an episode of fiddletown-第4章

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animated　conversation　at　once　ensued　between　Ah　Fe　and　his　brother

Mongoliansa　conversation　characterized　by　that　usual　shrill

volubility　and　apparent　animosity　which　was　at　once　the　delight　and

scorn　of　the　intelligent　Caucasian　who　did　not　understand　a　word　of

it。　　Such；　at　least；　was　the　feeling　with　which　Mr。　Tretherick　on

his　veranda　and　Colonel　Starbottle；　who　was　passing；　regarded　their

heathenish　jargon。　　The　gallant　colonel　simply　kicked　them　out　of

his　way；　the　irate　Tretherick；　with　an　oath；　threw　a　stone　at　the

group；　and　dispersed　them；　but　not　before　one　or　two　slips　of

yellow　rice　paper；　marked　with　hieroglyphics；　were　exchanged；　and　a

small　parcel　put　into　Ah　Fe's　hands。　　When　Ah　Fe　opened　this　in　the

dim　solitude　of　his　kitchen；　he　found　a　little　girl's　apron；

freshly　washed；　ironed；　and　folded。　　On　the　corner　of　the　hem　were

the　initials　〃C。　T。〃　　Ah　Fe　tucked　it　away　in　a　corner　of　his

blouse；　and　proceeded　to　wash　his　dishes　in　the　sink　with　a　smile

of　guileless　satisfaction。



Two　days　after　this；　Ah　Fe　confronted　his　master。　　〃Me　no　likee

Fiddletown。　　Me　belly　sick。　　Me　go　now。〃　　Mr。　Tretherick　violently

suggested　a　profane　locality。　　Ah　Fe　gazed　at　him　placidly；　and

withdrew。



Before　leaving　Fiddletown；　however；　he　accidentally　met　Colonel

Starbottle；　and　dropped　a　few　incoherent　phrases　which　apparently

interested　that　gentleman。　　When　he　concluded；　the　colonel　handed

him　a　letter　and　a　twenty…dollar　gold　piece。　　〃If　you　bring　me　an

answer；　I'll　double　thatsabe；　John？〃　　Ah　Fe　nodded。　　An　interview

equally　accidental；　with　precisely　the　same　result；　took　place

between　Ah　Fe　and　another　gentleman；　whom　I　suspect　to　have　been

the　youthful　editor　of　the　AVALANCHE。　　Yet　I　regret　to　state　that；

after　proceeding　some　distance　on　his　journey；　Ah　Fe　calmly　broke

the　seals　of　both　letters；　and　after　trying　to　read　them　upside

down　and　sideways；　finally　divided　them　into　accurate　squares；　and

in　this　condition　disposed　of　them　to　a　brother　Celestial　whom　he

met　on　the　road；　for　a　trifling　gratuity。　　The　agony　of　Colonel

Starbottle　on　finding　his　wash　bill　made　out　on　the　unwritten　side

of　one　of　these　squares；　and　delivered　to　him　with　his　weekly　clean

clothes；　and　the　subsequent　discovery　that　the　remaining　portions

of　his　letter　were　circulated　by　the　same　method　from　the　Chinese

laundry　of　one　Fung　Ti　of　Fiddletown；　has　been　described　to　me　as

peculiarly　affecting。　　Yet　I　am　satisfied　that　a　higher　nature；

rising　above　the　levity　induced　by　the　mere　contemplation　of　the

insignificant　details　of　this　breach　of　trust；　would　find　ample

retributive　justice　in　the　difficulties　that　subsequently　attended

Ah　Fe's　pilgrimage。



On　the　road　to　Sacramento　he　was　twice　playfully　thrown　from　the

top　of　the　stagecoach　by　an　intelligent　but　deeply　intoxicated

Caucasian；　whose　moral　nature　was　shocked　at　riding　with　one

addicted　to　opium…smoking。　　At　Hangtown　he　was　beaten　by　a　passing

strangerpurely　an　act　of　Christian　supererogation。　　At　Dutch　Flat

