roughing it-第74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！


grain　on　the　piers；　when　that　failed　he　had　found　food　here　and　there　as
chance　threw　it　in　his　way。　　He　had　ceased　to　show　his　face　in　daylight；
now；　for　a　reporter　knows　everybody；　rich　and　poor；　high　and　low；　and
cannot　well　avoid　familiar　faces　in　the　broad　light　of　day。

This　mendicant　BlucherI　call　him　that　for　conveniencewas　a　splendid
creature。　　He　was　full　of　hope；　pluck　and　philosophy；　he　was　well　read
and　a　man　of　cultivated　taste；　he　had　a　bright　wit　and　was　a　master　of
satire；　his　kindliness　and　his　generous　spirit　made　him　royal　in　my　eyes
and　changed　his　curb…stone　seat　to　a　throne　and　his　damaged　hat　to　a
crown。

He　had　an　adventure；　once；　which　sticks　fast　in　my　memory　as　the　most
pleasantly　grotesque　that　ever　touched　my　sympathies。　　He　had　been
without　a　penny　for　two　months。　　He　had　shirked　about　obscure　streets；
among　friendly　dim　lights；　till　the　thing　had　become　second　nature　to
him。　　But　at　last　he　was　driven　abroad　in　daylight。　　The　cause　was
sufficient；　he　had　not　tasted　food　for　forty…eight　hours；　and　he　could
not　endure　the　misery　of　his　hunger　in　idle　hiding。　　He　came　along　a　back
street；　glowering　at　the　loaves　in　bake…shop　windows；　and　feeling　that　he
could　trade　his　life　away　for　a　morsel　to　eat。　　The　sight　of　the　bread
doubled　his　hunger；　but　it　was　good　to　look　at　it；　any　how；　and　imagine
what　one　might　do　if　one　only　had　it。

Presently；　in　the　middle　of　the　street　he　saw　a　shining　spotlooked
againdid　not；　and　could　not；　believe　his　eyesturned　away；　to　try
them；　then　looked　again。　　It　was　a　verityno　vain；　hunger…inspired
delusionit　was　a　silver　dime！

He　snatched　itgloated　over　it；　doubted　itbit　itfound　it　genuine
choked　his　heart　down；　and　smothered　a　halleluiah。　　Then　he　looked
aroundsaw　that　nobody　was　looking　at　himthrew　the　dime　down　where　it
was　beforewalked　away　a　few　steps；　and　approached　again；　pretending　he
did　not　know　it　was　there；　so　that　he　could　re…enjoy　the　luxury　of
finding　it。　　He　walked　around　it；　viewing　it　from　different　points；　then
sauntered　about　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　looking　up　at　the　signs
and　now　and　then　glancing　at　it　and　feeling　the　old　thrill　again。
Finally　he　took　it　up；　and　went　away；　fondling　it　in　his　pocket。　　He
idled　through　unfrequented　streets；　stopping　in　doorways　and　corners　to
take　it　out　and　look　at　it。　　By　and　by　he　went　home　to　his　lodgingsan
empty　queens…ware　hogshead；and　employed　himself　till　night　trying　to
make　up　his　mind　what　to　buy　with　it。　　But　it　was　hard　to　do。　　To　get　the
most　for　it　was　the　idea。　　He　knew　that　at　the　Miner's　Restaurant　he
could　get　a　plate　of　beans　and　a　piece　of　bread　for　ten　cents；　or　a　fish…
ball　and　some　few　trifles；　but　they　gave　〃no　bread　with　one　fish…ball〃
there。　　At　French　Pete's　he　could　get　a　veal　cutlet；　plain；　and　some
radishes　and　bread；　for　ten　cents；　or　a　cup　of　coffeea　pint　at　least
and　a　slice　of　bread；　but　the　slice　was　not　thick　enough　by　the　eighth　of
an　inch；　and　sometimes　they　were　still　more　criminal　than　that　in　the
cutting　of　it。　　At　seven　o'clock　his　hunger　was　wolfish；　and　still　his
mind　was　not　made　up。　　He　turned　out　and　went　up　Merchant　street；　still
ciphering；　and　chewing　a　bit　of　stick；　as　is　the　way　of　starving　men。

