"'Well,' says Bill Bassett, when we had exchanged memories of our dead
lives, 'I could eat. This town don't look like it was kept under a
Yale lock. Suppose we commit some mild atrocity that will bring in
temporary expense money. I don't suppose you've brought along any hair
tonic or rolled gold watch-chains, or similar law-defying swindles
that you could sell on the plaza to the pikers of the paretic
populace, have you?'
"'No,' says I, 'I left an elegant line of Patagonian diamond earrings
and rainy-day sunbursts in my valise at Peavine. But they're to stay
there until some of those black-gum trees begin to glut the market
with yellow clings and Japanese plums. I reckon we can't count on them
unless we take Luther Burbank in for a partner.'
"'Very well,' says Bassett, 'we'll do the best we can. Maybe after
dark I'll borrow a hairpin from some lady, and open the Farmers and
Drovers Marine Bank with it.'
"While we were talking, up pulls a passenger train to the depot near
by. A person in a high hat gets off on the wrong side of the train and
comes tripping down the track towards us. He was a little, fat man
with a big nose and rat's eyes, but dressed expensive, and carrying a
hand-satchel careful, as if it had eggs or railroads bonds in it. He
passes by us and keeps on down the track, not appearing to notice the
town.
"'Come on,' says Bill Bassett to me, starting after him.
"'Where?' I asks.
"'Lordy!' says Bill, 'had you forgot you was in the desert? Didn't you
see Colonel Manna drop down right before your eyes? Don't you hear the
rustling of General Raven's wings? I'm surprised at you, Elijah.'
"We overtook the stranger in the edge of some woods, and, as it was
after sun-down and in a quiet place, nobody saw us stop him. Bill
takes the silk hat off the man's head and brushes it with his sleeve
and puts it back.
"'What does this mean, sir?' says the man.
"'When I wore one of these,' says Bill, 'and felt embarrassed, I
always done that. Not having one now I had to use yours. I hardly know
how to begin, sir, in explaining our business with you, but I guess
we'll try your pockets first.'
"Bill Bassett felt in all of them, and looked disgusted.
"'Not even a watch,' he says. 'Ain't you ashamed of yourself, you
whited sculpture? Going about dressed like a head-waiter, and financed
like a Count! You haven't even got carfare. What did you do with your
transfer?'
"The man speaks up and says he has no assets or valuables of any sort.
But Bassett takes his hand-satchel and opens it. Out comes some
collars and socks and a half a page of a newspaper clipped out. Bill
reads the clipping careful, and holds out his hand to the held-up
party.
"'Brother,' says he, 'greetings! Accept the apologies of friends. I am
Bill Bassett, the burglar. Mr. Peters, you must make the acquaintance
of Mr. Alfred E. Ricks. Shake hands. Mr. Peters,' says Bill, 'stands


about halfway between me and you, Mr. Ricks, in the line of havoc and
corruption. He always gives something for the money he gets. I'm glad
to meet you, Mr. Ricks--you and Mr. Peters. This is the first time I
ever attended a full gathering of the National Synod of Sharks--
housebreaking, swindling, and financiering all represented. Please
examine Mr. Rick's credentials, Mr. Peters.'
"The piece of newspaper that Bill Bassett handed me had a good picture
of this Ricks on it. It was a Chicago paper, and it had obloquies of
Ricks in every paragraph. By reading it over I harvested the
intelligence that said alleged Ricks had laid off all that portion of
the State of Florida that lies under water into town lots and sold 'em
to alleged innocent investors from his magnificently furnished offices
in Chicago. After he had taken in a hundred thousand or so dollars one
of these fussy purchasers that are always making trouble (I've had 'em
actually try gold watches I've sold 'em with acid) took a cheap
excursion down to the land where it is always just before supper to
look at his lot and see if it didn't need a new paling or two on the
fence, and market a few lemons in time for the Christmas present
trade. He hires a surveyor to find his lot for him. They run the line
out and find the flourishing town of Paradise Hollow, so advertised,
to be about 40 rods and 16 poles S., 27 degrees E. of the middle of
Lake Okeechobee. This man's lot was under thirty-six feet of water,
and, besides, had been preempted so long by the alligators and gars
that his title looked fishy.
