roads of destiny-第43部分

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〃'I've　been　manager　here　for　a　year；'　says　Denver；　as　we　drew　nigh。　'When　I　took　charge；'　says　he；　'nobody　nor　nothing　ever　stopped　at　the　Brunswick。　The　clock　over　the　clerks'　desk　used　to　run　for　weeks　without　winding。　A　man　fell　dead　with　heart…disease　on　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　it　one　day；　and　when　they　went　to　pick　him　up　he　was　two　blocks　away。　I　figured　out　a　scheme　to　catch　the　West　Indies　and　South　American　trade。　I　persuaded　the　owners　to　invest　a　few　more　thousands；　and　I　put　every　cent　of　it　in　electric　lights；　cayenne　papre；　gold…　leaf；　and　garlic。　I　got　a　Spanish…speaking　force　of　employees　and　a　string　band；　and　there　was　talk　going　round　of　a　cockfight　in　the　basement　every　Sunday。　Maybe　I　didn't　catch　the　nut…brown　gang！　From　Havana　to　Patagonia　the　Don　Senors　knew　about　the　Brunswick。　We　get　the　highfliers　from　Cuba　and　Mexico　and　the　couple　of　Americas　farther　south；　and　they've　simply　got　the　boodle　to　bombard　every　bulfinch　in　the　bush　with。'

When　we　got　to　the　hotel；　Denver　stops　me　at　the　door。

〃'There's　a　little　liver…coloured　man；'　says　he；　'sitting　in　a　big　leather　chair　to　your　right；　inside。　You　sit　down　and　watch　him　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　tell　me　what　you　think。'

〃I　took　a　chair；　while　Denver　circulates　around　in　the　big　rotunda。　The　room　was　about　full　of　curly…headed　Cubans　and　South　American　brunettes　of　different　shades；　and　the　atmosphere　was　international　with　cigarette　smoke；　lit　up　by　diamond　rings　and　edged　off　with　a　whisper　of　garlic。

〃That　Denver　Galloway　was　sure　a　relief　to　the　eye。　Six　feet　two　he　was；　red…headed　and　pink…gilled　as　a　sun…perch。　And　the　air　he　had！　Court　of　Saint　James；　Chauncy　Olcott；　Kentucky　colonels；　Count　of　Monte　Cristo；　grand　operaall　these　things　he　reminded　you　of　when　he　was　doing　the　honours。　When　he　raised　his　finger　the　hotel　porters　and　bell…boys　skated　across　the　floor　like　cockroaches；　and　even　the　clerk　behind　the　desk　looked　as　meek　and　unimportant　as　Andy　Carnegie。

〃Denver　passed　around；　shaking　hands　with　his　guests；　and　saying　over　the　two　or　three　Spanish　words　he　knew　until　it　was　like　a　coronation　rehearsal　or　a　Bryan　barbecue　in　Texas。

〃I　watched　the　little　man　he　told　me　to。　'Twas　a　little　foreign　person　in　a　double…breasted　frock…coat；　trying　to　touch　the　floor　with　his　toes。　He　was　the　colour　of　vici　kid；　and　his　whiskers　was　like　excelsior　made　out　of　mahogany　wood。　He　breathed　hard；　and　he　never　once　took　his　eyes　off　of　Denver。　There　was　a　look　of　admiration　and　respect　on　his　face　like　you　see　on　a　boy　that's　following　a　champion　base…ball　team；　or　the　Kaiser　William　looking　at　himself　in　a　glass。

〃After　Denver　goes　his　rounds　he　takes　me　into　his　private　office。

〃'What's　your　report　on　the　dingy　I　told　you　to　watch？'　he　asks。

〃'Well；'　says　I；　'if　you　was　as　big　a　man　as　he　takes　you　to　be；　nine　rooms　and　bath　in　the　Hall　of　Fame；　rent　free　till　October　1st；　would　be　about　your　size。'

〃'You've　caught　the　idea；'　says　Denver。　'I've　given　him　the　wizard　grip　and　the　cabalistic　eye。　The　glamour　that　emanates　from　yours　truly　has　enveloped　him　like　a　North　River　fog。　He　seems　to　think　that　Senor　Galloway　is　the　man　who。　I　guess　they　don't　raise　74…inch　sorrel…tops　with　romping　ways　down　in　his　precinct。　Now；　Sully；'　goes　on　Denver；　'if　you　was　asked；　what　would　you　take　the　little　man　to　be？'

