in the carquinez woods-第21章
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bitterly； 〃and perhaps he wasn't as particular in his taste as a
white man might have been。 But；〃 she added； with a sudden spasm
of her old rage； 〃it's a lie； he's NOT an Indian； no more than I
am。 Not unless being born of a mother who scarcely knew him； of
a father who never even saw him； and being brought up among white
men and wild beastsless cruel than they werecould make him one！〃
Dunn looked at her in surprise not unmixed with admiration。 〃If
Nellie；〃 he thought； 〃could but love ME like that！〃 But he only
said：
〃For all that； he's an Injin。 Why； look at his name。 It ain't
Low。 It's L'Eau Dormante； Sleeping Water； an Injin name。〃
〃And what does that prove？〃 returned Teresa。 〃Only that Indians
clap a nick…name on any stranger； white or red； who may camp with
them。 Why； even his own father； a white man； the wretch who
begot him and abandoned him；HE had an Indian nameLoup Noir。〃
〃What name did you say？〃
〃Le Loup Noir； the Black Wolf。 I suppose you'd call him an
Indian； too？ Eh！ What's the matter？ We're walking too fast。
Stop a moment and rest。 Therethere； lean on me！〃
She was none too soon； for； after holding him upright a moment；
his limbs failed； and stooping gently she was obliged to support
him half reclining against a tree。
〃Its the heat！〃 he said。 〃Give me some whisky from my flask。
Never mind the water；〃 he added faintly； with a forced laugh；
after he had taken a draught at the strong spirit。 〃Tell me more
about the other waterthe Sleeping Wateryou know。 How do you
know all this about him and hisfather？〃
〃Partly from him and partly from Curson； who wrote to me about
him；〃 she answered with some hesitation。
But Dunn did not seem to notice this incongruity of correspondence
with a former lover。 〃And HE told you？〃
〃Yes； and I saw the name on an old memorandum book he has； which
he says belonged to his father。 It's full of old accounts of
some trading post on the frontier。 It's been missing for a day
or two； but it will turn up。 But I can swear I saw it。〃
Dunn attempted to rise to his feet。 〃Put your hand in my
pocket；〃 he said in a hurried whisper。 〃No； there！bring out a
book。 There； I haven't looked at it yet。 Is that it？〃 he added；
handing her the book Brace had given him a few hours before。
〃Yes；〃 said Teresa； in surprise。 〃Where did you find it？〃
〃Never mind！ Now let me see it； quick。 Open it； for my sight is
failing。 Therethank youthat's all！〃
〃Take more whisky；〃 said Teresa； with a strange anxiety creeping
over her。 〃You are faint again。〃
〃Wait！ Listen； Teresalowerput your ear lower。 Listen！ I
came near killing that chap Low to…day。 Wouldn't it have been
ridiculous？〃
He tried to smile； but his head fell back。 He had fainted。
CHAPTER IX
For the first time in her life Teresa lost her presence of mind
in an emergency。 She could only sit staring at the helpless man；
scarcely conscious of his condition； her mind filled with a
sudden prophetic intuition of the significance of his last words。
In the light of that new revelation she looked into his pale；
haggard face for some resemblance to Low； but in vain。 Yet her
swift feminine instinct met the objection。 〃It's the mother's
blood that would show；〃 she murmured； 〃not this man's。〃
Recovering herself； she began to chafe his hands and temples； and
moistened his lips with the spirit。 When his respiration
returned with a faint color to his cheeks； she pressed his hands
eagerly and leaned over him。
〃Are you sure？〃 she asked。
〃Of what？〃 he whispered faintly。
〃That Low is really your son？〃
〃Who said so？〃 he asked； opening his round eyes upon her。
〃You did yourself； a moment ago；〃 she said quickly。 〃Don't you
remember？〃
〃Did I？〃
〃You did。 Is it not so？〃
He smiled faintly。 〃I reckon。〃
She held her breath in expectation。 But only the ludicrousness
of the discovery seemed paramount to his weakened faculties。
〃Isn't it just about the ridiculousest thing all round？〃 he said；
with a feeble chuckle。 〃First YOU nearly kill me before you know
