lin mclean-第14部分

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nudging　me　in　the　ribs。　That　it　was　the　correct　Lusk　we　had　with　us　I

felt　sure　from　his　incompetent；　healthy；　vacant　appearance；　strong…bodied

and　shiftlessthe　sort　of　man　to　weary　of　one　trade　and　another；　and

make　a　failure　of　wife　beating　between　whiles。　In　Twenty…fourth　Street

the　town's　uttermost　rimthe　Governor　met　us；　and　stared　at　Lusk。

〃Christopher！〃　was　his　single　observation；　but　he　never　forgets　a　face

cannot　afford　to；　now　that　he　is　in　politics；　and；　besides；　Lusk

remembered　him。　You　seldom　really　forget　a　man　to　whom　you　owe　ten

dollars。



〃So　you've　quit　hauling　poles？〃　said　the　Governor。



〃Nothing　in　it；　sir；〃　said　Lusk。



〃Is　there　any　objection　to　my　having　a　hole　in　the　roof？〃　asked　the

rain…maker；　for　this　the　secretary　had　been　unable　to　tell　him。



〃What！　going　to　throw　your　bombs　through　it？〃　said　the　Governor；　smiling

heartily。



But　the　rain…maker　explained　at　once　that　his　was　not　the　bomb　system；

but　a　method　attended　by　more　rain　and　less　disturbance。　〃Not　that　the

bomb　don't　produce　first…class　results　at　times　and　under　circumstances；〃

he　said；　〃but　it's　uncertain　and　costly。〃



The　Governor　hesitated　about　the　hole　in　the　roof；　which　Hilbrun　told　us

was　for　a　metal　pipe　to　conduct　his　generated　gases　into　the　air。　The

owner　of　the　barn　had　gone　to　Laramie。　However；　we　found　a　stove…pipe

hole；　which　saved　delay。　〃And　what　day　would　you　prefer　the　shower？〃　said

Hilbrun；　after　we　had　gone　over　our　contract　with　him。



〃Any　day　would　do；〃　the　Governor　said。



This　was　Thursday；　and　Sunday　was　chosen；　as　a　day　when　no　one　had

business　to　detain　him　from　witnessing　the　showerthough　it　seemed　to　me

that　on　week…days；　too；　business　in　Cheyenne　was　not　so　inexorable　as

this。　We　gave　the　strangers　some　information　about　the　town；　and　left

them。　The　sun　went　away　in　a　cloudless　sky；　and　came　so　again　when　the

stars　had　finished　their　untarnished　shining。　Friday　was　clear　and　dry

and　hot；　like　the　dynasty　of　blazing　days　that　had　gone　before。



I　saw　a　sorry　spectacle　in　the　streetthe　bridegroom　and　the　bride

shopping　together；　or；　rather；　he　with　his　wad　of　bills　was　obediently

paying　for　what　she　bought；　and　when　I　met　them　he　was　carrying　a　scarlet

parasol　and　a　bonnet…box。　His　biscuit…shooter；　with　the　lust　of　purchase

on　her；　was　brilliantly　dressed；　and　pervaded　the　street　with　splendor；

like　an　escaped　parrot。　Lin　walked　beside　her；　but　it　might　as　well　have

been　behind；　and　his　bearing　was　so　different　from　his　wonted

happy…go…luckiness　that　I　had　a　mind　to　take　off　my　hat　and　say；

〃Good…morning；　Mrs。　Lusk。〃　But　it　was　〃Mrs。　McLean　〃I　said；　of　course。

She　gave　me　a　remote；　imperious　nod；　and　said；　〃Come　on；　Lin；〃　something

like　a　cross　nurse；　while　he；　out　of　sheer　decency；　made　her　a

good…humored；　jocular　answer；　and　said　to　me；　〃It　takes　a　woman　to　know

what　to　buy　for　house…keepin；〃；　which　poor　piece　of　hypocrisy　endeared

him　to　me　more　than　ever。　The　puncher　was　not　of　the　fibre　to　succeed　in

keeping　appearances；　but　he　deserved　success；　which　the　angels　consider

to　be　enough。　I　wondered　if　disenchantment　had　set　in；　or　if　this　were

only　the　preliminary　stage　of　surprise　and　wounding；　and　I　felt　that　but

one　test　could　show；　namely；　a　coming　face　to　face　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Lusk；

