condensed novels-第4部分

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〃Why？〃

〃The　Church　does　not　recognize　divorce。　　And　now　embrace　me。　　I
would　prefer　at　this　supreme　moment　to　introduce　myself　to　the　next
world　through　the　medium　of　the　best　society　in　this。　　Good　by。
When　I　am　dead；　be　good　enough　to　inform　my　husband　of　the　fact。〃


CHAPTER　IX。


Lothaw　spent　the　next　six　months　on　an　Aryan　island；　in　an　Aryan
climate；　and　with　an　Aryan　race。

〃This　is　an　Aryan　landscape；〃　said　his　host；　〃and　that　is　a　Mary
Ann　statue。〃　　It　was；　in　fact；　a　full…length　figure　in　marble　of
Mrs。　General　Camperdown！

〃If　you　please；　I　should　like　to　become　a　Pagan；〃　said　Lothaw；　one
day；　after　listening　to　an　impassioned　discourse　on　Greek　art　from
the　lips　of　his　host。

But　that　night；　on　consulting　a　well…known　spiritual　medium；　Lothaw
received　a　message　from　the　late　Mrs。　General　Camperdown；　advising
him　to　return　to　England。　　Two　days　later　he　presented　himself　at
Plusham。

〃The　young　ladies　are　in　the　garden；〃　said　the　Duchess。　　〃Don't　you
want　to　go　and　pick　a　rose？〃　she　added　with　a　gracious　smile；　and
the　nearest　approach　to　a　wink　that　was　consistent　with　her
patrician　bearing　and　aquiline　nose。

Lothaw　went　and　presently　returned　with　the　blushing　Coriander　upon
his　arm。

〃Bless　you；　my　children；〃　said　the　Duchess。　　Then；　turning　to
Lothaw；　she　said：　〃You　have　simply　fulfilled　and　accepted　your
inevitable　destiny。　　It　was　morally　impossible　for　you　to　marry　out
of　this　family。　　For　the　present；　the　Church　of　England　is　safe。〃



MUCK…A…MUCK。

A　MODERN　INDIAN　NOVEL。

AFTER　COOPER。


CHAPTER　I。


It　was　toward　the　close　of　a　bright　October　day。　　The　last　rays　of
the　setting　sun　were　reflected　from　one　of　those　sylvan　lakes
peculiar　to　the　Sierras　of　California。　　On　the　right　the　curling
smoke　of　an　Indian　village　rose　between　the　columns　of　the　lofty
pines；　while　to　the　left　the　log　cottage　of　Judge　Tompkins；
embowered　in　buckeyes；　completed　the　enchanting　picture。

Although　the　exterior　of　the　cottage　was　humble　and　unpretentious；
and　in　keeping　with　the　wildness　of　the　landscape；　its　interior
gave　evidence　of　the　cultivation　and　refinement　of　its　inmates。　　An
aquarium；　containing　goldfishes；　stood　on　a　marble　centre…table　at
one　end　of　the　apartment；　while　a　magnificent　grand　piano　occupied
the　other。　　The　floor　was　covered　with　a　yielding　tapestry　carpet；
and　the　walls　were　adorned　with　paintings　from　the　pencils　of　Van
Dyke；　Rubens；　Tintoretto；　Michael　Angelo；　and　the　productions　of
the　more　modern　Turner；　Kensett；　Church；　and　Bierstadt。　　Although
Judge　Tompkins　had　chosen　the　frontiers　of　civilization　as　his
home；　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　entirely　forego　the　habits　and
tastes　of　his　former　life。　　He　was　seated　in　a　luxurious　arm…chair；
writing　at　a　mahogany　ecritoire；　while　his　daughter；　a　lovely　young
girl　of　seventeen　summers；　plied　her　crochet…needle　on　an　ottoman
beside　him。　　A　bright　fire　of　pine　logs　flickered　and　flamed　on　the
ample　hearth。

Genevra　Octavia　Tompkins　was　Judge　Tompkins's　only　child。　　Her
mother　had　long　since　died　on　the　Plains。　　Reared　in　affluence；　no
pains　had　been　spared　with　the　daughter's　education。　　She　was　a
graduate　of　one　of　the　principal　seminaries；　and　spoke　French　with
a　perfect　Benicia　accent。　　Peerlessly　beautiful；　she　was　dressed　in
a　white　moire　antique　robe　trimmed　with　tulle。　　That　simple　rosebud
with　which　most　heroines　exclusively　decorate　their　hair；　was　all
she　wore　in　her　raven　locks。

