the story of a mine-第21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！



dispatch　with　his　presence。　　If　she　chose　to　be　absent　at　such　a

moment；　HE　had　at　least　done　HIS　duty。　　In　short；　there　was

scarcely　any　absurdity　of　the　imagination　which　this　once　practical

man　did　not　permit　himself　to　indulge　in；　yet　always　with　a　certain

consciousness　that　he　was　allowing　his　feelings　to　run　away　with

him；a　fact　that　did　not　tend　to　make　him　better　humored；　and

rather　inclined　him　to　place　the　responsibility　of　the　elopement　on

somebody　else。　　If　Miss　De　Haro　had　been　home；　&c。　&c。；　and　not

going　into　ecstasies　over　speeches；　&c。　&c。；　and　had　attended　to

her　business；　i。　e。；　being　exactly　what　he　had　supposed　her　to　be；

all　this　would　not　have　happened。



I　am　aware　that　this　will　not　heighten　the　reader's　respect　for　my

hero。　　But　I　fancy　that　the　imperceptible　progress　of　a　sincere

passion　in　the　matured　strong　man　is　apt　to　be　marked　with　even

more　than　the　usual　haste　and　absurdity　of　callous　youth。



The　fever　that　runs　riot　in　the　veins　of　the　robust　is　apt　to　pass

your　ailing　weakling　by。　　Possibly　there　may　be　some　immunity　in

inoculation。　　It　is　Lothario　who　is　always　self…possessed　and　does

and　says　the　right　thing；　while　poor　honest　Coelebs　becomes

ridiculous　with　genuine　emotion。



He　rejoined　his　lawyer　in　no　very　gracious　mood。　　The　chambers

occupied　by　Mr。　Harlowe　were　in　the　basement　of　a　private　dwelling

once　occupied　and　made　historic　by　an　Honorable　Somebody；　who；

however；　was　remembered　only　by　the　landlord　and　the　last　tenant。

There　were　various　shelves　in　the　walls　divided　into　compartments；

sarcastically　known　as　〃pigeon　holes；〃　in　which　the　dove　of　peace

had　never　rested；　but　which　still　perpetuated；　in　their　legends；

the　feuds　and　animosities　of　suitors　now　but　common　dust　together。

There　was　a　portrait；　apparently　of　a　cherub；　which　on　nearer

inspection　turned　out　to　be　a　famous　English　Lord　Chancellor　in　his

flowing　wig。



There　were　books　with　dreary；　unenlivening　titles；egostistic

always；　as　recording　Smith's　opinions　on　this；　and　Jones's

commentaries　on　that。　　There　was　a　hand　bill　tacked　on　the　wall；

which　at　first　offered　hilarious　suggestions　of　a　circus　or　a

steamboat　excursion；　but　which　turned　out　only　to　be　a　sheriff's

sale。　　There　were　several　oddly…shaped　packages　in　newspaper

wrappings；　mysterious　and　awful　in　dark　corners；　that　might　have

contained　forgotten　law　papers　or　the　previous　week's　washing　of

the　eminent　counsel。　　There　were　one　or　two　newspapers；　which　at

first　offered　entertaining　prospects　to　the　waiting　client；　but

always　proved　to　be　a　law　record　or　a　Supreme　Court　decision。

