those extraordinary twins-第11部分

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windows　closed　tight。　　Keep　Count　Angelo　nicely　covered　up　with　six　or
seven　blankets；　and　when　he　is　thirstywhich　will　be　frequentlymoisten
a　'rag　in　the　vapor　of　the　tea　kettle　and　let　his　brother　suck　it。　　When
he　is　hungrywhich　will　also　be　frequently　he　must　not　be　humored
oftener　than　every　seven　or　eight　hours；　then　toast　part　of　a　cracker
until　it　begins　to　brown；　and　give　it　to　his　brother。〃

〃That　is　all　very　well；　as　far　as　Angelo　is　concerned；〃　said　Luigi；　〃but
what　am　I　to　eat？〃

〃I　do　not　see　that　there　is　anything　the　matter　with　you；〃　the　doctor
answered；　〃you　may；　of　course；　eat　what　you　please。〃

〃And　also　drink　what　I　please；　I　suppose？〃

〃Oh；　certainlyat　present。　　When　the　violent　and　continuous　perspiring
has　reduced　your　strength；　I　shall　have　to　reduce　your　diet；　of　course；
and　also　bleed　you；　but　there　is　no　occasion　for　that　yet　awhile。〃　　He
turned　to　Aunt　Patsy　and　said：　〃He　must　be　put　to　bed；　and　sat　up　with；
and　tended　with　the　greatest　care；　and　not　allowed　to　stir　for　several
days　and　nights。〃

〃For　one；　I'm　sacredly　thankful　for　that；〃　said　Luigi；　〃it　postpones　the
funeralI'm　not　to　be　drowned　to…day；　anyhow。〃

Angelo　said　quietly　to　the　doctor：

〃I　will　cheerfully　submit　to　all　your　requirements；　sir；　up　to　two
o'clock　this　afternoon；　and　will　resume　them　after　three；　but　cannot　be
confined　to　the　house　during　that　intermediate　hour。〃

〃Why；　may　I　ask？〃

〃Because　I　have　entered　the　Baptist　communion；　and　by　appointment　am　to
be　baptised　in　the　river　at　that　hour。〃

〃Oh；　insanity！it　cannot　be　allowed！〃

Angelo　answered　with　placid　firmness：

〃Nothing　shall　prevent　it；　if　I　am　alive。〃

〃Why；　consider；　my　dear　sir；　in　your　condition　it　might　prove　fatal。〃

A　tender　and　ecstatic　smile　beamed　from　Angelo's　eyes；　and　he　broke　forth
in　a　tone　of　joyous　fervency：

〃Ah；　how　blessed　it　would　be　to　die　for　such　a　causeit　would　be
martyrdom！〃

〃But　your　brotherconsider　your　brother；　you　would　be　risking　his　life；
too。〃

〃He　risked　mine　an　hour　ago；〃　responded　Angelo；　gloomily；　〃did　he
consider　me？〃　　A　thought　swept　through　his　mind　that　made　him　shudder。
〃If　I　had　not　run；　I　might　have　been　killed　in　a　duel　on　the　Sabbath　day；
and　my　soul　would　have　been　lostlost。〃

〃Oh；　don't　fret；　it　wasn't　in　any　danger；〃　said　Luigi；　irritably；　〃they
wouldn't　waste　it　for　a　little　thing　like　that；　there's　a　glass　case　all
ready　for　it　in　the　heavenly　museum；　and　a　pin　to　stick　it　up　with。〃

Aunt　Patsy　was　shocked；　and　said：

〃Looy；　Looy！don't　talk　so；　dear！〃

Rowena's　soft　heart　was　pierced　by　Luigi's　unfeeling　words；　and　she
murmured　to　herself；　〃Oh；　if　I　but　had　the　dear　privilege　of　protecting
and　defending　him　with　my　weak　voice！but　alas！　this　sweet　boon　is
denied　me　by　the　cruel　conventions　of　social　intercourse。〃

〃Get　their　bed　ready；〃　said　Aunt　Patsy　to　Nancy；　〃and　shut　up　the　windows
and　doors；　and　light　their　candles；　and　see　that　you　drive　all　the
mosquitoes　out　of　their　bar；　and　make　up　a　good　fire　in　their　stove；　and
carry　up　some　bags　of　hot　ashes　to　lay　to　his　feet〃

〃and　a　shovel　of　fire　for　his　head；　and　a　mustard　plaster　for　his　neck；
and　some　gum　shoes　for　his　ears；〃　Luigi　interrupted；　with　temper；　and
added；　to　himself；　〃Damnation；　I'm　going　to　be　roasted　alive；　I　just　know
it！〃

