roughing it- 第37部分

While　we　remained　at　the　station；　three　of　the　drovers　arrived；　nearly
exhausted　with　their　wanderings；　but　two　others　of　their　party　were　never
heard　of　afterward。

We　reached　Carson　in　due　time；　and　took　a　rest。　　This　rest；　together　with
preparations　for　the　journey　to　Esmeralda；　kept　us　there　a　week；　and　the
delay　gave　us　the　opportunity　to　be　present　at　the　trial　of　the　great
land…slide　case　of　Hyde　vs。　Morganan　episode　which　is　famous　in　Nevada
to　this　day。　　After　a　word　or　two　of　necessary　explanation；　I　will　set
down　the　history　of　this　singular　affair　just　as　it　transpired。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

The　mountains　are　very　high　and　steep　about　Carson；　Eagle　and　Washoe
Valleysvery　high　and　very　steep；　and　so　when　the　snow　gets　to　melting
off　fast　in　the　Spring　and　the　warm　surface…earth　begins　to　moisten　and
soften；　the　disastrous　land…slides　commence。　　The　reader　cannot　know　what
a　land…slide　is；　unless　he　has　lived　in　that　country　and　seen　the　whole
side　of　a　mountain　taken　off　some　fine　morning　and　deposited　down　in　the
valley；　leaving　a　vast；　treeless；　unsightly　scar　upon　the　mountain's
front　to　keep　the　circumstance　fresh　in　his　memory　all　the　years　that　he
may　go　on　living　within　seventy　miles　of　that　place。

General　Buncombe　was　shipped　out　to　Nevada　in　the　invoice　of　Territorial
officers；　to　be　United　States　Attorney。　　He　considered　himself　a　lawyer
of　parts；　and　he　very　much　wanted　an　opportunity　to　manifest　itpartly
for　the　pure　gratification　of　it　and　partly　because　his　salary　was
Territorially　meagre　（which　is　a　strong　expression）。　　Now　the　older
citizens　of　a　new　territory　look　down　upon　the　rest　of　the　world　with　a
calm；　benevolent　compassion；　as　long　as　it　keeps　out　of　the　waywhen　it
gets　in　the　way　they　snub　it。　　Sometimes　this　latter　takes　the　shape　of　a
practical　joke。

One　morning　Dick　Hyde　rode　furiously　up　to　General　Buncombe's　door　in
Carson　city　and　rushed　into　his　presence　without　stopping　to　tie　his
horse。　　He　seemed　much　excited。　　He　told　the　General　that　he　wanted　him
to　conduct　a　suit　for　him　and　would　pay　him　five　hundred　dollars　if　he
achieved　a　victory。　　And　then；　with　violent　gestures　and　a　world　of
profanity；　he　poured　out　his　grief。　　He　said　it　was　pretty　well　known
that　for　some　years　he　had　been　farming　（or　ranching　as　the　more
customary　term　is）　in　Washoe　District；　and　making　a　successful　thing　of
it；　and　furthermore　it　was　known　that　his　ranch　was　situated　just　in　the
edge　of　the　valley；　and　that　Tom　Morgan　owned　a　ranch　immediately　above
it　on　the　mountain　side。

And　now　the　trouble　was；　that　one　of　those　hated　and　dreaded　land…slides
had　come　and　slid　Morgan's　ranch；　fences；　cabins；　cattle；　barns　and
everything　down　on　top　of　his　ranch　and　exactly　covered　up　every　single
vestige　of　his　property；　to　a　depth　of　about　thirty…eight　feet。　　Morgan
was　in　possession　and　refused　to　vacate　the　premisessaid　he　was
occupying　his　own　cabin　and　not　interfering　with　anybody　else'sand　said
the　cabin　was　standing　on　the　same　dirt　and　same　ranch　it　had　always
stood　on；　and　he　would　like　to　see　anybody　make　him　vacate。

