stories by modern american authors-第33部分

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houses；　could　all　at　once　be　thinking　of　lovers　and　matrimony。　　He

rubbed　his　eyes；　examined　into　the　fact；　and　really　found　that

while　he　had　been　dreaming　of　other　matters；　she　had　actually　grown

to　be　a　woman；　and；　what　was　worse；　had　fallen　in　love。　　Here　arose

new　cares　for　Wolfert。　　He　was　a　kind　father；　but　he　was　a　prudent

man。　　The　young　man　was　a　lively；　stirring　lad；　but　then　he　had

neither　money　nor　land。　　Wolfert's　ideas　all　ran　in　one　channel；

and　he　saw　no　alternative　in　case　of　a　marriage　but　to　portion　off

the　young　couple　with　a　corner　of　his　cabbage　garden；　the　whole　of

which　was　barely　sufficient　for　the　support　of　his　family。



Like　a　prudent　father；　therefore；　he　determined　to　nip　this　passion

in　the　bud；　and　forbade　the　youngster　the　house；　though　sorely　did

it　go　against　his　fatherly　heart；　and　many　a　silent　tear　did　it

cause　in　the　bright　eye　of　his　daughter。　　She　showed　herself；

however；　a　pattern　of　filial　piety　and　obedience。　　She　never　pouted

and　sulked；　she　never　flew　in　the　face　of　parental　authority；　she

never　flew　into　a　passion；　nor　fell　into　hysterics；　as　many

romantic；　novel…read　young　ladies　would　do。　　Not　she；　indeed。　　She

was　none　such　heroical；　rebellious　trumpery；　I'll　warrant　ye。　　On

the　contrary；　she　acquiesced　like　an　obedient　daughter；　shut　the

street　door　in　her　lover's　face；　and　if　ever　she　did　grant　him　an

interview；　it　was　either　out　of　the　kitchen　window　or　over　the

garden　fence。



Wolfert　was　deeply　cogitating　these　matters　in　his　mind；　and　his

brow　wrinkled　with　unusual　care；　as　he　wended　his　way　one　Saturday

afternoon　to　a　rural　inn；　about　two　miles　from　the　city。　　It　was　a

favorite　resort　of　the　Dutch　part　of　the　community；　from　being

always　held　by　a　Dutch　line　of　landlords；　and　retaining　an　air　and

relish　of　the　good　old　times。　　It　was　a　Dutch…built　house；　that　had

probably　been　a　country　seat　of　some　opulent　burgher　in　the　early

time　of　the　settlement。　　It　stood　near　a　point　of　land　called

Corlear's　Hook；＇1＇　which　stretches　out　into　the　Sound；　and　against

which　the　tide；　at　its　flux　and　reflux；　sets　with　extraordinary

rapidity。　　The　venerable　and　somewhat　crazy　mansion　was

distinguished　from　afar　by　a　grove　of　elms　and　sycamores　that

seemed　to　wave　a　hospitable　invitation；　while　a　few　weeping

willows；　with　their　dank；　drooping　foliage；　resembling　falling

waters；　gave　an　idea　of　coolness　that　rendered　it　an　attractive

spot　during　the　heats　of　summer。





＇1＇　A　point　of　land　at　the　bend　of　the　East　River　below　Grand

Street；　New　York　City。





Here；　therefore；　as　I　said；　resorted　many　of　the　old　inhabitants　of

the　Manhattoes；　where；　while　some　played　at　shuffleboard＇1＇　and

