the story of a mine-第19部分

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！



with　the　sex　are　carried　on　without　the　aid　of　an　opera　score；

seems　a　mistaken　notion　of　theirs；and　of　its　sweetness；　gentle

inflexion；　and　musical　emphasis。　　She　had　the　advantage　of　having

been　trained　in　a　musical　language；　and　came　of　a　race　with　whom

catarrhs　and　sore　throats　were　rare。　　So　that　in　a　few　brief

phrases　she　sang　the　Senator　into　acquiescence　as　she　imparted　the

plain　libretto　of　her　business；namely；　a　〃desire　to　see　some　of

his　rare　engravings。〃



Now　the　engravings　in　question　were　certain　etchings　of　the　early

Great　Apprentices　of　the　art；　and　were；　I　am　happy　to　believe；

extremely　rare。　　From　my　unprofessional　view　they　were　exceedingly

bad；showing　the　mere　genesis　of　something　since　perfected；　but

dear；　of　course；　to　the　true　collector's　soul。　　I　don't　believe

that　Carmen　really　admired　them　either。　　But　the　minx　knew　that　the

Senator　prided　himself　on　having　the　only　〃pot…hooks〃　of　the　great

〃A；〃　or　the　first　artistic　efforts　of　〃B；〃I　leave　the　real　names

to　be　filled　in　by　the　connoisseur；and　the　Senator　became

interested。　　For　the　last　year；　two　or　three　of　these　abominations

had　been　hanging　in　his　study；　utterly　ignored　by　the　casual

visitor。　　But　here　was　appreciation！　　〃She　was；〃　she　added；　〃only　a

poor　young　artist；　unable　to　purchase　such　treasures；　but　equally

unable　to　resist　the　opportunity　afforded　her；　even　at　the　risk　of

seeming　bold；　or　of　obtruding　upon　a　great　man's　privacy；〃　&c。　&c。



This　flattery；　which；　if　offered　in　the　usual　legal　tender　of　the

country；　would　have　been　looked　upon　as　counterfeit；　delivered　here

in　a　foreign　accent；　with　a　slightly　tropical　warmth；　was　accepted

by　the　Senator　as　genuine。　　These　children　of　the　Sun　are　so

impulsive！　　We；　of　course；　feel　a　little　pity　for　the　person　who

thus　transcends　our　standard　of　good　taste　and　violates　our

conventional　canon；but　they　are　always　sincere。　　The　cold　New

Englander　saw　nothing　wrong　in　one　or　two　direct　and　extravagant

compliments；　that　would　have　insured　his　visitor's　early　dismissal

if　tendered　in　the　clipped　metallic　phrases　of　the　Commonwealth　he

represented。



So　that　in　a　few　moments　the　black；　curly　head　of　the　little　artist

and　the　white；　flowing　locks　of　the　Senator　were　close　together

bending　over　the　rack　that　contained　the　engravings。　　It　was　then

that　Carmen；　listening　to　a　graphic　description　of　the　early　rise

of　Art　in　the　Netherlands；　forgot　herself　and　put　her　shawl　around

her　head；　holding　its　folds　in　her　little　brown　hand。　　In　this

situation　they　were；　at　different　times　during　the　next　two　hours；

interrupted　by　five　Congressmen；　three　Senators；　a　Cabinet　officer；

and　a　Judge　of　the　Supreme　Bench；each　of　whom　was　quickly　but

courteously　dismissed。　　Popular　sentiment；　however；　broke　out　in

the　hall。



〃Well；　I'm　blanked；　but　this　gets　me。〃　　（The　speaker　was　a

Territorial　delegate。）



〃At　his　time　o'　life；　too；　lookin'　over　pictures　with　a　gal　young

enough　to　be　his　grandchild。〃　　（This　from　a　venerable　official；

since　suspected　of　various　erotic　irregularities。）



〃She　don't　handsome　any。〃　　（The　honorable　member　from　Dakota。）



〃This　accounts　for　his　protracted　silence　during　the　sessions。〃　　（A

serious　colleague　from　the　Senator's　own　State。）



〃Oh；　blank　it　all！〃　（Omnes。）



Four　went　home　to　tell　their　wives。　　There　are　few　things　more

touching　in　the　matrimonial　compact　than　the　superb　frankness　with

which　each　confides　to　each　the　various　irregularities　of　their

friends。　　It　is　upon　these　sacred　confidences　that　the　firm

foundations　of　marriage　rest　unshaken。



Of　course　the　objects　of　this　comment；　at　least　ONE　of　them；　were

quite　oblivious。　　〃I　trust；〃　said　Carmen；　timidly；　when　they　had

for　the　fourth　time　regarded　in　rapt　admiration　an　abominable

something　by　some　Dutch　wood…chopper；　〃I　trust　I　am　not　keeping　you

from　your　great　friends：〃her　pretty　eyelids　were　cast　down　in

tremulous　distress：〃I　should　never　forgive　myself。　　Perhaps　it　is

important　business　of　the　State？〃



〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　　THEY　will　come　again；it's　THEIR　business。〃



