the lion and the unicorn-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


buildings　would　crumble　away；　the　thousands　of　columns　of　white
smoke　that　flashed　like　snow　in　the　sun；　the　busy；　shrieking　tug…
boats；　and　the　great　statue　would　vanish　into　the　sea；　leaving　it
gray　and　bare。　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　shut　the　vision　out。　　It
was　so　beautiful　that　it　tempted　him；　but　he　would　not　be　mocked；
and　he　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。　　They　were　carrying　the
farce　too　far；　he　thought。　　It　was　really　too　absurd；　for　now
they　were　at　a　wharf　which　was　so　real　that；　had　he　not　known　by
previous　suffering；　he　would　have　been　utterly　deceived　by　it。　
And　there　were　great　crowds　of　smiling；　cheering　people；　and　a
waiting　guard　of　honor　in　fresh　uniforms；　and　rows　of　police
pushing　the　people　this　way　and　that；　and　these　men　about　him
were　taking　it　all　quite　seriously；　and　making　ready　to
disembark；　carrying　their　blanket…rolls　and　rifles　with　them。

A　band　was　playing　joyously；　and　the　man　in　the　next　cot；　who　was
being　lifted　to　a　stretcher；　said；　〃There's　the　Governor　and　his
staff；　that's　him　in　the　high　hat。〃　　It　was　really　very　well
done。　　The　Custom…house　and　the　Elevated　Railroad　and　Castle
Garden　were　as　like　to　life　as　a　photograph；　and　the　crowd　was　as
well　handled　as　a　mob　in　a　play。　　His　heart　ached　for　it　so　that
he　could　not　bear　the　pain；　and　he　turned　his　back　on　it。　　It　was
cruel　to　keep　it　up　so　long。　　His　keeper　lifted　him　in　his　arms；
and　pulled　him　into　a　dirty　uniform　which　had　belonged；
apparently；　to　a　much　larger　mana　man　who　had　been　killed
probably；　for　there　were　dark…brown　marks　of　blood　on　the
tunic　and　breeches。　　When　he　tried　to　stand　on　his　feet；　Castle
Garden　and　the　Battery　disappeared　in　a　black　cloud　of　night；
just　as　he　knew　they　would；　but　when　he　opened　his　eyes　from　the
stretcher；　they　had　returned　again。　　It　was　a　most　remarkably
vivid　vision。　　They　kept　it　up　so　well。　　Now　the　young　Doctor　and
the　hospital　steward　were　pretending　to　carry　him　down　a　gang…
plank　and　into　an　open　space；　and　he　saw　quite　close　to　him　a
long　line　of　policemen；　and　behind　them　thousands　of　faces；　some
of　them　women's　faceswomen　who　pointed　at　him　and　then　shook
their　heads　and　cried；　and　pressed　their　hands　to　their　cheeks；
still　looking　at　him。　　He　wondered　why　they　cried。　　He　did　not
know　them；　nor　did　they　know　him。　　No　one　knew　him；　these　people
were　only　ghosts。

There　was　a　quick　parting　in　the　crowd。　　A　man　he　had　once　known
shoved　two　of　the　policemen　to　one　side；　and　he　heard　a　girl's
voice　speaking　his　name；　like　a　sob；　and　She　came　running　out
across　the　open　space　and　fell　on　her　knees　beside　the
stretcher；　and　bent　down　over　him；　and　he　was　clasped　in　two
young；　firm　arms。

〃Of　course　it　is　not　real；　of　course　it　is　not　She；〃　he　assured
himself。　　〃Because　She　would　not　do　such　a　thing。　　Before　all
these　people　She　would　not　do　it。〃

But　he　trembled　and　his　heart　throbbed　so　cruelly　that　he　could
not　bear　the　pain。

