cressy-第21章

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certain　forms　and　examples　in　a　book　before　him　a　〃Letter　to　a

Consignee〃　informing　him　that　he；　Uncle　Ben；　had　just　shipped　〃2

cwt。　Ivory　Elephant　Tusks；　80　peculs　of　rice　and　400bbls。　prime

mess　pork　from　Indian　Spring；〃　and　another　beginning　〃Honored

Madam；〃　and　conveying　in　admirably　artificial　phraseology　the

〃lamented　decease〃　of　the　lady's　husband　from　yellow　fever；

contracted　on　the　Gold　Coast；　and　Uncle　Ben　was　surveying　his　work

with　critical　satisfaction　when　the　master；　somewhat　impatiently；

consulted　his　watch。　　Uncle　Ben　looked　up。



〃I　oughter　told　ye　that　Rupe　didn't　kalkilate　to　come　to　day。〃



〃Indeedwhy　not？〃



〃I　reckon　because　I　told　him　he　needn't。　　I　allowed　toto　hev　a

little　private　talk　with　ye；　Mr。　Ford；　if　ye　didn't　mind。〃



Mr。　Ford's　face　did　not　shine　with　invitation。　　〃Very　well；〃　he

said；　〃only　remember　I　have　an　engagement　this　afternoon。〃



〃But　that　ain't　until　about　sundown；　said　Uncle　Ben　quietly。　　〃I

won't　keep　ye　ez　long　ez　that。〃



Mr。　Ford　glanced　quickly　at　Uncle　Ben　with　a　rising　color。　　〃What

do　you　know　of　my　engagements？〃　he　said　sharply。



〃Nothin'；　Mr。　Ford；〃　returned　Uncle　Ben　simply；　〃but　hevin'　bin

layin'　round；　lookin'　for　ye　here　and　at　the　hotel　for　four　or　five

days　allus　about　that　time　and　not　findin'　you；　I　rather　kalkilated

you　might　hev　suthin'　reg'lar　on　hand。〃



There　was　certainly　nothing　in　his　face　or　manner　to　indicate　the

least　evasion　or　deceit；　or　indeed　anything　but　his　usual　naivete；

perhaps　a　little　perturbed　and　preoccupied　by　what　he　was　going　to

say。　　〃I　had　an　idea　of　writin'　you　a　letter；〃　he　continued；

〃kinder　combinin'　practice　and　confidential　information；　you　know。

To　be　square　with　you；　Mr。　Ford；　in　pint　o'　fact；　I've　got　it　HERE。

But　ez　it　don't　seem　to　entirely　gibe　with　the　facts；　and　leaves　a

heap　o'　things　onsaid　and　onseen；　perhaps　it's　jest　ez　wall　ez　I

read　it　to　you　myselfputten'　in　a　word　here　and　there；　and

explainin'　it　gin'rally。　　Do　you　sabe？〃



The　master　nodded；　and　Uncle　Ben　drew　from　his　desk　a　rude

portfolio　made　from　the　two　covers　of　a　dilapidated　atlas；　and　took

from　between　them　a　piece　of　blotting…paper；　which　through

inordinate　application　had　acquired　the　color　and　consistency　of　a

slate；　and　a　few　pages　of　copy…book　paper；　that　to　the　casual

glance　looked　like　sheets　of　exceedingly　difficult　music。

Surveying　them　with　a　blending　of　chirographic　pride；　orthographic

doubt；　and　the　bashful　consciousness　of　a　literary　amateur；　he

traced　each　line　with　a　forefinger　inked　to　the　second　joint；　and

slowly　read　aloud　as　follows：



〃'Mr。　Ford；　Teacher。



〃'DEAR　SIR；Yours　of　the　12th　rec'd　and　contents　noted。'〃　　（〃I

did'nt；〃　explained　Uncle　Ben　parenthetically；　〃receive　any　letter

of　yours；　but　I　thought　I　might　heave　in　that　beginning　from　copy

for　practice。　　The　rest　is　ME。〃）　　〃'In　refference　to　my　having

munney；〃'　continued　Uncle　Ben　reading　and　pointing　each　word　as　he

read；　〃'and　being　able　to　buy　Ditch　Stocks　an'　Land'〃



〃One　moment；〃　said　Mr。　Ford　interrupting；　〃I　thought　you　were　going

to　leave　out　copy。　　Come　to　what　you　have　to　say。〃



〃But　I　HEVthis　is　all　real　now。　　Hold　on　and　you'll　see；〃　said

Uncle　Ben。　　He　resumed　with　triumphant　emphasis：



〃'When　it　were　gin'rally　allowed　that　I　haddent　a　red　cent；　I　want

to　explain　to　you　Mister　Ford　for　the　first　time　a　secret。　　This

here　is　how　it　was　done。　　When　I　first　came　to　Injian　Spring；　I

settled　down　into　the　old　Palmetto　claim；　near　a　heap　of　old

taillings。　　Knowin'　it　were　against　rools；　and　reg'lar　Chinyman's

bizness　to　work　them　I　diddn't　let　on　to　enyboddy　what　I　didwitch

wos　to　turn　over　some　of　the　quarts　what　I　thought　was　likely　and

Orrifferus。　　Doing　this　I　kem　uppon　some　pay　ore　which　them

Palmetto　fellers　had　overlookt；　or　more　likely　had　kaved　in　uppon

them　from　the　bank　onknown。　　Workin'　at　it　in　od　times　by　and

large；　sometimes　afore　sun　up　and　sometimes　after　sundown；　and　all