The　Senator　meant　it　kindly。　　It　was　as　near　the　perilous　edge　of　a

compliment　as　your　average　cultivated　Boston　man　ever　ventures；　and

Carmen　picked　it　up；　femininely；　by　its　sentimental　end。　　〃And　I

suppose　I　shall　not　trouble　you　again？〃



〃I　shall　always　be　proud　to　place　the　portfolio　at　your　disposal。

Command　me　at　any　time；〃　said　the　Senator；　with　dignity。



〃You　are　kind。　　You　are　good；〃　said　Carmen；　〃and　II'm　but；look

you；only　a　poor　girl　from　California；　that　you　know　not。〃



〃Pardon　me；　I　know　your　country　well。〃　　And　indeed　he　could　have

told　her　the　exact　number　of　bushels　of　wheat　to　the　acre　in　her

own　county　of　Monterey；　its　voting　population；　its　political　bias。

Yet　of　the　more　important　product　before　him；　after　the　manner　of

book…read　men；　he　knew　nothing。



Carmen　was　astonished；　but　respectful。　　It　transpired　presently

that　she　was　not　aware　of　the　rapid　growth　of　the　silk　worm　in　her

own　district；　knew　nothing　of　the　Chinese　question；　and　very　little

of　the　American　mining　laws。　　Upon　these　questions　the　Senator

enlightened　her　fully。　　〃Your　name　is　historic；　by　the　way；〃　he

said　pleasantly。　　〃There　was　a　Knight　of　Alcantara；　a　〃De　Haro；〃

one　of　the　emigrants　with　Las　Casas。〃



Carmen　nodded　her　head　quickly；　〃Yes；　my　great…great…great…g…r…e…a…t

grandfather！〃



The　Senator　stared。



〃Oh；　yes。　　I　am　the　niece　of　Victor　Castro；　who　married　my　father's

sister。〃



〃The　Victor　Castro　of　the　'Blue　Mass'　mine？〃　asked　the　Senator

abruptly。



〃Yes；〃　she　said　quietly。



Had　the　Senator　been　of　the　Gashwiler　type；　he　would　have　expressed

himself；　after　the　average　masculine　fashion；　by　a　long…drawn

whistle。　　But　his　only　perceptible　appreciation　of　a　sudden

astonishment　and　suspicion　in　his　mind　was　a　lowering　of　the　social

thermometer　of　the　room　so　decided　that　poor　Carmen　looked　up

innocently；　chilled；　and　drew　her　shawl　closer　around　her　shoulders。



〃I　have　something　more　to　ask；〃　said　Carmen；　hanging　her　head；〃it

is　a　great；　oh；　a　very　great　favor。〃



The　Senator　had　retreated　behind　his　bastion　of　books　again；　and

was　visibly　preparing　for　an　assault。　　He　saw　it　all　now。　　He　had

been；　in　some　vague　way；　deluded。　　He　had　given　confidential

audience　to　the　niece　of　one　of　the　Great　Claimants　before

Congress。　　The　inevitable　axe　had　come　to　the　grindstone。　　What

might　not　this　woman　dare　ask　of　him？　　He　was　the　more　implacable

that　he　felt　he　had　already　been　prepossessedand　honestly

prepossessedin　her　favor。　　He　was　angry　with　her　for　having

pleased　him。　　Under　the　icy　polish　of　his　manner　there　were　certain

Puritan　callosities　caused　by　early　straight…lacing。　　He　was　not

yet　quite　free　from　his　ancestor's　cheerful　ethics　that　Nature；　as

represented　by　an　Impulse；　was　as　much　to　be　restrained　as　Order

represented　by　a　Quaker。



Without　apparently　noticing　his　manner；　Carmen　went　on；　with　a

