the lost road-第56部分

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Panama；　getting　into　fights　with　the　Spiggoty　police；　bringing
the　uniform　into　contempt。　　As　for　the　climate；　it's　the　same
climate　for　all　of　us。　　Look　at　Butler's　marines　and　Barber's　Zone
police。　　The　climate　hasn't　hurt　them。　　They're　as　smart　men　as
ever　wore　khaki。　　It's　not　the　climate　or　lack　of　work　that　ails
the　Thirty…　third；　it's　their　commanding　officer。　　'So　the
colonel；　so　the　regiment。'　　That's　as　old　as　the　hills。　　Until
Aintree　takes　a　brace；　his　men　won't。　　Some　one　ought　to　talk　to
him。　　It's　a　shame　to　see　a　fine　fellow　like　that　going　to　the
dogs　because　no　one　has　the　courage　to　tell　him　the　truth。〃

The　chief　smiled　mockingly。

〃Then　why　don't　you？〃　he　asked。

〃I'm　a　civilian；〃　protested　the　administrator。　　〃If　I　told　him　he　was
going　to　the　dogs　he'd　tell　me　to　go　to　the　devil。　　No；　one　of　you
army　men　must　do　it。　　He'll　listen　to　you。〃

Young　Captain　Haldane　of　the　cavalry　was　at　the　table；　he　was
visiting　Panama　on　leave　as　a　tourist。　　The　chief　turned　to　him。

〃Haldane's　the　man；〃　he　said。　　〃You're　his　friend　and　you're　his
junior　in　rank；　so　what　you　say　won't　sound　official。　　Tell　him
people　are　talking；　tell　him　it　won't　be　long　before　they'll　be
talking　in　Washington。　　Scare　him！〃

The　captain　of　cavalry　smiled　dubiously。

〃Aintree's　a　hard　man　to　scare；〃　he　said。　　〃But　if　it's　as　bad　as　you
all　seem　to　think；　I'll　risk　it。　　But；　why　is　it；〃　he　complained；
〃that　whenever　a　man　has　to　be　told　anything　particularly
unpleasant　they　always　pick　on　his　best　friend　to　tell　him？　It
makes　them　both　miserable。　　Why　not　let　his　bitterest　enemy　try
it？　The　enemy　at　least　would　have　a　fine　time。〃

〃Because；〃　said　the　chief；　〃Aintree　hasn't　an　enemy　in　the　world…
except　Aintree。〃
The　next　morning；　as　he　had　promised；　Haldane　called　upon　his
friend。　　When　he　arrived　at　Las　Palmas；　although　the　morning　was
well　advanced　toward　noon；　he　found　Aintree　still　under　his
mosquito　bars　and　awake　only　to　command　a　drink。　　The　situation
furnished　Haldane　with　his　text。　　He　expressed　his　opinion　of
any　individual；　friend　or　no　friend；　officer　or　civilian；　who　on
the　Zone；　where　all　men　begin　work　at　sunrise；　could　be　found
at　noon　still　in　his　pajamas　and　preparing　to　face　the　duties　of
the　day　on　an　absinth　cocktail。　　He　said　further　that　since　he　had
arrived　on　the　isthmus　he　had　heard　only　of　Aintree's　misconduct；
that　soon　the　War　Department　would　hear　of　it；　that　Aintree　would
lose　his　commission；　would　break　the　backbone　of　a　splendid　career。

〃It's　a　friend　talking；〃　continued　Haldane；　〃and　you　know　it！　It's
because　I　am　your　friend　that　I've　risked　losing　your　friendship！
And；　whether　you　like　it　or　not；　it's　the　truth。　　You're　going　down…hill；
going　fast；　going　like　a　motor…bus　running　away；　and　unless　you　put
on　the　brakes　you'll　smash！〃

Aintree　was　not　even　annoyed。

〃That's　good　advice　for　the　right　man；〃　he　granted；　〃but　why　waste
it　on　me？　I　can　do　things　other　men　can't。　　I　can　stop　drinking　this
minute；　and　it　will　mean　so　little　to　me　that　I　won't　know　I've　stopped。〃

