roads of destiny-第18节

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of　the　coal　cellar。

〃'Captain；'　said　he；　'before　we　go　any　further；　it's　no　more　than　fair　to　tell　you　that　I'm　known　from　Baffin's　Bay　to　Terra　del　Fuego　as　〃Bad…Luck〃　Kearny。　And　I'm　It。　Everything　I　get　into　goes　up　in　the　air　except　a　balloon。　Every　bet　I　ever　made　I　lost　except　when　I　coppered　it。　Every　boat　I　ever　sailed　on　sank　except　the　submarines。　Everything　I　was　ever　interested　in　went　to　pieces　except　a　patent　bombshell　that　I　invented。　Everything　I　ever　took　hold　of　and　tried　to　run　I　ran　into　the　ground　except　when　I　tried　to　plough。　And　that's　why　they　call　me　Bad…Luck　Kearny。　I　thought　I'd　tell　you。'

〃'Bad　luck；'　said　I；　'or　what　goes　by　that　name；　may　now　and　then　tangle　the　affairs　of　any　man。　But　if　it　persists　beyond　the　estimate　of　what　we　may　call　the　〃averages〃　there　must　be　a　cause　for　it。'

〃'There　is；'　said　Kearny　emphatically；　'and　when　we　walk　another　square　I　will　show　it　to　you。'

〃Surprised；　I　kept　by　his　side　until　we　came　to　Canal　Street　and　out　into　the　middle　of　its　great　width。

〃Kearny　seized　me　by　an　arm　and　pointed　a　tragic　forefinger　at　a　rather　brilliant　star　that　shone　steadily　about　thirty　degrees　above　the　horizon。

〃'That's　Saturn；'　said　he；　'the　star　that　presides　over　bad　luck　and　evil　and　disappointment　and　nothing　doing　and　trouble。　I　was　born　under　that　star。　Every　move　I　make；　up　bobs　Saturn　and　blocks　it。　He's　the　hoodoo　planet　of　the　heavens。　They　say　he's　73；000　miles　in　diameter　and　no　solider　of　body　than　split…pea　soup；　and　he's　got　as　many　disreputable　and　malignant　rings　as　Chicago。　Now；　what　kind　of　a　star　is　that　to　be　born　under？'

〃I　asked　Kearny　where　he　had　obtained　all　this　astonishing　knowledge。

〃'From　Azrath；　the　great　astrologer　of　Cleveland；　Ohio；'　said　he。　'That　man　looked　at　a　glass　ball　and　told　me　my　name　before　I'd　taken　a　chair。　He　prophesied　the　date　of　my　birth　and　death　before　I'd　said　a　word。　And　then　he　cast　my　horoscope；　and　the　sidereal　system　socked　me　in　the　solar　plexus。　It　was　bad　luck　for　Francis　Kearny　from　A　to　Izard　and　for　his　friends　that　were　implicated　with　him。　For　that　I　gave　up　ten　dollars。　This　Azrath　was　sorry；　but　he　respected　his　profession　too　much　to　read　the　heavens　wrong　for　any　man。　It　was　night　time；　and　he　took　me　out　on　a　balcony　and　gave　me　a　free　view　of　the　sky。　And　he　showed　me　which　Saturn　was；　and　how　to　find　it　in　different　balconies　and　longitudes。

〃'But　Saturn　wasn't　all。　He　was　only　the　man　higher　up。　He　furnishes　so　much　bad　luck　that　they　allow　him　a　gang　of　deputy　sparklers　to　help　hand　it　out。　They're　circulating　and　revolving　and　hanging　around　the　main　supply　all　the　time；　each　one　throwing　the　hoodoo　on　his　own　particular　district。

