an episode of fiddletown-第3章

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lonely　in　the　situation。　　The　unfurnished　vacant　room；　the　half…

lights；　the　monstrous　doll；　whose　very　size　seemed　to　give　a

pathetic　significance　to　its　speechlessness；　the　smallness　of　the

one　animate；　self…centered　figureall　these　touched　more　or　less

deeply　the　half…poetic　sensibilities　of　the　woman。　　She　could　not

help　utilizing　the　impression　as　she　stood　there；　and　thought　what

a　fine　poem　might　be　constructed　from　this　material　if　the　room

were　a　little　darker；　the　child　loneliersay；　sitting　beside　a

dead　mother's　bier；　and　the　wind　wailing　in　the　turrets。　　And　then

she　suddenly　heard　footsteps　at　the　door　below；　and　recognized　the

tread　of　the　colonel's　cane。



She　flew　swiftly　down　the　stairs；　and　encountered　the　colonel　in

the　hall。　　Here　she　poured　into　his　astonished　ear　a　voluble　and

exaggerated　statement　of　her　discovery；　and　indignant　recital　of

her　wrongs。　　〃Don't　tell　me　the　whole　thing　wasn't　arranged

beforehand；　for　I　know　it　was！〃　she　almost　screamed。　　〃And　think；〃

she　added；　〃of　the　heartlessness　of　the　wretch；　leaving　his　own

child　alone　here　in　that　way。〃



〃It's　a　blank　shame！〃　stammered　the　colonel；　without　the　least　idea

of　what　he　was　talking　about。　　In　fact；　utterly　unable　as　he　was　to

comprehend　a　reason　for　the　woman's　excitement；　with　his　estimate

of　her　character；　I　fear　he　showed　it　more　plainly　than　he

intended。　　He　stammered；　expanded　his　chest；　looked　stern；　gallant；

tender；　but　all　unintelligently。　　Mrs。　Tretherick；　for　an　instant；

experienced　a　sickening　doubt　of　the　existence　of　natures　in

perfect　affinity。



〃It's　of　no　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　sudden　vehemence；　in

answer　to　some　inaudible　remark　of　the　colonel's；　and　withdrawing

her　hand　from　the　fervent　grasp　of　that　ardent　and　sympathetic　man。

〃It's　of　no　use：　my　mind　is　made　up。　　You　can　send　for　my　trunk　as

soon　as　you　like；　but　I　shall　stay　here；　and　confront　that　man　with

the　proof　of　his　vileness。　　I　will　put　him　face　to　face　with　his

infamy。〃



I　do　not　know　whether　Colonel　Starbottle　thoroughly　appreciated　the

convincing　proof　of　Tretherick's　unfaithfulness　and　malignity

afforded　by　the　damning　evidence　of　the　existence　of　Tretherick's

own　child　in　his　own　house。　　He　was　dimly　aware；　however；　of　some

unforeseen　obstacle　to　the　perfect　expression　of　the　infinite

longing　of　his　own　sentimental　nature。　　But；　before　he　could　say

anything；　Carry　appeared　on　the　landing　above　them；　looking

timidly；　and　yet　half…critically；　at　the　pair。



〃That's　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　excitedly。　　In　her　deepest

emotions；　in　either　verse　or　prose；　she　rose　above　a　consideration

of　grammatical　construction。



〃Ah！〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　parental

affection　and　jocularity　that　was　glaringly　unreal　and　affected。

〃Ah！　pretty　little　girl；　pretty　little　girl！　　How　do　you　do？　　How

are　you？　　You　find　yourself　pretty　well；　do　you；　pretty　little

girl？〃　　The　colonel's　impulse　also　was　to　expand　his　chest　and

swing　his　cane；　until　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　action　might　be

ineffective　with　a　child　of　six　or　seven。　　Carry；　however；　took　no

immediate　notice　of　this　advance；　but　further　discomposed　the

chivalrous　colonel　by　running　quickly　to　Mrs。　Tretherick　and　hiding

herself；　as　if　for　protection；　in　the　folds　of　her　gown。

Nevertheless；　the　colonel　was　not　vanquished。　　Falling　back　into　an

attitude　of　respectful　admiration；　he　pointed　out　a　marvelous

resemblance　to　the　〃Madonna　and　Child。〃　　Mrs。　Tretherick　simpered；

but　did　not　dislodge　Carry　as　before。　　There　was　an　awkward　pause

for　a　moment；　and　then　Mrs。　Tretherick；　motioning　significantly　to

the　child；　said　in　a　whisper：　〃Go　now。　　Don't　come　here　again；　but

meet　me　tonight　at　the　hotel。〃　　She　extended　her　hand：　the　colonel

bent　over　it　gallantly　and；　raising　his　hat；　the　next　moment　was

gone。



〃Do　you　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an　embarrassed　voice　and

