my buried treasure-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



The　lieutenant　of　her　Majesty's　gun…boat　PLOVER　noted　the　change。

〃Used　to　be；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　couldn't　get　out　of　the　Cafe
Bolivar　without　some　one　sticking　a　knife　in　you；　now　it's　a
debating　club。　They　all　sit　round　a　table　and　listen　to　an　old
gentleman　talk　world　politics。〃

If　Henry　Marshall　brought　content　to　the　exiles　of　Porto　Banos；
there　was　little　in　return　that　Porto　Banos　could　give　to　him。
Magazines　and　correspondents　in　six　languages　kept　him　in　touch
with　those　foreign　lands　in　which　he　had　represented　his　country；
but　of　the　country　he　had　represented；　newspapers　and　periodicals
showed　him　only　too　clearly　that　in　forty　years　it　had　grown　away
from　him；　had　changed　beyond　recognition。

When　last　he　had　called　at　the　State　Department；　he　had　been　made
to　feel　he　was　a　man　without　a　country；　and　when　he　visited　his
home　town　in　Vermont；　he　was　looked　upon　as　a　Rip　Van　Winkle。　Those
of　his　boyhood　friends　who　were　not　dead　had　long　thought　of　him　as
dead。　And　the　sleepy；　pretty　village　had　become　a　bustling
commercial　centre。　In　the　lanes　where；　as　a　young　man；　he　had
walked　among　wheatfields；　trolley…cars　whirled　between　rows　of
mills　and　factories。　The　children　had　grown　to　manhood；　with
children　of　their　own。

Like　a　ghost；　he　searched　for　house　after　house；　where　once　he　had
been　made　welcome；　only　to　find　in　its　place　a　towering　office
building。　〃All　had　gone；　the　old　familiar　faces。〃　In　vain　he
scanned　even　the　shop　fronts　for　a　friendly；　homelike　name。　Whether
the　fault　was　his；　whether　he　would　better　have　served　his　own
interests　than　those　of　his　government；　it　now　was　too　late　to
determine。　In　his　own　home；　he　was　a　stranger　among　strangers。　In
the　service　he　had　so　faithfully　followed；　rank　by　rank；　he　had
been　dropped；　until　now　he；　who　twice　had　been　a　consul…general；
was　an　exile；　banished　to　a　fever　swamp。　The　great　Ship　of　State
had　dropped　him　overside；　had　〃marooned〃　him；　and　sailed　away。

Twice　a　day　he　walked　along　the　shell　road　to　the　Cafe　Bolivar；　and
back　again　to　the　consulate。　There；　as　he　entered　the　outer　office；
Jose〃　the　Colombian　clerk；　would　rise　and　bow　profoundly。

〃Any　papers　for　me　to　sign；　Jose？　〃　the　consul　would　ask。

〃Not　to…day；　Excellency；　〃the　clerk　would　reply。　Then　Jose　would
return　to　writing　a　letter　to　his　lady…love；　not　that　there　was
any…thing　to　tell　her；　but　because　writing　on　the　official　paper　of
the　consulate　gave　him　importance　in　his　eyes；　and　in　hers。　And　in
the　inner　office　the　consul　would　continue　to　gaze　at　the　empty
harbor；　the　empty　coral　reefs；　the　empty；　burning　sky。

The　little　band　of　exiles　were　at　second　break　fast　when　the
wireless　man　came　in　late　to　announce　that　a　Red　D。　boat　and　the
island　of　Curacao　had　both　reported　a　hurricane　coming　north。　Also；
that　much　concern　was　felt　for　the　safety　of　the　yacht　SERAPIS。
Three　days　before；　in　advance　of　her　coming；　she　had　sent　a
wireless　to　Wilhelmstad；　asking　the　captain　of　the　port　to　reserve
a　berth　for　her。　She　expected　to　arrive　the　following　morning。　But
for　forty…eight　hours　nothing　had　been　heard　from　her；　and　it　was
believed　she　had　been　overhauled　by　the　hurricane。　Owing　to　the
presence　on　board　of　Senator　Hanley；　the　closest　friend　of　the　new
President；　the　man　who　had　made　him　president；　much　concern　was
felt　at　Washington。　To　try　to　pick　her　up　by　wireless；　the　gun…boat
NEWARK　had　been　ordered　from　Culebra；　the　cruiser　RALEIGH；　with
Admiral　Hardy　on　board；　from　Colon。　It　was　possible　she　would　seek
shelter　at　Porto　Banos。　The　consul　was　ordered　to　report。