There　was　the　bust　of　a　late　distinguished　jurist；　which　apparently

had　never　been　dusted　since　he　himself　became　dust；　and　had　already

grown　a　perceptibly　dusty　moustache　on　his　severely…judicial　upper

lip。　　It　was　a　cheerless　place　in　the　sunshine　of　day；　at　night；

when　it　ought；　by　every　suggestion　of　its　dusty　past；　to　have　been

left　to　the　vengeful　ghosts；　the　greater　part　of　whose　hopes　and

passions　were　recorded　and　gathered　there；　when　in　the　dark　the

dead　hands　of　forgotten　men　were　stretched　from　their　dusty　graves

to　fumble　once　more　for　their　old　title　deeds；　at　night；　when　it

was　lit　up　by　flaring　gaslight；　the　hollow　mockery　of　this

dissipation　was　so　apparent　that　people　in　the　streets；　looking

through　the　illuminated　windows；　felt　as　if　the　privacy　of　a　family

vault　had　been　intruded　upon　by　body…snatchers。



Royal　Thatcher　glanced　around　the　room；　took　in　all　its　dreary

suggestions　in　a　half…weary；　half…indifferent　sort　of　way；　and

dropped　into　the　lawyer's　own　revolving　chair　as　that　gentleman

entered　from　the　adjacent　room。



〃Well；　you　got　back　soon；　I　see；〃　said　Harlowe　briskly。



〃Yes；〃　said　his　client；　without　looking　up；　and　with　this　notable

distinction　between　himself　and　all　other　previous　clients；　that　he

seemed　absolutely　less　interested　than　the　lawyer。　　〃Yes；　I'm　here；

and；　upon　my　soul；　I　don't　exactly　know　why。〃



〃You　told　me　of　certain　papers　you　had　discovered；〃　said　the　lawyer

suggestively。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　returned　Thatcher　with　a　slight　yawn。　　〃I've　got　here

some　papers　somewhere；〃he　began　to　feel　in　his　coat　pocket

languidly；〃but；　by　the　way；　this　is　a　rather　dreary　and　God…

forsaken　sort　of　place！　　Let's　go　up　to　Welker's；　and　you　can　look

at　them　over　a　bottle　of　champagne。〃



〃After　I've　looked　at　them；　I've　something　to　show　you；　myself；〃

said　Harlowe；　〃and　as　for　the　champagne；　we'll　have　that　in　the

other　room；　by　and　by。　　At　present　I　want　to　have　my　head　clear；

and　yours　too；if　you'll　oblige　me　by　becoming　sufficiently

interested　in　your　own　affairs　to　talk　to　me　about　them。〃



Thatcher　was　gazing　abstractedly　at　the　fire。　　He　started。　　〃I　dare

say；〃　he　began；　〃I'm　not　very　interesting；　yet　it's　possible　that

my　affairs　have　taken　up　a　little　too　much　of　my　time。　　However；〃

he　stopped；　took　from　his　pocket　an　envelope；　and　threw　it　on　the

desk；〃there　are　some　papers。　　I　don't　know　what　value　they　may

be；　that　is　for　you　to　determine。　　I　don't　know　that　I've　any　legal

right　to　their　possession；that　is　for　you　to　say；　too。　　They　came

to　me　in　a　queer　way。　　On　the　overland　journey　here　I　lost　my　bag；

containing　my　few　traps　and　some　letters　and　papers　'of　no　value；'

