Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-06-02

abuse" he spoke sharply. st shot 1t,
out Of pity. What sort do o think
I am. to drive such a bargain with
your necessity! Pull yourself togeth-
er, and let us talk eanely. I want you
to work for me, yes. What gave you
the right to suppose that work
guilty? No, do not answer me!
Cleanse your mind. first, Of what has
been looking through your eyes at
me ever since you awoke. will
wait"
The bitter wholesomeness came to
Corey Bruce with the effect of quinine
forced between the lips Of a fever
patient He started At the tone OF the
opening words, h~alf-raised his head,
then literally obeyed the final COM
mand and sat still, clarifying his
thoughts. Noel kept his promise OF
waiting. He dropped his cold cigar
into the garden below and lighted an
other. after which he returned to
watching the clouds scudding acros
the sky, dark masses against the
lesser darkness. A storm was gath
erinE over the mountains.
After a time Bruce spoke.
II beg your pardon. General Noel"
You are weakened by a hard ex-
perience, Mr.. Bruce. l once had a
different, but suficient, experience OF
misery. You will outgrow it. Shall
we have our discussion"
Please"
You have nothing to ask me
NO"
Did you notice I spoke only
Portuguese to you, at Rio Nabuco?"
Yes
II never speak any other language
unless 1 have to. Since I was sixteen.
this has been so; although nov 1
speak Spanish and French almost as
we'll. Many of my friends here. like
yourself, scarcely know it is not my
native language. Did you pass my
library on your way to this room? Its
shelves are filled fairly we'll. l am
passably we'll read, for a busy ad-
v%enturer, Mr.. Bruce, in the three
languages I have mentioned. Their Is
one case Of English books down there.
scarcely more l read them regular
ly. But I do not speak English"
Bruce stared at the other man in
utter perplexity. No address could
have been more unanticipated by him
than this one
"Why-why not?" he ventured.
Because my native English is
common. lower river-front and East
Side New Yorkese. Until l was
twelve years old, I was a street-hoy,"
But you speak perfectly
Because I speak deliberately"
Noel retorted. Because I am I'M
hurried and I choose my words. 1
have studied grammars and rhetoric;
stakingly, over and over. ! have lis
tened to correct speech when /
could"
"But-?"
II do not fear my knowledge. blu,
my habit, Mr.. Bruce. l want prac-
tice. I want to bury old Auency OF
wrong speech under new nuency Of
right. For fifteen years I have striv-
en- to forget my own tongue, and to
study the English Of cultivated people
as a foreigner might study it. / he
lieve that / have succeeded. But l
must be sure. The time is coming
when l must speak English too"-he
checked himself-"to an audience
that must find no flaw" he concluded.
In brief. ] want a tutor"
Bruce was quite wcrdless. Seeing
his condition, Noel paused a moment
II want an American gentleman to
talk with every day" he sent home
his point. "One who will shade my
\ SHSSSA Z" Ak01Sl AAs, Cu6SOSt ISW
books that l should find time to read,
ttake the stiffness out Of my tongue,
and tell me what you people talk Of
at home"
Still Bruce was dumb. He under
stood now, why Noel had asked if he
was a college man: and that he had
hidden h prisoner answe him in
English, that first time. in order that
he might Judge Of its quality. He re-
| SYortod Arno1'c ahi1;$;>- 49,
ever. But his mind teemed with
questions old and new.
DO you like the idea OF the po-
sition?' Noel queried with a touch
OF raillery in his accent.
You don't expect me 10 answer
that Bruce rallied his forces. NOT
after you have taken me out Of that
prison into all this, and offer 10 Jet
me stay! You saw a few minutes ago
that 1 wouldn't stick at much, decent
or indecent. hat would keep me out
what / feel. And l am not TOO dull
to know that you could get dozens of
men, with clean records; you could
import a college professor from home
to do this thing you wish. Taking me
in is a pure charity"
Now you go too fast" dissented
Noel, his quiet voice cool upon the
oIiiei . warmth. SeTAaDS / have q
motive Of my own. A while ago you
moderated me; How you o~verrate.
No doubt, after l leave you alone,
your active fancy will supply a rea-
son why I choose a man under a
~hkteen-year sentence to be my in
structor. You are the only man in
the republic who knows of my origin,
You are going to continue TO be the
only man.. It will occur TO you tina,
l am a politician, that l am unof1cial
dictator in this part of the country,
that l necessarily have enemies a,
well as friends. You will readily SUP.
pose h a / anu not willing to suppl,
either enemies Or friends or the inter.
ested public with the story Of m,
childhood in the streets, my first edu.
cation, and the belated tutoring
now propose. You will conceive tina,
when / rise to address the Chamber
will not tolerate the amused curl.
osity in the glances Of my fellow.
members that knowledge OF thi,
would direct to me. 1t is natural ina,
I should not risk the loose tongue O,
any man | might bring here; that ]
WILL not risk any mans carelensness
or malice, or stupidity. Now you, Mr.
Bruce, will not gossip or forget. 70,
II you do, you may go back to ths
prison TO finish your sentence at m,
pleasure. Is it not perfectly logtcai?'
Bruce stood UP in tremulous agita
ton. This time, all his question,
were answered, in full. That ia, i
David Noel spoke in earnest. Their,
ras q HrynaSs In h{s aan>pt -. -