the lion and the unicorn-第13部分

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who　had　stood　so　long　in　waiting　pushed　his　way　through　the　line
to　his　side。

〃Senator　Stanton；〃　he　began　timidly；　〃might　I　speak　to　you　a
moment？　　My　name　is　Arkwright；　I　am　just　back　from　Cuba；　and
I　want　to　thank　you　for　your　speech。　　I　am　an　American；　and　I
thank　God　that　I　am　since　you　are　too；　sir。　　No　one　has　said
anything　since　the　war　began　that　compares　with　what　you　said　to…
night。　　You　put　it　nobly；　and　I　know；　for　I've　been　there　for
three　years；　only　I　can't　make　other　people　understand　it；　and　I
am　thankful　that　some　one　can。　　You'll　forgive　my　stopping　you；
sir；　but　I　wanted　to　thank　you。　　I　feel　it　very　much。〃

Senator　Stanton's　friends　had　already　seated　themselves　in　his
carriage　and　were　looking　out　of　the　door　and　smiling　with　mock
patience。　　But　the　senator　made　no　move　to　follow　them。　　Though
they　were　his　admirers　they　were　sometimes　skeptical；　and　he　was
not　sorry　that　they　should　hear　this　uninvited　tribute。　　So　he
made　a　pretence　of　buttoning　his　long　coat　about　him；　and　nodded
encouragingly　to　Arkwright　to　continue。　　〃I'm　glad　you　liked　it；
sir；〃　he　said　with　the　pleasant；　gracious　smile　that　had　won　him
a　friend　wherever　it　had　won　him　a　vote。　　〃It　is　very
satisfactory　to　know　from　one　who　is　well　informed　on　the
subject　that　what　I　have　said　is　correct。　　The　situation　there　is
truly　terrible。　　You　have　just　returned；　you　say？　　Where　were
youin　Havana？〃

〃No；　in　the　other　provinces；　sir；〃　Arkwright　answered。　　〃I　have
been　all　over　the　island；　I　am　a　civil　engineer。　　The　truth　has
not　been　half　told　about　Cuba；　I　assure　you；　sir。　　It　is　massacre
there；　not　war。　　It　is　partly　so　through　ignorance；　but
nevertheless　it　is　massacre。　　And　what　makes　it　worse　is；　that　it
is　the　massacre　of　the　innocents。　　That　is　what　I　liked　best　of
what　you　said　in　that　great　speech；　the　part　about　the　women　and
children。〃

He　reached　out　his　hands　detainingly；　and　then　drew　back　as
though　in　apology　for　having　already　kept　the　great　man　so　long
waiting　in　the　cold。　　〃I　wish　I　could　tell　you　some　of　the
terrible　things　I　have　seen；〃　he　began　again；　eagerly　as　Stanton
made　no　movement　to　depart。　　〃They　are　much　worse　than　those　you
instanced　to…night；　and　you　could　make　so　much　better　use　of　them
than　any　one　else。　　I　have　seen　starving　women　nursing　dead
babies；　and　sometimes　starving　babies　sucking　their　dead　mother's
breasts；　I　have　seen　men　cut　down　in　the　open　roads　and　while
digging　in　the　fieldsand　two　hundred　women　imprisoned　in　one
room　without　food　and　eaten　with　small…pox；　and　huts　burned　while
the　people　in　them　slept〃

The　young　man　had　been　speaking　impetuously；　but　he　stopped　as
suddenly；　for　the　senator　was　not　listening　to　him。　　He　had
lowered　his　eyes　and　was　looking　with　a　glance　of　mingled
fascination　and　disgust　at　Arkwright's　hands。　　In　his　earnestness
the　young　man　had　stretched　them　out；　and　as　they　showed　behind
the　line　of　his　ragged　sleeves　the　others　could　see；　even　in　the
blurred　light　and　falling　snow；　that　the　wrists　of　each　hand　were
gashed　and　cut　in　dark…brown　lines　like　the　skin　of　a　mulatto；
and　in　places　were　a　raw　red；　where　the　fresh　skin　had　but　just
closed　over。　　The　young　man　paused　and　stood　shivering；　still
holding　his　hands　out　rigidly　before　him。

