sunshine sketches of a little town-第19部分

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Right；　left；　left；　right；　down　it　comes；　with　never　a　pause　or　stay；
never　missing　by　a　fraction　of　an　inch　the　line　of　the　stroke！　At　it；
Smith！　Down　with　it！　Till　with　a　shout　from　the　crowd　the　beam　gapes
asunder；　and　Mr。　Smith　is　on　the　ground　again；　roaring　his　directions
to　the　men　and　horses　as　they　haul　down　the　shed；　in　a　voice　that
dominates　the　fire　itself。

Who　made　Mr。　Smith　the　head　and　chief　of　the　Mariposa　fire　brigade
that　night；　I　cannot　say。　I　do　not　know　even　where　he　got　the　huge
red　helmet　that　he　wore；　nor　had　I　ever　heard　till　the　night　the
church　burnt　down　that　Mr。　Smith　was　a　member　of　the　fire　brigade　at
all。　But　it's　always　that　way。　Your　little　narrow…chested　men　may
plan　and　organize；　but　when　there　is　something　to　be　done；　something
real；　then　it's　the　man　of　size　and　weight　that　steps　to　the　front
every　time。　Look　at　Bismarck　and　Mr。　Gladstone　and　President　Taft　and
Mr。　Smith；the　same　thing　in　each　case。

I　suppose　it　was　perfectly　natural　that　just　as　soon　as　Mr。　Smith
came　on　the　scene　he　put　on　somebody's　helmet　and　shouted　his
directions　to　the　men　and　bossed　the　Mariposa　fire　brigade　like
Bismarck　with　the　German　parliament。

The　fire　had　broken　out　late；　late　at　night；　and　they　fought　it　till
the　day。　The　flame　of　it　lit　up　the　town　and　the　bare　grey　maple
trees；　and　you　could　see　in　the　light　of　it　the　broad　sheet　of　the
frozen　lake；　snow　covered　still。　It　kindled　such　a　beacon　as　it
burned　that　from　the　other　side　of　the　lake　the　people　on　the　night
express　from　the　north　could　see　it　twenty　miles　away。　It　lit　up
such　a　testimony　of　flame　that　Mariposa　has　never　seen　the　like　of　it
before　or　since。　Then　when　the　roof　crashed　in　and　the　tall　steeple
tottered　and　fell；　so　swift　a　darkness　seemed　to　come　that　the　grey
trees　and　the　frozen　lake　vanished　in　a　moment　as　if　blotted　out　of
existence。

When　the　morning　came　the　great　church　of　Mariposa　was　nothing　but　a
ragged　group　of　walls　with　a　sodden　heap　of　bricks　and　blackened
wood；　still　hissing　here　and　there　beneath　the　hose　with　the　sullen
anger　of　a　conquered　fire。　Round　the　ruins　of　the　fire　walked　the
people　of　Mariposa　next　morning；　and　they　pointed　out　where　the　wreck
of　the　steeple　had　fallen；　and　where　the　bells　of　the　church　lay　in　a
molten　heap　among　the　bricks；　and　they　talked　of　the　loss　that　it　was
and　how　many　dollars　it　would　take　to　rebuild　the　church；　and　whether
it　was　insured　and　for　how　much。　And　there　were　at　least　fourteen
people　who　had　seen　the　fire　first；　and　more　than　that　who　had　given
the　first　alarm；　and　ever　so　many　who　knew　how　fires　of　this　sort
could　be　prevented。

Most　noticeable　of　all　you　could　see　the　sidesmen　and　the　wardens　and
Mullins；　the　chairman　of　the　vestry；　talking　in　little　groups　about
the　fire。　Later　in　the　day　there　came　from　the　city　the　insurance　men
and　the　fire　appraisers；　and　they　too　walked　about　the　ruins；　and
talked　with　the　wardens　and　the　vestry　men。　There　was　such　a　luxury
of　excitement　in　the　town　that　day　that　it　was　just　as　good　as　a
public　holiday。

