drift from two shores(漂流)-第11部分
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the old people。 A certain large； patriarchal； bountiful manner； of late
visible in Daddy； and the increase of much white hair and beard； kept up
the poetic illusion； while Mammy； day by day； grew more and more like
somebody's fairy godmother。 An attempt was made by a rival camp to
emulate these paying virtues of reverence； and an aged mariner was
procured from the Sailor's Snug Harbor in San Francisco； on trial。 But the
unfortunate seaman was more or less diseased； was not always presentable；
through a weakness for ardent spirits； and finally； to use the powerful
idiom of one of his disappointed foster…children； 〃up and died in a week；
without slinging ary blessin'。〃 But vicissitude reaches young and old
alike。 Youthful Rough…and… Ready and the Saints had climbed to their
meridian together； and it seemed fit that they should together decline。
The first shadow fell with the immigration to Rough…and…Ready of a
second aged pair。 The landlady of the Independence Hotel had not abated
her malevolence towards the Saints； and had imported at considerable
expense her grand…aunt and grand…uncle； who had been enjoying for some
years a sequestered retirement in the poorhouse at East Machias。 They
were indeed very old。 By what miracle； even as anatomical specimens；
they had been preserved during their long journey was a mystery to the
camp。 In some respects they had superior memories and reminiscences。
The old manAbner Trixhad shouldered a musket in the war of 1812； his
wife； Abigail； had seen Lady Washington。 She could sing hymns； he
knew every text between 〃the leds〃 of a Bible。 There is little doubt but
that in many respects； to the superficial and giddy crowd of youthful
spectators； they were the more interesting spectacle。
Whether it was jealousy； distrust； or timidity that overcame the Saints；
was never known； but they studiously declined to meet the strangers。
When directly approached upon the subject； Daddy Downey pleaded
illness； kept himself in close seclusion； and the Sunday that the Trixes
attended church in the school…house on the hill； the triumph of the Trix
party was mitigated by the fact that the Downeys were not in their
accustomed pew。 〃You bet that Daddy and Mammy is lying low jest to
ketch them old mummies yet；〃 explained a Downeyite。 For by this time
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schism and division had crept into the camp； the younger and later
members of the settlement adhering to the Trixes； while the older pioneers
stood not only loyal to their own favorites； but even； in the true spirit of
partisanship； began to seek for a principle underlying their personal
feelings。 〃I tell ye what； boys；〃 observed Sweetwater Joe； 〃if this yer
camp is goin' to be run by greenhorns； and old pioneers； like Daddy and
the rest of us； must take back seats； it's time we emigrated and shoved out；
and tuk Daddy with us。 Why； they're talkin' of rotation in offiss； and of
putting that skeleton that Ma'am Decker sets up at the table； to take her
boarders' appetites away； into the post… office in place o' Daddy。〃 And；
indeed； there were some fears of such a conclusion； the newer men of
Rough…and…Ready were in the majority； and wielded a more than equal
influence of wealth and outside enterprise。 〃Frisco；〃 as a Downeyite
bitterly remarked； 〃already owned half the town。〃 The old friends that
rallied around Daddy and Mammy were； like most loyal friends in
adversity； in bad case themselves； and were beginning to look and act； it
was observed； not unlike their old favorites。
At this juncture Mammy died。
The sudden blow for a few days seemed to reunite dissevered Rough…
and…Ready。 Both factions hastened to the bereaved Daddy with
condolements； and offers of aid and assistance。 But the old man received
them sternly。 A change had come over the weak and yielding
octogenarian。 Those who expected to find him maudlin； helpless；
disconsolate； shrank from the cold； hard eyes and truculent voice that bade
them 〃begone；〃 and 〃leave him with his dead。〃 Even his own friends
failed to make him respond to their sympathy； and were fain to content
themselves with his cold intimation that both the wishes of his dead wife
and his own instincts were against any display； or the reception of any
favor from the camp that might tend to keep up the divisions they had
innocently created。 The refusal of Daddy to accept any service offered
was so unlike him as to have but one dreadful meaning！ The sudden
shock had turned his brain！ Yet so impressed were they with his
resolution that they permitted him to perform the last sad offices himself；
and only a select few of his nearer neighbors assisted him in carrying the
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plain deal coffin from his lonely cabin in the woods to the still lonelier
cemetery on the hill…top。
When the shallow grave was filled； he dismissed even these curtly；
shut himself up in his cabin； and for days remained unseen。 It was
evident that he was no longer in his right mind。
His harmless aberration was accepted and treated with a degree of
intelligent delicacy hardly to be believed of so rough a community。 During
his wife's sudden and severe illness； the safe containing the funds intrusted
to his care by the various benevolent associations was broken into and
robbed； and although the act was clearly attributable to his carelessness
and preoccupation； all allusion to the fact was withheld from him in his
severe affliction。 When he appeared again before the camp； and the
circumstances were considerately explained to him； with the remark that
〃the boys had made it all right；〃 the vacant； hopeless； unintelligent eye that
he turned upon the speaker showed too plainly that he had forgotten all
about it。 〃Don't trouble the old man；〃 said Whisky Dick； with a burst of
honest poetry。 〃Don't ye see his memory's dead； and lying there in the
coffin with Mammy？〃 Perhaps the speaker was nearer right than he
imagined。
Failing in religious consolation； they took various means of diverting
his mind with worldly amusements； and one was a visit to a traveling
variety troupe； then performing in the town。 The result of the visit was
briefly told by Whisky Dick。 〃Well； sir； we went in； and I sot the old
man down in a front seat； and kinder propped him up with some other of
the fellers round him； and there he sot as silent and awful ez the grave。
And then that fancy dancer； Miss Grace Somerset； comes in； and dern my
skin； ef the old man didn't get to trembling and fidgeting all over； as she
cut them pidgin wings。 I tell ye what； boys； men is men； way down to
their boots；whether they're crazy or not！ Well； he took on so； that I'm
blamed if at last that gal HERSELF didn't notice him！ and she ups；
suddenly； and blows him a kissso！ with her fingers！〃
Whether this narration were exaggerated or not； it is certain that the
old man Downey every succeeding night of the performance was a
spectator。 That he may have aspired to more than that was suggested a
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day or two later in the following incident： A number of the boys were
sitting around the stove in the Magnolia saloon； listening to the onset of a
winter storm against the windows； when Whisky Dick； tremulous； excited；
and bristling with rain…drops and information； broke in upon them。
〃Well； boys； I've got just the biggest thing out。 Ef I hadn't seed it
myself； I wouldn't hev believed it！〃
〃It ain't thet ghost ag'in？〃 growled Robinson； from the depths of his
arm…chair； 〃thet ghost's about played。〃
〃Wot ghost？〃 asked a new…comer。
〃Why； ole Mammy's ghost； that every feller about yer sees when he's
half full and out late o' nights。〃
〃Where？〃
〃Where？ Why； where should a ghost be？ Meanderin' round her
grave on the hill； yander； in course。〃
〃It's suthin bigger nor thet； pard；〃 said Dick confidently； 〃no ghost kin
rake down the pot ag'in the keerds I've got here。 This ain't no bluff！〃
〃Well； go on！〃 said a dozen excited voices。
Dick paused a mome
