tales of trail and town-第2章

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then；　on　the　outbreak　of　the　gold　fever；　to　California。　　But　it

will　be　a　surprise　to　many　to　know　that　it　has　just　transpired　that

Mr。　Atherly　was　the　second　son　of　Sir　Ashley　Atherly；　an　English

baronet；　and　by　the　death　of　his　brother　might　have　succeeded　to

the　property　and　title。〃



He　remained　for　some　moments　looking　fixedly　at　the　paper；　until

the　commonplace　paragraph　imprinted　itself　upon　his　brain　as　no

line　of　sage　or　poet　had　ever　done；　and　then　he　folded　it　up　and

put　it　in　his　pocket。　　In　his　exaltation　he　felt　that　even　the

mother　he　had　never　loved　was　promoted　to　a　certain　respect　as　his

father's　wife；　although　he　was　equally　conscious　of　a　new

resentment　against　her　for　her　contemptuous　allusions　to　HIS

father；　and　her　evident　hopeless　inability　to　comprehend　his

position。　　His　mother；　he　feared；　was　indeed　low！but　HE　was　his

father's　son！　　Nevertheless；　he　gave　her　a　funeral　at　Atherly；　long

remembered　for　its　barbaric　opulence　and　display。　　Thirty

carriages；　procured　from　Sacramento　at　great　expense；　were　freely

offered　to　his　friends　to　join　in　the　astounding　pageant。　　A

wonderful　casket　of　iron　and　silver；　brought　from　San　Francisco；

held　the　remains　of　the　ex…washerwoman　of　Rough　and　Ready。　　But　a

more　remarkable　innovation　was　the　addition　of　a　royal　crown　to　the

other　ornamentation　of　the　casket。　　Peter　Atherly's　ideas　of

heraldry　were　very　vague；Sacramento　at　that　time　offered　him　no

opportunity　of　knowing　what　were　the　arms　of　the　Atherlys；and　the

introduction　of　the　royal　crown　seemed　to　satisfy　Peter's　mind　as

to　what　a　crest　MIGHT　be；　while　to　the　ordinary　democratic　mind　it

simply　suggested　that　the　corpse　was　English！　　Political　criticism

being　thus　happily　averted；　Mrs。　Atherly's　body　was　laid　in　the

little　cemetery；　not　far　away　from　certain　rude　wooden　crosses

which　marked　the　burial…place　of　wanderers　whose　very　names　were

unknown；　and　in　due　time　a　marble　shaft　was　erected　over　it。　　But

when；　the　next　day；　the　county　paper　contained；　in　addition　to　the

column…and…a…half　description　of　the　funeral；　the　more　formal

announcement　of　the　death　of　〃Mrs。　Sallie　Atherly；　wife　of　the　late

Philip　Atherly；　second　son　of　Sir　Ashley　Atherly；　of　England；〃

criticism　and　comment　broke　out。　　The　old　pioneers　of　Rough　and

Ready　felt　that　they　had　been　imposed　upon；　and　that　in　some　vague

way　the　unfortunate　woman　had　made　them　the　victims　of　a　huge

practical　joke　during　all　these　years。　　That　she　had　grimly　enjoyed

their　ignorance　of　her　position　they　did　not　doubt。　　〃Why；　I

remember　onct　when　I　was　sorter　bullyraggin'　her　about　mixin'　up　my

duds　with　Doc　Simmons's；　and　sendin'　me　Whiskey　Dick's　old　rags；

she　turned　round　sudden　with　a　kind　of　screech；　and　ran　out　into

the　brush。　　I　reckoned；　at　the　time；　that　it　was　either　'drink'　or

feelin's；　and　could　hev　kicked　myself　for　being　sassy　to　the　old

woman；　but　I　know　now　that　all　this　time　that　air　critterthat

barrownet's　daughter…in…lawwas　just　laughin'　herself　into　fits　in

the　brush！　　No；　sir；　she　played　this　yer　camp　for　all　it　was　worth；

year　in　and　out；　and　we　just　gave　ourselves　away　like　speckled

