roughing it-第69部分

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in　Nevada　that　was　richer；　and　moreover；　he　said　that　they　had　secured　a
tract　of　valuable　timber　and　a　mill…site；　near　the　mine。　　My　first　idea
was　to　kill　Dan。　　But　I　changed　my　mind；　notwithstanding　I　was　so　angry；
for　I　thought　maybe　the　chance　was　not　yet　lost。　　Dan　said　it　was　by　no
means　lost；　that　the　men　were　absent　at　the　mine　again；　and　would　not　be
in　Virginia　to　leave　for　the　East　for　some　ten　days；　that　they　had
requested　him　to　do　the　talking　to　Marshall；　and　he　had　promised　that　he
would　either　secure　Marshall　or　somebody　else　for　them　by　the　time　they
got　back；　he　would　now　say　nothing　to　anybody　till　they　returned；　and
then　fulfil　his　promise　by　furnishing　me　to　them。

It　was　splendid。　　I　went　to　bed　all　on　fire　with　excitement；　for　nobody
had　yet　gone　East　to　sell　a　Nevada　silver　mine；　and　the　field　was　white
for　the　sickle。　　I　felt　that　such　a　mine　as　the　one　described　by　Dan
would　bring　a　princely　sum　in　New　York；　and　sell　without　delay　or
difficulty。　　I　could　not　sleep；　my　fancy　so　rioted　through　its　castles　in
the　air。　　It　was　the　〃blind　lead〃　come　again。

Next　day　I　got　away；　on　the　coach；　with　the　usual　eclat　attending
departures　of　old　citizens；for　if　you　have　only　half　a　dozen　friends
out　there　they　will　make　noise　for　a　hundred　rather　than　let　you　seem　to
go　away　neglected　and　unregrettedand　Dan　promised　to　keep　strict　watch
for　the　men　that　had　the　mine　to　sell。

The　trip　was　signalized　but　by　one　little　incident；　and　that　occurred
just　as　we　were　about　to　start。　　A　very　seedy　looking　vagabond　passenger
got　out　of　the　stage　a　moment　to　wait　till　the　usual　ballast　of　silver
bricks　was　thrown　in。　　He　was　standing　on　the　pavement；　when　an　awkward
express　employee；　carrying　a　brick　weighing　a　hundred　pounds；　stumbled
and　let　it　fall　on　the　bummer's　foot。　　He　instantly　dropped　on　the　ground
and　began　to　howl　in　the　most　heart…breaking　way。　　A　sympathizing　crowd
gathered　around　and　were　going　to　pull　his　boot　off；　but　he　screamed
louder　than　ever　and　they　desisted；　then　he　fell　to　gasping；　and　between
the　gasps　ejaculated　〃Brandy！　　for　Heaven's　sake；　brandy！〃　　They　poured
half　a　pint　down　him；　and　it　wonderfully　restored　and　comforted　him。
Then　he　begged　the　people　to　assist　him　to　the　stage；　which　was　done。
The　express　people　urged　him　to　have　a　doctor　at　their　expense；　but　he
declined；　and　said　that　if　he　only　had　a　little　brandy　to　take　along　with
him；　to　soothe　his　paroxyms　of　pain　when　they　came　on；　he　would　be
grateful　and　content。　　He　was　quickly　supplied　with　two　bottles；　and　we
drove　off。　　He　was　so　smiling　and　happy　after　that；　that　I　could　not
refrain　from　asking　him　how　he　could　possibly　be　so　comfortable　with　a
crushed　foot。

〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　hadn't　had　a　drink　for　twelve　hours；　and　hadn't　a
cent　to　my　name。　　I　was　most　perishingand　so；　when　that　duffer　dropped
that　hundred…pounder　on　my　foot；　I　see　my　chance。　　Got　a　cork　leg；　you
know！〃　and　he　pulled　up　his　pantaloons　and　proved　it。

He　was　as　drunk　as　a　lord　all　day　long；　and　full　of　chucklings　over　his
timely　ingenuity。

