the argonauts of north liberty-第14部分

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from　the　first　speaker。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　growled　the　other。　　〃Do　you　want　to　bring　the
whole　posada　out　here？〃

〃I　was　only　thinkin'　what　a　skeer　them　innocent　greenhorn
passengers　will　get　just　ez　they're　snoozing　off　for　the　night；　ten
miles　from　here；〃　responded　his　friend；　with　a　chuckle。　　〃Wonder　ef
anybody's　goin'　up　from　here　besides　that　patent　medicine　softy。〃

Ezekiel　stopped　as　if　petrified。

〃Ef　the　　fools　keep　quiet　they　won't　be　hurt；　for　our　men　will
be　ready　to　chip　in　the　moment　of　the　attack。　　But　we've　got　to　let
the　attack　be　made　for　the　sake　of　the　evidence。　　And　if　we　warn
off　the　passengers　from　going　this　trip；　and　let　the　stage　go　up
empty；　Bob　would　suspect　something　and　vamose。　　But　here's
Johnson！〃

The　door　in　the　adobe　wall　had　suddenly　opened；　and　a　figure　in　a
serape　entered　the　patio。　　Ezekiel；　whose　curiosity　was　whetted
with　indignation　at　the　ignominious　part　assigned　to　him　in　this
comedy；　forgot　even　his　risk　of　detection　by　the　newcomer；　who
advanced　quickly　towards　the　compartment。　　When　he　had　reached　it
he　said；　in　a　tone　of　bitterness：

〃The　game　is　up；　gentlemen；　and　the　whole　thing　is　blown。　　The
scoundrel　has　got　some　confederate　herefor　he's　been　seen　openly
on　the　road　near　Demorest's　ranch；　and　the　band　have　had　warning
and　dispersed。　　We　must　find　out　the　traitor；　and　take　our
precautions　for　the　next　time。　　Who　is　that　there？　　I　don't　know
him。〃

He　was　pointing　to　Ezekiel；　who　had　started　eagerly　forward　at　the
first　sound　of　his　voice。　　The　two　occupants　of　the　compartment
rose　at　the　same　moment；　leaped　into　the　courtyard；　and　confronted
Ezekiel。　　Surrounded　by　the　three　menacing　figures　he　did　not
quail；　but　remained　intently　gazing　upon　the　newcomer。　　Then　his
mouth　opened；　and　he　drawled　lazily：

〃Wa'al；　ef　it　ain't　Squire　Blandford；　of　North　Liberty；　Connecticut；
I'm　a　treed　coon。　　Squire　Blandford；　how　DO　you　do？〃

The　stranger　drew　back　in　undisguised　amazement；　the　two　men
glanced　hurriedly　at　each　other；　Ezekiel　alone　remained　cool；
smiling；　imperturbable；　and　triumphant。

〃Who　are　YOU；　sir？　　I　do　not　know　you；〃　demanded　the　newcomer；
roughly。

〃Like　ez　not；〃　said　Corwin　dryly；　〃it's　a　matter　o'　four　year　sense
I　lived　in　your　house。　　Even　Dick　Demorestyou　knew　Dick？didn't
know　me；　but　I　reckon　that　Mrs。　Blandford　as　used　to　be〃

〃That's　enough；〃　said　Blandfordfor　it　was　hesuddenly　mastering
both　himself　and　Corwin　by　a　supreme　emphasis　of　will　and　gesture。
〃Wait！〃　　Then　turning　to　the　two　others　who　were　discreetly
regarding　the　blank　adobe　wall　before　them；　he　said：　〃Excuse　me　for
a　few　minutes；　gentlemen。　　There　is　no　hurry　now。　　I　will　see　you
later；〃　and　with　an　imperative　wave　of　his　hand　motioned　Ezekiel　to
precede　him　into　the　passage；　and　followed　him。

