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