roads of destiny-第31部分

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　nonsensesomething　that　can　be　heard　above　five　miles　off。　If　you　are　broad…gauged　enough　to　taste　whisky　at　your　own　wake；　we'd　be　pleased　to　have　you　join　us。'

〃'Do　you　know；'　says　Sterrett；　setting　his　glasses　on　his　nose；　'I　like　your　cheek　in　asking　me　if　I'll　join　you；　blast　me　if　I　don't。　You　might　have　known　I　would；　without　asking。　Not　as　a　traitor　to　my　own　country；　but　for　the　intrinsic　joy　of　a　blooming　row。'

〃On　the　morning　of　the　Fourth　I　woke　up　in　that　old　shanty　of　an　ice　factory　feeling　sore。　I　looked　around　at　the　wreck　of　all　I　possessed；　and　my　heart　was　full　of　bile。　From　where　I　lay　on　my　cot　I　could　look　through　the　window　and　see　the　consul's　old　ragged　Stars　and　Stripes　hanging　over　his　shack。　'You're　all　kinds　of　a　fool；　Billy　Casparis；'　I　said　to　myself；　'and　of　all　your　crimes　against　sense　it　does　look　like　this　idea　of　celebrating　the　Fourth　should　receive　the　award　of　demerit。　Your　business　is　busted　up；　your　thousand　dollars　is　gone　into　the　kitty　of　this　corrupt　country　on　that　last　bluff　you　made；　you've　got　just　fifteen　Chili　dollars　left；　worth　forty…six　cents　each　at　bedtime　last　night　and　steadily　going　down。　To…day　you'll　blow　in　your　last　cent　hurrahing　for　that　flag；　and　to…morrow　you'll　be　living　on　bananas　from　the　stalk　and　screwing　your　drinks　out　of　your　friends。　What's　the　flag　done　for　you？　While　you　were　under　it　you　worked　for　what　you　got。　You　wore　your　finger　nails　down　skinning　suckers；　and　salting　mines；　and　driving　bears　and　alligators　off　your　town　lot　additions。　How　much　does　patriotism　count　for　on　deposit　with　the　little　man　with　the　green　eye…shade　in　the　savings…bank　adds　up　your　book？　Suppose　you　were　to　get　pinched　over　here　in　this　irreligious　country　for　some　little　crime　or　other；　and　appealed　to　your　country　for　protectionwhat　would　it　do　for　you？　Turn　your　appeal　over　to　a　committee　of　one　railroad　man；　an　army　officer；　a　member　of　each　labour　union；　and　a　coloured　man　to　investigate　whether　any　of　your　ancestors　were　ever　related　to　a　cousin　of　Mark　Hanna；　and　then　file　the　papers　in　the　Smithsonian　Institution　until　after　the　next　election。　That's　the　kind　of　a　sidetrack　the　Stars　and　Stripes　would　switch　you　onto。'

〃You　can　see　that　I　was　feeling　like　an　indigo　plant；　but　after　I　washed　my　face　in　some　cool　water；　and　got　out　my　navys　and　ammunition；　and　started　up　to　the　Saloon　of　the　Immaculate　Saints　where　we　were　to　meet；　I　felt　better。　And　when　I　saw　those　other　American　boys　come　swaggering　into　the　trysting　placecool；　easy；　conspicuous　fellows；　ready　to　risk　any　kind　of　a　one…card　draw；　or　to　fight　grizzlies；　fire；　or　extradition；　I　began　to　feel　glad　I　was　one　of　'em。　So；　I　says　to　myself　again：　'Billy；　you've　got　fifteen　dollars　and　a　country　left　this　morningblow　in　the　dollars　and　blow　up　the　town　as　an　American　gentleman　should　on　Independence　Day。'

〃It　is　my　recollection　that　we　began　the　day　along　conventional　lines。　The　six　of　usfor　Sterrett　was　alongmade　progress　among　the　cantinas；　divesting　the　bars　as　we　went　of　all　strong　drink　bearing　American　labels。　We　kept　informing　the　atmosphere　as　to　the　glory　and　preeminence　of　the　United　States　and　its　ability　to　subdue；　outjump；　and　eradicate　the　other　nations　of　the　earth。　And；　as　the　findings　of　American　labels　grew　more　plentiful；　we　became　more　contaminated　with　patriotism。　Maximilian　Jones　hopes　that　our　late　foe；　Mr。　Sterrett；　will　not　take　offense　at　our　enthusiasm。　He　sets　down　his　bottle　and　shakes　Sterrett's　hand。　'As　white　man　to　white　man；'　says　he；　'denude　our　uproar　of　the　slightest　taint　of　personality。　Excuse　us　for　Bunker　Hill；　Patrick　Henry；　and　Waldorf　Astor；　and　such　grievances　as　might　lie　between　us　as　nations。'

