the story of a mine-第1部分

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The　Story　of　a　Mine


by　Bret　Harte









UDO　BRACHVOGEL；　Esq。；



Whose　clever　translations　of　my　writings　have　helped　to　introduce

me　to　the　favor　of　his　countrymen；　both　here　and　in　Germany；　this

little　volume　is　heartily　dedicated。



BRET　HARTE。



New　York；　December；　1877。









THE　STORY　OF　A　MINE





CHAPTER　I



WHO　SOUGHT　IT





It　was　a　steep　trail　leading　over　the　Monterey　Coast　Range。　　Concho

was　very　tired；　Concho　was　very　dusty；　Concho　was　very　much

disgusted。　　To　Concho's　mind　there　was　but　one　relief　for　these

insurmountable　difficulties；　and　that　lay　in　a　leathern　bottle　slung

over　the　machillas　of　his　saddle。　　Concho　raised　the　bottle　to　his

lips；　took　a　long　draught；　made　a　wry　face；　and　ejaculated：



〃Carajo！〃



It　appeared　that　the　bottle　did　not　contain　aguardiente；　but　had

lately　been　filled　in　a　tavern　near　Tres　Pinos　by　an　Irishman　who

sold　had　American　whisky　under　that　pleasing　Castilian　title。

Nevertheless　Concho　had　already　nearly　emptied　the　bottle；　and　it

fell　back　against　the　saddle　as　yellow　and　flaccid　as　his　own

cheeks。　　Thus　reinforced　Concho　turned　to　look　at　the　valley　behind

him；　from　which　he　had　climbed　since　noon。　　It　was　a　sterile　waste

bordered　here　and　there　by　arable　fringes　and　valdas　of　meadow

land；　but　in　the　main；　dusty；　dry；　and　forbidding。　　His　eye　rested

for　a　moment　on　a　low　white　cloud　line　on　the　eastern　horizon；　but

so　mocking　and　unsubstantial　that　it　seemed　to　come　and　go　as　he

gazed。　　Concho　struck　his　forehead　and　winked　his　hot　eyelids。　　Was

it　the　Sierras　or　the　cursed　American　whisky？



Again　he　recommenced　the　ascent。　　At　times　the　half…worn；　half…

visible　trail　became　utterly　lost　in　the　bare　black　outcrop　of　the

ridge；　but　his　sagacious　mule　soon　found　it　again；　until；　stepping

upon　a　loose　boulder；　she　slipped　and　fell。　　In　vain　Concho　tried

to　lift　her　from　out　the　ruin　of　camp　kettles；　prospecting　pans；

and　picks；　she　remained　quietly　recumbent；　occasionally　raising　her

head　as　if　to　contemplatively　glance　over　the　arid　plain　below。

Then　he　had　recourse　to　useless　blows。　　Then　he　essayed　profanity

of　a　secular　kind；　such　as　〃Assassin；〃　〃Thief；〃　〃Beast　with　a　pig's

head；〃　〃Food　for　the　Bull's　Horns；〃　but　with　no　effect。



Then　he　had　recourse　to　the　curse　ecclesiastic：



〃Ah；　Judas　Iscariot！　is　it　thus；　renegade　and　traitor；　thou　leavest

me；　thy　master；　a　league　from　camp　and　supper　waiting？　　Stealer　of

the　Sacrament；　get　up！〃



Still　no　effect。　　Concho　began　to　feel　uneasy；　never　before　had　a

mule　of　pious　lineage　failed　to　respond　to　this　kind　of　exhortation。

He　made　one　more　desperate　attempt：



〃Ah；　defiler　of　the　altar！　lie　not　there！　　Look！〃　he　threw　his　hand

into　the　air；　extending　the　fingers　suddenly。　　〃Behold；　fiend！　　I

exorcise　thee！　　Ha！　tremblest！　　Look　but　a　little　now；see！

Apostate！　　IIexcommunicate　thee；Mula！〃



〃What　are　you　kicking　up　such　a　devil　of　row　down　there　for？〃　said

a　gruff　voice　from　the　rocks　above。



Concho　shuddered。　　Could　it　be　that　the　devil　was　really　going　to

fly　away　with　his　mule？　　He　dared　not　look　up。



