roads of destiny-第16部分

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　was　well；　for　the　reptiles　were　actually　there。　Then　I　shipped　back　as　third　cook　on　a　Norwegian　tramp　that　blew　up　her　boiler　two　miles　below　Quarantine。　I　was　due　to　bust　through　that　cellar　door　here　to…night；　so　I　hurried　the　rest　of　the　way　up　the　river；　roustabouting　on　a　lower　coast　packet　that　made　up　a　landing　for　every　fisherman　that　wanted　a　plug　of　tobacco。　And　now　I'm　here　for　what　comes　next。　And　it'll　be　along；　it'll　be　along；'　said　this　queer　Mr。　Kearny；　'it'll　be　along　on　the　beams　of　my　bright　but　not　very　particular　star。'

〃From　the　first　the　personality　of　Kearny　charmed　me。　I　saw　in　him　the　bold　heart；　the　restless　nature；　and　the　valiant　front　against　the　buffets　of　fate　that　make　his　countrymen　such　valuable　comrades　in　risk　and　adventure。　And　just　then　I　was　wanting　such　men。　Moored　at　a　fruit　company's　pier　I　had　a　500…ton　steamer　ready　to　sail　the　next　day　with　a　cargo　of　sugar；　lumber；　and　corrugated　iron　for　a　port　inwell；　let　us　call　the　country　Esperandoit　has　not　been　long　ago；　and　the　name　of　Patricio　Malone　is　still　spoken　there　when　its　unsettled　politics　are　discussed。　Beneath　the　sugar　and　iron　were　packed　a　thousand　Winchester　rifles。　In　Aguas　Frias；　the　capital；　Don　Rafael　Valdevia；　Minister　of　War；　Esperando's　greatest…hearted　and　most　able　patriot；　awaited　my　coming。　No　doubt　you　have　heard；　with　a　smile；　of　the　insignificant　wars　and　uprisings　in　those　little　tropic　republics。　They　make　but　a　faint　clamour　against　the　din　of　great　nations'　battles；　but　down　there；　under　all　the　ridiculous　uniforms　and　petty　diplomacy　and　senseless　countermarching　and　intrigue；　are　to　be　found　statesmen　and　patriots。　Don　Rafael　Valdevia　was　one。　His　great　ambition　was　to　raise　Esperando　into　peace　and　honest　prosperity　and　the　respect　of　the　serious　nations。　So　he　waited　for　my　rifles　in　Aguas　Frias。　But　one　would　think　I　am　trying　to　win　a　recruit　in　you！　No；　it　was　Francis　Kearny　I　wanted。　And　so　I　told　him；　speaking　long　over　our　execrable　vermouth；　breathing　the　stifling　odour　from　garlic　and　tarpaulins；　which；　as　you　know；　is　the　distinctive　flavour　of　cafes　in　the　lower　slant　of　our　city。　I　spoke　of　the　tyrant　President　Cruz　and　the　burdens　that　his　green　and　insolent　cruelty　laid　upon　the　people。　And　at　that　Kearny's　tears　flowed。　And　then　I　dried　them　with　a　picture　of　the　fat　rewards　that　would　be　ours　when　the　oppressor　should　be　overthrown　and　the　wise　and　generous　Valdevia　in　his　seat。　Then　Kearny　leaped　to　his　feet　and　wrung　my　hand　with　the　strength　of　a　roustabout。　He　was　mine；　he　said；　till　the　last　minion　of　the　hated　despot　was　hurled　from　the　highest　peaks　of　the　Cordilleras　into　the　sea。

〃I　paid　the　score；　and　we　went　out。　Near　the　door　Kearny's　elbow　overturned　an　upright　glass　showcase；　smashing　it　into　little　bits。　I　paid　the　storekeeper　the　price　he　asked。

〃'Come　to　my　hotel　for　the　night；'　I　said　to　Kearny。　'We　sail　to…morrow　at　noon。'

〃He　agreed；　but　on　the　sidewalk　he　fell　to　cursing　again　in　the　dull　monotonous　way　that　he　had　done　when　I　pulled　him　out　of　the　coal　cellar。

〃'Captain；'　said　he；　'before　we　go　any　further；　it's　no　more　than　fair　to　tell　you　that　I'm　known　from　Baffin's　Bay　to　Terra　del　Fuego　as　〃Bad…Luck〃　Kearny。　And　I'm　It。　Everything　I　get　into　goes　up　in　the　air　except　a　balloon。　Every　bet　I　ever　made　I　lost　except　when　I　coppered　it。　Every　boat　I　ever　sailed　on　sank　except　the　submarines。　Everything　I　was　ever　interested　in　went　to　pieces　except　a　patent　bombshell　that　I　invented。　Everything　I　ever　took　hold　of　and　tried　to　run　I　ran　into　the　ground　except　when　I　tried　to　plough。　And　that's　why　they　call　me　Bad…Luck　Kearny。　I　thought　I'd　tell　you。'

