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第39章

tales of trail and town-第39章

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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

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