a first family of tasajara-第4章

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Presently　a　beam　of　light　from　the　lower　depths　of　the　house　shot

out　into　the　darkness。　　It　was　her　father　with　a　bull's…eye

lantern。　　As　he　held　it　up　and　clambered　cautiously　down　the　bank；

its　rays　fell　upon　the　turbid　rushing　stream；　and　what　appeared　to

be　a　rough　raft　of　logs　held　with　difficulty　against　the　bank　by

two　men　with　long　poles。　　In　its　centre　was　a　roll　of　blankets；　a

valise　and　saddle…bags；　and　the　shining　brasses　of　some　odd…looking

instruments。



As　Mr。　Harkutt；　supporting　himself　by　a　willow　branch　that　overhung

the　current；　held　up　the　lantern；　the　two　men　rapidly　transferred

their　freight　from　the　raft　to　the　bank；　and　leaped　ashore。　　The

action　gave　an　impulse　to　the　raft；　which；　no　longer　held　in

position　by　the　poles；　swung　broadside　to　the　current　and　was

instantly　swept　into　the　darkness。



Not　a　word　had　been　spoken；　but　now　the　voices　of　the　men　rose

freely　together。　　Phemie　listened　with　intense　expectation。　　The

explanation　was　simple。　　They　were　surveyors　who　had　been　caught　by

the　overflow　on　Tasajara　plain；　had　abandoned　their　horses　on　the

bank　of　Tasajara　Creek；　and　with　a　hastily　constructed　raft　had

intrusted　themselves　and　their　instruments　to　the　current。　　〃But；〃

said　Harkutt　quickly；　〃there　is　no　connection　between　Tasajara

Creek　and　this　stream。〃



The　two　men　laughed。　　〃There　is　NOW；〃　said　one　of　them。



〃But　Tasajara　Creek　is　a　part　of　the　bay；〃　said　the　astonished

Harkutt；　〃and　this　stream　rises　inland　and　only　runs　into　the　bay

four　miles　lower　down。　　And　I　don't　see　how



〃You're　almost　twelve　feet　lower　here　than　Tasajara　Creek；〃　said

the　first　man；　with　a　certain　professional　authority；　〃and　that's

WHY。　　There's　more　water　than　Tasajara　Creek　can　carry；　and　it's

seeking　the　bay　this　way。　　Look；〃　he　continued；　taking　the　lantern

from　Harkutt's　hand　and　casting　its　rays　on　the　stream；　〃that's

salt　drift　from　the　upper　bay；　and　part　of　Tasajara　Creek's　running

by　your　house　now！　　Don't　be　alarmed；〃　he　added　reassuringly；

glancing　at　the　staring　storekeeper。　　〃You're　all　right　here；　this

is　only　the　overflow　and　will　find　its　level　soon。〃



But　Mr。　Harkutt　remained　gazing　abstractedly　at　the　smiling

speaker。　　From　the　window　above　the　impatient　Phemie　was　wondering

why　he　kept　the　strangers　waiting　in　the　rain　while　he　talked　about

things　that　were　perfectly　plain。　　It　was　so　like　a　man！



〃Then　there's　a　waterway　straight　to　Tasajara　Creek？〃　he　said

slowly。



〃There　is；　as　long　as　this　flood　lasts；〃　returned　the　first　speaker

promptly；　〃and　a　cutting　through　the　bank　of　two　or　three　hundred

yards　would　make　it　permanent。　　Well；　what's　the　matter　with　that？〃



〃Nothin'；〃　said　Harkutt　hurriedly。　　〃I　am　only　considerin'！　　But

come　in；　dry　yourselves；　and　take　suthin'。〃



The　light　over　the　rushing　water　was　withdrawn；　and　the　whole

prospect　sank　back　into　profound　darkness。　　Mr。　Harkutt　had

disappeared　with　his　guests。　　Then　there　was　the　familiar　shuffle

of　his　feet　on　the　staircase；　followed　by　other　more　cautious

footsteps　that　grew　delicately　and　even　courteously　deliberate　as

they　approached。　　At　which　the　young　girl；　in　some　new　sense　of

decorum；　drew　in　her　pretty　head；　glanced　around　the　room　quickly；

reset　the　tidy　on　her　father's　chair；　placed　the　resplendent

accordion　like　an　ornament　in　the　exact　centre　of　the　table；　and

then　vanished　into　the　hall　as　Mr。　Harkutt　entered　with　the

strangers。



They　were　both　of　the　same　age　and　appearance；　but　the　principal

speaker　was　evidently　the　superior　of　his　companion；　and　although

their　attitude　to　each　other　was　equal　and　familiar；　it　could　be

easily　seen　that　he　was　the　leader。　　He　had　a　smooth；　beardless

face；　with　a　critical　expression　of　eye　and　mouth　that　might　have

been　fastidious　and　supercilious　but　for　the　kindly；　humorous

perception　that　tempered　it。　　His　quick　eye　swept　the　apartment　and

then　fixed　itself　upon　the　accordion；　but　a　smile　lit　up　his　face

as　he　said　quietly；



〃I　hope　we　haven't　frightened　the　musician　away。　　It　was　bad　enough

to　have　interrupted　the　young　lady。〃



〃No；　no；〃　said　Mr。　Harkutt；　who　seemed　to　have　lost　his　abstraction

in　the　nervousness　of　hospitality。　　〃I　reckon　she's　only　lookin'

