Читать книгу The Greatest Works of Melville Davisson Post: 40+ Titles in One Edition - Melville Davisson Post - Страница 61

Table of Contents

The Governor's machine marched gravely out of the Circuit Court of the United States and down the wide steps, the Major leading, the Executive following second, and the Honorable Ambercrombie Hergan bringing up the rear, every man as silent and as solemn as a Japanese diplomat. The machine passed through the great arched doorway and directly across the street to "The Happy Maria" saloon, an institution with a variegated past. The machine filed in through the door and lined up before the bar as mysteriously as a country delegation in a caucus.

The Bartender of "The Happy Maria" was a lame actor from St. Louis. When he turned and beheld the solemn array, he stepped back and tapped his forehead tragically with his fingers.

"Ha!" he muttered, "it is Ulfius and Brastias and Sir Bedivere."

To this no response was made, except that the Major raised his hand and pointed to the bottle of "Dougherty" reposing on the second shelf beside the box of "scrap" and the proprietor's pistol-belt. The bartender hurried forward, took down the bottle, placed three little glasses on the bar and began to fill them. When he came to the third glass, he paused and set down the bottle. A puzzled expression gathered on his face. He thrust his forefinger into his mouth and began to lisp:

"Be there two or be there three

In our king's companee?"

The Major turned just in time to catch a glimpse of the Governor as he vanished in a telegraph office next door; then he swung around toward the barkeeper with the dramatic abandon of a professional at a benefit.

"Pour on, good seneschal," he cried; "it is the man who would be married. He hastens with glad tidings to the well beloved. He will return."