a millionaire of rough-and-ready-第2章

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approached　what　seemed　to　be　a　heap　of　cast…off　clothes　upon　the
boulder。

〃He　don't　seem　to　be　drunk；〃　he　said；　in　reply　to　a　querulous
interrogation　from　the　passengers。　　〃I　can't　make　him　out。　　His
eyes　are　open；　but　he　cannot　speak　or　move。　　Take　a　look　at　him；
Doc。〃

A　rough　unprofessional…looking　man　here　descended　from　the　inside
of　the　coach；　and；　carelessly　thrusting　aside　the　other　curious
passengers；　suddenly　leant　over　the　heap　of　clothes　in　a
professional　attitude。

〃He　is　dead；〃　said　one　of　the　passengers。

The　rough　man　let　the　passive　head　sink　softly　down　again。　　〃No
such　luck　for　him；〃　he　said　curtly；　but　not　unkindly。　　〃It's　a
stroke　of　paralysisand　about　as　big　as　they　make　'em。　　It's　a
toss…up　if　he　ever　speaks　or　moves　again　as　long　as　he　lives。〃


CHAPTER　I


When　Alvin　Mulrady　announced　his　intention　of　growing　potatoes　and
garden　〃truck〃　on　the　green　slopes　of　Los　Gatos；　the　mining
community　of　that　region；　and　the　adjacent　hamlet　of　〃Rough…and…
Ready；〃　regarded　it　with　the　contemptuous　indifference　usually
shown　by　those　adventurers　towards　all　bucolic　pursuits。　　There　was
certainly　no　active　objection　to　the　occupation　of　two　hillsides；
which　gave　so　little　promise　to　the　prospector　for　gold　that　it　was
currently　reported　that　a　single　prospector；　called　〃Slinn；〃　had
once　gone　mad　or　imbecile　through　repeated　failures。　　The　only
opposition　came；　incongruously　enough；　from　the　original　pastoral
owner　of　the　soil；　one　Don　Ramon　Alvarado；　whose　claim　for　seven
leagues　of　hill　and　valley；　including　the　now　prosperous　towns　of
Rough…and…Ready　and　Red　Dog；　was　met　with　simple　derision　from　the
squatters　and　miners。　　〃Looks　ez　ef　we　woz　goin'　to　travel　three
thousand　miles　to　open　up　his　dd　old　wilderness；　and　then　pay　for
the　increased　valoo　we　give　itdon't　it？　　Oh；　yes；　certainly！〃　was
their　ironical　commentary。　　Mulrady　might　have　been　pardoned　for
adopting　this　popular　opinion；　but　by　an　equally　incongruous
sentiment；　peculiar；　however；　to　the　man；　he　called　upon　Don　Ramon；
and　actually　offered　to　purchase　the　land；　or　〃go　shares〃　with　him
in　the　agricultural　profits。　　It　was　alleged　that　the　Don　was　so
struck　with　this　concession　that　he　not　only　granted　the　land；　but
struck　up　a　quaint　reserved　friendship　for　the　simple…minded
agriculturist　and　his　family。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　add　that
this　intimacy　was　viewed　by　the　miners　with　the　contempt　that　it
deserved。　　They　would　have　been　more　contemptuous；　however；　had
they　known　the　opinion　that　Don　Ramon　entertained　of　their
particular　vocation；　and　which　he　early　confided　to　Mulrady。

〃They　are　savages　who　expect　to　reap　where　they　have　not　sown；　to
take　out　of　the　earth　without　returning　anything　to　it　but　their
precious　carcasses；　heathens；　who　worship　the　mere　stones　they　dig
up。〃　　〃And　was　there　no　Spaniard　who　ever　dug　gold？〃　asked　Mulrady；
simply。　　〃Ah；　there　are　Spaniards　and　Moors；〃　responded　Don　Ramon；
sententiously。　　〃Gold　has　been　dug；　and　by　caballeros；　but　no　good
ever　came　of　it。　　There　were　Alvarados　in　Sonora；　look　you；　who　had
mines　of　SILVER；　and　worked　them　with　peons　and　mules；　and　lost
their　moneya　gold　mine　to　work　a　silver　onelike　gentlemen！　　But
this　grubbing　in　the　dirt　with　one's　fingers；　that　a　little　gold
may　stick　to　them；　is　not　for　caballeros。　　And　then；　one　says
nothing　of　the　curse。〃

〃The　curse！〃　echoed　Mary　Mulrady；　with　youthful　feminine
superstition。　　〃What　is　that？〃

