an episode of fiddletown-第3节

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

tore　her　best　dress　in　taking　it　from　the　hook　on　which　it　hung：

she　scratched　her　soft　hands　twice　with　an　ambushed　pin。　　All　the

while；　she　kept　up　an　indignant　commentary　on　the　events　of　the

past　few　moments。　　She　said　to　herself　she　saw　it　all。　　Tretherick

had　sent　for　this　child　of　his　first　wifethis　child　of　whose

existence　he　had　never　seemed　to　carejust　to　insult　her；　to　fill

her　place。　　Doubtless　the　first　wife　herself　would　follow　soon；　or

perhaps　there　would　be　a　third。　　Red　hair；　not　auburn；　but　REDof

course　the　child；　this　Caroline；　looked　like　its　mother；　and；　if

so；　she　was　anything　but　pretty。　　Or　the　whole　thing　had　been

prepared：　this　red…haired　child；　the　image　of　its　mother；　had　been

kept　at　a　convenient　distance　at　Sacramento；　ready　to　be　sent　for

when　needed。　　She　remembered　his　occasional　visits　there　on

business；　as　he　said。　　Perhaps　the　mother　already　was　there；　but

no；　she　had　gone　East。　　Nevertheless；　Mrs。　Tretherick；　in　her　then

state　of　mind；　preferred　to　dwell　upon　the　fact　that　she　might　be

there。　　She　was　dimly　conscious；　also；　of　a　certain　satisfaction　in

exaggerating　her　feelings。　　Surely　no　woman　had　ever　been　so

shamefully　abused。　　In　fancy；　she　sketched　a　picture　of　herself

sitting　alone　and　deserted；　at　sunset；　among　the　fallen　columns　of

a　ruined　temple；　in　a　melancholy　yet　graceful　attitude；　while　her

husband　drove　rapidly　away　in　a　luxurious　coach…and…four；　with　a

red…haired　woman　at　his　side。　　Sitting　upon　the　trunk　she　had　just

packed；　she　partly　composed　a　lugubrious　poem　describing　her

sufferings　as；　wandering　alone　and　poorly　clad；　she　came　upon　her

husband　and　〃another〃　flaunting　in　silks　and　diamonds。　　She

pictured　herself　dying　of　consumption；　brought　on　by　sorrowa

beautiful　wreck；　yet　still　fascinating；　gazed　upon　adoringly　by　the

editor　of　the　AVALANCHE　and　Colonel　Starbottle。　　And　where　was

Colonel　Starbottle　all　this　while？　　Why　didn't　he　come？　　He；　at

least；　understood　her。　　Heshe　laughed　the　reckless；　light　laugh

of　a　few　moments　before；　and　then　her　face　suddenly　grew　grave；　as

it　had　not　a　few　moments　before。



What　was　that　little　red…haired　imp　doing　all　this　time？　　Why　was

she　so　quiet？　　She　opened　the　door　noiselessly；　and　listened。　　She

fancied　that　she　heard；　above　the　multitudinous　small　noises　and

creakings　and　warpings　of　the　vacant　house；　a　smaller　voice　singing

on　the　floor　above。　　This；　as　she　remembered；　was　only　an　open

attic　that　had　been　used　as　a　storeroom。　　With　a　half…guilty

consciousness；　she　crept　softly　upstairs　and；　pushing　the　door

partly　open；　looked　within。



Athwart　the　long；　low…studded　attic；　a　slant　sunbeam　from　a　single

small　window　lay；　filled　with　dancing　motes；　and　only　half

illuminating　the　barren；　dreary　apartment。　　In　the　ray　of　this

sunbeam　she　saw　the　child's　glowing　hair；　as　if　crowned　by　a　red

aureole；　as　she　sat　upon　the　floor　with　her　exaggerated　doll

between　her　knees。　　She　appeared　to　be　talking　to　it；　and　it　was

not　long　before　Mrs。　Tretherick　observed　that　she　was　rehearsing

the　interview　of　a　half…hour　before。　　She　catechized　the　doll

severely；　cross…examining　it　in　regard　to　the　duration　of　its　stay

there；　and　generally　on　the　measure　of　time。　　The　imitation　of　Mrs。

Tretherick's　manner　was　exceedingly　successful；　and　the

conversation　almost　a　literal　reproduction；　with　a　single

exception。　　After　she　had　informed　the　doll　that　she　was　not　her

mother；　at　the　close　of　the　interview　she　added　pathetically；　〃that

if　she　was　dood；　very　dood；　she　might　be　her　mamma；　and　love　her

very　much。〃



I　have　already　hinted　that　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　deficient　in　a　sense