He　did　not　speak　until　they　entered　the　stage　office；　when；　passing
through　it；　he　said　peremptorily：　〃Follow　me。〃　　The　few　loungers；
who　seemed　to　recognize　him；　made　way　for　him　with　a　singular
deference　that　impressed　Ezekiel；　already　dominated　by　his　manner。
The　first　perception　in　his　mind　was　that　Blandford　had　in　some
strange　way　succeeded　to　Demorest's　former　imperious　character。
There　was　no　trace　left　of　the　old；　gentle　subjection　to　Joan's
prim　precision。　　Ezekiel　followed　him　out　of　the　office　as
unresistingly　as　he　had　followed　Demorest　into　the　stables　on　that
eventful　night。　　They　passed　down　the　narrow　street　until　Blandford
suddenly　stopped　short　and　turned　into　the　crumbling　doorway　of　one
of　the　low　adobe　buildings　and　entered　an　apartment。　　It　seemed　to
be　the　ordinary　living…room　of　the　house；　made　more　domestic　by　the
presence　of　a　silk　counterpaned　bed　in　one　corner；　a　prie　Dieu　and
crucifix；　and　one　or　two　articles　of　bedchamber　furniture。　　A　woman
was　sitting　in　deshabille　by　the　window；　a　man　was　smoking　on　a
lounge　against　the　wall。　　Blandford；　in　the　same　peremptory　manner；
addressed　a　command　in　Spanish　to　the　inmates；　who　immediately
abandoned　the　apartment　to　the　seeming　trespasser。

Motioning　his　companion　to　a　seat　on　the　lounge　just　vacated；
Blandford　folded　his　arms　and　stood　erect　before　him。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　quick；　business　conciseness；　〃what　do　you
want？〃

Ezekiel　was　staggered　out　of　his　complacency。

〃Wa'al；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　only　reckoned　to　ask　the　news；　ez　we　are
old　friendsI〃

〃How　much　do　you　want？〃　repeated　Blandford；　impatiently。

Ezekiel　was　mystified；　yet　expectant。　　〃I　can't　say　ez　I　exakly
understand；〃　he　began。

〃Howmuchmoneydoyouwant；〃　continued　Blandford；　with　frigid
accuracy；　〃to　get　up　and　get　out　of　this　place？〃

〃Wa'al；　consideren　ez　I'm　travellin'　here　ez　the　only　authorized
agent　of　a　first…class　Frisco　Drug　House；〃　said　Ezekiel；　with　a
mingling　of　mortification；　pride；　and　hopefulness；　〃unless　you're
travellin'　in　the　opposition　business；　I　don't　see　what's　that　to
you。〃

Blandford　regarded　him　searchingly　for　an　instant。　　〃Who　sent　you
here？〃

〃Dilworth　&　Dusenberry；　Battery　Street；　San　Francisco。　　Hev　their
card？〃　said　Ezekiel；　taking　one　from　his　waistcoat　pocket。

〃Corwin；〃　said　Blandford；　sternly；　〃whatever　your　business　is　here
you'll　find　it　will　pay　you　better；　a　　sight；　to　be　frank　with
me　and　stop　this　Yankee　shuffling。　　You　say　you　have　been　with
Demorestwhat　has　HE　got　to　do　with　your　business　here？〃

〃Nothin'；〃　said　Ezekiel。　　〃I　reckon　he　wos　ez　astonished　to　see　me
ez　you　are。〃

〃And　didn't　he　send　you　here　to　seek　me？〃　said　Blandford；
impatiently。

〃Considerin'　he　believes　you　a　dead　man；　I　reckon　not。〃

Blandford　gave　a　hard；　constrained　laugh。　　After　a　pause；　still
keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on　Ezekiel；　he　said：

〃Then　your　recognition　of　me　was　accidental？〃

〃Wa'al；　yes。　　And　ez　I　never　took　much　stock　in　the　stories　that
you　were　washed　off　the　Warensboro　Bridge；　I　ain't　much　astonished
at　finding　you　agin。〃

〃What　did　you　believe　happened　to　me？〃　said　Blandford；　less
brusquely。

Ezekiel　noticed　the　softening；　he　felt　his　own　turn　coming。　　〃I
kalkilated　you　had　reasons　for　going　off；　leaving　no　address　behind
you；〃　he　drawled。

〃What　reasons？〃　asked　Blandford；　with　a　sudden　relapse　of　his
former　harshness。

〃Wa'al；　Squire　Blandford；　sens　you　wanter　knowI　reckon　your
business　wasn't　payin'；　and　there　was　a　matter　of　two　hundred　and
fifty　dollars　ye　took　with　ye；　that　your　creditors　would　hev　liked
to　hev　back。〃

〃Who　dare　say　that？〃　demanded　Blandford；　angrily。

〃Your　wife　that　wasMrs。　Demorest　ez　istold　it　to　her　mother；〃
returned　Ezekiel；　lazily。