idiots！　and　now　she's　lyin'　out　thar　in　the　bone　yard；　and　keeps　on

p'intin'　the　joke；　and　a…roarin'　at　us　in　marble。〃



Even　the　later　citizens　in　Atherly　felt　an　equal　resentment　against

her；　but　from　different　motives。　　That　her　drinking　habits　and　her

powerful　vocabulary　were　all　the　effect　of　her　aristocratic

alliance　they　never　doubted。　　And；　although　it　brought　the　virtues

of　their　own　superior　republican　sobriety　into　greater　contrast；

they　felt　a　scandal　at　having　been　tricked　into　attending　this

gilded　funeral　of　dissipated　rank。　　Peter　Atherly　found　himself

unpopular　in　his　own　town。　　The　sober　who　drank　from　his　free

〃Waterworks；〃　and　the　giddy　ones　who　imbibed　at　his　〃Gin　Mill；〃

equally　criticised　him。　　He　could　not　understand　it；　his　peculiar

predilections　had　been　accepted　before；　when　they　were　mere

presumptions；　why　should　they　not　NOW；　when　they　were　admitted

facts？　　He　was　conscious　of　no　change　in　himself　since　the　funeral！

Yet　the　criticism　went　on。　　Presently　it　took　the　milder　but　more

contagious　form　of　ridicule。　　In　his　own　hotel；　built　with　his　own

money；　and　in　his　own　presence；　he　had　heard　a　reckless　frequenter

of　the　bar…room　decline　some　proffered　refreshment　on　the　ground

that　〃he　only　drank　with　his　titled　relatives。〃　　A　local　humorist；

amidst　the　applause　of　an　admiring　crowd　at　the　post…office　window；

had　openly　accused　the　postmaster　of　withholding　letters　to　him

from　his　only　surviving　brother；　〃the　Dook　of　Doncherknow。〃　　〃The

ole　dooky　never　onct　missed　the　mail　to　let　me　know　wot's　goin'　on

in　me　childhood's　home；〃　remarked　the　humorist　plaintively；　〃and

yer's　this　dod…blasted　gov'ment　mule　of　a　postmaster　keepin'　me

letters　back！〃　　Letters　with　pretentious　and　gilded　coats　of　arms；

taken　from　the　decorated　inner　lining　of　cigar…boxes；　were　posted

to　prominent　citizens。　　The　neighboring　and　unregenerated

settlement　of　Red　Dog　was　more　outrageous　in　its　contribution。　　The

Red　Dog　〃Sentinel；〃　in　commenting　on　the　death　of　〃Haulbowline

Tom；〃　a　drunken　English　man…o'…war's　man；　said：　〃It　may　not　be

generally　known　that　our　regretted　fellow　citizen；　while　serving　on

H。　M。　S。　Boxer；　was　secretly　married　to　Queen　Kikalu　of　the

Friendly　Group；　but；　unlike　some　of　our　prosperous　neighbors；　he

never　boasted　of　his　royal　alliance；　and　resisted　with　steady

British　pluck　any　invitation　to　share　the　throne。　　Indeed；　any

allusion　to　the　subject　affected　him　deeply。　　There　are　those　among

us　who　will　remember　the　beautiful　portrait　of　his　royal　bride

tattooed　upon　his　left　arm　with　the　royal　crest　and　the　crossed

flags　of　the　two　nations。〃　　Only　Peter　Atherly　and　his　sister

understood　the　sting　inflicted　either　by　accident　or　design　in　the

latter　sentence。　　Both　he　and　his　sister　had　some　singular

hieroglyphic　branded　on　their　arms；probably　a　reminiscence　of

their　life　on　the　plains　in　their　infant　Indian　captivity。　　But

there　was　no　mistaking　the　general　sentiment。　　The　criticisms　of　a

small　town　may　become　inevasible。　　Atherly　determined　to　take　the

first　opportunity　to　leave　Rough　and　Ready。　　He　was　rich；　his

property　was　secure；　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should　stay　where

