a first family of tasajara-第20章

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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　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　y