tales of trail and town-第32章

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He　was　a　〃cowboy。〃　　A　reckless　and　dashing　rider；　yet　mindful　of

his　horse's　needs；　good…humored　by　nature；　but　quick　in　quarrel；

independent　of　circumstance；　yet　shy　and　sensitive　of　opinion；

abstemious　by　education　and　general　habit；　yet　intemperate　in

amusement；　self…centred；　yet　possessed　of　a　childish　vanity；taken

altogether；　a　characteristic　product　of　the　Western　plains；　which

he　never　should　have　left。



But　reckless　adventure　after　adventure　had　brought　him　into

difficulties；　from　which　there　was　only　one　equally　adventurous

escape：　he　joined　a　company　of　Indians　engaged　by　Buffalo　Bill　to

simulate　before　civilized　communities　the　sports　and　customs　of　the

uncivilized。　　In　divers　Christian　arenas　of　the　nineteenth　century

he　rode　as　a　northern　barbarian　of　the　first　might　have　disported

before　the　Roman　populace；　but　harmlessly；　of　his　own　free　will；

and　of　some　little　profit　to　himself。　　He　threw　his　lasso　under　the

curious　eyes　of　languid　men　and　women　of　the　world；　eager　for　some

new　sensation；　with　admiring　plaudits　from　them　and　a　half

contemptuous　egotism　of　his　own。　　But　outside　of　the　arena　he　was

lonely；　lost；　and　impatient　for　excitement。



An　ingenious　attempt　to　〃paint　the　town　red〃　did　not　commend　itself

as　a　spectacle　to　the　householders　who　lived　in　the　vicinity　of

Earl's　Court；　London；　and　Alkali　Dick　was　haled　before　a

respectable　magistrate　by　a　serious　policeman；　and　fined　as　if　he

had　been　only　a　drunken　coster。　　A　later　attempt　at　Paris　to

〃incarnadine〃　the　neighborhood　of　the　Champs　de　Mars；　and　〃round

up〃　a　number　of　boulevardiers；　met　with　a　more　disastrous　result；

the　gleam　of　steel　from　mounted　gendarmes；　and　a　mandate　to　his

employers。



So　it　came　that　one　night；　after　the　conclusion　of　the　performance；

Alkali　Dick　rode　out　of　the　corral　gate　of　the　Hippodrome　with　his

last　week's　salary　in　his　pocket　and　an　imprecation　on　his　lips。

He　had　shaken　the　sawdust　of　the　sham　arena　from　his　high；　tight…

fitting　boots；　he　would　shake　off　the　white　dust　of　France；　and　the

effeminate　soil　of　all　Europe　also；　and　embark　at　once　for　his　own

country　and　the　Far　West！



A　more　practical　and　experienced　man　would　have　sold　his　horse　at

the　nearest　market　and　taken　train　to　Havre；　but　Alkali　Dick　felt

himself　incomplete　on　terra　firma　without　his　mustang；it　would　be

hard　enough　to　part　from　it　on　embarking；and　he　had　determined　to

ride　to　the　seaport。



The　spectacle　of　a　lithe　horseman；　clad　in　a　Rembrandt　sombrero；

velvet　jacket；　turnover　collar；　almost　Van　Dyke　in　its　proportions；

white　trousers　and　high　boots；　with　long　curling　hair　falling　over

his　shoulders；　and　a　pointed　beard　and　mustache；　was　a　picturesque

one；　but　still　not　a　novelty　to　the　late…supping　Parisians　who

looked　up　under　the　midnight　gas　as　he　passed；　and　only　recognized

one　of　those　men　whom　Paris　had　agreed　to　designate　as　〃Booflo…

bils；〃　going　home。



At　three　o'clock　he　pulled　up　at　a　wayside　cabaret；　preferring　it

to　the　publicity　of　a　larger　hotel；　and　lay　there　till　morning。

The　slight　consternation　of　the　cabaret…keeper　and　his　wife　over

this　long…haired　phantom；　with　glittering；　deep…set　eyes；　was

soothed　by　a　royally…flung　gold　coin；　and　a　few　words　of　French

slang　picked　up　in　the　arena；　which；　with　the　name　of　Havre；

comprised　Dick's　whole　knowledge　of　the　language。　　But　he　was

touched　with　their　ready　and　intelligent　comprehension　of　his

needs；　and　their　genial　if　not　so　comprehensive　loquacity。　　Luckily

for　his　quick　temper；　he　did　not　know　that　they　had　taken　him　for　a

traveling　quack…doctor　going　to　the　Fair　of　Yvetot；　and　that　madame

had　been　on　the　point　of　asking　him　for　a　magic　balsam　to　prevent

migraine。



He　was　up　betimes　and　away；　giving　a　wide　berth　to　the　larger　towns；

taking　byways　and　cut…offs；　yet　always　with　the　Western　pathfinder's

instinct；　even　among　these　alien；　poplar…haunted　plains；　low…banked

