life was going along with it。 Finally； owe day； being near the imminent
verge of total discouragement； he said to himselfand took occasion to
blush privately when he said it； 〃If my father knew what my American name
is；hewell； my duty to my father rather requires that I furnish him my
name。 I have no right to make his days and nights unhappy； I can do
enough unhappiness for the family all by myself。 Really he ought to know
what my American name is。〃 He thought over it a while and framed a
cablegram in his mind to this effect：
〃My American name is Howard Tracy。〃
That wouldn't be suggesting anything。 His father could understand that
as he chose； and doubtless he would understand it as it was meant； as a
dutiful and affectionate desire on the part of a son to make his old
father happy for a moment。 Continuing his train of thought； Tracy said
to himself； 〃Ah； but if he should cable me to come home！ IIcouldn't
do thatI mustn't do that。 I've started out on a mission； and I mustn't
turn my back on it in cowardice。 No； no； I couldn't go home； atat
least I shouldn't want to go home。〃 After a reflective pause： 〃Well；
maybeperhapsit would be my duty to go in the circumstances； he's very
old and he does need me by him to stay his footsteps down the long hill
that inclines westward toward the sunset of his life。 Well； I'll think
about that。 Yes； of course it wouldn't be right to stay here。 If I
well； perhaps I could just drop him a line and put it off a little while
and satisfy him in that way。 It would bewell； it would mar everything
to have him require me to come instantly。〃 Another reflective pause
then： 〃And yet if he should do that I don't know butoh； dear mehome！
how good it sounds！ and a body is excusable for wanting to see his home
again； now and then； anyway。〃
He went to one of the telegraph offices in the avenue and got the first
end of what Barrow called the 〃usual Washington courtesy；〃 where 〃they
treat you as a tramp until they find out you're a congressman； and then
they slobber all over you。〃 There was a boy of seventeen on duty there；
tying his shoe。 He had his foot on a chair and his back turned towards
the wicket。 He glanced over his shoulder； took Tracy's measure； turned
back； and went on tying his shoe。 Tracy finished writing his telegram
and waited； still waited； and still waited； for that performance to
finish； but there didn't seem to be any finish to it； so finally Tracy
said：
〃Can't you take my telegram？〃
The youth looked over his shoulder and said； by his manner； not his
words：
〃Don't you think you could wait a minute； if you tried？〃
However； he got the shoe tied at last； and came and took the telegram；
glanced over it； then looked up surprised； at Tracy。 There was something
in his look that bordered upon respect； almost reverence； it seemed to
Tracy； although he had been so long without anything of this kind he was
not sure that he knew the signs of it。
The boy read the address aloud； with pleased expression in face and
voice。
〃The Earl of Rossmore！ Cracky！ Do you know him？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is that so！ Does he know you？〃
〃Wellyes。〃
〃Well； I swear！ Will he answer you？〃
〃I think he will。〃
〃Will he though？ Where'll you have it sent？〃
〃Oh； nowhere。 I'll call here and get it。 When shall I call？〃
〃Oh； I don't knowI'll send it to you。 Where shall I send it？ Give me
your address； I'll send it to you soon's it comes。〃
But Tracy didn't propose to do this。 He had acquired the boy's
admiration and deferential respect； and he wasn't willing to throw these
precious things away； a result sure to follow if he should give the
address of that boarding house。 So he said again that he would call and
get the telegram； and went his way。
He idled along； reflecting。 He said to himself； 〃There is something
pleasant about being respected。 I have acquired the respect of Mr。
Allen and some of those others； and almost the deference of some of them
on pure merit； for having thrashed Allen。 While their respect and their
deferenceif it is deferenceis pleasant； a deference based upon a
sham； a shadow； does really seem pleasanter still。 It's no real merit to
be in correspondence with an earl； and yet after all； that boy makes me
feel as if there was。〃
The cablegram was actually gone home！ the thought of it gave him an
immense uplift。 He walked with a lighter tread。 His heart was full of
happiness。 He threw aside all hesitances and confessed to himself that
he was glad through and through that he was going to give up this
experiment and go back to his home again。 His eagerness to get his
father's answer began to grow； now； and it grew with marvelous celerity；
after it began。 He waited an hour； walking about； putting in his time as
well as he could； but interested in nothing that came under his eye； and
at last he presented himself at the office again and asked if any answer
had come yet。 The boy said；
〃No； no answer yet；〃 then glanced at the clock and added； 〃I don't think
