a first family of tasajara-第2部分

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'Lige　do？　　Nothin'！　　Smiled　kinder　sickly；　looked　sorter　wild；　and

shut　up。　　He　didn't　suicide　much。　　No；　sir！　　He　didn't　kill

himself；not　he。　　Why；　old　Bixbyand　he's　a　deacon　in　good

standin'allowed；　in　'Lige's　hearin'　and　for　'Lige's　benefit；　that

self…destruction　was　better　nor　bad　example；　and　proved　it　by

Scripture　too。　　And　yet　'Lige　did　nothin'！　　Desp'rit！　　He's　only

desp'rit　to　laze　around　and　fish　all　day　off　a　log　in　the　tules；

and　soak　up　with　whiskey；　until；　betwixt　fever　an'　ague　and　the

jumps；　he　kinder　shakes　hisself　free　o'　responsibility。〃



A　long　silence　followed；　it　was　somehow　felt　that　the　subject　was

incongruously　exciting；　Billings　allowed　himself　to　lapse　again

behind　the　back　of　his　chair。　　Meantime　it　had　grown　so　dark　that

the　dull　glow　of　the　stove　was　beginning　to　outline　a　faint　halo　on

the　ceiling　even　while　it　plunged　the　further　lines　of　shelves

behind　the　counter　into　greater　obscurity。



〃Time　to　light　up；　Harkutt；　ain't　it？〃　said　Wingate；　tentatively。



〃Well；　I　was　reckoning　ez　it's　such　a　wild　night　there　wouldn't　be

any　use　keepin'　open；　and　when　you　fellows　left　I'd　just　shut　up

for　good　and　make　things　fast；〃　said　Harkutt；　dubiously。　　Before

his　guests　had　time　to　fully　weigh　this　delicate　hint；　another　gust

of　wind　shook　the　tenement；　and　even　forced　the　unbolted　upper　part

of　the　door　to　yield　far　enough　to　admit　an　eager　current　of　humid

air　that　seemed　to　justify　the　wisdom　of　Harkutt's　suggestion。

Billings　slowly　and　with　a　sigh　assumed　a　sitting　posture　in　the

chair。　　The　biscuit…nibbler　selected　a　fresh　dainty　from　the

counter；　and　Wingate　abstractedly　walked　to　the　window　and　rubbed

the　glass。　　Sky　and　water　had　already　disappeared　behind　a　curtain

of　darkness　that　was　illuminated　by　a　single　point　of　lightthe

lamp　in　the　window　of　some　invisible　but　nearer　housewhich　threw

its　rays　across　the　glistening　shallows　in　the　road。　　〃Well；〃　said

Wingate；　buttoning　up　his　coat　in　slow　dejection；　〃I　reckon　I

oughter　be　travelin'　to　help　the　old　woman　do　the　chores　before

supper。〃　　He　had　just　recognized　the　light　in　his　own　dining…room；

and　knew　by　that　sign　that　his　long…waiting　helpmeet　had　finally

done　the　chores　herself。



〃Some　folks　have　it　mighty　easy；〃　said　Billings；　with　long…drawn

discontent；　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet。　　〃You've　only　a　step　to

go；　and　yer's　me　and　Peters　there〃indicating　the　biscuit…nibbler；

who　was　beginning　to　show　alarming　signs　of　returning　to　the　barrel

again〃hev　got　to　trapse　five　times　that　distance。〃



〃More'n　half　a　mile；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　said　Peters；　gloomily。