〃Why；　Looy！　　Do　be　quiet；　I　never　saw　such　a　fractious　thing。　　A　body
would　think　you　didn't　care　for　your　brother。〃

〃I　don'tto　that　extent；　Aunt　Patsy。　　I　was　glad　the　drowning　was
postponed　a　minute　ago；　but　I'm　not　now。　　No；　that　is　all　gone　by；　I　want
to　be　drowned。〃

〃You'll　bring　a　judgment　on　yourself　just　as　sure　as　you　live；　if　you　go
on　like　that。　　Why；　I　never　heard　the　beat　of　it。　　Now；　therethere！
you've　said　enough。　　Not　another　word　out　of　youI　won't　have　it！〃

〃But；　Aunt　Patsy〃

〃Luigi！　　Didn't　you　hear　what　I　told　you？〃

〃But；　Aunt　Patsy；　Iwhy；　I'm　not　going　to　set　my　heart　and　lungs　afloat
in　that　pail　of　sewage　which　this　criminal　here　has　been　prescri〃

〃Yes；　you　are；　too。　　You　are　going　to　be　good；　and　do　everything　I　tell
you；　like　a　dear；〃　and　she　tapped　his　cheek　affectionately　with　her
finger。　　〃Rowena；　take　the　prescription　and　go　in　the　kitchen　and　hunt　up
the　things　and　lay　them　out　for　me。　　I'll　sit　up　with　my　patient　the　rest
of　the　night；　doctor；　I　can't　trust　Nancy；　she　couldn't　make　Luigi　take
the　medicine。　　Of　course；　you'll　drop　in　again　during　the　day。　　Have　you
got　any　more　directions？〃

〃No；　I　believe　not；　Aunt　Patsy。　　If　I　don't　get　in　earlier；　I'll　be　along
by　early　candle…light；　anyway。　　Meantime；　don't　allow　him　to　get　out　of
his　bed。〃

Angelo　said；　with　calm　determination：

〃I　shall　be　baptized　at　two　o'clock。　　Nothing　but　death　shall　prevent
me。〃

The　doctor　said　nothing　aloud；　but　to　himself　he　said：

〃Why；　this　chap's　got　a　manly　side；　after　all！　　Physically　he's　a　coward；
but　morally　he's　a　lion。　　I'll　go　and　tell　the　others　about　this；　it　will
raise　him　a　good　deal　in　their　estimationand　the　public　will　follow
their　lead；　of　course。〃

Privately；　Aunt　Patsy　applauded　too；　and　was　proud　of　Angelo's　courage　in
the　moral　field　as　she　was　of　Luigi's　in　the　field　of　honor。

The　boy　Henry　was　troubled；　but　the　boy　Joe　said；　inaudibly；　and
gratefully；　〃We're　all　honky；　after　all；　and　no　postponement　on　account
of　the　weather。〃




CHAPTER　VIII

BAPTISM　OF　THE　BETTER　HALF

By　nine　o'clock　the　town　was　humming　with　the　news　of　the　midnight　duel；
and　there　were　but　two　opinions　about　it：　one；　that　Luigi's　pluck　in　the
field　was　most　praiseworthy　and　Angela's　flight　most　scandalous；　the
other；　that　Angelo's　courage　in　flying　the　field　for　conscience'　sake　was
as　fine　and　creditable　as　was　Luigi's　in　holding　the　field　in　the　face　of
the　bullets。　　The　one　opinion　was　held　by　half　of　the　town；　the　other　one
was　maintained　by　the　other　half。　　The　division　was　clean　and　exact；　and
it　made　two　parties；　an　Angela　party　and　a　Luigi　party。　　The　twins　had
suddenly　become　popular　idols　along　with　Pudd'nhead　Wilson；　and　haloed
with　a　glory　as　intense　as　his。　　The　children　talked　the　duel　all　the　way
to　Sunday…school；　their　elders　talked　it　all　the　way　to　church；　the　choir
discussed　it　behind　their　red　curtain；　it　usurped　the　place　of　pious
thought　in　the　〃nigger　gallery。〃

By　noon　the　doctor　had　added　the　news；　and　spread　it；　that　Count　Angelo；
in　spite　of　his　wound　and　all　warnings　and　supplications；　was　resolute　in
his　determination　to　be　baptized　at　the　hour　appointed。　　This　swept　the
town　like　wildfire；　and　mightily　reinforced　the　enthusiasm　of　the　Angelo
faction；　who　said；　〃If　any　doubted　that　it　was　moral　courage　that　took
him　from　the　field；　what　have　they　to　say　now！〃

