太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the silverado squatters >

第18节

the silverado squatters-第18节

小说: the silverado squatters 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!




would。



She had come to tell us that; instead of waiting for Tuesday; 

the claim was to be jumped on the morrow。  How?  If the time 

were not out; it was impossible。  Why?  If Ronalds had come 

and gone; and done nothing; there was the less cause for 

hurry。  But again I could reach no satisfaction。  The claim 

was to be jumped next morning; that was all that she would 

condescend upon。



And yet it was not jumped the next morning; nor yet the next; 

and a whole week had come and gone before we heard more of 

this exploit。  That day week; however; a day of great heat; 

Hanson; with a little roll of paper in his hand; and the 

eternal pipe alight; Breedlove; his large; dull friend; to 

act; I suppose; as witness; Mrs。 Hanson; in her Sunday best; 

and all the children; from the oldest to the youngest; … 

arrived in a procession; tailing one behind another up the 

path。  Caliban was absent; but he had been chary of his 

friendly visits since the row; and with that exception; the 

whole family was gathered together as for a marriage or a 

christening。  Strong was sitting at work; in the shade of the 

dwarf madronas near the forge; and they planted themselves 

about him in a circle; one on a stone; another on the waggon 

rails; a third on a piece of plank。  Gradually the children 

stole away up the canyon to where there was another chute; 

somewhat smaller than the one across the dump; and down this 

chute; for the rest of the afternoon; they poured one 

avalanche of stones after another; waking the echoes of the 

glen。  Meantime we elders sat together on the platform; 

Hanson and his friend smoking in silence like Indian sachems; 

Mrs。 Hanson rattling on as usual with an adroit volubility; 

saying nothing; but keeping the party at their ease like a 

courtly hostess。



Not a word occurred about the business of the day。  Once; 

twice; and thrice I tried to slide the subject in; but was 

discouraged by the stoic apathy of Rufe; and beaten down 

before the pouring verbiage of his wife。  There is nothing of 

the Indian brave about me; and I began to grill with 

impatience。  At last; like a highway robber; I cornered 

Hanson; and bade him stand and deliver his business。  

Thereupon he gravely rose; as though to hint that this was 

not a proper place; nor the subject one suitable for squaws; 

and I; following his example; led him up the plank into our 

barrack。  There he bestowed himself on a box; and unrolled 

his papers with fastidious deliberation。  There were two 

sheets of note…paper; and an old mining notice; dated May 

30th; 1879; part print; part manuscript; and the latter much 

obliterated by the rains。  It was by this identical piece of 

paper that the mine had been held last year。  For thirteen 

months it had endured the weather and the change of seasons 

on a cairn behind the shoulder of the canyon; and it was now 

my business; spreading it before me on the table; and sitting 

on a valise; to copy its terms; with some necessary changes; 

twice over on the two sheets of note…paper。  One was then to 

be placed on the same cairn … a 〃mound of rocks〃 the notice 

put it; and the other to be lodged for registration。



Rufe watched me; silently smoking; till I came to the place 

for the locator's name at the end of the first copy; and when 

I proposed that he should sign; I thought I saw a scare in 

his eye。  〃I don't think that'll be necessary;〃 he said 

slowly; 〃just you write it down。〃  Perhaps this mighty 

hunter; who was the most active member of the local school 

board; could not write。  There would be nothing strange in 

that。  The constable of Calistoga is; and has been for years; 

a bed…ridden man; and; if I remember rightly; blind。  He had 

more need of the emoluments than another; it was explained; 

and it was easy for him to 〃depytize;〃 with a strong accent 

on the last。  So friendly and so free are popular 

institutions。



When I had done my scrivening; Hanson strolled out; and 

addressed Breedlove; 〃Will you step up here a bit?〃 and after 

they had disappeared a little while into the chaparral and 

madrona thicket; they came back again; minus a notice; and 

the deed was done。  The claim was jumped; a tract of 

mountain…side; fifteen hundred feet long by six hundred wide; 

