a first family of tasajara-第14章

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Clementina。　　In　the　midst　of　a　sudden　silence　she　read　the　report

of　the　committee　from　a　paper　in　her　hand；　in　a　clear；　untroubled

voicethe　old　voice　of　Sidonand　formally　declared　the　building

opened。　　The　sunlight；　nearly　level；　streamed　through　the　western

window　across　the　front　of　the　platform　where　she　stood　and

transfigured　her　slight　but　noble　figure。　　The　hush　that　had　fallen

upon　the　Hall　was　as　much　the　effect　of　that　tranquil；　ideal

presence　as　of　the　message　with　which　it　was　charged。　　And　yet　that

apparition　was　as　inconsistent　with　the　clear；　searching　light

which　helped　to　set　it　off；　as　it　was　with　the　broad　new　blazonry

of　decoration；　the　yet　unsullied　record　of　the　white　walls；　or　even

the　frank；　animated　and　pretty　faces　that　looked　upon　it。　　Perhaps

it　was　some　such　instinct　that　caused　the　applause　which　hesitatingly

and　tardily　followed　her　from　the　platform　to　appear　polite　and　half

restrained　rather　than　spontaneous。



Nevertheless　Grant　was　honestly　and　sincerely　profuse　in　his

congratulations。　　〃You　were　far　cooler　and　far　more　self…contained

than　I　should　have　been　in　your　place；〃　he　said；　〃than　in　fact　I

actually　WAS；　only　as　your　auditor。　　But　I　suppose　you　have　done　it

before？〃



She　turned　her　beautiful　eyes　on　his　wonderingly。　　〃No；this　is

the　first　time　I　ever　appeared　in　public；not　even　at　school；　for

even　there　I　was　always　a　private　pupil。〃



〃You　astonish　me；〃　said　Grant；　〃you　seemed　like　an　old　hand　at　it。〃



〃Perhaps　I　did；　or　rather　as　if　I　didn't　think　anything　of　it

myself；and　that　no　doubt　is　why　the　audience　didn't　think

anything　of　it　either。〃



So　she　HAD　noticed　her　cold　reception；　and　yet　there　was　not　the

slightest　trace　of　disappointment；　regret；　or　wounded　vanity　in　her

tone　or　manner。　　〃You　must　take　me　to　the　refreshment　room　now；〃

she　said　pleasantly；　〃and　help　me　to　look　after　the　young　ladies

who　are　my　guests。　　I'm　afraid　there　are　still　more　speeches　to

come；　and　father　and　Mr。　Pilsbury　are　looking　as　if　they

confidently　expected　something　more　would　be　'expected'　of　them。〃



Grant　at　once　threw　himself　into　the　task　assigned　to　him；　with　his

natural　gallantry　and　a　certain　captivating　playfulness　which　he

still　retained。　　Perhaps　he　was　the　more　anxious　to　please　in　order

that　his　companion　might　share　some　of　his　popularity；　for　it　was

undeniable　that　Miss　Harcourt　still　seemed　to　excite　only　a

constrained　politeness　among　those　with　whom　she　courteously

mingled。　　And　this　was　still　more　distinctly　marked　by　the　contrast

of　a　later　incident。



For　some　moments　the　sound　of　laughter　and　greeting　had　risen　near

the　door　of　the　refreshment　room　that　opened　upon　the　central　hall；

and　there　was　a　perceptible　movement　of　the　crowdparticularly　of

youthful　male　Tasajarain　that　direction。　　It　was　evident　that　it

announced　the　unexpected　arrival　of　some　popular　resident。

Attracted　like　the　others；　Grant　turned　and　saw　the　company　making

way　for　the　smiling；　easy；　half…saucy；　half…complacent　entry　of　a

handsomely　dressed　young　girl。　　As　she　turned　from　time　to　time　to

recognize　with　rallying　familiarity　or　charming　impertinence　some

of　her　admirers；　there　was　that　in　her　tone　and　gesture　which

instantly　recalled　to　him　the　past。　　It　was　unmistakably　Euphemia！

His　eyes　instinctively　sought　Clementina's。　　She　was　gazing　at　him

with　such　a　grave；　penetrating　look；half　doubting；　half　wistful；

a　look　so　unlike　her　usual　unruffled　calm　that　he　felt　strangely

stirred。　　But　the　next　moment；　when　she　rejoined　him；　the　look　had

entirely　gone。　　〃You　have　not　seen　my　sister　since　you　were　at

Sidon；　I　believe？〃　she　said　quietly。　　〃She　would　be　sorry　to　miss

you。〃　　But　Euphemia　and　her　train　were　already　passing　them　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　long　table。　　She　had　evidently　recognized

