brown of calaveras-第3章

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though；　for　the　matter　of　that；　it's　all　round　town。　　Don't　strike

a　light。　　We　can　talk　here　in　the　moonshine。　　Put　up　your　feet　on

that　winder；　and　sit　here　beside　me。　　Thar's　whisky　in　that　jug。〃



Mr。　Hamlin　did　not　avail　himself　of　the　information。　　Brown　of

Calaveras　turned　his　face　to　the　wall　and　continued：



〃If　I　didn't　love　the　woman；　Jack；　I　wouldn't　mind。　　But　it's

loving　her；　and　seeing　her；　day　arter　day；　goin'　on　at　this　rate；

and　no　one　to　put　down　the　brake；　that's　what　gits　me！　　But　I'm

glad　to　see　ye；　Jack；　damn　glad。〃



In　the　darkness　he　groped　about　until　he　had　found　and　wrung　his

companion's　hand　again。　　He　would　have　detained　it；　but　Jack

slipped　it　into　the　buttoned　breast　of　his　coat；　and　asked；

listlessly；　〃How　long　has　this　been　going　on？〃



〃Ever　since　she　came　here；　ever　since　the　day　she　walked　into　the

Magnolia。　　I　was　a　fool　then；　Jack；　I'm　a　fool　now；　but　I　didn't

know　how　much　I　loved　her　till　then。　　And　she　hasn't　been　the　same

woman　since。



〃But　that　ain't　all；　Jack；　and　it's　what　I　wanted　to　see　you　about；

and　I'm　glad　you've　come。　　It　ain't　that　she　doesn't　love　me　any

more；　it　ain't　that　she　fools　with　every　chap　that　comes　along；

for；　perhaps；　I　staked　her　love　and　lost　it；　as　I　did　everything

else　at　the　Magnolia；　and；　perhaps；　foolin'　is　nateral　to　some

women；　and　thar　ain't　no　great　harm　done；　'cept　to　the　fools。　　But；

Jack；　I　thinkI　think　she　loves　somebody　else。　　Don't　move；　Jack；

don't　move；　if　your　pistol　hurts　ye；　take　it　off。



〃It's　been　more'n　six　months　now　that　she's　seemed　unhappy　and

lonesome；　and　kinder　nervous　and　scared…like。　　And　sometimes　I've

ketched　her　lookin'　at　me　sort　of　timid　and　pitying。　　And　she

writes　to　somebody。　　And　for　the　last　week　she's　been　gathering　her

own　thingstrinkets；　and　furbelows；　and　jew'lryand；　Jack；　I

think　she's　goin'　off。　　I　could　stand　all　but　that。　　To　have　her

steal　away　like　a　thief〃　　He　put　his　face　downward　to　the　pillow；

and　for　a　few　moments　there　was　no　sound　but　the　ticking　of　a　clock

on　the　mantel。　　Mr。　Hamlin　lit　a　cigar；　and　moved　to　the　open

window。　　The　moon　no　longer　shone　into　the　room；　and　the　bed　and

its　occupant　were　in　shadow。　　〃What　shall　I　do；　Jack？〃　said　the

voice　from　the　darkness。



The　answer　came　promptly　and　clearly　from　the　window…side：　〃Spot

the　man；　and　kill　him　on　sight。〃



〃But；　Jack？〃



〃He's　took　the　risk！〃



〃But　will　that　bring　HER　back？〃



Jack　did　not　reply；　but　moved　from　the　window　toward　the　door。



〃Don't　go　yet；　Jack；　light　the　candle；　and　sit　by　the　table。　　It's

a　comfort　to　see　ye；　if　nothin'　else。〃



Jack　hesitated；　and　then　complied。　　He　drew　a　pack　of　cards　from

his　pocket　and　shuffled　them；　glancing　at　the　bed。　　But　Brown's

face　was　turned　to　the　wall。　　When　Mr。　Hamlin　had　shuffled　the

cards；　he　cut　them；　and　dealt　one　card　on　the　opposite　side　of　the

table　and　toward　the　bed；　and　another　on　his　side　of　the　table　for

himself。　　The　first　was　a　deuce；　his　own　card；　a　king。　　He　then

shuffled　and　cut　again。　　This　time　〃dummy〃　had　a　queen；　and　himself

a　four…spot。　　Jack　brightened　up　for　the　third　deal。　　It　brought

his　adversary　a　deuce；　and　himself　a　king　again。　　〃Two　out　of

three；〃　said　Jack；　audibly。



〃What's　that；　Jack？〃　said　Brown。



〃Nothing。〃



Then　Jack　tried　his　hand　with　dice；　but　he　always　threw　sixes；　and

his　imaginary　opponent　aces。　　The　force　of　habit　is　sometimes

confusing。



Meanwhile；　some　magnetic　influence　in　Mr。　Hamlin's　presence；　or　the

anodyne　of　liquor；　or　both；　brought　surcease　of　sorrow；　and　Brown

