and the earl added： 〃That's a trouble with old house servants that were
your slaves once and have been your personal friends always。〃
〃Yes； and members of the family。〃
〃Members of the family is just what they becomeTHE members of the
family； in fact。 And sometimes master and mistress of the household。
These two are mighty good and loving and faithful and honest； but hang
it； they do just about as they please； they chip into a conversation
whenever they want to； and the plain fact is； they ought to be killed。〃
It was a random remark； but it gave him an ideahowever； nothing could
happen without that result。
〃What I wanted； Hawkins； was to send for the family and break the news to
them。〃
〃O； never mind bothering with the servants； then。 I will go and bring
them down。〃
While he was gone； the earl worked his idea。
〃Yes；〃 he said to himself； 〃when I've got the materializing down to a
certainty； I will get Hawkins to kill them； and after that they will be
under better control。 Without doubt a materialized negro could easily be
hypnotized into a state resembling silence。 And this could be made
permanentyes； and also modifiable； at willsometimes very silent；
sometimes turn on more talk； more action； more emotion； according to what
you want。 It's a prime good idea。 Make it adjustablewith a screw or
something。〃
The two ladies entered； now； with Hawkins； and the two negroes followed；
uninvited； and fell to brushing and dusting around； for they perceived
that there was matter of interest to the fore； and were willing to find
out what it was。
Sellers broke the； news with stateliness and ceremony； first warning the
ladies； with gentle art； that a pang of peculiar sharpness was about to
be inflicted upon their heartshearts still sore from a like hurt； still
lamenting a like lossthen he took the paper； and with trembling lips
and with tears in his voice he gave them that heroic death…picture。
The result was a very genuine outbreak of sorrow and sympathy from all
the hearers。 The elder lady cried； thinking how proud that great…hearted
young hero's mother would be； if she were living； and how unappeasable
her grief； and the two old servants cried with her； and spoke out their
applauses and their pitying lamentations with the eloquent sincerity and
simplicity native to their race。 Gwendolen was touched； and the romantic
side of her nature was strongly wrought upon。 She said that such a
nature as that young man's was rarely and truly noble； and nearly
perfect； and that with nobility of birth added it was entirely perfect。
For such a man she could endure all things； suffer all things； even to
the sacrificing of her life。 She wished she could have seen him； the
slightest； the most momentary； contact with such a spirit would have
ennobled her own character and made ignoble thoughts and ignoble acts
thereafter impossible to her forever。
〃Have they found the body； Rossmore？〃 asked the wife。
〃Yes； that is； they've found several。 It must be one of them； but none
of them are recognizable。〃
〃What are you going to do？〃
〃I am going down there and identify one of them and send it home to the
stricken father。〃
〃But papa； did you ever see the young man？〃
〃No； Gwendolen…why？〃
〃How will you identify it？〃
〃Iwell； you know it says none of them are recognizable。 I'll send his
father one of themthere's probably no choice。〃
Gwendolen knew it was not worth while to argue the matter further； since
her father's mind was made up and there was a chance for him to appear
upon that sad scene down yonder in an authentic and official way。 So she
said no moretill he asked for a basket。
〃A basket； papa？ What for？〃
〃It might be ashes。〃
CHAPTER IX。
The earl and Washington started on the sorrowful errand； talking as they
walked。
〃And as usual！〃
〃What； Colonel？〃
〃Seven of them in that hotel。 Actresses。 And all burnt out； of
course。〃
〃Any of them burnt up？〃
〃Oh； no they escaped； they always do； but there's never a one of them
that knows enough to fetch out her jewelry with her。〃
〃That's strange。〃
〃Strangeit's the most unaccountable thing in the world。 Experience
teaches them nothing； they can't seem to learn anything except out of a
book。 In some uses there's manifestly a fatality about it。 For
instance； take What's…her…name； that plays those sensational thunder and
lightning parts。 She's got a perfectly immense reputationdraws like a
dog…fightand it all came from getting burnt out in hotels。〃
〃Why； how could that give her a reputation as an actress？〃
〃It didn'tit only made her name familiar。 People want to see her play
because her name is familiar； but they don't know what made it familiar；
because they don't remember。 First； she was at the bottom of the
ladder； and absolutely obscure wages thirteen dollars a week and find her
own pads。〃
〃Pads？〃
〃Yes…things to fat up her spindles with so as to be plump and attractive。
Well； she got burnt out in a hotel and lost 30；000 worth of diamonds。〃
〃She？ Where'd she get them？〃
