the three partners-第27章

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〃Eddy　Horncastle？　　Ah！　yes。　　Eddy；　dear　child；　is　gone。〃



〃Gone！〃　shouted　Steptoe　in　a　voice　that　startled　the　padre。

〃Where？　　When？　　With　whom？〃



〃Pardon；　senor；　but　for　a　timeonly　a　pasear　to　the　next　village。

It　is　his　saint's　dayhe　has　half…holiday。　　He　is　a　good　boy。　　It

is　a　little　pleasure　for　him　and　for　us。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Steptoe；　softened　into　a　rough　apology。　　〃I　forgot。　　All

right。　　Has　he　had　any　visitors　latelylady；　for　instance？〃



Father　Dominico　cast　a　look　half　of　fright；　half　of　reproval　upon

his　guest。



〃A　lady　HERE！〃



In　his　relief　Steptoe　burst　into　a　coarse　laugh。　　〃Of　course；　you

see　I　forgot　that；　too。　　I　was　thinking　of　one　of　his　woman　folks；

you　knowrelativesaunts。　　Was　there　any　other　visitor？〃



〃Only　one。　　Ah！　we　know　the　senor's　rules　regarding　his　son。〃



〃One？〃　repeated　Steptoe。　　〃Who　was　it？〃



〃Oh；　quite　an　hidalgoan　old　friend　of　the　child'smost　polite；

most　accomplished；　fluent　in　Spanish；　perfect　in　deportment。　　The

Senor　Horncastle　surely　could　find　nothing　to　object　to。　　Father

Pedro　was　charmed　with　him。　　A　man　of　affairs；　and　yet　a　good

Catholic；　too。　　It　was　a　Senor　Van　LooDon　Paul　the　boy　called

him；　and　they　talked　of　the　boy's　studies　in　the　old　days　as　if

indeed；　but　for　the　stranger　being　a　caballero　and　man　of　the

worldas　if　he　had　been　his　teacher。〃



It　was　a　proof　of　the　intensity　of　the　father's　feelings　that　they

had　passed　beyond　the　power　of　his　usual　coarse；　brutal　expression；

and　he　only　stared　at　the　priest　with　a　dull　red　face　in　which　the

blood　seemed　to　have　stagnated。　　Presently　he　said　thickly；　〃When

did　he　come？〃



〃A　few　days　ago。〃



〃Which　way　did　Eddy　go？〃



〃To　Brown's　Mills；　scarcely　a　league　away。　　He　will　be　hereeven

nowon　the　instant。　　But　the　senor　will　come　into　the　refectory

and　take　some　of　the　old　Mission　wine　from　the　Catalan　grape；

planted　one　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　until　the　dear　child

