the twins of table mountain-第3节

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lover's　abstraction。

〃I　laid　it　to　his　being　struck　after　that　gal；　and　yet；〃　Rand
continued　to　himself；　〃here's　me；　who　haven't　been　foolin'　round　no
gal；　and　dog　my　skin　if　I　didn't　think　I　heard　one　singin'　up
thar！〃　　He　put　his　foot　on　the　lower　round　of　the　ladder；　paused；
and　slowly　ascended　a　dozen　steps。　　Here　he　paused　again。　　All　at
once　the　whole　shaft　was　filled　with　the　musical　vibrations　of　a
woman's　song。　　Seizing　the　rope　that　hung　idly　from　the　windlass；
he　half　climbed；　half　swung　himself；　to　the　surface。

The　voice　was　there；　but　the　sudden　transition　to　the　dazzling
level　before　him　at　first　blinded　his　eyes；　so　that　he　took　in　only
by　degrees　the　unwonted　spectacle　of　the　singer；a　pretty　girl；
standing　on　tiptoe　on　a　bowlder　not　a　dozen　yards　from　him；　utterly
absorbed　in　tying　a　gayly…striped　neckerchief；　evidently　taken　from
her　own　plump　throat；　to　the　halliards　of　a　freshly…cut　hickory…
pole　newly　reared　as　a　flag…staff　beside　her。　　The　hickory…pole；
the　halliards；　the　fluttering　scarf；　the　young　lady　herself；　were
all　glaring　innovations　on　the　familiar　landscape；　but　Rand；　with
his　hand　still　on　the　rope；　silently　and　demurely　enjoyed　it。

For　the　better　understanding　of　the　general　reader；　who　does　not
live　on　an　isolated　mountain；　it　may　be　observed　that　the　young
lady's　position　on　the　rock　exhibited　some　study　of　POSE；　and　a
certain　exaggeration　of　attitude；　that　betrayed　the　habit　of　an
audience；　also　that　her　voice　had　an　artificial　accent　that　was　not
wholly　unconscious；　even　in　this　lofty　solitude。　　Yet　the　very　next
moment；　when　she　turned；　and　caught　Rand's　eye　fixed　upon　her；　she
started　naturally；　colored　slightly；　uttered　that　feminine
adjuration；　〃Good　Lord！　gracious！　goodness　me！〃　which　is　seldom
used　in　reference　to　its　effect　upon　the　hearer；　and　skipped
instantly　from　the　bowlder　to　the　ground。　　Here；　however；　she
alighted　in　a　POSE；　brought　the　right　heel　of　her　neatly…fitting
left　boot　closely　into　the　hollowed　side　of　her　right　instep；　at
the　same　moment　deftly　caught　her　flying　skirt；　whipped　it　around
her　ankles；　and；　slightly　raising　it　behind；　permitted　the　chaste
display　of　an　inch　or　two　of　frilled　white　petticoat。　　The　most
irreverent　critic　of　the　sex　will；　I　think；　admit　that　it　has　some
movements　that　are　automatic。

〃Hope　I　didn't　disturb　ye；〃　said　Rand；　pointing　to　the　flag…staff。

The　young　lady　slightly　turned　her　head。　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃but　I
didn't　know　anybody　was　here；　of　course。　　Our　PARTY〃she
emphasized　the　word；　and　accompanied　it　with　a　look　toward　the
further　extremity　of　the　plateau；　to　show　she　was　not　alone〃our
party　climbed　this　ridge；　and　put　up　this　pole　as　a　sign　to　show
they　did　it。〃　　The　ridiculous　self…complacency　of　this　record　in
the　face　of　a　man　who　was　evidently　a　dweller　on　the　mountain
apparently　struck　her　for　the　first　time。　　〃We　didn't　know；〃　she
stammered；　looking　at　the　shaft　from　which　Rand　had　emerged；　〃that
that〃　　She　stopped；　and；　glancing　again　towards　the　distant
range　where　her　friends　had　disappeared；　began　to　edge　away。

