Mr.Fletcherlaidasidethemanuscriptandletter,andtookuphisapparentlysuspendedwork.
　　"WhenyouseethisMrs——Mrs.Ashwoodagain,youmightsay"——
　　"Ishallnotseeheragain,"interruptedJohnMiltonhastily.
　　Mr.Fletchershruggedhisshoulders."Verywell,"hesaidwithapeculiarsmile,"Iwillwritetoher.Now,Mr.Harcourt,"hecontinuedwithasuddenbusinessbrevity,"ifyouplease,we'lldropthisaffairandattendtothematterforwhichIjustsummonedyou.SinceyesterdayanimportantcontractforwhichIhavebeenwaitingisconcluded,anditsperformancewilltakemeEastatonce.Ihavemadearrangementsthatyouwillbeleftintheliterarychargeofthe'Clarion.'Itisonlyafittingrecompensethatthepaperowestoyouandyourfather,——towhomIhopetoseeyoupresentlyreconciled.Butwewon'tdiscussthatnow!AsmyaffairstakemebacktoLosGatoswithinhalfanhour,IamsorryI
　　cannotdispensemyhospitalityinperson,——butyouwilldineandsleephereto-night.Good-by.AsyougooutwillyoupleasesendupMr.Jacksontome."Henoddedbriefly,seemedtoplungeinstantlyintohispapersagain,andJohnMiltonwasgladtowithdraw.
　　TheshockhehadfeltatMrs.Ashwood'sfrigiddispositionofhiswishesandhismanuscripthadbenumbedhimtoanyenjoymentorappreciationofthechangeinhisfortune.Hewanderedoutofthehouseanddescendedtothebeachinadazed,bewilderedway,seeingonlythewordsofherlettertoFletcherbeforehim,andstrivingtograspsomeothermeaningfromthemthantheircoldlypracticalpurport.Perhapsthiswashercruelrevengeforhistellinghernottowritetohim.Couldshenothavedivineditwasonlyhisfearofwhatshemightsay!Andnowitwasallover!Shehadwashedherhandsofhimwiththesendingofthatmanuscriptandletter,andhewouldpassoutofhermemoryasafoolish,conceitedingrate,——perhapsafigureaswearilyirritatingandstupidtoherasthecousinshehadknown.Hemechanicallyliftedhiseyestothedistanthotel;theglowwasstillinthewesternsky,butthebluelampwasalreadyshininginthewindow.Hischeekflushedquickly,andheturnedawayasifshecouldhaveseenhisface.
　　Yes——shedespisedhim,andTHATwashisanswer!
　　Whenhereturned,Mr.Fletcherhadgone.HedraggedthroughadinnerwithMr.Jackson,Fletcher'ssecretary,andtriedtorealizehisgoodfortuneinlisteningtothesubordinate'scongratulations.
　　"ButIthought,"saidJackson,"youhadslippeduponyourluckto-
　　day,whentheoldmansentforyou.Hewasquitewhite,andreadytoripoutaboutsomethingthathadjustcomein.Isupposeitwasoneofthoseanonymousthingsagainstyourfather,——theoldman'sdeadsetagainst'emnow."ButJohnMiltonheardhimvaguely,andpresentlyexcusedhimselfforarowonthemoonlitbay.
　　Theactiveexertion,withintervalsofplaciddriftingalongtheland-lockedshore,somewhatsoothedhim.TheheavingPacificbeyondwaspartlyhiddeninalowcreepingfog,butthecurvingbaywassoftlyradiant.Therockswhereonshesatthatmorning,thehotelwhereshewasnowquietlyreading,wereoutlinedinblackandsilver.Inthisdangerouscontiguityitseemedtohimthatherpresencereturned,——notthewomanwhohadmethimsocoldly;whohadpennedthoselines;thewomanfromwhomhewasnowpartingforever,buttheblamelessidealhehadworshipedfromthefirst,andwhichhenowfeltcouldneverpassoutofhislifeagain!Herecalledtheirlongtalks,theirrarerridesandwalksinthecity;
　　herquickappreciationandreadysympathy;herprettycuriosityandhalf-maternalconsiderationofhisfoolishyouthfulpast;eventheplayfulwaythatshesometimesseemedtomakeherselfyoungerasiftobetterunderstandhim.Lingeringattimesintheshadowoftheheadland,hefanciedhesawthedelicatenervousoutlinesofherfacenearhisownagain;thefaintshadingofherbrownlashes,thesoftintelligenceofhergrayeyes.Driftingidlyintheplacidmoonlight,pullingfeverishlyacrosstheswellofthechannel,orlyingonhisoarsintheshallowsoftherocks,butalwaysfollowingthecurvesofthebay,likeabirdcirclingaroundalighthouse,itwasfarinthenightbeforeheatlastdraggedhisboatuponthesand.Thenheturnedtolookoncemoreatherdistantwindow.Hewouldbeawayinthemorningandheshouldneverseeitagain!Itwasverylate,butthebluelightseemedtobestillburningunalterablyandinflexibly.
