lin mclean-第32节

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Billy　aloof；　joining　me　on　the　road　but　once；　and　then　merely　to　give　me

the　news　that　people　here　wanted　no　more　of　Nate　Buckner；　he　would　be　run

out　of　the　country；　and　respect　for　the　sister　was　all　that　meanwhile

saved　him。　But　Buckner；　like　so　many　spared　criminals；　seemed　brazenly

unaware　he　was　disgraced；　and　went　hailing　loudly　any　riders　or　drivers

we　met；　while　beside　him　his　sister　sat　close　and　straight；　her　stanch

affection　and　support　for　the　world　to　see。　For　all　she　let　appear；　she

might　have　been　bringing　him　back　from　some　gallant　heroism　achieved；　and

as　I　rode　along　the　travesty　seemed　more　and　more　pitiful；　the　outcome

darker　and　darker。



At　all　times　is　Riverside　beautiful；　but　most　beautiful　when　the　sun

draws　down　through　the　openings　of　the　hills。　From　each　one　a　stream

comes　flowing　clearly　out　into　the　plain；　and　fields　spread　green　along

the　margins。　It　was　beneath　the　long…slanted　radiance　of　evening　that　we

saw　Blue　Creek　and　felt　its　coolness　rise　among　the　shifting　veils　of

light。　The　red　bluff　eastward；　the　tall　natural　fortress；　lost　its　stern

masonry　of　shapes；　and　loomed　a　soft　towering　enchantment　of　violet　and

amber　and　saffron　in　the　changing　rays。　The　cattle　stood　quiet　about　the

levels；　and　horses　were　moving　among　the　restless　colts。　These　the

brother　bade　his　sister　look　at；　for　with　them　was　his　glory；　and　I　heard

him　boasting　of　his　skilltruthful　boasting；　to　be　sure。　Had　he　been

honest　in　his　dealings；　the　good…will　that　man's　courage　and　dashing

appearance　beget　in　men　would　have　brought　him　more　employment　than　he

could　have　undertaken。　He　told　Jessamine　his　way　of　breaking　a　horse　that

few　would　dare；　and　she　listened　eagerly。　〃Do　you　remember　when　I　used　to

hold　the　pony　for　you　to　get　on？〃　she　said。　〃You　always　would　scare　me；

Nate！〃　And　he　replied；　fluently；　Yes；　yes；　did　she　see　that　horse　there；

near　the　fence？　He　was　a　four…year…old；　an　outlaw；　and　she　would　find　no

one　had　tried　getting　on　his　back　since　he　had　been　absent。　This　was　the

first　question　he　asked　on　reaching　the　cabin；　where　various　neighbors

were　waiting　the　mail…rider；　and；　finding　he　was　right；　he　turned　in

pride　to　Jessamine



〃They　don't　know　how　to　handle　that　horse；〃　said　he。　〃I　told　you　so。　Give

me　a　rope。〃



Did　she　notice　the　cold　greeting　Nate　received？　I　think　not。　Not　only　was

their　welcome　to　her　the　kinder；　but　any　one　is　glad　to　witness　bold

riding；　and　this　chance　made　a　stir　which　the　sister　may　have　taken　for

cordiality。　But　Lin　gave　me　a　look；　for　it　was　the　same　here　as　it　had

been　in　the　Buffalo　saloon。



〃The　trick　is　easy　enough；〃　said　Nate；　arriving　with　his　outlaw；　and

liking　an　audience。　〃You　don't　want　a　bridle；　but　a　rope　hackamore　like

thisSpanish　style。　Then　let　them　run　as　hard　as　they　want；　and　on　a

sudden　reach　down　your　arm　and　catch　the　hackamore　short；　close　up　by　the

mouth；　and　jerk　them　round　quick　and　heavy　at　full　speed。　They　quit　their

fooling　after　one　or　two　doses。　Now　watch　your　outlaw！〃



He　went　into　the　saddle　so　swift　and　secure　that　the　animal；　amazed；

trembled　stock…still；　then　sprang　headlong。　It　stopped；　vicious　and

knowing；　and　plunged　in　a　rage；　but　could　do　nothing　with　the　man；　and

bolted　again；　and　away　in　a　straight　blind　line　over　the　meadow；　when　the

rider　leaned　forward　to　his　trick。　The　horse　veered　in　a　jagged　swerve；

rolled　over　and　over　with　its　twisted　impetus；　and　up　on　its　feet　and　on

without　a　stop；　the　man　still　seated　and　upright　in　the　saddle。　How　we

cheered　to　see　it！　But　the　figure　now　tilted　strangely；　and　something

awful　and　nameless　came　over　us　and　chilled　our　noise　to　silence。　The

horse；　dazed　and　tamed　by　the　fall；　brought　its　burden　towards　us；　a

wobbling　thing；　falling　by　small　shakes　backward；　until　the　head　sank　on

the　horse's　rump。



〃Come　away；〃　said　Lin　McLean　to　Jessamine　and　at　his　voice　she　obeyed　and

went；　leaning　on　his　arm。



Jessamine　sat　by　her　brother　until　he　died；　twelve　hours　afterwards；

having　spoken　and　known　nothing。　The　whole　weight　of　the　horse　had

crushed　him　internally。　He　must　have　become　almost　instantly　unconscious；

being　held　in　the　saddle　by　his　spurs；　which　had　caught　in　the　hair

cinch；　it　may　be　that　our　loud　cheer　was　the　last　thing　of　this　world

that　he　knew。　The　injuries　to　his　body　made　impossible　any　taking　him

home；　which　his　sister　at　first　wished　to　do。　〃Why；　I　came　here　to　bring

him　home；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　and　tone　like　cheerfulness　in　wax。　Her

