a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第11章

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who　had　always　retained　his　old　farmer…like　habit　of　taking　off　his
coat　with　his　hat　on　entering　his　own　house；　and　appearing　in　his
shirt…sleeves；　to　indicate　domestic　ease　and　security；　was　obliged
to　replace　it；　on　account　of　the　chill。　　He　had　never　felt　at　home
in　this　room。　　Its　strangeness　had　lately　been　heightened　by　Mrs。
Mulrady's　purchase　of　a　family　portrait　of　some　one　she　didn't
know；　but　who；　she　had　alleged；　resembled　her　〃Uncle　Bob；〃　which
hung　on　the　wall　beside　some　paintings　in　massive　frames。　　Mr。
Mulrady　cast　a　hurried　glance　at　the　portrait　that；　on　the　strength
of　a　high　coat…collar　and　high　top　curlboth　rolled　with　equal
precision　and　singular　sameness　of　colorhad　always　glared　at
Mulrady　as　if　HE　was　the　intruder；　and；　passing　through　his　wife's
gorgeous　bedroom；　entered　the　little　dressing…room；　where　he　still
slept　on　the　smallest　of　cots；　with　hastily　improvised
surroundings；　as　if　he　was　a　bailiff　in　〃possession。〃　　He　didn't
linger　here　long；　but；　taking　a　key　from　a　drawer；　continued　up　the
staircase；　to　the　ominous　funeral　marches　of　the　beating　rain　on
the　skylight；　and　paused　on　the　landing　to　glance　into　his　son's
and　daughter's　bedrooms；　duplicates　of　the　bizarre　extravagance
below。　　If　he　were　seeking　some　characteristic　traces　of　his　absent
family；　they　certainly　were　not　here　in　the　painted　and　still　damp
blazoning　of　their　later　successes。　　He　ascended　another　staircase；
and；　passing　to　the　wing　of　the　house；　paused　before　a　small　door；
which　was　locked。　　Already　the　ostentatious　decorations　of　wall　and
passages　were　left　behind；　and　the　plain　lath…and…plaster　partition
of　the　attic　lay　before　him。　　He　unlocked　the　door；　and　threw　it
open。


CHAPTER　V


The　apartment　he　entered　was　really　only　a　lumber…room　or　loft　over
the　wing　of　the　house；　which　had　been　left　bare　and　unfinished；　and
which　revealed　in　its　meagre　skeleton　of　beams　and　joints　the
hollow　sham　of　the　whole　structure。　　But　in　more　violent　contrast
to　the　fresher　glories　of　the　other　part　of　the　house　were　its
contents；　which　were　the　heterogeneous　collection　of　old　furniture；
old　luggage；　and　cast…off　clothing；　left　over　from　the　past　life　in
the　old　cabin。　　It　was　a　much　plainer　record　of　the　simple
beginnings　of　the　family　than　Mrs。　Mulrady　cared　to　have　remain　in
evidence；　and　for　that　reason　it　had　been　relegated　to　the　hidden
recesses　of　the　new　house；　in　the　hope　that　it　might　absorb　or
digest　it。　　There　were　old　cribs；　in　which　the　infant　limbs　of
Mamie　and　Abner　had　been　tucked　up；　old　looking…glasses；　that　had
reflected　their　shining；　soapy　faces；　and　Mamie's　best　chip　Sunday
hat；　an　old　sewing…machine；　that　had　been　worn　out　in　active
service；　old　patchwork　quilts；　an　old　accordion；　to　whose　long
drawn　inspirations　Mamie　had　sung　hymns；　old　pictures；　books；　and
old　toys。　　There　were　one　or　two　old　chromos；　and；　stuck　in　an　old
frame；　a　colored　print　from　the　〃Illustrated　London　News〃　of　a
Christmas　gathering　in　an　old　English　country　house。　　He　stopped
and　picked　up　this　print；　which　he　had　often　seen　before；　gazing　at
it　with　a　new　and　singular　interest。　　He　wondered　if　Mamie　had　seen
anything　of　this　kind　in　England；　and　why　couldn't　he　have　had
something　like　it　here；　in　their　own　fine　house；　with　themselves
and　a　few　friends？　　He　remembered　a　past　Christmas；　when　he　had
bought　Mamie　that　now　headless　doll　with　the　few　coins　that　were
left　him　after　buying　their　frugal　Christmas　dinner。　　There　was　an
old　spotted　hobby…horse　that　another　Christmas　had　brought　to
AbnerAbner；　who　would　be　driving　a　fast　trotter　to…morrow　at　the
Springs！　　How　everything　had　changed！　　How　they　all　had　got　up　in
the　world；　and　how　far　beyond　this　kind　of　thingand　yetyet　it
would　have　been　rather　comfortable　to　have　all　been　together　again
here。　　Would　THEY　have　been　more　comfortable？　　No！　　Yet　then　he
might　have　had　something　to　do；　and　been　less　lonely　to…morrow。
What　of　that？　　He　HAD　something　to　do：　to　look　after　this　immense
fortune。　　What　more　could　a　man　want；　or　should　he　want？　　It　was
rather　mean　in　him；　able　to　give　his　wife　and　children　everything
they　wanted；　to　be　wanting　anything　more。　　He　laid　down　the　print
gently；　after　dusting　its　glass　and　frame　with　his　silk
handkerchief；　and　slowly　left　the　room。