　　Butevenashegazed,achangecameoverit.Ashadowseemedtopassbeforetheblind;theblueshadewaslifted;foraninstanthecouldseethecolorlessstar-likepointofthelightitselfshowclearly.Itwasovernow;shewasputtingoutthelamp.Suddenlyheheldhisbreath!Aroseateglowgraduallysuffusedthewindowlikeaburningblush;thecurtainwasdrawnaside,andtheredlamp-shadegleamedoutsurelyandsteadilyintothedarkness.
　　Transfiguredandbreathlessinthemoonlight,JohnMiltongazedonit.ItseemedtohimthedawnofLove!
　　CHAPTERXIII.
　　Thewinterrainshadcome.Butsoplenteouslyandpersistently,andwithsuchfatefulpreparationofcircumstance,thatthelonglookedforblessingpresentlybecameawonder,ananxiety,andatlastaslowlywideningterror.Beforeamonthhadpassedeverymountain,stream,andwatercourse,surchargedwiththemeltedsnowsoftheSierras,hadbecomeagreattributary;everytributaryagreatriver,until,pouringtheirgreatvolumeintotheengorgedchannelsoftheAmericanandSacramentorivers,theyoverleapedtheirbanksandbecameasonevastinlandsea.Eventoacountryalreadyfamiliarwithbroadandstrikingcatastrophe,thefloodwasaphenomenalone.FordaysthesullenoverflowlayinthevalleyoftheSacramento,enormous,silent,currentless——exceptwherethesurpluswatersrolledthroughCarquinezStraits,SanFranciscoBay,andtheGoldenGate,andreappearedasthevanishedSacramentoRiver,inanoutflowingstreamoffreshandturbidwaterfiftymilesatsea.
　　Acrossthevastinlandexpanse,broodedoverbyaleadensky,leadenrainfell,dimplinglikeshotthesluggishpoolsoftheflood;acloudychaosoffallentrees,driftingbarnsandouthouses,wagonsandagriculturalimplementsmovedoverthesurfaceofthewaters,orcircledslowlyaroundtheoutskirtsofforeststhatstoodankledeepinoozeandthecurrent,whichinserriedphalanxtheyresistedstill.Asnightfelltheseformsbecamestillmorevagueandchaotic,andwereinterspersedwiththescatteredlanternsandflamingtorchesofrelief-boats,oroccasionallythehighterracedgleamingwindowsofthegreatsteamboats,feelingtheirwayalongthelostchannel.Attimestheopeningofafurnace-doorshotbroadbarsoflightacrossthesluggishstreamandintothebranchesofdrippinganddrift-encumberedtrees;attimestheloomingsmoke-stackssentoutapent-upbreathofsparksthatilluminatedtheinkychaosforamoment,andthenfellasblackanddrippingrain.Orperhapsahoarseshoutfromsomefaintlyoutlinedhulkoneithersidebroughtaquickresponsefromtherelief-boats,andthedetachingofacanoewithablazingpine-knotinitsbowintotheouterdarkness.
　　ItwaslateintheafternoonwhenLawrenceGrant,fromthedeckofoneofthelargertugs,sightedwhathadbeenoncetheestuaryofSidonCreek.Theleaderofapartyofscientificobservationandrelief,hehadkeptatirelesswatchofeighteenhours,keenlynoticingtheworkofdevastation,thechangesinthechannel,theprospectsofabatement,andthedangerthatstillthreatened.HehadpasseddownthelengthofthesubmergedSacramentovalley,throughtheStraitsofCarquinez,andwasnowsteamingalongtheshoresoftheupperreachesofSanFranciscoBay.Everywherethesamesceneofdesolation,——vaststretchesoftuleland,oncebrokenupbycultivationanddottedwithdwellings,nowclearlyerasedonthatwaterychart;longlinesofsymmetricalperspective,breakingthemonotonouslevel,showingorchardsburiedintheflood;Indianmoundsandnaturaleminencescoveredwithcattleorhastilyerectedcamps;halfsubmergedhouses,whosesolitarychimneys,however,stillgavesignsofanundauntedlifewithin;isolatedgroupsoftrees,withtheirlowerbranchesheavywiththeunwholesomefruitoftheflood,inwispsofhayandstraw,rakesandpitchforks,orpatheticallyshelteringsomeshiveringandforgottenhouseholdpet.
