lin mclean-第12节

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cheeks。　But　just　then　a　loud　voice　came　from　the　kitchen。



〃You；　Lin；　if　you　try　any　of　your　foolin'　with　me；　I'll　histe　yu's　over

the　jiste！〃



〃All　cow…punchers〃　I　attempted　to　resume。



〃Quit　now；　Lin　McLean；〃　shouted　the　voice；　〃or　I'll　put　yus　through　that

window；　and　it　shut。〃



〃Well；　Miss　Peck；　I'm　gettin'　most　a　full　dose　o'　this　treatment。　Ever

since　yu'　come　I've　been　doing　my　best。　And　yu'　just　cough　in　my　face。

And　now　I'm　going　to　quit　and　cough　back。〃



〃Would　you　enjoy　walkin'　out　till　supper；　ma'am？〃　inquired　the　Virginian

as　Molly　rose。　〃You　was　speaking　of　gathering　some　flowers　yondeh。〃



〃Why；　yes；〃　said　Molly；　blithely。　〃And　you'll　come？〃　she　added　to　me。



But　I　was　on　the　Virginian's　side。　〃I　must　look　after　my　horse；〃　said　I；

and　went　down　to　the　corral。



Day　was　slowly　going　as　I　took　my　pony　to　the　water。　Corncliff　Mesa；

Crowheart　Butte；　these　shone　in　the　rays　that　came　through　the　canyon。　The

canyon's　sides　lifted　like　tawny　castles　in　the　same　light。　Where　I　walked

the　odor　of　thousands　of　wild　roses　hung　over　the　margin　where　the

thickets　grew。　High　in　the　upper　air；　magpies　were　sailing　across　the

silent　blue。　Somewhere　I　could　hear　Tommy　explaining　loudly　how　he　and

General　Crook　had　pumped　lead　into　hundreds　of　Indians；　and　when　supper…

time　brought　us　all　back　to　the　door　he　was　finishing　the　account　to　Mrs。

Taylor。　Molly　and　the　Virginian　arrived　bearing　flowers；　and　he　was

saying　that　few　cow…punchers　had　any　reason　for　saving　their　money。



〃But　when　you　get　old？〃　said　she。



〃We　mostly　don't　live　long　enough　to　get　old；　ma'am；〃　said　he；　simply。

〃But　I　have　a　reason；　and　I　am　saving。〃



〃Give　me　the　flowers；〃　said　Molly。　And　she　left　him　to　arrange　them　on

the　table　as　Lin　came　hurrying　out。



〃I've　told　her；〃　said　he　to　the　Southerner　and　me；　〃that　I've　asked　her

twiced；　and　I'm　going　to　let　her　have　one　more　chance。　And　I've　told　her

that　if　it's　a　log　cabin　she's　marryin'；　why　Tommy　is　a　sure　good　wooden

piece　of　furniture　to　put　inside　it。　And　I　guess　she　knows　there's　not

much　wooden　furniture　about　me。　I　want　to　speak　to　you。〃　He　took　the

Virginian　round　the　corner。　But　though　he　would　not　confide　in　me；　I

began　to　discern　something　quite　definite　at　supper。



〃Cattle　men　will　lose　stock　if　the　Crows　get　down　as　far　as　this；〃　he

said；　casually；　and　Mrs。　Taylor　suppressed　a　titter。



〃Ain't　it　hawses　the're　repawted　as　running　off？〃　said　the　Virginian。



〃Chap　come　into　the　round…up　this　afternoon；〃　said　Lin。　〃But　he　was

rattled；　and　told　a　heap　o'　facts　that　wouldn't　square。〃



〃Of　course　they　wouldn't；〃　said　Tommy；　haughtily。



〃Oh；　there's　nothing　in　it；〃　said　Lin；　dismissing　the　subject。



〃Have　yu'　been　to　the　opera　since　we　went　to　Cheyenne；　Mrs。　Taylor？〃



Mrs。　Taylor　had　not。



〃Lin；〃　said　the　Virginian；　〃did　yu　ever　see　that　opera　Cyarmen？〃



〃You　bet。　Fellow's　girl　quits　him　for　a　bullfighter。　Gets　him　up　in　the

mountains；　and　quits　him。　He　wasn't　much　goodnot　in　her　class　o'

