lin mclean-第6章

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〃I'd　pull　out　with　yer；〃　he　said；　〃only　I　can　do　business　round　Yuma　and

westward　with　the　pinto。〃



For　three　farewell　days　Lin　and　Honey　roved　together　in　all　sorts　of

places；　where　they　were　welcome；　and　once　more　Lin　rode　a　horse　and　was

in　his　native　element。　Then　he　travelled　to　Deming；　and　so　through　Denver

to　Omaha；　where　he　was　told　that　his　trunk　had　been　sold　for　some　months。

Besides　a　suit　of　clothes　for　town　wear；　it　had　contained　a　buffalo　coat

for　his　brothersomething　scarce　to　see　in　these　days。



〃Frank'll　have　to　get　along　without　it；〃　he　observed；　philosophically；

and　took　the　next　eastbound　train。



If　you　journey　in　a　Pullman　from　Mesa　to　Omaha　without　a　waistcoat；　and

with　a　silk　handkerchief　knotted　over　the　collar　of　your　flannel　shirt

instead　of　a　tie；　wearing；　besides；　tall；　high…heeled　boots；　a　soft；　gray

hat　with　a　splendid　brim；　a　few　people　will　notice　you；　but　not　the

majority。　New　Mexico　and　Colorado　are　used　to　these　things。　As　Iowa；　with

its　immense　rolling　grain；　encompasses　you；　people　will　stare　a　little

more；　for　you're　getting　near　the　East；　where　cow…punchers　are　not

understood。　But　in　those　days　the　line　of　cleavage　came　sharp…drawn　at

Chicago。　West　of　there　was　still　tolerably　west；　but　east　of　there　was

east　indeed；　and　the　Atlantic　Ocean　was　the　next　important

stopping…place。　In　Lin's　new　train；　good　gloves；　patent…leathers；　and

silence　prevailed　throughout　the　sleeping…car；　which　was　for　Boston

without　change。　Had　not　home　memories　begun　impetuously　to　flood　his

mind；　he　would　have　felt　himself　conspicuous。　Town　clothes　and

conventions　had　their　due　value　with　him。　But　just　now　the　boy's　single…

hearted　thoughts　were　far　from　any　surroundings；　and　he　was　murmuring　to

himself；　〃To…morrow！　tomorrow　night！〃



There　were　ladies　in　that　blue　plush　car　for　Boston　who　looked　at　Lin　for

thirty　miles　at　a　stretch；　and　by　the　time　Albany　was　reached　the　next

day　one　or　two　of　them　commented　that　he　was　the　most　attractive…looking

man　they　had　ever　seen！　Whereas；　beyond　his　tallness；　and　wide…open；

jocular　eyes；　eyes　that　seemed　those　of　a　not　highly　conscientious　wild

animal；　there　was　nothing　remarkable　about　young　Lin　except　stage　effect。

The　conductor　had　been　annoyed　to　have　such　a　passenger；　but　the

cow…puncher　troubled　no　one；　and　was　extremely　silent。　So　evidently　was

he　a　piece　of　the　true　frontier　that　curious　and　hopeful

fellow…passengers；　after　watching　him　with　diversion；　more　than　once　took

a　seat　next　to　him。　He　met　their　chatty　inquiries　with　monosyllables　so

few　and　so　unprofitable　in　their　quiet　politeness　that　the　passengers

soon　gave　him　up。　At　Springfield　he　sent　a　telegram　to　his　brother　at　the

great　dry…goods　establishment　that　employed　him。



The　train　began　its　homestretch　after　Worcester；　and　whirled　and　swung　by

hills　and　ponds　he　began　to　watch　for；　and　through　stations　with　old

wayside　names。　These　flashed　on　Lin's　eye　as　he　sat　with　his　hat　off　and

his　forehead　against　the　window；　looking：　Wellesley。　Then；　not　long

after；　Riverside。　That　was　the　Charles　River；　and　did　the　picnic　woods

used　to　be　above　the　bridge　or　below？　West　Newton；　Newtonville；　Newton。

〃Faneuil's　next；〃　he　said　aloud　in　the　car；　as　the　long…forgotten

home…knowledge　shone　forth　in　his　recollection。　The　traveller　seated　near

said；　〃Beg　pardon？〃　but；　turning；　wondered　at　the　all…unconscious　Lin；

with　his　forehead　pressed　against　the　glass。　The　blue　water　flashed　into

sight；　and　soon　after　they　were　running　in　the　darkness　between　high

walls；　but　the　cow…puncher　never　moved；　though　nothing　could　be　seen。

When　the　porter　announced　〃Boston；〃　he　started　up　and　followed　like　a

sheep　in　the　general　exodus。　Down　on　the　platform　he　moved　along　with　the

slow　crowd　till　some　one　touched　him；　and；　wheeling　round；　he　seized　both

his　brother's　hands　and　swore　a　good　oath　of　joy。



There　they　stoodthe　long；　brown　fellow　with　the　silk　handkerchief