〃'Fellow　hoodlums；'　says　Sterrett；　'on　behalf　of　the　Queen　I　ask　you　to　cheese　it。　It　is　an　honour　to　be　a　guest　at　disturbing　the　peace　under　the　American　flag。　Let　us　chant　the　passionate　strains　of　〃Yankee　Doodle〃　while　the　senor　behind　the　bar　mitigates　the　occasion　with　another　round　of　cochineal　and　aqua　fortis。'

〃Old　Man　Billfinger；　being　charged　with　a　kind　of　rhetoric；　makes　speeches　every　time　we　stop。　We　explained　to　such　citizens　as　we　happened　to　step　on　that　we　were　celebrating　the　dawn　of　our　own　private　brand　of　liberty；　and　to　please　enter　such　inhumanities　as　we　might　commit　on　the　list　of　unavoidable　casualties。

〃About　eleven　o'clock　our　bulletins　read：　'A　considerable　rise　in　temperature；　accompanied　by　thirst　and　other　alarming　symptoms。'　We　hooked　arms　and　stretched　our　line　across　the　narrow　streets；　all　of　us　armed　with　Winchesters　and　navys　for　purposes　of　noise　and　without　malice。　We　stopped　on　a　street　corner　and　fired　a　dozen　or　so　rounds；　and　began　a　serial　assortment　of　United　States　whoops　and　yells；　probably　the　first　ever　heard　in　that　town。

〃When　we　made　that　noise　things　began　to　liven　up。　We　heard　a　pattering　up　a　side　street；　and　here　came　General　Mary　Esperanza　Dingo　on　a　white　horse　with　a　couple　of　hundred　brown　boys　following　him　in　red　undershirts　and　bare　feet；　dragging　guns　ten　feet　long。　Jones　and　me　had　forgot　all　about　General　Mary　and　his　promise　to　help　us　celebrate。　We　fired　another　salute　and　gave　another　yell；　while　the　General　shook　hands　with　us　and　waved　his　sword。

〃'Oh；　General；'　shouts　Jones；　'this　is　great。　This　will　be　a　real　pleasure　to　the　eagle。　Get　down　and　have　a　drink。'

〃'Drink？'　says　the　general。　'No。　There　is　no　time　to　drink。　/Vive　la　Libertad/！'

〃'Don't　forget　/E　Pluribus　Unum/！'　says　Henry　Barnes。

〃'/Viva/　it　good　and　strong；'　says　I。　'Likewise；　/viva/　George　Washington。　God　save　the　Union；　and；'　I　says；　bowing　to　Sterrett；　'don't　discard　the　Queen。'

〃'Thanks；'　says　Sterrett。　'The　next　round's　mine。　All　in　to　the　bar。　Army；　too。'

〃But　we　were　deprived　of　Sterrett's　treat　by　a　lot　of　gunshots　several　square　sway；　which　General　Dingo　seemed　to　think　he　ought　to　look　after。　He　spurred　his　old　white　plug　up　that　way；　and　the　soldiers　scuttled　along　after　him。

〃'Mary　is　a　real　tropical　bird；'　says　Jones。　'He's　turned　out　the　infantry　to　help　us　to　honour　to　the　Fourth。　We'll　get　that　cannon　he　spoke　of　after　a　while　and　fire　some　window…breakers　with　it。　But　just　now　I　want　some　of　that　barbecued　beef。　Let　us　on　to　the　plaza。'

〃There　we　found　the　meat　gloriously　done；　and　Jerry　waiting；　anxious。　We　sat　around　on　the　grass；　and　got　hunks　of　it　on　our　tin　plates。　Maximilian　Jones；　always　made　tender…hearted　by　drink；　cried　some　because　George　Washington　couldn't　be　there　to　enjoy　the　day。　'There　was　a　man　I　love；　Billy；'　he　says；　weeping　on　my　shoulder。　'Poor　George！　To　think　he's　gone；　and　missed　the　fireworks。　A　little　more　salt；　please；　Jerry。'