his　family　pretensions　were　a　drawback。　　And　a　further　circumstance

determined　his　resolution。



He　was　awaiting　his　sister　in　his　new　house　on　a　little　crest　above

the　town。　　She　had　been　at　the　time　of　her　mother's　death；　and

since；　a　private　boarder　in　the　Sacred　Heart　Convent　at　Santa　Clara；

whence　she　had　been　summoned　to　the　funeral；　but　had　returned　the

next　day。　　Few　people　had　noticed　in　her　brother's　carriage　the

veiled　figure　which　might　have　belonged　to　one　of　the　religious

orders；　still　less　did　they　remember　the　dark；　lank；　heavy…browed

girl　who　had　sometimes　been　seen　about　Rough　and　Ready。　　For　she　had

her　brother's　melancholy；　and　greater　reticence；　and　had　continued

of　her　own　free　will；　long　after　her　girlish　pupilage　at　the

convent；　to　live　secluded　under　its　maternal　roof　without　taking

orders。　　A　general　suspicion　that　she　was　either　a　religious

〃crank；〃　or　considered　herself　too　good　to　live　in　a　mountain　mining

town；　had　not　contributed　to　her　brother's　popularity。　　In　her

abstraction　from　worldly　ambitions　she　had；　naturally；　taken　no　part

in　her　brother's　family　pretensions。　　He　had　given　her　an

independent　allowance；　and　she　was　supposed　to　be　equally　a　sharer

in　his　good　fortune。　　Yet　she　had　suddenly　declared　her　intention　of

returning　to　Atherly；　to　consult　him　on　affairs　of　importance。

Peter　was　both　surprised　and　eager；　there　was　but　little　affection

between　them；　but；　preoccupied　with　his　one　idea；　he　was　satisfied

that　she　wanted　to　talk　about　the　family。



But　he　was　amazed；　disappointed；　and　disconcerted。　　For　Jenny

Atherly；　the　sober　recluse　of　Santa　Clara；　hidden　in　her　sombre

draperies　at　the　funeral；　was　no　longer　to　be　recognized　in　the

fashionable；　smartly　but　somewhat　over…dressed　woman　he　saw　before

him。　　In　spite　of　her　large　features　and　the　distinguishing　Roman

nose；　like　his　own；　she　looked　even　pretty　in　her　excitement。　　She

had　left　the　convent；　she　was　tired　of　the　life　there；　she　was

satisfied　that　a　religious　vocation　would　not　suit　her。　　In　brief；

she　intended　to　enjoy　herself　like　other　women。　　If　he　really　felt

a　pride　in　the　family　he　ought　to　take　her　out；　like　other

brothers；　and　〃give　her　a　show。〃　　He　could　do　it　there　if　he　liked；

and　she　would　keep　house　for　him。　　If　he　didn't　want　to；　she　must

have　enough　money　to　keep　her　fashionably　in　San　Francisco。　　But

she　wanted　excitement；　and　that　she　WOULD　HAVE！　　She　wanted　to　go

to　balls；　theatres；　and　entertainments；　and　she　intended　to！　　Her

voice　grew　quite　high；　and　her　dark　cheek　glowed　with　some　new…

found　emotion。



Astounded　as　he　was；　Peter　succumbed。　　It　was　better　that　she

should　indulge　her　astounding　caprice　under　his　roof　than

elsewhere。　　It　would　not　do　for　the　sister　of　an　Atherly　to　provoke

scandal。　　He　gave　entertainments；　picnics；　and　parties；　and　〃Jinny〃

Atherly　plunged　into　these　mild　festivities　with　the　enthusiasm　of

a　schoolgirl。　　She　not　only　could　dance　with　feverish　energy　all

night；　but　next　day　could　mount　a　horseshe　was　a　fearless　rider

and　lead　the　most　accomplished　horsemen。　　She　was　a　good　shot；　she

walked　with　the　untiring　foot　of　a　coyote；　she　threaded　the　woods

with　the　instinct　of　a　pioneer。　　Peter　regarded　her　with　a　singular

mingling　of　astonishment　and　fear。　　Surely　she　had　not　learned　this

at　school！　　These　were　not　the　teachings　nor　the　sports　of　the　good

sisters！　　He　once　dared　to　interrogate　her　regarding　this　change　in

her　habits。　　〃I　always　FELT　like　it；〃　she　answered　quickly；　〃but　I

kept　it　down。　　I　used　sometimes　to　feel　that　I　couldn't　stand　it

any　longer；　but　must　rush　out　and　do　something；〃　she　said

passionately；　〃but；〃　she　went　on　with　furtive　eyes；　and　a　sudden

wild　timidity　like　that　of　a　fawn；　〃I　was　afraid！　　I　was　afraid　IT

WAS　LIKE　MOTHER！　　It　seemed　to　me　to　be　HER　blood　that　was　rising

in　me；　and　I　kept　it　down；I　didn't　want　to　be　like　her；and　I

prayed　and　struggled　against　it。　　Did　you；〃　she　said；　suddenly

grasping　his　hand；　〃ever　feel　like　that？〃



But　Peter　never　had。　　His　melancholy　faith　in　his　father's　race　had

left　no　thought　of　his　mother's　blood　mingling　with　it。　　〃But；〃　he

said　gravely；　〃believing　this；　why　did　you　change？〃



〃Because　I　could　hold　out　no　longer。　　I　should　have　gone　crazy。

Times　I　wanted　to　take　some　of　those　meek　nuns；　some　of　those

white…faced　pupils　with　their　blue　eyes　and　wavy　flaxen　hair；　and

strangle　them。　　I　couldn't　strive　and　pray　and　struggle　any　longer

THERE；　and　so　I　came　here　to　let　myself　out！　　I　suppose　when　I　get

marriedand　I　ought　to；　with　my　moneyit　may　change　me！