the american claimant-第22节

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

〃Well；　haven't　youerforgot　something？〃

〃I？　　I'm　not　aware　of　it。〃

〃Oh；　you're　not？　　Now　you　stop　and　think；　a　minute。〃

〃I　refuse　to　stop　and　think。　　It　doesn't　interest　me。　　If　it　interests
you；　speak　out。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Marsh；　raising　his　voice　to　a　slightly　angry　pitch；〃
You　forgot　to　pay　your　board　yesterdayif　you're　bound　to　have　it
public。〃

Oh；　yes；　this　heir　to　an　annual　million　or　so　had　been　dreaming　and
soaring；　and　had　forgotten　that　pitiful　three　or　four　dollars。　　For
penalty　he　must　have　it　coarsely　flung　in　his　face　in　the　presence　of
these　peoplepeople　in　whose　countenances　was　already　beginning　to　dawn
an　uncharitable　enjoyment　of　the　situation。

〃Is　that　all！　　Take　your　money　and　give　your　terrors　a　rest。〃

Tracy's　hand　went　down　into　his　pocket　with　angry　decision。　　But…it
didn't　come　out。　　The　color　began　to　ebb　out　of　his　face。　　The
countenances　about　him　showed　a　growing　interest；　and　some　of　them　a
heightened　satisfaction。　　There　was　an　uncomfortable　pausethen　he
forced　out；　with　difficulty；　the　words：

〃I'vebeen　robbed！〃

Old　Marsh's　eyes　flamed　up　with　Spanish　fire；　and　he　exclaimed：

〃Robbed；　is　it？　　That's　your　tune？　　It's　too　oldbeen　played　in　this
house　too　often；　everybody　plays　it　that　can't　get　work　when　he　wants　it；
and　won't　work　when　he　can　get　it。　　Trot　out　Mr。　Allen；　somebody；　and　let
him　take　a　toot　at　it。　　It's　his　turn　next；　he　forgot；　too；　last　night。
I'm　laying　for　him。〃

One　of　the　negro　women　came　scrambling　down　stairs　as　pale　as　a　sorrel
horse　with　consternation　and　excitement：

〃Misto　Marsh；　Misto　Allen's　skipped　out！〃

〃What！〃

〃Yes…sah；　and　cleaned　out　his　room　clean；　tuck　bofe　towels　en　de　soap！〃

〃You　lie；　you　hussy！〃

〃It's　jes'　so；　jes'　as　I　tells　youen　Misto　Summer's　socks　is　gone；　en
Misto　Naylor's　yuther　shirt。〃

Mr。　Marsh　was　at　boiling　point　by　this　time。　　He　turned　upon　Tracy：

〃Answer　up　now…when　are　you　going　to　settle？〃

〃To…day…since　you　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry。〃

〃To…day　is　it？　　Sundayand　you　out　of　work？　　I　like　that。　　Comewhere
are　you　going　to　get　the　money？〃

Tracy's　spirit　was　rising　again。　　He　proposed　to　impress　these　people：

〃I　am　expecting　a　cablegram　from　home。〃

Old　Marsh　was　caught　out；　with　the　surprise　of　it。　　The　idea　was　so
immense；　so　extravagant；　that　he　couldn't　get　his　breath　at　first。　　When
he　did　get　it；　it　came　rancid　with　sarcasm。

〃A　cablegramthink　of　it；　ladies　and　gents；　he's　expecting　a　cablegram！
He's　expecting　a　cablegramthis　duffer；　this　scrub；　this　bilk！　　From　his
fathereh？　　Yeswithout　a　doubt。　　A　dollar　or　two　a　wordoh；　that's
nothingthey　don't　mind　a　little　thing　like　thatthis　kind's　fathers
don't。　　Now　his　father　iserwell；　I　reckon　his　father〃

〃My　father　is　an　English　earl！〃

The　crowd　fell　back　aghast…aghast　at　the　sublimity　of　the　young　loafer's
〃cheek。〃　　Then　they　burst　into　a　laugh　that　made　the　windows　rattle。
Tracy　was　too　angry　to　realize　that　he　had　done　a　foolish　thing。　　He
said：

