tales of trail and town-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



taken　from　the　decorated　inner　lining　of　cigar…boxes；　were　posted

to　prominent　citizens。　　The　neighboring　and　unregenerated

settlement　of　Red　Dog　was　more　outrageous　in　its　contribution。　　The

Red　Dog　〃Sentinel；〃　in　commenting　on　the　death　of　〃Haulbowline

Tom；〃　a　drunken　English　man…o'…war's　man；　said：　〃It　may　not　be

generally　known　that　our　regretted　fellow　citizen；　while　serving　on

H。　M。　S。　Boxer；　was　secretly　married　to　Queen　Kikalu　of　the

Friendly　Group；　but；　unlike　some　of　our　prosperous　neighbors；　he

never　boasted　of　his　royal　alliance；　and　resisted　with　steady

British　pluck　any　invitation　to　share　the　throne。　　Indeed；　any

allusion　to　the　subject　affected　him　deeply。　　There　are　those　among

us　who　will　remember　the　beautiful　portrait　of　his　royal　bride

tattooed　upon　his　left　arm　with　the　royal　crest　and　the　crossed

flags　of　the　two　nations。〃　　Only　Peter　Atherly　and　his　sister

understood　the　sting　inflicted　either　by　accident　or　design　in　the

latter　sentence。　　Both　he　and　his　sister　had　some　singular

hieroglyphic　branded　on　their　arms；probably　a　reminiscence　of

their　life　on　the　plains　in　their　infant　Indian　captivity。　　But

there　was　no　mistaking　the　general　sentiment。　　The　criticisms　of　a

small　town　may　become　inevasible。　　Atherly　determined　to　take　the

first　opportunity　to　leave　Rough　and　Ready。　　He　was　rich；　his

property　was　secure；　there　was　no　reason　why　he　should　stay　where

his　family　pretensions　were　a　drawback。　　And　a　further　circumstance

determined　his　resolution。



He　was　awaiting　his　sister　in　his　new　house　on　a　little　crest　above

the　town。　　She　had　been　at　the　time　of　her　mother's　death；　and

since；　a　private　boarder　in　the　Sacred　Heart　Convent　at　Santa　Clara；

whence　she　had　been　summoned　to　the　funeral；　but　had　returned　the

next　day。　　Few　people　had　noticed　in　her　brother's　carriage　the

veiled　figure　which　might　have　belonged　to　one　of　the　religious

orders；　still　less　did　they　remember　the　dark；　lank；　heavy…browed

girl　who　had　sometimes　been　seen　about　Rough　and　Ready。　　For　she　had

her　brother's　melancholy；　and　greater　reticence；　and　had　continued

of　her　own　free　will；　long　after　her　girlish　pupilage　at　the

convent；　to　live　secluded　under　its　maternal　roof　without　taking

orders。　　A　general　suspicion　that　she　was　either　a　religious

〃crank；〃　or　considered　herself　too　good　to　live　in　a　mountain　mining

town；　had　not　contributed　to　her　brother's　popularity。　　In　her

abstraction　from　worldly　ambitions　she　had；　naturally；　taken　no　part

in　her　brother's　family　pretensions。　　He　had　given　her　an

independent　allowance；　and　she　was　supposed　to　be　equally　a　sharer

in　his　good　fortune。　　Yet　she　had　suddenly　declared　her　intention　of

returning　to　Atherly；　to　consult　him　on　affairs　of　importance。

Peter　was　both　surprised　and　eager；　there　was　but　little　affection

between　them；　but；　preoccupied　with　his　one　idea；　he　was　satisfied

that　she　wanted　to　talk　about　the　family。



But　he　was　amazed；　disappointed；　and　disconcerted。　　For　Jenny

Atherly；　the　sober　recluse　of　Santa　Clara；　hidden　in　her　sombre

draperies　at　the　funeral；　was　no　longer　to　be　recognized　in　the

fashionable；　smartly　but　somewhat　over…dressed　woman　he　saw　before

him。　　In　spite　of　her　large　features　and　the　distinguishing　Roman

nose；　like　his　own；　she　looked　even　pretty　in　her　excitement。　　She

had　left　the　convent；　she　was　tired　of　the　life　there；　she　was

satisfied　that　a　religious　vocation　would　not　suit　her。　　In　brief；

she　intended　to　enjoy　herself　like　other　women。　　If　he　really　felt

a　pride　in　the　family　he　ought　to　take　her　out；　like　other

brothers；　and　〃give　her　a　show。〃　　He　could　do　it　there　if　he　liked；

and　she　would　keep　house　for　him。　　If　he　didn't　want　to；　she　must

have　enough　money　to　keep　her　fashionably　in　San　Francisco。　　But

she　wanted　excitement；　and　that　she　WOULD　HAVE！　　She　wanted　to　go

to　balls；　theatres；　and　entertainments；　and　she　intended　to！　　Her

