stories of a western town-第25部分
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make somebody hear？〃 panted Armorer。 〃Well； you see there's a deal of noise of the machinery；〃 said Shuey； scratching his chin with a thoughtful air； 〃and they expect we've gone up！〃 〃Best try； anyhow。 This infernal machine may take a notion to drop！〃 said Armorer。 〃And that's true； too；〃 acquiesced Shuey。 Forthwith he did lift up his voice in a loud wailing： 〃OHH； Jimmy！ OHH； Jimmy Ryan！〃 Jimmy might have been in Chicago for any response he made； though Armorer shouted with Shuey； and at every pause the whir of the machinery mocked the shouters。 Indescribable moans and gurgles； with a continuous malignant hiss； floated up to them from the rebel steam below； as from a volcano considering eruption。 〃They'll be bound to need the elevator some time； if they don't need US； and that's one comfort！〃 said Shuey； philosophically。 〃Don't you think if we pulled on her we could get her up to the next floor； by degrees？ Now then！〃 Armorer gave a dash and Shuey let out his muscles in a giant tug。 The elevator responded by an astonishing leap that carried them past three or four floors！ 〃Stop her！ stop her！〃 bawled Shuey； but in spite of Armorer's pulling himself purple in the face； the elevator did not stop until it bumped with a crash against the joists of the roof。 〃Well； do you suppose we're stuck HERE？〃 growled Armorer。 〃Well； sir； I'll try。 Say； don't be exerting yourself violent。 It strikes me she's for all the world like the wimmen； in exthremes； sir； in exthremes！ And it wouldn't be noways so pleasant to go riproaring that gait down cellar！ Slow and easy； sir； let me manage her。 Hi！ she's working。〃 In fact； by slow degrees and much puffing； Shuey got the erratic box to the next floor； where； disregarding Shuey's protestations that he could 〃make her mind；〃 Mr。 Armorer got out； and they left the elevator to its fate。 It was a long way； through many rooms； downstairs。 Shuey would have beguiled the way by describing the rooms； but Armorer was in a raging hurry and urged his guide over the ground。 Once they were delayed by a bundle of stuff in front of a door； and after Shuey had laboriously rolled the great roll away； he made a misstep and tumbled over； rolling it back； to a tittering accompaniment from the sewing…girls in the room。 But he picked himself up in perfect good temper and kicked the roll ten yards。 〃Girls is silly things；〃 said the philosopher Shuey； 〃but being born that way it ain't to be expected otherwise！〃 He had the friendly freedom of his class in the West。 He praised Mrs。 Ellis's gymnastics； and urged Armorer to stay over a morning train and see a 〃real pretty boxing match〃 between Mr。 Lossing and himself。 〃Oh； he boxes too； does he？〃 said Armorer。 〃And why on earth would he groan…like？〃 wondered Shuey to himself。 〃He does that； sir；〃 he continued aloud； 〃didn't Mrs。 Ellis ever tell you about the time at the circus？ She was there herself； with three children she borrowed and an unreasonable gyurl； with a terrible big screech in her and no sense。 Yes； sir； Mr。 Lossing he is mighty cliver with his hands！ There come a yell of 'Lion loose！ lion loose！' at that circus； just as the folks was all crowding out at the end of it； and them that had gone into the menagerie tent came a…tumbling and howling back； and them that was in the circus tent waiting for the concert （which never ain't worth waiting for； between you and me！） was a…scrambling off them seats； making a noise like thunder； and all fighting and pushing and bellowing to get out！ I was there with my wife and making for the seats that the fools quit； so's to get under and crawl out under the canvas； when I see Mrs。 Ellis holding two of the children； and that fool girl let the other go and I grabbed it。 'Oh； save the baby！ save one； anyhow；' cries my wifethe woman is a tinder…hearted crechure！ And just then I seen an old lady tumble over on the benches； with her gray hair stringing out of her black bonnet。 The crowd was WILD； hitting and screaming and not caring for anything； and I see a big jack of a man come plunging down right spang on that old lady！ His foot was right in the air over her face！ Lord； it turned me sick。 I yelled。 But that minnit I seen an arm shoot out and that fellow shot off as slick！ it was Mr。 Lossing。 He parted that crowd； hitting right and left； and he got up to us and hauled a child from Mrs。 Ellis and put it on the seats； all the while shouting： 'Keep your seats！ it's all right！ it's all over！ stand back！' I turned and floored a feller that was too pressing； and hollered it was all right too。 And some more people hollered too。 