returns。　　He　will　be　so　happy。〃



〃No！　　I'm　in　a　hurry。　　I　will　go　on　and　meet　him。〃　　He　took　off　his

hat；　mopped　his　crisp；　wet　hair　with　his　handkerchief；　and　in　a

thick；　slow；　impeded　voice；　more　suggestive　than　the　outburst　he

restrained；　said；　〃And　as　long　as　my　son　remains　here　that　man；　Van

Loo；　must　not　pass　this　gate；　speak　to　him；　or　even　see　him。　　You

hear　me？　　See　to　it；　you　and　all　the　others。　　See　to　it；　I　say；

or〃　　He　stopped　abruptly；　clapped　his　hat　on　the　swollen　veins　of

his　forehead；　turned　quickly；　passed　out　without　another　word

through　the　archway　into　the　road；　and　before　the　good　priest　could

cross　himself　or　recover　from　his　astonishment　the　thud　of　his

horse's　hoofs　came　from　the　dusty　road。



It　was　ten　minutes　before　his　face　resumed　its　usual　color。　　But　in

that　ten　minutes；　as　if　some　of　the　struggle　of　his　rider　had

passed　into　him；　his　horse　was　sweating　with　exhaustion　and　fear。

For　in　that　ten　minutes；　in　this　new　imagination　with　which　he　was

cursed；　he　had　killed　both　Van　Loo　and　his　son；　and　burned　the

refectory　over　the　heads　of　the　treacherous　priests。　　Then；　quite

himself　again；　a　voice　came　to　him　from　the　rocky　trail　above　the

road　with　the　hail　of　〃Father！〃　　He　started　quickly　as　a　lad　of

fifteen　or　sixteen　came　bounding　down　the　hillside；　and　ran　towards

him。



〃You　passed　me　and　I　called　to　you；　but　you　did　not　seem　to　hear；〃

said　the　boy　breathlessly。　　〃Then　I　ran　after　you。　　Have　you　been

to　the　Mission？〃



Steptoe　looked　at　him　quite　as　breathlessly；　but　from　a　deeper

emotion。　　He　was；　even　at　first　sight；　a　handsome　lad；　glowing　with

youth　and　the　excitement　of　his　run；　and；　as　the　father　looked　at

him；　he　could　see　the　likeness　to　his　mother　in　his　clear…cut

features；　and　even　a　resemblance　to　himself　in　his　square；　compact

chest　and　shoulders　and　crisp；　black　curls。　　A　thrill　of　purely

animal　paternity　passed　over　him；　the　fierce　joy　of　his　flesh　over

his　own　flesh！　　His　own　son；　by　God！　　They　could　not　take　THAT　from

him；　they　might　plot；　swindle；　fawn；　cheat；　lie；　and　steal　away　his

affections；　but　there　he　was；　plain　to　all　eyes；　his　own　son；　his

very　son！



〃Come　here；〃　he　said　in　a　singular；　half…weary　and　half…protesting

voice；　which　the　boy　instantly　recognized　as　his　father's　accents

of　affection。



The　boy　hesitated　as　he　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　road　and　pointed

with　mingled　mischief　and　fastidiousness　to　the　depths　of　impalpable

red　dust　that　lay　between　him　and　the　horseman。　　Steptoe　saw　that　he

was　very　smartly　attired　in　holiday　guise；　with　white　duck　trousers

and　patent　leather　shoes；　and；　after　the　Spanish　fashion；　wore　black

kid　gloves。　　He　certainly　was　a　bit　of　a　dandy；　as　he　had　said。　　The

father's　whole　face　changed　as　he　wheeled　and　came　before　the　lad；

who　lifted　up　his　arms　expectantly。　　They　had　often　ridden　together

on　the　same　horse。



〃No　rides　to…day　in　that　toggery；　Eddy；〃　he　said　in　the　same　voice。

〃But　I'll　get　down　and　we'll　go　and　sit　somewhere　under　a　tree　and

have　some　talk。　　I've　got　a　bit　of　a　job　that's　hurrying　me；　and　I

can't　waste　time。〃



〃Not　one　of　your　old　jobs；　father？　　I　thought　you　had　quite　given

that　up？〃



The　boy　spoke　more　carelessly　than　reproachfully；　or　even

wonderingly；　yet；　as　he　dismounted　and　tethered　his　horse；　Steptoe

answered　evasively；　〃It's　a　big　thing；　sonny；　maybe　we'll　make　our

eternal　fortune；　and　then　we'll　light　out　from　this　hole　and　have　a

gay　time　elsewhere。　　Come　along。〃



He　took　the　boy's　gloved　right　hand　in　his　own　powerful　grasp；　and

together　they　clambered　up　the　steep　hillside　to　a　rocky　ledge　on

which　a　fallen　pine　from　above　had　crashed；　snapped　itself　in

twain；　and　then　left　its　withered　crown　to　hang　half　down　the

slope；　while　the　other　half　rested　on　the　ledge。　　On　this　they　sat；

looking　down　upon　the　road　and　the　tethered　horse。　　A　gentle　breeze

moved　the　treetops　above　their　heads；　and　the　westering　sun　played

hide…and…seek　with　the　shifting　shadows。　　The　boy's　face　was　quick

and　alert　with　all　that　moved　round　him；　but　without　thought　the

father's　face　was　heavy；　except　for　the　eyes　that　were　fixed　upon

his　son。



〃Van　Loo　came　to　the　Mission；〃　he　said　suddenly。



The　boy's　eyes　glittered　quickly；　like　a　steel　that　pierced　the

father's　heart。　　〃Oh；〃　he　said　simply；　〃then　it　was　the　padre　told

you？〃



〃How　did　he　know　you　were　here？〃　asked　Steptoe。



〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　boy　quietly。　　〃I　think　he　said　something；

but　I've　forgotten　it。　　But　it　was　mighty　good　of　him　to　come；　for

I　thought；　you　know；　that　he　did　not　care　to　see　me　after　Heavy

Tree；　and　that　he'd　gone　back　on　us。〃



〃What　did　he　tell　you？〃　continued　Steptoe。　　〃Did　he　talk　of　me　or

of　your　mother？〃



〃No；〃　said　the　boy；　but　without　any　show　of　interest　or　sympathy；

〃we　talked　mostly　about　old　times。〃



〃Tell　ME　about　those　old　times；　Eddy。　　You　never　told　me　anything

about　them。〃



The　boy；　momentarily　arrested　more　by　something　in　the　tone　of　his

father's　voicea　weakness　he　had　never　noticed　beforethan　by　any

suggestion　of　his　words；　said　with　a　laugh；　〃Oh；　only　about　what　we

used　to　do　when　I　was　very　little　and　used　to　call　myself　his

'little　brother；'don't　you　remember；　long　before　the　big　strike

on　Heavy　Tree？　　They　were　gay　times　we　had　then。〃



〃And　how　he　used　to　teach　you　to　imitate　other　people's

handwriting？〃　said　Steptoe。



〃What　made　you　think　of　that；　pop？〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　slight

