roads of destiny-第14部分

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〃I　thought；〃　said　Mullens；　〃that　maybe　five　hundred〃

〃Five　hundred！〃　interrupted　Kinney；　as　he　hammered　on　his　glass　for　a　lead　pencil　and　looked　around　for　a　waiter。　〃Only　five　hundred　for　a　red　steer　on　the　hoof　delivered　by　a　grandson　of　Lucien　Briscoe！　Where's　your　state　pride；　man？　Two　thousand　is　what　it'll　be。　You'll　introduce　the　bill　and　I'll　get　up　on　the　floor　of　the　Senate　and　wave　the　scalp　of　every　Indian　old　Lucien　ever　murdered。　Let's　see；　there　was　something　else　proud　and　foolish　he　did；　wasn't　there？　Oh；　yes；　he　declined　all　emoluments　and　benefits　he　was　entitled　to。　Refused　his　head…right　and　veteran　donation　certificates。　Could　have　been　governor；　but　wouldn't。　Declined　a　pension。　Now's　the　state's　chance　to　pay　up。　It'll　have　to　take　the　picture；　but　then　it　deserves　some　punishment　for　keeping　the　Briscoe　family　waiting　so　long。　We'll　bring　this　thing　up　about　the　middle　of　the　month；　after　the　tax　bill　is　settled。　Now；　Mullens；　you　send　over；　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　get　me　the　figures　on　the　cost　of　those　irrigation　ditches　and　the　statistics　about　the　increased　production　per　acre。　I'm　going　to　need　you　when　that　bill　of　mine　comes　up。　I　reckon　we'll　be　able　to　pull　along　pretty　well　together　this　session　and　maybe　others　to　come；　eh；　Senator？〃

Thus　did　fortune　elect　to　smile　upon　the　Boy　Artist　of　the　San　Saba。　Fate　had　already　done　her　share　when　she　arranged　his　atoms　in　the　cosmogony　of　creation　as　the　grandson　of　Lucien　Briscoe。

The　original　Briscoe　had　been　a　pioneer　both　as　to　territorial　occupation　and　in　certain　acts　prompted　by　a　great　and　simple　heart。　He　had　been　one　of　the　first　settlers　and　crusaders　against　the　wild　forces　of　nature；　the　savage　and　the　shallow　politician。　His　name　and　memory　were　revered；　equally　with　any　upon　the　list　comprising　Houston；　Boone；　Crockett；　Clark；　and　Green。　He　had　lived　simply；　independently；　and　unvexed　by　ambition。　Even　a　less　shrewd　man　than　Senator　Kinney　could　have　prophesied　that　his　state　would　hasten　to　honour　and　reward　his　grandson；　come　out　of　the　chaparral　at　even　so　late　a　day。

And　so；　before　the　great　picture　by　the　door　of　the　chamber　of　representatives　at　frequent　times　for　many　days　could　be　found　the　breezy；　robust　form　of　Senator　Kinney　and　be　heard　his　clarion　voice　reciting　the　past　deeds　of　Lucien　Briscoe　in　connection　with　the　handiwork　of　his　grandson。　Senator　Mullens's　work　was　more　subdued　in　sight　and　sound；　but　directed　along　identical　lines。

Then；　as　the　day　for　the　introduction　of　the　bill　for　appropriation　draws　nigh；　up　from　the　San　Saba　country　rides　Lonny　Briscoe　and　a　loyal　lobby　of　cowpunchers；　bronco…back；　to　boost　the　cause　of　art　and　glorify　the　name　of　friendship；　for　Lonny　is　one　of　them；　a　knight　of　stirrup　and　chaparreras；　as　handy　with　the　lariat　and　。45　as　he　is　with　brush　and　palette。

On　a　March　afternoon　the　lobby　dashed；　with　a　whoop；　into　town。　The　cowpunchers　had　adjusted　their　garb　suitably　from　that　prescribed　for　the　range　to　the　more　conventional　requirements　of　town。　They　had　conceded　their　leather　chaparreras　and　transferred　their　six…shooters　and　belts　from　their　persons　to　the　horns　of　their　saddles。　Among　them　rode　Lonny；　a　youth　of　twenty…three；　brown；　solemn…faced；　ingenuous；　bowlegged；　reticent；　bestriding　Hot　Tamales；　the　most　sagacious　cow　pony　west　of　the　Mississippi。　Senator　Mullens　had　informed　him　of　the　bright　prospects　of　the　situation；　had　even　mentionedso　great　was　his　confidence　in　the　capable　Kinneythe　price　that　the　state　would；　in　all　likelihood；　pay。　It　seemed　to　Lonny　that　fame　and　fortune　were　in　his　hands。　Certainly；　a　spark　of　the　divine　fire　was　in　the　little　brown　centaur's　breast；　for　he　was　counting　the　two　thousand　dollars　as　but　a　means　to　future　development　of　his　talent。　Some　day　he　would　paint　a　picture　even　greater　than　thisone；　say；　twelve　feet　by　twenty；　full　of　scope　and　atmosphere　and　action。

