a house-boat on the styx-第1部分

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A　House…Boat　on　the　Styx


by　John　Kendrick　Bangs









CHAPTER　I：　　CHARON　MAKES　A　DISCOVERY







Charon；　the　Ferryman　of　renown；　was　cruising　slowly　along　the　Styx

one　pleasant　Friday　morning　not　long　ago；　and　as　he　paddled　idly　on

he　chuckled　mildly　to　himself　as　he　thought　of　the　monopoly　in

ferriage　which　in　the　course　of　years　he　had　managed　to　build　up。



〃It's　a　great　thing；〃　he　said；　with　a　smirk　of　satisfaction〃it's　a

great　thing　to　be　the　go…between　between　two　states　of　being；　to　have

the　exclusive　franchise　to　export　and　import　shades　from　one　state　to

the　other；　and　withal　to　have　had　as　clean　a　record　as　mine　has　been。

Valuable　as　is　my　franchise；　I　never　corrupted　a　public　official　in

my　life；　and〃



Here　Charon　stopped　his　soliloquy　and　his　boat　simultaneously。　　As　he

rounded　one　of　the　many　turns　in　the　river　a　singular　object　met　his

gaze；　and　one；　too；　that　filled　him　with　misgiving。　　It　was　another

craft；　and　that　was　a　thing　not　to　be　tolerated。　　Had　he；　Charon；

owned　the　exclusive　right　of　way　on　the　Styx　all　these　years　to　have

it　disputed　here　in　the　closing　decade　of　the　Nineteenth　Century？

Had　not　he　dealt　satisfactorily　with　all；　whether　it　was　in　the　line

of　ferriage　or　in　the　providing　of　boats　for　pleasure…trips　up　the

river？　　Had　he　not　received　expressions　of　satisfaction；　indeed；　from

the　most　exclusive　families　of　Hades　with　the　very　select　series　of

picnics　he　had　given　at　Charon's　Glen　Island？　　No　wonder；　then；　that

the　queer…looking　boat　that　met　his　gaze；　moored　in　a　shady　nook　on

the　dark　side　of　the　river；　filled　him　with　dismay。



〃Blow　me　for　a　landlubber　if　I　like　that！〃　he　said；　in　a　hardly

audible　whisper。　　〃And　shiver　my　timbers　if　I　don't　find　out　what

she's　there　for。　　If　anybody　thinks　he　can　run　an　opposition　line　to

mine　on　this　river　he's　mightily　mistaken。　　If　it　comes　to

competition；　I　can　carry　shades　for　nothing　and　still　quaff　the　B。　&

G。　yellow…label　benzine　three　times　a　day　without　experiencing　a

financial　panic。　　I'll　show　'em　a　thing　or　two　if　they　attempt　to

rival　me。　　And　what　a　boat！　　It　looks　for　all　the　world　like　a

Florentine　barn　on　a　canal…boat。〃



Charon　paddled　up　to　the　side　of　the　craft；　and；　standing　up　in　the

middle　of　his　boat；　cried　out；



〃Ship　ahoy！〃



There　was　no　answer；　and　the　Ferryman　hailed　her　again。　　Receiving　no

response　to　his　second　call；　he　resolved　to　investigate　for　himself；

so；　fastening　his　own　boat　to　the　stern…post　of　the　stranger；　he

clambered　on　board。　　If　he　was　astonished　as　he　sat　in　his　ferry…

boat；　he　was　paralyzed　when　he　cast　his　eye　over　the　unwelcome　vessel

he　had　boarded。　　He　stood　for　at　least　two　minutes　rooted　to　the

spot。　　His　eye　swept　over　a　long；　broad　deck；　the　polish　of　which

resembled　that　of　a　ball…room　floor。　　Amidships；　running　from　three…

quarters　aft　to　three…quarters　forward；　stood　a　structure　that　in　its

lines　resembled；　as　Charon　had　intimated；　a　barn；　designed　by　an

architect　enamoured　of　Florentine　simplicity；　but　in　its　construction

the　richest　of　woods　had　been　used；　and　in　its　interior　arrangement

and　adornment　nothing　more　palatial　could　be　conceived。



〃What's　the　blooming　thing　for？〃　said　Charon；　more　dismayed　than

ever。　　〃If　they　start　another　line　with　a　craft　like　this；　I'm　very

much　afraid　I'm　done　for　after　all。　　I　wouldn't　take　a　boat　like　mine

myself　if　there　was　a　floating　palace　like　this　going　the　same　way。

