a millionaire of rough-and-ready(粗犷的百万富翁)-第12章
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When his physical strength had improved； and his left arm and side
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had regained a feeble but slowly gathering vitality； Alvin Mulrady one day
surprised the family by bringing the convalescent a pile of letters and
accounts； and spreading them on a board before Slinn's invalid chair； with
the suggestion that he should look over； arrange； and docket them。 The
idea seemed preposterous； until it was found that the old man was actually
able to perform this service； and exhibited a degree of intellectual activity
and capacity for this kind of work that was unsuspected。 Dr。 Duchesne
was delighted； and divided with admiration between his patient's progress
and the millionaire's sagacity。 〃And there are envious people；〃 said the
enthusiastic doctor； 〃who believe that a man like him； who could conceive
of such a plan for occupying a weak intellect without taxing its memory or
judgment； is merely a lucky fool！ Look here。 May be it didn't require
much brains to stumble on a gold mine； and it is a gift of Providence。
But； in my experience； Providence don't go round buyin' up dd fools； or
investin' in dead beats。〃
When Mr。 Slinn； finally； with the aid of crutches； was able to hobble
every day to the imposing counting…house and the office of Mr。 Mulrady；
which now occupied the lower part of the new house； and contained some
of its gorgeous furniture； he was installed at a rosewood desk behind Mr。
Mulrady's chair； as his confidential clerk and private secretary。 The
astonishment of Red Dog and Rough…and… Ready at this singular
innovation knew no bounds； but the boldness and novelty of the idea
carried everything before it。 Judge Butts； the oracle of Rough…and…Ready；
delivered its decision： 〃He's got a man who's physically incapable of
running off with his money； and has no memory to run off with his ideas。
How could he do better？〃 Even his own son； Harry； coming upon his
father thus installed； was for a moment struck with a certain filial respect；
and for a day or two patronized him。
In this capacity Slinn became the confidant not only of Mulrady's
business secrets； but of his domestic affairs。 He knew that young
Mulrady； from a freckle…faced slow country boy； had developed into a
freckle…faced fast city man； with coarse habits of drink and gambling。 It
was through the old man's hands that extravagant bills and shameful
claims passed on their way to be cashed by Mulrady； it was he that at last
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laid before the father one day his signature perfectly forged by the son。
〃Your eyes are not ez good ez mine； you know； Slinn；〃 said Mulrady；
gravely。 〃It's all right。 I sometimes make my Y's like that。 I'd clean
forgot to cash that check。 You must not think you've got the monopoly of
disremembering；〃 he added； with a faint laugh。
Equally through Slinn's hands passed the record of the lavish
expenditure of Mrs。 Mulrady and the fair Mamie； as well as the chronicle
of their movements and fashionable triumphs。 As Mulrady had already
noticed that Slinn had no confidence with his own family； he did not try to
withhold from them these domestic details； possibly as an offset to the
dreary catalogue of his son's misdeeds； but more often in the hope of
gaining from the taciturn old man some comment that might satisfy his
innocent vanity as father and husband； and perhaps dissipate some doubts
that were haunting him。
〃Twelve hundred dollars looks to be a good figger for a dress； ain't it？
But Malviny knows； I reckon； what ought to be worn at the Tooilleries；
and she don't want our Mamie to take a back seat before them furrin'
princesses and gran' dukes。 It's a slap…up affair； I kalkilate。 Let's see。
I disremember whether it's an emperor or a king that's rulin' over thar now。
It must be suthin' first class and A 1； for Malviny ain't the woman to throw
away twelve hundred dollars on any of them small…potato despots！ She
says Mamie speaks French already like them French Petes。 I don't quite
make out what she means here。 She met Don Caesar in Paris； and she
says； 'I think Mamie is nearly off with Don Caesar； who has followed her
here。 I don't care about her dropping him TOO suddenly； the reason I'll
tell you hereafter。 I think the man might be a dangerous enemy。' Now；
what do you make of this？ I allus thought Mamie rather cottoned to him；
and it was the old woman who fought shy； thinkin' Mamie would do better。
