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！
fastened me behind a horse and when he stumbled going down the
trail it jerked me forward and the cords would tighten and tear
the flesh。 But they have had a long time to heal now。 I have
been eight months in prison。〃
The young men at the carriage window had ceased smiling and were
listening intently。 One of them stepped out and stood
beside the carriage door looking down at the shivering
figure before him with a close and curious scrutiny。
〃Eight months in prison！〃 echoed the police sergeant with a note
of triumph； 〃what did I tell you？〃
〃Hold your tongue！〃 said the young man at the carriage door。
There was silence for a moment； while the men looked at the
senator； as though waiting for him to speak。
〃Where were you in prison； Mr。 Arkwright？〃 he asked。
〃First in the calaboose at Santa Clara for two months； and then
in Cabanas。 The Cubans who were taken when I was； were shot by
the fusillade on different days during this last month。 Two of
them； the Ezetas； were father and son； and the Volunteer band
played all the time the execution was going on； so that the other
prisoners might not hear them cry 'Cuba Libre' when the order
came to fire。 But we heard them。〃
The senator shivered slightly and pulled his fur collar up
farther around his face。 〃I'd like to talk with you；〃 he said；
〃if you have nothing to do to…morrow。 I'd like to go into
this thing thoroughly。 Congress must be made to take some
action。〃
The young man clasped his hands eagerly。 〃Ah； Mr。 Stanton； if
you would；〃 he cried； 〃if you would only give me an hour！ I
could tell you so much that you could use。 And you can believe
what I say； sirit is not necessary to lieGod knows the truth
is bad enough。 I can give you names and dates for everything I
say。 Or I can do better than that； sir。 I can take you there
yourselfin three months I can show you all you need to see；
without danger to you in any way。 And they would not know me；
now that I have grown a beard； and I am a skeleton to what I was。
I can speak the language well； and I know just what you should
see； and then you could come back as one speaking with authority
and not have to say； 'I have read；' or 'have been told；' but you
can say； 'These are the things I have seen'and you could free
Cuba。〃
The senator coughed and put the question aside for the moment
with a wave of the hand that held his cigar。 〃We will talk of
that to…morrow also。 Come to lunch with me at one。 My
apartments are in the Berkeley on Fifth Avenue。 But aren't you
afraid to go back there？〃 he asked curiously。 〃I should think
you'd had enough of it。 And you've got a touch of fever； haven't
you？〃 He leaned forward and peered into the other's eyes。
〃It is only the prison fever；〃 the young man answered； 〃food and
this cold will drive that out of me。 And I must go back。 There
is so much to do there；〃 he added。 〃Ah； if I could tell them； as
you can tell them； what I feel here。〃 He struck his chest
sharply with his hand； and on the instant fell into a fit of
coughing so violent that the young man at the carriage door
caught him around the waist； and one of the policemen supported
him from the other side。
〃You need a doctor；〃 said the senator kindly。 〃I'll ask mine to
have a look at you。 Don't forget； then； at one o'clock to…
morrow。 We will go into this thing thoroughly。〃 He shook
Arkwright warmly by the hand and stooping stepped into the
carriage。 The young man who had stood at the door followed him
and crowded back luxuriously against the cushions。 The
footman swung himself up beside the driver； and said 〃Uptown
Delmonico's；〃 as he wrapped the fur rug around his legs； and with
a salute from the policemen and a scraping of hoofs on the
slippery asphalt the great man was gone。
〃That poor fellow needs a doctor；〃 he said as the carriage rolled
up the avenue； 〃and he needs an overcoat； and he needs food。 He
needs about almost everything； by the looks of him。〃
But the voice of the young man in the corner of the carriage
objected drowsily
〃On the contrary；〃 he said； 〃it seemed to me that he had the one
thing needful。〃
By one o'clock of the day following； Senator Stanton； having read
the reports of his speech in the morning papers； punctuated with
〃Cheers；〃 〃Tremendous enthusiasm〃 and more 〃Cheers；〃 was still in
a willing frame of mind toward Cuba and her self…appointed envoy；
young Mr。 Arkwright。
Over night he had had doubts but that the young man's enthusiasm
would bore him on the morrow； but Mr。 Arkwright； when he
appeared； developed； on the contrary； a practical turn of mind
which rendered his suggestions both flattering and feasible。 He
was still terribly in earnest； but he was clever enough or
serious enough to see that the motives which appealed to him
might not have sufficient force to move a successful statesman
into action。 So he placed before the senator only those
arguments and reasons which he guessed were the best adapted to
secure his interest and his help。 His proposal as he set it
forth was simplicity itself。
〃Here is a map of the island；〃 he said； 〃on it I have marked the
places you can visit in safety； and where you will meet the
people you ought to see。 If you leave New York at midnight you
can reach Tampa on the second day。 From Tampa we cross in
another day to Havana。 There you can visit the Americans
imprisoned in Morro and Cabanas； and in the streets you can see
the starving pacificos。 From Havana I shall take you by rail to
Jucaro； Matanzas； Santa Clara and Cienfuegos。 You will not be
able to see the insurgents in the fieldsit is not necessary
that you shouldbut you can visit one of the sugar
plantations and some of the insurgent chiefs will run the forts
by night and come in to talk with you。 I will show you burning
fields and houses； and starving men and women by the thousands；
and men and women dying of fevers。 You can see Cuban prisoners
shot by a firing squad and you can note how these rebels meet
death。 You can see all this in three weeks and be back in New
York in a month； as any one can see it who wishes to learn the
truth。 Why； English members of Parliament go all the way to
India and British Columbia to inform themselves about those
countries； they travel thousands of miles； but only one member of
either of our houses of Congress has taken the trouble to cross
these eighty miles of water that lie between us and Cuba。 You
can either go quietly and incognito； as it were； or you can
advertise the fact of your going； which would be better。 And
from the moment you start the interest in your visit will grow
and increase until there will be no topic discussed in any of our
papers except yourself； and what you are doing and what you mean
to do。
〃By the time you return the people will be waiting； ready and
eager to hear whatever you may have to say。 Your word will be
the last word for them。 It is not as though you were some
demagogue seeking notoriety； or a hotel piazza correspondent at
Key West or Jacksonville。 You are the only statesman we have；
the only orator Americans will listen to； and I tell you that
when you come before them