rolf in the woods-第45章

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crossed　the　lake；　and　Annette；　shrill　with　joy；　was　displaying

her　treasures　to　the　wonder　and　envy　of　her　kin。



Making　a　dress　was　a　simple　matter　in　those　and　Marta　promised：

〃Yah；　soom　day　ven　I　one　have；　shall　I　it　sew。〃　　Meanwhile；

Annette　was　quaffing　deep；　soul…satisfying　draughts　in　the　mere

contempt　of　the　yellow；　red；　green；　and　blue　glories　in　which　was

soon　to　appear　in　public。　And　when　the　bed　came；　she　fell　asleep

holding　the　dress…goods　stuff　in　arms；　and　with　the　red　parasol

spread　above　her　head；　tired　out；　but　inexpressibly　happy。







Chapter　53。　Travelling　to　the　Great　City



He's　a　bad　failure　that　ain't　king　in　some　little　corner　

Sayings　of　Sylvanne　Sylvanne



The　children　were　not　astir　when　Rolf　was　off　in　the　morning。　He

caught　a　glimpse　of　Annette；　still　asleep　under　the　red　parasol；

but　the　dress　goods　and　the　brass　buttons　had　fallen　to　the

floor。　　He　stepped　into　the　canoe。　The　dead　calm　of　early　morning

was　on　the　water；　and　the　little　craft　went　skimming　and　wimpling

across。　　In　half　an　hour　it　was　beached　at　Callan's。　　In　a　little

more　than　an　hour's　jog　and　stride　he　was　at　Warren's；　ready　for

work。　　As　he　marched　in；　strong　and　brisk；　his　colour　up；　his

blue　eyes　kindled　with　the　thought　of　seeing　Albany；　the　trader

could　not　help　being　struck　by　him；　especially　when　he　remembered

each　of　their　meetings　　meetings　in　which　he　discerned　a　keen；

young　mind　of　good　judgment；　one　that　could　decide　quickly。



Gazing　at　the　lithe；　red…checked　lad；　he　said：　〃Say；　Rolf；　air　ye

an　Injun？？　〃



〃No；　sir。〃



〃Air　ye　a　half…breed？〃



〃No；　I'm　a　Yank；　my　name　is　Kittering；　born　and　bred　in　Redding；

Connecticut。〃



〃Well；　I　swan；　ye　look　it。　At　fust　I　took　ye　fur　an　Injun；　ye　did

look　dark　（and　Rolf　laughed　inside；　as　he　thought　of　that

butternut　dye）；　but　I'm　bound　to　say　we're　glad　yer　white。〃



〃Here；　Bill；　this　is　Rolf；　Rolf　Kittering；　he'll　go　with　ye　to

Albany。〃　Bill；　a　loose…jointed；　middle…aged；　flat…footed；　large…

handed；　semi…loafer；　with　keen　gray　eyes；　looked　up　from　a　bundle

he　was　roping。



Then　Warren　took　Rolf　aside　and　explained：　〃I'm　sending　down　all

my　fur　this　trip。　　There's　ten　bales　of　sixty　pounds　each；　pretty

near　my　hull　fortune。　　I　want　it　took　straight　to　Vandam's；　and；

night　or　day；　don't　leave　it　till　ye　git　it　there。　He's　close　to

the　dock。　　I'm　telling　ye　this　for　two　reasons：　The　river's

swarming　with　pirates　and　sneaks。　　They'd　like　nothing　better

than　to　get　away　with　a　five…hundred…dollar　bundle　of　fur；　and；

next；　while　Bill　is　A1　on　the　river　and　true　as　steel；　he's　awful

weak　on　the　liquor；　goes　crazy；　once　it's　in　him。　　And　I　notice

you've　always　refused　it　here。　So　don't　stop　at　Troy；　an'　when　ye

get　to　Albany　go　straight　past　there　to　Vandam's。　　You'll　have　a

letter　that'll　explain；　and　he'll　supply　the　goods　yer　to　bring　back。

He's　a　sort　of　a　partner；　and　orders　from　him　is　same　as　from　me。



〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　go　myself；　but　this　is　the　time　all　the　fur

