drift from two shores(漂流)-第16章
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is only fair to say that Mrs。 Catron snapped up； quite savagely； two male
sympathizers on this subject； and cried a good deal for two days afterward；
and once； in the hearing of her sister…in…law； to that lady's great horror；
〃wished she was dead。〃
A week after this interview； as Lawyer Phillips sat in his office； he was
visited by Macleod。 Recognizing； possibly； some practical difference
between the widow and the lawyer； Captain Dick this time first produced
his credentials；a 〃power of attorney。〃 〃I need not tell you；〃 said Phillips；
〃that the death of your principal renders this instrument invalid； and I
suppose you know that； leaving no will； and no property； his estate has not
been administered upon。〃
〃Mebbe it is； and mebbe it isn't。 But I hain't askin' for anythin' but
information。 There was a bit o' prop'ty and a mill onto it； over at
Heavytree； ez sold for 10；000。 I don't see；〃 said the captain； consulting
his memorandum…book； 〃ez HE got anything out of it。〃
〃It was mortgaged for 7；000；〃 said the lawyer； quickly； and the
interest and fees amount to about 3；000 more。〃
〃The mortgage was given as security for a note？〃
〃Yes； a gambling debt；〃 said the lawyer； sharply。
〃Thet's so； and my belief ez that it wasn't a square game。 He
shouldn't hev given no note。 Why； don't ye mind； 'way back in '60； when
you and me waz in Marysville； that night that you bucked agin faro； and
lost seving hundred dollars； and then refoosed to take up your checks；
saying it was fraud and a gambling debt？ And don't ye mind when that
chap kicked ye； and I helped to drag him off ye and〃
〃I'm busy now； Mr。 Macleod；〃 said Phillips； hastily； 〃my clerk will
give you all the information you require。 Good morning。〃
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〃It's mighty queer；〃 said the captain； thoughtfully； as he descended the
stairs； 〃but the moment the conversation gets limber and sociable…like； and
I gets to runnin' free under easy sail； it's always 'Good morning； Captain；'
and we're becalmed。〃
By some occult influence； all the foregoing conversation； slightly
exaggerated； and the whole interview of the captain with the widow with
sundry additions； became the common property of Sandy Bar； to the great
delight of the boys。 There was scarcely a person who had ever had
business or social relations with Roger Catron； whom 〃The Frozen Truth；〃
as Sandy Bar delighted to designate the captain； had not 〃interviewed；〃 as
simply and directly。 It is said that he closed a conversation with one of
the San Francisco detectives； who had found Roger Catron's body； in these
words： 〃And now hevin' got throo' bizness； I was goin' to ask ye what's
gone of Matt。 Jones； who was with ye in the bush in Austraily。 Lord；
how he got me quite interested in ye； telling me how you and him got out
on a ticket…of…leave； and was chased by them milishy guards； and at last
swam out to a San Francisco bark and escaped；〃 but here the inevitable
pressure of previous business always stopped the captain's conversational
flow。 The natural result of this was a singular reaction in favor of the late
Roger Catron in the public sentiment of Sandy Bar； so strong； indeed； as to
induce the Rev。 Mr。 Joshua McSnagly； the next Sunday； to combat it with
the moral of Catron's life。 After the service； he was approached in the
vestibule； and in the hearing of some of his audience； by Captain Dick；
with the following compliment： 〃In many pints ye hed jess got Roger
Catron down to a hair。 I knew ye'd do it： why； Lord love ye； you and him
had pints in common； and when he giv' ye that hundred dollars arter the
fire in Sacramento； to help ye rebuild the parsonage； he said to me；me
not likin' ye on account o' my being on the committee that invited ye to
resign from Marysville all along o' that affair with Deacon Pursell's darter；
and a piece she was； parson！ eh？well； Roger； he ups and sez to me；
'Every man hez his faults；' sez he； and sez he； 'there's no reason why a
parson ain't a human being like us； and that gal o' Pursell's is pizen； ez I
know。' So ye see； I seed that ye was hittin' yourself over Catron's
shoulder； like them early martyrs。〃 But here； as Captain Dick was clearly
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blocking up all egress from the church； the sexton obliged him to move on；
and again he was stopped in his conversational career。
But only for a time。 Before long； it was whispered that Captain Dick
had ordered a meeting of the creditors； debtors； and friends of Roger