One　drunken　man　necessarily　reminds　one　of　another。　　I　once　heard　a
gentleman　tell　about　an　incident　which　he　witnessed　in　a　Californian　bar…
room。　　He　entitled　it　〃Ye　Modest　Man　Taketh　a　Drink。〃　　It　was　nothing　but
a　bit　of　acting；　but　it　seemed　to　me　a　perfect　rendering；　and　worthy　of
Toodles　himself。　　The　modest　man；　tolerably　far　gone　with　beer　and　other
matters；　enters　a　saloon　（twenty…five　cents　is　the　price　for　anything　and
everything；　and　specie　the　only　money　used）　and　lays　down　a　half　dollar；
calls　for　whiskey　and　drinks　it；　the　bar…keeper　makes　change　and　lays　the
quarter　in　a　wet　place　on　the　counter；　the　modest　man　fumbles　at　it　with
nerveless　fingers；　but　it　slips　and　the　water　holds　it；　he　contemplates
it；　and　tries　again；　same　result；　observes　that　people　are　interested　in
what　he　is　at；　blushes；　fumbles　at　the　quarter　againblushesputs　his
forefinger　carefully；　slowly　down；　to　make　sure　of　his　aimpushes　the
coin　toward　the　bar…keeper；　and　says　with　a　sigh：

〃Gimme　a　cigar！〃

Naturally；　another　gentleman　present　told　about　another　drunken　man。　　He
said　he　reeled　toward　home　late　at　night；　made　a　mistake　and　entered　the
wrong　gate；　thought　he　saw　a　dog　on　the　stoop；　and　it　wasan　iron　one。

He　stopped　and　considered；　wondered　if　it　was　a　dangerous　dog；　ventured
to　say　〃Be　（hic）　begone！〃　　No　effect。　　Then　he　approached　warily；　and
adopted　conciliation；　pursed　up　his　lips　and　tried　to　whistle；　but
failed；　still　approached；　saying；　〃Poor　dog！doggy；　doggy；　doggy！poor
doggy…dog！〃　　Got　up　on　the　stoop；　still　petting　with　fond　names；　till
master　of　the　advantages；　then　exclaimed；　〃Leave；　you　thief！〃planted　a
vindictive　kick　in　his　ribs；　and　went　head…over…heels　overboard；　of
course。　　A　pause；　a　sigh　or　two　of　pain；　and　then　a　remark　in　a
reflective　voice：

〃Awful　solid　dog。　　What　could　he　ben　eating？　　（'ic！）　Rocks；　p'raps。
Such　animals　is　dangerous。'　　At's　what　I　saythey're　dangerous。　　If　a
man（'ic！）if　a　man　wants　to　feed　a　dog　on　rocks；　let　him　feed　him　on
rocks；　'at's　all　right；　but　let　him　keep　him　at　homenot　have　him　layin'
round　promiscuous；　where　（'ic！）　where　people's　liable　to　stumble　over　him
when　they　ain't　noticin'！〃

It　was　not　without　regret　that　I　took　a　last　look　at　the　tiny　flag　（it
was　thirty…five　feet　long　and　ten　feet　wide）　fluttering　like　a　lady's
handkerchief　from　the　topmost　peak　of　Mount　Davidson；　two　thousand　feet
above　Virginia's　roofs；　and　felt　that　doubtless　I　was　bidding　a　permanent
farewell　to　a　city　which　had　afforded　me　the　most　vigorous　enjoyment　of
life　I　had　ever　experienced。　　And　this　reminds　me　of　an　incident　which
the　dullest　memory　Virginia　could　boast　at　the　time　it　happened　must
vividly　recall；　at　times；　till　its　possessor　dies。　　Late　one　summer
afternoon　we　had　a　rain　shower。

