the story of a mine-第13部分

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

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

could　find　his　tongue　and　his　legs；　for　in　the　exercise　of　his

congressional　functions　these　extreme　members　supported　each

other；〃do　you　mean　to　say；〃　he　stammered　in　rising　rage；　〃that

you　have　dared　to　deceive　an　American　lawgiver　into　legislating

upon　a　measure　connected　with　a　capital　offense？　　Do　I　understand

you　to　say；　sir；　that　murder　stands　upon　the　recordstands　upon

the　record；　sir；of　this　cause　to　which；　as　a　representative　of

Remus；　I　have　lent　my　official　aid？　　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you

have　deceived　my　constituency；　whose　sacred　trust　I　hold；　in

inveigling　me　to　hiding　a　crime　from　the　Argus　eyes　of　justice？〃

And　Mr。　Gashwiler　looked　towards　the　bell…pull　as　if　about　to

summon　a　servant　to　witness　this　outrage　against　the　established

judiciary。



〃The　murder；　if　it　WAS　a　murder；　took　place　before　Garcia　entered

upon　this　claim；　or　had　a　footing　in　this　court；〃　returned　Wiles

blandly；　〃and　is　no　part　of　the　record。〃



〃You　are　sure　it　is　not　spread　upon　the　record？〃



〃I　am。　　You　can　judge　for　yourself。〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　walked　to　the　window；　returned　to　the　table；　finished

his　liquor　in　a　single　gulp；　and　then；　with　a　slight　resumption　of

dignity；　said：



〃That　alters　the　case。〃



Wiles　glanced　with　his　left　eye　at　the　Congressman。　　The　right

placidly　looked　out　of　the　window。　　Presently　he　said　quietly；

〃I've　brought　you　the　certificates　of　stock；　do　you　wish　them　made

out　in　your　own　name？〃



Mr。　Gashwiler　tried　hard　to　look　as　if　he　were　trying　to　recall　the

meaning　of　Wiles's　words。　　〃Oh！ah！umph！let　me　see；oh；　yes；

the　certificates；certainly！　　Of　course　you　will　make　them　out　in

the　name　of　my　secretary；　Mr。　Expectant　Dobbs。　　They　will　perhaps

repay　him　for　the　extra　clerical　labor　required　in　the　prosecution

of　your　claim。　　He　is　a　worthy　young　man。　　Although　not　a　public

officer；　yet　he　is　so　near　to　me　that　perhaps　I　am　wrong　in

permitting　him　to　accept　a　fee　for　private　interests。　　An　American

representative　cannot　be　too　cautious；　Mr。　Wiles。　　Perhaps　you　had

better　have　also　a　blank　transfer。　　The　stock　is；　I　understand；　yet

in　the　future。　　Mr。　Dobbs；　though　talented　and　praiseworthy；　is

poor；　he　may　wish　to　realize。　　If　someahem！　some　FRIENDbetter

circumstanced　should　choose　to　advance　the　cash　to　him　and　run　the

risk；why；　it　would　only　be　an　act　of　kindness。〃



〃You　are　proverbially　generous；　Mr。　Gashwiler；〃　said　Wiles；　opening

and　shutting　his　left　eye　like　a　dark　lantern　on　the　benevolent

representative。



〃Youth；　when　faithful　and　painstaking；　should　be　encouraged；〃

replied　Mr。　Gashwiler。　　〃I　lately　had　occasion　to　point　this　out　in

a　few　remarks　I　had　to　make　before　the　Sabbath　school　reunion　at

Remus。　　Thank　you；　I　will　see　that　they　areahem！conveyed　to

him。　　I　shall　give　them　to　him　with　my　own　hand；〃　he　concluded；

falling　back　in　his　chair；　as　if　the　better　to　contemplate　the

perspective　of　his　own　generosity　and　condescension。　　Mr。　Wiles

took　his　hat　and　turned　to　go。　　Before　he　reached　the　door　Mr。

Gashwiler　returned　to　the　social　level　with　a　chuckle：



〃You　say　this　woman；　this　Garcia's　niece；　is　handsome　and　smart？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃I　can　set　another　woman　on　the　track　that'll　euchre　her　every

