options-第27节

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Stamford　filled　the　empty　street　with　his　roaring　laughter。

〃You　too！〃　he　cried。　　〃And　all　as　quick　as　the　popping　of　a　cork。　　　Well；　she　does　seem　to　strike　agreeably　upon　the　retina。　　But　don't　　burn　your　fingers。　　All　Mojada　will　tell　you　that　Louis　Devoe　is　the　　man。

〃We　will　see　about　that；〃　said　I。　　〃And；　perhaps；　whether　he　is　a　man　　as　well　as　the　man。〃

I　lost　no　time　in　meeting　Louis　Devoe。　　That　was　easily　accomplished；　　for　the　foreign　colony　in　Mojada　numbered　scarce　a　dozen；　and　they　　gathered　daily　at　a　half…decent　hotel　kept　by　a　Turk；　where　they　　managed　to　patch　together　the　fluttering　rags　of　country　and　　civilization　that　were　left　them。　　I　sought　Devoe　before　I　did　my　　pearl　of　the　doorway；　because　I　had　learned　a　little　of　the　game　of　　war；　and　knew　better　than　to　strike　for　a　prize　before　testing　the　　strength　of　the　enemy。

A　sort　of　cold　dismay…something　akin　to　fear…filled　me　when　I　had　　estimated　him。　　I　found　a　man　so　perfectly　poised；　so　charming；　so　　deeply　learned　in　the　world's　rituals；　so　full　of　tact；　courtesy；　and　　hospitality；　so　endowed　with　grace　and　ease　and　a　kind　of　careless；　　haughty　power　that　I　almost　overstepped　the　bounds　in　probing　him；　in　　turning　him　on　the　spit　to　find　the　weak　point　that　I　so　craved　for　　him　to　have。　　But　I　left　him　whole…I　had　to　make　bitter　acknowledgment　　to　myself　that　Louis　Devoe　was　a　gentleman　worthy　of　my　best　blows；　　and　I　swore　to　give　him　them。　　He　was　a　great　merchant　of　the　country；　　a　wealthy　importer　and　exporter。　　All　day　he　sat　in　a　fastidiously　　appointed　office；　surrounded　by　works　of　art　and　evidences　of　his　high　　culture；　directing　through　glass　doors　and　windows　the　affairs　of　his　　house。

In　person　he　was　slender　and　hardly　tall。　　His　small；　well…shaped　head　　was　covered　with　thick；　brown　hair；　trimmed　short；　and　he　wore　a　　thick；　brown　beard　also　cut　close　and　to　a　fine　point。　　His　manners　　were　a　pattern。

Before　long　I　had　become　a　regular　and　a　welcome　visitor　at　the　Greene　　home。　　I　shook　my　wild　habits　from　me　like　a　worn…out　cloak。　　I　　trained　for　the　conflict　with　the　care　of　a　prize…fighter　and　the　　self…denial　of　a　Brahmin。

As　for　Chloe　Greene；　I　shall　weary　you　with　no　sonnets　to　her　eyebrow。　　　She　was　a　splendidly　feminine　girl；　as　wholesome　as　a　November　pippin；　　and　no　more　mysterious　than　a　windowpane。　　She　had　whimsical　little　　theories　that　she　had　deduced　from　life；　and　that　fitted　the　maxims　of　　Epictetus　like　princess　gowns。　　I　wonder；　after　all；　if　that　old　　duffer　wasn't　rather　wise！

Chloe　had　a　father；　the　Reverend　Homer　Greene；　and　an　intermittent　　mother；　who　sometimes　palely　presided　over　a　twilight　teapot。　　The　　Reverend　Homer　was　a　burr…like　man　with　a　life…work。　　He　was　writing　a　　concordance　to　the　Scriptures；　and　had　arrived　as　far　as　Kings。　　　Being；　presumably；　a　suitor　for　his　daughter's　hand；　I　was　timber　for　　his　literary　outpourings。　　I　had　the　family　tree　of　Israel　drilled　　into　my　head　until　I　used　to　cry　aloud　in　my　sleep：　〃And　Aminadab　　begat　Jay　Eye　See；〃　and　so　forth；　until　he　had　tackled　another　book。　　　I　once　made　a　calculation　that　the　Reverend　Homer's　concordance　would　　be　worked　up　as　far　as　the　Seven　Vials　mentioned　in　Revelations　about　　the　third　day　after　they　were　opened。