The　Judge　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。

〃Genevra；　the　logs　which　compose　yonder　fire　seem　to　have　been
incautiously　chosen。　　The　sibilation　produced　by　the　sap；　which
exudes　copiously　therefrom；　is　not　conducive　to　composition。〃

〃True；　father；　but　I　thought　it　would　be　preferable　to　the　constant
crepitation　which　is　apt　to　attend　the　combustion　of　more　seasoned
ligneous　fragments。〃

The　Judge　looked　admiringly　at　the　intellectual　features　of　the
graceful　girl；　and　half　forgot　the　slight　annoyances　of　the　green
wood　in　the　musical　accents　of　his　daughter。　　He　was　smoothing　her
hair　tenderly；　when　the　shadow　of　a　tall　figure；　which　suddenly
darkened　the　doorway；　caused　him　to　look　up。


CHAPTER　II。


It　needed　but　a　glance　at　the　new…comer　to　detect　at　once　the　form
and　features　of　the　haughty　aborigine；the　untaught　and
untrammelled　son　of　the　forest。　　Over　one　shoulder　a　blanket；
negligently　but　gracefully　thrown；　disclosed　a　bare　and　powerful
breast；　decorated　with　a　quantity　of　three…cent　postage…stamps
which　he　had　despoiled　from　an　Overland　Mail　stage　a　few　weeks
previous。　　A　cast…off　beaver　of　Judge　Tompkins's；　adorned　by　a
simple　feather；　covered　his　erect　head；　from　beneath　which　his
straight　locks　descended。　　His　right　hand　hung　lightly　by　his　side；
while　his　left　was　engaged　in　holding　on　a　pair　of　pantaloons；
which　the　lawless　grace　and　freedom　of　his　lower　limbs　evidently
could　not　brook。

〃Why；〃　said　the　Indian；　in　a　low　sweet　tone；〃why　does　the　Pale
Face　still　follow　the　track　of　the　Red　Man？　　Why　does　he　pursue
him；　even　as　O…kee…chow；　the　wild…cat；　chases　Ka…ka；　the　skunk？
Why　are　the　feet　of　Sorrel…top；　the　white　chief；　among　the　acorns
of　Muck…a…muck；　the　mountain　forest？　　Why；〃　he　repeated；　quietly
but　firmly　abstracting　a　silver　spoon　from　the　table；〃why　do　you
seek　to　drive　him　from　the　wigwams　of　his　fathers？　　His　brothers
are　already　gone　to　the　happy　hunting…grounds。　　Will　the　Pale　Face
seek　him　there？〃　　And；　averting　his　face　from　the　Judge；　he　hastily
slipped　a　silver　cake…basket　beneath　his　blanket；　to　conceal　his
emotion。

〃Muck…a…Muck　has　spoken；〃　said　Genevra；　softly。　　〃Let　him　now
listen。　　Are　the　acorns　of　the　mountain　sweeter　than　the　esculent
and　nutritious　bean　of　the　Pale　Face　miner？　　Does　my　brother　prize
the　edible　qualities　of　the　snail　above　that　of　the　crisp　and
oleaginous　bacon？　　Delicious　are　the　grasshoppers　that　sport　on　the
hillside；are　they　better　than　the　dried　apples　of　the　Pale　Faces？
Pleasant　is　the　gurgle　of　the　torrent；　Kish…Kish；　but　is　it　better
than　the　cluck…cluck　of　old　Bourbon　from　the　old　stone　bottle？〃

〃Ugh！〃　said　the　Indian；〃ugh！　good。　　The　White　Rabbit　is　wise。
Her　words　fall　as　the　snow　on　Tootoonolo；　and　the　rocky　heart　of
Muck…a…Muck　is　hidden。　　What　says　my　brother　the　Gray　Gopher　of
Dutch　Flat？〃

〃She　has　spoken；　Muck…a…Muck；〃　said　the　Judge；　gazing　fondly　on　his
daughter。　　〃It　is　well。　　Our　treaty　is　concluded。　　No；　thank　you；
you　need　NOT　dance　the　Dance　of　Snow　Shoes；　or　the　Moccasin　Dance；
the　Dance　of　Green　Corn；　or　the　Treaty　Dance。　　I　would　be　alone。　　A
strange　sadness　overpowers　me。〃