〃They　can't　be　far　off；〃　interposed　Rand　quietly；　as　if　it　were　the
most　natural　thing　in　the　world　for　the　lady　to　be　there。　　〃Table
Mountain　ain't　as　big　as　all　that。　　Don't　you　be　scared！　　So　you
thought　nobody　lived　up　here？〃

She　turned　upon　him　a　pair　of　honest　hazel　eyes；　which　not　only
contradicted　the　somewhat　meretricious　smartness　of　her　dress；　but
was　utterly　inconsistent　with　the　palpable　artificial　color　of　her
hair；an　obvious　imitation　of　a　certain　popular　fashion　then　known
in　artistic　circles　as　the　〃British　Blonde；〃and　began　to
ostentatiously　resume　a　pair　of　lemon…colored　kid　gloves。　　Having；
as　it　were；　thus　indicated　her　standing　and　respectability；　and　put
an　immeasurable　distance　between　herself　and　her　bold　interlocutor；
she　said　impressively；　〃We　evidently　made　a　mistake：　I　will　rejoin
our　party；　who　will；　of　course；　apologize。〃

〃What's　your　hurry？〃　said　the　imperturbable　Rand；　disengaging
himself　from　the　rope；　and　walking　towards　her。　　〃As　long　as　you're
up　here；　you　might　stop　a　spell。〃

〃I　have　no　wish　to　intrude；　that　is；　our　party　certainly　has　not；〃
continued　the　young　lady；　pulling　the　tight　gloves；　and　smoothing
the　plump；　almost　bursting　fingers；　with　an　affectation　of
fashionable　ease。

〃Oh！　I　haven't　any　thing　to　do　just　now；〃　said　Rand；　〃and　it's
about　grub　time；　I　reckon。　　Yes；　I　live　here；　Ruth　and　me；right
here。〃

The　young　woman　glanced　at　the　shaft。

〃No；　not　down　there；〃　said　Rand；　following　her　eye；　with　a　laugh。
〃Come　here；　and　I'll　show　you。〃

A　strong　desire　to　keep　up　an　appearance　of　genteel　reserve；　and　an
equally　strong　inclination　to　enjoy　the　adventurous　company　of　this
good…looking；　hearty　young　fellow；　made　her　hesitate。　　Perhaps　she
regretted　having　undertaken　a　role　of　such　dignity　at　the
beginning：　she　could　have　been　so　perfectly　natural　with　this
perfectly　natural　man；　whereas　any　relaxation　now　might　increase
his　familiarity。　　And　yet　she　was　not　without　a　vague　suspicion
that　her　dignity　and　her　gloves　were　alike　thrown　away　on　him；a
fact　made　the　more　evident　when　Rand　stepped　to　her　side；　and；
without　any　apparent　consciousness　of　disrespect　or　gallantry；　laid
his　large　hand；　half　persuasively；　half　fraternally；　upon　her
shoulder；　and　said；　〃Oh；　come　along；　do！〃

The　simple　act　either　exceeded　the　limits　of　her　forbearance；　or
decided　the　course　of　her　subsequent　behavior。　　She　instantly
stepped　back　a　single　pace；　and　drew　her　left　foot　slowly　and
deliberately　after　her；　then　she　fixed　her　eyes　and　uplifted
eyebrows　upon　the　daring　hand；　and；　taking　it　by　the　ends　of　her
thumb　and　forefinger；　lifted　it；　and　dropped　it　in　mid…air。　　She
then　folded　her　arms。　　It　was　the　indignant　gesture　with　which
〃Alice；〃　the　Pride　of　Dumballin　Village；　received　the　loathsome
advances　of　the　bloated　aristocrat；　Sir　Parkyns　Parkyn；　and　had　at
Marysville；　a　few　nights　before；　brought　down　the　house。

