an episode of fiddletown-第6部分

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music　committee；　Mrs。　Tretherick's　voice　was　declared　inadequate　to

the　size　of　the　building　and　she　was　invited　to　resign。　　She　did

so。　　She　had　been　out　of　a　situation　for　two　months；　and　her　scant

means　were　almost　exhausted；　when　Ah　Fe's　unexpected　treasure　was

tossed　into　her　lap。



The　gray　fog　deepened　into　night；　and　the　street　lamps　started　into

shivering　life　as；　absorbed　in　these　unprofitable　memories；　Mrs。

Tretherick　still　sat　drearily　at　her　window。　　Even　Carry　had

slipped　away　unnoticed；　and　her　abrupt　entrance　with　the　damp

evening　paper　in　her　hand　roused　Mrs。　Tretherick；　and　brought　her

back　to　an　active　realization　of　the　present。　　For　Mrs。　Tretherick

was　wont　to　scan　the　advertisements　in　the　faint　hope　of　finding

some　avenue　of　employmentshe　knew　not　whatopen　to　her　needs；

and　Carry　had　noted　this　habit。



Mrs。　Tretherick　mechanically　closed　the　shutters；　lit　the　lights；

and　opened　the　paper。　　Her　eye　fell　instinctively　on　the　following

paragraph　in　the　telegraphic　column：





FIDDLETOWN；　7th。Mr。　James　Tretherick；　an　old　resident　of　this

place；　died　last　night　of　delirium　tremens。　　Mr。　Tretherick　was

addicted　to　intemperate　habits；　said　to　have　been　induced　by

domestic　trouble。





Mrs。　Tretherick　did　not　start。　　She　quietly　turned　over　another

page　of　the　paper；　and　glanced　at　Carry。　　The　child　was　absorbed　in

a　book。　　Mrs。　Tretherick　uttered　no　word；　but　during　the　remainder

of　the　evening　was　unusually　silent　and　cold。　　When　Carry　was

undressed　and　in　bed；　Mrs。　Tretherick　suddenly　dropped　on　her　knees

beside　the　bed；　and；　taking　Carry's　flaming　head　between　her　hands；

said：



〃Should　you　like　to　have　another　papa；　Carry；　darling？〃



〃No；〃　said　Carry；　after　a　moment's　thought。



〃But　a　papa　to　help　Mamma　take　care　of　you；　to　love　you；　to　give

you　nice　clothes；　to　make　a　lady　of　you　when　you　grow　up？〃



Carry　turned　her　sleepy　eyes　toward　the　questioner。　　〃Should　YOU；

Mamma？〃



Mrs。　Tretherick　suddenly　flushed　to　the　roots　of　her　hair。　　〃Go　to

sleep；〃　she　said　sharply；　and　turned　away。



But　at　midnight　the　child　felt　two　white　arms　close　tightly　around

her；　and　was　drawn　down　into　a　bosom　that　heaved；　fluttered；　and　at

last　was　broken　up　by　sobs。



〃Don't　ky；　Mamma；〃　whispered　Carry；　with　a　vague　retrospect　of

their　recent　conversation。　　〃Don't　ky。　　I　fink　I　SHOULD　like　a　new

papa；　if　he　loved　you　very　muchvery；　very　much！〃



A　month　afterward；　to　everybody's　astonishment；　Mrs。　Tretherick　was

married。　　The　happy　bridegroom　was　one　Colonel　Starbottle；　recently

elected　to　represent　Calaveras　County　in　the　legislative　councils

of　the　State。　　As　I　cannot　record　the　event　in　finer　language　than

that　used　by　the　correspondent　of　THE　SACRAMENTO　GLOBE；　I　venture

to　quote　some　of　his　graceful　periods。　　〃The　relentless　shafts　of

the　sly　god　have　been　lately　busy　among　our　gallant　Solons。　　We

quote　'one　more　unfortunate。'　　The　latest　victim　is　the　Hon。　C。

Starbottle　of　Calaveras。　　The　fair　enchantress　in　the　case　is　a

beautiful　widow；　a　former　votary　of　Thespis；　and　lately　a

fascinating　St。　Cecilia　of　one　of　the　most　fashionable　churches　of

San　Francisco；　where　she　commanded　a　high　salary。〃



THE　DUTCH　FLAT　INTELLIGENCER　saw　fit；　however；　to　comment　upon　the

fact　with　that　humorous　freedom　characteristic　of　an　unfettered

press。　　〃The　new　Democratic　war　horse　from　Calaveras　has　lately

