roads of destiny-第17节

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pitol。　With　a　wild　yell；　the　gang　endorsed　his　now　evident　intention　of　riding　into　it。　Hooray　for　San　Saba！

Up　the　six　broad；　limestone　steps　clattered　the　broncos　of　the　cowpunchers。　Into　the　resounding　hallway　they　pattered；　scattering　in　dismay　those　passing　on　foot。　Lonny；　in　the　lead；　shoved　Hot　Tamales　direct　for　the　great　picture。　At　that　hour　a　downpouring；　soft　light　from　the　second…story　windows　bathed　the　big　canvas。　Against　the　darker　background　of　the　hall　the　painting　stood　out　with　valuable　effect。　In　spite　of　the　defects　of　the　art　you　could　almost　fancy　that　you　gazed　out　upon　a　landscape。　You　might　well　flinch　a　step　from　the　convincing　figure　of　the　life…size　steer　stampeding　across　the　grass。　Perhaps　it　seemed　thus　to　Hot　Tamales。　The　scene　was　in　his　line。　Perhaps　he　only　obeyed　the　will　of　his　rider。　His　ears　pricked　up；　he　snorted。　Lonny　leaned　forward　in　the　saddle　and　elevated　his　elbows；　wing…like。　Thus　signals　the　cowpuncher　to　his　steed　to　launch　himself　full　speed　ahead。　Did　Hot　Tamales　fancy　he　saw　a　steer；　red　and　cavorting；　that　should　be　headed　off　and　driven　back　to　the　herd？　There　was　a　fierce　clatter　of　hoofs；　a　rush；　a　gathering　of　steely　flank　muscles；　a　leap　to　the　jerk　of　the　bridle　rein；　and　Hot　Tamales；　with　Lonny　bending　low　in　the　saddle　to　dodge　the　top　of　the　frame；　ripped　through　the　great　canvas　like　a　shell　from　a　mortar；　leaving　the　cloth　hanging　in　ragged　sheds　about　a　monstrous　hole。

Quickly　Lonny　pulled　up　his　pony；　and　rounded　the　pillars。　Spectators　came　running；　too　astounded　to　add　speech　to　the　commotion。　The　sergeant…at…arms　of　the　House　came　forth；　frowned；　looked　ominous；　and　then　grinned。　Many　of　the　legislators　crowded　out　to　observe　the　tumult。　Lonny's　cowpunchers　were　stricken　to　silent　horror　by　his　mad　deed。

Senator　Kinney　happened　to　be　among　the　earliest　to　emerge。　Before　he　could　speak　Lonny　leaned　in　his　saddle　as　Hot　Tamales　pranced；　pointed　his　quirt　at　the　Senator；　and　said；　calmly：

〃That　was　a　fine　speech　you　made　to…day；　mister；　but　you　might　as　well　let　up　on　that　'propriation　business。　I　ain't　askin'　the　state　to　give　me　nothin'。　I　thought　I　had　a　picture　to　sell　to　it；　but　it　wasn't　one。　You　said　a　heap　of　things　about　Grandfather　Briscoe　that　makes　me　kind　of　proud　I'm　his　grandson。　Well；　the　Briscoes　ain't　takin'　presents　from　the　state　yet。　Anybody　can　have　the　frame　that　wants　it。　Hit　her　up；　boys。〃

Away　scuttled　the　San　Saba　delegation　out　of　the　hall；　down　the　steps；　along　the　dusty　street。

Halfway　to　the　San　Saba　country　they　camped　that　night。　At　bedtime　Lonny　stole　away　from　the　campfire　and　sought　Hot　Tamales；　placidly　eating　grass　at　the　end　of　his　stake　rope。　Lonny　hung　upon　his　neck；　and　his　art　aspirations　went　forth　forever　in　one　long；　regretful　sigh。　But　as　he　thus　made　renunciation　his　breath　formed　a　word　or　two。

〃You　was　the　only　one；　Tamales；　what　seen　anything　in　it。　It　/did/　look　like　a　steer；　didn't　it；　old　hoss？〃



