the american claimant-第27节

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speechless　through　the　curtainless　window。　　Then　he　pointed；　and　gasped
out　a　single　rapturous　word：

〃Look！〃

〃What　is　it；　Colonel？〃

〃IT！〃

〃No！〃

〃Sure　as　you're　born。　　Keep　perfectly　still。　　I'll　apply　the　influence
I'll　turn　on　all　my　force。　　I've　brought　It　thus　farI'll　fetch　It　right
into　the　house。　　You'll　see。〃

He　was　making　all　sorts　of　passes　in　the　air　with　his　hands。

〃There！　　Look　at　that。　　I've　made　It　smile！　　See？〃

Quite　true。　　Tracy；　out　for　an　afternoon　stroll；　had　come　unexpectantly
upon　his　family　arms　displayed　upon　this　shabby　house…front。　　The
hatchments　made　him　smile；　which　was　nothing；　they　had　made　the
neighborhood　cats　do　that。

〃Look；　Hawkins；　look！　　I'm　drawing　It　over！〃

〃You're　drawing　it　sure；　Rossmore。　　If　I　ever　had　any　doubts　about
materialization；　they're　gone；　now；　and　gone　for　good。　　Oh；　this　is　a
joyful　day！〃

Tracy　was　sauntering　over　to　read　the　door…plate。　　Before　he　was　half　way
over　he　was　saying　to　himself；　〃Why；　manifestly　these　are　the　American
Claimant's　quarters。〃

〃It's　coming…coming　right　along。　　I'll　slide；　down　and　pull　It　in。　　You
follow　after　me。〃

Sellers；　pale　and　a　good　deal　agitated；　opened　the　door　and　confronted
Tracy。　　The　old　man　could　not　at　once　get　his　voice：　then　he　pumped　out　a
scattering　and　hardly　coherent　salutation；　and　followed　it　with

〃Walk　in；　walk　right　in；　Mr。er〃

〃TracyHoward　Tracy。〃

〃Tracythanks…walk　right　in；　you're　expected。〃

Tracy　entered；　considerably　puzzled；　and　said：

〃Expected？　　I　think　there　must　be　some　mistake。〃

〃Oh；　I　judge　not；〃　said　Sellers；　whonoticing　that　Hawkins　had　arrived；
gave　him　a　sidewise　glance　intended　to　call　his　close　attention　to　a
dramatic　effect　which　he　was　proposing　to　produce　by　his　next　remark。
Then　he　said；　slowly　and　impressively〃I　amYOU　KNOW　WHO。〃

To　the　astonishment　of　both　conspirators　the　remark　produced　no　dramatic
effect　at　all；　for　the　new　comer　responded　with　a　quite　innocent　and
unembarrassed　air

〃No；　pardon　me。　　I　don't　know　who　you　are。　　I　only　supposebut　no　doubt
correctlythat　you　are　the　gentleman　whose　title　is　on　the　doorplate。〃

〃Right；　quite　rightsit　down；　pray　sit　down。〃　　The　earl　was　rattled；
thrown　off　his　bearings；　his　head　was　in　a　whirl。　　Then　he　noticed
Hawkins　standing　apart　and　staring　idiotically　at　what　to　him　was　the
apparition　of　a　defunct　man；　and　a　new　idea　was　born　to　him。　　He　said　to
Tracy　briskly：

〃But　a　thousand　pardons；　dear　sir；　I　am　forgetting　courtesies　due　to　a
guest　and　stranger。　　Let　me　introduce　my　friend　General　HawkinsGeneral
Hawkins；　our　new　Senator…Senator　from　the　latest　and　grandest　addition　to
the　radiant　galaxy　of　sovereign　States；　Cherokee　Strip〃（to　himself；
〃that　name　will　shrivel　him　up！〃but　it　didn't；　in　the　least；　and　the
Colonel　resumed　the　introduction　piteously　disheartened　and　amazed）；
〃Senator　Hawkins；　Mr。　　Howard　Tracy；　ofer〃

