第 12 节
作者:桃桃逃      更新:2021-02-27 02:10      字数:9320
  doubtless provoked   by  the   presence   of   another   of   my   species;   which   he
  really was not expected to countenance; retreated behind the portier。 The
  circumstance   by   no   means   increased   the   good…will   of   the   lady;   as   she
  replied somewhat haughtily:
  〃The Principessina is named Sarah Walker; after her mother's maiden
  name。〃
  〃Then this IS Sarah Walker's daughter!〃 I said joyfully。
  〃She   is   the   daughter   of   the   Prince   and   Princess   of   Monte   Castello;〃
  corrected the lady frigidly。
  〃I had the pleasure of knowing her mother very well。〃 I stopped and
  blushed。   Did   I   really   know   Sarah   Walker   very   well?   And   would   Sarah
  Walker know me now? Or would it not be very like her to go back on me?
  There was certainly anything but promise in the feeble…minded; vacuous
  copy of Sarah before me。 I was yet hesitating; when the Prince; who had
  possibly     received     some    quieting    assurance     from    the   portier;   himself
  stepped   forward;   stammered   that   the   Princess   would;   without   doubt;   be
  charmed to receive me later; and skipped upstairs; leaving the impression
  on my mind that he contemplated ordering his bill at once。 There was no
  excuse for further prolonging the interview。 〃Say good…by to the strange
  gentleman;   Sarah;〃   suggested   Sarah's   companion   stiffly。   I   looked   at   the
  child    in  the  wild   hope    of  recognizing      some    prompt    resistance    to  the
  suggestion that would have identified her with the lost Sarah of my youth…
  …but   in   vain。   〃Good…by;   sir;   said   the   affected   little   creature;   dropping   a
  mechanical curtsey。 〃Thank you very much for remembering my mother。〃
  〃Good…by; Sarah!〃 It was indeed good…by forever。
  39
  … Page 40…
  BY SHORE AND SEDGE
  For   on   my   way   to   my   room   I   came   suddenly   upon   the   Prince;   in   a
  recess of the upper hall; addressing somebody through an open door with a
  querulous protest; whose wild extravagance of statement was grotesquely
  balanced   by   its   utter   feeble   timidity   of   manner。   〃It   is;〃   said   the   Prince;
  〃indeed   a   grave   affair。   We   have   here   hundreds   of   socialists;   emissaries
  from   lawless   countries   and   impossible   places;   who   travel   thousands   of
  miles to fall upon our hearts and embrace us。 They establish an espionage
  over us; they haunt our walks in incredible numbers; they hang in droves
  upon our footsteps; Heaven alone saves us from a public osculation at any
  moment! They openly allege that they have dandled us on their knees at
  recent     periods;    washed      and   dressed     us;  and    would    do    so  still。  Our
  happiness; our security〃
  〃Don't be a fool; Prince。 Do shut up!〃
  The   Prince   collapsed   and   shrank   away;   and   I   hurried   past   the   open
  door。   A   tall;  magnificent…looking         woman      was   standing     before   a   glass;
  arranging her heavy red hair。 The face; which had been impatiently turned
  towards the door; had changed again to profile; with a frown still visible
  on the   bent brow。  Our   eyes   met   as   I   passed。 The next   moment   the   door
  slammed; and I had seen the last of Sarah Walker。
  40
  … Page 41…
  BY SHORE AND SEDGE
  A SHIP OF '49
  I
  It had rained so persistently in San Francisco during the first week of
  January; 1854; that a certain quagmire in the roadway of Long Wharf had
  become   impassable;   and   a   plank   was   thrown   over   its   dangerous   depth。
  Indeed; so treacherous was the spot that it was alleged; on good authority;
  that a hastily embarking traveler had once hopelessly lost his portmanteau;
  and was fain to dispose of his entire interest in it for the sum of two dollars
  and   fifty   cents   to   a   speculative   stranger   on   the   wharf。 As   the   stranger's
  search   was   rewarded   afterwards   only  by   the   discovery   of   the   body   of   a
  casual   Chinaman;   who   had   evidently   endeavored   wickedly   to   anticipate
  him;     a   feeling    of   commercial       insecurity    was     added    to   the   other
  eccentricities of the locality。
