roads of destiny-第20节

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　of　Kearny's　ill　luck。　And　then　my　thoughts　strayed　across　the　hills　to　the　scene　of　our　coming　triumph　where　the　heroic　and　noble　Don　Rafael　awaited　our　coming　to　set　a　new　and　shining　star　in　the　firmament　of　nations。

〃I　heard　a　slight　rustling　in　the　deep　grass　to　my　right。　I　turned　and　saw　Kearny　coming　toward　me。　He　was　ragged　and　dew…drenched　and　limping。　His　hat　and　one　boot　were　gone。　About　one　foot　he　had　tied　some　makeshift　of　cloth　and　grass。　But　his　manner　as　he　approached　was　that　of　a　man　who　knows　his　own　virtues　well　enough　to　be　superior　to　rebuffs。

〃'Well；　sir；'　I　said；　staring　at　him　coldly；　'if　there　is　anything　in　persistence；　I　see　no　reason　why　you　should　not　succeed　in　wrecking　and　ruining　us　yet。'

〃'I　kept　half　a　day's　journey　behind；'　said　Kearny；　fishing　out　a　stone　from　the　covering　of　his　lame　foot；　'so　the　bad　luck　wouldn't　touch　you。　I　couldn't　help　it；　Captain；　I　wanted　to　be　in　on　this　game。　It　was　a　pretty　tough　trip；　especially　in　the　department　of　the　commissary。　In　the　low　grounds　there　were　always　bananas　and　oranges。　Higher　up　it　was　worse；　but　your　men　left　a　good　deal　of　goat　meat　hanging　on　the　bushes　in　the　camps。　Here's　your　hundred　dollars。　You're　nearly　there　now；　captain。　Let　me　in　on　the　scrapping　to…morrow。'

〃'Not　for　a　hundred　times　a　hundred　would　I　have　the　tiniest　thing　go　wrong　with　my　plans　now；'　I　said；　〃whether　caused　by　evil　planets　or　the　blunders　of　mere　man。　But　yonder　is　Aguas　Frias；　five　miles　away；　and　a　clear　road。　I　am　of　the　mind　to　defy　Saturn　and　all　his　satellites　to　spoil　our　success　now。　At　any　rate；　I　will　not　turn　away　to…night　as　weary　a　traveller　and　as　good　a　soldier　as　you　are；　Lieutenant　Kearny。　Manuel　Ortiz's　tent　is　there　by　the　brightest　fire。　Rout　him　out　and　tell　him　to　supply　you　with　food　and　blankets　and　clothes。　We　march　again　at　daybreak。'

〃Kearny　thanked　me　briefly　but　feelingly　and　moved　away。

〃He　had　gone　scarcely　a　dozen　steps　when　a　sudden　flash　of　bright　light　illumined　the　surrounding　hills；　a　sinister；　growing；　hissing　sound　like　escaping　steam　filled　my　ears。　Then　followed　a　roar　as　of　distant　thunder；　which　grew　louder　every　instant。　This　terrifying　noise　culminated　in　a　tremendous　explosion；　which　seemed　to　rock　the　hills　as　an　earthquake　would；　the　illumination　waxed　to　a　glare　so　fierce　that　I　clapped　my　hands　over　my　eyes　to　save　them。　I　thought　the　end　of　the　world　had　come。　I　could　think　of　no　natural　phenomenon　that　would　explain　it。　My　wits　were　staggering。　The　deafening　explosion　trailed　off　into　the　rumbling　roar　that　had　preceded　it；　and　through　this　I　heard　the　frightened　shouts　of　my　troops　as　they　stumbled　from　their　resting…places　and　rushed　wildly　about。　Also　I　heard　the　harsh　tones　of　Kearny's　voice　crying：　'They'll　blame　it　on　me；　of　course；　and　what　the　devil　it　is；　it's　not　Francis　Kearny　that　can　give　you　an　answer。'

〃'I　opened　my　eyes。　The　hills　were　still　there；　dark　and　solid。　It　had　not　been；　then；　a　volcano　or　an　earthquake。　I　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　saw　a　comet…like　trail　crossing　the　zenith　and　extending　westwarda　fiery　trail　waning　fainter　and　narrower　each　moment。

