a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


property。　　When　the　company　had　yielded　the　point；　he　declined；
with　equal　tenacity；　to　part　with　it　to　outside　speculators　on　even
the　most　extravagant　offers。　　In　vain　Mrs。　Mulrady　protested；　in
vain　she　pointed　out　to　him　that　the　retention　of　the　evidence　of
his　former　humble　occupation　was　a　green　blot　upon　their　social
escutcheon。

〃If　you　will　keep　the　land；　build　on　it；　and　root　up　the　garden。〃
But　Mulrady　was　adamant。

〃It's　the　only　thing　I　ever　made　myself；　and　got　out　of　the　soil
with　my　own　hands；　it's　the　beginning　of　my　fortune；　and　it　may　be
the　end　of　it。　　Mebbee　I'll　be　glad　enough　to　have　it　to　come　back
to　some　day；　and　be　thankful　for　the　square　meal　I　can　dig　out　of
it。〃

By　repeated　pressure；　however；　Mulrady　yielded　the　compromise　that
a　portion　of　it　should　be　made　into　a　vineyard　and　flower…garden；
and　by　a　suitable　coloring　of　ornament　and　luxury　obliterate　its
vulgar　part。　　Less　successful；　however；　was　that　energetic　woman　in
another　effort　to　mitigate　the　austerities　of　their　earlier　state。
It　occurred　to　her　to　utilize　the　softer　accents　of　Don　Caesar　in
the　pronunciation　of　their　family　name；　and　privately　had　〃Mulrade〃
take　the　place　of　Mulrady　on　her　visiting　card。　　〃It　might　be
Spanish；〃　she　argued　with　her　husband。　　〃Lawyer　Cole　says　most
American　names　are　corrupted；　and　how　do　you　know　that　yours
ain't？〃　　Mulrady；　who　would　not　swear　that　his　ancestors　came　from
Ireland　to　the　Carolinas　in　'98；　was　helpless　to　refute　the
assertion。　　But　the　terrible　Nemesis　of　an　un…Spanish；　American
provincial　speech　avenged　the　orthographical　outrage　at　once。　　When
Mrs。　Mulrady　began　to　be　addressed　orally；　as　well　as　by　letter；　as
〃Mrs。　Mulraid；〃　and　when　simple　amatory　effusions　to　her　daughter
rhymed　with　〃lovely　maid；〃　she　promptly　refused　the　original　vowel。
But　she　fondly　clung　to　the　Spanish　courtesy　which　transformed　her
husband's　baptismal　name；　and　usually　spoke　of　himin　his　absence
as　〃Don　Alvino。〃　　But　in　the　presence　of　his　short；　square　figure；
his　orange　tawny　hair；　his　twinkling　gray　eyes；　and　retrousse　nose；
even　that　dominant　woman　withheld　his　title。　　It　was　currently
reported　at　Red　Dog　that　a　distinguished　foreigner　had　one　day
approached　Mulrady　with　the　formula；　〃I　believe　I　have　the　honor　of
addressing　Don　Alvino　Mulrady？〃　　〃You　kin　bet　your　boots；　stranger；
that's　me；〃　had　returned　that　simple　hidalgo。