time！〃



Mr。　Wiles　was　too　clever　to　appear　to　notice　the　sudden　lapse　in

the　Congressman's　dignity；　and　only　said；　with　his　right　eye：



〃Can　you？〃



〃By　G…d；　I　WILL；　or　I　don't　know　how　to　represent　Remus。〃



Mr。　Wiles　thanked　him　with　his　right　eye；　and　looked　a　dagger　with

his　left。　　〃Good；〃　he　said；　and　added　persuasively：　〃Does　she　live

here？〃



The　Congressman　nodded　assent。　　〃An　awfully　handsome　woman；a

particular　friend　of　mine！〃　　Mr。　Gashwiler　here　looked　as　if　he

would　not　mind　to　have　been　rallied　a　little　over　his　intimacy　with

the　fair　one；　but　the　astute　Mr。　Wiles　was　at　the　same　moment

making　up　his　mind；　after　interpreting　the　Congressman's　look　and

manner；　that　he　must　know　this　fair　incognita　if　he　wished　to　sway

Gashwiler。　　He　determined　to　bide　his　time；　and　withdrew。



The　door　was　scarcely　closed　upon　him　when　another　knock　diverted

Mr。　Gashwiler's　attention　from　his　proofs。　　The　door　opened　to　a

young　man　with　sandy　hair　and　anxious　face。　　He　entered　the　room

deprecatingly；　as　if　conscious　of　the　presence　of　a　powerful　being；

to　be　supplicated　and　feared。　　Mr。　Gashwiler　did　not　attempt　to

disabuse　his　mind。　　〃Busy；　you　see；〃　he　said　shortly；　〃correcting

your　work！〃



〃I　hope　it　is　acceptable？〃　said　the　young　man　timidly。



〃Wellyesit　will　do；〃　said　Gashwiler；　〃indeed　I　may　say　it　is

satisfactory　on　the　whole；〃　he　added　with　the　appearance　of　a　large

generosity；　〃quite　satisfactory。〃



〃You　have　no　news；　I　suppose；〃　continued　the　young　man；　with　a

slight　flush；　born　of　pride　or　expectation。



〃No；　nothing　as　yet。〃　　　Mr。　Gashwiler　paused　as　if　a　thought　had

struck　him。



〃I　have　thought；〃　he　said；　finally；　〃that　some　positionsuch　as　a

secretaryship　with　mewould　help　you　to　a　better　appointment。

Now；　supposing　that　I　make　you　my　private　secretary；　giving　you

some　important　and　confidential　business。　　Eh？〃



Dobbs　looked　at　his　patron　with　a　certain　wistful；　dog…like

expectancy；　moved　himself　excitedly　on　his　chair　seat　in　a　peculiar

canine…like　anticipation　of　gratitude；　strongly　suggesting　that　he

would　have　wagged　his　tail　if　he　had　one。　　At　which　Mr。　Gashwiler

became　more　impressive。



〃Indeed；　I　may　say　I　anticipated　it　by　certain　papers　I　have　put　in

your　charge　and　in　your　name；　only　taking　from　you　a　transfer　that

might　enable　me　to　satisfy　my　conscience　hereafter　in　recommending

you　as　myahem！private　secretary。　　Perhaps；　as　a　mere　form；　you

might　now；　while　you　are　here；　put　your　name　to　these　transfers；

and；　so　to　speak；　begin　your　duties　at　once。〃



The　glow　of　pride　and　hope　that　mantled　the　cheek　of　poor　Dobbs

might　have　melted　a　harder　heart　than　Gashwiler's。　　But　the

senatorial　toga　had　invested　Mr。　Gashwiler　with　a　more　than　Roman

stoicism　towards　the　feelings　of　others；　and　he　only　fell　back　in

his　chair　in　the　pose　of　conscious　rectitude　as　Dobbs　hurriedly

signed　the　paper。



〃I　shall　place　them　in　my　portman…tell；〃　said　Gashwiler；　suiting

the　word　to　the　action；　〃for　safe　keeping。　　I　need　not　inform　you；

who　are　now；　as　it　were；　on　the　threshold　of　official　life；　that

perfect　and　inviolable　secrecy　in　all　affairs　of　State〃Mr。　G。

here　motioned　toward　his　portmanteau　as　if　it　contained　a　treaty　at

least〃is　most　essential　and　necessary。〃



