a mountain woman(山妇)-第23节
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But somehow； the Western type did not appear。 Common… place women
with worn faces browned and seamed； though not aged were at the
stations； waiting for something or some one。 Men with a hurried；
nervous air were everywhere。 Kate looked in vain for the gayety and
heartiness which she had always associated with the West。
After they got beyond the timber country and rode hour after hour on a
tract smooth as a becalmed ocean； she gave herself up to the feeling of
immeasurable vastness which took possession of her。 The sun rolled out of
the sky into oblivion with a frantic； head… long haste。 Nothing softened the
aspect of its wrath。 Near； red； familiar； it seemed to visibly bowl along the
heavens。 In the morning it rose as baldly as it had set。 And back and forth
over the awful plain blew the winds； blew from east to west and back
again； strong as if fresh from the chambers of their birth； full of elemental
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scents and of mighty murmurings。
〃This is the West！〃 Kate cried； again and again。
The major listened to her unsmilingly。 It always seemed to him a waste
of muscu… lar energy to smile。 He did not talk much。 Conversation had
never appealed to him in the light of an art。 He spoke when there was a
direction or a command to be given； or an inquiry to be made。 The major；
if the truth must be known； was material。 Things that he could taste； touch；
see； appealed to him。 He had been a volunteer in the civil war； a
volunteer with a good record； which he never mentioned； and； having
acquitted himself decently； let the matter go without asking reprisal or
pay… ment for what he had freely given。 He went into business and sold
cereal foods。
〃I believe in useful things；〃 the major expressed himself。 〃Oatmeal；
wheat； men have to have them。 God intended they should。 There's
Jack my son Jack Shelly lawyer。 What's the use of litigation？ God
didn't design litigation。 It doesn't do anybody any good。 It isn't justice you
get。 It's something entirely different； a verdict according to law。 They
say Jack's clever。 But I'm mighty glad I sell wheat。〃
He didn't sell it as a speculator； how… ever。 That wasn't his way。
〃I earn what I make；〃 he often said； and he had grown rich in the
selling of his wholesome foods。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
Helena lies among round； brown hills。 Above it is a sky of deep and
illimitable blue。 In the streets are crumbs of gold； but it no longer pays to
mine for these； because； as real estate； the property is more valuable。 It is a
place of fictitious values。 There is excitement in the air。 Men have the
faces of speculators。 Every laborer is patient at his task because he
cherishes a hope that some day he will be a million… naire。 There is
hospitality； and cordiality and good fellowship； and an undeniable
democracy。 There is wealth and luxurious living。 There is even culture；
but it is obtruded as a sort of novelty； it is not accepted as a matter of
course。
Kate and the major were driven over two or three miles of dusty； hard
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road to a dis… tant hotel； which stands in the midst of greenness； in an
oasis。 Immediately above the green sward that surrounds it the brown
hills rise； the grass scorched by the sun。
Kate yielded herself to the almost absurd luxury of the place with ease
and compla… cency。 She took kindly to the great veran… das。 She adapted
herself to the elaborate and ill…assorted meals。 She bathed in the
marvellous pool； warm with the heat of eternal fires in mid…earth。 This
pool was covered with a picturesque Moorish struct… ure； and at one end a
cascade tumbled； over which the sun； coming through colored win… dows；
made a mimic prism in the white spray。 The life was not unendurable。 The
major was seldom with her； being obliged to go about his business； and
Kate amused herself by driving over the hills； by watch… ing the
inhabitants； by wondering about the lives in the great； pretentious；
unhomelike houses with their treeless yards and their closed shutters。
The sunlight； white as the glare on Arabian sands； penetrated everywhere。
It seemed to fairly scorch the eye…balls。
〃Oh； we're West； now；〃 Kate said； exult… antly。 〃I've seen a thousand
types。 But yet not quite THE type not the imper… sonation of
simplicity and daring that I was looking for。〃
The major didn't know quite what she was talking about。 But he
acquiesced。 All he cared about was to see her grow stronger； and that she
was doing every day。 She was growing amazingly lovely； too； at least
the major thought so。 Every one looked at her； but that was； perhaps； be…
cause she was such a sylph of a woman。 Beside the stalwart major； she
looked like a fairy princess。
One day she suddenly realized the fact that she had had a companion
on the veranda for several mornings。 Of course； there were a great many
persons invalids； largely sitting about； but one of them had been
obtruding himself persistently into her consciousness。 It was not that he
was rude； it was only that he was thinking about her。 A person with a
temperament like Kate's could not long be oblivious to a thing like that；
and she furtively observed the offender with that genius for psycho…
logical perception which was at once her greatest danger and her charm。
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The man was dressed with a childish attempt at display。 His shirt…
front was decorated with a diamond； and his cuff… buttons were of onyx
with diamond settings。 His clothes were expensive and perceptibly new；
and he often changed his costumes； but with a noticeable disregard for
pro… priety。 He was very conscious of his silk hat； and frequently wiped it
with a handker… chief on which his monogram was worked in blue。
When the 'busses brought up their loads； he was always on hand to
watch the new… comers。 He took a long time at his din… ners； and appeared
to order a great deal and eat very little。 There were card…rooms and a
billiard…hall； not to mention a bowling… alley and a tennis…court； where the
other guests of the hotel spent much time。 But this man never visited them。
He sat often with one of the late reviews in his hand； looking as if he
intended giving his atten… tion to it at any moment。 But after he had
scrupulously cut the leaves with a little carved ivory paper…cutter； he sat
staring straight before him with the book open； but unread； in his hand。
Kate took more interest in this melan… choly； middle…aged man than
she would have done if she had not been on the out… look for her Western
type； the man who was to combine all the qualities of chivalry； daring；
bombast； and generosity； seasoned with piquant grammar； which she
firmly believed to be the real thing。 But notwith… standing this kindly and
somewhat curious interest； she might never have made his acquaintance if
it had not been for a rather unpleasant adventure。
The major was 〃closing up a deal〃 and had hurried away after
breakfast； and Kate； in the luxury of convalescence； half…reclined in a
great chair on the veranda and watched the dusky blue mist twining itself
around the brown hills。 She was not thinking of the babies； she was not
worrying about home； she was not longing for anything； or even indulging
in a dream。 That vacuous content which engrosses the body after long
indisposition； held her imperatively。 Sud… denly she was aroused from
this happy con… dition of nothingness by the spectacle of an enormous