sports；　smugglin'　and　such。〃



〃I　reckon　she　was　doubtful　of　him　from　the　start。　Took　him　to　the

mount'ins　to　experiment；　where　they'd　not　have　interruption；〃　said　the

Virginian。



〃Talking　of　mountains；〃　said　Tommy；　〃this　range　here　used　to　be　a　great

place　for　Indians　till　we　ran　'em　out　with　Terry。　Pumped　lead　into　the

red　sons…of…guns。〃



〃You　bet；〃　said　Lin。　〃Do　yu'　figure　that　girl　tired　of　her　bull…fighter

and　quit　him；　too？〃



〃I　reckon；〃　replied　the　Virginian；　〃that　the　bull…fighter　wore　better。〃



〃Fans　and　taverns　and　gypsies　and　sportin'；〃　said　Lin。　〃My！　but　I'd　like

to　see　them　countries　with　oranges　and　bull…fights！　Only　I　expect　Spain；

maybe；　ain't　keepin'　it　up　so　gay　as　when　'Carmen'　happened。〃



The　table…talk　soon　left　romance　and　turned　upon　steers　and　alfalfa；　a

grass　but　lately　introduced　in　the　country。　No　further　mention　was　made

of　the　hostile　Crows；　and　from　this　I　drew　the　false　conclusion　that

Tommy　had　not　come　up　to　their　hopes　in　the　matter　of　reciting　his

campaigns。　But　when　the　hour　came　for　those　visitors　who　were　not

spending　the　night　to　take　their　leave；　Taylor　drew　Tommy　aside　with　me；

and　I　noticed　the　Virginian　speaking　with　Molly　Wood；　whose　face　showed

diversion。



〃Don't　seem　to　make　anything　of　it；〃　whispered　Taylor　to　Tommy；　〃but　the

ladies　have　got　their　minds　on　this　Indian　truck。〃



〃Why；　I'll　just　explain〃　began　Tommy。



〃Don't；〃　whispered　Lin；　joining　us。　〃Yu'　know　how　women　are。　Once　they

take　a　notion；　why；　the　more　yu'　deny　the　surer　they　get。　Now；　yu'　see；

him　and　me〃　（he　jerked　his　elbow　towards　the　Virginian）　〃must　go　back　to

camp；　for　we're　on　second　relief。〃



〃And　the　ladies　would　sleep　better　knowing　there　was　another　man　in　the

house；〃　said　Taylor。



〃In　that　case；〃　said　Tommy；　〃I〃



〃Yu'　see；〃　said　Lin；　〃they've　been　told　about　Ten　Sleep　being　burned　two

nights　ago。〃



〃It　ain't！〃　cried　Tommy。



〃Why；　of　course　it　ain't；〃　drawled　the　ingenious　Lin。　〃But　that's　what　I

say。　You　and　I　know　Ten　Sleep's　all　right；　but　we　can't　report　from　our

own　knowledge　seeing　it　all　right；　and　there　it　is。　They　get　these

nervous　notions。〃



〃Just　don't　appear　to　make　anything　special　of　not　going　back　to

Riverside；〃　repeated　Taylor；　〃but〃



〃But　just　kind　of　stay　here；〃　said　Lin。



〃I　will！〃　exclaimed　Tommy。　〃Of　course；　I'm　glad　to　oblige。〃



I　suppose　I　was　slow…sighted。　All　this　pains　seemed　to　me　larger　than　its

results。　They　had　imposed　upon　Tommy；　yes。　But　what　of　that？　He　was　to　be

kept　from　going　back　to　Riverside　until　morning。　Unless　they　proposed　to

visit　his　empty　cabin　and　play　tricksbut　that　would　be　too　childish；

even　for　Lin　McLean；　to　say　nothing　of　the　Virginian；　his　occasional

partner　in　mischief。



〃In　spite　of　the　Crows；〃　I　satirically　told　the　ladies；　〃I　shall　sleep

outside；　as　I　intended。　I've　no　use　for　houses　at　this　season。〃



The　cinches　of　the　horses　were　tightened；　Lin　and　the　Virginian　laid　a

