第16章

Mr.Fletcherlaidasidethemanuscriptandletter,andtookuphisapparentlysuspendedwork.

"WhenyouseethisMrs——Mrs.Ashwoodagain,youmightsay"——

"Ishallnotseeheragain,"interruptedJohnMiltonhastily.

Mr.Fletchershruggedhisshoulders."Verywell,"hesaidwithapeculiarsmile,"Iwillwritetoher.Now,Mr.Harcourt,"hecontinuedwithasuddenbusinessbrevity,"ifyouplease,we\'lldropthisaffairandattendtothematterforwhichIjustsummonedyou.SinceyesterdayanimportantcontractforwhichIhavebeenwaitingisconcluded,anditsperformancewilltakemeEastatonce.Ihavemadearrangementsthatyouwillbeleftintheliterarychargeofthe\'Clarion.\'Itisonlyafittingrecompensethatthepaperowestoyouandyourfather,——towhomIhopetoseeyoupresentlyreconciled.Butwewon\'tdiscussthatnow!AsmyaffairstakemebacktoLosGatoswithinhalfanhour,IamsorryI

cannotdispensemyhospitalityinperson,——butyouwilldineandsleephereto-night.Good-by.AsyougooutwillyoupleasesendupMr.Jacksontome."Henoddedbriefly,seemedtoplungeinstantlyintohispapersagain,andJohnMiltonwasgladtowithdraw.

TheshockhehadfeltatMrs.Ashwood\'sfrigiddispositionofhiswishesandhismanuscripthadbenumbedhimtoanyenjoymentorappreciationofthechangeinhisfortune.Hewanderedoutofthehouseanddescendedtothebeachinadazed,bewilderedway,seeingonlythewordsofherlettertoFletcherbeforehim,andstrivingtograspsomeothermeaningfromthemthantheircoldlypracticalpurport.Perhapsthiswashercruelrevengeforhistellinghernottowritetohim.Couldshenothavedivineditwasonlyhisfearofwhatshemightsay!Andnowitwasallover!Shehadwashedherhandsofhimwiththesendingofthatmanuscriptandletter,andhewouldpassoutofhermemoryasafoolish,conceitedingrate,——perhapsafigureaswearilyirritatingandstupidtoherasthecousinshehadknown.Hemechanicallyliftedhiseyestothedistanthotel;theglowwasstillinthewesternsky,butthebluelampwasalreadyshininginthewindow.Hischeekflushedquickly,andheturnedawayasifshecouldhaveseenhisface.

Yes——shedespisedhim,andTHATwashisanswer!

Whenhereturned,Mr.Fletcherhadgone.HedraggedthroughadinnerwithMr.Jackson,Fletcher\'ssecretary,andtriedtorealizehisgoodfortuneinlisteningtothesubordinate\'scongratulations.

"ButIthought,"saidJackson,"youhadslippeduponyourluckto-

day,whentheoldmansentforyou.Hewasquitewhite,andreadytoripoutaboutsomethingthathadjustcomein.Isupposeitwasoneofthoseanonymousthingsagainstyourfather,——theoldman\'sdeadsetagainst\'emnow."ButJohnMiltonheardhimvaguely,andpresentlyexcusedhimselfforarowonthemoonlitbay.

Theactiveexertion,withintervalsofplaciddriftingalongtheland-lockedshore,somewhatsoothedhim.TheheavingPacificbeyondwaspartlyhiddeninalowcreepingfog,butthecurvingbaywassoftlyradiant.Therockswhereonshesatthatmorning,thehotelwhereshewasnowquietlyreading,wereoutlinedinblackandsilver.Inthisdangerouscontiguityitseemedtohimthatherpresencereturned,——notthewomanwhohadmethimsocoldly;whohadpennedthoselines;thewomanfromwhomhewasnowpartingforever,buttheblamelessidealhehadworshipedfromthefirst,andwhichhenowfeltcouldneverpassoutofhislifeagain!Herecalledtheirlongtalks,theirrarerridesandwalksinthecity;

herquickappreciationandreadysympathy;herprettycuriosityandhalf-maternalconsiderationofhisfoolishyouthfulpast;eventheplayfulwaythatshesometimesseemedtomakeherselfyoungerasiftobetterunderstandhim.Lingeringattimesintheshadowoftheheadland,hefanciedhesawthedelicatenervousoutlinesofherfacenearhisownagain;thefaintshadingofherbrownlashes,thesoftintelligenceofhergrayeyes.Driftingidlyintheplacidmoonlight,pullingfeverishlyacrosstheswellofthechannel,orlyingonhisoarsintheshallowsoftherocks,butalwaysfollowingthecurvesofthebay,likeabirdcirclingaroundalighthouse,itwasfarinthenightbeforeheatlastdraggedhisboatuponthesand.Thenheturnedtolookoncemoreatherdistantwindow.Hewouldbeawayinthemorningandheshouldneverseeitagain!Itwasverylate,butthebluelightseemedtobestillburningunalterablyandinflexibly.

