the american claimant-第21节

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degradingly　selfish　to　keep　those　；unearned　honors；　andandoh；　hang
it；　nobody　but　a　cur'

〃What　an　idiotic　damned　speech　that　Tompkins　made！

This　outburst　was　from　Barrow。　　It　flooded　Tracy's　demoralized　soul　with
waters　of　refreshment。　　These　were　the　darlingest　words　the　poor
vacillating　young　apostate　had　ever　heardfor　they　whitewashed　his　shame
for　him；　and　that　is　a　good　service　to　have　when　you　can't　get　the　best
of　all　verdicts；　self…acquittal。

〃Come　up　to　my　room　and　smoke　a　pipe；　Tracy。〃

Tracy　had　been　expecting　this　invitation；　and　had　had　his　declination　all
ready：　but　he　was　glad　enough　to　accept；　now。　　Was　it　possible　that　a
reasonable　argument　could　be　made　against　that　man's　desolating　speech？
He　was　burning　to　hear　Barrow　try　it。　　He　knew　how　to　start　him；　and　keep
him　going：　it　was　to　seem　to　combat　his　positionsa　process　effective
with　most　people。

〃What　is　it　you　object　to　in　Tompkins's　speech；　Barrow？〃

〃Oh；　the　leaving　out　of　the　factor　of　human　nature；　requiring　another　man
to　do　what　you　wouldn't　do　yourself。〃

〃Do　you　mean〃

〃Why　here's　what　I　mean；　it's　very　simple。　　Tompkins　is　a　blacksmith；　has
a　family；　works　for　wages；　and　hard；　toofooling　around　won't　furnish
the　bread。　　Suppose　it　should　turn　out　that　by　the　death　of　somebody　in
England　he　is　suddenly　an　earlincome；　half　a　million　dollars　a　year。
What　would　he　do？〃

〃Well；　II　suppose　he　would　have　to　decline　to〃

〃Man；　he　would　grab　it　in　a　second！〃

〃Do　you　really　think　he　would？〃

〃Think？I　don't　think　anything　about　it；　I　know　it。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　he's　not　a　fool。〃

〃So　you　think　that　if　he　were　a　fool；　he〃

〃No；　I　don't。　　Fool　or　no　fool；　he　would　grab　it。　　Anybody　would。
Anybody　that's　alive。　　And　I've　seen　dead　people　that　would　get　up　and　go
for　it。　　I　would　myself。〃

〃This　was　balm；　this　was　healing；　this　was　rest　and　peace　and　comfort。〃

〃But　I　thought　you　were　opposed　to　nobilities。〃

〃Transmissible　ones；　yes。　　But　that's　nothing。　　I'm　opposed　to
millionaires；　but　it　would　be　dangerous　to　offer　me　the　position。〃

〃You'd　take　it？〃

〃I　would　leave　the　funeral　of　my　dearest　enemy　to　go　and　assume　its
burdens　and　responsibilities。〃

Tracy　thought　a　while；　then　said：

〃I　don't　know　that　I　quite　get　the　bearings　of　your　position。　　You　say
you　are　opposed　to　hereditary　nobilities；　and　yet　if　you　had　the　chance
you　would〃

〃Take　one？　　In　a　minute　I　would。　　And　there　isn't　a　mechanic　in　that
entire　club　that　wouldn't。　　There　isn't　a　lawyer；　doctor；　editor；　author；
tinker；　loafer；　railroad　president；　saint…land；　there　isn't　a　human　being
in　the　United　States　that　wouldn't　jump　at　the　chance！〃

〃Except　me；〃　said　Tracy　softly。

〃Except　you！〃　　　Barrow　could　hardly　get　the　words　out；　his　scorn　so
choked　him。　　And　he　couldn't　get　any　further　than　that　form　of　words；
it　seemed　to　dam　his　flow；　utterly。　　He　got　up　and　came　and　glared　upon
Tracy　in　a　kind　of　outraged　and　unappeasable　way；　and　said　again；　〃Except
you！〃　　He　walked　around　himinspecting　him　from　one　point　of　view　and
then　another；　and　relieving　his　soul　now　and　then　by　exploding　that
formula　at　him；　〃Except　you！〃　　Finally　he　slumped　down　into　his　chair
with　the　air　of　one　who　gives　it　up；　and　said：