〃'You　see　that　ugly　little　red　star　about　eight　inches　above　and　to　the　right　of　Saturn？'　Kearny　asked　me。　'Well；　that's　her。　That's　Phoebe。　She's　got　me　in　charge。　〃By　the　day　of　your　birth；〃　says　Azrath　to　me；　〃your　life　is　subjected　to　the　influence　of　Saturn。　By　the　hour　and　minute　of　it　you　must　dwell　under　the　sway　and　direct　authority　of　Phoebe；　the　ninth　satellite。〃　So　said　this　Azrath。'　Kearny　shook　his　fist　violently　skyward。　'Curse　her；　she's　done　her　work　well；'　said　he。　'Ever　since　I　was　astrologized；　bad　luck　has　followed　me　like　my　shadow；　as　I　told　you。　And　for　many　years　before。　Now；　Captain；　I've　told　you　my　handicap　as　a　man　should。　If　you're　afraid　this　evil　star　of　mine　might　cripple　your　scheme；　leave　me　out　of　it。'

〃I　reassured　Kearny　as　well　as　I　could。　I　told　him　that　for　the　time　we　would　banish　both　astrology　and　astronomy　from　our　heads。　The　manifest　valour　and　enthusiasm　of　the　man　drew　me。　'Let　us　see　what　a　little　courage　and　diligence　will　do　against　bad　luck；'　I　said。　'We　will　sail　to…morrow　for　Esperando。'

〃Fifty　miles　down　the　Mississippi　our　steamer　broke　her　rudder。　We　sent　for　a　tug　to　tow　us　back　and　lost　three　days。　When　we　struck　the　blue　waters　of　the　Gulf；　all　the　storm　clouds　of　the　Atlantic　seemed　to　have　concentrated　above　us。　We　thought　surely　to　sweeten　those　leaping　waves　with　our　sugar；　and　to　stack　our　arms　and　lumber　on　the　floor　of　the　Mexican　Gulf。

〃Kearny　did　not　seek　to　cast　off　one　iota　of　the　burden　of　our　danger　from　the　shoulders　of　his　fatal　horoscope。　He　weathered　every　storm　on　deck；　smoking　a　black　pipe；　to　keep　which　alight　rain　and　sea…water　seemed　but　as　oil。　And　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　black　clouds　behind　which　his　baleful　star　winked　its　unseen　eye。　When　the　skies　cleared　one　evening；　he　reviled　his　malignant　guardian　with　grim　humour。

〃'On　watch；　aren't　you；　you　red…headed　vixen？　Out　making　it　hot　for　little　Francis　Kearny　and　his　friends；　according　to　Hoyle。　Twinkle；　twinkle；　little　devil！　You're　a　lady；　aren't　you？dogging　a　man　with　your　bad　luck　just　because　he　happened　to　be　born　while　your　boss　was　floorwalker。　Get　busy　and　sink　the　ship；　you　one…eyed　banshee。　Phoebe！　H'm！　Sounds　as　mild　as　a　milkmaid。　You　can't　judge　a　woman　by　her　name。　Why　couldn't　I　have　had　a　man　star？　I　can't　make　the　remarks　to　Phoebe　that　I　could　to　a　man。　Oh；　Phoebe；　you　beblasted！'

〃For　eight　days　gales　and　squalls　and　waterspouts　beat　us　from　our　course。　Five　days　only　should　have　landed　us　in　Esperando。　Our　Jonah　swallowed　the　bad　credit　of　it　with　appealing　frankness；　but　that　scarcely　lessened　the　hardships　our　cause　was　made　to　suffer。

〃At　last　one　afternoon　we　steamed　into　the　calm　estuary　of　the　little　Rio　Escondido。　Three　miles　up　this　we　crept；　feeling　for　the　shallow　channel　between　the　low　banks　that　were　crowded　to　the　edge　with　gigantic　trees　and　riotous　vegetation。　Then　our　whistle　gave　a　little　toot；　and　in　five　minutes　we　heard　a　shout；　and　Carlosmy　brave　Carlos　Quintanacrashed　through　the　tangled　vines　waving　his　cap　madly　for　joy。

〃A　hundred　yards　away　was　his　camp；　where　three　hundred　chosen　patriots　of　Esperando　were　awaiting　our　coming。　For　a　month　Carlos　had　been　drilling　them　there　in　the　tactics　of　war；　and　filling　them　with　the　spirit　of　revolution　and　liberty。