Butevenashegazed,achangecameoverit.Ashadowseemedtopassbeforetheblind;theblueshadewaslifted;foraninstanthecouldseethecolorlessstar-likepointofthelightitselfshowclearly.Itwasovernow;shewasputtingoutthelamp.Suddenlyheheldhisbreath!Aroseateglowgraduallysuffusedthewindowlikeaburningblush;thecurtainwasdrawnaside,andtheredlamp-shadegleamedoutsurelyandsteadilyintothedarkness.

Transfiguredandbreathlessinthemoonlight,JohnMiltongazedonit.ItseemedtohimthedawnofLove!

CHAPTERXIII.

Thewinterrainshadcome.Butsoplenteouslyandpersistently,andwithsuchfatefulpreparationofcircumstance,thatthelonglookedforblessingpresentlybecameawonder,ananxiety,andatlastaslowlywideningterror.Beforeamonthhadpassedeverymountain,stream,andwatercourse,surchargedwiththemeltedsnowsoftheSierras,hadbecomeagreattributary;everytributaryagreatriver,until,pouringtheirgreatvolumeintotheengorgedchannelsoftheAmericanandSacramentorivers,theyoverleapedtheirbanksandbecameasonevastinlandsea.Eventoacountryalreadyfamiliarwithbroadandstrikingcatastrophe,thefloodwasaphenomenalone.FordaysthesullenoverflowlayinthevalleyoftheSacramento,enormous,silent,currentless——exceptwherethesurpluswatersrolledthroughCarquinezStraits,SanFranciscoBay,andtheGoldenGate,andreappearedasthevanishedSacramentoRiver,inanoutflowingstreamoffreshandturbidwaterfiftymilesatsea.

Acrossthevastinlandexpanse,broodedoverbyaleadensky,leadenrainfell,dimplinglikeshotthesluggishpoolsoftheflood;acloudychaosoffallentrees,driftingbarnsandouthouses,wagonsandagriculturalimplementsmovedoverthesurfaceofthewaters,orcircledslowlyaroundtheoutskirtsofforeststhatstoodankledeepinoozeandthecurrent,whichinserriedphalanxtheyresistedstill.Asnightfelltheseformsbecamestillmorevagueandchaotic,andwereinterspersedwiththescatteredlanternsandflamingtorchesofrelief-boats,oroccasionallythehighterracedgleamingwindowsofthegreatsteamboats,feelingtheirwayalongthelostchannel.Attimestheopeningofafurnace-doorshotbroadbarsoflightacrossthesluggishstreamandintothebranchesofdrippinganddrift-encumberedtrees;attimestheloomingsmoke-stackssentoutapent-upbreathofsparksthatilluminatedtheinkychaosforamoment,andthenfellasblackanddrippingrain.Orperhapsahoarseshoutfromsomefaintlyoutlinedhulkoneithersidebroughtaquickresponsefromtherelief-boats,andthedetachingofacanoewithablazingpine-knotinitsbowintotheouterdarkness.

ItwaslateintheafternoonwhenLawrenceGrant,fromthedeckofoneofthelargertugs,sightedwhathadbeenoncetheestuaryofSidonCreek.Theleaderofapartyofscientificobservationandrelief,hehadkeptatirelesswatchofeighteenhours,keenlynoticingtheworkofdevastation,thechangesinthechannel,theprospectsofabatement,andthedangerthatstillthreatened.HehadpasseddownthelengthofthesubmergedSacramentovalley,throughtheStraitsofCarquinez,andwasnowsteamingalongtheshoresoftheupperreachesofSanFranciscoBay.Everywherethesamesceneofdesolation,——vaststretchesoftuleland,oncebrokenupbycultivationanddottedwithdwellings,nowclearlyerasedonthatwaterychart;longlinesofsymmetricalperspective,breakingthemonotonouslevel,showingorchardsburiedintheflood;Indianmoundsandnaturaleminencescoveredwithcattleorhastilyerectedcamps;halfsubmergedhouses,whosesolitarychimneys,however,stillgavesignsofanundauntedlifewithin;isolatedgroupsoftrees,withtheirlowerbranchesheavywiththeunwholesomefruitoftheflood,inwispsofhayandstraw,rakesandpitchforks,orpatheticallyshelteringsomeshiveringandforgottenhouseholdpet.

