the story of a mine-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



of　the　Avenue　sat　the　responsible　High　Keeper　of　the　military

honor；　valor；　and　war…like　prestige　of　a　great　nation；　without　the

power　to　pay　his　own　troops　their　legal　dues　until　some　selfish

quarrel　between　Party　and　Party　was　settled。　　Hard　by　sat　another

Secretary；　whose　established　functions　seemed　to　be　the

misrepresentation　of　the　nation　abroad　by　the　least　characteristic

of　its　classes；　the　politicians；and　only　then　when　they　had　been

defeated　as　politicians；　and　when　their　constituents　had　declared

them　no　longer　worthy　to　be　even　THEIR　representatives。　　This

National　Absurdity　was　only　equaled　by　another；　wherein　an　ex…

Politician　was　for　four　years　expected　to　uphold　the　honor　of　a

flag　of　a　great　nation　over　an　ocean　he　had　never　tempted；　with　a

discipline　the　rudiments　of　which　he　could　scarcely　acquire　before

he　was　removed；　or　his　term　of　office　expired；　receiving　his　orders

from　a　superior　officer　as　ignorant　of　his　special　duties　as

himself；　and　subjected　to　the　revision　of　a　Congress　cognizant　of

him　only　as　a　politician。　　At　the　farther　end　of　the　Avenue　was

another　department　so　vast　in　its　extent　and　so　varied　in　its

functions　that　few　of　the　really　great　practical　workers　of　the

land　would　have　accepted　its　responsibility　for　ten　times　its

salary；　but　which　the　most　perfect　constitution　in　the　world　handed

over　to　men　who　were　obliged　to　make　it　a　stepping　stone　to　future

preferment。　　There　was　another　department；　more　suggestive　of　its

financial　functions　from　the　occasional　extravagances　or　economies

exhibited　in　its　payrolls；successive　Congresses　having　taken

other　matters　out　of　its　hands；presided　over　by　an　official　who

bore　the　title　and　responsibility　of　the　Custodian　and　Disburser　of

the　Nation's　Purse；　and　received　a　salary　that　a　bank…President

would　have　sniffed　at。　　For　it　was　part　of　this　Constitutional

Inconsistency　and　Administrative　Absurdity　that　in　the　matter　of

honor；　justice；　fidelity　to　trust；　and　even　business　integrity；　the

official　was　always　expected　to　be　the　superior　of　the　Government

he　represented。　　Yet　the　crowning　Inconsistency　was　that；　from　time

to　time；　it　was　submitted　to　the　sovereign　people　to　declare　if

these　various　Inconsistencies　were　not　really　the　perfect

expression　of　the　most　perfect　Government　the　world　had　known。　　And

it　is　to　be　recorded　that　the　unanimous　voices　of　Representative；

Orator；　and　Unfettered　Poetry　were　that　it　was！



Even　the　public　press　lent　itself　to　the　Great　Inconsistency。　　It

was　as　clear　as　crystal　to　the　journal　on　one　side　of　the　Avenue

that　the　country　was　going　to　the　dogs　unless　the　SPIRIT　of　the

Fathers　once　more　reanimated　the　public；　it　was　equally　clear　to

the　journal　on　the　other　side　of　the　Avenue　that　only　a　rigid

adherence　to　the　LETTER　of　the　Fathers　would　save　the　nation　from

decline。　　It　was　obvious　to　the　first…named　journal　that　the

〃letter〃　meant　Government　patronage　to　the　other　journal；　it　was

patent　to　that　journal　that　the　〃shekels〃　of　Senator　X　really

animated　the　spirit　of　the　Fathers。　　Yet　all　agreed　it　was　a　great