〃Goodness knowsgiven to her； no doubt； by spoony young flats and sappy
old bald…heads in the front row。 All the papers were full of it。 She
struck for higher pay and got it。 Well； she got burnt out again and lost
all her diamonds； and it gave her such a lift that she went starring。〃
〃Well； if hotel fires are all she's got to depend on to keep up her name；
it's a pretty precarious kind of a reputation I should think。〃
〃Not with her。 No； anything but that。 Because she's so lucky； born
lucky； I reckon。 Every time there's a hotel fire she's in it。 She's
always thereand if she can't be there herself； her diamonds are。 Now
you can't make anything out of that but just sheer luck。〃
〃I never heard of such a thing。 She must have lost quarts of diamonds。〃
〃Quarts； she's lost bushels of them。 It's got so that the hotels are
superstitious about her。 They won't let her in。 They think there will
be a fire； and besides； if she's there it cancels the insurance。 She's
been waning a little lately； but this fire will set her up。 She lost
60；000 worth last night。〃
〃I think she's a fool。 If I had 60；000 worth of diamonds I wouldn't
trust them in a hotel。〃
〃I wouldn't either； but you can't teach an actress that。 This one's been
burnt out thirty…five times。 And yet if there's a hotel fire in San
Francisco to…night she's got to bleed again； you mark my words。 Perfect
ass； they say she's got diamonds in every hotel in the country。〃
When they arrived at the scene of the fire the poor old earl took one
glimpse at the melancholy morgue and turned away his face overcome by the
spectacle。 He said：
〃It is too true； Hawkinsrecognition is impossible； not one of the five
could be identified by its nearest friend。 You make the selection； I
can't bear it。〃
〃Which one had I better〃
〃Oh； take any of them。 Pick out the best one。〃
However； the officers assured the earlfor they knew him； everybody in
Washington knew himthat the position in which these bodies were found
made it impossible that any one of them could be that of his noble young
kinsman。 They pointed out the spot where； if the newspaper account was
correct； he must have sunk down to destruction； and at a wide distance
from this spot they showed him where the young man must have gone down in
case he was suffocated in his room； and they showed him still a third
place； quite remote； where he might possibly have found his death if
perchance he tried to escape by the side exit toward the rear。 The old
Colonel brushed away a tear and said to Hawkins：
〃As it turns out there was something prophetic in my fears。 Yes； it's a
matter of ashes。 Will you kindly step to a grocery and fetch a couple
more baskets？〃
Reverently they got a basket of ashes from each of those now hallowed
spots； and carried them home to consult as to the best manner of
forwarding them to England； and also to give them an opportunity to 〃lie
in state；〃a mark of respect which the colonel deemed obligatory；
considering the high rank of the deceased。
They set the baskets on the table in what was formerly the library；
drawing…room and workshopnow the Hall of Audienceand went up stairs
to the lumber room to see if they could find a British flag to use as a
part of the outfit proper to the lying in state。 A moment later； Lady
Rossmore came in from the street and caught sight of the baskets just as
old Jinny crossed her field of vision。 She quite lost her patience and
said：
〃Well； what will you do next？ What in the world possessed you to clutter
up the parlor table with these baskets of ashes？〃
〃Ashes？〃 And she came to look。 She put up her hands in pathetic
astonishment。 〃Well； I never see de like！〃
〃Didn't you do it？〃
〃Who； me？ Clah to goodness it's de fust time I've sot eyes on 'em； Miss
Polly。 Dat's Dan'l。 Dat ole moke is losin' his mine。〃
But it wasn't Dan'l； for he was called； and denied it。
〃Dey ain't no way to 'splain dat。 Wen hit's one er dese…yer common
'currences； a body kin reckon maybe de cat〃
〃Oh！〃 and a shudder shook Lady Rossmore to her foundations。 〃I see it
all。 Keep away from themthey're his。〃
〃His； m' lady？〃
〃Yesyour young Marse Sellers from England that's burnt up。〃
She was alone with the ashesalone before she could take half a breath。
Then she went after Mulberry Sellers； purposing to make short work with
his program； whatever it might be； 〃for；〃 said she； 〃when his
sentimentals are up； he's a numskull； and there's no knowing what
extravagance he'll contrive； if you let him alone。〃 She found him。
He had found the flag and was bringing it。 When she heard that his idea
was to have the remains 〃lie in state； and invite the government and the
public；〃 she broke it up。 She said：
〃Your intentions are all rightthey always areyou want to do honour to
the remains； and surely nobody can find any fault with that； for he was
your kin； but you are going the wrong way about it； and you will see it
yourself if you stop and think。 You can't file around a basket of ashes
trying to look sorry for it and make a sight that is really solemn；
because th