〃He's　straining　his　viscera　and　he's　breaking　his　heart　trying　to　get
some　low…down　job　that　a　good　dog　wouldn't　have；　and　yet　wants　to　let　on
that　if　he　had　a　chance　to　scoop　an　earldom　he　wouldn't　do　it。　　Tracy；
don't　put　this　kind　of　a　strain　on　me。　　Lately　I'm　not　as　strong　as　I
was。〃

〃Well；　I　wasn't　meaning　to　puta　strain　on　you；　Barrow；　I　was　only
meaning　to　intimate　that　if　an　earldom　ever　does　fall　in　my　way〃

〃ThereI　wouldn't　give　myself　any　worry　about　that；　if　I　was　you。　　And
besides；　I　can　settle　what　you　would　do。　　Are　you　any　different　from　me？〃

〃Wellno。〃

〃Are　you　any　better　than　me？〃

〃O；erwhy；　certainly　not。〃

〃Are　you　as　good？　　Come！〃

〃Indeed；　Ithe　fact　is　you　take　me　so　suddenly〃

〃Suddenly？　　What　is　there　sudden　about　it？　　It　isn't　a　difficult　question
is　it？　　Or　doubtful？　　Just　measure　us　on　the　only　fair　linesthe　lines
of　meritand　of　course　you'll　admit　that　a　journeyman　chairmaker　that
earns　his　twenty　dollars　a　week；　and　has　had　the　good　and　genuine　culture
of　contact　with　men；　and　care；　and　hardship；　and　failure；　and　success；
and　downs　and　ups　and　ups　and　downs；　is　just　a　trifle　the　superior　of　a
young　fellow　like　you；　who　doesn't　know　how　to　do　anything　that's
valuable；　can't　earn　his　living　in　any　secure　and　steady　way；　hasn't　had
any　experience　of　life　and　its　seriousness；　hasn't　any　culture　but　the
artificial　culture　of　books；　which　adorns　but　doesn't　really　educate…
come！　if　I　wouldn't　scorn　an　earldom；　what　the　devil　right　have　you　to　do
it！〃

Tracy　dissembled　his　joy；　though　he　wanted　to　thank　the　chair…maker　for
that　last　remark。　　Presently　a　thought　struck　him；　and　he　spoke　up
briskly　and　said：

〃But　look　here；　I　really　can't　quite　get　the　hang　of　your　notionsyour；
principles；　if　they　are　principles。　　You　are　inconsistent。　　You　are
opposed　to　aristocracies；　yet　you'd　take　an　earldom　if　you　could。　　Am　I
to　understand　that　you　don't　blame　an　earl　for　being　and　remaining　an
earl？〃

〃I　certainly　don't。〃

〃And　you　wouldn't　blame　Tompkins；　or　yourself；　or　me；　or　anybody；　for
accepting　an　earldom　if　it　was　offered？〃

〃Indeed　I　wouldn't。〃

〃Well；　then；　who　would　you　blame？〃

〃The　whole　nationany　bulk　and　mass　of　population　anywhere；　in　any
country；　that　will　put　up　with　the　infamy；　the　outrage；　the　insult　of　a
hereditary　aristocracy　which　they　can't　enterand　on　absolutely　free　and
equal　terms。〃

〃Come；　aren't　you　beclouding　yourself　with　distinctions　that　are　not
differences？〃

〃Indeed　I　am　not。　　I　am　entirely　clear…headed　about　this　thing。　　If　I
could　extirpate　an　aristocratic　system　by　declining　its　honors；　then　I
should　be　a　rascal　to　accept　them。　　And　if　enough　of　the　mass　would　join
me　to　make　the　extirpation　possible；　then　I　should　be　a　rascal　to　do
otherwise　than　help　in　the　attempt。〃

