太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the red one >

第25节

the red one-第25节

小说: the red one 字数: 每页4000字

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!




you know; short fuse; with the end split so as to hold the head of

a safety match。  That's where I mended my predecessors' methods。

Not using the match…head; they'd too…long fuses。  Therefore; when

they spotted a school of mullet; and lighted the fuse; they had to

hold the dynamite till the fuse burned short before they threw it。

If they threw it too soon; it wouldn't go off the instant it hit

the water; while the splash of it would frighten the mullet away。

Funny stuff dynamite。  At any rate; I still maintain mine was the

safer method。



〃I picked up a school of mullet before I'd been rowing five

minutes。  Fine big fat ones they were; and I could smell them over

the fire。  When I stood up; fire…stick in one hand; dynamite stick

in the other; my knees were knocking together。  Maybe it was the

gin; or the anxiousness; or the weakness and the hunger; and maybe

it was the result of all of them; but at any rate I was all of a

shake。  Twice I failed to touch the fire…stick to the dynamite。

Then I did; heard the match…head splutter; and let her go。



〃Now I don't know what happened to the others; but I know what I

did。  I got turned about。  Did you ever stem a strawberry and throw

the strawberry away and pop the stem into your mouth?  That's what

I did。  I threw the fire…stick into the water after the mullet and

held on to the dynamite。  And my arm went off with the stick when

it went off。 。 。 。 〃



Slim investigated the tomato…can for water to mix himself a drink;

but found it empty。  He stood up。



〃Heigh ho;〃 he yawned; and started down the path to the river。



In several minutes he was back。  He mixed the due quantity of river

slush with the alcohol; took a long; solitary drink; and stared

with bitter moodiness into the fire。



〃Yes; but 。 。 。 〃 Fatty suggested。  〃What happened then?〃



〃Oh;〃 sad Slim。  〃Then the princess married me; of course。〃



〃But you were the only person left; and there wasn't any princess 。

。 。 〃  Whiskers cried out abruptly; and then let his voice trail

away to embarrassed silence。



Slim stared unblinkingly into the fire。



Percival Delaney and Chauncey Delarouse looked at each other。

Quietly; in solemn silence; each with his one arm aided the one arm

of the other in rolling and tying his bundle。  And in silence;

bundles slung on shoulders; they went away out of the circle of

firelight。  Not until they reached the top of the railroad

embankment did they speak。



〃No gentleman would have done it;〃 said Whiskers。



〃No gentleman would have done it;〃 Fatty agreed。











Glen Ellen; California;

SEPTEMBER 26; 1916。











End 

返回目录 上一页 回到顶部 1 0

你可能喜欢的