quoits；＇2＇　and　ninepins；　others　smoked　a　deliberate　pipe；　and

talked　over　public　affairs。





＇1＇　A　game　played　by　pushing　or　shaking　pieces　of　money　or　metal　so

as　to　make　them　reach　certain　marks　on　a　board。



＇2＇　A　game　played　by　pitching　a　flattened；　ring…shaped　piece　of

iron；　called　a　quoit；　at　a　fixed　object。





It　was　on　a　blustering　autumnal　afternoon　that　Wolfert　made　his

visit　to　the　inn。　　The　grove　of　elms　and　willows　was　stripped　of

its　leaves；　which　whirled　in　rustling　eddies　about　the　fields。　　The

ninepin　alley　was　deserted；　for　the　premature　chilliness　of　the　day

had　driven　the　company　within　doors。　　As　it　was　Saturday　afternoon

the　habitual　club　was　in　session；　composed　principally　of　regular

Dutch　burghers；　though　mingled　occasionally　with　persons　of　various

character　and　country；　as　is　natural　in　a　place　of　such　motley

population。



Beside　the　fireplace；　in　a　huge；　leather…bottomed　armchair；　sat　the

dictator　of　this　little　world；　the　venerable　Rem；　or；　as　it　was

pronounced；　〃Ramm〃　Rapelye。　　He　was　a　man　of　Walloon＇1＇　race；　and

illustrious　for　the　antiquity　of　his　line；　his　great…grandmother

having　been　the　first　white　child　born　in　the　province。　　But　he　was

still　more　illustrious　for　his　wealth　and　dignity。　　He　had　long

filled　the　noble　office　of　alderman；　and　was　a　man　to　whom　the

governor　himself　took　off　his　hat。　　He　had　maintained　possession　of

the　leather…bottomed　chair　from　time　immemorial；　and　had　gradually

waxed　in　bulk　as　he　sat　in　his　seat　of　government；　until　in　the

course　of　years　he　filled　its　whole　magnitude。　　His　word　was

decisive　with　his　subjects；　for　he　was　so　rich　a　man　that　he　was

never　expected　to　support　any　opinion　by　argument。　　The　landlord

waited　on　him　with　peculiar　officiousness；not　that　he　paid　better

than　his　neighbors；　but　then　the　coin　of　a　rich　man　seems　always　to

be　so　much　more　acceptable。　　The　landlord　had　ever　a　pleasant　word

and　a　joke　to　insinuate　in　the　ear　of　the　august　Ramm。　　It　is　true

Ramm　never　laughed；　and；　indeed；　ever　maintained　a　mastiff…like

gravity　and　even　surliness　of　aspect；　yet　he　now　and　then　rewarded

mine　host　with　a　token　of　approbation；　which；　though　nothing　more

nor　less　than　a　kind　of　grunt；　still　delighted　the　landlord　more

than　a　broad　laugh　from　a　poorer　man。





＇1＇　A　people　of　French　origin；　inhabiting　the　frontiers　between

France　and　Flanders。　　A　colony　of　one　hundred　and　ten　Walloons　came

to　New　York　in　1624。





〃This　will　be　a　rough　night　for　the　money　diggers；〃　said　mine　host；

as　a　gust　of　wind　bowled　round　the　house　and　rattled　at　the

windows。



〃What！　are　they　at　their　works　again？〃　said　an　English　half…pay

captain；　with　one　eye；　who　was　a　very　frequent　attendant　at　the

inn。



〃Aye　are　they；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃and　well　may　they　be。　　They've

