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1、AWARDOFTHEGOLDENGATEAWARDOFTHEGOLDENGATEBretHarte1AWARDOFTHEGOLDENGATEPROLOGUE.InSanFranciscothe"rainyseason"hadbeenmakingitselfarealitytothewonderingEasternimmigrant.Therewereshortdaysofdriftingcloudsandflyingsunshine,andlongsucceedingnightsofincessantdownpour,whentherainrattledonthethinshi
2、nglesordrummedontheresoundingzincofpioneerroofs.Theshiftingsand-dunesontheoutskirtswerebeatenmotionlessandsoddenbytheonslaughtofconsecutivestorms;thesoutheasttradesbroughtthesalinebreathoftheoutlyingPacificeventothebusyhauntsofCommercialandKearneystreets;thelow-lyingMissionroadwasaquagmire;a
3、longtheCityFront,despiteofpilesandpierandwharf,thePacifictidesstillassertedthemselvesinmudandoozeasfarasSansomeStreet;thewoodensidewalksofClayandMontgomerystreetsweremerefloatingbridgesorbuoyantpontoonssuperposedonelasticbogs;BatteryStreetwastheSilurianbeachofthatearlyperiodonwhichtincans,pa
4、cking-boxes,freight,householdfurniture,andeventherunawaycrewsofdesertedshipshadbeencastaway.ThereweredangerousandunknowndepthsinMontgomeryStreetandonthePlaza,andthewheelsofapassingcarriagehopelesslymiredhadtobeliftedbythevolunteerhandsofahalfdozenhigh-bootedwayfarers,whosewearersweresufficie
5、ntlycontenttobelievethatawoman,achild,oraninvalidwasbehinditsclosedwindows,withouttroublingthemselvesortheoccupantbylookingthroughtheglass.Itwasacarriagethat,thusreleased,eventuallydrewupbeforethesuperiorpublicedificeknownastheCityHall.Fromitawoman,closelyveiled,alighted,andquicklyenteredthe
6、building.Afewpassers-byturnedtolookather,partlyfromtherarityofthefemalefigureatthatperiod,andpartlyfromthegreaterrarityofitsbeingwellformedandevenladylike.Asshekeptherwayalongthecorridorandascendedanironstaircase,shewaspassedbyothersmorepreoccupiedinbusinessatthevariouspublicoffices.Oneofthe
7、sevisitors,however,stoppedasifstruckbysomefanciedresemblanceinherappearance,turned,andfollowedher.Butwhenshehaltedbeforeadoormarked"Mayor'sOffice,"hepausedalso,and,withalookofhalfhumorousbewildermentandaslightglance2AWARDOFTHEGOLDENGATEaroundhimasi