slept。　　Mr。　Hamlin　moved　his　chair　to　the　window；　and　looked　out　on

the　town　of　Wingdam；　now　sleeping　peacefullyits　harsh　outlines

softened　and　subdued；　its　glaring　colors　mellowed　and　sobered　in

the　moonlight　that　flowed　over　all。　　In　the　hush　he　could　hear　the

gurgling　of　water　in　the　ditches；　and　the　sighing　of　the　pines

beyond　the　hill。　　Then　he　looked　up　at　the　firmament；　and　as　he　did

so　a　star　shot　across　the　twinkling　field。　　Presently　another；　and

then　another。　　The　phenomenon　suggested　to　Mr。　Hamlin　a　fresh

augury。　　If　in　another　fifteen　minutes　another　star　should　fall

He　sat　there；　watch　in　hand；　for　twice　that　time；　but　the

phenomenon　was　not　repeated。



The　clock　struck　two；　and　Brown　still　slept。　　Mr。　Hamlin　approached

the　table　and　took　from　his　pocket　a　letter；　which　he　read　by　the

flickering　candlelight。　　It　contained　only　a　single　line；　written

in　pencil；　in　a　woman's　hand：



〃Be　at　the　corral；　with　the　buggy；　at　three。〃



The　sleeper　moved　uneasily；　and　then　awoke。　　〃Are　you　there　Jack？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Don't　go　yet。　　I　dreamed　just　now；　Jackdreamed　of　old　times。　　I

thought　that　Sue　and　me　was　being　married　agin；　and　that　the

parson；　Jack；　waswho　do　you　think？you！〃



The　gambler　laughed；　and　seated　himself　on　the　bedthe　paper　still

in　his　hand。



〃It's　a　good　sign；　ain't　it？〃　queried　Brown。



〃I　reckon。　　Say；　old　man；　hadn't　you　better　get　up？〃



The　〃old　man；〃　thus　affectionately　appealed　to；　rose；　with　the

assistance　of　Hamlin's　outstretched　hand。



〃Smoke？〃



Brown　mechanically　took　the　proffered　cigar。



〃Light？〃



Jack　had　twisted　the　letter　into　a　spiral；　lit　it；　and　held　it　for

his　companion。　　He　continued　to　hold　it　until　it　was　consumed；　and

dropped　the　fragmenta　fiery　starfrom　the　open　window。　　He

watched　it　as　it　fell；　and　then　returned　to　his　friend。



〃Old　man；〃　he　said；　placing　his　hands　upon　Brown's　shoulders；　〃in

ten　minutes　I'll　be　on　the　road；　and　gone　like　that　spark。　　We

won't　see　each　other　agin；　but；　before　I　go；　take　a　fool's　advice：

sell　out　all　you've　got；　take　your　wife　with　you；　and　quit　the

country。　　It　ain't　no　place　for　you；　nor　her。　　Tell　her　she　must

go；　make　her　go；　if　she　won't。　　Don't　whine　because　you　can't　be　a

saint；　and　she　ain't　an　angel。　　Be　a　manand　treat　her　like　a

woman。　　Don't　be　a　damn　fool。　　Good…by。〃



He　tore　himself　from　Brown's　grasp；　and　leaped　down　the　stairs　like

a　deer。　　At　the　stable　door　he　collared　the　half…sleeping　hostler

and　backed　him　against　the　wall。　　〃Saddle　my　horse　in　two　minutes；

or　I'll〃　　The　ellipsis　was　frightfully　suggestive。



〃The　missis　said　you　was　to　have　the　buggy；〃　stammered　the　man。



〃Damn　the　buggy！〃



The　horse　was　saddled　as　fast　as　the　nervous　hands　of　the　astounded

hostler　could　manipulate　buckle　and　strap。



〃Is　anything　up；　Mr。　Hamlin？〃　said　the　man；　who；　like　all　his

class；　admired　the　elan　of　his　fiery　patron；　and　was　really

concerned　in　his　welfare。



〃Stand　aside！〃



The　man　fell　back。　　With　an　oath；　a　bound；　and　clatter；　Jack　was

into　the　road。　　In　another　moment；　to　the　man's　half…awakened　eyes；

he　was　but　a　moving　cloud　of　dust　in　the　distance；　toward　which　a

star　just　loosed　from　its　brethren　was　trailing　a　stream　of　fire。



But　early　that　morning　the　dwellers　by　the　Wingdam　turnpike；　miles

away；　heard　a　voice；　pure　as　a　skylark抯；　singing　afield。　　They　who

were　asleep　turned　over　on　their　rude　couches　to　dream　of　youth　and

love　and　olden　days。　　Hard…faced　men　and　anxious　gold…seekers；

already　at　work；　ceased　their　labors　and　leaned　upon　their　picks；

to　listen　to　a　romantic　vagabond　ambling　away　against　the　rosy

sunrise。