a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第12节

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ain't　it？　　But　Malviny　knows；　I　reckon；　what　ought　to　be　worn　at
the　Tooilleries；　and　she　don't　want　our　Mamie　to　take　a　back　seat
before　them　furrin'　princesses　and　gran'　dukes。　　It's　a　slap…up
affair；　I　kalkilate。　　Let's　see。　　I　disremember　whether　it's　an
emperor　or　a　king　that's　rulin'　over　thar　now。　　It　must　be　suthin'
first　class　and　A　1；　for　Malviny　ain't　the　woman　to　throw　away
twelve　hundred　dollars　on　any　of　them　small…potato　despots！　　She
says　Mamie　speaks　French　already　like　them　French　Petes。　　I　don't
quite　make　out　what　she　means　here。　　She　met　Don　Caesar　in　Paris；
and　she　says；　'I　think　Mamie　is　nearly　off　with　Don　Caesar；　who　has
followed　her　here。　　I　don't　care　about　her　dropping　him　TOO
suddenly；　the　reason　I'll　tell　you　hereafter。　　I　think　the　man
might　be　a　dangerous　enemy。'　　Now；　what　do　you　make　of　this？　　I
allus　thought　Mamie　rather　cottoned　to　him；　and　it　was　the　old
woman　who　fought　shy；　thinkin'　Mamie　would　do　better。　　Now；　I　am
agreeable　that　my　gal　should　marry　any　one　she　likes；　whether　it's
a　dook　or　a　poor　man；　as　long　as　he's　on　the　square。　　I　was　ready
to　take　Don　Caesar；　but　now　things　seem　to　have　shifted　round。　　As
to　Don　Caesar's　being　a　dangerous　enemy　if　Mamie　won't　have　him；
that's　a　little　too　high　and　mighty　for　me；　and　I　wonder　the　old
woman　don't　make　him　climb　down。　　What　do　you　think？〃

〃Who　is　Don　Caesar？〃　asked　Slinn。

〃The　man　what　picked　you　up　that　day。　　I　mean；〃　continued　Mulrady；
seeing　the　marks　of　evident　ignorance　on　the　old　man's　face；〃I
mean　a　sort　of　grave；　genteel　chap；　suthin'　between　a　parson　and　a
circus…rider。　　You　might　have　seen　him　round　the　house　talkin'　to
your　gals。〃

But　Slinn's　entire　forgetfulness　of　Don　Caesar　was　evidently
unfeigned。　　Whatever　sudden　accession　of　memory　he　had　at　the　time
of　his　attack；　the　incident　that　caused　it　had　no　part　in　his
recollection。　　With　the　exception　of　these　rare　intervals　of
domestic　confidences　with　his　crippled　private　secretary；　Mulrady
gave　himself　up　to　money…getting。　　Without　any　especial　faculty　for
itan　easy　prey　often　to　unscrupulous　financiershis　unfailing
luck；　however；　carried　him　safely　through；　until　his　very　mistakes
seemed　to　be　simply　insignificant　means　to　a　large　significant　end
and　a　part　of　his　original　plan。　　He　sank　another　shaft；　at　a　great
expense；　with　a　view　to　following　the　lead　he　had　formerly　found；
against　the　opinions　of　the　best　mining　engineers；　and　struck　the
artesian　spring　he　did　NOT　find　at　that　time；　with　a　volume　of
water　that　enabled　him　not　only　to　work　his　own　mine；　but　to
furnish　supplies　to　his　less　fortunate　neighbors　at　a　vast　profit。
A　league　of　tangled　forest　and　canyon　behind　Rough…and…Ready；　for
which　he　had　paid　Don　Ramon's　heirs　an　extravagant　price　in　the
presumption　that　it　was　auriferous；　furnished　the　most　accessible
timber　to　build　the　town；　at　prices　which　amply　remunerated　him。
The　practical　schemes　of　experienced　men；　the　wildest　visions　of
daring　dreams　delayed　or　abortive　for　want　of　capital；　eventually
fell　into　his　hands。　　Men　sneered　at　his　methods；　but　bought　his
shares。　　Some　who　affected　to　regard　him　simply　as　a　man　of　money
were　content　to　get　only　his　name　to　any　enterprise。　　Courted　by
his　superiors；　quoted　by　his　equals；　and　admired　by　his　inferiors；
he　bore　his　elevation　equally　without　ostentation　or　dignity。
Bidden　to　banquets；　and　forced　by　his　position　as　director　or
president　into　the　usual　gastronomic　feats　of　that　civilization　and
period；　he　partook　of　simple　food；　and　continued　his　old　habit　of
taking　a　cup　of　coffee　with　milk　and　sugar　at　dinner。　　Without
professing　temperance；　he　drank　sparingly　in　a　community　where
alcoholic　stimulation　was　a　custom。　　With　neither　refinement　nor　an
extended　vocabulary；　he　was　seldom　profane；　and　never　indelicate。
With　nothing　of　the　Puritan　in　his　manner　or　conversation；　he
seemed　to　be　as　strange　to　the　vices　of　civilization　as　he　was　to
its　virtues。　　That　such　a　man　should　offer　little　to　and　receive
little　from　the　companionship　of　women　of　any　kind　was　a　foregone
conclusion。　　Without　the　dignity　of　solitude；　he　was　pathetically
alone。

