an episode of fiddletown-第1章

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AN　EPISODE　OF　FIDDLETOWN





In　1858　Fiddletown　considered　her　a　very　pretty　woman。　　She　had　a

quantity　of　light　chestnut　hair；　a　good　figure；　a　dazzling

complexion；　and　a　certain　languid　grace　which　passed　easily　for

gentle…womanliness。　　She　always　dressed　becomingly；　and　in　what

Fiddletown　accepted　as　the　latest　fashion。　　She　had　only　two

blemishes：　one　of　her　velvety　eyes；　when　examined　closely；　had　a

slight　cast；　and　her　left　cheek　bore　a　small　scar　left　by　a　single

drop　of　vitriol　happily　the　only　drop　of　an　entire　phialthrown

upon　her　by　one　of　her　own　jealous　sex；　that　reached　the　pretty

face　it　was　intended　to　mar。　　But　when　the　observer　had　studied　the

eyes　sufficiently　to　notice　this　defect；　he　was　generally

incapacitated　for　criticism；　and　even　the　scar　on　her　cheek　was

thought　by　some　to　add　piquancy　to　her　smile。　　The　youthful　editor

of　THE　FIDDLETOWN　AVALANCHE　had　said　privately　that　it　was　〃an

exaggerated　dimple。〃　　Colonel　Starbottle　was　instantly　〃reminded　of

the　beautifying　patches　of　the　days　of　Queen　Anne；　but　more

particularly；　sir；　of　the　blankest　beautiful　women　that；　blank　you；

you　ever　laid　your　two　blank　eyes　upona　Creole　woman；　sir；　in　New

Orleans。　　And　this　woman　had　a　scara　line　extending；　blank　me；

from　her　eye　to　her　blank　chin。　　And　this　woman；　sir；　thrilled　you；

sir；　maddened　you；　sir；　absolutely　sent　your　blank　soul　to

perdition　with　her　blank　fascination！　　And　one　day　I　said　to　her；

'Celeste；　how　in　blank　did　you　come　by　that　beautiful　scar；　blank

you？'　　And　she　said　to　me；　'Star；　there　isn't　another　white　man

that　I'd　confide　in　but　you；　but　I　made　that　scar　myself；

purposely；　I　did；　blank　me。'　　These　were　her　very　words；　sir；　and

perhaps　you　think　it　a　blank　lie；　sir；　but　I'll　put　up　any　blank

sum　you　can　name　and　prove　it；　blank　me。〃



Indeed；　most　of　the　male　population　of　Fiddletown　were　or　had　been

in　love　with　her。　　Of　this　number；　about　one…half　believed　that

their　love　was　returned；　with　the　exception；　possibly；　of　her　own

husband。　　He　alone　had　been　known　to　express　skepticism。



The　name　of　the　gentleman　who　enjoyed　this　infelicitous　distinction

was　Tretherick。　　He　had　been　divorced　from　an　excellent　wife　to

marry　this　Fiddletown　enchantress。　　She；　also；　had　been　divorced；

but　it　was　hinted　that　some　previous　experiences　of　hers　in　that

legal　formality　had　made　it　perhaps　less　novel；　and　probably　less

sacrificial。　　I　would　not　have　it　inferred　from　this　that　she　was

deficient　in　sentiment；　or　devoid　of　its　highest　moral　expression。

Her　intimate　friend　had　written　（on　the　occasion　of　her　second

divorce）；　〃The　cold　world　does　not　understand　Clara　yet〃；　and

Colonel　Starbottle　had　remarked　blankly　that　with　the　exception　of

a　single　woman　in　Opelousas　Parish；　La。；　she　had　more　soul　than　the

whole　caboodle　of　them　put　together。　　Few　indeed　could　read　those

lines　entitled　〃Infelissimus；〃　commencing　〃Why　waves　no　cypress

o'er　this　brow？〃　originally　published　in　the　AVALANCHE；　over　the

signature　of　〃The　Lady　Clare；〃　without　feeling　the　tear　of

sensibility　tremble　on　his　eyelids；　or　the　glow　of　virtuous

indignation　mantle　his　cheek；　at　the　low　brutality　and　pitiable

jocularity　of　THE　DUTCH　FLAT　INTELLIGENCER；　which　the　next　week　had

suggested　the　exotic　character　of　the　cypress；　and　its　entire

