a first family of tasajara-第1章

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A　First　Family　of　Tasajara



by　Bret　Harte









CHAPTER　I。





〃It　blows；〃　said　Joe　Wingate。



As　if　to　accent　the　words　of　the　speaker　a　heavy　gust　of　wind　at

that　moment　shook　the　long　light　wooden　structure　which　served　as

the　general　store　of　Sidon　settlement；　in　Contra　Costa。　　Even　after

it　had　passed　a　prolonged　whistle　came　through　the　keyhole；　sides；

and　openings　of　the　closed　glass　front　doors；　that　served　equally

for　windows；　and　filled　the　canvas　ceiling　which　hid　the　roof　above

like　a　bellying　sail。　　A　wave　of　enthusiastic　emotion　seemed　to　be

communicated　to　a　line　of　straw　hats　and　sou…westers　suspended　from

a　cross…beam；　and　swung　them　with　every　appearance　of　festive

rejoicing；　while　a　few　dusters；　overcoats；　and　〃hickory〃　shirts

hanging　on　the　side　walls　exhibited　such　marked　though　idiotic

animation　that　it　had　the　effect　of　a　satirical　comment　on　the

lazy；　purposeless　figures　of　the　four　living　inmates　of　the　store。



Ned　Billings　momentarily　raised　his　head　and　shoulders　depressed　in

the　back　of　his　wooden　armchair；　glanced　wearily　around；　said；　〃You

bet；　it's　no　slouch　of　a　storm；〃　and　then　lapsed　again　with　further

extended　legs　and　an　added　sense　of　comfort。



Here　the　third　figure；　which　had　been　leaning　listlessly　against

the　shelves；　putting　aside　the　arm　of　a　swaying　overcoat　that

seemed　to　be　emptily　embracing　him；　walked　slowly　from　behind　the

counter　to　the　door；　examined　its　fastenings；　and　gazed　at　the

prospect。　　He　was　the　owner　of　the　store；　and　the　view　was　a

familiar　one；a　long　stretch　of　treeless　waste　before　him　meeting

an　equal　stretch　of　dreary　sky　above；　and　night　hovering　somewhere

between　the　two。　　This　was　indicated　by　splashes　of　darker　shadow

as　if　washed　in　with　india　ink；　and　a　lighter　low…lying　streak　that

might　have　been　the　horizon；　but　was　not。　　To　the　right；　on　a　line

with　the　front　door　of　the　store；　were　several　scattered；　widely

dispersed　objects；　that；　although　vague　in　outline；　were　rigid

enough　in　angles　to　suggest　sheds　or　barns；　but　certainly　not

trees。



〃There's　a　heap　more　wet　to　come　afore　the　wind　goes　down；〃　he

said；　glancing　at　the　sky。　　〃Hark　to　that；　now！〃



They　listened　lazily。　　There　was　a　faint　murmur　from　the　shingles

above；　then　suddenly　the　whole　window　was　filmed　and　blurred　as　if

the　entire　prospect　had　been　wiped　out　with　a　damp　sponge。　　The　man

turned　listlessly　away。



〃That's　the　kind　that　soaks　in；　thar　won't　be　much　teamin'　over

Tasajara　for　the　next　two　weeks；　I　reckon；〃　said　the　fourth

lounger；　who；　seated　on　a　high　barrel；　was　nibblingalbeit

critically　and　fastidiouslybiscuits　and　dried　apples　alternately

from　open　boxes　on　the　counter。　　〃It's　lucky　you've　got　in　your

winter　stock；　Harkutt。〃



The　shrewd　eyes　of　Mr。　Harkutt；　proprietor；　glanced　at　the

occupation　of　the　speaker　as　if　even　his　foresight　might　have　its

possible　drawbacks；　but　he　said　nothing。



〃There'll　be　no　show　for　Sidon　until　you've　got　a　wagon　road　from

here　to　the　creek；〃　said　Billings　languidly；　from　the　depths　of　his

chair。　　〃But　what's　the　use　o'　talkin'？　　Thar　ain't　energy　enough

in　all　Tasajara　to　build　it。　　A　God…forsaken　place；　that　two　months

of　the　year　can　only　be　reached　by　a　mail…rider　once　a　week；　don't

look　ez　if　it　was　goin'　to　break　its　back　haulin'　in　goods　and

settlers。　　I　tell　ye　what；　gentlemen；　it　makes　me　sick！〃　　And

apparently　it　had　enfeebled　him　to　the　extent　of　interfering　with

his　aim　in　that　expectoration　of　disgust　against　the　stove　with

which　he　concluded　his　sentence。



〃Why　don't　YOU　build　it？〃　asked　Wingate；　carelessly。



〃I　wouldn't　on　principle；〃　said　Billings。　　〃It's　gov'ment　work。

What　did　we　whoop　up　things　here　last　spring　to　elect　Kennedy　to

the　legislation　for？　　What　did　I　rig　up　my　shed　and　a　thousand　feet

of　lumber　for　benches　at　the　barbecue　for？　　Why；　to　get　Kennedy

elected　and　make　him　get　a　bill　passed　for　the　road！　　That's　MY

share　of　building　it；　if　it　comes　to　that。　　And　I　only　wish　some

folks；　that　blow　enough　about　what　oughter　be　done　to　bulge　out

that　ceiling；　would　only　do　as　much　as　I　have　done　for　Sidon。〃



As　this　remark　seemed　to　have　a　personal　as　well　as　local

application；　the　storekeeper　diplomatically　turned　it。　　〃There's　a

good　many　as　DON'T　believe　that　a　road　from　here　to　the　creek　is

going　to　do　any　good　to　Sidon。　　It's　very　well　to　say　the　creek　is

an　embarcadero；　but　callin'　it　so　don't　put　anough　water　into　it　to

float　a　steamboat　from　the　bay；　nor　clear　out　the　reeds　and　tules

in　it。　　Even　if　the　State　builds　you　roads；　it　ain't　got　no　call　to

make　Tasajara　Creek　navigable　for　ye；　and　as　that　will　cost　as　much

as　the　road；　I　don't　see　where　the　money's　comin'　from　for　both。〃



〃There's　water　enough　in　front　of　'Lige　Curtis's　shanty；　and　his

location　is　only　a　mile　along　the　bank；〃　returned　Billings。



〃Water　enough　for　him　to　laze　away　his　time　fishin'　when　he's

sober；　and　deep　enough　to　drown　him　when　he's　drunk；〃　said　Wingate。

〃If　you　call　that　an　embarcadero；　you　kin　buy　it　any　day　from

'Lige；title；　possession；　and　shanty　thrown　in；for　a　demijohn　o'

