a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第14节

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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　if　the　distant　pines　in　the　hollow　had　moved　up　and　round
it。　　The　silence　was　broken　now　only　by　the　occasional　sighing　of
wind　and　rain。　　It　was　not　an　inviting　night　for　a　perfunctory
walk；　but　an　idea　struck　himhe　would　call　upon　the　Slinns；　and
anticipate　his　next　day's　visit！　　They　would　probably　have　company；
and　be　glad　to　see　him：　he　could　tell　the　girls　of　Mamie　and　her
success。　　That　he　had　not　thought　of　this　before　was　a　proof　of　his
usual　self…contained　isolation；　that　he　thought　of　it　now　was　an
equal　proof　that　he　was　becoming　at　last　accessible　to　loneliness。
He　was　angry　with　himself　for　what　seemed　to　him　a　selfish
weakness。

He　returned　to　his　office；　and；　putting　the　envelope　that　had　been
lying　on　Slinn's　desk　in　his　pocket；　threw　a　serape　over　his
shoulders；　and　locked　the　front　door　of　the　house　behind　him。　　It
was　well　that　the　way　was　a　familiar　one　to　him；　and　that　his　feet
instinctively　found　the　trail；　for　the　night　was　very　dark。　　At
times　he　was　warned　only　by　the　gurgling　of　water　of　little
rivulets　that　descended　the　hill　and　crossed　his　path。　　Without　the
slightest　fear；　and　with　neither　imagination　nor　sensitiveness；　he
recalled　how；　the　winter　before；　one　of　Don　Caesar's　vaqueros；
crossing　this　hill　at　night；　had　fallen　down　the　chasm　of　a
landslip　caused　by　the　rain；　and　was　found　the　next　morning　with
his　neck　broken　in　the　gully。　　Don　Caesar　had　to　take　care　of　the
man's　family。　　Suppose　such　an　accident　should　happen　to　him？
Well；　he　had　made　his　will。　　His　wife　and　children　would　be
provided　for；　and　the　work　of　the　mine　would　go　on　all　the　same；　he
had　arranged　for　that。　　Would　anybody　miss　him？　　Would　his　wife；　or
his　son；　or　his　daughter？　　No。　　He　felt　such　a　sudden　and
overwhelming　conviction　of　the　truth　of　this　that　he　stopped　as
suddenly　as　if　the　chasm　had　opened　before　him。　　No！　　It　was　the
truth。　　If　he　were　to　disappear　forever　in　the　darkness　of　the
Christmas　night　there　was　none　to　feel　his　loss。　　His　wife　would
take　care　of　Mamie；　his　son　would　take　care　of　himself；　as　he　had
beforerelieved　of　even　the　scant　paternal　authority　he　rebelled
against。　　A　more　imaginative　man　than　Mulrady　would　have　combated
or　have　followed　out　this　idea；　and　then　dismissed　it；　to　the
millionaire's　matter…of…fact　mind　it　was　a　deduction　that；　having
once　presented　itself　to　his　perception；　was　already　a　recognized
fact。　　For　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　felt　a　sudden　instinct　of
something　like　aversion　towards　his　family；　a　feeling　that　even　his
son's　dissipation　and　criminality　had　never　provoked。　　He　hurried
on　angrily　through　the　darkness。

It　was　very　strange；　the　old　house　should　be　almost　before　him　now；
across　the　hollow；　yet　there　were　no　indications　of　light！　　It　was
not　until　he　actually　reached　the　garden　fence；　and　the　black　bulk
of　shadow　rose　out　against　the　sky；　that　he　saw　a　faint　ray　of
light　from　one　of　the　lean…to　windows。　　He　went　to　the　front　door
and　knocked。　　After　waiting　in　vain　for　a　reply；　he　knocked　again。
The　second　knock　proving　equally　futile；　he　tried　the　door；　it　was
unlocked；　and；　pushing　it　open；　he　walked　in。　　The　narrow　passage
was　quite　dark；　but　from　his　knowledge　of　the　house　he　knew　the
〃lean…to〃　was　next　to　the　kitchen；　and；　passing　through　the　dining…
room　into　it；　he　opened　the　door　of　the　little　room　from　which　the
light　proceeded。　　It　came　from　a　single　candle　on　a　small　table；
and　beside　it；　with　his　eyes　moodily　fixed　on　the　dying　embers　of
the　fire；　sat　old　Slinn。　　There　was　no　other　light　nor　another
human　being　in　the　whole　house。

