in the carquinez woods-第1章

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In　the　Carquinez　Woods

by　Bret　Harte





CHAPTER　I。


The　sun　was　going　down　on　the　Carquinez　Woods。　　The　few　shafts　of
sunlight　that　had　pierced　their　pillared　gloom　were　lost　in
unfathomable　depths；　or　splintered　their　ineffectual　lances　on
the　enormous　trunks　of　the　redwoods。　　For　a　time　the　dull　red　of
their　vast　columns；　and　the　dull　red　of　their　cast…off　bark　which
matted　the　echoless　aisles；　still　seemed　to　hold　a　faint　glow　of
the　dying　day。　　But　even　this　soon　passed。　　Light　and　color　fled
upwards。　　The　dark　interlaced　treetops；　that　had　all　day　made　an
impenetrable　shade；　broke　into　fire　here　and　there；　their　lost
spires　glittered；　faded；　and　went　utterly　out。　　A　weird　twilight
that　did　not　come　from　the　outer　world；　but　seemed　born　of　the
wood　itself；　slowly　filled　and　possessed　the　aisles。　　The
straight；　tall；　colossal　trunks　rose　dimly　like　columns　of　upward
smoke。　　The　few　fallen　trees　stretched　their　huge　length　into
obscurity；　and　seemed　to　lie　on　shadowy　trestles。　　The　strange
breath　that　filled　these　mysterious　vaults　had　neither　coldness
nor　moisture；　a　dry；　fragrant　dust　arose　from　the　noiseless　foot
that　trod　their　bark…strewn　floor；　the　aisles　might　have　been
tombs；　the　fallen　trees　enormous　mummies；　the　silence　the
solitude　of　a　forgotten　past。

And　yet　this　silence　was　presently　broken　by　a　recurring　sound
like　breathing；　interrupted　occasionally　by　inarticulate　and
stertorous　gasps。　　It　was　not　the　quick；　panting；　listening
breath　of　some　stealthy　feline　or　canine　animal；　but　indicated　a
larger；　slower；　and　more　powerful　organization；　whose　progress
was　less　watchful　and　guarded；　or　as　if　a　fragment　of　one　of　the
fallen　monsters　had　become　animate。　　At　times　this　life　seemed　to
take　visible　form；　but　as　vaguely；　as　misshapenly；　as　the　phantom
of　a　nightmare。　　Now　it　was　a　square　object　moving　sideways；
endways；　with　neither　head　nor　tail　and　scarcely　visible　feet；
then　an　arched　bulk　rolling　against　the　trunks　of　the　trees　and
recoiling　again；　or　an　upright　cylindrical　mass；　but　always
oscillating　and　unsteady；　and　striking　the　trees　on　either　hand。
The　frequent　occurrence　of　the　movement　suggested　the　figures　of
some　weird　rhythmic　dance　to　music　heard　by　the　shape　alone。
Suddenly　it　either　became　motionless　or　faded　away。

There　was　the　frightened　neighing　of　a　horse；　the　sudden　jingling
of　spurs；　a　shout　and　outcry；　and　the　swift　apparition　of　three
dancing　torches　in　one　of　the　dark　aisles；　but　so　intense　was　the
obscurity　that　they　shed　no　light　on　surrounding　objects；　and
seemed　to　advance　of　their　own　volition　without　human　guidance；
until　they　disappeared　suddenly　behind　the　interposing　bulk　of
one　of　the　largest　trees。　　Beyond　its　eighty　feet　of　circumference
the　light　could　not　reach；　and　the　gloom　remained　inscrutable。
But　the　voices　and　jingling　spurs　were　heard　distinctly。

〃Blast　the　mare！　　She's　shied　off　that　cursed　trail　again。〃

〃Ye　ain't　lost　it　again；　hev　ye？〃　growled　a　second　voice。

〃That's　jist　what　I　hev。　　And　these　blasted　pine…knots　don't　give
light　an　inch　beyond　'em。　　Dd　if　I　don't　think　they　make　this
cursed　hole　blacker。〃

There　was　a　laugha　woman's　laughhysterical；　bitter；
sarcastic；　exasperating。　　The　second　speaker；　without　heeding　it；
went　on：

〃What　in　thunder　skeert　the　hosses？　　Did　you　see　or　hear
anything？〃

〃Nothin'。　　The　wood　is　like　a　graveyard。〃

The　woman's　voice　again　broke　into　a　hoarse；　contemptuous　laugh。
The　man　resumed　angrily：

〃If　you　know　anything；　why　in　h…ll　don't　you　say　so；　instead　of
cackling　like　a　dd　squaw　there？　　P'raps　you　reckon　you　ken　find
the　trail　too。〃

〃Take　this　rope　off　my　wrist；〃　said　the　woman's　voice；　〃untie　my
hands；　let　me　down；　and　I'll　find　it。〃　　She　spoke　quickly　and
with　a　Spanish　accent。

It　was　the　men's　turn　to　laugh。　　〃And　give　you　a　show　to　snatch
that　six…shooter　and　blow　a　hole　through　me；　as　you　did　to　the
Sheriff　of　Calaveras；　eh？　　Not　if　this　court　understands　itself；〃
said　the　first　speaker　dryly。