〃'My　Captain/compadre　mio/！'　shouted　Carlos；　while　yet　my　boat　was　being　lowered。　'You　should　see　them　in　the　drill　by　/companies/in　the　column　wheelin　the　march　by　foursthey　are　superb！　Also　in　the　manual　of　armsbut；　alas！　performed　only　with　sticks　of　bamboo。　The　guns；　/capitan/say　that　you　have　brought　the　guns！'

〃'A　thousand　Winchesters；　Carlos；'　I　called　to　him。　'And　two　Gatlings。'

〃'/Valgame　Dios/！'　he　cried；　throwing　his　cap　in　the　air。　'We　shall　sweep　the　world！'

〃At　that　moment　Kearny　tumbled　from　the　steamer's　side　into　the　river。　He　could　not　swim；　so　the　crew　threw　him　a　rope　and　drew　him　back　aboard。　I　caught　his　eye　and　his　look　of　pathetic　but　still　bright　and　undaunted　consciousness　of　his　guilty　luck。　I　told　myself　that　although　he　might　be　a　man　to　shun；　he　was　also　one　to　be　admired。

〃I　gave　orders　to　the　sailing…master　that　the　arms；　ammunition；　and　provisions　were　to　be　landed　at　once。　That　was　easy　in　the　steamer's　boats；　except　for　the　two　Gatling　guns。　For　their　transportation　ashore　we　carried　a　stout　flatboat；　brought　for　the　purpose　in　the　steamer's　hold。

〃In　the　meantime　I　walked　with　Carlos　to　the　camp　and　made　the　soldiers　a　little　speech　in　Spanish；　which　they　received　with　enthusiasm；　and　then　I　had　some　wine　and　a　cigarette　in　Carlos's　tent。　Later　we　walked　back　to　the　river　to　see　how　the　unloading　was　being　conducted。

〃The　small　arms　and　provisions　were　already　ashore；　and　the　petty　officers　and　squads　of　men　conveying　them　to　camp。　One　Gatling　had　been　safely　landed；　the　other　was　just　being　hoisted　over　the　side　of　the　vessel　as　we　arrived。　I　noticed　Kearny　darting　about　on　board；　seeming　to　have　the　ambition　of　ten　men；　and　doing　the　work　of　five。　I　think　his　zeal　bubbled　over　when　he　saw　Carlos　and　me。　A　rope's　end　was　swinging　loose　from　some　part　of　the　tackle。　Kearny　leaped　impetuously　and　caught　it。　There　was　a　crackle　and　a　hiss　and　a　smoke　of　scorching　hemp；　and　the　Gatling　dropped　straight　as　a　plummet　through　the　bottom　of　the　flatboat　and　buried　itself　in　twenty　feet　of　water　and　five　feet　of　river　mud。

〃I　turned　my　back　on　the　scene。　I　heard　Carlos's　loud　cries　as　if　from　some　extreme　grief　too　poignant　for　words。　I　heard　the　complaining　murmur　of　the　crew　and　the　maledictions　of　Torres；　the　sailing　master　I　could　not　bear　to　look。

〃By　night　some　degree　of　order　had　been　restored　in　camp。　Military　rules　were　not　drawn　strictly；　and　the　men　were　grouped　about　the　fires　of　their　several　messes；　playing　games　of　chance；　singing　their　native　songs；　or　discussing　with　voluble　animation　the　contingencies　of　our　march　upon　the　capital。

〃To　my　tent；　which　had　been　pitched　for　me　close　to　that　of　my　chief　lieutenant；　came　Kearny；　indomitable；　smiling；　bright…eyed；　bearing　no　traces　of　the　buffets　of　his　evil　star。　Rather　was　his　aspect　that　of　a　heroic　martyr　whose　tribulations　were　so　high…sourced　and　glorious　that　he　even　took　a　splendour　and　a　prestige　from　them。

〃'Well；　Captain；'　said　he；　'I　guess　you　realize　that　Bad…Luck　Kearny　is　still　on　deck。　It　was　a　shame；　now；　about　that　gun。　She　only　needed　to　be　slewed　two　inches　to　clear　the　rail；　and　that's　why　I　grabbed　that　rope's　end。　Who'd　have　thought　that　a　sailoreven　a　Sicilian　lu