Buteverywherethesamedull,expressionless,placidtranquillityofdestruction,——ahorriblelevelingofallthingsinoneblandsmilingequalityofsurface,beneathwhichagony,despair,andruinweredeeplyburiedandforgotten;acatastrophewithoutconvulsion,——

adevastationvoiceless,passionless,andsupine.

Theboathadslowedupbeforewhatseemedtobeacollectionofdisarrangedhouseswiththecurrentflowingbetweenlinesthatindicatedtheexistenceofthoroughfaresandstreets.Manyofthelighterwoodenbuildingswerehuddledtogetheronthestreetcornerswiththeirgablestotheflow;someappearedasiftheyhadfallenontheirknees,andotherslaycomplacentlyontheirsides,likethehousesofachild\'stoyvillage.Anelevatorstilllifteditselfabovetheotherwarehouses;fromthecentreofanenormoussquarepond,oncetheplaza,stillarosea"Libertypole,"orflagstaff,whichnowsupportedaswinginglantern,andinthedistanceappearedtheglitteringdomeofsomepublicbuilding.

Grantrecognizedthesceneatonce.ItwasallthatwasleftoftheinvincibleyouthofTasajara!

Asthiswasanobjectivepointoftheschemeofsurveyandreliefforthedistrict,theboatwasmadefasttothesecondstoryofoneofthewarehouses.Itwasnowusedasageneralstoreanddepot,andboreasingularresemblanceinitsinteriortoHarcourt\'sgroceryatSidon.Thissuggestionwasthemorefatefullyindicatedbythefactthathalfadozenmenwereseatedaroundastoveinthecentre,moreorlessgivenuptoakindofphilosophicalandlazyenjoymentoftheirenforcedidleness.AndwhentothiswasaddedthemoresurprisingcoincidencethatthepartyconsistedofBillings,Peters,andWingate,——formerresidentsofSidonandfirstcitizensofTasajara,——theresemblancewascomplete.

Theywereruined,——buttheyacceptedtheircommonfatewithacertainIndianstoicismandWesternsenseofhumorthatforthetimeliftedthemabovethevulgarcomplacencyoftheirformerfortunes.Therewasadeep-seated,ifcoarseandirreverentresignationintheirphilosophy.AtthebeginningofthecalamityithadbeenroughlyformulatedbyBillingsinthestatementthat"itwasn\'tanybody\'sfault;therewasnobodytokill,andwhatcouldn\'tbereachedbyaVigilanceCommitteetherewasnouseresolootin\'over."WhentheReverendDoctorPilsburyhadsuggestedanappealtoaHigherPower,Petershadreplied,goodhumoredly,that"aCreatorwhocouldfoolaroundwiththeminthatstylewasabovebeinginterferedwithbyprayer."Atfirstthecalamityhadbeenathingtofightagainst;thenitbecameapracticaljoke,thestingofwhichwaslostinthevictims\'powerofenduranceandassumedignoranceofitspurport.Therewassomethingalmostpatheticintheirattemptstounderstanditspeculiarhumor.

"HowaboutthatEurop-e-antripo\'yours,Peters?"saidBillings,meditatively,fromthedepthsofhischair."LooksasifthoseCrownedHeadsovertherewouldhavetowaittillthewatergoesdownconsiderableaforeyoukintrotoutyourwifeanddartersbefore\'em!"

"Yes,"saidPeters,"itratherpintsthatway;andezfarezIkinsee,MameBillingsain\'tgoin\'tonoSaratoga,neither,thisyear."

"Reckontheboyswon\'thangaboutoldHarcourt\'sFreeLibrarytoseethegirlshomefromlecturesandsinging-classmuchthisyear,"

saidWingate."WonderifHarcourteverthoughto\'thisthedayheopenedit,andmadethatrattlin\'speecho\'hisaboutthenewproperty?Clarksayseverythingbuiltonthatmadegroundhasgottogoafterthewaterfalls.RoughonHarcourtafterallhisotherlosses,eh?Heoughterhaveclosedupwiththatscientificchap,Grant,andmarriedhimtoClementinawhilethebigboomwason"——

"Hush!"saidPeters,indicatingGrant,whohadjustenteredquietly.

"Don\'tmindme,gentlemen,"saidGrant,steppingtowardsthegroupwithagravebutperfectlycollectedface;"onthecontrary,IamveryanxioustohearallthenewsofHarcourt\'sfamily.IleftforNewYorkbeforetherainyseason,andhaveonlyjustgotback."

HisspeechandmannerappearedtobesomuchinkeepingwiththeprevailinggrimphilosophythatBillings,afteraglanceattheothers,wenton."Efyouleftaforethefirstrains,"saidhe,"youmusthaveleftonlythesteameraheadofFletcher,whenherunoffwithClementinaHarcourt,andyoumighthavecomeacrossthemontheirweddingtripinNewYork."