As　Marshall　wrote　out　his　answer；　the　French　consul　exclaimed　with
interest：

〃He　is　of　importance；　then；　this　senator？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　it　that　in
your　country　ships　of　war　are　at　the　service　of　a　senator？〃

Aiken；　the　wireless　operator；　grinned　derisively。

〃At　the　service　of　THIS　senator；　they　are！〃　he　answered。　〃They　call
him　the　'king…maker；'　the　man　behind　the　throne。〃

〃But　in　your　country；〃　protested　the　Frenchman；　〃there　is　no
throne。　I　thought　your　president　was　elected　by　the　people？〃

〃That's　what　the　people　think；〃　answered　Aiken。　〃In　God's　country；〃
he　explained；　〃the　trusts　want　a　rich　man　in　the　Senate；　with　the
same　interests　as　their　own；　to　represent　them。　They　chose　Hanley。
He　picked　out　of　the　candidates　for　the　presidency　the　man　he
thought　would　help　the　interests。　He　nominated　him；　and　the　people
voted　for　him。　Hanley　is　what　we　call　a　'boss。'　〃

The　Frenchman　looked　inquiringly　at　Marshall。

〃The　position　of　the　boss　is　the　more　dangerous；〃　said　Marshall
gravely；　〃because　it　is　unofficial；　because　there　are　no　laws　to
curtail　his　powers。　Men　like　Senator　Hanley　are　a　menace　to　good
government。　They　see　in　public　office　only　a　reward　for　party
workers。〃

〃That's　right；〃　assented　Aiken。　〃Your　forty　years'　service；　Mr。
Consul；　wouldn't　count　with　Hanley。　If　he　wanted　your　job；　he'd
throw　you　out　as　quick　as　he　would　a　drunken　cook。〃

Mr。　Marshall　flushed　painfully；　and　the　French　consul　hastened　to
interrupt。

〃Then；　let　us　pray；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　fervor；　〃that　the　hurricane
has　sunk　the　SERAPIS；　and　all　on　board。〃

Two　hours　later；　the　SERAPIS；　showing　she　had　met　the　hurricane　and
had　come　out　second　best；　steamed　into　the　harbor。

Her　owner　was　young　Herbert　Livingstone；　of　Washington。　He　once　had
been　in　the　diplomatic　service；　and；　as　minister　to　The　Hague；
wished　to　return　to　it。　In　order　to　bring　this　about　he　had
subscribed　liberally　to　the　party　campaign　fund。

With　him；　among　other　distinguished　persons；　was　the　all…　powerful
Hanley。　The　kidnapping　of　Hanley　for　the　cruise；　in　itself；
demonstrated　the　ability　of　Livingstone　as　a　diplomat。　It　was　the
opinion　of　many　that　it　would　surely　lead　to　his　appointment　as　a
minister　plenipotentiary。　Livingstone　was　of　the　same　opinion。　He
had　not　lived　long　in　the　nation's　capital　without　observing　the
value　of　propinquity。　How　many　men　he　knew　were　now　paymasters；　and
secretaries　of　legation；　solely　because　those　high　in　the
government　met　them　daily　at　the　Metropolitan　Club；　and　preferred
them　in　almost　any　other　place。　And　if；　after　three　weeks　as　his
guest　on　board　what　the　newspapers　called　his　floating　palace；　the
senator　could　refuse　him　even　the　prize；　legation　of　Europe；　there
was　no　value　in　modest　merit。　As　yet；　Livingstone　had　not　hinted　at
his　ambition。　There　was　no　need。　To　a　statesman　of　Hanley's
astuteness；　the　largeness　of　Livingstone's　contribution　to　the
campaign　fund　was　self…　explanatory。

After　her　wrestling…match　with　the　hurricane；　all　those　on　board
the　SERAPIS　seemed　to　find　in　land；　even　in　the　swamp　land　of　Porto
Banos；　a　compelling　attraction。　Before　the　anchors　hit　the　water；
they　were　in　the　launch。　On　reaching　shore；　they　made　at　once　for
the　consulate。　There　were　many　cables　they　wished　to　start　on　their
way　by　wireless；　cables　to　friends；　to　newspapers；　to　the
government。