She　was　pretending　to　cry。

〃They　wired　us　you　had　started　for　Tampa　on　the　hospital　ship；〃
She　was　saying；　〃and　Aunt　and　I　went　all　the　way　there　before　we
heard　you　had　been　sent　North。　　We　have　been　on　the　cars　a　week。　
That　is　why　I　missed　you。　　Do　you　understand？　　It　was　not　my
fault。　　I　tried　to　come。　　Indeed；　I　tried　to　come。〃

She　turned　her　head　and　looked　up　fearfully　at　the　young　Doctor。

〃Tell　me；　why　does　he　look　at　me　like　that？〃　she　asked。　　〃He
doesn't　know　me。　　Is　he　very　ill？　　Tell　me　the　truth。〃　　She　drew
in　her　breath　quickly。　　〃Of　course　you　will　tell　me　the　truth。〃

When　she　asked　the　question　he　felt　her　arms　draw　tight　about　his
shoulders。　　It　was　as　though　she　was　holding　him　to　herself；
and　from　some　one　who　had　reached　out　for　him。　　In　his　trouble　he
turned　to　his　old　friend　and　keeper。　　His　voice　was　hoarse　and
very　low。

〃Is　this　the　same　young　lady　who　was　on　the　transportthe　one
you　used　to　drive　away？〃

In　his　embarrassment；　the　hospital　steward　blushed　under　his　tan；
and　stammered。

〃Of　course　it's　the　same　young　lady；〃　the　Doctor　answered
briskly。　　〃And　I　won't　let　them　drive　her　away。〃　　He　turned　to
her；　smiling　gravely。　　〃I　think　his　condition　has　ceased　to　be
dangerous；　madam；〃　he　said。

People　who　in　a　former　existence　had　been　his　friends；　and　Her
brother；　gathered　about　his　stretcher　and　bore　him　through　the
crowd　and　lifted　him　into　a　carriage　filled　with　cushions；　among
which　he　sank　lower　and　lower。　　Then　She　sat　beside　him；　and　he
heard　Her　brother　say　to　the　coachman；　〃Home；　and　drive　slowly
and　keep　on　the　asphalt。〃

The　carriage　moved　forward；　and　She　put　her　arm　about　him　and　his
head　fell　on　her　shoulder；　and　neither　of　them　spoke。　　The
vision　had　lasted　so　long　now　that　he　was　torn　with　the　joy　that
after　all　it　might　be　real。　　But　he　could　not　bear　the　awakening
if　it　were　not；　so　he　raised　his　head　fearfully　and　looked　up
into　the　beautiful　eyes　above　him。　　His　brows　were　knit；　and　he
struggled　with　a　great　doubt　and　an　awful　joy。

〃Dearest；〃　he　said；　〃is　it　real？〃

〃Is　it　real？〃　she　repeated。

Even　as　a　dream；　it　was　so　wonderfully　beautiful　that　he　was
satisfied　if　it　could　only　continue　so；　if　but　for　a　little
while。

〃Do　you　think；〃　he　begged　again；　trembling；　〃that　it　is　going　to
last　much　longer？〃

She　smiled；　and；　bending　her　head　slowly；　kissed　him。

〃It　is　going　to　lastalways；〃　she　said。



THE　MAN　WITH　ONE　TALENT

The　mass…meeting　in　the　Madison　Square　Garden　which　was　to　help
set　Cuba　free　was　finished；　and　the　people　were　pushing　their　way
out　of　the　overheated　building　into　the　snow　and　sleet　of　the
streets。　　They　had　been　greatly　stirred　and　the　spell　of　the　last
speaker　still　hung　so　heavily　upon　them　that　as　they　pressed　down
the　long　corridor　they　were　still　speaking　loudly　in　his　praise。

A　young　man　moved　eagerly　amongst　them；　and　pushed　his　way　to
wherever　a　voice　was　raised　above　the　rest。　　He　strained　forward；
listening　openly；　as　though　he　tried　to　judge　the　effect　of　the
meeting　by　the　verdict　of　those　about　him。

