the american claimant-第37节

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for　a　pretext；　he's　the　only　one　I've　got　in　the　world；　and　I　do　need　one
so　much。〃

As　soon　as　Sellers　was　out　again；　and　found　that　stacks　of　money　had　been
placed　in　bank　for　him　and　Hawkins　by　the　Yankee；　he　said；　〃Now　we'll
soon　see　who's　the　Claimant　and　who's　the　Authentic。　　I'll　just　go　over
there　and　warm　up　that　House　of　Lords。〃　　During　the　next　few　days　he　and
his　wife　were　so　busy　with　preparations　for　the　voyage　that　Sally　had　all
the　privacy　she　needed；　and　all　the　chance　to　cry　that　was　good　for　her。
Then　the　old　pair　left　for　New　Yorkand　England。

Sally　had　also　had　a　chance　to　do　another　thing。　　That　was；　to　make　up
her　mind　that　life　was　not　worth　living　upon　the　present　terms。　　If　she
must　give　up　her　impostor　and　die；　doubtless　she　must　submit；　but　might
she　not　lay　her　whole　case　before　some　disinterested　person；　first；　and
see　if　there　wasn't　perhaps　some　saving　way　out　of　the　matter？　　She
turned　this　idea　over　in　her　mind　a　good　deal。　　In　her　first　visit　with
Hawkins　after　her　parents　were　gone；　the　talk　fell　upon　Tracy；　and　she
was　impelled　to　set　her　case　before　the　statesman　and　take　his　counsel。
So　she　poured　out　her　heart；　and　he　listened　with　painful　solicitude。
She　concluded；　pleadingly；　with

〃Don't　tell　me　he　is　an　impostor。　　I　suppose　he　is；　but　doesn't　it　look
to　you　as　if　he　isn't？　　You　are　cool；　you　know；　and　outside；　and　so；
maybe　it　can　look　to　you　as　if　he　isn't　one；　when　it　can't　to　me。
Doesn't　it　look　to　you　as　if　he　isn't？　　Couldn't　youcan't　it　look　to
you　that　wayforfor　my　sake？〃

The　poor　man　was　troubled；　but　he　felt　obliged　to　keep　in　the
neighborhood　of　the　truth。　　He　fought　around　the　present　detail　a　little
while；　then　gave　it　up　and　said　he　couldn't　really　see　his　way　to
clearing　Tracy。

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃the　truth　is；　he's　an　impostor。〃

〃That　is；　youyou　feel　a　little　certain；　but　not　entirelyoh；　not
entirely；　Mr。　Hawkins！〃

〃It's　a　pity　to　have　to　say　itI　do　hate　to　say　it；　but　I　don't　think
anything　about　it；　I　know　he's　an　impostor。〃

〃Oh；　now；　Mr。　　Hawkins；　you　can't　go　that　far。　　A　body　can't　really　know
it；　you　know。　　It　isn't　proved　that　he's　not　what　he　says　he　is。〃

Should　he　come　out　and　make　a　clean　breast　of　the　whole　wretched
business？　　Yesat　least　the　most　of　itit　ought　to　be　done。　　So　he　set
his　teeth　and　went　at　the　matter　with　determination；　but　purposing　to
spare　the　girl　one　pain…that　of　knowing　that　Tracy　was　a　criminal。

〃Now　I　am　going　to　tell　you　a　plain　tale；　one　not　pleasant　for　me　to　tell
or　for　you　to　hear；　but　we've　got　to　stand　it。　　I　know　all　about　that
fellow；　and　I　know　he　is　no　earl's　son。〃

The　girl's　eyes　flashed；　and　she　said：

〃I　don't　care　a　snap　for　that…go　on！〃

This　was　so　wholly　unexpected　that　it　at　once　obstructed　the　narrative；
Hawkins　was　not　even　sure　that　he　had　heard　aright。　　He　said：

〃I　don't　know　that　I　quite　understand。　　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　if　he　was
all　right　and　proper　otherwise　you'd　be　indifferent　about　the　earl　part
of　the　business？〃

