按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the earth。
But while I was thus wandering in my fancy； great feats had
been transacted in the bar。 Corwin the bold had fallen；
Kelmar was again crowned with laurels； and the last of the
ship's kettles had changed hands。 If I had ever doubted the
purity of Kelmar's motives； if I had ever suspected him of a
single eye to business in his eternal dallyings； now at
least； when the last kettle was disposed of； my suspicions
must have been allayed。 I dare not guess how much more time
was wasted； nor how often we drove off； merely to drive back
again and renew interrupted conversations about nothing；
before the Toll House was fairly left behind。 Alas！ and not
a mile down the grade there stands a ranche in a sunny
vineyard； and here we must all dismount again and enter。
Only the old lady was at home； Mrs。 Guele； a brown old Swiss
dame； the picture of honesty； and with her we drank a bottle
of wine and had an age…long conversation； which would have
been highly delightful if Fanny and I had not been faint with
hunger。 The ladies each narrated the story of her marriage；
our two Hebrews with the prettiest combination of sentiment
and financial bathos。 Abramina； specially； endeared herself
with every word。 She was as simple； natural； and engaging as
a kid that should have been brought up to the business of a
money…changer。 One touch was so resplendently Hebraic that I
cannot pass it over。 When her 〃old man〃 wrote home for her
from America； her old man's family would not intrust her with
the money for the passage； till she had bound herself by an
oath … on her knees； I think she said … not to employ it
otherwise。
This had tickled Abramina hugely； but I think it tickled me
fully more。
Mrs。 Guele told of her home…sickness up here in the long
winters； of her honest； country…woman troubles and alarms
upon the journey； how in the bank at Frankfort she had feared
lest the banker； after having taken her cheque； should deny
all knowledge of it … a fear I have myself every time I go to
a bank； and how crossing the Luneburger Heath； an old lady；
witnessing her trouble and finding whither she was bound； had
given her 〃the blessing of a person eighty years old； which
would be sure to bring her safely to the States。 And the
first thing I did；〃 added Mrs。 Guele； 〃was to fall
downstairs。〃
At length we got out of the house； and some of us into the
trap； when … judgment of Heaven！ … here came Mr。 Guele from
his vineyard。 So another quarter of an hour went by； till at
length； at our earnest pleading； we set forth again in
earnest； Fanny and I white…faced and silent； but the Jews
still smiling。 The heart fails me。 There was yet another
stoppage！ And we drove at last into Calistoga past two in
the afternoon； Fanny and I having breakfasted at six in the
morning； eight mortal hours before。 We were a pallid couple；
but still the Jews were smiling。
So ended our excursion with the village usurers； and； now
that it was done； we had no more idea of the nature of the
business； nor of the part we had been playing in it； than the
child unborn。 That all the people we had met were the slaves
of Kelmar； though in various degrees of servitude； that we
ourselves had been sent up the mountain in the interests of
none but Kelmar； that the money we laid out； dollar by
dollar； cent by cent； and through the hands of various
intermediaries； should all hop ultimately into Kelmar's till；
… these were facts that we only grew to recognize in the
course of time and by the accumulation of evidence。 At
length all doubt was quieted； when one of the kettle…holders
confessed。 Stopping his trap in the moonlight； a little way
out of Calistoga； he told me； in so many words； that he dare
not show face therewith an empty pocket。 〃You see； I don't
mind if it was only five dollars； Mr。 Stevens；〃 he said； 〃but
I must give Mr。 Kelmar SOMETHING。〃
Even now； when the whole tyranny is plain to me； I cannot
find it in my heart to be as angry as perhaps I should be
with the Hebrew tyrant。 The whole game of business is beggar
my neighbour； and though perhaps that game looks uglier when
played at such close quarters and on so small a scale； it is
none the more intrinsically inhumane for that。 The village
usurer is not so sad a feature of humanity and human progress
as the millionaire manufacturer； fattening on the toil and
loss of thousands； and yet declaiming from the platform
against the greed and dishonesty of landlords。 If it were
fair for Cobden to buy up land from owners whom he thought
unconscious of its proper value； it was fair enough for my
Russian Jew to give credit to his farmers。 Kelmar； if he was
unconscious of the beam in his own eye； was at least silent
in the matter of his brother's mote。
THE ACT OF SQUATTING
THERE were four of us squatters … myself and my wife； the
King and Queen of Silverado； Sam； the Crown Prince； and
Chuchu； the Grand Duke。 Chuchu； a setter crossed with
spaniel； was the most unsuited for a rough life。 He had been
nurtured tenderly in the society of ladies； his heart was
large and soft； he regarded the sofa…cushion as a bed…rook
necessary of existence。 Though about the size of a sheep； he
loved to sit in ladies' laps； he never said a bad word in all
his blameless days； and if he had seen a flute； I am sure he
could have played upon it by nature。 It may seem hard to say
it of a dog； but Chuchu was a tame cat。
The king and queen； the grand duke； and a basket of cold
provender for immediate use； set forth from Calistoga in a
double buggy； the crown prince； on horseback； led the way
like an outrider。 Bags and boxes and a second…hand stove
were to follow close upon our heels by Hanson's team。
It was a beautiful still day； the sky was one field of azure。
Not a leaf moved； not a speck appeared in heaven。 Only from
the summit of the mountain one little snowy wisp of cloud
after another kept detaching itself； like smoke from a
volcano； and blowing southward in some high stream of air：
Mount Saint Helena still at her interminable task； making the
weather； like a Lapland witch。
By noon we had come in sight of the mill： a great brown
building； half…way up the hill； big as a factory； two stories
high； and with tanks and ladders along the roof； which； as a
pendicle of Silverado mine； we held to be an outlying
province of our own。 Thither； then； we went； crossing the
valley by a grassy trail； and there lunched out of the
basket； sitting in a kind of portico； and wondering； while we
ate； at this great bulk of useless building。 Through a chink
we could look far down into the interior； and see sunbeams
floating in the dust and striking on tier after tier of
silent； rusty machinery。 It cost six thousand dollars；
twelve hundred English sover