the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第15章
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children？ It is like sending help to a hungry peasant in Russia while a
man dies on your doorstep。〃
〃Well；〃 said the senator； rising； 〃I will let you know to…morrow。
If it is the right thing to do； and if I can do it； of course it must be done。
We start from Tampa； you say？ I know the presidents of all of those
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roads and they'll probably give me a private car for the trip down。 Shall
we take any newspaper men with us； or shall I wait until I get back and be
interviewed？ What do you think？〃
〃I would wait until my return；〃 Arkwright answered； his eyes glowing
with the hope the senator's words had inspired； 〃and then speak to a mass…
meeting here and in Boston and in Chicago。 Three speeches will be
enough。 Before you have finished your last one the American warships
will be in the harbor of Havana。〃
〃Ah； youth； youth！〃 said the senator； smiling gravely； 〃it is no light
responsibility to urge a country into war。〃
〃It is no light responsibility；〃 Arkwright answered； 〃to know you have
the chance to save the lives of thousands of little children and helpless
women and to let the chance pass。〃
〃Quite so； that is quite true；〃 said the senator。 〃Well； good… morning。
I shall let you know to…morrow。〃
Young Livingstone went down in the elevator with Arkwright； and
when they had reached the sidewalk stood regarding him for a moment in
silence。
〃You mustn't count too much on Stanton； you know；〃 he said kindly；
〃he has a way of disappointing people。〃
〃Ah； he can never disappoint me；〃 Arkwright answered confidently；
〃no matter how much I expected。 Besides； I have already heard him
speak。〃
〃I don't mean that； I don't mean he is disappointing as a speaker。
Stanton is a great orator； I think。 Most of those Southerners are； and he's
the only real orator I ever heard。 But what I mean is； that he doesn't go
into things impulsively； he first considers himself； and then he considers
every other side of the question before he commits himself to it。 Before
he launches out on a popular wave he tries to find out where it is going to
land him。 He likes the sort of popular wave that carries him along with it
where every one can see him； he doesn't fancy being hurled up on the
beach with his mouth full of sand。〃
〃You are saying that he is selfish； self…seeking？〃 Arkwright demanded
with a challenge in his voice。 〃I thought you were his friend。〃
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〃Yes； he is selfish； and yes； I am his friend；〃 the young man answered；
smiling； 〃at least； he seems willing to be mine。 I am saying nothing
against him that I have not said to him。 If you'll come back with me up
the elevator I'll tell him he's a self…seeker and selfish； and with no thought
above his own interests。 He won't mind。 He'd say I cannot comprehend
his motives。 Why； you've only to look at his record。 When the
Venezuelan message came out he attacked the President and declared he
was trying to make political capital and to drag us into war； and that what
we wanted was arbitration； but when the President brought out the
Arbitration Treaty he attacked that too in the Senate and destroyed it。
Why？ Not because he had convictions； but because the President had
refused a foreign appointment to a friend of his in the South。 He has
been a free silver man for the last ten years； he comes from a free silver
state； and the members of the legislature that elected him were all for
silver； but this last election his Wall Street friends got hold of him and
worked on his feelings； and he repudiated his party； his state； and his
constituents and came out for gold。〃
〃Well； but surely；〃 Arkwright objected； 〃that took courage？ To own
that for ten years you had been wrong； and to come out for the right at the
last。〃
Livingstone stared and shrugged his shoulders。 〃It's all a question of
motives；〃 he said indifferently。 〃I don't want to shatter your idol； I only
want to save you from counting too much on him。〃
When Arkwright called on the morrow Senator Stanton was not at
home； and the day following he was busy； and could give him only a brief
interview。 There were previous engagements and other difficulties in the
way of his going which he had not foreseen； he said； and he feared he
should have to postpone his visit to Cuba indefinitely。 He asked if Mr。
Arkwright would be so kind as to call again within a week； he would then
be better able to give him a definite answer。
Arkwright left the apartment with a sensation of such keen
disappointment that it turned him ill and dizzy。 He felt that the great
purpose of his life was being played with and put aside。 But he had not
selfish resentment on his own account； he was only the more determined
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to persevere。 He considered new arguments and framed new appeals；
and one moment blamed himself bitterly for having foolishly discouraged
the statesman by too vivid pictures of the horrors he might encounter； and
the next； questioned if he had not been too practical and so failed because
he had not made the terrible need of immediate help his sole argument。
Every hour wasted in delay meant； as he knew； the sacrifice of many lives；
and there were other； more sordid and more practical； reasons for speedy
action。 For his supply of money was running low and there was now
barely enough remaining to carry him through the month of travel he had
planned to take at Stanton's side。 What would happen to him when that
momentous trip was over was of no consequence。 He would have done
the work as far as his small share in it lay； he would have set in motion a
great power that was to move Congress and the people of the United
States to action。 If he could but do that； what became of him counted for
nothing。
But at the end of the week his fears and misgivings were scattered
gloriously and a single line from the senator set his heart leaping and
brought him to his knees in gratitude and thanksgiving。 On returning one
afternoon to the mean lodging into which he had moved to save his money；
he found a telegram from Stanton and he tore it open trembling between
hope and fear。
〃Have arranged to leave for Tampa with you Monday； at midnight〃 it
read。 〃Call for me at ten o'clock same evening。STANTON。〃
Arkwright read the message three times。 There was a heavy；
suffocating pressure at his heart as though it had ceased beating。 He sank
back limply upon the edge of his bed and clutching the piece of paper in
his two hands spoke the words aloud triumphantly as though to assure
himself that they were true。 Then a flood of unspeakable relief； of
happiness and gratitude； swept over him； and he turned and slipped to the
floor； burying his face in the pillow； and wept out his thanks upon his
knees。
A man so deeply immersed in public affairs as was Stanton and with
such a multiplicity of personal interests； could not prepare to absent
himself for a month without his intention becoming known； and on the day
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when he was to start for Tampa the morning newspapers proclaimed the
fact that he was about to visit Cuba。 They gave to his mission all the
importance and display that Arkwright had foretold。 Some of the
newspapers stated that he was going as a special commissioner of the
President to study and report； others that he was acting in behalf of the
Cuban legation in Washington and had plenipotentiary powers。
Opposition organs suggested that he was acting in the interests of the
sugar trust； and his own particular organ declared that it was his intention
to free Cuba at the risk of his own freedom； safety； and even life。
The Spanish minister in Washington sent a cable for publication to
Madrid； stating that a distinguished American statesman was about to visit
Cuba； to investigate； and； later； to deny the truth of the disgraceful libels
published concerning the Spanish officials on the island by the papers of
the United States。 At the same time he cabled in cipher to the captain…
general in Havana to see that the distinguished statesman was closely
spied upon from the moment of his arrival until his departure； and to place
on the 〃suspect〃 list all Americans and Cubans who ventured to give him
any information。
The afternoon papers enlarged on the importance of the visit and on
the good that would surely come of it。 They told that Senator Stanton
had refused to be interviewed or to disclose the object of his journey。
But it was enough； they said； that some one in authority was at last to seek
out the truth； and added that no one would be listened to with greater
respect than would the Southern senator。 On this all the editorial writers
were agreed。
The day passed drearily for Arkwright。 Early in the morning he
packed his valise and paid his landlord； and for the remainder of the day
walked the streets or sat in the hotel corridor waiting impatiently for each