〃'Why；'　says　I；　'the　barber　around　the　corner；　or；　if　he's　royal；　the　king　of　the　boot…blacks。'

〃'Never　judge　by　looks；'　says　Denver；　'he's　the　dark…horse　candidate　for　president　of　a　South　American　republic。'

〃'Well；'　says　I；　'he　didn't　look　quite　that　bad　to　me。'

〃Then　Denver　draws　his　chair　up　close　and　gives　out　his　scheme。

〃'Sully；'　says　he；　with　seriousness　and　levity；　'I've　been　a　manager　of　one　thing　and　another　for　over　twenty　years。　That's　what　I　was　cut　out　forto　have　somebody　else　to　put　up　the　money　and　look　after　the　repairs　and　the　police　and　taxes　while　I　run　the　business。　I　never　had　a　dollar　of　my　own　invested　in　my　life。　I　wouldn't　know　how　it　felt　to　have　the　dealer　rake　in　a　coin　of　mine。　But　I　can　handle　other　people's　stuff　and　manage　other　people's　enterprises。　I've　had　an　ambition　to　get　hold　of　something　bigsomething　higher　than　hotels　and　lumber…yards　and　local　politics。　I　want　to　be　manager　of　something　way　uplike　a　railroad　or　a　diamond　trust　or　an　automobile　factory。　Now　here　comes　this　little　man　from　the　tropics　with　just　what　I　want；　and　he's　offered　me　the　job。'

〃'What　job？'　I　asks。　'Is　he　going　to　revive　the　Georgia　Minstrels　or　open　a　cigar　store？'

〃'He's　no　'coon；'　says　Denver。　'He's　General　RompiroGeneral　Josey　Alfonso　Sapolio　Jew…Ann　Rompirohe　has　his　cards　printed　by　a　news…　ticker。　He's　the　real　thing；　Sully；　and　he　wants　me　to　manage　his　campaignhe　wants　Denver　C。　Galloway　for　a　president…maker。　Think　of　that；　Sully！　Old　Denver　romping　down　to　the　tropics；　plucking　lotus…　flowers　and　pineapples　with　one　hand　and　making　presidents　with　the　other！　Won't　it　make　Uncle　Mark　Hanna　mad？　And　I　want　you　to　go　too；　Sully。　You　can　help　me　more　than　any　man　I　know。　I've　been　herding　that　brown　man　for　a　month　in　the　hotel　so　he　wouldn't　stray　down　Fourteenth　Street　and　get　roped　in　by　that　crowd　of　refugee　tamale…　eaters　down　there。　And　he's　landed；　and　D。　C。　G。　is　manager　of　General　J。　A。　S。　J。　Rompiro's　presidential　campaign　in　the　great　republic　of　what's　its　name？'

〃Denver　gets　down　an　atlas　from　a　shelf；　and　we　have　a　look　at　the　afflicted　country。　'Twas　a　dark　blue　one；　on　the　west　coast；　about　the　size　of　a　special　delivery　stamp。

〃'From　what　the　General　tells　me；'　says　Denver；　'and　from　what　I　can　gather　from　the　encyclopaedia　and　by　conversing　with　the　janitor　of　the　Astor　Library；　it'll　be　as　easy　to　handle　the　vote　of　that　country　as　it　would　be　for　Tammany　to　get　a　man　named　Geoghan　appointed　on　the　White　Wings　force。'

〃'Why　don't　General　Rumptyro　stay　at　home；'　says　I；　'and　manage　his　own　canvass？'

〃'You　don't　understand　South　American　politics；'　says　Denver；　getting　out　the　cigars。　'It's　this　way。　General　Rompiro　had　the　misfortune　of　becoming　a　popular　idol。　He　distinguished　himself　by　leading　the　army　in　pursuit　of　a　couple　of　sailors　who　had　stolen　the　plazaor　the　carramba；　or　something　belonging　to　the　government。　The　people　called　him　a　hero　and　the　government　got　jealous。　The　president　sends　for　the　chief　of　the　Department　of　Public　Edifices。　〃Find　me　a　nice；　clean　adobe　wall；〃　says　he；　〃and　send　Senor　Rompiro　up　against　it。　Then　call　out　a　file　of　soldiers　andthen　let　him　be　up　against　it。〃　Something；'　goes　on　Denver；　'like　the　way　they've　treated　Hobson　and　Carrie　Nation　in　our　country。　So　the　General　had　to　flee。　But　he　was　thoughtful　enough　to　bring　along　his　roll。　He's　got　sinews　of　war　enough　to　buy　a　battleship　and　float　her　off　in　the　christening　fluid。'