He　passed　before　the　lights　of　Martin's　restaurant；　the　most　aristocratic
in　the　city；　and　stopped。　　It　was　a　place　where　he　had　often　dined；　in
better　days；　and　Martin　knew　him　well。　　Standing　aside；　just　out　of　the
range　of　the　light；　he　worshiped　the　quails　and　steaks　in　the　show
window；　and　imagined　that　may　be　the　fairy　times　were　not　gone　yet　and
some　prince　in　disguise　would　come　along　presently　and　tell　him　to　go　in
there　and　take　whatever　he　wanted。　　He　chewed　his　stick　with　a　hungry
interest　as　he　warmed　to　his　subject。　　Just　at　this　juncture　he　was
conscious　of　some　one　at　his　side；　sure　enough；　and　then　a　finger　touched
his　arm。　　He　looked　up；　over　his　shoulder；　and　saw　an　apparitiona　very
allegory　of　Hunger！　　It　was　a　man　six　feet　high；　gaunt；　unshaven；　hung
with　rags；　with　a　haggard　face　and　sunken　cheeks；　and　eyes　that　pleaded
piteously。　　This　phantom　said：

〃Come　with　meplease。〃

He　locked　his　arm　in　Blucher's　and　walked　up　the　street　to　where　the
passengers　were　few　and　the　light　not　strong；　and　then　facing　about；　put
out　his　hands　in　a　beseeching　way；　and　said：

〃Friendstrangerlook　at　me！　　Life　is　easy　to　youyou　go　about；　placid
and　content；　as　I　did　once；　in　my　dayyou　have　been　in　there；　and　eaten
your　sumptuous　supper；　and　picked　your　teeth；　and　hummed　your　tune；　and
thought　your　pleasant　thoughts；　and　said　to　yourself　it　is　a　good　world
but　you've　never　suffered！　　You　don't　know　what　trouble　isyou　don't
know　what　misery　isnor　hunger！　　Look　at　me！　　Stranger　have　pity　on　a
poor　friendless；　homeless　dog！　　As　God　is　my　judge；　I　have　not　tasted
food　for　eight　and　forty　hours！look　in　my　eyes　and　see　if　I　lie！　　Give
me　the　least　trifle　in　the　world　to　keep　me　from　starvinganything
twenty…five　cents！　　Do　it；　strangerdo　it；　please。　　It　will　be　nothing
to　you；　but　life　to　me。　　Do　it；　and　I　will　go　down　on　my　knees　and　lick
the　dust　before　you！　　I　will　kiss　your　footprintsI　will　worship　the
very　ground　you　walk　on！　　Only　twenty…five　cents！　　I　am　famishing
perishingstarving　by　inches！　　For　God's　sake　don't　desert　me！〃

Blucher　was　bewilderedand　touched；　toostirred　to　the　depths。　　He
reflected。　　Thought　again。　　Then　an　idea　struck　him；　and　he　said：

〃Come　with　me。〃

He　took　the　outcast's　arm；　walked　him　down　to　Martin's　restaurant；　seated
him　at　a　marble　table；　placed　the　bill　of　fare　before　him；　and　said：

〃Order　what　you　want；　friend。　　Charge　it　to　me；　Mr。　Martin。〃

〃All　right；　Mr。　Blucher；〃　said　Martin。

Then　Blucher　stepped　back　and　leaned　against　the　counter　and　watched　the
man　stow　away　cargo　after　cargo　of　buckwheat　cakes　at　seventy…five　cents
a　plate；　cup　after　cup　of　coffee；　and　porter　house　steaks　worth　two
dollars　apiece；　and　when　six　dollars　and　a　half's　worth　of　destruction
had　been　accomplished；　and　the　stranger's　hunger　appeased；　Blucher　went
down　to　French　Pete's；　bought　a　veal　cutlet　plain；　a　slice　of　bread；　and
three　radishes；　with　his　dime；　and　set　to　and　feasted　like　a　king！