advented　in　the　legislature　with　a　little　bill　to　change　the　name

of　Tretherick　to　Starbottle。　　They　call　it　a　marriage　certificate

down　there。　　Mr。　Tretherick　has　been　dead　just　one　month；　but　we

presume　the　gallant　colonel　is　not　afraid　of　ghosts。〃　　It　is　but

just　to　Mrs。　Tretherick　to　state　that　the　colonel's　victory　was　by

no　means　an　easy　one。　　To　a　natural　degree　of　coyness　on　the　part

of　the　lady　was　added　the　impediment　of　a　rivala　prosperous

undertaker　from　Sacramento；　who　had　first　seen　and　loved　Mrs。

Tretherick　at　the　theater　and　church；　his　professional　habits

debarring　him　from　ordinary　social　intercourse；　and　indeed　any

other　than　the　most　formal　public　contact　with　the　sex。　　As　this

gentleman　had　made　a　snug　fortune　during　the　felicitous　prevalence

of　a　severe　epidemic；　the　colonel　regarded　him　as　a　dangerous

rival。　　Fortunately；　however；　the　undertaker　was　called　in

professionally　to　lay　out　a　brother　senator；　who　had　unhappily

fallen　by　the　colonel's　pistol　in　an　affair　of　honor；　and　either

deterred　by　physical　consideration　from　rivalry；　or　wisely

concluding　that　the　colonel　was　professionally　valuable；　he

withdrew　from　the　field。



The　honeymoon　was　brief；　and　brought　to　a　close　by　an　untoward

incident。　　During　their　bridal　trip；　Carry　had　been　placed　in　the

charge　of　Colonel　Starbottle's　sister。　　On　their　return　to　the

city；　immediately　on　reaching　their　lodgings；　Mrs。　Starbottle

announced　her　intention　of　at　once　proceeding　to　Mrs。　Culpepper's

to　bring　the　child　home。　　Colonel　Starbottle；　who　had　been

exhibiting　for　some　time　a　certain　uneasiness　which　he　had

endeavored　to　overcome　by　repeated　stimulation；　finally　buttoned

his　coat　tightly　across　his　breast；　and　after　walking　unsteadily

once　or　twice　up　and　down　the　room；　suddenly　faced　his　wife　with

his　most　imposing　manner。



〃I　have　deferred；〃　said　the　colonel　with　an　exaggeration　of　port

that　increased　with　his　inward　fear；　and　a　growing　thickness　of

speech〃I　have　deferrI　may　say　poshponed　statement　o'　fack　thash

my　duty　ter　dishclose　ter　ye。　　I　did　no　wish　to　mar　sushine　mushal

happ'ness；　to　bligh　bud　o'　promise；　to　darken　conjuglar　sky　by

unpleasht　revelashun。　　Musht　be　doneby　God；　m'm；　musht　do　it　now。

The　chile　is　gone！〃



〃Gone！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Starbottle。



There　was　something　in　the　tone　of　her　voice；　in　the　sudden

drawing…together　of　the　pupils　of　her　eyes；　that　for　a　moment

nearly　sobered　the　colonel；　and　partly　collapsed　his　chest。



〃I'll　splain　all　in　a　minit；〃　he　said　with　a　deprecating　wave　of

the　hand。　　〃Everything　shall　be　splained。　　The…the…the…melencholly

event　wish　preshipitate　our　happ'nessthe　myster'us　prov'nice　wish

releash　youreleash　chile！　hunerstan？releash　chile。　　The　mom't

Tretherick　dieall　claim　you　have　in　chile　through　himdie　too。

Thash　law。　　Who's　chile　b'long　to？　　Tretherick？　　Tretherick　dead。

Chile　can't　b'long　dead　man。　　Damn　nonshense　b'long　dead　man。　　I'sh

your　chile？　no！　whose　chile　then？　　Chile　b'long　to　'ts　mother。

Unnerstan？〃



〃Where　is　she？〃　said　Mrs。　Starbottle；　with　a　very　white　face　and　a

very　low　voice。



〃I'll　splain　all。　　Chile　b'long　to　'ts　mother。　　Thash　law。　　I'm

lawyer；　leshlator；　and　American　sis'n。　　Ish　my　duty　as　lawyer；　as

leshlator；　and　'merikan　sis'n　to　reshtore　chile　to　suff'rin　mother

at　any　cossany　coss。〃



〃Where　is　she？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Starbottle；　with　her　eyes　still　fixed