〃'What　chance　has　he　got　to　be　president？'

〃'Wasn't　I　just　giving　you　his　rating？'　says　Denver。　'His　country　is　one　of　the　few　in　South　America　where　the　presidents　are　elected　by　popular　ballot。　The　General　can't　go　there　just　now。　It　hurts　to　be　shot　against　a　wall。　He　needs　a　campaign　manager　to　go　down　and　whoop　things　up　for　himto　get　the　boys　in　line　and　the　new　two…dollar　bills　afloat　and　the　babies　kissed　and　the　machine　in　running　order。　Sully；　I　don't　want　to　brag；　but　you　remember　how　I　brought　Coughlin　under　the　wire　for　leader　of　the　nineteenth？　Ours　was　the　banner　district。　Don't　you　suppose　I　know　how　to　manage　a　little　monkey…cage　of　a　country　like　that？　Why；　with　the　dough　the　General's　willing　to　turn　loose　I　could　put　two　more　coats　of　Japan　varnish　on　him　and　have　him　elected　Governor　of　Georgia。　New　York　has　got　the　finest　lot　of　campaign　managers　in　the　world；　Sully；　and　you　give　me　a　feeling　of　hauteur　when　you　cast　doubts　on　my　ability　to　handle　the　political　situation　in　a　country　so　small　that　they　have　to　print　the　names　of　the　towns　in　the　appendix　and　footnotes。'

〃I　argued　with　Denver　some。　I　told　him　that　politics　down　in　that　tropical　atmosphere　was　bound　to　be　different　from　the　nineteenth　district；　but　I　might　just　as　well　have　been　a　Congressman　from　North　Dakota　trying　to　get　an　appropriation　for　a　lighthouse　and　a　coast　survey。　Denver　Galloway　had　ambitions　in　the　manager　line；　and　what　I　said　didn't　amount　to　as　much　as　a　fig…leaf　at　the　National　Dressmakers'　Convention。　'I'll　give　you　three　days　to　cogitate　about　going；'　says　Denver；　'and　I'll　introduce　you　to　General　Rompiro　to…morrow；　so　you　can　get　his　ideas　drawn　right　from　the　rosewood。'

〃I　put　on　my　best　reception…to…Booker…Washington　manner；　the　next　day　and　tapped　the　distinguished　rubber…plant　for　what　he　knew。

〃General　Rompiro　wasn't　so　gloomy　inside　as　he　appeared　on　the　surface。　He　was　polite　enough；　and　he　exuded　a　number　of　sounds　that　made　a　fair　stagger　at　arranging　themselves　into　language。　It　was　English　he　aimed　at；　and　when　his　system　of　syntax　reached　your　mind　it　wasn't　past　you　to　understand　it。　If　you　took　a　college　professor's　magazine　essay　and　a　Chinese　laundryman's　explanation　of　a　lost　shirt　and　jumbled　'em　together；　you'd　have　about　what　the　General　handed　you　out　for　conversation。　He　told　me　all　about　his　bleeding　country；　and　what　they　were　trying　to　do　for　it　before　the　doctor　came。　But　he　mostly　talked　of　Denver　C。　Galloway。

〃'Ah；　senor；'　says　he；　'that　is　the　most　fine　of　mans。　Never　I　have　seen　one　man　so　magnifico；　so　gr…r…rand；　so　conformable　to　make　done　things　so　swiftly　by　other　mans。　He　shall　make　other　mans　do　the　acts　and　himself　to　order　and　regulate；　until　we　arrive　at　seeing　accomplishments　of　a　suddenly。　Oh；　yes；　senor。　In　my　countree　there　is　not　such　mans　of　so　beegness；　so　good　talk；　so　compliments；　so　strongness　of　sense　and　such。　Ah；　that　Senor　Galloway！'

〃'Yes；'　says　I；　'old　Denver　is　the　boy　you　want。　He's　managed　every　kind　of　business　here　except　filibustering；　and　he　might　as　well　complete　the　list。'

〃Before　the　three　days　was　up　I　decided　to　join　Denver　in　his　campaign。　Denver　got　three　months'　vacation　from　his　hotel　owners。　For　a　week　we　lived　in　a　room　with　the　General；　and　got　all　the　pointers　about　his　country　that　we　could　interpret　from　the　noises　he　made。　When　we　got　ready　to　start；　Denver　had　a　pocket　full　of　mem