the lion and the unicorn-第17章

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kind　as　to　call　again　within　a　week；　he　would　then　be　better　able
to　give　him　a　definite　answer。

Arkwright　left　the　apartment　with　a　sensation　of　such　keen
disappointment　that　it　turned　him　ill　and　dizzy。　　He　felt　that
the　great　purpose　of　his　life　was　being　played　with　and　put
aside。　　But　he　had　not　selfish　resentment　on　his　own　account；　he
was　only　the　more　determined　to　persevere。　　He　considered　new
arguments　and　framed　new　appeals；　and　one　moment　blamed　himself
bitterly　for　having　foolishly　discouraged　the　statesman　by　too
vivid　pictures　of　the　horrors　he　might　encounter；　and　the　next；
questioned　if　he　had　not　been　too　practical　and　so　failed　because
he　had　not　made　the　terrible　need　of　immediate　help　his　sole
argument。　　Every　hour　wasted　in　delay　meant；　as　he　knew；　the
sacrifice　of　many　lives；　and　there　were　other；　more　sordid　and
more　practical；　reasons　for　speedy　action。　　For　his　supply　of
money　was　running　low　and　there　was　now　barely　enough　remaining
to　carry　him　through　the　month　of　travel　he　had　planned　to　take
at　Stanton's　side。　　What　would　happen　to　him　when　that
momentous　trip　was　over　was　of　no　consequence。　　He　would　have
done　the　work　as　far　as　his　small　share　in　it　lay；　he　would　have
set　in　motion　a　great　power　that　was　to　move　Congress　and　the
people　of　the　United　States　to　action。　　If　he　could　but　do　that；
what　became　of　him　counted　for　nothing。

But　at　the　end　of　the　week　his　fears　and　misgivings　were
scattered　gloriously　and　a　single　line　from　the　senator　set　his
heart　leaping　and　brought　him　to　his　knees　in　gratitude　and
thanksgiving。　　On　returning　one　afternoon　to　the　mean　lodging
into　which　he　had　moved　to　save　his　money；　he　found　a　telegram
from　Stanton　and　he　tore　it　open　trembling　between　hope　and　fear。

〃Have　arranged　to　leave　for　Tampa　with　you　Monday；　at　midnight〃
it　read。　　〃Call　for　me　at　ten　o'clock　same　evening。STANTON。〃

Arkwright　read　the　message　three　times。　　There　was　a　heavy；
suffocating　pressure　at　his　heart　as　though　it　had　ceased
beating。　　He　sank　back　limply　upon　the　edge　of　his　bed　and
clutching　the　piece　of　paper　in　his　two　hands　spoke　the　words
aloud　triumphantly　as　though　to　assure　himself　that　they
were　true。　　Then　a　flood　of　unspeakable　relief；　of　happiness　and
gratitude；　swept　over　him；　and　he　turned　and　slipped　to　the
floor；　burying　his　face　in　the　pillow；　and　wept　out　his　thanks
upon　his　knees。

A　man　so　deeply　immersed　in　public　affairs　as　was　Stanton　and
with　such　a　multiplicity　of　personal　interests；　could　not　prepare
to　absent　himself　for　a　month　without　his　intention　becoming
known；　and　on　the　day　when　he　was　to　start　for　Tampa　the　morning
newspapers　proclaimed　the　fact　that　he　was　about　to　visit　Cuba。　
They　gave　to　his　mission　all　the　importance　and　display　that
Arkwright　had　foretold。　　Some　of　the　newspapers　stated　that　he
was　going　as　a　special　commissioner　of　the　President　to　study　and
report；　others　that　he　was　acting　in　behalf　of　the　Cuban　legation
in　Washington　and　had　plenipotentiary　powers。　　Opposition　organs
suggested　that　he　was　acting　in　the　interests　of　the　sugar　trust；
and　his　own　particular　organ　declared　that　it　was　his　intention
to　free　Cuba　at　the　risk　of　his　own　freedom；　safety；　and　even
life。

The　Spanish　minister　in　Washington　sent　a　cable　for
publication　to　Madrid；　stating　that　a　distinguished　American
statesman　was　about　to　visit　Cuba；　to　investigate；　and；　later；　to
deny　the　truth　of　the　disgraceful　libels　published　concerning　the
Spanish　officials　on　the　island　by　the　papers　of　the　United
States。　　At　the　same　time　he　cabled　in　cipher　to　the　captain…
general　in　Havana　to　see　that　the　distinguished　statesman　was
closely　spied　upon　from　the　moment　of　his　arrival　until　his
departure；　and　to　place　on　the　〃suspect〃　list　all　Americans　and
Cubans　who　ventured　to　give　him　any　information。

The　afternoon　papers　enlarged　on　the　importance　of　the　visit　and
on　the　good　that　would　surely　come　of　it。　　They　told　that　Senator
Stanton　had　refused　to　be　interviewed　or　to　disclose　the　object
of　his　journey。　　But　it　was　enough；　they　said；　that　some　one　in
authority　was　at　last　to　seek　out　the　truth；　and　added　that　no
one　would　be　listened　to　with　greater　respect　than　would　the
Southern　senator。　　On　this　all　the　editorial　writers　were　agreed。