〃'Bad　luck；'　said　I；　'or　what　goes　by　that　name；　may　now　and　then　tangle　the　affairs　of　any　man。　But　if　it　persists　beyond　the　estimate　of　what　we　may　call　the　〃averages〃　there　must　be　a　cause　for　it。'

〃'There　is；'　said　Kearny　emphatically；　'and　when　we　walk　another　square　I　will　show　it　to　you。'

〃Surprised；　I　kept　by　his　side　until　we　came　to　Canal　Street　and　out　into　the　middle　of　its　great　width。

〃Kearny　seized　me　by　an　arm　and　pointed　a　tragic　forefinger　at　a　rather　brilliant　star　that　shone　steadily　about　thirty　degrees　above　the　horizon。

〃'That's　Saturn；'　said　he；　'the　star　that　presides　over　bad　luck　and　evil　and　disappointment　and　nothing　doing　and　trouble。　I　was　born　under　that　star。　Every　move　I　make；　up　bobs　Saturn　and　blocks　it。　He's　the　hoodoo　planet　of　the　heavens。　They　say　he's　73；000　miles　in　diameter　and　no　solider　of　body　than　split…pea　soup；　and　he's　got　as　many　disreputable　and　malignant　rings　as　Chicago。　Now；　what　kind　of　a　star　is　that　to　be　born　under？'

〃I　asked　Kearny　where　he　had　obtained　all　this　astonishing　knowledge。

〃'From　Azrath；　the　great　astrologer　of　Cleveland；　Ohio；'　said　he。　'That　man　looked　at　a　glass　ball　and　told　me　my　name　before　I'd　taken　a　chair。　He　prophesied　the　date　of　my　birth　and　death　before　I'd　said　a　word。　And　then　he　cast　my　horoscope；　and　the　sidereal　system　socked　me　in　the　solar　plexus。　It　was　bad　luck　for　Francis　Kearny　from　A　to　Izard　and　for　his　friends　that　were　implicated　with　him。　For　that　I　gave　up　ten　dollars。　This　Azrath　was　sorry；　but　he　respected　his　profession　too　much　to　read　the　heavens　wrong　for　any　man。　It　was　night　time；　and　he　took　me　out　on　a　balcony　and　gave　me　a　free　view　of　the　sky。　And　he　showed　me　which　Saturn　was；　and　how　to　find　it　in　different　balconies　and　longitudes。

〃'But　Saturn　wasn't　all。　He　was　only　the　man　higher　up。　He　furnishes　so　much　bad　luck　that　they　allow　him　a　gang　of　deputy　sparklers　to　help　hand　it　out。　They're　circulating　and　revolving　and　hanging　around　the　main　supply　all　the　time；　each　one　throwing　the　hoodoo　on　his　own　particular　district。

〃'You　see　that　ugly　little　red　star　about　eight　inches　above　and　to　the　right　of　Saturn？'　Kearny　asked　me。　'Well；　that's　her。　That's　Phoebe。　She's　got　me　in　charge。　〃By　the　day　of　your　birth；〃　says　Azrath　to　me；　〃your　life　is　subjected　to　the　influence　of　Saturn。　By　the　hour　and　minute　of　it　you　must　dwell　under　the　sway　and　direct　authority　of　Phoebe；　the　ninth　satellite。〃　So　said　this　Azrath。'　Kearny　shook　his　fist　violently　skyward。　'Curse　her；　she's　done　her　work　well；'　said　he。　'Ever　since　I　was　astrologized；　bad　luck　has　followed　me　like　my　shadow；　as　I　told　you。　And　for　many　years　before。　Now；　Captain；　I've　told　you　my　handicap　as　a　man　should。　If　you're　afraid　this　evil　star　of　mine　might　cripple　your　scheme；　leave　me　out　of　it。'

〃I　reassured　Kearny　as　well　as　I　could。　I　told　him　that　for　the　time　we　would　banish　both　astrology　and　astronomy　from　our　heads。　The　manifest　valour　and　enthusiasm　of　the　man　drew　me。　'Let　us　see　what　a　little　courage　and　diligence　will　do　against　bad　luck；'　I　said。　'We　will　sail　to…morrow　for　Esperando。'