"Naturally, the man goes back to Chicago and makes it as hot for
Alfred E. Ricks as the morning after a prediction of snow by the
weather bureau. Ricks defied the allegation, but he couldn't deny the
alligators. One morning the papers came out with a column about it,
and Ricks come out by the fire-escape. It seems the alleged
authorities had beat him to the safe-deposit box where he kept his
winnings, and Ricks has to westward ho! with only feetwear and a dozen
15-and-a-half English pokes in his shopping bag. He happened to have
some mileage left in his book, and that took him as far as the town in
the wilderness where he was spilled out on me and Bill Bassett as
Elijah III. with not a raven in sight for any of us.
"Then this Alfred E. Ricks lets out a squeak that he is hungry, too,
and denies the hypothesis that he is good for the value, let alone the
price, of a meal. And so, there was the three of us, representing, if
we had a mind to draw syllogisms and parabolas, labor and trade and
capital. Now, when trade has no capital there isn't a dicker to be
made. And when capital has no money there's a stagnation in steak and
onions. That put it up to the man with the jimmy.
"'Brother bushrangers,' says Bill Bassett, 'never yet, in trouble, did
I desert a pal. Hard by, in yon wood, I seem to see unfurnished
lodgings. Let us go there and wait till dark.'


"I told Bill Bassett once more to put his money in his pocket. I never
had the respect for burglary that some people have. I always gave
something for the money I took, even if it was only some little trifle
for a souvenir to remind 'em not to get caught again.
"And then Alfred E. Ricks grovels at Bill's feet again, and bids us
adieu. He says he will have a team at a farmhouse, and drive to the
station below, and take the train for Denver. It salubrified the
atmosphere when that lamentable boll-worm took his departure. He was a
disgrace to every non-industrial profession in the country. With all
his big schemes and fine offices he had wound up unable even to get an
honest meal except by the kindness of a strange and maybe unscrupulous
burglar. I was glad to see him go, though I felt a little sorry for
him, now that he was ruined forever. What could such a man do without
a big capital to work with? Why, Alfred E. Ricks, as we left him, was
as helpless as turtle on its back. He couldn't have worked a scheme to
beat a little girl out of a penny slate-pencil.
"When me and Bill Bassett was left alone I did a little sleight-of-
mind turn in my head with a trade secret at the end of it. Thinks I,
I'll show this Mr. Burglar Man the difference between business and
labor. He had hurt some of my professional self-adulation by casting
his Persians upon commerce and trade.
"'I won't take any of your money as a gift, Mr. Bassett,' says I to
him, 'but if you'll pay my expenses as a travelling companion until we
get out of the danger zone of the immoral deficit you have caused in
this town's finances to-night, I'll be obliged.'
"Bill Bassett agreed to that, and we hiked westward as soon as we
could catch a safe train.
"When we got to a town in Arizona called Los Perros I suggested that
we once more try our luck on terra-cotta. That was the home of
Montague Silver, my old instructor, now retired from business. I knew
Monty would stake me to web money if I could show him a fly buzzing
'round the locality. Bill Bassett said all towns looked alike to him
as he worked mainly in the dark. So we got off the train in Los
Perros, a fine little town in the silver region.
"I had an elegant little sure thing in the way of a commercial
slugshot that I intended to hit Bassett behind the ear with. I wasn't
going to take his money while he was asleep, but I was going to leave
him with a lottery ticket that would represent in experience to him
$4,755--I think that was the amount he had when we got off the train.
But the first time I hinted to him about an investment, he turns on me
and disencumbers himself of the following terms and expressions.
