a millionaire of rough-and-ready(粗犷的百万富翁)-第18章
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Three months passed； the rainy season had ceased； the hillsides around
Mulrady's shaft were bridal…like with flowers； indeed； there were rumors
of an approaching fashionable marriage in the air； and vague hints in the
〃Record〃 that the presence of a distinguished capitalist might soon be
required abroad。 The face of that distinguished man did not； however；
reflect the gayety of nature nor the anticipation of happiness； on the
contrary； for the past few weeks； he had appeared disturbed and anxious；
and that rude tranquillity which had characterized him was wanting。
People shook their heads； a few suggested speculations； all agreed on
extravagance。
One morning； after office hours； Slinn； who had been watching the
careworn face of his employer； suddenly rose and limped to his side。
〃We promised each other；〃 he said； in a voice trembling with emotion；
〃never to allude to our talk of Christmas Eve again unless we had other
proofs of what I told you then。 We have none； I don't believe we'll ever
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have any more。 I don't care if we ever do； and I break that promise now
because I cannot bear to see you unhappy and know that this is the cause。〃
Mulrady made a motion of deprecation； but the old man continued
〃You are unhappy； Alvin Mulrady。 You are unhappy because you
want to give your daughter a dowry of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars； and you will not use the fortune that you think may be mine。〃
〃Who's been talking about a dowry？〃 asked Mulrady； with an angry
flush。
〃Don Caesar Alvarado told my daughter。〃
〃Then that is why he has thrown off on me since he returned；〃 said
Mulrady； with sudden small malevolence； 〃just that he might unload his
gossip because Mamie wouldn't have him。 The old woman was right in
warnin' me agin him。〃
The outburst was so unlike him； and so dwarfed his large though
common nature with its littleness； that it was easy to detect its feminine
origin； although it filled Slinn with vague alarm。
〃Never mind him；〃 said the old man； hastily； 〃what I wanted to say
now is that I abandon everything to you and yours。 There are no proofs；
there never will be any more than what we know； than what we have
tested and found wanting。 I swear to you that； except to show you that I
have not lied and am not crazy； I would destroy them on their way to your
hands。 Keep the money； and spend it as you will。 Make your daughter
happy； and； through her； yourself。 You have made me happy through your
liberality； don't make me suffer through your privation。〃
〃I tell you what； old man；〃 said Mulrady； rising to his feet； with an
awkward mingling of frankness and shame in his manner and accent； 〃I
should like to pay that money for Mamie； and let her be a princess； if it
would make her happy。 I should like to shut the lantern jaws of that Don
Caesar； who'd be too glad if anything happened to break off Mamie's
match。 But I shouldn't touch that capitalunless you'd lend it to me。 If
you'll take a note from me； payable if the property ever becomes yours； I'd
thank you。 A mortgage on the old house and garden； and the lands I
bought of Don Caesar； outside the mine； will screen you。〃
〃If that pleases you；〃 said the old man； with a smile； 〃have your way；
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and if I tear up the note； it does not concern you。〃
It did please the distinguished capitalist of Rough…and…Ready； for the
next few days his face wore a brightened expression； and he seemed to
have recovered his old tranquillity。 There was； in fact； a slight touch of
consequence in his manner； the first ostentation he had ever indulged in；
when he was informed one morning at his private office that Don Caesar
Alvarado was in the counting…house； desiring a few moments' conference。
〃Tell him to come in；〃 said Mulrady； shortly。 The door opened upon Don
Caesarerect； sallow； and grave。 Mulrady had not seen him since his
return from Europe； and even his inexperienced eyes were struck with the
undeniable ease and grace with which the young Spanish…American had
assimilated the style and fashion of an older civilization。 It seemed
rather as if he had returned to a familiar condition than adopted a new one。
〃Take a cheer；〃 said Mulrady。
The young man looked at Slinn with quietly persistent significance。
〃You can talk all the same；〃 said Mulrady； accepting the significance。
〃He's my private secretary。〃
〃It seems that for that reason we might choose another moment for our
conversation；〃 returned Don Caesar； haughtily。 〃Do I understand you
