an episode of fiddletown-第2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！



Dutch　Flat　on　a　spree。　　There　is　no　one　in　the　house　but　a

Chinaman；　and　you　need　fear　no　trouble　from　him。　　I；〃　he　continued；

with　a　slight　inflation　of　the　chest　that　imperiled　the　security　of

his　button；　〃I　will　see　that　you　are　protected　in　the　removal　of

your　property。〃



〃I'm　sure　it's　very　kind　of　you；　and　so　disinterested！〃　simpered

the　lady　as　they　walked　along。　　〃It's　so　pleasant　to　meet　someone

who　has　soulsomeone　to　sympathize　with　in　a　community　so　hardened

and　heartless　as　this。〃　　And　Mrs。　Tretherick　cast　down　her　eyes；

but　not　until　they　wrought　their　perfect　and　accepted　work　upon　her

companion。



〃Yes；　certainly；　of　course；〃　said　the　colonel；　glancing　nervously

up　and　down　the　street〃yes；　certainly。〃　　Perceiving；　however；

that　there　was　no　one　in　sight　or　hearing；　he　proceeded　at　once　to

inform　Mrs。　Tretherick　that　the　great　trouble　of　his　life；　in　fact；

had　been　the　possession　of　too　much　soul。　　That　many　womenas　a

gentleman　she　would　excuse　him；　of　course；　from　mentioning　names

but　many　beautiful　women　had　often　sought　his　society；　but　being

deficient；　madam；　absolutely　deficient；　in　this　quality；　he　could

not　reciprocate。　　But　when　two　natures　thoroughly　in　sympathy；

despising　alike　the　sordid　trammels　of　a　low　and　vulgar　community

and　the　conventional　restraints　of　a　hypocritical　societywhen　two

souls　in　perfect　accord　met　and　mingled　in　poetical　union；　then

but　here　the　colonel's　speech；　which　had　been　remarkable　for　a

certain　whisky…and…watery　fluency；　grew　husky；　almost　inaudible；

and　decidedly　incoherent。　　Possibly　Mrs。　Tretherick　may　have　heard

something　like　it　before；　and　was　enabled　to　fill　the　hiatus。

Nevertheless；　the　cheek　that　was　on　the　side　of　the　colonel　was

quite　virginal　and　bashfully　conscious　until　they　reached　their

destination。



It　was　a　pretty　little　cottage；　quite　fresh　and　warm　with　paint；

very　pleasantly　relieved　against　a　platoon　of　pines；　some　of　whose

foremost　files　had　been　displaced　to　give　freedom　to　the　fenced

enclosure　in　which　it　sat。　　In　the　vivid　sunlight　and　perfect

silence；　it　had　a　new；　uninhabited　look；　as　if　the　carpenters　and

painters　had　just　left　it。　　At　the　farther　end　of　the　lot；　a

Chinaman　was　stolidly　digging；　but　there　was　no　other　sign　of

occupancy。　　〃The　coast；〃　as　the　colonel　had　said；　was　indeed

〃clear。〃　　Mrs。　Tretherick　paused　at　the　gate。　　The　colonel　would

have　entered　with　her；　but　was　stopped　by　a　gesture。　　〃Come　for　me

in　a　couple　of　hours；　and　I　shall　have　everything　packed；〃　she

said；　as　she　smiled；　and　extended　her　hand。　　The　colonel　seized　and

pressed　it　with　great　fervor。　　Perhaps　the　pressure　was　slightly

returned；　for　the　gallant　colonel　was　impelled　to　inflate　his

chest；　and　trip　away　as　smartly　as　his　stubby…toed；　high…heeled

boots　would　permit。　　When　he　had　gone；　Mrs。　Tretherick　opened　the

door；　listened　a　moment　in　the　deserted　hall；　and　then　ran　quickly

upstairs　to　what　had　been　her　bedroom。



Everything　there　was　unchanged　as　on　the　night　she　left　it。　　On　the

dressing…table　stood　her　bandbox；　as　she　remembered　to　have　left　it

when　she　took　out　her　bonnet。　　On　the　mantle　lay　the　other　glove

she　had　forgotten　in　her　flight。　　The　two　lower　drawers　of　the

bureau　were　half…open　（she　had　forgotten　to　shut　them）；　and　on　its

marble　top　lay　her　shawl　pin　and　a　soiled　cuff。　　What　other

recollections　came　upon　her　I　know　not；　but　she　suddenly　grew　quite

white；　shivered；　and　listened　with　a　beating　heart；　and　her　hand

upon　the　door。　　Then　she　stepped　to　the　mirror；　and　half…fearfully；

half…curiously；　parted　with　her　fingers　the　braids　of　her　blond

hair　above　her　little　pink　ear；　until　she　came　upon　an　ugly；　half…

healed　scar。　　She　gazed　at　this；　moving　her　pretty　head　up　and　down

to　get　a　better　light　upon　it；　until　the　slight　cast　in　her　velvety

eyes　became　very　strongly　marked　indeed。　　Then　she　turned　away　with

a　light；　reckless；　foolish　laugh；　and　ran　to　the　closet　where　hung

her　precious　dresses。　　These　she　inspected　nervously；　and　missing

suddenly　a　favorite　black　silk　from　its　accustomed　peg；　for　a

moment；　thought　she　should　have　fainted。　　But　discovering　it　the

next　instant　lying　upon　a　trunk　where　she　had　thrown　it；　a　feeling

of　thankfulness　to　a　superior　Being　who　protects　the　friendless　for

the　first　time　sincerely　thrilled　her。　　Then；　albeit　she　was

hurried　for　time；　she　could　not　resist　trying　the　effect　of　a

certain　lavender　neck　ribbon　upon　the　dress　she　was　then　wearing；

before　the　mirror。　　And　then　suddenly　she　became　aware　of　a　child's

voice　close　beside　her；　and　she　stopped。　　And　then　the　child's

voice　repeated；　〃Is　it　Mamma？〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　faced　quickly　about。　　Standing　in　the　doorway　was　a