〃England。〃

〃England！Why　that's　im〃

〃England；　yes；　native　of　England。〃

〃Recently　from　there？〃

〃Yes；　quite　recently。〃

Said　the　Colonel　to　himself；　〃This　phantom　lies　like　an　expert。
Purifying　this　kind　by　fire　don't　work。　　I'll　sound　him　a　little　further；
give　him　another　chance　or　two　to　work　his　gift。〃　　Then　aloudwith　deep
irony

〃Visiting　our　great　country　for　recreation　and　amusement；　no　doubt。
I　suppose　you　find　that　traveling　in　the　majestic　expanses　of　our　Far
West　is〃

〃I　haven't　been　West；　and　haven't　been　devoting　myself　to　amusement　with
any　sort　of　exclusiveness；　I　assure　you。　　In　fact；　to　merely　live；　an
artist　has　got　to　work；　not　play。〃

〃Artist！〃　said　Hawkins　to　himself；　thinking　of　the　rifled　bank；　〃that　is
a　name　for　it！〃

〃Are　you　an　artist？〃　asked　the　colonel；　and　added　to　himself；　〃now　I'm
going　to　catch　him。〃

〃In　a　humble　way；　yes。〃

〃What　line？〃　pursued　the　sly　veteran。

〃Oils。〃

〃I've　got　him！〃　said　Sellers　to　himself。　　Then　aloud；　〃This　is　fortunate。
Could　I　engage　you　to　restore　some　of　my　paintings　that　need　that
attention？〃

〃I　shall　be　very　glad。　　Pray　let　me　see　them。〃

No　shuffling；　no　evasion；　no　embarrassment；　even　under　this　crucial　test。
The　Colonel　was　nonplussed。　　He　led　Tracy　to　a　chromo　which　had　suffered
damage　in　a　former　owner's　hands　through　being　used　as　a　lamp　mat；　and
said；　with　a　flourish　of　his　hand　toward　the　picture

〃This　del　Sarto〃

〃Is　that　a　del　Sarto？〃

The　colonel　bent　a　look　of　reproach　upon　Tracy；　allowed　it　to　sink　home；
then　resumed　as　if　there　had　been　no　interruption

〃This　del　Sarto　is　perhaps　the　only　original　of　that　sublime　master　in
our　country。　　You　see；　yourself；　that　the　work　is　of　such　exceeding
delicacy　that　the　riskcoulderwould　you　mind　giving　me　a　little
example　of　what　you　can　do　before　we〃

〃Cheerfully；　cheerfully。　　I　will　copy　one　of　these　marvels。〃

Water…color　materialsrelics　of　Miss　Sally's　college　lifewere　brought。
Tracy　said　he　was　better　in　oils；　but　would　take　a　chance　with　these。
So　he　was　left　alone。　　He　began　his　work；　but　the　attractions　of　the
place　were　too　strong　for　him；　and　he　got　up　and　went　drifting　about；
fascinated；　also　amazed。




CHAPTER　XIX。

Meantime　the　earl　and　Hawkins　were　holding　a　troubled　and　anxious　private
consultation。　　The　earl　said：

〃The　mystery　that　bothers　me；　is；　where　did　It　get　its　other　arm？〃

〃Yesit　worries　me；　too。　　And　another　thing　troubles　methe　apparition
is　English。　　How　do　you　account　for　that；　Colonel？〃

〃Honestly；　I　don't　know；　Hawkins；　I　don't　really　know。　　It　is　very
confusing　and　awful。〃

〃Don't　you　think　maybe　we've　waked　up　the　wrong　one？〃

〃The　wrong　one？　　How　do　you　account　for　the　clothes？〃

〃The　clothes　are　right；　there's　no　getting　around　it。　　What　are　we　going
to　do？　　We　can't　collect；　as　I　see。　　The　reward　is　for　a　one…armed
American。　　This　is　a　two…armed　Englishman。〃

〃Well；　it　may　be　that　that　is　not　objectionable。　　You　see　it　isn't　less
than　is　called　for；　it　is　more；　and　so；〃

But　he　saw　that　this　argument　was　weak；　and　dropped　it。　　The　friends　sat
brooding　over　their　perplexities　some　time　in　silence。　　Finally　the
earl's　face　began　to　glow　with　an　inspiration；　and　he　said；　impressively：