perhaps　not　to　be　desired。　Neither　was　it　likely。　The　assistant

rain…maker　kept　himself　steadfastly　inside　or　near　the　barn；　at　the　north

corner　of　Cheyenne；　while　the　bride；　when　she　was　in　the　street　at　all；

haunted　the　shops　clear　across　town　diagonally。



On　this　Friday　noon　the　appearance　of　the　metal　tube　above　the　blind

building　spread　some　excitement。　It　moved　several　of　the　citizens　to　pay

the　place　a　visit　and　ask　to　see　the　machine。　These　callers；　of　course；

sustained　a　polite　refusal；　and　returned　among　their　friends　with　a

contempt　for　such　quackery；　and　a　greatly　heightened　curiosity；　so　that

pretty　soon　you　could　hear　discussions　at　the　street　corners；　and　by

Saturday　morning　Cheyenne　was　talking　of　little　else。　The　town　prowled

about　the　barn　and　its　oracular　metal　tube；　and　heard　and　saw　nothing。

The　Governor　and　I　（let　it　be　confessed）　went　there　ourselves；　since　the

twenty…four　hours　of　required　preparation　were　now　begun。　We　smelled　for

chemicals；　and　he　thought　there　was　a　something；　but　having　been　bred　a

doctor；　distrusted　his　imagination。　I　could　not　be　sure　myself　whether

there　was　anything　or　not；　although　I　walked　three　times　round　the　barn；

snuffing　as　dispassionately　as　I　knew　how。　It　might　possibly　be　chlorine；

the　Governor　said；　or　some　gas　for　which　ammonia　was　in　part　responsible；

and　this　was　all　he　could　say；　and　we　left　the　place。　The　world　was　as

still　and　the　hard；　sharp　hills　as　clear　and　near　as　ever；　and　the　sky

over　Sahara　is　not　more　dry　and　enduring　than　was　ours。　This　tenacity　in

the　elements　plainly　gave　Jode　a　malicious　official　pleasure。　We　could

tell　it　by　his　talk　at　lunch；　and　when　the　Governor　reminded　him　that　no

rain　was　contracted　for　until　the　next　day；　he　mentioned　that　the

approach　of　a　storm　is　something　that　modern　science　is　able　to　ascertain

long　in　advance；　and　he　bade　us　come　to　his　office　whenever　we　pleased；

and　see　for　ourselves　what　science　said。　This　was；　at　any　rate；　something

to　fill　the　afternoon　with；　and　we　went　to　him　about　five。　Lin　McLean

joined　us　on　the　way。　I　came　upon　him　lingering　alone　in　the　street；　and

he　told　me　that　Mrs。　McLean　was　calling　on　friends。　I　saw　that　he　did　not

know　how　to　spend　the　short　recess　or　holiday　he　was　having。　He　seemed　to

cling　to　the　society　of　others；　and　with　them　for　the　time　regain　his

gayer　mind。　He　had　become　converted　to　Ogden；　and　the　New…Yorker；　on　his

side；　found　pleasant　and　refreshing　this　democracy　of　Governors　and

cow…punchers。　Jode　received　us　at　the　signal…service　office；　and　began　to

show　us　his　instruments　with　the　careful　pride　of　an　orchid…collector。



〃A　hair　hygrometer；〃　he　said　to　me；　waving　his　wax…like　hand　over　it。

〃The　indications　are　obtained　from　the　expansion　and　contraction　of　a

prepared　human　hair；　transferred　to　an　index　needle　traversing　the

divided　arc　of〃



〃What　oil　do　you　put　on　the　human　hair　Jode？〃　called　out　the　Governor；

who　had　left　our　group；　and　was　gamboling　about　by　himself　among　the

tubes　and　dials。　〃What　will　this　one　do？〃　he　asked；　and　poked　at　a　wet

paper　disc。　But　before　the　courteous　Jode　could　explain　that　it　had　to　do

with　evaporation　and　the　dew…point；　the　Governor's　attention　wandered；

and　he　was　blowing　at　a　little　fan…wheel。　This　instantly　revolved　and　set

