arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第31节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wonderfully； though I don't see why it should have。 We had topped the
high country； too； and had started down the other side of the mountains
that ran out on the promontory。 Denton and I were still navigating
without any thought of giving up； but Schwartz was getting in bad shape。
I'd hate to pack twenty pounds over that country even with rest； food； and
water。 He was toting it on nothing。 We told him so； and he came to see
it； but he never could persuade himself to get rid of the gold all at once。
Instead he threw away the pieces one by one。 Each sacrifice seemed to
nerve him up for another heat。 I can shut my eyes and see it nowthe
wide； glaring； yellow country； the pasteboard mountains； we three
dragging along； and the fierce sunshine flashing from the doubloons as
one by one they went spinning through the air。
104
… Page 105…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
CHAPTER FOURTEEN； THE
CHEWED SUGAR CANE
〃I'd like to have trailed you fellows；〃 sighed a voice from the corner。
〃Would you！〃 said Colorado Rogers grimly。
It was five days to the next water。 But they were worse than the
eight days before。 We were lucky； however； for at the spring we
discovered in a deep wash near the coast； was the dried…up skull of a horse。
It had been there a long time； but a few shreds of dried flesh still clung to
it。 It was the only thing that could be described as food that had passed
our lips since breakfast thirteen days before。 In that time we had crossed
the mountain chain； and had come again to the sea。 The Lord was good
to us。 He sent us the water； and the horse's skull； and the smooth hard
beach； without breaks or the necessity of climbing hills。 And we needed
it； oh； I promise you； we needed it！
I doubt if any of us could have kept the direction except by such an
obvious and continuous landmark as the sea to our left。 It hardly seemed
worth while to focus my mind； but I did it occasionally just by way of
testing myself。 Schwartz still threw away his gold coins； and once； in
one of my rare intervals of looking about me； I saw Denton picking them
up。 This surprised me mildly； but I was too tired to be very curious。
Only now； when I saw Schwartz's arm sweep out in what had become a
mechanical movement； I always took pains to look； and always I saw
Denton search for the coin。 Sometimes he found it； and sometimes he
did not。 The figures of my companions and the yellow…brown tide
sand under my feet； and a consciousness of the blue and white sea to my
left； are all I remember； except when we had to pull ourselves together for
the purpose of cutting fishhook cactus。 I kept going； and I knew I had a
good reason for doing so； but it seemed too much of an effort to recall
what that reason was。 Schwartz threw away a gold piece as another
man would take a stimulant。 Gradually； without really thinking about it；
I came to see this； and then went on to sabe why Denton picked up the
105
… Page 106…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
coins； and a great admiration for Denton's cleverness seeped through me
like water through the sand。 He was saving the coins to keep Schwartz
going。 When the last coin went； Schwartz would give out。 It all sounds
queer now； but it seemed all right thenand it WAS all right； too。 So
we walked on the beach； losing entire track of time。 And after a long
interval I came to myself to see Schwartz lying on the sand； and Denton
standing over him。 Of course we'd all been falling down a lot； but
always before we'd got up again。 〃He's give out；〃 croaked Denton。
His voice sounded as if it was miles away； which surprised me； but； when
I answered； mine sounded miles away； too； which surprised me still more。
Denton pulled out a handful of gold coins。 〃This will buy him some
more walk；〃 said he gravely； 〃but not much。〃 I nodded。 It seemed
all right； this new； strange purchasing power of goldit WAS all right； by
God； and as real as buying bricks 〃I'll go on；〃 said Denton； 〃and
send back help。 You come after。〃
〃To Mollyhay！〃 said I。 This far I reckon we'd hung onto ourselves
because it was serious。 Now I began to laugh。 So did Denton。 We
laughed and laughed。
〃A damn long way To Mollyhay。〃
said I。 Then we laughed some more； until the tears ran down our
cheeks； and we had to hold our poor weak sides。 Pretty soon we fetched
up with a gasp。
〃A damn long way To Mollyhay；〃
whispered Denton； and then off we went into more shrieks。 And
when we would sober down a little； one or the other of us would say it
again；
〃A damn long way To Mollyhay；〃
and then we'd laugh some more。 It must have been a sweet sight！
At last I realised that we ought to pull ourselves together； so I snubbed up
short； and Denton did the same； and we set to laying plans。 But every
minute or so one of us would catch on some word； and then we'd trail off
into rhymes and laughter and repetition。 〃Keep him going as long as
you can；〃 said Denton。 〃Yes。〃 〃And be sure to stick to the
beach。〃 That far it was all right and clear…headed。 But the word
106
… Page 107…
ARIZONA NIGHTS
〃beach〃 let us out。
〃I'm a peach Upon the beach；〃
sings I； and there we were both off again until one or the other
managed to grope his way back to common sense again。 And sometimes
we crow…hopped solemnly around and around the prostrate Schwartz like a
pair of Injins。 But somehow we got our plan laid at last； slipped the
coins into Schwartz's pocket； and said good…bye。
〃Old socks； good…bye； You bet I'll try；〃
yelled Denton； and laughing fit to kill； danced off up the beach； and
out into a sort of grey mist that shut off everything beyond a certain
distance from me now。 So I kicked Schwartz； he felt in his pocket；
threw a gold piece away； and 〃bought a little more walk。〃
My entire vision was fifty feet or so across。 Beyond that was grey
mist。 Inside my circle I could see the sand quite plainly and Denton's
footprints。 If I moved a little to the left； the wash of the waters would lap
under the edge of that grey curtain。
If I moved to the right； I came to cliffs。 The nearer I drew to them；
the farther up I could see； but I could never see to the top。 It used to
amuse me to move this area of consciousness about to see what I could
find。 Actual physical suffering was beginning to dull； and my head
seemed to be getting clearer。 One day； without any apparent reason； I
moved at right angles across the beach。 Directly before me lay a piece of
sugar cane； and one end of it had been chewed。 Do you know what
that meant？ Animals don't cut sugar cane and bring it to the beach and
chew one end。 A new strength ran through me； and actually the grey mist
thinned and lifted for a moment； until I could make out dimly the line of
cliffs and the tumbling sea。 I was not a bit hungry； but I chewed on
the sugar cane； and made Schwartz do the same。 When we went on I
kept close to the cliff； even though the walking was somewhat heavier。
I remember after that its getting dark and then light again； so the night
must have passed； but whether we rested or walked I do not know。
Probably we did not get very far； though certainly we staggered ahead
after sun…up； for I remember my shadow。 About midday； I suppose； I
made out a dim trail lea