But　the　strangest　part　of　it　was　the　unexpected　sequel。　I　don't　know
through　what　error　of　the　Dean's　figures　it　happened；　through　what
lack　of　mathematical　training　the　thing　turned　out　as　it　did。　No
doubt　the　memory　of　the　mathematical　professor　was　heavily　to　blame
for　it；　but　the　solid　fact　is　that　the　Church　of　England　Church　of
Mariposa　turned　out　to　be　insured　for　a　hundred　thousand；　and　there
were　the　receipts　and　the　vouchers；　all　signed　and　regular；　just　as
they　found　them　in　a　drawer　of　the　rector's　study。　There　was　no　doubt
about　it。　The　insurance　people　might　protest　as　they　liked。　The
straight；　plain　fact　was　that　the　church　was　insured　for　about　twice
the　whole　amount　of　the　cost　and　the　debt　and　the　rector's　salary　and
the　boarding…school　fees　of　the　littlest　of　the　Drones　all　put
together。

There　was　a　Whirlwind　Campaign　for　you！　Talk　of　raising　money；that
was　something　like！　I　wonder　if　the　universities　and　the　city
institutions　that　go　round　trying　to　raise　money　by　the　slow　and
painful　method　called　a　Whirlwind　Campaign；　that　takes　perhaps　all
day　to　raise　fifty　thousand　dollars；　ever　thought　of　anything　so
beautifully　simple　as　this。

The　Greater　Testimony　that　had　lain　so　heavily　on　the　congregation
went　flaming　to　its　end；　and　burned　up　its　debts　and　its　obligations
and　enriched　its　worshippers　by　its　destruction。　Talk　of　a　beacon　on
a　hill！　You　can　hardly　beat　that　one。

I　wish　you　could　have　seen　how　the　wardens　and　the　sidesmen　and
Mullins；　the　chairman　of　the　vestry；　smiled　and　chuckled　at　the
thought　of　it。　Hadn't　they　said　all　along　that　all　that　was　needed
was　a　little　faith　and　effort？　And　here　it　was；　just　as　they　said；
and　they'd　been　right　after　all。

Protest　from　the　insurance　people？　Legal　proceedings　to　prevent
payment？　My　dear　sir！　I　see　you　know　nothing　about　the　Mariposa
court；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　I　have　already　said　that　it　was　one
of　the　most　precise　instruments　of　British　fair　play　ever
established。　Why；　Judge　Pepperleigh　disposed　of　the　case　and
dismissed　the　protest　of　the　company　in　less　than　fifteen　minutes！
Just　what　the　jurisdiction　of　Judge　Pepperleigh's　court　is　I　don't
know；　but　I　do　know　that　in　upholding　the　rights　of　a　Christian
congregationI　am　quoting　here　the　text　of　the　decisionagainst　the
intrigues　of　a　set　of　infernal　skunks　that　make　too　much　money；
anyway；　the　Mariposa　court　is　without　an　equal。　Pepperleigh　even
threatened　the　plaintiffs　with　the　penitentiary；　or　worse。

How　the　fire　started　no　one　ever　knew。　There　was　a　queer　story　that
went　about　to　the　effect　that　Mr。　Smith　and　Mr。　Gingham's　assistant
had　been　seen　very　late　that　night　carrying　an　automobile　can　of
kerosene　up　the　street。　But　that　was　amply　disproved　by　the
proceedings　of　the　court；　and　by　the　evidence　of　Mr。　Smith　himself。
He　took　his　dying　oath；not　his　ordinary　one　as　used　in　the　License
cases；　but　his　dying　one；that　he　had　not　carried　a　can　of　kerosene
up　the　street；　and　that　anyway　it　was　the　rottenest　kind　of　kerosene
he　had　ever　seen　and　no　more　use　than　so　much　molasses。　So　that　point
was　settled。

Dean　Drone？　Did　he　get　well　again？　Why；　what　makes　you　ask　that？　You
mean；　was　his　head　at　all　affected　after　the　stroke？　No；　it　was　not。
Absolutely　not。　It　was　not　affected　in　the　least；　though　how　anybody
who　knows　him　now　in　Mariposa　could　have　the　faintest　idea　that　his
mind　was　in　any　way　impaired　by　the　stroke　is　more　than　I　can　tell。
The　engaging　of　Mr。　Uttermost；　the　curate；　whom　perhaps　you　have
heard　preach　in　the　new　church；　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　Dean
Drone's　head。　It　was　merely　a　case　of　the　pressure　of　overwork。　It
was　felt　very　generally　by　the　wardens　that；　in　these　days　of
specialization；　the　rector　was　covering　too　wide　a　field；　and　that　if
he　should　abandon　some　of　the　lesser　duties　of　his　office；　he　might
devote　his　energies　more　intently　to　the　Infant　Class。　That　was　all。
You　may　hear　him　there　any　afternoon；　talking　to　them；　if　you　will
stand　under　the　maple　trees　and　listen　through　the　open　windows　of
the　new　Infant　School。