with all the earth's precious bowels; had passed from Ronalds 

to Hanson; and; in the passage; changed its name from the 

〃Mammoth〃 to the 〃Calistoga。〃  I had tried to get Rufe to 

call it after his wife; after himself; and after Garfield; 

the Republican Presidential candidate of the hour … since 

then elected; and; alas! dead … but all was in vain。  The 

claim had once been called the Calistoga before; and he 

seemed to feel safety in returning to that。



And so the history of that mine became once more plunged in 

darkness; lit only by some monster pyrotechnical displays of 

gossip。  And perhaps the most curious feature of the whole 

matter is this:  that we should have dwelt in this quiet 

corner of the mountains; with not a dozen neighbours; and yet 

struggled all the while; like desperate swimmers; in this sea 

of falsities and contradictions。  Wherever a man is; there 

will be a lie。







TOILS AND PLEASURES







I MUST try to convey some notion of our life; of how the days 

passed and what pleasure we took in them; of what there was 

to do and how we set about doing it; in our mountain 

hermitage。  The house; after we had repaired the worst of the 

damages; and filled in some of the doors and windows with 

white cotton cloth; became a healthy and a pleasant dwelling…

place; always airy and dry; and haunted by the outdoor 

perfumes of the glen。  Within; it had the look of habitation; 

the human look。  You had only to go into the third room; 

which we did not use; and see its stones; its sifting earth; 

its tumbled litter; and then return to our lodging; with the 

beds made; the plates on the rack; the pail of bright water 

behind the door; the stove crackling in a corner; and perhaps 

the table roughly laid against a meal; … and man's order; the 

little clean spots that he creates to dwell in; were at once 

contrasted with the rich passivity of nature。  And yet our 

house was everywhere so wrecked and shattered; the air came 

and went so freely; the sun found so many portholes; the 

golden outdoor glow shone in so many open chinks; that we 

enjoyed; at the same time; some of the comforts of a roof and 

much of the gaiety and brightness of al fresco life。  A 

single shower of rain; to be sure; and we should have been 

drowned out like mice。  But ours was a Californian summer; 

and an earthquake was a far likelier accident than a shower 

of rain。



Trustful in this fine weather; we kept the house for kitchen 

and bedroom; and used the platform as our summer parlour。  

The sense of privacy; as I have said already; was complete。  

We could look over the clump on miles of forest and rough 

hilltop; our eyes commanded some of Napa Valley; where the 

train ran; and the little country townships sat so close 

together along the line of the rail。  But here there was no 

man to intrude。  None but the Hansons were our visitors。  

Even they came but at long intervals; or twice daily; at a 

stated hour; with milk。  So our days; as they were never 

interrupted; drew out to the greater length; hour melted 

insensibly into hour; the household duties; though they were 

many; and some of them laborious; dwindled into mere islets 

of business in a sea of sunny day…time; and it appears to me; 

looking back; as though the far greater part of our life at 

Silverado had been passed; propped upon an elbow; or seated 

on a plank; listening to the silence that there is among the 

hills。



My work; it is true; was over early in the morning。  I rose 

before any one else; lit the stove; put on the water to boil; 

and strolled forth upon the platform to wait till it was 

ready。  Silverado would then be still in shadow; the sun 

shining on the mountain higher up。  A clean smell of trees; a 

smell of the earth at morning; hung in the air。  Regularly; 

every day; there was a single bird; not singing; but 

awkwardly chirruping among the green madronas; and the sound 

was cheerful; natural; and stirring。  It did not hold the 

attention; nor interrupt the thread of meditation; like a 

blackbird or a nightingale; it was mere woodland prattle; of 

which the mind was conscious like a perfume。  The freshness 

of these morning seasons remained with me far on into the 

day。



As soon as the kettle boiled; I made porridge and coffee; and 

that; beyond the literal drawing of water; and the 

preparation of kindling; which it would be hyperbolical to 

call the hewing of wood; ended my domestic duties for the 

day。  Thenceforth my wife laboured single…handed in the 

palace; and I lay or wandered on the platform at my o

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的