the red one(红色的那人)-第21节
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reality。 Otherwise he would ooze down through the shadow…realm of the
unconscious into the all… darkness of extinction。
But it came； the smash of reality from without； crashing upon his ear
drums in a loud； explosive snort。 For twenty days； in a temperature that
had never risen above fifty below； no breath of wind had blown movement；
no slightest sound had broken the silence。 Like the smoker on the opium
couch refocusing his eyes from the spacious walls of dream to the narrow
confines of the mean little room； so Old Tarwater stared vague…eyed
before him across his dying fire； at a huge moose that stared at him in
startlement； dragging a wounded leg； manifesting all signs of extreme
exhaustion； it； too； had been straying blindly in the shadow…land； and had
wakened to reality only just ere it stepped into Tarwater's fire。
He feebly slipped the large fur mitten lined with thickness of wool
from his right hand。 Upon trial he found the trigger finger too numb for
movement。 Carefully； slowly； through long minutes； he worked the bare
hand inside his blankets； up under his fur PARKA； through the chest
openings of his shirts； and into the slightly warm hollow of his left arm…pit。
Long minutes passed ere the finger could move； when； with equal
slowness of caution； he gathered his rifle to his shoulder and drew bead
upon the great animal across the fire。
At the shot； of the two shadow…wanderers； the one reeled downward to
the dark and the other reeled upward to the light； swaying drunkenly on
his scurvy…ravaged legs； shivering with nervousness and cold； rubbing
swimming eyes with shaking fingers； and staring at the real world all
about him that had returned to him with such sickening suddenness。 He
shook himself together； and realized that for long； how long he did not
know； he had bedded in the arms of Death。 He spat； with definite
intention； heard the spittle crackle in the frost； and judged it must be below
and far below sixty below。 In truth； that day at Fort Yukon； the spirit
thermometer registered seventy…five degrees below zero； which； since
freezing… point is thirty…two above； was equivalent to one hundred and
seven degrees of frost。
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Slowly Tarwater's brain reasoned to action。 Here； in the vast alone；
dwelt Death。 Here had come two wounded moose。 With the clearing of
the sky after the great cold came on； he had located his bearings； and he
knew that both wounded moose had trailed to him from the east。
Therefore； in the east； were men … whites or Indians he could not tell； but
at any rate men who might stand by him in his need and help moor him to
reality above the sea of dark。
He moved slowly； but he moved in reality； girding himself with rifle；
ammunition； matches； and a pack of twenty pounds of moose… meat。
Then； an Argus rejuvenated； albeit lame of both legs and tottery； he turned
his back on the perilous west and limped into the sun…arising； re…birthing
east。 。 。 。
Days later … how many days later he was never to know … dreaming
dreams and seeing visions； cackling his old gold…chant of Forty… Nine； like
one drowning and swimming feebly to keep his consciousness above the
engulfing dark； he came out upon the snow… slope to a canyon and saw
below smoke rising and men who ceased from work to gaze at him。 He
tottered down the hill to them； still singing； and when he ceased from lack
of breath they called him variously： Santa Claus； Old Christmas；
Whiskers； the Last of the Mohicans； and Father Christmas。 And when he
stood among them he stood very still； without speech； while great tears
welled out of his eyes。 He cried silently； a long time； till； as if suddenly
bethinking himself； he sat down in the snow with much creaking and
crackling of his joints； and from this low vantage point toppled sidewise
and fainted calmly and easily away。
In less than a week Old Tarwater was up and limping about the
housework of the cabin； cooking and dish…washing for the five men of the
creek。 Genuine sourdoughs （pioneers） they were； tough and hard…bitten；
who had been buried so deeply inside the Circle that they did not know
there was a Klondike Strike。 The news he brought them was their first
word of it。 They lived on an almost straight… meat diet of moose； caribou；
and smoked salmon； eked out with wild berries and somewhat succulent
wild roots they had stocked up with in the summer。 They had forgotten
the taste of coffee； made fire with a burning glass； carried live fire…sticks
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with them wherever they travelled； and in their pipes smoked dry leaves
that bit the tongue and were pungent to the nostrils。
Three years before； they had prospected from the head…reaches of the
Koyokuk northward and clear across to the mouth of the Mackenzie on the
Arctic Ocean。 Here； on the whaleships； they had beheld their last white
men and equipped themselves with the last white man's grub； consisting
principally of salt and smoking tobacco。 Striking south and west on the
long traverse to the junction of the Yukon and Porcupine at Fort Yukon；
they had found gold on this creek and remained over to work the ground。
They hailed the advent of Tarwater with joy； never tired of listening to
his tales of Forty…Nine； and rechristened him Old Hero。 Also； with tea
made from spruce needles； with concoctions brewed from the inner willow
bark； and with sour and bitter roots and bulbs from the ground； they dosed
his scurvy out of him； so that he ceased limping and began to lay on flesh
over his bony framework。 Further； they saw no reason at all why he
should not gather a rich treasure of gold from the ground。
〃Don't know about all of three hundred thousand；〃 they told him one
morning； at breakfast； ere they departed to their work； 〃but how'd a
hundred thousand do； Old Hero？ That's what we figure a claim is worth；
the ground being badly spotted； and we've already staked your location
notices。〃
〃Well； boys；〃 Old Tarwater answered； 〃and thanking you kindly； all I
can say is that a hundred thousand will do nicely； and very nicely； for a
starter。 Of course； I ain't goin' to stop till I get the full three hundred
thousand。 That's what I come into the country for。〃
They laughed and applauded his ambition and reckoned they'd have to
hunt a richer creek for him。 And Old Hero reckoned that as the spring
came on and he grew spryer； he'd have to get out and do a little snooping
around himself。
〃For all anybody knows；〃 he said； pointing to a hillside across the
creek bottom； 〃the moss under the snow there may be plumb rooted in
nugget gold。〃
He said no more； but as the sun rose higher and the days grew longer
and warmer； he gazed often across the creek at the definite bench…
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formation half way up the hill。 And； one day； when the thaw was in full
swing； he crossed the stream and climbed to the bench。 Exposed patches
of ground had already thawed an inch deep。 On one such patch he
stopped； gathered a bunch of moss in his big gnarled hands； and ripped it
out by the roots。 The sun smouldered on dully glistening yellow。 He
shook the handful of moss； and coarse nuggets； like gravel； fell to the
ground。 It was the Golden Fleece ready for the shearing。
Not entirely unremembered in Alaskan annals is the summer stampede
of 1898 from Fort Yukon to the bench diggings of Tarwater Hill。 And
when Tarwater sold his holdings to the Bowdie interests for a sheer half…
million and faced for California； he rode a mule over a new…cut trail； with
convenient
