首页 >出版文学> A First Family of Tasajara>第1章
  "Itblows,"saidJoeWingate.
  AsiftoaccentthewordsofthespeakeraheavygustofwindatthatmomentshookthelonglightwoodenstructurewhichservedasthegeneralstoreofSidonsettlement,inContraCosta.Evenafterithadpassedaprolongedwhistlecamethroughthekeyhole,sides,andopeningsoftheclosedglassfrontdoors,thatservedequallyforwindows,andfilledthecanvasceilingwhichhidtheroofabovelikeabellyingsail.Awaveofenthusiasticemotionseemedtobecommunicatedtoalineofstrawhatsandsou-westerssuspendedfromacross-beam,andswungthemwitheveryappearanceoffestiverejoicing,whileafewdusters,overcoats,and"hickory"shirtshangingonthesidewallsexhibitedsuchmarkedthoughidioticanimationthatithadtheeffectofasatiricalcommentonthelazy,purposelessfiguresofthefourlivinginmatesofthestore.
  NedBillingsmomentarilyraisedhisheadandshouldersdepressedinthebackofhiswoodenarmchair,glancedwearilyaround,said,"Youbet,it'snoslouchofastorm,"andthenlapsedagainwithfurtherextendedlegsandanaddedsenseofcomfort.
  Herethethirdfigure,whichhadbeenleaninglistlesslyagainsttheshelves,puttingasidethearmofaswayingovercoatthatseemedtobeemptilyembracinghim,walkedslowlyfrombehindthecountertothedoor,examineditsfastenings,andgazedattheprospect.Hewastheownerofthestore,andtheviewwasafamiliarone,——alongstretchoftreelesswastebeforehimmeetinganequalstretchofdrearyskyabove,andnighthoveringsomewherebetweenthetwo.Thiswasindicatedbysplashesofdarkershadowasifwashedinwithindiaink,andalighterlow-lyingstreakthatmighthavebeenthehorizon,butwasnot.Totheright,onalinewiththefrontdoorofthestore,wereseveralscattered,widelydispersedobjects,that,althoughvagueinoutline,wererigidenoughinanglestosuggestshedsorbarns,butcertainlynottrees.
  "There'saheapmorewettocomeaforethewindgoesdown,"hesaid,glancingatthesky."Harktothat,now!"
  Theylistenedlazily.Therewasafaintmurmurfromtheshinglesabove;thensuddenlythewholewindowwasfilmedandblurredasiftheentireprospecthadbeenwipedoutwithadampsponge.Themanturnedlistlesslyaway.
  "That'sthekindthatsoaksin;tharwon'tbemuchteamin'overTasajaraforthenexttwoweeks,Ireckon,"saidthefourthlounger,who,seatedonahighbarrel,wasnibbling——albeitcriticallyandfastidiously——biscuitsanddriedapplesalternatelyfromopenboxesonthecounter."It'sluckyyou'vegotinyourwinterstock,Harkutt."
  TheshrewdeyesofMr.Harkutt,proprietor,glancedattheoccupationofthespeakerasifevenhisforesightmighthaveitspossibledrawbacks,buthesaidnothing.
  "There'llbenoshowforSidonuntilyou'vegotawagonroadfromheretothecreek,"saidBillingslanguidly,fromthedepthsofhischair."Butwhat'stheuseo'talkin'?Tharain'tenergyenoughinallTasajaratobuildit.AGod-forsakenplace,thattwomonthsoftheyearcanonlybereachedbyamail-rideronceaweek,don'tlookezifitwasgoin'tobreakitsbackhaulin'ingoodsandsettlers.Itellyewhat,gentlemen,itmakesmesick!"Andapparentlyithadenfeebledhimtotheextentofinterferingwithhisaiminthatexpectorationofdisgustagainstthestovewithwhichheconcludedhissentence.
  "Whydon'tYOUbuildit?"askedWingate,carelessly.
  "Iwouldn'tonprinciple,"saidBillings."It'sgov'mentwork.