Now； I am agreeable that my gal should marry any one she likes； whether
it's a dook or a poor man； as long as he's on the square。 I was ready to
take Don Caesar； but now things seem to have shifted round。 As to Don
Caesar's being a dangerous enemy if Mamie won't have him； that's a little
too high and mighty for me； and I wonder the old woman don't make him
climb down。 What do you think？〃
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〃Who is Don Caesar？〃 asked Slinn。
〃The man what picked you up that day。 I mean；〃 continued Mulrady；
seeing the marks of evident ignorance on the old man's face；〃I mean a
sort of grave； genteel chap； suthin' between a parson and a circus…rider。
You might have seen him round the house talkin' to your gals。〃
But Slinn's entire forgetfulness of Don Caesar was evidently unfeigned。
Whatever sudden accession of memory he had at the time of his attack； the
incident that caused it had no part in his recollection。 With the exception
of these rare intervals of domestic confidences with his crippled private
secretary； Mulrady gave himself up to money…getting。 Without any
especial faculty for itan easy prey often to unscrupulous financiershis
unfailing luck； however； carried him safely through； until his very
mistakes seemed to be simply insignificant means to a large significant
end and a part of his original plan。 He sank another shaft； at a great
expense； with a view to following the lead he had formerly found； against
the opinions of the best mining engineers； and struck the artesian spring he
did NOT find at that time； with a volume of water that enabled him not
only to work his own mine； but to furnish supplies to his less fortunate
neighbors at a vast profit。 A league of tangled forest and canyon behind
Rough…and…Ready； for which he had paid Don Ramon's heirs an
extravagant price in the presumption that it was auriferous； furnished the
most accessible timber to build the town； at prices which amply
remunerated him。 The practical schemes of experienced men； the wildest
visions of daring dreams delayed or abortive for want of capital；
eventually fell into his hands。 Men sneered at his methods； but bought
his shares。 Some who affected to regard him simply as a man of money
were content to get only his name to any enterprise。 Courted by his
superiors； quoted by his equals； and admired by his inferiors； he bore his
elevation equally without ostentation or dignity。 Bidden to banquets； and
forced by his position as director or president into the usual gastronomic
feats of that civilization and period； he partook of simple food； and
continued his old habit of taking a cup of coffee with milk and sugar at
dinner。 Without professing temperance； he drank sparingly in a
community where alcoholic stimulation was a custom。 With neither
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refinement nor an extended vocabulary； he was seldom profane； and never
indelicate。 With nothing of the Puritan in his manner or conversation； he
seemed to be as strange to the vices of civilization as he was to its virtues。
That such a man should offer little to and receive little from the
companionship of women of any kind was a foregone conclusion。
Without the dignity of solitude； he was pathetically alone。
Meantime； the days passed； the first six months of his opulence were
drawing to a close； and in that interval he had more than doubled the
amount of his discovered fortune。 The rainy season set in early。
Although it dissipated the clouds of dust under which Nature and Art
seemed to be slowly disappearing； it brought little beauty to the landscape
at first； and only appeared to lay bare the crudenesses of civilization。 The
unpainted wooden buildings of Rough…and…Ready； soaked and dripping
with rain； took upon themselves a sleek and shining ugliness； as of second…
hand garments； the absence of cornices or projections to break the
monotony of the long straight lines of downpour made the town appear as
if it had been recently submerged； every vestige of ornamentation swept
away； and only the bare outlines left。 Mud was everywhere； the outer
soil seemed to have risen and invaded the houses even to their most secret
recesses； as if outraged Nature was trying to revenge herself。 Mud was
brought into the saloons and barrooms and express offices； on boots； on
clothes； on baggage； and sometimes appeared mysteriously in splashes of
red color on the walls； without visible conveyance。 The dust of six
months； closely packed in cornice and carving； yielded under the steady
rain a thin yellow paint； that dropped on wayfarers or unexpectedly oozed
