lin mclean(林·迈林恩)-第7节
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Duxbury clams。〃 The cow…puncher slapped his pocket； where the coin
made a muffled chinking。 Then he said； gruffly； 〃I suppose Swampscott's
there yet？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Frank。 〃It's a dead little town； is Swampscott。〃
〃I guess I'll take a look at the old house tomorrow；〃 Lin pursued。
〃Oh； that's been pulled down since I forget the year they improved
that block。〃
Lin regarded in silence his brother； who was speaking so jauntily of
the first and last home they had ever had。
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LIN McLEAN
〃Seventy…nine is when it was；〃 continued Frank。 〃So you can save the
trouble of travelling away down to Swampscott。〃
〃I guess I'll go to the graveyard； anyway；〃 said the cow…puncher in his
offish voice； and looking fixedly in front of him。
They came into Washington Street； and again the elder McLean
uneasily surveyed the younger's appearance。
But the momentary chill had melted from the heart of the genial Lin。
〃After to…morrow；〃 said he； laying a hand on his brother's shoulder； 〃yu'
can start any lead yu' please； and I guess I can stay with yu' pretty close；
Frank。〃
Frank said nothing。 He saw one of the members of his club on the
other side of the way； and the member saw him； and Frank caught diverted
amazement on the member's face。 Lin's hand weighed on his shoulder； and
the stress became too great。 〃Lin；〃 said he； 〃while you're running with our
crowd； you don't want to wear that style of hat； you know。〃
It may be that such words can in some way be spoken at such a time；
but not in the way that these were said。 The frozen fact was irrevocably
revealed in the tone of Frank's voice。
The cow…puncher stopped dead short； and his hand slid off his
brother's shoulder。 〃You've made it plain；〃 he said； evenly； slanting his
steady eyes down into Frank's。 〃You've explained yourself fairly well。 Run
along with your crowd； and I'll not bother yu' more with comin' round and
causin' yu' to feel ashamed。 It's a heap better to understand these things at
once； and save making a fool of yourself any longer 'n yu' need to。 I guess
there ain't no more to be said； only one thing。 If yu' see me around on the
street； don't yu' try any talk； for I'd be liable to close your jaw up； and
maybe yu'd have more of a job explainin' that to your crowd than you've
had makin' me see what kind of a man I've got for a brother。〃
Frank found himself standing alone before any reply to these sentences
had occurred to him。 He walked slowly to his club； where a friend joked
him on his glumness。
Lin made a sore failure of amusing himself that night； and in the bright；
hot morning he got into the train for Swampscott。 At the graveyard he saw
a woman lay a bunch of flowers on a mound and kneel； weeping。
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LIN McLEAN
〃There ain't nobody to do that for this one；〃 thought the cow…puncher；
and looked down at the grave he had come to see； then absently gazed at
the woman。
She had stolen away from her daily life to come here where her grief
was shrined； and now her heart found it hard to bid the lonely place
goodbye。 So she lingered long； her thoughts sunk deep in the motionless
past。 When she at last looked up； she saw the tall； strange man re…enter
from the street among the tombs； and deposit on one of them an ungainly
lump of flowers。 They were what Lin had been able hastily to buy in
Swampscott。 He spread them gently as he had noticed the woman do； but
her act of kneeling he did not imitate。 He went away quickly。 For some
hours he hung about the little town； aimlessly loitering； watching the salt
water where he used to swim。
〃Yu' don't belong any more； Lin；〃 he miserably said at length； and took
his way to Boston。
The next morning； determined to see the sights； he was in New York；
and drifted about to all places night and day； till his money was mostly
gone； and nothing to show for it but a somewhat pleasure…beaten face and
a deep hatred of the crowded； scrambling East。 So he suddenly bought a
ticket for Green River； Wyoming； and escaped from the city that seemed to
numb his good humor。
When； after three days； the Missouri lay behind him and his holiday；
he stretched his legs and took heart to see out of the window the signs of
approaching desolation。 And when on the fourth day civilization was
utterly emptied out of the world； he saw a bunch of cattle； and； galloping
among them； his spurred and booted kindred。 And his manner took on that
alertness a horse shows on turning into the home road。 As the stage took
him toward Washakie； old friends turned up every fifty miles or so；
shambling out of a cabin or a stable； and saying； in casual tones； 〃Hello；
Lin； where've you been at？〃
At Lander； there got into the stage another old acquaintance； the
Bishop of Wyoming。 He knew Lin at once； and held out his hand； and his
greeting was hearty。
〃It took a week for my robes to catch up with me；〃 he said； laughing。
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Then； in a little while； 〃How was the East？〃
〃First…rate；〃 said Lin； not looking at him。 He was shy of the
conversation's taking a moral turn。 But the bishop had no intention of
revertingat any rate； just nowto their last talk at Green River； and the
advice he had then given。
〃I trust your friends were all well？〃 he said。
〃I guess they was healthy enough；〃 said Lin。
〃I suppose you found Boston much changed？ It's a beautiful city。〃
〃Good enough town for them that likes it； I expect；〃 Lin replied。
The bishop was forming a notion of what the matter must be； but he
had no notion whatever of what now revealed itself。 〃Mr。 Bishop；〃 the
cow…puncher said； 〃how was that about that fellow you told about that's in
the Bible somewheres？he come home to his folks； and theywell there
was his father saw him comin'〃He stopped； embarrassed。
Then the bishop remembered the wide…open eyes； and how he had
noticed them in the church at the agency intently watching him。 And； just
now； what were best to say he did not know。 He looked at the young man
gravely。
〃Have yu' got a Bible？〃 pursued Lin。 〃For； excuse me； but I'd like yu'
to read that onced。〃
So the bishop read； and Lin listened。 And all the while this good
clergyman was perplexed how to speakor if indeed to speak at this time
at allto the heart of the man beside him for whom the parable had gone
so sorely wrong。 When the reading was done； Lin had not taken his eyes
from the bishop's face。
〃How long has that there been wrote？〃 he asked。
He was told about how long。
〃Mr。 Bishop；〃 said Lin； 〃I ain't got good knowledge of the Bible； and I
never figured it to be a book much on to facts。 And I tell you I'm more
plumb beat about it's having that elder brother； and him being angry； down
in black and white two thousand years ago； thanthan if I'd seen a man
turn water into wine； for I'd have knowed that ain't so。 But the elder
brother is factsdead…sure facts。 And they knowed about that； and put it
down just the same as life two thousand years ago！〃
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〃Well；〃 said the bishop； wisely ignoring the challenge as to miracles； 〃I
am a good twenty years older than you； and all that time I've been finding
more facts in the Bible every day I have lived。〃
Lin meditated。 〃I guess that could be；〃 he said。 〃Yes； after that yu've
been a…readin'； and what I know for myself that I didn't know till lately； I
guess that could be。〃
Then the bishop talked with exceeding care； nor did he ask
uncomfortable things； or moralize visibly。 Thus he came to hear how it
had fared with Lin his friend； and Lin forgot altogether about its being a
parson he was delivering the fulness of his heart to。 〃And come to think；〃
he concluded； 〃it weren't home I had went to back East； layin' round them
big cities； where a man can't help but feel strange all the week。 No； sir！