after　her　sick　sister。　　But　come　into　the　kitchen；　both　of　you；

straight　off；　and　while　you're　dryin'　your　clothes；　mother'll　fix

you　suthin'　hot。〃



〃We　only　need　to　change　our　boots　and　stockings；　we've　some　dry

ones　in　our　pack　downstairs；〃　said　the　first　speaker　hesitatingly。



〃I'll　fetch　'em　up　and　you　can　change　in　the　kitchen。　　The　old

woman　won't　mind；〃　said　Harkutt　reassuringly。　　〃Come　along。〃　　He

led　the　way　to　the　kitchen；　the　two　strangers　exchanged　a　glance　of

humorous　perplexity　and　followed。



The　quiet　of　the　little　room　was　once　more　unbroken。　　A　far…off

commiserating　murmur　indicated　that　Mrs。　Harkutt　was　receiving　her

guests。　　The　cool　breath　of　the　wet　leaves　without　slightly　stirred

the　white　dimity　curtains；　and　somewhere　from　the　darkened　eaves

there　was　a　still；　somnolent　drip。　　Presently　a　hurried　whisper　and

a　half…laugh　appeared　to　be　suppressed　in　the　outer　passage　or

hall。　　There　was　another　moment　of　hesitation　and　the　door　opened

suddenly　and　ostentatiously；　disclosing　Phemie；　with　a　taller　and

slighter　young　woman；　her　elder　sister；　at　her　side。　　Perceiving

that　the　room　was　empty；　they　both　said　〃Oh！〃　yet　with　a　certain

artificiality　of　manner　that　was　evidently　a　lingering　trace　of

some　previous　formal　attitude　they　had　assumed。　　Then　without

further　speech　they　each　selected　a　chair　and　a　position；　having

first　shaken　out　their　dresses；　and　gazed　silently　at　each　other。



It　may　be　said　briefly　that　sitting　thusin　spite　of　their

unnatural　attitude；　or　perhaps　rather　because　of　its　suggestion　of

a　photographic　posethey　made　a　striking　picture；　and　strongly

accented　their　separate　peculiarities。　　They　were　both　pretty；　but

the　taller　girl；　apparently　the　elder；　had　an　ideal　refinement　and

regularity　of　feature　which　was　not　only　unlike　Phemie；　but

gratuitously　unlike　the　rest　of　her　family；　and　as　hopelessly　and

even　wantonly　inconsistent　with　her　surroundings　as　was　the

elaborately　ornamented　accordion　on　the　centre…table。　　She　was　one

of　those　occasional　creatures；　episodical　in　the　South　and　West；

who　might　have　been　stamped　with　some　vague　ante…natal　impression

of　a　mother　given　to　over…sentimental　contemplation　of　books　of

beauty　and　albums　rather　than　the　family　features；　offspring　of

typical　men　and　women；　and　yet　themselves　incongruous　to　any　known

local　or　even　general　type。　　The　long　swan…like　neck；　tendriled

hair；　swimming　eyes；　and　small　patrician　head；　had　never　lived　or

moved　before　in　Tasajara　or　the　West；　nor　perhaps　even　existed

except　as　a　personified　〃Constancy；〃　〃Meditation；〃　or　the　〃Baron's

Bride；〃　in　mezzotint　or　copperplate。　　Even　the　girl's　common　pink

print　dress　with　its　high　sleeves　and　shoulders　could　not

conventionalize　these　original　outlines；　and　the　hand　that　rested

stiffly　on　the　back　of　her　chair；　albeit　neither　over…white　nor

well　kept；　looked　as　if　it　had　never　held　anything　but　a　lyre；　a

rose；　or　a　good　book。　　Even　the　few　sprays　of　wild　jessamine　which

she　had　placed　in　the　coils　of　her　waving　hair；　although　a　local

fashion；　became　her　as　a　special　ornament。



The　two　girls　kept　their　constrained　and　artificially　elaborated

attitude　for　a　few　moments；　accompanied　by　the　murmur　of　voices　in

the　kitchen；　the　monotonous　drip　of　the　eaves　before　the　window；

and　the　far…off　sough　of　the　wind。　　Then　Phemie　suddenly　broke　into