  The plank led to the door of a building that was a marvel even in the
  chaotic     frontier   architecture    of  the   street。  The   houses    on   either   side
  irregular frames of wood or corrugated ironbore evidence of having been
  quickly     thrown     together;   to   meet    the  requirements      of   the  goods    and
  passengers who were once disembarked on what was the muddy beach of
  the infant city。 But the building in question exhibited a certain elaboration
  of   form    and   design    utterly   inconsistent     with   this   idea。  The    structure
  obtruded a bowed front to the street; with a curving line of small windows;
  surmounted   by   elaborate   carvings   and   scroll   work   of   vines   and   leaves;
  while     below;     in  faded     gilt  letters;   appeared     the   legend     〃Pontiac
  Marseilles。〃 The effect of this incongruity was startling。 It is related that
  an inebriated miner; impeded by mud and drink before its door; was found
  gazing     at   its  remarkable      facade    with    an   expression     of   the   deepest
  despondency。 〃I hev lived a free life; pardner;〃 he explained thickly to the
  Samaritan who succored him; 〃and every time since I've been on this six
  weeks' jamboree might have kalkilated it would come to this。 Snakes I've
  seen afore now; and rats I'm not unfamiliar with; but when it comes to the
  starn of a ship risin' up out of the street; I reckon it's time to pass in my
  41
  … Page 42…
  BY SHORE AND SEDGE
  checks。〃 〃It IS a ship; you blasted old soaker;〃 said the Samaritan curtly。
  It was indeed a ship。 A ship run ashore and abandoned on the beach
  years   before   by   her   gold…seeking   crew;   with   the   debris   of   her   scattered
  stores and cargo; overtaken by the wild growth of the strange city and the
  reclamation of the muddy flat; wherein she lay hopelessly imbedded; her
  retreat   cut   off   by   wharves   and   quays   and   breakwater;   jostled   at   first   by
  sheds;  and   then   impacted   in   a  block   of   solid   warehouses   and   dwellings;
  her    rudder;   port;   and   counter     boarded     in;  and   now    gazing    hopelessly
  through her cabin windows upon the busy street before her。 But still a ship
  despite   her   transformation。   The   faintest   line   of   contour   yet   left   visible
  spoke of the buoyancy of another element; the balustrade of her roof was
  unmistakably   a   taffrail。   The   rain   slipped   from   her   swelling   sides   with   a
  certain lingering touch of the sea; the soil around her was still treacherous
  with    its  suggestions;      and   even    the  wind    whistled     nautically    over    her
  chimney。   If;   in   the   fury   of   some   southwesterly   gale;   she   had   one   night
  slipped   her   strange   moorings   and   left   a   shining   track   through   the   lower
  town to the distant sea; no one would have been surprised。
  Least of all; perhaps; her present owner and possessor; Mr。 Abner Nott。
  For by the irony of circumstances; Mr。 Nott was a Far Western farmer who
  had never seen a ship before; nor a larger stream of water than a tributary
  of the Missouri River。 In a spirit; half of fascination; half of speculation;
  he    had   bought     her   at  the   time    of  her   abandonment;        and    had   since
  mortgaged        his  ranch    at  Petaluma      with    his  live   stock;   to   defray    the
  expenses of filling in the land where she stood; and the improvements of
  the vicinity。 He had transferred his household goods and his only daughter
  to her cabin; and had divided the space 〃between decks〃 and her hold into
  lodging…rooms; and lofts for the storage of goods。 It could hardly be said
  that   the   investment   had   been   profitable。   His   tenants   vaguely   recognized
  that his occupancy was a sentimental rather than a commercial speculation;
  and   often   generously   lent   themselves   to   the   illusion   by   not   paying   their
  rent。 Others treated their own tenancy as a joke;a quaint recreation born
  of the childlike familiarity of frontier intercourse。 A few had left carelessly
  abandoning their unsalable goods to their landlord; with great cheerfulness
  and a sense of favor。 Occasionally Mr。 Abner Nott; in a practical relapse;