The　day　passed　drearily　for　Arkwright。　　Early　in　the　morning　he
packed　his　valise　and　paid　his　landlord；　and　for　the
remainder　of　the　day　walked　the　streets　or　sat　in　the　hotel
corridor　waiting　impatiently　for　each　fresh　edition　of　the
papers。　　In　them　he　read　the　signs　of　the　great　upheaval　of
popular　feeling　that　was　to　restore　peace　and　health　and　plenty
to　the　island　for　which　he　had　given　his　last　three　years　of
energy　and　life。

He　was　trembling　with　excitement；　as　well　as　with　the　cold；　when
at　ten　o'clock　precisely　he　stood　at　Senator　Stanton's　door。　　He
had　forgotten　to　eat　his　dinner；　and　the　warmth　of　the　dimly　lit
hall　and　the　odor　of　rich　food　which　was　wafted　from　an　inner
room　touched　his　senses　with　tantalizing　comfort。

〃The　senator　says　you　are　to　come　this　way；　sir；〃　the　servant
directed。　　He　took　Arkwright's　valise　from　his　hand　and　parted
the　heavy　curtains　that　hid　the　dining…room；　and　Arkwright
stepped　in　between　them　and　then　stopped　in　some　embarrassment。　
He　found　himself　in　the　presence　of　a　number　of　gentlemen　seated
at　a　long　dinner…table；　who　turned　their　heads　as　he　entered　and
peered　at　him　through　the　smoke　that　floated　in　light　layers
above　the　white　cloth。　　The　dinner　had　been　served；　but　the
senator's　guests　still　sat　with　their　chairs　pushed　back　from　a
table　lighted　by　candles　under　yellow　shades；　and　covered　with
beautiful　flowers　and　with　bottles　of　varied　sizes　in　stands　of
quaint　and　intricate　design。　　Senator　Stanton's　tall　figure
showed　dimly　through　the　smoke；　and　his　deep　voice　hailed
Arkwright　cheerily　from　the　farther　end　of　the　room。　　〃This　way；
Mr。　Arkwright；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　a　chair　waiting　for　you　here。〃　
He　grasped　Arkwright's　hand　warmly　and　pulled　him　into　the　vacant
place　at　his　side。　　An　elderly　gentleman　on　Arkwright's　other
side　moved　to　make　more　room　for　him　and　shoved　a　liqueur　glass
toward　him　with　a　friendly　nod　and　pointed　at　an　open　box　of
cigars。　　He　was　a　fine…looking　man；　and　Arkwright　noticed　that　he
was　regarding　him　with　a　glance　of　the　keenest　interest。　　All　of
those　at　the　table　were　men　of　twice　Arkwright's　age；　except
Livingstone；　whom　he　recognized　and　who　nodded　to　him　pleasantly
and　at　the　same　time　gave　an　order　to　a　servant；　pointing　at
Arkwright　as　he　did　so。　　Some　of　the　gentlemen　wore　their
business　suits；　and　one　opposite　Arkwright　was　still　in　his
overcoat；　and　held　his　hat　in　his　hand。　　These　latter　seemed　to
have　arrived　after　the　dinner　had　begun；　for　they　formed　a　second
line　back　of　those　who　had　places　at　the　table；　they　all　seemed
to　know　one　another　and　were　talking　with　much　vivacity　and
interest。

Stanton　did　not　attempt　to　introduce　Arkwright　to　his　guests
individually；　but　said：　　〃Gentlemen；　this　is　Mr。　Arkwright；　of
whom　I　have　been　telling　you；　the　young　gentleman　who　has　done
such　magnificent　work　for　the　cause　of　Cuba。〃　　Those　who　caught
Arkwright's　eye　nodded　to　him；　and　others　raised　their　glasses　at
him；　but　with　a　smile　that　he　could　not　understand。　　It　was　as
though　they　all　knew　something　concerning　him　of　which　he　was
ignorant。　　He　noted　that　the　faces　of　some　were　strangely
familiar；　and　he　decided　that　he　must　have　seen　their　portraits
in　the　public　prints。　　After　he　had　introduced　Arkwright；　the
senator　drew　his　chair　slightly　away　from　him　and　turned　in　what
seemed　embarrassment　to　the　man　on　his　other　side。　　The
elderly　gentleman　next　to　Arkwright　filled　his　glass；　a　servant
placed　a　small　cup　of　coffee　at　his　elbow；　and　he　lit　a　cigar　and
looked　about　him。

〃You　must　find　this　weather　very　trying　after　the　tropics；〃　his
neighbor　said。

Arkwright　assented　cordially。　　The　brandy　was　flowing　through　his
veins　and　warming　him；　he　forgot　that　he　was　hungry；　and　the
kind；　interested　glances　of　those　about　him　set　him　at　his　ease。　
It　was　a　propitious　start；　he　thought；　a　pleasant　lea