a first family of tasajara-第10章

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necessities　than　if　he　hadas　was　the　casemerely　benefited　by

them　through　an　accident　of　circumstance　and　good　humor。　　In　the

latter　case　he　would　be　envied　and　hated；　in　the　former　he　would　be

envied　and　feared。　　By　logic　of　circumstance　the　greater　wrong

seemed　to　be　less　obviously　offensive　than　the　minor　fault。　　It　was

true　that　it　involved　the　doing　of　something　he　had　not　contemplated；

and　the　certainty　of　exposure　if　'Lige　ever　returned；　but　he　was

nevertheless　resolved。　　The　step　from　passive　to　active　wrong…doing

is　not　only　easy；　it　is　often　a　relief；　it　is　that　return　to

sincerity　which　we　all　require。　　Howbeit；　it　gave　that　ring　of

assertion　to　Daniel　Harkutt's　voice　already　noted；　which　most　women

like；　and　only　men　are　prone　to　suspect　or　challenge。　　The

incompleteness　of　his　statement　was；　for　the　same　reason；　overlooked

by　his　feminine　auditors。



〃And　what　is　it　worth；　dad？〃　asked　Phemie　eagerly。



〃Grant　says　I　oughter　get　at　least　ten　thousand　dollars　for　the

site　of　the　terminus　from　the　company；　but　of　course　I　shall　hold

on　to　the　rest　of　the　land。　　The　moment　they　get　the　terminus

there；　and　the　depot　and　wharf　built；　I　can　get　my　own　price　and

buyers　for　the　rest。　　Before　the　year　is　out　Grant　thinks　it　ought

to　go　up　ten　per　cent　on　the　value　of　the　terminus；　and　that　a

hundred　thousand。〃



〃Oh；　dad！〃　gasped　Phemie；　frantically　clasping　her　knees　with　both

hands　as　if　to　perfectly　assure　herself　of　this　good　fortune。



Mrs。　Harkutt　audibly　murmured　〃Poor　dear　Dan'l；〃　and　stood；　as　it

were；　sympathetically　by；　ready　to　commiserate　the　pains　and

anxieties　of　wealth　as　she　had　those　of　poverty。　　Clementina　alone

remained　silent；　clear…eyed；　and　unchanged。



〃And　to　think　it　all　came　through　THEM！〃　continued　Phemie。　　〃I

always　had　an　idea　that　Mr。　Grant　was　smart；　dad。　　And　it　was　real

kind　of　him　to　tell　you。〃



〃I　reckon　father　could　have　found　it　out　without　them。　　I　don't

know　why　we　should　be　beholden　to　them　particularly。　　I　hope　he

isn't　expected　to　let　them　think　that　he　is　bound　to　consider　them

our　intimate　friends　just　because　they　happened　to　drop　in　here　at

a　time　when　his　plans　have　succeeded。〃



The　voice　was　Clementina's；　unexpected　but　quiet；　unemotional　and

convincing。　　〃It　seemed；〃　as　Mrs。　Harkutt　afterwards　said；　〃as　if

the　child　had　already　touched　that　hundred　thousand。〃　　Phemie

reddened　with　a　sense　of　convicted　youthful　extravagance。



〃You　needn't　fear　for　me；〃　said　Harkutt；　responding　to　Clementina's

voice　as　if　it　were　an　echo　of　his　own；　and　instinctively

recognizing　an　unexpected　ally。　　〃I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　this

thing；　and　what's　to　come　of　it。　　I've　got　my　own　ideas　of　openin'

up　that　property　and　showin'　its　resources。　　I'm　goin'　to　run　it　my

own　way。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　a　town　along　the　embarcadero　that'll