The　senator　raised　his　eyes　slowly　and　drew　away。

〃What　is　that？〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　pointing　with　a　gloved
finger　at　the　black　lines　on　the　wrists。

A　sergeant　in　the　group　of　policemen　who　had　closed　around　the
speakers　answered　him　promptly　from　his　profound　fund　of
professional　knowledge。

〃That's　handcuffs；　senator；〃　he　said　importantly；　and　glanced　at
Stanton　as　though　to　signify　that　at　a　word　from　him　he　would
take　this　suspicious　character　into　custody。　　The　young　man
pulled　the　frayed　cuffs　of　his　shirt　over　his　wrists　and　tucked
his　hands；　which　the　cold　had　frozen　into　an　ashy　blue；　under　his
armpits　to　warm　them。

〃No；　they　don't　use　handcuffs　in　the　field；〃　he　said　in　the　same
low；　eager　tone；　〃they　use　ropes　and　leather　thongs；　they
fastened　me　behind　a　horse　and　when　he　stumbled　going　down　the
trail　it　jerked　me　forward　and　the　cords　would　tighten　and　tear
the　flesh。　　But　they　have　had　a　long　time　to　heal　now。　　I　have
been　eight　months　in　prison。〃

The　young　men　at　the　carriage　window　had　ceased　smiling　and　were
listening　intently。　　One　of　them　stepped　out　and　stood
beside　the　carriage　door　looking　down　at　the　shivering
figure　before　him　with　a　close　and　curious　scrutiny。

〃Eight　months　in　prison！〃　echoed　the　police　sergeant　with　a　note
of　triumph；　〃what　did　I　tell　you？〃

〃Hold　your　tongue！〃　said　the　young　man　at　the　carriage　door。　
There　was　silence　for　a　moment；　while　the　men　looked　at　the
senator；　as　though　waiting　for　him　to　speak。

〃Where　were　you　in　prison；　Mr。　Arkwright？〃　he　asked。

〃First　in　the　calaboose　at　Santa　Clara　for　two　months；　and　then
in　Cabanas。　　The　Cubans　who　were　taken　when　I　was；　were　shot　by
the　fusillade　on　different　days　during　this　last　month。　　Two　of
them；　the　Ezetas；　were　father　and　son；　and　the　Volunteer　band
played　all　the　time　the　execution　was　going　on；　so　that　the　other
prisoners　might　not　hear　them　cry　'Cuba　Libre'　when　the　order
came　to　fire。　　But　we　heard　them。〃

The　senator　shivered　slightly　and　pulled　his　fur　collar　up
farther　around　his　face。　　〃I'd　like　to　talk　with　you；〃　he　said；
〃if　you　have　nothing　to　do　to…morrow。　　I'd　like　to　go　into
this　thing　thoroughly。　　Congress　must　be　made　to　take　some
action。〃

The　young　man　clasped　his　hands　eagerly。　　〃Ah；　Mr。　Stanton；　if
you　would；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　would　only　give　me　an　hour！　　I
could　tell　you　so　much　that　you　could　use。　　And　you　can　believe
what　I　say；　sirit　is　not　necessary　to　lieGod　knows　the　truth
is　bad　enough。　　I　can　give　you　names　and　dates　for　everything　I
say。　　Or　I　can　do　better　than　that；　sir。　　I　can　take　you　there
yourselfin　three　months　I　can　show　you　all　you　need　to　see；
without　danger　to　you　in　any　way。　　And　they　would　not　know　me；
now　that　I　have　grown　a　beard；　and　I　am　a　skeleton　to　what　I　was。

