a charmed life-第3章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with knees and spurs。 The first round ended in a draw。 There were
two more rounds with the advantage slightly in favor of El Capitan；
for he did not approach the bridge。
The night was warm and the exertion violent。 Chesterton； puzzled
and annoyed； paused to regain his breath and his temper。 Below
him； in the ravine； the shallow waters of the ford called to him；
suggesting a pleasant compromise。 He turned his eyes downward and
saw hanging over the water what appeared to be a white bird upon
the lower limb of a dead tree。 He knew it to be an orchid； an
especially rare orchid； and he knew； also； that the orchid was the
favorite flower of Miss Armitage。 In a moment he was on his feet；
and with the reins over his arm； was slipping down the bank；
dragging El Capitan behind him。 He ripped from the dead tree the
bark to which the orchid was clinging； and with wet moss and grass
packed it in his leather camera case。 The camera he abandoned on
the path。 He always could buy another camera； he could not again
carry a white orchid； plucked in the heart of the tropics on the
night peace was declared； to the girl he left behind him。 Followed
by El Capitan； nosing and snuffing gratefully at the cool waters；
he waded the ford； and with his camera case swinging from his
shoulder； galloped up the opposite bank and back into the trail。
A minute later； the bridge； unable to recover from the death blow
struck by El Capitan； went whirling into the ravine and was broken
upon the rocks below。 Hearing the crash behind him； Chesterton
guessed that in the jungle a tree had fallen。
They had started at six in the afternoon and had covered twenty of
the forty miles that lay between Adhuntas and Mayaguez； when； just
at the outskirts of the tiny village of Caguan； El Capitan
stumbled； and when he arose painfully； he again fell forward。
Caguan was a little church； a little vine…covered inn； a dozen one…
story adobe houses shining in the moonlight like whitewashed
sepulchres。 They faced a grass…grown plaza； in the centre of which
stood a great wooden cross。 At one corner of the village was a
corral； and in it many ponies。 At the sight Chesterton gave a cry
of relief。 A light showed through the closed shutters of the inn；
and when he beat with his whip upon the door； from the adobe houses
other lights shone； and white…clad figures appeared in the
moonlight。 The landlord of the inn was a Spaniard； fat and
prosperous…looking； but for the moment his face was eloquent with
such distress and misery that the heart of the young man； who was
at peace with all the world； went instantly out to him。 The
Spaniard was less sympathetic。 When he saw the khaki suit and the
campaign hat he scowled； and ungraciously would have closed the
door。 Chesterton； apologizing； pushed it open。 His pony； he
explained； had gone lame； and he must have another； and at once。
The landlord shrugged his shoulders。 These were war times； he
said； and the American officer could take what he liked。 They in
Caguan were noncombatants and could not protest。 Chesterton
hastened to reassure him。 The war； he announced； was over； and
were it not； he was no officer to issue requisitions。 He intended
to pay for the pony。 He unbuckled his belt and poured upon the
table a handful of Spanish doubloons。 The landlord lowered the
candle and silently counted the gold pieces； and then calling to
him two of his fellow…villagers； crossed the tiny plaza and entered
the corral。
〃The American pig；〃 he whispered； 〃wishes to buy a pony。 He tells
me the war is over； that Spain has surrendered。 We know that must
be a lie。 It is more probable he is a deserter。 He claims he is a
civilian； but that also is a lie； for he is in uniform。 You； Paul；
sell him your pony； and then wait for him at the first turn in the
trail； and take it from him。〃
〃He is armed；〃 protested the one called Paul。
〃You must not give him time to draw his revolver；〃 ordered the
landlord。 〃You and Pedro will shoot him from the shadow。 He is
our country's enemy； and it will be in a good cause。 And he may
carry despatches。 If we take them to the commandante at Mayaguez
he will reward us。〃
〃And the gold pieces？〃 demanded the one called Paul。
〃We will divide them in three parts；〃 said the landlord。
In the front of the inn； surrounded by a ghostlike group that spoke
its suspicions； Chesterton was lifting his saddle from El Capitan
and rubbing the lame foreleg。 It was not a serious sprain。 A week
would set it right； but for that night the pony was useless。
Impatiently； Chesterton called across the plaza； begging the
landlord to make haste。 He was eager to be gone； alarmed and
fearful lest even this slight delay should cause him to miss the
transport。 The thought was intolerable。 But he was also acutely
conscious that he was very hungry； and he was too old a campaigner
to scoff at hunger。 With the hope that he could find something to
carry with him and eat as he rode forward； he entered the inn。
The main room of the house was now in darkness； but a smaller room
adjoining it was lit by candles； and by a tiny taper floating
before a crucifix。 In the light of the candles Chesterton made out
a bed； a priest bending over it； a woman kneeling beside it； and
upon the bed the little figure of a boy who tossed and moaned。 As
Chesterton halted and waited hesitating； the priest strode past
him； and in a voice dull and flat with grief and weariness； ordered
those at the door to bring the landlord quickly。 As one of the
group leaped toward the corral； the priest said to the others：
〃There is another attack。 I have lost hope。〃
Chesterton advanced and asked if he could be of service。 The
priest shook his head。 The child； he said； was the only son of the
landlord； and much beloved by him； and by all the village。 He was
now in the third week of typhoid fever and the period of
hemorrhages。 Unless they could be checked； the boy would die； and
the priest； who for many miles of mountain and forest was also the
only doctor； had exhausted his store of simple medicines。
〃Nothing can stop the hemorrhage；〃 he protested wearily； 〃but the
strongest of drugs。 And I have nothing！〃
Chesterton bethought him of the medicine case Miss Armitage had
forced upon him。 〃I have given opium to the men for dysentery；〃 he
said。 〃Would opium help you？〃
The priest sprang at him and pushed him out of the door and toward
the saddle…bags。
〃My children；〃 he cried； to the silent group in the plaza； 〃God has
sent a miracle！〃
After an hour at the bedside the priest said； 〃He will live；〃 and
knelt； and the mother of the boy and the villagers knelt with him。
When Chesterton raised his eyes； he found that the landlord； who
had been silently watching while the two men struggled with death
for the life of his son； had disappeared。 But he heard； leaving
the village along the trail to Mayaguez； the sudden clatter of a
pony's hoofs。 It moved like a thing driven with fear。
The priest strode out into the moonlight。 In the recovery of the
child he saw only a demonstration of the efficacy of prayer； and he
could not too quickly bring home the lesson to his parishioners。
Amid their murmurs of wonder and gratitude Chesterton rode away。
To the kindly care of the priest he bequeathed El Capitan。 With
him； also； he left the gold pieces which were to pay for the fresh
pony。
A quarter of a mile outside the village three white figures
confronted him。 Two who stood apart in the shadow shrank from
observation； but the landlord； seated bareback upon a pony that
from some late exertion was breathing heavily； called to him to
halt。
〃In the fashion of my country；〃 he began grandiloquently； 〃we have
come this far to wish you God speed upon your journey。〃 In the
fashion of the American he seized Chesterton by the hand。 〃I thank
you； senor；〃 he murmured。
〃Not me；〃 returned Chesterton。 〃But the one who made me 'pack'
that medicine chest。 Thank her； for to…night I think it saved a
life。〃
The Spaniard regarded him curiously； fixing him with his eyes as
though deep in consideration。 At last he smiled gravely。
〃You are r
