a mountain woman(山妇)-第22节
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〃Bring your laces； Ninon。〃 He would have added： 〃Thy sins be forgiven
thee。〃 But un… fortunately； at this moment； Pierre came lounging down
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the street； through the mud； fresh from Fort Laramie。 His rifle was
slung across his back； and a full game…bag revealed the fact that he had
amused him… self on his way。 His curly and wind…bleached hair blew out in
time…torn banners from the edge of his wide hat。 His piercing； black eyes
were those of a man who drinks deep； fights hard； and lives always in the
open air。 Wild animals have such eyes； only there is this difference： the
viciousness of an animal is natural； at least one…half of the viciousness of
man is artificial and devised。
When Ninon saw the frost…reddened face of this gallant of the plains；
she gave a little cry of delight； and the color rushed back into her face。 The
trapper saw her； and gave a rude shout of welcome。 The next moment； he
had swung her clear of the chapel steps； and then the two went down the
street together； Pierre pausing only long enough to doff his hat to the
priest。
〃The Virgin will wear no fresh laces；〃 said the priest； with some
bitterness； but he was mistaken。 An hour later； Ninon was back； not only
with a box of laces； but also with a collection of cosmetics； with which she
proceeded to make startling the scratched and faded face of the wooden
Virgin； who wore； after the completion of Ninon's labors； a decidedly
piquant and saucy expression。 The very manner in which the laces were
draped had a suggestion of Ninon's still unforgotten art as a maker of
millinery； and was really a very good presentment of Paris fashions four
years past。 Pierre； meantime； amused himself by filling up the chinks in
the logs with fresh mud； a commodity of which there was no lack； and
others of the neighbors； incited by these extraordinary efforts； washed the
dirt from seats； floor； and windows； and brought furs with which to make
presentable the floor about the pulpit。
Father de Smet worked harder than any of them。 In his happy
enthusiasm he chose to think this energy on the part of the others was
prompted by piety； though well he knew it was only a refuge from the
insuffer… able ennui that pervaded the place。 Ninon suddenly came up to
him with a white face。
〃I am not well；〃 she said。 Her teeth were chattering； and her eyes had a
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little blue glaze over them。 〃I am going home。 In the morning I will send
the lilies。〃
The priest caught her by the hand。
〃Ninon；〃 he whispered； 〃it is on my soul not to let you go to…night。
Something tells me that the hour of your salvation is come。 Women worse
than you； Ninon； have come to lead holy lives。 Pray； Ninon； pray to the
Mother of Sorrows； who knows the suf… ferings and sins of the heart。〃 He
pointed to the befrilled and highly fashionable Virgin with her rouge…
stained cheeks。
Ninon shrank from him； and the same convulsive rigidity he had
noticed before； held her immovable。 A moment later； she was on the street
again； and the priest； watching her down the street； saw her enter her cabin
with Pierre。
。。。。。。。
It was past midnight when the priest was awakened from his sleep by
a knock on the door。 He wrapped his great buffalo…coat about him； and
answered the summons。 Without in the damp darkness stood Pierre。
〃Father；〃 he cried； 〃Ninon has sent for you。 Since she left you； she has
been very ill。 I have done what I could； but now she hardly speaks； but I
make out that she wants you。〃 Ten minutes later； they were in Ninon's
cabin。 When Father de Smet looked at her he knew she was dying。 He had
seen the Indians like that many times during the winter。 It was the plague；
but driven in to prey upon the system by the exposure。 The Parisienne's
teeth were set； but she managed to smile upon her visitor as he threw off
his coat and bent over her。 He poured some whiskey for her； but she could
not get the liquid over her throat。
〃Do not；〃 she said fiercely between those set white teeth； 〃do not
forget the lilies。〃 She sank back and fixed her glazing eyes on the antlers；
and kept them there watching those dangling silken scarves； while the
priest； in haste； spoke the words for the departing soul。
The next morning she lay dead among those half barbaric relics of her
coquetry； and two white lilies with hearts of gold shed perfume from an
altar in a wilderness。
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Up the Gulch
〃GO West？〃 sighed Kate。 〃Why； yes！ I'd like to go West。〃
She looked at the babies； who were play… ing on the floor with their
father； and sighed again。
〃You've got to go somewhere； you know； Kate。 It might as well be
west as in any other direction。 And this is such a chance！ We can't have
mamma lying around on sofas without any roses in her cheeks； can we？〃
He put this last to the children； who； being yet at the age when they talked
in 〃Early English；〃 as their father called it； made a clamorous but
inarticulate reply。
Major Shelly； the grandfather of these very young persons； stroked his
mustache and looked indulgent。
〃Show almost human intelligence； don't they？〃 said their father； as he
lay flat on his back and permitted the babies to climb over him。
〃Ya…as；〃 drawled the major。 〃They do。 Don't see how you account for
it； Jack。〃
Jack roared； and the lips of the babies trembled with fear。
Their mother said nothing。 She was on the sofa； her hands lying inert；
her eyes fixed on her rosy babies with an expression which her father…in…
law and her husband tried hard not to notice。
It was not easy to tell why Kate was ailing。 Of course； the babies were
young； but there were other reasons。
〃I believe you're too happy；〃 Jack some… times said to her。 〃Try not to
be quite so happy； Kate。 At least； try not to take your happiness so
seriously。 Please don't adore me so； I'm only a commonplace fellow。
And the babies they're not going to blow away。〃
But Kate continued to look with intense eyes at her little world； and to
draw into it with loving and generous hands all who were willing to come。
〃Kate is just like a kite；〃 Jack explained to his father； the major； 〃she
can't keep afloat without just so many bobs。〃
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Kate's 〃bobs〃 were the unfortunates she collected around her。 These
absorbed her strength。 She felt their misery with sym… pathies that were
abnormal。 The very laborer in the streets felt his toil less keenly than she；
as she watched the drops gather on his brow。
〃Is life worth keeping at the cost of a lot like that？〃 she would ask。
She felt ashamed of her own ease。 She apologized for her own serene and
perfect happiness。 She even felt sorry for those mothers who had not
children as radiantly beautiful as her own。
〃Kate must have a change；〃 the major had given out。 He was going
West on business and insisted on taking her with him。 Jack looked
doubtful。 He wasn't sure how he would get along without Kate to look
after everything。 Secretly； he had an idea that servants were a kind of wild
animal that had to be fed by an experienced keeper。 But when the time
came； he kissed her good…by in as jocular a manner as he could summon；
and refused to see the tears that gathered in her eyes。
Until Chicago was reached； there was nothing very different from that
which Kate had been in the habit of seeing。 After that； she set herself to
watch for Western characteristics。 She felt that she would know them as
soon as she saw them。
〃I expected to be stirred up and shocked；〃 she explained to the major。
But somehow； the Western type did not appear。 Common… place