Still　the　excitement　grew。　　All　the　morning　it　was　traveling　countryward；
toward　all　points　of　the　compass；　so；　whereas　before　only　the　farmers　and
their　wives　were　intending　to　come　and　witness　the　remarkable　baptism；
a　general　holiday　was　now　proclaimed　and　the　children　and　negroes
admitted　to　the　privileges　of　the　occasion。　　All　the　farms　for　ten　miles
around　were　vacated；　all　the　converging　roads　emptied　long　processions　of
wagons；　horses；　and　yeomanry　into　the　town。　　The　pack　and　cram　of　people
vastly　exceeded　any　that　had　ever　been　seen　in　that　sleepy　region　before。
The　only　thing　that　had　ever　even　approached　it；　was　the　time　long　gone
by；　but　never　forgotten；　nor　even　referred　to　without　wonder　and　pride；
when　two　circuses　and　a　Fourth　of　July　fell　together。　　But　the　glory　of
that　occasion　was　extinguished　now　for　good。　　It　was　but　a　freshet　to
this　deluge。

The　great　invasion　massed　itself　on　the　river…bank　and　waited　hungrily
for　the　immense　event。　　Waited；　and　wondered　if　it　would　really　happen；
or　if　the　twin　who　was　not　a　〃professor〃　would　stand　out　and　prevent　it。

But　they　were　not　to　be　disappointed。　　Angela　was　as　good　as　his　word。
He　came　attended　by　an　escort　of　honor　composed　of　several　hundred　of　the
best　citizens；　all　of　the　Angelo　party；　and　when　the　immersion　was
finished　they　escorted　him　back　home　and　would　even　have　carried　him　on
their　shoulders；　but　that　people　might　think　they　were　carrying　Luigi。

Far　into　the　night　the　citizens　continued　to　discuss　and　wonder　over　the
strangely　mated　pair　of　incidents　that　had　distinguished　and　exalted　the
past　twenty…four　hours　above　any　other　twenty…four　in　the　history　of
their　town　for　picturesqueness　and　splendid　interest；　and　long　before　the
lights　were　out　and　burghers　asleep　it　had　been　decided　on　all　hands　that
in　capturing　these　twins　Dawson's　Landing　had　drawn　a　prize　in　the　great
lottery　of　municipal　fortune。

At　midnight　Angelo　was　sleeping　peacefully。　　His　immersion　had　not　harmed
him；　it　had　merely　made　him　wholesomely　drowsy；　and　he　had　been　dead
asleep　many　hours　now。　　It　had　made　Luigi　drowsy；　too；　but　he　had　got
only　brief　naps；　on　account　of　his　having　to　take　the　medicine　every
three…quarters　of　an　hour…and　Aunt　Betsy　Hale　was　there　to　see　that　he
did　it。　　When　he　complained　and　resisted；　she　was　quietly　firm　with　him；
and　said　in　a　low　voice：

〃No…no；　that　won't　do；　you　mustn't　talk；　and　you　mustn't　retch　and　gag
that　way；　eitheryou'll　wake　up　your　poor　brother。〃

〃Well；　what　of　it；　Aunt　Betsy；　he〃

〃'Sh…h！　　Don't　make　a　noise；　dear。　　You　mustn't：　forget　that　your　poor
brother　is　sick　and〃

〃Sick；　is　he？　　Well；　I　wish　I〃

〃'Sh…h…h！　　Will　you　be　quiet；　Luigi！　　Here；　now；　take　the　rest　of　it
don't　keep　me　holding　the　dipper　all　night。　　I　declare　if　you　haven't
left　a　good　fourth　of　it　in　the　bottom！　　Come…that's　a　good

〃Aunt　Betsy；　don't　make　me！　　I　feel　like　I've　swallowed　a　cemetery；　I　do；
indeed。　　Do　let　me　rest　a　littlejust　a　little；　I　can't　take　any　more　of
the　devilish　stuff　now。〃

〃Luigi！　　Using　such　language　here；　and　him　just　baptized！　　Do　you　want
the　roof　to　fall　on　you？〃

〃I　wish　to　goodness　it　would！〃

〃Why；　you　dreadful　thing！　　I've　a　good　notion　tolet　that　blanket　alone；
do　you　want　your；　brother　to　catch　his　death？〃

〃Aunt　Betsy；　I've　got　to　have　it　off；　I'm　being　roasted　alive；　nobody
could　stand　ityou　couldn't　yourself。〃

〃Now；　then；　you're　sneezing　againI　just　expected　it。〃

〃Because　I've　caught　a　cold　in　my　head。