the american claimant-第9节

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always　capable；　let　the　enterprise　be　what　it　may；　successful　by　nature
don't　know　what　defeat　is；　thus；　intensely　and　practically　American　by
inhaled　nationalism；　and　at　the　same　time　intensely　and　aristocratically
European　by　inherited　nobility　of　blood。　　Just　me；　exactly：　Mulberry
Sellers　in　matter　of　finance　and　invention；　after　office　hours；　what　do
you　find？　　The　same　clothes；　yes；　but　what's　in　them？　　Rossmore　of　the
peerage。〃

The　two　friends　had　haunted　the　general　post…office　daily。　　At　last　they
had　their　reward。　　Toward　evening　the　20th　of　May；　they　got　a　letter　for
XYZ。　　It　bore　the　Washington　postmark；　the　note　itself　was　not　dated。　　It
said：

　　　　　〃Ash　barrel　back　of　lamp　post　Black　horse　Alley。　　If　you　are　playing
　　　　　square　go　and　set　on　it　to…morrow　morning　21st　10。22　not　sooner　not
　　　　　later　wait　till　I　come。〃

The　friends　cogitated　over　the　note　profoundly。　　Presently　the　earl　said：

〃Don't　you　reckon　he's　afraid　we　are　a　sheriff　with　a　requisition？〃

〃Why；　m'lord？〃

〃Because　that's　no　place　for　a　seance。　　Nothing　friendly；　nothing
sociable　about　it。　　And　at　the　same　time；　a　body　that　wanted　to　know　who
was　roosting　on　that　ash…barrel　without　exposing　himself　by　going　near
it；　or　seeming　to　be　interested　in　it；　could　just　stand　on　the　street
corner　and　take　a　glance　down　the　alley　and　satisfy　himself；　don't　you
see？〃

〃Yes；　his　idea　is　plain；　now。　　He　seems　to　be　a　man　that　can't　be　candid
and　straightforward。　　He　acts　as　if　he　thought　weshucks；　I　wish　he　had
come　out　like　a　man　and　told　us　what　hotel　he〃

〃Now　you've　struck　it！　you've　struck　it　sure；　Washington；　he　has　told
us。〃

〃Has　he？〃

〃Yes；　he　has；　but　he　didn't　mean　to。　　That　alley　is　a　lonesome　little
pocket　that　runs　along　one　side　of　the　New　Gadsby。　　That's　his　hotel。〃

〃What　makes'　you　think　that？〃

〃Why；　I　just　know　it。　　He's　got　a　room　that's　just　across　from　that　lamp
post。　　He's　going　to　sit　there　perfectly　comfortable　behind　his　shutters
at　10。22　to…morrow；　and　when　he　sees　us　sitting　on　the　ash…barrel；　he'll
say　to　himself；　'I　saw　one　of　those　fellows　on　the　train'and　then　he'll
pack　his　satchel　in　half　a　minute　and　ship　for　the　ends　of　the　earth。〃

Hawkins　turned　sick　with　disappointment：

〃Oh；　dear；　it's　all　up；　Colonelit's　exactly　what　he'll　do。〃

〃Indeed　he　won't！〃

〃Won't　he？　　Why？〃

〃Because　you　won't　be　holding　the　ash　barrel　down；　it'll　be　me。　　You'll
be　coming　in　with　an　officer　and　a　requisition　in　plain　clothesthe
officer；　I　meanthe　minute　you　see　him　arrive　and　open　up　a　talk　with
me。〃

〃Well；　what　a　head　you　have　got；　Colonel　Sellers！　　I　never　should　have
thought　of　that　in　the　world。〃

〃Neither　would　any　earl　of　Rossmore；　betwixt　William's　contribution　and
Mulberryas　earl；　but　it's　office　hours；　now；　you　see；　and　the　earl　in
me　sleeps。　　ComeI'll　show　you　his　very　room。〃

They　reached　the　neighborhood　of　the　New　Gadsby　about　nine　in　the
evening；　and　passed　down　the　alley　to　the　lamp　post。

