lin mclean-第24节

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〃Do　you　like　flapjacks　and　maple　syrup？〃　inquired　the　artful　McLean。

〃That's　what　I'm　figuring　on　inside　twenty　minutes。〃



〃Twenty　minutes！　If　they'd　wait〃



〃See　here；　Bill。　They've　quit　expecting　yu'；　don't　yu'　think？　I'd　ought

to　waked；　yu'　see；　but　I　slep'　and　slep'；　and　kep'　yu'　from　meetin'　your

engagements；　yu'　seefor　you　couldn't　go；　of　course。　A　man　couldn't

treat　a　man　that　way　now；　could　he？〃



〃Course　he　couldn't；〃　said　Billy；　brightening。



〃And　they　wouldn't　wait；　yu'　see。　They　wouldn't　fool　away　Christmas；　that

only　comes　onced　a　year；　kickin'　their　heels　and　sayin'　'Where's　Billy？'

They'd　say；　'Bill　has　sure　made　other　arrangements；　which　he'll　explain

to　us　at　his　leesyure。'　And　they'd　skip　with　the　cigars。〃



The　advocate　paused；　effectively；　and　from　his　bolster　regarded　Billy

with　a　convincing　eye。



〃That's　so；〃　said　Billy。



〃And　where　would　yu'　be　then；　Bill？　In　the　street；　out　of　friends；　out　of

Christmas；　and　left　both　ways；　no　tobaccer　and　no　flapjacks。　Now；　Bill；

what　do　yu'　say　to　us　putting　up　a　Christmas　deal　together？　Just　you　and

me？〃



〃I'd　like　that；〃　said　Billy。　〃Is　it　all　day？〃



〃I　was　thinkin'　of　all　day；〃　said　Lin。　〃I'll　not　make　yu'　do　anything

yu'd　rather　not。〃



〃Ah；　they　can　smoke　without　me；〃　said　Billy；　with　sudden　acrimony。　〃I'll

see　'em　to…morro'。〃



〃That's　you！〃　cried　Mr。　McLean。　〃Now；　Bill；　you　hustle　down　and　tell　them

to　keep　a　table　for　us。　I'll　get　my　clothes　on　and　follow　yu'。〃



The　boy　went；　and　Mr。　McLean　procured　hot　water　and　dressed　himself；

tying　his　scarf　with　great　care。　〃Wished　I'd　a　clean　shirt；〃　said　he。

〃But　I　don't　look　very　bad。　Shavin'　yesterday　afternoon　was　a　good　move。〃

He　picked　up　the　arrow…head　and　the　kinni…kinnic；　and　was　particular　to

store　them　in　his　safest　pocket。　〃I　ain't　sure　whether　you're　crazy　or

not；〃　said　he　to　the　man　in　the　looking…glass。　〃I　ain't　never　been　sure。〃

And　he　slammed　the　door　and　went　down…stairs。



He　found　young　Bill　on　guard　over　a　table　for　four；　with　all　the　chairs

tilted　against　it　as　warning　to　strangers。　No　one　sat　at　any　other　table

or　came　into　the　room；　for　it　was　late；　and　the　place　quite　emptied　of

breakfasters；　and　the　several　entertained　waiters　had　gathered　behind

Billy's　important…looking　back。　Lin　provided　a　thorough　meal；　and　Billy

pronounced　the　flannel　cakes　superior　to　flapjacks；　which　were　not　upon

the　bill　of　fare。



〃I'd　like　to　see　you　often；〃　said　he。　〃I'll　come　and　see　you　if　you　don't

live　too　far。〃



〃That's　the　trouble；〃　said　the　cow…puncher。　〃I　do。　Awful　far。〃　He　stared

out　of　the　window。



〃Well；　I　might　come　some　time。　I　wish　you'd　write　me　a　letter。　Can　you

write？〃　〃What's　that？　Can　I　write？　Oh　yes。〃



〃I　can　write；　an'　I　can　read　too。　I've　been　to　school　in　Sidney；

Nebraska；　an'　Magaw；　Kansas；　an'　Salt　Lakethat's　the　finest　town　except

Denver。〃



Billy　fell　into　that　cheerful　strain　of　comment　which；　unreplied　to；　yet

goes　on　contented　and　self…sustaining；　while　Mr。　McLean　gave　amiable

