sunshine sketches of a little town-第3部分

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wharfto　where　Mr。　Smith　is　standing　at　the　door　of　his　hostelry。
You　will　feel　as　you　draw　near　that　it　is　no　ordinary　man　that　you
approach。　It　is　not　alone　the　huge　bulk　of　Mr。　Smith　（two　hundred
and　eighty　pounds　as　tested　on　Netley's　scales）。　It　is　not　merely　his
costume；　though　the　chequered　waistcoat　of　dark　blue　with　a　flowered
pattern　forms；　with　his　shepherd's　plaid　trousers；　his　grey　spats　and
patent…leather　boots；　a　colour　scheme　of　no　mean　order。　Nor　is　it
merely　Mr。　Smith's　finely　mottled　face。　The　face；　no　doubt；　is　a
notable　one；solemn；　inexpressible；　unreadable；　the　face　of　the
heaven…born　hotel　keeper。　It　is　more　than　that。　It　is　the　strange
dominating　personality　of　the　man　that　somehow　holds　you　captive。　I
know　nothing　in　history　to　compare　with　the　position　of　Mr。　Smith
among　those　who　drink　over　his　bar；　except；　though　in　a　lesser
degree；　the　relation　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon　to　the　Imperial　Guard。

When　you　meet　Mr。　Smith　first　you　think　he　looks　like　an　over…dressed
pirate。　Then　you　begin　to　think　him　a　character。　You　wonder　at　his
enormous　bulk。　Then　the　utter　hopelessness　of　knowing　what　Smith　is
thinking　by　merely　looking　at　his　features　gets　on　your　mind　and
makes　the　Mona　Lisa　seem　an　open　book　and　the　ordinary　human
countenance　as　superficial　as　a　puddle　in　the　sunlight。　After　you
have　had　a　drink　in　Mr。　Smith's　bar；　and　he　has　called　you　by　your
Christian　name；　you　realize　that　you　are　dealing　with　one　of　the
greatest　minds　in　the　hotel　business。

Take；　for　instance；　the　big　sign　that　sticks　out　into　the　street
above　Mr。　Smith's　head　as　he　stands。　What　is　on　it？　〃JOS。　SMITH；
PROP。〃　Nothing　more；　and　yet　the　thing　was　a　flash　of　genius。　Other
men　who　had　had　the　hotel　before　Mr。　Smith　had　called　it　by　such
feeble　names　as　the　Royal　Hotel　and　the　Queen's　and　the　Alexandria。
Every　one　of　them　failed。　When　Mr。　Smith　took　over　the　hotel　he
simply　put　up　the　sign　with　〃JOS。　SMITH；　PROP。；〃　and　then　stood
underneath　in　the　sunshine　as　a　living　proof　that　a　man　who　weighs
nearly　three　hundred　pounds　is　the　natural　king　of　the　hotel
business。

But　on　this　particular　afternoon；　in　spite　of　the　sunshine　and　deep
peace；　there　was　something　as　near　to　profound　concern　and　anxiety　as
the　features　of　Mr。　Smith　were　ever　known　to　express。

The　moment　was　indeed　an　anxious　one。　Mr。　Smith　was　awaiting　a
telegram　from　his　legal　adviser　who　had　that　day　journeyed　to　the
county　town　to　represent　the　proprietor's　interest　before　the
assembled　License　Commissioners。　If　you　know　anything　of　the　hotel
business　at　all；　you　will　understand　that　as　beside　the　decisions　of
the　License　Commissioners　of　Missinaba　County；　the　opinions　of　the
Lords　of　the　Privy　Council　are　mere　trifles。

The　matter　in　question　was　very　grave。　The　Mariposa　Court　had　just
fined　Mr。　Smith　for　the　second　time　for　selling　liquors　after　hours。
The　Commissioners；　therefore；　were　entitled　to　cancel　the　license。

