brown of calaveras-第2节

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twenty　times　that　amount　from　me。〃



The　conclusion　was；　perhaps；　not　entirely　logical；　but　Jack

overlooked　it；　and　handed　the　sum　to　his　visitor。　　〃The　old…woman

business　is　about　played　out；　Brown；〃　he　added；　by　way　of

commentary；　〃why　don't　you　say　you　want　to　buck　agin'　faro？　　You

know　you　ain't　married！〃



〃Fact；　sir；〃　said　Brown；　with　a　sudden　gravity；　as　if　the　mere

contact　of　the　gold　with　the　palm　of　the　hand　had　imparted　some

dignity　to　his　frame。　　〃I've　got　a　wifea　damned　good　one；　too；　if

I　do　say　itin　the　States。　　It's　three　year　since　I've　seen　her；

and　a　year　since　I've　writ　to　her。　　When　things　is　about　straight；

and　we　get　down　to　the　lead；　I'm　going　to　send　for　her。〃



〃And　Kate？〃　queried　Mr。　Hamlin；　with　his　previous　smile。



Mr。　Brown　of　Calaveras　essayed　an　archness　of　glance；　to　cover　his

confusion；　which　his　weak　face　and　whisky…muddled　intellect　but

poorly　carried　out；　and　said：



〃Damn　it；　Jack；　a　man　must　have　a　little　liberty；　you　know。　　But

come；　what　do　you　say　to　a　little　game？　　Give　us　a　show　to　double

this　hundred。〃



Jack　Hamlin　looked　curiously　at　his　fatuous　friend。　　Perhaps　he

knew　that　the　man　was　predestined　to　lose　the　money；　and　preferred

that　it　should　flow　back　into　his　own　coffers　rather　than　any

other。　　He　nodded　his　head；　and　drew　his　chair　toward　the　table。

At　the　same　moment　there　came　a　rap　upon　the　door。



〃It's　Kate；〃　said　Mr。　Brown。



Mr。　Hamlin　shot　back　the　bolt；　and　the　door　opened。　　But；　for　the

first　time　in　his　life；　he　staggered　to　his　feet；　utterly　unnerved

and　abashed；　and　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　the　hot　blood

