a first family of tasajara-第31章

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circled　slowly　around　the　outskirts　of　forests　that　stood　ankle　deep

in　ooze　and　the　current；　which　in　serried　phalanx　they　resisted

still。　　As　night　fell　these　forms　became　still　more　vague　and

chaotic；　and　were　interspersed　with　the　scattered　lanterns　and

flaming　torches　of　relief…boats；　or　occasionally　the　high　terraced

gleaming　windows　of　the　great　steamboats；　feeling　their　way　along

the　lost　channel。　　At　times　the　opening　of　a　furnace…door　shot　broad

bars　of　light　across　the　sluggish　stream　and　into　the　branches　of

dripping　and　drift…encumbered　trees；　at　times　the　looming

smoke…stacks　sent　out　a　pent…up　breath　of　sparks　that　illuminated

the　inky　chaos　for　a　moment；　and　then　fell　as　black　and　dripping

rain。　　Or　perhaps　a　hoarse　shout　from　some　faintly　outlined　hulk　on

either　side　brought　a　quick　response　from　the　relief…boats；　and　the

detaching　of　a　canoe　with　a　blazing　pine…knot　in　its　bow　into　the

outer　darkness。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　when　Lawrence　Grant；　from　the　deck　of

one　of　the　larger　tugs；　sighted　what　had　been　once　the　estuary　of

Sidon　Creek。　　The　leader　of　a　party　of　scientific　observation　and

relief；　he　had　kept　a　tireless　watch　of　eighteen　hours；　keenly

noticing　the　work　of　devastation；　the　changes　in　the　channel；　the

prospects　of　abatement；　and　the　danger　that　still　threatened。　　He

had　passed　down　the　length　of　the　submerged　Sacramento　valley；

through　the　Straits　of　Carquinez；　and　was　now　steaming　along　the

shores　of　the　upper　reaches　of　San　Francisco　Bay。　　Everywhere　the

same　scene　of　desolation；vast　stretches　of　tule　land；　once　broken

up　by　cultivation　and　dotted　with　dwellings；　now　clearly　erased　on

that　watery　chart；　long　lines　of　symmetrical　perspective；　breaking

the　monotonous　level；　showing　orchards　buried　in　the　flood；　Indian

mounds　and　natural　eminences　covered　with　cattle　or　hastily　erected

camps；　half　submerged　houses；　whose　solitary　chimneys；　however；

still　gave　signs　of　an　undaunted　life　within；　isolated　groups　of

trees；　with　their　lower　branches　heavy　with　the　unwholesome　fruit

of　the　flood；　in　wisps　of　hay　and　straw；　rakes　and　pitchforks；　or

pathetically　sheltering　some　shivering　and　forgotten　household　pet。

But　everywhere　the　same　dull；　expressionless；　placid　tranquillity

of　destruction；a　horrible　leveling　of　all　things　in　one　bland

smiling　equality　of　surface；　beneath　which　agony；　despair；　and　ruin

were　deeply　buried　and　forgotten；　a　catastrophe　without　convulsion；

a　devastation　voiceless；　passionless；　and　supine。



The　boat　had　slowed　up　before　what　seemed　to　be　a　collection　of

disarranged　houses　with　the　current　flowing　between　lines　that

indicated　the　existence　of　thoroughfares　and　streets。　　Many　of　the

lighter　wooden　buildings　were　huddled　together　on　the　street

corners　with　their　gables　to　the　flow；　some　appeared　as　if　they　had

fallen　on　their　knees；　and　others　lay　complacently　on　their　sides；

like　the　houses　of　a　child's　toy　village。　　An　elevator　still　lifted

itself　above　the　other　warehouses；　from　the　centre　of　an　enormous

square　pond；　once　the　plaza；　still　arose　a　〃Liberty　pole；〃　or

flagstaff；　which　now　supported　a　swinging　lantern；　and　in　the

distance　appeared　the　glittering　dome　of　some　public　building。

Grant　recognized　the　scene　at　once。　　It　was　all　that　was　left　of

the　invincible　youth　of　Tasajara！



As　this　was　an　objective　point　of　the　scheme　of　survey　and　relief

for　the　district；　the　boat　was　made　fast　to　the　second　story　of　one