  WhatdidwewhoopupthingsherelastspringtoelectKennedytothelegislationfor?WhatdidIrigupmyshedandathousandfeetoflumberforbenchesatthebarbecuefor?Why,togetKennedyelectedandmakehimgetabillpassedfortheroad!That'sMY
  shareofbuildingit,ifitcomestothat.AndIonlywishsomefolks,thatblowenoughaboutwhatoughterbedonetobulgeoutthatceiling,wouldonlydoasmuchasIhavedoneforSidon."
  Asthisremarkseemedtohaveapersonalaswellaslocalapplication,thestorekeeperdiplomaticallyturnedit."There'sagoodmanyasDON'TbelievethataroadfromheretothecreekisgoingtodoanygoodtoSidon.It'sverywelltosaythecreekisanembarcadero,butcallin'itsodon'tputanoughwaterintoittofloatasteamboatfromthebay,norclearoutthereedsandtulesinit.EveniftheStatebuildsyouroads,itain'tgotnocalltomakeTasajaraCreeknavigableforye;andasthatwillcostasmuchastheroad,Idon'tseewherethemoney'scomin'fromforboth."
  "There'swaterenoughinfrontof'LigeCurtis'sshanty,andhislocationisonlyamilealongthebank,"returnedBillings.
  "Waterenoughforhimtolazeawayhistimefishin'whenhe'ssober,anddeepenoughtodrownhimwhenhe'sdrunk,"saidWingate.
  "Ifyoucallthatanembarcadero,youkinbuyitanydayfrom'Lige,——title,possession,andshantythrownin,——forademijohno'
  whiskey."
  Thefourthmanheredistastefullythrewbackahalf-nibbledbiscuitintothebox,andlanguidlyslippedfromthebarreltothefloor,fastidiouslyflickingthecrumbsfromhisclothesashedidso."I
  reckonsomebody'llgetitfornothing,if'Ligedon'tpullupmightysoon.He'lleithergooffhisheadwithjim-jamsorjumpintothecreek.He'saboutasneardesp'ritastheymake'em,andhavin'nopartnertolookafterhim,andhimaloneinthetules,ther''snotellin'WHAThemaydo."
  Billings,stretchedatfulllengthinhischair,heregurgledderisively."Desp'rit!——ketchhim!Why,that'shislittlegame!
  He'sjistplayin'offhisdesp'ritconditiontofrightenSidon.
  Wheneveranyoneaskshimwhyhedon'tgotowork,wheneverhe'shardupforadrink,wheneverhe'shadtoomuchortoolittle,he'sworkin'thatdesp'ritdodge,andeventalkin'o'killin'himself!
  Why,lookhere,"hecontinued,momentarilyraisinghimselftoasittingpostureinhisdisgust,"itwasonlylastweekhewasoveratRawlett'stryingtoraiseprovisionsandwhiskeyouterhiswaterrightsonthecreek!Fact,sir,——haditallwrittendownlawyer-
  likeonpaper.Rawlettdidn'texactlyseeitinthatlight,andtoldhimso.Thenheupwiththedesp'ritdodgeandbegantoworkthat.Saidifhehadtostarveinaswamplikeadoghemightaswellkillhimselfatonce,andwouldtooifhecouldaffordtheweppins.Johnsonsaiditwasnotabadidea,andofferedtolendhimhisrevolver;Bilsonhandeduphisshot-gun,andleftitalongsideofhim,andturnedhisheadawayconsiderate-likeandthoughtfulwhileRawletthandedhimaboxofratpizonoverthecounter,incasehepreferredsuthin'morequiet.Well,whatdid'Ligedo?Nothin'!Smiledkindersickly,lookedsorterwild,andshutup.Hedidn'tsuicidemuch.No,sir!Hedidn'tkillhimself,——nothe.Why,oldBixby——andhe'sadeaconingoodstandin'——allowed,in'Lige'shearin'andfor'Lige'sbenefit,thatself-destructionwasbetternorbadexample,andproveditbyScripturetoo.Andyet'Ligedidnothin'!Desp'rit!He'sonlydesp'rittolazearoundandfishalldayoffaloginthetules,andsoakupwithwhiskey,until,betwixtfeveran'agueandthejumps,hekindershakeshisselffreeo'responsibility."