〃Come　now；〃　continued　the　voice；　〃you　just　let　up　on　that　mule；　you

dd　old　Greaser。　　Don't　you　see　she's　slipped　her　shoulder？〃



Alarmed　as　Concho　was　at　the　information；　he　could　not　help　feeling

to　a　certain　extent　relieved。　　She　was　lamed；　but　had　not　lost　her

standing　as　a　good　Catholic。



He　ventured　to　lift　his　eyes。　　A　strangeran　Americano　from　his

dress　and　accentwas　descending　the　rocks　toward　him。　　He　was　a

slight…built　man　with　a　dark；　smooth　face；　that　would　have　been

quite　commonplace　and　inexpressive　but　for　his　left　eye；　in　which

all　that　was　villainous　in　him　apparently　centered。　　Shut　that　eye；

and　you　had　the　features　and　expression　of　an　ordinary　man；　cover

up　those　features；　and　the　eye　shone　out　like　Eblis's　own。　　Nature

had　apparently　observed　this　too；　and　had；　by　a　paralysis　of　the

nerve；　ironically　dropped　the　corner　of　the　upper　lid　over　it　like

a　curtain；　laughed　at　her　handiwork；　and　turned　him　loose　to　prey

upon　a　credulous　world。



〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　said　the　stranger　after　he　had　assisted

Concho　in　bringing　the　mule　to　her　feet；　and　a　helpless　halt。



〃Prospecting；　Senor。〃



The　stranger　turned　his　respectable　right　eye　toward　Concho；　while

his　left　looked　unutterable　scorn　and　wickedness　over　the　landscape。



〃Prospecting；　what　for？〃



〃Gold　and　silver；　Senor；yet　for　silver　most。〃



〃Alone？〃



〃Of　us　there　are　four。〃



The　stranger　looked　around。



〃In　camp；a　league　beyond；〃　explained　the　Mexican。



〃Found　anything？〃



〃Of　thismuch。〃　　Concho　took　from　his　saddle　bags　a　lump　of　greyish

iron　ore；　studded　here　and　there　with　star　points　of　pyrites。　　The

stranger　said　nothing；　but　his　eye　looked　a　diabolical　suggestion。



〃You　are　lucky；　friend　Greaser。〃



〃Eh？〃



〃It　IS　silver。〃



〃How　know　you　this？〃



〃It　is　my　business。　　I'm　a　metallurgist。〃



〃And　you　can　say　what　shall　be　silver　and　what　is　not。〃



〃Yes；see　here！〃　　The　stranger　took　from　his　saddle　bags　a　little

leather　case　containing　some　half　dozen　phials。　　One；　enwrapped　in

dark…blue　paper；　he　held　up　to　Concho。



〃This　contains　a　preparation　of　silver。〃



Concho's　eyes　sparkled；　but　he　looked　doubtingly　at　the　stranger。



〃Get　me　some　water　in　your　pan。〃



Concho　emptied　his　water　bottle　in　his　prospecting　pan　and　handed

it　to　the　stranger。　　He　dipped　a　dried　blade　of　grass　in　the　bottle

and　then　let　a　drop　fall　from　its　tip　in　the　water。　　The　water

remained　unchanged。



〃Now　throw　a　little　salt　in　the　water；〃　said　the　stranger。



Concho　did　so。　　Instantly　a　white　film　appeared　on　the　surface；　and

presently　the　whole　mass　assumed　a　milky　hue。



Concho　crossed　himself　hastily；　〃Mother　of　God；　it　is　magic！〃



〃It　is　chloride　of　silver；　you　darned　fool。〃



Not　content　with　this　cheap　experiment；　the　stranger　then　took

Concho's　breath　away　by　reddening　some　litmus　paper　with　the

nitrate；　and　then　completely　knocked　over　the　simple　Mexican　by

restoring　its　color　by　dipping　it　in　the　salt　water。



〃You　shall　try　me　this；〃　said　Concho；　offering　his　iron　ore　to　the

stranger；〃you　shall　use　the　silver　and　the　salt。〃



〃Not　so　fast　my　friend；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃in　the　first　place