"'Brother Peters,' says he, 'it ain't a bad idea to go into an
enterprise of some kind, as you suggest. I think I will. But if I do
it will be such a cold proposition that nobody but Robert E. Peary and
Charlie Fairbanks will be able to sit on the board of directors.'
"'I thought you might want to turn your money over,' says I.
"'I do,' says he, 'frequently. I can't sleep on one side all night.
I'll tell you, Brother Peters,' says he, 'I'm going to start a poker
room. I don't seem to care for the humdrum in swindling, such as
peddling egg-beaters and working off breakfast food on Barnum and
Bailey for sawdust to strew in their circus rings. But the gambling
business,' says he, 'from the profitable side of the table is a good
compromise between swiping silver spoons and selling penwipers at a
Waldorf-Astoria charity bazar.'
"'Then,' says I, 'Mr. Bassett, you don't care to talk over my little
business proposition?'
"'Why,' says he, 'do you know, you can't get a Pasteur institute to
start up within fifty miles of where I live. I bite so seldom.'
"So, Bassett rents a room over a saloon and looks around for some
furniture and chromos. The same night I went to Monty Silver's house,
and he let me have $200 on my prospects. Then I went to the only store
in Los Perros that sold playing cards and bought every deck in the
house. The next morning when the store opened I was there bringing all
the cards back with me. I said that my partner that was going to back
me in the game had changed his mind; and I wanted to sell the cards
back again. The storekeeper took 'em at half price.

"Yes, I was seventy-five dollars loser up to that time. But while I
had the cards that night I marked every one in every deck. That was
labor. And then trade and commerce had their innings, and the bread I
had cast upon the waters began to come back in the form of cottage
pudding with wine sauce.
"Of course I was among the first to buy chips at Bill Bassett's game.
He had bought the only cards there was to be had in town; and I knew
the back of every one of them better than I know the back of my head
when the barber shows me my haircut in the two mirrors.
"When the game closed I had the five thousand and a few odd dollars,
and all Bill Bassett had was the wanderlust and a black cat he had
bought for a mascot. Bill shook hands with me when I left.
"'Brother Peters,' says he, 'I have no business being in business. I
was preordained to labor. When a No. 1 burglar tries to make a James
out of his jimmy he perpetrates an improfundity. You have a well-oiled
and efficacious system of luck at cards,' says he. 'Peace go with
you.' And I never afterward sees Bill Bassett again."
*****
"Well, Jeff," said I, when the Autolycan adventurer seemed to have
divulged the gist of his tale, "I hope you took care of the money.
That would be a respecta--that is a considerable working capital if
you should choose some day to settle down to some sort of regular
business."
"Me?" said Jeff, virtuously. "You can bet I've taken care of that five
thousand."
He tapped his coat over the region of his chest exultantly.
"Gold mining stock," he explained, "every cent of it. Shares par value
one dollar. Bound to go up 500 per cent. within a year. Non-
assessable. The Blue Gopher mine. Just discovered a month ago. Better
get in yourself if you've any spare dollars on hand."
"Sometimes," said I, "these mines are not--"
"Oh, this one's solid as an old goose," said Jeff. "Fifty thousand
dollars' worth of ore in sight, and 10 per cent. monthly earnings
guaranteed."
He drew out a long envelope from his pocket and cast it on the table.
"Always carry it with me," said he. "So the burglar can't corrupt or
the capitalist break in and water it."
I looked at the beautifully engraved certificate of stock.
"In Colorado, I see," said I. "And, by the way, Jeff, what was the
name of the little man who went to Denver--the one you and Bill met at
the station?"
"Alfred E. Ricks," said Jeff, "was the toad's designation."
"I see," said I, "the president of this mining company signs himself
A. L. Fredericks. I was wondering--"
"Let me see that stock," said Jeff quickly, almost snatching it from
me.
To mitigate, even though slightly, the embarrassment I summoned the
waiter and ordered another bottle of the Barbera. I thought it was the
least I could do.


