a first family of tasajara-第35部分

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suppose　none　of　those　people's　beginnings　can　bear　looking　into

and　they　certainly　should　be　the　last　ones　to　find　fault　with

anybody。　　But；　good　gracious；　Jack！　what　has　this　to　do　with　you？〃



〃With　me？〃　said　Shipley　angrily。　　〃Why；　I　proposed　to　Clementina

last　night！〃





CHAPTER　IX。





The　wayfarers　on　the　Tasajara　turnpike；　whom　Mr。　Daniel　Harcourt

passed　with　his　fast　trotting　mare　and　sulky；　saw　that　their　great

fellow…townsman　was　more　than　usually　preoccupied　and　curt　in　his

acknowledgment　of　their　salutations。　　Nevertheless　as　he　drew　near

the　creek；　he　partly　checked　his　horse；　and　when　he　reached　a

slight　acclivity　of　the　interminable　plainwhich　had　really　been

the　bank　of　the　creek　in　bygone　dayshe　pulled　up；　alighted；　tied

his　horse　to　a　rail　fence；　and　clambering　over　the　inclosure　made

his　way　along　the　ridge。　　It　was　covered　with　nettles；　thistles；

and　a　few　wiry　dwarf　larches　of　native　growth；　dust　from　the

adjacent　highway　had　invaded　it；　with　a　few　scattered　and　torn

handbills；　waste　paper；　rags；　empty　provision　cans；　and　other

suburban　debris。　　Yet　it　was　the　site　of　'Lige　Curtis's　cabin；　long

since　erased　and　forgotten。　　The　bed　of　the　old　creek　had　receded；

the　last　tules　had　been　cleared　away；　the　channel　and　embarcadero

were　half　a　mile　from　the　bank　and　log　whereon　the　pioneer　of

Tasajara　had　idly　sunned　himself。



Mr。　Harcourt　walked　on；　occasionally　turning　over　the　scattered

objects　with　his　foot；　and　stopping　at　times　to　examine　the　ground

more　closely。　　It　had　not　apparently　been　disturbed　since　he

himself；　six　years　ago；　had　razed　the　wretched　shanty　and　carried

off　its　timbers　to　aid　in　the　erection　of　a　larger　cabin　further

inland。　　He　raised　his　eyes　to　the　prospect　before　him；to　the

town　with　its　steamboats　lying　at　the　wharves；　to　the　grain

elevator；　the　warehouses；　the　railroad　station　with　its　puffing

engines；　the　flagstaff　of　Harcourt　House　and　the　clustering　roofs

of　the　town；　and　beyond；　the　painted　dome　of　his　last　creation；　the

Free　Library。　　This　was　all　HIS　work；　HIS　planning；　HIS　foresight；

whatever　they　might　say　of　the　wandering　drunkard　from　whose

tremulous　fingers　he　had　snatched　the　opportunity。　　They　could　not

take　THAT　from　him；　however　they　might　follow　him　with　envy　and

reviling；　any　more　than　they　could　wrest　from　him　the　five　years　of

peaceful　possession。　　It　was　with　something　of　the　prosperous

consciousness　with　which　he　had　mounted　the　platform　on　the　opening

of　the　Free　Library；　that　he　now　climbed　into　his　buggy　and　drove

away。



Nevertheless　he　stopped　at　his　Land　Office　as　he　drove　into　town；

and　gave　a　few　orders。　　〃I　want　a　strong　picket　fence　put　around

the　fifty…vara　lot　in　block　fifty…seven；　and　the　ground　cleared　up

at　once。　　Let　me　know　when　the　men　get　to　work；　and　I'll　overlook

them。〃



Re…entering　his　own　house　in　the　square；　where　Mrs。　Harcourt　and

Clementinawho　often　accompanied　him　in　those　business　visits

were　waiting　for　him　with　luncheon；　he　smiled　somewhat　superciliously

as　the　servant　informed　him　that　〃Professor　Grant　had　just　arrived。〃

Really　that　man　was　trying　to　make　the　most　of　his　time　with

Clementina！　　Perhaps　the　rival　attractions　of　that　Boston　swell

Shipley　had　something　to　do　with　it！　　He　must　positively　talk　to

Clementina　about　this。　　In　point　of　fact　he　himself　was　a　little

disappointed　in　Grant；　who；　since　his　offer　to　take　the　task　of

hunting　down　his　calumniators；　had　really　done　nothing。　　He　turned

into　his　study；　but　was　slightly　astonished　to　find　that　Grant；

instead　of　paying　court　to　Clementina　in　the　adjoining　drawing…room；

was　sitting　rather　thoughtfully　in　his　own　armchair。



He　rose　as　Harcourt　entered。　　〃I　didn't　let　them　announce　me　to

the　ladies；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　have　some　important　business　with　you

