roads of destiny-第30部分

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〃It　reminds　me；〃　said　he；　〃of　a　Fourth　I　helped　to　celebrate　down　in　Salvador。　'Twas　while　I　was　running　an　ice　factory　down　there；　after　I　unloaded　that　silver　mine　I　had　in　Colorado。　I　had　what　they　called　a　'conditional　concession。'　They　made　me　put　up　a　thousand　dollars　cash　forfeit　that　I　would　make　ice　continuously　for　six　months。　If　I　did　that　I　could　draw　down　my　ante。　If　I　failed　to　do　so　the　government　took　the　pot。　So　the　inspectors　kept　dropping　in；　trying　to　catch　me　without　the　goods。

〃One　day　when　the　thermometer　was　at　110；　the　clock　at　half…past　one；　and　the　calendar　at　July　third；　two　of　the　little；　brown；　oily　nosers　in　red　trousers　slid　in　to　make　an　inspection。　Now；　the　factory　hadn't　turned　out　a　pound　of　ice　in　three　weeks；　for　a　couple　of　reasons。　The　Salvador　heathen　wouldn't　buy　it；　they　said　it　make　things　cold　they　put　it　in。　And　I　couldn't　make　any　more；　because　I　was　broke。　All　I　was　holding　on　for　was　to　get　down　my　thousand　so　I　could　leave　the　country。　The　six　months　would　be　up　on　the　sixth　of　July。

〃Well；　I　showed　'em　all　the　ice　I　had。　I　raised　the　lid　of　a　darkish　vat；　and　there　was　an　elegant　100…pound　block　of　ice；　beautiful　and　convincing　to　the　eye。　I　was　about　to　close　down　the　lid　again　when　one　of　those　brunette　sleuths　flops　down　on　his　red　knees　and　lays　a　slanderous　and　violent　hand　on　my　guarantee　of　good　faith。　And　in　two　minutes　more　they　had　dragged　out　on　the　floor　that　fine　chunk　of　molded　glass　that　had　cost　me　fifty　dollars　to　have　shipped　down　from　Frisco。

〃'Ice…y？'　says　the　fellow　that　played　me　the　dishonourable　trick；　'verree　warm　ice…y。　Yes。　The　day　is　that　hot；　senor。　Yes。　Maybeso　it　is　of　desirableness　to　leave　him　out　to　get　the　cool。　Yes。'

〃'Yes；'　says　I；　'yes；'　for　I　knew　they　had　me。　'Touching's　believing；　ain't　it；　boys？　Yes。　Now　there's　some　might　say　the　seats　of　your　trousers　are　sky　blue；　but　'tis　my　opinion　they　are　red。　Let's　apply　the　tests　of　the　laying　on　of　hands　and　feet。'　And　so　I　hoisted　both　those　inspectors　out　the　door　on　the　toe　of　my　shoe；　and　sat　down　to　cool　off　on　my　block　of　disreputable　glass。

〃And；　as　I　live　without　oats；　while　I　sat　there；　homesick　for　money　and　without　a　cent　to　my　ambition；　there　came　on　the　breeze　the　most　beautiful　smell　my　nose　had　entered　for　a　year。　God　knows　where　it　came　from　in　that　backyard　of　a　countryit　was　a　bouquet　of　soaked　lemon　peel；　cigar　stumps；　and　stale　beerexactly　the　smell　of　Goldbrick　Charley's　place　on　Fourteenth　Street　where　I　used　to　play　pinochle　of　afternoons　with　the　third…rate　actors。　And　that　smell　drove　my　troubles　through　me　and　clinched　'em　at　the　back。　I　began　to　long　for　my　country　and　feel　sentiments　about　it；　and　I　said　words　about　Salvador　that　you　wouldn't　think　could　come　legitimate　out　of　an　ice　factory。

〃And　while　I　was　sitting　there；　down　through　the　blazing　sunshine　in　his　clean；　white　clothes　comes　Maximilian　Jones；　an　American　interested　in　rubber　and　rosewood。

〃'Great　carrambos！'　says　I；　when　he　stepped　in；　for　I　was　in　a　bad　temper；　'didn't　I　have　catastrophes　enough？　I　know　what　you　want。　You　want　to　tell　me　that　story　again　about　Johnny　Ammiger　and　the　widow　on　the　train。　You've　told　it　nine　times　already　this　month。'

