the lion and the unicorn-第14章

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men　before　him。

〃Yes；　you　are　twelve　to　one；〃　he　said　at　last；　still　speaking
dully　and　in　a　low　voice；　as　though　he　were　talking　to　himself。　
〃You　have　won　a　noble　victory；　gentlemen。　　I　congratulate　you。　
But　I　do　not　blame　you；　we　are　all　selfish　and　self…seeking。　　I
thought　I　was　working　only　for　Cuba；　but　I　was　working　for
myself；　just　as　you　are。　　I　wanted　to　feel　that　it　was　I　who　had
helped　to　bring　relief　to　that　plague…spot；　that　it　was　through
my　efforts　the　help　had　come。　　Yes；　if　he　had　done　as　I　asked；　I
suppose　I　would　have　taken　the　credit。〃

He　swayed　slightly；　and　to　steady　himself　caught　at　the　back　of
his　chair。　　But　at　the　same　moment　his　eyes　glowed　fiercely　and
he　held　himself　erect　again。　　He　pointed　with　his　finger　at　the
circle　of　great　men　who　sat　looking　up　at　him　in　curious　silence。

〃You　are　like　a　ring　of　gamblers　around　a　gaming　table；〃　he　cried
wildly；　〃who　see　nothing　but　the　green　cloth　and　the　wheel　and
the　piles　of　money　before　them；　who　forget　in　watching　the
money　rise　and　fall；　that　outside　the　sun　is　shining；　that　human
beings　are　sick　and　suffering；　that　men　are　giving　their　lives
for　an　idea；　for　a　sentiment；　for　a　flag。　　You　are　the　money…
changers　in　the　temple　of　this　great　republic　and　the　day　will
come；　I　pray　to　God；　when　you　will　be　scourged　and　driven　out
with　whips。　　Do　you　think　you　can　form　combines　and　deals　that
will　cheat　you　into　heaven？　　Can　your　'trusts'　save　your　souls
is　'Wall　Street'　the　strait　and　narrow　road　to　salvation？〃

The　men　about　the　table　leaned　back　and　stared　at　Arkwright　in　as
great　amazement　as　though　he　had　violently　attempted　an　assault
upon　their　pockets；　or　had　suddenly　gone　mad　in　their　presence。　
Some　of　them　frowned；　and　others　appeared　not　to　have　heard；　and
others　smiled　grimly　and　waited　for　him　to　continue　as　though
they　were　spectators　at　a　play。

The　political　leader　broke　the　silence　with　a　low　aside　to
Stanton。　　〃Does　the　gentleman　belong　to　the　Salvation　Army？〃　he
asked。

Arkwright　whirled　about　and　turned　upon　him　fiercely。

〃Old　gods　give　way　to　new　gods；〃　he　cried。　　〃Here　is　your
brother。　　I　am　speaking　for　him。　　Do　you　ever　think　of　him？　　How
dare　you　sneer　at　me？〃　he　cried。　　〃You　can　crack　your　whip　over
that　man's　head　and　turn　him　from　what　in　his　heart　and
conscience　he　knows　is　right；　you　can　crack　your　whip　over　the
men　who　call　themselves　free…born　American　citizens　and　who　have
made　you　their　bosssneer　at　them　if　you　like；　but　you　have　no
collar　on　my　neck。　　If　you　are　a　leader；　why　don't　you　lead　your
people　to　what　is　good　and　noble？　　Why　do　you　stop　this　man　in
the　work　God　sent　him　here　to　do？　　You　would　make　a　party　hack　of
him；　a　political　prostitute；　something　lower　than　the　woman　who
walks　the　streets。　　She　sells　her　bodythis　man　is　selling　his
soul。〃

He　turned；　trembling　and　quivering；　and　shook　his　finger　above
the　upturned　face　of　the　senator。

〃What　have　you　done　with　your　talents；　Stanton？〃　he　cried。　　〃What
have　you　done　with　your　talents？〃

The　man　in　the　overcoat　struck　the　table　before　him　with　his
fist　so　that　the　glasses　rang。

〃By　God；〃　he　laughed；　〃I　call　him　a　better　speaker　than　Stanton！　
Livingstone's　right；　he　IS　better　than　Stantonbut　he　lacks
Stanton's　knack　of　making　himself　popular；〃　he　added。　　He　looked
around　the　table　inviting　approbation　with　a　smile；　but　no　one
noticed　him；　nor　spoke　to　break　the　silence。

Arkwright　heard　the　words　dully　and　felt　that　he　was　being
mocked。　　He　covered　his　face　with　his　hands　and　stood　breathing
brokenly；　his　body　was　still　trembling　with　an　excitement　he
could　not　master。