〃Then　stop；〃　said　Haldane。

〃Why？〃　demanded　Aintree。　　〃I　like　it。　Why　should　I　stop　anything
I　like？　Because　a　lot　of　old　women　are　gossiping？　Because　old　men
who　can't　drink　green　mint　without　dancing　turkey…trots　think　I'm
going　to　the　devil　because　I　can　drink　whiskey？　I'm　not　afraid　of
whiskey；〃　he　laughed　tolerantly。　　〃It　amuses　me；　that's　all　it　does
to　me；　it　amuses　me。〃　　He　pulled　back　the　coat　of　his　pajamas　and
showed　his　giant　chest　and　shoulder。　　With　his　fist　he　struck　his
bare　flesh　and　it　glowed　instantly　a　healthy；　splendid　pink。

〃See　that！〃　commanded　Aintree。　　〃If　there's　a　man　on　the　isthmus　in
any　better　physical　shape　than　I　am；　I'll〃　　He　interrupted　himself
to　begin　again　eagerly。　　〃I'll　make　you　a　sporting　proposition；〃
he　announced　　〃I'll　fight　any　man　on　the　isthmus　ten　rounds
no　matter　who　he　is；　a　wop　laborer；　shovel　man；　Barbadian
nigger；　marine；　anybodyand　if　he　can　knock　me　out　I'll　stop
drinking。　　You　see；〃　he　explained　patiently；　〃I'm　no　mollycoddle
or　jelly…fish。　　I　can　afford　a　headache。　　And　besides；　it's　my　own
head。　　If　I　don't　give　anybody　else　a　headache；　I　don't　see　that　it's
anybody　else's　damned　business。〃

〃But　you　do；〃　retorted　Haldane　steadily。　　〃You're　giving　your　own
men　worse　than　a　headache；　you're　setting　them　a　rotten　example；
you're　giving　the　Thirty…third　a　bad　name…〃

Aintree　vaulted　off　his　cot　and　shook　his　fist　at　his　friend。
〃You　can't　say　that　to　me；〃　he　cried。

〃I　do　say　it；〃　protested　Haldane。　　〃When　you　were　in　Manila　your　
men　were　models；　here　they're　unshaven；　sloppy；　undisciplined。　
They　look　like　bell…hops。　　And　it's　your　fault。　　And　everybody　
thinks　so。〃

Slowly　and　carefully　Aintree　snapped　his　fingers。

〃And　you　can　tell　everybody；　from　me；〃　he　cried；　〃that's　all　I　care
what　they　think！　And　now；〃　he　continued；　smiling　hospitably；　〃let
me　congratulate　you　on　your　success　as　a　missionary；　and；　to　show　
you　there's　not　a　trace　of　hard　feeling；　we　will　have　a　drink。〃

Informally　Haldane　reported　back　to　the　commission；　and　the　wife　
of　one　of　them　must　have　talked；　for　it　was　soon　known　that　a
brother　officer　had　appealed　to　Aintree　to　reform；　and　Aintree　
had　refused　to　listen。

When　she　heard　this；　Grace　Carter；　the　wife　of　Major　Carter；　one　
of　the　surgeons　at　the　Ancon　Hospital；　was　greatly　perturbed。　
Aintree　was　engaged　to　be　married　to　Helen　Scott；　who　was　her　
best　friend　and　who　was　arriving　by　the　next　steamer　to　spend　the　
winter。　　When　she　had　Helen　safely　under　her　roof；　Mrs。　Carter　had　
planned　to　marry　off　the　young　couple　out　of　hand　on　the　isthmus。　
But　she　had　begun　to　wonder　if　it　would　not　be　better　they　should　
delay；　or　best　that　they　should　never　marry。

〃The　awakening　is　going　to　be　a　terrible　blow　to　Helen；〃　she　said
to　her　husband。　　〃She　is　so　proud　of　him。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　protested；　〃it　will　be　the　awakening　of　
Aintreeif　Helen　will　stand　for　the　way　he's　acting；　she　is　not　
the　girl　I　know。　　And　when　he　finds　she　won't；　and　that　he　may　lose
her；　he'll　pull　up　short。　　He's　talked　Helen　to　me　night　after　
night　until　he's　bored　me　so　I　could　strangle　him。　　He　cares　more　
for　her　than　he　does　for　anything；　for　the　army；　or　for　himself；　
and　that's　saying　a　great　deal。　　One　word　from　her　will　be　enough。〃