〃You　knew　not；　friend　Mulrady；　that　when　these　lands　were　given　to
my　ancestors　by　Charles　V。；　the　Bishop　of　Monterey　laid　a　curse
upon　any　who　should　desecrate　them。　　Good！　　Let　us　see！　　Of　the
three　Americanos　who　founded　yonder　town；　one　was　shot；　another
died　of　a　feverpoisoned；　you　understand；　by　the　soiland　the
last　got　himself　crazy　of　aguardiente。　　Even　the　scientifico；*　who
came　here　years　ago　and　spied　into　the　trees　and　the　herbs：　he　was
afterwards　punished　for　his　profanation；　and　died　of　an　accident　in
other　lands。　　But；〃　added　Don　Ramon；　with　grave　courtesy；　〃this
touches　not　yourself。　　Through　me；　YOU　are　of　the　soil。〃


*　Don　Ramon　probably　alluded　to　the　eminent　naturalist　Douglas；　who
visited　California　before　the　gold　excitement；　and　died　of　an
accident　in　the　Sandwich　Islands。


Indeed；　it　would　seem　as　if　a　secure　if　not　a　rapid　prosperity　was
the　result　of　Don　Ramon's　manorial　patronage。　　The　potato　patch　and
market　garden　flourished　exceedingly；　the　rich　soil　responded　with
magnificent　vagaries　of　growth；　the　even　sunshine　set　the　seasons
at　defiance　with　extraordinary　and　premature　crops。　　The　salt　pork
and　biscuit　consuming　settlers　did　not　allow　their　contempt　of
Mulrady's　occupation　to　prevent　their　profiting　by　this　opportunity
for　changing　their　diet。　　The　gold　they　had　taken　from　the　soil
presently　began　to　flow　into　his　pockets　in　exchange　for　his　more
modest　treasures。　　The　little　cabin；　which　barely　sheltered　his
familya　wife；　son；　and　daughterwas　enlarged；　extended；　and
refitted；　but　in　turn　abandoned　for　a　more　pretentious　house　on　the
opposite　hill。　　A　whitewashed　fence　replaced　the　rudely…split
rails；　which　had　kept　out　the　wilderness。　　By　degrees；　the　first
evidences　of　cultivationthe　gashes　of　red　soil；　the　piles　of
brush　and　undergrowth；　the　bared　boulders；　and　heaps　of　stone
melted　away；　and　were　lost　under　a　carpet　of　lighter　green；　which
made　an　oasis　in　the　tawny　desert　of　wild　oats　on　the　hillside。
Water　was　the　only　free　boon　denied　this　Garden　of　Eden；　what　was
necessary　for　irrigation　had　to　be　brought　from　a　mining　ditch　at
great　expense；　and　was　of　insufficient　quantity。　　In　this　emergency
Mulrady　thought　of　sinking　an　artesian　well　on　the　sunny　slope
beside　his　house；　not；　however；　without　serious　consultation　and
much　objection　from　his　Spanish　patron。　　With　great　austerity　Don
Ramon　pointed　out　that　this　trifling　with　the　entrails　of　the　earth
was　not　only　an　indignity　to　Nature　almost　equal　to　shaft…sinking
and　tunneling；　but　was　a　disturbance　of　vested　interests。　　〃I　and
my　fathers；　San　Diego　rest　them！〃　said　Don　Ramon；　crossing　himself；
〃were　content　with　wells　and　cisterns；　filled　by　Heaven　at　its
appointed　seasons；　the　cattle；　dumb　brutes　though　they　were；　knew
where　to　find　water　when　they　wanted　it。　　But　thou　sayest　truly；〃
he　added；　with　a　sigh；　〃that　was　before　streams　and　rain　were
choked　with　hellish　engines；　and　poisoned　with　their　spume。　　Go　on；
friend　Mulrady；　dig　and　bore　if　thou　wilt；　but　in　a　seemly　fashion；
and　not　with　impious　earthquakes　of　devilish　gunpowder。〃

