roads of destiny-第34节

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〃'Yes；'　says　me　and　Maxy　together；　'we　knew　it。　We　were　talking　about　it　when　you　came　in。　And　you　can　bet　your　bottom　concession　that　there'll　be　fuss　and　feathers　in　the　air　to…morrow。　We　are　few　in　numbers；　but　the　welkin　may　as　well　reach　out　to　push　the　button；　for　it's　got　to　ring。'

〃'I；　too；　shall　assist；'　says　the　General；　thumping　his　collar…bone。　'I；　too；　am　on　the　side　of　Liberty。　Noble　Americans；　we　will　make　the　day　one　to　be　never　forgotten。'

〃'For　us　American　whisky；'　says　Jones'none　of　your　Scotch　smoke　or　anisada　or　Three　Star　Hennessey　to…morrow。　We'll　borrow　the　consul's　flag；　old　man　Billfinger　shall　make　orations；　and　we'll　have　a　barbecue　on　the　plaza。'

〃'Fireworks；'　says　I；　'will　be　scarce；　but　we'll　have　all　the　cartridges　in　the　shops　for　our　guns。　I've　got　two　navy　sixes　I　brought　from　Denver。'

〃'There　is　one　cannon；'　said　the　General；　'one　big　cannon　that　will　go　〃BOOM！〃　And　three　hundred　men　with　rifles　to　shoot。'

〃'Oh；　say！'　says　Jones；　'Generalissimo；　you're　the　real　silk　elastic。　We'll　make　it　a　joint　international　celebration。　Please；　General；　get　a　white　horse　and　a　blue　sash　and　be　grand　marshal。'

〃'With　my　sword；'　says　the　General；　rolling　his　eyes。　'I　shall　ride　at　the　head　of　the　brave　men　who　gather　in　the　name　of　Liberty。'

〃'And　you　might；'　we　suggest　'see　the　commandante　and　advise　him　that　we　are　going　to　prize　things　up　a　bit。　We　Americans；　you　know；　are　accustomed　to　using　municipal　regulations　for　gun　wadding　when　we　line　up　to　help　the　eagle　scream。　He　might　suspend　the　rules　for　one　day。　We　don't　want　to　get　in　the　calaboose　for　spanking　his　soldiers　if　they　get　in　our　way；　do　you　see？'

〃'Hist！'　says　General　Mary。　'The　commandant　is　with　us；　heart　and　soul。　He　will　aid　us。　He　is　one　of　us。'

〃We　made　all　the　arrangements　that　afternoon。　There　was　a　buck　coon　from　Georgia　in　Salvador　who　had　drifted　down　there　from　a　busted…up　coloured　colony　that　had　been　started　on　some　possumless　land　in　Mexico。　As　soon　as　he　heard　us　say　'barbecue'　he　wept　for　joy　and　groveled　on　the　ground。　He　dug　his　trench　on　the　plaza；　and　got　half　a　beef　on　the　coals　for　an　all…night　roast。　Me　and　Maxy　went　to　see　the　rest　of　the　Americans　in　the　town　and　they　all　sizzled　like　a　seidlitz　with　joy　at　the　idea　of　solemnizing　an　old…time　Fourth。

〃There　were　six　of　us　all　togetherMartin　Dillard；　a　coffee　planter；　Henry　Barnes；　a　railroad　man；　old　man　Billfinger；　an　educated　tintype　taker；　me　and　Jonesy；　and　Jerry；　the　boss　of　the　barbecue。　There　was　also　an　Englishman　in　town　named　Sterrett；　who　was　there　to　write　a　book　on　Domestic　Architecture　of　the　Insect　World。　We　felt　some　bashfulness　about　inviting　a　Britisher　to　help　crow　over　his　own　country；　but　we　decided　to　risk　it；　out　of　our　personal　regard　for　him。

〃We　found　Sterrett　in　pajamas　working　at　his　manuscript　with　a　bottle　of　brandy　for　a　paper　weight。

