a first family of tasajara-第42章

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was　very　late；　but　the　blue　light　seemed　to　be　still　burning

unalterably　and　inflexibly。



But　even　as　he　gazed；　a　change　came　over　it。　　A　shadow　seemed　to

pass　before　the　blind；　the　blue　shade　was　lifted；　for　an　instant　he

could　see　the　colorless　star…like　point　of　the　light　itself　show

clearly。　　It　was　over　now；　she　was　putting　out　the　lamp。　　Suddenly

he　held　his　breath！　　A　roseate　glow　gradually　suffused　the　window

like　a　burning　blush；　the　curtain　was　drawn　aside；　and　the　red

lamp…shade　gleamed　out　surely　and　steadily　into　the　darkness。



Transfigured　and　breathless　in　the　moonlight；　John　Milton　gazed　on

it。　　It　seemed　to　him　the　dawn　of　Love！





CHAPTER　XIII。





The　winter　rains　had　come。　　But　so　plenteously　and　persistently；

and　with　such　fateful　preparation　of　circumstance；　that　the　long

looked　for　blessing　presently　became　a　wonder；　an　anxiety；　and　at

last　a　slowly　widening　terror。　　Before　a　month　had　passed　every

mountain；　stream；　and　watercourse；　surcharged　with　the　melted　snows

of　the　Sierras；　had　become　a　great　tributary；　every　tributary　a

great　river；　until；　pouring　their　great　volume　into　the　engorged

channels　of　the　American　and　Sacramento　rivers；　they　overleaped

their　banks　and　became　as　one　vast　inland　sea。　　Even　to　a　country

already　familiar　with　broad　and　striking　catastrophe；　the　flood　was

a　phenomenal　one。　　For　days　the　sullen　overflow　lay　in　the　valley

of　the　Sacramento；　enormous；　silent；　currentlessexcept　where　the

surplus　waters　rolled　through　Carquinez　Straits；　San　Francisco　Bay；

and　the　Golden　Gate；　and　reappeared　as　the　vanished　Sacramento

River；　in　an　outflowing　stream　of　fresh　and　turbid　water　fifty

miles　at　sea。



Across　the　vast　inland　expanse；　brooded　over　by　a　leaden　sky；　leaden

rain　fell；　dimpling　like　shot　the　sluggish　pools　of　the　flood；　a

cloudy　chaos　of　fallen　trees；　drifting　barns　and　outhouses；　wagons

and　agricultural　implements　moved　over　the　surface　of　the　waters；　or

circled　slowly　around　the　outskirts　of　forests　that　stood　ankle　deep

in　ooze　and　the　current；　which　in　serried　phalanx　they　resisted

still。　　As　night　fell　these　forms　became　still　more　vague　and

chaotic；　and　were　interspersed　with　the　scattered　lanterns　and

flaming　torches　of　relief…boats；　or　occasionally　the　high　terraced

gleaming　windows　of　the　great　steamboats；　feeling　their　way　along

the　lost　channel。　　At　times　the　opening　of　a　furnace…door　shot　broad

bars　of　light　across　the　sluggish　stream　and　into　the　branches　of

dripping　and　drift…encumbered　trees；　at　times　the　looming

smoke…stacks　sent　out　a　pent…up　breath　of　sparks　that　illuminated

the　inky　chaos　for　a　moment；　and　then　fell　as　black　and　dripping

rain。　　Or　perhaps　a　hoarse　shout　from　some　faintly　outlined　hulk　on

either　side　brought　a　quick　response　from　the　relief…boats；　and　the

detaching　of　a　canoe　with　a　blazing　pine…knot　in　its　bow　into　the

outer　darkness。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　when　Lawrence　Grant；　from　the　deck　of

