the three partners-第1章

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The　Three　Partners



by　Bret　Harte









PROLOGUE。





The　sun　was　going　down　on　the　Black　Spur　Range。　　The　red　light　it

had　kindled　there　was　still　eating　its　way　along　the　serried　crest；

showing　through　gaps　in　the　ranks　of　pines；　etching　out　the

interstices　of　broken　boughs；　fading　away　and　then　flashing　suddenly

out　again　like　sparks　in　burnt…up　paper。　　Then　the　night　wind　swept

down　the　whole　mountain　side；　and　began　its　usual　struggle　with　the

shadows　upclimbing　from　the　valley；　only　to　lose　itself　in　the　end

and　be　absorbed　in　the　all…conquering　darkness。　　Yet　for　some　time

the　pines　on　the　long　slope　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill　murmured　and

protested　with　swaying　arms；　but　as　the　shadows　stole　upwards；　and

cabin　after　cabin　and　tunnel　after　tunnel　were　swallowed　up；　a

complete　silence　followed。　　Only　the　sky　remained　visiblea　vast

concave　mirror　of　dull　steel；　in　which　the　stars　did　not　seem　to　be

set；　but　only　reflected。



A　single　cabin　door　on　the　crest　of　Heavy　Tree　Hill　had　remained

open　to　the　wind　and　darkness。　　Then　it　was　slowly　shut　by　an

invisible　figure；　afterwards　revealed　by　the　embers　of　the　fire　it

was　stirring。　　At　first　only　this　figure　brooding　over　the　hearth

was　shown；　but　as　the　flames　leaped　up；　two　other　figures　could　be

seen　sitting　motionless　before　it。　　When　the　door　was　shut；　they

acknowledged　that　interruption　by　slightly　changing　their　position；

the　one　who　had　risen　to　shut　the　door　sank　back　into　an　invisible

seat；　but　the　attitude　of　each　man　was　one　of　profound　reflection

or　reserve；　and　apparently　upon　some　common　subject　which　made　them

respect　each　other's　silence。　　However；　this　was　at　last　broken　by

a　laugh。　　It　was　a　boyish　laugh；　and　came　from　the　youngest　of　the

party。　　The　two　others　turned　their　profiles　and　glanced　inquiringly

towards　him；　but　did　not　speak。



〃I　was　thinking；〃　he　began　in　apologetic　explanation；　〃how　mighty

queer　it　was　that　while　we　were　working　like　niggers　on　grub　wages；

without　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of　making　a　strike；　how　we　used　to

sit　here；　night　after　night；　and　flapdoodle　and　speculate　about

what　we'd　do　if　we　ever　DID　make　one；　and　now；　Great　Scott！　that　we

HAVE　made　it；　and　are　just　wallowing　in　gold；　here　we　are　sitting

as　glum　and　silent　as　if　we'd　had　a　washout！　　Why；　Lord！　I　remember

one　nightnot　so　long　ago；　eitherthat　you　two　quarreled　over　the

swell　hotel　you　were　going　to　stop　at　in　'Frisco；　and　whether　you

wouldn't　strike　straight　out　for　London　and　Rome　and　Paris；　or　go

away　to　Japan　and　China　and　round　by　India　and　the　Red　Sea。〃



〃No；　we　didn't　QUARREL　over　it；〃　said　one　of　the　figures　gently；

〃there　was　only　a　little　discussion。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　did；　though；〃　returned　the　young　fellow　mischievously；

〃and　you　told　Stacy；　there；　that　we'd　better　learn　something　of　the

world　before　we　tried　to　buy　it　or　even　hire　it；　and　that　it　was

just　as　well　to　get　the　hayseed　out　of　our　hair　and　the　slumgullion

off　our　boots　before　we　mixed　in　polite　society。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　see　what's　the　matter　with　that　sentiment　now；〃