voice　grew　quite　high；　and　her　dark　cheek　glowed　with　some　new…

found　emotion。



Astounded　as　he　was；　Peter　succumbed。　　It　was　better　that　she

should　indulge　her　astounding　caprice　under　his　roof　than

elsewhere。　　It　would　not　do　for　the　sister　of　an　Atherly　to　provoke

scandal。　　He　gave　entertainments；　picnics；　and　parties；　and　〃Jinny〃

Atherly　plunged　into　these　mild　festivities　with　the　enthusiasm　of

a　schoolgirl。　　She　not　only　could　dance　with　feverish　energy　all

night；　but　next　day　could　mount　a　horseshe　was　a　fearless　rider

and　lead　the　most　accomplished　horsemen。　　She　was　a　good　shot；　she

walked　with　the　untiring　foot　of　a　coyote；　she　threaded　the　woods

with　the　instinct　of　a　pioneer。　　Peter　regarded　her　with　a　singular

mingling　of　astonishment　and　fear。　　Surely　she　had　not　learned　this

at　school！　　These　were　not　the　teachings　nor　the　sports　of　the　good

sisters！　　He　once　dared　to　interrogate　her　regarding　this　change　in

her　habits。　　〃I　always　FELT　like　it；〃　she　answered　quickly；　〃but　I

kept　it　down。　　I　used　sometimes　to　feel　that　I　couldn't　stand　it

any　longer；　but　must　rush　out　and　do　something；〃　she　said

passionately；　〃but；〃　she　went　on　with　furtive　eyes；　and　a　sudden

wild　timidity　like　that　of　a　fawn；　〃I　was　afraid！　　I　was　afraid　IT

WAS　LIKE　MOTHER！　　It　seemed　to　me　to　be　HER　blood　that　was　rising

in　me；　and　I　kept　it　down；I　didn't　want　to　be　like　her；and　I

prayed　and　struggled　against　it。　　Did　you；〃　she　said；　suddenly

grasping　his　hand；　〃ever　feel　like　that？〃



But　Peter　never　had。　　His　melancholy　faith　in　his　father's　race　had

left　no　thought　of　his　mother's　blood　mingling　with　it。　　〃But；〃　he

said　gravely；　〃believing　this；　why　did　you　change？〃



〃Because　I　could　hold　out　no　longer。　　I　should　have　gone　crazy。

Times　I　wanted　to　take　some　of　those　meek　nuns；　some　of　those

white…faced　pupils　with　their　blue　eyes　and　wavy　flaxen　hair；　and

strangle　them。　　I　couldn't　strive　and　pray　and　struggle　any　longer

THERE；　and　so　I　came　here　to　let　myself　out！　　I　suppose　when　I　get

marriedand　I　ought　to；　with　my　moneyit　may　change　me！　　You

don't　suppose；〃　she　said；　with　a　return　of　her　wild…animal…like

timidity；　〃it　is　anything　that　was　in　FATHER；　in　those　ATHERLYS；

do　you？〃



But　Peter　had　no　idea　of　anything　but　virtue　in　the　Atherly　blood；

he　had　heard　that　the　upper　class　of　Europeans　were　fond　of　field

sports　and　of　hunting；　it　was　odd　that　his　sister　should　inherit

this　propensity　and　not　he。　　He　regarded　her　more　kindly　for　this

evidence　of　race。　　〃You　think　of　getting　married？〃　he　said　more

gently；　yet　with　a　certain　brotherly　doubt　that　any　man　could　like

her　enough；　even　with　her　money。　　〃Is　there　any　one　here　would

suit　you？〃　he　added　diplomatically。



〃NoI　hate　them　all！〃　she　burst　out。　　〃There　isn't　one　I　don't

despise　for　his　sickening；　foppish；　womanish　airs。〃



Nevertheless；　it　was　quite　evident　that　some　of　the　men　were

attracted　by　her　singular　originality　and　a　certain　good

comradeship　in　her　ways。　　And　it　was　on　one　of　their　riding

excursions　that　Peter　noticed　that　she　was　singled　out　by　a　good…

looking；　blond…haired　young　lawyer　of　the　town　for　his　especial

attentions。　　As　the　cavalcade　straggled　in　climbing　the　mountain；

the　young　fellow　rode　close　to　her　saddle…bow；　and　as　the　distance

lengthened　between　the　other　stragglers；　they　at　last　were　quite

alone。　　When　the　trail　became　more　densely　wooded；　Peter　quite　lost

sight　of　them。　　But　when；　a　few　moments　later；　having　lost　the

trail　himself；　they　again　appeared　in　the　distance　before　him；　he

was　so　amazed　that　he　unconsciously　halted。　　For　the　two　horses

were　walking　side　by　side；　and　the　stranger's　arm　was　round　his

sister's　waist。



Had　Peter　any　sense　of　humor　he　might　have　smiled　at　this　weakness

in　his　Amazonian　sister；　but　he　saw　only　the　serious；　practical

side　of　the　situation；　with；　of　course；　its　inevitable　relation　to

his　one　controlling　idea。　　The　young　man　was　in　good　practice；　and

would　have　made　an　eligible　husband　to　any　one　else。　　But　was　he