青帝小说

致加西亚的一封信 a a t garcia（第1页）

佚名Anonymous

InallthisCubanbusinessthereisonemanstandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsaterihelion。

WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSainandtheUnitedStates，itwasverynecessarytocommunicatequicklywiththeleaderoftheinsurgents。GarciawassomewhereinthemountainfastnessesofCuba—nooneknewwhere。Nomailortelegrahmessagecouldreachhim。ThePresidentmustsecurehiscooeration，andquickly。Whattodo!

SomesaidtothePresident，

"TheresafellowbythenameofRowanwhowillfindGarciaforyou，ifanybodycan。

"

RowanwassentforandgivenalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia。Howthe

"fellowbythenameofRowan

"tooktheletter，sealedituinanoilskinouch，straeditoverhisheart，infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofCubafromanoenboat，disaearedintothejungle，andinthreeweekscameoutontheothersideoftheIsland，havingtraversedahostilecountryonfootanddeliveredhislettertoGarcia—arethingsIhavenosecialdesirenowtotellindetail。TheointthatIwishtomakeisthis:McKinleygaveRowanalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia;Rowantooktheletteranddidnotask，

"Whereisheat?

"

BytheEternal!Thereisamanwhoseformshouldbecastindeathlessbronzeandthestatuelacedineverycollegeoftheland。Itisnotbook-learningyoungmenneed，norinstructionaboutthisandthat，butastiffeningofthevertebraewhichwillcausethemtobeloyaltoatrust，toactromtly，concentratetheirenergies:dothething—

"CarryamessagetoGarcia。

"

GeneralGarciaisdeadnow，butthereareotherGarcia。Nomanwhohasendeavoredtocarryoutanenterrisewheremanyhandswereneeded，buthasbeenwell-nighaalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaverageman—theinabilityorunwillingnesstoconcentrateonathinganddoit。

Slishodassistance，foolishinattention，dowdyindifference，andhalf-heartedworkseemtherule;andnomansucceeds，unlessbyhookorcrookorthreatheforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim;ormayha，GodinHisgoodnesserformsamiracle，andsendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant。

You，reader，utthismattertoatest:Youaresittingnowinyouroffice—sixclerksarewithincall。Summonanyoneandmakethisrequest:

"PleaselookintheencycloediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformeconcerningthelifeofCorreggio。

"Willtheclerkquietlysay，

"Yes，sir。

"andgodothetask?

Onyourlifehewillnot。Hewilllookatyououtofafishyeyeandaskoneormoreofthefollowingquestions:Whowashe?Whichencycloedia?Whereistheencycloedia?WasIhiredforthat?DontyoumeanBismarck?WhatsthematterwithCharliedoingit?Ishedead?Isthereanyhurry?ShantIbringyouthebookandletyoulookituyourself?Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?

AndIwilllayyoutentoonethatafteryouhaveansweredthequestions，andexlainedhowtofindtheinformation，andwhyyouwantit，theclerkwillgooffandgetoneoftheotherclerkstohelhimtrytofindGarcia—andthencomebackandtellyouthereisnosuchman。OfcourseImaylosemybet，butaccordingtotheLawofAverage，Iwillnot。

Now，ifyouarewise，youwillnotbothertoexlaintoyour

"assistant

"thatCorreggioisindexedundertheCs，notintheKs，butyouwillsmileverysweetlyandsay，

"Nevermind，

"andgolookituyourself。Andthisincaacityforindeendentaction，thismoralstuidity，thisinfirmityofthewill，thisunwillingnesstocheerfullycatchholdandlift—thesearethethingsthatutureSocialismsofarintothefuture。

Ifmenwillnotactforthemselves，whatwilltheydowhenthebenefitoftheireffortisforall?

Afirstmatewithknottedclubseemsnecessary;andthedreadofgetting

"thebounce

"Saturdaynightholdsmanyaworkertohislace。Advertiseforastenograher，andnineoutoftenwhoalycanneithersellnorunctuate—anddonotthinkitnecessaryto。

CansuchaonewritealettertoGarcia?

"Youseethatbookkeeer。

"saidtheforemantomeinalargefactory。

"Yes。Whatabouthim?

"

"Wellhesafineaccountant，butifIdsendhimutownonanerrand，hemightaccomlishtheerrandallright，andontheotherhand。Mightstoatfoursaloonsontheway，andwhenhegottoMainStreetwouldforgetwhathehadbeensentfor。