returned　the　second　speaker　good…humoredly；　〃only；〃　he　added

gravely；　〃we　didn't　quarrelGod　forbid！〃



There　was　something　in　the　speaker's　tone　which　seemed　to　touch　a

common　chord　in　their　natures；　and　this　was　voiced　by　Barker　with

sudden　and　almost　pathetic　earnestness。　　〃I　tell　you　what；　boys；　we

ought　to　swear　here　to…night　to　always　stand　by　each　otherin　luck

and　out　of　it！　　We　ought　to　hold　ourselves　always　at　each　other's

call。　　We　ought　to　have　a　kind　of　password　or　signal；　you　know；　by

which　we　could　summon　each　other　at　any　time　from　any　quarter　of

the　globe！〃



〃Come　off　the　roof；　Barker；〃　murmured　Stacy；　without　lifting　his

eyes　from　the　fire。　　But　Demorest　smiled　and　glanced　tolerantly　at

the　younger　man。



〃Yes；　but　look　here；　Stacy；〃　continued　Barker；　〃comrades　like　us；

in　the　old　days；　used　to　do　that　in　times　of　trouble　and　adventures。

Why　shouldn't　we　do　it　in　our　luck？〃



〃There's　a　good　deal　in　that；　Barker　boy；〃　said　Demorest；　〃though；

as　a　general　thing；　passwords　butter　no　parsnips；　and　the　ordinary；

every…day；　single　yelp　from　a　wolf　brings　the　whole　pack　together

for　business　about　as　quick　as　a　password。　　But　you　cling　to　that

sentiment；　and　put　it　away　with　your　gold…dust　in　your　belt。〃



〃What　I　like　about　Barker　is　his　commodiousness；〃　said　Stacy。

〃Here　he　is；　the　only　man　among　us　that　has　his　future　fixed　and

his　preemption　lines　laid　out　and　registered。　　He's　already　got　a

girl　that　he's　going　to　marry　and　settle　down　with　on　the　strength

of　his　luck。　　And　I'd　like　to　know　what　Kitty　Carter；　when　she's

Mrs。　Barker；　would　say　to　her　husband　being　signaled　for　from　Asia

or　Africa。　　I　don't　seem　to　see　her　tumbling　to　any　password。　　And

when　he　and　she　go　into　a　new　partnership；　I　reckon　she'll　let　the

old　one　slide。〃



〃That's　just　where　you're　wrong！〃　said　Barker；　with　quickly　rising

color。　　〃She's　the　sweetest　girl　in　the　world；　and　she'd　be　sure　to

understand　our　feelings。　　Why；　she　thinks　everything　of　you　two；

she　was　just　eager　for　you　to　get　this　claim；　which　has　put　us

where　we　are；　when　I　held　back；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　her；　by

Jove！　we　wouldn't　have　had　it。〃



〃That　was　only　because　she　cared　for　YOU；〃　returned　Stacy；　with　a

half…yawn；　〃and　now　that　you've　got　YOUR　share　she　isn't　going　to

take　a　breathless　interest　in　US。　　And；　by　the　way；　I'd　rather

YOU'D　remind　us　that　we　owe　our　luck　to　her　than　that　SHE　should

ever　remind　YOU　of　it。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Barker　quickly。　　But　Demorest　here　rose

lazily；　and；　throwing　a　gigantic　shadow　on　the　wall；　stood　between

the　two　with　his　back　to　the　fire。　　〃He　means；〃　he　said　slowly；

〃that　you're　talking　rot；　and　so　is　he。　　However；　as　yours　comes

from　the　heart　and　his　from　the　head；　I　prefer　yours。　　But　you're

both　making　me　tired。　　Let's　have　a　fresh　deal。〃



Nobody　ever　dreamed　of　contradicting　Demorest。　　Nevertheless；

Barker　persisted　eagerly：　〃But　isn't　it　better　for　us　to　look　at

this　cheerfully　and　happily　all　round？　　There's　nothing　criminal　in

our　having　made　a　strike！　　It　seems　to　me；　boys；　that　of　all　ways

of　making　money　it's　the　squarest　and　most　level；　nobody　is　the

poorer　for　it；　our　luck　brings　no　misfortune　to　others。　　The　gold

was　put　there　ages　ago　for　anybody　to　find；　we　found　it。　　It　hasn't

been　tarnished　by　man's　touch　before。　　I　don't　know　how　it　strikes

you；　boys；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　of　all　gifts　that　are　going　it

