roughing it-第47节

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CHAPTER　XL。
I　now　come　to　a　curious　episodethe　most　curious；　I　think；　that　had　yet
accented　my　slothful；　valueless；　heedless　career。　　Out　of　a　hillside
toward　the　upper　end　of　the　town；　projected　a　wall　of　reddish　looking
quartz…croppings；　the　exposed　comb　of　a　silver…bearing　ledge　that
extended　deep　down　into　the　earth；　of　course。　　It　was　owned　by　a　company
entitled　the　〃Wide　West。〃　　There　was　a　shaft　sixty　or　seventy　feet　deep
on　the　under　side　of　the　croppings；　and　everybody　was　acquainted　with　the
rock　that　came　from　itand　tolerably　rich　rock　it　was；　too；　but　nothing
extraordinary。　　I　will　remark　here；　that　although　to　the　inexperienced
stranger　all　the　quartz　of　a　particular　〃district〃　looks　about　alike；　an
old　resident　of　the　camp　can　take　a　glance　at　a　mixed　pile　of　rock；
separate　the　fragments　and　tell　you　which　mine　each　came　from；　as　easily
as　a　confectioner　can　separate　and　classify　the　various　kinds　and
qualities　of　candy　in　a　mixed　heap　of　the　article。

All　at　once　the　town　was　thrown　into　a　state　of　extraordinary　excitement。
In　mining　parlance　the　Wide　West　had　〃struck　it　rich！〃　　Everybody　went　to
see　the　new　developments；　and　for　some　days　there　was　such　a　crowd　of
people　about　the　Wide　West　shaft　that　a　stranger　would　have　supposed
there　was　a　mass　meeting　in　session　there。　　No　other　topic　was　discussed
but　the　rich　strike；　and　nobody　thought　or　dreamed　about　anything　else。
Every　man　brought　away　a　specimen；　ground　it　up　in　a　hand　mortar；　washed
it　out　in　his　horn　spoon；　and　glared　speechless　upon　the　marvelous
result。　　It　was　not　hard　rock；　but　black；　decomposed　stuff　which　could　be
crumbled　in　the　hand　like　a　baked　potato；　and　when　spread　out　on　a　paper
exhibited　a　thick　sprinkling　of　gold　and　particles　of　〃native〃　silver。
Higbie　brought　a　handful　to　the　cabin；　and　when　he　had　washed　it　out　his
amazement　was　beyond　description。　　Wide　West　stock　soared　skywards。　　It
was　said　that　repeated　offers　had　been　made　for　it　at　a　thousand　dollars
a　foot；　and　promptly　refused。　　We　have　all　had　the　〃blues〃the　mere　sky…
bluesbut　mine　were　indigo；　nowbecause　I　did　not　own　in　the　Wide　West。
The　world　seemed　hollow　to　me；　and　existence　a　grief。　　I　lost　my
appetite；　and　ceased　to　take　an　interest　in　anything。　　Still　I　had　to
stay；　and　listen　to　other　people's　rejoicings；　because　I　had　no　money　to
get　out　of　the　camp　with。

The　Wide　West　company　put　a　stop　to　the　carrying　away　of　〃specimens；〃　and
well　they　might；　for　every　handful　of　the　ore　was　worth　a　sun　of　some
consequence。　　To　show　the　exceeding　value　of　the　ore；　I　will　remark　that
a　sixteen…hundred…pounds　parcel　of　it　was　sold；　just　as　it　lay；　at　the
mouth　of　the　shaft；　at　one　dollar　a　pound；　and　the　man　who　bought　it
〃packed〃　it　on　mules　a　hundred　and　fifty　or　two　hundred　miles；　over　the
mountains；　to　San　Francisco；　satisfied　that　it　would　yield　at　a　rate　that
would　richly　compensate　him　for　his　trouble。　　The　Wide　West　people　also
commanded　their　foreman　to　refuse　any　but　their　own　operatives　permission
to　enter　the　mine　at　any　time　or　for　any　purpose。　　I　kept　up　my　〃blue〃
meditations　and　Higbie　kept　up　a　deal　of　thinking；　too；　but　of　a
different　sort。　　He　puzzled　over　the　〃rock；〃　examined　it　with　a　glass；
inspected　it　in　different　lights　and　from　different　points　of　view；　and
after　each　experiment　delivered　himself；　in　soliloquy；　of　one　and　the
same　unvarying　opinion　in　the　same　unvarying　formula：