he　was　robbed　by　well…known　hands　from　unknown　motives。　　At

Sacramento　he　was　arrested　on　suspicion　of　being　something　or

other；　and　discharged　with　a　severe　reprimandpossibly　for　not

being　it；　and　so　delaying　the　course　of　justice。　　At　San　Francisco

he　was　freely　stoned　by　children　of　the　public　schools；　but；　by

carefully　avoiding　these　monuments　of　enlightened　progress；　he　at

last　reached；　in　comparative　safety；　the　Chinese　quarters；　where

his　abuse　was　confined　to　the　police　and　limited　by　the　strong　arm

of　the　law。



The　next　day　he　entered　the　washhouse　of　Chy　Fook　as　an　assistant；

and　on　the　following　Friday　was　sent　with　a　basket　of　clean　clothes

to　Chy　Fook's　several　clients。



It　was　the　usual　foggy　afternoon　as　he　climbed　the　long　windswept

hill　of　California　Streetone　of　those　bleak；　gray　intervals　that

made　the　summer　a　misnomer　to　any　but　the　liveliest　San　Franciscan

fancy。　　There　was　no　warmth　or　color　in　earth　or　sky；　no　light　nor

shade　within　or　without；　only　one　monotonous；　universal　neutral

tint　over　everything。　　There　was　a　fierce　unrest　in　the　wind…

whipped　streets：　there　was　a　dreary　vacant　quiet　in　the　gray

houses。　　When　Ah　Fe　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　the　Mission　Ridge

was　already　hidden；　and　the　chill　sea　breeze　made　him　shiver。　　As

he　put　down　his　basket　to　rest　himself；　it　is　possible　that；　to　his

defective　intelligence　and　heathen　experience；　this　〃God's　own

climate；〃　as　was　called；　seemed　to　possess　but　scant　tenderness；

softness；　or　mercy。　　But　it　is　possible　that　Ah　Fe　illogically

confounded　this　season　with　his　old　persecutors；　the

schoolchildren；　who；　being　released　from　studious　confinement；　at

this　hour　were　generally　most　aggressive。　　So　he　hastened　on；　and

turning　a　corner；　at　last　stopped　before　a　small　house。



It　was　the　usual　San　Franciscan　urban　cottage。　　There　was　the

little　strip　of　cold　green　shrubbery　before　it；　the　chilly；　bare

veranda；　and　above　this；　again；　the　grim　balcony；　on　which　no　one

sat。　　Ah　Fe　rang　the　bell。　　A　servant　appeared；　glanced　at　his

basket；　and　reluctantly　admitted　him；　as　if　he　were　some　necessary

domestic　animal。　　Ah　Fe　silently　mounted　the　stairs；　and　entering

the　open　door　of　the　front　chamber；　put　down　the　basket　and　stood

passively　on　the　threshold。



A　woman；　who　was　sitting　in　the　cold　gray　light　of　the　window；　with

a　child　in　her　lap；　rose　listlessly；　and　came　toward　him。　　Ah　Fe

instantly　recognized　Mrs。　Tretherick；　but　not　a　muscle　of　his

immobile　face　changed；　nor　did　his　slant　eyes　lighten　as　he　met　her

own　placidly。　　She　evidently　did　not　recognize　him　as　she　began　to

count　the　clothes。　　But　the　child；　curiously　examining　him；

suddenly　uttered　a　short；　glad　cry。



〃Why；　it's　John；　Mamma！　　It's　our　old　John　what　we　had　in

Fiddletown。〃



For　an　instant　Ah　Fe's　eyes　and　teeth　electrically　lightened。　　The

child　clapped　her　hands；　and　caught　at　his　blouse。　　Then　he　said

shortly：　〃Me　JohnAh　Feallee　same。　　Me　know　you。　　How　do？〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　dropped　the　clothes　nervously；　and　looked　hard　at