wonder　in　his　eyes。　　〃Why；　that's　the　very　thing　we　DID　talk

about。〃



〃But　you　didn't　do　it　again；　you　ain't　done　it　since；〃　said　Steptoe

quickly。



〃Lord！　no；〃　said　the　boy　contemptuously。　　〃There　ain't　no　chance

now；　and　there　wouldn't　be　any　fun　in　it。　　It　isn't　like　the　old

times　when　him　and　me　were　all　alone；　and　we　used　to　write　letters

as　coming　from　other　people　to　all　the　boys　round　Heavy　Tree　and

the　Bar；　and　sometimes　as　far　as　Boomville；　to　get　them　to　do

things；　and　they'd　think　the　letters　were　real；　and　they'd　do　'em。

And　there'd　be　the　biggest　kind　of　a　row；　and　nobody　ever　knew　who

did　it。〃



Steptoe　stared　at　this　flesh　of　his　own　flesh　half　in　relief；　half

in　frightened　admiration。　　Sitting　astride　the　log；　his　elbows　on

his　knees　and　his　gloved　hands　supporting　his　round　cheeks；　the

boy's　handsome　face　became　illuminated　with　an　impish　devilry　which

the　father　had　never　seen　before。　　With　dancing　eyes　he　went　on。

〃It　was　one　of　those　very　games　we　played　so　long　ago　that　he

wanted　to　see　me　about　and　wanted　me　to　keep　mum　about；　for　some　of

the　folks　that　he　played　it　on　were　around　here　now。　　It　was　a　game

we　got　off　on　one　of　the　big　strike　partners　long　before　the

strike。　　I'll　tell　YOU；　dad；　for　you　know　what　happened　afterwards；

and　you'll　be　glad。　　Well；　that　partnerDemorestwas　a　kind　of

silly；　you　remembera　sort　of　Miss　Nancyish　fellowalways　gloomy

and　lovesick　after　his　girl　in　the　States。　　Well；　we'd　written　lots

of　letters　to　girls　from　their　chaps　before；　and　got　lots　of　fun

out　of　it；　but　we　had　even　a　better　show　for　a　game　here；　for　it

happened　that　Van　Loo　knew　all　about　the　girlthings　that　even　the

man's　own　partners　didn't；　for　Van　Loo's　mother　was　a　sort　of　a

friend　of　the　girl's　family；　and　traveled　about　with　her；　and　knew

that　the　girl　was　spoony　over　this　Demorest；　and　that　they

corresponded。　　So；　knowing　that　Van　Loo　was　employed　at　Heavy　Tree；

she　wrote　to　him　to　find　out　all　about　Demorest　and　how　to　stop

their　foolish　nonsense；　for　the　girl's　parents　didn't　want　her　to

marry　a　broken…down　miner　like　him。　　So　we　thought　we'd　do　it　our

own　way；　and　write　a　letter　to　her　as　if　it　was　from　him；　don't　you

see？　　I　wanted　to　make　him　call　her　awful　names；　and　say　that　he

hated　her；　that　he　was　a　murderer　and　a　horse…thief；　and　that　he

had　killed　a　policeman；　and　that　he　was　thinking　of　becoming　a

Digger　Injin；　and　having　a　Digger　squaw　for　a　wife；　which　he　liked

better　than　her。　　Lord！　dad；　you　ought　to　have　seen　what　stuff　I

made　up。〃　　The　boy　burst　into　a　shrill；　half…feminine　laugh；　and

Steptoe；　catching　the　infection；　laughed　loudly　in　his　own　coarse；

brutal　fashion。



For　some　moments　they　sat　there　looking　in　each　other's　faces；

shaking　with　sympathetic　emotion；　the　father　forgetting　the　purpose

of　his　coming　there；　his　rage　over　Van　Loo's　visit；　and　even　the

rendezvous　to　which　his　horse　in　the　road　below　was　waiting　to

bring　him；　the　son　forgetting　their　retreat　from　Heavy　Tree　Hill

and　his　shameful　vagabond　wanderings　with　that　father　in　the　years

that　followed。　　The　sinking　sun　stared　blankly　in　their　faces；　the

protecting　pines　above　them　moved　by　a　stronger　gust　shook　a　few

cones　upon　them；　an　enormous　crow　mockingly　repeated　the　father's

coarse　laugh；　and　a　squirrel　scampered　away　from　the　strangely

assorted　pair　as　Steptoe；　wiping　his　eyes　and　forehead　with　his

pocket…handkerchief；　said：



〃And　did　yo