YouknewmybrotherJohn—thatis, youknewhimwhenyouknewthatIwasnotpresent;butneitheryounor, Ibelieve, ;, , butafterward, intheveryactoftattooinguswithsmalldistinguishingmarks, theoperatorlosthisreckoning;andalthoughIboreuponmyforearmasmall "H" andheborea "J", , butwewouldsofrequentlyexchangesuitsandotherwisecircumventtheenemythattheyabandonedallsuchineffectualattempts, andduringalltheyearsthatwelivedtogetherathomeeverybodyrecognizedthedifficultyofthesituationandmadethebestofitbycallingusboth "Jehnry".Ihaveoftenwonderedatmyfather'sforbearanceinnotbrandingusconspicuouslyuponourunworthybrows, butasweweretolerablygoodboysandusedourpowerofembarrassmentandannoyancewithcommendablemoderation, , infact, asingularlygood-naturedman, andIthinkquietlyenjoyedNature'spracticaljoke.
SoonafterwehadcometoCalifornia, andsettledatSanJose (wheretheonlygoodfortunethatawaiteduswasourmeetingwithsokindafriendasyou), thefamily, asyouknow, , , butowingtoyourkindnessJohnandI, thentwenty-twoyearsofage, obtainedemploymentinSanFrancisco, , andwesaweachotherinfrequently, , .
OnedaysoonafterwehadcometothiscityIwaswalkingdownMarketStreetlateintheafternoon, whenIwasaccostedbyawell-dressedmanofmiddleage, whoaftergreetingmecordiallysaid, "Stevens, Iknow, ofcourse, thatyoudonotgooutmuch, butIhavetoldmywifeaboutyou, , too, , enfamille;andtheniftheladiescan'tamuseyouafterwardI'llstandinwithafewgamesofbilliards."
ThiswassaidwithsobrightasmileandsoengagingamannerthatIhadnotthehearttorefuse, andalthoughIhadneverseenthemaninmylifeIpromptlyreplied, "Youareverygood, sir, ."
'snamewasMargovan?Itcertainlyisnotanamethatonewouldapplytoamanatrandom, , thenamewasasstrangetomeastheman.
"committed" himandaddedthatifhedidn'tcaretokeeptheengagementIshouldbedelightedtocontinuetheimpersonation.
"That'squeer," hesaidthoughtfully.",'Oh, Ibegyourpardon, , butIneglectedtoaskyouraddress.'Igottheaddress, butwhatunderthesunIwastodowithit, 'sgoodofyoutooffertotaketheconsequenceofyourimpudence, butI'lleatthatdinnermyself, ifyouplease."
Heateanumberofdinnersatthesameplace—morethanweregoodforhim, Imayaddwithoutdisparagingtheirquality;forhefellinlovewithMissMargovan, proposedmarriagetoherandwasheartlesslyaccepted.
SeveralweeksafterIhadbeeninformedoftheengagement, butbeforeithadbeenconvenientformetomaketheacquaintanceoftheyoungwomanandherfamily, ImetonedayonKearneyStreetahandsomebutsomewhatdissipated-lookingmanwhomsomethingpromptedmetofollowandwatch, , , , , , afterbothhadtakenahastylookallabout—whichInarrowlyevadedbysteppingintoadoorway—.
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