the mountains(山脉)-第41节
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mustered up courage enough to inform me that guests were not allowed to
eat without coats。 We politely pointed out that we possessed no such
garments。 After a long consultation with the proprietor she told us it was
all right for this time； but that we must not do it again。 At another place I
had to identify myself as a responsible person by showing a picture in a
magazine bought for the purpose。
The public never will know how to take you。 Most of it treats you as
though you were a two…dollar a day laborer； some of the more astute are
puzzled。 One February I walked out of the North Country on snowshoes
and stepped directly into a Canadian Pacific transcontinental train。 I was
clad in fur cap； vivid blanket coat； corded trousers； German stockings and
moccasins； and my only baggage was the pair of snowshoes。 It was the
season of light travel。 A single Englishman touring the world as the crow
flies occupied the car。 He looked at me so askance that I made an
opportunity of talking to him。 I should like to read his 〃Travels〃 to see
what he made out of the riddle。 In similar circumstances； and without
explanation； I had fun talking French and swapping boulevard
reminiscences with a member of a Parisian theatrical troupe making a long
jump through northern Wisconsin。 And once； at six of the morning；
letting myself into my own house with a latch…key； and sitting down to
read the paper until the family awoke； I was nearly brained by the butler。
He supposed me a belated burglar； and had armed himself with the poker。
The most flattering experience of the kind was voiced by a small urchin
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who plucked at his mother's sleeve： 〃Look； mamma！〃 he exclaimed in
guarded but jubilant tones； 〃there's a real Indian！〃
Our last camp of this summer was built and broken in the full leisure
of at least a three weeks' expectation。 We had traveled south from the
Golden Trout through the Toowah range。 There we had viewed wonders
which I cannot expect you to believe in； such as a spring of warm water
in which you could bathe and from which you could reach to dip up a cup
of carbonated water on the right hand； or cast a fly into a trout stream； on
the left。 At length we entered a high meadow in the shape of a maltese
cross； with pine slopes about it； and springs of water welling in little
humps of green。 There the long pine…needles were extraordinarily thick
and the pine… cones exceptionally large。 The former we scraped together
to the depth of three feet for a bed in the lea of a fallen trunk； the latter we
gathered in arm… fuls to pile on the camp…fire。 Next morning we rode
down a mile or so through the grasses； exclaimed over the thousands of
mountain quail buzzing from the creek bottoms； gazed leisurely up at our
well… known pines and about at the grateful coolness of our accustomed
green meadows and leaves；and then； as though we had crossed a
threshold； we emerged into chaparral； dry loose shale； yucca； Spanish
bayonet； heated air and the bleached burned…out furnace…like country of
arid California in midsummer。 The trail dropped down through sage…
brush； just as it always did in the California we had known； the mountains
rose with the fur…like dark…olive effect of the coast ranges； the sun beat hot。
We had left the enchanted land。
The trail was very steep and very long； and took us finally into the
country of dry brown grasses； gray brush； waterless stony ravines； and
dust。 Others had traveled that trail； headed the other way； and evidently
had not liked it。 Empty bottles blazed the path。 Somebody had
sacrificed a pack of playing… cards； which he had stuck on thorns from
time to time； each inscribed with a blasphemous comment on the
discomforts of such travel。 After an apparently interminable interval we
crossed an irrigating ditch； where the horses were glad to water； and so
came to one of those green flowering lush California villages so startlingly
in contrast to their surroundings。
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By this it was two o'clock and we had traveled on horseback since four。
A variety of circumstances learned at the village made it imperative that
both the Tenderfoot and myself should go out without the delay of a single
hour。 This left Wes to bring the horses home； which was tough on Wes；
but he rose nobly to the occasion。
When the dust of our rustling cleared； we found we had acquired a
team of wild broncos； a buckboard； an elderly gentleman with a white
goatee； two bottles of beer； some crackers and some cheese。 With these we
hoped to reach the railroad shortly after midnight。
The elevation was five thousand feet； the road dusty and hot； the
country uninteresting in sage… brush and alkali and rattlesnakes and
general dryness。 Constantly we drove； checking off the landmarks in the
good old fashion。 Our driver had immigrated from Maine the year before；
and by some chance had drifted straight to the arid regions。 He was
vastly disgusted。 At every particularly atrocious dust…hole or unlovely
cactus strip he spat into space and remarked in tones of bottomless
contempt：
〃BEAU…ti…ful Cal…if…or…nia！〃
This was evidently intended as a quotation。
Towards sunset we ran up into rounded hills； where we got out at
every rise in order to ease the horses； and where we hurried the old
gentleman beyond the limits of his Easterner's caution at every descent。
It grew dark。 Dimly the road showed gray in the twilight。 We did
not know how far exactly we were to go； but imagined that sooner or later
we would top one of the small ridges to look across one of the broad
plateau plains to the lights of our station。 You see we had forgotten； in
the midst of flatness； that we were still over five thousand feet up。 Then
the road felt its way between two hills；and the blackness of night opened
below us as well as above； and from some deep and tremendous abyss
breathed the winds of space。
It was as dark as a cave； for the moon was yet two hours below the
horizon。 Somehow the trail turned to the right along that tremendous
cliff。 We thought we could make out its direction； the dimness of its
glimmering； but equally well； after we had looked a moment； we could
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imagine it one way or another； to right and left。 I went ahead to
investigate。 The trail to left proved to be the faint reflection of a clump
of 〃old man〃 at least five hundred feet down； that to right was a burned
patch sheer against the rise of the cliff。 We started on the middle way。
There were turns…in where a continuance straight ahead would require
an airship or a coroner； again turns…out where the direct line would
telescope you against the state of California。 These we could make out
by straining our eyes。 The horses plunged and snorted； the buckboard
leaped。 Fire flashed from the impact of steel against rock； momentarily
blinding us to what we should see。 Always we descended into the
velvet blackness of the abyss； the canon walls rising steadily above us
shutting out even the dim illumination of the stars。 From time to time
our driver； desperately scared； jerked out cheering bits of information。
〃My eyes ain't what they was。 For the Lord's sake keep a…lookin'；
boys。〃
〃That nigh hoss is deef。 There don't seem to be no
