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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
delighted with the idea of an elopement。
〃To where will we elope to？〃 she demanded。 Her English； as she
learned it from Billy； was sometimes confusing。
〃To New York；〃 said Billy。 〃On the voyage there I will put you in
charge of the stewardess and the captain； and there isn't a captain
on the Royal Dutch or the Atlas that hasn't known you since you
were a baby。 And as soon as we dock we'll drive straight to the
city hall for a license and the mayor himself will marry us。 Then
I'll get back my old job from the Wilmot folks and we'll live happy
ever after！〃
〃In New York； also；〃 asked Claire proudly； 〃are you directeur of
the electric lights？〃
〃On Broadway alone；〃 Billy explained reprovingly； 〃there is one
sign that uses more bulbs than there are in the whole of Hayti！〃
〃New York is a large town！〃 exclaimed Claire。
〃It's a large sign；〃 corrected Billy。 〃But；〃 he pointed out； 〃with
no money we'll never see it。 So to…morrow I'm going to make a
social call on Grandpa Ham and demand my ten thousand francs。〃
Claire grasped his arm。
〃Be careful；〃 she pleaded。 〃Remember the chicken soup。 If he offers
you the champagne； refuse it！〃
〃He won't offer me the champagne；〃 Billy assured her。 〃It won't be
that kind of a call。〃
Billy left the Cafe Ducrot and made his way to the water… front。 He
was expecting some electrical supplies by the PRINZ DER
NEDERLANDEN； and she had already come to anchor。
He was late； and save for a group of his countrymen； who with the
customs officials were having troubles of their own； the customs
shed was all but deserted。 Billy saw his freight cleared and was
going away when one of those in trouble signalled for assistance。
He was a good…looking young man in a Panama hat and his manner
seemed to take it for granted that Billy knew who he was。 〃They
want us to pay duty on our trunks；〃 he explained； 〃and we want to
leave them in bond。 We'll be here only until to…night； when we're
going on down the coast to Santo Domingo。 But we don't speak
French； and we can't make them understand that。〃
〃You don't need to speak any language to give a man ten dollars；〃
said Billy。
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed the man in the Panama。 〃I was afraid if I tried
that they might arrest us。〃
〃They may arrest you if you don't；〃 said Billy。 Acting both as
interpreter and disbursing agent； Billy satisfied the demands of
his fellow employees of the government； and his fellow countrymen
he directed to the Hotel Ducrot。
As some one was sure to take their money； he thought it might as
well go to his mother…in…law elect。 The young man in the Panama
expressed the deepest gratitude； and Billy； assuring him he would
see him later； continued to the power…house； still wondering where
he had seen him before。
At the power…house he found seated at his desk a large； bearded
stranger whose derby hat and ready…to…wear clothes showed that he
also had but just arrived on the PRINZ DER NEDERLANDEN。
〃You William Barlow？〃 demanded the stranger。 〃I understand you been
threatening； unless you get your pay raised； to commit sabotage on
these works？〃
〃Who the devil are you？〃 inquired Billy。
The stranger produced an impressive…looking document covered with
seals。
〃Contract with the president；〃 he said。 I've taken over your job。
You better get out quiet；〃 he advised； 〃as they've given me a squad
of nigger policemen to see that you do。〃
〃Are you aware that these works are the property of the Wilmot
Company？〃 asked Billy； 〃and that if anything went wrong here they'd
hold you responsible？〃 The stranger smiled complacently。
〃I've run plants；〃 he said； 〃that make these lights look like a
stable lantern on a foggy night。〃
〃In that case；〃 assented Billy； 〃should anything happen； you'll
know exactly what to do； and I can leave you in charge without
feeling the least anxiety。〃
〃That's just what you can do；〃 the stranger agreed heartily；〃 and
you can't do it too quick！〃 From the desk he took Billy's favorite
pipe and loaded it from Billy's tobacco…jar。 But when Billy had
reached the door he called to him。 〃Before you go； son；〃 he said
〃you might give me a tip about this climate。 I never been in the
tropics。 It's kind of unhealthy； ain't it？〃
His expression was one of concern。
〃If you hope to keep alive；〃 began Billy； 〃there are two things to
avoid〃 The stranger laughed knowingly。
〃I got you！〃 he interrupted。 〃You're going to tell me to cut out
wine and women。〃
〃I was going to tell you； 〃 said Billy； 〃to cut out hoping to
collect any wages and to avoid every kind of soup。〃