a　prodigious　blush；　looking　down；　and　addressing　the　fiery　curls

just　visible　in　the　folds　of　her　dress〃do　you　think　you　will　be

'dood'　if　I　let　you　stay　in　here　and　sit　with　me？〃



〃And　let　me　tall　you　Mamma？〃　queried　Carry；　looking　up。



〃And　let　you　call　me　Mamma！〃　assented　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an

embarrassed　laugh。



〃Yeth；〃　said　Carry　promptly。



They　entered　the　bedroom　together。　　Carry's　eye　instantly　caught

sight　of　the　trunk。



〃Are　you　dowin'　away　adain；　Mamma？〃　she　said　with　a　quick　nervous

look；　and　a　clutch　at　the　woman's　dress。



〃No…o；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　looking　out　of　the　window。



〃Only　playing　your　dowin'　away；〃　suggested　Carry　with　a　laugh。

〃Let　me　play　too。〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　assented。　　Carry　flew　into　the　next　room；　and

presently　reappeared　dragging　a　small　trunk；　into　which　she　gravely

proceeded　to　pack　her　clothes。　　Mrs。　Tretherick　noticed　that　they

were　not　many。　　A　question　or　two　regarding　them　brought　out　some

further　replies　from　the　child；　and　before　many　minutes　had

elapsed；　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　in　possession　of　all　her　earlier

history。　　But；　to　do　this；　Mrs。　Tretherick　had　been　obliged　to　take

Carry　upon　her　lap；　pending　the　most　confidential　disclosures。

They　sat　thus　a　long　time　after　Mrs。　Tretherick　had　apparently

ceased　to　be　interested　in　Carry's　disclosures；　and　when　lost　in

thought；　she　allowed　the　child　to　rattle　on　unheeded；　and　ran　her

fingers　through　the　scarlet　curls。



〃You　don't　hold　me　right；　Mamma；〃　said　Carry　at　last；　after　one　or

two　uneasy　shiftings　of　position。



〃How　should　I　hold　you？〃　asked　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　a　half…amused；

half…embarrassed　laugh。



〃Dis　way；〃　said　Carry；　curling　up　into　position；　with　one　arm

around　Mrs。　Tretherick's　neck　and　her　cheek　resting　on　her　bosom

〃dis　waydere。〃　　After　a　little　preparatory　nestling；　not　unlike

some　small　animal；　she　closed　her　eyes；　and　went　to　sleep。



For　a　few　moments　the　woman　sat　silent；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe

in　that　artificial　attitude。　　And　then；　whether　from　some　occult

sympathy　in　the　touch；　or　God　best　knows　what；　a　sudden　fancy　began

to　thrill　her。　　She　began　by　remembering　an　old　pain　that　she　had

forgotten；　an　old　horror　that　she　had　resolutely　put　away　all　these

years。　　She　recalled　days　of　sickness　and　distrustdays　of　an

overshadowing　feardays　of　preparation　for　something　that　was　to

be　prevented；　that　WAS　prevented；　with　mortal　agony　and　fear。　　She

thought　of　a　life　that　might　have　beenshe　dared　not　say　HAD　been…

…and　wondered。　　It　was　six　years　ago；　if　it　had　lived；　it　would

have　been　as　old　as　Carry。　　The　arms　which　were　folded　loosely

around　the　sleeping　child　began　to　tremble；　and　tighten　their

clasp。　　And　then　the　deep　potential　impulse　came；　and　with　a　half…

sob；　half…sigh；　she　threw　her　arms　out　and　drew　the　body　of　the

sleeping　child　down；　down；　into　her　breast；　down　again　and　again　as

if　she　would　hide　it　in　the　grave　dug　there　years　before。　　And　the

gust　that　shook　her　passed；　and　then；　ah　me！　the　rain。



A　drop　or　two　fell　upon　the　curls　of　Carry；　and　she　moved　uneasily

in　her　sleep。　　But　the　woman　soothed　her　againit　was　SO　easy　to

do　it　nowand　they　sat　there　quiet　and　undisturbed；　so　quiet　that

they　might　have　seemed　incorporate　of　the　lonely　silent　house；　the

slowly　declining　sunbeams；　and　the　general　air　of　desertion　and

abandonment；　yet　a　desertion　that　had　in　it　nothing　of　age；　decay；

or　despair。





Colonel　Starbottle　waited　at　the　Fiddletown　Hotel　all　that　night　in

vain。　　And　the　next　morning；　when　Mr。　Tretherick　returned　to　his

husks；　he　found　the　house　vacant　and　untenanted；　except　by　motes

and　sunbeams。



When　it　was　fairly　known　that　Mrs。　Tretherick　had　run　away；　taking

Mr。　Tretherick's　own　child　with　her；　there　was　some　excitement　and

much　diversity　of　opinion；　in　Fiddletown。　　THE　DUTCH　FLAT

INTELLIGENCER　openly　alluded　to　the　〃forcible　abduction〃　of　the

child　with　the　same　freedom；　and　it　is　to　be　feared　the　same

prejudice；　with　which　it　had　criticized　the　abductor's　poetry。　　All

of　Mrs。　Tretherick's　own　sex；　and　perhaps　a　few　of　the　opposite

sex；　whose　distinctive　quality　was　not；　however；　very　strongly

indicated；　fully　coincided　in　the　views　of　the　INTELLIGENCER。　　The

majority；　however；　evaded　the　moral　issue；　that　Mrs。　Tretherick　had

shaken　the　red　dust　of　Fiddletown　from　her　dainty　slippers　was

enough　for　them　to　know。　　They　mourned　the　loss　of　the　fair

abductor　more　than　her　offense。　　They　promptly　rejected　Tretherick

as　an　injured　husband　and　disconsolate　father；　and　even　went　so　far

as　to　openly　cast　discredit　on　the　sincerity　of　his　grief。　　They

reserved　an　ironical　condolence　for　Colonel　Starbottle；　overbearing

that　excellent　man　with　untimely　and　demonstrative　sympathy　in

barrooms；　saloons；　and　other　localities　not　generally　deemed

favorable　to　the　display　of　sentiment。　　〃She　was　alliz　a　skittish

thing；　Kernel；〃　said　one　sympathizer；　with　a　fine　affectation　of

gloomy　concern　and　great　readiness　of　illustration；　〃and　it's

kinder　nat'ril　thet　she'd　get　away　someday；　and　stampede　that　theer

colt：　but　thet　she　should　shake　YOU；　Kernel；　diet　she　should　jist

shake　youis　what　gits　me。　　And　they　do　say　thet　you　jist　hung

around　thet　hotel　all　night；　and　payrolled　them　corriders；　and

histed　yourself　up　and　down　them　stairs；　and　meandered　in　and　out

o'　thet　piazzy；　and　all　for　nothing？〃　　It　was　another　generous　and

tenderly　commiserating　spirit　that　poured　additional　oil　and　wine

on　the　colonel's　wounds。　　〃The　boys　yer　let　on　thet　Mrs。　Tretherick

prevailed　on　ye　to　pack　her　trunk　and　a　baby　over　from　the　house　to

the　stage　offis；　and　that　the　chap　ez　did　go　off　with　her　thanked

you；　and　offered　you　two　short　bits；　and　sed　ez　how　he　liked　your

looks；　and　ud　employ　you　aginand　now　you　say　it　ain't　so？　　Well；

I'll　tell　the　boys　it　ain't　so；　and　I'm　glad　I　met　you；　for　stories

DO　get　round。〃



Happily　for　Mrs。　Tretherick's　reputation；　however；　the　Chinaman　in

Tretherick's　employment；　who　was　the　only　eyewitness　of　her　flight；

stated　that　she　was　unaccompanied；　except　by　the　child。　　He　further

deposed　that；　obeying　her　orders；　he　had　stopped　the　Sacramento

coach；　and　secured　a　passage　for　herself　and　child　to　San

Francisco。　　It　was　true　that　Ah　Fe's　testimony　was　of　no　legal

value。　　But　nobody　doubted　it。　　Even　those　who　were　skeptical　of

the　pagan's　ability　to　recognize　the　sacredness　of　the　truth

admitted　his　passionless；　unprejudiced　unconcern。　　But　it　would

appear；　from　a　hitherto　unrecorded　passage　of　this　veracious

chronicle；　that　herein　they　were　mistaken。



It　was　about　six　months　after　the　disappearance　of　Mrs。　Tretherick

that　Ah　Fe；　while　working　in　Tretherick's　lot；　was　hailed　by　two

passing　Chinamen。　　They　were　the　ordinary　mining　coolies；　equipped

with　long　poles　and　baskets　for　their　usual　pilgrimages。　　An

animated　conversation　at　once　ensued　between　Ah　Fe　and　his　brother

Mongoliansa　conversation　characterize