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第16章

a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第16章

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light from one of the lean…to windows。  He went to the front door
and knocked。  After waiting in vain for a reply; he knocked again。
The second knock proving equally futile; he tried the door; it was
unlocked; and; pushing it open; he walked in。  The narrow passage
was quite dark; but from his knowledge of the house he knew the
〃lean…to〃 was next to the kitchen; and; passing through the dining…
room into it; he opened the door of the little room from which the
light proceeded。  It came from a single candle on a small table;
and beside it; with his eyes moodily fixed on the dying embers of
the fire; sat old Slinn。  There was no other light nor another
human being in the whole house。

For the instant Mulrady; forgetting his own feelings in the mute
picture of the utter desolation of the helpless man; remained
speechless on the threshold。  Then; recalling himself; he stepped
forward and laid his hand gayly on the bowed shoulders。

〃Rouse up out o' this; old man!  Come! this won't do。  Look!  I've
run over here in the rain; jist to have a sociable time with you
all。〃

〃I knew it;〃 said the old man; without looking up; 〃I knew you'd
come。〃

〃You knew I'd come?〃 echoed Mulrady; with an uneasy return of the
strange feeling of awe with which he regarded Slinn's abstraction。

〃Yes; you were alonelike myselfall alone!〃

〃Then; why in thunder didn't you open the door or sing out just
now?〃 he said; with an affected brusquerie to cover his uneasiness。
〃Where's your daughters?〃

〃Gone to Rough…and…Ready to a party。〃

〃And your son?〃

〃He never comes here when he can amuse himself elsewhere。〃

〃Your children might have stayed home on Christmas Eve。〃

〃So might yours。〃

He didn't say this impatiently; but with a certain abstracted
conviction far beyond any suggestion of its being a retort。
Mulrady did not appear to notice it。

〃Well; I don't see why us old folks can't enjoy ourselves without
them;〃 said Mulrady; with affected cheerfulness。  〃Let's have a
good time; you and me。  Let's seeyou haven't any one you can send
to my house; hev you?〃

〃They took the servant with them;〃 said Slinn; briefly。  〃There is
no one here。〃

〃All right;〃 said the millionaire; briskly。  〃I'll go myself。  Do
you think you can manage to light up a little more; and build a
fire in the kitchen while I'm gone?  It used to be mighty
comfortable in the old times。〃

He helped the old man to rise from his chair; and seemed to have
infused into him some of his own energy。  He then added; 〃Now;
don't you get yourself down again into that chair until I come
back;〃 and darted out into the night once more。

In a quarter of an hour he returned with a bag on his broad
shoulders; which one of his porters would have shrunk from lifting;
and laid it before the blazing hearth of the now lighted kitchen。
〃It's something the old woman got for her party; that didn't come
off;〃 he said; apologetically。  〃I reckon we can pick out enough
for a spread。  That darned Chinaman wouldn't come with me;〃 he
added; with a laugh; 〃because; he said; he'd knocked off work
'allee same; Mellican man!'  Look here; Slinn;〃 he said; with a
sudden decisiveness; 〃my pay…roll of the men around here don't run
short of a hundred and fifty dollars a day; and yet I couldn't get
a hand to help me bring this truck over for my Christmas dinner。〃

〃Of course;〃 said Slinn; gloomily。

〃Of course; so it oughter be;〃 returned Mulrady; shortly。  〃Why;
it's only their one day out of 364; and I can have 363 days off; as
I am their boss。  I don't mind a man's being independent;〃 he
continued; taking off his coat and beginning to unpack his sacka
common 〃gunny bag〃used for potatoes。  〃We're independent
ourselves; ain't we; Slinn?〃

His good spirits; which had been at first labored and affected; had
become natural。  Slinn; looking at his brightened eye and fresher
color; could not help thinking he was more like his own real self
at this moment than in his counting…house and officeswith all his
simplicity as a capitalist。  A less abstracted and more observant
critic than Slinn would have seen in this patient aptitude for real
work; and the recognition of the force of petty detail; the
dominance of the old market…gardener in his former humble; as well
as his later more ambitious; successes。