Helen　spoke　the　word　three　weeks　after　she　arrived。　　It　had　not　
been　necessary　to　tell　her　of　the　manner　in　which　her　lover　was　
misconducting　himself。　　At　various　dinners　given　in　their　honor　
he　had　made　a　nuisance　of　himself；　on　another　occasion；　while　in　
uniform；　he　had　created　a　scene　in　the　dining…room　of　the　Tivoli
under　the　prying　eyes　of　three　hundred　seeing…the…Canal　tourists；
and　one　night　he　had　so　badly　beaten　up　a　cabman　who　had　laughed　
at　his　condition　that　the　man　went　to　the　hospital。　　Major　Carter；
largely　with　money；　had　healed　the　injuries　of　the　cabman；　but　
Helen；　who　had　witnessed　the　assault；　had　suffered　an　injury　that
money　could　not　heal。

She　sent　for　Aintree；　and　at　the　home　of　her　friend　delivered　
her　ultimatum。

〃I　hit　him　because　he　was　offensive　to　you；〃　said　Aintree。　　〃That's
why　I　hit　him。　　If　I'd　not　had　a　drink　in　a　year；　I'd　have　hit　him
just　as　quick　and　just　as　hard。〃

〃Can't　you　see；〃　said　the　girl；　〃that　in　being　not　yourself　when
I　was　in　your　care　you　were　much　more　insulting　to　me　than　any
cabman　could　possibly　be？　When　you　are　like　that　you　have　no
respect　for　me；　or　for　yourself。　　Part　of　my　pride　in　you　is　that　
you　are　so　strong；　that　you　control　yourself；　that　common　
pleasures　never　get　a　hold　on　you。　　If　you　couldn't　control　your　
temper　I　wouldn't　blame　you；　because　you've　a　villainous　temper　
and　you　were　born　with　it。　　But　you　weren't　born　with　a　taste　for
liquor。　　None　of　your　people　drank。　　You　never　drank　until　you　went
into　the　army。　　If　I　were　a　man；〃　declared　the　girl；　〃I'd　be　ashamed　
to　admit　anything　was　stronger　than　I　was。　　You　never　let　pain　beat　
you。　　I've　seen　you　play　polo　with　a　broken　arm；　but　in　this　you　give　
pain　to　others；　you　shame　and　humiliate　the　one　you　pretend　to　love；　
just　because　you　are　weak；　just　because　you　can't　say　'no。'〃

Aintree　laughed　angrily。

〃Drink　has　no　hold　on　me；〃　he　protested。　　〃It　affects　me　as　much　as　the
lights　and　the　music　affect　a　girl　at　her　first　dance；　and　no　more。　　But；
if　you　ask　me　to　stop〃

〃I　do　not！〃　said　the　girl。　　〃If　you　stop；　you'll　stop　not　because
I　have　any　influence　over　you；　but　because　you　don't　need　my　
influence。　　If　it's　wrong；　if　it's　hurting　you；　if　it's　taking　away　
your　usefulness　and　your　power　for　good；　that's　why　you'll　stop。
Not　because　a　girl　begs　you。　　Or　you're　not　the　man　I　think　you。〃

Aintree　retorted　warmly。　　〃I'm　enough　of　a　man　for　this；〃　he　
protested：　　〃I'm　enough　of　a　man　not　to　confess　I　can't　drink　
without　making　a　beast　of　myself。　　It's　easy　not　to　drink　at　all。
But　to　stop　altogether　is　a　confession　of　weakness。　　I'd　look　on　
my　doing　that　as　cowardly。　　I　give　you　my　wordnot　that　I'll　swear
off；　that　I'll　never　dobut　I　promise　you　you'll　have　no　further　
reason　to　be　what　you　call　humiliated；　or　ashamed。　　You　have　my