the friendly road-第37章

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〃And　I'm　glad　to　escape　THAT；〃　and　I　pointed　toward　the　city。

〃What？〃

〃Why；　that　old　monster　lying　there　in　the　valley。〃

I　could　see　that　she　was　surprised　and　even　a　little　alarmed。　So　I　began　intently　to　admire　her　young　cabbages　and　comment　on　the　perfection　of　her　geraniums。　But　I　caught　her　eying　me　from　time　to　time　as　I　leaned　there　on　the　fence；　and　I　knew　that　she　would　come　back　sooner　or　later　to　my　remark　about　the　monster。　Having　shocked　your　friend　（not　too　unpleasantly）；　abide　your　time；　and　he　will　want　to　be　shocked　again。　So　I　was　not　at　all　surprised　to　hear　her　ask：

〃Have　you　travelled　far？〃

〃I　should　say　so！〃　I　replied。　〃I've　been　on　a　very　long　journey。　I've　seen　many　strange　sights　and　met　many　wonderful　people。〃

〃You　may　have　been　in　California；　then。　I　have　a　daughter　in　California。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃I　was　never　in　California。〃

〃You've　been　a　long　time　from　home；　you　say？〃

〃A　very　long　time　from　home。〃

〃How　long？〃

〃Three　weeks。〃

〃Three　weeks！　And　how　far　did　you　say　you　had　travelled？〃

〃At　the　farthest　point；　I　should　say　sixty　miles　from　home。〃

〃But　how　can　you　say　that　in　travelling　only　sixty　miles　and　being　gone　three　weeks　that　you　have　seen　so　many　strange　places　and　people？〃

〃Why；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃haven't　you　seen　anything　strange　around　here？'〃

〃Why；　no〃　glancing　quickly　around　her。

〃Well；　I'm　strange；　am　I　not？〃

〃Well〃

〃And　you're　strange。〃

She　looked　at　me　with　the　utmost　amazement。　I　could　scarcely　keep　from　laughing。

〃I　assure　you；〃　I　said；　〃that　if　you　travel　a　thousand　miles　you　will　find　no　one　stranger　than　I　amor　you　arenor　anything　more　wonderful　than　all　this〃　and　I　waved　my　hand。

This　time　she　looked　really　alarmed；　glancing　quickly　toward　the　house；　so　that　I　began　to　laugh。

〃Madam；〃　I　said；　〃good　morning！〃

So　I　left　her　standing　there　by　the　fence　looking　after　me；　and　I　went　on　down　the　road。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃she'll　have　something　new　to　talk　about。　It　may　add　a　month　to　her　life。　Was　there　ever　such　an　amusing　world！〃

About　noon　that　day　I　had　an　adventure　that　I　have　to　laugh　over　every　time　I　think　of　it。　It　was　unusual；　too；　as　being　almost　the　only　incident　of　my　journey　which　was　of　itself　in　the　least　thrilling　or　out　of　the　ordinary。　Why；　this　might　have　made　an　item　in　the　country　paper！

For　the　first　time　on　my　trip　I　saw　a　man　that　I　really　felt　like　calling　a　trampa　tramp　in　the　generally　accepted　sense　of　the　term。　When　I　left　home　I　imagined　I　should　meet　many　tramps；　and　perhaps　learn　from　them　odd　and　curious　things　about　life；　but　when　I　actually　came　into　contact　with　the　shabby　men　of　the　road；　I　began　to　be　puzzled。　What　was　a　tramp；　anyway？

I　found　them　all　strangely　different；　each　with　his　own　distinctive　history；　and　each　accounting　for　himself　as　logically　as　I　could　for　myself。　And　save　for　the　fact　that　in　none　of　them　I　met　were　the　outward　graces　and　virtues　too　prominently　displayed；　I　have　come　back　quite　uncertain　as　to　what　a　scientist　might　call　type…characteristics。　I　had　thought　of　following　Emerson　in　his　delightfully　optimistic　definition　of　a　weed。　A　weed；　he　says；　is　a　plant　whose　virtues　have　not　been　discovered。　A　tramp；　then；　is　a　man　whose　virtues　have　not　been　discovered。　Or；　I　might　follow　my　old　friend　the　Professor　（who　dearly　loves　all　growing　things）　in　his　even　kindlier　definition　of　a　weed。　He　says　that　it　is　merely　a　plant　misplaced。　The　virility　of　this　definition　has　often　impressed　me　when　I　have　tried　to　grub　the　excellent　and　useful　horseradish　plants　out　of　my　asparagus　bed！　Let　it　be　thena　tramp　is　a　misplaced　man；　whose　virtues　have　not　been　discovered。

Whether　this　is　an　adequate　definition　or　not；　it　fitted　admirably　the　man　I　overtook　that　morning　on　the　road。　He　was　certainly　misplaced；　and　during　my　brief　but　exciting　experience　with　him　I　discovered　no　virtues　whatever。

In　one　way　he　was　quite　different　from　the　traditional　tramp。　He　walked　with　far　too　lively　a　step；　too　jauntily；　and　he　had　with　him　a　small；　shaggy；　nondescript　dog；　a　dog　as　shabby　as　he；　trotting　close　at　his　heels。　He　carried　a　light　stick；　which　he　occasionally　twirled　over　in　his　hand。　As　I　drew　nearer　I　could　hear　him　whistling　and　even；　from　time　to　time；　breaking　into　a　lively　bit　of　song。　What　a　devil…may…care　chap　he　seemed；　anyway！　I　was　greatly　interested。