〃Fifty　miles　down　the　Mississippi　our　steamer　broke　her　rudder。　We　sent　for　a　tug　to　tow　us　back　and　lost　three　days。　When　we　struck　the　blue　waters　of　the　Gulf；　all　the　storm　clouds　of　the　Atlantic　seemed　to　have　concentrated　above　us。　We　thought　surely　to　sweeten　those　leaping　waves　with　our　sugar；　and　to　stack　our　arms　and　lumber　on　the　floor　of　the　Mexican　Gulf。

〃Kearny　did　not　seek　to　cast　off　one　iota　of　the　burden　of　our　danger　from　the　shoulders　of　his　fatal　horoscope。　He　weathered　every　storm　on　deck；　smoking　a　black　pipe；　to　keep　which　alight　rain　and　sea…water　seemed　but　as　oil。　And　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　black　clouds　behind　which　his　baleful　star　winked　its　unseen　eye。　When　the　skies　cleared　one　evening；　he　reviled　his　malignant　guardian　with　grim　humour。

〃'On　watch；　aren't　you；　you　red…headed　vixen？　Out　making　it　hot　for　little　Francis　Kearny　and　his　friends；　according　to　Hoyle。　Twinkle；　twinkle；　little　devil！　You're　a　lady；　aren't　you？dogging　a　man　with　your　bad　luck　just　because　he　happened　to　be　born　while　your　boss　was　floorwalker。　Get　busy　and　sink　the　ship；　you　one…eyed　banshee。　Phoebe！　H'm！　Sounds　as　mild　as　a　milkmaid。　You　can't　judge　a　woman　by　her　name。　Why　couldn't　I　have　had　a　man　star？　I　can't　make　the　remarks　to　Phoebe　that　I　could　to　a　man。　Oh；　Phoebe；　you　beblasted！'

〃For　eight　days　gales　and　squalls　and　waterspouts　beat　us　from　our　course。　Five　days　only　should　have　landed　us　in　Esperando。　Our　Jonah　swallowed　the　bad　credit　of　it　with　appealing　frankness；　but　that　scarcely　lessened　the　hardships　our　cause　was　made　to　suffer。

〃At　last　one　afternoon　we　steamed　into　the　calm　estuary　of　the　little　Rio　Escondido。　Three　miles　up　this　we　crept；　feeling　for　the　shallow　channel　between　the　low　banks　that　were　crowded　to　the　edge　with　gigantic　trees　and　riotous　vegetation。　Then　our　whistle　gave　a　little　toot；　and　in　five　minutes　we　heard　a　shout；　and　Carlosmy　brave　Carlos　Quintanacrashed　through　the　tangled　vines　waving　his　cap　madly　for　joy。

〃A　hundred　yards　away　was　his　camp；　where　three　hundred　chosen　patriots　of　Esperando　were　awaiting　our　coming。　For　a　month　Carlos　had　been　drilling　them　there　in　the　tactics　of　war；　and　filling　them　with　the　spirit　of　revolution　and　liberty。

〃'My　Captain/compadre　mio/！'　shouted　Carlos；　while　yet　my　boat　was　being　lowered。　'You　should　see　them　in　the　drill　by　/companies/in　the　column　wheelin　the　march　by　foursthey　are　superb！　Also　in　the　manual　of　armsbut；　alas！　performed　only　with　sticks　of　bamboo。　The　guns；　/capitan/say　that　you　have　brought　the　guns！'

〃'A　thousand　Winchesters；　Carlos；'　I　called　to　him。　'And　two　Gatlings。'

〃'/Valgame　Dios/！'　he　cried；　throwing　his　cap　in　the　air。　'We　shall　sweep　the　world！'

〃At　that　moment　Kearny　tumbled　from　the　steamer's　side　into　the　river。　He　could　not　swim；　so　the　crew　threw　him　a　rope　and　drew　him　back　aboard。　I　caught　his　eye　and　his　look　of　pathetic　but　still　bright　and　undaunted　consciousness　of　his　guilty　luck。　I　told　myself　that　although　he　might　be　a　man　to　shun；　he　was　also　one　to　be　admired。

〃I　gave　orders　to　the　sailing…master　that　the　arms；　ammunition；　and　provisions　were　to　be　landed　at　once。　That　was　easy　in　the　steamer's　boats；　except　for　the　two　Gatling　guns。　For　their　transportation　ashore　we　carried　a　stout　flatboat；　brought　for　the　purpose　in　the　steamer's　hold。

〃In　the　meantime　I　walked　with　Carlos　to　the　camp　and　made　the　soldiers　a　little　speech　in　Spanish；　wh