Take　the　episode　all　around；　it　was　as　odd　as　any　that　can　be　culled　from
the　myriad　curiosities　of　Californian　life；　perhaps。




CHAPTER　LX。

By　and　by；　an　old　friend　of　mine；　a　miner；　came　down　from　one　of　the
decayed　mining　camps　of　Tuolumne；　California；　and　I　went　back　with　him。
We　lived　in　a　small　cabin　on　a　verdant　hillside；　and　there　were　not　five
other　cabins　in　view　over　the　wide　expanse　of　hill　and　forest。　　Yet　a
flourishing　city　of　two　or　three　thousand　population　had　occupied　this
grassy　dead　solitude　during　the　flush　times　of　twelve　or　fifteen　years
before；　and　where　our　cabin　stood　had　once　been　the　heart　of　the　teeming
hive；　the　centre　of　the　city。　　When　the　mines　gave　out　the　town　fell　into
decay；　and　in　a　few　years　wholly　disappearedstreets；　dwellings；　shops；
everythingand　left　no　sign。　　The　grassy　slopes　were　as　green　and　smooth
and　desolate　of　life　as　if　they　had　never　been　disturbed。　　The　mere
handful　of　miners　still　remaining；　had　seen　the　town　spring　up　spread；
grow　and　flourish　in　its　pride；　and　they　had　seen　it　sicken　and　die；　and
pass　away　like　a　dream。　　With　it　their　hopes　had　died；　and　their　zest　of
life。　　They　had　long　ago　resigned　themselves　to　their　exile；　and　ceased
to　correspond　with　their　distant　friends　or　turn　longing　eyes　toward
their　early　homes。　　They　had　accepted　banishment；　forgotten　the　world　and
been　forgotten　of　the　world。　　They　were　far　from　telegraphs　and
railroads；　and　they　stood；　as　it　were；　in　a　living　grave；　dead　to　the
events　that　stirred　the　globe's　great　populations；　dead　to　the　common
interests　of　men；　isolated　and　outcast　from　brotherhood　with　their　kind。
It　was　the　most　singular；　and　almost　the　most　touching　and　melancholy
exile　that　fancy　can　imagine。One　of　my　associates　in　this　locality；　for
two　or　three　months；　was　a　man　who　had　had　a　university　education；　but
now　for　eighteen　years　he　had　decayed　there　by　inches；　a　bearded；　rough…
clad；　clay…stained　miner；　and　at　times；　among　his　sighings　and
soliloquizings；　he　unconsciously　interjected　vaguely　remembered　Latin　and
Greek　sentencesdead　and　musty　tongues；　meet　vehicles　for　the　thoughts
of　one　whose　dreams　were　all　of　the　past；　whose　life　was　a　failure；　a
tired　man；　burdened　with　the　present；　and　indifferent　to　the　future；　a
man　without　ties；　hopes；　interests；　waiting　for　rest　and　the　end。

In　that　one　little　corner　of　California　is　found　a　species　of　mining
which　is　seldom　or　never　mentioned　in　print。　　It　is　called　〃pocket
mining〃　and　I　am　not　aware　that　any　of　it　is　done　outside　of　that　little
corner。　　The　gold　is　not　evenly　distributed　through　the　surface　dirt；　as
in　ordinary　placer　mines；　but　is　collected　in　little　spots；　and　they　are
very　wide　apart　and　exceedingly　hard　to　find；　but　when　you　do　find　one
you　reap　a　rich　and　sudden　harvest。　　There　are　not　now　more　than　twenty
pocket　miners　in　that　entire　little　region。　　I　think　I　know　every　one　of
them　personally。　　I　have　known　one　of　them　to　hunt　patiently　about　the