　　Buteverywherethesamedull,expressionless,placidtranquillityofdestruction,——ahorriblelevelingofallthingsinoneblandsmilingequalityofsurface,beneathwhichagony,despair,andruinweredeeplyburiedandforgotten;acatastrophewithoutconvulsion,——
　　adevastationvoiceless,passionless,andsupine.
　　Theboathadslowedupbeforewhatseemedtobeacollectionofdisarrangedhouseswiththecurrentflowingbetweenlinesthatindicatedtheexistenceofthoroughfaresandstreets.Manyofthelighterwoodenbuildingswerehuddledtogetheronthestreetcornerswiththeirgablestotheflow;someappearedasiftheyhadfallenontheirknees,andotherslaycomplacentlyontheirsides,likethehousesofachild'stoyvillage.Anelevatorstilllifteditselfabovetheotherwarehouses;fromthecentreofanenormoussquarepond,oncetheplaza,stillarosea"Libertypole,"orflagstaff,whichnowsupportedaswinginglantern,andinthedistanceappearedtheglitteringdomeofsomepublicbuilding.
　　Grantrecognizedthesceneatonce.ItwasallthatwasleftoftheinvincibleyouthofTasajara!
　　Asthiswasanobjectivepointoftheschemeofsurveyandreliefforthedistrict,theboatwasmadefasttothesecondstoryofoneofthewarehouses.Itwasnowusedasageneralstoreanddepot,andboreasingularresemblanceinitsinteriortoHarcourt'sgroceryatSidon.Thissuggestionwasthemorefatefullyindicatedbythefactthathalfadozenmenwereseatedaroundastoveinthecentre,moreorlessgivenuptoakindofphilosophicalandlazyenjoymentoftheirenforcedidleness.AndwhentothiswasaddedthemoresurprisingcoincidencethatthepartyconsistedofBillings,Peters,andWingate,——formerresidentsofSidonandfirstcitizensofTasajara,——theresemblancewascomplete.
　　Theywereruined,——buttheyacceptedtheircommonfatewithacertainIndianstoicismandWesternsenseofhumorthatforthetimeliftedthemabovethevulgarcomplacencyoftheirformerfortunes.Therewasadeep-seated,ifcoarseandirreverentresignationintheirphilosophy.AtthebeginningofthecalamityithadbeenroughlyformulatedbyBillingsinthestatementthat"itwasn'tanybody'sfault;therewasnobodytokill,andwhatcouldn'tbereachedbyaVigilanceCommitteetherewasnouseresolootin'over."WhentheReverendDoctorPilsburyhadsuggestedanappealtoaHigherPower,Petershadreplied,goodhumoredly,that"aCreatorwhocouldfoolaroundwiththeminthatstylewasabovebeinginterferedwithbyprayer."Atfirstthecalamityhadbeenathingtofightagainst;thenitbecameapracticaljoke,thestingofwhichwaslostinthevictims'powerofenduranceandassumedignoranceofitspurport.Therewassomethingalmostpatheticintheirattemptstounderstanditspeculiarhumor.
　　"HowaboutthatEurop-e-antripo'yours,Peters?"saidBillings,meditatively,fromthedepthsofhischair."LooksasifthoseCrownedHeadsovertherewouldhavetowaittillthewatergoesdownconsiderableaforeyoukintrotoutyourwifeanddartersbefore'em!"
　　"Yes,"saidPeters,"itratherpintsthatway;andezfarezIkinsee,MameBillingsain'tgoin'tonoSaratoga,neither,thisyear."
　　"Reckontheboyswon'thangaboutoldHarcourt'sFreeLibrarytoseethegirlshomefromlecturesandsinging-classmuchthisyear,"
　　saidWingate."WonderifHarcourteverthoughto'thisthedayheopenedit,andmadethatrattlin'speecho'hisaboutthenewproperty?Clarksayseverythingbuiltonthatmadegroundhasgottogoafterthewaterfalls.RoughonHarcourtafterallhisotherlosses,eh?Heoughterhaveclosedupwiththatscientificchap,Grant,andmarriedhimtoClementinawhilethebigboomwason"——
　　"Hush!"saidPeters,indicatingGrant,whohadjustenteredquietly.
　　"Don'tmindme,gentlemen,"saidGrant,steppingtowardsthegroupwithagravebutperfectlycollectedface;"onthecontrary,IamveryanxioustohearallthenewsofHarcourt'sfamily.IleftforNewYorkbeforetherainyseason,andhaveonlyjustgotback."
