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第8章

part 4-第8章

小说: part 4 字数: 每页4000字

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for it; Thea。  Better make for your cave where there are



blankets。〃  He caught her elbow and hurried her along the



path before the cliff…houses。  They made the half…mile at a



quick trot; and as they ran the rocks and the sky and the



air between the cliffs turned a turbid green; like the color



in a moss agate。  When they reached the blanketed rock



room; they looked at each other and laughed。  Their faces



had taken on a greenish pallor。  Thea's hair; even; was



green。







     〃Dark as pitch in here;〃 Fred exclaimed as they hurried



over the old rock doorstep。  〃But it's warm。  The rocks



hold the heat。  It's going to be terribly cold outside; all



right。〃  He was interrupted by a deafening peal of thunder。



〃Lord; what an echo!  Lucky you don't mind。  It's worth



watching out there。  We needn't come in yet。〃







     The green light grew murkier and murkier。  The smaller



vegetation was blotted out。  The yuccas; the cedars; and



PINONS stood dark and rigid; like bronze。  The swallows



flew up with sharp; terrified twitterings。  Even the quak…



ing asps were still。  While Fred and Thea watched from



the doorway; the light changed to purple。  Clouds of dark



vapor; like chlorine gas; began to float down from the head



of the canyon and hung between them and the cliff…houses















in the opposite wall。  Before they knew it; the wall itself



had disappeared。  The air was positively venomous…looking;



and grew colder every minute。  The thunder seemed to



crash against one cliff; then against the other; and to go



shrieking off into the inner canyon。







     The moment the rain broke; it beat the vapors down。



In the gulf before them the water fell in spouts; and



dashed from the high cliffs overhead。  It tore aspens and



chokecherry bushes out of the ground and left the yuccas



hanging by their tough roots。  Only the little cedars stood



black and unmoved in the torrents that fell from so far



above。  The rock chamber was full of fine spray from the



streams of water that shot over the doorway。  Thea crept



to the back wall and rolled herself in a blanket; and Fred



threw the heavier blankets over her。  The wool of the



Navajo sheep was soon kindled by the warmth of her



body; and was impenetrable to dampness。  Her hair;



where it hung below the rubber hat; gathered the mois…



ture like a sponge。  Fred put on the slicker; tied the



sweater about his neck; and settled himself cross…legged



beside her。  The chamber was so dark that; although he



could see the outline of her head and shoulders; he could



not see her face。  He struck a wax match to light his



pipe。  As he sheltered it between his hands; it sizzled and



sputtered; throwing a yellow flicker over Thea and her



blankets。







     〃You look like a gypsy;〃 he said as he dropped the



match。  〃Any one you'd rather be shut up with than me?



No?  Sure about that?〃







     〃I think I am。  Aren't you cold?〃







     〃Not especially。〃  Fred smoked in silence; listening to



the roar of the water outside。  〃We may not get away from



here right away;〃 he remarked。







     〃I shan't mind。  Shall you?〃







     He laughed grimly and pulled on his pipe。  〃Do you



know where you're at; Miss Thea Kronborg?〃 he said at















last。  〃You've got me going pretty hard; I suppose you



know。  I've had a lot of sweethearts; but I've never been



so muchengrossed before。  What are you going to do



about it?〃  He heard nothing from the blankets。  〃Are you



going to play fair; or is it about my cue to cut away?〃







     〃I'll play fair。  I don't see why you want to go。〃







     〃What do you want me around for?to play with?〃







     Thea struggled up among the blankets。  〃I want you for



everything。  I don't know whether I'm what people call in



love with you or not。  In Moonstone that meant sitting in



a hammock with somebody。  I don't want to sit in a ham…



mock with you; but I want to do almost everything else。



Oh; hundreds of things!〃







     〃If I run away; will you go with me?〃







     〃I don't know。  I'll have to think about that。  Maybe I



would。〃  She freed herself from her wrappings and stood



up。  〃It's not raining so hard now。  Hadn't we better



start this minute?  It will be night before we get to



Biltmer's。〃







     Fred struck another match。  〃It's seven。  I don't know



how much of the path may be washed away。  I don't even



know whether I ought to let you try it without a lantern。〃







     Thea went to the doorway and looked out。  〃There's



nothing else to do。  The sweater and the slicker will keep



me dry; and this will be my chance to find out whether



these shoes are really water…tight。  They cost a week's sal…



ary。〃  She retreated to the back of the cave。  〃It's getting



blacker every minute。〃







     Ottenburg took a brandy flask from his coat pocket。



〃Better have some of this before we start。  Can you take



it without water?〃







     Thea lifted it obediently to her lips。  She put on the



sweater and Fred helped her to get the clumsy slicker on



over it。  He buttoned it and fastened the high collar。  She



could feel that his hands were hurried and clumsy。  The



coat was too big; and he took off his necktie and belted it















in at the waist。  While she tucked her hair more securely



under the rubber hat he stood in front of her; between her



and the gray doorway; without moving。







     〃Are you ready to go?〃 she asked carelessly。







     〃If you are;〃 he spoke quietly; without moving; except



to bend his head forward a little。







     Thea laughed and put her hands on his shoulders。  〃You



know how to handle me; don't you?〃 she whispered。  For



the first time; she kissed him without constraint or embar…



rassment。







     〃Thea; Thea; Thea!〃  Fred whispered her name three



times; shaking her a little as if to waken her。  It was too



dark to see; but he could feel that she was smiling。







     When she kissed him she had not hidden her face on his



shoulder;she had risen a little on her toes; and stood



straight and free。  In that moment when he came close to



her actual personality; he felt in her the same expansion



that he had noticed at Mrs。 Nathanmeyer's。  She became



freer and stronger under impulses。  When she rose to meet



him like that; he felt her flash into everything that she had



ever suggested to him; as if she filled out her own shadow。







     She pushed him away and shot past him out into the rain。



〃Now for it; Fred;〃 she called back exultantly。  The rain



was pouring steadily down through the dying gray twilight;



and muddy streams were spouting and foaming over the



cliff。







     Fred caught her and held her back。  〃Keep behind me;



Thea。  I don't know about the path。  It may be gone alto…



gether。  Can't tell what there is under this water。〃







     But the path was older than the white man's Arizona。



The rush of water had washed away the dust and stones



that lay on the surface; but the rock skeleton of the Indian



trail was there; ready for the foot。  Where the streams



poured down through gullies; there was always a cedar or



a PINON to cling to。  By wading and slipping and climbing;



they got along。  As they neared the head of the canyon;















where the path lifted and rose in steep loops to the surface



of the plateau; the

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