crimsoned　his　colorless　cheeks　to　his　forehead。　　For　before　him

stood　the　lady　he　had　lifted　from　the　Wingdam　coach；　whom　Brown

dropping　his　cards　with　a　hysterical　laughgreeted　as：



〃My　old　woman；　by　thunder！〃



They　say　that　Mrs。　Brown　burst　into　tears；　and　reproaches　of　her

husband。　　I　saw　her；　in　1857；　at　Marysville；　and　disbelieve　the

story。　　And　the　WINGDAM　CHRONICLE；　of　the　next　week；　under　the　head

of　〃Touching　Reunion；〃　said：　〃One　of　those　beautiful　and　touching

incidents；　peculiar　to　California　life；　occurred　last　week　in　our

city。　　The　wife　of　one　of　Wingdam's　eminent　pioneers；　tired　of　the

effete　civilization　of　the　East　and　its　inhospitable　climate；

resolved　to　join　her　noble　husband　upon　these　golden　shores。

Without　informing　him　of　her　intention；　she　undertook　the　long

journey；　and　arrived　last　week。　　The　joy　of　the　husband　may　be

easier　imagined　than　described。　　The　meeting　is　said　to　have　been

indescribably　affecting。　　We　trust　her　example　may　be　followed。〃





Whether　owing　to　Mrs。　Brown's　influence；　or　to　some　more　successful

speculations；　Mr。　Brown's　financial　fortune　from　that　day　steadily

improved。　　He　bought　out　his　partners　in　the　〃Nip　and　Tuck〃　lead；

with　money　which　was　said　to　have　been　won　at　poker；　a　week　or　two

after　his　wife's　arrival；　but　which　rumor；　adopting　Mrs。　Brown's

theory　that　Brown　had　forsworn　the　gaming…table；　declared　to　have

been　furnished　by　Mr。　Jack　Hamlin。　　He　built　and　furnished　the

〃Wingdam　House；〃　which　pretty　Mrs。　Brown's　great　popularity　kept

overflowing　with　guests。　　He　was　elected　to　the　Assembly；　and　gave

largess　to　churches。　　A　street　in　Wingdam　was　named　in　his　honor。



Yet　it　was　noted　that　in　proportion　as　he　waxed　wealthy　and

fortunate；　he　grew　pale；　thin；　and　anxious。　　As　his　wife's

popularity　increased；　he　became　fretful　and　impatient。　　The　most

uxorious　of　husbands；　he　was　absurdly　jealous。　　If　he　did　not

interfere　with　his　wife's　social　liberty；　it　was　because　it　was

maliciously　whispered　that　his　first　and　only　attempt　was　met　by　an

outburst　from　Mrs。　Brown　that　terrified　him　into　silence。　　Much　of

this　kind　of　gossip　came　from　those　of　her　own　sex　whom　she　had

supplanted　in　the　chivalrous　attentions　of　Wingdam；　which；　like

most　popular　chivalry；　was　devoted　to　an　admiration　of　power；

whether　of　masculine　force　or　feminine　beauty。　　It　should　be

remembered；　too；　in　her　extenuation　that　since　her　arrival；　she　had

been　the　unconscious　priestess　of　a　mythological　worship；　perhaps

not　more　ennobling　to　her　womanhood　than　that　which　distinguished

an　older　Greek　democracy。　　I　think　that　Brown　was　dimly　conscious

of　this。　　But　his　only　confidant　was　Jack　Hamlin；　whose　INFELIX

reputation　naturally　precluded　any　open　intimacy　with　the　family；

and　whose　visits　were　infrequent。



It　was　midsummer；　and　a　moonlit　night；　and　Mrs。　Brown；　very　rosy；

large…eyed；　and　pretty；　sat　upon　the　piazza；　enjoying　the　fresh

incense　of　the　mountain　breeze；　and；　it　is　to　be　feared；　another

incense　which　was　not　so　fresh；　nor　quite　as　innocent。　　Beside　her

sat　Colonel　Starbottle　and　Judge　Boompointer；　and　a　later　addition

to　her　court　in　the　shape　of　a　foreign　tourist。　　She　was　in　good

spirits。



〃What　do　you　see　down　the　road？〃　inquired　the　gallant　Colonel；　who

had　been　conscious；　for　the　last　few　minutes；　that　Mrs。　Brown's

attention　was　diverted。



〃Dust；〃　said　Mrs。　Brown；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Only　Sister　Anne's　'flock