〃'It　must　be　the　heat；'　says　Jones；　stopping　in　at　the　door；　amazed。　'Poor　Billy。　He's　got　bugs。　Sitting　on　ice；　and　calling　his　best　friends　pseudonyms。　Hi！/muchacho/！'　Jones　called　my　force　of　employees；　who　was　sitting　in　the　sun；　playing　with　his　toes；　and　told　him　to　put　on　his　trousers　and　run　for　the　doctor。

〃'Come　back；'　says　I。　'Sit　down；　Maxy；　and　forget　it。　'Tis　not　ice　you　see；　nor　a　lunatic　upon　it。　'Tis　only　an　exile　full　of　homesickness　sitting　on　a　lump　of　glass　that's　just　cost　him　a　thousand　dollars。　Now；　what　was　it　Johnny　said　to　the　widow　first？　I'd　like　to　hear　it　again；　Maxyhonest。　Don't　mind　what　I　said。'

〃Maximilian　Jones　and　I　sat　down　and　talked。　He　was　about　as　sick　of　the　country　as　I　was；　for　the　grafters　were　squeezing　him　for　half　the　profits　of　his　rosewood　and　rubber。　Down　in　the　bottom　of　a　tank　of　water　I　had　a　dozen　bottles　of　sticky　Frisco　beer；　and　I　fished　these　up；　and　we　fell　to　talking　about　home　and　the　flag　and　Hail　Columbia　and　home…fried　potatoes；　and　the　drivel　we　contributed　would　have　sickened　any　man　enjoying　those　blessings。　But　at　that　time　we　were　out　of　'em。　You　can't　appreciate　home　till　you've　left　it；　money　till　it's　spent；　your　wife　till　she's　joined　a　woman's　club；　nor　Old　Glory　till　you　see　it　hanging　on　a　broomstick　on　the　shanty　of　a　consul　in　a　foreign　town。

〃And　sitting　there　me　and　Maximilian　Jones；　scratching　at　our　prickly　heat　and　kicking　at　the　lizards　on　the　floor；　became　afflicted　with　a　dose　of　patriotism　and　affection　for　our　country。　There　was　me；　Billy　Casparis；　reduced　from　a　capitalist　to　a　pauper　by　over…addiction　to　my　glass　（in　the　lump）；　declares　my　troubles　off　for　the　present　and　myself　to　be　an　uncrowned　sovereign　of　the　greatest　country　on　earth。　And　Maximilian　Jones　pours　out　whole　drug　stores　of　his　wrath　on　oligarchies　and　potentates　in　red　trousers　and　calico　shoes。　And　we　issues　a　declaration　of　interference　in　which　we　guarantee　that　the　fourth　day　of　July　shall　be　celebrated　in　Salvador　with　all　the　kinds　of　salutes；　explosions；　honours　of　war；　oratory；　and　liquids　known　to　tradition。　Yes；　neither　me　nor　Jones　breathed　with　soul　so　dead。　There　shall　be　rucuses　in　Salvador；　we　say；　and　the　monkeys　had　better　climb　the　tallest　cocoanut　trees　and　the　fire　department　get　out　its　red　sashes　and　two　tin　buckets。

〃About　this　time　into　the　factory　steps　a　native　man　incriminated　by　the　name　of　General　Mary　Esperanza　Dingo。　He　was　some　pumpkin　both　in　politics　and　colour；　and　the　friend　of　me　and　Jones。　He　was　full　of　politeness　and　a　kind　of　intelligence；　having　picked　up　the　latter　and　managed　to　preserve　the　former　during　a　two　years'　residence　in　Philadelphia　studying　medicine。　For　a　Salvadorian　he　was　not　such　a　calamitous　little　man；　though　he　always　would　play　jack；　queen；　king；　ace；　deuce　for　a　straight。

〃General　Mary　sits　with　us　and　has　a　bottle。　While　he　was　in　the　States　he　had　acquired　a　synopsis　of　the　English　language　and　the　art　of　admiring　our　institutions。　By　and　by　the　General　gets　up　and　tiptoes　to　the　doors　and　windows　and　other　stage　entrances；　remarking　'Hist！'　at　each　one。　They　all　do　that　in　Salvador　before　they　ask　for　a　drink　of　water　or　the　time　of　day；　being　conspirators　from　the　cradle　and　matinee　idols　by　proclamation。

〃'Hist！'　says　General　Dingo　again；　and　then　he　lays　his　chest　on　the　table　quite　like　Gaspard　the　Miser。　'Good　friends；　senores；　to…morrow　will　be　the　great　day　of　Liberty　and　Independence。　The　hearts　of　Americans　and　Salvadorians　should　beat　together。　Of　your　history　and　your　great　Washington　I　know。　Is　it　not　so？'