〃'A　meteor！'　I　called　aloud。　'A　meteor　has　fallen。　There　is　no　danger。'

〃And　then　all　other　sounds　were　drowned　by　a　great　shout　from　Kearny's　throat。　He　had　raised　both　hands　above　his　head　and　was　standing　tiptoe。

〃'PHOEBE'S　GONE！'　he　cried；　with　all　his　lungs。　'She's　busted　and　gone　to　hell。　Look；　Captain；　the　little　red…headed　hoodoo　has　blown　herself　to　smithereens。　She　found　Kearny　too　tough　to　handle；　and　she　puffed　up　with　spite　and　meanness　till　her　boiler　blew　up。　It's　be　Bad…Luck　Kearny　no　more。　Oh；　let　us　be　joyful！

　　〃'Humpty　Dumpty　sat　on　a　wall；　　　Humpty　busted；　and　that'll　be　all！'

〃I　looked　up；　wondering；　and　picked　out　Saturn　in　his　place。　But　the　small　red　twinkling　luminary　in　his　vicinity；　which　Kearny　had　pointed　out　to　me　as　his　evil　star；　had　vanished。　I　had　seen　it　there　but　half　an　hour　before；　there　was　no　doubt　that　one　of　those　awful　and　mysterious　spasms　of　nature　had　hurled　it　from　the　heavens。

〃I　clapped　Kearny　on　the　shoulder。

〃'Little　man；'　said　I；　'let　this　clear　the　way　for　you。　It　appears　that　astrology　has　failed　to　subdue　you。　Your　horoscope　must　be　cast　anew　with　pluck　and　loyalty　for　controlling　stars。　I　play　you　to　win。　Now；　get　to　your　tent；　and　sleep。　Daybreak　is　the　word。'

〃At　nine　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　eighteenth　of　July　I　rode　into　Aguas　Frias　with　Kearny　at　my　side。　In　his　clean　linen　suit　and　with　his　military　poise　and　keen　eye　he　was　a　model　of　a　fighting　adventurer。　I　had　visions　of　him　riding　as　commander　of　President　Valdevia's　body…guard　when　the　plums　of　the　new　republic　should　begin　to　fall。

〃Carlos　followed　with　the　troops　and　supplies。　He　was　to　halt　in　a　wood　outside　the　town　and　remain　concealed　there　until　he　received　the　word　to　advance。

〃Kearny　and　I　rode　down　the　Calle　Ancha　toward　the　/residencia/　of　Don　Rafael　at　the　other　side　of　the　town。　As　we　passed　the　superb　white　buildings　of　the　University　of　Esperando；　I　saw　at　an　open　window　the　gleaming　spectacles　and　bald　head　of　Herr　Bergowitz；　professor　of　the　natural　sciences　and　friend　of　Don　Rafael　and　of　me　and　of　the　cause。　He　waved　his　hand　to　me；　with　his　broad；　bland　smile。

〃There　was　no　excitement　apparent　in　Aguas　Frias。　The　people　went　about　leisurely　as　at　all　times；　the　market　was　thronged　with　bare…　headed　women　buying　fruit　and　/carne/；　we　heard　the　twang　and　tinkle　of　string　bands　in　the　patios　of　the　/cantinas/。　We　could　see　that　it　was　a　waiting　game　that　Don　Rafael　was　playing。

〃His　/residencia/　as　a　large　but　low　building　around　a　great　courtyard　in　grounds　crowed　with　ornamental　trees　and　tropic　shrubs。　At　his　door　an　old　woman　who　came　informed　us　that　Don　Rafael　had　not　yet　arisen。

〃'Tell　him；'　said　I；　'that　Captain　Malone　and　a　friend　wish　to　see　him　at　once。　Perhaps　he　has　overslept。'

〃She　came　back　looking　frightened。

〃'I　have　called；'　she　said；　'and　rung　his　bell　many　times；　but　he　does　not　answer。'

