第1章

RandolphTrentsteppedfromtheStocktonboatontheSanFranciscowharf，penniless，friendless，andunknown。Hungermighthavebeenaddedtohistrials，for，havingpaidhislastcoininpassagemoney，hehadbeenadayandahalfwithoutfood。Yetheknewitonlybyanoccasionallapseintoweaknessasmuchmentalasphysical。Nevertheless，hewasfirstonthegangplanktoland，andhurriedfeverishlyashore，inthatvaguedesireforactionandchangeofscenecommontosuchirritation；yetaftermixingforafewmomentswiththedepartingpassengers，eachselfishlyhurryingtosomerendezvousofrestorbusiness，heinsensiblydrewapartfromthem，withtheinstinctofavagabondandoutcast。Althoughhewasconsciousthathewasneither，butmerelyanunsuccessfulminersuddenlyreducedtothepointofsolicitingworkoralmsofanykind，hetookadvantageofthefirstcrossingtoplungeintoasidestreet，withavaguesenseofhidinghisshame。

Arisingwind，whichhadrockedtheboatforthelastfewhours，hadnowdevelopedintoastrongsou’wester，withtorrentsofrainwhichswepttheroadway。Hiswell-wornworkingclothes，fittedtothewarmerSouthernmines，gavehimmoreconcernfromtheirvisible，absurdcontrasttotheclimatethanfromanyactualsenseofdiscomfort，andhisfeverishnessdefiedthechillofhissoakinggarments，ashehurriedlyfacedtheblastthroughthedimlylightedstreet。Atthenextcornerhepaused；hehadreachedanother，and，fromitsdilapidatedappearance，apparentlyanolderwharfthanthatwherehehadlanded，but，likethefirst，itwasstillastragglingavenueleadingtowardthehigherandmoreanimatedpartofthecity。Heagainmechanically——forapartofhistroublewasavague，undefinedpurpose——turnedtowardit。

Inhisfeverishexaltationhispowersofperceptionseemedtobequickened:hewasvividlyalivetotheincongruous，half-marine，half-backwoodscharacterofthewarehousesandcommercialbuildings；tothehullofastrandedshipalreadybuiltintoablockofrudetenements；tothedarkstockadedwallofahouseframedofcorrugatediron，anditsweirdcontiguitytoaSwisschalet，whosegallerieswereusedonlytobearthesignsoftheshops，andwhoseframehadbeencarriedacrossseasinsectionstobesetupatrandomhere。

Movingpastthese，asinanightmaredream，ofwhicheventheturbulencyoftheweatherseemedtobeapart，hestumbled，blinded，panting，andunexpectedly，withnoconsciousnessofhisrapidpacebeyondhisbreathlessness，uponthedazzlingmainthoroughfareofthecity。Inspiteoftheweather，theslipperypavementswerethrongedbyhurryingcrowdsofwell-dressedpeople，againallintentontheirownpurposes，——purposesthatseemedsotriflingandunimportantbesidehisown。Theshopswerebrilliantlylighted，exposingtheirbrightestwaresthroughplate-

glasswindows；ajeweler’sglitteredwithpreciousstones；afashionableapothecary’snexttoitalmostoutrivaleditwithitsgorgeousglobes，thegoldandgreenprecisionofitsshelves，andthemarbleandsilversodafountainlikeashrinebeforeit。Allthisspeciousshowofopulencecameuponhimwiththeshockofcontrast，andwithitabitterrevulsionoffeelingmorehopelessthanhisfeverishanxiety，——thebitternessofdisappointment。

Forduringhisjourneyhehadbeenbuoyedupwiththeprospectoffindingworkandsympathyinthisyouthfulcity，——aprospectfoundedsolelyonhisinexperiencedhopes。Forthishehadexchangedthepovertyoftheminingdistrict，——apovertythathadnothingignobleaboutit，thatwasapartoftheeconomyofnature，andsharedwithhisfellowmenandthebirdsandbeastsintheirrudeencampments。Hehadgivenupthebrotherhoodoftheminer，andthatpracticalhelpandsympathywhichbroughtnodegradationwithit，forthisrudeshockofself-interested，self-satisfiedcivilization。He，whowouldnothaveshrunkfromaskingrest，food，oranight’slodgingatthecabinofabrotherminerorwoodsman，nowrecoiledsuddenlyfromthesewell-dressedcitizens。

