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第30章 孪生兄弟2（第1页）

uknewmybrotherJohn—thatis，youknewhimwhenyouknewthatIwasnotresent;butneitheryounor，Ibelieve，anyhumanbeingcoulddistinguishbetweenhimandmeifwechosetoseemalike。Ourarentscouldnot;oursistheonlyinstanceofwhichIhaveanyknowledgeofsocloseresemblanceasthat。IseakofmybrotherJohn，butIamnotatallsurethathisnamewasnotHenryandmineJohn。Wewereregularlychristened，butafterward，intheveryactoftattooinguswithsmalldistinguishingmarks，theoeratorlosthisreckoning;andalthoughIboreuonmyforearmasmall

"H

"andheborea

"J

"，itisbynomeanscertainthatthelettersoughtnottohavebeentransosed。Duringourboyhoodourarentstriedtodistinguishusmoreobviouslybyourclothingandothersimledevices，butwewouldsofrequentlyexchangesuitsandotherwisecircumventtheenemythattheyabandonedallsuchineffectualattemts，andduringalltheyearsthatwelivedtogetherathomeeverybodyrecognizedthedifficultyofthesituationandmadethebestofitbycallingusboth

"Jehnry

"。Ihaveoftenwonderedatmyfathersforbearanceinnotbrandingusconsicuouslyuonourunworthybrows，butasweweretolerablygoodboysandusedourowerofembarrassmentandannoyancewithcommendablemoderation，weescaedtheiron。Myfatherwas，infact，asingularlygood-naturedman，andIthinkquietlyenjoyedNaturesracticaljoke。

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;andtheniftheladiescantamuseyouafterwardIllstandinwithafewgamesofbilliards。

"

ThiswassaidwithsobrightasmileandsoengagingamannerthatIhadnotthehearttorefuse，andalthoughIhadneverseenthemaninmylifeIromtlyrelied，

"Youareverygood，sir，anditwillgivemegreatleasuretoaccettheinvitation。PleaseresentmycomlimentstoMrs。Margovanandaskhertoexectme。

"

Withashakeofthehandandaleasantartingwordthemanassedon。Thathehadmistakenmeformybrotherwaslainenough。ThatwasanerrortowhichIwasaccustomedandwhichitwasnotmyhabittorectifyunlessthematterseemedimortant。ButhowhadIknownthatthismansnamewasMargovan?Itcertainlyisnotanamethatonewouldalytoamanatrandom，witharobabilitythatitwouldberight。Inointoffact，thenamewasasstrangetomeastheman。

ThenextmorningIhastenedtowheremybrotherwasemloyedandmethimcomingoutoftheofficewithanumberofbillsthathewastocollect。ItoldhimhowIhad

"committed

"himandaddedthatifhedidntcaretokeetheengagementIshouldbedelightedtocontinuetheimersonation。

"Thatsqueer，

"hesaidthoughtfully。

"MargovanistheonlymanintheofficeherewhomIknowwellandlike。Whenhecameinthismorningandwehadassedtheusualgreetingssomesingularimulseromtedmetosay，Oh，Ibegyourardon，Mr。Margovan，butIneglectedtoaskyouraddress。Igottheaddress，butwhatunderthesunIwastodowithit，Ididnotknowuntilnow。Itsgoodofyoutooffertotaketheconsequenceofyourimudence，butIlleatthatdinnermyself，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。