a mountain woman(山妇)-第25节
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would be ploddin' along like a winded burro。 Don't know what made me
stick t' it。 It was hot there； too！ And cold！ Always roastin' ur freezin'。 It'd
been different if I'd had any one t' help me stand it。 But th' men were
always findin' fault。 They blamed me fur everythin'。 I used t' lie awake at
night an' hear 'em talkin' me over。 It made me lonesome； I tell you！ Thar
wasn't no one！ Mother used t' write。 But I never told her th' truth。 She
ain't a suspicion of what I've been a…goin' through。〃
Kate sat and looked at him in silence。 His face was seamed； though far
from old。 His body was awkward； but impressed her with a sense of
magnificent strength。
〃I couldn't ask no woman t' share my hard times；〃 he resumed after a
time。 〃I always said when I got a woman； it was goin' t' be t' make her
happy。 It wer'n't t' be t' ask her t' drudge。〃
There was another silence。 This man out of the solitude seemed to
be elated past expression at his new companionship。 He looked with
appreciation at the little pointed toes of Kate's slippers； as they glanced
from below the skirt of her dainty organdie。 He noted the band of pearls
on her finger。 His eyes rested long on the daisies at her waist。 The wind
tossed up little curls of her warm brown hair。 Her eyes suffused with inter…
est； her tender mouth seemed ready to lend itself to any emotion； and
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withal she was so small； so compact； so exquisite。 The man wiped his
forehead again； in mere exuberance。
〃Here's my card；〃 he said； very solemnly； as he drew an engraved bit
of pasteboard from its leather case。 Kate bowed and took it。
〃Mr。 Peter Roeder；〃 she read。 〃I've no card；〃 she said。 〃My name is
Shelly。 I'm here for my health； as I told you。〃 She rose at this point； and
held out her hand。 〃I must thank you once more for your kindness；〃 she
said。
His eyes fastened on hers with an appeal for a less formal word。 There
was something almost terrible in their silent eloquence。
〃I hope we may meet again；〃 she said。
Mr。 Peter Roeder made a very low and awkward bow； and opened the
door into the corridor for her。
That evening the major announced that he was obliged to go to Seattle。
The journey was not an inviting one； Kate was well placed where she was；
and he decided to leave her。
She was well enough now to take longer drives； and she found strange；
lonely can… yons； wild and beautiful； where yellow waters burst through
rocky barriers with roar and fury； tortuous； terrible places； such as she
had never dreamed of。 Coming back from one of these drives； two days
after her conversation on the piazza with Peter Roeder； she met him riding
a massive roan。 He sat the animal with that air of perfect unconsciousness
which is the attribute of the Western man； and his attire； even to his
English stock； was faultless； faultily faultless。
〃I hope you won't object to havin' me ride beside you；〃 he said；
wheeling his horse。 To tell the truth； Kate did not object。 She was a
little dull； and had been conscious all the morning of that peculiar physical
depression which marks the begin… ning of a fit of homesickness。
〃The wind gits a fine sweep；〃 said Roeder； after having obtained the
permis… sion he desired。 〃Now in the gulch we either had a dead stagnation；
or else the wind was tearin' up and down like a wild beast。〃
Kate did not reply； and they went on together； facing the riotous wind。
〃You can't guess how queer it seems t' be here；〃 he said； confidentially。
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〃It seems t' me as if I had come from some other planet。 Thar don't rightly
seem t' be no place fur me。 I tell you what it's like。 It's as if I'd come down
t' enlist in th' ranks； an' found 'em full； every man marchin' along in his
place； an' no place left fur me。〃
Kate could not find a reply。
〃I ain't a friend； not a friend！ I ain't complainin'。 It ain't th' fault of
any one but myself。 You don' know what a durned fool I've bin。
Someway； up thar in th' gulch I got t' seemin' so sort of impor… tant t'
myself； and my makin' my stake seemed such a big thing； that I thought I
had only t' come down here t' Helena t' have folks want t' know me。 I
didn't particular want th' money because it wus money。 But out here you
work fur it； jest as you work fur other things in other places； jest
because every one is workin' fur it； and it's the man who gets th' most that
beats。 It ain't that they are any more greedy than men anywhere else。
My pile's a pretty good…sized one。 An' it's likely to be bigger； but no one
else seems t' care。 Th' paper printed some pieces about it。 Some of th' men
came round t' see me； but I saw their game。 I said I guessed I'd look
further fur my acquaintances。 I ain't spoken to a lady； not a real lady；
you know； t' talk with； friendly like； but you； fur years。〃
His face flushed in that sudden way again。 They were passing some of
those preten… tious houses which rise in the midst of Helena's ragged
streets with such an extra… neous air； and Kate leaned forward to look at
them。 The driver； seeing her interest； drew up the horses for a moment。
〃Fine； fine！〃 ejaculated Roeder。 〃But they ain't got no garden。 A house
don't seem anythin' t' me without a garden。 Do you know what I think
would be th' most beautiful thing in th' world？ A baby in a rose…garden！
Do you know； I ain't had a baby in my hands； excep' Ned Ramsey's little
kid； once； for ten year！〃
Kate's face shone with sympathy。
〃How dreadful！〃 she cried。 〃I couldn't live without a baby about。〃
〃Like babies； do you？ Well； well。 Boys？ Like boys？〃
〃Not a bit better than girls；〃 said Kate； stoutly。
〃I like boys；〃 responded Roeder； with conviction。 〃My mother liked
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boys。 She had three girls； but she liked me a damned sight the best。〃
Kate laughed outright。
〃Why do you swear？〃 she said。 〃I never heard a man swear before；
at least； not one with whom I was talking。 That's one of your gulch habits。
You must get over it。〃
Roeder's blond face turned scarlet。
〃You must excuse me；〃 he pleaded。 〃I'll cure myself of it！ Jest give me
a chance。〃
This was a little more personal than Kate approved of； and she raised
her parasol to conceal her annoyance。 It was a brilliant little fluff of a
thing which looked as if it were made of butterflies' wings。 Roeder
touched it with awe。
〃You have sech beautiful things；〃 he said。 〃I didn't know women wore
sech nice things。 Now that dress it's like I don't know what it's like。〃 It
was a simple little taffeta； with warp and woof of azure and of cream； and
gay knots of ribbon about it。
〃We have the advantage of men；〃 she said。 〃I often think one of the
greatest drawbacks to being a man would be the sombre clothes。 I like to
wear the prettiest things that can be found。〃
〃Lace？〃 queried Roeder。 〃Do you like lace？〃
〃I should say so！ Did you ever see a woman who didn't？〃
〃Hu um！ These women I've known don't know lace； these wives
of th' men out here。 They're th' only kind I've seen this long time。〃
〃Oh； of course； but I mean 〃
〃I know what you mean。 My mother has a chest full of linen an' lace。
She showed it t' me th' day I left。 'Peter；' she said； 'some day you bring a
wife home with you； an' I'll give you that lace an' that linen。' An' I'm goin'
t' do it； too；〃 he said quietly。
〃I hope so；〃 said Kate； with her eyes moist。 〃I hope you will； and that
your mother will be very happy。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。
There was a hop at the hotel that night； and it was almost a matter of
courtesy for Kate to go。 Ladies were in demand； for there were not very
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many