Whatmadnesshadsenthimhere，anintruder，or，even，asitseemedtohiminhisdrippingclothes，animpostor？Andyetthesewerethepeopletowhomhehadconfidentlyexpectedtotellhisstory，andwhowouldcheerfullyassisthimwithwork！Hecouldalmostanticipatethehardlaughorbrutalhurriednegativeintheirfaces。InhisfoolishhearthethankedGodhehadnottriedit。

Thentheapatheticrecoilwhichisapttofollowanykeenemotionovertookhim。Hewasdazedlyconsciousofbeingrudelyshovedonceortwice，andevenheardtheepithet“drunkenlout“fromonewhohadrunagainsthim。

Hefoundhimselfpresentlystaringvacantlyintheapothecary’swindow。Howlonghestoodtherehecouldnottell，forhewasarousedonlybythedooropeninginfrontofhim，andayounggirlemergingwithsomepurchaseinherhand。Hecouldseethatshewashandsomelydressedandquitepretty，andasshepassedoutsheliftedtohiswithdrawingfigureapairofcalm，inquiringeyes，which，however，changedtoalookofhalf-wondering，half-amusedpityasshegazed。Yetthatlookofpitystunghispridemoredeeplythanall。Withadeliberateeffortherecoveredhisenergy。

No，hewouldnotbeg，hewouldnotaskassistancefromthesepeople；hewouldgoback——anywhere！Tothesteamboatfirst；theymightlethimsleepthere，givehimameal，andallowhimtoworkhispassagebacktoStockton。Hemightberefused。Well，whatthen？Well，beyond，therewasthebay！Helaughedbitterly——hismindwassaneenoughforthat——buthekeptonrepeatingitvaguelytohimself，ashecrossedthestreetagain，andoncemoremadehiswaytothewharf。

Thewindandrainhadincreased，buthenolongerheededtheminhisfeverishhasteandhisconsciousnessthatmotioncouldalonekeepawaythatdreadfulapathywhichthreatenedtoovercloudhisjudgment。Andhewishedwhilehewasabletoreasonlogicallytomakeuphismindtoendthisunsupportablesituationthatnight。

Hewasscarcelytwenty，yetitseemedtohimthatithadalreadybeendemonstratedthathislifewasafailure；hewasanorphan，andwhenheleftcollegetoseekhisownfortuneinCalifornia，hebelievedhehadstakedhisalluponthatventure——andlost。

Thatbitternesswhichisthesuddenrecoilofboyishenthusiasm，andisnonethelessterribleforbeingwithoutexperiencetojustifyit，——thatmelancholywearetooapttolookbackuponwithcynicaljeersandlaughterinmiddleage，——ismorepotentthanwedaretothink，anditwasinnomereposeofyouthfulpessimismthatRandolphTrentnowcontemplatedsuicide。Suchscrapsofphilosophyashiseducationhadgivenhimpointedtothatoneconclusion。Anditwastheonlyrefugethatpride——realorfalse——

offeredhimfromtheonesupremeterrorofyouth——shame。

Thestreetwasdeserted，andthefewlightshehadpreviouslynotedinwarehousesandshopswereextinguished。Ithadgrowndarkerwiththestorm；theincongruousbuildingsoneithersidehadbecomemisshapenshadows；thelongperspectiveofthewharfwasastrangegloomfromwhichthesparsofashipstoodoutlikethecrossherememberedasaboytohaveonceseeninapictureofthetempest-

smittenCalvary。Itwashisonlyfancyconnectedwiththefuture——

itmighthavebeenhislast，forsuddenlyoneoftheplanksoftherottenwharfgavewaybeneathhisfeet，andhefelthimselfviolentlyprecipitatedtowardthegurglingandoozingtidebelow。

Hethrewouthisarmsdesperately，caughtatastronggirder，drewhimselfupwiththeenergyofdesperation，andstaggeredtohisfeetagain，safe——andsane。Forwiththisterribleautomaticstruggletoavoidthatdeathhewascourtingcameaflashofreason。Ifhehadresolutelythrownhimselffromthepierheadasheintended，wouldhehaveundergoneahopelessrevulsionlikethis？Washesurethatthismightnotbe，afterall，theterriblepenaltyofself-destruction——thisinevitablefierceprotestofmindandbodywhenTOOLATE？Hewasmomentarilytouchedwithasenseofgratitudeathisescape，buthisreasontoldhimitwasnotfromhisACCIDENT，butfromhisintention。

