down the mother lode-第6章

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eturned　to　the　grandstand　and　operations　were　repeated。

Charlie　had　been　a　sailor　before　he　came　to　California；　and　he　plowed　（？）　each　furrow　with　a　collection　of　forceful　admonitions；　delivered　in　a　voice　of　thunder；　from　a　different　language。　It　was　all　the　same　to　Lizzie！　She　loathed　plowing　just　as　thoroughly　in　wildcat　Spanish；　as　she　did　in　Dutch　or　Cingalese；　and　she　did　not　hesitate　to　prove　it。

Jim　Hutch　and　Jimmie　Greeley　drifted　down　to　Rattlesnake　at　sundown　and　joined　the　laughter…weakened　group　perched　upon　Charlie's　snake　fence。

〃The　man　grows　more　daft　every　year。　'Tis　strange；　what　charms　the　Widow　Schmitt。〃　Old　Jimmie　merely　growled　in　his　beard。　〃Charlie；　mon；〃　he　called；　〃the　mare　is　warm　and　weary；　and　so's　yoursel'。　Come　on　to　town　for　a　bit。〃

Charlie　stayed　overlong　at　the　miners'　haunts　in　Rattlesnake　and　it　was　very　late　when　he　started　back　to　his　cabin；　carrying　in　one　limp；　hot　hand　a　jug　which　he　guarded　zealously　from　harm　during　his　unsteady　progress。

The　men　still　sat　over　the　card　tables　when　the　first　daylight　crept　over　the　mountains。　Jimmie　Greeley　was　raking　in　a　jackpot；　grinning　fiendishly　at　the　dour　Jim　Hutch　when　they　heard　heavy；　running　feet　outside。　The　door　crashed　open　and　a　frightened；　half…grown　lad　shouted：

〃Where's　the　sheriff？　Charlie　Price　has　been　hung！〃

〃What！〃

〃On　a　tree　near　the　Widow　Schmitt's。　I　saw　him。　I　know　well　the　sailor　coat　that　he　wears　…　and　his　best　red…topped　boots。　Where's　the　sheriff？〃

〃Over　at　Ah　Quong's；　the　Chinee　store　on　the　edge　of　town。〃　The　boy　ran　off。　Old　Jim　Hutch　rose　impressively　to　his　feet。

〃Friends；　the　man　ye　hae　laughed　at　all　day　…　is　dead。　The　man　ye　hae　always　laughed　at　…　and　yet；　WHO　was　it　that　lent　ye　gold　when　ye　had　none？　Yea；　the　gold　ye　thought　it　not　worth　ye'r　while　to　return。　Who　was　ever　ready　to　warm　you　at　his　bit　fire　in　winter　or　to　cool　ye're　whuskey…hot　throat　with　water　from　his　cool　spring　in　summer？

〃Who　was　it　that　brought　his　mare　into　his　own　kitchen　when　it　snowed；　and　fed　her　the　rice　and　beans　he　went　without？　Who　was　it　that　the　Widow　Schmitt　waits　for　year　after　year；　with　half　the　ould　fools　in　Placer　dancin'　after　her？〃

That　was　too　much　for　old　man　Greeley。

〃Because　he　was　indifferent…like。　When　ye　want　a　woman；　run　away　f…r…r…om　her　and　she'll　run　after。〃

〃Why　did　ye　na　do　it；　then；　Jeems？〃

〃Faith　an'　I　did；　but　bein'　ahl　dressed　up　as　I　was　in　me　coat；　she　couldn't　see　me　suspenders　to　tell　was　I　comin'　or　goin'！〃　Jim　Hutch　turned　from　him　witheringly。

〃Who　was　it　staked　ye　for　a　new　prospectin'　trip；　an'　let　his　own　mine　go　unworked？　Who　nursed　ye　when　ye　were　lyin'　seeck　unto　death；　an'　no　one　would　come　nigh　on　account　of　the　smallpox　scare？　Old　Charlie　Price。〃

A　boy　whirled　about　to　face　the　window；　but　not　before　one　uncontrollable　sob　had　sounded　through　the　quiet　room。

〃Who　was　it；〃　went　on　the　old　Scotchman　gently；　〃found　the　wee　bairn　that　was　lost；　last　summer；　that　followed　the　Indians　for　thirty　miles　on　his　Leezie…mare　and　got　the　babe　from　out　the　wickiup　of　White　Beaver？　Charlie　Price。

〃Who　came　bringing　it　haeme　laughing；　on　the　saddle　pommel　while　he　sang　to　it　songs　from　ower　seven　seas；　which　we　did　blush　to　hear；　in　a　voice　to　be　heard　twa　miles　about？　And　'twas　only　the　bairn's　mother　who　thought　to　thank　him。

〃Yea；　and　furthermore；　when　the　incensed　people　would　hae　wipet　out　the　while　tribe　of　White　Beaver；　who　dashed　at　the　mob　wi'　the　roars　of　a　bull…bison　forcin'　them　to　hear　that　the　squaw　was　crazed　from　the　death　of　her　own　bit　bairn；　and　but　tryin'　to　comfort　her　sore　heart？　Who；　I'm　askin'　ye？〃　and　from　each　man's　lips　came　the　murmur　like　a　response　to　a　litany：

〃Charlie　Price。〃

　From　the　open　door　a　cool　dawn　breeze　blew　in　from　the　Sierras；　pure　forerunner　to　the　new　day。　It　whirled　the　heavy　smoke　plumes　into　forms　of　vanished　ghosts；　like　the　tortured　figments　of　each　man's　conscience　who　had　done；　and　〃left　undone〃　that　which　it　was　forever　too　late　to　amend。

