lost face(丢失的脸)-第23节
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dollars； decided that it was worth the extra whisky； even if it was selling in
the other room at a dollar a drink。
〃I'm not likely to consider；〃 O'Brien was hiccoughing to his two
friends in the course of explaining to them the question at issue。 〃Who？
Me？sell for ten thousand dollars！ No indeed。 I'll dig the gold myself；
an' then I'm goin' down to God's countrySouthern Californiathat's the
place for me to end my declinin' daysan' then I'll start 。 。 。 as I said before；
then I'll start 。 。 。 what did I say I was goin' to start？〃
〃Ostrich farm；〃 Mucluc Charley volunteered。
〃Sure； just what I'm goin' to start。〃 O'Brien abruptly steadied himself
and looked with awe at Mucluc Charley。 〃How did you know？ Never
said so。 Jes' thought I said so。 You're a min' reader； Charley。 Le's
have another。〃
Curly Jim filled the glasses and had the pleasure of seeing four dollars'
worth of whisky disappear； one dollar's worth of which he punished
himselfO'Brien insisted that he should drink as frequently as his guests。
〃Better take the money now；〃 Leclaire argued。 〃Take you two years
to dig it out the hole； an' all that time you might be hatchin' teeny little
baby ostriches an' pulling feathers out the big ones。〃
O'Brien considered the proposition and nodded approval。 Curly Jim
looked gratefully at Leclaire and refilled the glasses。
〃Hold on there！〃 spluttered Mucluc Charley； whose tongue was
beginning to wag loosely and trip over itself。 〃As your father confessor
there I goas your brotherO hell！〃 He paused and collected himself for
another start。 〃As your frien'business frien'； I should say； I would
suggest； ratherI would take the liberty； as it was； to mentionI mean；
suggest； that there may be more ostriches 。 。 。 O hell！〃 He downed
another glass； and went on more carefully。 〃What I'm drivin' at is 。 。 。
what am I drivin' at？〃 He smote the side of his head sharply half a dozen
times with the heel of his palm to shake up his ideas。 〃I got it！〃 he cried
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jubilantly。 〃Supposen there's slathers more'n ten thousand dollars in that
hole！〃
O'Brien； who apparently was all ready to close the bargain； switched
about。
〃Great！〃 he cried。 〃Splen'd idea。 Never thought of it all by myself。〃
He took Mucluc Charley warmly by the hand。 〃Good frien'！ Good
's'ciate！〃 He turned belligerently on Curly Jim。 〃Maybe hundred
thousand dollars in that hole。 You wouldn't rob your old frien'； would
you； Curly？ Course you wouldn't。 I know youbetter'n yourself；
better'n yourself。 Le's have another： We're good frien's； all of us； I say；
all of us。〃
And so it went； and so went the whisky； and so went Curly Jim's hopes
up and down。 Now Leclaire argued in favour of immediate sale； and
almost won the reluctant O'Brien over； only to lose him to the more
brilliant counter…argument of Mucluc Charley。 And again； it was Mucluc
Charley who presented convincing reasons for the sale and Percy Leclaire
who held stubbornly back。 A little later it was O'Brien himself who
insisted on selling； while both friends； with tears and curses； strove to
dissuade him。 The more whiskey they downed； the more fertile of
imagination they became。 For one sober pro or con they found a score of
drunken ones； and they convinced one another so readily that they were
perpetually changing sides in the argument。
The time came when both Mucluc Charley and Leclaire were firmly
set upon the sale； and they gleefully obliterated O'Brien's objections as fast
as he entered them。 O'Brien grew desperate。 He exhausted his last
argument and sat speechless。 He looked pleadingly at the friends who
had deserted him。 He kicked Mucluc Charley's shins under the table； but
that graceless hero immediately unfolded a new and most logical reason
for the sale。 Curly Jim got pen and ink and paper and wrote out the bill
of sale。 O'Brien sat with pen poised in hand。
〃Le's have one more；〃 he pleaded。 〃One more before I sign away a
hundred thousan' dollars。〃
Curly Jim filled the glasses triumphantly。 O'Brien downed his drink
and bent forward with wobbling pen to affix his signature。 Before he had
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made more than a blot； he suddenly started up； impelled by the impact of
an idea colliding with his consciousness。 He stood upon his feet and
swayed back and forth before them； reflecting in his startled eyes the
thought process that was taking place behind。 Then he reached his
conclusion。 A benevolent radiance suffused his countenance。 He turned
to the faro dealer； took his hand； and spoke solemnly。
〃Curly； you're my frien'。 There's my han'。 Shake。 Ol' man； I won't
do it。 Won't sell。 Won't rob a frien'。 No son…of…a…gun will ever have
chance to say Marcus O'Brien robbed frien' cause frien' was drunk。
You're drunk； Curly； an' I won't rob you。 Jes' had thought never thought
it beforedon't know what the matter 'ith me； but never thought it before。
Suppose； jes' suppose； Curly； my ol' frien'； jes' suppose there ain't ten
thousan' in whole damn claim。 You'd be robbed。 No； sir； won't do it。
Marcus O'Brien makes money out of the groun'； not out of his frien's。〃
Percy Leclaire and Mucluc Charley drowned the faro dealer's
objections in applause for so noble a sentiment。 They fell upon O'Brien
from either side； their arms lovingly about his neck； their mouths so full of
words they could not hear Curly's offer to insert a clause in the document
to the effect that if there weren't ten thousand in the claim he would be
given back the difference between yield and purchase price。 The longer
they talked the more maudlin and the more noble the discussion became。
All sordid motives were banished。 They were a trio of philanthropists
striving to save Curly Jim from himself and his own philanthropy。 They
insisted that he was a philanthropist。 They refused to accept for a
moment that there could be found one ignoble thought in all the world。
They crawled and climbed and scrambled over high ethical plateaux and
ranges； or drowned themselves in metaphysical seas of sentimentality。
Curly Jim sweated and fumed and poured out the whisky。 He found
himself with a score of arguments on his hands； not one of which had
anything to do with the gold…mine he wanted to buy。 The longer they
talked the farther away they got from that gold…mine； and at two in the
morning Curly Jim acknowledged himself beaten。 One by one he led his
helpless guests across the kitchen floor and thrust them outside。 O'Brien
came last； and the three； with arms locked for mutual aid； titubated gravely
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on the stoop。
〃Good business man； Curly；〃 O'Brien was saying。 〃Must say like
your stylefine an' generous； free…handed hospital 。 。 。 hospital 。 。 。
hospitality。 Credit to you。 Nothin' base 'n graspin' in your make… up。
As I was sayin'〃
But just then the faro dealer slammed the door。
The three laughed happily on the stoop。 They laughed for a long time。
Then Mucluc Charley essayed speech。
〃Funnylaughed so hardain't what I want to say。 My idea is 。 。 。
what wash it？ Oh； got it！ Funny how ideas slip。 Elusive idea chasin'
elusive ideagreat sport。 Ever chase rabbi