〃Now；　me　and　Jones　thought　that　nice　of　the　General　to　remember　when　the　Fourth　came。　It　made　us　feel　good。　He　must　have　heard　the　news　going　round　in　Philadelphia　about　that　disturbance　we　had　with　England。

〃'Yes；'　says　me　and　Maxy　together；　'we　knew　it。　We　were　talking　about　it　when　you　came　in。　And　you　can　bet　your　bottom　concession　that　there'll　be　fuss　and　feathers　in　the　air　to…morrow。　We　are　few　in　numbers；　but　the　welkin　may　as　well　reach　out　to　push　the　button；　for　it's　got　to　ring。'

〃'I；　too；　shall　assist；'　says　the　General；　thumping　his　collar…bone。　'I；　too；　am　on　the　side　of　Liberty。　Noble　Americans；　we　will　make　the　day　one　to　be　never　forgotten。'

〃'For　us　American　whisky；'　says　Jones'none　of　your　Scotch　smoke　or　anisada　or　Three　Star　Hennessey　to…morrow。　We'll　borrow　the　consul's　flag；　old　man　Billfinger　shall　make　orations；　and　we'll　have　a　barbecue　on　the　plaza。'

〃'Fireworks；'　says　I；　'will　be　scarce；　but　we'll　have　all　the　cartridges　in　the　shops　for　our　guns。　I've　got　two　navy　sixes　I　brought　from　Denver。'

〃'There　is　one　cannon；'　said　the　General；　'one　big　cannon　that　will　go　〃BOOM！〃　And　three　hundred　men　with　rifles　to　shoot。'

〃'Oh；　say！'　says　Jones；　'Generalissimo；　you're　the　real　silk　elastic。　We'll　make　it　a　joint　international　celebration。　Please；　General；　get　a　white　horse　and　a　blue　sash　and　be　grand　marshal。'

〃'With　my　sword；'　says　the　General；　rolling　his　eyes。　'I　shall　ride　at　the　head　of　the　brave　men　who　gather　in　the　name　of　Liberty。'

〃'And　you　might；'　we　suggest　'see　the　commandante　and　advise　him　that　we　are　going　to　prize　things　up　a　bit。　We　Americans；　you　know；　are　accustomed　to　using　municipal　regulations　for　gun　wadding　when　we　line　up　to　help　the　eagle　scream。　He　might　suspend　the　rules　for　one　day。　We　don't　want　to　get　in　the　calaboose　for　spanking　his　soldiers　if　they　get　in　our　way；　do　you　see？'

〃'Hist！'　says　General　Mary。　'The　commandant　is　with　us；　heart　and　soul。　He　will　aid　us。　He　is　one　of　us。'

〃We　made　all　the　arrangements　that　afternoon。　There　was　a　buck　coon　from　Georgia　in　Salvador　who　had　drifted　down　there　from　a　busted…up　coloured　colony　that　had　been　started　on　some　possumless　land　in　Mexico。　As　soon　as　he　heard　us　say　'barbecue'　he　wept　for　joy　and　groveled　on　the　ground。　He　dug　his　trench　on　the　plaza；　and　got　half　a　beef　on　the　coals　for　an　all…night　roast。　Me　and　Maxy　went　to　see　the　rest　of　the　Americans　in　the　town　and　they　all　sizzled　like　a　seidlitz　with　joy　at　the　idea　of　solemnizing　an　old…time　Fourth。

〃There　were　six　of　us　all　togetherMartin　Dillard；　a　coffee　planter；　Henry　Barnes；　a　railroad　man；　old　man　Billfinger；　an　educated　tintype　taker；　me　and　Jonesy；　and　Jerry；　the　boss　of　the　barbecue。　There　was　also　an　Englishman　in　town　named　Sterrett；　who　was　there　to　write　a　book　on　Domestic　Architecture　of　the　Insect　World。　We　felt　some　bashfulness　about　inviting　a　Britisher　to　help　crow　over　his　own　country；　but　we　decided　to　risk　it；　out　of　our　personal　regard　for　him。

〃We　found　Sterrett　in　pajamas　working　at　his　manuscript　with　a　bottle　of　brandy　for　a　paper　weight。

〃'Englishman；'　says　Jones；　'let　us　interrupt　your　disquisition　on　bug　houses　for　a　moment。　To…morrow　is　the　Fourth　of　July。　We　don't　want　to　hurt　your　feelings；　but　we're　going　to　commemorate　the　day　when　we　licked　you　by　a　little　refined　debauchery　and　nonsensesomething　that　can　be　heard　above　five　miles　off。　If　you　are