part 4-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！









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



of　the　plateau；　the　climb　was　more　difficult。　　The　earth



above　had　broken　away　and　washed　down　over　the　trail；



bringing　rocks　and　bushes　and　even　young　trees　with　it。



The　last　ghost　of　daylight　was　dying　and　there　was　no　time



to　lose。　　The　canyon　behind　them　was　already　black。







　　　　　〃We've　got　to　go　right　through　the　top　of　this　pine　tree；



Thea。　　No　time　to　hunt　a　way　around。　　Give　me　your　hand。〃



After　they　had　crashed　through　the　mass　of　branches；　Fred



stopped　abruptly。　　〃Gosh；　what　a　hole！　　Can　you　jump　it？



Wait　a　minute。〃







　　　　　He　cleared　the　washout；　slipped　on　the　wet　rock　at　the



farther　side；　and　caught　himself　just　in　time　to　escape　a



tumble。　　〃If　I　could　only　find　something　to　hold　to；　I　could



give　you　a　hand。　　It's　so　cursed　dark；　and　there　are　no



trees　here　where　they're　needed。　　Here's　something；　it's　a



root。　　It　will　hold　all　right。〃　　He　braced　himself　on　the　rock；



gripped　the　crooked　root　with　one　hand　and　swung　himself



across　toward　Thea；　holding　out　his　arm。　　〃Good　jump！　　I



must　say　you　don't　lose　your　nerve　in　a　tight　place。　　Can



you　keep　at　it　a　little　longer？　　We're　almost　out。　　Have　to



make　that　next　ledge。　　Put　your　foot　on　my　knee　and　catch



something　to　pull　by。〃







　　　　　Thea　went　up　over　his　shoulder。　　〃It's　hard　ground　up



here；〃　she　panted。　　〃Did　I　wrench　your　arm　when　I　slipped



then？　　It　was　a　cactus　I　grabbed；　and　it　startled　me。〃







　　　　　〃Now；　one　more　pull　and　we're　on　the　level。〃







　　　　　They　emerged　gasping　upon　the　black　plateau。　　In　the



last　five　minutes　the　darkness　had　solidified　and　it　seemed



as　if　the　skies　were　pouring　black　water。　　They　could　not



see　where　the　sky　ended　or　the　plain　began。　　The　light　at



the　ranch　house　burned　a　steady　spark　through　the　rain。



Fred　drew　Thea's　arm　through　his　and　they　struck　off



toward　the　light。　　They　could　not　see　each　other；　and　the



rain　at　their　backs　seemed　to　drive　them　along。　　They　kept



laughing　as　they　stumbled　over　tufts　of　grass　or　stepped















into　slippery　pools。　　They　were　delighted　with　each　other



and　with　the　adventure　which　lay　behind　them。







　　　　　〃I　can't　even　see　the　whites　of　your　eyes；　Thea。　　But　I'd



know　who　was　here　stepping　out　with　me；　anywhere。　　Part



coyote　you　are；　by　the　feel　of　you。　　When　you　make　up　your



mind　to　jump；　you　jump！　　My　gracious；　what's　the　matter



with　your　hand？〃







　　　　　〃Cactus　spines。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　when　I　grabbed　the