Meantime；　the　days　passed；　the　first　six　months　of　his　opulence
were　drawing　to　a　close；　and　in　that　interval　he　had　more　than
doubled　the　amount　of　his　discovered　fortune。　　The　rainy　season　set
in　early。　　Although　it　dissipated　the　clouds　of　dust　under　which
Nature　and　Art　seemed　to　be　slowly　disappearing；　it　brought　little
beauty　to　the　landscape　at　first；　and　only　appeared　to　lay　bare　the
crudenesses　of　civilization。　　The　unpainted　wooden　buildings　of
Rough…and…Ready；　soaked　and　dripping　with　rain；　took　upon
themselves　a　sleek　and　shining　ugliness；　as　of　second…hand
garments；　the　absence　of　cornices　or　projections　to　break　the
monotony　of　the　long　straight　lines　of　downpour　made　the　town
appear　as　if　it　had　been　recently　submerged；　every　vestige　of
ornamentation　swept　away；　and　only　the　bare　outlines　left。　　Mud　was
everywhere；　the　outer　soil　seemed　to　have　risen　and　invaded　the
houses　even　to　their　most　secret　recesses；　as　if　outraged　Nature
was　trying　to　revenge　herself。　　Mud　was　brought　into　the　saloons
and　barrooms　and　express　offices；　on　boots；　on　clothes；　on　baggage；
and　sometimes　appeared　mysteriously　in　splashes　of　red　color　on　the
walls；　without　visible　conveyance。　　The　dust　of　six　months；　closely
packed　in　cornice　and　carving；　yielded　under　the　steady　rain　a　thin
yellow　paint；　that　dropped　on　wayfarers　or　unexpectedly　oozed　out
of　ceilings　and　walls　on　the　wretched　inhabitants　within。　　The
outskirts　of　Rough…and…Ready　and　the　dried　hills　round　Los　Gatos
did　not　appear　to　fare　much　better；　the　new　vegetation　had　not　yet
made　much　headway　against　the　dead　grasses　of　the　summer；　the　pines
in　the　hollow　wept　lugubriously　into　a　small　rivulet　that　had
sprung　suddenly　into　life　near　the　old　trail；　everywhere　was　the
sound　of　dropping；　splashing；　gurgling；　or　rushing　waters。