〃From　what　we　could　hear；　General　Dingo　seemed　to　be　kindly　contributing　some　noise　while　we　feasted。　There　were　guns　going　off　around　town；　and　pretty　soon　we　heard　that　cannon　go　'BOOM！'　just　as　he　said　it　would。　And　then　men　began　to　skin　along　the　edge　of　the　plaza；　dodging　in　among　the　orange　trees　and　houses。　We　certainly　had　things　stirred　up　in　Salvador。　We　felt　proud　of　the　occasion　and　grateful　to　General　Dingo。　Sterrett　was　about　to　take　a　bite　off　a　juicy　piece　of　rib　when　a　bullet　took　it　away　from　his　mouth。

〃'Somebody's　celebrating　with　ball　cartridges；'　says　he；　reaching　for　another　piece。　'Little　over…zealous　for　a　non…resident　patriot；　isn't　it？'

〃'Don't　mind　it；'　I　says　to　him。　''Twas　an　accident。　They　happen；　you　know；　on　the　Fourth。　After　one　reading　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence　in　New　York　I've　known　the　S。R。O。　sign　to　be　hung　out　at　all　the　hospitals　and　police　stations。'

〃But　then　Jerry　gives　a　howl　and　jumps　up　with　one　hand　clapped　to　the　back　of　his　leg　where　another　bullet　has　acted　over…zealous。　And　then　comes　a　quantity　of　yells；　and　round　a　corner　and　across　the　plaza　gallops　General　Mary　Esperanza　Dingo　embracing　the　neck　of　his　horse；　with　his　men　running　behind　him；　mostly　dropping　their　guns　by　way　of　discharging　ballast。　And　chasing　'em　all　is　a　company　of　feverish　little　warriors　wearing　blue　trousers　and　caps。

〃'Assistance；　amigos；'　the　General　shouts；　trying　to　stop　his　horse。　'Assistance；　in　the　name　of　Liberty！'

〃'That's　the　Campania　Azul；　the　President's　bodyguard；'　says　Jones。　'What　a　shame！　They've　jumped　on　poor　old　Mary　just　because　he　was　helping　us　to　celebrate。　Come　on；　boys；　it's　our　Fourth；do　we　let　that　little　squad　of　A。D。T's　break　it　up？'

〃'I　vote　No；'　says　Martin　Dillard；　gathering　his　Winchester。　'It's　the　privilege　of　an　American　citizen　to　drink；　drill；　dress　up；　and　be　dreadful　on　the　Fourth　of　July；　no　matter　whose　country　he's　in。'

〃'Fellow　citizens！'　says　old　man　Billfinger；　'In　the　darkest　hour　of　Freedom's　birth；　when　our　brave　forefathers　promulgated　the　principles　of　undying　liberty；　they　never　expected　that　a　bunch　of　blue　jays　like　that　should　be　allowed　to　bust　up　an　anniversary。　Let　us　preserve　and　protect　the　Constitution。'

〃We　made　it　unanimous；　and　then　we　gathered　our　guns　and　assaulted　the　blue　troops　in　force。　We　fired　over　their　heads；　and　then　charged　'em　with　a　yell；　and　they　broke　and　ran。　We　were　irritated　at　having　our　barbecue　disturbed；　and　we　chased　'em　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　Some　of　'em　we　caught　and　kicked　hard。　The　General　rallied　his　troops　and　joined　in　the　chase。　Finally　they　scattered　in　a　thick　banana　grove；　and　we　couldn't　flush　a　single　one。　So　we　sat　down　and　rested。

〃If　I　were　to　be　put；　severe；　through　the　third　degree；　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　tell　much　about　the　rest　of　the　day。　I　mind　that　we　pervaded　the　town　considerable；　calling　upon　the　people　to　bring　out　more　armies　for　us　to　destroy。　I　remember　seeing　a　crowd　somewhere；　and　a　tall　man　that　wasn't　Billfinger　making　a　Fourth　of　July　speech　from　a　balcony。　And　that　was　about　all。

〃Somebody　must　have　hauled　the　old　ice　factory　up　to　where　I　was；　and　put　it　around　me；　for　there's　where　I　was　when　I　woke　up　the　next　morning。　As　soon　as　I　could　recollect　by　name　and　address　I　got　up　and　held　an　inquest。　My　last　cent　was　gone。　I　was　all　in。

〃And　then　a　neat　black　carriage　drives　to　the　door；　and　out　steps　General　Dingo　and　a　bay　man　in　a　silk　hat　and　tan　shoes。

〃'Yes；'　says　I　to　myself；　'I　see　it　now。　You're　the　Chief　de　Policeos　and　High　L