During　the　three　days　that　yet　intervened　before　the　coming　of　the　date　fixed　for　the　introduction　of　the　bill；　the　centaur　lobby　did　valiant　service。　Coatless；　spurred；　weather…tanned；　full　of　enthusiasm　expressed　in　bizarre　terms；　they　loafed　in　front　of　the　painting　with　tireless　zeal。　Reasoning　not　unshrewdly；　they　estimated　that　their　comments　upon　its　fidelity　to　nature　would　be　received　as　expert　evidence。　Loudly　they　praised　the　skill　of　the　painter　whenever　there　were　ears　near　to　which　such　evidence　might　be　profitably　addressed。　Lem　Perry；　the　leader　of　the　claque；　had　a　somewhat　set　speech；　being　uninventive　in　the　construction　of　new　phrases。

〃Look　at　that　two…year…old；　now；〃　he　would　say；　waving　a　cinnamon…　brown　hand　toward　the　salient　point　of　the　picture。　〃Why；　dang　my　hide；　the　critter's　alive。　I　can　jest　hear　him；　'lumpety…lump；'　a…cuttin'　away　from　the　herd；　pretendin'　he's　skeered。　He's　a　mean　scamp；　that　there　steer。　Look　at　his　eyes　a…wailin'　and　his　tail　a…wavin'。　He's　true　and　nat'ral　to　life。　He's　jest　hankerin'　fur　a　cow　pony　to　round　him　up　and　send　him　scootin'　back　to　the　bunch。　Dang　my　hide！　jest　look　at　that　tail　of　his'n　a…wavin'。　Never　knowed　a　steer　to　wave　his　tail　any　other　way；　dang　my　hide　ef　I　did。〃

Jud　Shelby；　while　admitting　the　excellence　of　the　steer；　resolutely　confined　himself　to　open　admiration　of　the　landscape；　to　the　end　that　the　entire　picture　receive　its　meed　of　praise。

〃That　piece　of　range；〃　he　declared；　〃is　a　dead　ringer　for　Dead　Hoss　Valley。　Same　grass；　same　lay　of　land；　same　old　Whipperwill　Creek　skallyhootin'　in　and　out　of　them　motts　of　timber。　Them　buzzards　on　the　left　is　circlin'　'round　over　Sam　Kildrake's　old　paint　hoss　that　killed　hisself　over…drinkin'　on　a　hot　day。　You　can't　see　the　hoss　for　that　mott　of　ellums　on　the　creek；　but　he's　thar。　Anybody　that　was　goin'　to　look　for　Dead　Hoss　Valley　and　come　across　this　picture；　why；　he'd　just　light　off'n　his　bronco　and　hunt　a　place　to　camp。〃

Skinny　Rogers；　wedded　to　comedy；　conceived　a　complimentary　little　piece　of　acting　that　never　failed　to　make　an　impression。　Edging　quite　near　to　the　picture；　he　would　suddenly；　at　favourable　moments　emit　a　piercing　and　awful　〃Yi…yi！〃　leap　high　and　away；　coming　down　with　a　great　stamp　of　heels　and　whirring　of　rowels　upon　the　stone…flagged　floor。

〃Jeeming　Cristopher！〃so　ran　his　lines〃thought　that　rattler　was　a　gin…u…ine　one。　Ding　baste　my　skin　if　I　didn't。　Seemed　to　me　I　heard　him　rattle。　Look　at　the　blamed；　unconverted　insect　a…layin'　under　that　pear。　Little　more；　and　somebody　would　a…been　snake…bit。〃