〃Stand　aside；　please。　　I〃

〃Wait　a　minute；　your　lordship；〃　said　Marsh；　bowing　low；　〃where　is　your
lordship　going？〃

〃For　the　cablegram。　　Let　me　pass。〃

〃Excuse　me；　your　lordship；　you'll　stay　right　where　you　are。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　mean　that　I　didn't　begin　to　keep　boarding…house　yesterday。　　It　means
that　I　am　not　the　kind　that　can　be　taken　in　by　every　hack…driver's　son
that　comes　loafing　over　here　because　he　can't　bum　a　living　at　home。　　It
means　that　you　can't　skip　out　on　any　such〃

Tracy　made　a　step　toward　the　old　man；　but　Mrs。　　Marsh　sprang　between；　and
said：

〃Don't；　Mr。　Tracy；　please。〃　　She　turned　to　her　husband　and　said；　〃Do
bridle　your　tongue。　　What　has　he　done　to　be　treated　so？　　Can't　you　see　he
has　lost　his　mind；　with　trouble　and　distress？　　He's　not　responsible。〃

〃Thank　your　kind　heart；　madam；　but　I've　not　lost　my　mind；　and　if　I　can
have　the　mere　privilege　of　stepping　to　the　telegraph　office〃

〃Well；　you　can't；〃　cried　Marsh。

〃or　sending〃

〃Sending！　　That　beats　everything。　　If　there's　anybody　that's　fool　enough
to　go　on　such　a　chuckle…headed　errand〃

〃Here　comes　Mr。　Barrowhe　will　go　for　me。　　Barrow〃

A　brisk　fire　of　exclamations　broke　out

〃Say；　Barrow；　he's　expecting　a　cablegram！〃

〃Cablegram　from　his　father；　you　know！〃

〃Yescablegram　from　the　wax…figger！〃

〃And　say；　Barrow；　this　fellow's　an　earltake　off　your　hat；　pull　down
your　vest！〃

〃Yes；　he's　come　off　and　forgot　his　crown；　that　he　wears　Sundays。　　He's
cabled　over　to　his　pappy　to　send　it。〃

〃You　step　out　and　get　that　cablegram；　Barrow；　his　majesty's　a　little　lame
to…day。〃

〃Oh　stop；〃　cried　Barrow；　〃give　the　man　a　chance。〃　　He　turned；　and　said
with　some　severity；　〃Tracy；　what's　the　matter　with　you？　　What　kind　of
foolishness　is　this　you've　been　talking。　　You　ought　to　have　more　sense。〃

〃I've　not　been　talking　foolishness；　and　if　you'll　go　to　the　telegraph
office〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　so。　　I'm　your　friend　in　trouble　and　out　of　it；　before
your　face　and　behind　your　back；　for　anything　in　reason；　but　you've　lost
your　head；　you　see；　and　this　moonshine　about　a　cablegram〃

〃I'll　go　there　and　ask　for　it！〃

〃Thank　you　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart；　Brady。　　Here；　I'll　give　you　a
Written　order　for　it。　　Fly；　now；　and　fetch　it。　　We'll　soon　see！〃

Brady　flew。　　Immediately　the　sort　of　quiet　began　to　steal　over　the　crowd
which　means　dawning　doubt；　misgiving；　and　might　be　translated　into　the
words；　〃Maybe　he　is　expecting　a　cablegrammaybe　he　has　got　a　father
somewheremaybe　we've　been　just　a　little　too　fresh；　just　a　shade　too
'previous'！〃

Loud　talk　ceased；　then　the　mutterings　and　low　murmurings　and　whisperings
died　out。　　The　crowd　began　to　crumble　apart。　　By　ones　and　twos　the
fragments　drifted　to　the　breakfast　table。　　Barrow　tried　to　bring　Tracy
in；　but　he　said：

〃Not　yet；　Barrow…presently。〃

Mrs。　Marsh　and　Hattie　tried；　offering　gentle　and　kindly　persuasions；　but
he　said；