Ah　Fe。　　Wanting　the　quick…witted　instinct　of　affection　that

sharpened　Carry's　perception；　she　even　then　could　not　distinguish

him　above　his　fellows。　　With　a　recollection　of　past　pain；　and　an

obscure　suspicion　of　impending　danger；　she　asked　him　when　he　had

left　Fiddletown。



〃Longee　time。　　No　likee　Fiddletown；　no　likee　Tlevelick。　　Likee　San

Flisco。　　Likee　washee。　　Likee　Tally。〃



Ah　Fe's　laconics　pleased　Mrs。　Tretherick。　　She　did　not　stop　to

consider　how　much　an　imperfect　knowledge　of　English　added　to　his

curt　directness　and　sincerity。　　But　she　said；　〃Don't　tell　anybody

you　have　seen　me；〃　and　took　out　her　pocketbook。



Ah　Fe；　without　looking　at　it；　saw　that　it　was　nearly　empty。　　Ah　Fe；

without　examining　the　apartment；　saw　that　it　was　scantily

furnished。　　Ah　Fe；　without　removing　his　eyes　from　blank　vacancy；

saw　that　both　Mrs。　Tretherick　and　Carry　were　poorly　dressed。　　Yet

it　is　my　duty　to　state　that　Ah　Fe's　long　fingers　closed　promptly

and　firmly　over　the　half…dollar　which　Mrs。　Tretherick　extended　to

him。



Then　he　began　to　fumble　in　his　blouse　with　a　series　of

extraordinary　contortions。　　After　a　few　moments；　he　extracted　from

apparently　no　particular　place　a　child's　apron；　which　he　laid　upon

the　basket　with　the　remark：



〃One　piecee　washman　flagittee。〃



Then　he　began　anew　his　fumblings　and　contortions。　　At　last　his

efforts　were　rewarded　by　his　producing；　apparently　from　his　right

ear；　a　many…folded　piece　of　tissue　paper。　　Unwrapping　this

carefully；　he　at　last　disclosed　two　twenty…dollar　gold　pieces；

which　he　handed　to　Mrs。　Tretherick。



〃You　leavee　money　topside　of　blulow；　Fiddletown。　　Me　findee　money。

Me　fetchee　money　to　you。　　All　lightee。〃



〃But　I　left　no　money　on　the　top　of　the　bureau；　John；〃　said　Mrs。

Tretherick　earnestly。　　〃There　must　be　some　mistake。　　It　belongs　to

some　other　person。　　Take　it　back；　John。〃



Ah　Fe's　brow　darkened。　　He　drew　away　from　Mrs。　Tretherick's

extended　hand；　and　began　hastily　to　gather　up　his　basket。



〃Me　no　takee　it　back。　　No；　no！　　Bimeby　pleesman　he　catchee　me。　　He

say；　'God　damn　thief！catchee　flowty　dollar：　come　to　jailee。'　　Me

no　takee　back。　　You　leavee　money　topside　blulow；　Fiddletown。　　Me

fetchee　money　you。　　Me　no　takee　back。〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　hesitated。　　In　the　confusion　of　her　flight；　she

MIGHT　have　left　the　money　in　the　manner　he　had　said。　　In　any　event；

she　had　no　right　to　jeopardize　this　honest　Chinaman's　safety　by

refusing　it。　　So　she　said：　〃Very　well；　John；　I　will　keep　it。　　But

you　must　come　again　and　see　me〃　here　Mrs。　Tretherick　hesitated

with　a　new　and　sudden　revelation　of　the　fact　that　any　man　could

wish　to　see　any　other　than　herself〃and；　andCarry。〃



Ah　Fe's　face　lightened。　　He　even　uttered　a　short　ventriloquistic

laugh　without　moving　his　mouth。　　Then；　shouldering　his　basket；　he

shut　the　door　carefully　and　slid　quietly　down　stairs。　　In　the　lower

hall　he；　however；　found　an　unexpected　difficulty　in　opening　the

front　door；　and；　after　fumbling　vainly　at　the　lock　for　a　moment；

looked　around　for　some　help　or　instruction。　　But　the　Irish　handmaid

who　had　let　him　in　was　contemptuously　oblivious　of　his　needs；　and

did　not　appear。



There　occurred　a　mysterious　and　painful　incident；　which　I　shall

simply　record　without　attempting　to　explain。　　On　the　hall　table　a

scarf；　evidently　the　property　of　the　servant　before　alluded　to；　was

lying。　　As　Ah　Fe　tried　the　lock　with　one　hand；　the　other　rested

lightly　on　the　table。　　Suddenly；　and　apparently　of　its　own

volition；　the　scarf　began　to　creep　slowly　toward　Ah　Fe's　hand；　from

Ah　Fe's　hand　it　began　to　creep　up　his　sleeve　slowly；　and　with　an

insinuating；　snakelike　motion；　and　then　disappeared　somewhere　in

the　recesses　of　his　blouse。　　Without　betraying　the　least　interest

or　concern　in　this　phenomenon；　Ah　Fe　still　repeated　his　experiments

upon　the　lock。　　A　moment　later　the　tablecloth　of　red　damask；　moved

by　apparently　the　same　mysterious　impulse；　slowly　gathered　itself

under　Ah　Fe's　fingers；　and　sinuously　disappeared　by　the　same　hidden

channel。　　What　further　mystery　might　have　followed；　I　cannot　say；

for　at　this　moment　Ah　Fe　discovered　the　secret　of　the　lock；　and　was

enabled　to　open　the　door　coincident　with　the　sound　of　footsteps

upon　the　kitchen　stairs。　　Ah　Fe　did　not　hasten　his　movements；　but

patiently　shouldering　his　basket；　closed　the　door　carefully　behind

him　again；　and　stepped　forth　into　the　thick　encompassing　fog　that

now　shrouded　earth　and　sky。



From　her　high　casement　window；　Mrs。　Tretherick　watched　Ah　Fe's

figure　until　it　disappeared　in　the　gray　cloud。　　In　her　present

loneliness；　she　felt　a　keen　sense　of　gratitude　toward　him；　and　may

have　ascribed　to　the　higher　emotions　and　the　consciousness　of　a

good　deed　that　certain　expansiveness　of　the　chest；　and　swelling　of

the　bosom；　that　was