of　sheep。'〃



The　Colonel；　whose　literary　recollections　did　not　extend　farther

back　than　last　week's　paper；　took　a　more　practical　view。　　〃It　ain't

sheep；〃　he　continued；　〃it's　a　horseman。　　Judge；　ain't　that　Jack

Hamlin's　gray？〃



But　the　Judge　didn't　know；　and　as　Mrs。　Brown　suggested　the　air　was

growing　too　cold　for　further　investigations；　they　retired　to　the

parlor。



Mr。　Brown　was　in　the　stable；　where　he　generally　retired　after

dinner。　　Perhaps　it　was　to　show　his　contempt　for　his　wife's

companions；　perhaps；　like　other　weak　natures；　he　found　pleasure　in

the　exercise　of　absolute　power　over　inferior　animals。　　He　had　a

certain　gratification　in　the　training　of　a　chestnut　mare；　whom　he

could　beat　or　caress　as　pleased　him；　which　he　couldn't　do　with　Mrs。

Brown。　　It　was　here　that　he　recognized　a　certain　gray　horse　which

had　just　come　in；　and；　looking　a　little　farther　on；　found　his

rider。　　Brown's　greeting　was　cordial　and　hearty；　Mr。　Hamlin's

somewhat　restrained。　　But　at　Brown's　urgent　request；　he　followed

him　up　the　back　stairs　to　a　narrow　corridor；　and　thence　to　a　small

room　looking　out　upon　the　stable　yard。　　It　was　plainly　furnished

with　a　bed；　a　table；　a　few　chairs；　and　a　rack　for　guns　and　whips。



〃This　yer's　my　home；　Jack；〃　said　Brown；　with　a　sigh；　as　he　threw

himself　upon　the　bed；　and　motioned　his　companion　to　a　chair。　　〃Her

room's　t'other　end　of　the　hall。　　It's　more'n　six　months　since　we've

lived　together；　or　met；　except　at　meals。　　It's　mighty　rough　papers

on　the　head　of　the　house；　ain't　it？〃　he　said；　with　a　forced　laugh。

〃But　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　Jack；　damn　glad；〃　and　he　reached　from　the

bed；　and　again　shook　the　unresponsive　hand　of　Jack　Hamlin。



〃I　brought　ye　up　here；　for　I　didn't　want　to　talk　in　the　stable；

though；　for　the　matter　of　that；　it's　all　round　town。　　Don't　strike

a　light。　　We　can　talk　here　in　the　moonshine。　　Put　up　your　feet　on

that　winder；　and　sit　here　beside　me。　　Thar's　whisky　in　that　jug。〃



Mr。　Hamlin　did　not　avail　himself　of　the　information。　　Brown　of

Calaveras　turned　his　face　to　the　wall　and　continued：



〃If　I　didn't　love　the　woman；　Jack；　I　wouldn't　mind。　　But　it's

loving　her；　and　seeing　her；　day　arter　day；　goin'　on　at　this　rate；

and　no　one　to　put　down　the　brake；　that's　what　gits　me！　　But　I'm

glad　to　see　ye；　Jack；　damn　glad。〃



In　the　darkness　he　groped　about　until　he　had　found　and　wrung　his

companion's　hand　again。　　He　would　have　detained　it；　but　Jack

slipped　it　into　the　buttoned　breast　of　his　coat；　and　asked；

listlessly；　〃How　long　has　this　been　going　on？〃



〃Ever　since　she　came　here；　ever　since　the　day　she　walked　into　the

Magnolia。　　I　was　a　fool　then；　Jack；　I'm　a　fool　now；　but　I　didn't

know　how　much　I　loved　her　till　then。　　And　she　hasn't　been　the　same

woman　since。



〃But　that　ain't　all；　Jack；　and　it's　what　I　wanted　to　see　you　about；

and　I'm　glad　you've　come。　　It　ain't　that　she　doesn't　love　me　any

more；　it　ain't　that　she　fools　with　every　chap　that　comes　along；

for；　perhaps；　I　staked　her　love　and　lost　it；　as　I　did　everything

else　at　the　Magnolia；　and；　perhaps；　foolin'　is　nateral　to　some

women；　and　thar　ain't　no　great　harm　done；　'cept　to　the　fools。　　But；

Jack；　I　thinkI　think　she　loves　somebody　else。　　Don't　move；　Jack；

don't　move；　if　your　pistol　hurts　ye；　take　it　off。



〃It's　been　more'n　six　months　now　that　she's　seemed　unhappy　and

lonesome；　and　kinder　nervous　and　scared…like。　　And　sometimes　I've

ketched　her　lookin'　at　me　sort　of　timid　and　pitying。　　And　she

writes　to　somebody。　　And　for　the　last　week　she's　been　gathering　her

own　thingstrinkets；　and　furbelows；　and　jew'lryand；　Jack；　I

think　she's　goin'　off。　　I　could　stand　all　but　that。　　To　have　her

steal　away　like　a　thief〃　　He　put　his　face　downward　to　the　pillow；

and　for　a　few　moments　there　was　no　sound　but　the　ticking　of　a　clock

on　the　mantel。　　Mr。　Hamlin　lit　a　cigar；　and　move