first；　and　we　may　find　it　necessary　that　I　should　take　the　next

train　back　to　town。　　You　remember　that　a　few　weeks　ago　I　offered　to

look　into　the　matter　of　those　slanders　against　you。　　I　apprehended

it　would　be　a　trifling　matter　of　envy　or　jealousy　on　the　part　of

your　old　associates　or　neighbors　which　could　be　put　straight　with　a

little　good　feeling；　but　I　must　be　frank　with　you；　Harcourt；　and

say　at　the　beginning　that　it　turns　out　to　be　an　infernally　ugly

business。　　Call　it　conspiracy　if　you　like；　or　organized　hostility；

I'm　afraid　it　will　require　a　lawyer　rather　than　an　arbitrator　to

manage　it；　and　the　sooner　the　better。　　For　the　most　unpleasant

thing　about　it　is；　that　I　can't　find　out　exactly　HOW　BAD　it　is！〃



Unfortunately　the　weaker　instinct　of　Harcourt's　nature　was　first

roused；　the　vulgar　rage　which　confounds　the　bearer　of　ill　news　with

the　news　itself　filled　his　breast。　　〃And　this　is　all　that　your

confounded　intermeddling　came　to？〃　he　said　brutally。



〃No；〃　said　Grant　quietly；　with　a　preoccupied　ignoring　of　the　insult

that　was　more　hopeless　for　Harcourt。　　〃I　found　out　that　it　is

claimed　that　this　'Lige　Curtis　was　not　drowned　nor　lost　that　night；

but　that　he　escaped；　and　for　three　years　has　convinced　another　man

that　you　are　wrongfully　in　possession　of　this　land；　that　these　two

naturally　hold　you　in　their　power；　and　that　they　are　only　waiting

for　you　to　be　forced　into　legal　proceedings　for　slander　to　prove

all　their　charges。　　Until　then；　for　some　reason　best　known　to

themselves；　Curtis　remains　in　the　background。〃



〃Does　he　deny　the　deed　under　which　I　hold　the　property？〃　said

Harcourt　savagely。



〃He　says　it　was　only　a　security　for　a　trifling　loan；　and　not　an

actual　transfer。〃



〃And　don't　those　fools　know　that　his　security　could　be　forfeited？〃



〃Yes；　but　not　in　the　way　it　is　recorded　in　the　county　clerk's

office。　　They　say　that　the　record　shows　that　there　was　an

interpolation　in　the　paper　he　left　with　youwhich　was　a　forgery。

Briefly；　Harcourt；　you　are　accused　of　that。　　More；it　is　intimated

that　when　he　fell　into　the　creek　that　night；　and　escaped　on　a　raft

that　was　floating　past；　that　he　had　been　first　stunned　by　a　blow

from　some　one　interested　in　getting　rid　of　him。〃



He　paused　and　glanced　out　of　the　window。



〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Harcourt　in　a　perfectly　quiet；　steady；　voice。



〃All！〃　replied　Grant；　struck　with　the　change　in　his　companion's

manner；　and　turning　his　eyes　upon　him　quickly。



The　change　indeed　was　marked　and　significant。　　Whether　from　relief

at　knowing　the　worst；　or　whether　he　was　experiencing　the　same

reaction　from　the　utter　falsity　of　this　last　accusation　that　he　had

felt　when　Grant　had　unintentionally　wronged　him　in　his　previous

recollection；　certain　it　is　that　some　unknown　reserve　of　strength

in　his　own　nature；　of　which　he　knew　nothing　before；　suddenly　came

to　his　aid　in　this　extremity。　　It　invested　him　with　an　uncouth

dignity　that　for　the　first　time　excited　Grant's　respect。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Grant；　for　the　hasty　way　I　spoke　to　you　a

moment　ago；　for　I　thank　you；　and　appreciate　thoroughly　and

sincerely　what　you　have　done。