Although　Mrs。　Mulrady　would　have　preferred　that　Mamie　should　remain
at　Sacramento　until　she　could　join　her；　preparatory　to　a　trip　to
〃the　States〃　and　Europe；　she　yielded　to　her　daughter's　desire　to
astonish　Rough…and…Ready；　before　she　left；　with　her　new　wardrobe；
and　unfold　in　the　parent　nest　the　delicate　and　painted　wings　with
which　she　was　to　fly　from　them　forever。　　〃I　don't　want　them　to
remember　me　afterwards　in　those　spotted　prints；　ma；　and　like　as　not
say　I　never　had　a　decent　frock　until　I　went　away。〃　　There　was
something　so　like　the　daughter　of　her　mother　in　this　delicate
foresight　that　the　touched　and　gratified　parent　kissed　her；　and
assented。　　The　result　was　gratifying　beyond　her　expectation。　　In
that　few　weeks'　sojourn　at　Sacramento；　the　young　girl　seemed　to
have　adapted　and　assimilated　herself　to　the　latest　modes　of　fashion
with　even　more　than　the　usual　American　girl's　pliancy　and　taste。
Equal　to　all　emergencies　of　style　and　material；　she　seemed　to
supply；　from　some　hitherto　unknown　quality　she　possessed；　the　grace
and　manner　peculiar　to　each。　　Untrammeled　by　tradition；　education；
or　precedent；　she　had　the　Western　girl's　confidence　in　all　things
being　possible；　which　made　them　so　often　probable。　　Mr。　Mulrady
looked　at　his　daughter　with　mingled　sentiments　of　pride　and　awe。
Was　it　possible　that　this　delicate　creature；　so　superior　to　him
that　he　seemed　like　a　degenerate　scion　of　her　remoter　race；　was　his
own　flesh　and　blood？　　Was　she　the　daughter　of　her　mother；　who　even
in　her　remembered　youth　was　never　equipped　like　this？　　If　the
thought　brought　no　pleasure　to　his　simple；　loving　nature；　it　at
least　spared　him　the　pain　of　what　might　have　seemed　ingratitude　in
one　more　akin　to　himself。　　〃The　fact　is；　we　ain't　quite　up　to　her
style；〃　was　his　explanation　and　apology。　　A　vague　belief　that　in
another　and　a　better　world　than　this　he　might　approximate　and
understand　this　perfection　somewhat　soothed　and　sustained　him。

It　was　quite　consistent；　therefore；　that　the　embroidered　cambric
dress　which　Mamie　Mulrady　wore　one　summer　afternoon　on　the　hillside
at　Los　Gatos；　while　to　the　critical　feminine　eye　at　once　artistic
and　expensive；　should　not　seem　incongruous　to　her　surroundings　or
to　herself　in　the　eyes　of　a　general　audience。　　It　certainly　did　not
seem　so　to　one　pair　of　frank；　humorous　ones　that　glanced　at　her
from　time　to　time；　as　their　owner；　a　young　fellow　of　five…and…
twenty；　walked　at　her　side。　　He　was　the　new　editor　of　the　〃Rough…
and…Ready　Record；〃　and；　having　been　her　fellow…passenger　from
Sacramento；　had　already　once　or　twice　availed　himself　of　her
father's　invitation　to　call　upon　them。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　had　not
discouraged　this　mild　flirtation。　　Whether　she　wished　to　disconcert
Don　Caesar　for　some　occult　purpose；　or　whether；　like　the　rest　of
her　sex；　she　had　an　overweening　confidence　in　the　unheroic；
unseductive；　and　purely　platonic　character　of　masculine　humor；　did
not　appear。

〃When　I　say　I'm　sorry　you　are　going　to　leave　us；　Miss　Mulrady；〃
said　the　young　fellow；　lightly；　〃you　will　comprehend　my
unselfishness；　since　I　frankly　admit　your　departure　would　be　a
positive　relief　to　me　as　an　editor　and　a　man。　　The　pressure　in　the
Poet's　Corner　of　the　'Record'　since　it　was　mistakingly　discovered
that　a　person　of　your　name　might　be　induced　to　seek　the　'glade'　and
'shade'　without　being　'afraid；'　'dismayed；'　or　'betrayed；'　has　been
something　enormous；　and；　unfortunately；　I　am　debarred　from
rejecting　anything；　on　the　just　ground　that　I　am　myself　an
interested　admirer。〃

〃It's　dreadful　to　be　placarded　around　the　country　by　one's　own　full
name；　isn't　it？〃　said　Mamie；　without；　however；　expressing　much
horror　in　her　face。