had　luck　of　late。　　They　say　a　great　pot　of　money　has　been　dug　up　in

the　fields　just　behind　Stuyvesant's　orchard。　　Folks　think　it　must

have　been　buried　there　in　old　times　by　Peter　Stuyvesant；　the　Dutch

governor。〃



〃Fudge！〃　said　the　one…eyed　man　of　war；　as　he　added　a　small　portion

of　water　to　a　bottom　of　brandy。



〃Well；　you　may　believe　it　or　not；　as　you　please；〃　said　mine　host；

somewhat　nettled；　〃but　everybody　knows　that　the　old　governor　buried

a　great　deal　of　his　money　at　the　time　of　the　Dutch　troubles；　when

the　English　redcoats　seized　on　the　province。　　They　say；　too；　the

old　gentleman　walks；　aye；　and　in　the　very　same　dress　that　he　wears

in　the　picture　that　hangs　up　in　the　family　house。〃



〃Fudge！〃　said　the　half…pay　officer。



〃Fudge；　if　you　please！　　But　didn't　Corney　Van　Zandt　see　him　at

midnight；　stalking　about　in　the　meadow　with　his　wooden　leg；　and　a

drawn　sword　in　his　hand；　that　flashed　like　fire？　　And　what　can　he

be　walking　for　but　because　people　have　been　troubling　the　place

where　he　buried　his　money　in　old　times？〃



Here　the　landlord　was　interrupted　by　several　guttural　sounds　from

Ramm　Rapelye；　betokening　that　he　was　laboring　with　the　unusual

production　of　an　idea。　　As　he　was　too　great　a　man　to　be　slighted　by

a　prudent　publican；　mine　host　respectfully　paused　until　he　should

deliver　himself。　　The　corpulent　frame　of　this　mighty　burgher　now

gave　all　the　symptoms　of　a　volcanic　mountain　on　the　point　of　an

eruption。　　First　there　was　a　certain　heaving　of　the　abdomen；　not

unlike　an　earthquake；　then　was　emitted　a　cloud　of　tobacco　smoke

from　that　crater；　his　mouth；　then　there　was　a　kind　of　rattle　in　the

throat；　as　if　the　idea　were　working　its　way　up　through　a　region　of

phlegm；　then　there　were　several　disjointed　members　of　a　sentence

thrown　out；　ending　in　a　cough；　at　length　his　voice　forced　its　way

into　a　slow；　but　absolute　tone　of　a　man　who　feels　the　weight　of　his

purse；　if　not　of　his　ideas；　every　portion　of　his　speech　being

marked　by　a　testy　puff　of　tobacco　smoke。



〃Who　talks　of　old　Peter　Stuyvesant's　walking？　（puff）。　　Have　people

no　respect　for　persons？　（puffpuff）。　　Peter　Stuyvesant　knew　better

what　to　do　with　his　money　than　to　bury　it　（puff）。　　I　know　the

Stuyvesant　family　（puff）；　every　one　of　them　（puff）；　not　a　more

respectable　family　in　the　province　（puff）old　standards　（puff）

warm　householders　（puff）none　of　your　upstarts　（puffpuffpuff）。

Don't　talk　to　me　of　Peter　Stuyvesant's　walking　（puffpuffpuff

puff）。〃



Here　the　redoubtable　Ramm　contracted　his　brow；　clasped　up　his　mouth

till　it　wrinkled　at　each　corner；　and　redoubled　his　smoking　with

such　vehemence　that　the　cloudy　volumes　soon　wreathed　round　his

head；　as　the　smoke　envelops　the　awful　summit　of　Mount　Aetna。



A　general　silence　followed　the　sudden　rebuke　of　this　very　rich　man。

The　subject；　however；　was　too　interesting　to　be　readily　abandoned。

The　conversation　soon　broke　forth　again　from　the　lips　of　Peechy

Prauw　Van　Hook；　the　chronicler　of　the　club；　one　of　those　prosing；

narrative　old　men　who　seem　to　be　troubled　with　an　incontinence　of

words　as　they　grow　old。



Peechy　could；　at　any　time；　tell　as　many　stories　in　an　evening　as

his　hearers　could　digest　in　a　month。　　He　now　resumed　the

conversation　by　affirming　that；　to　his　knowledge；　money　had；　at

different　times；　been　digged　up　in　various　parts　of　the　island。

The　lucky　persons　who　had　discovered　them　had　always　dreamed　of

them　three　times　beforehand；　and；　what　was　worthy　of　remark；　those

treasures　had　never　been　found　but　by　some　descendant　of　the　good

old　Dutch　families；　which　clearly　proved　that　they　had　been　buried

by　Dutchmen　in　the　olden　time。



〃Fiddlestick　with　your　Dutchmen！〃　cried　the　half…pay　officer。　　〃The

Dutch　had　nothing　to　do　with　them。　　They　were　all　buried　by　Kidd

the　pirate；　and　his　crew。〃



Here　a　keynote　was　touched　that　roused　the　whole　company。　　The　name

of　Captain　Kidd　was　like　a　talisman　in　those　times；　and　was

associated　with　a　thousand　marvelous　stories。



The　half…pay　officer　took　the　lead；　and　in　his　narrations　fathered

upon　Kidd　all　the　plunderings　and　exploits　of　Morgan；＇1＇

Blackbeard；＇2＇　and　the　whole　list　of　bloody　buccaneers。





＇1＇　Sir　Henry　Morgan　（1637…90）；　a　noted　Welsh　buccaneer。　　He　was

captured　and　sent　to　England　for　trial；　but　Charles　II。；　instead　of

punishing　him；　knighted　him；　and　subsequently　appointed　him

go