the call of the canyon-第12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！


ar　allegiance　to　your　girl　from　the　East；　you　might　entertain　her　a　little　bit　before　getting　down　to　business　talk。〃

〃All　right；　Carley；〃　he　replied；　laughing。　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？　The　day　is　at　your　disposal。　I　wish　it　were　June。　Then　if　you　didn't　fall　in　love　with　West　Fork　you'd　be　no　good。〃

〃Glenn；　I　love　people；　not　places；〃　she　returned。

〃So　I　remember。　And　that's　one　thing　I　don't　like。　But　let's　not　quarrel。　What'll　we　do？〃

〃Suppose　you　tramp　with　me　all　around；　until　I'm　good　and　hungry。　Then　we'll　come　back　hereand　you　can　cook　dinner　for　me。〃

〃Fine！　Oh；　I　know　you're　just　bursting　with　curiosity　to　see　how　I'll　do　it。　Well；　you　may　be　surprised；　miss。〃

〃Let's　go；〃　she　urged。

〃Shall　I　take　my　gun　or　fishing　rod？〃

〃You　shall　take　nothing　but　me；〃　retorted　Carley。　〃What　chance　has　a　girl　with　a　man；　if　he　can　hunt　or　fish？〃

So　they　went　out　hand　in　hand。　Half　of　the　belt　of　sky　above　was　obscured　by　swiftly　moving　gray　clouds。　The　other　half　was　blue　and　was　being　slowly　encroached　upon　by　the　dark　storm…like　pall。　How　cold　the　air！　Carley　had　already　learned　that　when　the　sun　was　hidden　the　atmosphere　was　cold。　Glenn　led　her　down　a　trail　to　the　brook；　where　he　calmly　picked　her　up　in　his　arms；　quite　easily；　it　appeared；　and　leisurely　packed　her　across；　kissing　her　half　a　dozen　times　before　he　deposited　her　on　her　feet。

〃Glenn；　you　do　this　sort　of　thing　so　well　that　it　makes　me　imagine　you　have　practice　now　and　then；〃　she　said。

〃No。　But　you　are　pretty　and　sweet；　and　like　the　girl　you　were　four　years　ago。　That　takes　me　back　to　those　days。〃

〃I　thank　you。　That's　dear　of　you。　I　think　I　am　something　of　a　cat。　。　。　。　I'll　be　glad　if　this　walk　leads　us　often　to　the　creek。〃

Spring　might　have　been　fresh　and　keen　in　the　air；　but　it　had　not　yet　brought　much　green　to　the　brown　earth　or　to　the　trees。　The　cotton…woods　showed　a　light　feathery　verdure。　The　long　grass　was　a　bleached　white；　and　low　down　close　to　the　sod　fresh　tiny　green　blades　showed。　The　great　fern　leaves　were　sear　and　ragged；　and　they　rustled　in　the　breeze。　Small　gray　sheath…barked　trees　with　clumpy　foliage　and　snags　of　dead　branches；　Glenn　called　cedars；　and；　grotesque　as　these　were；　Carley　rather　liked　them。　They　were　approachable；　not　majestic　and　lofty　like　the　pines；　and　they　smelled　sweetly　wild；　and　best　of　all　they　afforded　some　protection　from　the　bitter　wind。　Carley　rested　better　than　she　walked。　The　huge　sections　of　red　rock　that　had　tumbled　from　above　also　interested　Carley；　especially　when　the　sun　happened　to　come　out　for　a　few　moments　and　brought　out　their　color。　She　enjoyed　walking　on　the　fallen　pines；　with　Glenn　below；　keeping　pace　with　her　and　holding　her　hand。　Carley　looked　in　vain　for　flowers　and　birds。　The　only　living　things　she　saw　were　rainbow　trout　that　Glenn　pointed　out　to　her　in　the　beautiful　clear　pools。　The　way　the　great　gray　bowlders　trooped　down　to　the　brook　as　if　they　were　cattle　going　to　drink；　the　dark　caverns　under　the　shelving　cliffs；　where　the　water　murmured　with　such　hollow　mockery；　the　low　spear…pointed　gray　plants；　resembling　century　plants；　and　which　Glenn　called　mescal　cactus；　each　with　its　single　straight　dead　stalk　standing　on　high　with　fluted　head；　the　narrow　gorges；　perpendicularly　walled　in　red；　where　the　constricted　brook　plunged　in　amber　and　white　cascades　over　fall　after　fall；　tumbling；　rushing；　singing　its　water　melodythese　all　held　singular　appeal　for　Carley　as　aspects　of　the　wild　land；　fascinating　for　the　moment；　symbolic　of　the　lonely　red　man　and　his　forbears；　and　by　their　raw　contrast　making　more　necessary　and　desirable　and　elevating　the　comforts　and　conventions　of　civilization。　The　cave　man　theory　interested　Carley　only　as　mythology。