this　ore　must　be　melted；　and　then　a　chip　taken　and　put　in　shape

like　this；and　that　is　worth　something；　my　Greaser　cherub。　　No；

sir；　a　man　don't　spend　all　his　youth　at　Freiburg　and　Heidelburg　to

throw　away　his　science　gratuitously　on　the　first　Greaser　he　meets。〃



〃It　will　costehhow　much？〃　said　the　Mexican　eagerly。



〃Well；　I　should　say　it　would　take　about　a　hundred　dollars　and

expenses　totofind　silver　in　that　ore。　　But　once　you've　got　it

thereyou're　all　right　for　tons　of　it。〃



〃You　shall　have　it；〃　said　the　now　excited　Mexican。　　〃You　shall　have

it　of　us；the　four！　　You　shall　come　to　our　camp　and　shall　melt

it；and　show　the　silver；　andenough！　　Come！〃　and　in　his

feverishness　he　clutched　the　hand　of　his　companion　as　if　to　lead

him　forth　at　once。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　your　mule？〃　said　the　stranger。



〃True；　Holy　Mother；what；　indeed？〃



〃Look　yer；〃　said　the　stranger；　with　a　grim　smile；　〃she　won't　stray

far；　I'll　be　bound。　　I've　an　extra　pack　mule　above　here；　you　can

ride　on　her；　and　lead　me　into　camp；　and　to…morrow　come　back　for

your　beast。〃



Poor　honest　Concho's　heart　sickened　at　the　prospect　of　leaving

behind　the　tired　servant　he　had　objurgated　so　strongly　a　moment

before；　but　the　love　of　gold　was　uppermost。　　〃I　will　come　back　to

thee；　little　one；　to…morrow；　a　rich　man。　　Meanwhile；　wait　thou

here；　patient　one；Adios！thou　smallest　of　mules；Adios！〃



And；　seizing　the　stranger's　hand；　he　clambered　up　the　rocky　ledge

until　they　reached　the　summit。　　Then　the　stranger　turned　and　gave

one　sweep　of　his　malevolent　eye　over　the　valley。



Wherefore；　in　after　years；　when　their　story　was　related；　with　the

devotion　of　true　Catholic　pioneers；　they　named　the　mountain　〃La

Canada　de　la　Visitacion　del　Diablo；〃　〃The　Gulch　of　the　Visitation

of　the　Devil；〃　the　same　being　now　the　boundary　lines　of　one　of　the

famous　Mexican　land　grants。





CHAPTER　II



WHO　FOUND　IT





Concho　was　so　impatient　to　reach　the　camp　and　deliver　his　good　news

to　his　companions　that　more　than　once　the　stranger　was　obliged　to

command　him　to　slacken　his　pace。　　〃Is　it　not　enough；　you　infernal

Greaser；　that　you　lame　your　own　mule；　but　you　must　try　your　hand　on

mine？　　Or　am　I　to　put　Jinny　down　among　the　expenses？〃　he　added　with

a　grin　and　a　slight　lifting　of　his　baleful　eyelid。



When　they　had　ridden　a　mile　along　the　ridge；　they　began　to　descend

again　toward　the　valley。　　Vegetation　now　sparingly　bordered　the

trail；　clumps　of　chemisal；　an　occasional　manzanita　bush；　and　one　or

two　dwarfed　〃buckeyes〃　rooted　their　way　between　the　interstices　of

the　black…gray　rock。　　Now　and　then；　in　crossing　some　dry　gully；

worn　by　the　overflow　of　winter　torrents　from　above；　the　grayish

rock　gloom　was　relieved　by　dull　red　and　brown　masses　of　color；　and

almost　every　overhanging　rock　bore　the　mark　of　a　miner's　pick。

Presently；　as　they　rounded　the　curving　flank　of　the　mountain；　from

a　rocky　bench　below　them；　a　thin　ghost…like　stream　of　smoke　seemed

to　be　steadily　drawn　by　invisible　hands　into　the　invisible　ether。

〃It　is　the　camp；〃　said　Concho；　gleefully；　〃I　will　myself　forward　to

prepare　them　for　the　stranger；〃　and　before　his　companion　could

detain　him；　he　had　disappeared　at　a　sharp　canter　around　the　curve

of　the　trail。



Left　to　himself；　the　stranger　took　a　more　leisurely　pace；　which

left　him　ample　time　for　reflection。　　Scamp　as　he　was；　there　was

something　in　the　simple　credulity　of　poor　Concho　that　made　him

uneasy。　　Not　that　his　moral　consciousness　was　touched；　but　he

fea