a first family of tasajara-第9章

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talk　trade　to　me；　we　don't　know；〃　responded　Phemie　saucily。



〃But　have　you　no　lady　acquaintancesneighborswho　also　avoid　the

store　and　enter　only　at　the　straight　and　narrow　gate　up　there？〃

continued　Grant　mischievously；　regardless　of　the　uneasy；　half…

reproachful　glances　of　Rice。



But　Phemie；　triumphantly　oblivious　of　any　satire；　answered

promptly：　〃If　you　mean　the　Pike　County　Billingses　who　live　on　the

turnpike　road　as　much　as　they　do　off　it；　or　the　six　daughters　of

that　Georgia　Cracker　who　wear　men's　boots　and　hats；　we　haven't。〃



〃And　Mr。　Parmlee；　your　admirer？〃　suggested　Rice。　　〃Hasn't　he　a

mother　or　sisters　here？〃



〃Yes；　but　they　don't　want　to　know　us；　and　have　never　called　here。〃



The　embarrassment　of　the　questioner　at　this　unexpected　reply；　which

came　from　the　faultless　lips　of　Clementina；　was　somewhat　mitigated

by　the　fact　that　the　young　woman's　voice　and　manner　betrayed

neither　annoyance　nor　anger。



Here；　however；　Harkutt　appeared　from　the　house　with　the　information

that　he　had　secured　two　horses　for　the　surveyors　and　their

instruments；　and　that　he　would　himself　accompany　them　a　part　of　the

way　on　their　return　to　Tasajara　Creek；　to　show　them　the　road。　　His

usual　listless　deliberation　had　given　way　to　a　certain　nervous　but

uneasy　energy。　　If　they　started　at　once　it　would　be　better；　before

the　loungers　gathered　at　the　store　and　confused　them　with　lazy

counsel　and　languid　curiosity。　　He　took　it　for　granted　that　Mr。

Grant　wished　the　railroad　survey　to　be　a　secret；　and　he　had　said

nothing；　as　they　would　be　pestered　with　questions。　　〃Sidon　was

inquisitiveand　old…fashioned。〃　　The　benefit　its　inhabitants　would

get　from　the　railroad　would　not　prevent　them　from　throwing

obstacles　in　its　way　at　first；　he　remembered　the　way　they　had　acted

with　a　proposed　wagon　road；in　fact；　an　idea　of　his　own；　something

like　the　railroad；　he　knew　them　thoroughly；　and　if　he　might　advise

them；　it　would　be　to　say　nothing　here　until　the　thing　was　settled。



〃He　evidently　does　not　intend　to　give　us　a　chance；〃　said　Grant

good…humoredly　to　his　companion；　as　they　turned　to　prepare　for

their　journey；　〃we　are　to　be　conducted　in　silence　to　the　outskirts

of　the　town　like　horse…thieves。〃



〃But　you　gave　him　the　tip　for　himself；〃　said　Rice　reproachfully；

〃you　cannot　blame　him　for　wanting　to　keep　it。〃



〃I　gave　it　to　him　in　trust　for　his　two　incredible　daughters；〃　said

Grant　with　a　grimace。　　〃But；　hang　it！　if　I　don't　believe　the　fellow

has　more　concern　in　it　than　I　imagined。〃



〃But　isn't　she　perfect？〃　said　Rice；　with　charming　abstraction。



〃Who？〃



〃Clementina；　and　so　unlike　her　father。〃



〃Discomposingly　so；〃　said　Grant　quietly。　　〃One　feels　in　calling　her

'Miss　Harkutt'　as　if　one　were　touching　upon　a　manifest　indiscretion。

But　here　comes　John　Milton。　　Well；　my　lad；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃



The　boy；　who　had　been　regarding　them　from　a　distance　with　wistful

and　curious　eyes　as　they　replaced　their　instruments　for　the

journey；　had　gradually　approached　them。　　After　a　moment's　timid

hesitation　he　said；　looking　at　Grant：　〃You　don't　know　anybody　in

this　kind　o'　business；〃　pointing　to　the　instruments；　〃who'd　like　a

boy；　about　my　size？〃



〃I'm　afraid　not；　J。　M。；〃　said　Grant；　cheerfully；　without　suspending

his　operation。　　〃The　fact　is；　you　see；　it's　not　exactly　the　kind　of

work　for　a　boy　of　your　size。〃



John　Milton　was　silent　for　a　moment；　shifting　himself　slowly　from

one　leg　to　another　as　he　watched　the　surveyor。　　After　a　pause　he

said；　〃There　don't　seem　to　be　much　show　in　this　world　for　boys　o'