When　at　length　I　drew　alongside　he　did　not　seem　in　the　least　surprised。　He　turned；　glanced　at　me　with　his　bold　black　eyes；　and　broke　out　again　into　the　song　he　was　singing。　And　these　were　the　words　of　his　songat　least；　all　I　can　remember　of　them：

Oh；　I'm　so　fine　and　gay；　I'm　so　fine　and　gay；　I　have　to　take　a　dog　along；　To　kape　the　ga…irls　away。

What　droll　zest　he　put　into　it！　He　had　a　red　nose；　a　globular　red　nose　set　on　his　face　like　an　overgrown　strawberry；　and　from　under　the　worst　derby　hat　in　the　world　burst　his　thick　curly　hair。

〃Oh；　I'm　so　fine　and　gay；〃　he　sang；　stepping　to　the　rhythm　of　his　song；　and　looking　the　very　image　of　good…humoured　impudence。　I　can't　tell　how　amused　and　pleased　I　wasthough　if　I　had　known　what　was　to　happen　later　I　might　not　have　been　quite　so　friendlyyes；　I　would　too！

We　fell　into　conversation；　and　it　wasn't　long　before　I　suggested　that　we　stop　for　luncheon　together　somewhere　along　the　road。　He　cast　a　quick　appraising　eye　at　my　bag；　and　assented　with　alacrity。　We　climbed　a　fence　and　found　a　quiet　spot　near　a　little　brook。

I　was　much　astonished　to　observe　the　resources　of　my　jovial　companion。　Although　he　carried　neither　bag　nor　pack　and　appeared　to　have　nothing　whatever　in　his　pockets；　he　proceeded；　like　a　professional　prestidigitator；　to　produce　from　his　shabby　clothing　an　extraordinary　number　of　curious　thingsa　black　tin　can　with　a　wire　handle；　a　small　box　of　matches；　a　soiled　package　which　I　soon　learned　contained　tea；　a　miraculously　big　dry　sausage　wrapped　in　an　old　newspaper；　and　a　clasp…knife。　I　watched　him　with　breathless　interest。

He　cut　a　couple　of　crotched　sticks　to　hang　the　pail　on　and　in　two　or　three　minutes　had　a　little　fire；　no　larger　than　a　man's　hand；　burning　brightly　under　it。　（〃Big　fires；〃　said　he　wisely；　〃are　not　for　us。〃）　This　he　fed　with　dry　twigs；　and　in　a　very　few　minutes　he　had　a　pot　of　tea　from　which　he　offered　me　the　first　drink。　This；　with　my　luncheon　and　part　of　his　sausage；　made　up　a　very　good　meal。

While　we　were　eating；　the　little　dog　sat　sedately　by　the　fire。　From　time　to　time　his　master　would　say；　〃Speak；　Jimmy。〃

Jimmy　would　sit　up　on　his　haunches；　his　two　front　paws　hanging　limp；　turn　his　head　to　one　side　in　the　drollest　way　imaginable　and　give　a　yelp。　His　master　would　toss　him　a　bit　of　sausage　or　bread　and　he　would　catch　it　with　a　snap。

〃Fine　dog！〃　commented　my　companion。

〃So　he　seems；〃　said　I。

After　the　meal　was　over　my　companion　proceeded　to　produce　other　surprises　from　his　pocketsa　bag　of　tobacco；　a　brier　pipe　（which　he　kindly　offered　to　me　and　which　I　kindly　refused）；　and　a　soiled　packet　of　cigarette　papers。　Having　rolled　a　cigarette　with　practised　facility；　he　leaned　up　against　a　tree；　took　off　his　hat；　lighted　the　cigarette　and；　having　taken　a　long　draw　at　it；　blew　the　smoke　before　him　with　an　incredible　air　of　satisfaction。

〃Solid　comfort　this　herehey！〃　he　exclaimed。

We　had　some　further　talk；　but　for　so　jovial　a　specimen　he　was　surprisingly　uncommunicative。　Indeed；　I　think　he　soon　decided　that　I　somehow　did　not　belong　to　the　fraternity；　that　I　was　a　〃farmer〃in　the　most　opprobrious　senseand　he　soon　began　to　drowse；　rousing　himself　once　or　twice　to　roll　another　cigarette；　but　finally　dropping　（apparently；　at　least）　fast　asleep。

I　was　glad　enough　of　the　rest　and　quiet　after　the　strenuous　experience　of　the　last　；　two　daysand　I；　too；　soon　began　to　drowse。　It　didn't　seem　to　me　then　that　I　lost　consciousness　at　all；　but　I　suppose　I　must　have　done　so；　for　when　I　suddenly　opened　my　eyes　and　sat　up　my　companion　had　vanished。　How　he　succeeded　in　gathering　up　his　pail　and　packages　so　noiselessly　and　getting　away　so　quickly　is　a　mystery　to　me。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃that's　odd。〃

Rousing　myself　deliberately　I　put　on　my　hat　and　was　about　to　take　up　my　bag　when　I　suddenly　discovered　that　it　was　open。　My