a first family of tasajara-第6章

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Bride；〃　in　mezzotint　or　copperplate。　　Even　the　girl's　common　pink

print　dress　with　its　high　sleeves　and　shoulders　could　not

conventionalize　these　original　outlines；　and　the　hand　that　rested

stiffly　on　the　back　of　her　chair；　albeit　neither　over…white　nor

well　kept；　looked　as　if　it　had　never　held　anything　but　a　lyre；　a

rose；　or　a　good　book。　　Even　the　few　sprays　of　wild　jessamine　which

she　had　placed　in　the　coils　of　her　waving　hair；　although　a　local

fashion；　became　her　as　a　special　ornament。



The　two　girls　kept　their　constrained　and　artificially　elaborated

attitude　for　a　few　moments；　accompanied　by　the　murmur　of　voices　in

the　kitchen；　the　monotonous　drip　of　the　eaves　before　the　window；

and　the　far…off　sough　of　the　wind。　　Then　Phemie　suddenly　broke　into

a　constrained　giggle；　which　she　however　quickly　smothered　as　she

had　the　accordion；　and　with　the　same　look　of　mischievous　distress。



〃I'm　astonished　at　you；　Phemie；〃　said　Clementina　in　a　deep　contralto

voice；　which　seemed　even　deeper　from　its　restraint。　　〃You　don't　seem

to　have　any　sense。　　Anybody'd　think　you　never　had　seen　a　stranger

before。〃



〃Saw　him　before　you　did；〃　retorted　Phemie　pertly。　　But　here　a

pushing　of　chairs　and　shuffling　of　feet　in　the　kitchen　checked　her。

Clementina　fixed　an　abstracted　gaze　on　the　ceiling；　Phemie　regarded

a　leaf　on　the　window　sill　with　photographic　rigidity　as　the　door

opened　to　the　strangers　and　her　father。



The　look　of　undisguised　satisfaction　which　lit　the　young　men's

faces　relieved　Mr。　Harkutt's　awkward　introduction　of　any

embarrassment；　and　almost　before　Phemie　was　fully　aware　of　it；　she

found　herself　talking　rapidly　and　in　a　high　key　with　Mr。　Lawrence

Grant；　the　surveyor；　while　her　sister　was　equally；　although　more

sedately；　occupied　with　Mr。　Stephen　Rice；　his　assistant。　　But　the

enthusiasm　of　the　strangers；　and　the　desire　to　please　and　be

pleased　was　so　genuine　and　contagious　that　presently　the　accordion

was　brought　into　requisition；　and　Mr。　Grant　exhibited　a　surprising

faculty　of　accompaniment　to　Mr。　Rice's　tenor；　in　which　both　the

girls　joined。



Then　a　game　of　cards　with　partners　followed；　into　which　the　rival

parties　introduced　such　delightful　and　shameless　obviousness　of

cheating；　and　displayed　such　fascinating　and　exaggerated

partisanship　that　the　game　resolved　itself　into　a　hilarious　melee；

to　which　peace　was　restored　only　by　an　exhibition　of　tricks　of

legerdemain　with　the　cards　by　the　young　surveyor。　　All　of　which

Mr。　Harkutt　supervised　patronizingly；　with　occasional　fits　of

abstraction；　from　his　rocking…chair；　and　later　Mrs。　Harkutt　from　her

kitchen　threshold；　wiping　her　arms　on　her　apron　and　commiseratingly

observing　that　she　〃declared；　the　young　folks　looked　better

already。〃



But　it　was　here　a　more　dangerous　element　of　mystery　and　suggestion

was　added　by　Mr。　Lawrence　Grant　in　the　telling　of　Miss　Euphemia's

fortune　from　the　cards　before　him；　and　that　young　lady；　pink　with

excitement；　fluttered　her　little　hands　not　unlike　timid　birds　over

the　cards　to　be　drawn；　taking　them　from　him　with　an　audible　twitter

of　anxiety　and　great　doubts　whether　a　certain　〃fair…haired

gentleman〃　was　in　hearts　or　diamonds。



〃Here　are　two　strangers；〃　said　Mr。　Grant；　with　extraordinary

gravity　laying　down　the　cards；　〃and　here　is　a　'journey；'　this　is

'unexpected　news；'　and　this　ten　of　diamonds　means　'great　wealth'　to

you；　which　you　see　follows　the　advent　of　the　two　strangers　and　is

some　way　connected　with　them。〃



〃Oh；　indeed；〃　said　the　young　lady　with　great　pertness　and　a　toss　of

her　head。　　〃I　suppose　they've　got　the　money　with　them。〃



〃No；　though　it　reaches　you　through　them；〃　he　answered　with

unflinching　solemnity。　　〃Wait　a　bit；　I　have　it！　　I　see；　I've　made　a

mistake　with　this　card。　　It　signifies　a　journey　or　a　road。　　Queer！

isn't　it；　Steve？　　It's　THE　ROAD。〃



〃It　is　queer；〃　said　Rice　with　equal　gravity；　〃but　it's　so。　　The

road；　sure！〃　　Nevertheless　he　looked　up　into　the　large　eyes　of