〃I　would　rather　wait…till　he　comes。〃

Even　old　Marsh　began　to　have　suspicions　that　maybe　he　had　been　a　trifle
too　〃brash；〃　as　he　called　it　in　the　privacy　of　his　soul；　and　he　pulled
himself　together　and　started　toward　Tracy　with　invitation　in　his　eyes；
but　Tracy　warned　him　off　with　a　gesture　which　was　quite　positive　and
eloquent。　　Then　followed　the　stillest　quarter　of　an　hour　which　had　ever
been　known　in　that　house　at　that　time　of　day。　　It　was　so　still；　and　so
solemn　withal；　that　when　somebody's　cup　slipped　from　his　fingers　and
landed　in　his　plate　the　shock　made　people　start；　and　the　sharp　sound
seemed　as　indecorous　there　and　as　out　of　place　as　if　a　coffin　and
mourners　were　imminent　and　being　waited　for。　　And　at　last　when　Brady's
feet　came　clattering　down　the　stairs　the　sacrilege　seemed　unbearable。
Everybody　rose　softly　and　turned　toward　the　door；　where　stood　Tracy；
then　with　a　common　impulse；　moved　a　step　or　two　in　that　direction；　and
stopped。　　While　they　gazed；　young　Brady　arrived；　panting；　and　put　into
Tracy's　hand；sure　enoughan　envelope。　　Tracy　fastened　a　bland
victorious　eye　upon　the　gazers；　and　kept　it　there　till　one　by　one　they
dropped　their　eyes；　vanquished　and　embarrassed。　　Then　he　tore　open　the
telegram　and　glanced　at　its　message。　　The　yellow　paper　fell　from　his
fingers　and　fluttered　to　the　floor；　and　his　face　turned　white。　　There　was
nothing　there　but　one　word

〃Thanks。〃

The　humorist　of　the　house；　the　tall；　raw…boned　Billy　Nash；　caulker　from
the　navy　yard；　was　standing　in　the　rear　of　the　crowd。　　In　the　midst　of
the　pathetic　silence　that　was　now　brooding　over　the　place　and　moving　some
few　hearts　there　toward　compassion；　he　began　to　whimper；　then　he　put　his
handkerchief　to　his　eyes　and　buried　his　face　in　the　neck　of　the；
bashfulest　young　fellow　in　the　company；　a　navy…yard　blacksmith；　shrieked
〃Oh；　pappy；　how　could　you！〃　and　began　to　bawl　like　a　teething　baby；　if
one　may　imagine　a　baby　with　the　energy　and　the　devastating　voice　of　a
jackass。

So　perfect　was　that　imitation　of　a　child's　cry；　and　so　vast　the　scale　of
it　and　so　ridiculous　the　aspect　of　the　performer；　that　all　gravity　was
swept　from　the　place　as　if　by　a　hurricane；　and　almost　everybody　there
joined　in　the　crash　of　laughter　provoked　by　the　exhibition。　　Then　the
small　mob　began　to　take　its　revengerevenge　for　the　discomfort　and
apprehension　it　had　brought　upon　itself　by　its　own　too　rash　freshness　of
a　little　while　before。　　It　guyed　its　poor　victim；　baited　him；　worried
him；　as　dogs　do　with　a　cornered　cat。　　The　victim　answered　back　with
defiances　and　challenges　which　included　everybody；　and　which　only　gave
the　sport　new　spirit　and　variety；　but　when　he　changed　his　tactics　and
began　to　single　out　individuals　and　invite　them　by　name；　the　fun　lost　its
funniness　and　the　interest　of　the　show　died　out；　along　with　the　noise。

Finally　Marsh　was　about　to　take　an　innings；　but　Barrow　said：

〃Never　mind；　nowleave　him　alone。　　You've　no　account　with　him　but　a
money　account。　　I'll　take　care　of　that　myself。〃

The　distressed　and　worried　landlady　gave　Barrow　a　fervently　grateful　look
for　his　championship　of　the　abused　stranger；　and　the　pet　of　the　house；　a
very　prism　in　her　cheap　but　ravishing　Sunday　rig；　blew　him　a