For　the　instant　Mulrady；　forgetting　his　own　feelings　in　the　mute
picture　of　the　utter　desolation　of　the　helpless　man；　remained
speechless　on　the　threshold。　　Then；　recalling　himself；　he　stepped
forward　and　laid　his　hand　gayly　on　the　bowed　shoulders。

〃Rouse　up　out　o'　this；　old　man！　　Come！　this　won't　do。　　Look！　　I've
run　over　here　in　the　rain；　jist　to　have　a　sociable　time　with　you
all。〃

〃I　knew　it；〃　said　the　old　man；　without　looking　up；　〃I　knew　you'd
come。〃

〃You　knew　I'd　come？〃　echoed　Mulrady；　with　an　uneasy　return　of　the
strange　feeling　of　awe　with　which　he　regarded　Slinn's　abstraction。

〃Yes；　you　were　alonelike　myselfall　alone！〃

〃Then；　why　in　thunder　didn't　you　open　the　door　or　sing　out　just
now？〃　he　said；　with　an　affected　brusquerie　to　cover　his　uneasiness。
〃Where's　your　daughters？〃

〃Gone　to　Rough…and…Ready　to　a　party。〃

〃And　your　son？〃

〃He　never　comes　here　when　he　can　amuse　himself　elsewhere。〃

〃Your　children　might　have　stayed　home　on　Christmas　Eve。〃

〃So　might　yours。〃

He　didn't　say　this　impatiently；　but　with　a　certain　abstracted
conviction　far　beyond　any　suggestion　of　its　being　a　retort。
Mulrady　did　not　appear　to　notice　it。

〃Well；　I　don't　see　why　us　old　folks　can't　enjoy　ourselves　without
them；〃　said　Mulrady；　with　affected　cheerfulness。　　〃Let's　have　a
good　time；　you　and　me。　　Let's　seeyou　haven't　any　one　you　can　send
to　my　house；　hev　you？〃

〃They　took　the　servant　with　them；〃　said　Slinn；　briefly。　　〃There　is
no　one　here。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　millionaire；　briskly。　　〃I'll　go　myself。　　Do
you　think　you　can　manage　to　light　up　a　little　more；　and　build　a
fire　in　the　kitchen　while　I'm　gone？　　It　used　to　be　mighty
comfortable　in　the　old　times。〃

He　helped　the　old　man　to　rise　from　his　chair；　and　seemed　to　have
infused　into　him　some　of　his　own　energy。　　He　then　added；　〃Now；
don't　you　get　yourself　down　again　into　that　chair　until　I　come
back；〃　and　darted　out　into　the　night　once　more。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　returned　with　a　bag　on　his　broad
shoulders；　which　one　of　his　porters　would　have　shrunk　from　lifting；
and　laid　it　before　the　blazing　hearth　of　the　now　lighted　kitchen。
〃It's　something　the　old　woman　got　for　her　party；　that　didn't　come
off；〃　he　said；　apologetically。　　〃I　reckon　we　can　pick　out　enough
for　a　spread。　　That　darned　Chinaman　wouldn't　come　with　me；〃　he
added；　with　a　laugh；　〃because；　he　said；　he'd　knocked　off　work
'allee　same；　Mellican　man！'　　Look　here；　Slinn；〃　he　said；　with　a
sudden　decisiveness；　〃my　pay…roll　of　the　men　around　here　don't　run
short　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　day；　and　yet　I　couldn't　get
a　hand　to　help　me　bring　this　truck　over　for　my　Christmas　dinner。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Slinn；　gloomily。