在普罗文萨诺饭店的一个角落里，我们一面吃意大利面；杰未·彼得斯一面向我解释三种不同类型的骗局。每年冬天，杰夫总要到纽约来吃面条，他裹着厚厚的灰狐皮大衣在东河看卸货，把一批芝加哥制的衣服囤积在富尔顿育的铺子里。其余三季，他在纽约以西----他的活动范围是从斯律坎到坦帕。他时常夸耀自己的行业，并用一种严肃而独特的伦理哲学加以支持和卫护。他的行业并不新奇。他本人就是一个没有资本的股份无限公司，专门收容他同胞们的不安分守己的愚蠢的金钱。 杰夫每年到这个高楼大厦的蛮荒中来度过他那寂寞的时光，这时候，他喜欢吹吹他那丰富的阅历，正如孩子喜欢在日落时才的树林里吹口哨一样。因此，我在日历上标出他来纽约的日期，并且同普罗文萨诺饭店接洽好，在花哨的橡皮盆景和墙上那幅什么宫廷画之间的角落里为我们安排一张酒迹斑斑的桌子。

＿“有两种骗局，”杰夫说，“应当受到法律的取缔。我指的是华尔街的投机和盗窃。” “取缔其中的一项，几乎人人都会同意。”我笑着说。 “嗯，盗窃也应当取缔。”杰夫说；我不禁怀疑我刚才的一笑是否多余。 “约莫三个月前，”杰夫说，“我有幸结识刚才提到的两类非法艺术的代表人物。我同时结交了一个窃贼协会的会员和一个金融界的约翰·台·拿破仑。” “那倒是有趣的结合。”我打了个呵欠税。“我有没有告诉过你，上星期我在拉马波斯河岸一枪打到了一只鸭子和一只地松鼠？”我很知道怎么打开杰夫的话匣子。 “让我先告诉你，这些寄生虫怎么用他们的毒眼污染了公正的泉水，妨碍了社会生活的运转。”杰夫说，他自己的眼睛里闪烁着揭发别人丑行时的光芒。 “我刚才说过，三个月以前，我交上了坏朋友。人生在世，只有两种情况才会促使他这样----一种是穷得不名一文的时候，另一种是很有钱的时候。 “最合法的买卖偶尔也有倒运的时候。我在阿肯色州的一个十字路口拐错了弯，闯进了彼文镇。前年春天，仿佛我来过彼文镇，把它糟蹋得不像样子。我在那里推销了六百元的果树苗----其中有李树、樱桃树、桃树和梨树。彼文镇的人经常注意大路上的过往行人，希望我再经过那里。我在大街上驾着马车，一直行驶到水晶宫药房，那时候我才发现我和我那匹白马比尔已经落进了埋伏圈。“彼文镇的人出乎意外地抓住了我和比尔，开始同我谈起并非和果树完全无关的话题。领头的一些人把马车上的挽绳穿在我坎肩的袖孔里，带我去看他们的花园和果园。 “他们的果树长得不合标签上的规格。大多数变成了柿树 ①约翰·台是美因石油大玉铭克菲动的名字． 225和山荣英，间或有一两丛懈树和白杨。唯一有结果迹象的是一棵茁壮的小白杨，那上面挂着一个黄蜂窝和半件女人的破背心。

“彼文镇的人就这样作了毫无结果的巡视，然后把我带到镇边上。他们抄走我的表和钱作为抵账，又扣下比尔和马车作为抵押。他们说，只要一株山荣英长出一颗六月早桃，我就可以领回我的物品。然后，他们抽出挽绳，吩咐我向落基山脉那面滚蛋；我便像刘易斯和克拉克①那样，直奔那片河流滔滔，森林茂密的地区。 “等我神志清醒过来时，我发觉自己正走向圣菲铁路②线上的一个不知名的小镇。彼文镇的人把我的口袋完全搜空了，只留下一块嚼烟----他们并不想置我于死地----这救了我的命。我嚼着烟草，坐在铁路旁边的一堆枕木上，以恢复我的思索能力和智慧。 “这当地，一列货运决车驶来，行近小镇时减慢了速度；车上掉下一团黑黝黝的东西，在尘埃中足足滚了二十码，才爬起来，开始吐出烟煤求和咒骂的话。我定睛一看，发觉那是一个年轻人，阔睑盘，衣著很讲究；仿佛是坐普尔门卧车而不是偷搭货车的人物。尽管浑身弄得像是扫烟囱的人，他脸上仍旧泛着愉快的笑容。 “‘摔下来的吗？”我问遣。 “‘不’他说，‘自己下来的。我到了目的地啦。这是什么镇？’ “’我还没有查过地图哪。’我说。‘我大概比你早到五分钟。 “‘硬得很。’他转动着一支胳臂说。‘我觉得这个肩膀----不，没什么。’ “他弯下腰去掸身上的尘土，口袋里捧出一支九英寸长的，精巧的窃贼用的钢材。他连忙拉起来，仔细打量着我，忽然咧开嘴笑了，并向我伸出手来。

“‘没有，’我说，‘我的手提箱里本来有一些精致的巴塔戈尼亚的钻石耳坠和胸针，可是给扣在彼文镇了，一直要等到那些黑橡皮树长出大量黄桃和日本李子的时候。我想我们不能对它们存什么希望，除非我们把卢瑟·伯班克②找来搭伙。” “‘好吧，’巴西特说，‘那我尽量想些别的办法。也许在天黑之后，我可以向哪位太太借一枚发针，用来打开农牧渔业银 行。’ “我们正谈着，一列客车开到了附近的车站。一个戴大礼帽的人从月台那边下了火车，磕磕绊绊地跨过轨道向我们走来。他 是个肥胖的矮个子，大鼻子，小眼睛，衣著倒很讲究；他小心翼翼地拿着一个手提包，仿佛里面装的是鸡蛋或是铁路股票似的。他经过我们身边，沿着铁轨继续走去，似乎没有看到小镇。 “‘来。’比尔·巴西特招呼我后，自己立刻跟了上去。 “‘到什么地方去啊？’我问道。 “‘天哪！’比尔说，‘难道你忘了你自己待在荒野里吗？吗哪上校就掉在你面前，难道你没有看到？难道你没有听见乌鸦将军的鼓器声？你真笨得叫我吃惊，以利亚。 我们在树林子旁边赶上了那个人，那时候太阳已经落山，那地点又根偏僻，没有人看见我们截住他。比尔把那个人头上的帽子摘下来，用袖管拂拭一下，又替他戴上。 “‘这是什么意思，先生？’那人问道。 “‘我自己戴这种帽子觉得不自在的时候，’比尔说。‘总是这样做的。目前我没有大礼帽，只好用用他的。我真不知该怎么开个头同你打打交道，先生，不过我想我们不妨先摸摸你的口袋。’ “比尔·巴西特摸遍了他所有的口袋，露出一副鄙夷的神情。

‘连表都没有一个。’他说。‘你这个空心石膏像，难道不觉得害臊？穿戴得倒像侍者领班，口袋里却像伯爵一样空。连车钱都没有，你打算怎么乘火车呀？’ “那人开口声明身边毫无金银财物。巴西特拿过他的手提包，打了开来。里面是一些替换用的领口和袜子，还有半张剪下来的报纸。比尔仔细看了剪报，向那位被拦劫的人伸出手去。 “‘老哥，’他说，‘你好！请接受朋友的道歉。我是窃贼比尔·巴西特。彼得斯先生，你得认识认识文尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯先生。握握手吧。里克斯先生，在捣乱和犯法方面来说，彼得斯先生的地位介乎你我之间。他拿人钱财，总是给人家一些代价。我很高兴见到你们，里克斯先生----见到你和彼得斯先生。这是我生平第一次参加的全国贪心汉大会----溜门撬锁，坑蒙拐骗，投机倒把，全都到齐了。请看看里克斯先生的证件，彼得斯先生。’ “巴西特递给我的剪报上刊登着这位里克斯先生的一张照片。那是芝加哥发行的报纸，文章中的每一段都把里克斯骂得狗血喷头。