is　coming　in　here；　an'　I　must　be　on　hand　to　do　the　dickering；　and

there's　too　much　much　to　risk　it　any　longer　in　the　storehouse。〃



〃Suppose；〃　said　Rolf；　〃Bill　wants　to　stop　at　Troy？〃



〃He　won't。　He's　all　right；　given　he's　sober。　　I've　give　him　the

letter。〃



〃Couldn't　you　give　me　the　letter；　in　case？〃



〃Law；　Bill'd　get　mad　and　quit。〃



〃He'll　never　know。〃



〃That's　so；　I　will。〃　So　when　they　paddled　away；　Bill　had　an

important　letter　of　instructions　ostentatiously　tucked　in　his

outer　pocket。　　Rolf；　unknown　to　any　one　else　but　Warren；　had　a

duplicate；　wrapped　in　waterproof；　hidden　in　an　inside　pocket。



Bill　was　A1　on　the　river；　a　kind　and　gentle　old　woodman；　much

stronger　than　he　looked。　He　knew　the　value　of　fur　and　the　danger

of　wetting　it；　so　he　took　no　chances　in　doubtful　rapids。　This

meant　many　portages　and　much　hard　labour。



I　wonder　if　the　world　realizes　the　hard　labour　of　the　portage　or

carry？　Let　any　man　who　seeks　for　light；　take　a　fifty…pound　sack

of　flour　on　his　shoulders　and　walk　a　quarter　of　a　mile　on　level

ground　in　cool　weather。　Unless　he　is　in　training；　he　will　find　it

a　heavy　burden　long　before　he　is　half…way。　　Suppose；　instead　of　a

flour　sack；　the　burden　has　sharp　angles；　the　bearer　is　soon　in

torture。　　Suppose　the　weight　carried　be　double；　then　the　strain

is　far　more　than　doubled。　　Suppose；　finally；　the　road　be　not　a

quarter　mile　but　a　mile；　and　not　on　level　but　through　swamps；

over　rocks；　logs；　and　roots；　and　the　weather　not　cool；　but

suffocating　summer　weather　in　the　woods；　with　mosquitoes　boring

into　every　exposed　part；　while　both　hands　are　occupied；　steadying

the　burden　or　holding　on　to　branches　for　help　up　steep　places　

and　then　he　will　have　some　idea　of　the　horror　of　the　portage；　and

there　were　many　of　these；　each　one　calling　for　six　loaded　and

five　light　trips　for　each　canoe…man。　　What　wonder　that　men　will

often　take　chances　in　some　fierce　rapid；　rather　than　to　make　a

long　carry　through　the　fly…infested　woods。



It　was　weighty　evidence　of　Bill's　fidelity　that　again　and　again

they　made　a　portage　around　rapids　he　had　often　run；　because　in

the　present　case　he　was　in　sacred　trust　of　that　much　prized

commodity　　fur。



Eighty　miles　they　called　it　from　Warren's　to　Albany；　but　there

were　many　halts　and　carries　which　meant　long　delay；　and　a　whole

week　was　covered　before　Bill　and　Rolf　had　passed　the　settlements

of　Glens　Falls；　Fort　Edward；　and　Schuylerville；　and　guided　their

heavily　laden　canoe　on　the　tranquil　river；　past　the　little　town

of　Troy。　　Loafers　hailed　them　from　the　bank；　but　Bill　turned　a

deaf　ear　to　all　temptation；　and　they　pushed　on　happy　in　the

thought　that　now　their　troubles　were　over；　the　last　rapid　was

past；　the　broad；　smooth　waters　extended　to　their　port。







Chapter　54。　Albany



Only　a　man　who　in　his　youth　has　come　at　last　in　　sight　of　some

great　city　he　had　dreamed　of　all　his　life　and　longed　to　see；　can

enter　into　Rolf's　feelings　as　they　swept　around　the　big　bend；　and

Albany　　Albany；　hove　in　view。　　Abany；　the　first　chartered　city

of　the　United　States；　Albany；　the　capital　of　all　the　Empire

State；　Albany；　the　thriving　metropolis　with　nearly　six　thousand

living　human　souls；　Albany　with　its　State　House；　beautiful　and

dignified；　looking　down　the　mighty　Hudson　highway　that　led　to　the

open　sea。



Rolf　knew　his　Bible；　and　now　he　somewhat　realized　the　feelings　of

St。　Paul　on　that　historic　day　when　his　life…long　dream　came　true；

when　first　he　neared　the　Eternal　City　　when　at　last　he　glimpsed

the　towers　of　imperial；　splendid　Rome。



The　long…strung　docks　were　massed　and　webbed　with　ship　rigging；

the　water　was　livened　with　boats　and　canoes；　the　wooden

warehouses　back　of　the　docks　were　overtopped　by　wooden　houses　in

tiers；　until　high　above　them　all　the　Capitol　itself　was　the

fitting　climax。



Rolf　knew　something　of　shipping；　and　amid　all　the　massed　boats

his　eyes　fell　on　a　strange；　square…looking　craft　with　a　huge

water…wheel　on　each　side。　Then；　swinging　into　better　view；　he

read　her　name；　the　Clermont；　and　knew　that　this　was　the　famous

Fulton　steamer；　the　first　of　the　steamboat　age。



But　Bill　was　swamped　by　no　such　emotion。　Albany；　Hudson；

Clermont；　and　all；　were　familiar　stories　to　him　and　he　stolidly

headed　the　canoe　for　the　dock　he　knew　of　old。



Loafers　roosting　on　the　snubbing　posts　hailed　him；　at　first　with

raillery；　but；　coming　nearer；　he　was　recognized。　〃Hello；　Bill；

back　again？　Glad　to　see　you；〃　and　there　was　superabundant　help　to

land　the　canoe。



〃Wall；　wall；　wall；　so　it's　really　you；〃　said　the　touter　of　a　fur

house；　in　extremely　friendly　voice；　〃come　in　now　and　we'll　hev　a

drink。〃



〃No；　sir…ree；〃　said　Bill　decisively；　〃I　don't　drink　till　business

is　done。〃



〃Wall；　now；　Bill；　here's　Van　Roost's　not　ten　steps　away　an'　he

hez　tapped　the　finest　bar'l　in　years。〃



〃No；　I　tell　ye；　I'm　not　drinking　　now。〃