a mountain woman(山妇)-第27节
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〃Oh； I've done that。 Five thousand dollars。 It don't seem much here；
but it'll seem a lot t' her。 I'd send her more； only it would've bothered her。〃
〃Then there is your house； the house with the bath…room。 But I
suppose you'll have other rooms？〃
Peter laughed a little in spite of himself。
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〃I guess I won't have a house；〃 he said。 〃An' I couldn't make a garden
alone。〃
〃Hire a man to help you。〃 Kate was trembling； but she kept talking
gayly。 She was praying that nothing very serious would happen。 There was
an undercurrent of som… breness in the man's manner that frightened her。
〃I guess I'll jest have t' keep on dreamin' of that boy playin' with th'
roses。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Kate； 〃he will come true some day！ I know he'll come
true。〃
Peter got up and stood by her chair。
〃You don't know nothin' about it；〃 he said。 〃You don't know； an' you
can't know what it's bin t' me t' talk with you。 Here I come out of a place
where there ain't no sound but the water and the pines。 Years come an' go。
Still no sound。 Only thinkin'； thinkin'； thinkin'！ Missin' all th' things
men care fur！ Dreamin' of a time when I sh'd strike th' pile。 Then I seed
home； wife； a boy； flowers； everythin'。 You're so beautiful； an' you're so
good。 You've a way of pickin' a man's heart right out of him。 First time I
set my eyes on you I thought you were th' nicest thing I ever see！ And how
little you are！ That hand of yours； look at it； it's like a leaf！ An' how
easy you smile。 Up th' gulch we didn't smile； we laughed； but gen'ly
because some one got in a fix。 Then your voice！ Ah； I've thought fur
years that some day I might hear a voice like that！ Don't you go！ Sit still！
I'm not blamin' you fur anythin'； but I may never； 's long's I live； find any
one who will understand things th' way you under… stand 'em。 Here！ I
tell you about that gulch an' you see that gulch。 You know how th' rain
sounded thar； an' how th' shack looked； an' th' life I led； an' all th' thoughts
I had； an' th' long nights； an' th' times when but never mind。 I know you
know it all。 I saw it in yer eyes。 I tell you of mother； an' you see 'er。 You
know 'er old German face； an' 'er proud ways； an' her pride in me； an' how
she would think I wuz awfully rich。 An' you see how she would give out
them linens； all marked fur my wife； an' how I would sit an' watch her
doin' it； an' you see every… thing。 I know you do。 I could feel you doin' it。
Then I say to myself： 'Here is th' one woman in th' world made fur me。
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Whatever I have； she shall have。 I'll spend my life waitin' on her。 She'll
tell me all th' things I ought t' know； an' hev missed knowin'； she'll read t'
me； she'll be patient when she finds how dull I've grown。 And thar'll be th'
boy '〃
He seized her hand and wrung it； and was gone。 Kate saw him no more
that night。
The next morning the major returned。 Kate threw her arms around his
neck and wept。
〃I want the babies；〃 she explained when the major showed his
consternation。 〃Don't mind my crying。 You ought to be used to seeing me
cry by this time。 I must get home； that's all。 I must see Jack。〃
So that night they started。
At the door of the carriage stood Peter Roeder； waiting。
〃I'm going t' ride down with you；〃 he said。 The major looked
nonplussed。
Kate got in and the major followed。
〃Come；〃 she said to Roeder。 He sat opposite and looked at her as if
he would fasten her image on his mind。
〃You remember；〃 he said after a time； 〃that I told you I used t' dream
of sittin' on the veranda of th' hotel and havin' nothin' t' do？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； I don't think I care fur it。 I've had a month of it。 I'm goin' back
up th' gulch。〃
〃No！〃 cried Kate； instinctively reaching out her hands toward him。
〃Why not？ I guess you don't know me。 I knew that somewhere I'd find
a friend。 I found that friend； an' now I'm alone again。 It's pretty quiet up
thar in the gulch； but I'll try it。〃
〃No； no。 Go to Europe； go to see your mother。〃
〃I thought about that a good deal； a while ago。 But I don't seem t' have
no heart fur it now。 I feel as if I'd be safer in th' gulch。〃
〃Safer？〃
〃The world looks pretty big。 It's safe and close in th' gulch。〃
At the station the major went to look after the trunks； and Roeder put
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Kate in her seat。
〃I wanted t' give you something 〃 he said； seating himself beside her；
〃but I didn't dare。〃
〃Oh； my dear friend；〃 she cried； laying her little gloved hand on his red
and knotted one； 〃don't go back into the shadow。 Do not return to that
terrible silence。 Wait。 Have patience。 Fate has brought you wealth。 It
will bring you love。〃
〃I've somethin' to ask；〃 he said； paying no attention to her appeal。
〃You must answer it。 If we 'a' met long ago； an' you hadn't a husband or
anythin' do you think you'd've loved me then？〃
She felt herself turning white。
〃No；〃 she said softly。 〃I could never have loved you； my dear friend。
We are not the same。 Believe me； there is a woman somewhere who
will love you； but I am not that woman nor could I have ever been。〃
The train was starting。 The major came bustling in。
〃Well； good…by；〃 said Roeder； holding out his hand to Kate。
〃Good…by；〃 she cried。 〃Don't go back up the gulch。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said； reassuringly； 〃don't you worry about me； my don't
worry。 The gulch is a nice； quiet place。 An' you know what I told you
about th' ranks all bein' full。 Good…by。〃 The train was well under way。
He sprang off； and stood on the platform waving his handkerchief。
〃Well； Kate；〃 said the major； seating himself down comfortably and
adjusting his travelling cap； 〃did you find the Western type？〃
〃I don't quite know；〃 said she； slowly。 〃But I have made the discovery
that a human soul is much the same wherever you meet it。〃
〃Dear me！ You haven't been meeting a soul； have you？〃 the major said；
face… tiously； unbuckling his travelling…bag。 〃I'll tell Jack。〃
〃No； I'll tell Jack。 And he'll feel quite as badly as I do to think that I
could do nothing for its proper adjustment。〃
The major's face took on a look of com… prehension。
〃Was that the soul；〃 he asked； 〃that just came down in the carriage
with us？〃
〃That was it；〃 assented Kate。 〃It was born； it has had its mortal day；
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and it has gone back up the gulch。〃
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A Michigan Man
A PINE forest is nature's expression of solemnity and solitude。
Sunlight； rivers； cascades； people； music； laughter； or dancing could not
make it gay。 With its unceasing reverberations and its eternal shadows； it is
as awful and as holy as a cathedral。
Thirty good fellows working together by day and drinking together by
night can keep up but a moody imitation of jollity。 Spend twenty…five of
your forty years； as Luther Dallas did； in this perennial gloom； and your
soul that which enjoys； aspires； competes will be drugged as deep as
if you had quaffed the cup of oblivion。 Luther Dallas was counted one of
the most experienced axe…men in the northern camps。 He could fell a tree
with the swift surety of an executioner； and in revenge for his many
arboral murders the woodland had taken captive his mind； captured and
chained it as Prospero did Ariel。 The resounding footsteps of Progress
driven on so merci… lessly in this mad age could not reach his fastness。 It
did not concern him that men were thinking； investigating； inventing。 His
senses responded only to the sonorous music of the woods； a steadfas