You see； there is just a minnit at such times when it is a toss up whether folks will quiet down and begin to laugh； or get scared into wild beasts and crush and kill each other。 And Mr。 Lossing he caught the minnit！ The circus folks came up and the police； and it was all over。 WELL； just look here； sir； there's our folks coming out of the elevator！〃 They were just landing； and Mrs。 Ellis wanted to know where he had gone。 〃We run away from ye； shure；〃 said Shuey； grinning； and he related the adventure。 Armorer fell back with Mrs。 Ellis。 〃Did you stay with Esther every minute？〃 said he。 Mrs。 Ellis nodded。 She opened her lips to speak； then closed them and walked ahead to Harry Lossing。 Armorer looked suspicion of a dozen kinds gnawing him and insinuating that the three all seemed agitatedfrom Harry to Esther； and then to Shuey。 But he kept his thoughts to himself and was very agreeable the remainder of the afternoon。 He heard Harry tell Mrs。 Ellis that the city council would meet that evening； before； however； Armorer could feel exultant he added； 〃but may I come late？〃 〃He is certainly the coolest beggar；〃 Armorer snarled； 〃but he is sharp as a nigger's razor； confound him！〃 Naturally this remark was a confidential one to himself。 He thought it more times than one during the evening； and by consequence played trumps with equal disregard of the laws of the noble game of whist and his partner's feelings。 He found a few； a very few； elderly people who remembered his parent； and they will never believe ill of Horatio Armorer； who talked so simply and with so much feeling of old times； and who is going to give a memorial window in the new Presbyterian church。 He was beginning to think with some interest of supper； the usual dinner of the family having been sacrificed to the demands of state； then he saw Harry Lossing。 The young mayor's blond head was bowing before his sister's black velvet。 He caught Armorer's eye and followed him out to the lawn and the shadows and the gay lanterns。 He looked animated。 Evening dress was becoming to him。 〃One of my daughters married a prince； but I am hanged if he looked it like this fellow；〃 thought Armorer； 〃but then he was only an Italian。 I suppose the council did not pass the ordinance？ your committee reported against it？〃 he said quite amicably to Harry。 〃I wish you could understand how much pain it has given me to oppose you； Mr。 Armorer；〃 said Harry； blushing。 〃I don't doubt it； under the circumstances； Mr。 Lossing。〃 Armorer spoke with suave politeness； but there was a cynical gleam in his eye。 〃But Esther understands；〃 says Harry。 〃Esther！〃 repeats Armorer； with an indescribable intonation。 〃You spoke to her this afternoon？ For a man with such high…toned ideas as you carry； I think you took a pretty mean advantage of your guests！〃 〃You will remember I gave you fair warning； Mr。 Armorer。〃 〃It was while I was in the elevator； of course。 I guessed it was a put…up job； how did you manage it？〃 Harry smiled outright； he is one who cannot keep either his dog or his joke tied up。 〃It was Shuey did it；〃 said he； 〃he pulled the opposite way from you； and he has tremendous strength； but he says you were a handful for him。〃 〃You seem to have taken the town into your confidence；〃 said Armorer； bitterly； though he had a sneaking inclination to laugh himself； 〃do you need all your workmen to help you court your girl？〃 〃I'd take the whole United States into my confidence rather than lose her； sir；〃 answered Harry； steadily。 Armorer turned on his heel abruptly； it was to conceal a smile。 〃How about my sister？ did you propose before her？ But I don't suppose a little thing like that would stop you。〃 〃I had to speak； Miss Armorer goes away tomorrow。 Mrs。 Ellis was kind enough to put her fingers in her ears and turn her back。〃 〃And what did my daughter say？〃 〃I asked her only to give me the chance to show her how I loved her； and she has。 God bless her！ I don't pretend I'm worthy of her； Mr。 Armorer； but I have lived a decent life； and I'll try hard to live a better one for her trust in me。〃 〃I'm glad there is one thing on which we are agreed；〃 jeered Armorer； 〃but you are more modest than you were this noon。 I think it was considerably like bragging； sending that woman to tell of your heroic feats！〃 〃Oh； I can brag when it is necessary；〃 said Harry； serenely； 〃what would the West be but for bragging？〃 〃And what do you intend to do if I take your girl to Europe？〃 〃Europe is not very far；〃 said Harry。 Armorer was a quick thinker； but he had never thought more quickly in his life。 This young fellow had beaten him。 There was no doubt of it。 He might have principles； but he declined
