the three partners-第14章

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was　now　telling　the　truth。



〃Well；〃　he　began；　settling　himself　back　in　his　chair；　〃I　told　you　I

brought　him　to　Heavy　Tree　Hill。　　After　I　left　you　I　wasn't　going　to

trust　him　to　no　school；　he　knew　enough　for　me；　but　when　I　left

those　parts　where　nobody　knew　you；　and　got　a　little　nearer　'Frisco；

where　people　might　have　known　us　both；　I　thought　it　better　not　to

travel　round　with　a　kid　o'　that　size　as　his　FATHER。　　So　I　got　a

young　fellow　here　to　pass　him　off　as　HIS　little　brother；　and　look

after　him　and　board　him；　and　I　paid　him　a　big　price　for　it；　too；

you　bet！　　You　wouldn't　think　it　was　a　man　who's　now　swelling　around

here；　the　top　o'　the　pile；　that　ever　took　money　from　a　brute　like

me；　and　for　such　schoolmaster　work；　too；　but　he　did；　and　his　name

was　Van　Loo；　a　clerk　of　the　Ditch　Company。〃



〃Van　Loo！〃　said　the　woman；　with　a　movement　of　disgust；　〃THAT　man！〃



〃What's　the　matter　with　Van　Loo？〃　he　said；　with　a　coarse　laugh；

enjoying　his　wife's　discomfiture。　　〃He　speaks　French　and　Spanish；

and　you　oughter　hear　the　kid　roll　off　the　lingo　he's　got　from　him。

He's　got　style；　and　knows　how　to　dress；　and　you　ought　to　see　the

kid　bow　and　scrape；　and　how　he　carries　himself。　　Now；　Van　Loo

wasn't　exactly　my　style；　and　I　reckon　I　don't　hanker　after　him

much；　but　he　served　my　purpose。〃



〃And　this　man　knows〃she　said；　with　a　shudder。



〃He　knows　Steptoe　and　the　boy；　but　he　don't　know　Horncastle　nor

YOU。　　Don't　you　be　skeert。　　He's　the　last　man　in　the　world　who

would　hanker　to　see　me　or　the　kid　again；　or　would　dare　to　say　that

he　ever　had！　　Lord！　　I'd　like　to　see　his　fastidious　mug　if　me　and

Eddy　walked　in　upon　him　and　his　high…toned　mother　and　sister　some

arternoon。〃　　He　threw　himself　back　and　laughed　a　derisive；

spasmodic；　choking　laugh；　which　was　so　far　from　being　genial　that

it　even　seemed　to　indicate　a　lively　appreciation　of　pain　in　others

rather　than　of　pleasure　in　himself。　　He　had　often　laughed　at　her　in

the　same　way。



〃And　where　is　he　now？〃　she　said；　with　a　compressed　lip。



〃At　school。　　Where；　I　don't　tell　you。　　You　know　why。　　But　he's

looked　after　by　me；　and　dd　well　looked　after；　too。〃



She　hesitated；　composed　her　face　with　an　effort；　parted　her　lips；

and　looked　out　of　the　window　into　the　gathering　darkness。　　Then

after　a　moment　she　said　slowly；　yet　with　a　certain　precision：



〃And　his　mother？　　Do　you　ever　talk　to　him　of　HER？　　Doesdoes　he

ever　speak　of　ME？〃



〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　said　comfortably；　changing　his　position　in