and　good　and　perfect　government；subject　only　to　the　predatory

incursions　of　a　Hydra…headed　monster　known　as　a　〃Ring。〃　　The　Ring's

origin　was　wrapped　in　secrecy；　its　fecundity　was　alarming；　but

although　its　rapacity　was　preternatural；　its　digestion　was　perfect

and　easy。　　It　circumvolved　all　affairs　in　an　atmosphere　of　mystery；

it　clouded　all　things　with　the　dust　and　ashes　of　distrust。　　All

disappointment　of　place；　of　avarice；　of　incompetency　or　ambition；

was　clearly　attributable　to　it。　　It　even　permeated　private　and

social　life；　there　were　Rings　in　our　kitchen　and　household　service；

in　our　public　schools；　that　kept　the　active　intelligences　of　our

children　passive；　there　were　Rings　of　engaging；　handsome；　dissolute

young　fellows；　who　kept　us　moral　but　unengaging　seniors　from　the

favors　of　the　fair；　there　were　subtle；　conspiring　Rings　among　our

creditors；　which　sent　us　into　bankruptcy　and　restricted　our　credit。

In　fact　it　would　not　be　hazardous　to　say　that　all　that　was

calamitous　in　public　and　private　experience　was　clearly　traceable

to　that　combination　of　power　in　a　minority　over　weakness　in　a

majorityknown　as　a　Ring。



Haply　there　was　a　body　of　demigods；　as　yet　uninvoked；　who　should

speedily　settle　all　that。　　When　Smith　of　Minnesota；　Robinson　of

Vermont；　and　Jones　of　Georgia　returned　to　Congress　from　these　rural

seclusions　so　potent　with　information　and　so　freed　from　local

prejudices；　it　was　understood；　vaguely；　that　great　things　would　be

done。　　This　was　always　understood。　　There　never　was　a　time　in　the

history　of　American　politics　when；　to　use　the　expression　of　the

journals　before　alluded　to；　〃the　present　session　of　Congress〃　did

not　〃bid　fair　to　be　the　most　momentous　in　our　history；〃　and　did

not；　as　far　as　the　facts　go；　leave　a　vast　amount　of　unfinished

important　business　lying　hopelessly　upon　its　desks；　having　〃bolted〃

the　rest　as　rashly　and　with　as　little　regard　to　digestion　or

assimilation　as　the　American　traveller　has　for　his　railway

refreshment。



In　this　capital；　on　this　languid　midsummer　day；　in　an　upper　room　of

one　of　its　second…rate　hotels；　the　Honorable　Pratt　C。　Gashwiler　sat

at　his　writing…table。　　There　are　certain　large；　fleshy　men　with

whom　the　omission　of　even　a　necktie　or　collar　has　all　the　effect　of

an　indecent　exposure。　　The　Hon。　Mr。　Gashwiler；　in　his　trousers　and

shirt；　was　a　sight　to　be　avoided　by　the　modest　eye。　　There　were

such　palpable　suggestions　of　vast　extents　of　unctuous　flesh　in　the

slight　glimpse　offered　by　his　open　throat　that　his　dishabille

should　have　been　as　private　as　his　business。　　Nevertheless；　when

there　was　a　knock　at　his　door　he　unhesitatingly　said；　〃Come　in！〃

pushing　away　a　goblet　crowned　with　a　certain　aromatic　herb　with　his

right　hand；　while　he　drew　towards　him　with　his　left　a　few　proof

slips　of　his　forthcoming　speech。　　The　Gashwiler　brow　became；　as　it

were；　intelligently　abstracted。



The　intruder　regarded　Gashwiler　with　a　glance　of　familiar

recognition　from　his　right　eye；　while　his　left　took　in　a　rapid

survey　of　the　papers　on　the　table；　and　gleamed　sardonically。



〃You　are　at　work；　I　see；〃　he　said　apologetically。



〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Congressman；　with　an　air　of　perfunctory

