a first family of tasajara-第15章

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

buoyant　hopefulness　which　was　their　peculiar　characteristic；　but

nevertheless　replied　with　undaunted　cheerfulness；　〃I　forgot。

Anyhow；　it's　all　the　same；　for　I　worked　it　into　that　'Sunday　Walk。'

And　it's　just　as　easy　to　write　it　the　other　way；　you　see；looking

back；　DOWN　THE　HILL；　you　know。　　Something　about　the　old　Padres

toiling　through　the　sand　just　before　the　Angelus；　or　as　far　back　as

Sir　Francis　Drake's　time；　and　have　a　runaway　boat's　crew；　coming

ashore　to　look　for　gold　that　the　Mexicans　had　talked　of。　　Lord！

that's　easy　enough！　　I　tell　you　what；　Loo；　it's　worth　living　up

here　just　for　the　inspiration。〃　　Even　while　boyishly　exhaling　this

enthusiasm　he　was　also　divesting　himself　of　certain　bundles　whose

contents　seemed　to　imply　that　he　had　brought　his　dinner　with　him；

the　youthful　Mrs。　Harcourt　setting　the　table　in　a　perfunctory；

listless　way　that　contrasted　oddly　with　her　husband's　cheerful

energy。



〃You　haven't　heard　of　any　regular　situation　yet？〃　she　asked

abstractedly。



〃No；not　exactly；〃　he　replied。　　〃But　＇buoyantly＇　it's　a　great　deal

better　for　me　not　to　take　anything　in　a　hurry　and　tie　myself　to　any

particular　line。　　Now；　I'm　quite　free。〃



〃And　I　suppose　you　haven't　seen　that　Mr。　Fletcher　again？〃　she

continued。



〃No。　　He　only　wanted　to　know　something　about　me。　　That's　the　way

with　them　all；　Loo。　　Whenever　I　apply　for　work　anywhere　it's

always：　'So　you're　Dan'l　Harcourt's　son；　eh？　　Quarreled　with　the

old　man？　　Bad　job；　better　make　it　up！　　You'll　make　more　stickin'　to

him。　　He's　worth　millions！'　　Everybody　seems　to　think　everything　of

HIM；　as　if　I　had　no　individuality　beyond　that；　I've　a　good　mind　to

change　my　name。〃



〃And　pray　what　would　mine　be　then？〃



There　was　so　much　irritation　in　her　voice　that　he　drew　nearer　her

and　gently　put　his　arm　around　her　waist。　　〃Why；　whatever　mine　was；

darling；〃　he　said　with　a　tender　smile。　　〃You　didn't　fall　in　love

with　any　particular　name；　did　you；　Loo？〃



〃No；　but　I　married　a　particular　one；〃　she　said　quickly。



His　eyelids　quivered　again；　as　if　he　was　avoiding　some　unpleasantly

staring　suggestion；　and　she　stopped。



〃You　know　what　I　mean；　dear；〃　she　said；　with　a　quick　little　laugh。

〃Just　because　your　father's　an　old　crosspatch；　YOU　haven't　lost

your　rights　to　his　name　and　property。　　And　those　people　who　say　you

ought　to　make　it　up　perhaps　know　what's　for　the　best。〃



〃But　you　remember　what　he　said　of　you；　Loo？〃　said　the　young　man

with　a　flashing　eye。　　〃Do　you　think　I　can　ever　forget　that？〃



〃But　you　DO　forget　it；　dear；　you　forget　it　when　you　go　in　town

among　fresh　faces　and　people；　when　you　are　looking　for　work。　　You

forget　it　when　you're　at　work　writing　your　copy；for　I've　seen　you

smile　as　you　wrote。　　You　forget　it　climbing　up　the　dreadful　sand；

for　you　were　thinking　just　now　of　what　happened　years　ago；　or　is　to

happen　years　to　come。　　And　I　want　to　forget　it　too；　Milty。　　I　don't

want　to　sit　here　all　day；　thinking　of　it；　with　the　wind　driving　the

sand　against　the　window；　and　nothing　to　look　at　but　those　white

tombs　in　Lone　Mountain　Cemetery；　and　those　white　caps　that　might　be

gravestones　too；　and　not　a　soul　to　talk　to　or　even　see　pass　by

until　I　feel　as　if　I　were　dead　and　buried　also。　　If　you　were　me

youyouyoucouldn't　help　crying　too！〃



Indeed　he　was　very　near　it　now。　　For　as　he　caught　her　in　his　arms；

suddenly　seeing　with　a　lover's　sympathy　and　the　poet's　swifter

imagination　all　that　she　had　seen　and　even　more；　he　was　aghast　at

