the woman in the alcove-第13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！
as a very sick man。
Ill；梬ell； that explained matters。 His silence； which many had taken for indifference； was that of a man physically disabled and unfit for exertion of any kind。 Ill；梐 tragic circumstance which roused endless conjecture。 Was he aware； or was he not aware； of his wife's death？ Had he been taken ill before or after he left Colorado for New Mexico？ Was he suffering mainly from shock； or； as would appear from his complaint； from a too rapid change of climate？
The whole country seethed with excitement； and my poor little unthought…of； insignificant self burned with impatience； which only those who have been subjected to a like suspense can properly estimate。 Would the proceedings which were awaited with so much anxiety be further delayed？ Would Mr。 Durand remain indefinitely in durance and under such a cloud of disgrace as would kill some men and might kill him？ Should I be called upon to endure still longer the suffering which this entailed upon me； when I thought I knew？
But fortune was less obdurate than I feared。 Next morning a telegraphic statement from Santa Fe settled one of the points of this great dispute； a statement which you will find detailed at more length in the following communication； which appeared a few days later in one of our most enterprising journals。
It was from a resident correspondent in New Mexico； and was written； as the editor was careful to say； for his own eyes and not for the public。 He had ventured； however； to give It in full； knowing the great interest which this whole subject had for his readers。
VII
NIGHT AND A VOICE
Not to be outdone by the editor； I insert the article here with all its details； the importance of which I trust I have anticipated。
SANTA FE； N。M。； April 。
Arrived in Santa Fe； I inquired where Abner Fairbrother could be found。 I was told that he was at his mine； sick。
Upon inquiring as to the location of the Placide； I was informed that it was fifteen miles or so distant in the mountains； and upon my expressing an intention of going there immediately； I was given what I thought very unnecessary advice and then directed to a certain livery stable； where I was told I could get the right kind of a horse and such equipment as I stood in need of。
I thought I was equipped all right as it was； but I said nothing and went on to the livery stable。 Here I was shown a horse which I took to at once and was about to mount； when a pair of leggings was brought to me。
〃You will need these for your journey；〃 said the man。
〃Journey！〃 I repeated。 〃Fifteen miles！〃
The livery stable keepera half…breed with a peculiarly pleasant smilecocked up his shoulders with the remark：
〃Three men as willing but as inexperienced as yourself have attempted the same journey during the last week and they all came back before they reached the divide。 You will probably come back； too； but I shall give you as fair a start as if I knew you were going straight through。〃
〃But a woman has done it；〃 said I； 〃a nurse from the hospital went up that very road last week。〃
〃Oh； women！ they can do anythingwomen who are nurses。 But they don't start off alone。 You are going alone。〃
〃Yes；〃 I remarked grimly。 〃Newspaper correspondents make their journeys singly when they can。〃
〃Oh！ you are a newspaper correspondent！ Why do so many men from the papers want to see that sick old man？ Because he's so rich？〃
〃Don't you know？〃 I asked。
He did not seem to。
I wondered at his ignorance but did not enlighten him。
〃Follow the trail and ask your way from time to time。 All the goatherds know where the Placide mine is。
Such were his simple instructions as he headed my horse toward the canyon。 But as I drew off； he shouted out：
〃If you get stuck； leave it to the horse。 He knows more about it than you do。〃
With a vague gesture toward the northwest； he turned away； leaving me in contemplation of the grandest scenery I had yet come upon in all my travels。
Fifteen miles！ but those miles lay through the very heart of the mountains； ranging anywhere from six to seven thousand feet high。 In ten minutes the city and all signs of city life were out of sight。 In five more I was seemingly as far removed from all civilization as if I had gone a hundred miles into the wilderness。
As my horse settled down to work； picking his way； now here and now there； sometimes over the brown earth； hard and baked as in a thousand furnaces； and sometimes over the stunted grass whose needle…like stalks seemed never to have known moisture； I let my eyes roam to such peaks as were not cut off from view by the nearer hillsides； and wondered whether the snow which capped them was whiter than any other or the blue of the sky bluer； that the two together had the effect upon me of cameo work on a huge and unapproachable scale。
Certainly the effect of these grand mountains； into which you leap without any preparation from the streets and market…places of America's oldest city； is such as is not easily described。
We struck water now and then；narrow watercourses which my horse followed in mid stream； and； more interesting yet； goatherds with their flocks； Mexicans all； who seemed to understand no English； but were picturesque enough to look at and a welcome break in the extreme lonesomeness of the way。
I had been told that they would serve me as guides if I felt at all doubtful of the trail； and in one or two instances they proved to be of decided help。 They could gesticulate； if they could not speak English； and when I tried them with the one word Placide they would nod and point out which of the many side canyons I was to follow。 But they always looked up as they did so； up； up； till I took to looking up； too； and when； after miles multiplied indefinitely by the winding of the trail； I came out upon a ledge from which a full view of the opposite range could be had； and saw fronting me； from the side of one of its tremendous peaks； the gap of a vast hole not two hundred feet from the snowline； I knew that； inaccessible as it looked； I was gazing up at the opening of Abner Fairbrother's new mine； the Placide。
The experience was a strange one。 The two ranges approached so nearly that it seemed as if a ball might be tossed from one to the other。 But the chasm between was stupendous。 I grew dizzy as I looked downward and saw the endless zigzags yet to be traversed step by step before the bottom of the canyon could be reached； and then the equally interminable zigzags up the acclivity beyond； all of which I must trace； still step by step； before I could hope to arrive at the camp which； from where I stood； looked to be almost within hail of my voice。
I have described the mine as a hole。 That was all I saw at firsta great black hole in the dark brown earth of the mountain…side； from which ran down a still darker streak into the waste places far below it。 But as I looked longer I saw that it was faced by a ledge cut out of the friable soil； on which I was now able to descry the pronounced white of two or three tent…tops and some other signs of life； encouraging enough to the eye of one whose lot it was to crawl like a fly up that tremendous mountain…side。
Truly I could understand why those three men； probably newspaper correspondents like myself； had turned back to Santa Fe； after a glance from my present outlook。 But though I understood I did not mean to duplicate their retreat。
The sight of those tents； the thought of what one of them contained； inspired me with new courage； and； releasing my grip upon the rein； I allowed my patient horse to proceed。 Shortly after this I passed the dividethat is where the water sheds both waysthen the descent began。 It was zigzag； just as the climb had been； but I preferred the climb。 I did not have the unfathomable spaces so constantly before me； nor was my imagination so active。 It was fixed on heights to be attained rather than on valleys to roll into。 However； I did not roll。
The Mexican saddle held me securely at whatever angle I was poised； and once the bottom was reached I found that I could face； with considerable equanimity； the corresponding ascent。 Only； as I saw how steep the climb bade fair to be； I did not see how I was ever to come down again。 Going up was possible； but the descent
However； as what goes up must in the course of nature come down； I put this question aside and gave my horse his head； after encouraging him with a few blades of grass； which he seemed to find edible enough； though they had the look and something of the feel of spun glass。
How we got there you must ask this good animal； who took all the responsibility and did all the work。 I merely clung and balanced； and at times； when he rounded the end of a zigzag； for instance； I even shut my eyes； though the prospect was magnificent。 At last even his patience seemed to give out； and he stopped and trembled。 But before I could open my eyes on the abyss beneath he made another effort。 I felt the brush of tree branches across my face； and； looking up； saw before me the ledge or platform dotted with tents； at which I had looked with such longing from the opposite hillsides。
Simultaneously I heard voices； and saw approaching a bronzed and bearded man wit