〃They　think　it　much　more　respectful　than　to　call　you　'Mamie；'〃　he
responded；　lightly；　〃and　many　of　your　admirers　are　middle…aged　men；
with　a　mediaeval　style　of　compliment。　　I've　discovered　that　amatory
versifying　wasn't　entirely　a　youthful　passion。　　Colonel　Cash　is
about　as　fatal　with　a　couplet　as　with　a　double…barreled　gun；　and
scatters　as　terribly。　　Judge　Butts　and　Dr。　Wilson　have　both
discerned　the　resemblance　of　your　gifts　to　those　of　Venus；　and
their　own　to　Apollo。　　But　don't　undervalue　those　tributes；　Miss
Mulrady；〃　he　added；　more　seriously。　　〃You'll　have　thousands　of
admirers　where　you　are　going；　but　you'll　be　willing　to　admit　in　the
end；　I　think；　that　none　were　more　honest　and　respectful　than　your
subjects　at　Rough…and…Ready　and　Red　Dog。〃　　He　stopped；　and　added　in
a　graver　tone；　〃Does　Don　Caesar　write　poetry？〃

〃He　has　something　better　to　do；〃　said　the　young　lady；　pertly。

〃I　can　easily　imagine　that；〃　he　returned；　mischievously；　〃it　must
be　a　pallid　substitute　for　other　opportunities。〃

〃What　did　you　come　here　for？〃　she　asked；　suddenly。

〃To　see　you。〃

〃Nonsense！　　You　know　what　I　mean。　　Why　did　you　ever　leave
Sacramento　to　come　here？　　I　should　think　it　would　suit　you　so　much
better　than　this　place。〃

〃I　suppose　I　was　fired　by　your　father's　example；　and　wished　to　find
a　gold　mine。〃

〃Men　like　you　never　do；〃　she　said；　simply。

〃Is　that　a　compliment；　Miss　Mulrady？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　I　think　that　you　think　that　it　is。〃

He　gave　her　the　pleased　look　of　one　who　had　unexpectedly　found　a
sympathetic　intelligence。　　〃Do　I？　　This　is　interesting。　　Let's　sit
down。〃　　In　their　desultory　rambling　they　had　reached；　quite
unconsciously；　the　large　boulder　at　the　roadside。　　Mamie　hesitated
a　moment；　looked　up　and　down　the　road；　and　then；　with　an　already
opulent　indifference　to　the　damaging　of　her　spotless　skirt；　sat
herself　upon　it；　with　her　furled　parasol　held　by　her　two　little
hands　thrown　over　her　half…drawn…up　knee。　　The　young　editor；　half
sitting；　half　leaning；　against　the　stone；　began　to　draw　figures　in
the　sand　with　his　cane。

〃On　the　contrary；　Miss　Mulrady；　I　hope　to　make　some　money　here。
You　are　leaving　Rough…and…Ready　because　you　are　rich。　　We　are
coming　to　it　because　we　are　poor。〃

〃We？〃　echoed　Mamie；　lazily；　looking　up　the　road。

〃Yes。　　My　father　and　two　sisters。〃

〃I　am　sorry。　　I　might　have　known　them　if　I　hadn't　been　going　away。〃
At　the　same　moment；　it　flashed　across　her　mind　that；　if　they　were
like　the　man　before　her；　they　might　prove　disagreeably　independent
and　critical。　　〃Is　your　father　in　business？〃　she　asked。

He　shook　his　head。　　After　a　pause；　he　said；　punctuating　his
sentences　with　the　point　of　his　stick　in　the　soft　dust；　〃He　is
paralyzed；　and　out　of　his　mind；　Miss　Mulrady。　　I　came　to　California
to　seek　him；　as　all　news　of　him　ceased　three　years　since；　and　I
found　him　only　two　weeks　ago；　alone；　friendlessan　unrecognized
pauper　in　the　county　hospital。〃

〃Two　weeks　ago？　　That　was　when　I　went　to　Sacramento。〃

〃Very　probably。〃

〃It　must　have　been　very　shocking　to　you？〃

〃It　was。〃

〃I　should　think　yo