第30章 孪生兄弟〔2〕
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uknewmybrotherJohn—thatis,youknewhimwhenyouknewthatIwasnotresent;butneitheryounor,Ibelieve,anyhumanbeingcoulddistinguishbetweenhimandmeifwechosetoseemalike.Ourarentscouldnot;oursistheonlyinstanceofwhichIhaveanyknowledgeofsocloseresemblanceasthat.IseakofmybrotherJohn,butIamnotatallsurethathisnamewasnotHenryandmineJohn.Wewereregularlychristened,butafterward,intheveryactoftattooinguswithsmalldistinguishingmarks,theoeratorlosthisreckoning;andalthoughIboreuonmyforearmasmall
"H
"andheborea
"J
",itisbynomeanscertainthatthelettersoughtnottohavebeentransosed.Duringourboyhoodourarentstriedtodistinguishusmoreobviouslybyourclothingandothersimledevices,butwewouldsofrequentlyexchangesuitsandotherwisecircumventtheenemythattheyabandonedallsuchineffectualattemts,andduringalltheyearsthatwelivedtogetherathomeeverybodyrecognizedthedifficultyofthesituationandmadethebestofitbycallingusboth
"Jehnry
".Ihaveoftenwonderedatmyfather'sforbearanceinnotbrandingusconsicuouslyuonourunworthybrows,butasweweretolerablygoodboysandusedourowerofembarrassmentandannoyancewithcommendablemoderation,weescaedtheiron.Myfatherwas,infact,asingularlygood-naturedman,andIthinkquietlyenjoyedNature'sracticaljoke.
SoonafterwehadcometoCalifornia,andsettledatSanJose(wheretheonlygoodfortunethatawaiteduswasourmeetingwithsokindafriendasyou),thefamily,asyouknow,wasbrokenubythedeathofbothmyarentsinthesameweek.Myfatherdiedinsolvent,andthehomesteadwassacrificedtoayhisdebts.MysistersreturnedtorelativesintheEast,butowingtoyourkindnessJohnandI,thentwenty-twoyearsofage,obtainedemloymentinSanFrancisco,indifferentquartersofthetown.Circumstancesdidnotermitustolivetogether,andwesaweachotherinfrequently,sometimesnotoftenerthanonceaweek.Aswehadfewacquaintancesincommon,thefactofourextraordinarylikenesswaslittleknown.Icomenowtothematterofyourinquiry.
OnedaysoonafterwehadcometothiscityIwaswalkingdownMarketStreetlateintheafternoon,whenIwasaccostedbyawell-dressedmanofmiddleage,whoaftergreetingmecordiallysaid,
"Stevens,Iknow,ofcourse,thatyoudonotgooutmuch,butIhavetoldmywifeaboutyou,andshewouldbegladtoseeyouatthehouse.Ihaveanotion,too,thatmygirlsareworthknowing.Suoseyoucomeouttomorrowatsixanddinewithus,enfamille;andtheniftheladiescan'tamuseyouafterwardI'llstandinwithafewgamesofbilliards.
"
ThiswassaidwithsobrightasmileandsoengagingamannerthatIhadnotthehearttorefuse,andalthoughIhadneverseenthemaninmylifeIromtlyrelied,
"Youareverygood,sir,anditwillgivemegreatleasuretoaccettheinvitation.PleaseresentmycomlimentstoMrs.Margovanandaskhertoexectme.
"
Withashakeofthehandandaleasantartingwordthemanassedon.Thathehadmistakenmeformybrotherwaslainenough.ThatwasanerrortowhichIwasaccustomedandwhichitwasnotmyhabittorectifyunlessthematterseemedimortant.ButhowhadIknownthatthisman'snamewasMargovan?Itcertainlyisnotanamethatonewouldalytoamanatrandom,witharobabilitythatitwouldberight.Inointoffact,thenamewasasstrangetomeastheman.
ThenextmorningIhastenedtowheremybrotherwasemloyedandmethimcomingoutoftheofficewithanumberofbillsthathewastocollect.ItoldhimhowIhad
"committed
"himandaddedthatifhedidn'tcaretokeetheengagementIshouldbedelightedtocontinuetheimersonation.
"That'squeer,
"hesaidthoughtfully.
"MargovanistheonlymanintheofficeherewhomIknowwellandlike.Whenhecameinthismorningandwehadassedtheusualgreetingssomesingularimulseromtedmetosay,'Oh,Ibegyourardon,Mr.Margovan,butIneglectedtoaskyouraddress.'Igottheaddress,butwhatunderthesunIwastodowithit,Ididnotknowuntilnow.It'sgoodofyoutooffertotaketheconsequenceofyourimudence,butI'lleatthatdinnermyself,ifyoulease.
"
Heateanumberofdinnersatthesamelace—morethanweregoodforhim,Imayaddwithoutdisaragingtheirquality;forhefellinlovewithMissMargovan,roosedmarriagetoherandwasheartlesslyacceted.
SeveralweeksafterIhadbeeninformedoftheengagement,butbeforeithadbeenconvenientformetomaketheacquaintanceoftheyoungwomanandherfamily,ImetonedayonKearneyStreetahandsomebutsomewhatdissiated-lookingmanwhomsomethingromtedmetofollowandwatch,whichIdidwithoutanyscrulewhatever.HeturneduGearyStreetandfollowedituntilhecametoUnionSquare.Therehelookedathiswatch,thenenteredthesquare.Heloiteredabouttheathsforsometime,evidentlywaitingforsomeone.PresentlyhewasjoinedbyafashionablydressedandbeautifulyoungwomanandthetwowalkedawayuStocktonStreet,Ifollowing.Inowfeltthenecessityofextremecaution,foralthoughthegirlwasastrangeritseemedtomethatshewouldrecognizemeataglance.Theymadeseveralturnsfromonestreettoanotherandfinally,afterbothhadtakenahastylookallabout—whichInarrowlyevadedbysteingintoadoorway—theyenteredahouseofwhichIdonotcaretostatethelocation.Itslocationwasbetterthanitscharacter.
Irotestthatmyactioninlayingthesyuonthesetwostrangerswaswithoutassignablemotive.ItwasoneofwhichImightormightnotbeashamed,accordingtomyestimateofthecharacteroftheersonfindingitout.Asanessentialartofanarrativeeducedbyyourquestionitisrelatedherewithouthesitancyorshame.