roughing it-第4节

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After　supper　a　woman　got　in；　who　lived　about　fifty　miles　further　on；　and
we　three　had　to　take　turns　at　sitting　outside　with　the　driver　and
conductor。　　Apparently　she　was　not　a　talkative　woman。　　She　would　sit
there　in　the　gathering　twilight　and　fasten　her　steadfast　eyes　on　a
mosquito　rooting　into　her　arm；　and　slowly　she　would　raise　her　other　hand
till　she　had　got　his　range；　and　then　she　would　launch　a　slap　at　him　that
would　have　jolted　a　cow；　and　after　that　she　would　sit　and　contemplate　the
corpse　with　tranquil　satisfactionfor　she　never　missed　her　mosquito；　she
was　a　dead　shot　at　short　range。　　She　never　removed　a　carcase；　but　left
them　there　for　bait。　　I　sat　by　this　grim　Sphynx　and　watched　her　kill
thirty　or　forty　mosquitoeswatched　her；　and　waited　for　her　to　say
something；　but　she　never　did。　　So　I　finally　opened　the　conversation
myself。　　I　said：

〃The　mosquitoes　are　pretty　bad；　about　here；　madam。〃

〃You　bet！〃

〃What　did　I　understand　you　to　say；　madam？〃

〃You　BET！〃

Then　she　cheered　up；　and　faced　around　and　said：

〃Danged　if　I　didn't　begin　to　think　you　fellers　was　deef　and　dumb。　　I　did；
b'gosh。　　Here　I've　sot；　and　sot；　and　sot；　a…bust'n　muskeeters　and
wonderin'　what　was　ailin'　ye。　　Fust　I　thot　you　was　deef　and　dumb；　then　I
thot　you　was　sick　or　crazy；　or　suthin'；　and　then　by　and　by　I　begin　to
reckon　you　was　a　passel　of　sickly　fools　that　couldn't　think　of　nothing　to
say。　　Wher'd　ye　come　from？〃

The　Sphynx　was　a　Sphynx　no　more！　　The　fountains　of　her　great　deep　were
broken　up；　and　she　rained　the　nine　parts　of　speech　forty　days　and　forty
nights；　metaphorically　speaking；　and　buried　us　under　a　desolating　deluge
of　trivial　gossip　that　left　not　a　crag　or　pinnacle　of　rejoinder
projecting　above　the　tossing　waste　of　dislocated　grammar　and　decomposed
pronunciation！

How　we　suffered；　suffered；　suffered！　　She　went　on；　hour　after　hour；　till
I　was　sorry　I　ever　opened　the　mosquito　question　and　gave　her　a　start。
She　never　did　stop　again　until　she　got　to　her　journey's　end　toward
daylight；　and　then　she　stirred　us　up　as　she　was　leaving　the　stage　（for　we
were　nodding；　by　that　time）；　and　said：

〃Now　you　git　out　at　Cottonwood；　you　fellers；　and　lay　over　a　couple　o'
days；　and　I'll　be　along　some　time　to…night；　and　if　I　can　do　ye　any　good
by　edgin'　in　a　word　now　and　then；　I'm　right　thar。　　Folks'll　tell　you't
I've　always　ben　kind　o'　offish　and　partic'lar　for　a　gal　that's　raised　in
the　woods；　and　I　am　；　with　the　rag…tag　and　bob…tail；　and　a　gal　has　to　be；
if　she　wants　to　be　anything；　but　when　people　comes　along　which　is　my
equals；　I　reckon　I'm　a　pretty　sociable　heifer　after　all。〃