certain　potential　freedom　of　style；　gesture；　and　manner　scarcely　to

be　indicated　in　her　mere　words。　　〃You　know；　then；　I　am　of　Spanish

blood；　and　that；　what　was　my　adopted　country；　our　motto　was；　'God

and　Liberty。'　　It　was　of　you；　sir；the　great　Emancipator；the

apostle　of　that　Liberty；the　friend　of　the　down…trodden　and

oppressed；that　I；　as　a　child；　first　knew。　　In　the　histories　of

this　great　country　I　have　read　of　you；　I　have　learned　your

orations。　　I　have　longed　to　hear　you　in　your　own　pulpit　deliver　the

creed　of　my　ancestors。　　To　hear　you；　of　yourself；　speak；　ah！　Madre

de　Dios！　what　shall　I　say；speak　the　oration　eloquent；to　make

thewhat　you　callthe　debate；　that　is　what　I　have　for　so　long

hoped。　　Eh！　　Pardon；you　are　thinking　me　foolish；wild；　eh？a

small　child；eh？〃



Becoming　more　and　more　dialectical　as　she　went　on；　she　said

suddenly；　〃I　have　you　of　myself　offended。　　You　are　mad　of　me　as　a

bold；　bad　child？　　It　is　so？〃



The　Senator；　as　visibly　becoming　limp　and　weak　again　behind　his

entrenchments；　managed　to　say；　〃Oh；　no！〃　then；　〃really！〃　and

finally；　〃Tha…a…nks！〃



〃I　am　here　but　for　a　day。　　I　return　to　California　in　a　day；　as　it

were　to…morrow。　　I　shall　never；　never　hear　you　speak　in　your　place

in　the　Capitol　of　this　great　country？〃



The　Senator　said　hastily　that　he　fearedhe　in　fact　was　convinced

that　his　duty　during　this　session　was　required　more　at　his　desk；　in

the　committee　work；　than　in　speaking；　&c。；　&c。



〃Ah；〃　said　Carmen　sadly；　〃it　is　true；　then；　all　this　that　I　have

heard。　　It　is　true　that　what　they　have　told　me；that　you　have

given　up　the　great　party；that　your　voice　is　not　longer　heard　in

the　oldwhat　you　call　thisehthe　old　ISSUES？〃



〃If　any　one　has　told　you　that；　Miss　De　Haro；〃　responded　the　Senator

sharply；　〃he　has　spoken　foolishly。　　You　have　been　misinformed。　　May

I　ask　who〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Carmen；　〃I　know　not！　　It　is　in　the　air！　　I　am　a　stranger。

Perhaps　I　am　de…ceived。　　But　it　is　of　all。　　I　say　to　them；　When

shall　I　hear　him　speak？　　I　go　day　after　day　to　the　Capitol；　I　watch

him；the　great　Emancipator；but　it　is　of　business；　eh？it　is　the

claim　of　that　one；　it　is　the　tax；　eh？　it　is　the　impost；　it　is　the

post…office；　but　it　is　the　great　speech　of　human　rightsnever；

NEVER。　　I　say；　'How　arrives　all　this？'　　And　some　say；　and　shake

their　heads；　'never　again　he　speaks。'　　He　is　what　you　call　'played

yes；　it　is　so；　eh？played　out。'　　I　know　it　not；it　is　a　word　from

Bos…ton；　perhaps？　　They　say　he　haseh；　I　speak　not　the　English

wellthe　party　he　has　shaken；　'shook；'　yes；he　has　the　party

'shaken；'　eh？　　It　is　right；it　is　the　language　of　Bos…ton；　eh？〃



〃Permit　me　to　say；　Miss　De　Haro；〃　returned　the　Senator；　rising　with

some　asperity；　〃that　you　seem　to　have　been　unfortunate　in　your

selection　of　acquaintances；　and　still　more　so　in　your　ideas　of　the

derivations　of　the　English　tongue。　　Theertheerexpressions

you　have　quoted　are　not