The　drum…beat　of　the　rain　followed　him　down　the　staircase；　but　he
shut　it　out　with　his　other　thoughts；　when　he　again　closed　the　door
of　his　office。　　He　set　diligently　to　work　by　the　declining　winter
light；　until　he　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　his　Chinese
waiter　to　tell　him　that　supperwhich　was　the　meal　that　Mulrady
religiously　adhered　to　in　place　of　the　late　dinner　of　civilization
was　ready　in　the　dining…room。　　Mulrady　mechanically　obeyed　the
summons；　but　on　entering　the　room　the　oasis　of　a　few　plates　in　a
desert　of　white　table…cloth　which　awaited　him　made　him　hesitate。
In　its　best　aspect；　the　high　dark　Gothic　mahogany　ecclesiastical
sideboard　and　chairs　of　this　room；　which　looked　like　the
appointments　of　a　mortuary　chapel；　were　not　exhilarating；　and　to…
day；　in　the　light　of　the　rain…filmed　windows　and　the　feeble　rays　of
a　lamp　half…obscured　by　the　dark　shining　walls；　it　was　most
depressing。

〃You　kin　take　up　supper　into　my　office；〃　said　Mulrady；　with　a
sudden　inspiration。　　〃I'll　eat　it　there。〃

He　ate　it　there；　with　his　usual　healthy　appetite；　which　did　not
require　even　the　stimulation　of　company。　　He　had　just　finished；
when　his　Irish　cookthe　one　female　servant　of　the　housecame　to
ask　permission　to　be　absent　that　evening　and　the　next　day。

〃I　suppose　the　likes　of　your　honor　won't　be　at　home　on　the
Christmas　Day？　　And　it's　me　cousins　from　the　old　counthry　at　Rough…
and…Ready　that　are　invitin'　me。〃

〃Why　don't　you　ask　them　over　here？〃　said　Mulrady；　with　another
vague　inspiration。　　〃I'll　stand　treat。〃

〃Lord　preserve　you　for　a　jinerous　gintleman！　　But　it's　the　likes　of
them　and　myself　that　wouldn't　be　at　home　here　on　such　a　day。〃

There　was　so　much　truth　in　this　that　Mulrady　checked　a　sigh　as　he
gave　the　required　permission；　without　saying　that　he　had　intended
to　remain。　　He　could　cook　his　own　breakfast：　he　had　done　it　before；
and　it　would　be　something　to　occupy　him。　　As　to　his　dinner；　perhaps
he　could　go　to　the　hotel　at　Rough…and…Ready。　　He　worked　on　until
the　night　had　well　advanced。　　Then；　overcome　with　a　certain
restlessness　that　disturbed　him；　he　was　forced　to　put　his　books　and
papers　away。　　It　had　begun　to　blow　in　fitful　gusts；　and
occasionally　the　rain　was　driven　softly　across　the　panes　like　the
passing　of　childish　fingers。　　This　disturbed　him　more　than　the
monotony　of　silence；　for　he　was　not　a　nervous　man。　　He　seldom　read
a　book；　and　the　county　paper　furnished　him　only　the　financial　and
mercantile　news　which　was　part　of　his　business。　　He　knew　he　could
not　sleep　if　he　went　to　bed。　　At　last　he　rose；　opened　the　window；
and　looked　out　from　pure　idleness　of　occupation。　　A　splash　of
wheels　in　the　distant　muddy　road　and　fragments　of　a　drunken　song
showed　signs　of　an　early　wandering　reveller。　　There　were　no　lights
to　be　seen　at　the　closed　works；　a　profound　darkness　encompassed　the
house；　as　if　the　distant　pines　in　the　hollow　had　moved　up　and　round
it。　　The　silence　was　broken　now　only　by　the　occasional　sighing　of
wind　and　rain。　　It　was　not　an　inviting　night　for　a　perfunctory
walk；　but　an　idea　struck　himhe　would　call　upon　the　Slinns；　and
anticipate　his　next　day's　visit！　　They　would　probably　have　company；
and　be　glad　to　see　him：　he　could　tell　the　girls　of　Mamie　and　her
success。　　That　he　had　not　thought　of　this　before　was　a　proof　of　his
usual　self…contained　isolation；　that　he　thought　of　it　now　was　an
equal　proof　that　he　was　becoming　at　last　accessible　to　loneliness。
He　was　angry　with　himself　for　what　seemed　to　him　a　selfish
weakness。