a　number　of　dial　hands　going　different　ways。　〃Hi！〃　said　the　Governor；

delighted。　〃Seen　'em　like　that　down　mines。　Register　air　velocity　in　feet。

Put　it　away；　Jode。　You　don't　want　that　to…morrow。　What　you'll　need；

Hilbrun　says；　is　a　big　old　rain…gauge　and　rubber　shoes。〃



〃I　shall　require　nothing　of　the　sort；　Governor；〃　Jode　retorted　at　once。

〃And　you　can　go　to　church　without　your　umbrella　in　safety；　sir。　See

there。〃　He　pointed　to　a　storm…glass；　which　was　certainly　as　clear　as

crystal。　〃An　old…fashioned　test；　you　will　doubtless　say；　gentlemen；〃　Jode

continuedthough　none　of　us　would　have　said　anything　like　that〃but

unjustly　discredited；　and；　furthermore；　its　testimony　is　well

corroborated；　as　you　will　find　you　must　admit。〃　Jode's　voice　was　almost

threatening；　and　he　fetched　one　corroborator　after　another。　I　looked

passively　at　wet　and　dry　bulbs；　at　self…recording；　dotted　registers；　I

caught　the　fleeting　sound　of　words　like　〃meniscus　〃and　〃terrestrial

minimum　thermometer；〃　and　I　nodded　punctually　when　Jode　went　through　some

calculation。　At　last　I　heard　something　that　I　could　understanda　series

of　telegraphic　replies　to　Jode　from　brother　signal…service　officers　all

over　the　United　States。　He　read　each　one　through　from　date　of　signature；

and　they　all　made　any　rain　to…morrow　entirely　impossible。　〃And　I　tell

you；〃　Jode　concluded；　in　his　high；　egg…shell　voice；　〃there's　no　chance　of

precipitation　now；　sir。　I　tell　you；　sir；〃he　was　shrieking　jubilantly

〃there's　not　a　damn'　thing　to　precipitate！〃



We　left　him　in　his　triumph　among　his　glass　and　mercury。　〃Gee　whiz！〃　said

the　Governor。　〃I　guess　we'd　better　go　and　tell　Hilbrun　it's　no　use。〃



We　went；　and　Hilbrun　smiled　with　a　certain　compassion　for　the　antiquated

scientist。　〃That's　what　they　all　say；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　do　my　talking

to…morrow。〃



〃If　any　of　you　gentlemen；　or　your　friends；〃　said　Assistant　Lusk；　stepping

up；　〃feel　like　doing　a　little　business　on　this；　I　am　ready　to　accommodate

you。〃



〃What　do　yu'　want　this　evenin'？〃　said　Lin　McLean；　promptly。



〃Five　to　one；〃　said　Lusk。



〃Go　yu'　in　twenties；〃　said　the　impetuous　puncher；　and　I　now　perceived

this　was　to　be　a　sporting　event。　Lin　had　his　wad　of　bills　outor　what　of

it　still　survived　his　bride's　shopping。　〃Will　you　hold　stakes；　doctor？〃

he　said　to　the　Governor。



But　that　official　looked　at　the　clear　sky；　and　thought　he　would　do　five

to　one　in　twenties　himself。　Lusk　accommodated　him；　and　then　Ogden；　and

then　me。　None　of　us　could　very　well　be　stake…holder；　but　we　registered

our　bets；　and　promised　to　procure　an　uninterested　man　by　eight　next

morning。　I　have　seldom　had　so　much　trouble；　and　I　never　saw　such　a

universal　search　for　ready　money。　Every　man　we　asked　to　hold　stakes

instantly　whipped　out　his　own　pocketbook；　went　in　search　of　Lusk；　and

disqualified　himself。　It　was　Jode　helped　us　out。　He　would　not　bet；　but

was　anxious　to　serve；　and　thus　punish　the　bragging　Lusk。



Sunday　was；　as　usual；　chronically　fine；　with　no　cloud　or　breeze　anywhere；

and　by　the　time　the　church…bells　were　ringing；　ten　to　one　was　freely

offered。　The　biscuit…shooter　went　to　church　with　her　friends；　so　she

might　wear　her　fine　clothes　in　a　worthy　place；　while　her　furloughed

husband　rushed　about　Cheyenne；　entirely　his　own　old　self　again；　his　wad

of　money　staked　and　in　Jode's　keepin