I'll　have　to　see　the　Commissioners　about　this；　and　find　out　what　it

all　means。　　I　suppose　it'll　cost　me　a　pretty　penny；　too；　confound

them！〃



A　prey　to　these　unhappy　reflections；　Charon　investigated　further；　and

the　more　he　saw　the　less　he　liked　it。　　He　was　about　to　encounter

opposition；　and　an　opposition　which　was　apparently　backed　by　persons

of　great　wealthperhaps　the　Commissioners　themselves。　　It　was　a

consoling　thought　that　he　had　saved　enough　money　in　the　course　of　his

career　to　enable　him　to　live　in　comfort　all　his　days；　but　this　was

not　really　what　Charon　was　after。　　He　wished　to　acquire　enough　to

retire　and　become　one　of　the　smart　set。　　It　had　been　done　in　that

section　of　the　universe　which　lay　on　the　bright　side　of　the　Styx；　why

not；　therefore；　on　the　other；　he　asked。



〃I'm　pretty　well　connected　even　if　I　am　a　boatman；〃　he　had　been　known

to　say。　　〃With　Chaos　for　a　grandfather；　and　Erebus　and　Nox　for

parents；　I've　just　as　good　blood　in　my　veins　as　anybody　in　Hades。

The　Noxes　are　a　mighty　fine　family；　not　as　bright　as　the　Days；　but

older；　and　we're　poorthat's　it；　poorand　it's　money　makes　caste

these　days。　　If　I　had　millions；　and　owned　a　railroad；　they'd　call　me

a　yacht…owner。　　As　I　haven't；　I'm　only　a　boatman。　　Bah！　　Wait　and

see！　　I'll　be　giving　swell　functions　myself　some　day；　and　these

upstarts　will　be　on　their　knees　before　me　begging　to　be　asked。　　Then

I'll　get　up　a　little　aristocracy　of　my　own；　and　I　won't　let　a　soul

into　it　whose　name　isn't　mentioned　in　the　Grecian　mythologies。

Mention　in　Burke's　peerage　and　the　Elite　directories　of　America　won't

admit　anybody　to　Commodore　Charon's　house　unless　there's　some　other

mighty　good　reason　for　it。〃



Foreseeing　an　unhappy　ending　to　all　his　hopes；　the　old　man　clambered

sadly　back　into　his　ancient　vessel　and　paddled　off　into　the　darkness。

Some　hours　later；　returning　with　a　large　company　of　new　arrivals；

while　counting　up　the　profits　of　the　day　Charon　again　caught　sight　of

the　new　craft；　and　saw　that　it　was　brilliantly　lighted　and　thronged

with　the　most　famous　citizens　of　the　Erebean　country。　　Up　in　the　bow

was　a　spirit　band　discoursing　music　of　the　sweetest　sort。　　Merry

peals　of　laughter　rang　out　over　the　dark　waters　of　the　Styx。　　The

clink　of　glasses　and　the　popping　of　corks　punctuated　the　music　with　a

frequency　which　would　have　delighted　the　soul　of　the　most　ardent

lover　of　commas；　all　of　which　so　overpowered　the　grand　master　boatman

of　the　Stygian　Ferry　Company　that　he　dropped　three　oboli　and　an

American　dime；　which　he　carried　as　a　pocket…piece；　overboard。　　This；

of　course；　added　to　his　woe；　but　it　was　forgotten　in　an　instant；　for

some　one　on　the　new　boat　had　turned　a　search…light　directly　upon

Charon　himself；　and　simultaneously　hailed　the　master　of　the　ferry…

boat。



〃Charon！〃　cried　the　shade　in　charge　of　the　light。　　〃Charon；　ahoy！〃



〃Ahoy　yourself！〃　returned　the　old　man；　paddling　his　craft　close　up　to

the　stranger。　　〃What　do　you　want？〃



〃You；〃　said　the　shade。　　〃The　house　committee　want　to　see　you　right

away。〃



〃What　for？〃　asked　Charon；　cautiously。



〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　I'm　only　a　member　of　the　club；　and　house

committees　never　let　mere　members　know　anything　about　their　plans。

All　I　know　is　that　you　are　wanted；〃　said　the　other。



〃Who　are　the　house　committee？〃　queried　the　Ferryman。



〃Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　Cassius；　Demosthenes；　Blackstone；　Doctor

