a waif of the plains-第13节

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〃Pleasefor　the　lady。〃

A　slight　smile　passed　over　the　face　of　Clarence's　neighbors。　　The
bonnetless　woman　nodded　a　pleasant　acknowledgment；　and　coquettishly
wound　the　vine　in　her　glossy　hair。　　The　dark　man　at　his　side；　who
hadn't　spoken　yet；　turned　to　Clarence　dryly。

〃If　you're　goin'　to　keep　up　this　gait；　sonny；　I　reckon　ye　won't
find　much　trouble　gettin'　a　man's　suit　to　fit　you　by　the　time　you
reach　Sacramento。〃

Clarence　didn't　quite　understand　him；　but　noticed　that　a　singular
gravity　seemed　to　overtake　the　two　jocular　men　on　the　middle　seat；
and　the　lady　looked　out　of　the　window。　　He　came　to　the　conclusion
that　he　had　made　a　mistake　about　alluding　to　his　clothes　and　his
size。　　He　must　try　and　behave　more　manly。　　That　opportunity　seemed
to　be　offered　two　hours　later；　when　the　stage　stopped　at　a　wayside
hotel　or　restaurant。

Two　or　three　passengers　had　got　down　to　refresh　themselves　at　the
bar。　　His　right　and　left　hand　neighbors　were；　however；　engaged　in　a
drawling　conversation　on　the　comparative　merits　of　San　Francisco
sandhill　and　water　lots；　the　jocular　occupants　of　the　middle　seat
were　still　engrossed　with　the　lady。　　Clarence　slipped　out　of　the
stage　and　entered　the　bar…room　with　some　ostentation。　　The　complete
ignoring　of　his　person　by　the　barkeeper　and　his　customers；　however；
somewhat　disconcerted　him。　　He　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then
returned　gravely　to　the　stage　door　and　opened　it。

〃Would　you　mind　taking　a　drink　with　me；　sir？〃　said　Clarence
politely；　addressing　the　farmer…looking　passenger　who　had　been　most
civil　to　him。　　A　dead　silence　followed。　　The　two　men　on　the　middle
seat　faced　entirely　around　to　gaze　at　him。

〃The　Commodore　asks　if　you'll　take　a　drink　with　him；〃　explained　one
of　the　men　to　Clarence's　friend　with　the　greatest　seriousness。

〃Eh？　　Oh；　yes；　certainly；〃　returned　that　gentleman；　changing　his
astonished　expression　to　one　of　the　deepest　gravity；　〃seeing　it's
the　Commodore。〃

〃And　perhaps　you　and　your　friend　will　join；　too？〃　said　Clarence
timidly　to　the　passenger　who　had　explained；　〃and　you　too；　sir？〃　he
added　to　the　dark　man。

〃Really；　gentlemen；　I　don't　see　how　we　can　refuse；〃　said　the
latter；　with　the　greatest　formality；　and　appealing　to　the　others。
〃A　compliment　of　this　kind　from　our　distinguished　friend　is　not　to
be　taken　lightly。〃

〃I　have　observed；　sir；　that　the　Commodore's　head　is　level；〃
returned　the　other　man　with　equal　gravity。

Clarence　could　have　wished　they　had　not　treated　his　first
hospitable　effort　quite　so　formally；　but　as　they　stepped　from　the
coach　with　unbending　faces　he　led　them；　a　little　frightened；　into
the　bar…room。　　Here；　unfortunately；　as　he　was　barely　able　to　reach
over　the　counter；　the　barkeeper　would　have　again　overlooked　him　but
for　a　quick　glance　from　the　dark　man；　which　seemed　to　change　even
the　barkeeper's　perfunctory　smiling　face　into　supernatural　gravity。

〃The　Commodore　is　standing　treat；〃　said　the　dark　man；　with　unbroken
seriousness；　indicating　Clarence；　and　leaning　back　with　an　air　of
respectful　formality。　　〃I　will　take　straight　whiskey。　　The
Commodore；　on　account　of　just　changing　climate；　will；　I　believe；
for　the　present　content　himself　with　lemon　soda。〃

Clarence　had　previously　resolved　to　take　whiskey；　like　the　others；
but　a　little　doubtful　of　the　politeness　of　countermanding　his
guest's　order；　and　perhaps　slightly　embarrassed　by　the　fact　that
all　the　other　customers　seemed　to　have　gathered　round　him　and　his
party　with　equally　immovable　faces；　he　said　hurriedly：

〃Lemon　soda　for　me；　please。〃

〃The　Commodore；〃　said　the　barkeeper　with　impassive　features；　as　he
bent　forward　and　wiped　the　counter　with　professional　deliberation；
〃is　right。　　No　matter　how　much　a　man　may　be　accustomed　all　his　life
to　liquor；　when　he　is　changing　climate；　gentlemen；　he　says　'Lemon
soda　for　me'　all　the　time。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Clarence；　brightening；　〃you　will　join　too？〃

〃I　shall　be　proud　on　this　occasion；　sir。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　the　tall　man；　still　as　ceremoniously　unbending　as
before；　〃that　there　can　be　but　one　toast　here；　gentlemen。　　I　give
you　the　health　of　the　Commodore。　　May　his　shadow　never　be　less。〃

The　health　was　drunk　solemnly。　　Clarence　felt　his　cheeks　tingle　and
in　his　excitement　drank　his　own　health　with　the　others。　　Yet　he　was
disappointed　that　there　was　not　more　joviality；　he　wondered　if　men
always　drank　together　so　stiffly。　　And　it　occurred　to　him　that　it
would　be　expensive。　　Nevertheless；　he　had　his　purse　all　ready
ostentatiously　in　his　hand；　in　fact；　the　paying　for　it　out　of　his
own　money　was　not　the　least　manly　and　independent　pleasure　he　had
promised　himself。　　〃How　much？〃　he　asked；　with　an　affectation　of
carelessness。