calm；　the　unearthly　ease　with　which　she　spoke　to　any　comer　（and　she　was

surrounded　with　rough　kindness）；　embarrassed　the　listeners；　she　saw　her

calamity　clear　as　they　did；　but　was　sleep…walking　in　it。　It　was　Lin　gave

her　what　she　neededthe　repose　of　his　strong；　silent　presence。　He　spoke

no　sympathy　and　no　advice；　nor　even　did　he　argue　with　her　about　the

burial；　he　perceived　somehow　that　she　did　not　really　hear　what　was　said

to　her；　and　that　these　first　griefless；　sensible　words　came　from　some

mechanism　of　the　nerves；　so　he　kept　himself　near　her；　and　let　her　tell

her　story　as　she　would。　Once　I　heard　him　say　to　her；　with　the　same

authority　of　that　first　〃come　away〃；　〃Now　you've　had　enough　of　the

talking。　Come　for　a　walk。〃　Enough　of　the　talkingas　if　it　were　a

treatment！　How　did　he　think　of　that？　Jessamine；　at　any　rate；　again　obeyed

him；　and　I　saw　the　two　going　quietly　about　in　the　meadows　and　along　the

curving　brook；　and　that　night　she　slept　well。　On　one　only　point　did　the

cow…puncher　consult　me。



〃They　figured　to　put　Nate　on　top　of　that　bald　mound；〃　said　he。　〃But　she

has　talked　about　the　flowers　and　shade　where　the　old　folks　lie；　and　where

she　wants　him　to　be　alongside　of　them。　I've　not　let　her　look　at　him

to…day；　forwell；　she　might　get　the　way　he　looks　now　on　her　memory。　But

I'd　like　to　show　you　my　idea　before　going　further。〃



Lin　had　indeed　chosen　a　beautiful　place；　and　so　I　told　him　at　the　first

sight　of　it。



〃That's　all　I　wanted　to　know；〃　said　he。　〃I'll　fix　the　rest。〃



I　believe　he　never　once　told　Jessamine　the　body　could　not　travel　so　far

as　Kentucky。　I　think　he　let　her　live　and　talk　and　grieve　from　hour　to

hour；　and　then　led　her　that　afternoon　to　the　nook　of　sunlight　and

sheltering　trees；　and　won　her　consent　to　it　thus；　for　there　was　Nate

laid；　and　there　she　went　to　sit；　alone。　Lin　did　not　go　with　her　on　those

walks。



But　now　something　new　was　on　the　fellow's　mind。　He　was　plainly　occupied

with　it；　whatever　else　he　was　doing；　and　he　had　some　active　cattle…work。

On　my　asking　him　if　Jessamine　Buckner　had　decided　when　to　return　east；　he

inquired　of　me；　angrily；　what　was　there　in　Kentucky　she　could　not　have　in

Wyoming？　Consequently；　though　I　surmised　what　he　must　be　debating；　I　felt

myself　invited　to　keep　out　of　his　confidence；　and　I　did　so。　My　advice　to

him　would　have　been　ill　received；　andas　was　soon　to　be　made　plain

would　have　done　his　delicacy　injustice。　Next；　one　morning　he　and　Billy

were　gone。　My　first　thought　was　that　he　had　rejoined　Jessamine　at　Mrs。

Pierce's；　where　she　was；　and　left　me　away　over　here　on　Bear　Creek；　where

we　had　come　for　part　of　a　week。



But　stuck　in　my　hat…band　I　found　a　pencilled　farewell。



Now　Mr。　McLean　constructed　perhaps　three　letters　in　the　yearpainful；

serious　eventslike　an　interview　with　some　important　person　with　whom

your　speech　must　decorously　flow。　No　matter　to　whom　he　was　writing；　it

froze　all　nature　stiff　in　each　word　he　achieved；　and　his　bald　business

diction　and　wild　archaic　penmanship　made　documents　that　I　value　among　my

choicest　correspondence；　this　one；　especially：





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Wensday　four　a。　m。



〃DEAR　SIR　this　is　to　Inform　you　that　i　have　gone　to　Separ　on　important

bisness　where　i　expect　to　meet　you　on　your　arrival　at　same　point。　You

will　confer　a　favor　and　oblidge　undersigned　by　Informing　Miss　J。　Buckner

of　date　（if　soon）　you　fix　for　returning　per　stage　to　Separ　as　Miss　J。

Buckner　may　prefer　company　for　the　trip　being　long　and　poor

accommodations。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　&c。　　　　　L。　McLEAN。〃





This　seemed　to　point　but　one　way；　and　（uncharitable　though　it　sound）　that

this　girl；　so　close　upon　bereavement；　should　be　able　to　give　herself　to　a

lover　was　distasteful　to　me。



But；　most　extraordinary；　Lin　had　gone　away　without　a　word　to　her；　and　she

was　left　as　plainly　in　the　dark　as　myself。　After　her　first　frank　surprise

at　learning　of　his　departure；　his　name　did　not　come　again　from　her　lips；

at　any　rate　to　me。　Good　Mrs。　Pierce　dropped　a　word　one　day　as　to　her

opinion　of　men　who　deceive　women　into　expecting　something　from　them。



〃Let　us　talk　straight；〃　said　I。　〃Do　you　mean　that　Miss　Buckner　says　that；

or　that　you　say　it？〃



〃Why；　the　poor　thing　says　nothing！〃　exclaimed　the　lady。　〃It's　like　a　man

to　think　she　would。　And　I'll　not　say　anything；　either；　for　you're　all

just　the　same；　except　when　you're　worse；　and　that　Lin　McLean　is　going