signs　of　assent；　but　chiefly　looked　out　of　the　window；　and　when　the　now

interested　waiter　said　respectfully　that　he　desired　to　close　the　room；

they　went　out　to　the　office；　where　the　money　was　got　out　of　the　safe　and

the　bill　paid。



The　streets　were　full　of　the　bright　sun；　and　seemingly　at　Denver's　gates

stood　the　mountains　sparkling；　an　air　crisp　and　pleasant　wafted　from

their　peaks；　no　smoke　hung　among　the　roofs；　and　the　sky　spread　wide　over

the　city　without　a　stain；　it　was　holiday　up　among　the　chimneys　and　tall

buildings；　and　down　among　the　quiet　ground…stories　below　as　well；　and

presently　from　their　scattered　pinnacles　through　the　town　the　bells　broke

out　against　the　jocund　silence　of　the　morning。



〃Don't　you　like　music？〃　inquired　Billy。



〃Yes；〃　said　Lin。



Ladies　with　their　husbands　and　children　were　passing　and　meeting；　orderly

yet　gayer　than　if　it　were　only　Sunday；　and　the　salutations　of　Christmas

came　now　and　again　to　the　cow…puncher's　ears；　but　to…day；　possessor　of

his　own　share　in　this；　Lin　looked　at　every　one　with　a　sort　of　friendly

challenge；　and　young　Billy　talked　along　beside　him。



〃Don't　you　think　we　could　go　in　here？〃　Billy　asked。　A　church　door　was

open；　and　the　rich　organ　sounded　through　to　the　pavement。　〃They've　good

music　here；　an'　they　keep　it　up　without　much　talking　between。　I've　been

in　lots　of　times。〃



They　went　in　and　sat　to　hear　the　music。　Better　than　the　organ；　it　seemed

to　them；　were　the　harmonious　voices　raised　from　somewhere　outside；　like

unexpected　visitants；　and　the　pair　sat　in　their　back　seat；　too　deep　in

listening　to　the　processional　hymn　to　think　of　rising　in　decent　imitation

of　those　around　them。　The　crystal　melody　of　the　refrain　especially

reached　their　understandings；　and　when　for　the　fourth　time　〃Shout　the

glad　tidings；　exultingly　sing；〃　pealed　forth　and　ceased；　both　the

delighted　faces　fell。



〃Don't　you　wish　there　was　more？〃　Billy　whispered。



〃Wish　there　was　a　hundred　verses；〃　answered　Lin。



But　canticles　and　responses　followed；　with　so　little　talking　between　them

they　were　held　spellbound；　seldom　thinking　to　rise　or　kneel。　Lin's　eyes

roved　over　the　church；　dwelling　upon　the　pillars　in　their　evergreen；　the

flowers　and　leafy　wreaths；　the　texts　of　white　and　gold。　〃'Peace；　good…

will　towards　men；'〃　he　read。　〃That's　so。　Peace　and　good…will。　Yes；　that's

so。　I　expect　they　got　that　somewheres　in　the　Bible。　It's　awful　good；　and

you'd　never　think　of　it　yourself。〃



There　was　a　touch　on　his　arm；　and　a　woman　handed　a　book　to　him。　〃This　is

the　hymn　we　have　now；〃　she　whispered；　gently；　and　Lin；　blushing　scarlet；

took　it　passively　without　a　word。　He　and　Billy　stood　up　and　held　the　book

together；　dutifully　reading　the　words：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃It　came　upon　the　midnight　clear；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　glorious　song　of　old；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　From　angels　bending　near　the　earth

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　touch　their　harps　of　gold；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Peace　on　the　earth〃



