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第34章

arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第34章

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That is all the rest we did get。          I don't know how fast we went; I'd got 

beyond that。      We must have crawled along mighty slow; though; after our 

first strength gave out。        The way I used to do was to collect myself with 

an    effort;  look   around    for  my    bearings;    pick   out  a  landmark     a  little 

distance off; and forget everything but it。            Then I'd plod along; knowing 

nothing but the sand and shale and slope under my feet; until I'd reached 

that landmark。       Then I'd clear my mind and pick out another。                    But I 

couldn't shut out the figure of Schwartz that way。              He used to walk along 

just ahead of my shoulder。          His face was all twisted up; but I remember 

thinking at the time it looked more as if he was worried in his mind than 

like   bodily   suffering。     The   weight   of   the   gold   in   his   clothes   bent   his 

shoulders over。            As we went on the country gradually got to be more 

mountainous; and; as we were steadily growing weaker; it did seem things 

were piling up on us。 The eighth day we ran out of the fishhook cactus; 

and; being on a high promontory; were out of touch with the sea。                   For the 

first time my tongue began to swell a little。           The cactus had kept me from 

that before。     Denton must have been in the same fix; for he looked at me 

and raised one eyebrow kind of humorous。                       Schwartz was having a 

good deal of difficulty to navigate。           I will say for him that he had done 

well; but now I could see that his strength was going on him in spite of 

himself。     He knew it; all right; for when we rested that day he took all the 

gold coins and spread them in a row; and counted them; and put them back 

in   his   pocket;   and   then   all   of   a   sudden   snatched   out   two   handfuls   and 

threw them as far as he could。              〃Too heavy;〃 he muttered; but that was 

all he could bring himself to throw away。                 All that night we wandered 

high in the air。      I guess we tried to keep a general direction; but I don't 

know。      Anyway;   along   late;   but   before   moonriseshe   was   now   on   the 

waneI came to; and found myself looking over the edge of a twenty…foot 

drop。     Right below me I made out a faint glimmer of white earth in the 

starlight。    Somehow it reminded me of a little trail I used to know under a 

big rock back in Texas。            〃Here's a trail;〃 I thought; more than half loco; 



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〃I'll follow it!〃         At least that's what half of me thought。             The other 

half was sensible; and knew better; but it seemed to be kind of standing to 

one    side;  a  little  scornful;   watching    the   performance。      So    I  slid  and 

slipped down to the strip of white earth; and; sure enough; it was a trail。 

At that the loco half of me gave the sensible part the laugh。                 I followed 

the path twenty feet and came to a dark hollow under the                rock; and in it a 

round pool of water about a foot across。              They say a   man kills himself 

drinking too much; after starving for water。           That may be; but it didn't kill 

me;  and   I  sucked up   all   I  could hold。    Perhaps   the  fishhook   cactus   had 

helped。     Well;   sir;  it   was   surprising   how  that   drink brought   me   around。 

A minute before I'd been on the edge of going plumb loco; and here I was 

as   clear…headed   as   a   lawyer。          I   hunted   up   Denton   and   Schwartz。 

They drank; themselves full; too。           Then we rested。        It was mighty hard 

to leave that spring             Oh; we had to do it。       We'd have starved sure; 

there。    The trail was a game trail; but that did us no good; for we had no 

weapons。 

     How we did wish for the coffeepot; so we could take some away。                    We 

filled   our   hats;   and   carried   them   about   three   hours;   before   the water 

began to soak through。         Then we had to drink it in order to save it。 

     The country fairly stood up on end。             We had to climb separate little 

hills so as to avoid rolling rocks down on each other。              It took it out of us。 

About this time we began to see mountain sheep。               They would come right 

up to the edges of the small cliffs to look at us。          We threw stones at them; 

hoping     to  hit  one   in  the  forehead;    but  of  course   without    any   results。 

The good effects of the water lasted us about a day。                Then we began to 

see things again。      Off and on I could see water plain as could be in every 

hollow; and game of all kinds standing around and looking at me。                  I knew 

these were all fakes。       By making an effort I could swing things around to 

where they belonged。         I used to do that every once in a while; just to be 

sure we weren't doubling back; and to look out for real water。                  But most 

of the    time it didn't seem to be worth while。            I just let all these visions 

riot around and have a good time inside me or outside me; whichever it 

was。    I knew I could get rid of them any minute。               Most of the time; if I 

was in any doubt; it was easier to throw a stone to see if the animals were 



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real or not。    The real ones ran away。              We began to see bands of wild 

horses in the uplands。        One day both Denton and I plainly saw one with 

saddle marks on him。          If only one of us had seen him; it wouldn't have 

counted      much;    but   we    both   made     him   out。    This    encouraged      us 

wonderfully; though I don't see why it should have。                We had topped the 

high   country;  too;  and had   started   down the   other side of   the   mountains 

that   ran   out  on   the  promontory。      Denton     and   I  were   still  navigating 

without any thought of giving up; but Schwartz was getting in bad shape。 

I'd hate to pack twenty pounds over that country even with rest; food; and 

water。    He was toting it on nothing。         We told him so; and he came to see 

it; but he never could persuade himself to get rid of the gold all at once。 

Instead he threw away the pieces one by one。               Each sacrifice seemed to 

nerve him up for another heat。           I can shut my eyes and see it nowthe 

wide;     glaring;   yellow    country;    the   pasteboard     mountains;     we    three 

dragging   along;   and   the   fierce   sunshine   flashing   from   the   doubloons   as 

one by one they went spinning through the air。 



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           CHAPTER FOURTEEN; THE 

              CHEWED SUGAR CANE 



     〃I'd like to have trailed you fellows;〃 sighed a voice from the corner。 

〃Would you!〃 said Colorado Rogers grimly。 

       It   was   five   days   to   the   next   water。 But   they   were   worse   than   the 

eight    days   before。    We     were    lucky;   however;     for  at  the   spring   we 

discovered in a deep wash near the coast; was the dried…up skull of a horse。 

It had been there a long time; but a few shreds of dried flesh still clung to 

it。   It was the only thing that could be described as food that had passed 

our lips since breakfast thirteen days before。           In that time we had crossed 

the mountain chain; and had come again to the sea。                 The Lord was good 

to   us。   He   sent   us   the   water;   and   the   horse's   skull;   and   the   smooth   hard 

beach; without breaks 

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