absence　from　Fiddletown；　as　a　reasonable　answer　to　the　query。



Indeed；　it　was　this　tendency　to　elaborate　her　feelings　in　a

metrical　manner；　and　deliver　them　to　the　cold　world　through　the

medium　of　the　newspapers；　that　first　attracted　the　attention　of

Tretherick。　　Several　poems　descriptive　of　the　effects　of　California

scenery　upon　a　too…sensitive　soul；　and　of　the　vague　yearnings　for

the　infinite　which　an　enforced　study　of　the　heartlessness　of

California　society　produced　in　the　poetic　breast；　impressed　Mr。

Tretherick；　who　was　then　driving　a　six…mule　freight　wagon　between

Knight's　Ferry　and　Stockton；　to　seek　out　the　unknown　poetess。　　Mr。

Tretherick　was　himself　dimly　conscious　of　a　certain　hidden

sentiment　in　his　own　nature；　and　it　is　possible　that　some

reflections　on　the　vanity　of　his　pursuithe　supplied　several

mining　camps　with　whisky　and　tobaccoin　conjunction　with　the

dreariness　of　the　dusty　plain　on　which　he　habitually　drove；　may

have　touched　some　chord　in　sympathy　with　this　sensitive　woman。

Howbeit；　after　a　brief　courtshipas　brief　as　was　consistent　with

some　previous　legal　formalitiesthey　were　married；　and　Mr。

Tretherick　brought　his　blushing　bride　to　Fiddletown；　or

〃Fideletown；〃　as　Mrs。　Tretherick　preferred　to　call　it　in　her　poems。



The　union　was　not　a　felicitous　one。　　It　was　not　long　before　Mr。

Tretherick　discovered　that　the　sentiment　he　had　fostered　while

freighting　between　Stockton　and　Knight's　Ferry　was　different　from

that　which　his　wife　had　evolved　from　the　contemplation　of

California　scenery　and　her　own　soul。　　Being　a　man　of　imperfect

logic；　this　caused　him　to　beat　her；　and　she；　being　equally　faulty

in　deduction；　was　impelled　to　a　certain　degree　of　unfaithfulness　on

the　same　premise。　　Then　Mr。　Tretherick　began　to　drink；　and　Mrs。

Tretherick　to　contribute　regularly　to　the　columns　of　the　AVALANCHE。

It　was　at　this　time　that　Colonel　Starbottle　discovered　a　similarity

in　Mrs。　Tretherick's　verse　to　the　genius　of　Sappho；　and　pointed　it

out　to　the　citizens　of　Fiddletown　in　a　two…columned　criticism；

signed　〃A。　S。；〃　also　published　in　the　AVALANCHE；　and　supported　by

extensive　quotation。　　As　the　AVALANCHE　did　not　possess　a　font　of

Greek　type；　the　editor　was　obliged　to　reproduce　the　Leucadian

numbers　in　the　ordinary　Roman　letter；　to　the　intense　disgust　of

Colonel　Starbottle；　and　the　vast　delight　of　Fiddletown；　who　saw　fit

to　accept　the　text　as　an　excellent　imitation　of　Choctawa　language

with　which　the　colonel；　as　a　whilom　resident　of　the　Indian

Territories；　was　supposed　to　be　familiar。　　Indeed；　the　next　week's

INTELLIGENCER　contained　some　vile　doggerel　supposed　to　be　an　answer

to　Mrs。　Tretherick's　poem；　ostensibly　written　by　the　wife　of　a

Digger　Indian　chief；　accompanied　by　a　glowing　eulogium　signed　〃A。

S。　S。〃



The　result　of　this　jocularity　was　briefly　given　in　a　later　copy　of

the　AVALANCHE。　　〃An　unfortunate　rencounter　took　place　on　Monday

last；　between　the　Hon。　Jackson　Flash　of　THE　DUTCH　FLAT

INTELLIGENCER　and　the　well…known　Col。　Starbottle　of　this　place；　in

front　of　the　Eureka　Saloon。　　Two　shots　were　fired　by　the　parties

without　injury　to　either；　although　it　is　said　that　a　passing

Chinaman　received　fifteen　buckshot　in　the　calves　of　his　legs　from

the　colonel's　double…barreled　shotgun；　which　were　not　intended　for

him。　　John　will　learn　to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　Melican　man's