Mr。　Smith　knew　his　fault　and　acknowledged　it。　He　had　broken　the　law。
How　he　had　come　to　do　so；　it　passed　his　imagination　to　recall。　Crime
always　seems　impossible　in　retrospect。　By　what　sheer　madness　of　the
moment　could　he　have　shut　up　the　bar　on　the　night　in　question；　and
shut　Judge　Pepperleigh；　the　district　judge　in　Missinaba　County；
outside　of　it？　The　more　so　inasmuch　as　the　closing　up　of　the　bar
under　the　rigid　license　law　of　the　province　was　a　matter　that　the
proprietor　never　trusted　to　any　hands　but　his　own。　Punctually　every
night　at　11　o'clock　Mr。　Smith　strolled　from　the　desk　of　the
〃rotunda〃　to　the　door　of　the　bar。　If　it　seemed　properly　full　of
people　and　all　was　bright　and　cheerful；　then　he　closed　it。　If　not；　he
kept　it　open　a　few　minutes　longer　till　he　had　enough　people　inside　to
warrant　closing。　But　never；　never　unless　he　was　assured　that
Pepperleigh；　the　judge　of　the　court；　and　Macartney；　the　prosecuting
attorney；　were　both　safely　in　the　bar；　or　the　bar　parlour；　did　the
proprietor　venture　to　close　up。　Yet　on　this　fatal　night　Pepperleigh
and　Macartney　had　been　shut　outactually　left　on　the　street　without
a　drink；　and　compelled　to　hammer　and　beat　at　the　street　door　of　the
bar　to　gain　admittance。

This　was　the　kind　of　thing　not　to　be　tolerated。　Either　a　hotel　must
be　run　decently　or　quit。　An　information　was　laid　next　day　and　Mr。
Smith　convicted　in　four　minutes；his　lawyers　practically　refusing　to
plead。　The　Mariposa　court；　when　the　presiding　judge　was　cold　sober；
and　it　had　the　force　of　public　opinion　behind　it；　was　a　terrible
engine　of　retributive　justice。

So　no　wonder　that　Mr。　Smith　awaited　with　anxiety　the　message　of　his
legal　adviser。

He　looked　alternately　up　the　street　and　down　it　again；　hauled　out　his
watch　from　the　depths　of　his　embroidered　pocket；　and　examined　the
hour　hand　and　the　minute　hand　and　the　second　hand　with　frowning
scrutiny。

Then　wearily；　and　as　one　mindful　that　a　hotel　man　is　ever　the　servant
of　the　public；　he　turned　back　into　the　hotel。

〃Billy；〃　he　said　to　the　desk　clerk；　〃if　a　wire　comes　bring　it　into
the　bar　parlour。〃

The　voice　of　Mr。　Smith　is　of　a　deep　guttural　such　as　Plancon　or
Edouard　de　Reske　might　have　obtained　had　they　had　the　advantages　of
the　hotel　business。　And　with　that；　Mr。　Smith；　as　was　his　custom　in
off　moments；　joined　his　guests　in　the　back　room。　His　appearance；　to
the　untrained　eye；　was　merely　that　of　an　extremely　stout　hotelkeeper
walking　from　the　rotunda　to　the　back　bar。　In　reality；　Mr。　Smith　was
on　the　eve　of　one　of　the　most　brilliant　and　daring　strokes　ever
effected　in　the　history　of　licensed　liquor。　When　I　say　that　it　was
out　of　the　agitation　of　this　situation　that　Smith's　Ladies'　and
Gent's　Cafe　originated；　anybody　who　knows　Mariposa　will　understand
the　magnitude　of　the　moment。

Mr。　Smith；　then；　moved　slowly　from　the　doorway　of　the　hotel　through
the　〃rotunda；〃　or　more　simply　the　front　room　with　the　desk　and　the
cigar　case　in　it；　and　so　to　the　bar　and　thence　to　the　little　room　or
back　bar　behind　it。　In　this　room；　as　I　have　said；　the　brightest　minds
of　Mariposa　might　commonly　be　found　in　the　quieter　part　of　a　summer
afternoon。

To…day　there　was　a　group　of　four　who　looked　up　as　Mr。　Smith　entered；
somewhat　sympathetically；　and　evidently　aware　of　the　perplexities　of
the　moment。

Henry　Mullins　and　George　Duff；　the　two　bank　managers；　were　both
present。　Mullins　is　a　rather　short；　rather　round；　smooth…shaven　man
of　less　than　forty；　wearing　one　of　those　round　banking　suits　of
pepper　and　salt；　with　a　round　banking　hat　of　hard　straw；　and　with　the
kind　of　gold　tie…pin　and　heavy　watch…chain　and　seals　necessary　to
inspire　confidence　in　matters　of　foreign　exchange。　Duff　is　just　as
round　and　just　as　short；　and　equally　smoothly　shaven；　while　his　seals
and　straw　hat　are　calculated　to　prove　that　the　Commercial　is　just　as
sound　a　bank　as　the　Exchange。　From　the　technical　point　of　view　of　the
banking　business；　neither　of　them　had　any　objection　to　being　in
Smith's　Hotel　or　to　taking　a　drink　as　long　as　the　other　was　present。
This；　of　course；　was　one　of　the　cardinal　principles　of　Mariposa
banking。

