roughing it-第48部分

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〃By　George！〃

A　long　pause。

〃Cal。；　when　are　you　going　to　Europe？〃

〃WellI　hadn't　thought　of　that。　　When　are　you？〃

〃In　the　Spring。〃

〃Going　to　be　gone　all　summer？〃

〃All　summer！　　I　shall　remain　there　three　years。〃

〃Nobut　are　you　in　earnest？〃

〃Indeed　I　am。〃

〃I　will　go　along　too。〃

〃Why　of　course　you　will。〃

〃What　part　of　Europe　shall　you　go　to？〃

〃All　parts。　　France；　England；　GermanySpain；　Italy；　Switzerland；　Syria；
Greece；　Palestine；　Arabia；　Persia；　Egyptall　overeverywhere。〃

〃I'm　agreed。〃

〃All　right。〃

〃Won't　it　be　a　swell　trip！〃

〃We'll　spend　forty　or　fifty　thousand　dollars　trying　to　make　it　one；
anyway。〃

Another　long　pause。

〃Higbie；　we　owe　the　butcher　six　dollars；　and　he　has　been　threatening　to
stop　our〃

〃Hang　the　butcher！〃

〃Amen。〃

And　so　it　went　on。　　By　three　o'clock　we　found　it　was　no　use；　and　so　we
got　up　and　played　cribbage　and　smoked　pipes　till　sunrise。　　It　was　my　week
to　cook。　　I　always　hated　cookingnow；　I　abhorred　it。

The　news　was　all　over　town。　　The　former　excitement　was　greatthis　one
was　greater　still。　　I　walked　the　streets　serene　and　happy。　　Higbie　said
the　foreman　had　been　offered　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　for　his　third
of　the　mine。　　I　said　I　would　like　to　see　myself　selling　for　any　such
price。　　My　ideas　were　lofty。　　My　figure　was　a　million。　　Still；　I　honestly
believe　that　if　I　had　been　offered　it；　it　would　have　had　no　other　effect
than　to　make　me　hold　off　for　more。

I　found　abundant　enjoyment　in　being　rich。　　A　man　offered　me　a　three…
hundred…dollar　horse；　and　wanted　to　take　my　simple；　unendorsed　note　for
it。　　That　brought　the　most　realizing　sense　I　had　yet　had　that　I　was
actually　rich；　beyond　shadow　of　doubt。　　It　was　followed　by　numerous　other
evidences　of　a　similar　natureamong　which　I　may　mention　the　fact　of　the
butcher　leaving　us　a　double　supply　of　meat　and　saying　nothing　about
money。

By　the　laws　of　the　district；　the　〃locators〃　or　claimants　of　a　ledge　were
obliged　to　do　a　fair　and　reasonable　amount　of　work　on　their　new　property
within　ten　days　after　the　date　of　the　location；　or　the　property　was
forfeited；　and　anybody　could　go　and　seize　it　that　chose。　　So　we
determined　to　go　to　work　the　next　day。　　About　the　middle　of　the
afternoon；　as　I　was　coming　out　of　the　post　office；　I　met　a　Mr。　Gardiner；
who　told　me　that　Capt。　John　Nye　was　lying　dangerously　ill　at　his　place
（the　〃Nine…Mile　Ranch〃）；　and　that　he　and　his　wife　were　not　able　to　give
him　nearly　as　much　care　and　attention　as　his　case　demanded。　　I　said　if　he
would　wait　for　me　a　moment；　I　would　go　down　and　help　in　the　sick　room。
I　ran　to　the　cabin　to　tell　Higbie。　　He　was　not　there；　but　I　left　a　note
on　the　table　for　him；　and　a　few　minutes　later　I　left　town　in　Gardiner's
wagon。