With　this　concession　Alvin　Mulrady　began　to　sink　his　first　artesian
shaft。　　Being　debarred　the　auxiliaries　of　steam　and　gunpowder；　the
work　went　on　slowly。　　The　market　garden　did　not　suffer　meantime；　as
Mulrady　had　employed　two　Chinamen　to　take　charge　of　the　ruder
tillage；　while　he　superintended　the　engineering　work　of　the　well。
This　trifling　incident　marked　an　epoch　in　the　social　condition　of
the　family。　　Mrs。　Mulrady　at　once　assumed　a　conscious　importance
among　her　neighbors。　　She　spoke　of　her　husband's　〃men〃；　she　alluded
to　the　well　as　〃the　works〃；　she　checked　the　easy　frontier
familiarity　of　her　customers　with　pretty　Mary　Mulrady；　her
seventeen…year…old　daughter。　　Simple　Alvin　Mulrady　looked　with
astonishment　at　this　sudden　development　of　the　germ　planted　in　all
feminine　nature　to　expand　in　the　slightest　sunshine　of　prosperity。
〃Look　yer；　Malviny；　ain't　ye　rather　puttin'　on　airs　with　the　boys
that　want　to　be　civil　to　Mamie？　　Like　as　not　one　of　'em　may　be
makin'　up　to　her　already。〃　　〃You　don't　mean　to　say；　Alvin　Mulrady；〃
responded　Mrs。　Mulrady；　with　sudden　severity；　〃that　you　ever
thought　of　givin'　your　daughter　to　a　common　miner；　or　that　I'm
goin'　to　allow　her　to　marry　out　of　our　own　set？〃　　〃Our　own　set！〃
echoed　Mulrady　feebly；　blinking　at　her　in　astonishment；　and　then
glancing　hurriedly　across　at　his　freckle…faced　son　and　the　two
Chinamen　at　work　in　the　cabbages。　　〃Oh；　you　know　what　I　mean；〃　said
Mrs。　Mulrady　sharply；　〃the　set　that　we　move　in。　　The　Alvarados　and
their　friends！　　Doesn't　the　old　Don　come　here　every　day；　and　ain't
his　son　the　right　age　for　Mamie？　　And　ain't　they　the　real　first
families　hereall　the　same　as　if　they　were　noblemen？　　No；　leave
Mamie　to　me；　and　keep　to　your　shaft；　there　never　was　a　man　yet　had
the　least　sabe　about　these　things；　or　knew　what　was　due　to　his
family。〃　　Like　most　of　his　larger　minded；　but　feebler　equipped　sex；
Mulrady　was　too　glad　to　accept　the　truth　of　the　latter　proposition；
which　left　the　meannesses　of　life　to　feminine　manipulation；　and
went　off　to　his　shaft　on　the　hillside。　　But　during　that　afternoon
he　was　perplexed　and　troubled。　　He　was　too　loyal　a　husband　not　to
be　pleased　with　this　proof　of　an　unexpected　and　superior　foresight
in　his　wife；　although　he　was；　like　all　husbands；　a　little　startled
by　it。　　He　tried　to　dismiss　it　from　his　mind。　　But　looking　down
from　the　hillside　upon　his　little　venture；　where　gradual　increase
and　prosperity　had　not　been　beyond　his　faculties　to　control　and
understand；　he　found　himself　haunted　by　the　more　ambitious　projects
of　his　helpmate。　　From　his　own　knowledge　of　men；　he　doubted　if　Don
Ramon；　any　more　than　himself；　had　ever　thought　of　the　possibility
of　a　matrimonial　connection　between　the　families。　　He　doubted　if　he
would　consent　to　it。　　And　unfortunately　it　was　this　very　doubt
that；　touching　his　own　pride　as　a　self…made　man；　made　him　first
seriously　consider　his　wife's　proposition。　　He　was　as　good　as　Don
Ramon；　any　day！　　With　this　subtle　feminine　poison　instilled　in　his
veins；　carried　completely　away　by　the　logic　of　his　wife's　illogical
premises；　he　almost　hated　his　old　benefactor。　　He　looked　down　upon
the　little　Garden　of　Eden；　where　his　Eve　had　just　tempted　him　with
the　fatal　fruit；　and　felt　a　curious　consciousness　that　he　was
losing　its　simple　and　innocent　enjoyment　forever。

Happily；　about　this　time　Don　Ramon　died。　　It　is　not　probable　that
he　ever　knew　the　amiable　intentions　of　Mrs。　Mulrady　in　regard　to
his　son；　who　now　succeeded　to　the　paternal　estate；　sadly
partitioned　by　relatives　and　lawsuits。　　The　feminine　Mulradys
attended　the　funeral；　in　expensive　mourning　from　Sacramento；　even
the　gentle　Alvin　was　forced　into　ready…made　broadcloth；　which
accented　his　good…natured　but　unmistakably　common　presence。　　Mrs。
Mulrady　spoke　openly　of　her　〃loss〃；　declared　that　the　old　families
were　dying　out；　and　impressed　the　wives　of　a　few　new　arrivals　at
Red　Dog　with　the　belief　that　her　own　family　was　contemporary　with
the　Alvarados；　and　that　her　husband's　health　was　far　from　perfect。
She　extended　a　motherly　sympathy　to　the　orphaned　Don　Caesar。
Reserved；　like　his　father；　in　natural　disposition；　he　was　still
more　gravely　ceremonious　from　his　loss；　and；　perhaps　from　the
shyness　of　an　evident　partiality　for　Mamie　Mulrady；　he　rarely
availed　himself　of　her　mother's　sympathizing　hospitality。　　But　he
carried　out　the　intentions　of　his　father　by　consenting　to　sell　to
Mulrady；　for　a　small　sum；　the　property　he　had　leased。　　The　idea　of
purchasing　had　originated　with　Mrs。　Mulrady。

〃It'll　be　all　in　the　family；〃　had　observed　that　astute　lady；　〃and
it's　better　for　the　looks　of　the　things　th