
this　is　unspeakably　precious　news；　my　son；〃）　at　his　seat　in　the　environs
of　the　hamlet　of　Duffy's　Corners　in　the　grand　old　State　of　Arkansas；and
his　twin　brother　with　him；　both　being　crushed　by　a　log　at　a
smoke…house…raising；　owing　to　carelessness　on　the　part　of　all　present；
referable　to　over…confidence　and　gaiety　induced　by　overplus　of
sour…mash（〃Extolled　be　sour…mash；　whatever　that　may　be；　eh　Berkeley？〃）
five　days　ago；　with　no　scion　of　our　ancient　race　present　to　close　his
eyes　and　inter　him　with　the　honors　due　his　historic　name　and　lofty
rank…in　fact；　he　is　on　the　ice　yet；　him　and　his　brotherfriends　took　a
collection　for　it。　　But　I　shall　take　immediate　occasion　to　have　their
noble　remains　shipped　to　you　（〃Great　heavens！〃）　for　interment；　with　due
ceremonies　and　solemnities；　in　the　family　vault　or　mausoleum　of　our
house。　　Meantime　I　shall　put　up　a　pair　of　hatchments　on　my　house…front；
and　you　will　of　course　do　the　same　at　your　several　seats。

I　have　also　to　remind　you　that　by　this　sad　disaster　I　as　sole　heir；
inherit　and　become　seized　of　all　the　titles；　honors；　lands；　and　goods　of
our　lamented　relative；　and　must　of　necessity；　painful　as　the　duty　is；
shortly　require　at　the　bar　of　the　Lords　restitution　of　these　dignities
and　properties；　now　illegally　enjoyed　by　your　titular　lordship。

With　assurance　of　my　distinguished　consideration　and　warm　cousinly
regard；　I　remain
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Your　titular　lordship's

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Most　obedient　servant；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mulberry　Sellers　Earl　Rossmore。

〃Im…mense！　　Come；　this　one's　interesting。　　Why；　Berkeley；　his　breezy
impudence　isiswhy；　it's　colossal；　it's　sublime。〃

〃No；　this　one　doesn't　seem　to　cringe　much。〃

〃Cringewhy；　he　doesn't　know　the　meaning　of　the　word。　　Hatchments！　　To
commemorate　that　sniveling　tramp　and　his；　fraternal　duplicate。　　And　he　is
going　to　send　me　the　remains。　　The　late　Claimant　was　a　fool；　but　plainly
this　new　one's　a　maniac。　　What　a　name！　　Mulberry　Sellersthere's　music
for　you；　Simon　LathersMulberry　SellersMulberry　SellersSimon
Lathers。　　Sounds　like　machinery　working　and　churning。　　Simon　Lathers；
Mulberry　Sel　　Are　you　going？〃

〃If　I　have　your　leave；　father。〃　　　　　　　　　…

The　old　gentleman　stood　musing　some　time；　after　his　son　was　gone。　　This
was　his　thought：

〃He　is　a　good　boy；　and　lovable。　　Let　him　take　his　own　courseas　it　would
profit　nothing　to　oppose　himmake　things　worse；　in　fact。　　My　arguments
and　his　aunt's　persuasions　have　failed；　let　us　see　what　America　can　do
for　us。　　Let　us　see　what　equality　and　hard…times　can　effect　for　the
mental　health　of　a　brain…sick　young　British　lord。　　Going　to　renounce　his
lordship　and　be　a　man！　　Yas！〃




CHAPTER　II。

COLONEL　MULBERRY　SELLERSthis　was　some　days　before　he　wrote　his　letter
to　Lord　Rossmorewas　seated　in　his　〃library；〃　which　was　also　his
〃drawing…room〃　and　was　also　his　〃picture　gallery〃　and　likewise　his
〃work…shop。〃　　Sometimes　he　called　it　by　one　of　these　names；　sometimes　by
another；　according　to　occasion　and　circumstance。　　He　was　constructing
what　seemed　to　be　some　kind　of　a　frail　mechanical　toy；　and　was　apparently
very　much　interested　in　his　work。　　He　was　a　white…headed　man；　now；　but
otherwise　he　was　as　young；　alert；　buoyant；　visionary　and　enterprising　as
ever。　　His　loving　old　wife　sat　near　by；　contentedly　knitting　and
thinking；　with　a　cat　asleep　in　her　lap。　　The　room　was　large；　light；　and
had　a　comfortable　look；　in　fact　a　home…like　look；　though　the　furniture
was　of　a　humble　sort　and　not　over　abundant；　and　the　knickknacks　and
things　that　go　to　adorn　a　living…room　not　plenty　and　not　costly。　　But
there　were　natural　flowers；　and　there　was　an　abstract　and　unclassifiable
something　about　the　place　which　betrayed　the　presence　in　the　house　of
somebody　with　a　happy　taste　and　an　effective　touch。

Even　the　deadly　chromos　on　the　walls　were　somehow　without　offence；
in　fact　they　seemed　to　belong　there　and　to　add　an　attraction　to　the　room…
…a　fascination；　anyway；　for　whoever　got　his　eye　on　one　of　them　was　like
to　gaze　and　suffer　till　he　diedyou　have　seen　that　kind　of　pictures。
Some　of　these　terrors　were　landscapes；　some　libeled　the　sea；　some　were
ostensible　portraits；　all　were　crimes。　　All　the　portraits　were
recognizable　as　dead　Americans　of　distinction；　and　yet；　through　labeling
added；　by　a　daring　hand；　they　were　all　doing　duty　here　as　〃Earls　of
Rossmore。〃　　The　newest　one　had　left　the　works　as　Andrew　Jackson；　but　was
doing　its　best　now；　as　〃Simon　Lathers　Lord　Rossmore；　Present　Earl。〃
On　one　wall　was　a　cheap　old　railroad　map　of　Warwickshire。　　This　had　been
newly　labeled　〃The　Rossmore　Estates。〃　　On　the　opposite；　wall　was　another
map；　and　this　was　the　most　imposing　decoration　of　the　establishment　and
the　first　to　catch　a　stranger's　attention；　because　of　its　great　size。
It　had　once　borne　simply　the　title　SIBERIA；　but　now　the　word　〃FUTURE〃　had
been　written　in　front　of　that　word。　　There　were　other　additions；　in　red
inkmany　cities；　with　great　populations　set　down；　scattered　over　the
vast…country　at　points　where　neither　cities　nor　populations　exist　to…day。
One　of　these　cities；　with　population　placed　at　1；500；000；　bore　the　name
〃Libertyorloffskoizalinski；〃　and　there　was　a　still　more　populous　one；
centrally　located　and　marked　〃Capital；〃　which　bore　the　name
〃Freedomolovnaivanovich。〃

The　〃mansion〃the　Colonel's　usual　name　for　the　housewas　a　rickety　old
two…story　frame　of　considerable　size；　which　had　been　painted；　some　time
or　other；　but　had　nearly　forgotten　it。　　It　was　away　out　in　the　ragged
edge　of　Washington　and　had　once　been　somebody's　country　place。　　It　had　a
neglected　yard　around　it；　with　a　paling　fence　that　needed　straightening
up；　in　places；　and　a　gate　that　would　stay　shut。　　By　the　door…post　were
several　modest　tin　signs。　　〃Col。　Mulberr