one　of　the　larger　tugs；　sighted　what　had　been　once　the　estuary　of

Sidon　Creek。　　The　leader　of　a　party　of　scientific　observation　and

relief；　he　had　kept　a　tireless　watch　of　eighteen　hours；　keenly

noticing　the　work　of　devastation；　the　changes　in　the　channel；　the

prospects　of　abatement；　and　the　danger　that　still　threatened。　　He

had　passed　down　the　length　of　the　submerged　Sacramento　valley；

through　the　Straits　of　Carquinez；　and　was　now　steaming　along　the

shores　of　the　upper　reaches　of　San　Francisco　Bay。　　Everywhere　the

same　scene　of　desolation；vast　stretches　of　tule　land；　once　broken

up　by　cultivation　and　dotted　with　dwellings；　now　clearly　erased　on

that　watery　chart；　long　lines　of　symmetrical　perspective；　breaking

the　monotonous　level；　showing　orchards　buried　in　the　flood；　Indian

mounds　and　natural　eminences　covered　with　cattle　or　hastily　erected

camps；　half　submerged　houses；　whose　solitary　chimneys；　however；

still　gave　signs　of　an　undaunted　life　within；　isolated　groups　of

trees；　with　their　lower　branches　heavy　with　the　unwholesome　fruit

of　the　flood；　in　wisps　of　hay　and　straw；　rakes　and　pitchforks；　or

pathetically　sheltering　some　shivering　and　forgotten　household　pet。

But　everywhere　the　same　dull；　expressionless；　placid　tranquillity

of　destruction；a　horrible　leveling　of　all　things　in　one　bland

smiling　equality　of　surface；　beneath　which　agony；　despair；　and　ruin

were　deeply　buried　and　forgotten；　a　catastrophe　without　convulsion；

a　devastation　voiceless；　passionless；　and　supine。



The　boat　had　slowed　up　before　what　seemed　to　be　a　collection　of

disarranged　houses　with　the　current　flowing　between　lines　that

indicated　the　existence　of　thoroughfares　and　streets。　　Many　of　the

lighter　wooden　buildings　were　huddled　together　on　the　street

corners　with　their　gables　to　the　flow；　some　appeared　as　if　they　had

fallen　on　their　knees；　and　others　lay　complacently　on　their　sides；

like　the　houses　of　a　child's　toy　village。　　An　elevator　still　lifted

itself　above　the　other　warehouses；　from　the　centre　of　an　enormous

square　pond；　once　the　plaza；　still　arose　a　〃Liberty　pole；〃　or

flagstaff；　which　now　supported　a　swinging　lantern；　and　in　the

distance　appeared　the　glittering　dome　of　some　public　building。

Grant　recognized　the　scene　at　once。　　It　was　all　that　was　left　of

the　invincible　youth　of　Tasajara！



As　this　was　an　objective　point　of　the　scheme　of　survey　and　relief

for　the　district；　the　boat　was　made　fast　to　the　second　story　of　one

of　the　warehouses。　　It　was　now　used　as　a　general　store　and　depot；

and　bore　a　singular　resemblance　in　its　interior　to　Harcourt's

grocery　at　Sidon。　　This　suggestion　was　the　more　fatefully　indicated

by　the　fact　that　half　a　dozen　men　were　seated　around　a　stove　in　the

centre；　more　or　less　given　up　to　a　kind　of　philosophical　and　lazy

enjoyment　of　their　enforced　idleness。　　And　when　to　this　was　added

the　more　surprising　coincidence　that　the　party　consisted　of

Billings；　Peters；　and　Wingate；former　residents　of　Sidon　and　first

citizens　of　Tasajara；the　resemblance　was　complete。



They　were　ruined；but　they　accepted　their　common　fate　with　a

certain　Indian　stoicism　and　Western　sense　of　humor　that　for　the

time　lifted　them　above　the　vulgar　complacency　of　their　former

fortunes。　　There　was　a　deep…seated；　if　coarse　and　irreverent

resignation　in　their　philosophy。　　At　the　beginning　of　the　calamity

it　had　been　roughly　formulated　by　Billings　in　the　statement　that

〃it　wasn't　anybody's　fault；　there　was　nobody　to　kill；　and　what

couldn't　be　reached　by　a　Vigilance　Committee　there　was　no　use

resolootin'　over。〃　　When　the　Reverend　Doctor　Pilsbury　had　suggested

an　appeal　to　a　Higher　Power；　Peters　had　replied；　good　humoredly；

that　〃a　Creator　who　could　fool　around　with　them　in　that　style　was

above　being　interfered　with　by　prayer。〃　　At　first　the　calamity　had

been　a　thing　to　fight　against；　then　it　became　a　practical　joke；　the

sting　of　which　was　lost　in　the　victims'　power　of　endurance　and

assumed　ignorance　of　its　purport。　　There　was　something　almost

pathetic　in　their　attempts　to　understand　its　peculiar　humor。



〃How　about　that　Europ…e…an　trip　o'　yours；　Peters？〃　said　Billings；

meditatively；　from　the　depths　of　his　chair。　　〃Looks　as　if　those

Crowned　Heads　over　there　would　have　to　wait　till　the　water　goes

down　considerable　afore　you　kin　trot　out　your　wife　and　darters

before　'em！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Peters；　〃it　rather　pints　that　way；　and　ez　far　ez　I　kin

see；　Mame　Billings　ain't　goin'　to　no　Saratoga；　neither；　this　year。〃



〃Reckon　the　boys　won't　hang　about　old　Harcourt's　Free　Library　to

see　the　girls　home　from　lectures　and　singing…class　much　this　year；〃

said　Wingate。　　〃Wonder　if　Harcourt　ever　thought　o'　this　the　day　he

opened　it；　and　made　that　rattlin'　speech　o'　his　about　the　new

property？　　Clark　says　everything　built　on　that　made　ground　has　got

to　go　after　the　water　falls。　　Rough　on　Harcourt　after　all　his　other

losses；　eh？　　He　oughter　have　closed　up　with　that　scientific　chap；

Grant；　and　married　hi