hand　on　their　saddle…horns；　swung　up；　and　soon　all　sound　of　the　galloping

horses　had　ceased。　Molly　Wood　declined　to　be　nervous　and　crossed　to　her

little　neighbor　cabin；　we　all　parted；　and　（as　always　in　that　blessed

country）　deep　sleep　quickly　came　to　me。



I　don't　know　how　long　after　it　was　that　I　sprang　from　my　blankets　in

half…doubting　fright。　But　I　had　dreamed　nothing。　A　second　long；　wild　yell

now　gave　me　（I　must　own　to　it）　a　horrible　chill。　I　had　no　pistol

nothing。　In　the　hateful　brightness　of　the　moon　my　single　thought　was

〃House！　House！〃　and　I　fled　across　the　lane　in　my　underclothes　to　the

cabin；　when　round　the　corner　whirled　the　two　cow…punchers；　and　I

understood。　I　saw　the　Virginian　catch　sight　of　me　in　my　shirt；　and　saw

his　teeth　as　he　smiled。　I　hastened　to　my　blankets；　and　returned　more

decent　to　stand　and　watch　the　two　go　shooting　and　yelling　round　the

cabin；　crazy　with　their　youth。　The　door　was　opened；　and　Taylor

courageously　emerged；　bearing　a　Winchester。　He　fired　at　the　sky

immediately。



〃B'　gosh！〃　he　roared。　〃That's　one。〃　He　fired　again。　〃Out　and　at　'em。

They're　running。〃



At　this；　duly　came　Mrs。　Taylor　in　white　with　a　pistol；　and　Miss　Peck　in

white；　staring　and　stolid。　But　no　Tommy。　Noise　prevailed　without；　shots

by　the　stable　and　shots　by　the　creek。　The　two　cow…punchers　dismounted　and

joined　Taylor。　Maniac　delight　seized　me；　and　I；　too；　rushed　about　with

them；　helping　the　din。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Taylor！〃　said　a　voice。　〃I　didn't　think　it　of　you。〃　It　was　Molly

Wood；　come　from　her　cabin；　very　pretty　in　a　hood…and…cloak　arrangement。

She　stood　by　the　fence；　laughing；　but　more　at　us　than　with　us。



〃Stop；　friends！〃　said　Taylor；　gasping。　〃She　teaches　my　Bobbie　his　A　B　C。

I'd　hate　to　have　Bobbie〃



〃Speak　to　your　papa；〃　said　Molly；　and　held　her　scholar　up　on　the　fence。



〃Well；　I'll　be　gol…darned；〃　said　Taylor；　surveying　his　costume；　〃if　Lin

McLean　hasn't　made　a　fool　of　me　to…night！〃



〃Where　has　Tommy　got？〃　said　Mrs。　Taylor。



〃Didn't　yus　see　him？〃　said　the　biscuit…shooter　speaking　her　first　word　in

all　this。



We　followed　her　into　the　kitchen。　The　table　was　covered　with　tin　plates。

Beneath　it；　wedged　knelt　Tommy　with　a　pistol　firm　in　his　hand；　but　the

plates　were　rattling　up　and　down　like　castanets。



There　was　a　silence　among　us；　and　I　wondered　what　we　were　going　to　do。



〃Well；〃　murmured　the　Virginian　to　himself；　〃if　I　could　have　foresaw；　I'd

notit　makes　yu'　feel　humiliated　yu'self。〃



He　marched　out；　got　on　his　horse；　and　rode　away。　Lin　followed　him；　but

perhaps　less　penitently。　We　all　dispersed　without　saying　anything；　and

presently　from　my　blankets　I　saw　poor　Tommy　come　out　of　the　silent　cabin；

mount；　and　slowly；　very　slowly；　ride　away。　He　would　spend　the　night　at

Riverside；　after　all。



Of　course　we　recovered　from　our　unexpected　shame；　and　the　tale　of　the

table　and　the　dancing　plates　was　not　told　as　a　sad