VII

PHOEBE

〃You　are　a　man　of　many　novel　adventures　and　varied　enterprises；〃　I　said　to　Captain　Patricio　Malone。　〃Do　you　believe　that　the　possible　element　of　good　luck　or　bad　luckif　there　is　such　a　thing　as　luck　has　influenced　your　career　or　persisted　for　or　against　you　to　such　an　extent　that　you　were　forced　to　attribute　results　to　the　operation　of　the　aforesaid　good　luck　or　bad　luck？〃

This　question　（of　almost　the　dull　insolence　of　legal　phraseology）　was　put　while　we　sat　in　Rousselin's　little　red…tiled　cafe　near　Congo　Square　in　New　Orleans。

Brown…faced；　white…hatted；　finger…ringed　captains　of　adventure　came　often　to　Rousselin's　for　the　cognac。　They　came　from　sea　and　land；　and　were　chary　of　relating　the　things　they　had　seennot　because　they　were　more　wonderful　than　the　fantasies　of　the　Ananiases　of　print；　but　because　they　were　so　different。　And　I　was　a　perpetual　wedding…guest；　always　striving　to　cast　my　buttonhole　over　the　finger　of　one　of　these　mariners　of　fortune。　This　Captain　Malone　was　a　Hiberno…Iberian　creole　who　had　gone　to　and　fro　in　the　earth　and　walked　up　and　down　in　it。　He　looked　like　any　other　well…dressed　man　of　thirty…five　whom　you　might　meet；　except　that　he　was　hopelessly　weather…tanned；　and　wore　on　his　chain　an　ancient　ivory…and…gold　Peruvian　charm　against　evil；　which　has　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　this　story。

〃My　answer　to　your　question；〃　said　the　captain；　smiling；　〃will　be　to　tell　you　the　story　of　Bad…Luck　Kearny。　That　is；　if　you　don't　mind　hearing　it。〃

My　reply　was　to　pound　on　the　table　for　Rousselin。

*　*　*　*　*

〃Strolling　along　Tchoupitoulas　Street　one　night；〃　began　Captain　Malone；　〃I　noticed；　without　especially　taxing　my　interest；　a　small　man　walking　rapidly　toward　me。　He　stepped　upon　a　wooden　cellar　door；　crashed　through　it；　and　disappeared。　I　rescued　him　from　a　heap　of　soft　coal　below。　He　dusted　himself　briskly；　swearing　fluently　in　a　mechanical　tone；　as　an　underpaid　actor　recites　the　gypsy's　curse。　Gratitude　and　the　dust　in　his　throat　seemed　to　call　for　fluids　to　clear　them　away。　His　desire　for　liquidation　was　expressed　so　heartily　that　I　went　with　him　to　a　cafe　down　the　street　where　we　had　some　vile　vermouth　and　bitters。

〃Looking　across　that　little　table　I　had　my　first　clear　sight　of　Francis　Kearny。　He　was　about　five　feet　seven；　but　as　tough　as　a　cypress　knee。　His　hair　was　darkest　red；　his　mouth　such　a　mere　slit　that　you　wondered　how　the　flood　of　his　words　came　rushing　from　it。　His　eyes　were　the　brightest　and　lightest　blue　and　the　hopefulest　that　I　ever　saw。　He　gave　the　double　impression　that　he　was　at　bay　and　that　you　had　better　not　crowd　him　further。

〃'Just　in　from　a　gold…hunting　expedition　on　the　coast　of　Costa　Rica；'　he　explained。　'Second　mate　of　a　banana　steamer　told　me　the　natives　were　panning　out　enough　from　the　beach　sands　to　buy　all　the　rum；　red　calico；　and　parlour　melodeons　in　the　world。　The　day　I　got　there　a　syndicate　named　Incorporated　Jones　gets　a　government　concession　to　all　minerals　from　a　given　point。　For　a　next　choice　I　take　coast　fever　and　count　green　and　blue　lizards　for　six　weeks　in　a　grass　hut。　I　had　to　be　notified　when　I　was　well；　for　the　reptiles　were　actually　there。　Then　I　shipped　back　as　third　cook　on　a　Norwegian　tramp　that　blew　up　her　boiler　two　miles　below　Quarantine。　I　was　due　to　bust　through　that　cellar　door　here　to…night；　so　I　hurried　the　rest　of　the　way　up　the　river；　roustabouting　on　a　lower　coast　packet　that　made　up　a　landing　for　every　fisherman　that　wanted　a　plug　of　tobacco。　And　now　I'm　here　for　what　comes　next。　And　it'll　be　along；　it'll　be　along；'　said　this　queer　Mr。　Kearny；　'it'll　be　along　on　the　beams　of　my　bright　but　not　very　particular　star。'