  Alongsilencefollowed;itwassomehowfeltthatthesubjectwasincongruouslyexciting;Billingsallowedhimselftolapseagainbehindthebackofhischair.Meantimeithadgrownsodarkthatthedullglowofthestovewasbeginningtooutlineafainthaloontheceilingevenwhileitplungedthefurtherlinesofshelvesbehindthecounterintogreaterobscurity.
  "Timetolightup,Harkutt,ain'tit?"saidWingate,tentatively.
  "Well,Iwasreckoningezit'ssuchawildnighttherewouldn'tbeanyusekeepin'open,andwhenyoufellowsleftI'djustshutupforgoodandmakethingsfast,"saidHarkutt,dubiously.Beforehisguestshadtimetofullyweighthisdelicatehint,anothergustofwindshookthetenement,andevenforcedtheunboltedupperpartofthedoortoyieldfarenoughtoadmitaneagercurrentofhumidairthatseemedtojustifythewisdomofHarkutt'ssuggestion.
  Billingsslowlyandwithasighassumedasittingpostureinthechair.Thebiscuit-nibblerselectedafreshdaintyfromthecounter,andWingateabstractedlywalkedtothewindowandrubbedtheglass.Skyandwaterhadalreadydisappearedbehindacurtainofdarknessthatwasilluminatedbyasinglepointoflight——thelampinthewindowofsomeinvisiblebutnearerhouse——whichthrewitsraysacrosstheglisteningshallowsintheroad."Well,"saidWingate,buttoninguphiscoatinslowdejection,"IreckonI
  oughterbetravelin'tohelptheoldwomandothechoresbeforesupper."Hehadjustrecognizedthelightinhisowndining-room,andknewbythatsignthathislong-waitinghelpmeethadfinallydonethechoresherself.
  "Somefolkshaveitmightyeasy,"saidBillings,withlong-drawndiscontent,ashestruggledtohisfeet."You'veonlyasteptogo,andyer'smeandPetersthere"——indicatingthebiscuit-nibbler,whowasbeginningtoshowalarmingsignsofreturningtothebarrelagain——"hevgottotrapsefivetimesthatdistance."
  "More'nhalfamile,ifitcomestothat,"saidPeters,gloomily.
  Hepausedinputtingonhisovercoatasifthinkingbetterofit,whileeventhemorefortunateandcontiguousWingatelanguidlylapsedagainstthecounteragain.
  Themomentwasacriticalone.Billingswasevidentlyalsoregretfullyeyingthechairhehadjustquitted.Harkuttresolvedonaheroiceffort.
  "Come,boys,"hesaid,withbriskconviviality,"takeapartingdrinkwithmebeforeyougo."Producingablackbottlefromsomeobscuritybeneaththecounterthatsmeltstronglyofindia-rubberboots,heplaceditwithfourglassesbeforehisguests.Eachmadeafeintofholdinghisglassagainsttheopaquewindowwhilefillingit,althoughnothingcouldbeseen.Asuddentumultofwindandrainagainshookthebuilding,butevenafterithadpassedtheglassdoorstillrattledviolently.
  "Justseewhat'sloose,Peters,"saidBillings;"you'renearestit."
  Peters,stillholdingtheundrainedglassinhishand,walkedslowlytowardsit.
  "It'ssuthin'——orsomebodyoutside,"hesaid,hesitatingly.
  Thethreeotherscameeagerlytohisside.Throughtheglass,cloudedfromwithinbytheirbreath,andfilmedfromwithoutbytherain,somevagueobjectwasmoving,andwhatseemedtobeamopoftangledhairwasapparentlybrushingagainstthepane.Thedoorshookagain,butlessstrongly.Billingspressedhisfaceagainsttheglass."Hol'on,"hesaidinaquickwhisper,——"it's'Lige!"