〃And　when　I　reminded　him；〃　said　Hyde；　weeping；　〃that　it　was　on　top　of　my
ranch　and　that　he　was　trespassing；　he　had　the　infernal　meanness　to　ask　me
why　didn't　I　stay　on　my　ranch　and　hold　possession　when　I　see　him
a…coming！　　Why　didn't　I　stay　on　it；　the　blathering　lunaticby　George；
when　I　heard　that　racket　and　looked　up　that　hill　it　was　just　like　the
whole　world　was　a…ripping　and　a…tearing　down　that　mountain　side
splinters；　and　cord…wood；　thunder　and　lightning；　hail　and　snow；　odds　and
ends　of　hay　stacks；　and　awful　clouds　of　dust！trees　going　end　over　end
in　the　air；　rocks　as　big　as　a　house　jumping　'bout　a　thousand　feet　high
and　busting　into　ten　million　pieces；　cattle　turned　inside　out　and
a…coming　head　on　with　their　tails　hanging　out　between　their　teeth！and
in　the　midst　of　all　that　wrack　and　destruction　sot　that　cussed　Morgan　on
his　gate…post；　a…wondering　why　I　didn't　stay　and　hold　possession！　　Laws
bless　me；　I　just　took　one　glimpse；　General；　and　lit　out'n　the　county　in
three　jumps　exactly。

〃But　what　grinds　me　is　that　that　Morgan　hangs　on　there　and　won't　move
off'n　that　ranchsays　it's　his'n　and　he's　going　to　keep　itlikes　it
better'n　he　did　when　it　was　higher　up　the　hill。　　Mad！　　Well；　I've　been　so
mad　for　two　days　I　couldn't　find　my　way　to　townbeen　wandering　around　in
the　brush　in　a　starving　conditiongot　anything　here　to　drink；　General？
But　I'm　here　now；　and　I'm　a…going　to　law。　　You　hear　me！〃

Never　in　all　the　world；　perhaps；　were　a　man's　feelings　so　outraged　as
were　the　General's。　　He　said　he　had　never　heard　of　such　high…handed
conduct　in　all　his　life　as　this　Morgan's。　　And　he　said　there　was　no　use
in　going　to　lawMorgan　had　no　shadow　of　right　to　remain　where　he　was
nobody　in　the　wide　world　would　uphold　him　in　it；　and　no　lawyer　would　take
his　case　and　no　judge　listen　to　it。　　Hyde　said　that　right　there　was　where
he　was　mistakeneverybody　in　town　sustained　Morgan；　Hal　Brayton；　a　very
smart　lawyer；　had　taken　his　case；　the　courts　being　in　vacation；　it　was　to
be　tried　before　a　referee；　and　ex…Governor　Roop　had　already　been
appointed　to　that　office　and　would　open　his　court　in　a　large　public　hall
near　the　hotel　at　two　that　afternoon。

The　General　was　amazed。　　He　said　he　had　suspected　before　that　the　people
of　that　Territory　were　fools；　and　now　he　knew　it。　　But　he　said　rest　easy；
rest　easy　and　collect　the　witnesses；　for　the　victory　was　just　as　certain
as　if　the　conflict　were　already　over。　　Hyde　wiped　away　his　tears　and
left。

At　two　in　the　afternoon　referee　Roop's　Court　opened　and　Roop　appeared
throned　among　his　sheriffs；　the　witnesses；　and　spectators；　and　wearing
upon　his　face　a　solemnity　so　awe…inspiring　that　some　of　his　fellow…
conspirators　had　misgivings　that　maybe　he　had　not　comprehended；　after
all；　that　this　was　merely　a　joke。　　An　unearthly　stillness　prevailed；　for
at　the　slightest　noise　the　judge　uttered　sternly　the　command：

〃Order　in　the　Court！

And　the　sheriffs　promptly　echoed　it。　　Presently　the　General　elbowed　his
way　through　the　crowd　of　spectators；　with　his　arms　full　of　law…books；　and
on　his　ears　fell　an　order　from　the　judge　which　was　the　first　respectful
recognition　of　his　high　official　dignity　that　had　ever　saluted　them；　and
it　trickled　pleasantly　through　his　whole　system：