That　was　astonishing　enough；　in　itself；　to　set　the　whole　town　buzzing；
for　it　only　rains　（during　a　week　or　two　weeks）　in　the　winter　in　Nevada；
and　even　then　not　enough　at　a　time　to　make　it　worth　while　for　any
merchant　to　keep　umbrellas　for　sale。　　But　the　rain　was　not　the　chief
wonder。　　It　only　lasted　five　or　ten　minutes；　while　the　people　were　still
talking　about　it　all　the　heavens　gathered　to　themselves　a　dense　blackness
as　of　midnight。　　All　the　vast　eastern　front　of　Mount　Davidson；　over…
looking　the　city；　put　on　such　a　funereal　gloom　that　only　the　nearness　and
solidity　of　the　mountain　made　its　outlines　even　faintly　distinguishable
from　the　dead　blackness　of　the　heavens　they　rested　against。　　This
unaccustomed　sight　turned　all　eyes　toward　the　mountain；　and　as　they
looked；　a　little　tongue　of　rich　golden　flame　was　seen　waving　and
quivering　in　the　heart　of　the　midnight；　away　up　on　the　extreme　summit！
In　a　few　minutes　the　streets　were　packed　with　people；　gazing　with　hardly
an　uttered　word；　at　the　one　brilliant　mote　in　the　brooding　world　of
darkness。　　It　flicked　like　a　candle…flame；　and　looked　no　larger；　but　with
such　a　background　it　was　wonderfully　bright；　small　as　it　was。　　It　was　the
flag！though　no　one　suspected　it　at　first；　it　seemed　so　like　a
supernatural　visitor　of　some　kinda　mysterious　messenger　of　good
tidings；　some　were　fain　to　believe。　　It　was　the　nation's　emblem
transfigured　by　the　departing　rays　of　a　sun　that　was　entirely　palled　from
view；　and　on　no　other　object　did　the　glory　fall；　in　all　the　broad
panorama　of　mountain　ranges　and　deserts。　　Not　even　upon　the　staff　of　the
flagfor　that；　a　needle　in　the　distance　at　any　time；　was　now　untouched
by　the　light　and　undistinguishable　in　the　gloom。　　For　a　whole　hour　the
weird　visitor　winked　and　burned　in　its　lofty　solitude；　and　still　the
thousands　of　uplifted　eyes　watched　it　with　fascinated　interest。　　How　the
people　were　wrought　up！　　The　superstition　grew　apace　that　this　was　a
mystic　courier　come　with　great　news　from　the　warthe　poetry　of　the　idea
excusing　and　commending　itand　on　it　spread；　from　heart　to　heart；　from
lip　to　lip　and　from　street　to　street；　till　there　was　a　general　impulse　to
have　out　the　military　and　welcome　the　bright　waif　with　a　salvo　of
artillery！

And　all　that　time　one　sorely　tried　man；　the　telegraph　operator　sworn　to
official　secrecy；　had　to　lock　his　lips　and　chain　his　tongue　with　a
silence　that　was　like　to　rend　them；　for　he；　and　he　only；　of　all　the
speculating　multitude；　knew　the　great　things　this　sinking　sun　had　seen
that　day　in　the　eastVicksburg　fallen；　and　the　Union　arms　victorious　at
Gettysburg！

But　for　the　journalistic　monopoly　that　forbade　the　slightest　revealment
of　eastern　news　till　a　day　after　its　publication　in　the　California
papers；　the　glorified　flag　on　Mount　Davidson　would　have　been　saluted　and
re…saluted；　that　memorable　evening；　as　long　as　there　was　a　charge　of
powder　to　thunder　with；　the　city　would　have　been　illuminated；　and　every
man　that　had　any　respect　for　himself　would　have　got　drunk；as　was　the
custom　of　the　country　on　all　occasions　of　public　moment。　　Even　at　this
distant　day　I　cannot　think　of　this　needlessly　marred　supreme　opportunity
without　regret。　　What　a　time　we　might　have　had！




CHAPTER　LVI。

We　rumbled　over　the　plains　and　valleys；　climbed　the　Sierras　to　the
clouds；　and