我看完那篇文章后，才知道上述里克斯其人，坐在芝加哥的装修豪华的办公室里，把佛罗里达州全部淹在水底的地方划成一块块的，卖给一些一无所知的投资者。他收入将近十万元时，那些老是大惊小怪，没事找事的主顾（我本人卖金表时也碰到过这种主顾，居然用硝涟水来试验）之中有一个，精打细算地去佛罗里达旅游了一次，看看他买的地皮，检查检查周围的篱笆是不是需要打一两根桩子加固，顺便再贩一些柠檬，准备供应圣诞节的市场。他雇了一个测量员替他找这块地皮。他们费了九牛二虎之力，才发现广告上所说的乐园谷那个兴旺的小镇是在奥基乔比湖中心四十杆十六竿以南，二十度以东。那人买的地皮在三十六英尺深的水底下，并且已被鳄鱼和长嘴鱼占据了那么长时间，使他的主权颇有争议。 “那人回到芝加哥，自然闹得艾尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯火烧火燎的，热得象是气象台预报有降雪时的天气。里克斯驳斥了他的陈述，却无法否认鳄鱼的存在。有一天，报上用整整一栏的篇幅来揭发这件事，里克斯走投无路，只得从防火梯上逃出来。当局查到了他存钱的保管库，里克斯只得在手提包里放上几双袜子和十来条十五英寸半的领口，直奔西部。他的皮夹里恰好有几张火车代价券，勉强来到我和比尔·巴西特所在的那个偏僻小镇，韩结起下火车，辞了以利亚第三。可是却看不到叼粮食来的乌鸦。 “接着，这位艾尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯嚷嚷起来，说他也饿了，并且声明说他没有能力支付一餐饭的价值，更不用说价格了。

因此我们三个人凑在一起，如果还有雅兴作些演绎推理和绘画说明的话，就可以代表劳动力、贸易和资本。但是贸易没有资本的时候，什么买卖都做不成。而资本没有金钱的时候，洋葱肉排的销路就不景气了。现在只能仰仗那个带钢撬的劳动力。 “‘绿林弟兄们，’比尔·巴西特说，‘到目前为止，我从没有在患难中抛弃过朋友。我见到那个树林子里好像有一些简陋的住房。我们不妨先去那里，等到天黑再说。’ “小树林子里果然有一所没人住的，破旧的小房子，我们三人使占用了它。天黑之后，比尔·巴西特吩咐我们等着，他自己出去了半小时光景。他回来时，捧着一大堆面包、排骨和馅饼。 “‘在瓦西塔路的一个农家那里搞来的。’他说。‘让我们吃、喝、乐一下吧。’ “皎洁的满月升了上来，我们在小屋里席地而坐，借着月光吃起来。这位比尔·巴西特使开始大吹牛皮了。 “‘有时候，’他嘴里满塞着土产品说，‘你们这些自以为行业高我一等的人真叫我不耐烦。遇到目前这种紧急情况，你们两位有什么办法能使我们免于饿死？你办得到吗，里克斯？’ “‘老实说，巴西特先生，’里克斯咬着一块馅饼，讲话的声音几乎听不见，“在目前这个时候，我也许不可能创办一个企业来改变困难的局面。我所经营的大事业自然需要事先作一些妥善的安排。我----’ “‘我知道，里克斯，’比尔·巴西特插嘴说，‘你不必讲下去啦。你先需要五百元雇用一个金发的女打字员，添置四会讲究的橡木家具。你再需要五百元来刊登广告。你还需要两星期的时间等鱼儿上钩。你的办法是远水救不了近火，好比遇到有人被低劣的煤气熏死的时候，就主张把煤气事业收归公有一样。他的把戏也救不了急，彼得斯老哥。’他结束说。