CHAPTER　XLI。

Captain　Nye　was　very　ill　indeed；　with　spasmodic　rheumatism。　　But　the　old
gentleman　was　himselfwhich　is　to　say；　he　was　kind…hearted　and　agreeable
when　comfortable；　but　a　singularly　violent　wild…cat　when　things　did　not
go　well。　　He　would　be　smiling　along　pleasantly　enough；　when　a　sudden
spasm　of　his　disease　would　take　him　and　he　would　go　out　of　his　smile　into
a　perfect　fury。　　He　would　groan　and　wail　and　howl　with　the　anguish；　and
fill　up　the　odd　chinks　with　the　most　elaborate　profanity　that　strong
convictions　and　a　fine　fancy　could　contrive。　　With　fair　opportunity　he
could　swear　very　well　and　handle　his　adjectives　with　considerable
judgment；　but　when　the　spasm　was　on　him　it　was　painful　to　listen　to　him；
he　was　so　awkward。　　However；　I　had　seen　him　nurse　a　sick　man　himself　and
put　up　patiently　with　the　inconveniences　of　the　situation；　and
consequently　I　was　willing　that　he　should　have　full　license　now　that　his
own　turn　had　come。　　He　could　not　disturb　me；　with　all　his　raving　and
ranting；　for　my　mind　had　work　on　hand；　and　it　labored　on　diligently；
night　and　day；　whether　my　hands　were　idle　or　employed。　　I　was　altering
and　amending　the　plans　for　my　house；　and　thinking　over　the　propriety　of
having　the　billard…room　in　the　attic；　instead　of　on　the　same　floor　with
the　dining…room；　also；　I　was　trying　to　decide　between　green　and　blue　for
the　upholstery　of　the　drawing…room；　for；　although　my　preference　was　blue
I　feared　it　was　a　color　that　would　be　too　easily　damaged　by　dust　and
sunlight；　likewise　while　I　was　content　to　put　the　coachman　in　a　modest
livery；　I　was　uncertain　about　a　footmanI　needed　one；　and　was　even
resolved　to　have　one；　but　wished　he　could　properly　appear　and　perform　his
functions　out　of　livery；　for　I　somewhat　dreaded　so　much　show；　and　yet；
inasmuch　as　my　late　grandfather　had　had　a　coachman　and　such　things；　but
no　liveries；　I　felt　rather　drawn　to　beat　him；or　beat　his　ghost；　at　any
rate；　I　was　also　systematizing　the　European　trip；　and　managed　to　get　it
all　laid　out；　as　to　route　and　length　of　time　to　be　devoted　to　it
everything；　with　one　exceptionnamely；　whether　to　cross　the　desert　from
Cairo　to　Jerusalem　per　camel；　or　go　by　sea　to　Beirut；　and　thence　down
through　the　country　per　caravan。　　Meantime　I　was　writing　to　the　friends
at　home　every　day；　instructing　them　concerning　all　my　plans　and
intentions；　and　directing　them　to　look　up　a　handsome　homestead　for　my
mother　and　agree　upon　a　price　for　it　against　my　coming；　and　also
directing　them　to　sell　my　share　of　the　Tennessee　land　and　tender　the
proceeds　to　the　widows'　and　orphans'　fund　of　the　typographical　union　of
which　I　had　long　been　a　member　in　good　standing。　　＇This　Tennessee　land
had　been　in　the　possession　of　the　family　many　years；　and　promised　to
confer　high　fortune　upon　us　some　day；　it　still　promises　it；　but　in　a　less
violent　way。＇

When　I　had　been　nursing　the　Captain　nine　days　he　was　somewhat　better；
but　very　feeble。　　During　the　afternoon　we　lifted　him　into　a　chair　and
gave　him　an　alcoholic　vapor　bath；　and　then　set　about　putting　him　on　the
bed　again。　　We　had　to　be　exceedingly　careful；　for　the　least　jar　produced
pain。　　Gardiner　had　his　shoulders　and　I　his　legs；　in　an　unfortunate
moment　I　stumbled　and　the　patient　fell　heavily　on　the　bed　in　an　agony　of
torture。　　I　never　heard　a　man　swear　so　in　my　life。　　He　raved　like　a
maniac；　and　tried　to　snatch　a　revolver　from　the　tablebut　I　got　it。
He　ordered　me　out　of　the　house；　and　swore　a　world　of　oaths　that　he　would
kill　me　wherever　he　caught　me　when　he　got　on　his　feet　again。　　It　was
simply　a　passing　fury；　and　meant　nothing。　　I　knew　he　would　forget　it　in
an　hour；　and　maybe　be　sorry　for　it；　too；　but　it　angered　me　a　little；　at
the　moment。　　So　much　so；　indeed；　that　I　determined　to　go　back　to
Esmeralda。　　I　thought　he　was　able　to　get　along　alone；　now；　since　he　was
on　the　war　path。　　I　took　supper；　and　as　soon　as　the　moon　rose；　began　my
nine…mile　journey；　on　foot。