knotted　over　his　flannel　shirt；　greeting　tremendously　the　spruce

civilian；　who　had　a　rope…colored　mustache　and　bore　a　fainthearted

resemblance　to　him。　The　story　was　plain　on　its　face　to　the　passers…by；

and　one　of　the　ladies　who　had　come　in　the　car　with　Lin　turned　twice；　and

smiled　gently　to　herself。



But　Frank　McLean's　heart　did　not　warm。　He　felt　that　what　he　had　been

afraid　of　was　true；　and　he　saw　he　was　being　made　conspicuous。　He　saw　men

and　women　stare　in　the　station；　and　he　saw　them　staring　as　he　and　his

Western　brother　went　through　the　streets。　Lin　strode　along；　sniffing　the

air　of　Boston；　looking　at　all　things；　and　making　it　a　stretch　for　his

sleek　companion　to　keep　step　with　him。　Frank　thought　of　the　refined

friends　he　should　have　to　introduce　his　brother　to；　for　he　had　risen　with

his　salary；　and　now　belonged　to　a　small　club　where　the　paying…tellers　of

banks　played　cards　every　night；　and　the　head　clerk　at　the　Parker　House

was　president。　Perhaps　he　should　not　have　to　reveal　the　cow…puncher　to

these　shining　ones。　Perhaps　the　cow…puncher　would　not　stay　very　long。　Of

course　he　was　glad　to　see　him　again；　and　he　would　take　him　to　dine　at

some　obscure　place　this　first　evening。　But　this　was　not　Lin's　plan。　Frank

must　dine　with　him；　at　the　Parker　House。　Frank　demurred；　saying　it　was　he

that　should　be　host。



〃And；〃　he　added；　〃they　charge　up　high　for　wines　at　Parker's。〃　Then　for

the　twentieth　time　he　shifted　a　sidelong　eye　over　his　brother's　clothes。



〃You're　goin'　to　take　your　grub　with　me；〃　said　Lin。　〃That's　all　right；

I　guess。　And　there　ain't　any　'no'　about　it。　Things　is　not　the　same　like

as　if　father　was　livin'（his　voice　softened）and　here　to　see　me　come

home。　Now　I'm　good　for　several　dinners　with　wines　charged　up　high；　I

expect；　nor　it　ain't　nobody　in　this　world；　barrin'　just　Lin　McLean；　that

I've　any　need　to　ask　for　anything。　'Mr。　McLean；'　says　I　to　Lin；　'can　yu'

spare　me　some　cash？'　'Why；　to　be　sure；　you　bet！'　And　we'll　start　off　with

steamed　Duxbury　clams。〃　The　cow…puncher　slapped　his　pocket；　where　the

coin　made　a　muffled　chinking。　Then　he　said；　gruffly；　〃I　suppose

Swampscott's　there　yet？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Frank。　〃It's　a　dead　little　town；　is　Swampscott。〃



〃I　guess　I'll　take　a　look　at　the　old　house　tomorrow；〃　Lin　pursued。



〃Oh；　that's　been　pulled　down　since　I　forget　the　year　they　improved　that

block。〃



Lin　regarded　in　silence　his　brother；　who　was　speaking　so　jauntily　of　the

first　and　last　home　they　had　ever　had。



〃Seventy…nine　is　when　it　was；〃　continued　Frank。　〃So　you　can　save　the

trouble　of　travelling　away　down　to　Swampscott。〃



〃I　guess　I'll　go　to　the　graveyard；　anyway；〃　said　the　cow…puncher　in　his

offish　voice；　and　looking　fixedly　in　front　of　him。



They　came　into　Washington　Street；　and　again　the　elder　McLean　uneasily

surveyed　the　younger's　appearance。



But　the　momentary　chill　had　melted　from　the　heart　of　the　genial　Lin。

〃After　to…morrow；〃　said　he；　laying　a　hand　on　his　brother's　shoulder；　〃yu'

can　start　any　lead　yu'　please；　and　I　guess　I　can　stay　with　yu'　pretty

close；　Frank。〃



Frank　said　nothing。　He　saw　one　of　the　members　of　his　club　on　the　other

side　of　the　way；　and　the　member　saw　him；　and　Frank　caught　diverted

amazement　on　the　member's　face。　Lin's　hand　weighed　on　his　shoulder；　and

the　stress　became　too　great。　〃Lin；〃　said　he；　〃while　you're　running　with

our　crowd；　you　don't　want　to　wear　that　style　of　hat；　you　know。〃



It　may　be　that　such　words　can　in　some　way　be　spoken　at　such　a　time；　but

not　in　the　way　that　these　were　said。　The　frozen　fact　was　irrevocably

revealed　in　the　tone　of　Frank's　voice。



The　cow…puncher　stopped　dead　short；　and　his　hand　slid　off　his　brother's

shoulder。　〃You've　made　it　plain；〃　he　said；　evenly；　slanting　his　steady

eyes　down　into　Frank's。　〃You've　explained　yourself　fairly　well。　Run　along

with　your　crowd；　and　I'll　not　bother　yu'　more　with　comin'　round　and

causin'　yu'　to　feel　ashamed。　It's　a　heap　better　to　understand　these

things　at　once；　and　save　maki