the american claimant-第15部分

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shouting　and　skylarking　in　and　began　to　romp；　scuffle；　wash；　and
otherwise　entertain　themselves。　　He　lingered　yet　a　little　longer　to　offer
the　hospitalities　of　his　room　and　his　book　shelf　to　Tracy　and　ask　him　a
personal　question　or　two：

〃What　is　your　trade？〃

〃Theywell；　they　call　me　a　cowboy；　but　that　is　a　fancy。　　I'm　not　that。
I　haven't　any　trade。〃

〃What　do　you　work　at　for　your　living？〃

Oh；　anythingI　mean　I　would　work　at；　anything　I　could　get　to　do；　but
thus　far　I　haven't　been　able　to　find　an　occupation。〃

〃Maybe　I　can　help　you；　I'd　like　to　try。〃

〃I　shall　be　very　glad。　　I've　tried；　myself；　to　weariness。〃

〃Well；　of　course　where　a　man　hasn't　a　regular　trade　he's　pretty　bad　off
in　this　world。　　What　you　needed；　I　reckon；　was　less　book　learning　and
more　bread…and…butter　learning。　　I　don't　know　what　your　father　could　have
been　thinking　of。　　You　ought　to　have　had　a　trade；　you　ought　to　have　had　a
trade；　by　all　means。　　But　never　mind　about　that；　we'll　stir　up　something
to　do；　I　guess。　　And　don't　you　get　homesick；　that's　a　bad　business。
We'll　talk　the　thing　over　and　look　around　a　little。　　You'll　come　out　all
right。　　Wait　for　meI'll　go　down　to　supper　with　you。〃

By　this　time　Tracy　had　achieved　a　very　friendly　feeling　for　Barrow　and
would　have　called　him　a　friend；　maybe；　if　not　taken　too　suddenly　on　a
straight…out　requirement　to　realize　on　his　theories。　　He　was　glad　of　his
society；　anyway；　and　was　feeling　lighter　hearted　than　before。　　Also　he
was　pretty　curious　to　know　what　vocation　it　might　be　which　had　furnished
Barrow　such　a　large　acquaintanceship　with　books　and　allowed　him　so　much
time　to　read。