Grant；　yet　the　two　sisters　were　looking　intently　into　each　other's

eyes　when　he　raised　his　own。　　Then　Euphemia　met　his　bow　with　a

momentary　accession　of　color；　a　coquettish　wave　of　her　hand　across

the　table；　a　slight　exaggeration　of　her　usual　fascinating

recklessness；　and　smilingly　moved　away。　　He　turned　to　Clementina；

but　here　an　ominous　tapping　at　the　farther　end　of　the　long　table

revealed　the　fact　that　Mr。　Harcourt　was　standing　on　a　chair　with

oratorical　possibilities　in　his　face　and　attitude。　　There　was

another　forward　movement　in　the　crowd　andsilence。　　In　that　solid；

black…broadclothed；　respectable　figure；　that　massive　watchchain；

that　white　waistcoat；　that　diamond　pin　glistening　in　the　satin

cravat；　Euphemia　might　have　seen　the　realization　of　her　prophetic

vision　at　Sidon　five　years　before。



He　spoke　for　ten　minutes　with　a　fluency　and　comprehensive　business…

like　directness　that　surprised　Grant。　　He　was　not　there；　he　said；

to　glorify　what　had　been　done　by　himself；　his　family；　or　his

friends　in　Tasajara。　　Others　who　were　to　follow　him　might　do　that；

or　at　least　might　be　better　able　to　explain　and　expatiate　upon　the

advantages　of　the　institution　they　had　just　opened；　and　its　social；

moral；　and　religious　effect　upon　the　community。　　He　was　there　as　a

business　man　to　demonstrate　to　themas　he　had　always　done　and

always　hoped　to　dothe　money　value　of　improvement；　the　profitif

they　might　choose　to　call　itof　well…regulated　and　properly

calculated　speculation。　　The　plot　of　land　upon　which　they　stood；　of

which　the　building　occupied　only　one　eighth；　was　bought　two　years

before　for　ten　thousand　dollars。　　When　the　plans　of　the　building

were　completed　a　month　afterwards；　the　value　of　the　remaining　seven

eighths　had　risen　enough　to　defray　the　cost　of　the　entire

construction。　　He　was　in　a　position　to　tell　them　that　only　that

morning　the　adjacent　property；　subdivided　and　laid　out　in　streets

and　building…plots；　had　been　admitted　into　the　corporate　limits　of

the　city；　and　that　on　the　next　anniversary　of　the　building　they

would　approach　it　through　an　avenue　of　finished　dwellings！　　An

outburst　of　applause　followed　the　speaker's　practical　climax；　the

fresh　young　faces　of　his　auditors　glowed　with　invincible

enthusiasm；　the　afternoon　trade…winds；　freshening　over　the

limitless　plain　beyond；　tossed　the　bright　banners　at　the　windows　as

with　sympathetic　rejoicing；　and　a　few　odorous　pine　shavings；

overlooked　in　a　corner　in　the　hurry　of　preparation；　touched　by　an

eddying　zephyr；　crept　out　and　rolled　in　yellow　ringlets　across　the

floor。



The　Reverend　Doctor　Pilsbury　arose　in　a　more　decorous　silence。　　He

had　listened　approvingly；　admiringly；　he　might　say　even　reverently；

to　the　preceding　speaker。　　But　although　his　distinguished　friend

had；　with　his　usual　modesty；　made　light　of　his　own　services　and

those　of　his　charming　family；　he；　the　speaker；　had　not　risen　to

sing　his　praises。　　No；　it　was　not　in　this　Hall；　projected　by　his

foresight　and　raised　by　his　liberality；　in　this　town；　called　into

existence　by　his　energy　and　stamped　by　his　attributes；　in　this

county；　developed　by　his　genius　and　sustained　by　his　capital；　ay；

in　this　very　State　whose　grandeur　was　made　possible　by　such　giants

as　he；it　was　not　in　any　of　these　places　that　it　was　necessary　to

praise　Daniel　Harcourt；　or　that　a　panegyric　of　him　would　be　more

than　idle　repetition。　　Nor　would　he；　as　that　distinguished　man　had

suggested；　enlarge　upon　the　social；　moral；　and　religious　benefits