〃There　you　are；〃　said　the　colonel；　triumphantly；　with　a　wave　of　his　hand
which　took　in　the　whole　side　of　the　hotel。　　〃There　it　iswhat　did　I　tell
you？〃

〃Well；　butwhy；　Colonel；　it's　six　stories　high。　　I　don't　quite　make　out
which　window　you〃

〃All　the　windows；　all　of　them。　　Let　him　have　his。　　choice…I'm
indifferent；　now　that　I　have　located　him。　　You　go　and　stand　on　the　corner
and　wait；　I'll　prospect　tie　hotel。〃

The　earl　drifted　here　and　there　through　the　swarming　lobby；　and　finally
took　a　waiting　position　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　elevator。　　During　an
hour　crowds　went　up　and　crowds　came　down；　and　all　complete　as　to　limbs；
but　at　last　the　watcher　got　a　glimpse　of　a　figure　that　was　satisfactory…
got　a　glimpse　of　the　back　of　it；　though　he　had　missed　his　chance　at　the
face　through　waning　alertness。　　The　glimpse　revealed　a　cowboy　hat；　and
below　it　a　plaided　sack　of　rather　loud　pattern；　and　an　empty　sleeve
pinned　up　to　the　shoulder。　　Then　the　elevator　snatched　the　vision　aloft
and　the　watcher　fled　away　in　joyful　excitement；　and　rejoined　the　fellow…
conspirator。

〃We've　got　him；　Majorgot　him　sure！　　I've　seen　himseen　him　good；　and　I
don't　care　where　or　when　that　man　approaches　me　backwards；　I'll　recognize
him　every　time。　　We're　all　right。　　Now　for　the　requisition。〃

They　got　it；　after　the　delays　usual　in　such　cases。　　By　half　past　eleven
they　were　at　home　and　happy；　and　went　to　bed　full　of　dreams　of　the
morrow's　great　promise。

Among　the　elevator　load　which　had　the　suspect　for　fellow…passenger　was　a
young　kinsman　of　Mulberry　Sellers；　but　Mulberry　was　not　aware　of　it　and
didn't　see　him。　　It　was　Viscount　Berkeley。




CHAPTER　VII。

Arrived　in　his　room　Lord　Berkeley　made　preparations　for　that　first　and
last　and　all…the…time　duty　of　the　visiting　Englishmanthe　jotting　down
in　his　diary　of　his　〃impressions〃　to　date。　　His　preparations　consisted　in
ransacking　his　〃box〃　for　a　pen。　　There　was　a　plenty　of　steel　pens　on　his
table　with　the　ink　bottle；　but　he　was　English。　　The　English　people
manufacture　steel　pens　for　nineteen…twentieths　of　the　globe；　but　they
never　use　any　themselves。　　They　use　exclusively　the　pre…historic　quill。
My　lord　not　only　found　a　quill　pen；　but　the　best　one　he　had　seen　in
several　yearsand　after　writing　diligently　for　some　time；　closed　with
the　following　entry：

　　　　　　　　　　BUT　IN　ONE　THING　I　HAVE　MADE　AN　IMMENSE　MISTAKE；　I　OUGHT　TO
　　　　　　　　　　HAVE　SHUCKED　MY　TITLE　AND　CHANGED　MY　NAME　BEFORE　I　STARTED。