From the power…house Billy went direct to the palace。 His anxiety
was great。 Now that Claire had consented to leave Hayti； the loss
of his position did not distress him。 But the possible loss of his
back pay would be a catastrophe。 He had hardly enough money to take
them both to New York； and after they arrived none with which to
keep them alive。 Before the Wilmot Company could find a place for
him a month might pass； and during that month they might starve。 If
he went alone and arranged for Claire to follow； he might lose her。
Her mother might marry her to Paillard； Claire might fall ill；
without him at her elbow to keep her to their purpose the voyage to
an unknown land might require more courage than she possessed。
Billy saw it was imperative they should depart together； and to
that end he must have his two thousand dollars。 The money was
justly his。 For it he had sweated and slaved； had given his best
effort。 And so； when he faced the president； he was in no
conciliatory mood。 Neither was the president。
By what right； he demanded； did this foreigner affront his ears
with demands for money； how dared he force his way into his
presence and to his face babble of back pay？ It was insolent；
incredible。 With indignation the president set forth the position
of the government ： Billy had been discharged and； with the
appointment of his successor； the stranger in the derby hat； had
ceased to exist。 The government could not pay money to some one who
did not exist。 All indebtedness to Billy also had ceased to exist。
The account had been wiped out。 Billy had been wiped out。 The big
negro； with the chest and head of a gorilla； tossed his kinky white
curls so violently that the ringlets danced。 Billy； he declared；
had been a pest； a fly that buzzed and buzzed and disturbed his
slumbers。 And now when the fly thought he slept he had caught and
crushed it…so。 President Ham clinched his great fist convulsively
and； with delight in his pantomime； opened his fingers one by one；
and held out his pink palm； wrinkled and crossed like the hand of
a washerwoman； as though to show Billy that in it lay the fly；
dead。
〃C'EST UNE CHOSE JUGEE！〃 thundered the president。 He reached for
his quill pen。
But Billy； with Claire in his heart； with the injustice of it
rankling in his mind； did not agree。
〃It is not an affair closed；〃 shouted Billy in his best French。 〃It
is an affair international； diplomatic； a cause for war！〃
Believing he had gone mad； President Ham gazed at him speechless。
〃From here I go to the cable Office； 〃shouted Billy。 〃I cable for
a warship！ If； by to…night； I am not paid my money； marines will
surround our power…house； and the Wilmot people will back me up；
and my government will back me up！〃
It was； so Billy thought； even as he launched it； a tirade
satisfying and magnificent。 But in his turn the president did not
agree。
He rose。 He was a large man。 Billy wondered he had not previously
noticed how very large he was。
〃To…night at nine o'clock；〃 he said； 〃the German boat departs for
New York。〃 As though aiming a pistol； he raised his arm and at
Billy pointed a finger。 〃If； after she departs； you are found in
Port…au…Prince； you will be shot！ 〃
The audience…chamber was hung with great mirrors in frames of
tarnished gilt。 In these Billy saw himself reproduced in a wavering
line of Billies that； like the ghost of Banquo； stretched to the
disappearing point。 Of such images there was an army； but of the
real Billy； as he was acutely conscious； there was but one。 Among
the black faces scowling from the doorways he felt the odds were
against him。 Without making a reply he passed out between the racks
of rusty muskets in the anteroom； between the two Gatling guns
guarding the entrance； and on the palace steps； in indecision；
halted。
As Billy hesitated an officer followed him from the palace and
beckoned to the guard that sat in the bare dust of the Champ de
Mars playing cards for cartridges。 Two abandoned the game； and；
having received their orders； picked their muskets from the dust
and stood looking expectantly at Billy。
They were his escort； and it was evident that until nine o'clock；
when he sailed； his movements would be spied upon； his acts
reported to the president。
Such being the situation； Billy determined that his first act to be
reported should be of a nature to cause the president active mental
anguish。 With his guard at his heels he went directly to the cable
station； and to the Secretary of State of the United States
addressed this message： 〃President refuses my pay； threatens shoot；
wireless nearest wa