firearms　hereafter。　　The　cause　of　the　affray　is　not　known；　although

it　is　hinted　that　there　is　a　lady　in　the　case。　　The　rumor　that

points　to　a　well…known　and　beautiful　poetess　whose　lucubrations

have　often　graced　our　columns　seems　to　gain　credence　from　those

that　are　posted。〃



Meanwhile　the　passiveness　displayed　by　Tretherick　under　these

trying　circumstances　was　fully　appreciated　in　the　gulches。　　〃The

old　man's　head　is　level；〃　said　one　long…booted　philosopher。　　〃Ef

the　colonel　kills　Flash；　Mrs。　Tretherick　is　avenged：　if　Flash　drops

the　colonel；　Tretherick　is　all　right。　　Either　way；　he's　got　a　sure

thing。〃　　During　this　delicate　condition　of　affairs；　Mrs。　Tretherick

one　day　left　her　husband's　home　and　took　refuge　at　the　Fiddletown

Hotel；　with　only　the　clothes　she　had　on　her　back。　　Here　she　staid

for　several　weeks；　during　which　period　it　is　only　justice　to　say

that　she　bore　herself　with　the　strictest　propriety。



It　was　a　clear　morning　in　early　spring　that　Mrs。　Tretherick；

unattended；　left　the　hotel；　and　walked　down　the　narrow　street

toward　the　fringe　of　dark　pines　which　indicated　the　extreme　limits

of　Fiddletown。　　The　few　loungers　at　that　early　hour　were

preoccupied　with　the　departure　of　the　Wingdown　coach　at　the　other

extremity　of　the　street；　and　Mrs。　Tretherick　reached　the　suburbs　of

the　settlement　without　discomposing　observation。　　Here　she　took　a

cross　street　or　road；　running　at　right　angles　with　the　main

thoroughfare　of　Fiddletown　and　passing　through　a　belt　of　woodland。

It　was　evidently　the　exclusive　and　aristocratic　avenue　of　the　town。

The　dwellings　were　few；　ambitious；　and　uninterrupted　by　shops。　　And

here　she　was　joined　by　Colonel　Starbottle。



The　gallant　colonel；　notwithstanding　that　he　bore　the　swelling　port

which　usually　distinguished　him；　that　his　coat　was　tightly　buttoned

and　his　boots　tightly　fitting；　and　that　his　cane；　hooked　over　his

arm；　swung　jauntily；　was　not　entirely　at　his　ease。　　Mrs。

Tretherick；　however；　vouchsafed　him　a　gracious　smile　and　a　glance

of　her　dangerous　eyes；　and　the　colonel；　with　an　embarrassed　cough

and　a　slight　strut；　took　his　place　at　her　side。



〃The　coast　is　clear；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃and　Tretherick　is　over　at

Dutch　Flat　on　a　spree。　　There　is　no　one　in　the　house　but　a

Chinaman；　and　you　need　fear　no　trouble　from　him。　　I；〃　he　continued；

with　a　slight　inflation　of　the　chest　that　imperiled　the　security　of

his　button；　〃I　will　see　that　you　are　protected　in　the　removal　of

your　property。〃



〃I'm　sure　it's　very　kind　of　you；　and　so　disinterested！〃　simpered

the　lady　as　they　walked　along。　　〃It's　so　pleasant　to　meet　someone

who　has　soulsomeone　to　sympathize　with　in　a　community　so　hardened

and　heartless　as　this。〃　　And　Mrs。　Tretherick　cast　down　her　eyes；

but　not　until　they　wrought　their　perfect　and　accepted　work　upon　her

companion。



〃Yes；　certainly；　of　course；〃　said　the　colonel；　glancing　nervously

up　and　down　the　street〃yes；　certainly。〃　　Perceiving；　however；

that　there　was　no　one　in　sight　or　hearing；　he　proceeded　at　once　to

inform　Mrs。　Tretherick　that　the　great　trouble　of　his　life；　in　fact；

had　been　the　possession　of　too　much　soul。　　That　many　womenas　a

gentleman　she　would　excuse　him；　of　course；　from　mentioning　names

but　many　beautiful　women　had　often　sought　his　society；　but　being

deficient；　madam；　absolutely　deficient；　in　this　quality；　he　could

not　reciprocate。　　But　when　two　natures　thoroughly　in　sympathy；

despising　alike　the　sordid　trammels　of　a　low　and　vulgar　community

and　the　conventional　restraints　of　a　hypocritical　societywhen　two

souls　in　perfect　accord　met　and　mingled　in　poetical　union；　then

but　here　the　colonel's　speech；　which　had　been　remarkable　for　a

certain　whisky…and…watery　fluency；　grew　husky；　almost　inaudible；

and　decidedly　incoherent。　　Possibly　Mrs。　Tretherick　may　have　heard

something　like　it　before；　and　was　enabled　to　fill　the　hiatus。

Nevertheless；　the　cheek　that　was　on　the　side　of　the　colonel　was

quite　virginal　and　bashfully　conscious　until　they　reached　their

destination。



It　was　a　pretty　little　cottage；　quite　fresh　and　warm　with　paint；

very　pleasantly　relieved　against　a　platoon　of　pines；　some　of　whose

foremost　files　had　been　displaced　to　give　freedom　to　the　fenced

e