the american claimant-第26节

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save　up　sewer…gasyou　can't　name　me　a　man。　　Ain't　that　so？　you　know
perfectly　well　it's　so。〃

〃Yes　it　is　sobut　I　nevererI　don't　quite　see　why　a　body〃

〃Should　want　to　save　it　up？　　Well；　I'll　tell　you。　　Do　you　see　this　little
invention　here？it's　a　decomposerI　call　it　a　decomposer。　　I　give　you
my　word　of　honor　that　if　you　show　me　a　house　that　produces　a　given
quantity　of　sewer…gas　in　a　day；　I'll　engage　to　set　up　my　decomposer　there
and　make　that　house　produce　a　hundred　times　that　quantity　of　sewer…gas　in
less　than　half　an　hour。〃

〃Dear　me；　but　why　should　you　want　to？〃

〃Want　to？　　Listen；　and　you'll　see。　　My　boy；　for　illuminating　purposes　and
economy　combined；　there's　nothing　in　the　world　that　begins　with　sewer…
gas。　　And　really；　it　don't　cost　a　cent。　　You　put　in　a　good　inferior
article　of　plumbing；such　as　you　find　everywhereand　add　my　decomposer；
and　there　you　are。　　Just　use　the　ordinary　gas　pipesand　there　your
expense　ends。　　Think　of　it。　　Why；　Major；　in　five　years　from　now　you　won't
see　a　house　lighted　with　anything　but　sewer…gas。　　Every　physician　I　talk
to；　recommends　it；　and　every　plumber。〃

〃But　isn't　it　dangerous？〃

〃O；　yes；　more　or　less；　but　everything　iscoal　gas；　candles；　electricity
there　isn't　anything　that　ain't。〃

〃It　lights　up　well；　does　it？〃

〃O；　magnificently。〃

〃Have　you　given　it　a　good　trial？〃

〃Well；　no；　not　a　first　rate　one。　　Polly's　prejudiced；　and　she　won't　let
me　put　it　in　here；　but　I'm　playing　my　cards　to　get　it　adopted　in　the
President's　house；　and　then　it'll　godon't　you　doubt　it。　　I　shall　not
need　this　one　for　the　present；　Washington；　you　may　take　it　down　to　some
boarding…house　and　give　it　a　trial　if　you　like。〃




CHAPTER　XVIII。

Washington　shuddered　slightly　at　the　suggestion；　then　his　face　took　on　a
dreamy　look　and　he　dropped　into　a　trance　of　thought。　　After　a　little；
Sellers　asked　him　what　he　was　grinding　in　his　mental　mill。

〃Well；　this。　　Have　you　got　some　secret　project　in　your　head　which
requires　a　Bank　of　England　back　of　it　to　make　it　succeed？〃

The　Colonel　showed　lively　astonishment；　and　said：

〃Why；　Hawkins；　are　you　a　mind…reader？〃

〃I？　　I　never　thought　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃Well；　then　how　did　you　happen　to　drop　onto　that　idea　in　this　curious
fashion？　　It's　just　mind…reading；　that's　what　it　is；　though　you　may　not
know　it。　　Because　I　have　got　a　private　project　that　requires　a　Bank　of
England　at　its　back。　　How　could　you　divine　that？　　What　was　the　process？
This　is　interesting。〃

〃There　wasn't　any　process。　　A　thought　like　this　happened　to　slip　through
my　head　by　accident：　How　much　would　make　you　or　me　comfortable？
A　hundred　thousand。　　Yet　you　are　expecting　two　or　three　ofthese
inventions　of　yours　to　turn　out　some　billions　of　moneyand　you　are
wanting　them　to　do　that。　　If　you　wanted　ten　millions；　I　could　understand
thatit's　inside　the　human　limits。　　But　billions！　　That's　clear　outside
the　limits。　　There　must　be　a　definite　project　back　of　that　somewhere。〃

The　earl's　interest　and　surprise　augmented　with　every　word；　and　when
Hawkins　finished；　he　said　with　strong　admiration：