〃Hawkins；　this　materialization　is　a　grander　and　nobler　science　than　we
have　dreamed　of。　　We　have　little　imagined　what　a　solemn　and　stupendous
thing　we　have　done。　　The　whole　secret　is　perfectly　clear　to　me；　now；
clear　as　day。　　Every　man　is　made　up　of　heredities；　long…descended　atoms
and　particles　of　his　ancestors。　　This　present　materialization　is
incomplete。　　We　have　only　brought　it　down　to　perhaps　the　beginning　of
this　century。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Colonel！〃　cried　Hawkins；　filled　with　vague　alarms　by
the　old　man's　awe…compelling　words　and　manner。

〃This。　　We've　materialized　this　burglar's　ancestor！〃

〃Oh；　don't…don't　say　that。　　It's　hideous。〃

〃But　it's　true；　Hawkins；　I　know　it。　　Look　at　the　facts。　　This　apparition
is　distinctly　English…note　that。　　It　uses　good　grammarnote　that。　　It　is
an　Artistnote　that。　　It　has　the　manners　and　carriage　of　a　gentleman
note　that。　　Where's　your　cow…boy？　　Answer　me　that。〃

〃Rossmore；　this　is　dreadful…it's　too　dreadful　to　think　of！〃

〃Never　resurrected　a　rag　of　that　burglar　but　the　clothes；　not　a　solitary
rag　of　him　but　the　clothes。〃

〃Colonel；　do　you　really　mean〃

The　Colonel　brought　his　fist　down　with　emphasis　and　said：

〃I　mean　exactly　this。　　The　materialization　was　immature；　the　burglar　has
evaded　us；　this　is　nothing　but　a　damned　ancestor！〃

He　rose　and　walked　the　floor　in　great　excitement。

Hawkins　said　plaintively：

〃It's　a　bitter　disappointment…bitter。〃

〃I　know　it。　　I　know　it；　Senator；　I　feel　it　as　deeply　as　anybody　could。
But　we've　got　to　submiton　moral　grounds。　　I　need　money；　but　God　knows
I　am　not　poor　enough　or　shabby　enough　to　be　an　accessory　to　the　punishing
of　a　man's　ancestor　for　crimes　committed　by　that　ancestor's　posterity。〃

〃But　Colonel！〃　implored　Hawkins；　〃stop　and　think；　don't　be　rash；　you　know
it's　the　only　chance　we've　got　to　get　the　money；　and　besides；　the　Bible
itself　says　posterity　to　the　fourth　generation　shall　be　punished　for　the
sins　and　crimes　committed　by　ancestors　four　generations　back　that　hadn't
anything　to　do　with　them；　and　so　it's　only　fair　to　turn　the　rule　around
and　make　it　work　both　ways。〃

The　Colonel　was　struck　with　the　strong　logic　of　this　position。　　He　strode
up　and　down；　and　thought　it　painfully　over。　　Finally　he　said：

〃There's　reason　in　it；　yes；　there's　reason　in　it。　　And　so；　although　it
seems　a　piteous　thing　to　sweat　this　poor　ancient　devil　for　a　burglary　he
hadn't　the　least　hand　in；　still　if　duty　commands　I　suppose　we　must　give
him　up　to　the　authorities。〃

〃I　would；〃　said　Hawkins；　cheered　and　relieved；　〃I'd　give　him　up　if　he　was
a　thousand　ancestors　compacted　into　one。〃

〃Lord　bless　me；　that's　just　what　he　is；〃　said　Sellers；　with　something
like　a　groan；　〃it's　exactly　what　he　is；　there's　a　contribution　in　him
from　every　ancestor　he　ever　had。　　In　him　there's　atoms　of　priests；
soldiers；　crusaders；　poets；　and　sweet　and　gracious　womenall　kinds　and
conditions　of　folk　who　trod　this　earth　in　old；　old　centuries；　and
vanished　out　of　it　ages　ago；　and　now　by　act　of　ours　they　are　summoned
from　the