Clementina　with　a　certain　confidential　air　of　truthfulness。



〃You　see；　ladies；〃　continued　the　surveyor；　appealing　to　them　with

unabashed　rigidity　of　feature；　〃the　cards　don't　lie！　　Luckily　we

are　in　a　position　to　corroborate　them。　　The　road　in　question　is　a

secret　known　only　to　us　and　some　capitalists　in　San　Francisco。　　In

fact　even　THEY　don't　know　that　it　is　feasible　until　WE　report　to

them。　　But　I　don't　mind　telling　you　now；　as　a　slight　return　for

your　charming　hospitality；　that　the　road　is　a　RAILROAD　from　Oakland

to　Tasajara　Creek　of　which　we've　just　made　the　preliminary　survey。

So　you　see　what　the　cards　mean　is　this：　You're　not　far　from

Tasajara　Creek；　in　fact　with　a　very　little　expense　your　father

could　connect　this　stream　with　the　creek；　and　have　a　WATERWAY

STRAIGHT　TO　THE　RAILROAD　TERMINUS。　　That's　the　wealth　the　cards

promise；　and　if　your　father　knows　how　to　take　a　hint　he　can　make

his　fortune！〃



It　was　impossible　to　say　which　was　the　most　dominant　in　the　face　of

the　speaker；　the　expression　of　assumed　gravity　or　the　twinkling　of

humor　in　his　eyes。　　The　two　girls　with　superior　feminine　perception

divined　that　there　was　much　truth　in　what　he　said；　albeit　they

didn't　entirely　understand　it；　and　what　they　did　understandexcept

the　man's　good…humored　motivewas　not　particularly　interesting。

In　fact　they　were　slightly　disappointed。　　What　had　promised　to　be

an　audaciously　flirtatious　declaration；　and　even　a　mischievous

suggestion　of　marriage；　had　resolved　itself　into　something　absurdly

practical　and　business…like。



Not　so　Mr。　Harkutt。　　He　quickly　rose　from　his　chair；　and；　leaning

over　the　table；　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　card　as　if　it　really

signified　the　railroad；　repeated　quickly：　〃Railroad；　eh！　　What's

that？　　A　railroad　to　Tasajara　Creek？　　Ye　don't　mean　it！That　is

it　ain't　a　SURE　thing？〃



〃Perfectly　sure。　　The　money　is　ready　in　San　Francisco　now；　and　by

this　time　next　year〃



〃A　railroad　to　Tasajara　Creek！〃　continued　Harkutt　hurriedly。　　〃What

part　of　it？　　Where？〃



〃At　the　embarcadero　naturally；〃　responded　Grant。　　〃There　isn't　but

the　one　place　for　the　terminus。　　There's　an　old　shanty　there　now

belongs　to　somebody。〃



〃Why；　pop！〃　said　Phemie　with　sudden　recollection；　〃ain't　it　'Lige

Curtis's　house？　　The　land　he　offered〃



〃Hush！〃　said　her　father。



〃You　know；　the　one　written　in　that　bit　of　paper；〃　continued　the

innocent　Phemie。



〃Hush！　will　you？　　God　A'mighty！　are　you　goin'　to　mind　me？　　Are　you

goin'　to　keep　up　your　jabber　when　I'm　speakin'　to　the　gentlemen？

Is　that　your　manners？　　What　next；　I　wonder！〃



The　sudden　and　unexpected　passion　of　the　speaker；　the　incomprehensible

change　in　his　voice；　and　the　utterly　disproportionate　exaggeration

of　his　attitude　towards　his　daughters；　enforced　an　instantaneous

silence。　　The　rain　began　to　drip　audibly　at　the　window；　the　rush　of

the　river　sounded　distinctly　from　without；　even　the　shaking　of　the

front　part　of　the　dwelling　by　the　distant　gale　became　perceptible。

An　angry　flash　sprang　for　an　instant　to　the　young　assistant's　eye；

but　it　met　the　cautious　glance　of　his　friend；　and　together　both

discreetly　sought　the　table。　　The　two　girls　alone　remained　white　and

collected。　〃Will　you　go　on　with　my　fortune；　Mr。　Grant？〃　said　Phemie

quietly。



A　certain　respect；　perhaps　not　before　observable；　was　suggested　in

the　surveyor's　tone　as　he　smilingly　replied；　〃Certainly；　I　was　only

waiting　for　you　to　show　your　confidence　in　me；〃　and　took　up　the

cards。



Mr。　Harkutt　coughed。　　〃It　looks　as　if　that　blamed　wind　had　blown

suthin'　loose　in　the　store；〃　he　said　affectedly。　　〃I　reckon　I'll　go

and　see。〃　　He　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　disappeared　in　the

passage。　　Yet　even　here　he　stood　irresolute；　looking　at　the　closed

door　behind　him；　and　passing　his　hand　over　his　still　flushed　face。

Presently　he　slowly　and　abstractedly　ascended　the　flight　of　steps；

entered　the　smaller　passage　that　led　to　the　back　door　of　the　shop

an