This　tune　was　more　beautiful　than　all；　and　Lin　lost　himself　in　it；　until

he　found　Billy　recalling　him　with　a　finger　upon　the　words；　the　concluding

ones：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃And　the　whole　world　sent　back　the　song

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Which　now　the　angels　sing。〃



The　music　rose　and　descended　to　its　lovely　and　simple　end；　and；　for　a

second　time　in　Denver；　Lin　brushed　a　hand　across　his　eyes。　He　turned　his

face　from　his　neighbor；　frowning　crossly；　and　since　the　heart　has　reasons

which　Reason　does　not　know；　he　seemed　to　himself　a　fool；　but　when　the

service　was　over　and　he　came　out；　he　repeated　again；　〃'Peace　and

good…will。'　When　I　run　on　to　the　Bishop　of　Wyoming　I'll　tell　him　if　he'll

preach　on　them　words　I'll　be　there。〃



〃Couldn't　we　shoot　your　pistol　now？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Sure；　boy。　Ain't　yu'　hungry；　though？〃



〃No。　I　wish　we　were　away　off　up　there。　Don't　you？〃



〃The　mountains？　They　look　pretty；　so　white！　A　heap　better　'n　houses。　Why；

we'll　go　there！　There's　trains　to　Golden。　We'll　shoot　around　among　the

foothills。〃



To　Golden　they　immediately　went；　and　after　a　meal　there；　wandered　in　the

open　country　until　the　cartridges　were　gone；　the　sun　was　low；　and　Billy

was　walked　off　his　young　heelsa　truth　he　learned　complete　in　one　horrid

moment；　and　battled　to　conceal。



〃Lame！〃　he　echoed；　angrily。　〃I　ain't。〃



〃Shucks！〃　said　Lin；　after　the　next　ten　steps。　〃You　are；　and　both　feet。〃



〃Tell　you；　there's　stones　here；　an'　I'm　just　a…skipping　them。〃



Lin；　briefly；　took　the　boy　in　his　arms　and　carried　him　to　Golden。　〃I'm

played　out　myself；〃　he　said；　sitting　in　the　hotel　and　looking

lugubriously　at　Billy　on　a　bed。　〃And　I　ain't　fit　to　have　charge　of　a

hog。〃　He　came　and　put　his　hand　on　the　boy's　head。



〃I'm　not　sick；〃　said　the　cripple。　〃I　tell　you　I'm　bully。　You　wait　an'　see

me　eat　dinner。〃



But　Lin　had　hot　water　and　cold　water　and　salt；　and　was　an　hour　upon　his

knees　bathing　the　hot　feet。　And　then　Billy　could　not　eat　dinner！



There　was　a　doctor　in　Golden；　but　in　spite　of　his　light　prescription　and

most　reasonable　observations；　Mr。　McLean　passed　a　foolish　night　of　vigil；

while　Billy　slept；　quite　well　at　first；　and；　as　the　hours　passed；　better

and　better。　In　the　morning　he　was　entirely　brisk；　though　stiff。



〃I　couldn't　work　quick　to…day；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　guess　one　day　won't　lose

me　my　trade。〃



〃How　d'　yu'　mean？〃　asked　Lin。



〃Why；　I've　got　regulars；　you　know。　Sidney　Ellis　an'　Pete　Goode　has

theirs；　an'　we　don't　cut　each　other。　I've　got　Mr。　Daniels　an'　Mr。　Fisher

an'　lots；　an'　if　you　lived　in　Denver　I'd　shine　your　boots　every　day　for

nothing。　I　wished　you　lived　in　Denver。〃



〃Shine　my　boots？　Yu'll　never！　And　yu'　don't　black　Daniels　or　Fisher；　or

any　of　the　outfit。〃



〃Why；　I'm　doing　first…rate；〃　said　Billy；　surprised　at　the　swearing　into

which　Mr。　McLean　now　burst。　〃An'　I　ain't　big　enough　to　get　to　make　money