We　resolved　not　to　〃lay　by　at　Cottonwood。〃




CHAPTER　III。

About　an　hour　and　a　half　before　daylight　we　were　bowling　along　smoothly
over　the　roadso　smoothly　that　our　cradle　only　rocked　in　a　gentle；
lulling　way；　that　was　gradually　soothing　us　to　sleep；　and　dulling　our
consciousnesswhen　something　gave　away　under　us！　　We　were　dimly　aware　of
it；　but　indifferent　to　it。　　The　coach　stopped。　　We　heard　the　driver　and
conductor　talking　together　outside；　and　rummaging　for　a　lantern；　and
swearing　because　they　could　not　find　itbut　we　had　no　interest　in
whatever　had　happened；　and　it　only　added　to　our　comfort　to　think　of　those
people　out　there　at　work　in　the　murky　night；　and　we　snug　in　our　nest　with
the　curtains　drawn。　　But　presently；　by　the　sounds；　there　seemed　to　be　an
examination　going　on；　and　then　the　driver's　voice　said：

〃By　George；　the　thoroughbrace　is　broke！〃

This　startled　me　broad　awakeas　an　undefined　sense　of　calamity　is　always
apt　to　do。　　I　said　to　myself：　〃Now；　a　thoroughbrace　is　probably　part　of　a
horse；　and　doubtless　a　vital　part；　too；　from　the　dismay　in　the　driver's
voice。　　Leg；　maybeand　yet　how　could　he　break　his　leg　waltzing　along
such　a　road　as　this？　　No；　it　can't　be　his　leg。　　That　is　impossible；
unless　he　was　reaching　for　the　driver。　　Now；　what　can　be　the
thoroughbrace　of　a　horse；　I　wonder？　　Well；　whatever　comes；　I　shall　not
air　my　ignorance　in　this　crowd；　anyway。〃

Just　then　the　conductor's　face　appeared　at　a　lifted　curtain；　and　his
lantern　glared　in　on　us　and　our　wall　of　mail　matter。　　He　said：
〃Gents；　you'll　have　to　turn　out　a　spell。　　Thoroughbrace　is　broke。〃

We　climbed　out　into　a　chill　drizzle；　and　felt　ever　so　homeless　and
dreary。　　When　I　found　that　the　thing　they　called　a　〃thoroughbrace〃　was
the　massive　combination　of　belts　and　springs　which　the　coach　rocks　itself
in；　I　said　to　the　driver：

〃I　never　saw　a　thoroughbrace　used　up　like　that；　before；　that　I　can
remember。　　How　did　it　happen？〃

〃Why；　it　happened　by　trying　to　make　one　coach　carry　three　days'　mail
that's　how　it　happened；〃　said　he。　　〃And　right　here　is　the　very　direction
which　is　wrote　on　all　the　newspaper…bags　which　was　to　be　put　out　for　the
Injuns　for　to　keep　'em　quiet。　　It's　most　uncommon　lucky；　becuz　it's　so
nation　dark　I　should　'a'　gone　by　unbeknowns　if　that　air　thoroughbrace
hadn't　broke。〃

I　knew　that　he　was　in　labor　with　another　of　those　winks　of　his；　though　I
could　not　see　his　face；　because　he　was　bent　down　at　work；　and　wishing　him
a　safe　delivery；　I　turned　to　and　helped　the　rest　get　out　the　mail…sacks。
It　made　a　great　pyramid　by　the　roadside　when　it　was　all　out。　　When　they
had　mended　the　thoroughbrace　we　filled　the　two　boots　again；　but　put　no
mail　on　top；　and　only　half　as　much　inside　as　there　was　before。　　The
conductor　bent　all　the　seat…backs　down；　and　then　filled　the　coach　just
half　full　of　mail…bags　from　end　to　end。　　We　objected　loudly　to　this；　for
it　left　us　no　seats。　　But　the　conductor　was　wiser　than　we；　and　said　a　bed
was　better　than　seats；　and　moreover；　this　plan　would　protect　his
thoroughbraces。　　We　never　wanted　any　seats　after　that。　　The　lazy　bed　was
infinitely　preferable。　　I　had　many　an　exciting　day；　subsequently；　lying
on　it　reading　the　statutes　and　the　dictionary；　and　wondering　how　the
characters　would　turn　out。

The　conductor　said　he　would　send　back　a　guard　from　the　next　station　to
take　charge　of　the　abandoned　mail…bags；　and　we　drove　on。

