a mountain woman(山妇)-第28节
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senses responded only to the sonorous music of the woods； a steadfast
wind ring… ing metallic melody from the pine…tops con… tented him as the
sound of the sea does the sailor； and dear as the odors of the ocean to the
mariner were the resinous scents of the forest to him。 Like a sailor； too；
he had his superstitions。 He had a presentiment that he was to die by one
of these trees； that some day； in chopping； the tree would fall upon and
crush him as it did his father the day they brought him back to the camp on
a litter of pine boughs。
One day the gang…boss noticed a tree that Dallas had left standing in a
most unwood… manlike manner in the section which was allotted to him。
〃What in thunder is that standing there for？〃 he asked。
Dallas raised his eyes to the pine； tower… ing in stern dignity a hundred
feet above them。
〃Well；〃 he said feebly； 〃I noticed it； but kind…a left it t' the last。〃
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〃Cut it down to…morrow；〃 was the response。
The wind was rising； and the tree mut… tered savagely。 Luther
thought it sounded like a menace； and turned pale。 No trou… ble has yet
been found that will keep a man awake in the keen air of the pineries after
he has been swinging his axe all day； but the sleep of the chopper was so
broken with disturbing dreams that night that the beads gathered on his
brow； and twice he cried aloud。 He ate his coarse flap…jacks in the morning
and escaped from the smoky shanty as soon as he could。
〃It'll bring bad luck； I'm afraid；〃 he muttered as he went to get his axe
from the rack。 He was as fond of his axe as a soldier of his musket； but to…
day he shouldered it with reluctance。 He felt like a man with his destiny
before him。 The tree stood like a sentinel。 He raised his axe； once；
twice； a dozen times； but could not bring himself to make a cut in the bark。
He walked backwards a few steps and looked up。 The funereal green
seemed to grow darker and darker till it became black。 It was the
embodiment of sorrow。 Was it not shaking giant arms at him？ Did it not
cry out in angry challenge？ Luther did not try to laugh at his fears； he
had never seen any humor in life。 A gust of wind had some… way crept
through the dense barricade of foliage that flanked the clearing； and struck
him with an icy chill。 He looked at the sky； the day was advancing rapidly。
He went at his work with an energy as deter… mined as despair。 The axe in
his practised hand made clean straight cuts in the trunk； now on this side；
now on that。 His task was not an easy one； but he finished it with
wonderful expedition。 After the chopping was finished； the tree stood firm
a moment； then； as the tensely…strained fibres began a weird moaning； he
sprang aside； and stood waiting。 In the distance he saw two men hewing a
log。 The axe…man sent them a shout and threw up his arms for them to
look。 The tree stood out clear and beauti… ful against the gray sky； the men
ceased their work and watched it。 The vibrations became more violent；
and the sounds they produced grew louder and louder till they reached a
shrill wild cry。 There came a pause； then a deep shuddering groan。 The
topmost branches began to move slowly； the whole stately bulk swayed；
and then shot towards the ground。 The gigantic trunk bounded from the
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stump； recoiled like a cannon； crashed down； and lay conquered； with a
roar as of an earthquake； in a cloud of flying twigs and chips。
When the dust had cleared away； the men at the log on the outside of
the clearing could not see Luther。 They ran to the spot； and found him
lying on the ground with his chest crushed in。 His fearful eyes had not
rightly calculated the distance from the stump to the top of the pine； nor
rightly weighed the power of the massed branches； and so； standing spell…
bound； watching the descending trunk as one might watch his Nemesis；
the rebound came and left him lying worse than dead。
Three months later； when the logs； lopped of their branches； drifted
down the streams； the woodman； a human log lopped of his strength；
drifted to a great city。 A change； the doctor said； might prolong his life。
The lumbermen made up a purse； and he started out； not very definitely
knowing his destination。 He had a sister； much younger than himself；
who at the age of six… teen had married and gone； he believed； to Chicago。
That was years ago； but he had an idea that he might find her。 He was not
troubled by his lack of resources； he did not believe that any man would
want for a meal unless he were 〃shiftless。〃 He had always been able to
turn his hand to something。
He felt too ill from the jostling of the cars to notice much of anything
on the jour… ney。 The dizzy scenes whirling past made him faint； and he
was glad to lie with closed eyes。 He imagined that his little sister in her
pink calico frock and bare feet （as he remembered her） would be at the sta…
tion to meet him。 〃Oh； Lu！〃 she would call from some hiding…place； and
he would go and find her。
The conductor stopped by Luther's seat and said that they were in the
city at last； but it seemed to the sick man as if they went miles after that；
with a multitude of twinkling lights on one side and a blank darkness； that
they told him was the lake； on the other。 The conductor again stopped by
his seat。
〃Well； my man；〃 said he； 〃how are you feeling？〃
Luther； the possessor of the toughest muscles in。 the gang； felt a sick
man's irri… tation at the tone of pity。
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〃Oh； I'm all right！〃 he said； gruffly； and shook off the assistance the
conductor tried to offer with his overcoat。 〃I'm going to my sister's；〃 he
explained； in answer to the inquiry as to where he was going。 The man；
somewhat piqued at the spirit in which his overtures were met； left him；
and Luther stepped on to the platform。 There was a long vista of semi…light；
down which crowds of people walked and baggage…men rushed。 The
building； if it deserved the name； seemed a ruin； and through the arched
doors Luther could see men hackmen dancing and howling like
dervishes。 Trains were coming and going； and the whistles and bells kept
up a ceaseless clangor。 Luther； with his small satchel and uncouth dress；
slouched by the crowd unnoticed； and reached the street。 He walked amid
such an illumination as he had never dreamed of； and paused half blinded
in the glare of a broad sheet of electric light that filled a pillared entrance
into which many people passed。 He looked about him。 Above on every
side rose great； many…windowed build… ings； on the street the cars and
carriages thronged； and jostling crowds dashed head… long among the
vehicles。 After a time he turned down a street that seemed to him a
pandemonium filled with madmen。 It went to his head like wine； and
hardly left him the presence of mind to sustain a quiet exterior。 The wind
was laden with a pene… trating moisture that chilled him as the dry icy
breezes from Huron never had done； and the pain in his lungs made him
faint and dizzy。 He wondered if his red…cheeked little sister could live
in one of those vast； impregnable buildings。 He thought of stopping
some of those serious…looking men and asking them if they knew her； but
he could not muster up the courage。 The distressing experience that
comes to almost every one some time in life； of losing all identity in the
universal humanity； was becoming his。 The tears began to roll down his
wasted face from loneliness and exhaustion。 He grew hungry with longing
for the dirty but familiar cabins of the camp； and staggered along with
eyes half closed； conjuring visions of the warm inte… riors； the leaping fires；
the groups of laughing men see