Stanton　rose　from　his　chair　and　shook　him　by　the　shoulder。　　〃Are
you　mad；　Arkwright？〃　he　cried。　　〃You　have　no　right　to　insult　my
guests　or　me。　　Be　calmcontrol　yourself。〃

〃What　does　it　matter　what　I　say？〃　Arkwright　went　on　desperately。　
〃I　am　mad。　　Yes；　that　is　it；　I　am　mad。　　They　have　won　and　I　have
lost；　and　it　drove　me　beside　myself。　　I　counted　on　you。　　I　knew
that　no　one　else　could　let　my　people　go。　　But　I'll　not
trouble　you　again。　　I　wish　you　good…night；　sir；　and　good…bye。　　If
I　have　been　unjust；　you　must　forget　it。〃

He　turned　sharply；　but　Stanton　placed　a　detaining　hand　on　his
shoulder。　　〃Wait；〃　he　commanded　querulously；　〃where　are　you
going？　　Will　you；　still？〃

Arkwright　bowed　his　head。　　〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　have　but　just
time　now　to　catch　our　trainmy　train；　I　mean。〃

He　looked　up　at　Stanton　and　taking　his　hand　in　both　of　his；　drew
the　man　toward　him。　　All　the　wildness　and　intolerance　in　his
manner　had　passed；　and　as　he　raised　his　eyes　they　were　full　of　a
firm　resolve。

〃Come；〃　he　said　simply；　〃there　is　yet　time。　　Leave　these　people
behind　you。　　What　can　you　answer　when　they　ask　what　have　you　done
with　your　talents？〃

〃Good　God；　Arkwright；〃　the　senator　exclaimed　angrily；　pulling　his
hand　away；　〃don't　talk　like　a　hymn…book；　and　don't　make　another
scene。　　What　you　ask　is　impossible。　　Tell　me　what　I　can　do　to
help　you　in　any　other　way；　and〃

〃Come；〃　repeated　the　young　man　firmly。

〃The　world　may　judge　you　by　what　you　do　to…night。〃

Stanton　looked　at　the　boy　for　a　brief　moment　with　a　strained　and
eager　scrutiny；　and　then　turned　away　abruptly　and　shook　his　head
in　silence；　and　Arkwright　passed　around　the　table　and　on　out　of
the　room。

A　month　later；　as　the　Southern　senator　was　passing　through　the
reading…room　of　the　Union　Club；　Livingstone　beckoned　to　him；　and
handing　him　an　afternoon　paper　pointed　at　a　paragraph　in　silence。

The　paragraph　was　dated　Sagua　la　Grande；　and　read：

〃The　body　of　Henry　Arkwright；　an　American　civil　engineer；　was
brought　into　Sagua　to…day　by　a　Spanish　column。　　It　was　found
lying　in　a　road　three　miles　beyond　the　line　of　forts。　　Arkwright
was　surprised　by　a　guerilla　force　while　attempting　to　make　his
way　to　the　insurgent　camp；　and　on　resisting　was　shot。　　The　body
has　been　handed　over　to　the　American　consul　for　interment。　　It　is
badly　mutilated。〃

Stanton　lowered　the　paper　and　stood　staring　out　of　the　window　at
the　falling　snow　and　the　cheery　lights　and　bustling　energy
of　the　avenue。

〃Poor　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃he　wanted　so　much　to　help　them。　　And　he
didn't　accomplish　anything；　did　he？〃

Livingstone　stared　at　the　older　man　and　laughed　shortly。

〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　　〃He　died。　　Some　of　us　only
live。〃



THE　VAGRANT

His　Excellency　Sir　Charles　Greville；　K。　C　　M。　G。；　Governor　of　the
Windless　Islands；　stood　upon　the　veranda　of　Government　House
surveying　the　new　day　with　critical　and　searching　eyes。　　Sir
Charles　had　been　so　long　absolute　monarch　of　the　Windless　Isles
that　he　had　assumed　unconsciously　a　mental　attitude　of　suzerainty
over　even　the　glittering　waters　of　the　Caribbean　Sea；　and　the
coral　reefs　under　the　waters；　and　the　rainbow　skies　that　floated
above　them。　　But　on　this　particular　morning　not　even　the　critical
eye　of　the　Governor　could　distinguish　a　single　flaw　in　the
tropical　landscape　before　him。