Louis　Devoe；　as　well　as　I；　was　a　visitor　and　an　intimate　friend　of　the　　Greenes。　　It　was　there　I　met　him　the　oftenest；　and　a　more　agreeable'　　man　or　a　more　accomplished　I　have　never　hated　in　my　life。

Luckily　or　unfortunately；　I　came　to　be　accepted　as　a　Boy。　　My　　appearance　was　youthful；　and　I　suppose　I　had　that　pleading　and　　homeless　air　that　always　draws　the　motherliness　that　is　in　women　and　　the　cursed　theories　and　hobbies　of　pater…familiases。

Chloe　called　me　〃Tommy；〃　and　made　sisterly　fun　of　my　attempts　to　woo　　her。　　With　Devoe　she　was　vastly　more　reserved。　　He　was　the　man　of　　romance；　one　to　stir　her　imagination　and　deepest　feelings　had　her　　fancy　leaned　toward　him。　　I　was　closer　to　her；　but　standing　in　no　　glamour；　I　had　the　task　before　me　of　winning　her　in　what　seems　to　me　　the　American　way　of　fightingwith　cleanness　and　pluck　and　everyday　　devotion　to　break　away　the　barriers　of　friendship　that　divided　us；　and　　to　take　her；　if　I　could；　between　sunrise　and　dark；　abetted　by　neither　　moonlight　nor　music　nor　foreign　wiles。

Chloe　gave　no　sign　of　bestowing　her　blithe　affections　upon　either　of　　us。　　But　one　day　she　let　out　to　me　an　inkling　of　what　she　preferred　in　　a　man。　　It　was　tremendously　interesting　to　me；　but　not　illuminating　as　　to　its　application。　　I　had　been　tormenting　her　for　the　dozenth　time　　with　the　statement　and　catalogue　of　my　sentiments　toward　her。

〃Tommy；〃　said　she；　〃I　don't　want　a　man　to　show　his　love　for　me　by　　leading　an　army　against　another　country　and　blowing　people　off　the　　earth　with　cannons。〃

〃If　you　mean　that　the　opposite　way；〃　I　answered；　〃as　they　say　women　　do；　I'll　see　what　I　can　do。　　The　papers　are　full　of　this　diplomatic　　row　in　Russia。　　My　people　know　some　big　people　in　Washington　who　are　　right　next　to　the　army　people；　and　I　could　get　an　artillery　commission　　and〃

〃I'm　not　that　way；〃　interrupted　Chloe。　　〃I　mean　what　I　say。　　It　isn't　　the　big　things　that　are　done　in　the　world；　Tommy；　that　count　with　a　　woman。　　When　the　knights　were　riding　abroad　in　their　armor　to　slay　　dragons；　many　a　stay…at…home　page　won　a　lonesome　lady's　hand　by　being　　on　the　spot　to　pick　up　her　glove　and　be　quick　with　her　cloak　when　the　　wind　blew。　　The　man　I　am　to　like　best；　whoever　he　shall　be；　must　show　　his　love　in　little　ways。　　He　must　never　forget；　after　hearing　it　once；　　that　I　do　not　like　to　have　any　one　walk　at　my　left　side；　that　I　detest　　bright…colored　neckties；　that　I　prefer　to　sit　with　my　back　to　a　light；　　that　I　like　candied　violets；　that　I　must　not　be　talked　to　when　I　am　　looking　at　the　moonlight　shining　on　water；　and　that　I　very；　very　often　　long　for　dates　stuffed　with　English　walnuts。〃

〃Frivolity；〃　I　said；　with　a　frown。　　〃Any　well…trained　servant　would　be　　equal　to　such　details。〃

〃And　he　must　remember；〃　went　on　Chloe；　to　remind　me　of　what　I　want　　when　I　do　not　know；　myself；　what　I　want。〃

〃You're　rising　in　the　scale；〃　I　said。　　〃What　you　seem　to　need　is　a　　first…class　clairvoyant。〃

