第 5 节
作者:上网找工作      更新:2024-04-14 09:14      字数:9321
  search the aristocracy。〃
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  CHAPTER VIII。
  As Lothaw left Mr。 Amethyst's; he ran against General Camperdown。
  〃How is Mary Ann?〃 he asked hurriedly。
  〃I regret to state that she is dying;〃 said the general; with a grave voice;
  as he removed his cigar from his lips; and lifted his hat to Lothaw。
  〃Dying!〃 said Lothaw; incredulously。
  〃Alas;   too   true!〃   replied   the   General。   〃The   engagements   of   a   long
  lecturing season; exposure in travelling by railway during the winter; and
  the   imperfect   nourishment   afforded   by   the   refreshments   along   the   road;
  have told on her delicate frame。 But she wants to see you before she dies。
  Here is the key of my lodging。 I will finish my cigar out here。〃
  Lothaw hardly recognized those wasted Hellenic outlines as he entered
  the   dimly   lighted   room   of   the   dying   woman。   She   was   already   a   classic
  ruin;as wrecked and yet as perfect as the Parthenon。 He grasped her hand
  silently。
  〃Open…air   speaking   twice   a   week;   and   saleratus   bread   in   the   rural
  districts;   have   brought   me   to   this;〃   she   said   feebly;   〃but   it   is   well。   The
  cause progresses。 The tyrant man succumbs。〃
  Lothaw could only press her hand。
  〃Promise me one thing。 Don'twhatever you dobecome a Catholic。〃
  〃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。〃
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  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。〃
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  MUCK…A…MUCK。A MODERN
  INDIAN NOVEL。AFTER COOPER。
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  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
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  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。
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  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