〃It's　wonderfully　reasoned　out；　Washington；　it　certainly　is。　　It　shows
what　I　think　is　quite　extraordinary　penetration。　　For　you've　hit　it；
you've　driven　the　centre；　you've　plugged　the　bulls…eye　of　my　dream。　　Now
I'll　tell　you　the　whole　thing；　and　you'll　understand　it。　　I　don't　need　to
ask　you　to　keep　it　to　yourself；　because　you'll　see　that　the　project　will
prosper　all　the　better　for　being　kept　in　the　background　till　the　right
time。　　Have　you　noticed　how　many　pamphlets　and　books　I've　got　lying
around　relating　to　Russia？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　most　anybody　would　notice　thatanybody　who　wasn't　dead。〃

〃Well；　I've　been　posting　myself　a　good　while。　　That's　a　great　and；
splendid　nation；　and　deserves　to　be　set　free。〃　　He　paused；　then　added　in
a　quite　matter…of…fact　way；　〃　When　I　get　this　money　I'm　going　to　set　it
free。〃

〃Great　guns！〃

〃Why；　what　makes　you　jump　like　that？〃

〃Dear　me；　when　you　are　going　to　drop　a　remark　under　a　man's　chair　that　is
likely　to　blow　him　out　through　the　roof；　why　don't　you　put　some
expression；　some　force；　some　noise　unto　it　that　will　prepare　him？　　You
shouldn't　flip　out　such　a　gigantic　thing　as　this　in　that　colorless　kind
of　a　way。　　You　do　jolt　a　person　up；　so。　　Go　on；　now；　I'm　all　right　again。
Tell　me　all　about　it。　　I'm　all　interestyes；　and　sympathy；　too。〃

〃Well；　I've　looked　the　ground　over；　and　concluded　that　the　methods　of　the
Russian　patriots；　while　good　enough　considering　the　way　the　boys　are
hampered；　are　not　the　best；　at　least　not　the　quickest。　　They　are　trying
to　revolutionize　Russia　from　within；　that's　pretty　slow；　you　know；　and
liable　to　interruption　all　the　time；　and　is　full　of　perils　for　the
workers。　　Do　you　know　how　Peter　the　Great　started　his　army？　　He　didn't
start　it　on　the　family　premises　under　the　noses　of　the　Strelitzes；　no；　he
started　it　away　off　yonder；　privately；only　just　one　regiment；　you　know；
and　he　built　to　that。　　The　first　thing　the　Strelitzes　knew；　the　regiment
was　an　army；　their　position　was　turned；　and　they　had　to　take　a　walk。
Just　that　little　idea　made　the　biggest　and　worst　of　all　the　despotisms
the　world　has　seen。　　The　same　idea　can　unmake　it。　　I'm　going　to　prove　it。
I'm　going　to　get　out　to　one　side　and　work　my　scheme　the　way　Peter　did。〃

〃This　is　mighty　interesting；　Rossmore。　　What　is　it　you　are；　going　to　do？〃

〃I　am　going　to　buy　Siberia　and　start　a　republic。〃

〃There；bang　you　go　again；　without　giving　any　notice！　　Going　to　buy　it？〃

〃Yes；　as　soon　as　I　get　the　money。　　I　don't　care　what　the　price　is；　I
shall　take　it。　　I　can　afford　it；　and　I　will。　　Now　then；　consider　this
and　you've　never　thought　of　it；　I'll　warrant。　　Where　is　the　place　where
there　is　twenty…five　times　more　manhood；　pluck；　true　heroism；
unselfishness；　devotion　to　high　and　noble　ideals；　adoration　of　liberty；
wide　education；　and　brains；　per　thousand　of　population；　than　any　other
domain　in　the　whole　world　can　show？〃