of　the　improvement　they　were　now　celebrating。　　It　was　written　on

the　happy；　innocent　faces；　in　the　festive　garb；　in　the　decorous

demeanor；　in　the　intelligent　eyes　that　sparkled　around　him；　in　the

presence　of　those　of　his　parishioners　whom　he　could　meet　as　freely

here　to…day　as　in　his　own　church　on　Sunday。　　What　then　could　he

say？　　What　then　was　there　to　say？　　Perhaps　he　should　say　nothing　if

it　were　not　for　the　presence　of　the　young　before　him。He　stopped

and　fixed　his　eyes　paternally　on　the　youthful　Johnny　Billings；　who

with　a　half　dozen　other　Sunday…school　scholars　had　been　marshaled

before　the　reverend　speaker。And　what　was　to　be　the　lesson　THEY

were　to　learn　from　it？　　They　had　heard　what　had　been　achieved　by

labor；　enterprise；　and　diligence。　　Perhaps　they　would　believe；　and

naturally　too；　that　what　labor；　enterprise；　and　diligence　had　done

could　be　done　again。　　But　was　that　all？　　Was　there　nothing　behind

these　qualitieswhich；　after　all；　were　within　the　reach　of　every

one　here？　　Had　they　ever　thought　that　back　of　every　pioneer；　every

explorer；　every　pathfinder；　every　founder　and　creator；　there　was

still　another？　　There　was　no　terra　incognita　so　rare　as　to　be

unknown　to　one；　no　wilderness　so　remote　as　to　be　beyond　a　greater

ken　than　theirs；　no　waste　so　trackless　but　that　one　had　already

passed　that　way！　　Did　they　ever　reflect　that　when　the　dull　sea

ebbed　and　flowed　in　the　tules　over　the　very　spot　where　they　were

now　standing；　who　it　was　that　also　foresaw；　conceived；　and　ordained

the　mighty　change　that　would　take　place；　who　even　guided　and

directed　the　feeble　means　employed　to　work　it；　whose　spirit　moved；

as　in　still　older　days　of　which　they　had　read；　over　the　face　of　the

stagnant　waters？　　Perhaps　they　had。　　Who　then　was　the　real　pioneer

of　Tasajara；back　of　the　Harcourts；　the　Peterses；　the　Billingses；

and　Wingates？　　The　reverend　gentleman　gently　paused　for　a　reply。

It　was　given　in　the　clear　but　startled　accents　of　the　half

frightened；　half…fascinated　Johnny　Billings；　in　three　words：



〃'Lige　Curtis；　sir！〃





CHAPTER　VI





The　trade　wind；　that；　blowing　directly　from　the　Golden　Gate；　seemed

to　concentrate　its　full　force　upon　the　western　slope　of　Russian

Hill；　might　have　dismayed　any　climber　less　hopeful　and　sanguine

than　that　most　imaginative　of　newspaper　reporters　and　most　youthful

of　husbands；　John　Milton　Harcourt。　　But　for　all　that　it　was　an

honest　wind；　and　its　dry；　practical　energy　and　salt…pervading

breath　only　seemed　to　sting　him　to　greater　and　more　enthusiastic

exertions；　until；　quite　at　the　summit　of　the　hill　and　last　of　a

straggling　line　of　little　cottages　half　submerged　in　drifting　sand；

he　stood　upon　his　own　humble　porch。



〃I　was　thinking；　coming　up　the　hill；　Loo；〃　he　said；　bursting　into

the　sitting…room；　pantingly；　〃of　writing　something　about　the　future

of　the　hill！　　How　it　will　look　fifty　years　from　now；　all　terraced

with　houses　and　gardens！and　right　up　here　a　kind　of　Acropolis；

don't　you　know。　　I　had　quite　a　picture　of　it　in　my　mind　just　now。〃



A　plainly…dressed　young　woman　with　a　pretty　face；　that；　however；

looked　as　if　it　had　been　prematurely　sapped　of　color　and　vitality；

here　laid　aside　some　white　sewing　she　had　in　her　lap；　and　said：



〃But　you　did　that　once　before；　Milty；　and　you　know　the　〃Herald〃

wouldn't　take　it　because　they　said　it　was　a　free　notice　of　Mr。

Boorem's　building　lots；　and　he　didn't　advertise　in　the　〃Herald。〃　　I

always　told　you　that　you　ought　to　have　seen　Boorem　first。〃



The　young　fellow　blinked　his　eyes　with　a　momentary　arrest　of　that

buoyant