But　the　words　he　overheard　seemed　to　clash　with　what　he　wished
them　to　be；　and　the　eager　look　on　his　face　changed　to　one　of
doubt　and　of　grave　disappointment。　　When　he　had　reached　the
sidewalk　he　stopped　and　stood　looking　back　alternately　into　the
lighted　hall　and　at　the　hurrying　crowds　which　were　dispersing
rapidly。　　He　made　a　movement　as　though　he　would　recall　them；　as
though　he　felt　they　were　still　unconvinced；　as　though　there　was
much　still　left　unsaid。

A　fat　stranger　halted　at　his　elbow　to　light　his　cigar；　and
glancing　up　nodded　his　head　approvingly。

〃Fine　speaker；　Senator　Stanton；　ain't　he？〃　he　said。

The　young　man　answered　eagerly。　　〃Yes；〃　he　assented；　〃he　is　a
great　orator；　but　how　could　he　help　but　speak　well　with　such　a
subject？〃

〃Oh；　you　ought　to　have　heard　him　last　November　at　Tammany　Hall；〃
the　fat　stranger　answered。　　〃He　wasn't　quite　up　to　himself　to…
night。　　He　wasn't　so　interested。　　Those　Cubans　are　foreigners；
you　see；　but　you　ought　to　heard　him　last　St。　Patrick's　day　on
Home　Rule　for　Ireland。　　Then　he　was　talking！　　That　speech　made
him　a　United　States　senator；　I　guess。　　I　don't　just　see　how
he　expects　to　win　out　on　this　Cuba　game。　　The　Cubans　haven't　got
no　votes。〃

The　young　man　opened　his　eyes　in　some　bewilderment。

〃He　speaks　for　the　good　of　Cuba；　for　the　sake　of　humanity；〃　he
ventured。

〃What？〃　inquired　the　fat　stranger。　　〃Oh；　yes；　of　course。　　Well；　I
must　be　getting　on。　　Good…night；　sir。〃

The　stranger　moved　on　his　way；　but　the　young　man　still　lingered
uncertainly　in　the　snow…swept　corridor　shivering　violently　with
the　cold　and　stamping　his　feet　for　greater　comfort。　　His　face　was
burned　to　a　deep　red；　which　seemed　to　have　come　from　some　long
exposure　to　a　tropical　sun；　but　which　held　no　sign　of　health。　
His　cheeks　were　hollow　and　his　eyes　were　lighted　with　the　fire　of
fever　and　from　time　to　time　he　was　shaken　by　violent　bursts　of
coughing　which　caused　him　to　reach　toward　one　of　the　pillars　for
support。

As　the　last　of　the　lights　went　out　in　the　Garden；　the　speaker　of
the　evening　and　three　of　his　friends　came　laughing　and　talking
down　the　long　corridor。　　Senator　Stanton　was　a　conspicuous
figure　at　any　time；　and　even　in　those　places　where　his　portraits
had　not　penetrated　he　was　at　once　recognized　as　a　personage。　
Something　in　his　erect　carriage　and　an　unusual　grace　of　movement；
and　the　power　and　success　in　his　face；　made　men　turn　to　look　at
him。　　He　had　been　told　that　he　resembled　the　early　portraits　of
Henry　Clay；　and　he　had　never　quite　forgotten　the　coincidence。

The　senator　was　wrapping　the　collar　of　his　fur　coat　around　his
throat　and　puffing　contentedly　at　a　fresh　cigar；　and　as　he
passed；　the　night　watchman　and　the　ushers　bowed　to　the　great　man
and　stood　looking　after　him　with　the　half…humorous；　half…envious
deference　that　the　American　voter　pays　to　the　successful
politician。　　At　the　sidewalk；　the　policemen　hurried　to　open　the
door　of　his　carriage　and　in　their　eagerness　made　a　double　line；
through　which　he　passed　nodding　to　them　gravely。　　The　young　man
who　had　stood　so　long　in　waiting　pushed　his　way　through　the　line
to　his　side。

〃Senator　Stanton；〃　he　began　timidly；　〃mi