　　HisspeechandmannerappearedtobesomuchinkeepingwiththeprevailinggrimphilosophythatBillings,afteraglanceattheothers,wenton."Efyouleftaforethefirstrains,"saidhe,"youmusthaveleftonlythesteameraheadofFletcher,whenherunoffwithClementinaHarcourt,andyoumighthavecomeacrossthemontheirweddingtripinNewYork."
　　NotamuscleofGrant'sfacechangedundertheireagerandcruelscrutiny."No,Ididn't,"hereturnedquietly."Butwhydidsherunaway?DidthefatherobjecttoFletcher?IfIrememberrightlyhewasrichandagoodmatch."
　　"Yes,butIreckontheoldmanhadn'tquitegotoverthe'Clarion'
　　abuse,forallitseatinghumble-pieandtakingbackitsyarnsofhim.Andmaybehemighthavethoughttheengagementrathersudden.Theysaythatshe'donlymetFletcherthedayaforetheengagement."
　　"Thatbed——d,"saidPeters,knockingtheashesoutofhispipe,andstartlingthelazyresignationofhisneighborsbytakinghisfeetfromthestoveandsittingupright."Itellye,gentlemen,I'msicko'thissorto'hog-washthat'sbeenladledroundtous.
　　ThatgalClementinaHarcourtandthatfellerFletcherhadmetnotonlyonce,butMANYtimesafore——yes!theywereoldfriendsifitcomestothat,amatterofsixyearsago."
　　Grant'seyeswerefixedeagerlyonthespeaker,althoughtheothersscarcelyturnedtheirheads.
　　"Youknow,gentlemen,"saidPeters,"Inevertookstockinthisyerstoryofthedrownin'of'LigeCurtis.Why?Well,ifyouwanterknow——inmyopinion——thereneverwasany'LigeCurtis!"
　　Billingsliftedhisheadwithdifficulty;Wingateturnedhisfacetothespeaker.
　　"Thereneverwasascrapo'papereverfoundinhiscabinwiththenameo''LigeCurtisonit;thereneverwasanyinquirymadefor'LigeCurtis;thereneverwasanysorrowin'friendscomin'after'LigeCurtis.Forwhy?——Thereneverwasany'LigeCurtis.ThemanwhopassedhimselfoffinSidonunderthatname——wasthatmanFletcher.That'showheknewallaboutHarcourt'stitle;that'showhegothisbestholtonHarcourt.AndhediditalltogetClementinaHarcourt,whomtheoldmanhadrefusedtohiminSidon."
　　Agruntofincredulitypassedaroundthecircle.Suchisthefateofhistoricalinnovation!OnlyGrantlistenedattentively.
　　"YeoughttotellthatyarntoJohnMilton,"saidWingateironically;"it'saboutinthestyleo'themstoriesheslingsinthe'Clarion.'"
　　"He'smadeagoodthingouterthatjob.Wonderwhathegetsforthem?"saidPeters.
　　ItwasBillings'stimetorise,and,undertheinfluenceofsomestrongcynicalemotion,toevenrisetohisfeet."Getsfor'em!——
　　GETSfor'em!I'lltellyouWHAThegetsfor'em!Itbeatsthisstoryo'Peters's,——itbeatstheflood.Itbeatsme!Yeknowthatboy,gentlemen;yeknowhowheusterlieroundhisfather'sstore,readingflapdoodlestoriesandsich!YerememberhowIustertrytogivehimgoodexamplesandknocksomesenseintohim?Yerememberhow,afterhisfather'sgoodluck,hespiledallhisownchances,andranoffwithhisfather'swaitergal——allonaccounto'themflapdoodlebooksheread?Yerememberhowhesashayedroundnewspaperofficesin'Friscountilhecouldwriteaflapdoodlestoryhimself?Yewanterknowwhathegetsfor'em.
　　I'lltellyou.Hegotaninterductiontooneofthemhigh-toned,highfalutin','don't-touch-me'richwiddersfromPhiladelfy,——
　　that'swhathegetsfor'em!Hegotherdeadsetonhimandhisstories,that'swhathegetsfor'em!HegothertoputhimupwithFletcherinthe'Clarion,'——that'swhathegetsfor'em.Anddarnmyskin!——efwhattheysayistrue,whilewehard-workingmenaresittin'herelikedrownedrats——thatairJohnMilton,ezneverdidastitcho'liveworklikemeyere;ezneverdidanythin'butspinyarnsaboutUSezdidWORK,isnow'gittin'for'em'——what?
　　Guess!Why,he'sgittin'THERICHWIDDERHERSELFandHALFA
　　MILLIONDOLLARSWITHHER!Gentlemen!lib'tyisagoodthing——butthar'ssomethingsyegetstoomuchlib'tyofinthiscountry——andthat'sthisyerLIB'TYOFTHEPRESS!"