〃From　the　first　the　personality　of　Kearny　charmed　me。　I　saw　in　him　the　bold　heart；　the　restless　nature；　and　the　valiant　front　against　the　buffets　of　fate　that　make　his　countrymen　such　valuable　comrades　in　risk　and　adventure。　And　just　then　I　was　wanting　such　men。　Moored　at　a　fruit　company's　pier　I　had　a　500…ton　steamer　ready　to　sail　the　next　day　with　a　cargo　of　sugar；　lumber；　and　corrugated　iron　for　a　port　inwell；　let　us　call　the　country　Esperandoit　has　not　been　long　ago；　and　the　name　of　Patricio　Malone　is　still　spoken　there　when　its　unsettled　politics　are　discussed。　Beneath　the　sugar　and　iron　were　packed　a　thousand　Winchester　rifles。　In　Aguas　Frias；　the　capital；　Don　Rafael　Valdevia；　Minister　of　War；　Esperando's　greatest…hearted　and　most　able　patriot；　awaited　my　coming。　No　doubt　you　have　heard；　with　a　smile；　of　the　insignificant　wars　and　uprisings　in　those　little　tropic　republics。　They　make　but　a　faint　clamour　against　the　din　of　great　nations'　battles；　but　down　there；　under　all　the　ridiculous　uniforms　and　petty　diplomacy　and　senseless　countermarching　and　intrigue；　are　to　be　found　statesmen　and　patriots。　Don　Rafael　Valdevia　was　one。　His　great　ambition　was　to　raise　Esperando　into　peace　and　honest　prosperity　and　the　respect　of　the　serious　nations。　So　he　waited　for　my　rifles　in　Aguas　Frias。　But　one　would　think　I　am　trying　to　win　a　recruit　in　you！　No；　it　was　Francis　Kearny　I　wanted。　And　so　I　told　him；　speaking　long　over　our　execrable　vermouth；　breathing　the　stifling　odour　from　garlic　and　tarpaulins；　which；　as　you　know；　is　the　distinctive　flavour　of　cafes　in　the　lower　slant　of　our　city。　I　spoke　of　the　tyrant　President　Cruz　and　the　burdens　that　his　green　and　insolent　cruelty　laid　upon　the　people。　And　at　that　Kearny's　tears　flowed。　And　then　I　dried　them　with　a　picture　of　the　fat　rewards　that　would　be　ours　when　the　oppressor　should　be　overthrown　and　the　wise　and　generous　Valdevia　in　his　seat。　Then　Kearny　leaped　to　his　feet　and　wrung　my　hand　with　the　strength　of　a　roustabout。　He　was　mine；　he　said；　till　the　last　minion　of　the　hated　despot　was　hurled　from　the　highest　peaks　of　the　Cordilleras　into　the　sea。

〃I　paid　the　score；　and　we　went　out。　Near　the　door　Kearny's　elbow　overturned　an　upright　glass　showcase；　smashing　it　into　little　bits。　I　paid　the　storekeeper　the　price　he　asked。

〃'Come　to　my　hotel　for　the　night；'　I　said　to　Kearny。　'We　sail　to…morrow　at　noon。'

〃He　agreed；　but　on　the　sidewalk　he　fell　to　cursing　again　in　the　dull　monotonous　way　that　he　had　done　when　I　pulled　him　out　of　the　coal　cellar。

〃'Captain；'　said　he；　'before　we　go　any　further；　it's　no　more　than　fair　to　tel