More　hideous　than　ever；　the　new　Mulrady　house　lifted　itself　against
the　leaden　sky；　and　stared　with　all　its　large…framed；　shutterless
windows　blankly　on　the　prospect；　until　they　seemed　to　the　wayfarer
to　become　mere　mirrors　set　in　the　walls；　reflecting　only　the　watery
landscape；　and　unable　to　give　the　least　indication　of　light　or　heat
within。　　Nevertheless；　there　was　a　fire　in　Mulrady's　private　office
that　December　afternoon；　of　a　smoky；　intermittent　variety；　that
sufficed　more　to　record　the　defects　of　hasty　architecture　than　to
comfort　the　millionaire　and　his　private　secretary；　who　had　lingered
after　the　early　withdrawal　of　the　clerks。　　For　the　next　day　was
Christmas；　and；　out　of　deference　to　the　near　approach　of　this
festivity；　a　half…holiday　had　been　given　to　the　employees。
〃They'll　want；　some　of　them；　to　spend　their　money　before　to…morrow；
and　others　would　like　to　be　able　to　rise　up　comfortably　drunk
Christmas　morning；〃　the　superintendent　had　suggested。　　Mr。　Mulrady
had　just　signed　a　number　of　checks　indicating　his　largess　to　those
devoted　adherents　with　the　same　unostentatious；　undemonstrative；
matter…of…fact　manner　that　distinguished　his　ordinary　business。
The　men　had　received　it　with　something　of　the　same　manner。　　A　half…
humorous　〃Thank　you；　sir〃as　if　to　show　that；　with　their　patron；
they　tolerated　this　deference　to　a　popular　custom；　but　were　a
little　ashamed　of　giving　way　to　itexpressed　their　gratitude　and
their　independence。

〃I　reckon　that　the　old　lady　and　Mamie　are　having　a　high　old　time　in
some　of　them　gilded　pallises　in　St。　Petersburg　or　Berlin　about　this
time。　　Them　diamonds　that　I　ordered　at　Tiffany　ought　to　have
reached　'em　about　now；　so　that　Mamie　could　cut　a　swell　at　Christmas
with　her　war…paint。　　I　suppose　it's　the　style　to　give　presents　in
furrin'　countries　ez　it　is　here；　and　I　allowed　to　the　old　lady　that
whatever　she　orders　in　that　way　she　is　to　do　in　Californy　styleno
dollar…jewelry　and　galvanized…watches　business。　　If　she　wants　to
make　a　present　to　any　of　them　nobles　ez　has　been　purlite　to　her；
it's　got　to　be　something　that　Rough…and…Ready　ain't　ashamed　of。　　I
showed　you　that　pin　Mamie　bought　me　in　Paris；　didn't　I？　　It's　just
come　for　my　Christmas　present。　　No！　　I　reckon　I　put　it　in　the　safe；
for　them　kind　o'　things　don't　suit　my　style：　but　s'pose　I　orter
sport　it　to…morrow。　　It　was　mighty　thoughtful　in　Mamie；　and　it　must
cost　a　lump；　it's　got　no　slouch　of　a　pearl　in　it。　　I　wonder　what
Mamie　gave　for　it？〃

〃You　can　easily　tell；　the　bill　is　here。　　You　paid　it　yesterday；〃
said　Slinn。　　There　was　no　satire　in　the　man's　voice；　nor　was　there
the　least　perception　of　irony　in　Mulrady's　manner；　as　he　returned
quietly；

〃That's　so；　it　was　suthin'　like　a　thousand　francs；　but　French
money；　when　you　pan　it　out　as　dollars　and　cents；　don't　make　so
much；　after　all。〃　　There　was　a　few　moments'　silence；　when　he
continued；　in　the　same　tone　of　voice；　〃Talkin'　o'　them　things；
Slinn；　I've　got　suthin'　for　you。〃　　He　stopped　suddenly。　　Ever
watchful　of　any　undue　excitement　in　the　invalid；　he　had　noticed　a
slight　flush　of　disturbance　pass　over　his　face；　and　continued
carelessly；　〃But　we'll　talk　it　over　to…morrow；　a　day　or　two　don't
make　much　difference