a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第13节

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carelessly；　〃But　we'll　talk　it　over　to…morrow；　a　day　or　two　don't
make　much　difference　to　you　and　me　in　such　things；　you　know。
P'raps　I'll　drop　in　and　see　you。　　We'll　be　shut　up　here。〃

〃Then　you're　going　out　somewhere？〃　asked　Slinn；　mechanically。

〃No；〃　said　Mulrady；　hesitatingly。　　It　had　suddenly　occurred　to　him
that　he　had　nowhere　to　go　if　he　wanted　to；　and　he　continued；　half
in　explanation；　〃I　ain't　reckoned　much　on　Christmas；　myself。
Abner's　at　the　Springs；　it　wouldn't　pay　him　to　come　here　for　a　day
even　if　there　was　anybody　here　he　cared　to　see。　　I　reckon　I'll
hang　round　the　shanty；　and　look　after　things　generally。　　I　haven't
been　over　the　house　upstairs　to　put　things　to　rights　since　the
folks　left。　　But　YOU　needn't　come　here；　you　know。〃

He　helped　the　old　man　to　rise；　assisted　him　in　putting　on　his
overcoat；　and　than　handed　him　the　cane　which　had　lately　replaced
his　crutches。

〃Good…by；　old　man！　　You　musn't　trouble　yourself　to　say　'Merry
Christmas'　now；　but　wait　until　you　see　me　again。　　Take　care　of
yourself。〃

He　slapped　him　lightly　on　the　shoulder；　and　went　back　into　his
private　office。　　He　worked　for　some　time　at　his　desk；　and　then　laid
his　pen　aside；　put　away　his　papers　methodically；　placing　a　large
envelope　on　his　private　secretary's　vacant　table。　　He　then　opened
the　office　door　and　ascended　the　staircase。　　He　stopped　on　the
first　landing　to　listen　to　the　sound　of　rain　on　the　glass　skylight；
that　seemed　to　echo　through　the　empty　hall　like　the　gloomy　roll　of
a　drum。　　It　was　evident　that　the　searching　water　had　found　out　the
secret　sins　of　the　house's　construction；　for　there　were　great
fissures　of　discoloration　in　the　white　and　gold　paper　in　the
corners　of　the　wall。　　There　was　a　strange　odor　of　the　dank　forest
in　the　mirrored　drawing…room；　as　if　the　rain　had　brought　out　the
sap　again　from　the　unseasoned　timbers；　the　blue　and　white　satin
furniture　looked　cold；　and　the　marble　mantels　and　centre　tables　had
taken　upon　themselves　the　clamminess　of　tombstones。　　Mr。　Mulrady；
who　had　always　retained　his　old　farmer…like　habit　of　taking　off　his
coat　with　his　hat　on　entering　his　own　house；　and　appearing　in　his
shirt…sleeves；　to　indicate　domestic　ease　and　security；　was　obliged
to　replace　it；　on　account　of　the　chill。　　He　had　never　felt　at　home
in　this　room。　　Its　strangeness　had　lately　been　heightened　by　Mrs。
Mulrady's　purchase　of　a　family　portrait　of　some　one　she　didn't
know；　but　who；　she　had　alleged；　resembled　her　〃Uncle　Bob；〃　which
hung　on　the　wall　beside　some　paintings　in　massive　frames。　　Mr。
Mulrady　cast　a　hurried　glance　at　the　portrait　that；　on　the　strength
of　a　high　coat…collar　and　high　top　curlboth　rolled　with　equal
precision　and　singular　sameness　of　colorhad　always　glared　at
Mulrady　as　if　HE　was　the　intruder；　and；　passing　through　his　wife's
gorgeous　bedroom；　entered　the　little　dressing…room；　where　he　still
slept　on　the　smallest　of　cots；　with　hastily　improvised
surroundings；　as　if　he　was　a　bailiff　in　〃possession。〃　　He　didn't
linger　here　long；　but；　taking　a　key　from　a　drawer；　continued　up　the
staircase；　to　the　ominous　funeral　marches　of　the　beating　rain　on
the　skylight；　and　paused　on　the　landing　to　glance　into　his　son's
and　daughter's　bedrooms；　duplicates　of　the　bizarre　extravagance
below。　　If　he　were　seeking　some　characteristic　traces　of　his　absent
family；　they　certainly　were　not　here　in　the　painted　and　still　damp
blazoning　of　their　later　successes。　　He　ascended　another　staircase；
and；　passing　to　the　wing　of　the　house；　paused　before　a　small　door；
which　was　locked。　　Already　the　ostentatious　decorations　of　wall　and
passages　were　left　behind；　and　the　plain　lath…and…plaster　partition
of　the　attic　lay　before　him。　　He　unlocked　the　door；　and　threw　it
open。


