Page:In defense of Harriet Shelley, and other essays.djvu/100

 MARK TWAIN

matter at New Haven, and I have an idea that I ll be thanked for it.&quot;

The conductor s face lost something of its com placency; in fact, it settled to a quite sober cast as the owner of it moved away. I said:

&quot;You are not really going to bother with that trifle, are you?&quot;

1 It isn t a trifle. Such things ought always to be re ported. It is a public duty, and no citizen has a right to shirk it. But I sha n t have to report this case.&quot;

&quot;Why?&quot;

&quot;It won t be necessary. Diplomacy will do the business. You ll see.&quot;

Presently the conductor came on his rounds again, and when he reached the Major he leaned over and said:

&quot;That s all right. You needn t report him. He s responsible to me, and if he does it again I ll give him a talking to.&quot;

The Major s response was cordial:

&quot;Now that is what I like! You mustn t think that I was moved by any vengeful spirit, for that wasn t the case. It was duty just a sense of duty, that was all. My brother-in-law is one of the directors of the road, and when he learns that you are going to reason with your brakeman the very next time he brutally insults an unoffending old man it will please him, you may be sure of that.&quot;

The conductor did not look as joyous as one might have thought he would, but on the contrary looked sickly and uncomfortable. He stood around a little;

then said:

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