tales of trail and town-第39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!
undistinctive individual; but to whose gallant anxieties Miss Amy
responded effusively。 Nevertheless; the young lady had especially
noted Jack's confession that he had seen them when they first
entered the gorge。 〃And I suppose;〃 she added to herself mentally;
〃that he sat there with his boozing companions; laughing and
jeering at our struggles。〃
But when the sound of her companions' voices died away; and their
figures were swallowed up in the darkness behind the snow; she
forgot all this; and much else that was mundane and frivolous; in
the impressive and majestic solitude which seemed to descend upon
her from the obscurity above。
At first it was accompanied with a slight thrill of vague fear; but
this passed presently into that profound peace which the mountains
alone can give their lonely or perturbed children。 It seemed to
her that Nature was never the same; on the great plains where men
and cities always loomed into such ridiculous proportions; as when
the Great Mother raised herself to comfort them with smiling
hillsides; or encompassed them and drew them closer in the loving
arms of her mountains。 The long white canada stretched before her
in a purity that did not seem of the earth; the vague bulk of the
mountains rose on either side of her in a mystery that was not of
this life。 Yet it was not oppressive; neither was its restfulness
and quiet suggestive of obliviousness and slumber; on the contrary;
the highly rarefied air seemed to give additional keenness to her
senses; her hearing had become singularly acute; her eyesight
pierced the uttermost extremity of the gorge; lit by the full moon
that occasionally shone through slowly drifting clouds。 Her nerves
thrilled with a delicious sense of freedom and a strange desire to
run or climb。 It seemed to her; in her exalted fancy; that these
solitudes should be peopled only by a kingly race; and not by such
gross and material churls as this mountaineer who helped them。
And; I grieve to say;writing of an idealist that WAS; and a
heroine that IS to be;she was getting outrageously hungry。
There were a few biscuits in her traveling…bag; and she remembered
that she had been presented with a small jar of California honey at
San Jose。 This she took out and opened on the seat before her; and
spreading the honey on the biscuits; ate them with a keen schoolgirl
relish and a pleasant suggestion of a sylvan picnic in spite of the
cold。 It was all very strange; quite an experience for her to speak
of afterwards。 People would hardly believe that she had spent an
hour or two; all alone; in a deserted wagon in a mountain snow pass。
It was an adventure such as one reads of in the magazines。 Only
something was lacking which the magazines always supplied;something
heroic; something done by somebody。 If that awful…looking
mountaineerthat man with the long hair and mustache; and that
horrible gold ring;why such a ring?was only different! But he
was probably gorging beefsteak or venison with her father and Mr。
Waterhouse;men were always such selfish creatures!and had quite
forgotten all about her。 It would have been only decent for them to
have brought her down something hot; biscuits and honey were
certainly cloying; and somehow didn't agree with the temperature。
She was really half starved! And much they cared! It would just
serve them right if something DID happen to her;or SEEM to happen
to her;if only to frighten them。 And the pretty face that was
turned up in the moonlight wore a charming but decided pout。
Good gracious; what was that? The horses were either struggling or
fighting in their snow shelters。 Then one with a frightened neigh
broke from its halter and dashed into the road; only to be plunged
snorting and helpless into the drifts。 Then the other followed。
How silly! Something had frightened them。 Perhaps only a rabbit
or a mole; horses were such absurdly nervous creatures! However;
it is just as well; somebody would see them or hear them;that
neigh was quite human and awful;and they would hurry down to see
what was the matter。 SHE couldn't be expected to get out and look
after the horses in the snow。 Anyhow; she WOULDN'T! She was a
good deal safer where she was; it might have been rats or mice
about that frightened them! Goodness!
She was still watching with curious wonder the continued fright of
the animals; when suddenly she felt the wagon half bumped; half
lifted from behind。 It was such a lazy; deliberate movement that
for a moment she thought it came from the party; who had returned
noiselessly with the runners。 She scrambled over to the back seat;
unbuttoned the leather curtain; lifted it; but nothing was to be
seen。 Consequently; with feminine quickness; she said; 〃I see you
perfectly; Mr。 Waterhousedon't be silly!〃 But at this moment
there was another shock to the wagon; and from beneath it arose
what at first seemed to her to be an uplifting of the drift itself;
but; as the snow was shaken away from its heavy bulk; proved to be
the enormous head and shoulders of a bear!
Yet even then she was not WHOLLY frightened; for the snout that
confronted her had a feeble inoffensiveness; the small eyes were
bright with an eager; almost childish curiosity rather than a
savage ardor; and the whole attitude of the creature lifted upon
its hind legs was circus…like and ludicrous rather than aggressive。
She was enabled to say with some dignity; 〃Go away! Shoo!〃 and to
wave her luncheon basket at it with exemplary firmness。 But here
the creature laid one paw on the back seat as if to steady itself;
with the singular effect of collapsing the whole side of the wagon;
and then opened its mouth as if in some sort of inarticulate reply。
But the revelation of its red tongue; its glistening teeth; and;
above all; the hot; suggestive fume of its breath; brought the
first scream from the lips of Miss Amy。 It was real and
convincing; the horses joined in it; the three screamed together!
The bear hesitated for an instant; then; catching sight of the
honey…pot on the front seat; which the shrinking…back of the young
girl had disclosed; he slowly reached forward his other paw and
attempted to grasp it。 This exceedingly simple movement; however;
at once doubled up the front seat; sent the honey…pot a dozen feet
into the air; and dropped Miss Amy upon her knees in the bed of the
wagon。 The combined mental and physical shock was too much for
her; she instantly and sincerely fainted; the last thing in her
ears amidst this wreck of matter being the 〃wheep〃 of a bullet and
the sharp crack of a rifle。
。 。 。 。 。 。
She recovered her consciousness in the flickering light of a fire
of bark; that played upon the rafters of a roof thatched with bark
and upon a floor of strewn and shredded bark。 She even suspected
she was lying upon a mattress of bark underneath the heavy bearskin
she could feel and touch。 She had a delicious sense of warmth;
and; mingled with this strange spicing of woodland freedom; even a
sense of home protection。 And surely enough; looking around; she
saw her father at her side。
He briefly explained the situation。 They had been at first
attracted by the cry of the frightened horses and their plunging;
which they could see distinctly; although they saw nothing else。
〃But; Mr。 Tenbrook〃
〃Mr。 Who?〃 said Amy; staring at the rafters。
〃The owner of this cabinthe man who helped uscaught up his gun;
and; calling us to follow; ran like lightning down the trail。 At
first we followed blindly; and unknowingly; for we could only see
the struggling horses; who; however; seemed to be ALONE; and the
wagon from which you did not seem to have stirred。 Then; for the
first time; my dear child; we suddenly saw your danger。 Imagine
how we felt as that hideous brute rose up in the road and began
attacking the wagon。 We called on T