Catron at Robinson's Hall。 It was suggested； with some show of reason；
that this had been done at the instigation of various practical jokers of
Sandy Bar； who had imposed on the simple directness of the captain； and
the attendance that night certainly indicated something more than a mere
business meeting。 All of Sandy Bar crowded into Robinson's Hall； and
long before Captain Dick made his appearance on the platform； with his
inevitable memorandum…book； every inch of floor was crowded。
The captain began to read the expenditures of Roger Catron with
relentless fidelity of detail。 The several losses by poker； the whisky bills；
and the record of a 〃jamboree〃 at Tooley's； the vague expenses whereof
footed up 275； were received with enthusiastic cheers by the audience。
A single milliner's bill for 125 was hailed with delight； 100 expended in
treating the Vestal Virgin Combination Troupe almost canonized his
memory； 50 for a simple buggy ride with Deacon Fisk brought down the
house； 500 advanced； without security； and unpaid； for the electioneering
expenses of Assemblyman Jones； who had recently introduced a bill to
prevent gambling and the sale of lager beer on Sundays； was received with
an ominous groan。 One or two other items of money loaned occasioned
the withdrawal of several gentlemen from the audience amidst the hisses
or ironical cheers of the others。
At last Captain Dick stopped and advanced to the footlights。
〃Gentlemen and friends；〃 he said； slowly。 〃I foots up 25；000 as
Roger Catron hez MADE； fair and square； in this yer county。 I foots up
27；000 ez he has SPENT in this yer county。 I puts it to you ez men；
far…minded men；ef this man was a pauper and debtor？ I put it to you ez
far…minded men；ez free and easy men；ez political economists；ez this
the kind of men to impoverish a county？〃
An overwhelming and instantaneous 〃No！〃 almost drowned the last
utterance of the speaker。
〃Thar is only one item；〃 said Captain Dick； slowly； 〃only one item；
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that ez men；ez far…minded men；ez political economists；it seems to me
we hez the right to question。 It's this： Thar is an item； read to you by
me； of 2；000 paid to certing San Francisco detectives； paid out o' the
assets o' Roger Catron； for the finding of Roger Catron's body。
Gentlemen of Sandy Bar and friends； I found that body； and yer it is！〃
And Roger Catron； a little pale and nervous； but palpably in the flesh；
stepped upon the platform。
Of course the newspapers were full of it the next day。 Of course； in
due time； it appeared as a garbled and romantic item in the San Francisco
press。 Of course Mrs。 Catron； on reading it； fainted； and for two days
said that this last cruel blow ended all relations between her husband and
herself。 On the third day she expressed her belief that； if he had had the
slightest feeling for her； he would； long since； for the sake of mere
decency； have communicated with her。 On the fourth day she thought
she had been； perhaps； badly advised； had an open quarrel with her
relatives； and intimated that a wife had certain obligations； etc。 On the
sixth day； still not hearing from him； she quoted Scripture； spoke of a
seventy…times…seven forgiveness； and went generally into mild hysterics。
On the seventh； she left in the morning train for Sandy Bar。
And really I don't know as I have anything more to tell。 I dined with
them recently； and； upon my word； a more decorous； correct； conventional；
and dull dinner I never ate in my life。
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〃WHO WAS MY QUIET
FRIEND？〃
〃Stranger！〃
The voice was not loud； but clear and penetrating。 I looked vainly up
and down the narrow； darkening trail。 No one in the fringe of alder ahead；
no one on the gullied slope behind。
〃O！ stranger！〃
This time a little impatiently。 The California classical vocative； 〃O；〃
always meant business。
I looked up； and perceived for the first time on the ledge； thirty feet
above me； another trail parallel with my own； and looking down upon me
through the buckeye bushes a small man on a black horse。
Five things to be here noted by the circumspect mountaineer。 FIRST；
the locality；lonely and inaccessible； and away from the regular faring of
teamsters and miners。 SECONDLY； the stranger's superior knowledge of
the road； from the fact that the other trail was unknown to the ordinary
traveler。 THIRDLY； that he was well armed and equipped。
FOURTHLY； that he was better mounted。 FIFTHLY； that any distrust or
timidity arising from the contemplation of these facts had better be kept to
one's self。
All this pas
