arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第41节
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for the buying and shipping； and the rest was leisure。 He could now have
gone away somewhere as far as time went。 So can a fish live in treesas
far as time goes。 And in the daily riding； riding； riding over the range he
found the opportunity for abstract thought which the frontier life had
crowded aside。
CHAPTER TWO THE SHAPES OF ILLUSION
Every day； as always； Senor Johnson rode abroad over the land。 His
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surroundings had before been accepted casually as a more or less pertinent
setting of action and condition。 Now he sensed some of the fascination
of the Arizona desert。 He noticed many things before unnoticed。 As
he jingled loosely along on his cow…horse； he observed how the animal
waded fetlock deep in the gorgeous orange California poppies； and then he
looked up and about； and saw that the rich colour carpeted the landscape
as far as his eye could reach； so that it seemed as though he could ride on
and on through them to the distant Chiricahuas。 Only； close under the
hills； lay； unobtrusive； a narrow streak of grey。 And in a few hours he
had reached the streak of grey； and ridden out into it to find himself the
centre of a limitless alkali plain； so that again it seemed the valley could
contain nothing else of importance。
Looking back； Senor Johnson could discern a tenuous ribbon of
orangethe poppies。 And perhaps ahead a little shadow blotted the face
of the alkali； which； being reached and entered； spread like fire until it； too；
filled the whole plain； until it； too； arrogated to itself the right of typifying
Soda Springs Valley as a shimmering prairie of mesquite。 Flowered
upland； dead lowland； brush； cactus； volcanic rock； sand； each of these for
the time being occupied the whole space； broad as the sea。 In the circlet
of the mountains was room for many infinities。
Among the foothills Senor Johnson； for the first time； appreciated
colour。 Hundreds of acres of flowers filled the velvet creases of the little
hills and washed over the smooth； rounded slopes so accurately in the
placing and manner of tinted shadows that the mind had difficulty in
believing the colour not to have been shaded in actually by free sweeps of
some gigantic brush。 A dozen shades of pinks and purples； a dozen of
blues； and then the flame reds； the yellows； and the vivid greens。 Beyond
were the mountains in their glory of volcanic rocks； rich as the tapestry of
a Florentine palace。 And； modifying all the others； the tinted atmosphere
of the south…west； refracting the sun through the infinitesimal earth motes
thrown up constantly by the wind devils of the desert； drew before the
scene a delicate and gauzy veil of lilac； of rose； of saffron； of amethyst； or
of mauve； according to the time of day。 Senor Johnson discovered that
looking at the landscape upside down accentuated the colour effects。 It
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amused him vastly suddenly to bend over his saddle horn； the top of his
head nearly touching his horse's mane。 The distant mountains at once
started out into redder prominence； their shadows of purple deepened to
the royal colour； the rose veil thickened。 〃She's the prettiest country
God ever made！〃 exclaimed Senor Johnson with entire conviction。
And no matter where he went； nor into how familiar country he rode； the
shapes of illusion offered always variety。 One day the Chiricahuas were
a tableland； next day a series of castellated peaks； now an anvil； now a
saw tooth； and rarely they threw a magnificent suspension bridge across
the heavens to their neighbours； the ranges on the west。 Lakes rippling in
the wind and breaking on the shore； cattle big as elephants or small as
rabbits； distances that did not exist and forests that never were； beds of
lava along the hills swearing to a cloud shadow； while the sky was
polished like a precious stonethese； and many other beautiful and
marvellous but empty shows the great desert displayed lavishly； with the
glitter and inconsequence of a dream。 Senor Johnson sat on his horse in
the hot sun； his chin in his band； his elbow on the pommel； watching it all
with grave； unshifting eyes。 Occasionally； belated； he saw the stars；
the wonderful desert stars； blazing clear and unflickering； like the flames
of candles。 Or the moon worked her necromancies； hemming him in by
mountains ten thousand feet high through which there was no pass。 And
then as he rode； the mountains shifted like the scenes in a theatre； and he
crossed the little sand dunes out from the dream country to the adobe
corrals of the home ranch。 All these things； and many others； Senor
Johnson now saw for the first time； although he had lived among them for
twenty years。 It struck him with the freshness of a surprise。 Also it
reacted chemically on his mental processes to generate a new power
within him。 The new power； being as yet unapplied； made him uneasy
and restless and a little irritable。 He tried to show some of his
wonders to Parker。 〃Jed；〃 said he； one day； 〃this is a great country。〃
〃You KNOW it；〃 replied the foreman。 〃Those tourists in their nickel…
plated Pullmans call this a desert。 Desert； hell！ Look at them flowers！〃
The foreman cast an eye on a glorious silken mantle of purple； a hundred
yards broad。 〃Sure；〃 he agreed； 〃shows what we could do if we
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only had a little water。〃 And again： 〃Jed；〃 began the Senor； 〃did
you ever notice them mountains？〃 〃Sure；〃 agreed Jed。
〃Ain't that a pretty colour？〃 〃You bet；〃 agreed the foreman； 〃now
you're talking！ I always； said they was mineralised enough to make a
good prospect。〃 This was unsatisfactory。 Senor Johnson grew more
restless。 His critical eye began to take account of small details。 At the
ranch house one evening he； on a sudden； bellowed loudly for Sang； the
Chinese servant。
〃Look at these！〃 he roared； when Sang appeared。 Sang's eyes
opened in bewilderment。 〃There； and there！〃 shouted the cattleman。
〃Look at them old newspapers and them gun rags！ The place is like a
cow…yard。 Why in the name of heaven don't you clean up here！〃
〃Allee light；〃 babbled Sang； 〃I clean him。〃
The papers and gun rags had lain there unnoticed for nearly a year。
Senor Johnson kicked them savagely。 〃It's time we took a brace
here；〃 he growled； 〃we're livin' like a lot of Oilers。〃＇5＇
＇5＇ Oilers： GreasersMexicans
CHAPTER THREE THE PAPER A YEAR OLD
Sang hurried out for a broom。 Senor Johnson sat where he was； his
heavy； square brows knit。 Suddenly he stooped； seized one of the
newspapers； drew near the lamp； and began to read。 It was a Kansas
City paper and； by a strange coincidence； was dated exactly a year before。
The sheet Senor Johnson happened to pick up was one usually passed over
by the average newspaper reader。 It contained only columns of little two…
and three…line advertisements classified as Help Wanted； Situations
Wanted； Lost and Found； and Personal。 The latter items Senor Johnson
commenced to read while awaiting Sang and the broom。 The notices
were five in number。 The first three were of the mysterious newspaper…
correspondence type； in which Birdie beseeches Jack to meet her at the
fountain；