〃'Englishman；'　says　Jones；　'let　us　interrupt　your　disquisition　on　bug　houses　for　a　moment。　To…morrow　is　the　Fourth　of　July。　We　don't　want　to　hurt　your　feelings；　but　we're　going　to　commemorate　the　day　when　we　licked　you　by　a　little　refined　debauchery　and　nonsensesomething　that　can　be　heard　above　five　miles　off。　If　you　are　broad…gauged　enough　to　taste　whisky　at　your　own　wake；　we'd　be　pleased　to　have　you　join　us。'

〃'Do　you　know；'　says　Sterrett；　setting　his　glasses　on　his　nose；　'I　like　your　cheek　in　asking　me　if　I'll　join　you；　blast　me　if　I　don't。　You　might　have　known　I　would；　without　asking。　Not　as　a　traitor　to　my　own　country；　but　for　the　intrinsic　joy　of　a　blooming　row。'

〃On　the　morning　of　the　Fourth　I　woke　up　in　that　old　shanty　of　an　ice　factory　feeling　sore。　I　looked　around　at　the　wreck　of　all　I　possessed；　and　my　heart　was　full　of　bile。　From　where　I　lay　on　my　cot　I　could　look　through　the　window　and　see　the　consul's　old　ragged　Stars　and　Stripes　hanging　over　his　shack。　'You're　all　kinds　of　a　fool；　Billy　Casparis；'　I　said　to　myself；　'and　of　all　your　crimes　against　sense　it　does　look　like　this　idea　of　celebrating　the　Fourth　should　receive　the　award　of　demerit。　Your　business　is　busted　up；　your　thousand　dollars　is　gone　into　the　kitty　of　this　corrupt　country　on　that　last　bluff　you　made；　you've　got　just　fifteen　Chili　dollars　left；　worth　forty…six　cents　each　at　bedtime　last　night　and　steadily　going　down。　To…day　you'll　blow　in　your　last　cent　hurrahing　for　that　flag；　and　to…morrow　you'll　be　living　on　bananas　from　the　stalk　and　screwing　your　drinks　out　of　your　friends。　What's　the　flag　done　for　you？　While　you　were　under　it　you　worked　for　what　you　got。　You　wore　your　finger　nails　down　skinning　suckers；　and　salting　mines；　and　driving　bears　and　alligators　off　your　town　lot　additions。　How　much　does　patriotism　count　for　on　deposit　with　the　little　man　with　the　green　eye…shade　in　the　savings…bank　adds　up　your　book？　Suppose　you　were　to　get　pinched　over　here　in　this　irreligious　country　for　some　little　crime　or　other；　and　appealed　to　your　country　for　protectionwhat　would　it　do　for　you？　Turn　your　appeal　over　to　a　committee　of　one　railroad　man；　an　army　officer；　a　member　of　each　labour　union；　and　a　coloured　man　to　investigate　whether　any　of　your　ancestors　were　ever　related　to　a　cousin　of　Mark　Hanna；　and　then　file　the　papers　in　the　Smithsonian　Institution　until　after　the　next　election。　That's　the　kind　of　a　sidetrack　the　Stars　and　Stripes　would　switch　you　onto。'

〃You　can　see　that　I　was　feeling　like　an　indigo　plant；　but　after　I　washed　my　face　in　some　cool　water；　and　got　out　my　navys　and　ammunition；　and　started　up　to　the　Saloon　of　the　Immaculate　Saints　where　we　were　to　meet；　I　felt　better。　And　when　I　saw　those　other　American　boys　come　swaggering　into　the　trysting　placecool；　easy；　conspicuous　fellows；　ready　to　risk　any　kind　of　a　one…card　draw；　or　to　fight　grizzlies；　fire；　or　extradition；　I　began　to　feel　glad　I　was　one　of　'em。　So；　I　says　to　myself　again：　'Billy；　you've　got　fifteen　dollars　and　a　country　left　this　morningblow　in　the　dollars　and　blow　up　the　town　as　an　American　gentleman　should　on　Independence　Day。'