Lonelier；　wilder；　grander　grew　Glenn's　canyon。　Carley　was　finally　forced　to　shift　her　attention　from　the　intimate　objects　of　the　canyon　floor　to　the　aloof　and　unattainable　heights。　Singular　to　feel　the　difference！　That　which　she　could　see　close　at　hand；　touch　if　she　willed；　seemed　to；　become　part　of　her　knowledge；　could　be　observed　and　so　possessed　and　passed　by。　But　the　gold…red　ramparts　against　the　sky；　the　crannied　cliffs；　the　crags　of　the　eagles；　the　lofty；　distant　blank　walls；　where　the　winds　of　the　gods　had　written　their　warsthese　haunted　because　they　could　never　be　possessed。　Carley　had　often　gazed　at　the　Alps　as　at　celebrated　pictures。　She　admired；　she　appreciatedthen　she　forgot。　But　the　canyon　heights　did　not　affect　her　that　way。　They　vaguely　dissatisfied；　and　as　she　could　not　be　sure　of　what　they　dissatisfied；　she　had　to　conclude　that　it　was　in　herself。　To　see；　to　watch；　to　dream；　to　seek；　to　strive；　to　endure；　to　find！　Was　that　what　they　meant？　They　might　make　her　thoughtful　of　the　vast　earth；　and　its　endless　age；　and　its　staggering　mystery。　But　what　more！

The　storm　that　had　threatened　blackened　the　sky；　and　gray　scudding　clouds　buried　the　canyon　rims；　and　long　veils　of　rain　and　sleet　began　to　descend。　The　wind　roared　through　the　pines；　drowning　the　roar　of　the　brook。　Quite　suddenly　the　air　grew　piercingly　cold。　Carley　had　forgotten　her　gloves；　and　her　pockets　had　not　been　constructed　to　protect　hands。　Glenn　drew　her　into　a　sheltered　nook　where　a　rock　jutted　out　from　overhead　and　a　thicket　of　young　pines　helped　break　the　onslaught　of　the　wind。　There　Carley　sat　on　a　cold　rock；　huddled　up　close　to　Glenn；　and　wearing　to　a　state　she　knew　would　be　misery。　Glenn　not　only　seemed　content；　he　was　happy。　〃This　is　great；〃　he　said。　His　coat　was　open；　his　hands　uncovered；　and　he　watched　the　storm　and　listened　with　manifest　delight。　Carley　hated　to　betray　what　a　weakling　she　was；　so　she　resigned　herself　to　her　fate；　and　imagined　she　felt　her　fingers　numbing　into　ice；　and　her　sensitive　nose　slowly　and　painfully　freezing。

The　storm　passed；　however；　before　Carley　sank　into　abject　and　open　wretchedness。　She　managed　to　keep　pace　with　Glenn　until　exercise　warmed　her　blood。　At　every　little　ascent　in　the　trail　she　found　herself　laboring　to　get　her　breath。　There　was　assuredly　evidence　of　abundance　of　air　in　this　canyon；　but　somehow　she　could　not　get　enough　of　it。　Glenn　detected　this　and　said　it　was　owing　to　the　altitude。　When　they　reached　the　cabin　Carley　was　wet；　stiff；　cold；　exhausted。　How　welcome　the　shelter；　the　open　fireplace！　Seeing　the　cabin　in　new　light；　Carley　had　the　grace　to　acknowledge　to　herself　that；　after　all；　it　was　not　so　bad。

〃Now　for　a　good　fire　and　then　dinner；〃　announced　Glenn；　with　the　air　of　one　who　knew　his　ground。

〃Can　I　help？〃　queried　Carley。

〃Not　today。　I　do　not　want　you　to　spring　any　domestic　science　on　me　now。〃　Carley　was　not　averse　to　withholding　her　ignorance。　She　watched　Glenn　with　surpassing　curiosity　and　interest。　First　he　threw　a　quantity　of　wood　upon　the　smoldering　fire。

〃I　have　ham　and　mutton　of　my　own　raising；〃　announced　Glenn；　with　importance。　〃Which　would　you　prefer？〃

〃Of　your　own　raising。　What　do　you　mean？〃　queried　Carley。

〃My　dear；　you've　been　so　steeped　in　the　fog　of　the　crowd　that　you　are　blind　to　the　homely　and　necessary　things　of　living。　I　mean　I　have　here　meat　of　both　sheep　and　hog　that　I　raised　myself。　That　is　to　say；　mutton　and　ham。　Which　do　you　like？〃

〃Ham！〃　cried　Carley；　incredulously。

Without　more　ado　Glenn　settled　to　brisk　action；　every　move　of　which　Carley　watched　with　keen　eyes。　The　usurping　of　a　woman's　province　by　a　man　was　always　an　amusing　thing。　But　for　Glenn　Kilbournewhat　more　would　it　be？　He　evidently　knew　what　he　wanted；　for　every　movement　was　quick；　decisive。　One　after　another　he　placed　bags；　cans；　sacks；　pans；　utensils　on　the　table。　Then　he　kicked　at　the　roaring　fire；　settling　some　of　the　sticks。　He　strode　outside　to　return　with　a　bucket　of　water；　a　basin；　towel；　and　soap。　Then　he　took　down　two　queer　little　iron　pots　with　heavy　lids。　To　each　pot　was　attached　a　wire　handle。　He　removed　the　lids；　then　set　both　the　pots　right　on　the　fire　or　in　it。　Pouring　water　into　the　basin；　he　proceeded　to　wash　his　hands。　Next　he　took　a　large　pail；　and　from　a　sack　he　filled　it　half　full　of　flour。　To　this　he　added　baking　powder　and　salt。　It　was　instructive　for　Carley　to　see　him　run　his　skillful　fingers　all　through　that　flour；　as　if　searching　for　lumps。　After　this　he　knelt　before　the　f