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a first family of tasajara-第38章

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itself above the other warehouses; from the centre of an enormous

square pond; once the plaza; still arose a 〃Liberty pole;〃 or

flagstaff; which now supported a swinging lantern; and in the

distance appeared the glittering dome of some public building。

Grant recognized the scene at once。  It was all that was left of

the invincible youth of Tasajara!



As this was an objective point of the scheme of survey and relief

for the district; the boat was made fast to the second story of one

of the warehouses。  It was now used as a general store and depot;

and bore a singular resemblance in its interior to Harcourt's

grocery at Sidon。  This suggestion was the more fatefully indicated

by the fact that half a dozen men were seated around a stove in the

centre; more or less given up to a kind of philosophical and lazy

enjoyment of their enforced idleness。  And when to this was added

the more surprising coincidence that the party consisted of

Billings; Peters; and Wingate;former residents of Sidon and first

citizens of Tasajara;the resemblance was complete。



They were ruined;but they accepted their common fate with a

certain Indian stoicism and Western sense of humor that for the

time lifted them above the vulgar complacency of their former

fortunes。  There was a deep…seated; if coarse and irreverent

resignation in their philosophy。  At the beginning of the calamity

it had been roughly formulated by Billings in the statement that

〃it wasn't anybody's fault; there was nobody to kill; and what

couldn't be reached by a Vigilance Committee there was no use

resolootin' over。〃  When the Reverend Doctor Pilsbury had suggested

an appeal to a Higher Power; Peters had replied; good humoredly;

that 〃a Creator who could fool around with them in that style was

above being interfered with by prayer。〃  At first the calamity had

been a thing to fight against; then it became a practical joke; the

sting of which was lost in the victims' power of endurance and

assumed ignorance of its purport。  There was something almost

pathetic in their attempts to understand its peculiar humor。



〃How about that Europ…e…an trip o' yours; Peters?〃 said Billings;

meditatively; from the depths of his chair。  〃Looks as if those

Crowned Heads over there would have to wait till the water goes

down considerable afore you kin trot out your wife and darters

before 'em!〃



〃Yes;〃 said Peters; 〃it rather pints that way; and ez far ez I kin

see; Mame Billings ain't goin' to no Saratoga; neither; this year。〃



〃Reckon the boys won't hang about old Harcourt's Free Library to

see the girls home from lectures and singing…class much this year;〃

said Wingate。  〃Wonder if Harcourt ever thought o' this the day he

opened it; and made that rattlin' speech o' his about the new

property?  Clark says everything built on that made ground has got

to go after the water falls。  Rough on Harcourt after all his other

losses; eh?  He oughter have closed up with that scientific chap;

Grant; and married him to Clementina while the big boom was on〃



〃Hush!〃 said Peters; indicating Grant; who had just entered

quietly。



〃Don't mind me; gentlemen;〃 said Grant; stepping towards the group

with a grave but perfectly collected face; 〃on the contrary; I am

very anxious to hear all the news of Harcourt's family。  I left for

New York before the rainy season; and have only just got back。〃



His speech and manner appeared to be so much in keeping with the

prevailing grim philosophy that Billings; after a glance at the

others; went on。  〃Ef you left afore the first rains;〃 said he;

〃you must have left only the steamer ahead of Fletcher; when he run

off with Clementina Harcourt; and you might have come across them

on their wedding trip in New York。〃



Not a muscle of Grant's face changed under their eager and cruel

scrutiny。  〃No; I didn't;〃 he returned quietly。  〃But why did she

run away?  Did the father object to Fletcher?  If I remember

rightly he was rich and a good match。〃



〃Yes; but I reckon the old man hadn't quite got over the 'Clarion'

abuse; for all its eating humble…pie and taking back its yarns of

him。  And may be he might have thought the engagement rather

sudden。  They say that she'd only met Fletcher the day afore the

engagement。〃



〃That be dd;〃 said Peters; knocking the ashes out of his pipe;

and startling the lazy resignation of his neighbors by taking his

feet from the stove and sitting upright。  〃I tell ye; gentlemen;

I'm sick o' this sort o' hog…wash that's been ladled round to us。

That gal Clementina Harcourt and that feller Fletcher had met not

only once; but MANY times aforeyes! they were old friends if it

comes to that; a matter of six years ago。〃



Grant's eyes were fixed eagerly on the speaker; although the others

scarcely turned their heads。



〃You know; gentlemen;〃 said Peters; 〃I never took stock in this yer

story of the drownin' of 'Lige Curtis。  Why?  Well; if you wanter

knowin my opinionthere never was any 'Lige Curtis!〃



Billings lifted his head with difficulty; Wingate turned his face

to the speaker。



〃There never was a scrap o' paper ever found in his cabin with the

name o' 'Lige Curtis on it; there never was any inquiry made for

'Lige Curtis; there never was any sorrowin' friends comin' after

'Lige Curtis。  For why?There never was any 'Lige Curtis。  The man

who passed himself off in Sidon under that namewas that man

Fletcher。  That's how he knew all about Harcourt's title; that's

how he got his best holt on Harcourt。  And he did it all to get

Clementina Harcourt; whom the old man had refused to him in Sidon。〃



A grunt of incredulity passed around the circle。  Such is the fate

of historical innovation!  Only Grant listened attentively。



〃Ye ought to tell that yarn to John Milton;〃 said Wingate

ironically; 〃it's about in the style o' them stories he slings in

the 'Clarion。'〃



〃He's made a good thing outer that job。  Wonder what he gets for

them?〃 said Peters。



It was Billings's time to rise; and; under the influence of some

strong cynical emotion; to even rise to his feet。  〃Gets for 'em!

GETS for 'em!  I'll tell you WHAT he gets for 'em!  It beats this

story o' Peters's;it beats the flood。  It beats me!  Ye know that

boy; gentlemen; ye know how he uster lie round his father's store;

reading flapdoodle stories and sich!  Ye remember how I uster try

to give him good examples and knock some sense into him?  Ye

remember how; after his father's good luck; he spiled all his own

chances; and ran off with his father's waiter galall on account

o' them flapdoodle books he read?  Ye remember how he sashayed

round newspaper offices in 'Frisco until he could write a

flapdoodle story himself?  Ye wanter know what he gets for 'em。

I'll tell you。  He got an interduction to one of them high…toned;

highfalutin'; 'don't…touch…me' rich widders from Philadelfy;

that's what he gets for 'em!  He got her dead set on him and his

stories; that's what he gets for 'em!  He got her to put him up

with Fletcher in the 'Clarion;'that's what he gets for 'em。  And

darn my skin!ef what they say is true; while we hard…working men

are sittin' here like drowned ratsthat air John Milton; ez never

did a stitch o' live work like me yere; ez never did anythin' but

spin yarns about US ez did WORK; is now 'gittin' for 'em'what?

Guess!  Why; he's gittin' THE RICH WIDDER HERSELF and HALF A

MILLION DOLLARS WITH HER!  Gentlemen! lib'ty is a good thingbut

thar's some things ye gets too much lib'ty of in this countryand

that's this yer LIB'TY OF THE PRESS!〃











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