a mountain woman(山妇)-第5节
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to give it up。 I tried to make the sacrifice； but I could not。 I tried to be as
gay as you； and to live your sort of life； but I could not do it。 Do not make
the effort to forgive me。 You will be hap… pier if you simply hold me in the
contempt I deserve。〃
I read the letter over and over。 I do not know that I believe that the
spirit of inani… mate things can permeate to the intelligence of man。 I am
sure I always laughed at such ideas。 Yet holding that note with its
shameful seeming words； I felt a conscious… ness that it was written in
purity and love。 And then before my eyes there came a scene so vivid that
for a moment the office with its familiar furniture was obliterated。 What I
saw was a long firm road； green with mid… summer luxuriance。 The
leisurely thudding of my horse's feet sounded in my ears。 Be… side me was
a tall； black…robed figure。 I saw her look back with that expression of
deprivation at the sky line。 〃It's like liv… ing after the world has begun to
die；〃 said the pensive minor voice。 〃It seems as if part of the world had
been taken down。〃
〃Brainard；〃 I yelled； 〃come here！ I have it。 Here's your explanation。 I
can show you a new meaning for every line of this letter。 Man； she has
gone to the moun… tains。 She has gone to worship her own gods！〃
Two weeks later I got a letter from Brain… ard； dated from Colorado。
〃Old man；〃 it said； 〃you're right。 She is here。 I found my mountain
woman here where the four voices of her cataracts had been calling to her。
I saw her the moment our mules rounded the road that commands the
valley。 We had been riding all night and were drenched with cold dew；
hungry to desperation； and my spirits were of lead。 Suddenly we got out
from behind the gran… ite wall； and there she was； standing； where I had
seen her so often； beside the little water… fall that she calls the happy one。
She was looking straight up at the billowing mist that dipped down the
mountain； mammoth saffron rolls of it； plunging so madly from the
impetus of the wind that one marvelled how it could be noiseless。 Ah； you
do not know Judith！ That strange； unsophisti… cated； sometimes awkward
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A Mountain Woman
woman you saw bore no more resemblance to my mountain woman than I
to Hercules。 How strong and beautiful she looked standing there wrapped
in an ecstasy！ It was my primitive woman back in her primeval world。
How the blood leaped in me！ All my old romance； so dif… ferent from the
common love…histories of most men； was there again within my reach！ All
the mystery； the poignant happiness were mine again。 Do not hold me in
con… tempt because I show you my heart。 You saw my misery。 Why should
I grudge you a glimpse of my happiness？ She saw me when I touched her
hand； not before； so wrapped was she。 But she did not seem surprised。
Only in her splendid eyes there came a large content。 She pointed to the
dancing little white fall。 'I thought some… thing wonderful was going to
happen；' she whispered； 'for it has been laughing so。'
〃I shall not return to New York。 I am going to stay here with my
mountain wo… man； and I think perhaps I shall find out what life means
here sooner than I would back there with you。 I shall learn to see large
things large and small things small。 Judith says to tell you and Miss Grant
that the four voices are calling for you every day in the valley。
〃Yours in fullest friendship；
〃LEROY BRAINARD。〃
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A Mountain Woman
Jim Lancy's Waterloo
〃WE must get married before time to put in crops；〃 he wrote。 〃We
must make a success of the farm the first year； for luck。 Could you manage
to be ready to come out West by the last of February？ After March opens
there will be no let…up； and I do not see how I could get away。 Make it
Febru… ary； Annie dear。 A few weeks more or less can make no difference
to you； but they make a good deal of difference to me。〃
The woman to whom this was written read it with something like
anger。 〃I don't be… lieve he's so impatient for me！〃 she said to herself。
〃What he wants is to get the crops in on time。〃 But she changed the date of
their wedding； and made it February。
Their wedding journey was only from the Illinois village where she
lived to their Nebraska farm。 They had never been much together； and they
had much to say to each other。
〃Farming won't come hard to you；〃 Jim assured her。 〃All one needs to
farm with is brains。〃
〃What a success you'll make of it！〃 she cried saucily。
〃I wish I had my farm clear；〃 Jim went on； 〃but that's more than any
one has around me。 I'm no worse off than the rest。 We've got to pay off the
mortgage； Annie。〃
〃Of course we must。 We'll just do with… out till we get the mortgage
lifted。 Hard work will do anything； I guess。 And I'm not afraid to work；
Jim； though I've never had much experience。〃
Jim looked out of the window a long time； at the gentle undulations of
the brown Iowa prairie。 His eyes seemed to pierce beneath the sod； to the
swelling buds of the yet invisible grass。 He noticed how disdain… fully the
rains of the new year beat down the grasses of the year that was gone。 It
opened to his mind a vision of the season's possibilities。 For a moment；
even amid the smoke of the car； he seemed to scent clover； and hear the
stiff swishing of the corn and the dull burring of the bees。
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A Mountain Woman
〃I wish sometimes；〃 he said； leaning for… ward to look at his bride；
〃that I had been born something else than a farmer。 But I can no more help
farming； Annie； than a bird can help singing； or a bee making honey。 I
didn't take to farming。 I was simply born with a hoe in my hand。〃
〃I don't know a blessed thing about it；〃 Annie confessed。 〃But I
made up my mind that a farm with you was better than a town without you。
That's all there is to it； as far as I am concerned。〃
Jim Lancy slid his arm softly about her waist； unseen by the other
passengers。 Annie looked up apprehensively； to see if any one was
noticing。 But they were eating their lunches。 It was a common coach
on which they were riding。 There was a Pullman attached to the train； and
Annie had secretly thought that； as it was their wedding journey； it might
be more becoming to take it。 But Jim had made no suggestion about it。
What he said later explained the reason。
〃I would have liked to have brought you a fine present；〃 he said。 〃It
seemed shabby to come with nothing but that little ring。 But I put
everything I had on our home； you know。 And yet； I'm sure you'll think it
poor enough after what you've been used to。 You'll forgive me for only
bringing the ring； my dear？〃
〃But you brought me something better；〃 Annie whispered。 She was a
foolish little girl。 〃You brought me love； you know。〃 Then they rode in
silence for a long time。 Both of them were new to the phraseology of love。
Their simple compliments to each other were almost ludicrous。 But any
one who might have chanced to overhear them would have been charmed；
for they betrayed an innocence as beautiful as an unclouded dawn。
Annie tried hard not to be depressed by the treeless stretches of the
Nebraska plains。
〃This is different from Illinois；〃 she ventured once； gently； 〃it is even
different from Iowa。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 cried Jim； enthusiastically； 〃it is different！ It is the finest
country in the world！ You never feel shut in。 You can always see off。 I feel
at home after I get in Nebraska。 I'd choke back where you live； with all
those little gullies and the trees everywhere。 It's a mystery to me how
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