This　effect　was；　I　think；　however；　lost　upon　Rand。　　The　slight
color　that　rose　to　his　cheek　as　he　looked　down　upon　his　clay…soiled
hands　was　due　to　the　belief　that　he　had　really　contaminated　her
outward　superfine　person。　　But　his　color　quickly　passed：　his　frank；
boyish　smile　returned；　as　he　said；　〃It'll　rub　off。　　Lord；　don't
mind　that！　　Thar；　nowcome　on！〃

The　young　woman　bit　her　lip。　　Then　nature　triumphed；　and　she
laughed；　although　a　little　scornfully。　　And　then　Providence
assisted　her　with　the　sudden　presentation　of　two　figures；　a　man　and
woman；　slowly　climbing　up　over　the　mountain　verge；　not　far　from
them。　　With　a　cry　of　〃There's　Sol；　now！〃　she　forgot　her　dignity　and
her　confusion；　and　ran　towards　them。

Rand　stood　looking　after　her　neat　figure；　less　concerned　in　the
advent　of　the　strangers　than　in　her　sudden　caprice。　　He　was　not　so
young　and　inexperienced　but　that　he　noted　certain　ambiguities　in
her　dress　and　manner：　he　was　by　no　means　impressed　by　her　dignity。
But　he　could　not　help　watching　her　as　she　appeared　to　be　volubly
recounting　her　late　interview　to　her　companions；　and；　still
unconscious　of　any　impropriety　or　obtrusiveness；　he　lounged　down
lazily　towards　her。　　Her　humor　had　evidently　changed；　for　she
turned　an　honest；　pleased　face　upon　him；　as　she　girlishly　attempted
to　drag　the　strangers　forward。

The　man　was　plump　and　short；　unlike　the　natives　of　the　locality；　he
was　closely　cropped　and　shaven；　as　if　to　keep　down　the　strong　blue…
blackness　of　his　beard　and　hair；　which　nevertheless　asserted　itself
over　his　round　cheeks　and　upper　lip　like　a　tattooing　of　Indian　ink。
The　woman　at　his　side　was　reserved　and　indistinctive；　with　that
appearance　of　being　an　unenthusiastic　family　servant　peculiar　to
some　men's　wives。　　When　Rand　was　within　a　few　feet　of　him；　he
started；　struck　a　theatrical　attitude；　and；　shading　his　eyes　with
his　hand；　cried；　〃What；　do　me　eyes　deceive　me！〃　burst　into　a　hearty
laugh；　darted　forward；　seized　Rand's　hand；　and　shook　it　briskly。

〃Pinkney；　Pinkney；　my　boy！　how　are　you？　　And　this　is　your　little
'prop'？　your　quarter…section；　your　country…seat；　that　we've　been
trespassing　on；　eh？　　A　nice　little　spot；　cool；　sequestered；
remote；a　trifle　unimproved；　carriage…road　as　yet　unfinished。　　Ha；
ha！　　But　to　think　of　our　making　a　discovery　of　this　inaccessible
mountain；　climbing　it；　sir；　for　two　mortal　hours；　christening　it
'Sol's　Peak；'　getting　up　a　flag…pole；　unfurling　our　standard　to　the
breeze；　sir；　and　then；　by　Gad；　winding　up　by　finding　Pinkney；　the
festive　Pinkney；　living　on　it　at　home！〃

Completely　surprised；　but　still　perfectly　good…humored；　Rand　shook
the　stranger's　right　hand　warmly；　and　received　on　his　broad
shoulders　a　welcoming　thwack　from　the　left；　without　question。　　〃She
don't　mind　her　friends　making　free　with　ME　evidently；〃　said　Rand　to
himself；　as　he　tried　to　suggest　that　fact　to　the　young　lady　in　a
meaning　glance。

The　stranger　noted　his　glance；　and　suddenly　passed　his　hand
thoughtfully　over　his　shaven　cheeks。　　〃No；〃　he　said〃yes；　surely；
I　forgetyes；　I　see；　of　course　you　don't！　　Rosy；〃　turning　to　his
wife；　〃of　course　Pinkney　doesn't　know　Phemie；　eh？〃

〃No；　nor　ME　either；　Sol；