little　girl　of　six　or　seven。　　Her　dress　had　been　originally　fine；

but　was　torn　and　dirty；　and　her　hair；　which　was　a　very　violent　red；

was　tumbled　seriocomically　about　her　forehead。　　For　all　this；　she

was　a　picturesque　little　thing；　even　through　whose　childish

timidity　there　was　a　certain　self…sustained　air　which　is　apt　to

come　upon　children　who　are　left　much　to　themselves。　　She　was

holding　under　her　arm　a　rag　doll；　apparently　of　her　own

workmanship；　and　nearly　as　large　as　herselfa　doll　with　a

cylindrical　head；　and　features　roughly　indicated　with　charcoal。　　A

long　shawl；　evidently　belonging　to　a　grown　person；　dropped　from　her

shoulders　and　swept　the　floor。



The　spectacle　did　not　excite　Mrs。　Tretherick's　delight。　　Perhaps

she　had　but　a　small　sense　of　humor。　　Certainly；　when　the　child；

still　standing　in　the　doorway；　again　asked；　〃Is　it　Mamma？〃　she

answered　sharply；　〃No；　it　isn't；〃　and　turned　a　severe　look　upon　the

intruder。



The　child　retreated　a　step；　and　then；　gaining　courage　with　the

distance；　said　in　deliciously　imperfect　speech：



〃Dow　'way　then！　why　don't　you　dow　away？〃



But　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　eying　the　shawl。　　Suddenly　she　whipped　it

off　the　child's　shoulders；　and　said　angrily：



〃How　dared　you　take　my　things；　you　bad　child？〃



〃Is　it　yours？　　Then　you　are　my　mamma；　ain't　you？　　You　are　Mamma！〃

she　continued　gleefully；　and　before　Mrs。　Tretherick　could　avoid

her；　she　had　dropped　her　doll；　and；　catching　the　woman's　skirts

with　both　hands；　was　dancing　up　and　down　before　her。



〃What's　your　name；　child？〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　coldly；　removing

the　small　and　not　very　white　hands　from　her　garments。



〃Tarry。〃



〃Tarry？〃



〃Yeth。　　Tarry。　　Tarowline。〃



〃Caroline？〃



〃Yeth。　　Tarowline　Tretherick。〃



〃Whose　child　ARE　you？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Tretherick　still　more　coldly；

to　keep　down　a　rising　fear。



〃Why；　yours；〃　said　the　little　creature　with　a　laugh。　　〃I'm　your

little　durl。　　You're　my　mamma；　my　new　mamma。　　Don't　you　know　my　ol'

mamma's　dorn　away；　never　to　turn　back　any　more？　　I　don't　live　wid

my　ol'　mamma　now。　　I　live　wid　you　and　Papa。〃



〃How　long　have　you　been　here？〃　asked　Mrs。　Tretherick　snappishly。



〃I　fink　it's　free　days；〃　said　Carry　reflectively。



〃You　think！　　Don't　you　know？〃　sneered　Mrs。　Tretherick。　　〃Then；

where　did　you　come　from？〃



Carry's　lip　began　to　work　under　this　sharp　cross…examination。　　With

a　great　effort　and　a　small　gulp；　she　got　the　better　of　it；　and

answered：



〃Papa；　Papa　fetched　mefrom　Miss　Simmonsfrom　Sacramento；　last

week。〃



〃Last　week！　　You　said　three　days　just　now；〃　returned　Mrs。

Tretherick　with　severe　deliberation。



〃I　mean　a　monf；〃　said　Carry；　now　utterly　adrift　in　sheer

helplessness　and　confusion。



〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　talking　about？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Tretherick

shrilly；　restraining　an　impulse　to　shake　the　little　figure　before

her　and　precipitate　the　truth　by　specific　gravity。



But　the　flaming　red　head　here　suddenly　disappeared　in　the　folds　of

Mrs。　Tretherick's　dress；　as　if　it　were　trying　to　extinguish　itself

forever。



〃There　nowstop　that　sniffling；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　extricating

her　dress　from　the　moist　embraces　of　the　child　and　feeling

exceedingly　uncomfortable。　　〃Wipe　your　face　now；　and　run　away；　and

don't　bother。　　Stop；〃　she　continued；　as　Carry　moved　away。　　〃Where's

your　papa？〃



〃He's　dorn　away　too。　　He's　sick。　　He's　been　dorn〃she　hesitated

〃two；　free；　days。〃



〃Who　takes　care　of　you；　child？〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　eying　her

curiously。



〃John；　the　Chinaman。　　I　tresses　myselth。　　John　tooks　and　makes　the

beds。〃



〃Well；　now；　run　away　and　behave　yourself；　and　don't　bother　me　any

more；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　remembering　the　object　of　her　visit。

〃Stopwhere　are　you　going？〃　she　added　as　the　child　began　to　ascend

the　stairs；　dragging　the　long　doll　after　her　by　one　helpless　leg。



〃Doin'　upstairs　to　play　and　be　dood；　and　no　bother　Mamma。〃



〃I　ain't　your　mamma；〃　shouted　Mrs。　Tretherick；　and　then　she　swiftly

re…entered　her　bedroom　and　slammed　the　door。



Once　inside；　she　drew　forth　a　large　trunk　from　the　closet　and　set

to　work　with　querulous　and　fretful　haste　to　pack　her　wardrobe。　　She

tore　her　b