The　lawn　at　his　feet　ran　down　to　meet　the　dazzling　waters　of　the
bay；　the　blue　waters　of　the　bay　ran　to　meet　a　great　stretch　of
absinthe　green；　the　green　joined　a　fairy　sky　of　pink　and
gold　and　saffron。　　Islands　of　coral　floated　on　the　sea　of
absinthe；　and　derelict　clouds　of　mother…of…pearl　swung　low　above
them；　starting　from　nowhere　and　going　nowhere；　but　drifting
beautifully；　like　giant　soap…bubbles　of　light　and　color。　　Where
the　lawn　touched　the　waters　of　the　bay　the　cocoanut…palms　reached
their　crooked　lengths　far　up　into　the　sunshine；　and　as　the　sea…
breeze　stirred　their　fronds　they　filled　the　hot　air　with　whispers
and　murmurs　like　the　fluttering　of　many　fans。　　Nature　smiled
boldly　upon　the　Governor；　confident　in　her　bountiful　beauty；　as
though　she　said；　〃Surely　you　cannot　but　be　pleased　with　me　to…
day。〃　　And；　as　though　in　answer；　the　critical　and　searching
glance　of　Sir　Charles　relaxed。

The　crunching　of　the　gravel　and　the　rattle　of　the　sentry's　musket
at　salute　recalled　him　to　his　high　office　and　to　the　duties　of
the　morning。　　He　waved　his　hand；　and；　as　though　it　were　a　wand；
the　sentry　moved　again；　making　his　way　to　the　kitchen…garden；　and
so　around　Government　House　and　back　to　the　lawn…tennis　court；
maintaining　in　his　solitary　pilgrimage　the　dignity　of　her
Majesty's　representative；　as　well　as　her　Majesty's　power
over　the　Windless　Isles。

The　Governor　smiled　slightly；　with　the　ease　of　mind　of　one　who
finds　all　things　good。　　Supreme　authority；　surroundings　of
endless　beauty；　the　respectful；　even　humble；　deference　of　his
inferiors；　and　never　even　an　occasional　visit　from　a　superior；
had　in　four　years　lowered　him　into　a　bed　of　ease　and　self…
satisfaction。　　He　was　cut　off　from　the　world；　and　yet　of　it。　
Each　month　there　came；　via　Jamaica；　the　three　weeks'　old　copy
of　The　Weekly　Times；　he　subscribed　to　Mudie's　Colonial　Library；
and　from　the　States　he　had　imported　an　American　lawn…mower；　the
mechanism　of　which　no　one　as　yet　understood。　　Within　his　own
borders　he　had　created　a　healthy；　orderly　seaport　out　of　what　had
been　a　sink　of　fever　and　a　refuge　for　all　the　ne'er…do…wells　and
fugitive　revolutionists　of　Central　America。

He　knew；　as　he　sat　each　evening　on　his　veranda；　looking　across
the　bay；　that　in　the　world　beyond　the　pink　and　gold　sunset　men
were　still　panting；　struggling；　and　starving；　crises　were　rising
and　passing；　strikes　and　panics；　wars　and　the　rumors　of
wars；　swept　from　continent　to　continent；　a　plague　crept　through
India；　a　filibuster　with　five　hundred　men　at　his　back　crossed　an
imaginary　line　and　stirred　the　world　from　Cape　Town　to　London；
Emperors　were　crowned；　the　good　Queen　celebrated　the　longest
reign；　and　a　captain　of　artillery　imprisoned　in　a　swampy　island
in　the　South　Atlantic　caused　two　hemispheres　to　clamor　for　his
rescue；　and　lit　a　race　war　that　stretched　from　Algiers　to　the
boulevards。

And　yet；　at　the　Windless　Isles；　all　these　happenings　seemed　to
Sir　Charles　like　the　morning's　memory　of　a　dream。　　For　these
things　never　crossed　the　ring　of　the　coral　reefs；　he　saw　them
only　as　pictures　in　an　illustrated　paper　a　month　old。　　And　he　was
pleased　to　find　that　this　was　so。　　He　was　sufficient　to　himself；
with　his　own　responsibilities　and　social　duties　and　public　works。

He　was　a　man　in　authority；　who　said　to　others；　〃Come！〃　and　〃Go！〃　
Under　him　were　commissioners；　and　under　the　commissioners
district　inspectors　and　boards　of　education　and　of　highways。　　For
the　better　health　of　the　colony　he　had　planted　trees　that
sucked　the　malaria　from　the　air；　for　its　better　morals　he　had
substituted　as　a　Sunday　amusement　cricket…matches　for　cock…
fights；　and　to　keep　it　at　peace　he　had　created　a　local
constabulary　of　native　negroes；　and　had　dressed　them　in　the　cast…
off　uniforms　of　London　policemen。　　His　handiwork　was　everywhere；
and　his　interest　was　all　sunk　in　his　handiwork。　　The　days　passed
gorgeous　with　sunshine；　the　nights　breathed　with　beauty。　　It　was
an　existence　of　leisurely　occupation；　and　one　that　promised　no
change；　and　he　was　content。

As　it　was　Thursday；　the　Council　met　that　morning；　and　some
questions　of　moment　to　the　colony　were　to　be　brought　up　for
consideration。　　The　question　of　the　dog…tax　was　one　which
perplexed　Sir