of　humor。　　Perhaps　it　was　for　this　reason　that　this　whole　scene

affected　her　most　unpleasantly；　and　the　conclusion　sent　the　blood

tingling　to　her　cheek。　　There　was　something；　too；　inconceivably

lonely　in　the　situation。　　The　unfurnished　vacant　room；　the　half…

lights；　the　monstrous　doll；　whose　very　size　seemed　to　give　a

pathetic　significance　to　its　speechlessness；　the　smallness　of　the

one　animate；　self…centered　figureall　these　touched　more　or　less

deeply　the　half…poetic　sensibilities　of　the　woman。　　She　could　not

help　utilizing　the　impression　as　she　stood　there；　and　thought　what

a　fine　poem　might　be　constructed　from　this　material　if　the　room

were　a　little　darker；　the　child　loneliersay；　sitting　beside　a

dead　mother's　bier；　and　the　wind　wailing　in　the　turrets。　　And　then

she　suddenly　heard　footsteps　at　the　door　below；　and　recognized　the

tread　of　the　colonel's　cane。



She　flew　swiftly　down　the　stairs；　and　encountered　the　colonel　in

the　hall。　　Here　she　poured　into　his　astonished　ear　a　voluble　and

exaggerated　statement　of　her　discovery；　and　indignant　recital　of

her　wrongs。　　〃Don't　tell　me　the　whole　thing　wasn't　arranged

beforehand；　for　I　know　it　was！〃　she　almost　screamed。　　〃And　think；〃

she　added；　〃of　the　heartlessness　of　the　wretch；　leaving　his　own

child　alone　here　in　that　way。〃



〃It's　a　blank　shame！〃　stammered　the　colonel；　without　the　least　idea

of　what　he　was　talking　about。　　In　fact；　utterly　unable　as　he　was　to

comprehend　a　reason　for　the　woman's　excitement；　with　his　estimate

of　her　character；　I　fear　he　showed　it　more　plainly　than　he

intended。　　He　stammered；　expanded　his　chest；　looked　stern；　gallant；

tender；　but　all　unintelligently。　　Mrs。　Tretherick；　for　an　instant；

experienced　a　sickening　doubt　of　the　existence　of　natures　in

perfect　affinity。



〃It's　of　no　use；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　sudden　vehemence；　in

answer　to　some　inaudible　remark　of　the　colonel's；　and　withdrawing

her　hand　from　the　fervent　grasp　of　that　ardent　and　sympathetic　man。

〃It's　of　no　use：　my　mind　is　made　up。　　You　can　send　for　my　trunk　as

soon　as　you　like；　but　I　shall　stay　here；　and　confront　that　man　with

the　proof　of　his　vileness。　　I　will　put　him　face　to　face　with　his

infamy。〃



I　do　not　know　whether　Colonel　Starbottle　thoroughly　appreciated　the

convincing　proof　of　Tretherick's　unfaithfulness　and　malignity

afforded　by　the　damning　evidence　of　the　existence　of　Tretherick's

own　child　in　his　own　house。　　He　was　dimly　aware；　however；　of　some

unforeseen　obstacle　to　the　perfect　expression　of　the　infinite

longing　of　his　own　sentimental　nature。　　But；　before　he　could　say

anything；　Carry　appeared　on　the　landing　above　them；　looking

timidly；　and　yet　half…critically；　at　the　pair。



〃That's　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　excitedly。　　In　her　deepest

emotions；　in　either　verse　or　prose；　she　rose　above　a　consideration

of　grammatical　construction。



〃Ah！〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　parental

affection　and　jocularity　that　was　glaringly　unreal　and　affected。

〃Ah！　pretty　little　girl；　pretty　little　girl！　　How　do　you　do？　　How

are　you？　　You　find　yourself　pretty　well；　do　you；　pretty　little

girl？〃　　The　colonel's　impulse　also　was　to　expand　his　chest　and

swing　his　cane；　until　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　action　might　be

ineffective　with　a　child　of　six　or　seven。　　Carry；　however；　took　no

immediate　notice　of　this　advance；　but　further　discomposed　the

chivalrous　colonel　by　running　quickly　to　Mrs。　Tretherick　and　hiding

herself；　as　if　for　protection；　in　the　folds　of　her　gown。

Nevertheless；　the　colonel　was　not　vanquished。　　Falling　back　into　an

attitude　of　respectful　admiration；　he　pointed　out　a　marvelous

resemblance　to　the　〃Madonna　and　Child。〃　　Mrs。　Tretherick　simpered；

but　did　not　dislodge　Carry　as　before。　　There　was　an　awkward　pause

for　a　moment；　and　then　Mrs。　Tretherick；　motioning　significantly　to

the　child；　said　in　a　whisper：　〃Go　now。　　Don't　come　here　again；　but

meet　me　tonight　at　the　hotel。〃　　She　extended　her　hand：　the　colonel

bent　over　it　gallantly　and；　raising　his　hat；　the　next　moment　was

gone。



〃Do　you　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an　embarrassed　voice　and

a　prodigious　blush；　looking　down；　and　addressing　the　fiery　curls

just　visible　in　the　folds　of　her　dress〃do　you　think　you　will　be

'dood'　if　I　let　you　stay　in　here　and　sit　with　me？〃



〃And　let　me　tall　you　Mamma？〃　queried　Carry；　looking　up。



〃And　let　you　call　me　Mamma！〃　assented　Mrs。　Tretherick　with　an

embarrassed　laugh。



〃Yeth；〃　said　Carry　promptly。



They　entered　the　bedroom　together。　　Carry's　eye　instantly　caught

sight　of　the　trunk。



〃Are　you　dowin'　away　adain；　Mamma？〃　she　said　with　a　quick　nervous

look；　and　a　clutch　at　the　woman's　dress。



〃No…o；〃　said　Mrs。　Tretherick；　looking　out　of　the　window。



〃Only　playing　your　dowin'　away；〃　suggested　Carry　with　a　laugh。

〃Let　me　play　too。〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　assented。　　Carry　flew　into　the　next　room；　and

presently　reappeared　dragging　a　small　trunk；　into　which　she　gravely

proceeded　to　pack　her　clothes。　　Mrs。　Tretherick　noticed　that　they

were　not　many。　　A　question　or　two　regarding　them　brought　out　some

further　replies　from　the　child；　and　before　many　minutes　had

elapsed；　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　in　possession　of　all　her　e