an episode of fiddletown-第5节

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strangerpurely　an　act　of　Christian　supererogation。　　At　Dutch　Flat

he　was　robbed　by　well…known　hands　from　unknown　motives。　　At

Sacramento　he　was　arrested　on　suspicion　of　being　something　or

other；　and　discharged　with　a　severe　reprimandpossibly　for　not

being　it；　and　so　delaying　the　course　of　justice。　　At　San　Francisco

he　was　freely　stoned　by　children　of　the　public　schools；　but；　by

carefully　avoiding　these　monuments　of　enlightened　progress；　he　at

last　reached；　in　comparative　safety；　the　Chinese　quarters；　where

his　abuse　was　confined　to　the　police　and　limited　by　the　strong　arm

of　the　law。



The　next　day　he　entered　the　washhouse　of　Chy　Fook　as　an　assistant；

and　on　the　following　Friday　was　sent　with　a　basket　of　clean　clothes

to　Chy　Fook's　several　clients。



It　was　the　usual　foggy　afternoon　as　he　climbed　the　long　windswept

hill　of　California　Streetone　of　those　bleak；　gray　intervals　that

made　the　summer　a　misnomer　to　any　but　the　liveliest　San　Franciscan

fancy。　　There　was　no　warmth　or　color　in　earth　or　sky；　no　light　nor

shade　within　or　without；　only　one　monotonous；　universal　neutral

tint　over　everything。　　There　was　a　fierce　unrest　in　the　wind…

whipped　streets：　there　was　a　dreary　vacant　quiet　in　the　gray

houses。　　When　Ah　Fe　reached　the　top　of　the　hill；　the　Mission　Ridge

was　already　hidden；　and　the　chill　sea　breeze　made　him　shiver。　　As

he　put　down　his　basket　to　rest　himself；　it　is　possible　that；　to　his

defective　intelligence　and　heathen　experience；　this　〃God's　own

climate；〃　as　was　called；　seemed　to　possess　but　scant　tenderness；

softness；　or　mercy。　　But　it　is　possible　that　Ah　Fe　illogically

confounded　this　season　with　his　old　persecutors；　the

schoolchildren；　who；　being　released　from　studious　confinement；　at

this　hour　were　generally　most　aggressive。　　So　he　hastened　on；　and

turning　a　corner；　at　last　stopped　before　a　small　house。



It　was　the　usual　San　Franciscan　urban　cottage。　　There　was　the

little　strip　of　cold　green　shrubbery　before　it；　the　chilly；　bare

veranda；　and　above　this；　again；　the　grim　balcony；　on　which　no　one

sat。　　Ah　Fe　rang　the　bell。　　A　servant　appeared；　glanced　at　his

basket；　and　reluctantly　admitted　him；　as　if　he　were　some　necessary

domestic　animal。　　Ah　Fe　silently　mounted　the　stairs；　and　entering

the　open　door　of　the　front　chamber；　put　down　the　basket　and　stood

passively　on　the　threshold。



A　woman；　who　was　sitting　in　the　cold　gray　light　of　the　window；　with

a　child　in　her　lap；　rose　listlessly；　and　came　toward　him。　　Ah　Fe

instantly　recognized　Mrs。　Tretherick；　but　not　a　muscle　of　his

immobile　face　changed；　nor　did　his　slant　eyes　lighten　as　he　met　her

own　placidly。　　She　evidently　did　not　recognize　him　as　she　began　to

count　the　clothes。　　But　the　child；　curiously　examining　him；

suddenly　uttered　a　short；　glad　cry。



〃Why；　it's　John；　Mamma！　　It's　our　old　John　what　we　had　in

Fiddletown。〃



For　an　instant　Ah　Fe's　eyes　and　teeth　electrically　lightened。　　The

child　clapped　her　hands；　and　caught　at　his　blouse。　　Then　he　said

shortly：　〃Me　JohnAh　Feallee　same。　　Me　know　you。　　How　do？〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　dropped　the　clothes　nervously；　and　looked　hard　at