my　size。　　There　don't　seem　to　be　much　use　for　'em　any　way。〃　　This

not　bitterly；　but　philosophically；　and　even　politely；　as　if　to

relieve　Grant's　rejection　of　any　incivility。



〃Really　you　quite　pain　me；　John　Milton；〃　said　Grant；　looking　up　as

he　tightened　a　buckle。　　〃I　never　thought　of　it　before；　but　you're

right。〃



〃Now；〃　continued　the　boy　slowly；　〃with　girls　it's　just　different。

Girls　of　my　size　everybody　does　things　for。　　There's　Clemmy；she's

only　two　years　older　nor　me；　and　don't　know　half　that　I　do；　and　yet

she　kin　lie　about　all　day；　and　hasn't　to　get　up　to　breakfast。　　And

Phemie；who's　jest　the　same　age；　size；　and　weight　as　me；maw　and

paw　lets　her　do　everything　she　wants　to。　　And　so　does　everybody。

And　so　would　you。〃



〃But　you　surely　don't　want　to　be　like　a　girl？〃　said　Grant；　smiling。



It　here　occurred　to　John　Milton's　youthful　but　not　illogical　mind

that　this　was　not　argument；　and　he　turned　disappointedly　away。　　As

his　father　was　to　accompany　the　strangers　a　short　distance；　he；

John　Milton；　was　to…day　left　in　charge　of　the　store。　　That　duty；

however；　did　not　involve　any　pecuniary　transactionsthe　taking　of

money　or　making　of　change　but　a　simple　record　on　a　slate　behind　the

counter　of　articles　selected　by　those　customers　whose　urgent　needs

could　not　wait　Mr。　Harkutt's　return。　　Perhaps　on　account　of　this

degrading　limitation；　perhaps　for　other　reasons；　the　boy　did　not

fancy　the　task　imposed　upon　him。　　The　presence　of　the　idle　loungers

who　usually　occupied　the　armchairs　near　the　stove；　and　occasionally

the　counter；　dissipated　any　romance　with　which　he　might　have

invested　his　charge；　he　wearied　of　the　monotony　of　their　dull

gossip；　but　mostly　he　loathed　the　attitude　of　hypercritical　counsel

and　instruction　which　they　saw　fit　to　assume　towards　him　at　such

moments。　　〃Instead　o'　lazin'　thar　behind　the　counter　when　your

father　ain't　here　to　see　ye；　John；〃　remarked　Billings　from　the

depths　of　his　armchair　a　few　moments　after　Harkutt　had　ridden　away；

〃ye　orter　be　bustlin'　round；　dustin'　the　shelves。　　Ye'll　never　come

to　anythin'　when　you're　a　man　ef　you　go　on　like　that。　　Ye　never

heard　o'　Harry　Claythat　was　called　'the　Mill…boy　of　the　Slashes'

sittin'　down　doin'　nothin'　when　he　was　a　boy。〃



〃I　never　heard　of　him　loafin'　round　in　a　grocery　store　when　he　was

growned　up　either；〃　responded　John　Milton；　darkly。



〃P'r'aps　you　reckon　he　got　to　be　a　great　man　by　standin'　up　sassin'