〃Absolutely。〃

〃You'd　be　entirely　satisfied　with　him　and　wouldn't　care　for　his　not　being
an　earl's　son；that　being　an　earl's　son　wouldn't　add　any　value　to　him？〃

〃Not　the　least　value　that　I　would　care　for。　　Why；　Mr。　　Hawkins；　I've
gotten　over　all　that　day…dreaming　about　earldoms　and　aristocracies　and
all　such　nonsense　and　am　become　just　a　plain　ordinary　nobody　and　content
with　it；　and　it　is　to　him　I　owe　my　cure。　　And　as　to　anything　being　able
to　add　a　value　to　him；　nothing　can　do　that。　　He　is　the　whole　world　to　me；
just　as　he　is；　he　comprehends　all　the　values　there　arethen　how　can　you
add　one？〃

〃She's　pretty　far　gone。〃　　He　said　that　to　himself。　　He　continued；　still
to　himself；　〃I　must　change　my　plan　again；　I　can't　seem　to　strike　one　that
will　stand　the　requirements　of　this　most　variegated　emergency　five
minutes　on　a　stretch。　　Without　making　this　fellow　a　criminal；　I　believe
I　will　invent　a　name　and　a　character　for　him　calculated　to　disenchant
her。　　If　it　fails　to　do　it；　then　I'll　know　that　the　next　rightest　thing
to　do　will　be　to　help　her　to　her　fate；　poor　thing；　not　hinder　her。〃
Then　he　said　aloud：

〃Well；　Gwendolen〃

〃I　want　to　be　called　Sally。〃

〃I'm　glad　of　it；　I　like　it　better；　myself。　　Well；　then；　I'll　tell　you
about　this　man　Snodgrass。〃

〃Snodgrass！　　Is　that　his　name？〃

〃YesSnodgrass。　　The　other's　his　nom　de　plume。〃

〃It's　hideous！〃

〃I　know　it　is；　but　we　can't　help　our　names。〃

〃And　that　is　truly　his　real　nameand　not　Howard　Tracy？〃

Hawkins　answered；　regretfully：

〃Yes；　it　seems　a　pity。〃

The　girl　sampled　the　name　musingly；　once　or　twice

〃Snodgrass。　　Snodgrass。　　No；　I　could　not　endure　that。　　I　could　not　get
used　to　it。　　No；　I　should　call　him　by　his　first　name。　　What　is　his　first
name？〃

〃Hiserhis　initials　are　S。　M。〃

〃His　initials？　　I　don't　care　anything　about　his　initials。　　I　can't　call
him　by　his　initials。　　What　do　they　stand　for？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　his　father　was　a　physician；　and　hehewell　he　was　an
idolater　of　his　profession；　and　hewell；　he　was　a　very　eccentric　man；
and〃

〃What　do　they　stand　for！　　What　are　you　shuffling　about？〃

〃They…well　they　stand　for　Spinal　Meningitis。　　His　father　being　a　phy〃

〃I　never　heard　such　an　infamous　name！　　Nobody　can　ever　call　a　person
thata　person　they　love。　　I　wouldn't　call　an　enemy　by　such　a　name。
It　sounds　like　an　epithet。〃　　After　a　moment；　she　added　with　a　kind　of
consternation；　〃Why；　it　would　be　my　name！　　Letters　would　come　with　it
on。〃

〃YesMrs。　Spinal　Meningitis　Snodgrass。〃

〃Don't　repeat　itdon't；　I　can't　bear　it。　　Was　the　father　a　lunatic？〃

〃No；　that　is　not　charged。〃

〃I　am　glad　of　that；　because　that　is　transmissible。　　What　do　you　think　was
the　matter　with　him；　then？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　really　know。　　The　family　used　to　run　a　good　deal　to
idiots；　and　so；　maybe〃

〃Oh；　there　isn't　any　maybe　about　it。　　This　one　was　an　idiot。〃

〃Well；　yeshe　could　have　been。　　He　was　suspected。〃

〃Suspected！〃　said　Sally；　with　irritation。　　〃Would　one　suspect　there　was
going　to　be　a　dark　time　if　he　saw　the　constellations　fall　out　of　the　sky？
But　that　is　enough　about　the　idiot；　I　don't　take　any　interest　in　idiots；
tell　me　about　the　son。〃