  Butitwastoolate.Harkutthadalreadydrawnthelowerbolt,andamanstumbledfromtheouterobscurityintothedarkerroom.
  Theinmatesdrewawayasheleanedbackforamomentagainstthedoorthatclosedbehindhim.Thendimly,butinstinctively,discerningtheglassofliquorwhichWingatestillmechanicallyheldinhishand,hereachedforwardeagerly,tookitfromWingate'ssurprisedandunresistingfingers,anddraineditatagulp.Thefourmenlaughedvaguely,butnotascheerfullyastheymight.
  "Iwasjustshuttingup,"beganHarkutt,dubiously.
  "Iwon'tkeepyouaminit,"saidtheintruder,nervouslyfumblinginthebreastpocketofhishickoryshirt."It'samatterofbusiness——Harkutt——I"——Buthewasobligedtostopheretowipehisfaceandforeheadwiththeendsofaloosehandkerchieftiedroundhisthroat.Fromtheaction,andwhatcouldbeseenofhispale,exhaustedface,itwasevidentthatthemoistureuponitwasbeadsofperspiration,andnottherainwhichsomeabnormalheatofhisbodywasconvertingintovaporfromhissoddengarmentsashestoodthere.
  "I'vegotadocumenthere,"hebeganagain,producingarollofpapertremblinglyfromhispocket,"thatI'dlikeyoutoglanceover,andperhapsyou'd"——Hisvoice,whichhadbeenfeverishlyexalted,herebrokeandrattledwithacough.
  Billings,Wingate,andPetersfellapartandlookedoutofthewindow."It'stoodarktoreadanythingnow,'Lige,"saidHarkutt,withevasivegoodhumor,"andIain'tlightin'upto-night."
  "ButIcantellyouthesubstanceofit,"saidtheman,withafaintnessthathoweverhadallthedistinctnessofawhisper,"ifyou'lljuststepinsideaminute.It'samatterofimportanceandabargain"——
  "Ireckonwemustbegoin',"saidBillingstotheothers,withmarkedemphasis."We'rekeepin'Harkuttfromshuttin'up.""Good-
  night!""Good-night!"addedPetersandWingate,ostentatiouslyfollowingBillingshurriedlythroughthedoor."Solong!"
  Thedoorclosedbehindthem,leavingHarkuttalonewithhisimportunateintruder.Possiblyhisresentmentathiscustomers'
  selfishabandonmentofhimatthismomentdevelopedavaguespiritofoppositiontothemandmitigatedhisfeelingtowards'Lige.Hegropedhiswaytothecounter,struckamatch,andlitacandle.
  Itsfeebleraysfaintlyilluminatedthepale,drawnfaceoftheapplicant,setinatangleofwet,unkempt,party-coloredhair.Itwasnotthefaceofanordinarydrunkard;althoughtremulousandsensitivefromsomeartificialexcitement,therewasnoENGORGEMENT
  orcongestioninthefeaturesorcomplexion,albeittheyweremorbidandunhealthy.Theexpressionwasofasufferingthatwasasmuchmentalasphysical,andyetinsomevaguewayappearedunmeaning——andunheroic.
  "Iwanttoseeyouaboutsellingmyplaceonthecreek.Iwantyoutotakeitoffmyhandsforabargain.Iwanttogetquitofit,atonce,forjustenoughtotakemeouto'this.Idon'twantanyprofit;onlymoneyenoughtogetaway."Hisutterance,whichhadacertainkindofcultivation,heregrewthickandharshagain,andhelookedeagerlyatthebottlewhichstoodonthecounter.
  "Lookhere,'Lige,"saidHarkutt,notunkindly."It'stoolatetodoanythin'tonight.Youcomeinto-morrow."Hewouldhaveadded"whenyou'resober,"butforatrader'ssenseofpolitenesstoapossiblecustomer,andprobablysomedoubtoftheman'sactualcondition.
  "GodknowswhereorwhatImaybetomorrow!Itwouldkillmetogobackandspendanothernightasthelast,ifIdon'tkillmyselfonthewaytodoit."
