arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第7节
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shadows leaped； became solid； monstrous。 We fell asleep。
After a time the fact obtruded itself dimly through our stupor that the
constant pressure of the hard rock had impeded our circulation。 We
stirred uneasily； shifting to a better position。
That was the beginning of awakening。 The new position did not suit。
A slight shivering seized us； which the drawing closer of the blanket failed
to end。 Finally I threw aside my hat and looked out。 Jed Parker； a vivid
patch…work comforter wrapped about his shoulders； stood upright and
silent by the fire。 I kept still； fearing to awaken the others。 In a short
time I became aware that the others were doing identically the same thing。
We laughed； threw off our blankets； stretched； and fed the fire。
A thick acrid smoke filled the air。 The Cattleman； rising； left a trail
of incandescent footprints。 We investigated hastily； and discovered that
the supposed earth on the slant of the cave was nothing more than bat
guano； tons of it。 The fire； eating its way beneath； had rendered
untenable its immediate vicinity。 We felt as though we were living over a
volcano。 How soon our ledge； of the same material； might be attacked；
we had no means of knowing。 Overcome with drowsiness； we again
disposed our blankets； resolved to get as many naps as possible before
even these constrained quarters were taken from us。
This happened sooner and in a manner otherwise than we had expected。
Windy Bill brought us to consciousness by a wild yell。
Consciousness reported to us a strange； hurried sound like the long roll
on a drum。 Investigation showed us that this cave； too； had sprung a leak；
not with any premonitory drip； but all at once； as though someone had
turned on a faucet。 In ten seconds a very competent streamlet six inches
wide had eroded a course down through the guano； past the fire and to the
outer slope。 And by the irony of fate that oneand only oneleak in all
the roof expanse of a big cave was directly over one end of our tiny ledge。
The Cattleman laughed。
〃Reminds me of the old farmer and his kind friend；〃 said he。 〃Kind
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friend hunts up the old farmer in the village。
〃'John；' says he； 'I've bad news for you。 Your barn has burned up。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your cow was burned； too。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your horses were burned。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But； that ain't the worst。 The barn set fire to the house； and it was
burnedtotal loss。'
〃'My Lord！' groans the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your wife and child were killed； too。'
〃'At that the farmer began to roar with laughter。
〃'Good heavens； man！' cries his friend； astonished； 'what in the world
do you find to laugh at in that？'
〃'Don't you see？' answers the farmer。 'Why； it's so darn
COMPLETE！'
〃Well；〃 finished the Cattleman； 〃that's what strikes me about our case；
it's so darn complete！〃
〃What time is it？〃 asked Windy Bill。
〃Midnight；〃 I announced。
〃Lord！ Six hours to day！〃 groaned Windy Bill。 〃How'd you like to be
doin' a nice quiet job at gardenin' in the East where you could belly up to
the bar reg'lar every evenin'； and drink a pussy cafe and smoke tailor…made
cigareets？〃
〃You wouldn't like it a bit；〃 put in the Cattleman with decision；
whereupon in proof he told us the following story：
Windy has mentioned Gentleman Tim； and that reminded me of the
first time I ever saw him。 He was an Irishman all right； but he had been
educated in England； and except for his accent he was more an
Englishman than anything else。 A freight outfit brought him into Tucson
from Santa Fe and dumped him down on the plaza； where at once every
idler in town gathered to quiz him。
Certainly he was one of the greenest specimens I ever saw in this
country。 He had on a pair of balloon pants and a Norfolk jacket； and was
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surrounded by a half…dozen baby trunks。 His face was red…cheeked and
aggressively clean； and his eye limpid as a child's。 Most of those present
thought that indicated childishness； but I could see that it was only utter
self…unconsciousness。
It seemed that he was out for big game； and intended to go after silver…
tips somewhere in these very mountains。 Of course he was offered
plenty of advice； and would probably have made engagements much to be
regretted had I not taken a strong fancy to him。
〃My friend；〃 said I； drawing him aside； 〃I don't want to be inquisitive；
but what might you do when you're home？〃
〃I'm a younger son；〃 said he。 I was green myself in those days； and
knew nothing of primogeniture。
〃That is a very interesting piece of family history；〃 said I； 〃but it does
not answer my question。〃
He smiled。
〃Well now； I hadn't thought of that；〃 said he； 〃but in a manner of
speaking； it does。 I do nothing。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； unabashed； 〃if you saw me trying to be a younger son
and likely to forget myself and do something without meaning to； wouldn't
you be apt to warn me？〃
〃Well； 'pon honour； you're a queer chap。 What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that if you hire any of those men to guide you in the
mountains； you'll be outrageously cheated； and will be lucky if you're not
gobbled by Apaches。〃
〃Do you do any guiding yourself； now？〃 he asked； most innocent of
manner。
But I flared up。
〃You damn ungrateful pup；〃 I said； 〃go to the devil in your own way；〃
and turned square on my heel。
But the young man was at my elbow； his hand on my shoulder。
〃Oh； I say now； I'm sorry。 I didn't rightly understand。 Do wait one
moment until I dispose of these boxes of mine； and then I want the honour
of your further acquaintance。〃
He got some Greasers to take his trunks over to the hotel； then linked
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his arm in mine most engagingly。
〃Now； my dear chap；〃 said he； 〃let's go somewhere for a B & S； and
find out about each other。〃
We were both young and expansive。 We exchanged views； names；
and confidences； and before noon we had arranged to hunt together； I to
collect the outfit。
The upshot of the matter was that the Honourable Timothy Clare and I
had a most excellent month's excursion； shot several good bear； and
returned to Tucson the best of friends。
At Tucson was Schiefflein and his stories of a big strike down in the
Apache country。 Nothing would do but that we should both go to see for
ourselves。 We joined the second expedition； crept in the gullies； tied
bushes about ourselves when monumenting corners； and so helped
establish the town of Tombstone。 We made nothing； nor attempted to。
Neither of us knew anything of mining； but we were both thirsty for
adventure； and took a schoolboy delight in playing the game of life or
death with the Chiricahuas。
In fact； I never saw anybody take to the wild life as eagerly as the
Honourable Timothy Clare。 He wanted to attempt everything。 With
him it was no sooner see than try； and he had such an abundance of
enthusiasm that he generally succeeded。 The balloon pants soon went。
In a month his outfit was irreproachable。 He used to study us by the hour；
taking in every detail of our equipment； from the smallest to the most
important。 Then he asked questions。 For all his desire to be one of the
country； he was never ashamed to acknowledge his ignorance。
〃Now； don't you chaps think it silly to wear such high heels to your
boots？〃 he would ask。 〃It seems t