Jose；　the　Colombian　clerk；　appalled　by　the　unprecedented　invasion
of　visitors；　of　visitors　so　distinguished；　and　Marshall；　grateful
for　a　chance　to　serve　his　fellow…　countrymen；　and　especially　his
countrywomen；　were　ubiquitous；　eager；　indispensable。　At　Jose's　desk
the　great　senator；　rolling　his　cigar　between　his　teeth；　was　using；
to　Jose's　ecstasy；　Jose's　own　pen　to　write　a　reassuring　message　to
the　White　House。　At　the　consul's　desk　a　beautiful　creature；　all　in
lace　and　pearls；　was　struggling　to　compress　the　very　low　opinion
she　held　of　a　hurricane　into　ten　words。　On　his　knee；　Henry　Cairns；
the　banker；　was　inditing　instructions　to　his　Wall　Street　office；
and　upon　himself　Livingstone　had　taken　the　responsibility　of
replying　to　the　inquiries　heaped　upon　Marshall's　desk；　from　many
newspapers。

It　was　just　before　sunset；　and　Marshall　produced　his　tea　things；
and　the　young　person　in　pearls　and　lace；　who　was　Miss　Cairns；　made
tea　for　the　women；　and　the　men　mixed　gin　and　limes　with　tepid
water。　The　consul　apologized　for　proposing　a　toast　in　which　they
could　not　join。　He　begged　to　drink　to　those　who　had　escaped　the
perils　of　the　sea。　Had　they　been　his　oldest　and　nearest　friends；
his　little　speech　could　not　have　been　more　heart…felt　and　sincere。
To　his　distress；　it　moved　one　of　the　ladies　to　tears；　and　in
embarrassment　he　turned　to　the　men。

〃I　regret　there　is　no　ice；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　know　the　rule　of　the
tropics；　as　soon　as　a　ship　enters　port；　the　ice…　machine　bursts。〃

〃I'll　tell　the　steward　to　send　you　some；　sir；〃　said　Livingstone；
〃and　as　long　as　we're　here。〃

The　senator　showed　his　concern。

〃As　long　as　we're　here？〃　he　gasped。

〃Not　over　two　days；〃　answered　the　owner　nervously。　〃The　chief　says
it　will　take　all　of　that　to　get　her　in　shape。　As　you　ought　to　know；
Senator；　she　was　pretty　badly　mauled。〃

The　senator　gazed　blankly　out　of　the　window。　Beyond　it　lay　the
naked　coral　reefs；　the　empty　sky；　and　the　ragged　palms　of　Porto
Banos。

Livingstone　felt　that　his　legation　was　slipping　from　him。

〃That　wireless　operator；〃　he　continued　hastily；　〃tells　me　there　is
a　most　amusing　place　a　few　miles　down　the　coast；　Las　Bocas；　a　sort
of　Coney　Island；　where　the　government　people　go　for　the　summer。
There's　surf　bathing　and　roulette　and　cafes　chantants。　He　says
there's　some　Spanish　dancers〃

The　guests　of　the　SERAPIS　exclaimed　with　interest；　the　senator
smiled。　To　Marshall　the　general　enthusiasm　over　the　thought　of　a
ride　on　a　merry…go…round　suggested　that　the　friends　of　Mr。
Livingstone　had　found　their　own　society　far　from　satisfying。

Greatly　encouraged；　Livingstone　continued；　with　enthusiasm：

〃And　that　wireless　man　said；〃　he　added；　〃that　with　the　launch　we
can　get　there　in　half　an　hour。　We　might　run　down　after　dinner。〃　He
turned　to　Marshall。

〃Will　you　join　us；　Mr。　Consul？〃　he　asked；　〃and　dine　with　us；
first？〃

Marshall　accepted　with　genuine　pleasure。　It　had　been　many　months
since　he　had　sat　at　table　with　his　own　people。　But　he　shook　his
head　doubtfully。

〃I　was　wondering　about　Las　Bocas；〃　he　explained；　〃if　your　going
there　might　not　get　you　in　trouble　at　the　next　port。　With　a　yacht；
I　think　it　is　different；　but　Las　Bocas　is　under　quarantine〃

There　was　a　chorus　of　exclamati