Very　well；　then；　this　one　was　the　eldest；　but　not　the　favorite。　　His
brother；　Zylobalsamum〃

〃Waitgive　me　a　chance　to　realize　that。　　It　is　perfectly　stupefying。
Zylowhat　did　you　call　it？〃

〃Zylobalsamum。〃

〃I　never　heard　such　a　name：　It　sounds　like　a　disease。　　Is　it　a　disease？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　it's　a　disease。　　It's　either　Scriptural　or〃

〃Well；　it's　not　Scriptural。〃

〃Then　it's　anatomical。　　I　knew　it　was　one　or　the　other。　　Yes；　I　remember；
now；　it　is　anatomical。　　It's　a　gangliona　nerve　centreit　is　what　is
called　the　zylobalsamum　process。〃

〃Well；　go　on；　and　if　you　come　to　any　more　of　them；　omit　the　names；　they
make　one　feel　so　uncomfortable。〃

〃Very　well；　then。　　As　I　said；　this　one　was　not　a　favorite　in　the　family；
and　so　he　was　neglected　in　every　way；　never　sent　to　school；　always
allowed　to　associate　with　the　worst　and　coarsest　characters；　and　so　of
course　he　has　grown　up　a　rude；　vulgar；　ignorant；　dissipated　ruffian；
and〃

〃He？　　It's　no　such　thing！　　You　ought　to　be　more　generous　than　to　make
such　a　statement　as　that　about　a　poor　young　stranger　whowhowhy；　he　is
the　very　opposite　of　that！　　He　is　considerate；　courteous；　obliging；
modest；　gentle；　refined；　cultivated…oh；　for　shame！　　how　can　you　say　such
things　about　him？〃

〃I　don't　blame　you；　Sallyindeed　I　haven't　a　word　of　blame　for　you　for
being　blinded　byyour　affectionblinded　to　these　minor　defects　which
are　so　manifest　to　others　who〃

〃Minor　defects？　　Do　you　call　these　minor　defects？　　What　are　murder　and
arson；　pray？〃

〃It　is　a　difficult　question　to　answer　straight　offand　of　course
estimates　of　such　things　vary　with　environment。　　With　us；　out　our　way；
they　would　not　necessarily　attract　as　much　attention　as　with　you；　yet
they　are　often　regarded　with　disapproval〃

〃Murder　and　arson　are　regarded　with　disapproval？〃

〃Oh；　frequently。〃

〃With　disapproval。　　Who　are　those　Puritans　you　are　talking　about？
But　wait…how　did　you　come　to　know　so　much　about　this　family？　　Where　did
you　get　all　this　hearsay　evidence？〃

〃Sally；　it　isn't　hearsay　evidence。　　That　is　the　serious　part　of　it。
I　knew　that　family…personally。〃

This　was　a　surprise。

〃You？　　You　actually　knew　them？〃

〃Knew　Zylo；　as　we　used　to　call　him；　and　knew　his　father；　Dr。　Snodgrass。
I　didn't　know　your　own　Snodgrass；　but　have　had　glimpses　of　him　from　time
to　time；　and　I　heard　about　him　all　the　time。　　He　was　the　common　talk；　you
see；　on　account　of　his〃

〃On　account　of　his　not　being　a　house…burner　or　an　assassin；　I　suppose。
That　would　have　made　him　commonplace。　　Where　did　you　know　these　people？〃

〃In　Cherokee　Strip。〃

〃Oh；　how　preposterous！　　There　are　not　enough　people　in　Cherokee　Strip　to
give　anybody　a　reputation；　good　or　bad。　　There　isn't　a　quorum。　　Why　the
whole　population　consists　of　a　couple　of　wagon　loads　of　horse　thieves。〃

Hawkins　answered　placidly

〃Our　friend　was　one　of　those　wagon　loads。〃

Sally's　eyes　burned　and　her　breath　came　quick　and　fast；　but　she　kept　a
fairly　good　grip　on　her　anger　and　did　not　let　it　ge