Dobbs　assented。　　〃Then　my　duties　will　keep　me　with　you　here？〃　he

asked　doubtfully。



〃No；　no；〃　said　Gashwiler　hastily；　then；　correcting　himself；　he

added：　〃that　isfor　the　presentno！〃



Poor　Dobbs's　face　fell。　　The　near　fact　was　that　he　had　lately　had

notice　to　quit　his　present　lodgings　in　consequence　of　arrears　in

his　rent；　and　he　had　a　hopeful　reliance　that　his　confidential

occupation　would　carry　bread　and　lodging　with　it。　　But　he　only

asked　if　there　were　any　new　papers　to　make　out。



〃Ahem！　not　at　present；　the　fact　is　I　am　obliged　to　give　so　much　of

my　time　to　callersI　have　to…day　been　obliged　to　see　half　a　dozen

that　I　must　lock　myself　up　and　say　'Not　at　home'　for　the　rest　of

the　day。〃　　Feeling　that　this　was　an　intimation　that　the　interview

was　over；　the　new　private　secretary；　a　little　dashed　as　to　his　near

hopes；　but　still　sanguine　of　the　future；　humbly　took　his　leave。



But　here　a　certain　Providence；　perhaps　mindful　of　poor　Dobbs；　threw

into　his　simple　handsto　be　used　or　not；　if　he　were　worthy　or

capable　of　using　ita　certain　power　and　advantage。　　He　had

descended　the　staircase；　and　was　passing　through　the　lower

corridor；　when　he　was　made　the　unwilling　witness　of　a　remarkable

assault。



It　appeared　that　Mr。　Wiles；　who　had　quitted　Gashwiler's　presence　as

Dobbs　was　announced；　had　other　business　in　the　hotel；　and　in

pursuance　of　it　had　knocked　at　room　No。　90。　　In　response　to　the

gruff　voice　that　bade　him　enter；　Mr。　Wiles　opened　the　door；　and

espied　the　figure　of　a　tall；　muscular；　fiery…bearded　man　extended

on　the　bed；　with　the　bedclothes　carefully　tucked　under　his　chin；

and　his　arms　lying　flat　by　his　side。



Mr。　Wiles　beamed　with　his　right　cheek；　and　advanced　to　the　bed　as

if　to　take　the　hand　of　the　stranger；　who；　however；　neither　by　word

or　sign　responded　to　his　salutation。



〃Perhaps　I'm　intruding？〃　said　Mr。　Wiles　blandly。



〃Perhaps　you　are；〃　said　Red　Beard　dryly。



Mr。　Wiles　forced　a　smile　on　his　right　cheek；　which　he　turned　to　the

smiter；　but　permitted　the　left　to　indulge　in　unlimited　malevolence。

〃I　wanted　merely　to　know　if　you　have　looked　into　that　matter？〃　he

said　meekly。



〃I've　looked　into　it　and　round　it　and　across　it　and　over　it　and

through　it；〃　responded　the　man　gravely；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on

Wiles。



〃And　you　have　perused　all　the　papers？〃　continued　Mr。　Wiles。



〃I've　read　every　paper；　every　speech；　every　affidavit；　every

decision；　every　argument；〃　said　the　stranger　as　if　repeating　a

formula。



Mr。　Wiles　attempted　to　conceal　his　embarrassment　by　an　easy；　right…

handed　smile；　that　went　off　sardonically　on　the　left；　and

continued：　〃Then　I　hope；　my　dear　sir；　that；　having　thoroughly

mastered　the　case；　you　are　inclined　to　be　favorable　to　us？〃



The　gentleman　in　the　bed　did　not　reply；　but　apparently　nestled　more

closely　beneath　the　coverlids。



〃I　have　brought　the　shares　I　spoke　of；〃　continued　Mr。　Wiles；

insinuatingly。



〃Hev　you　a　friend　within　call？〃　interrupted　the　recumbent　man

gently。



〃I　don't　quite　understand！〃　smiled　Mr。　Wiles。　　〃Of　course　any　name

you　might　suggest〃



〃Hev　you　a　friend；　any　chap　that　you　might　waltz　in　here　at　a

moment's　call？〃　continued　the　man　in　bed。　　〃No？　　Do　you　know　any　of

th