a first family of tasajara-第21章

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brown　moustache　and　his　hair；　that；　curling　under　the　brim　of　his

hat；　was　almost　white　in　color。　　The　young　man　started；　and　said；

hurriedly：　〃I　really　believe　it　is　Fletcher；they　say　his　hair

turned　white　from　the　Panama　fever。〃



It　was　indeed　Mr。　Fletcher　who　entered　and　introduced　himself；

a　gentle　reserved　man；　with　something　of　that　colorlessness　of

premature　age　in　his　speech　which　was　observable　in　his　hair。　　He

had　heard　of　Mr。　Harcourt　from　a　friend　who　had　recommended　him

highly。　　As　Mr。　Harcourt　had　probably　been　told；　he；　the　speaker；

was　about　to　embark　some　capital　in　a　first…class　newspaper　in　San

Francisco；　and　should　select　the　staff　himself。　　He　wanted　to

secure　only　first…rate　talent；but　above　all；　youthfulness；

directness；　and　originality。　　The　〃Clarion；〃　for　that　was　to　be

its　name；　was　to　have　nothing　〃old　fogy〃　about　it。　　No。　　It　was

distinctly　to　be　the　organ　of　Young　California！　　This　and　much　more

from　the　grave　lips　of　the　elderly　young　man；　whose　speech　seemed

to　be　divided　between　the　pretty；　but　equally　faded；　young　wife；

and　the　one　personification　of　invincible　youth　present；her

husband。



〃But　I　fear　I　have　interrupted　your　household　duties；〃　he　said

pleasantly。　　〃You　were　preparing　dinner。　　Pray　go　on。　　And　let　me

help　you；I'm　not　a　bad　cook；and　you　can　give　me　my　reward　by

letting　me　share　it　with　you；　for　the　climb　up　here　has　sharpened

my　appetite。　　We　can　talk　as　we　go　on。〃



It　was　in　vain　to　protest；　there　was　something　paternal　as　well　as

practical　in　the　camaraderie　of　this　actual　capitalist　and　possible

Maecenas　and　patron　as　he　quietly　hung　up　his　hat　and　overcoat；　and

helped　to　set　the　table　with　a　practiced　hand。　　Nor；　as　he

suggested；　did　the　conversation　falter；　and　before　they　had　taken

their　seats　at　the　frugal　board　he　had　already　engaged　John　Milton

Harcourt　as　assistant　editor　of　the　〃Clarion〃　at　a　salary　that

seemed　princely　to　this　son　of　a　millionaire！　　The　young　wife

meantime　had　taken　active　part　in　the　discussion；　whether　it　was

vaguely　understood　that　the　possession　of　poetical　and　imaginative

faculties　precluded　any　capacity　for　business；　or　whether　it　was

owing　to　the　apparent　superior　maturity　of　Mrs。　Harcourt　and　the

stranger；　it　was　certain　that　THEY　arranged　the　practical　details

of　the　engagement；　and　that　the　youthful　husband　sat　silent；　merely

offering　his　always　hopeful　and　sanguine　consent。



〃You'll　take　a　house　nearer　to　town；　I　suppose？〃　continued　Mr。

Fletcher　to　the　lady；　〃though　you've　a　charming　view　here。　　I

suppose　it　was　quite　a　change　from　Tasajara　and　your　father…in…

law's　house？　　I　daresay　he　had　as　fine　a　place　thereon　his　own

homesteadas　he　has　here？〃



Young　Harcourt　dropped　his　sensitive　eyelids　again。　　It　seemed　hard

that　he　could　never　get　away　from　these　allusions　to　his　father！

Perhaps　it　was　only　to　that　relationship　that　he　was　indebted　for

his　visitor's　kindness。　　In　his　simple　honesty　he　could　not　bear

the　thought　of　such　a　misapprehension。　　〃Perhaps；　Mr。　Fletcher；　you

do　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　my　father　is　not　on　terms　with　me；　and