Ah　Fe。　　Wanting　the　quick…witted　instinct　of　affection　that

sharpened　Carry's　perception；　she　even　then　could　not　distinguish

him　above　his　fellows。　　With　a　recollection　of　past　pain；　and　an

obscure　suspicion　of　impending　danger；　she　asked　him　when　he　had

left　Fiddletown。



〃Longee　time。　　No　likee　Fiddletown；　no　likee　Tlevelick。　　Likee　San

Flisco。　　Likee　washee。　　Likee　Tally。〃



Ah　Fe's　laconics　pleased　Mrs。　Tretherick。　　She　did　not　stop　to

consider　how　much　an　imperfect　knowledge　of　English　added　to　his

curt　directness　and　sincerity。　　But　she　said；　〃Don't　tell　anybody

you　have　seen　me；〃　and　took　out　her　pocketbook。



Ah　Fe；　without　looking　at　it；　saw　that　it　was　nearly　empty。　　Ah　Fe；

without　examining　the　apartment；　saw　that　it　was　scantily

furnished。　　Ah　Fe；　without　removing　his　eyes　from　blank　vacancy；

saw　that　both　Mrs。　Tretherick　and　Carry　were　poorly　dressed。　　Yet

it　is　my　duty　to　state　that　Ah　Fe's　long　fingers　closed　promptly

and　firmly　over　the　half…dollar　which　Mrs。　Tretherick　extended　to

him。



Then　he　began　to　fumble　in　his　blouse　with　a　series　of

extraordinary　contortions。　　After　a　few　moments；　he　extracted　from

apparently　no　particular　place　a　child's　apron；　which　he　laid　upon

the　basket　with　the　remark：



〃One　piecee　washman　flagittee。〃



Then　he　began　anew　his　fumblings　and　contortions。　　At　last　his

efforts　were　rewarded　by　his　producing；　apparently　from　his　right

ear；　a　many…folded　piece　of　tissue　paper。　　Unwrapping　this

carefully；　he　at　last　disclosed　two　twenty…dollar　gold　pieces；

which　he　handed　to　Mrs。　Tretherick。



〃You　leavee　money　topside　of　blulow；　Fiddletown。　　Me　findee　money。

Me　fetchee　money　to　you。　　All　lightee。〃



〃But　I　left　no　money　on　the　top　of　the　bureau；　John；〃　said　Mrs。

Tretherick　earnestly。　　〃There　must　be　some　mistake。　　It　belongs　to

some　other　person。　　Take　it　back；　John。〃



Ah　Fe's　brow　darkened。　　He　drew　away　from　Mrs。　Tretherick's

extended　hand；　and　began　hastily　to　gather　up　his　basket。



〃Me　no　takee　it　back。　　No；　no！　　Bimeby　pleesman　he　catchee　me。　　He

say；　'God　damn　thief！catchee　flowty　dollar：　come　to　jailee。'　　Me

no　takee　back。　　You　leavee　money　topside　blulow；　Fiddletown。　　Me

fetchee　money　you。　　Me　no　takee　back。〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　hesitated。　　In　the　confusion　of　her　flight；　she

MIGHT　have　left　the　money　in　the　manner　he　had　said。　　In　any　event；

she　had　no　right　to　jeopardize　this　honest　Chinaman's　safety　by

refusing　it。　　So　she　said：　〃Very　well；　John；　I　will　keep　it。　　But

you　must　come　again　and　see　me〃　here　Mrs。　Tretherick　hesitated

with　a　new　and　sudden　revelation　of　the　fact　that　any　man　could

wish　to　see　any　other　than　herself〃and；　andCarry。〃



Ah　Fe's　face　lightened。　　He　even　uttered　a　short　ventriloquistic

laugh　without　moving　his　mouth。　　Then；　shouldering　his　basket；　he

shut　the　door　carefully　and　slid　quietly　down　stairs。　　In　the　lower

hall　he；　however；　found　an　unexpected　difficulty　in　opening　the

front　door；　and；　after　fumbling　vainly　at　the　lock　for　a　moment；

looked　around　for　some　help　or　instruction。　　But　the　Irish　handmaid

who　had　let　him　in　was　contemptuously　oblivious　of　his　needs；　and

did　not　appear。



There　occurred　a　mysterious　and　painful　incident；　which　I　shall

simply　record　without　attempting　to　explain。　　On　the　hall　table　a

scarf；　evidently　the　property　of　the　servant　before　alluded　to；　was

lying。　　As　Ah　Fe　tried　the　lock　with　one　hand；　the　other　rested

lightly　on　the　table。　　Suddenly；　and　apparently　of　its　own

volition；　the　scarf　began　to　creep　slowly　toward　Ah　Fe's　hand；　from

Ah　Fe's　hand　it　began　to　creep　up　his　sleeve　slowly；　and　with　an

insinuating；　snakelike　motion；　and　then　disappeared　somewhere　in

the　recesses　of　his　blouse。　　Without　betraying　the　least　interest

or　concern　in　this　phenomenon；　Ah　Fe　still　repeated　his　experiments

upon　the　lock。　　A　moment　later　the　tablecloth　of　red　damask；　moved

by　apparently　the　same　mysterious　impulse；　slowly　gathered　itself

under　Ah　Fe's　fingers；　and　sinuously　disappeared　by　the　same　hidden

channel。　　What　further　mystery　might　have　followed；　I　cannot　say；

for　at　this　moment　Ah　Fe　discovered　the　secret　of　the　lock；　and　was

enabled　to　open　the　door　coincident　with　the　sound　of　footsteps

upon　the　kitchen　stairs。　　Ah　Fe　did　not　hasten　his　movements；　but

patiently　shouldering　his　basket；　closed　the　door　carefully　behind

him　again；　and　stepped　forth　into　the　thick　encompassing　fog　that

now　shrouded　earth　and　sky。



From　her　high　casement　window；　Mrs。　Tretherick　watched　Ah　Fe's

figure　until　it　disappeared　in　the　gray　cloud。　　In　her　present

loneliness；　she　felt　a　keen　sense　of　gratitude　toward　him；　and　may

have　ascribed　to　the　higher　emotions　and　the　consciousness　of　a

good　deed　that　certain　expansiveness　of　the　chest；　and　swelling　of

the　bosom；　that　was　really　due　to　the　hidden　presence　of　the　scarf

and　tablecloth　under　his　blouse。　　For　Mrs。　Tretherick　was　still

poetically　sensitive。　　As　the　gray　fog　deepened　into　night；　she

drew　Carry　closer　toward　her；　and；　above　the　prattle　of　the　child；

pursued　a　vein　of　sentimental　and　egotistic　recollection　at　once

bitter　and　dangerous。　　The　sudden　apparition　of　Ah　Fe　linked　her

again　with　her　past　life　at　Fiddletown。　　Over　the　dreary　interval

between；　she　was　now　wanderinga　journey　so　piteous；　willful；

thorny；　and　useless　that　it　was　no　wonder　that　at　last　Carry

stopped　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　her　voluble　confidences　to　throw

her　small　arms　around　the　woman's　neck；　and　bid　her　not　to　cry。



Heaven　forefend　that　I　should　use　a　pen　that　should　be　ever

dedicated　to　an　exposition　of　unalterable　moral　principle　to

transcribe　Mrs。　Tretherick's　own　theory　of　this　interval　and

episode；　with　its　feeble　palliations；　its　illogical　deductions；　its

fond　excuses；　and　weak　apologies。　　It　would　seem；