drift from two shores(漂流)-第35节
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〃I calklate to stop over here some time； miss； and you and me bein'
sorter strangers here； maybe when there's any show like this goin' on you'll
let me〃
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Miss X。 said somewhat hastily that the multiplicity of her engagements
and the brief limit of her stay in New York she feared would； etc。； etc。
The two other ladies had their handkerchiefs over their mouths； and were
staring intently on the stage； when the Man from Solano continued：
〃Then； maybe； miss； whenever there is a show goin' on that you'll
attend； you'll just drop me word to Earle's Hotel； to this yer address；〃 and
he pulled from his pocket a dozen well…worn letters； and taking the buff
envelope from one； handed it to her with something like a bow。
〃Certainly；〃 broke in the facetious Dashboard； 〃Miss X。 goes to the
Charity Ball to…morrow night。 The tickets are but a trifle to an opulent
Californian； and a man of your evident means； and the object a worthy one。
You will； no doubt； easily secure an invitation。〃
Miss X。 raised her handsome eyes for a moment to Dashboard。 〃By
all means；〃 she said； turning to the Man from Solano； 〃and as Mr。
Dashboard is one of the managers and you are a stranger； he will； of
course； send you a complimentary ticket。 I have known Mr。 Dashboard
long enough to know that he is invariably courteous to strangers and a
gentleman。〃 She settled herself in her chair again and fixed her eyes
upon the stage。
The Man from Solano thanked the Man of New York； and then； after
shaking hands with every body in the box； turned to go。 When he had
reached the door he looked back to Miss X。； and said；
〃It WAS one of the queerest things in the world； miss； that my findin'
them checks〃
But the curtain had just then risen on the garden scene in 〃Faust；〃 and
Miss X。 was absorbed。 The Man from Solano carefully shut the box door
and retired。 I followed him。
He was silent until he reached the lobby； and then he said； as if
renewing a previous conversation； 〃She IS a mighty peart gal that's so。
She's just my kind； and will make a stavin' good wife。〃
I thought I saw danger ahead for the Man from Solano； so I hastened
to tell him that she was beset by attentions； that she could have her pick
and choice of the best of society； and finally； that she was； most probably；
engaged to Dashboard。
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〃That's so；〃 he said quietly； without the slightest trace of feeling。 〃It
would be mighty queer if she wasn't。 But I reckon I'll steer down to the
ho…tel。 I don't care much for this yellin'。〃 （He was alluding to a
cadenza of that famous cantatrice； Signora Batti Batti。） 〃What's the
time？〃
He pulled out his watch。 It was such a glaring chain； so obviously
bogus； that my eyes were fascinated by it。 〃You're looking at that
watch；〃 he said； 〃it's purty to look at； but she don't go worth a cent。 And
yet her price was 125； gold。 I gobbled her up in Chatham Street day
before yesterday； where they were selling 'em very cheap at auction。〃
〃You have been outrageously swindled；〃 I said； indignantly。 〃Watch
and chain are not worth twenty dollars。〃
〃Are they worth fifteen？〃 he asked； gravely。
〃Possibly。〃
〃Then I reckon it's a fair trade。 Ye see； I told 'em I was a Californian
from Solano； and hadn't anything about me of greenbacks。 I had three
slugs with me。 Ye remember them slugs？〃 （I did； the 〃slug〃 was a
〃token〃 issued in the early daysa hexagonal piece of gold a little over
twice the size of a twenty… dollar gold pieceworth and accepted for fifty
dollars。）
〃Well； I handed them that； and they handed me the watch。 You see
them slugs I had made myself outer brass filings and iron pyrites； and used
to slap 'em down on the boys for a bluff in a game of draw poker。 You
see； not being reg'lar gov…ment money； it wasn't counterfeiting。 I reckon
they cost me； counting time and anxiety； about fifteen dollars。 So； if this
yer watch is worth that； it's about a square game； ain't it？〃
I began to understand the Man from Solano； and said it was。 He
returned his watch to his pocket； toyed playfully with the chain； and
remarked； 〃Kinder makes a man look fash'nable and wealthy； don't it？〃
I agreed with him。 〃But what do you intend to do here？〃 I asked。
〃Well； I've got a cash capital of nigh on seven hundred dollars。 I
guess until I get into reg'lar business I'll skirmish round Wall Street； and
sorter lay low。〃 I was about to give him a few words of warning； but I
remembered his watch； and desisted。 We shook hands and parted。
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A few days after I met him on Broadway。 He was attired in another
new suit； but I think I saw a slight improvement in his general appearance。
Only five distinct colors were visible in his attire。 But this； I had reason to
believe afterwards； was accidental。
I asked him if he had been to the ball。 He said he had。 〃That gal；
and a mighty peart gal she was too； was there； but she sorter fought shy of
me。 I got this new suit to go in； but those waiters sorter run me into a
private box； and I didn't get much chance to continner our talk about them
checks。 But that young feller； Dashboard； was mighty perlite。 He
brought lots of fellers and young women round to the box to see me； and
he made up a party that night to take me round Wall Street and in them
Stock Boards。 And the next day he called for me and took me； and I
invested about five hundred dollars in them stocksmay be more。 You
see； we sorter swopped stocks。 You know I had ten shares in the Peacock
Copper Mine； that you was once secretary of。〃
〃But those shares are not worth a cent。 The whole thing exploded ten
years ago。〃
〃That's so； may be； YOU say so。 But then I didn't know anything
more about Communipaw Central； or the Naphtha Gaslight Company； and
so I thought it was a square game。 Only I realized on the stocks I bought；
and I kem up outer Wall Street about four hundred dollars better。 You see
it was a sorter risk； after all； for them Peacock stocks MIGHT come up！〃
I looked into his face： it was immeasurably serene and commonplace。 I
began to be a little afraid of the man； or； rather； of my want of judgment of
the man； and after a few words we shook hands and parted。
It was some months before I again saw the Man from Solano。 When
I did； I found that he had actually become a member of the Stock Board；
and had a little office on Broad Street； where he transacted a fair business。
My remembrance going back to the first night I met him； I inquired if he
had renewed his acquaintance with Miss X。 〃I heerd that she was in
Newport this summer； and I ran down there fur a week。〃
〃And you talked with her about the baggage…checks？〃
〃No；〃 he said； seriously； 〃she gave me a commission to buy some
stocks for her。 You see； I guess them fash'nable fellers sorter got to
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runnin' her about me； and so she put our acquaintance on a square business
footing。 I tell you； she's a right peart gal。 Did ye hear of the accident
that happened to her？〃
I had not。
〃Well； you see； she was out yachting； and I managed through one of
those fellers to get an invite； too。 The whole thing was got up by a man
that they say is going to marry her。 Well； one afternoon the boom swings
round in a little squall and k
