the american claimant-第39节

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idea　of　breaking　off　this　match　if　there　were　two　fools　of　you；　but　as
there's　only　one；　you　can　have　him　if　you'll　take　him。〃

〃Indeed　I　will；　then！　　May　I　kiss　you？〃

〃You　may。　　Thank　you。　　Now　you　shall　have　that　privilege　whenever　you　are
good。〃

Meantime　Hawkins　had　long　ago　returned　and　slipped　up　into　the
laboratory。　　He　was　rather　disconcerted　to　find　his　late　invention；
Snodgrass；　there。　　The　news　was　told　him：　that　the　English　Rossmore　was
come；

〃and　I'm　his　son；　Viscount　Berkeley；　not　Howard　Tracy　any　more。〃

Hawkins　was　aghast。　　He　said：

〃Good　gracious；　then　you're　dead！〃

〃Dead？〃

〃Yes　you　arewe've　got　your　ashes。〃

〃Hang　those　ashes；　I'm　tired　of　them；　I'll　give　them　to　my　father。〃

Slowly　and　painfully　the　statesman　worked　the　truth　into　his　head　that
this　was　really　a　flesh　and　blood　young　man；　and　not　the　insubstantial
resurrection　he　and　Sellers　had　so　long　supposed　him　to　be。　　Then　he　said
with　feeling

〃I'm　so　glad；　so　glad　on　Sally's　account；　poor　thing。　　We　took　you　for　a
departed　materialized　bank　thief　from　Tahlequah。　　This　will　be　a　heavy
blow　to　Sellers。〃　　Then　he　explained　the　whole　matter　to　Berkeley；　who
said：

〃Well；　the　Claimant　must　manage　to　stand　the　blow；　severe　as　it　is。
But　he'll　get　over　the　disappointment。〃

〃Whothe　colonel？　　He'll　get　over　it　the　minute　he　invents　a　new　miracle
to　take　its　place。　　And　he's　already　at　it　by　this　time。　　But　look　here
what　do　you　suppose　became　of　the　man　you've　been　representing　all　this
time？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　I　saved　his　clothesit　was　all　I　could　do。　　I　am　afraid
he　lost　his　life。〃

〃Well；　you　must　have　found　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　dollars　in　those
clothes；　in　money　or　certificates　of　deposit。〃

〃No；　I　found　only　five　hundred　and　a　trifle。　　I　borrowed　the　trifle　and
banked　the　five　hundred。〃

〃What'll　we　do　about　it？〃

〃Return　it　to　the　owner。〃

〃It's　easy　said；　but　not　easy　to　manage。　　Let's　leave　it　alone　till　we
get　Sellers's　advice。　　And　that　reminds　me。　　I've　got　to　run　and　meet
Sellers　and　explain　who　you　are　not　and　who　you　are；　or　he'll　come
thundering　in　here　to　stop　his　daughter　from　marrying　a　phantom。　　But
suppose　your　father　came　over　here　to　break　off　the　match？〃

〃Well；　isn't　he　down　stairs　getting　acquainted　with　Sally？　　That's　all
safe。〃

So　Hawkins　departed　to　meet　and　prepare　the　Sellerses。

Rossmore　Towers　saw　great　times　and　late　hours　during　the　succeeding
week。　　The　two　earls　were　such　opposites　in　nature　that　they　fraternized
at　once。　　Sellers　said　privately　that　Rossmore　was　the　most　extraordinary
character　he　had　ever　meta　man　just　made　out　of　the　condensed　milk　of
human　kindness；　yet　with　the　ability　to　totally　hide　the　fact　from　any
but　the　most　practised　character…reader；　a　man　whose　whole　being　was
sweetness；　patience　and　charity；　yet　with　a　cunning　so　profound；　an
ability　so　marvelous　in　the　acting　of　a　double　part；　that　many　a　person
of　considerable　intelligence　might　live　with　him　for　centuries　and　never
suspect　the　presence　in　him　of　these　characteristics。


Finally　there　was　a　quiet　wedding　at　the　Towers；　instead　of　a　big　one　at
the　British　embassy；　with　the　militia　and　the　fire　brigades　and　the
temperance　organizations　on　hand　in　torchlight　procession；　as　at　first
proposed　by　one　of　the　earls。　　The　art…firm　and　Barrow　were　present　at
the　wedding；　and　the　tinner　and　Puss　had　been　invited；　but　the　tinner　was
ill　and　Puss　was　nursing　himfor　they　were　engaged。

The　Sellerses　were　to　go　to　England　with　their　new　allies　for　a　brief
visit；　but　when　it　was　time　to　take　the　train　from　Washington；
the　colonel　was　missing。

Hawkins　was　going　as　far　as　New　York　with　the　party；　and　said　he　would
explain　the　matter　on　the　road。

The　explanation　was　in　a　letter　left　by　the　colonel　in　Hawkins's　hands。
In　it　he　promised　to　join　Mrs。　Sellers　later；　in　England；　and　then　went
on　to　say：

The　truth　is；　my　dear　Hawkins；　a　mighty　idea　has　been　born　to　me　within
the　hour；　and　I　must　not　even　stop　to　say　goodbye　to　my　dear　ones。
A　man's　highest　duty　takes　precedence　of　all　minor　ones；　and　must　be
attended　to　with　his　best　promptness　and　energy；　at　whatsoever　cost　to
his　affections　or　his　convenience。　　And　first　of　all　a　man's　duties　is
his　duty　to　his　own　honor…he　must　keep　that　spotless。　　Mine　is
threatened。　　When　I　was　feeling　sure　of　my　imminent　future　solidity；
I　forwarded　to　the　Czar　of　Russia…perhaps　prematurelyan　offer　for　the
purchase　of　Siberia；　naming　a　vast　sum。　　Since　then　an　episode　has　warned
me　that　the　method　by　which　I　was　expecting　to　acquire　this　money
materialization　upon　a　scale　of　limitless　magnitude…is　marred　by　a　taint
of　temporary　uncertainty。　　His　imperial　majesty　may　accept　my　offer　at
any　moment。　　If　this　should　occur　now；　I　should　find　myself　painfully
embarrassed；　in　fact　financially　inadequate。　　I　could　not　take　Siberia。
This　would　become　known；　and　my　credit　would　suffer。