He　sat　admiring　that　pen　a　while；　and　then　went　on：

〃All　attempts　to　mingle　with　the　common　people　and　became　permanently　one
of　them　are　going　to　fail；　unless　I　can　get　rid　of　it；　disappear　from　it；
and　re…appear　with　the　solid　protection　of　a　new　name。　　I　am　astonished
and　pained　to　see　how　eager　the　most　of　these　Americans　are　to　get
acquainted　with　a　lord；　and　how　diligent　they　are　in　pushing　attentions
upon　him。　　They　lack　English　servility；　it　is　truebut　they　could
acquire　it；　with　practice。　　My　quality　travels　ahead　of　me　in　the　most
mysterious　way。　　I　write　my　family　name　without　additions；　on　the
register　of　this　hotel；　and　imagine　that　I　am　going　to　pass　for　an
obscure　and　unknown　wanderer；　but　the　clerk　promptly　calls　out；　'Front！
show　his　lordship　to　four…eighty…two！'　and　before　I　can　get　to　the　lift
there　is　a　reporter　trying　to　interview　me　as　they　call　it。　　This　sort　of
thing　shall　cease　at　once。　　I　will　hunt　up　the　American　Claimant　the
first　thing　in　the　morning；　accomplish　my　mission；　then　change　my　lodging
and　vanish　from　scrutiny　under　a　fictitious　name。〃


He　left　his　diary　on　the　table；　where　it　would　be　handy　in　case　any　new
〃impressions〃　should　wake　him　up　in　the　night；　then　he　went　to　bed　and
presently　fell　asleep。　　An　hour　or　two　passed；　and　then　he　came　slowly　to
consciousness　with　a　confusion　of　mysterious　and　augmenting　sounds
hammering　at　the　gates　of　his　brain　for　admission；　the　next　moment　he　was
sharply　awake；　and　those　sounds　burst　with　the　rush　and　roar　and　boom　of
an　undammed　freshet　into　his　ears。　　Banging　and　slamming　of　shutters；
smashing　of　windows　and　the　ringing　clash　of　falling　glass；　clatter　of
flying　feet　along　the　halls；　shrieks；　supplications；　dumb　moanings　of
despair；　within；　hoarse　shouts　of　command　outside；　cracklings　and
mappings；　and　the　windy　roar　of　victorious　flames！

Bang；　bang；　bang！　　on　the　door；　and　a　cry：

〃Turn　out…the　house　is　on　fire！〃

The　cry　passed　on；　and　the　banging。　　Lord　Berkeley　sprang　out　of　bed　and
moved　with　all　possible　speed　toward　the　clothes…press　in　the　darkness
and　the　gathering　smoke；　but　fell　over　a　chair　and　lost　his　bearings。
He　groped　desperately　about　on　his　hands；　and　presently　struck　his　head
against　the　table　and　was　deeply　grateful；　for　it　gave　him　his　bearings
again；　since　it　stood　close　by　the　door。　　He　seized　his　most　precious
possession；　his　journaled　Impressions　of　America；　and　darted　from　the
room。

He　ran　down　the　deserted　hall　toward　the　red　lamp　which　he　knew　indicated
the　place　of　a　fire…escape。　　The　door　of　the　room　beside　it　was　open。
In　the　room　the　gas　was　burning　full　head；　on　a　chair　was　a　pile　of
clothing。　　He　ran　to　the　window；　could　not　get　it　up；　but　smashed　it　with
a　chair；　and　stepped　out　on　the　landing　of　the　fire…escape；　below　him　was
a　crowd　of　men；　with　a　sprinkling　of　women　and　youth；　massed　in　a　ruddy
light。　　Must　he　go　down　in　his　spectral　night　dress？　　Nothis　side　of
the　house　was　not　yet　on　fire　except　at　the　further　end；　he　would　snatch
on　those　clothes。　　Which　he　did。　　They　fitted　well　enough；　though　a
trifle　loosely；　and　they　were　just　a　shade　loud　as　to　pattern。　　Also　as
to　hatwhich　was　of　a　new　breed　to　him；　Buffalo　Bill　not　having　been　to
England　yet。　　One　side　of　the　coat　went　on；　but　the　other　side　refused；
one　of　its　sleeves　was　turned　up　and　stitched　to　the　shoulder。　　He
started　down　without　waiting　to　get　it　loose；　made　the　trip　successfully；
and　was　promptly　hustled　outside　the　limit…rope　by　the　police。

The　cowboy　hat　and　the　coat　but　half　on　made　him　too　much　of　a　centre　of
attraction　for　comfort；　although　nothing　could　be　more　profoundly
respectful；　not　to　say　deferential；　than　was　the　manner　of　the　crowd
toward　him。　　In　his　mind　he