whiskey。〃



The　fourth　man　here　distastefully　threw　back　a　half…nibbled　biscuit

into　the　box；　and　languidly　slipped　from　the　barrel　to　the　floor；

fastidiously　flicking　the　crumbs　from　his　clothes　as　he　did　so。　　〃I

reckon　somebody'll　get　it　for　nothing；　if　'Lige　don't　pull　up

mighty　soon。　　He'll　either　go　off　his　head　with　jim…jams　or　jump

into　the　creek。　　He's　about　as　near　desp'rit　as　they　make　'em；　and

havin'　no　partner　to　look　after　him；　and　him　alone　in　the　tules；

ther'　's　no　tellin'　WHAT　he　may　do。〃



Billings；　stretched　at　full　length　in　his　chair；　here　gurgled

derisively。　　〃Desp'rit！ketch　him！　　Why；　that's　his　little　game！

He's　jist　playin'　off　his　desp'rit　condition　to　frighten　Sidon。

Whenever　any　one　asks　him　why　he　don't　go　to　work；　whenever　he's

hard　up　for　a　drink；　whenever　he's　had　too　much　or　too　little；　he's

workin'　that　desp'rit　dodge；　and　even　talkin'　o'　killin'　himself！

Why；　look　here；〃　he　continued；　momentarily　raising　himself　to　a

sitting　posture　in　his　disgust；　〃it　was　only　last　week　he　was　over

at　Rawlett's　trying　to　raise　provisions　and　whiskey　outer　his　water

rights　on　the　creek！　　Fact；　sir；had　it　all　written　down　lawyer…

like　on　paper。　　Rawlett　didn't　exactly　see　it　in　that　light；　and

told　him　so。　　Then　he　up　with　the　desp'rit　dodge　and　began　to　work

that。　　Said　if　he　had　to　starve　in　a　swamp　like　a　dog　he　might　as

well　kill　himself　at　once；　and　would　too　if　he　could　afford　the

weppins。　　Johnson　said　it　was　not　a　bad　idea；　and　offered　to　lend

him　his　revolver；　Bilson　handed　up　his　shot…gun；　and　left　it

alongside　of　him；　and　turned　his　head　away　considerate…like　and

thoughtful　while　Rawlett　handed　him　a　box　of　rat　pizon　over　the

counter；　in　case　he　preferred　suthin'　more　quiet。　　Well；　what　did

'Lige　do？　　Nothin'！　　Smiled　kinder　sickly；　looked　sorter　wild；　and

shut　up。　　He　didn't　suicide　much。　　No；　sir！　　He　didn't　kill

himself；not　he。　　Why；　old　Bixbyand　he's　a　deacon　in　good

standin'allowed；　in　'Lige's　hearin'　and　for　'Lige's　benefit；　that

self…destruction　was　better　nor　bad　example；　and　proved　it　by

Scripture　too。　　And　yet　'Lige　did　nothin'！　　Desp'rit！　　He's　only

desp'rit　to　laze　around　and　fish　all　day　off　a　log　in　the　tules；

and　soak　up　with　whiskey；　until；　betwixt　fever　an'　ague　and　the

jumps；　he　kinder　shakes　hisself　free　o'　responsibility。〃



A　long　silence　followed；　it　was　somehow　felt　that　the　subject　was

incongruously　exciting；　Billings　allowed　himself　to　lapse　again

behind　the　back　of　his　chair。　　Meantime　it　had　grown　so　dark　that

the　dull　glow　of　the　stove　was　beginning　to　outline　a　faint　halo　on

the　ceiling　even　while　it　plunged　the　further　lines　of　shelves

behind　the　counter　into　greater　obscurity。



〃Time　to　light　up；　Harkutt；　ain't　it？〃　said　Wingate；　tentatively。



〃Well；　I　was　reckoning　ez　it's　such　a　wild　night　there　wouldn't　be

any　use　keepin'　open；　and　when　you　fellows　left　I'd　just　shut　up