lay　over　any　town　in　Contra　Costa。　　I'm　goin'　to　have　the　court…

house　and　county　seat　there；　and　a　couple　of　hotels　as　good　as　any

in　the　Bay。　　I'm　goin'　to　build　that　wagon　road　through　here　that

those　lazy　louts　slipped　up　on；　and　carry　it　clear　over　to　Five

Mile　Corner；　and　open　up　the　whole　Tasajara　Plain！〃



They　had　never　seen　him　look　so　strong；　so　resolute；　so　intelligent

and　handsome。　　A　dimly　prophetic　vision　of　him　in　a　black

broadcloth　suit　and　gold　watch…chain　addressing　a　vague　multitude；

as　she　remembered　to　have　seen　the　Hon。　Stanley　Riggs　of　Alasco　at

the　〃Great　Barbecue；〃　rose　before　Phemie's　blue　enraptured　eyes。

With　the　exception　of　Mrs。　Harkutt；equal　to　any　possibilities　on

the　part　of　her　husband；they　had　honestly　never　expected　it　of

him。　　They　were　pleased　with　their　father's　attitude　in　prosperity；

and　felt　that　perhaps　he　was　not　unworthy　of　being　proud　of　them

hereafter。



〃But　we're　goin'　to　leave　Sidon；〃　said　Phemie；　〃ain't　we；　paw？〃



〃As　soon　as　I　can　run　up　a　new　house　at　the　embarcadero；〃　said

Harkutt　peevishly；　〃and　that's　got　to　be　done　mighty　quick　if　I

want　to　make　a　show　to　the　company　and　be　in　possession。〃



〃And　that's　easier　for　you　to　do；　dear；　now　that　'Lige's

disappeared；〃　said　Mrs。　Harkutt　consolingly。



〃What　do　ye　mean　by　that？　　What　the　devil　are　ye　talkin'　about？〃

demanded　Harkutt　suddenly　with　unexpected　exasperation。



〃I　mean　that　that　drunken　'Lige　would　be　mighty　poor　company　for

the　girls　if　he　was　our　only　neighbor；〃　returned　Mrs。　Harkutt

submissively。



Harkutt；　after　a　fixed　survey　of　his　wife；　appeared　mollified。　　The

two　girls；　who　were　mindful　of　his　previous　outburst　the　evening

before；　exchanged　glances　which　implied　that　his　manners　needed

correction　for　prosperity。



〃You'll　want　a　heap　o'　money　to　build　there；　Dan'l；〃　said　Mrs。

Harkutt　in　plaintive　diffidence。



〃Yes！　　Yes！〃　said　Harkutt　impatiently。　　〃I've　kalkilated　all　that；

and　I'm　goin'　to　'Frisco　to…morrow　to　raise　it　and　put　this　bill　of

sale　on　record。〃　　He　half　drew　Elijah　Curtis's　paper　from　his

pocket；　but　paused　and　put　it　back　again。



〃Then　THAT　WAS　the　paper；　dad；〃　said　Phemie　triumphantly。



〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　regarding　her　fixedly；　〃and　you　know　now

why　I　didn't　want　anything　said　about　it　last　nightnor　even　now。〃



〃And　'Lige　had　just　given　it　to　you！　　Wasn't　it　lucky？〃



〃He　HADN'T　just　given　it　to　me！〃　said　her　father　with　another

unexpected　outburst。　　〃God　Amighty！　ain't　I　tellin'　you　all　the

time　it　was　an　old　matter！　　But　you　jabber；　jabber　all　the　time　and

don't　listen！　　Where's　John　Milton？〃　　It　had　occurred　to　him　that

the　boy　might　have　read　the　paperas　his　sister　hadwhile　it　lay

unheeded　on　the　counter。



〃In　the　store；you　know。　　You　said　he　wasn't　to　hear　anything　of

this；　but　I'll　call　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Harkutt；　rising　eagerly。



〃Never　mind；〃　returned　her　husband；　stopping　her　reflectively；

〃best　leave　it　as　it　is；　if　it's　necessary　I'll　tell　him。　　But

don't　any　of　you　say　anything；　do　you　hear？〃



Nevertheless　a　few　hours　later；　when　the　store　was　momentarily　free

of　loungers；　and　Harkutt　had　relieved　his　son　of　his　monotonous

charge；　he　made　a　pretense；　while　abstractedly　listening　to　an

account　of　the　boy's　stewardship；　to　look　through　a　drawer　as　if　in

search　of　some　missing　article。



〃You　didn't　see　anything　of　a　paper　I　left　somewhere　about　here

yesterday？〃　he　asked　carelessly。



〃The　one　you　picked　up　when　you　came　in　last　night？〃　said　the　boy

with　discomposing　directness。



Harkutt　flushed　slightly　and　drew　his　breath　between　his　set　teeth。

Not　only　could　he　place　no　reliance　upon　ordinary　youthful

inattention；　but　he　must　be　on　his　guard　against　his　own　son　as

from　a　spy！　　But　he　restrained　himself。



〃I　don't　remember；〃　he　said　with　affected　deliberation；　〃what　it

was　I　picked　up。　　Do　you？　　Did　you　read　it？〃



The　meaning　of　his　father's　attitude　instinctively　flashed　upon　the

boy。　　He　HAD　read　the　paper；　but　he　answered；　as　he　had　already

determined；　〃No。〃



An　inspiration　seized　Mr。　Harkutt。　　He　drew　'Lige　Curtis's　bill　of

sale　from　his　pocket；　and　opening　it　before　John　Milton　said；　〃Was

it　that？〃



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃I　couldn't　tell。〃　　He　walked　away

