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!\"