Recently　my　private　hours　have　been　dark　indeed；　but　the　sun　shines　main；
now；　I　see　my　way；　I　shall　be　able　to　meet　my　obligation；　and　without
having　to　ask　an　extension　of　the　stipulated　time；　I　think。　　This　grand
new　idea　of　minethe　sublimest　I　have　ever　conceived；　will　save　me
whole；　I　am　sure。　　I　am　leaving　for　San　Francisco　this　moment；　to　test
it；　by　the　help　of　the　great　Lick　telescope。　　Like　all　of　my　more　notable
discoveries　and　inventions；　it　is　based　upon　hard；　practical　scientific
laws；　all　other　bases　are　unsound　and　hence　untrustworthy。　　In　brief；
then；　I　have　conceived　the　stupendous　idea　of　reorganizing　the　climates
of　the　earth　according　to　the　desire　of　the　populations　interested。
That　is　to　say；　I　will　furnish　climates　to　order；　for　cash　or　negotiable
paper；　taking　the　old　climates　in　part　payment；　of　course；　at　a　fair
discount；　where　they　are　in　condition　to　be　repaired　at　small　cost　and
let　out　for　hire　to　poor　and　remote　communities　not　able　to　afford　a　good
climate　and　not　caring　for　an　expensive　one　for　mere　display。　　My　studies
have　convinced　me　that　the　regulation　of　climates　and　the　breeding　of　new
varieties　at　will　from　the　old　stock　is　a　feasible　thing。　　Indeed　I　am
convinced　that　it　has　been　done　before；　done　in　prehistoric　times　by　now
forgotten　and　unrecorded　civilizations。　　Everywhere　I　find　hoary
evidences　of　artificial　manipulation　of　climates　in　bygone　times。　　Take
the　glacial　period。　　Was　that　produced　by　accident？　　Not　at　all；　it　was
done　for　money。　　I　have　a　thousand　proofs　of　it；　and　will　some　day　reveal
them。

I　will　confide　to　you　an　outline　of　my　idea。　　It　is　to　utilize　the　spots
on　the　sunget　control　of　them；　you　understand；　and　apply　the　stupendous
energies　which　they　wield　to　beneficent　purposes　in　the　reorganizing　of
our　climates。　　At　present　they　merely　make　trouble　and　do　harm　in　the
evoking　of　cyclones　and　other　kinds　of　electric　storms；　but　once　under
humane　and　intelligent　control　this　will　cease　and　they　will　become　a
boon　to　man。

I　have　my　plan　all　mapped　out；　whereby　I　hope　and　expect　to　acquire
complete　and　perfect　control　of　the　sun…spots；　also　details　of　the　method
whereby　I　shall　employ　the　same　commercially；　but　I　will　not　venture　to
go　into　particulars　before　the　patents　shall　have　been　issued。　　I　shall
hope　and　expect　to　sell　shop…rights　to　the　minor　countries　at　a
reasonable　figure　and　supply　a　good　business　article　of　climate　to　the
great　empires　at　special　rates；　together　with　fancy　brands　for
coronations；　battles　and　other　great　and　particular　occasions。　　There　are
billions　of　money　in　this　enterprise；　no　expensive　plant　is　required；　and
I　shall　begin　to　realize　in　a　few　days…in　a　few　weeks　at　furthest。
I　shall　stand　ready　to　pay　cash　for　Siberia　the　moment　it　is　delivered；
and　thus　save　my　honor　and　my　credit。　　I　am　confident　of　this。

I　would　like　you　to　provide　a　proper　outfit　and　start　north　as　soon　as　I
telegraph　you；　be　it　night　or　be　it　day。　　I　wish　you　to　take　up　all　the
country　stretching　away　from　the　north　pole　on　all　sides　for　many　degrees
south；　and　buy　Greenland　and　Iceland　at　the　best　figure　you　can　get　now
while　they　are　cheap。　　It　is　my　intention　to　move　one　of　the　tropics　up
there　and　transfer　the　frigid　zone　to　the　equator。　　I　will　have　the
entire　Arctic　Circle　in　the　market　as　a　summer　resort　next　year；　and　will
use　the　surplusage　of　the　old　climate；　over　and　above　what　can　be
utilized　on　the　equator；　to　reduce　the　temperature　of　opposition　resorts。
But　I　have　said　enough　to　give　you　an　idea　of　the　prodigious　nature　of　my
scheme　and　the　feasible　and　enormously　profitable　character　of　it。
I　shall　join　all　you　happy　people　in　England　as　soon　as　I　shall　have　sold
out　some　of　my　principal　climates　and　arranged　with　the　Czar　about
Siberia。

Meantime；　watch　for　a　sign　from　me。　　Eight　days　from　now；　we　shall　be
wide　asunder；　for　I　shall　be　on　the　border　of　the　Pacific；　and　you　far
out　on　the　Atlantic；　approaching　England。　　That　day；　if　I　am　alive　and　my
sublime　discovery　is　proved　and　established；　I　will　send　you　greeting；
and　my　messenger　shall　deliver　it　where　you　are；　in　the　solitudes　of　the
sea；　for　I　will　waft　a　vast　sun…spot　across　the　disk　like　drifting　smoke；
and　you　will　know　it　for　my