the　chair；　and　trying　to　read　her　face　in　the　shadow。　　〃Come；　now。

You　don't　know；　eh？　　Wellno！　　NO！　　You　understand。　　No！　　He's　MY

friendMINE！　　He's　stood　by　me　through　thick　and　thin。　　Run　at　my

heels　when　everybody　else　fled　me。　　Dodged　vigilance　committees

with　me；　laid　out　in　the　brush　with　me　with　his　hand　in　mine　when

the　sheriff's　deputies　were　huntin'　me；　shut　his　jaw　close　when；　if

he　squealed；　he'd　have　been　called　another　victim　of　the　brute

Horncastle；　and　been　as　petted　and　canoodled　as　you。〃



It　would　have　been　difficult　for　any　one　but　the　woman　who　knew　the

man　before　her　to　have　separated　his　brutish　delight　in　paining　her

from　another　feeling　she　had　never　dreamt　him　capable　of；an

intense　and　fierce　pride　in　his　affection　for　his　child。　　And　it

was　the　more　hopeless　to　her　that　it　was　not　the　mere　sentiment　of

reciprocation；　but　the　material　instinct　of　paternity　in　its　most

animal　form。　　And　it　seemed　horrible　to　her　that　the　only　outcome

of　what　had　been　her　own　wild；　youthful　passion　for　this　brute　was

this　love　for　the　flesh　of　her　flesh；　for　she　was　more　and　more

conscious　as　he　spoke　that　her　yearning　for　the　boy　was　the

yearning　of　an　equally　dumb　and　unreasoning　maternity。　　They　had

met　again　as　animalsin　fear；　contempt；　and　anger　of　each　other；

but　the　animal　had　triumphed　in　both。



When　she　spoke　again　it　was　as　the　woman　of　the　world；the　woman

who　had　laughed　two　years　ago　at　the　irrepressible　Barker。　　〃It's　a

new　thing；〃　she　said；　languidly　turning　her　rings　on　her　fingers；

〃to　see　you　in　the　role　of　a　doting　father。　　And　may　I　ask　how　long

you　have　had　this　amiable　weakness；　and　how　long　it　is　to　last？〃



To　her　surprise　and　the　keen　retaliating　delight　of　her　sex；　a

conscious　flush　covered　his　face　to　the　crisp　edges　of　his　black

and　matted　beard。　　For　a　moment　she　hoped　that　he　had　lied。　　But；

to　her　greater　surprise；　he　stammered　in　equal　frankness：　〃It's

growed　upon　me　for　the　last　five　yearsever　since　I　was　alone　with

him。〃　　He　stopped；　cleared　his　throat；　and　then；　standing　up　before

her；　said　in　his　former　voice；　but　with　a　more　settled　and　intense

deliberation：　〃You　wanter　know　how　long　it　will　last；　do　ye？　　Well；

you　know　your　special　friend；　Jim　Stacythe　big　millionairethe

great　Jim　of　the　Stock　Exchangethe　man　that　pinches　the　money

market　of　Californy　between　his　finger　and　thumb　and　makes　it

squeal　in　New　Yorkthe　man　who　shakes　the　stock　market　when　he

sneezes？　　Well；　it　will　go　on　until　that　man　is　a　beggar；　until　he

has　to　borrow　a　dime　for　his　breakfast；　and　slump　out　of　his　lunch

with　a　cent's　worth　of　rat　poison　or　a　bullet　in　his　head！　　It'll

go　on　until　his　old　partnerthat　softy　George　Barkercomes　to　the

bottom　of　his　dd　fool　luck　and　is　a　penny…a…liner　for　the

papers　and　a　hanger…round　at　free　lunches；　and　his　scatter…brained

wife　runs　away　with　another　man！　　It'll　go　on　until　the　high…toned

Demorest；　the　last　of　those　three　little　tin　gods　of　Heavy　Tree

Hill；　will　have　to　climb　down；　and　will　know　what　I　feel　and　what

he's　made　me　feel；　and　will　wish　himself　in　hell　before　he　ever

made　the　big　strike　on　Heavy　Tree！　　That's　me！　　You　hear　me！　　I'm

shoutin'！　　It'll　last　till　then！　　It　may　be　next　week；　next　month；

next　year。　　But　it'll　come。　　And　when　it　does　come　you'll　see　me

and　Eddy　just　waltzin'　in　and　takin'　the　chief　seats　in　the

synagogue！　　And　you'll　have　a　free　pass　to　the　show！〃



Either　he　was　too　intoxicated　with　his　vengeful　vision；　or　the

shadows　of　the　room　had　deepened；　but　he　did　not　see　the　quick

flush　that　had　risen　to　his　wife's　face　with　this　allusion　to

Barker；　nor　the　after…settling　of　her　handsome　features　into　a

dogged　determination　equal　to　his　own。　　His　blind　fury　against　the

three　partners　did　not　touch　her　curiosity；　she　was　only　struck

with　the　evident　depth　of　his　emotion。　　He　had　never　been　a

braggart；　his　hostility　had　always　been　lazy　and　cynical。

Remembering　this；　she　had　a　faint　stirring　of　respect　for　the

undoubted　courage　and　consciousness　of　strength　shown　in　this　wild

but　single…handed　crusade　against　wealth　and　power；　rather；

perhaps；　it　seemed　to　her　to　condone　her　own　weakness　in　her