is　the　straightest。　　For　whether　we　deserve　it　or　not；　it　comes　to

us　first…handfrom　God！〃



The　two　men　glanced　quickly　at　the　speaker；　whose　face　flushed　and

then　smiled　embarrassedly　as　if　ashamed　of　the　enthusiasm　into

which　he　had　been　betrayed。　　But　Demorest　did　not　smile；　and

Stacy's　eyes　shone　in　the　firelight　as　he　said　languidly；　〃I　never

heard　that　prospecting　was　a　religious　occupation　before。　　But　I

shouldn't　wonder　if　you're　right；　Barker　boy。　　So　let's　liquor　up。〃



Nevertheless　he　did　not　move；　nor　did　the　others。　　The　fire　leaped

higher；　bringing　out　the　rude　rafters　and　sternly　economic　details

of　the　rough　cabin；　and　making　the　occupants　in　their　seats　before

the　fire　look　gigantic　by　contrast。



〃Who　shut　the　door？〃　said　Demorest　after　a　pause。



〃I　did；〃　said　Barker。　　〃I　reckoned　it　was　getting　cold。〃



〃Better　open　it　again；　now　that　the　fire's　blazing。　　It　will　light

the　way　if　any　of　the　men　from　below　want　to　drop　in　this　evening。〃



Stacy　stared　at　his　companion。　　〃I　thought　that　it　was　understood

that　we　were　giving　them　that　dinner　at　Boomville　tomorrow　night；

so　that　we　might　have　the　last　evening　here　by　ourselves　in　peace

and　quietness？〃



〃Yes；　but　if　any　one　DID　want　to　come　it　would　seem　churlish　to

shut　him　out；〃　said　Demorest。



〃I　reckon　you're　feeling　very　much　as　I　am；〃　said　Stacy；　〃that　this

good　fortune　is　rather　crowding　to　us　three　alone。　　For　myself；　I

know；〃　he　continued；　with　a　backward　glance　towards　a　blanketed；

covered　pile　in　the　corner　of　the　cabin；　〃that　I　feel　rather

oppressed　byby　its　specific　gravity；　I　calculateand　sort　of

crampy　and　twitchy　in　the　legs；　as　if　I　ought　to　'lite'　out　and　do

something；　and　yet　it　holds　me　here。　　All　the　same；　I　doubt　if

anybody　will　come　upexcept　from　curiosity。　　Our　luck　has　made

them　rather　sore　down　the　hill；　for　all　they're　coming　to　the

dinner　to…morrow。〃



〃That's　only　human　nature；〃　said　Demorest。



〃But；〃　said　Barker　eagerly；　〃what　does　it　mean？　　Why；　only　this

afternoon；　when　I　was　passing　the　'Old　Kentuck'　tunnel；　where　those

Marshalls　have　been　grubbing　along　for　four　years　without　making　a

single　strike；　I　felt　ashamed　to　look　at　them；　and　as　they　barely

nodded　to　me　I　slinked　by　as　if　I　had　done　them　an　injury。　　I　don't

understand　it。〃



〃It　somehow　does　not　seem　to　square　with　this　'gift　of　God'　idea　of

yours；　does　it？〃　said　Stacy。　　〃But　we'll　open　the　door　and　give

them　a　show。〃



As　he　did　so　it　seemed　as　if　the　night　were　their　only　guest；　and

had　been　waiting　on　the　threshold　to　now　enter　bodily　and　pervade

all　things　with　its　presence。　　With　that　cool；　fragrant　inflow　of

air　they　breathed　freely。　　The　red　edge　had　gone　from　Black　Spur；

but　it　was　even　more　clearly　defined　against　the　sky　in　its

towering　blackness。　　The　sky　itself　had　grown　lighter；　although　the

stars　still　seemed　mere　reflections　of　the　solitary　pin…points　of

light　scattered　along　the　concave　valley　below。　　Mingling　with　the

cooler；　restful　air　of　the　summit；　yet　penetratingly　distinct　from

it；　arose　the　stimulating　breath　of　the　pines　below；　still　hot　and

panting　from　the　day…long　sun。　　The　silence　was　intense。　　The　far…

off　barking　of　a　dog　on　the　invisible　river…bar　nearly　a　mile

beneath　them　came　to　them　like　a　sound　in　a　dream。　　They　had　risen；

and；　standing　in　the　doorway；　by　common　consent　turned　their　faces

to　the　east。　　It　was　the　frequent　attitude　of　the　home…remembering

miner；　and　it　gave　him　the　crowning　glory　of　the　view。　　For；　beyond

the　pine…hearsed　summits；　rarely　seen　except　against　the　evening

sky；　lay　a　thin；　white　cloud　like　a　dropped　portion　of　the　Milky

Way。　　Faint　with　an　indescribable　pallor；　remote　yet　distinct

enough　to　assert　itself　above　and　beyond　all　surrounding　objects；

it　was　always　there。　　It　was　the　snow…line　of　the　Sierras。



They　turned　away　and　silently　reseated　themselves；　the　same　thought

in　the　minds　of　each。　　Here　was　something　they　could　not　take　away；

something　to　be　left　forever　and　irretrievably　behind；left　with

the　healthy　life　they　had　been　leading；　the　cheerful　endeavor；　the

undying　hopefulness　which　it　had　fostered　and　blessed。　　Was　what

they　WERE　taking　away　worth　it？　　And　oddly　enough；　frank　and

outspoken　as　they　had　always　been　to　each　other；　that　common

thought　remained　unuttered。　　Even　Barker　was　silent；　p