willow…fringed　rivers；　and　cloverless　meadows。　The　white　sun　shining

everywhere；on　dazzling　arbors；　summer…houses；　and　trellises；　on

light　green　vines　and　delicate　pea…rows；　on　the　white　trousers；

jackets；　and　shoes　of　smart　shopkeepers　or　holiday　makers；　on　the

white　headdresses　of　nurses　and　the　white…winged　caps　of　the

Sisters　of　St。　Vincent；all　this　grew　monotonous　to　this　native　of

still　more　monotonous　wastes。　　The　long；　black　shadows　of　short；

blue…skirted；　sabotted　women　and　short；　blue…bloused；　sabotted　men

slowly　working　in　the　fields；　with　slow　oxen；　or　still　slower　heavy

Norman　horses；　the　same　horses　gayly　bedecked；　dragging　slowly　not

only　heavy　wagons；　but　their　own　apparently　more　monstrous　weight

over　the　white　road；　fretted　his　nervous　Western　energy；　and　made

him　impatient　to　get　on。



At　the　close　of　the　second　day　he　found　some　relief　on　entering　a

trackless　wood；not　the　usual　formal　avenue　of　equidistant　trees；

leading　to　nowhere；　and　stopping　upon　the　open　field；but

apparently　a　genuine　forest　as　wild　as　one　of　his　own　〃oak

bottoms。〃　　Gnarled　roots　and　twisted　branches　flung　themselves

across　his　path；　his　mustang's　hoofs　sank　in　deep　pits　of　moss　and

last　year's　withered　leaves；　trailing　vines　caught　his　heavy…

stirruped　feet；　or　brushed　his　broad　sombrero；　the　vista　before　him

seemed　only　to　endlessly　repeat　the　same　sylvan　glade；　he　was　in

fancy　once　more　in　the　primeval　Western　forest；　and　encompassed　by

its　vast；　dim　silences。　　He　did　not　know　that　he　had　in　fact　only

penetrated　an　ancient　park　which　in　former　days　resounded　to　the

winding　fanfare　of　the　chase；　and　was　still；　on　stated　occasions；

swept　over　by　accurately　green…coated　Parisians　and　green…plumed

Dianes；　who　had　come　down　by　train！　　To　him　it　meant　only　unfettered

and　unlimited　freedom。



He　rose　in　his　stirrups；　and　sent　a　characteristic　yell　ringing

down　the　dim　aisles　before　him。　　But；　alas！　at　the　same　moment；　his

mustang；　accustomed　to　the　firmer　grip　of　the　prairie；　in　lashing

out；　stepped　upon　a　slimy　root；　and　fell　heavily；　rolling　over　his

clinging　and　still　unlodged　rider。　　For　a　few　moments　both　lay

still。　　Then　Dick　extricated　himself　with　an　oath；　rose　giddily；

dragged　up　his　horse；who；　after　the　fashion　of　his　race；　was

meekly　succumbing　to　his　reclining　position；and　then　became　aware

that　the　unfortunate　beast　was　badly　sprained　in　the　shoulder；　and

temporarily　lame。　　The　sudden　recollection　that　he　was　some　miles

from　the　road；　and　that　the　sun　was　sinking；　concentrated　his

scattered　faculties。　　The　prospect　of　sleeping　out　in　that　summer

woodland　was　nothing　to　the　pioneer…bred　Dick；　he　could　make　his

horse　and　himself　comfortable　anywherebut　he　was　delaying　his

arrival　at　Havre。　　He　must　regain　the　high　road；or　some　wayside

inn。　　He　glanced　around　him；　the　westering　sun　was　a　guide　for　his

general　direction；　the　road　must　follow　it　north　or　south；　he　would

find　a　〃clearing〃　somewhere。　　But　here　Dick　was　mistaken；　there

seemed　no　interruption　of；　no　encroachment　upon　this　sylvan　tract；

as　in　his　western　woods。　　There　was　no　track　or　trail　to　be　found；

he　missed　even　the　ordinary　woodland　signs　that　denoted　the　path　of

animals　to　water。　　For　the　park；　from　the　time　a　Northern　Duke　had

first　alienated　it　from　the　virgin　forest；　had　been　rigidly

preserved。



Suddenly；　rising　apparently　from　the　ground　before　him；　he　saw　the

high　roof…ridges　and　tourelles　of　a　long；　irregular；　gloomy

building。　　A　few　steps　further　showed　him　that　it　lay　in　a　cup…like

depression　of　the　forest；　and　that　it　was　still　a　long　descent　from

where　he　had　wandered　to　where　it　stood　in　the　gathering　darkness。

His　mustang　was　moving　with　great　difficulty；　he　uncoiled　his

lariat　from　the　saddle…horn；　and；　selecting　the　most　open　space；

tied　one　end　to　the　trunk　of　a　large　tree；the　forty　feet　of

horsehair　rope　giving　the　animal　a　sufficient　degree　of　grazing

freedom。



Then　he　strode　more　quickly　down　the　forest　side　towards　the

build