the　vision　conjured。　　In　her　delicate　health　and　loneliness　how

dreadful　must　have　been　these　monotonous　days；　and　this　glittering；

cruel　sea！　　What　a　selfish　brute　he　was！　　Yet　as　he　stood　there

holding　her；　silently　and　rhythmically　marking　his　tenderness　and

remorseful　feelings　by　rocking　her　from　side　to　side　like　a　languid

metronome；　she　quietly　disengaged　her　wet　lashes　from　his　shoulder

and　said　in　quite　another　tone：



〃So　they　were　all　at　Tasajara　last　week？〃



〃Who；　dear？〃



〃Your　father　and　sisters。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　John　Milton；　hesitatingly。



〃And　they've　taken　back　your　sister　after　her　divorce？〃



The　staring　obtrusiveness　of　this　fact　apparently　made　her

husband's　bright　sympathetic　eye　blink　as　before。



〃And　if　you　were　to　divorce　me；　YOU　would　be　taken　back　too；〃　she

added　quickly；　suddenly　withdrawing　herself　with　a　pettish　movement

and　walking　to　the　window。



But　he　followed。　　〃Don't　talk　in　that　way；　Loo！　　Don't　look　in　that

way；　dear！〃　he　said；　taking　her　hand　gently；　yet　not　without　a

sense　of　some　inconsistency　in　her　conduct　that　jarred　upon　his　own

simple　directness。　　〃You　know　that　nothing　can　part　us　now。　　I　was

wrong　to　let　my　little　girl　worry　herself　all　alone　here；　but　II

thought　it　was　all　soso　bright　and　free　out　on　this　hill；

looking　far　away　beyond　the　Golden　Gate；as　far　as　Cathay；　you

know；　and　such　a　change　from　those　dismal　flats　of　Tasajara　and

that　awful　stretch　of　tules。　　But　it's　all　right　now。　　And　now　that

I　know　how　you　feel；　we'll　go　elsewhere。〃



She　did　not　reply。　　Perhaps　she　found　it　difficult　to　keep　up　her

injured　attitude　in　the　face　of　her　husband's　gentleness。　　Perhaps

her　attention　had　been　attracted　by　the　unusual　spectacle　of　a

stranger；　who　had　just　mounted　the　hill　and　was　now　slowly　passing

along　the　line　of　cottages　with　a　hesitating　air　of　inquiry。　　〃He

may　be　looking　for　this　house；for　you；〃　she　said　in　an　entirely

new　tone　of　interest。　　〃Run　out　and　see。　　It　may　be　some　one　who

wants〃



〃An　article；〃　said　Milton　cheerfully。　　〃By　Jove！　he　IS　coming

here。〃



The　stranger　was　indeed　approaching　the　little　cottage；　and　with

apparently　some　confidence。　　He　was　a　well…dressed；　well…made　man；

whose　age　looked　uncertain　from　the　contrast　between　his　heavy

brown　moustache　and　his　hair；　that；　curling　under　the　brim　of　his

hat；　was　almost　white　in　color。　　The　young　man　started；　and　said；

hurriedly：　〃I　really　believe　it　is　Fletcher；they　say　his　hair

turned　white　from　the　Panama　fever。〃



It　was　indeed　Mr。　Fletcher　who　entered　and　introduced　himself；

a　gentle　reserved　man；　with　something　of　that　colorlessness　of

premature　age　in　his　speech　which　was　observable　in　his　hair。　　He

had　heard　of　Mr。　Harcourt　from　a　friend　who　had　recommended　him

highly。　　As　Mr。　Harcourt　had　probably　been　told；　he；　the　speaker；

was　about　to　embark　some　capital　in　a　first…class　newspaper　in　San

Francisco；　and　should　select　the　staff　himself。　　He　wanted　to

secure　only　first…rate　talent；but　above　all；　youthfulness；

directness；　and　originality。　　The　〃Clarion；〃　for　that　was　to　be

its　name；　was　to　have　nothing　〃old　fogy〃　about　it。　　No。　　It　was

distinctly　to　be　the　organ　of　Young　California！　　This　and　much　more

from　the　grave　lips　of　the　elderly　young　man；　whose　speech　seemed

to　be　divided　between　the　pretty；　but　equally　faded；　young　wife；

and　the　one　personification　of　invincible　youth　present；her

husband。



〃But　I　fear　I　have　interrupted　your　household　duties；〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃You　were　preparing　dinner。　　Pray　go　on。　　And　let　me