Then　there　was　Mr。　Diston；　the　high　school　teacher；　commonly　known　as
the　〃one　who　drank。〃　None　of　the　other　teachers　ever　entered　a　hotel
unless　accompanied　by　a　lady　or　protected　by　a　child。　But　as　Mr。
Diston　was　known　to　drink　beer　on　occasions　and　to　go　in　and　out　of
the　Mariposa　House　and　Smith's　Hotel；　he　was　looked　upon　as　a　man
whose　life　was　a　mere　wreck。　Whenever　the　School　Board　raised　the
salaries　of　the　other　teachers；　fifty　or　sixty　dollars　per　annum　at
one　lift；　it　was　well　understood　that　public　morality　wouldn't　permit
of　an　increase　for　Mr。　Diston。

Still　more　noticeable；　perhaps；　was　the　quiet；　sallow　looking　man
dressed　in　black；　with　black　gloves　and　with　black　silk　hat　heavily
craped　and　placed　hollow…side…up　on　a　chair。　This　was　Mr。　Golgotha
Gingham；　the　undertaker　of　Mariposa；　and　his　dress　was　due　to　the
fact　that　he　had　just　come　from　what　he　called　an　〃interment。〃　Mr。
Gingham　had　the　true　spirit　of　his　profession；　and　such　words　as
〃funeral〃　or　〃coffin〃　or　〃hearse〃　never　passed　his　lips。　He　spoke
always　of　〃interments；〃　of　〃caskets；〃　and　〃coaches；〃　using　terms　that
were　calculated　rather　to　bring　out　the　majesty　and　sublimity　of
death　than　to　parade　its　horrors。

To　be　present　at　the　hotel　was　in　accord　with　Mr。　Gingham's　general
conception　of　his　business。　No　man　had　ever　grasped　the　true
principles　of　undertaking　more　thoroughly　than　Mr。　Gingham。　I　have
often　heard　him　explain　that　to　associate　with　the　living；
uninteresting　though　they　appear；　is　the　only　way　to　secure　the
custom　of　the　dead。

〃Get　to　know　people　really　well　while　they　are　alive；〃　said　Mr。
Gingham；　〃be　friends　with　them；　close　friends　and　then　when　they　die
you　don't　need　to　worry。　You'll　get　the　order　every　time。〃

So；　naturally；　as　the　moment　was　one　of　sympathy；　it　was　Mr。
Gingham　who　spoke　first。

〃What'll　you　do；　Josh；〃　he　said；　〃if　the　Commissioners　go　against
you？〃

〃Boys；〃　said　Mr。　Smith；　〃I　don't　rightly　know。　If　I　have　to　quit；　the
next　move　is　to　the　city。　But　I　don't　reckon　that　I　will　have　to
quit。　I've　got　an　idee　that　I　think's　good　every　time。〃

〃Could　you　run　a　hotel　in　the　city？〃　asked　Mullins。

〃I　could；〃　said　Mr。　Smith。　〃I'll　tell　you。　There's　big　things　doin'
in　the　hotel　business　right　now；　big　chances　if　you　go　into　it　right。
Hotels　in　the　city　is　branching　out。　Why；　you　take　the　dining…room
side　of　it；〃　continued　Mr。　Smith；　looking　round　at　the　group；
〃there's　thousands　in　it。　The　old　plan's　all　gone。　Folks　won't　eat
now　in　an　ordinary　dining…room　with　a　high　ceiling　and　windows。　You
have　to　get　'em　down　underground　in　a　room　with　no　windows　and　lots
of　sawdust　round　and　waiters　that　can't　speak　English。　I　seen　them
places　last　time　I　was　in　the　city。　They　call　'em　Rats'　Coolers。　And
for　light　meals　they　want　a　Caff；　a　real　French　Caff；　and　for　folks
that　come　in　late　another　place　that　they　call　a　Girl　Room　that　don't
shut　up　at　all。　If　I　go　to　the　city　that's　the　kind　of　place　I　mean
to　run。　What's　yours；　Gol？　It's　on　the　house？〃

And　it　was　just　at　the　moment　when　Mr。　Smith　said　this　that　Billy；
the　desk…clerk；　entered　the　room　wit