〃It　is　not　Wide　West　rock！〃

He　said　once　or　twice　that　he　meant　to　have　a　look　into　the　Wide　West
shaft　if　he　got　shot　for　it。　　I　was　wretched；　and　did　not　care　whether　he
got　a　look　into　it　or　not。　　He　failed　that　day；　and　tried　again　at　night；
failed　again；　got　up　at　dawn　and　tried；　and　failed　again。　　Then　he　lay　in
ambush　in　the　sage　brush　hour　after　hour；　waiting　for　the　two　or　three
hands　to　adjourn　to　the　shade　of　a　boulder　for　dinner；　made　a　start　once；
but　was　prematureone　of　the　men　came　back　for　something；　tried　it
again；　but　when　almost　at　the　mouth　of　the　shaft；　another　of　the　men　rose
up　from　behind　the　boulder　as　if　to　reconnoitre；　and　he　dropped　on　the
ground　and　lay　quiet；　presently　he　crawled　on　his　hands　and　knees　to　the
mouth　of　the　shaft；　gave　a　quick　glance　around；　then　seized　the　rope　and
slid　down　the　shaft。

He　disappeared　in　the　gloom　of　a　〃side　drift〃　just　as　a　head　appeared　in
the　mouth　of　the　shaft　and　somebody　shouted　〃Hello！〃which　he　did　not
answer。　　He　was　not　disturbed　any　more。　　An　hour　later　he　entered　the
cabin；　hot；　red；　and　ready　to　burst　with　smothered　excitement；　and
exclaimed　in　a　stage　whisper：

〃I　knew　it！　　We　are　rich！　　IT'S　A　BLIND　LEAD！〃

I　thought　the　very　earth　reeled　under　me。　　Doubtconvictiondoubt
againexultationhope；　amazement；　belief；　unbeliefevery　emotion
imaginable　swept　in　wild　procession　through　my　heart　and　brain；　and　I
could　not　speak　a　word。　　After　a　moment　or　two　of　this　mental　fury；　I
shook　myself　to　rights；　and　said：

〃Say　it　again！〃

〃It's　blind　lead！〃

〃Cal；　let'slet's　burn　the　houseor　kill　somebody！　　Let's　get　out　where
there's　room　to　hurrah！　　But　what　is　the　use？　　It　is　a　hundred　times　too
good　to　be　true。〃

〃It's　a　blind　lead；　for　a　million！hanging　wallfoot　wallclay
casingseverything　complete！〃　He　swung　his　hat　and　gave　three　cheers；
and　I　cast　doubt　to　the　winds　and　chimed　in　with　a　will。　　For　I　was　worth
a　million　dollars；　and　did　not　care　〃whether　school　kept　or　not！〃

But　perhaps　I　ought　to　explain。　　A　〃blind　lead〃　is　a　lead　or　ledge　that
does　not　〃crop　out〃　above　the　surface。　　A　miner　does　not　know　where　to
look　for　such　leads；　but　they　are　often　stumbled　upon　by　accident　in　the
course　of　driving　a　tunnel　or　sinking　a　shaft。　　Higbie　knew　the　Wide　West
rock　perfectly　well；　and　the　more　he　had　examined　the　new　developments
the　more　he　was　satisfied　that　the　ore　could　not　have　come　from　the　Wide
West　vein。　　And　so　had　it　occurred　to　him　alone；　of　all　the　camp；　that
there　was　a　blind　lead　down　in　the　shaft；　and　that　even　the　Wide　West
people　themselves　did　not　suspect　it。　　He　was　right。　　When　he　went　down
the　shaft；　he　found　that　the　blind　lead　held　its　independent　way　through
the　Wide　West　vein；　cutting　it　diagonally；　and　that　it　was　enclosed　in
its　own　well…defined　casing…rocks　and　clay。　　Hence　it　was　public
property。　　Both　leads　being　perfectly　well　defined；　it　was　easy　for　any
miner　to　see　which　one　belonged　to　the　Wide　West　and　which　did　not。