cannot see me now？〃
Mulrady hesitated； he had always revered and recognized a certain
social superiority in Don Ramon Alvarado； somehow his sona young
man of half his age； and once a possible son…in…lawappeared to claim
that recognition also。 He rose； without a word； and preceded Don Caesar
up…stairs into the drawing…room。 The alien portrait on the wall seemed to
evidently take sides with Don Caesar； as against the common intruder；
Mulrady。
〃I hoped the Senora Mulrady might have saved me this interview；〃
said the young man； stiffly； 〃or at least have given you some intimation of
the reason why I seek it。 As you just now proposed my talking to you in
the presence of the unfortunate Senor Esslinn himself； it appears she has
not。〃
〃I don't know what you're driving at； or what Mrs。 Mulrady's got to do
with Slinn or you；〃 said Mulrady； in angry uneasiness。
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〃Do I understand；〃 said Don Caesar； sternly； 〃that Senora Mulrady has
not told you that I entrusted to her an important letter； belonging to Senor
Esslinn； which I had the honor to discover in the wood six months ago；
and which she said she would refer to you？〃
〃Letter？〃 echoed Mulrady； slowly； 〃my wife had a letter of Slinn's？〃
Don Caesar regarded the millionaire attentively。 〃It is as I feared；〃 he
said； gravely。 〃You do not know or you would not have remained silent。〃
He then briefly recounted the story of his finding Slinn's letter； his
exhibition of it to the invalid； its disastrous effect upon him； and his
innocent discovery of the contents。 〃I believed myself at that time on the
eve of being allied with your family； Senor Mulrady；〃 he said； haughtily；
〃and when I found myself in the possession of a secret which affected its
integrity and good name； I did not choose to leave it in the helpless hands
of its imbecile owner； or his sillier children； but proposed to trust it to the
care of the Senora； that she and you might deal with it as became your
honor and mine。 I followed her to Paris； and gave her the letter there。
She affected to laugh at any pretension of the writer； or any claim he might
have on your bounty； but she kept the letter； and； I fear； destroyed it。 You
will understand； Senor Mulrady； that when I found that my attentions were
no longer agreeable to your daughter； I had no longer the right to speak to
you on the subject； nor could I； without misapprehension； force her to
return it。 I should have still kept the secret to myself； if I had not since
my return here made the nearer acquaintance of Senor Esslinn's daughters。
I cannot present myself at his house； as a suitor for the hand of the
Senorita Vashti； until I have asked his absolution for my complicity in the
wrong that has been done to him。 I cannot； as a caballero； do that
without your permission。 It is for that purpose I am here。〃
It needed only this last blow to complete the humiliation that whitened
Mulrady's face。 But his eye was none the less clear and his voice none
the less steady as he turned to Don Caesar。
〃You know perfectly the contents of that letter？〃
〃I have kept a copy of it。〃 〃Come with me。〃
He preceded his visitor down the staircase and back into his private
office。 Slinn looked up at his employer's face in unrestrained anxiety。
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Mulrady sat down at his desk； wrote a few hurried lines； and rang a bell。
A manager appeared from the counting…room。
〃Send that to the bank。〃
He wiped his pen as methodically as if he had not at that moment
countermanded the order to pay his daughter's dowry； and turned quietly to
Slinn。
〃Don Caesar Alvarado has found the letter you wrote your wife on the
day you made your strike in the tunnel that is now my shaft。 He gave the
letter to Mrs。 Mulrady； but he has kept a copy。〃
Unheeding the frightened gesture of entreaty from Slinn； equally with
the unfeigned astonishment of Don Caesar； who was entirely unprepared
for this revelation of Mulrady's and Slinn's confidences； he continued； 〃He
has brought the copy with him。 I reckon it would be only square for you
to compare it with what you remember of the original。〃
In obedience to a gesture from Mulrady； Don Caesar mechanically
took from his pocket a folded paper； and handed it to the paralytic。 But
Slinn's trembling fingers could scarcely unfold the paper； and as his eyes
fell upon its contents； his convulsive lips could not articulate a word。
〃P'raps I'd better read it for you；〃 said Mulrady； gently。 〃You kin
follow me and stop me when I go wrong。〃
He took the paper； and； in dead silence； read as follows：