  Harkutt'sfacedarkenedgrimly.ItwasindeedasBillingshadsaid.Thepitiableweaknessoftheman'smannernotonlymadehisdesperationinadequateandineffective,butevenlentitallthecheapnessofacting.And,asiftoaccenthissimulationofapart,hisfingers,feeblygropinginhisshirtbosom,slippedaimlesslyandhelplesslyfromtheshininghandleofapistolinhispockettowanderhesitatinglytowardsthebottleonthecounter.
  Harkutttookthebottle,pouredoutaglassoftheliquor,andpusheditbeforehiscompanion,whodrankiteagerly.Whetheritgavehimmoreconfidence,orhisattentionwasnolongerdiverted,hewentonmorecollectedlyandcheerfully,andwithnotraceofhispreviousdesperationinhismanner."Come,Harkutt,buymyplace.It'sabargain,Itellyou.I'llsellitcheap.Ionlywantenoughtogetawaywith.Givemetwenty-fivedollarsandit'syours.See,there'sthepapers——thequitclaim——alldrawnupandsigned."Hedrewtherollofpaperfromhispocketagain,apparentlyforgetfuloftheadjacentweapon.
  "Lookhere,'Lige,"saidHarkutt,withabusiness-likestraighteningofhislips,"Iain'tbuyin'anylandinTasajara,——leastofallyoursonthecreek.I'vegotmoreinvestedherealreadythanI'llevergetbackagain.ButItellyouwhatI'lldo.Yousayyoucan'tgobacktoyourshanty.Well,seein'howroughitisoutside,andthatthewatersofthecreekareprobablyalloverthetrailbythistime,Ireckonyou'reaboutright.Now,there'sfivedollars!"
  Helaiddownacoinsharplyonthecounter."TakethatandgoovertoRawlett'sandgetabedandsomesupper.Inthemornin'youmaybeabletostrikeupatradewithsomebodyelse——orchangeyourmind.Howdidyougethere?Onyourhoss?"
  "Yes."
  "Heain'tstarvedyet?"
  "No;hecaneatgrass.Ican't."
  EithertheliquororHarkutt'spracticalunsentimentaltreatmentofthesituationseemedtogivehimconfidence.HemetHarkutt'seyemoresteadilyasthelatterwenton."YoukinturnyourhossforthenightintomystockcorralnexttoRawlett's.It'llsaveyoupayin'forfodderandstablin'."
  Themantookupthecoinwithacertainslowgravitywhichwasalmostlikedignity."Thankyou,"hesaid,layingthepaperonthecounter."I'llleavethatassecurity."
  "Don'twantit,'Lige,"saidHarkutt,pushingitback.
  "I'dratherleaveit."
  "ButsupposeyouhaveachancetosellittosomebodyatRawlett's?"
  continuedHarkutt,withaprecautionthatseemedironical.
  "Idon'tthinkthere'smuchchanceofthat."
  Heremainedquiet,lookingatHarkuttwithanoddexpressionasherubbedtheedgeofthecointhatheheldbetweenhisfingersabstractedlyonthecounter.Somethinginhisgaze——ratherperhapstheapparentabsenceofanythinginitapproximatetothepresentoccasion——wasbeginningtoaffectHarkuttwithavagueuneasiness.
  Providentiallyaresumedonslaughtofwindandrainagainstthepaneseffectedadiversion."Come,"hesaid,withbriskpracticality,"you'dbetterhurryontoRawlett'sbeforeitgetsworse.Haveyourclothesdriedbyhisfire,takesuthin'toeat,andyou'llbeallright."Herubbedhishandscheerfully,asifsummarilydisposingofthesituation,andincidentallyofall'Lige'stroubles,andwalkedwithhimtothedoor.Nevertheless,astheman'slookremainedunchanged,hehesitatedamomentwithhishandonthehandle,inthehopethathewouldsaysomething,evenifonlytorepeathisappeal,buthedidnot.ThenHarkuttopenedthedoor;themanmovedmechanicallyout,andatthedistanceofafewfeetseemedtomeltintotherainanddarkness.