for　good　and　make　things　fast；〃　said　Harkutt；　dubiously。　　Before

his　guests　had　time　to　fully　weigh　this　delicate　hint；　another　gust

of　wind　shook　the　tenement；　and　even　forced　the　unbolted　upper　part

of　the　door　to　yield　far　enough　to　admit　an　eager　current　of　humid

air　that　seemed　to　justify　the　wisdom　of　Harkutt's　suggestion。

Billings　slowly　and　with　a　sigh　assumed　a　sitting　posture　in　the

chair。　　The　biscuit…nibbler　selected　a　fresh　dainty　from　the

counter；　and　Wingate　abstractedly　walked　to　the　window　and　rubbed

the　glass。　　Sky　and　water　had　already　disappeared　behind　a　curtain

of　darkness　that　was　illuminated　by　a　single　point　of　lightthe

lamp　in　the　window　of　some　invisible　but　nearer　housewhich　threw

its　rays　across　the　glistening　shallows　in　the　road。　　〃Well；〃　said

Wingate；　buttoning　up　his　coat　in　slow　dejection；　〃I　reckon　I

oughter　be　travelin'　to　help　the　old　woman　do　the　chores　before

supper。〃　　He　had　just　recognized　the　light　in　his　own　dining…room；

and　knew　by　that　sign　that　his　long…waiting　helpmeet　had　finally

done　the　chores　herself。



〃Some　folks　have　it　mighty　easy；〃　said　Billings；　with　long…drawn

discontent；　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet。　　〃You've　only　a　step　to

go；　and　yer's　me　and　Peters　there〃indicating　the　biscuit…nibbler；

who　was　beginning　to　show　alarming　signs　of　returning　to　the　barrel

again〃hev　got　to　trapse　five　times　that　distance。〃



〃More'n　half　a　mile；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　said　Peters；　gloomily。

He　paused　in　putting　on　his　overcoat　as　if　thinking　better　of　it；

while　even　the　more　fortunate　and　contiguous　Wingate　languidly

lapsed　against　the　counter　again。



The　moment　was　a　critical　one。　　Billings　was　evidently　also

regretfully　eying　the　chair　he　had　just　quitted。　　Harkutt　resolved

on　a　heroic　effort。



〃Come；　boys；〃　he　said；　with　brisk　conviviality；　〃take　a　parting

drink　with　me　before　you　go。〃　　Producing　a　black　bottle　from　some

obscurity　beneath　the　counter　that　smelt　strongly　of　india…rubber

boots；　he　placed　it　with　four　glasses　before　his　guests。　　Each　made

a　feint　of　holding　his　glass　against　the　opaque　window　while

filling　it；　although　nothing　could　be　seen。　　A　sudden　tumult　of

wind　and　rain　again　shook　the　building；　but　even　after　it　had

passed　the　glass　door　still　rattled　violently。



〃Just　see　what's　loose；　Peters；〃　said　Billings；　〃you're　nearest

it。〃



Peters；　still　holding　the　undrained　glass　in　his　hand；　walked

slowly　towards　it。



〃It's　suthin'or　somebody　outside；〃　he　said；　hesitatingly。



The　three　others　came　eagerly　to　his　side。　　Through　the　glass；

clouded　from　within　by　their　breath；　and　filmed　from　without　by　the

rain；　some　vague　object　was　moving；　and　what　seemed　to　be　a　mop　of

tangled　hair　was　apparently　brushing　against　the　pane。　　The　door

shook　again；　but　less　strongly。　　Billings　pressed　his　face