I　can　speak　the　language　well；　and　I　know　just　what　you　should
see；　and　then　you　could　come　back　as　one　speaking　with　authority
and　not　have　to　say；　'I　have　read；'　or　'have　been　told；'　but　you
can　say；　'These　are　the　things　I　have　seen'and　you　could　free
Cuba。〃

The　senator　coughed　and　put　the　question　aside　for　the　moment
with　a　wave　of　the　hand　that　held　his　cigar。　　〃We　will　talk　of
that　to…morrow　also。　　Come　to　lunch　with　me　at　one。　　My
apartments　are　in　the　Berkeley　on　Fifth　Avenue。　　But　aren't　you
afraid　to　go　back　there？〃　he　asked　curiously。　　〃I　should　think
you'd　had　enough　of　it。　　And　you've　got　a　touch　of　fever；　haven't
you？〃　　He　leaned　forward　and　peered　into　the　other's　eyes。

〃It　is　only　the　prison　fever；〃　the　young　man　answered；　〃food　and
this　cold　will　drive　that　out　of　me。　　And　I　must　go　back。　　There
is　so　much　to　do　there；〃　he　added。　　〃Ah；　if　I　could　tell　them；　as
you　can　tell　them；　what　I　feel　here。〃　　He　struck　his　chest
sharply　with　his　hand；　and　on　the　instant　fell　into　a　fit　of
coughing　so　violent　that　the　young　man　at　the　carriage　door
caught　him　around　the　waist；　and　one　of　the　policemen　supported
him　from　the　other　side。

〃You　need　a　doctor；〃　said　the　senator　kindly。　　〃I'll　ask　mine　to
have　a　look　at　you。　　Don't　forget；　then；　at　one　o'clock　to…
morrow。　　We　will　go　into　this　thing　thoroughly。〃　　He　shook
Arkwright　warmly　by　the　hand　and　stooping　stepped　into　the
carriage。　　The　young　man　who　had　stood　at　the　door　followed　him
and　crowded　back　luxuriously　against　the　cushions。　　The
footman　swung　himself　up　beside　the　driver；　and　said　〃Uptown
Delmonico's；〃　as　he　wrapped　the　fur　rug　around　his　legs；　and　with
a　salute　from　the　policemen　and　a　scraping　of　hoofs　on　the
slippery　asphalt　the　great　man　was　gone。

〃That　poor　fellow　needs　a　doctor；〃　he　said　as　the　carriage　rolled
up　the　avenue；　〃and　he　needs　an　overcoat；　and　he　needs　food。　　He
needs　about　almost　everything；　by　the　looks　of　him。〃

But　the　voice　of　the　young　man　in　the　corner　of　the　carriage
objected　drowsily

〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　said；　〃it　seemed　to　me　that　he　had　the　one
thing　needful。〃

By　one　o'clock　of　the　day　following；　Senator　Stanton；　having　read
the　reports　of　his　speech　in　the　morning　papers；　punctuated　with
〃Cheers；〃　〃Tremendous　enthusiasm〃　and　more　〃Cheers；〃　was　still　in
a　willing　frame　of　mind　toward　Cuba　and　her　self…appointed　envoy；
young　Mr。　Arkwright。

Over　night　he　had　had　doubts　but　that　the　young　man's　enthusiasm
would　bore　him　on　the　morrow；　but　Mr。　Arkwright；　when　he
appeared；　developed；　on　the　contrary；　a　practical　turn　of　mind
which　rendered　his　suggestions　both　flattering　and　feasible。　　He
was　still　terribly　in　earnest；　but　he　was　clever　enough　or
serious　enough　to　see　that　the　motives　which　appealed　to　him
might　not　have　sufficient　force　to　move　a　successful　statesman
into　action。　　So　he　placed　before　the　senator　only　those
arguments　and　reasons　which　he　guessed　were　the　best　adapted　to
secure　his　interest　and　his　help。　　His　proposal　as　he　set　it
forth　was　simplicity　itself。

〃Here　is　a　map　of　the　island；〃　he　said；　〃on　it　I　have　marked　the
plac