I am Low's father； then I'm just spoilin' to kill him before I
know he's my son； then that god…forsaken fool Jack Brace mistakes
you for Nellie and Nellie for you。 Ain't it just the biggest
thing for the boys to get hold of？ But we must keep it dark
until after I marry Nellie； don't you see？ Then we'll have a
good time all round； and I'll stand the drinks。 Think of it；
Teresha！ You don' no me； I do' no you； nobody knowsh anybody
elsh。 I try kill Lo'。 Lo' wants kill Nellie。 No thath no ri'〃
but the potent liquor； overtaking his exhausted senses；
thickened； impeded； and at last stopped his speech。 His head
slipped to her shoulder； and he became once more unconscious。
Teresa breathed again。 In that brief moment she had abandoned
herself to a wild inspiration of hope which she could scarcely
define。 Not that it was entirely a wild inspiration； she tried
to reason calmly。 What if she revealed the truth to him？ What
if she told the wretched man before her that she had deceived
him； that she had overheard his conversation with Brace； that she
had stolen Brace's horse to bring Low warning； that； failing to
find Low in his accustomed haunts； or at the campfire； she had
left a note for him pinned to the herbarium； imploring him to fly
with his companion from the danger that was coming； and that；
remaining on watch； she had seen them bothBrace and Dunn
approaching； and had prepared to meet them at the cabin？ Would
this miserable and maddened man understand her self…abnegation？
Would he forgive Low and Nellie？she did not ask for herself。
Or would the revelation turn his brain； if it did not kill him
outright？ She looked at the sunken orbits of his eyes and hectic
on his cheek； and shuddered。
Why was this added to the agony she already suffered？ She had
been willing to stand between them with her life； her liberty；
and eventhe hot blood dyed her cheek at the thoughtwith the
added shame of being thought the cast…off mistress of that man's
son。 Yet all this she had taken upon herself in expiation of
somethingshe knew not clearly what； no； for nothingonly for
HIM。 And yet this very situation offered her that gleam of hope
which had thrilled her； a hope so wild in its improbability； so
degrading in its possibility； that at first she knew not whether
despair was not preferable to its shame。 And yet was it
unreasonable？ She was no longer passionate； she would be calm
and think it out fairly。
She would go to Low at once。 She would find him somewhereand
even if with that girl； what mattered？and she would tell him
all。 When he knew that the life and death of his father lay in
the scale； would he let his brief； foolish passion for Nellie
stand in the way？ Even if he were not influenced by filial
affection or mere compassion； would his pride let him stoop to a
rivalry with the man who had deserted his youth？ Could he take
Dunn's promised bride； who must have coquetted with him to have
brought him to this miserable plight？ Was this like the calm；
proud young god she knew？ Yet she had an uneasy instinct that
calm； proud young gods and goddesses did things like this； and
felt the weakness of her reasoning flush her own conscious cheek。
〃Teresa！〃
She started。 Dunn was awake； and was gazing at her curiously。
〃I was reckoning it was the only square thing for Low to stop
this promiscuous picnicking here and marry you out and out。〃
〃Marry me！〃 said Teresa in a voice that； with all her efforts；
she could not make cynical。
〃Yes；〃 he repeated； 〃after I've married Nellie； tote you down to
San Angeles； and there take my name like a man； and give it to
you。 Nobody'll ask after TERESA； sureyou bet your life。 And
if they do； and he can't stop their jaw； just you call on the old
man。 It's mighty queer； ain't it； Teresa； to think of your being
my daughter…in…law？〃
It seemed here as if he was about to lapse again into unconsciousness
over the purely ludicrous aspect of the subject； but he haply
recovered his seriousness。 〃He'll have as much money from me as he
wants to go into business with。 What's his line of