with　affected　carelessness；　already　with　a　sense　of　playing　some

part　like　his　father；　and　pretended　to　whistle　for　the　dog　across

the　street。　　Harkutt　coughed　ostentatiously；　put　the　paper　back　in

his　pocket；　set　one　or　two　boxes　straight　on　the　counter；　locked

the　drawer；　and　disappeared　into　the　back　passage。　　John　Milton

remained　standing　in　the　doorway　looking　vacantly　out。　　But　he　did

not　see　the　dull　familiar　prospect　beyond。　　He　only　saw　the　paper

his　father　had　opened　and　unfolded　before　him。　　It　was　the　same

paper　he　had　read　last　night。　　But　there　were　three　words　written

there　THAT　WERE　NOT　THERE　BEFORE！　　After　the　words　〃Value　received〃

there　had　been　a　blank。　　He　remembered　that　distinctly。　　This　was

filled　in　by　the　words；　〃Five　hundred　dollars。〃　　The　handwriting

did　not　seem　like　his　father's；　nor　yet　entirely　like　'Lige

Curtis's。　　What　it　meant　he　did　not　know；he　would　not　try　to

think。　　He　should　forget　it；　as　he　had　tried　to　forget　what　had

happened　before；　and　he　should　never　tell　it　to　any　one！



There　was　a　feverish　gayety　in　his　sisters'　manner　that　afternoon

that　he　did　not　understand；　short　colloquies　that　were　suspended

with　ill　concealed　impatience　when　he　came　near　them；　and　resumed

when　he　was　sent；　on　equally　palpable　excuses；　out　of　the　room。　　He

had　been　accustomed　to　this　exclusion　when　there　were　strangers

present；　but　it　seemed　odd　to　him　now；　when　the　conversation　did

not　even　turn　upon　the　two　superior　visitors　who　had　been　there；

and　of　whom　he　confidently　expected　they　would　talk。　　Such

fragments　as　he　overheard　were　always　in　the　future　tense；　and

referred　to　what　they　intended　to　do。　　His　mother；　whose　affection

for　him　had　always　been　shown　in　excessive　and　depressing

commiseration　of　him　in　even　his　lightest　moments；　that　afternoon

seemed　to　add　a　prophetic　and　Cassandra…like　sympathy　for　some

vague　future　of　his　that　would　require　all　her　ministration。　　〃You

won't　need　them　new　boots；　Milty　dear；　in　the　changes　that　may　be

comin'　to　ye；　so　don't　be　bothering　your　poor　father　in　his

worriments　over　his　new　plans。〃



〃What　new　plans；　mommer？〃　asked　the　boy　abruptly。　　〃Are　we　goin'

away　from　here？〃



〃Hush；　dear；　and　don't　ask　questions　that's　enough　for　grown　folks

to　worry　over；　let　alone　a　boy　like　you。　　Now　be　good；〃a　quality

in　Mrs。　Harkutt's　mind　synonymous　with　ceasing　from　troubling；

〃and　after　supper；　while　I'm　in　the　parlor　with　your　father　and

sisters；　you　kin　sit　up　here　by　the　fire　with　your　book。〃



〃But；〃　persisted　the　boy　in　a　flash　of　inspiration；　〃is　popper

goin'　to　join　in　business　with　those　surveyors；a　surveyin'？〃



〃No；　child；　what　an　idea！　　Run　away　there；and　mind！don't　bother

your　father。〃



Nevertheless　John　Milton's　inspiration　had　taken　a　new　and

characteristic　shape。　　All　this；　he　reflected；　had　happened　since

the　surveyors　camesince　they　had　weakly　displayed　such　a

shameless　and　unmanly　interest　in　his　sisters！　　It　could　have　but

one　meaning。　　He　hung　around　the　sitting…room　and　passages　until　he

eventually　encountered　Clementina；　taller　than　ever；　evidently

wearing　a　guilty　satisfaction　in　her　face；　engrafted　upon　that

habitual　bearing　of　hers　which　he　had　always　recognized　as

belonging　to　a　vague　but　objectionable　race　whose　members　were

individually　known　to　him　as　〃a　proudy。〃



〃Which　of　those　two　surveyor　fellows　is　it；　Clemmy？〃　he　said　with

an　engaging　smile；　yet　halting　at　a　strategic　distance。



〃Is　what？〃



〃Wot　you're　goin'　to　marry。〃



〃Idiot！〃



〃That　ain't　tellin'　which；〃　responded　the　boy　darkly。



Clementina　swept　by　him　into　the　sitting…room；　where　he　heard　her

declare　that　〃really　that　boy　was　getting　too　low　and　vulgar　for

anything。〃　　Yet　it　struck　him；　that