flip-a california romance- 第10部分

the　darkness；　and　the　storm；　he　heard　a　voice　at　his　side；　〃Lance；

how　long　you　have　been！〃



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Left　to　himself；　the　old　man　again　fell　into　a　vacant　contemplation

of　the　dead　body　before　him；　until　a　stronger　blast　swept　down　like

an　avalanche　upon　the　cabin；　burst　through　the　ill…fastened　door

and　broken　chimney；　and；　dashing　the　ashes　and　living　embers　over

the　floor；　filled　the　room　with　blinding　smoke　and　flame。　　Fairley

rose　with　a　feeble　cry；　and　then；　as　if　acted　upon　by　some　dominant

memory；　groped　under　the　bed　until　he　found　his　buckskin　bag　and

his　precious　crystal；　and　fled　precipitately　from　the　room。　　Lifted

by　this　second　shock　from　his　apathy；　he　returned　to　the　fixed　idea

of　his　life；the　discovery　and　creation　of　the　diamond；and

forgot　all　else。　　The　feeble　grasp　that　his　shaken　intellect　kept

of　the　events　of　the　night　relaxed；　the　disguised　Lance；　the　story

of　his　son；　the　murder；　slipped　into　nothingness；　there　remained

only　the　one　idea；　his　nightly　watch　by　the　diamond　pit。　　The

instinct　of　long　habit　was　stronger　than　the　darkness　or　the　onset

of　the　storm；　and　he　kept　his　tottering　way　over　stream　and　fallen

timber　until　he　reached　the　spot。　　A　sudden　tremor　seemed　to　shake

the　lambent　flame　that　had　lured　him　on。　　He　thought　he　heard　the

sound　of　voices；　there　were　signs　of　recent　disturbance；

footprints　in　the　sawdust！　　With　a　cry　of　rage　and　suspicion；

Fairley　slipped　into　the　pit　and　sprang　toward　the　nearest　opening。

To　his　frenzied　fancy　it　had　been　tampered　with；　his　secret

discovered；　the　fruit　of　his　long　labors　stolen　from　him　that　very

night。　　With　superhuman　strength　he　began　to　open　the　pit；

scattering　the　half…charred　logs　right　and　left；　and　giving　vent　to

the　suffocating　gases　that　rose　from　the　now　incandescent　charcoal。

At　times　the　fury　of　the　gale　would　drive　it　back　and　hold　it

against　the　sides　of　the　pit；　leaving　the　opening　free；　at　times；

following　the　blind　instinct　of　habit；　the　demented　man　would　fall

upon　his　face　and　bury　his　nose　and　mouth　in　the　wet　bark　and

sawdust。　　At　last；　the　paroxysm　past；　he　sank　back　again　in　his　old

apathetic　attitude　of　watching；　the　attitude　he　had　so　often　kept

beside　his　sylvan　crucible。　　In　this　attitude　and　in　silence　he

waited　for　the　dawn。



It　came　with　a　hush　in　the　storm；　it　came　with　blue　openings　in　the

broken　up　and　tumbled　heavens；　it　came　with　stars　that　glistened

first；　and　then　paled；　and　at　last　sank　drowning　in　those　deep

cerulean　lakes；　it　came　with　those　cerulean　lakes　broadening　into

vaster　seas；　whose　shores　expanded　at　last　into　one　illimitable

ocean；　cerulean　no　more；　but　flecked　with　crimson　and　opal　dyes；　it

came　with　the　lightly　lifted　misty　curtain　of　the　day；　torn　and

rent　on　crag　and　pine　top；　but　always　lifting；　lifting。　　It　came

with　the　sparkle　of　emerald　in　the　grasses；　and　the　flash　of

diamonds　in　every　spray；　with　a　whisper　in　the　awakening　woods；　and

voices　in　the　traveled　roads　and　trails。



The　sound　of　these　voices　stopped　before　the　pit；　and　seemed　to

interrogate　the　old　man。　　He　came；　and；　putting　his　finger　on　his

lips；　made　a　sign　of　caution。　　When　three　or　four　men　had　descended

he　bade　them　follow　him；　saying；　weakly　and　disjointedly；　but

persistently：　〃My　boymy　son　Robertcame　homecame　home　at　last

here　with　Flipboth　of　themcome　and　see！〃



He　had　reached　a　little　niche　or　nest　in　the　hillside；　and　stopped

and　suddenly　drew　aside　a　blanket。　　Beneath　it；　side　by　side；　lay

Flip　and　Lance；　dead；　with　their　cold　hands　clasped　in　each

other's。



〃Suffocated！〃　said　two　or　three；　turning　with　horror　toward　the

broken　up　and　still　smouldering　pit。



〃Asleep！〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃Asleep！　　I've　seen　'em　lying　that　way

when　they　were　babies　together。　　Don't　tell　me！　　Don't　say　I　don't

know　my　own　flesh　and　blood！　　So！　so！　　So；　my　pretty　ones！〃　　He

stooped　and　kissed　them。　　Then；　drawing　the　blanket　over　them

gently；　he　rose　and　said　softly；　〃Good　night！〃











End