按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
before it； daylight whitening in the arch； or that it should
come trotting forth into the sunlight with a song。
The two stages had gone by when I got down； and the Toll
House stood； dozing in sun and dust and silence； like a place
enchanted。 My mission was after hay for bedding； and that I
was readily promised。 But when I mentioned that we were
waiting for Rufe； the people shook their heads。 Rufe was not
a regular man any way； it seemed； and if he got playing poker
… Well； poker was too many for Rufe。 I had not yet heard
them bracketted together； but it seemed a natural
conjunction； and commended itself swiftly to my fears； and as
soon as I returned to Silverado and had told my story； we
practically gave Hanson up； and set ourselves to do what we
could find do…able in our desert…island state。
The lower room had been the assayer's office。 The floor was
thick with DEBRIS … part human； from the former occupants；
part natural； sifted in by mountain winds。 In a sea of red
dust there swam or floated sticks； boards； hay； straw；
stones； and paper； ancient newspapers； above all … for the
newspaper； especially when torn； soon becomes an antiquity …
and bills of the Silverado boarding…house； some dated
Silverado； some Calistoga Mine。 Here is one； verbatim； and
if any one can calculate the scale of charges； he has my
envious admiration。
Calistoga Mine； May 3rd； 1875。
John Stanley
To S。 Chapman； Cr。
To board from April 1st； to April 30 25 75
〃 〃 〃 May lst； to 3rd 。。。 2 00
27 75
Where is John Stanley mining now？ Where is S。 Chapman；
within whose hospitable walls we were to lodge？ The date was
but five years old； but in that time the world had changed
for Silverado； like Palmyra in the desert； it had outlived
its people and its purpose； we camped； like Layard； amid
ruins； and these names spoke to us of prehistoric time。 A
boot…jack； a pair of boots； a dog…hutch； and these bills of
Mr。 Chapman's were the only speaking relics that we
disinterred from all that vast Silverado rubbish…heap； but
what would I not have given to unearth a letter； a pocket…
book； a diary； only a ledger； or a roll of names； to take me
back； in a more personal manner； to the past？ It pleases me；
besides； to fancy that Stanley or Chapman； or one of their
companions； may light upon this chronicle； and be struck by
the name； and read some news of their anterior home； coming；
as it were； out of a subsequent epoch of history in that
quarter of the world。
As we were tumbling the mingled rubbish on the floor； kicking
it with our feet； and groping for these written evidences of
the past； Sam； with a somewhat whitened face； produced a
paper bag。 〃What's this？〃 said he。 It contained a
granulated powder； something the colour of Gregory's Mixture；
but rosier； and as there were several of the bags； and each
more or less broken； the powder was spread widely on the
floor。 Had any of us ever seen giant powder？ No； nobody
had； and instantly there grew up in my mind a shadowy belief；
verging with every moment nearer to certitude； that I had
somewhere heard somebody describe it as just such a powder as
the one around us。 I have learnt since that it is a
substance not unlike tallow； and is made up in rolls for all
the world like tallow candles。
Fanny； to add to our happiness； told us a story of a
gentleman who had camped one night； like ourselves； by a
deserted mine。 He was a handy； thrifty fellow； and looked
right and left for plunder； but all he could lay his hands on
was a can of oil。 After dark he had to see to the horses
with a lantern； and not to miss an opportunity； filled up his
lamp from the oil can。 Thus equipped； he set forth into the
forest。 A little while after； his friends heard a loud
explosion； the mountain echoes bellowed； and then all was
still。 On examination； the can proved to contain oil； with
the trifling addition of nitro…glycerine； but no research
disclosed a trace of either man or lantern。
It was a pretty sight； after this anecdote； to see us
sweeping out the giant powder。 It seemed never to be far
enough away。 And； after all； it was only some rock pounded
for assay。
So much for the lower room。 We scraped some of the rougher
dirt off the floor； and left it。 That was our sitting…room
and kitchen； though there was nothing to sit upon but the
table； and no provision for a fire except a hole in the roof
of the room above； which had once contained the chimney of a
stove。
To that upper room we now proceeded。 There were the eighteen
bunks in a double tier； nine on either hand； where from
eighteen to thirty…six miners had once snored together all
night long； John Stanley； perhaps； snoring loudest。 There
was the roof； with a hole in it through which the sun now
shot an arrow。 There was the floor； in much the same state
as the one below； though； perhaps； there was more hay； and
certainly there was the added ingredient of broken glass； the
man who stole the window…frames having apparently made a
miscarriage with this one。 Without a broom； without hay or
bedding； we could but look about us with a beginning of
despair。 The one bright arrow of day； in that gaunt and
shattered barrack； made the rest look dirtier and darker； and
the sight drove us at last into the open。
Here； also； the handiwork of man lay ruined： but the plants
were all alive and thriving； the view below was fresh with
the colours of nature； and we had exchanged a dim； human
garret for a corner； even although it were untidy； of the
blue hall of heaven。 Not a bird； not a beast； not a reptile。
There was no noise in that part of the world； save when we
passed beside the staging； and heard the water musically
falling in the shaft。
We wandered to and fro。 We searched among that drift of
lumber…wood and iron； nails and rails； and sleepers and the
wheels of tracks。 We gazed up the cleft into the bosom of
the mountain。 We sat by the margin of the dump and saw； far
below us； the green treetops standing still in the clear air。
Beautiful perfumes； breaths of bay； resin； and nutmeg； came
to us more often and grew sweeter and sharper as the
afternoon declined。 But still there was no word of Hanson。
I set to with pick and shovel； and deepened the pool behind
the shaft； till we were sure of sufficient water for the
morning； and by the time I had finished； the sun had begun to
go down behind the mountain shoulder； the platform was
plunged in quiet shadow； and a chill descended from the sky。
Night began early in our cleft。 Before us； over the margin
of the dump； we could see the sun still striking aslant into
the wooded nick below； and on the battlemented； pine…
bescattered ridges on the farther side。
There was no stove； of course； and no hearth in our lodging；
so we betook ourselves to the blacksmith's forge across the
platform。 If the platform be taken as a stage； and the out…
curving margin of the dump to represent the line of the foot…
lights； then our house would be the first wing on the actor's
left； and this blacksmith's forge； although no match for it
in size； the foremost on the right。 It was a low； brown
cottage； planted close against the hill； and overhung by the
foliage and peeling boughs of a madrona thicket。 Within it
was full of dead leaves and mountain dust； and rubbish from
the mine。 But we soon had a good fire brightly blazing； and
sat close about it on impromptu seats。 Chuchu； the slave of
sofa…cushions； whimpered for a softer bed； but the rest of us
were greatly revived and comforted by that good creature…
fire； which gives us warmth and light and companionable
sounds； and colours up the emptiest building with better than
frescoes。 For a w