it's likely you'll get one to…day。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Well； you see it's getting pretty late。 You can't always tell where
'bouts a man is when he's on the other side； and you can't always find
him just the minute you want him； and you see it's getting about six
o'clock now； and over there it's pretty late at night。〃
〃Why yes；〃 said Tracy； 〃I hadn't thought of that。〃
〃Yes； pretty late； now； half past ten or eleven。 Oh yes； you probably
won't get any answer to…night。〃
CHAPTER XIV。
So Tracy went home to supper。 The odors in that supper room seemed more
strenuous and more horrible than ever before； and he was happy in the
thought that he was so soon to be free from them again。 When the supper
was over he hardly knew whether he had eaten any of it or not； and he
certainly hadn't heard any of the conversation。 His heart had been
dancing all the time； his thoughts had been faraway from these things；
and in the visions of his mind the sumptuous appointments of his father's
castle had risen before him without rebuke。 Even the plushed flunkey；
that walking symbol of a sham inequality； had not been unpleasant to his
dreaming view。 After the meal Barrow said；
〃Come with me。 I'll give you a jolly evening。〃
〃Very good。 Where are you going？〃
〃To my club。〃
〃What club is that？〃
〃Mechanics' Debating Club。〃
Tracy shuddered； slightly。 He didn't say anything about having visited
that place himself。 Somehow he didn't quite relish the memory of that
time。 The sentiments which had made his former visit there so enjoyable；
and filled him with such enthusiasm； had undergone a gradual change； and
they had rotted away to such a degree that he couldn't contemplate
another visit there with anything strongly resembling delight。 In fact
he was a little ashamed to go； he didn't want to go there and find out by
the rude impact of the thought of those people upon his reorganized
condition of mind； how sharp the change had been。 He would have
preferred to stay away。 He expected that now he should hear nothing
except sentiments which would be a reproach to him in his changed mental
attitude； and he rather wished he might be excused。 And yet he didn't
quite want to say that； he didn't want to show how he did feel； or show
any disinclination to go； and so he forced himself to go along with
Barrow； privately purposing to take an early opportunity to get away。
After the essayist of the evening had read his paper； the chairman
announced that the debate would now be upon the subject of the previous
meeting； 〃The American Press。〃 It saddened the backsliding disciple to
hear this announcement。 It brought up too many reminiscences。 He wished
he had happened upon some other subject。 But the debate began； and he
sat still and listened。
In the course of the discussion one of the speakersa blacksmith named
Tompkinsarraigned all monarchs and all lords in the earth for their
cold selfishness in retaining their unearned dignities。 He said that no
monarch and no son of a monarch； no lord and no son of a lord ought to be
able to look his fellow man in the face without shame。 Shame for
consenting to keep his unearned titles； property； and privilegesat the
expense of other people； shame for consenting to remain； on any terms； in
dishonourable possession of these things； which represented bygone
robberies and wrongs inflicted upon the general people of the nation。
He said； 〃if there were a laid or the son of a lord here； I would like to
reason with him； and try to show him how unfair and how selfish his
position is。 I would try to persuade him to relinquish it； take his
place among men on equal terms； earn the bread he eats； and hold of
slight value all deference paid him because of artificial position； all
reverence not the just due of his own personal merits。〃
Tracy seemed to be listening to utterances of his own made in talks with
his radical friends in England。 It was as if some eavesdropping
phonograph had treasured up his words and brought them across the
Atlantic to accuse him with them in the hour of his defection and
retreat。 Every word spoken by this stranger seemed to leave a blister on
Tracy's conscience； and by the time the speech was finished he felt that
he was all conscience and one blister。 This man's deep compassion for
the enslaved and oppressed millions in Europe who had to bear with the
contempt of that small class above them； throned upon shining heights
whose paths were shut against them； was the very thing he had often
uttered himself。 The pity in this man's voice and words was the very
twin of the pity that used to reside in his own heart and come from his
own lips when he thought of these oppressed peoples。
The homeward tramp was accomplished in brooding silence。 It was a
silence most grateful to Tracy's feelings。 He wouldn't have broken it
for anything； for he was ashamed of himself all the way through to his
spine。 He kept saying to himself：
〃How unanswerable it all ishow absolutely unanswerable！ It is basely；
degradingly selfish to keep those ；unearned honors； andandoh； hang
it； nobody but a cur'
〃What an idiotic damned spe