CHAPTER　V


The　apartment　he　entered　was　really　only　a　lumber…room　or　loft　over
the　wing　of　the　house；　which　had　been　left　bare　and　unfinished；　and
which　revealed　in　its　meagre　skeleton　of　beams　and　joints　the
hollow　sham　of　the　whole　structure。　　But　in　more　violent　contrast
to　the　fresher　glories　of　the　other　part　of　the　house　were　its
contents；　which　were　the　heterogeneous　collection　of　old　furniture；
old　luggage；　and　cast…off　clothing；　left　over　from　the　past　life　in
the　old　cabin。　　It　was　a　much　plainer　record　of　the　simple
beginnings　of　the　family　than　Mrs。　Mulrady　cared　to　have　remain　in
evidence；　and　for　that　reason　it　had　been　relegated　to　the　hidden
recesses　of　the　new　house；　in　the　hope　that　it　might　absorb　or
digest　it。　　There　were　old　cribs；　in　which　the　infant　limbs　of
Mamie　and　Abner　had　been　tucked　up；　old　looking…glasses；　that　had
reflected　their　shining；　soapy　faces；　and　Mamie's　best　chip　Sunday
hat；　an　old　sewing…machine；　that　had　been　worn　out　in　active
service；　old　patchwork　quilts；　an　old　accordion；　to　whose　long
drawn　inspirations　Mamie　had　sung　hymns；　old　pictures；　books；　and
old　toys。　　There　were　one　or　two　old　chromos；　and；　stuck　in　an　old
frame；　a　colored　print　from　the　〃Illustrated　London　News〃　of　a
Christmas　gathering　in　an　old　English　country　house。　　He　stopped
and　picked　up　this　print；　which　he　had　often　seen　before；　gazing　at
it　with　a　new　and　singular　interest。　　He　wondered　if　Mamie　had　seen
anything　of　this　kind　in　England；　and　why　couldn't　he　have　had
something　like　it　here；　in　their　own　fine　house；　with　themselves
and　a　few　friends？　　He　remembered　a　past　Christmas；　when　he　had
bought　Mamie　that　now　headless　doll　with　the　few　coins　that　were
left　him　after　buying　their　frugal　Christmas　dinner。　　There　was　an
old　spotted　hobby…horse　that　another　Christmas　had　brought　to
AbnerAbner；　who　would　be　driving　a　fast　trotter　to…morrow　at　the
Springs！　　How　everything　had　changed！　　How　they　all　had　got　up　in
the　world；　and　how　far　beyond　this　kind　of　thingand　yetyet　it
would　have　been　rather　comfortable　to　have　all　been　together　again
here。　　Would　THEY　have　been　more　comfortable？　　No！　　Yet　then　he
might　have　had　something　to　do；　and　been　less　lonely　to…morrow。
What　of　that？　　He　HAD　something　to　do：　to　look　after　this　immense
fortune。　　What　more　could　a　man　want；　or　should　he　want？　　It　was
rather　mean　in　him；　able　to　give　his　wife　and　children　everything
they　wanted；　to　be　wanting　anything　more。　　He　laid　down　the　print
gently；　after　dusting　its　glass　and　frame　with　his　silk
handkerchief；　and　slowly　left　the　room。