With　these　artful　dodges；　contributed　by　Lonney's　faithful　coterie；　with　the　sonorous　Kinney　perpetually　sounding　the　picture's　merits；　and　with　the　solvent　prestige　of　the　pioneer　Briscoe　covering　it　like　a　precious　varnish；　it　seemed　that　the　San　Saba　country　could　not　fail　to　add　a　reputation　as　an　art　centre　to　its　well…known　superiority　in　steer…roping　contests　and　achievements　with　the　precarious　busted　flush。　Thus　was　created　for　the　picture　an　atmosphere；　due　rather　to　externals　than　to　the　artist's　brush；　but　through　it　the　people　seemed　to　gaze　with　more　of　admiration。　There　was　a　magic　in　the　name　of　Briscoe　that　counted　high　against　faulty　technique　and　crude　colouring。　The　old　Indian　fighter　and　wolf　slayer　would　have　smiled　grimly　in　his　happy　hunting　grounds　had　he　known　that　his　dilettante　ghost　was　thus　figuring　as　an　art　patron　two　generations　after　his　uninspired　existence。

Came　the　day　when　the　Senate　was　expected　to　pass　the　bill　of　Senator　Mullens　appropriating　two　thousand　dollars　for　the　purchase　of　the　picture。　The　gallery　of　the　Senate　chamber　was　early　preempted　by　Lonny　and　the　San　Saba　lobby。　In　the　front　row　of　chairs　they　sat；　wild…haired；　self…conscious；　jingling；　creaking；　and　rattling；　subdued　by　the　majesty　of　the　council　hall。

The　bill　was　introduced；　went　to　the　second　reading；　and　then　Senator　Mullens　spoke　for　it　dryly；　tediously；　and　at　length。　Senator　Kinney　then　arose；　and　the　welkin　seized　the　bellrope　preparatory　to　ringing。　Oratory　was　at　that　time　a　living　thing；　the　world　had　not　quite　time　to　measure　its　questions　by　geometry　and　the　multiplication　table。　It　was　the　day　of　the　silver　tongue；　the　sweeping　gesture；　the　decorative　apostrophe；　the　moving　peroration。

The　Senator　spoke。　The　San　Saba　contingent　sat；　breathing　hard；　in　the　gallery；　its　disordered　hair　hanging　down　to　its　eyes；　its　sixteen…　ounce　hats　shifted　restlessly　from　knee　to　knee。　Below；　the　distinguished　Senators　either　lounged　at　their　desks　with　the　abandon　of　proven　statesmanship　or　maintained　correct　attitudes　indicative　of　a　first　term。

Senator　Kinney　spoke　for　an　hour。　History　was　his　themehistory　mitigated　by　patriotism　and　sentiment。　He　referred　casually　to　the　picture　in　the　outer　hallit　was　unnecessary；　he　said；　to　dilate　upon　its　meritsthe　Senators　had　seen　for　themselves。　The　painter　of　the　picture　was　the　grandson　of　Lucien　Briscoe。　Then　came　the　word…　pictures　of　Briscoe's　life　set　forth　in　thrilling　colours。　His　rude　and　venturesome　life；　his　simple…minded　love　for　the　commonwealth　he　helped　to　upbuild；　his　contempt　for　rewards　and　praise；　his　extreme　and　sturdy　independence；　and　the　great　services　he　had　rendered　the　state。　The　subject　of　the　oration　was　Lucien　Briscoe；　the　painting　stood　in　the　background　serving　simply　as　a　means；　now　happily　brought　forward；　through　which　the　state　might　bestow　a　tardy　recompense　upon　the　descendent　of　its　favourite　son。　Frequent　enthusiastic　applause　from　the　Senators　testified　to　the　well　reception　of　the　sentiment。

The　bill　passed　without　an　opening　vote。　To…morrow　it　would　be　taken　up　by　the　House。　Already　was　it　fixed　to　glide　through　that　body　on　rubber　tires。　Blandford；　Grayson；　and　Plummer；　all　wheel…horses　and　orators；　and　provided　with　plentiful　memoranda　concerning　the　deeds　of　pioneer　Briscoe；　had　agreed　to　furnish　the　motive　power。

The　San　Saba　lobby　and　its　/protege/　stumbled　awkwardly　down　the　stairs　and　out　into　the　Capitol　yard。　Then　they　herded　closely　and　gave　one　yell　of　triumph。　But　one　of　themBuck…Kneed　Simmers　it　was　hit　the　key　with　the　thoughtful　remark：

〃She　cut　the　mustard；〃　he　said；　〃all　right。　I　reckon　they're　goin'　to　buy　Lon's　steer。　I　ain't　right　much　on　the　parlyment'ry；　but　I　gather　that's　what