It　was　now　just　dawn；　and　as　we　stretched　our　cramped　legs　full　length　on
the　mail　sacks；　and　gazed　out　through　the　windows　across　the　wide　wastes
of　greensward　clad　in　cool；　powdery　mist；　to　where　there　was　an　expectant
look　in　the　eastern　horizon；　our　perfect　enjoyment　took　the　form　of　a
tranquil　and　contented　ecstasy。　　The　stage　whirled　along　at　a　spanking
gait；　the　breeze　flapping　curtains　and　suspended　coats　in　a　most
exhilarating　way；　the　cradle　swayed　and　swung　luxuriously；　the　pattering
of　the　horses'　hoofs；　the　cracking　of　the　driver's　whip；　and　his　〃Hi…yi！
g'lang！〃　were　music；　the　spinning　ground　and　the　waltzing　trees　appeared
to　give　us　a　mute　hurrah　as　we　went　by；　and　then　slack　up　and　look　after
us　with　interest；　or　envy；　or　something；　and　as　we　lay　and　smoked　the
pipe　of　peace　and　compared　all　this　luxury　with　the　years　of　tiresome
city　life　that　had　gone　before　it；　we　felt　that　there　was　only　one
complete　and　satisfying　happiness　in　the　world；　and　we　had　found　it。

After　breakfast；　at　some　station　whose　name　I　have　forgotten；　we　three
climbed　up　on　the　seat　behind　the　driver；　and　let　the　conductor　have　our
bed　for　a　nap。　　And　by　and　by；　when　the　sun　made　me　drowsy；　I　lay　down　on
my　face　on　top　of　the　coach；　grasping　the　slender　iron　railing；　and　slept
for　an　hour　or　more。　　That　will　give　one　an　appreciable　idea　of　those
matchless　roads。　　Instinct　will　make　a　sleeping　man　grip　a　fast　hold　of
the　railing　when　the　stage　jolts；　but　when　it　only　swings　and　sways；　no
grip　is　necessary。　　Overland　drivers　and　conductors　used　to　sit　in　their
places　and　sleep　thirty　or　forty　minutes　at　a　time；　on　good　roads；　while
spinning　along　at　the　rate　of　eight　or　ten　miles　an　hour。　　I　saw　them　do
it；　often。　　There　was　no　danger　about　it；　a　sleeping　man　will　seize　the
irons　in　time　when　the　coach　jolts。　　These　men　were　hard　worked；　and　it
was　not　possible　for　them　to　stay　awake　all　the　time。

By　and　by　we　passed　through　Marysville；　and　over　the　Big　Blue　and　Little
Sandy；　thence　about　a　mile；　and　entered　Nebraska。　　About　a　mile　further
on；　we　came　to　the　Big　Sandyone　hundred　and　eighty　miles　from　St。
Joseph。

As　the　sun　was　going　down；　we　saw　the　first　specimen　of　an　animal　known
familiarly　over　two　thousand　miles　of　mountain　and　desertfrom　Kansas
clear　to　the　Pacific　Oceanas　the　〃jackass　rabbit。〃　He　is　well　named。
He　is　just　like　any　other　rabbit；　except　that　he　is　from　one　third　to
twice　as　large；　has　longer　legs　in　proportion　to　his　size；　and　has　the
most　preposterous　ears　that　ever　were　mounted　on　any　creature　but　a
jackass。

When　he　is　sitting　quiet；　thinking　about　his　sins；　or　is　absent…minded　or
unapprehensive　of　danger；　his　majestic　ears　project　above　him
conspicuously；　but　the　breaking　of　a　twig　will　scare　him　nearly　to　death；
and　then　he　tilts　his　ears　back　gently　and　starts　for　home。　　All　you　can
see；　then；　for　the　next　minute；　is　his　long　gray　form　stretched　out
straight　and　〃streaking　it〃　through　the　low　sage…brush；　head　erect；　eyes
right；　and　ears　just　canted　a　little　to　the　rear；　but　showing　you　where
the　animal　is；　all　the　time；　the　same　as　if　he　carried　a　jib。　　Now　and
then　he　makes　a　marvelous