“‘哦，’我说，‘仙子先生，我还没有看见你用魔杖把什么东西变成金子呢。转转魔戒指，搞一点剩羹残饭来，几乎人人都能做到。’ “‘那只不过是先准备好南瓜罢了。’巴西特洋洋自得地说。‘六匹马的马车待会儿就会出乎意外地来到你门口，灰姑娘。你也许有什么锦囊妙计，可以帮我们开个头吧。’ “‘老弟，’我说，‘我比你大十五岁，可是还没有者到要保人寿险的年纪。以前我也有过不名一文的时候。我们现在可以望到那个相去不到半英里的小镇上的灯火。我的师父是蒙塔古·西尔弗，当代最伟大的街头推销员。此时，街上有几百个衣服上沾有油迹的行人。给我一盏汽油灯，一只木箱和两块钱的白橄榄香皂，把它切成小----’ “‘你那两块钱打哪儿来呀？’比尔·巴西特吃吃笑着打断了我的话。跟这个窃贼一起，真是话不投机半句多。 “‘不，’他往下说，‘你们两个都束手无策啦。金融已经关门大吉，贸易也宣告歇业。你们两个只能指望劳动力来活动活动了。好吧。你们该认输了吧。今晚我给你看看比尔·巴西特的能耐。’ “巴西特吩咐我和里克斯呆在小屋子里等他回来，即使夭色亮了也不要离开。他自己快活地吹着口哨，动身朝小镇走去。 “艾尔弗吉德·伊·里克斯脱掉鞋子和衣服，在帽子上铺了一方绸手帕当枕头，便躺在地板上。 “‘我想我不妨睡一会儿。’他失声尖气地说。‘今天好累啊。明天见，亲爱的彼得斯先生。’ “‘代我向睡神问好。’我说。‘我想坐一会儿。’ “根据我那只被扣留在波纹镇的表来猜测，在约莫两点钟的时候，我们那位辛苦的人回来了。他踢醒了里克斯，把我们叫到小屋门口有一道月光的地方。接着，他把五个各装一千元的袋子摆在地板上，象刚下了蛋的母鸡似地咯咯叫起来。 “‘我告诉你们一些有关小镇的情况。’他说。‘那个小镇叫石泉，镇上的人正在盖一座共济会堂，看形势民主党的镇长候选人恐怕要被平民党打垮了，塔克法官的太太本来害着胸膜炎，最近好了些。我在获得所需的情报之前，不得不同居民们谈谈这些无聊的小事情。镇上有家银行，叫做樵农储蓄信托公司。昨天银行停止营业的时候有两万三千元存款。今天开门时还剩一万八千元----全是银币----这就是我为什么不多带一些来的原因。怎么样，贸易和资本，你们还有什么话说？’ “‘年轻的朋友，’艾尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯抱着手说道，‘你抢了那家银行吗？哎呀，哎呀呀！’

“‘你不能那么说。’巴西特说。‘“抢”这个字未免不大好听。我所做的事只不过是找找银行在哪条街上。那个小镇非常寂静，我站在街角上都可以听到保险箱上号码盘的转动声----“往右拧到四十五；往左拧两圈到八十；往右拧一圈到六十；再往友好到十五”----听得一清二楚，正如听耶鲁大学足球队长用暗语发号施令一样。老弟，’巴西特又说，‘这个镇上的人起得很早。他们说镇上的居民天没亮就都起来活动了。我问他们为什么不多睡一会儿，他们说因为那时候早饭就做好了。那么快活的罗宾汉该怎么办呢？只有叮叮当当地赶快开路。我给你们赌本。你要多少？快说，资本。’ “‘我亲爱的年轻朋友，’里克斯说，他活象一只用后腿蹲，用前爪摆弄硬果的地松鼠，‘我在丹佛有几个朋友，他们可以帮助我。只要有一百块钱，我就可以----’ “巴西特打开一包钱，取出五张二十元的钞票扔给了里克斯。 “‘贸易，你要多少？’他问我说。