Even　millionaires　needed　no　horses；　in　those　days；　for　a　mere　nine…mile
jaunt　without　baggage。

As　I　〃raised　the　hill〃　overlooking　the　town；　it　lacked　fifteen　minutes　of
twelve。　　I　glanced　at　the　hill　over　beyond　the　canyon；　and　in　the　bright
moonlight　saw　what　appeared　to　be　about　half　the　population　of　the
village　massed　on　and　around　the　Wide　West　croppings。　　My　heart　gave　an
exulting　bound；　and　I　said　to　myself；　〃They　have　made　a　new　strike　to…
nightand　struck　it　richer　than　ever；　no　doubt。〃　　I　started　over　there；
but　gave　it　up。　　I　said　the　〃strick〃　would　keep；　and　I　had　climbed　hill
enough　for　one　night。　　I　went　on　down　through　the　town；　and　as　I　was
passing　a　little　German　bakery；　a　woman　ran　out　and　begged　me　to　come　in
and　help　her。　　She　said　her　husband　had　a　fit。　　I　went　in；　and　judged　she
was　righthe　appeared　to　have　a　hundred　of　them；　compressed　into　one。
Two　Germans　were　there；　trying　to　hold　him；　and　not　making　much　of　a
success　of　it。　　I　ran　up　the　street　half　a　block　or　so　and　routed　out　a
sleeping　doctor；　brought　him　down　half　dressed；　and　we　four　wrestled　with
the　maniac；　and　doctored；　drenched　and　bled　him；　for　more　than　an　hour；
and　the　poor　German　woman　did　the　crying。　　He　grew　quiet；　now；　and　the
doctor　and　I　withdrew　and　left　him　to　his　friends。

It　was　a　little　after　one　o'clock。　　As　I　entered　the　cabin　door；　tired
but　jolly；　the　dingy　light　of　a　tallow　candle　revealed　Higbie；　sitting　by
the　pine　table　gazing　stupidly　at　my　note；　which　he　held　in　his　fingers；
and　looking　pale；　old；　and　haggard。　　I　halted；　and　looked　at　him。　　He
looked　at　me；　stolidly。　　I　said：

〃Higbie；　whatwhat　is　it？〃

〃We're　ruinedwe　didn't　do　the　workTHE　BLIND　LEAD'S　RELOCATED！〃

It　was　enough。　　I　sat　down　sick；　grievedbroken…hearted；　indeed。　　A
minute　before；　I　was　rich　and　brimful　of　vanity；　I　was　a　pauper　now；　and
very　meek。　　We　sat　still　an　hour；　busy　with　thought；　busy　with　vain　and
useless　self…upbraidings；　busy　with　〃Why　didn't　I　do　this；　and　why　didn't
I　do　that；〃　but　neither　spoke　a　word。　　Then　we　dropped　into　mutual
explanations；　and　the　mystery　was　cleared　away。　　It　came　out　that　Higbie
had　depended　on　me；　as　I　had　on　him；　and　as　both　of　us　had　on　the
foreman。　　The　folly　of　it！　　It　was　the　first　time　that　ever　staid　and
steadfast　Higbie　had　left　an　important　matter　to　chance　or　failed　to　be
true　to　his　full　share　of　a　responsibility。

But　he　had　never　seen　my　note　till　this　moment；　and　this　moment　was　the
first　time　he　had　been　in　the　cabin