The　sheriff　walked　in。

〃This　boy　says　that　old　Charlie　is　gone。〃　He　stood　with　his　broad　hat　off；　running　his　fingers　nervously　through　his　hair。　〃Gentlemen　…　I　…　I　must　confess　…　I　heard　the　poor　man　calling；　but　…　〃

〃Mon；　in　an　ancient　book　named　'Mr。　Aesop；　His　Fables；'　there　was　a　tale　of　the　lad　who　cried　'wolf。'　Many　there　are　here　who　have　read　it。　Come；　let　us　gae　after　poor　Charlie。〃

In　the　first　daylight　they　reached　the　tree　with　its　gruesome　burden。

〃But　…　but；〃　sputtered　the　keen…eyed　little　Irishman；　〃'Tis　not　Charlie　at　all！　'Tis　but　an　effigy　dressed　in　Charlie's　clothes　and　hung　at　the　Widow　Schmitt's　gate。〃

〃As　a　warnin'　to　him　frae　some　mutton…head　lover　of　hers。〃

They　ran　as　one　man　across　the　road　to　Charlie's　cabin。　It　was　empty。

〃He　was　callin'　'Help'；〃　said　the　round…eyed　boy。

〃Yes；　we　heard　him；〃　added　the　sheriff。

They　had　come　up　the　road。　They　started　back　down　the　trail。

*　*　*　*　*

Charlie　had　got　nearly　home　when　he　began　to　worry　about　a　deep　prospect　hole　near　the　trail　known　as　〃Rosenhammer's　Shaft。〃　He　must　be　careful　to　avoid　it。　Suddenly　his　foot　slipped　on　a　pebble。　He　clutched　unavailingly　at　a　manzanita　and　rolled　into　a　circle　of　inky　blackness。　Rosenhammer's　Shaft！　Now　he　was　lost；　indeed。

But；　no。　As　he　slid　he　came　against　a　sturdy　live…oak　bush　which　he　clutched；　managing　to　stop　his　descent　into　the　next　world　for　the　time　being。　He　even；　swung　one　leg　over　a　wiry　limb；　and　there　he　clung；　puttering　sailors'　argot；　considering　his　sins；　and　roaring　for　help　in　his　best　fortissimo　tone。

The　shaft　was　said　to　be　a　hundred　feet　deep。　It　was　filled　part　way　with　oily　water；　and　inhabited　by　snakes　and　monsters　of　the　subterranean　deeps。　People　had　fallen　in　and　drowned；　and　had　been　known　never　to　rise　again。　The　ghost　of　a　Chinaman　who　had　been　murdered　and　flung　down；　was　said　to　float　up　from　its　depths　at　night　to　range　the　earth；　seeking　the　perpetrator　of　the　fiendish　deed。

Charlie　wished　that　he　had　led　a　more　blameless　life　that　he　had　not　so　thoroughly　beaten　the　Indian　who　had　sold　him　a　salted　mine；　that　he　had　not　made　Lizzie　plow；　that；　above　all；　he　had　married　the　Widow　Schmitt　when　she　had　so　plainly　shown　her　liking　for　him。

Well；　it　did　not　matter　much。　He　would　fall　in　forty　feet　of　water　and　they　would　never　find　him。　He　wished　that　he　had　drunk　that　which　the　jug　contained。　It　was　growing　daylight。　What　was　the　day；　then；　to　him？　He　would　never　live　to　see　it。　His　arms　were　numb。　He　must　soon　let　go　and　fall　to　his　doom。

He　heard　voices　but　was　too　spent　to　call　out。　As　a　crowd　of　men　came　running　over　the　hill；　his　arms　were　slipping　…　slipping。　It　was　almost　broad　day。

He　made　one　last；　herculean　effort　to　hold　fast；　turning　his　head　over　his　shoulder　to　glance　into　the　deathtrap　below　and　…　just　as　his　repentant　rescuers　reached　him；　he　gave　a　disgusted　snort　and　fell　…　three　feet　to　the　bottom　of　the　hole！

In　the　darkness　he　had　safely　passed　the　Rosenhammer　shaft　and　had　fallen　into　the　six…feet…deep　prospect　hole　of　his　own　claim。

Two　days　later；　Charlie　married　the　Widow　Schmitt



〃Rattlesnake　Dick〃

IV

〃Again　swings　the　lash　on　the　high　mountain　trail；　And　the　pipe　of　the　packer　is　scenting　the　gale；　For　the　trails　are　all　open；　the　roads　are　all　free；　And　the　highwayman's　whistle　is　heard　on　the　lea。〃

…　Bret　Harte。



We　were　riding　one　day　under　the　Digger　pines；　down　an　abandoned　old　road　toward　Mountaineer　House。　As　usual；　my　spirited　half…Arab；　as　white　as　she　was　fleet；　had　put　me　far　in　the　lead。　She　loved　a　race　as　well　as　I　did；　but　she　ran　it　to　suit　herself。　If　I　tried　to　interpose　any　theories　of　my　own；　she　calmly　took　the　bit　in　her　teeth　and　after　that　I　devoted　most　of　my　energies　to　hanging　on！

Mammy　Kate；　own　daughter　of　Nancy　Gooch　of　Coloma；　would　scold　when　I　came　home　with　torn　skirt　and　a　bump　on　my　forehead：　〃Now；　den；　look　at　dat　chile！　Been　hoss…racin'　agin　su'ah　as　Moses　was　in　Egypt！　I　shall　suttenly　enjine　yo'　fathah　to　done　gin'　yo'　plow…hoss　to　ride　so　yo's　gwi'　git　beat　wiff　yo'　racin'；　and　quit。　Spects　yo'　had　'nothah　tumble；　didn't　you'？　You'　wait　till　Katie　gits　de　camph…f