〃I　knew　where　his　sleeping…room　was。　Kearny　and　I　pushed　by　her　and　went　to　it。　I　put　my　shoulder　against　the　thin　door　and　forced　it　open。

〃In　an　armchair　by　a　great　table　covered　with　maps　and　books　sat　Don　Rafael　with　his　eyes　closed。　I　touched　his　hand。　He　had　been　dead　many　hours。　On　his　head　above　one　ear　was　a　wound　caused　by　a　heavy　blow。　It　had　ceased　to　bleed　long　before。

〃I　made　the　old　woman　call　a　/mozo/；　and　dispatched　him　in　haste　to　fetch　Herr　Bergowitz。

〃He　came；　and　we　stood　about　as　if　we　were　half　stunned　by　the　awful　shock。　Thus　can　the　letting　of　a　few　drops　of　blood　from　one　man's　veins　drain　the　life　of　a　nation。

〃Presently　Herr　Bergowitz　stooped　and　picked　up　a　darkish　stone　the　size　of　an　orange　which　he　saw　under　the　table。　He　examined　it　closely　through　his　great　glasses　with　the　eye　of　science。

〃'A　fragment；'　said　he；　'of　a　detonating　meteor。　The　most　remarkable　one　in　twenty　years　exploded　above　this　city　a　little　after　midnight　this　morning。'

〃The　professor　looked　quickly　up　at　the　ceiling。　We　saw　the　blue　sky　through　a　hole　the　size　of　an　orange　nearly　above　Don　Rafael's　chair。

〃I　heard　a　familiar　sound；　and　turned。　Kearny　had　thrown　himself　on　the　floor　and　was　babbling　his　compendium　of　bitter；　blood…freezing　curses　against　the　star　of　his　evil　luck。

〃Undoubtedly　Phoebe　had　been　feminine。　Even　when　hurtling　on　her　way　to　fiery　dissolution　and　everlasting　doom；　the　last　word　had　been　hers。〃

*　*　*　*　*

Captain　Malone　was　not　unskilled　in　narrative。　He　knew　the　point　where　a　story　should　end。　I　sat　reveling　in　his　effective　conclusion　when　he　aroused　me　by　continuing：

〃Of　course；〃　said　he；　〃our　schemes　were　at　an　end。　There　was　no　one　to　take　Don　Rafael's　place。　Our　little　army　melted　away　like　dew　before　the　sun。

〃One　day　after　I　had　returned　to　New　Orleans　I　related　this　story　to　a　friend　who　holds　a　professorship　in　Tulane　University。

〃When　I　had　finished　he　laughed　and　asked　whether　I　had　any　knowledge　of　Kearny's　luck　afterward。　I　told　him　no；　that　I　had　seen　him　no　more；　but　that　when　he　left　me；　he　had　expressed　confidence　that　his　future　would　be　successful　now　that　his　unlucky　star　had　been　overthrown。

〃'No　doubt；'　said　the　professor；　'he　is　happier　not　to　know　one　fact。　If　he　derives　his　bad　luck　from　Phoebe；　the　ninth　satellite　of　Saturn；　that　malicious　lady　is　still　engaged　in　overlooking　his　career。　The　star　close　to　Saturn　that　he　imagined　to　be　her　was　near　that　planet　simply　by　the　chance　of　its　orbitprobably　at　different　times　he　has　regarded　many　other　stars　that　happened　to　be　in　Saturn's　neighbourhood　as　his　evil　one。　The　real　Phoebe　is　visible　only　through　a　very　good　telescope。'

〃About　a　year　afterward；〃　continued　Captain　Malone；　〃I　was　walking　down　a　street　that　crossed　the　Poydras　Market。　An　immensely　stout；　pink…faced　lacy　in　black　satin　crowded　me　from　the　narrow　sidewalk　with　a　frown。　Behind　her　trailed　a　little　man　laden　to　the　gunwales　with　bundles　and　bags　of　goods　and　vegetables。

〃It　was　Kearnybut　changed。　I　stopped　and　shook　one　of　his　hands；　which　still　clung　to　a　bag　of　garlic　and　red　peppers。

〃'How　is　the　luck；　old　/companero/？