〃Siberia！〃

〃Right。〃

〃It　is　true；　it　certainly　is　true；　but　I　never　thought　of　it　before。〃

〃Nobody　ever　thinks　of　it。　　But　it's　so；　just　the　same。　　In　those　mines
and　prisons　are　gathered　together　the　very　finest　and　noblest　and
capablest　multitude　of　human　beings　that　God　is　able　to　create。　　Now　if
you　had　that　kind　of　a　population　to　sell；　would　you　offer　it　to　a
despotism？　　No；　the　despotism　has　no　use　for　it；　you　would　lose　money。
A　despotism　has　no　use　for　anything　but　human　cattle。　　But　suppose　you
want　to　start　a　republic？〃

〃Yes；　I　see。　　It's　just；　the　material　for　it。〃

〃Well；　I　should　say　so！　　There's　Siberia　with　just　the　very　finest　and
choicest　material　on　the　globe　for　a　republic；　and　more　comingmore
coming　all　the　time；　don't　you　see！　　It　is　being　daily；　weekly；　monthly
recruited　by　the　most　perfectly　devised　system　that　has　ever　been
invented；　perhaps。　　By　this　system　the　whole　of　the　hundred　millions　of
Russia　are　being　constantly　and　patiently　sifted；　sifted；　sifted；　by
myriads　of　trained　experts；　spies　appointed　by　the　Emperor　personally；
and　whenever　they　catch　a　man；　woman　or　child　that　has　got　any　brains　or
education　or　character；　they　ship　that　person　straight　to　Siberia。　　It　is
admirable；　it　is　wonderful。　　It　is　so　searching　and　so　effective　that　it
keeps　the　general　level　of　Russian　intellect　and　education　down　to　that
of　the　Czar。〃

〃Come；　that　sounds　like　exaggeration。〃

〃Well；　it's　what　they　say　anyway。　　But　I　think；　myself；　it's　a　lie。　　And
it　doesn't　seem　right　to　slander　a　whole　nation　that　way；　anyhow。　　Now；
then；　you　see　what　the　material　is；　there　in　Siberia；　for　a　republic。〃
He　paused；　and　his　breast　began　to　heave　and　his　eye　to　burn；　under　the
impulse　of　strong　emotion。　　Then　his　words　began　to　stream　forth；　with
constantly　increasing　energy　and　fire；　and　he　rose　to　his　feet　as　if　to
give　himself　larger　freedom。　　〃The　minute　I　organize　that　republic；　the
light　of　liberty；　intelligence；　justice；　humanity；　bursting　from　it；
flooding　from　it；　flaming　from　it；　will　concentrate　the　gaze　of　the　whole
astonished　world　as　upon　the　miracle　of　a　new　sun；　Russia's　countless
multitudes　of　slaves　will　rise　up　and　march；　march！eastward；　with　that
great　light　transfiguring　their　faces　as　they　come；　and　far　back　of　them
you　will　see…what　will　you　see？a　vacant　throne　in　an　empty　land！　　It
can　be　done；　and　by　God　I　will　do　it！〃

He　stood　a　moment　bereft　of　earthy　consciousness　by　his　exaltation；　then
consciousness　returned；　bringing　him　a　slight　shock；　and　he　said　with
grave　earnestness：

〃I　must　ask　you　to　pardon　me；　Major　Hawkins。　　I　have　never　used　that
expression　before；　and　I　beg　you　will　forgive　it　this　time。〃

Hawkins　was　quite　willing。

〃You　see；　Washington；　it　is　an　error　which　I　am　by　nature　not　liable　to。
Only　excitable　people；　impulsive　people；　are　exposed　to　it。　　But　the
circumstances　of　the　present　caseI　being　a　democrat　by　birth　and
preference；　and　an　aristocrat　by　inheritance　and　relish〃

The　earl　stopped　suddenly；　his　frame　stiffened；　and　he　began　to　stare
speechless　through　the　curtainless　window。　　Then　he　pointed；　and　gasped
out　a　single　rapturous　word：

〃Look！〃

〃What　is　it；　Colonel？〃

〃IT！〃