〃Way　for　the　United　States　Attorney！

The　witnesses　were　calledlegislators；　high　government　officers；
ranchmen；　miners；　Indians；　Chinamen；　negroes。　　Three　fourths　of　them　were
called　by　the　defendant　Morgan；　but　no　matter；　their　testimony　invariably
went　in　favor　of　the　plaintiff　Hyde。　　Each　new　witness　only　added　new
testimony　to　the　absurdity　of　a　man's　claiming　to　own　another　man's
property　because　his　farm　had　slid　down　on　top　of　it。　　Then　the　Morgan
lawyers　made　their　speeches；　and　seemed　to　make　singularly　weak　ones
they　did　really　nothing　to　help　the　Morgan　cause。　　And　now　the　General；
with　exultation　in　his　face；　got　up　and　made　an　impassioned　effort；　he
pounded　the　table；　he　banged　the　law…books；　he　shouted；　and　roared；　and
howled；　he　quoted　from　everything　and　everybody；　poetry；　sarcasm；
statistics；　history；　pathos；　bathos；　blasphemy；　and　wound　up　with　a　grand
war…whoop　for　free　speech；　freedom　of　the　press；　free　schools；　the
Glorious　Bird　of　America　and　the　principles　of　eternal　justice！
＇Applause。＇

When　the　General　sat　down；　he　did　it　with　the　conviction　that　if　there
was　anything　in　good　strong　testimony；　a　great　speech　and　believing　and
admiring　countenances　all　around；　Mr。　Morgan's　case　was　killed。　　Ex…
Governor　Roop　leant　his　head　upon　his　hand　for　some　minutes；　thinking；
and　the　still　audience　waited　for　his　decision。　　Then　he　got　up　and　stood
erect；　with　bended　head；　and　thought　again。　　Then　he　walked　the　floor
with　long；　deliberate　strides；　his　chin　in　his　hand；　and　still　the
audience　waited。　　At　last　he　returned　to　his　throne；　seated　himself；　and
began　impressively：

〃Gentlemen；　I　feel　the　great　responsibility　that　rests　upon　me　this　day。
This　is　no　ordinary　case。　　On　the　contrary　it　is　plain　that　it　is　the
most　solemn　and　awful　that　ever　man　was　called　upon　to　decide。
Gentlemen；　I　have　listened　attentively　to　the　evidence；　and　have
perceived　that　the　weight　of　it；　the　overwhelming　weight　of　it；　is　in
favor　of　the　plaintiff　Hyde。　　I　have　listened　also　to　the　remarks　of
counsel；　with　high　interestand　especially　will　I　commend　the　masterly
and　irrefutable　logic　of　the　distinguished　gentleman　who　represents　the
plaintiff。　　But　gentlemen；　let　us　beware　how　we　allow　mere　human
testimony；　human　ingenuity　in　argument　and　human　ideas　of　equity；　to
influence　us　at　a　moment　so　solemn　as　this。　　Gentlemen；　it　ill　becomes
us；　worms　as　we　are；　to　meddle　with　the　decrees　of　Heaven。　　It　is　plain
to　me　that　Heaven；　in　its　inscrutable　wisdom；　has　seen　fit　to　move　this
defendant's　ranch　for　a　purpose。　　We　are　but　creatures；　and　we　must
submit。　　If　Heaven　has　chosen　to　favor　the　defendant　Morgan　in　this
marked　and　wonderful　manner；　and　if　Heaven；　dissatisfied　with　the
position　of　the　Morgan　ranch　upon　the　mountain　side；　has　chosen　to　remove
it　to　a　position　more　eligible　and　more　advantageous　for　its　owner；　it
ill　becomes　us；　insects　as　we　are；　to　question　the　legality　of　the　act　or
inquire　into　the　reasons　that　prompted　it。　　NoHeaven　created　the
ranches　and　it　is　Heaven's　prerogative　to　rearrange　them；　to　experiment
with　them　around　at　its　pleasure。　　It　is　for　us　to　submit；　without
repining。

I　warn　you　that　this　thing　which　has　happened　is　a　thing　with　which　the
sacrilegious　hands　and　brains　and　tongues　of　men　must　not　meddle。
Gentlemen；　it　is　the　verdict　of　this　court　that　the　plaintiff；　Richard
Hyde；　has　been　deprived　of　his　ranch　by　the　visitation　of　God！　　And　from
this　decision　there　is　no　appeal。〃

Buncombe　seized　his　cargo　of　law…books　and　plunged　out　of　the　court…room
frantic　with　indignation。　　He　pronounced　Roop　to　be　a　miraculous　fool；　an
inspired　idiot。　　In　all　good　faith　he　returned　at　night　and　remonstrated
with　Roop　upon　his　extravagant　decision；　and　implored　him　to　walk　the
floor　and　think　for　half　an　hour；　and　see　if　he　could　not　figure　out