〃It　is　my　recollection　that　we　began　the　day　along　conventional　lines。　The　six　of　usfor　Sterrett　was　alongmade　progress　among　the　cantinas；　divesting　the　bars　as　we　went　of　all　strong　drink　bearing　American　labels。　We　kept　informing　the　atmosphere　as　to　the　glory　and　preeminence　of　the　United　States　and　its　ability　to　subdue；　outjump；　and　eradicate　the　other　nations　of　the　earth。　And；　as　the　findings　of　American　labels　grew　more　plentiful；　we　became　more　contaminated　with　patriotism。　Maximilian　Jones　hopes　that　our　late　foe；　Mr。　Sterrett；　will　not　take　offense　at　our　enthusiasm。　He　sets　down　his　bottle　and　shakes　Sterrett's　hand。　'As　white　man　to　white　man；'　says　he；　'denude　our　uproar　of　the　slightest　taint　of　personality。　Excuse　us　for　Bunker　Hill；　Patrick　Henry；　and　Waldorf　Astor；　and　such　grievances　as　might　lie　between　us　as　nations。'

〃'Fellow　hoodlums；'　says　Sterrett；　'on　behalf　of　the　Queen　I　ask　you　to　cheese　it。　It　is　an　honour　to　be　a　guest　at　disturbing　the　peace　under　the　American　flag。　Let　us　chant　the　passionate　strains　of　〃Yankee　Doodle〃　while　the　senor　behind　the　bar　mitigates　the　occasion　with　another　round　of　cochineal　and　aqua　fortis。'

〃Old　Man　Billfinger；　being　charged　with　a　kind　of　rhetoric；　makes　speeches　every　time　we　stop。　We　explained　to　such　citizens　as　we　happened　to　step　on　that　we　were　celebrating　the　dawn　of　our　own　private　brand　of　liberty；　and　to　please　enter　such　inhumanities　as　we　might　commit　on　the　list　of　unavoidable　casualties。

〃About　eleven　o'clock　our　bulletins　read：　'A　considerable　rise　in　temperature；　accompanied　by　thirst　and　other　alarming　symptoms。'　We　hooked　arms　and　stretched　our　line　across　the　narrow　streets；　all　of　us　armed　with　Winchesters　and　navys　for　purposes　of　noise　and　without　malice。　We　stopped　on　a　street　corner　and　fired　a　dozen　or　so　rounds；　and　began　a　serial　assortment　of　United　States　whoops　and　yells；　probably　the　first　ever　heard　in　that　town。

〃When　we　made　that　noise　things　began　to　liven　up。　We　heard　a　pattering　up　a　side　street；　and　here　came　General　Mary　Esperanza　Dingo　on　a　white　horse　with　a　couple　of　hundred　brown　boys　following　him　in　red　undershirts　and　bare　feet；　dragging　guns　ten　feet　long。　Jones　and　me　had　forgot　all　about　General　Mary　and　his　promise　to　help　us　celebrate。　We　fired　another　salute　and　gave　another　yell；　while　the　General　shook　hands　with　us　and　waved　his　sword。

〃'Oh；　General；'　shouts　Jones；　'this　is　great。　This　will　be　a　real　pleasure　to　the　eagle。　Get　down　and　have　a　drink。'

〃'Drink？'　says　the　general。　'No。　There　is　no　time　to　drink。　/Vive　la　Libertad/！'

〃'Don't　forget　/E　Pluribus　Unum/！'　says　Henry　Barnes。

〃'/Viva/　it　good　and　strong；'　says　I。　'Likewise；　/viva/　George　Washington。　God　save　the　Union；　and；'　I　says；　bowing　to　Sterrett；　'don't　discard　the　Queen。'

〃'Thanks；'　says　Sterrett。　'The　next　round's　mine。　All　in　to　the　bar。　Army；　too。'

〃But　we　were　deprived　of　Sterrett's　treat　by　a　lot　of　gunshots　several　square　sway；　which　General　Dingo　seemed　to　think　he　ought　to　look　after。　He　spurred　his　old　white　plug　up　that　way；　and　the　soldiers　scuttled　along　after　him。

〃'Mary　is　a　real　tropical　bird；'　says　Jones。　'He's　turned　out　the　infantry　to　help　us　to　honour　to　the