Hewastryingcarefullytoretracehissteps，butashedidsohesawthefigureofamandimlylurchingtowardhimoutofthedarknessofthewharfandthecrossedyardsoftheship。Agleamofhopecameoverhim，fortheemotionofthelastfewminuteshadrudelydisplacedhisprideandself-love。Hewouldappealtothisstranger，whoeverhewas；therewasmorechancethatinthisrudelocalityhewouldbeabelatedsailororsomehumblerwayfarer，andthedarknessandsolitudemadehimfeellessashamed。Bythelastflickeringstreetlamphecouldseethathewasamanabouthisownsize，withsomethingoftherollinggaitofasailor，whichwasincreasedbytheweightofatravelingportmanteauhewasswinginginhishand。AsheapproachedheevidentlydetectedRandolph’swaitingfigure，slackenedhisspeedslightly，andchangedhisportmanteaufromhisrighthandtohisleftasaprecautionfordefense。

Randolphfeltthebloodflushhischeekatthissignificantproofofhisdisreputableappearance，butdeterminedtoaccosthim。Hescarcelyrecognizedthesoundofhisownvoicenowfirstbreakingthesilenceforhours，buthemadehisappeal。Themanlistened，madeaslightgestureforwardwithhisdisengagedhand，andimpelledRandolphslowlyuptothestreetlampuntilitshoneonboththeirfaces。Randolphsawamanafewyearshissenior，withaslightlytrimmedbeardonhisdark，weather-beatencheeks，well-

cutfeatures，aquick，observanteye，andasailor’supwardglanceandbearing。Thestrangersawathin，youthful，anxious，yetrefinedandhandsomefacebeneathstragglingdampcurls，anddarkeyespreternaturallybrightwithsuffering。Perhapshisexperiencedear，too，detectedsomeharmonywithallthisinRandolph’svoice。

“Andyouwantsomethingtoeat，anight’slodging，andachanceofworkafterward，“thestrangerrepeatedwithgood-humoreddeliberation。

“Yes，“saidRandolph。

“Youlookit。“

Randolphcoloredfaintly。

“Doyoueverdrink？“

“Yes，“saidRandolphwonderingly。

“IthoughtI’dask，“saidthestranger，“asitmightplayhellwithyoujustnowifyouwerenotaccustomedtoit。Takethat。Justaswallow，youknow——that’sasgoodasajugful。“

Hehandedhimaheavyflask。Randolphfelttheburningliquorscaldhisthroatandfirehisemptystomach。Thestrangerturnedandlookeddownthevacantwharftothedarknessfromwhichhecame。ThenheturnedtoRandolphagainandsaidabruptly，——

“Strongenoughtocarrythisbag？“

“Yes，“saidRandolph。Thewhiskey——possiblytherelief——hadgivenhimnewstrength。Besides，hemightearnhisalms。

“Takeituptoroom74，NianticHotel——topofnextstreettothis，oneblockthatway——andwaittillIcome。“

“WhatnameshallIsay？“askedRandolph。

“Needn’tsayany。Iorderedtheroomaweekago。Stop；there’sthekey。Goin；changeyourtogs；you’llfindsomethinginthatbagthat’llfityou。Waitforme。Stop——no；you’dbettergetsomegrubtherefirst。“Hefumbledinhispockets，butfruitlessly。

“Nomatter。You’llfindabuckskinpurse，withsomescadsinit，inthebag。Solong。“AndbeforeRandolphcouldthankhim，helurchedawayagainintothesemi-darknessofthewharf。

Overflowingwithgratitudeatahospitalitysolikethatofhisrecklessbrethrenofthemines，Randolphpickeduptheportmanteauandstartedforthehotel。Hewalkedwarilynow，withanewinterestinlife，andthen，suddenlythinkingofhisownmiraculousescape，hepaused，wonderingifheoughtnottowarnhisbenefactoroftheperilsoftherottenwharf；buthehadalreadydisappeared。