We　thought　it　well　to　have　a　strong　friend；　and　therefore　we　brought　the
foreman　of　the　Wide　West　to　our　cabin　that　night　and　revealed　the　great
surprise　to　him。　　Higbie　said：

〃We　are　going　to　take　possession　of　this　blind　lead；　record　it　and
establish　ownership；　and　then　forbid　the　Wide　West　company　to　take　out
any　more　of　the　rock。　　You　cannot　help　your　company　in　this　matter
nobody　can　help　them。　　I　will　go　into　the　shaft　with　you　and　prove　to
your　entire　satisfaction　that　it　is　a　blind　lead。　　Now　we　propose　to　take
you　in　with　us；　and　claim　the　blind　lead　in　our　three　names。　　What　do　you
say？〃

What　could　a　man　say　who　had　an　opportunity　to　simply　stretch　forth　his
hand　and　take　possession　of　a　fortune　without　risk　of　any　kind　and
without　wronging　any　one　or　attaching　the　least　taint　of　dishonor　to　his
name？　　He　could　only　say；　〃Agreed。〃

The　notice　was　put　up　that　night；　and　duly　spread　upon　the　recorder's
books　before　ten　o'clock。　　We　claimed　two　hundred　feet　eachsix　hundred
feet　in　allthe　smallest　and　compactest　organization　in　the　district；
and　the　easiest　to　manage。

No　one　can　be　so　thoughtless　as　to　suppose　that　we　slept；　that　night。
Higbie　and　I　went　to　bed　at　midnight；　but　it　was　only　to　lie　broad　awake
and　think；　dream；　scheme。　　The　floorless；　tumble…down　cabin　was　a　palace；
the　ragged　gray　blankets　silk；　the　furniture　rosewood　and　mahogany。
Each　new　splendor　that　burst　out　of　my　visions　of　the　future　whirled　me
bodily　over　in　bed　or　jerked　me　to　a　sitting　posture　just　as　if　an
electric　battery　had　been　applied　to　me。　　We　shot　fragments　of
conversation　back　and　forth　at　each　other。　　Once　Higbie　said：

〃When　are　you　going　hometo　the　States？〃

〃To…morrow！〃with　an　evolution　or　two；　ending　with　a　sitting　position。
〃Wellnobut　next　month；　at　furthest。〃

〃We'll　go　in　the　same　steamer。〃

〃Agreed。〃

A　pause。

〃Steamer　of　the　10th？〃

〃Yes。　　No；　the　1st。〃

〃All　right。〃

Another　pause。

〃Where　are　you　going　to　live？〃　　said　Higbie。

〃San　Francisco。〃

〃That's　me！〃

Pause。

〃Too　hightoo　much　climbing〃from　Higbie。

〃What　is？〃

〃I　was　thinking　of　Russian　Hillbuilding　a　house　up　there。〃

〃Too　much　climbing？　　Shan't　you　keep　a　carriage？〃

〃Of　course。　　I　forgot　that。〃

Pause。

〃Cal。；　what　kind　of　a　house　are　you　going　to　build？〃

〃I　was　thinking　about　that。　　Three…story　and　an　attic。〃

〃But　what　kind？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　hardly　know。　　Brick；　I　suppose。〃

〃Brickbosh。〃

〃Why？　　What　is　your　idea？〃

〃Brown　stone　frontFrench　plate　glassbilliard…room　off　the　dining…
roomstatuary　and　paintingsshrubbery　and　two…acre　grass　plat
greenhouseiron　dog　on　the　front　stoopgray　horseslandau；　and　a
coachman　with　a　bug　on　his　hat！〃

〃By　George！〃

A　long　pause。

〃Cal。；　when　are　you　going　to　Europe？〃