CHAPTER　XII。

Presently　the　supper　bell　began　to　ring　in　the　depths　of　the　house；　and
the　sound　proceeded　steadily　upward；　growing　in　intensity　all　the　way　up
towards　the　upper　floors。　　The　higher　it　came　the　more　maddening　was　the
noise；　until　at　last　what　it　lacked　of　being　absolutely　deafening；　was
made　up　of　the　sudden　crash　and　clatter　of　an　avalanche　of　boarders　down
the　uncarpeted　stairway。　　The　peerage　did　not　go　to　meals　in　this
fashion；　Tracy's　training　had　not　fitted　him　to　enjoy　this　hilarious
zoological　clamor　and　enthusiasm。　　He　had　to　confess　that　there　was
something　about　this　extraordinary　outpouring　of　animal　spirits　which　he
would　have　to　get　inured　to　before　he　could　accept　it。　　No　doubt　in　time
he　would　prefer　it；　but　he　wished　the　process　might　be　modified　and　made
just　a　little　more　gradual；　and　not　quite　so　pronounced　and　violent。
Barrow　and　Tracy　followed　the　avalanche　down　through　an　ever　increasing
and　ever　more　and　more　aggressive　stench　of　bygone　cabbage　and　kindred
smells；　smells　which　are　to　be　found　nowhere　but　in　a　cheap　private
boarding　house；　smells　which　once　encountered　can　never　be　forgotten；
smells　which　encountered　generations　later　are　instantly　recognizable；
but　never　recognizable　with　pleasure。　　To　Tracy　these　odors　were
suffocating；　horrible；　almost　unendurable；　but　he　held　his　peace　and　said
nothing。　　Arrived　in　the　basement；　they　entered　a　large　dining…room　where
thirty…five　or　forty　people　sat　at　a　long　table。　　They　took　their　places。
The　feast　had　already　begun　and　the　conversation　was　going　on　in　the
liveliest　way　from　one　end　of　the　table　to　the　other。　　The　table　cloth
was　of　very　coarse　material　and　was　liberally　spotted　with　coffee　stains
and　grease。　　The　knives　and　forks　were　iron；　with　bone　handles；　the
spoons　appeared　to　be　iron　or　sheet　iron　or　something　of　the　sort。
The　tea　and　coffee　cups　were　of　the　commonest　and　heaviest　and　most
durable　stone　ware。　　All　the　furniture　of　the　table　was　of　the　commonest
and　cheapest　sort。　　There　was　a　single　large　thick　slice　of　bread　by　each
boarder's　plate；　and　it　was　observable　that　he　economized　it　as　if　he
were　not　expecting　it　to　be　duplicated。　　Dishes　of　butter　were
distributed　along　the　table　within　reach　of　people's　arms；　if　they　had
long　ones；　but　there　were　no　private　butter　plates。　　The　butter　was
perhaps　good　enough；　and　was　quiet　and　well　behaved；　but　it　had　more
bouquet　than　was　necessary；　though　nobody　commented　upon　that　fact　or
seemed　in　any　way　disturbed　by　it。　　The　main　feature　of　the　feast　was　a
piping　hot　Irish　stew　made　of　the　potatoes　and　meat　left　over　from　a
procession　of　previous　meals。　　Everybody　was　liberally　supplied　with　this
dish。　　On　the　table　were　a　couple　of　great　dishes　of　sliced　ham；　and
there　were　some　other　eatables　of　minor　importancepreserves　and　New
Orleans　molasses　and　such　things。　　There　was　also　plenty　of　tea　and
coffee　of　an　infernal　sort；　with　brown　sugar　and　condensed　milk；　but　the
milk　and　sugar　supply　was　not　left　at　the　discretion　of　the　boarders；　but
was　rationed　out　at　headquartersone　spoonful　of　sugar　and　one　of
condensed　milk　to　each　cup　and　no　more。　　The　table　was　waited　upon　by　two
stalwart　negro　women　who　raced　back　and　forth　from　the　bases　of　supplies
with　splendid　dash　and　clatter　and　energy。　　Their　labors　were
supplemented　after　a　fashion　by　the　young　girl　Puss。　　She　carried　coffee
and　tea　back　and　forth　among　the　boarders；　but　she　made　pleasure
excursions　rather　than　business　ones　in　this　way；　to　speak　strictly。
She　made　jokes　with　various　people。　　She　chaffed　the　young　men　pleasantly
and　wittily；　as　she　supposed；　and　as　the　rest　also　supposed；　apparently；
judging　by　the　applause　and　laughter　which　she　got　by　her　efforts。
Manifestly　she　was　a　favorite　with　most　of　the　young　fellows　and
sweetheart　of　the　rest　of　them。　　Where　she　conferred　notice　she　conferred
happiness；　as　was　seen　by　the　face　of　the　recipient；　and；　at　the　same
time　she　conferred　unhappinessone　could　see　it　fall　and　dim　the　faces
of　the　other　young　fellows　like　a　shadow。　　She　never　〃Mistered〃　these
friends　of　hers；　but　called　them　〃Billy；〃　〃Tom；〃　〃John；〃　and　they　called
her　〃Puss〃　or　〃Hattie。〃