youthful　and　inexplicable　passion　for　him。　　No　wonder　she　had

submitted。



〃Then　you　have　nothing　more　to　tell　me？〃　she　said　after　a　pause；

rising　and　going　towards　the　mantel。



〃You　needn't　light　up　for　me；〃　he　returned；　rising　also。　　〃I　am

going。　　Unless；〃　he　added；　with　his　coarse　laugh；　〃you　think　it

wouldn't　look　well　for　Mrs。　Horncastle　to　have　been　sitting　in　the

dark　witha　stranger！〃　　He　paused　as　she　contemptuously　put　down

the　candlestick　and　threw　the　unlit　match　into　the　grate。　　〃No；

I've　nothing　more　to　tell。　　He's　a　fancy…looking　pup。　　You'd　take

him　for　twenty…one；　though　he's　only　sixteenclean…limbed　and

perfectbut　for　one　thing〃　　He　stopped。　　He　met　her　quick　look

of　interrogation；　however；　with　a　lowering　silence　that；

nevertheless；　changed　again　as　he　surveyed　her　erect　figure　by　the

faint　light　of　the　window　with　a　sardonic　smile。　　〃He　favors　you；　I

think；　and　in　all　but　one　thing；　too。〃



〃And　that？〃　she　queried　coldly；　as　he　seemed　to　hesitate。



〃He　ain't　ashamed　of　ME；〃　he　returned；　with　a　laugh。



The　door　closed　behind　him；　she　heard　his　heavy　step　descend　the

creaking　stairs；　he　was　gone。　　She　went　to　the　window　and　threw　it

open；　as　if　to　get　rid　of　the　atmosphere　charged　with　his

presence；a　presence　still　so　potent　that　she　now　knew　that　for

the　last　five　minutes　she　had　been；　to　her　horror；　struggling

against　its　magnetism。　　She　even　recoiled　now　at　the　thought　of　her

child；　as　if；　in　these　new　confidences　over　it；　it　had　revived　the

old　intimacy　in　this　link　of　their　common　flesh。　　She　looked　down

from　her　window　on　the　square　shoulders；　thick　throat；　and　crisp

matted　hair　of　her　husband　as　he　vanished　in　the　darkness；　and　drew

a　breath　of　freedom；a　freedom　not　so　much　from　him　as　from　her

own　weakness　that　he　was　bearing　away　with　him　into　the　exonerating

night。



She　shut　the　window　and　sank　down　in　her　chair　again；　but　in　the

encompassing　and　compassionate　obscurity　of　the　room。　　And　this　was

the　man　she　had　loved　and　for　whom　she　had　wrecked　her　young　life！

Or　WAS　it　love？　and；　if　NOT；　how　was　she　better　than　he？　　Worse；

for　he　was　more　loyal　to　that　passion　that　had　brought　them

together　and　its　responsibilities　than　she　was。　　She　had　suffered

the　perils　and　pangs　of　maternity；　and　yet　had　only　the　mere　animal

yearning　for　her　offspring；　while　he　had　taken　over　the　toil　and

duty；　and　even　the　devotion；　of　parentage　himself。　　But　then　she

remembered　also　how　he　had　fascinated　hera　simple　schoolgirlby

his　sheer　domineering　strength；　and　how　the　objections　of　her

parents　to　this　coarse　and　common　man　had　forced　her　into　a

clandestine　intimacy　that　ended　in　her　complete　subjection　to　him。

She　remembered　the　birth　of　an　infant　whose　concealment　from　her

parents　and　friends　was　compassed　by　his　low　cunning；　she

remembered　the　late　atonement　of　marriage　preferred　by　the　man　she

had　already　begun　to　loathe　and　fear；　and　who　she　now　believed　was

eager　only　for　her　inheritance。　　She　remembered　her　abject

compliance　through　the　greater　fear　of　the　world；　the　stormy　scenes

that　followed　their　ill…omened　union；　her　final　abandonment　of　her

husband；　and　the　efforts　of　her　friends　and　family　who　had　rescued

the　last　of　her　property　from　him。　　She　was　glad　she　remembered　it；

she　dwelt　upon　it；　upon　his　cruelty；　his　coarseness　and　vulgarity；

until　she　saw；　as　she　honestly　believed；　the　hidden　springs　of　his

affection　for　their　child。　　It　was　HIS　child　in　nature；　however　it

might　have　favored　her　in　looks；　it　was　HIS　own　brutal　SELF　he　was

worshiping　in　his　brutal　progeny。　　How　else　could　it　have　ignored

HERits　own　mother？　　She　never　doubted　the　truth　of　what　he　had

told　hershe　had　seen　it　in　his　own　triumphant　eyes。　　And　yet　she

would　have　made　a　kind　mother；　she　remembered　with　a　smile　and　a

slight　rising　of　color　the　affection　of　Barker's　baby　for　her；　she

remembered　with　a　deepening　of　that　color　the　thrill　of　satisfaction

she　had　felt　in　her　husband's　fulmination　against　Mrs。　Barker；　and；

more　than　all；　she　felt　in　his　blind　and　foolish　hatred　of　Barker

himself　a　delicious　condonation　of　the　strange　feeling　that　had

sprung　up　in　her　heart　for　Barker's　simple；　straightforward　nature。