NotamuscleofGrant\'sfacechangedundertheireagerandcruelscrutiny."No,Ididn\'t,"hereturnedquietly."Butwhydidsherunaway?DidthefatherobjecttoFletcher?IfIrememberrightlyhewasrichandagoodmatch."

"Yes,butIreckontheoldmanhadn\'tquitegotoverthe\'Clarion\'

abuse,forallitseatinghumble-pieandtakingbackitsyarnsofhim.Andmaybehemighthavethoughttheengagementrathersudden.Theysaythatshe\'donlymetFletcherthedayaforetheengagement."

"Thatbed——d,"saidPeters,knockingtheashesoutofhispipe,andstartlingthelazyresignationofhisneighborsbytakinghisfeetfromthestoveandsittingupright."Itellye,gentlemen,I\'msicko\'thissorto\'hog-washthat\'sbeenladledroundtous.

ThatgalClementinaHarcourtandthatfellerFletcherhadmetnotonlyonce,butMANYtimesafore——yes!theywereoldfriendsifitcomestothat,amatterofsixyearsago."

Grant\'seyeswerefixedeagerlyonthespeaker,althoughtheothersscarcelyturnedtheirheads.

"Youknow,gentlemen,"saidPeters,"Inevertookstockinthisyerstoryofthedrownin\'of\'LigeCurtis.Why?Well,ifyouwanterknow——inmyopinion——thereneverwasany\'LigeCurtis!"

Billingsliftedhisheadwithdifficulty;Wingateturnedhisfacetothespeaker.

"Thereneverwasascrapo\'papereverfoundinhiscabinwiththenameo\'\'LigeCurtisonit;thereneverwasanyinquirymadefor\'LigeCurtis;thereneverwasanysorrowin\'friendscomin\'after\'LigeCurtis.Forwhy?——Thereneverwasany\'LigeCurtis.ThemanwhopassedhimselfoffinSidonunderthatname——wasthatmanFletcher.That\'showheknewallaboutHarcourt\'stitle;that\'showhegothisbestholtonHarcourt.AndhediditalltogetClementinaHarcourt,whomtheoldmanhadrefusedtohiminSidon."

Agruntofincredulitypassedaroundthecircle.Suchisthefateofhistoricalinnovation!OnlyGrantlistenedattentively.

"YeoughttotellthatyarntoJohnMilton,"saidWingateironically;"it\'saboutinthestyleo\'themstoriesheslingsinthe\'Clarion.\'"

"He\'smadeagoodthingouterthatjob.Wonderwhathegetsforthem?"saidPeters.

ItwasBillings\'stimetorise,and,undertheinfluenceofsomestrongcynicalemotion,toevenrisetohisfeet."Getsfor\'em!——

GETSfor\'em!I\'lltellyouWHAThegetsfor\'em!Itbeatsthisstoryo\'Peters\'s,——itbeatstheflood.Itbeatsme!Yeknowthatboy,gentlemen;yeknowhowheusterlieroundhisfather\'sstore,readingflapdoodlestoriesandsich!YerememberhowIustertrytogivehimgoodexamplesandknocksomesenseintohim?Yerememberhow,afterhisfather\'sgoodluck,hespiledallhisownchances,andranoffwithhisfather\'swaitergal——allonaccounto\'themflapdoodlebooksheread?Yerememberhowhesashayedroundnewspaperofficesin\'Friscountilhecouldwriteaflapdoodlestoryhimself?Yewanterknowwhathegetsfor\'em.

I\'lltellyou.Hegotaninterductiontooneofthemhigh-toned,highfalutin\',\'don\'t-touch-me\'richwiddersfromPhiladelfy,——

that\'swhathegetsfor\'em!Hegotherdeadsetonhimandhisstories,that\'swhathegetsfor\'em!HegothertoputhimupwithFletcherinthe\'Clarion,\'——that\'swhathegetsfor\'em.Anddarnmyskin!——efwhattheysayistrue,whilewehard-workingmenaresittin\'herelikedrownedrats——thatairJohnMilton,ezneverdidastitcho\'liveworklikemeyere;ezneverdidanythin\'butspinyarnsaboutUSezdidWORK,isnow\'gittin\'for\'em\'——what?

Guess!Why,he\'sgittin\'THERICHWIDDERHERSELFandHALFA

MILLIONDOLLARSWITHHER!Gentlemen!lib\'tyisagoodthing——butthar\'ssomethingsyegetstoomuchlib\'tyofinthiscountry——andthat\'sthisyerLIB\'TYOFTHEPRESS!"