Mr。　Marsh　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　his　wife　sat　at　the　foot。　　Marsh
was　a　man　of　sixty；　and　was　an　American；　but　if　he　had　been　born　a　month
earlier　he　would　have　been　a　Spaniard。　　He　was　plenty　good　enough
Spaniard　as　it　was；　his　face　was　very　dark；　his　hair　very　black；　and　his
eyes　were　not　only　exceedingly　black　but　were　very　intense；　and　there　was
something　about　them　that　indicated　that　they　could　burn　with　passion
upon　occasion。　　He　was　stoop…shouldered　and　lean…faced；　and　the　general
aspect　of　him　was　disagreeable；　he　was　evidently　not　a　very　companionable
person。　　If　looks　went　for　anything；　he　was　the　very　opposite　of　his
wife；　who　was　all　motherliness　and　charity；　good　will　and　good　nature。
All　the　young　men　and　the　women　called　her　Aunt　Rachael；　which　was
another　sign。　　Tracy's　wandering　and　interested　eye　presently　fell　upon
one　boarder　who　had　been　overlooked　in　the　distribution　of　the　stew。
He　was　very　pale　and　looked　as　if　he　had　but　lately　come　out　of　a　sick
bed；　and　also　as　if　he　ought　to　get　back　into　it　again　as　soon　as
possible。　　His　face　was　very　melancholy。　　The　waves　of　laughter　and
conversation　broke　upon　it　without　affecting　it　any　more　than　if　it　had
been　a　rock　in　the　sea　and　the　words　and　the　laughter　veritable　waters。
He　held　his　head　down　and　looked　ashamed。　　Some　of　the　women　cast　glances
of　pity　toward　him　from　time　to　time　in　a　furtive　and　half　afraid　way；
and　some　of　the　youngest　of　the　men　plainly　had　compassion　on　the　young
fellowa　compassion　exhibited　in　their　faces　but　not　in　any　more　active
or　compromising　way。　　But　the　great　majority　of　the　people　present　showed
entire　indifference　to　the　youth　and　his　sorrows。　　Marsh　sat　with　his
head　down；　but　one　could　catch　the　malicious　gleam　of　his　eyes　through
his　shaggy　brows。　　He　was　watching　that　young　fellow　with　evident　relish。
He　had　not　neglected　him　through　carelessness；　and　apparently　the　table
understood　that　fact。　　The　spectacle　was　making　Mrs。　Marsh　very
uncomfortable。　　She　had　the　look　of　one　who　hopes　against　hope　that　the
impossible　may　happen。　　But　as　the　impossible　did　not　happen；　she　finally
ventured　to　speak　up　and　remind　her　husband　that　Nat　Brady　hadn't　been
helped　to　the　Irish　stew。

Marsh　lifted　his　head　and　gasped　out　with　mock　courtliness；　〃Oh；　he
hasn't；　hasn't　he？　　What　a　pity　that　is。　　I　don't　know　how　I　came　to
overlook　him。　　Ah；　he　must　pardon　me。　　You　must　indeed　MrerBaxter
Barker；　you　must　pardon　me。　　Iermy　attention　was　directed　to　some
other　matter；　I　don't　know　what。　　The　thing　that　grieves　me　mainly　is；
that　it　happens　every　meal　now。　　But　you　must　try　to　overlook　these
little　things；　Mr。　Bunker；　these　little　neglects　on　my　part。　　They're
always　likely　to　happen　with　me　in　any　case；　and　they　are　especially
likely　to　happen　where　a　person　haserwell；　where　a　person　is；　say；
about　three　weeks　in　arrears　for　his　board。　　You　get　my　meaning？you　get
my　idea？　　Here　is　your　Irish　stew；　anderit　gives　me　the　greatest
pleasure　to　send　it　to　you；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　enjoy　the　charity　as
much　as　I　enjoy　conferring　it。〃

A　blush　rose　in　Brady's　white　cheeks　and　flowed　slowly　backward　to　his
ears　and　upward　toward　his　forehead；　but　he　said　nothing　and　began　to　eat
his　food　under　the　embarrassment　of　a　general　silence　and　the　sense　that
all　eyes　were　fastened　upon　him。　　Barrow　whispered　to　Tracy：

〃The　old　man's　been　waiting　for　that。　　He　wouldn't　have　missed　that
chance　for　anything。〃

〃It's　a　brutal　business；〃　said　Tracy。　　Then　he　said　to　himself；　purposing
to　set　the　thought　down　in　his　diary　later：

〃Well；　here　in　this　very　house　is　a　republic　where　all　are　free　and
equal；　if　men　are　free　and　equal　anywhere　in　the　earth；　therefore　I　have
arrived　at　the　place　I　started　to　find；　and　I　am　a　man　among　men；　and　on
the　strictest　equality　possible　to　men；　no　doubt。　　Yet　here　on　the
threshold　I　find　an　inequality。　　There　are　people　at　this　table　who　are
looked　up　to　for　some　reason　or　another；　and　here　is　a　poor　devil　of　a
boy　who　is　looked　down　upon；　treated　with　indifference；　and　shamed　by
humiliations；　when　he　has　committed　no　crime　but　that　common　one　of　being
poor。　　Equality　ought　to　make　men　noble…minded。　　In　fact　I　had　supposed
it　did　do　that。〃

After　supper；　Barrow　proposed　a　walk；　and　they　started。　　Barrow　had　a
purpose。　　He　wanted　Tracy　to　get　rid　of　that　cowbo