of　the　warehouses。　　It　was　now　used　as　a　general　store　and　depot；

and　bore　a　singular　resemblance　in　its　interior　to　Harcourt's

grocery　at　Sidon。　　This　suggestion　was　the　more　fatefully　indicated

by　the　fact　that　half　a　dozen　men　were　seated　around　a　stove　in　the

centre；　more　or　less　given　up　to　a　kind　of　philosophical　and　lazy

enjoyment　of　their　enforced　idleness。　　And　when　to　this　was　added

the　more　surprising　coincidence　that　the　party　consisted　of

Billings；　Peters；　and　Wingate；former　residents　of　Sidon　and　first

citizens　of　Tasajara；the　resemblance　was　complete。



They　were　ruined；but　they　accepted　their　common　fate　with　a

certain　Indian　stoicism　and　Western　sense　of　humor　that　for　the

time　lifted　them　above　the　vulgar　complacency　of　their　former

fortunes。　　There　was　a　deep…seated；　if　coarse　and　irreverent

resignation　in　their　philosophy。　　At　the　beginning　of　the　calamity

it　had　been　roughly　formulated　by　Billings　in　the　statement　that

〃it　wasn't　anybody's　fault；　there　was　nobody　to　kill；　and　what

couldn't　be　reached　by　a　Vigilance　Committee　there　was　no　use

resolootin'　over。〃　　When　the　Reverend　Doctor　Pilsbury　had　suggested

an　appeal　to　a　Higher　Power；　Peters　had　replied；　good　humoredly；

that　〃a　Creator　who　could　fool　around　with　them　in　that　style　was

above　being　interfered　with　by　prayer。〃　　At　first　the　calamity　had

been　a　thing　to　fight　against；　then　it　became　a　practical　joke；　the

sting　of　which　was　lost　in　the　victims'　power　of　endurance　and

assumed　ignorance　of　its　purport。　　There　was　something　almost

pathetic　in　their　attempts　to　understand　its　peculiar　humor。



〃How　about　that　Europ…e…an　trip　o'　yours；　Peters？〃　said　Billings；

meditatively；　from　the　depths　of　his　chair。　　〃Looks　as　if　those

Crowned　Heads　over　there　would　have　to　wait　till　the　water　goes

down　considerable　afore　you　kin　trot　out　your　wife　and　darters

before　'em！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Peters；　〃it　rather　pints　that　way；　and　ez　far　ez　I　kin

see；　Mame　Billings　ain't　goin'　to　no　Saratoga；　neither；　this　year。〃



〃Reckon　the　boys　won't　hang　about　old　Harcourt's　Free　Library　to

see　the　girls　home　from　lectures　and　singing…class　much　this　year；〃

said　Wingate。　　〃Wonder　if　Harcourt　ever　thought　o'　this　the　day　he

opened　it；　and　made　that　rattlin'　speech　o'　his　about　the　new

property？　　Clark　says　everything　built　on　that　made　ground　has　got

to　go　after　the　water　falls。　　Rough　on　Harcourt　after　all　his　other

losses；　eh？　　He　oughter　have　closed　up　with　that　scientific　chap；

Grant；　and　married　him　to　Clementina　while　the　big　boom　was　on〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Peters；　indicating　Grant；　who　had　just　entered

quietly。



〃Don't　mind　me；　gentlemen；〃　said　Grant；　stepping　towards　the　group

with　a　grave　but　perfectly　collected　face；　〃on　the　contrary；　I　am

very　anxious　to　hear　all　the　news　of　Harcourt's　family。　　I　left　for

New　York　before　the　rainy　season；　and　have　only　just　got　back。〃



His　speech　and　manner　appeared　to　be　so　much　in　keeping　with　the

prevailing　grim　philosophy　that　Billings；　after　a　glance　at　the

others；　went　on。　　〃Ef　you　left　afore　the　first　rains；〃　said　he；

〃you　must　have　left　only　the　steamer　ahead　of　Fletcher；　when　he　run

off　with　Clementina　Harcourt；　and　you　might　have　come　across　them

on　their　wedding　trip　in　New　York。〃



Not　a　muscle　of　Grant's　face　changed　under　their　eager　and　cruel

scrutiny。　　〃No；　I　didn't；〃　he　returned　quietly。　　〃But　why　did　she

run　away？　　Did　the　father　object　to　Fletcher？　　If　I　remember

rightly　he　was　rich　and　a　good　match。〃



〃Yes；　but　I　reckon　the　old　man　hadn't　quite　got　over　the　'Clarion'

