new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第16节
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neither of us knew it！〃
V
The 〃unexpected〃 which Dan'l Borem had hinted might characterize
his future conduct was first intimated by his treatment of the 〃Widow
Cully；〃 an aged and impoverished woman whose property was heavily
mortaged to him。 He had curtly summoned her to come to his office on
Christmas Day and settle up。 Frightened； hopeless； and in the face of a
snowstorm； the old woman attended； but was surprised by receiving a
〃satisfaction piece〃 in full from the banker； and a gorgeous Christmas
dinner。 〃All the same；〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby to Lummox； 〃Dan'l might hev
done all this without frightenin' the poor old critter into a nervous fever；
chillin' her through by makin' her walk two miles through the snow； and
keepin' her on the ragged edge o' despair for two mortal hours！ But it's
his humorous way。〃
〃Did he give any reason for being so lenient to the widow？〃 asked
Lummox。
〃He said that her son had given him a core of his apple when they
were boys together。 Dan'l ez mighty thoughtful o' folks that was kind to
him in them days。〃
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〃Is that all？〃 said Lummox； astonished。
〃WellI've kinder thought suthin' else；〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby hesitatingly。
〃What？〃
〃That its bein' Christmas Dayand as I've heard tell that's NO DAY IN
LAW； but just like SundayDan'l mebbe thought that he might crawl outer
that satisfaction piece； ef he ever wanted ter！ Dan'l is mighty cute。〃
VI
Mr。 John Lummox was not behind his employer in developing
unexpected traits of character。 Hitherto holding aloof from his neighbors
in Old Folksville； he suddenly went to a social gathering； and
distinguished himself as the principal and popular guest of the evening。
As Dan'l Borem afterward told his sister： 〃He was one o' them
Combination Minstrels and Variety Shows in one。 He sang through a
whole opery； made the pianner jest howl； gave some recitations；
Casabianker and Betsy and I are Out； imitated all them tragedians； did
tricks with cards and fetched rabbits outer hats； besides liftin' the pianner
with two men sittin' on it； jest by his teeth。 Created snakes！〃 said Borem；
concluding his account； which here is necessarily abbreviated； 〃ef he
learnt all that in his two years in Europe I ain't sayin' anythin' more agin'
eddication and furrin' travel after this！ Why； the next day there was quite
a run on the Bank jest to see HIM。 He is makin' the bizness pop'lar。〃
〃Then ye think ye'll get along together？〃
〃I reckon we'll hitch hosses；〃 said Dan'l； with a smile。
A few weeks later； one evening； Dan'l Borem sat with his sister alone。
John Lummox； who was now residing with them； was attending a social
engagement。 Mrs。 Bigsby knew that Dan'l had something to
communicate； but knew that he would do so in his own way。
〃Speakin' o' hoss trades；〃 he began。
〃We WASN'T and we ain't goin' to；〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby with great
promptness。 〃I've heard enough of 'em。〃
〃But this here one hez suthin' to do with your fr'en'； John Lummox；〃
said Dan'l； with a chuckle。
Mrs。 Bigsby stared。 〃Go on； then；〃 she said； but； for goodness' sake；
cut it short。〃
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Dan'l threw away his quid and replenished it from his silver tobacco
box。 Mrs。 Bigsby shuddered slightly as she recognized the usual
preliminary to prolixity； but determined； as far as possible； to make her
brother brief。
〃It mout be two weeks ago；〃 began Dan'l； 〃that I see John Lummox
over at Palmyra； where he'd bin visitin'。 He was drivin' a hoss； the
beautifulest critterfor colorI ever saw。 It was yaller； with mane and
tail a kinder golden； like the hair o' them British Blondes that was here in
the Variety Show。〃
〃Dan'l！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Bigsby； horrified。 〃And you allowed you
never went thar！〃
〃Saw 'em on the postersand mebbe the color was a little brighter
thar；〃 said Dan'l carelessly〃but who's interruptin' now？〃
〃Go on；〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby。
〃'Got a fine hoss thar；' sez I； 'reckon I never see such a purty color；' sez
I。 'He is purty；' sez he； 'per'aps too purty for ME to be a…drivin'； but he
isn't fast。' 'I ain't speakin' o' that；' sez I； 'it's his looks that I'm talkin' of；
whar might ye hev got him？' 'He was offered to me by a fr'en' o' me
boyhood；' sez he； 'he's a pinto mustang；' sez he； 'from Californy； whar they
breed 'em。' 'What's a pinto hoss？' sez I。 'The same ez a calico hoss；' sez
he； 'what they have in cirkises； but ye never see 'em that color。' En he
was right； for when I looked him over I never DID see such a soft and
silky coat； and his mane and tail jest glistened。 'It IS a little too showy
for ye；' sez I； 'but I might take him at a fair price。 What's your fr'en'
askin'？' 'He won't sell him to anybody but me；' sez Lummox； 'he's a
horror o' hoss traders； anyway； and his price is more like a gift to a fr'en'。'
'What might that price be； ef it's a fair question？' sez I； for the more I
looked at the hoss the more I liked him。 'A hundred and fifty dollars；' sez
he； 'but my fr'en' would ask YOU double that。' 'Couldn't YOU and ME
make a trade？' sez I； 'I'll exchange ye that roan mare； that's worth two
hundred； for this hoss and fifty dollars。' With that he drew himself up；
and sez he： 'Mr。 Borem；' sez he； 'I share my fr'en's opinion about hoss
tradin'； and I promised my mother I'd never swap hosses。 You ought to
know me by this time。'〃
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〃That's so！〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby； 〃I'm wonderin' ye dared to ax him。〃
Dan'l passed his hand over his mouth； and continued： 〃'I dunno but
you're right； Lummox；' sez I； 'per'aps it's jest as well as thar wasn't TWO
in the Bank in that bizness。' But the more I looked at the hoss the more I
hankered arter him。 'Look here；' sez I； 'I tell ye what I'll do！ I'll LEND
you my hoss and you'll LEND me yourn。 I'll draw up a paper to that
effect； and provide that in case o' accidents； ef I don't return you your hoss；
I'll agree to pay you a hundred and fifty dollars。 You'll give me the same
kind o' paper about my hosswith the proviso that you pay me two
hundred for him！' 'Excuse me； Mr。 Borem；' sez he； 'but that difference of
fifty makes a hoss trade accordin' to my mind。 It's agin' my principles to
make such an agreement。'〃
〃An' he was right； Dan'l；〃 said Mrs。 Bigsby approvingly。
But Dan'l wiped his mouth again； leaving； however； a singular smile
on it。 〃Well； ez I wanted that hoss； I jest thought and thought！ I knew I
could get two hundred and fifty for him easy； and that Lummox didn't
know anythin' of his valoo； and I finally agreed to make the swap even。
'What do you call him？' sez I。 'Pegasus；' sez he；'the poet's hoss； on
account o' his golden mane；' sez he。 That made me laff； for I never knew a
poet ez could afford to hev a hoss；much less one like that！ But I said：
'I'll borry Pegasus o' you on those terms。' The next day I took the hoss to
Jonesville； Lummox was right： he wasn't FAST； but； jest as I expected； he
made a sensation！ Folks crowded round him whenever I stopped；
wimmin followed him and children cried for him。 I could hev sold him
for three hundred without leavin' town！ 'So ye call him Pegasus；' sez Doc
Smith； grinnin'； 'I didn't known ye was subject to the divine