〃Heaven keep us from being dependent upon our children!〃 said
Slinn; darkly。

〃Let the young ones alone to…night; we can get along without them;
as they can without us;〃 said Mulrady; with a slight twinge as he
thought of his reflections on the hillside。  〃But look here;
there's some champagne and them sweet cordials that women like;
there's jellies and such like stuff; about as good as they make
'em; I reckon; and preserves; and tongues; and spiced beeftake
your pick!  Stop; let's spread them out。〃  He dragged the table to
the middle of the floor; and piled the provisions upon it。  They
certainly were not deficient in quality or quantity。  〃Now; Slinn;
wade in。〃

〃I don't feel hungry;〃 said the invalid; who had lapsed again into
a chair before the fire。

〃No more do I;〃 said Mulrady; 〃but I reckon it's the right thing to
do about this time。  Some folks think they can't be happy without
they're getting outside o' suthin'; and my directors down at
'Frisco can't do any business without a dinner。  Take some
champagne; to begin with。〃

He opened a bottle; and filled two tumblers。  〃It's past twelve
o'clock; old man; so here's a merry Christmas to you; and both of
us ez is here。  And here's another to our familiesez isn't。〃

They both drank their wine stolidly。  The rain beat against the
windows sharply; but without the hollow echoes of the house on the
hill。  〃I must write to the old woman and Mamie; and say that you
and me had a high old time on Christmas Eve。〃

〃By ourselves;〃 added the invalid。

Mr。 Mulrady coughed。  〃Nat'rallyby ourselves。  And her
provisions;〃 he added; with a laugh。  〃We're really beholden to HER
for 'em。  If she hadn't thought of having them〃

〃For somebody else; you wouldn't have had themwould you?〃 said
Slinn; slowly; gazing at the fire。

〃No;〃 said Mulrady; dubiously。  After a pause he began more
vivaciously; and as if to shake off some disagreeable thought that
was impressing him; 〃But I mustn't forget to give you YOUR
Christmas; old man; and I've got it right here with me。〃  He took
the folded envelope from his pocket; and; holding it in his hand
with his elbow on the table; continued; 〃I don't mind telling you
what idea I had in giving you what I'm goin' to give you now。  I've
been thinking about it for a day or two。  A man like you don't want
moneyyou wouldn't spend it。  A man like you don't want stocks or
fancy investments; for you couldn't look after them。  A man like
you don't want diamonds and jewellery; nor a gold…headed cane; when
it's got to be used as a crutch。  No; sir。  What you want is
suthin' that won't run away from you; that is always there before
you and won't wear out; and will last after you're gone。  That's
land!  And if it wasn't that I have sworn never to sell or give
away this house and that garden; if it wasn't that I've held out
agin the old woman and Mamie on that point; you should have THIS
house and THAT garden。  But; mebbee; for the same reason that I've
told you; I want that land to keep for myself。  But I've selected
four acres of the hill this side of my shaft; and here's the deed
of it。  As soon as you're ready; I'll put you up a house as big as
thisthat shall be yours; with the land; as long as you live; old
man; and after that your children's。〃

〃No; not theirs!〃 broke in the old man; passionately。  〃Never!〃

Mulrady recoiled for an instant in alarm at the sudden and
unexpected vehemence of his manner; 〃Go slow; old man; go slow;〃 he
said; soothingly。  〃Of course; you'll do with your own as you
like。〃  Then; as if changing the subject; he went on cheerfully:
〃Perhaps you'll wonder why I picked out that spot on the hillside。
Well; first; because I reserved it after my strike in case the lead
should run that way; but it didn't。  Next; because when you first
came here you seemed to like the prospect。  You used to sit there

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