And；　as　for　audiences；　for　intelligence；　for　attention　well；　if　I
want　to　find　listeners　who　can　hear　and　understand　about　the　great
spaces　of　Lake　Huron；　let　me　tell　of　it；　every　time　face　to　face　with
the　blue　eyes　of　the　Infant　Class；　fresh　from　the　infinity　of　spaces
greater　still。　Talk　of　grown…up　people　all　you　like；　but　for
listeners　let　me　have　the　Infant　Class　with　their　pinafores　and　their
Teddy　Bears　and　their　feet　not　even　touching　the　floor；　and　Mr。
Uttermost　may　preach　to　his　heart's　content　of　the　newer　forms　of
doubt　revealed　by　the　higher　criticism。

So　you　will　understand　that　the　Dean's　mind　is；　if　anything；　even
keener；　and　his　head　even　clearer　than　before。　And　if　you　want　proof
of　it；　notice　him　there　beneath　the　plum　blossoms　reading　in　the
Greek：　he　has　told　me　that　he　finds　that　he　can　read；　With　the
greatest　ease；　works　in　the　Greek　that　seemed　difficult　before。
Because　his　head　is　so　clear　now。

And　sometimes；when　his　head　is　very　clear；as　he　sits　there
reading　beneath　the　plum　blossoms　he　can　hear　them　singing　beyond；
and　his　wife's　voice。



SEVEN

The　Extraordinary　Entanglement　of　Mr。　Pupkin

Judge　Pepperleigh　lived　in　a　big　house　with　hardwood　floors　and　a
wide　piazza　that　looked　over　the　lake　from　the　top　of　Oneida　Street。

Every　day　about　half…past　five　he　used　to　come　home　from　his　office
in　the　Mariposa　Court　House。　On　some　days　as　he　got　near　the　house　he
would　call　out　to　his　wife：

〃Almighty　Moses；　Martha！　who　left　the　sprinkler　on　the　grass？〃

On　other　days　he　would　call　to　her　from　quite　a　little　distance　off：
〃Hullo；　mother！　Got　any　supper　for　a　hungry　man？〃

And　Mrs。　Pepperleigh　never　knew　which　it　would　be。　On　the　days　when
he　swore　at　the　sprinkler　you　could　see　his　spectacles　flash　like
dynamite。　But　on　the　days　when　he　called：　〃Hullo；　mother；〃　they　were
simply　irradiated　with　kindliness。

Some　days；　I　say；　he　would　cry　out　with　a　perfect　whine　of
indignation：　〃Suffering　Caesar！　has　that　infernal　dog　torn　up　those
geraniums　again？〃　And　other　days　you　would　hear　him　singing　out：
〃Hullo；　Rover！　Well；　doggie；　well；　old　fellow！〃

In　the　same　way　at　breakfast；　the　judge；　as　he　looked　over　the
morning　paper；　would　sometimes　leap　to　his　feet　with　a　perfect　howl
of　suffering；　and　cry：　〃Everlasting　Moses！　the　Liberals　have　carried
East　Elgin。〃　Or　else　he　would　lean　back　from　the　breakfast　table　with
the　most　good…humoured　laugh　you　ever　heard　and　say：　〃Ha！　ha！　the
Conservatives　have　carried　South　Norfolk。〃

And　yet　he　was　perfectly　logical；　when　you　come　to　think　of　it。　After
all；　what　is　more　annoying　to　a　sensitive；　highly…strung　man　than　an
infernal　sprinkler　playing　all　over　the　place；　and　what　more
agreeable　to　a　good…natured；　even…tempered　fellow　than　a
well…prepared　supper？　Or；　what　is　more　likeable　than　one's　good；　old；
affectionate　dog　bounding　down　the　path　from　sheer　delight　at　seeing
you；or　more　execrable　than　an　infernal　whelp　that　has　torn　up　the
geraniums　and　is　too　old　to　keep；　anyway？

As　for　politics；　well；　it