He　paused　in　putting　on　his　overcoat　as　if　thinking　better　of　it；

while　even　the　more　fortunate　and　contiguous　Wingate　languidly

lapsed　against　the　counter　again。



The　moment　was　a　critical　one。　　Billings　was　evidently　also

regretfully　eying　the　chair　he　had　just　quitted。　　Harkutt　resolved

on　a　heroic　effort。



〃Come；　boys；〃　he　said；　with　brisk　conviviality；　〃take　a　parting

drink　with　me　before　you　go。〃　　Producing　a　black　bottle　from　some

obscurity　beneath　the　counter　that　smelt　strongly　of　india…rubber

boots；　he　placed　it　with　four　glasses　before　his　guests。　　Each　made

a　feint　of　holding　his　glass　against　the　opaque　window　while

filling　it；　although　nothing　could　be　seen。　　A　sudden　tumult　of

wind　and　rain　again　shook　the　building；　but　even　after　it　had

passed　the　glass　door　still　rattled　violently。



〃Just　see　what's　loose；　Peters；〃　said　Billings；　〃you're　nearest

it。〃



Peters；　still　holding　the　undrained　glass　in　his　hand；　walked

slowly　towards　it。



〃It's　suthin'or　somebody　outside；〃　he　said；　hesitatingly。



The　three　others　came　eagerly　to　his　side。　　Through　the　glass；

clouded　from　within　by　their　breath；　and　filmed　from　without　by　the

rain；　some　vague　object　was　moving；　and　what　seemed　to　be　a　mop　of

tangled　hair　was　apparently　brushing　against　the　pane。　　The　door

shook　again；　but　less　strongly。　　Billings　pressed　his　face　against

the　glass。　　〃Hol'　on；〃　he　said　in　a　quick　whisper；〃it's　'Lige！〃

But　it　was　too　late。　　Harkutt　had　already　drawn　the　lower　bolt；　and

a　man　stumbled　from　the　outer　obscurity　into　the　darker　room。



The　inmates　drew　away　as　he　leaned　back　for　a　moment　against　the

door　that　closed　behind　him。　　Then　dimly；　but　instinctively；

discerning　the　glass　of　liquor　which　Wingate　still　mechanically

held　in　his　hand；　he　reached　forward　eagerly；　took　it　from

Wingate's　surprised　and　unresisting　fingers；　and　drained　it　at　a

gulp。　　The　four　men　laughed　vaguely；　but　not　as　cheerfully　as　they

might。



〃I　was　just　shutting　up；〃　began　Harkutt；　dubiously。



〃I　won't　keep　you　a　minit；〃　said　the　intruder；　nervously　fumbling

in　the　breast　pocket　of　his　hickory　shirt。　　〃It's　a　matter　of

businessHarkuttI〃　　But　he　was　obliged　to　stop　here　to　wipe

his　face　and　forehead　with　the　ends　of　a　loose　handkerchief　tied

round　his　throat。　　From　the　action；　and　what　could　be　seen　of　his

pale；　exhausted　face；　it　was　evident　that　the　moisture　upon　it　was

beads　of　perspiration；　and　not　the　rain　which　some　abnormal　heat　of

his　body　was　converting　into　vapor　from　his　sodden　garments　as　he

stood　there。



〃I've　got　a　document　here；〃　he　began　again；　producing　a　roll　of

paper　tremblingly　from　his　pocket；　〃that　I'd　like　you　to　glance

over；　and　perhaps　you'd〃　　His　voice；　which　had　been　feverishly

exalted；　here　broke　and　rattled　with　a　cough。



Billings；　Wingate；　and　Peters　fell　apart　and　looked　out　of　the

window。　　〃It's　too　dark　to　read　anything　now；　'Lige；〃　said　Harkutt；

with　evasive　good　humor；　〃and　I　ain't　lightin'　up　to…night。〃



〃But　I　can　tell　you　the　substance　of　it；〃　said　the　man；　with　a

faintness　that　however　had　all　the　distinctness　of　a　whisper；　〃if

you'll　just　step　inside　a　minute。　　It's　a　matter　of　importance　and

a　bargain〃



〃I　reckon　we　must　be　goin'；〃　said　Billings　to　the　others；　with

marked　emphasis。　　〃We're　keepin'　Harkutt　from　shuttin'　up。〃　　〃Good…

night！〃　　〃Good…night！〃　added　Peters　and　Wingate；　ostentatiously

following　Billings　hurriedly　through　the　door。　　〃So　long！〃



The　door　closed　behind　them；　leaving　Harkutt　alone　with　his

importunate　intruder。　　Possibly　his　resentment　at　his　customers'

selfish　abandonment　of　him　at　this　moment　developed　a　vague　spirit

of　opposition　to　them　and　mitigated　his　feeling　towards　'Lige。　　He

groped　his　way　to　the　counter；　struck　a　match；　and　lit　a　candle。

Its　feeble　rays　faintly　illuminated　the　pale；　drawn　face　of　the

applicant；　set　in　a　tangle　of　wet；　unkempt；　party…colored　hair。　　It

was　not　the　face　of　an　ordinary　drunkard；　although　tremulous　and

sensitive　from　some　artificial　excitement；　there　was　no　ENGORGEMENT

or　congestion　in　the　features　or　complexion；　albeit　they　were

morbid　and　unhealthy。　　The　expression　was　of　a　suffering　that　was

as　much　mental　as　physical；　and　yet　in　some　vague　way　appeared

unmeaningand　unheroic。



〃I　want　to　see　you　about　selling　my　place　on　the　creek。　　I　wan