that　we　neither　expect　anything　nor　could　we　ever　take　anything

from　him。　　Could　we；　Loo？〃　　He　added　the　useless　question　partly

because　he　saw　that　his　wife's　face　betrayed　little　sympathy　with

him；　and　partly　that　Fletcher　was　looking　at　her　curiously；　as　if

for　confirmation。　　But　this　was　another　of　John　Milton's　trials　as

an　imaginative　reporter；　nobody　ever　seemed　to　care　for　his

practical　opinions　or　facts！



〃Mr。　Fletcher　is　not　interested　in　our　little　family　differences；

Milty；〃　she　said；　looking　at　Mr。　Fletcher；　however；　instead　of　him。

〃You're　Daniel　Harcourt's　SON　whatever　happens。〃



The　cloud　that　had　passed　over　the　young　man's　face　and　eyes　did

not；　however；　escape　Mr。　Fletcher's　attention；　for　he　smiled；　and

added　gayly；　〃And　I　hope　my　valued　lieutenant　in　any　case。〃

Nevertheless　John　Milton　was　quite　ready　to　avail　himself　of　an

inspiration　to　fetch　some　cigars　for　his　guest　from　the　bar　of　the

Sea…View　House　on　the　slope　of　the　hill　beyond；　and　thereby　avoid　a

fateful　subject。　　Once　in　the　fresh　air　again　he　promptly　recovered

his　boyish　spirits。　　The　light　flying　scud　had　already　effaced　the

first　rising　stars；　the　lower　creeping　sea…fog　had　already　blotted

out　the　western　shore　and　sea；　but　below　him　to　the　east　the

glittering　lights　of　the　city　seemed　to　start　up　with　a　new；

mysterious；　and　dazzling　brilliancy。　　It　was　the　valley　of　diamonds

that　Sindbad　saw　lying　almost　at　his　feet！　　Perhaps　somewhere　there

the　light　of　his　own　fame　and　fortune　was　already　beginning　to

twinkle！



He　returned　to　his　humble　roof　joyous　and　inspired。　　As　he　entered

the　hall　he　heard　his　wife's　voice　and　his　own　name　mentioned；

followed　by　that　awkward；　meaningless　silence　on　his　entrance　which

so　plainly　indicated　either　that　he　had　been　the　subject　of

conversation　or　that　it　was　not　for　his　ears。　　It　was　a　dismal

reminder　of　his　boyhood　at　Sidon　and　Tasajara。　　But　he　was　too　full

of　hope　and　ambition　to　heed　it　to…night；　and　later；　when　Mr。

Fletcher　had　taken　his　departure；　his　pent…up　enthusiasm　burst　out

before　his　youthful　partner。　　Had　she　realized　that　their　struggles

were　over　now；　that　their　future　was　secure？　　They　need　no　longer

fear　ever　being　forced　to　take　bounty　from　the　family；　they　were

independent　of　them　all！　　He　would　make　a　name　for　himself　that

should　be　distinct　from　his　father's　as　he　should　make　a　fortune

that　would　be　theirs　alone。　　The　young　wife　smiled。　　〃But　all　that

need　not　prevent　you；　dear；　from　claiming　your　RIGHTS　when　the　time

comes。〃



〃But　if　I　scorn　to　make　the　claim　or　take　a　penny　of　his；　Loo？〃



〃You　say　you　scorn　to　take　the　money　you　think　your　father　got　by　a

mere　trick；at　the　best；and　didn't　earn。　　And　now　you　will　be

able　to　show　you　can　live　without　it；　and　earn　your　own　fortune。

Well；　dear；　for　that　very　reason　why　should　you　let　your　father　and

others　enjoy　and　waste　what　is　fairly　your　share？　　For　it　is　YOUR

share　whether　it　came　to　your　father　fairly　or　not；　and　if　not；　it

is　still　your　duty；　believing　as　you　do；　to　claim　it　from　him；　that

at　least　YOU　may　do　with　it　what　you　choose。　　You　might　want　to

restore　ittotosomebody。〃



The　young　man　laughed。　　〃But；　my　dear　Loo！　suppose　that　I　were　weak

enough　to　claim　it；　do　you　think　my　father　would　give　it　up？　　He

has　the　right；　and　no　law　could　force　him　to　yield　to　me　more　than

he　chooses。〃



〃Not　the　law；　but　YOU　could。〃



〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　said　quickly。



〃You　could　force　him　by　simply　telling　him　what　you　once　told　me。〃



John　Milton　drew　back；　and　his　hand　dropped　loosely　from　his

wife's。　　The　color　left　his　fresh　young　face；　the　light　quivered

for　a　moment　and　then　became　fixed　and　set　in　his　eyes。　　For　that

moment　he　looked　ten　years　her　senior。　　〃I　was　wrong　ever　to　tell

even　you　that；　Loo；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃You　are　wrong　to

ever　remind　me　of　it。　　Forget　it　from　this　moment；　as　you　value　our

love　and　want　it　to　live　and　be　remembered。　　And　forget；　Loo；　as　I

do；and　ever　shall；that　you　ever　suggested　to　me　to　use　my

secret　in　the　way　you　did　just　now。〃



But　here　Mrs。　Harcourt　burst　into　tears；　more　touched　by　the

alteration　in　her　husband's　manner；　I　fear；　than　by　any　contrition

for　wrongdoing。　　Of　course　if　he　wished　to　withdraw　his　confidences

from　her；　just　as　he　had　almost　confessed　he　wished　to　withdraw　his

NAME；　she　couldn't　help　it；　but　it　was　hard　that　when　she　sat　there

all　day　long　trying　to　think　what　was　best　for　them；　she　should　be

blamed！　　At　which　the　quiet　and　forgiving　John　Milton　smiled

remorsefully　and　tried　to　comfort　her。　　Nevertheless　an　occasional

odd；　indefinable　chill　seemed　to　creep　across　the　feverish

enthusiasm　with　which　he　was　celebrating　this　day　of　fortune。　　And

yet　he　neither　knew　nor　suspected　until　long　after　that　his　foolish

wife　had　tha