weariness；〃one　of　my　speeches。　　Those　dd　printers　make

such　a　mess　of　it；　I　suppose　I　don't　write　a　very　fine　hand。〃



If　the　gifted　Gashwiler　had　added　that　he　did　not　write　a　very

intelligent　hand；　or　a　very　grammatical　hand；　and　that　his　spelling

was　faulty；　he　would　have　been　truthful；　although　the　copy　and

proof　before　him　might　not　have　borne　him　out。　　The　near　fact　was

that　the　speech　was　composed　and　written　by　one　Expectant　Dobbs；　a

poor　retainer　of　Gashwiler；　and　the　honorable　member's　labor　as　a

proof…reader　was　confined　to　the　introduction　of　such　words　as

〃anarchy；〃　〃oligarchy；〃　〃satrap；〃　〃palladium；〃　and　〃Argus…eyed〃　in

the　proof；　with　little　relevancy　as　to　position　or　place；　and　no

perceptible　effect　as　to　argument。



The　stranger　saw　all　this　with　his　wicked　left　eye；　but　continued

to　beam　mildly　with　his　right。　　Removing　the　coat　and　waistcoat　of

Gashwiler　from　a　chair；　he　drew　it　towards　the　table；　pushing　aside

a　portly；　loud…ticking　watch；the　very　image　of　Gashwiler；that

lay　beside　him；　and；　resting　his　elbows　on　the　proofs；　said：



〃Well？〃



〃Have　you　anything　new？〃　asked　the　parliamentary　Gashwiler。



〃Much！　a　woman！〃　replied　the　stranger。



The　astute　Gashwiler；　waiting　further　information；　concluded　to

receive　this　fact　gaily　and　gallantly。　　〃A　woman？my　dear　Mr。

Wiles；of　course！　　The　dear　creatures；〃　he　continued；　with　a　fat；

offensive　chuckle；　〃somehow　are　always　making　their　charming

presence　felt。　　Ha！　ha！　　A　man；　sir；　in　public　life　becomes

accustomed　to　that　sort　of　thing；　and　knows　when　he　must　be

agreeable；agreeable；　sir；　but　firm！　　I've　had　my　experience；

sir；my　OWN　experience；〃and　the　Congressman　leaned　back　in　his

chair；　not　unlike　a　robust　St。　Anthony　who　had　withstood　one

temptation　to　thrive　on　another。



〃Yes；〃　said　Wiles　impatiently；　〃but　dn　it；　she's　on　the　OTHER

SIDE。〃



〃The　other　side！〃　repeated　Gashwiler　vacantly。



〃Yes；　she's　a　niece　of　Garcia's。　　A　little　she　devil。〃



〃But　Garcia's　on　our　side；〃　rejoined　Gashwiler。



〃Yes；　but　she　is　bought　by　the　Ring。〃



〃A　woman！〃　sneered　Mr。　Gashwiler；　〃what　can　she　do　with　men　who

won't　be　made　fools　of？　　Is　she　so　handsome？〃



〃I　never　saw　any　great　beauty　in　her；〃　said　Wiles　shortly；

〃although　they　say　that　she's　rather　caught　that　dd　Thatcher；

in　spite　of　his　coldness。　　At　any　rate；　she　is　his　protegee。　　But

she　isn't　the　sort　you're　thinking　of；　Gashwiler。　　They　say　she

knows；　or　pretends　to　know；　something　about　the　grant。　　She　may

have　got　hold　of　some　of　her　uncle's　papers。　　Those　Greasers　were

always　dd　fools；　and；　if　he　did　anything　foolish；　like　as　not

he　bungled　or　didn't　cover　up　his　tracks。　　And　with　his　knowledge

and　facilities　too！　　Why；　if　I'd〃　but　here　Mr。　Wiles　stopped　to

sigh　over　the　inequalities　of　fortune　that　wasted　opportunities　on

the　less　skillful　scamp。



Mr。　Gashwiler　became　dignified。　　〃She　can　do　nothing　with　us；〃　he

said　potentially。



Wiles　turned　his　wicked　eye　on　him。　　〃Manuel　and　Miguel；　who　sold

out　to　our　man；　are　afraid　of　her。　　They　were　our　witnesses。　　I

verily　believe　they'd　take　back　everything　if　she　got　after　them。

And　as　for　Pedro；　he　thinks　she　holds　the　power　of　life　and　death

over　him。〃



〃Pedro！　life　and　death；what's　all　this？〃　said　the　astonished

Gashwiler。



Wiles　saw　his　blunder；　but　saw　also　that　he　had　gone　too　far　to

stop。　　〃Pedro；〃　he　said；　〃was　strongly　suspected　of　having　murdered

Concho；　one　of　the　original　locators。〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　turned　white　as　a　sheet；　and　then　flushed　again　into

an　apoplectic　glow。　　〃Do　you　dare　to　say；〃　he　began　as