cactus？　　I　thought　it　was　a　root。　　Are　we　going　straight？〃







　　　　　〃I　don't　know。　　Somewhere　near　it；　I　think。　　I'm　very



comfortable；　aren't　you？　　You're　warm；　except　your



cheeks。　　How　funny　they　are　when　they're　wet。　　Still；　you



always　feel　like　you。　　I　like　this。　　I　could　walk　to　Flagstaff。



It's　fun；　not　being　able　to　see　anything。　　I　feel　surer　of　you



when　I　can't　see　you。　　Will　you　run　away　with　me？〃







　　　　　Thea　laughed。　　〃I　won't　run　far　to…night。　　I'll　think



about　it。　　Look；　Fred；　there's　somebody　coming。〃







　　　　　〃Henry；　with　his　lantern。　　Good　enough！　　Halloo！　　Hallo



oo！〃　Fred　shouted。







　　　　　The　moving　light　bobbed　toward　them。　　In　half　an　hour



Thea　was　in　her　big　feather　bed；　drinking　hot　lentil　soup；



and　almost　before　the　soup　was　swallowed　she　was　asleep。



























　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIII











　　　　　ON　the　first　day　of　September　Fred　Ottenburg　and　Thea



Kronborg　left　Flagstaff　by　the　east…bound　express。



As　the　bright　morning　advanced；　they　sat　alone　on　the



rear　platform　of　the　observation　car；　watching　the　yellow



miles　unfold　and　disappear。　　With　complete　content　they



saw　the　brilliant；　empty　country　flash　by。　　They　were



tired　of　the　desert　and　the　dead　races；　of　a　world　without



change　or　ideas。　　Fred　said　he　was　glad　to　sit　back　and　let



the　Santa　Fe　do　the　work　for　a　while。







　　　　　〃And　where　are　we　going；　anyhow？〃　he　added。







　　　　　〃To　Chicago；　I　suppose。　　Where　else　would　we　be



going？〃　　Thea　hunted　for　a　handkerchief　in　her　hand…



bag。







　　　　　〃I　wasn't　sure；　so　I　had　the　trunks　checked　to　Albu…



querque。　　We　can　recheck　there　to　Chicago；　if　you　like。



Why　Chicago？　　You'll　never　go　back　to　Bowers。　　Why



wouldn't　this　be　a　good　time　to　make　a　run　for　it？　　We



could　take　the　southern　branch　at　Albuquerque；　down　to



El　Paso；　and　then　over　into　Mexico。　　We　are　exceptionally



free。　　Nobody　waiting　for　us　anywhere。〃







　　　　　Thea　sighted　along　the　steel　rails　that　quivered　in　the



light　behind　them。　　〃I　don't　see　why　I　couldn't　marry　you



in　Chicago；　as　well　as　any　place；〃　she　brought　out　with



some　embarrassment。







　　　　　Fred　took　the　handbag　out　of　her　nervous　clasp　and



swung　it　about　on　his　finger。　　〃You've　no　particular　love



for　that　spot；　have　you？　　Besides；　as　I've　told　you；　my



family　would　make　a　row。　　They　are　an　excitable　lot。　　They



discuss　and　argue　everlastingly。　　The　only　way　I　can　ever



put　anything　through　is　to　go　ahead；　and　convince　them



afterward。〃



















　　　　　〃Yes；　I　understand。　　I　don't　mind　that。　　I　don't　want　to



marry　your　family。　　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　want　to　marry



mine。　　But　I　don't　see　why　we　have　to　go　so　far。〃







　　　　　〃When　we　get　to　Winslow；　you　look　about　the　freight



yards　and　you'll　probably　see　several　yellow　cars　with



my　name　on　them。　　That's　why；　my　dear。　　When　your



visiting…card　is　on　every　beer　bottle；　you　can't　do　things



quietly。　　Things　get　into　the　papers。〃　　As　he　watched　her



troubled　expression；　he　grew　anxious。　　He　leaned　forward



on　his　camp…chair；　and　kept　twirling　the　handbag　between



his　knees。　　〃Here's　a　suggestion；　Thea；〃　he　said　presently。



〃Dismiss　it　if　you　don't　like　it：　suppose　we　go　down　to



Mexico　on　the　chance。　　You've　never　seen　anything　like



Mexico　City；　it　will　be　a　lark　for　you；　anyhow。　　If　you



change　your　mind；　and　don't　want　to　marry　me；　you　can



go　back　to　Chicago；　and　I'll　take　a　steamer　from　Vera



Cruz　and　go　up　to　New　York。　　When　I　get　to　Chicago；



you'll　be　at　work；　and　nobody　will　ever　be　the　wiser。　　No



reason　why　we　shouldn't　both　travel　in　Mexico；　is　there？



You'll　be　traveling　alone。　　I'll　merely　tell　you　the　right



places　to　stop；　and　come　to　take　you　driving。　　I　won't　put



any　pressure　on　you。　　Have　I　ever？〃　　He　swung　the　bag



toward　her　and　looked　up　under　her　hat。







　　　　　〃No；　you　haven't；〃　she　murmured。　　She　was　thinking



that　her　own　position　might　be　less　difficult　if　he　had　used



what　he　called　pressure。　　He　clearly　wished　her　to　take　the



responsibility。







　　　　　〃You　have　your　own　future　in　the　back　of　your　mind　all



the　time；〃　Fred　began；　〃and　I　have　it　in　mine。　　I'm　not



going　to　try　to　carry　you　off；　as　I　might　another　girl。　　If　you



wanted　to　quit　me；　I　couldn't　hold　you；　no　matter　how



many　times　you　had　married　me。　　I　don't　want　to　over…



persuade　you。　　But　I'd　like　mighty　well　to　get　you　down　to



that　jolly　old　city；　where　everything　would　please　you；　and



give　myself　a　chance。　　Then；　if　you　thought　you　could　have



a　better　time　with　me　than　without　me；　I'd　try　to　grab　you















before　you　changed　your　mind。　　You　are　not　a　sentimental



person。〃







　　　　　Thea　drew　her　veil　down　over　her　face。　　〃I　think　I　am；　a



little；　about　you；〃　she　said　quietly。　　Fred's　irony　somehow



hurt　her。







　　　　　〃What's　at　the　bottom　of　your　mind；