“接着，艾尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯又卑躬屈节地谢了比尔，便同我们告别了。他说他要向农家借一辆马车，乘到车站，然后塔吉丹佛的火车。那个叫人看了伤心的虫看告辞之后．空气为之一新。他丢了全国不劳而获的行业的脸。他搞了许多庞大的计划和华丽的办公室，到头来还混不上一顿像样的饭，还得仰仗一个素昧生平，也许不够谨慎的窃贼。他离开后，我很高兴；虽然看到他就此一微不振，不免有点儿替他伤心。这个人没有大本钱时又能干些什么？嘿，艾尔弗雷德·伊·里克斯同我们分 手的时候简直像一只四脚朝天的乌龟那样毫无办法。他甚至很不出计谋来骗小姑娘的石笔呢。 “只剩下我和比尔·巴西特两个人的时候，我开动了一下脑筋，想出一个包合生意秘密的计策。我想，我得让这位窃贼先生看看，贸易同劳力之间究竟有什么差别。他奚落了商业和贸易，伤了我的职业自豪感。

“‘我不愿意接受你送给我的钱，巴西特先生，’我对他说，“你今晚用不道德的方法害得这个小镇的财政有了亏空。在我们离开这个危险地带之前，如果你能替我支付路上的花费，我就很领情了。’ “比尔·巴西特同意这样做，于是我们向西出发，----到安全地点就搭上火车。“、“火车开到亚利桑那州一个叫洛斯佩罗斯的小镇上，我提议我们不妨再在小地方碰碰运气。那是我以前的师父蒙塔古·西尔弗的家乡。如今他已退休了。我知道，只要我把附近营营作声的苍蝇指给蒙塔古看，他就会教我怎么张网捕捉。比尔·巴西特说他主要是在夜间工作的，因此任何城镇对他都没有区别。于是我们在这个产银地区的洛斯佩罗斯小镇下了火车。、“我有一个又巧妙又稳妥的打算，简直等于一颗商业的甩石拥，我准备用它来打中巴西特的要害。我并不想趁他睡熟的时候拿走他的钱，而是想留给他一张代表四千七百五十五元的彩票----据我估计，我们下火车时他的钱还剩下那么多＿我旁敲测台地谈起某种投资，他立刻反对我的意见，说了下面一番话。＿ “‘彼得斯老哥，’他说，‘你提议加入某个企业的主意并不坏。我想我会这么做。但是，我要参加的企业必须十分可靠，非要罗伯特·伊·皮尔里和查尔斯·费尔班克斯之类的人当董事不可。’ “‘我原以为你打算拿这笔钱来做买卖呢。’我说。 “‘不错，’他说，‘我不能整夜抱着钱睡，不翻翻身子。我告诉你，彼得斯老哥，’他说，‘我打算开一家赌场。我不喜欢无聊的骗局，例如叫卖搅蛋器，或者在巴纳姆和贝利①的马戏场里推销那种只能当铺地锯未用的麦片。但是从利润观点来看，赌场生意是介乎偷银器和在沃尔多夫一阿斯托里亚旅馆义卖抹笔布之间的很好的折衷办法。’ “‘那么说，巴西特先生，’我说，‘你是不愿意听听我的小计划了？’ “‘哎，你要明白，’他说，‘你不可能在我落脚地点方圆五十英里以内办任何企业。我是不会上钩的。’ “巴西特租了一家酒店的二楼，来办了一些家具和五彩石印画。当天晚上，我去蒙塔古·西尔弗家，向他借了二百元做本钱。我到洛斯佩罗斯独家经营纸牌的商店，把他们的纸牌全部买了下来。第二天，那家商店开门后，我又把纸牌全都送了回去。我说同我合作的搭档改变了主意；我要把纸牌退给店里。老板以半价收回去了。 “不错，到那时候为止，我反而亏了七十五元。可是我在买纸牌的那天晚上，把每副牌的每一张的背后都做了记号。