〃I　go；〃　said　the　Indian。　　〃Tell　your　great　chief　in　Washington；　the
Sachem　Andy；　that　the　Red　Man　is　retiring　before　the　footsteps　of
the　adventurous　Pioneer。　　Inform　him；　if　you　please；　that　westward
the　star　of　empire　takes　its　way；　that　the　chiefs　of　the　Pi…Ute
nation　are　for　Reconstruction　to　a　man；　and　that　Klamath　will　poll
a　heavy　Republican　vote　in　the　fall。〃

And　folding　his　blanket　more　tightly　around　him；　Muck…a…Muck
withdrew。


CHAPTER　III。


Genevra　Tompkins　stood　at　the　door　of　the　log…cabin；　looking　after
the　retreating　Overland　Mail　stage　which　conveyed　her　father　to
Virginia　City。　　〃He　may　never　return　again；〃　sighed　the　young　girl
as　she　glanced　at　the　frightfully　rolling　vehicle　and　wildly
careering　horses；〃at　least；　with　unbroken　bones。　　Should　he　meet
with　an　accident！　　I　mind　me　now　a　fearful　legend；　familiar　to　my
childhood。　　Can　it　be　that　the　drivers　on　this　line　are　privately
instructed　to　despatch　all　passengers　maimed　by　accident；　to
prevent　tedious　litigation？　　No；　no。　　But　why　this　weight　upon　my
heart？〃

She　seated　herself　at　the　piano　and　lightly　passed　her　hand　over
the　keys。　　Then；　in　a　clear　mezzo…soprano　voice；　she　sang　the　first
verse　of　one　of　the　most　popular　Irish　ballads：


　　　　　〃O　Arrah；　ma　dheelish；　the　distant　dudheen
　　　　　　Lies　soft　in　the　moonlight；　ma　bouchal　vourneen：
　　　　　　The　springing　gossoons　on　the　heather　are　still；
　　　　　　And　the　caubeens　and　colleens　are　heard　on　the　hills。〃


But　as　the　ravishing　notes　of　her　sweet　voice　died　upon　the　air；
her　hands　sank　listlessly　to　her　side。　　Music　could　not　chase　away
the　mysterious　shadow　from　her　heart。　　Again　she　rose。　　Putting　on
a　white　crape　bonnet；　and　carefully　drawing　a　pair　of　lemon…colored
gloves　over　her　taper　fingers；　she　seized　her　parasol　and　plunged
into　the　depths　of　the　pine　forest。


CHAPTER　IV。


Genevra　had　not　proceeded　many　miles　before　a　weariness　seized　upon
her　fragile　limbs；　and　she　would　fain　seat　herself　upon　the　trunk
of　a　prostrate　pine；　which　she　previously　dusted　with　her
handkerchief。　　The　sun　was　just　sinking　below　the　horizon；　and　the
scene　was　one　of　gorgeous　and　sylvan　beauty。　　〃How　beautiful　is
Nature！〃　murmured　the　innocent　girl；　as；　reclining　gracefully
against　the　root　of　the　tree；　she　gathered　up　her　skirts　and　tied　a
handkerchief　around　her　throat。　　But　a　low　growl　interrupted　her
meditation。　　Starting　to　her　feet；　her　eyes　met　a　sight　which　froze
her　blood　with　terror。

The　only　outlet　to　the　forest　was　the　narrow　path；　barely　wide
enough　for　a　single　person；　hemmed　in　by　trees　and　rocks；　which　she
had　just　traversed。　　Down　this　path；　in　Indian　file；　came　a
monstrous　grizzly；　closely　followed　by　a　California　lion；　a　wild…
cat；　and　a　buffalo；　the　rear　being　brought　up　by　a　wild　Spanish
bull。　　The　mouths　of　the　three　first　animals　were　distended　with
frightful　significance；　the　horns　of　the　last　were　lowered　as
ominously。　　As　Genevra　was　preparing　to　faint；　she　heard　a　low
voice　behind　her。

〃Eternally　dog…gone　my　skin　ef　this　ain't　the　puttiest　chance　yet。〃

At　the　same　moment；　a　long；　shining　barrel　dropped　lightly　from
behind　her；　and　rested　over　her　shoulder。

Genevra　shuddered。

〃Dern　yedon't　move！〃

Genevra　became　motionless。

The　crack　of　a　rifle　rang　through　the　woods。　　Three　frightful　yells
were　heard；　and　two　sullen　roars。　　Five　animals　bounded　into　the
air　and　five　lifeless　bodies　lay　upon　the　plain。　　The　well…aimed
bullet　had　done　its　work。　　Entering　the　open　throat　of　the　grizzly；
it　had　traversed　his　body　only　to　enter　the　throat　of　the
Ca