〃Of　course；　so　it　oughter　be；〃　returned　Mulrady；　shortly。　　〃Why；
it's　only　their　one　day　out　of　364；　and　I　can　have　363　days　off；　as
I　am　their　boss。　　I　don't　mind　a　man's　being　independent；〃　he
continued；　taking　off　his　coat　and　beginning　to　unpack　his　sacka
common　〃gunny　bag〃used　for　potatoes。　　〃We're　independent
ourselves；　ain't　we；　Slinn？〃

His　good　spirits；　which　had　been　at　first　labored　and　affected；　had
become　natural。　　Slinn；　looking　at　his　brightened　eye　and　fresher
color；　could　not　help　thinking　he　was　more　like　his　own　real　self
at　this　moment　than　in　his　counting…house　and　officeswith　all　his
simplicity　as　a　capitalist。　　A　less　abstracted　and　more　observant
critic　than　Slinn　would　have　seen　in　this　patient　aptitude　for　real
work；　and　the　recognition　of　the　force　of　petty　detail；　the
dominance　of　the　old　market…gardener　in　his　former　humble；　as　well
as　his　later　more　ambitious；　successes。

〃Heaven　keep　us　from　being　dependent　upon　our　children！〃　said
Slinn；　darkly。

〃Let　the　young　ones　alone　to…night；　we　can　get　along　without　them；
as　they　can　without　us；〃　said　Mulrady；　with　a　slight　twinge　as　he
thought　of　his　reflections　on　the　hillside。　　〃But　look　here；
there's　some　champagne　and　them　sweet　cordials　that　women　like；
there's　jellies　and　such　like　stuff；　about　as　good　as　they　make
'em；　I　reckon；　and　preserves；　and　tongues；　and　spiced　beeftake
your　pick！　　Stop；　let's　spread　them　out。〃　　He　dragged　the　table　to
the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　piled　the　provisions　upon　it。　　They
certainly　were　not　deficient　in　quality　or　quantity。　　〃Now；　Slinn；
wade　in。〃

〃I　don't　feel　hungry；〃　said　the　invalid；　who　had　lapsed　again　into
a　chair　before　the　fire。

〃No　more　do　I；〃　said　Mulrady；　〃but　I　reckon　it's　the　right　thing　to
do　about　this　time。　　Some　folks　think　they　can't　be　happy　without
they're　getting　outside　o'　suthin'；　and　my　directors　down　at
'Frisco　can't　do　any　business　without　a　dinner。　　Take　some
champagne；　to　begin　with。〃

He　opened　a　bottle；　and　filled　two　tumblers。　　〃It's　past　twelve
o'clock；　old　man；　so　here's　a　merry　Christmas　to　you；　and　both　of
us　ez　is　here。　　And　here's　another　to　our　familiesez　isn't。〃

They　both　drank　their　wine　stolidly。　　The　rain　beat　against　the
windows　sharply；　but　without　the　hollow　echoes　of　the　house　on　the
hill。　　〃I　must　write　to　the　old　woman　and　Mamie；　and　say　that　you
and　me　had　a　high　old　time　on　Christmas　Eve。〃

〃By　ourselves；〃　added　the　invalid。

Mr。　Mulrady　coughed。　　〃Nat'rallyby　ourselves。　　And　her
provisions；〃　he　added；　with　a　laugh。　　〃We're　really　beholden　to　HER
for　'em。　　If　she　hadn't　thought　of　having　them〃

〃For　somebody　else；　you　wouldn't　have　had　themwould　you？〃　said
Slinn；　slowly；　gazing　at　the　fire。

〃No；〃　said　Mulrady；　dubiously。