his　father's　customers；〃　said　Peters；　angrily。　　〃I　kin　tell　ye；

young　man；　if　you　was　my　boy〃



〃If　I　was　YOUR　boy；　I'd　be　playin'　hookey　instead　of　goin'　to

school；　jest　as　your　boy　is　doin'　now；〃　interrupted　John　Milton；

with　a　literal　recollection　of　his　quarrel　and　pursuit　of　the　youth

in　question　that　morning。



An　undignified　silence　on　the　part　of　the　adults　followed；　the

usual　sequel　to　those　passages；　Sidon　generally　declining　to　expose

itself　to　the　youthful　Harkutt's　terrible　accuracy　of　statement。



The　men　resumed　their　previous　lazy　gossip　about　Elijah　Curtis's

disappearance；　with　occasional　mysterious　allusions　in　a　lower

tone；　which　the　boy　instinctively　knew　referred　to　his　father；　but

which　either　from　indolence　or　caution；　the　two　great　conservators

of　Sidon；　were　never　formulated　distinctly　enough　for　his

relentless　interference。　　The　morning　sunshine　was　slowly

thickening　again　in　an　indolent　mist　that　seemed　to　rise　from　the

saturated　plain。　　A　stray　lounger　shuffled　over　from　the

blacksmith's　shop　to　the　store　to　take　the　place　of　another　idler

who　had　joined　an　equally　lethargic　circle　around　the　slumbering

forge。　　A　dull　intermittent　sound　of　hammering　came　occasionally

from　the　wheelwright's　shedat　sufficiently　protracted　intervals

to　indicate　the　enfeebled　progress　of　Sidon's　vehicular　repair。　　A

yellow　dog　left　his　patch　of　sunlight　on　the　opposite　side　of　the

way　and　walked　deliberately　over　to　what　appeared　to　be　more

luxurious　quarters　on　the　veranda；　was　manifestly　disappointed　but

not　equal　to　the　exertion　of　returning；　and　sank　down　with　blinking

eyes　and　a　regretful　sigh　without　going　further。　　A　procession　of

six　ducks　got　well　into　a　line　for　a　laborious　〃march　past〃　the

store；　but　fell　out　at　the　first　mud　puddle　and　gave　it　up。　　A

highly　nervous　but　respectable　hen；　who　had　ventured　upon　the

veranda　evidently　against　her　better　instincts；　walked　painfully　on

tiptoe　to　the　door；　apparently　was　met　by　language　which　no　mother

of　a　family　could　listen　to；　and　retired　in　strong　hysterics。　　A

little　later　the　sun　became　again　obscured；　the　wind　arose；　rain

fell；　and　the　opportunity　for　going　indoors　and　doing　nothing　was

once　more　availed　of　by　all　Sidon。



It　was　afternoon　when　Mr。　Harkutt　returned。　　He　did　not　go　into　the

store；　but　entered　the　dwelling　from　the　little　picket…gate　and

steep　path。　　There　he　called　a　family　council　in　the　sitting…room

as　being　the　most　reserved　and　secure。　　Mrs。　Harkutt；　sympathizing

and　cheerfully　ready　for　any　affliction；　still　holding　a　dust…cloth

in　her　hand；　took　her　seat　by　the　window；　with　Phemie　breathless

and　sparkling　at　one　side　of　her；　while　Clementina；　all　faultless

profile　and　repose；　sat　on　the　other。　　To　Mrs。　Harkutt's　motherly

concern　at　John　Milton's　absence；　it　was　pointed　out　that　he　was

wanted　at　the　store；was　a　mere　boy　anyhow；　and　could　not　be

trusted。　　Mr。　Harkutt；　a　little　ruddier　from　weather；　excitement；

and　the　unusual　fortification　of　a　glass　of　liquor；　a　little　more

rugged　in　the　lines　of　his　face；　and　with　an　odd　ring　of　defiant

self…assertion　in　his　voice；　stood　before　them　in　the　centre　of　the

room。



He　wanted　them　to　listen　to　him　carefully；　to　remember　what　he

said；　for　it　was　important；　it　might　be　a　matter　of　〃lawing〃

hereafter；and　he　couldn't　be　always　repeating　it　to　them；he

would　have　enough　to　do。　　There　was　a　heap　of　it　that；　as　women…

folks；　they　couldn't　understand；　and　weren't　expected　to。　　But　he'd

got　it　all　clear　now；　and　what　he　was　saying　was　gospel。　　He'd

always　known　to　himself　that　the　only　good　that　could　ever　come　to

Sidon　would　come　by　railroad。　　When　those　fools　talked　wagon　road

he　had　said　nothing；　but　he　had　his　own　ideas；　he　had　worked　for

that　idea　without　saying　anything　to　anybody；　that　idea　was　to　get

possession　of　all　the　land　along　the　embarcadero；　which　nobody

cared　for；　and　'Lige　Curtis　was　ready　to　sell　for　a　song。　　Well；

now；　considering　what　had　happened；　he　didn't　mind　telling　them

that　he　had　been　gradually　getting　possession　of　it；　little　by

little；　paying　'Lige　Curtis　in　advances　and　installments；　until　it

was　his　own！　　They　had　heard　what　those　surveyors　said；　how　that　it

was　the　only　fit　terminus　for　the　railroad。　　Well；　that　land；　and

that　water…front；　and　the　terminus　were　HIS！　　And　all　from　his　own

foresight　and　prudence。



It　is　needless　to　say　that　this　was　not　the　truth。　　But　it　is

necessary　to　point　out　that　this　fabrication　was　the　result　of　his

last　night's　cogitations　and　his　morning's　experience。　　He　had

resolved　upon　a　bold　course。　　He　had　reflected　that　his　neighbors

would　be　more　ready　to　believe　in　and　to　respect　a　hard；　mercenary；

and　speculative　foresight　in　his　taking　advantage　of　'Lige's

necessities　than　if　he　hadas　was　the　casemerely　benefited　by

them　through　an　accident　of　circumstance