the　time　keeping　up　a　day's　work　on　the　clame　for　a　show　to　the

boys；　I　emassed　a　honist　fortun　in　2　years　of　50；000　dolers　and

still　am。　　But　it　will　be　askd　by　the　incredjulos　Reeder　How　did

you　never　let　out　anything　to　Injian　Spring；　and　How　did　you　get

rid　of　your　yeald？　　Mister　Ford；　the　Anser　is　I　took　it　twist　a

month　on　hoss　back　over　to　La　Port　and　sent　it　by　express　to　a　bank

in　Sacramento；　givin'　the　name　of　Daubigny；　witch　no　one　in　La　Port

took　for　me。　　The　Ditch　Stok　and　the　Land　was　all　took　in　the　same

name；　hens　the　secret　was　onreviled　to　the　General　Eyestop　a

minit；'〃　he　interrupted　himself　quickly　as　the　master　in　an

accession　of　impatient　scepticism　was　about　to　break　in　upon　him；

〃it　ain't　all。〃　　Then　dropping　his　voice　to　a　tremulous　and　almost

funereal　climax；　he　went　on：



〃'Thus　we　see　that　pashent　indurstry　is　Rewarded　in　Spite　of　Mining

Rools　and　Reggylashuns；　and　Predgudisses　agin　Furrin　Labor　is

played　out　and　fleeth　like　a　shad…or　contenueyeth　not　long　in　One

Spot；　and　that　a　Man　may　apear　to　be　off　no　Account　and　yet　Emass

that　witch　is　far　abov　rubles　and　Fadith　not　Away。



　　　　〃'Hoppin'　for　a　continneyance



　　　　　　　　〃'of　your　fevors　I　remain；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'Yours　to　command；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃'BENJ　D'AUBIGNY。〃'





The　gloomy　satisfaction　with　which　Uncle　Ben　regarded　this

perorationa　satisfaction　that　actually　appeared　to　be　equal　to

the　revelation　itselfonly　corroborated　the　master's　indignant

doubts。



〃Come；〃　he　said；　impulsively　taking　the　paper　from　Uncle　Ben's

reluctant　hand；　〃how　much　of　this　is　a　concoction　of　yours　and

Rupe'sand　how　much　is　a　true　story？　　Do　you　really　mean？〃



〃Hold　on；　Mr。　Ford！〃　interrupted　Uncle　Ben；　suddenly　fumbling　in

the　breast…pocket　of　his　red　shirt；　〃I　reckoned　on　your　being　a

little　hard　with　me；　remembering　our　first　talk　'bout　these　things

so　I　allowed　I'd　bring　you　some　proof。〃　　Slowly　extracting　a　long

legal　envelope　from　his　pocket；　he　opened　it；　and　drew　out　two　or

three　crisp　certificates　of　stock；　and　handed　them　to　the　master。



〃Ther's　one　hundred　shares　made　out　to　Benj　Daubigny。　　I'd　hev

brought　you　over　the　deed　of　the　land　too；　but　ez　it's　rather　hard

to　read　off…hand；　on　account　of　the　law　palaver；　I've　left　it　up　at

the　shanty　to　tackle　at　odd　times　by　way　of　practising。　　But　ef　you

like　we'll　go　up　thar；　and　I'll　show　it　to　you。〃



Still　haunted　by　his　belief　in　Uncle　Ben's　small　duplicities；　Mr。

Ford　hesitated。　　These　were　certainly　bona　fide　certificates　of

stock　made　out　to　〃Daubigny。〃　　But　he　had　never　actually　accepted

Uncle　Ben's　statement　of　his　identity　with　that　person；　and　now　it

was　offered　as　a　corroboration　of　a　still　more　improbable　story。

He　looked　at　Uncle　Ben's　simple　face　slightly　deepening　in　color

under　his　scrutinyperhaps　with　conscious　guilt。



〃Have　you　made　anybody　your　confidant？　　Rupe；　for　instance？〃　he

asked　significantly。



〃In　course　not；〃　replied　Uncle　Ben　with　a　slight　stiffening　of

wounded　pride。　　〃On'y　yourself；　Mr。　Ford；　and　the　young　feller

Stacey　from　the　bankez　was　obligated　to　know　it。　　In　fact；　I　wos

kalkilatin'　to　ask　you　to　help　me　talk　to　him　about　that　yer

boundary　land。〃



Mr。　Ford's　scepticism　was　at　last　staggered。　　Any　practical　joke　or

foolish　complicity　between　the　agent　of　the　bank　and　a　man　like

Uncle　Ben　was　out　of　the　question；　and　if　the　story　were　his　own

sole　invention；　he　would　have　scarcely　dared　to　risk　so　accessible

and　uncompromising　a　denial　as　the　agent　had　it　in　his　power　to

give。



He　held　out　his　hand　to　Uncle　Ben。　　〃Let　me　congratulate　you；〃　he

said　heartily；　〃and　forgive　me　if　your　story　really　sounded　so

wonderful　I　couldn't　quite　grasp　it。　　Now　let　me　ask　you　something

more。　　Have　you　had　any　reason　for　keeping　this　a　secret；　other

than　your　fear　of　confessing　that　you　violated　a　few　bigoted　and

idiotic　mining　ruleswhich；　after　all；　are　binding　only　upon

sentimentand　which　your　succe