on　the　colonel's　face。



〃Gone　to　'ts　m'o'r。　　Gone　East　on　shteamer；　yesserday。　　Waffed　by

fav'rin　gales　to　suff'rin　p'rent。　　Thash　so！〃



Mrs。　Starbottle　did　not　move。　　The　colonel　felt　his　chest　slowly

collapsing；　but　steadied　himself　against　a　chair；　and　endeavored　to

beam　with　chivalrous　gallantry　not　unmixed　with　magisterial

firmness　upon　her　as　she　sat。



〃Your　feelin's；　m'm；　do　honor　to　yer　sex；　but　conshider　situashun。

Conshider　m'or's　feelingsconshider　MY　feelin's。〃　　The　colonel

paused；　and　flourishing　a　white　handkerchief；　placed　it　negligently

in　his　breast；　and　then　smiled　tenderly　above　it；　as　over　laces　and

ruffles；　on　the　woman　before　him。　　〃Why　should　dark　shed…der　cass

bligh　on　two　sholes　with　single　beat？　　Chile's　fine　chile；　good

chile；　but　summonelse　chile！　　Chile's　gone；　Clar'；　but　all　ish'n't

gone；　Clar'。　　Conshider　dearesht；　you　all's　have　me！〃



Mrs。　Starbottle　started　to　her　feet。　　〃YOU！〃　she　cried；　bringing

out　a　chest　note　that　made　the　chandeliers　ring〃You　that　I

married　to　give　my　darling　food　and　clothesYOU！　a　dog　that　I

whistled　to　my　side　to　keep　the　men　off　meYOU！〃



She　choked　up；　and　then　dashed　past　him　into　the　inner　room；　which

had　been　Carry's；　then　she　swept　by　him　again　into　her　own　bedroom；

and　then　suddenly　reappeared　before　him；　erect；　menacing；　with　a

burning　fire　over　her　cheekbones；　a　quick　straightening　of　her

arched　brows　and　mouth；　a　squaring　of　jaw；　and　ophidian　flattening

of　the　head。



〃Listen！〃　she　said　in　a　hoarse；　half…grown　boy's　voice。　　〃Hear　me！

If　you　ever　expect　to　set　eyes　on　me　again；　you　must　find　the

child。　　If　you　ever　expect　to　speak　to　me　again；　to　touch　me；　you

must　bring　her　back。　　For　where　she　goes；　I　go；　you　hear　me！　　Where

she　has　gone；　look　for　me。〃



She　struck　out　past　him　again　with　a　quick　feminine　throwing…out　of

her　arms　from　the　elbows　down；　as　if　freeing　herself　from　some

imaginary　bonds；　and　dashing　into　her　chamber；　slammed　and　locked

the　door。　　Colonel　Starbottle；　although　no　coward；　stood　in

superstitious　fear　of　an　angry　woman；　and；　recoiling　as　she　swept

by；　lost　his　unsteady　foothold　and　rolled　helplessly　on　the　sofa。

Here；　after　one　or　two　unsuccessful　attempts　to　regain　his

foothold；　he　remained；　uttering　from　time　to　time　profane　but　not

entirely　coherent　or　intelligible　protests；　until　at　last　he

succumbed　to　the　exhausting　quality　of　his　emotions；　and　the

narcotic　quantity　of　his　potations。



Meantime；　within；　Mrs。　Starbottle　was　excitedly　gathering　her

valuables　and　packing　her　trunk；　even　as　she　had　done　once　before

in　the　course　of　this　remarkable　history。　　Perhaps　some

recollection　of　this　was　in　her　mind；　for　she　stopped　to　lean　her

burning　cheeks　upon　her　hand；　as　if　she　saw　again　the　figure　of　the

child　standing　in　the　doorway；　and　heard　once　more　a　childish　voice

asking；　〃Is　it　Mamma？〃　　But　the　epithet　now　stung　her　to　the　quick；

and　with　a　quick；　passionate　gesture　she　dashed　it　away　with　a　tear

that　had　gathered　in　her　eye。　　And　then　it　chanced　that；　in　turning

over　some　clothes；　she　came　upon　the　child'