〃I　believe　I　understandyes；　I　think　I　get　the　idea。　　You　have　no　blame
for　the　lucky　few　who　naturally　decline　to　vacate　the　pleasant　nest　they
were　born　into；　you　only　despise　the　all…powerful　and　stupid　mass　of　the
nation　for　allowing　the　nest　to　exist。〃

〃That's　it；　that's　it！　　You　can　get　a　simple　thing　through　your　head　if
you　work　at　it　long　enough。〃

〃Thanks。〃

〃Don't　mention　it。　　And　I'll　give　you　some　sound　advice：　when　you　go
back；　if　you　find　your　nation　up　and　ready　to　abolish　that　hoary　affront；
lend　a　hand；　but　if　that　isn't　the　state　of　things　and　you　get　a　chance
at　an　earldom；　don't　you　be　a　foolyou　take　it。〃

Tracy　responded　with　earnestness　and　enthusiasm：

〃As　I　live；　I'll　do　it！〃

Barrow　laughed。

〃I　never　saw　such　a　fellow。　　I　begin　to　think　you've　got　a　good　deal　of
imagination。　　With　you；　the　idlest…fancy　freezes　into　a　reality　at　a
breath。　　Why；　you　looked；　then；　as　if　it　wouldn't　astonish　you　if　you　did
tumble　into　an　earldom。〃

Tracy　blushed。　　Barrow　added：　〃Earldom！　　Oh；　yes；　take　it；　if　it　offers；
but　meantime　we'll　go　on　looking　around；　in　a　modest　way；　and　if　you　get
a　chance　to　superintend　a　sausage…stuffer　at　six　or　eight　dollars　a　week；
you　just　trade　off　the　earldom　for　a　last　year's　almanac　and　stick　to　the
sausage…stuffing；〃




CHAPTER　XV。

Tracy　went　to　bed　happy　once　more；　at　rest　in　his　mind　once　more。　　He　had
started　out　on　a　high　emprisethat　was　to　his　credit；　he　argued；　he　had
fought　the　best　fight　he　could；　considering　the　odds　against　himthat
was　to　his　credit；　he　had　been　defeatedcertainly　there　was　nothing
discreditable　in　that。　　Being　defeated；　he　had　a　right　to　retire　with　the
honors　of　war　and　go　back　without　prejudice　to　the　position　in　the
world's　society　to　which　he　had　been　born。　　Why　not？　even　the　rabid
republican　chair…maker　would　do　that。　　Yes；　his　conscience　was
comfortable　once　more。

He　woke　refreshed；　happy；　and　eager　for　his　cablegram。　　He　had　been　born
an　aristocrat；　he　had　been　a　democrat　for　a　time；　he　was　now　an
aristocrat　again。　　He　marveled　to　find　that　this　final　change　was　not
merely　intellectual；　it　had　invaded　his　feeling；　and　he　also　marveled　to
note　that　this　feeling　seemed　a　good　deal　less　artificial　than　any　he　had
entertained　in　his　system　for　a　long　time。　　He　could　also　have　noted；
if　he　had　thought　of　it；　that　his　bearing　had　stiffened；　over　night；
and　that　his　chin　had　lifted　itself　a　shade。　　Arrived　in　the　basement；
he　was　about　to　enter　the　breakfast　room　when　he　saw　old　Marsh　in　the　dim
light　of　a　corner　of　the　hall；　beckoning　him　with　his　finger　to　approach。
The　blood　welled　slowly　up　in　Tracy's　cheek；　and　he　said　with　a　grade　of
injured　dignity　almost　ducal：

〃Is　that　for　me？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　is　the　purpose　of　it？〃

〃I　want　to　speak　to　you…in　private。〃

〃This　spot　is　private　enough　for　me。〃

Marsh　was　surprised；　and　not　particularly　pleased。　　He　approached　and
said：

〃Oh；　in　public；　then；　if　you　prefer。　　Though　it　hasn't　been　my　way。〃

The　boarders　gathered　to　the　spot；　interested。

〃Speak　out；〃　said　Tracy。　　〃What　is　it　you　want？〃

〃Well；　haven't　youerforgot　something？〃

〃I