The　barkeeper　cast　his　eye　professionally　over　the　barroom。　　〃I
think　you　said　treats　for　the　crowd；　call　it　twenty　dollars　to　make
even　change。〃

Clarence's　heart　sank。　　He　had　heard　already　of　the　exaggeration　of
California　prices。　　Twenty　dollars！　　It　was　half　his　fortune。
Nevertheless；　with　an　heroic　effort；　he　controlled　himself；　and
with　slightly　nervous　fingers　counted　out　the　money。　　It　struck
him；　however；　as　curious；　not　to　say　ungentlemanly；　that　the
bystanders　craned　their　necks　over　his　shoulder　to　look　at　the
contents　of　his　purse；　although　some　slight　explanation　was　offered
by　the　tall　man。

〃The　Commodore's　purse；　gentlemen；　is　really　a　singular　one。
Permit　me；〃　he　said；　taking　it　from　Clarence's　hand　with　great
politeness。　　〃It　is　one　of　the　new　pattern；　you　observe；　quite
worthy　of　inspection。〃　　He　handed　it　to　a　man　behind　him；　who　in
turn　handed　it　to　another；　while　a　chorus　of　〃suthin　quite　new；〃
〃the　latest　style；〃　followed　it　in　its　passage　round　the　room；　and
indicated　to　Clarence　its　whereabouts。　　It　was　presently　handed
back　to　the　barkeeper；　who　had　begged　also　to　inspect　it；　and　who；
with　an　air　of　scrupulous　ceremony　insisted　upon　placing　it　himself
in　Clarence's　side　pocket；　as　if　it　were　an　important　part　of　his
function。　　The　driver　here　called　〃all　aboard。〃　　The　passengers
hurriedly　reseated　themselves；　and　the　episode　abruptly　ended。
For；　to　Clarence's　surprise；　these　attentive　friends　of　a　moment
ago　at　once　became　interested　in　the　views　of　a　new　passenger
concerning　the　local　politics　of　San　Francisco；　and　he　found
himself　utterly　forgotten。　　The　bonnetless　woman　had　changed　her
position；　and　her　head　was　no　longer　visible。　　The　disillusion　and
depression　that　overcame　him　suddenly　were　as　complete　as　his
previous　expectations　and　hopefulness　had　been　extravagant。　　For
the　first　time　his　utter　unimportance　in　the　world　and　his
inadequacy　to　this　new　life　around　him　came　upon　him　crushingly。

The　heat　and　jolting　of　the　stage　caused　him　to　fall　into　a　slight
slumber　and　when　he　awoke　he　found　his　two　neighbors　had　just　got
out　at　a　wayside　station。　　They　had　evidently　not　cared　to　waken
him　to　say　〃Good…by。〃　　From　the　conversation　of　the　other
passengers　he　learned　that　the　tall　man　was　a　well…known　gambler；
and　the　one　who　looked　like　a　farmer　was　a　ship　captain　who　had
become　a　wealthy　merchant。　　Clarence　thought　he　understood　now　why
the　latter　had　asked　him　if　he　came　off　a　voyage；　and　that　the
nickname　of　〃Commodore〃　given　to　him；　Clarence；　was　some　joke
intended　for　the　captain's　understanding。　　He　missed　them；　for　he
wanted　to　talk　to　them　about　his　relative　at　Sacramento；　whom　he
was　now　so　soon　to　see。　　At　last；　between　sleeping　and　waking；　the
end　of　his　journey　was　unexpectedly　reached。　　It　was　dark；　but；
being　〃steamer　night；〃　the　shops　and　business　places　were　still
open；　and　Mr。　Peyton　had　arranged　that　the　stage…driver　should
deliver　Clarence　at　the　address　of　his　relative　in　〃J　Street；〃an
address　which　Clarence　had　luckily　remembered。　　But　the　boy　was
somewhat　discomfited　to　find　that　it　was　a　large　office　or　banking…
house。　　He；　however；　descended　from　the　stage；　and　with　his　small
pack　in　his　hand　entered　the　building　as　the　stage　drove　off；　and；
addressing　one　of　the　busy　clerks；　asked　for　〃Mr。　Jackson　Brant。〃

There　was　no　such　person　in　the　office。　　There　never　had　been　any
such　person。　　The　bank　had　always　occupied　that　building。　　Was
there　not　some　mistake　in　the　number？　　No；　the　name；　number；　and
street　had　been　deeply　engrafted　in　the　boy's　recollection。　　Stop！
it　might　be　the　name　of　a　customer　who　had　given　his　address　at　the
bank。　　The　clerk　who　made　this　suggestion　disappeared　promptly　to
make　inquiries　in　the　counting…room。　　Clarence；　with　a　rapidly
beating　heart；　awaited　him。　　The　clerk　returned。　　There　was　no　such
name　on　the　books。　　Jackson　Brant　was　utterly　unknown　to　every　one
in　the　establishment。

For　an　instant　the　counter　against　which　the　boy　was　leaning　seemed
to　yield　with　his　weight；　he　was　obliged　to　steady　himself　with
both　hands　to　keep　from　falling。　　It　was　not　his　disappointment；
which　was　terrible；　it　was　not　a　thought　of　his　future；　which
seemed　hopeless；　it　was　not　his　injured　pride　at　appearing　to　have
willfully　deceived　Mr。　Peyton；　which　was　more　dreadful　than　all
else；　but　it　was　the　sudden；　sickening　sense　that　HE　himself　had
been　deceived；　tricked；　and　fooled！　　For　it　flashed　upon　him　for
the　first　time