Johnson；　and　Confucius；〃　replied　the　shade。



〃Tell　'em　I'll　be　back　in　an　hour；〃　said　Charon；　pushing　off。　　〃I've

got　a　cargo　of　shades　on　board　consigned　to　various　places　up　the

river。　　I've　promised　to　get　'em　all　through　to…night；　but　I'll　put

on　a　couple　of　extra　paddlestwo　of　the　new　arrivals　are　working

their　passage　this　tripand　it　won't　take　as　long　as　usual。　　What

boat　is　this；　anyhow？〃



〃The　Nancy　Nox；　of　Erebus。〃



〃Thunder！〃　cried　Charon；　as　he　pushed　off　and　proceeded　on　his　way　up

the　river。　　〃Named　after　my　mother！　　Perhaps　it'll　come　out　all　right

yet。〃



More　hopeful　of　mood；　Charon；　aided　by　the　two　dead…head　passengers；

soon　got　through　with　his　evening's　work；　and　in　less　than　an　hour

was　back　seeking　admittance；　as　requested；　to　the　company　of　Sir

Walter　Raleigh　and　his　fellow…members　on　the　house　committee。　　He　was

received　by　these　worthies　with　considerable　effusiveness；

considering　his　position　in　society；　and　it　warmed　the　cockles　of　his

aged　heart　to　note　that　Sir　Walter；　who　had　always　been　rather

distant　to　him　since　he　had　carelessly　upset　that　worthy　and　Queen

Elizabeth　in　the　middle　of　the　Styx　far　back　in　the　last　century；

permitted　him　to　shake　three　fingers　of　his　left　hand　when　he　entered

the　committee…room。



〃How　do　you　do；　Charon？〃　said　Sir　Walter；　affably。　　〃We　are　very　glad

to　see　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　kindly；　Sir　Walter；〃　said　the　boatman。　　〃I'm　glad　to　hear

those　words；　your　honor；　for　I've　been　feeling　very　bad　since　I　had

the　misfortune　to　drop　your　Excellency　and　her　Majesty　overboard。　　I

never　knew　how　it　happened；　sir；　but　happen　it　did；　and　but　for　her

Majesty's　kind　assistance　it　might　have　been　the　worse　for　us。　　Eh；

Sir　Walter？〃



The　knight　shook　his　head　menacingly　at　Charon。　　Hitherto　he　had

managed　to　keep　it　a　secret　that　the　Queen　had　rescued　him　from

drowning　upon　that　occasion　by　swimming　ashore　herself　first　and

throwing　Sir　Walter　her　ruff　as　soon　as　she　landed；　which　he　had　used

as　a　life…preserver。



〃'Sh！〃　he　said；　sotto　voce。　　〃Don't　say　anything　about　that；　my　man。〃



〃Very　well；　Sir　Walter；　I　won't；〃　said　the　boatman；　but　he　made　a

mental　note　of　the　knight's　agitation；　and　perceived　a　means　by　which

that　illustrious　courtier　could　be　made　useful　to　him　in　his　scheming

for　social　advancement。



〃I　understood　you　had　something　to　say　to　me；〃　said　Charon；　after　he

had　greeted　the　others。



〃We　have；〃　said　Sir　Walter。　　〃We　want　you　to　assume　command　of　this

boat。〃



The　old　fellow's　eyes　lighted　up　with　pleasure。



〃You　want　a　captain；　eh？〃　he　said。



〃No；〃　said　Confucius；　tapping　the　table　with　a　diamond…studded　chop…

stick。　　〃No。　　We　want　aerwhat　the　deuce　is　it　they　call　the

functionary；　Cassius？〃



〃Senator；　I　think；〃　said　Cassius。



Demosthenes　gave　a　loud　laugh。



〃Your　mind　is　still　running　on　Senatorships；　my　dear　Cassius。　　That

is　quite　evident；〃　he　said。　　〃This　is　not　one　of　them；　however。　　The

title　we　wish　Charon　to　assume　is　neither　Captain　n