〃And　if　I　say　that　I　am　dying　to　hear　a　Beethoven　sonata；　and　stamp　my　　foot　when　I　say　it；　he　must　know　by　that　that　what　my　soul　craves　is　　salted　almonds；　and　he　will　have　them　ready　in　his　pocket。〃

〃Now；〃　said　I；　〃I　am　at　a　loss。　　I　do　not　know　whether　your　soul's　　affinity　is　to　be　an　impresario　or　a　fancy　grocer。〃

Chole　turned　her　pearly　smile　upon　me。

〃Take　less　than　half　of　what　I　said　as　a　jest；〃　she　went　on。　　〃And　　don't　think　too　lightly　of　the　little　things；　Boy。　　Be　a　paladin　if　　you　must；　but　don't　let　it　show　on　you。　　Most　women　are　only　very　big　　children；　and　most　men　are　only　very　little　ones。　　Please　us；　don't　　try　to　overpower　us。　　When　we　want　a　hero　we　can　make　one　out　of　even　　a　plain　grocer　the　third　time　he　catches　our　handkerchief　before　it　　falls　to　the　ground。〃

That　evening　I　was　taken　down　with　pernicious　fever。　　That　is　a　kind　　of　coast　fever　with　improvements　and　high…geared　attachments。　　Your　　temperature　goes　up　among　the　threes　and　fours　and　remains　there；　　laughing　scornfully　and　feverishly　at　the　cinchona　trees　and　the　coal…　tar　derivatives。　　Pernicious　fever　is　a　case　for　a　simple　　mathematician　instead　of　a　doctor。　　It　is　merely　this　formula：　　　Vitality　＋　the　desire　to　livethe　duration　of　the　fever　the　result。

I　took　to　my　bed　in　the　two…roomed　thatched　hut　where　I　had　been　　comfortably　established；　and　sent　for　a　gallon　of　rum。　　That　was　not　　for　myself。　　Drunk；　Stamford　was　the　best　doctor　between　the　Andes　and　　the　Pacific。　　He　came；　sat　at　my　bedside；　and　drank　himself　into　　condition。

〃My　boy；〃　said　he；　〃my　lily…white　and　reformed　Romeo；　medicine　will　do　　you　no　good。　　But　I　will　give　you　quinine；　which；　being　bitter；　will　　arouse　in　you　hatred　and　anger…two　stimulants　that　will　add　ten　per　　cent。　　to　your　chances。　　You　are　as　strong　as　a　caribou　calf；　and　you　　will　get　well　if　the　fever　doesn't　get　in　a　knockout　blow　when　you're　　off　your　guard。〃

For　two　weeks　I　lay　on　my　back　feeling　like　a　Hindoo　widow　on　a　　burning　ghat。　　Old　Atasca；　an　untrained　Indian　nurse；　sat　near　the　　door　like　a　petrified　statue　of　What's…the…Use；　attending　to　her　　duties；　which　were；　mainly；　to　see　that　time　went　by　without　slipping　　a　cog。　　Sometimes　I　would　fancy　myself　back　in　the　Philippines；　or；　at　　worse　times；　sliding　off　the　horsehair　sofa　in　Sleepytown。

One　afternoon　I　ordered　Atasca　to　vamose；　and　got　up　and　dressed　　carefully。　　I　took　my　temperature；　which　I　was　pleased　to　find　104。　　I　　paid　almost　dainty　attention　to　my　dress；　choosing　solicitously　a　　necktie　of　a　dull　and　subdued　hue。　　The　mirror　showed　that　I　was　　looking　little　the　worse　from　my　illness。　　The　fever　gave　brightness　　to　my　eyes　and　color　to　my　face。　　And　while　I　looked　at　my　reflection　　my　color　went　and　came　again　as　I　thought　of　Chloe　Greene　and　the　　millions　of　eons　that　had　passed　since　I'd　seen　her；　and　of　Louis　　Devoe　and　the　time　he　had　gained　on　me。

I　went　straight　to　her　house。　　I　seemed　to　float　rather　than　walk；　I　　hardly　felt　the　ground　under　my　f