He　returned　to　his　office；　and；　putting　the　envelope　that　had　been
lying　on　Slinn's　desk　in　his　pocket；　threw　a　serape　over　his
shoulders；　and　locked　the　front　door　of　the　house　behind　him。　　It
was　well　that　the　way　was　a　familiar　one　to　him；　and　that　his　feet
instinctively　found　the　trail；　for　the　night　was　very　dark。　　At
times　he　was　warned　only　by　the　gurgling　of　water　of　little
rivulets　that　descended　the　hill　and　crossed　his　path。　　Without　the
slightest　fear；　and　with　neither　imagination　nor　sensitiveness；　he
recalled　how；　the　winter　before；　one　of　Don　Caesar's　vaqueros；
crossing　this　hill　at　night；　had　fallen　down　the　chasm　of　a
landslip　caused　by　the　rain；　and　was　found　the　next　morning　with
his　neck　broken　in　the　gully。　　Don　Caesar　had　to　take　care　of　the
man's　family。　　Suppose　such　an　accident　should　happen　to　him？
Well；　he　had　made　his　will。　　His　wife　and　children　would　be
provided　for；　and　the　work　of　the　mine　would　go　on　all　the　same；　he
had　arranged　for　that。　　Would　anybody　miss　him？　　Would　his　wife；　or
his　son；　or　his　daughter？　　No。　　He　felt　such　a　sudden　and
overwhelming　conviction　of　the　truth　of　this　that　he　stopped　as
suddenly　as　if　the　chasm　had　opened　before　him。　　No！　　It　was　the
truth。　　If　he　were　to　disappear　forever　in　the　darkness　of　the
Christmas　night　there　was　none　to　feel　his　loss。　　His　wife　would
take　care　of　Mamie；　his　son　would　take　care　of　himself；　as　he　had
beforerelieved　of　even　the　scant　paternal　authority　he　rebelled
against。　　A　more　imaginative　man　than　Mulrady　would　have　combated
or　have　followed　out　this　idea；　and　then　dismissed　it；　to　the
millionaire's　matter…of…fact　mind　it　was　a　deduction　that；　having
once　presented　itself　to　his　perception；　was　already　a　recognized
fact。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　felt　a　sudden　instinct　of
something　like　aversion　towards　his　family；　a　feeling　that　even　his
son's　dissipation　and　criminality　had　never　provoked。　　He　hurried
on　angrily　through　the　darkness。

It　was　very　strange；　the　old　house　should　be　almost　before　him　now；
across　the　hollow；　yet　there　were　no　indications　of　light！　　It　was
not　until　he　actually　reached　the　garden　fence；　and　the　black　bulk
of　shadow　rose　out　against　the　sky；　that　he　saw　a　faint　ray　of
light　from　one　of　the　lean…to　windows。　　He　went　to　the　front　door
and　knocked。　　After　waiting　in　vain　for　a　reply；　he　knocked　again。
The　second　knock　proving　equally　futile；　he　tried　the　door；　it　was
unlocked；　and；　pushing　it　open；　he　walked　in。　　The　narrow　passage
was　quite　dark；　but　from　his　knowledge　of　the　house　he　knew　the
〃lean…to〃　was　next　to　the　kitchen；　and；　passing　through　the　dining…
room　into　it；　he　opened　the　door　of　the　little　room　from　which　the
light　proceeded。　　It　came　from　a　single　candle　on　a　small　table；
and　beside　it；　with　his　eyes　moodily　fixed　on　the　dying　embers　of
the　fire；　sat　old　Slinn。　　There　was　no　other　light　nor　another
human　being　in　the　whole　house。

For　the　instant　Mulrady；　forgetting　his　own　feelings　in　the　mute
picture　of　the　utter　desolation　of　the　helpless　man；　remained
speechless　on　the　threshold。　　Then；　recalling　himself；　he　stepped
forward　and　laid　his　hand　gayly　on　the　bowed　shoulders。

〃Rouse　up　out　o'　this；　old　man！　　Come！　this　won't　do。　　Look！　　I've
run　over　here　in　the　rain；　jist　to　have　a　sociable　time　with　you
all。〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　the　old　man；　without　looking　up；　〃I　knew　y