a　constrained　giggle；　which　she　however　quickly　smothered　as　she

had　the　accordion；　and　with　the　same　look　of　mischievous　distress。



〃I'm　astonished　at　you；　Phemie；〃　said　Clementina　in　a　deep　contralto

voice；　which　seemed　even　deeper　from　its　restraint。　　〃You　don't　seem

to　have　any　sense。　　Anybody'd　think　you　never　had　seen　a　stranger

before。〃



〃Saw　him　before　you　did；〃　retorted　Phemie　pertly。　　But　here　a

pushing　of　chairs　and　shuffling　of　feet　in　the　kitchen　checked　her。

Clementina　fixed　an　abstracted　gaze　on　the　ceiling；　Phemie　regarded

a　leaf　on　the　window　sill　with　photographic　rigidity　as　the　door

opened　to　the　strangers　and　her　father。



The　look　of　undisguised　satisfaction　which　lit　the　young　men's

faces　relieved　Mr。　Harkutt's　awkward　introduction　of　any

embarrassment；　and　almost　before　Phemie　was　fully　aware　of　it；　she

found　herself　talking　rapidly　and　in　a　high　key　with　Mr。　Lawrence

Grant；　the　surveyor；　while　her　sister　was　equally；　although　more

sedately；　occupied　with　Mr。　Stephen　Rice；　his　assistant。　　But　the

enthusiasm　of　the　strangers；　and　the　desire　to　please　and　be

pleased　was　so　genuine　and　contagious　that　presently　the　accordion

was　brought　into　requisition；　and　Mr。　Grant　exhibited　a　surprising

faculty　of　accompaniment　to　Mr。　Rice's　tenor；　in　which　both　the

girls　joined。



Then　a　game　of　cards　with　partners　followed；　into　which　the　rival

parties　introduced　such　delightful　and　shameless　obviousness　of

cheating；　and　displayed　such　fascinating　and　exaggerated

partisanship　that　the　game　resolved　itself　into　a　hilarious　melee；

to　which　peace　was　restored　only　by　an　exhibition　of　tricks　of

legerdemain　with　the　cards　by　the　young　surveyor。　　All　of　which

Mr。　Harkutt　supervised　patronizingly；　with　occasional　fits　of

abstraction；　from　his　rocking…chair；　and　later　Mrs。　Harkutt　from　her

kitchen　threshold；　wiping　her　arms　on　her　apron　and　commiseratingly

observing　that　she　〃declared；　the　young　folks　looked　better

already。〃



But　it　was　here　a　more　dangerous　element　of　mystery　and　suggestion

was　added　by　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant　in　the　telling　of　Miss　Euphemia's

fortune　from　the　cards　before　him；　and　that　young　lady；　pink　with

excitement；　fluttered　her　little　hands　not　unlike　timid　birds　over

the　cards　to　be　drawn；　taking　them　from　him　with　an　audible　twitter

of　anxiety　and　great　doubts　whether　a　certain　〃fair…haired

gentleman〃　was　in　hearts　or　diamonds。



〃Here　are　two　strangers；〃　said　Mr。　Grant；　with　extraordinary

gravity　laying　down　the　cards；　〃and　here　is　a　'journey；'　this　is

'unexpected　news；'　and　this　ten　of　diamonds　means　'great　wealth'　to

you；　which　you　see　follows　the　advent　of　the　two　strangers　and　is

some　way　connected　with　them。〃



〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　the　young　lady　with　great　pertness　and　a　toss　of

her　head。　　〃I　suppose　they've　got　the　money　with　them。〃



〃No；　though　it　reaches　you　through　them；〃　he　answered　with

unflinching　solemnity。　　〃Wait　a　bit；　I　have　it！　　I　see；　I've　made　a

mistake　with　this　card。　　It　signifies　a　journey　or　a　road。　　Queer！

isn't　it；　Steve？　　It's　THE　ROAD。〃



〃It　is　queer；〃　said　Rice　with　equal　gravity；　〃but　it's　so。　　The

road；　sure！〃　　Nevertheless　he　looked　up　into　the　large　eyes　of

Clementina　with　a　certain　confidential　air　of　truthfulnes