the jacket (the star-rover)-第25章

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emerged　from　the　wagons。　　Also　poured　forth　a　very　horde　of

children。　　There　must　have　been　at　least　fifty　children；　and　it

seemed　I　knew　them　all　of　long　time；　and　there　were　at　least　two

score　of　women。　　These　went　about　the　preparations　for　cooking

supper。



While　some　of　the　men　chopped　sage…brush　and　we　children　carried　it

to　the　fires　that　were　kindling；　other　men　unyoked　the　oxen　and　let

them　stampede　for　water。　　Next　the　men；　in　big　squads；　moved　the

wagons　snugly　into　place。　　The　tongue　of　each　wagon　was　on　the

inside　of　the　circle；　and；　front　and　rear；　each　wagon　was　in　solid

contact　with　the　next　wagon　before　and　behind。　　The　great　brakes

were　locked　fast；　but；　not　content　with　this；　the　wheels　of　all　the

wagons　were　connected　with　chains。　　This　was　nothing　new　to　us

children。　　It　was　the　trouble　sign　of　a　camp　in　hostile　country。

One　wagon　only　was　left　out　of　the　circle；　so　as　to　form　a　gate　to

the　corral。　　Later　on；　as　we　knew；　ere　the　camp　slept；　the　animals

would　be　driven　inside；　and　the　gate…wagon　would　be　chained　like　the

others　in　place。　　In　the　meanwhile；　and　for　hours；　the　animals　would

be　herded　by　men　and　boys　to　what　scant　grass　they　could　find。



While　the　camp…making　went　on　my　father；　with　several　others　of　the

men；　including　the　old　man　with　the　long；　sunburnt　hair；　went　away

on　foot　in　the　direction　of　the　mill。　　I　remember　that　all　of　us；

men；　women；　and　even　the　children；　paused　to　watch　them　depart；　and

it　seemed　their　errand　was　of　grave　import。



While　they　were　away　other　men；　strangers；　inhabitants　of　desert

Nephi；　came　into　camp　and　stalked　about。　　They　were　white　men；　like

us；　but　they　were　hard…faced；　stern…faced；　sombre；　and　they　seemed

angry　with　all　our　company。　　Bad　feeling　was　in　the　air；　and　they

said　things　calculated　to　rouse　the　tempers　of　our　men。　　But　the

warning　went　out　from　the　women；　and　was　passed　on　everywhere　to　our

men　and　youths；　that　there　must　be　no　words。



One　of　the　strangers　came　to　our　fire；　where　my　mother　was　alone；

cooking。　　I　had　just　come　up　with　an　armful　of　sage…brush；　and　I

stopped　to　listen　and　to　stare　at　the　intruder；　whom　I　hated；

because　it　was　in　the　air　to　hate；　because　I　knew　that　every　last

person　in　our　company　hated　these　strangers　who　were　white…skinned

like　us　and　because　of　whom　we　had　been　compelled　to　make　our　camp

in　a　circle。



This　stranger　at　our　fire　had　blue　eyes；　hard　and　cold　and　piercing。

His　hair　was　sandy。　　His　face　was　shaven　to　the　chin；　and　from　under

the　chin；　covering　the　neck　and　extending　to　the　ears；　sprouted　a

sandy　fringe　of　whiskers　well…streaked　with　gray。　　Mother　did　not

greet　him；　nor　did　he　greet　her。　　He　stood　and　glowered　at　her　for

some　time；　he　cleared　his　throat　and　said　with　a　sneer：



〃Wisht　you　was　back　in　Missouri　right　now　I　bet。〃



I　saw　mother　tighten　her　lips　in　self…control　ere　she　answered：



〃We　are　from　Arkansas。〃



〃I　guess　you　got　good　reasons　to　deny　where　you　come　from；〃　he　next

said；　〃you　that　drove　the　Lord's　people　from　Missouri。〃



Mother　made　no　reply。



〃。　。　。　Seein'；〃　he　went　on；　after　the　pause　accorded　her；　〃as　you're

now　comin'　a…whinin'　an'　a…beggin'　bread　at　our　hands　that　you

persecuted。〃



Whereupon；　and　instantly；　child　that　I　was；　I　knew　anger；　the　old；

red；　intolerant　wrath；　ever　unrestrainable　and　unsubduable。



〃You　lie！〃　I　piped　up。　　〃We　ain't　Missourians。　　We　ain't　whinin'。

An'　we　ain't　beggars。　　We　got　the　money　to　buy。〃



〃Shut　up；　Jesse！〃　my　mother　cried；　landing　the　back　of　her　hand

stingingly　on　my　mouth。　　And　then；　to　the　stranger；　〃Go　away　and　let

the　boy　alone。〃



〃I'll　shoot　you　full　of　lead；　you　damned　Mormon！〃　I　screamed　and

sobbed　at　him；　too　quick　for　my　mother　this　time；　and　dancing　away

around　the　fire　from　the　back…sweep　of　her　hand。



As　for　the　man　himself；　my　conduct　had　not　disturbed　him　in　the