The　drum…beat　of　the　rain　followed　him　down　the　staircase；　but　he
shut　it　out　with　his　other　thoughts；　when　he　again　closed　the　door
of　his　office。　　He　set　diligently　to　work　by　the　declining　winter
light；　until　he　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　his　Chinese
waiter　to　tell　him　that　supperwhich　was　the　meal　that　Mulrady
religiously　adhered　to　in　place　of　the　late　dinner　of　civilization
was　ready　in　the　dining…room。　　Mulrady　mechanically　obeyed　the
summons；　but　on　entering　the　room　the　oasis　of　a　few　plates　in　a
desert　of　white　table…cloth　which　awaited　him　made　him　hesitate。
In　its　best　aspect；　the　high　dark　Gothic　mahogany　ecclesiastical
sideboard　and　chairs　of　this　room；　which　looked　like　the
appointments　of　a　mortuary　chapel；　were　not　exhilarating；　and　to…
day；　in　the　light　of　the　rain…filmed　windows　and　the　feeble　rays　of
a　lamp　half…obscured　by　the　dark　shining　walls；　it　was　most
depressing。

〃You　kin　take　up　supper　into　my　office；〃　said　Mulrady；　with　a
sudden　inspiration。　　〃I'll　eat　it　there。〃

He　ate　it　there；　with　his　usual　healthy　appetite；　which　did　not
require　even　the　stimulation　of　company。　　He　had　just　finished；
when　his　Irish　cookthe　one　female　servant　of　the　housecame　to
ask　permission　to　be　absent　that　evening　and　the　next　day。

〃I　suppose　the　likes　of　your　honor　won't　be　at　home　on　the
Christmas　Day？　　And　it's　me　cousins　from　the　old　counthry　at　Rough…
and…Ready　that　are　invitin'　me。〃

〃Why　don't　you　ask　them　over　here？〃　said　Mulrady；　with　another
vague　inspiration。　　〃I'll　stand　treat。〃

〃Lord　preserve　you　for　a　jinerous　gintleman！　　But　it's　the　likes　of
them　and　myself　that　wouldn't　be　at　home　here　on　such　a　day。〃

There　was　so　much　truth　in　this　that　Mulrady　checked　a　sigh　as　he
gave　the　required　permission；　without　saying　that　he　had　intended
to　remain。　　He　could　cook　his　own　breakfast：　he　had　done　it　before；
and　it　would　be　something　to　occupy　him。　　As　to　his　dinner；　perhaps
he　could　go　to　the　hotel　at　Rough…and…Ready。　　He　worked　on　until
the　night　had　well　advanced。　　Then；　overcome　with　a　certain
restlessness　that　disturbed　him；　he　was　forced　to　put　his　books　and
papers　away。　　It　had　begun　to　blow　in　fitful　gusts；　and
occasionally　the　rain　was　driven　softly　across　the　panes　like　the
passing　of　childish　fingers。　　This　disturbed　him　more　than　the
monotony　of　silence；　for　he　was　not　a　nervous　man。　　He　seldom　read
a　book；　and　the　county　paper　furnished　him　only　the　financial　and
mercantile　news　which　was　part　of　his　business。　　He　knew　he　could
not　sleep　if　he　went　to　bed。　　At　last　he　rose；　opened　the　window；
and　looked　out　from　pure　idleness　of　occupation。　　A　splash　of
wheels　in　the　distant　muddy　road　and　fragments　of　a　drunken　song
showed　signs　of　an　early　wandering　reveller。　　There　were　no　lights
to　be　seen　at　the　closed　works；　a　profound　darkness　encompassed　the
house；　as　i