〃Go　to　the　devil；　then；〃　she　said　curtly。

〃Not　before　a　lady；〃　responded　the　other。　　There　was　another
laugh　from　the　men；　the　spurs　jingled　again；　the　three　torches
reappeared　from　behind　the　tree；　and　then　passed　away　in　the
darkness。

For　a　time　silence　and　immutability　possessed　the　woods；　the
great　trunks　loomed　upwards；　their　fallen　brothers　stretched
their　slow　length　into　obscurity。　　The　sound　of　breathing　again
became　audible；　the　shape　reappeared　in　the　aisle；　and
recommenced　its　mystic　dance。　　Presently　it　was　lost　in　the
shadow　of　the　largest　tree；　and　to　the　sound　of　breathing
succeeded　a　grating　and　scratching　of　bark。　　Suddenly；　as　if
riven　by　lightning；　a　flash　broke　from　the　center　of　the　tree…
trunk；　lit　up　the　woods；　and　a　sharp　report　rang　through　it。
After　a　pause　the　jingling　of　spurs　and　the　dancing　of　torches
were　revived　from　the　distance。

〃Hallo？〃

No　answer。

〃Who　fired　that　shot？〃

But　there　was　no　reply。　　A　slight　veil　of　smoke　passed　away　to
the　right；　there　was　the　spice　of　gunpowder　in　the　air；　but
nothing　more。

The　torches　came　forward　again；　but　this　time　it　could　be　seen
they　were　held　in　the　hands　of　two　men　and　a　woman。　　The　woman's
hands　were　tied　at　the　wrist　to　the　horse…hair　reins　of　her　mule；
while　a　riata；　passed　around　her　waist　and　under　the　mule's
girth；　was　held　by　one　of　the　men；　who　were　both　armed　with
rifles　and　revolvers。　　Their　frightened　horses　curveted；　and　it
was　with　difficulty　they　could　be　made　to　advance。

〃Ho！　stranger；　what　are　you　shooting　at？〃

The　woman　laughed　and　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃Look　yonder　at
the　roots　of　the　tree。　　You're　a　dd　smart　man　for　a　sheriff；
ain't　you？〃

The　man　uttered　an　exclamation　and　spurred　his　horse　forward；　but
the　animal　reared　in　terror。　　He　then　sprang　to　the　ground　and
approached　the　tree。　　The　shape　lay　there；　a　scarcely
distinguishable　bulk。

〃A　grizzly；　by　the　living　Jingo！　　Shot　through　the　heart。〃

It　was　true。　　The　strange　shape　lit　up　by　the　flaring　torches
seemed　more　vague；　unearthly；　and　awkward　in　its　dying　throes；
yet　the　small　shut　eyes；　the　feeble　nose；　the　ponderous
shoulders；　and　half…human　foot　armed　with　powerful　claws　were
unmistakable。　　The　men　turned　by　a　common　impulse　and　peered　into
the　remote　recesses　of　the　wood　again。

〃Hi；　Mister！　come　and　pick　up　your　game。　　Hallo　there！〃

The　challenge　fell　unheeded　on　the　empty　woods。

〃And　yet；〃　said　he　whom　the　woman　had　called　the　sheriff；　〃he
can't　be　far　off。　　It　was　a　close　shot；　and　the　bear　hez　dropped
in　his　tracks。　　Why；　wot's　this　sticking　in　his　claws？〃

The　two　men　bent　over　the　animal。　　〃Why；　it's　sugar；　brown　sugar
look！〃　　There　was　no　mistake。　　The　huge　beast's　fore　paws　and
muzzle　were　streaked　with　the　unromantic　household　provision；　and
heightened　the　absurd　contrast　of　its　incongruous　members。　　The
woman；　apparently　indifferent；　had　taken　that　opportunity　to
partly　free　one　of　her　wrists。

〃If　we　hadn't　been　cavorting　round　this　yer　spot　for　the　last
half　hour；　I'd　swear　there　was　a　shanty　not　a　hundred　yards
away；〃　said　the　sheriff。

The　other　man；　without　replying；　remounted　his　horse　instantly。

〃If　there　is；　and　it's　inhabited　by　a　gentleman　that　kin　make
centre　shots　like　that　in　the　dark；　and　don't　care　to　explain
how；　I　reckon　I　won't　disturb　him。〃

The　sheriff　was　apparently　of　the　same　opinion；　for　he　followed
his　companion's　example；　and　once　more　led　the　way。　　The　spurs
tinkled；　the　torches　danced；　and　the　cavalcade　slowly　reentered
the　gloom。　　In　another　moment　it　had　disappeared。

The　wood　sank　again　into　repose；　this　time　disturbed　by　neither
shape　nor　sound。　　What　lower　forms　of　life　might　have　crept　close
to　its　roots　were　hidden　in　the　ferns；　or　passed　with　deadened
tread　over　the　bark…strewn　floor。　　Towards　morning　a　coolness
like　dew　fell　from　above；　with　here　and　there　a　dropping　twig　or
nut；　or　the　crepitant　awakening　and　stretching…out　of　cramped　and
weary　branches。　　Later　a　dull；　lurid　dawn；　not　unlike　the　last
evening's　sunset；　filled　the　aisles。　　This　faded　again；　and　a
clear　gray　light；　in　which　every　object　stood　out　in　sharp