slightest。　　I　was　prepared　for　I　knew　not　what　violent　visitation

from　this　terrible　stranger；　and　I　watched　him　warily　while　he

considered　me　with　the　utmost　gravity。



At　last　he　spoke；　and　he　spoke　solemnly；　with　solemn　shaking　of　the

head；　as　if　delivering　a　judgment。



〃Like　fathers　like　sons；〃　he　said。　　〃The　young　generation　is　as　bad

as　the　elder。　　The　whole　breed　is　unregenerate　and　damned。　　There　is

no　saving　it；　the　young　or　the　old。　　There　is　no　atonement。　　Not

even　the　blood　of　Christ　can　wipe　out　its　iniquities。〃



〃Damned　Mormon！〃　was　all　I　could　sob　at　him。　　〃Damned　Mormon！

Damned　Mormon！　　Damned　Mormon！〃



And　I　continued　to　damn　him　and　to　dance　around　the　fire　before　my

mother's　avenging　hand；　until　he　strode　away。



When　my　father；　and　the　men　who　had　accompanied　him；　returned；　camp…

work　ceased；　while　all　crowded　anxiously　about　him。　　He　shook　his

head。



〃They　will　not　sell？〃　some　woman　demanded。



Again　he　shook　his　head。



A　man　spoke　up；　a　blue…eyed；　blond…whiskered　giant　of　thirty；　who

abruptly　pressed　his　way　into　the　centre　of　the　crowd。



〃They　say　they　have　flour　and　provisions　for　three　years；　Captain；〃

he　said。　　〃They　have　always　sold　to　the　immigration　before。　　And　now

they　won't　sell。　　And　it　ain't　our　quarrel。　　Their　quarrel's　with

the　government；　an'　they're　takin'　it　out　on　us。　　It　ain't　right；

Captain。　　It　ain't　right；　I　say；　us　with　our　women　an'　children；　an'

California　months　away；　winter　comin'　on；　an'　nothin'　but　desert　in

between。　　We　ain't　got　the　grub　to　face　the　desert。〃



He　broke　off　for　a　moment　to　address　the　whole　crowd。



〃Why；　you…all　don't　know　what　desert　is。　　This　around　here　ain't

desert。　　I　tell　you　it's　paradise；　and　heavenly　pasture；　an'　flowin'

with　milk　an'　honey　alongside　what　we're　goin'　to　face。〃



〃I　tell　you；　Captain；　we　got　to　get　flour　first。　　If　they　won't　sell

it；　then　we　must　just　up　an'　take　it。〃



Many　of　the　men　and　women　began　crying　out　in　approval；　but　my

father　hushed　them　by　holding　up　his　hand。



〃I　agree　with　everything　you　say；　Hamilton；〃　he　began。



But　the　cries　now　drowned　his　voice；　and　he　again　held　up　his　hand。



〃Except　one　thing　you　forgot　to　take　into　account；　Hamiltona　thing

that　you　and　all　of　us　must　take　into　account。　　Brigham　Young　has

declared　martial　law；　and　Brigham　Young　has　an　army。　　We　could　wipe

out　Nephi　in　the　shake　of　a　lamb's　tail　and　take　all　the　provisions

we　can　carry。　　But　we　wouldn't　carry　them　very　far。　　Brigham's

Saints　would　be　down　upon　us　and　we　would　be　wiped　out　in　another

shake　of　a　lamb's　tail。　　You　know　it。　　I　know　it。　　We　all　know　it。〃



His　words　carried　conviction　to　listeners　already　convinced。　　What

he　had　told　them　was　old　news。　　They　had　merely　forgotten　it　in　a

flurry　of　excitement　and　desperate　need。



〃Nobody　will　fight　quicker　for　what　is　right　than　I　will；〃　father

continued。　　〃But　it　just　happens　we　can't　afford　to　fight　now。　　If

ever　a　ruction　starts　we　haven't　a　chance。　　And　we've　all　got　our

women　and　children　to　recollect。　　We've　got　to　be　peaceable　at　any

price；　and　put　up　with　whatever　dirt　is　heaped　on　us。〃



〃But　what　will　we　do　with　the　desert　coming？〃　cried　a　woman　who

nursed　a　babe　at　her　breast。



〃There's　several　settlements　before　we　come　to　the　desert；〃　father

answered。　　〃Fillmore's　sixty　miles　south。　　Then　comes　Corn　Creek。

And　Beaver's　another　fifty　miles。　　Next　is　Parowan。　　Then　it's

twenty　miles　to　Cedar　City。　　The　farther　we　get　away　from　Salt　Lake

the　more　likely　they'll　sell　us　provisions。〃



〃And　if　they　won't？〃　the　same　woman　persisted。



〃Then　we're　quit　of　them；〃　said　my　father。　　〃Cedar　City　is　the　last

settlement。　　We'll　have　to　go　on；　that's　all；　and　thank　our　stars　we

are　quit　of　them。　　Two　days'　journey　beyond　is　good　pasture；　and

water。　　They　call　it　Mountain　Meadows。　　Nobody　lives　there；　and

that's　the　place　we'll　rest　our　cattle　and　feed　them　up　before　we

tackle　the　desert。　　Maybe　we　can　shoot　some　meat。　　And　if　the　worst

comes　to　the　worst；　we'