abuse；　for　all　its　eating　humble…pie　and　taking　back　its　yarns　of

him。　　And　may　be　he　might　have　thought　the　engagement　rather

sudden。　　They　say　that　she'd　only　met　Fletcher　the　day　afore　the

engagement。〃



〃That　be　dd；〃　said　Peters；　knocking　the　ashes　out　of　his　pipe；

and　startling　the　lazy　resignation　of　his　neighbors　by　taking　his

feet　from　the　stove　and　sitting　upright。　　〃I　tell　ye；　gentlemen；

I'm　sick　o'　this　sort　o'　hog…wash　that's　been　ladled　round　to　us。

That　gal　Clementina　Harcourt　and　that　feller　Fletcher　had　met　not

only　once；　but　MANY　times　aforeyes！　they　were　old　friends　if　it

comes　to　that；　a　matter　of　six　years　ago。〃



Grant's　eyes　were　fixed　eagerly　on　the　speaker；　although　the　others

scarcely　turned　their　heads。



〃You　know；　gentlemen；〃　said　Peters；　〃I　never　took　stock　in　this　yer

story　of　the　drownin'　of　'Lige　Curtis。　　Why？　　Well；　if　you　wanter

knowin　my　opinionthere　never　was　any　'Lige　Curtis！〃



Billings　lifted　his　head　with　difficulty；　Wingate　turned　his　face

to　the　speaker。



〃There　never　was　a　scrap　o'　paper　ever　found　in　his　cabin　with　the

name　o'　'Lige　Curtis　on　it；　there　never　was　any　inquiry　made　for

'Lige　Curtis；　there　never　was　any　sorrowin'　friends　comin'　after

'Lige　Curtis。　　For　why？There　never　was　any　'Lige　Curtis。　　The　man

who　passed　himself　off　in　Sidon　under　that　namewas　that　man

Fletcher。　　That's　how　he　knew　all　about　Harcourt's　title；　that's

how　he　got　his　best　holt　on　Harcourt。　　And　he　did　it　all　to　get

Clementina　Harcourt；　whom　the　old　man　had　refused　to　him　in　Sidon。〃



A　grunt　of　incredulity　passed　around　the　circle。　　Such　is　the　fate

of　historical　innovation！　　Only　Grant　listened　attentively。



〃Ye　ought　to　tell　that　yarn　to　John　Milton；〃　said　Wingate

ironically；　〃it's　about　in　the　style　o'　them　stories　he　slings　in

the　'Clarion。'〃



〃He's　made　a　good　thing　outer　that　job。　　Wonder　what　he　gets　for

them？〃　said　Peters。



It　was　Billings's　time　to　rise；　and；　under　the　influence　of　some

strong　cynical　emotion；　to　even　rise　to　his　feet。　　〃Gets　for　'em！

GETS　for　'em！　　I'll　tell　you　WHAT　he　gets　for　'em！　　It　beats　this

story　o'　Peters's；it　beats　the　flood。　　It　beats　me！　　Ye　know　that

boy；　gentlemen；　ye　know　how　he　uster　lie　round　his　father's　store；

reading　flapdoodle　stories　and　sich！　　Ye　remember　how　I　uster　try

to　give　him　good　examples　and　knock　some　sense　into　him？　　Ye

remember　how；　after　his　father's　good　luck；　he　spiled　all　his　own

chances；　and　ran　off　with　his　father's　waiter　galall　on　account

o'　them　flapdoodle　books　he　read？　　Ye　remember　how　he　sashayed

round　newspaper　offices　in　'Frisco　until　he　could　write　a

flapdoodle　story　himself？　　Ye　wanter　know　what　he　gets　for　'em。

I'll　tell　you。　　He　got　an　interduction　to　one　of　them　high…toned；

highfalutin'；　'don't…touch…me'　rich　widders　from　Philadelfy；

that's　what　he　gets　for　'em！　　He　got　her　dead　set　on　him　and　his

stories；　that's　what　he　gets　for　'em！　　He　got　her　to　put　him　up

with　Fletcher　in　the　'Clarion；'that's　what　he　gets　for　'em。　　And

darn　my　skin！ef　what　they　say　is　true；　while　we　hard…working　men

are　sittin'　here　like　drowned　ratsthat　air　John　Milton；　ez　never

did　a　stitch　o'　live　work　like　me　yere；　ez　never　did　anythin'　but

spin　yarns　about　US　ez　did　WORK；　is　now　'gittin'　for　'em'what？

Guess！　　Why；　he's　gittin'　THE　RICH　WIDDER　HERSELF　and　HALF　A

MILLION　DOLLARS　WITH　HER！　　Gentlemen！　lib'ty　is　a　good　thingbut

thar's　some　things　ye　gets　too　much　lib'ty　of　in　this　countryand

that's　this　yer　LIB'TY　OF　THE　PRESS！〃











End