help　you；I'm　not　a　bad　cook；and　you　can　give　me　my　reward　by

letting　me　share　it　with　you；　for　the　climb　up　here　has　sharpened

my　appetite。　　We　can　talk　as　we　go　on。〃



It　was　in　vain　to　protest；　there　was　something　paternal　as　well　as

practical　in　the　camaraderie　of　this　actual　capitalist　and　possible

Maecenas　and　patron　as　he　quietly　hung　up　his　hat　and　overcoat；　and

helped　to　set　the　table　with　a　practiced　hand。　　Nor；　as　he

suggested；　did　the　conversation　falter；　and　before　they　had　taken

their　seats　at　the　frugal　board　he　had　already　engaged　John　Milton

Harcourt　as　assistant　editor　of　the　〃Clarion〃　at　a　salary　that

seemed　princely　to　this　son　of　a　millionaire！　　The　young　wife

meantime　had　taken　active　part　in　the　discussion；　whether　it　was

vaguely　understood　that　the　possession　of　poetical　and　imaginative

faculties　precluded　any　capacity　for　business；　or　whether　it　was

owing　to　the　apparent　superior　maturity　of　Mrs。　Harcourt　and　the

stranger；　it　was　certain　that　THEY　arranged　the　practical　details

of　the　engagement；　and　that　the　youthful　husband　sat　silent；　merely

offering　his　always　hopeful　and　sanguine　consent。



〃You'll　take　a　house　nearer　to　town；　I　suppose？〃　continued　Mr。

Fletcher　to　the　lady；　〃though　you've　a　charming　view　here。　　I

suppose　it　was　quite　a　change　from　Tasajara　and　your　father…in…

law's　house？　　I　daresay　he　had　as　fine　a　place　thereon　his　own

homesteadas　he　has　here？〃



Young　Harcourt　dropped　his　sensitive　eyelids　again。　　It　seemed　hard

that　he　could　never　get　away　from　these　allusions　to　his　father！

Perhaps　it　was　only　to　that　relationship　that　he　was　indebted　for

his　visitor's　kindness。　　In　his　simple　honesty　he　could　not　bear

the　thought　of　such　a　misapprehension。　　〃Perhaps；　Mr。　Fletcher；　you

do　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　my　father　is　not　on　terms　with　me；　and

that　we　neither　expect　anything　nor　could　we　ever　take　anything

from　him。　　Could　we；　Loo？〃　　He　added　the　useless　question　partly

because　he　saw　that　his　wife's　face　betrayed　little　sympathy　with

him；　and　partly　that　Fletcher　was　looking　at　her　curiously；　as　if

for　confirmation。　　But　this　was　another　of　John　Milton's　trials　as

an　imaginative　reporter；　nobody　ever　seemed　to　care　for　his

practical　opinions　or　facts！



〃Mr。　Fletcher　is　not　interested　in　our　little　family　differences；

Milty；〃　she　said；　looking　at　Mr。　Fletcher；　however；　instead　of　him。

〃You're　Daniel　Harcourt's　SON　whatever　happens。〃



The　cloud　that　had　passed　over　the　young　man's　face　and　eyes　did

not；　however；　escape　Mr。　Fletcher's　attention；　for　he　smiled；　and

added　gayly；　〃And　I　hope　my　valued　lieutenant　in　any　case。〃

Nevertheless　John　Milton　was　quite　ready　to　avail　himself　of　an

inspiration　to　fetch　some　cigars　for　his　guest　from　the　bar　of　the

Sea…View　House　on　the　slope　of　the　hill　beyond；　and　thereby　avoid　a

fateful　subject。　　Once　in　the　fresh　air　again　he　promptly　recovered

his　boyish　spirits。　　The　light　flying　scud　had　already　effaced　the

first　rising　stars；　the　lower　creeping　sea…fog　had　already　blotted

out　the　western　shore　and　sea；　but　below　him　to　the　east　the

glittering　lights　of　the　city　seemed　to　start　up　with　a　new；

mysterious；　and　dazzling　brilliancy。　　It　was　the　valley　of　diamonds

that　Sindbad　saw　lying　almost　at　his　feet！　　Perhaps　somewhere　there

the　light　of　his　own　fame　and　fortune　was　already　beginning　to

twinkle！



He　returned　to　his　humble　roof　joyous　and　inspired。　　As　he　entered

the　hall　he　heard　his　wife's　voice　and　his　own　name　mentioned；

followed　by　that　awkward；　meaningless　silence　on　his　entrance　which

so　plainly　indicated　either　that　he　had　been　the　subject　of

conversation　or　that　it　was　not　for　his　ears。　　It　was　a　dismal

reminder　of　his　boyhood　at　Sidon　and　Tasajara。　　But　he　was　too