The　blow　struck　deeper　than　even　Ezekiel's　dry　malice　imagined。
For　an　instant；　Blandford　remained　stupefied。　　In　the　five　years'
retrospect　of　his　resolution　on　that　fatal　night；　whatever　doubt
of　its　wisdom　might　have　obtruded　itself　upon　him；　he　had　never
thought　of　THIS。　　He　had　been　willing　to　believe　that　his　wife　had
quietly　forgotten　him　as　well　as　her　treachery　to　him；　he　had
passively　acquiesced　in　the　results　of　that　forgetfulness　and　his
own　silence；　he　had　been　conscious　that　his　wound　had　healed　sooner
than　he　expected；　but　if　this　consciousness　had　enabled　him　to
extend　a　certain　passive　forgiveness　to　his　wife　and　Demorest；　it
was　always　with　the　conviction　that　his　mysterious　effacement　had
left　an　inexplicable　shadow　upon　them　which　their　consciences　alone
could　explain。　　But　for　this　unjust；　vulgar；　and　degrading
interpretation　of　his　own　act　of　expiation；　he　was　totally
unprepared。　　It　completely　crushed　whatever　sentiment　remained　of
that　act　in　the　horrible　irony　of　finding　himself　put　upon　his
defence　before　the　world；　without　being　able　now　to　offer　the　real
cause。　　The　anguish　of　that　night　had　gone　forever；　but　the
ridiculous　interpretation　of　it　had　survived；　and　would　survive　it。
In　the　eyes　of　the　man　before　him　he　was　not　a　wronged　husband；　but
an　absconding　petty　defaulter；　whom　he　had　just　detected！

His　mind　was　quickly　made　up。　　In　that　instant　he　had　resolved　upon
a　step　as　fateful　as　his　former　one；　and　a　fitting　climax　to　its
results。　　For　five　years　he　had　clearly　misunderstood　his　attitude
towards　his　treacherous　wife　and　perjured　friend。　　Thanks　to　this
practical；　selfish　machine　before　him；　he　knew　it　now。

〃Look　here；　Corwin；〃　he　said；　turning　upon　Ezekiel　a　colorless
face；　but　a　steady；　merciless　eye。　　〃I　can　guess；　without　your
telling　me；　what　lies　may　be　circulated　about　me　by　the　man　and
woman　who　know　that　I　have　only　to　declare　myself　alive　to　convict
them　of　infamyperhaps　even　of　criminality　before　the　law。　　You
are　not　MY　friend；　or　you　would　not　have　believed　them；　if　you　are
THEIRS；　you　have　two　courses　open　to　you　now。　　Keep　this　meeting　to
yourself　and　trust　to　my　mercy　to　keep　it　a　secret　also；　or；　tell
Mrs。　Demorest　that　you　have　seen　Mr。　Johnson；　who　is　not　afraid
to　come　forward　at　any　moment　and　proclaim　that　he　is　Edward
Blandford；　her　only　lawful　husband。　　Choose　which　course　you　like
it　is　nothing　more　to　me。〃

〃Wa'al；　I　reckon　that；　as　far　as　I　know　Mrs。　Demorest；〃　said
Ezekiel；　dryly；　〃it　don't　make　the　least　difference　to　her　either；
but　if　you　want　to　know　my　opinion　o'　this　matter；　it　is　that
neither　you　nor　Demorest　exactly　understand　that　woman。　　I've　known
Joan　Salisbury　since　she　was　so　high；　but　if　ye　expected　me　to　tell
you　wot　she　was　goin'　to　do　next；　I'd　be　able　to　tell　ye　where　the
next　flash　o'　lightnin'　would　strike。　　It's　wot　you　don't　expect　of
Joan　Salisbury　that　she　does。　　And　the　best　proof　of　it　is　that　she
filed　papers　for　a　divorce　agin　you　in　Chicago　and　got　it　by
default　a　few　weeks　afore　she　married　Demorestand　you　don't　know
it。〃

Blandford　recoiled。　　〃Impossible；〃　he　said；　but　his　voice　too
plainly　showed　how　clearly　its　possibility　struck　him　now。

〃It's　so；　but　it　was　kept　secret　by　Deacon　Salisbury。　　I　overheerd
it。　　Wa'al；　that's　a　proof　that　you　don't　understand　Joan；　I
reckon。　　And　considerin'　that　Demorest　HIMSELF　don't　know　it；　ez　I
found　out　only　the　other　day　in　talking　to　him；　I　kalkilate　I'm
safe　in　sayin'　that　you're　neither　o'　you　quite　up　to　Deacon
Salisbury's　darter　in　nat'ral　cuteness。　　I　don't　like　to　obtrude　my
opinion；　Squire　Blandford；　ez　we're　old　friends；　but　I　do　sa