as　the　advertisements　say；　'to　any　but　the　owner。'　　Well；　the　bag

was　lost；　but　the　stage　driver　declares　that　it　was　stolen　by　a

fellow…passenger；a　man　by　the　name　of　Giles；　or　Stiles；　or　Piles〃



〃Wiles；〃　said　Harlowe　earnestly。



〃Yes；〃　continued　Thatcher；　suppressing　a　yawn；　〃yes；　I　guess　you're

right；Wiles。　　Well；　the　stage　driver；　finally　believing　this；

goes　to　work　and　quietly　and　unostentatiously　stealsI　say；　have

you　got　a　cigar？〃



〃I'll　get　you　one。〃



Harlowe　disappeared　in　the　adjoining　room。　　Thatcher　dragged

Harlowe's　heavy；　revolving　desk　chair；　which　never　before　had　been

removed　from　its　sacred　position；　to　the　fire；　and　began　to　poke

the　coals　abstractedly。



Harlowe　reappeared　with　cigars　and　matches。　　Thatcher　lit　one

mechanically；　and　said；　between　the　pulls：



〃Do　youevertalkto　yourself？〃



〃No！why？〃



〃I　thought　I　heard　your　voice　just　now　in　the　other　room。　　Anyhow；

this　is　an　awful　spooky　place。　　If　I　stayed　here　alone　half　an

hour；　I'd　fancy　that　the　Lord　Chancellor　up　there　would　step　down

in　his　robes；　out　of　his　frame；　to　keep　me　company。〃



〃Nonsense！　　When　I'm　busy；　I　often　sit　here　and　write　until　after

midnight。　　It's　so　quiet！〃



〃Dmnably　so！〃



〃Well；　to　go　back　to　the　papers。　　Somebody　stole　your　bag；　or　you

lost　it。　　YOU　stole〃



〃The　driver　stole；〃　suggested　Thatcher；　so　languidly　that　it　could

hardly　be　called　an　interruption。



〃Well；　we'll　say　the　driver　stole；　and　passed　over　to　you　as　his

accomplice；　confederate；　or　receiver；　certain　papers　belonging〃



〃See　here；　Harlowe；　I　don't　feel　like　joking　in　a　ghostly　law

office　after　midnight。　　Here　are　your　facts。　　Yuba　Bill；　the

driver；　stole　a　bag　from　this　passenger；　Wiles；　or　Smiles；　and

handed　it　to　me　to　insure　the　return　of　my　own。　　I　found　in　it　some

papers　concerning　my　case。　　There　they　are。　　Do　with　them　what　you

like。〃



Thatcher　turned　his　eyes　again　abstractedly　to　the　fire。



Harlowe　took　out　the　first　paper：



〃A…w；　this　seems　to　be　a　telegram。　　Yes；　eh？　　'Come　to　Washington

at　once。Carmen　de　Haro。'〃



Thatcher　started；　blushed　like　a　girl；　and　hurriedly　reached　for

the　paper。



〃Nonsense。　　That's　a　mistake。　　A　dispatch　I　mislaid　in　the

envelope。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　the　lawyer　dryly。



〃I　thought　I　had　torn　it　up；〃　continued　Thatcher；　after　an　awkward

pause。　　I　regret　to　say　that　here　that　usually　truthful　man

elaborated　a　fiction。　　He　had　consulted　it　a　dozen　times　a　day　on

the　journey；　and　it　was　quite　worn　in　its　enfoldings。　　Harlowe's

quick　eye　had　noticed　this；　but　he　speedily　became　interested　and

absorbed　in　the　other　papers。　　Thatcher　lapsed　into　contemplation

of　the　fire。



〃Well；〃　said　Harlowe；　finally　turning　to　his　client；　〃here's　enough

to　unseat　Gashwiler；　or　close　his　mouth。　　As　to　the　rest；　it's　good

readingbut　I　needn't　tell　youno　LEGAL　evidence。　　But　it's　proof

enough　to　stop　them　from　ever　trying　it　again；when　the　existence

of　this　record　is　made　known。　　Bribery　is　a　hard　thing　to　fix　on　a

man；　the　only　witness　is　naturally　particeps　criminis；but　it

would　not　be　easy　for　them　to　explain　away　this　rascal's　record。

One　or　two　things　I　don't　understand：　What's　this　opposite　the　Hon。

X's　name；　'Took　the　medicine　nicely；　and　feels　better？'　and　here；

just　in　the　margin；　after　Y's；　'Must　be　labored　with？'〃



〃I　suppose　our　California　slang　borrows　largely　from　the　medical

and　spiritual　profession；〃　returned　Thatcher。　　〃But　isn't　it　odd

that　a　man　should　keep　a　conscientious　record　of　his　own　villainy？〃



Harlowe；　a　little　abashed　at　his　want　of　knowledge　of　American

metaphor；　now　felt　himself　at　home。　　〃Well；　no。　　It's　not　unusual。

In　one　of　those　books　yonder　there　is　the　record　of　a　case　where　a

man；　who　had　committed　a　series　of　nameless　atrocities；　extending

over　a　period　of　years；　absolutely　kept　a　memorandum　of　them　in　his

pocket　diary。　　It　was　produced　in　Court。　　Why；　my　dear　fellow；　one

half　our　business　arises　from　the　fact　that　men　and　women　are　in

the　habit　of　keeping　letters　and　documents　that　they　mightI　don't

say；　you　know；　that　they　OUGHT；　that's　a　question　of　sentiment　or

ethicsbut　that　they　MIGHT　destroy。〃



Thatcher　half…mechanically　took　the　telegram　of　poor　Carmen　and

threw　it　in　the　fire。　　Harlowe　noticed　the　act　and　smiled。



〃I'll　venture　to　say；　however；　that　there's　nothing　in　the　bag　that

YOU　lost　that　need　give　you　a　moment's　uneasiness。　　It's　only　your

rascal　or　fool　who　carries　with　him　that　which　makes　him　his　own

detective。〃



〃I　had　a　friend；〃　continued　Harlowe；　〃a　clever　fellow　enou