arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第45节
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〃He isn't going to make a tire of that！〃 she exclaimed； incredulously。
〃Sure；〃 replied Senor Johnson。 〃Will it wear？〃 〃It'll wear for a
month or so； till we can get another from town。〃 Estrella advanced
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and felt curiously of the rawhide。 Tommy was fastening it to the wheel at
the ends only。 〃But how can it stay on that way？〃 she objected。 〃It'll
come right off as soon as you use it。〃 〃It'll harden on tight enough。〃
〃Why？〃 she persisted。 〃Does it shrink much when it dries？〃
Senor Johnson stared to see if she might be joking。 〃Does it shrink？〃
he repeated slowly。 〃There ain't nothing shrinks more； nor harder。 It'll
mighty nigh break that wood。〃 Estrella； incredulous； interested； she
could not have told why； stooped again to feel the soft； yielding hide。
She shook her head。 〃You're joking me because I'm a tenderfoot；〃
she accused brightly。 〃I know it dries hard； and I'll believe it shrinks a lot；
but to break woodthat's piling it on a little thick。〃 〃No； that's right；
ma'am；〃 broke in Brent Palmer。 〃It's awful strong。 It pulls like a horse
when the desert sun gets on it。 You wrap anything up in a piece of that
hide and see what happens。 Some time you take and wrap a piece around
a potato and put her out in the sun and see how it'll squeeze the water out
of her。〃 〃Is that so？〃 she appealed to Tommy。 〃I can't tell when they
are making fun of me。〃 〃Yes； ma'am； that's right；〃 he assured her。
Estrella passed a strip of the flexible hide playfully about her wrists。
〃And if I let that dry that way I'd be handcuffed hard and fast；〃 she
said。 〃It would cut you down to the bone；〃 supplemented Brent
Palmer。 She untwisted the strip； and stood looking at it； her eyes
wide。 〃II don't know why〃 she faltered。 〃The thought makes me a
little sick。 Why； isn't it queer？ Ugh！ it's like a snake！〃 She flung it
from her energetically and turned toward the ranch house。
CHAPTER SEVEN ESTRELLA
The honeymoon developed and the necessary adjustments took place。
The latter Senor Johnson had not foreseen； and yet； when the necessity for
them arose； he acknowledged them right and proper。 〃Course she don't
want to ride over to Circle I with us；〃 he informed his confidant； Jed
Parker。 〃It's a long ride； and she ain't used to riding yet。 Trouble is I've
been thinking of doing things with her just as if she was a man。 Women
are different。 They likes different things。〃 This second idea gradually
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overlaid the first in Senor Johnson's mind。 Estrella showed little aptitude
or interest in the rougher side of life。 Her husband's statement as to her
being still unused to riding was distinctly a euphemism。 Estrella never
arrived at the point of feeling safe on a horse。 In time she gave up trying；
and the sorrel drifted back to cow…punching。 The range work she never
understood。
As a spectacle it imposed itself on her interest for a week； but since
she could discover no real and vital concern in the welfare of cows； soon
the mere outward show became an old story。 Estrella's sleek nature
avoided instinctively all that interfered with bodily well…being。 When
she was cool and well…fed and not thirsty； and surrounded by a proper
degree of feminine daintiness； then she was ready to amuse herself。 But
she could not understand the desirability of those pleasures for which a
certain price in discomfort must be paid。 As for firearms； she confessed
herself frankly afraid of them。 That was the point at which her intimacy
with them stopped。 The natural level to which these waters fell is
easily seen。 Quite simply； the Senor found that a wife does not enter
fully into her husband's workaday life。 The dreams he had dreamed did
not come true。 This was at first a disappointment to him； of course；
but the disappointment did not last。 Senor Johnson was a man of sense；
and he easily modified his first scheme of married life。 〃She'd get
sick of it； and I'd get sick of it；〃 he formulated his new philosophy。 〃Now
I got something to come back to； somebody to look forward to。 And it's a
WOMAN； it ain't one of these darn gangle…leg cowgirls。 The great thing
is to feel you BELONG to someone； and that someone nice and cool and
fresh and purty is waitin' for you when you come in tired。 It beats that
other little old idee of mine slick as a gun barrel。〃 So； during this；
the busy season of the range riding； immediately before the great fall
round…ups； Senor Johnson rode abroad all day； and returned to his own
hearth as many evenings of the week as he could。 Estrella always saw
him coming and stood in the doorway to greet him。 He kicked off his
spurs； washed and dusted himself； and spent the evening with his wife。
He liked the sound of exactly that phrase； and was fond of repeating it to
himself in a variety of connections。 〃When I get in I'll spend the
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evening with my wife。〃 〃If I don't ride over to Circle I； I'll spend the
evening with my wife；〃 and so on。 He had a good deal to tell her of the
day's discoveries； the state of the range； and the condition of the cattle。
To all of this she listened at least with patience。 Senor Johnson； like most
men who have long delayed marriage； was self…centred without knowing it。
His interest in his mate had to do with her personality rather than with her
doings。 〃What you do with yourself all day to…day？〃 he occasionally
inquired。 〃Oh； there's lots to do；〃 she would answer； a trifle listlessly；
and this reply always seemed quite to satisfy his interest in the subject。
Senor Johnson； with a curiously instant transformation often to be
observed among the adventurous； settled luxuriously into the state of
being a married man。 Its smallest details gave him distinct and separate
sensations of pleasure。 〃I plumb likes it all；〃 he said。 〃I likes havin'
interest in some fool geranium plant； and I likes worryin' about the screen
doors and all the rest of the plumb foolishness。 It does me good。 It
feels like stretchin' your legs in front of a good warm fire。〃 The
centre； the compelling influence of this new state of affairs； was
undoubtedly Estrella； and yet it is equally to be doubted whether she stood
for more than the suggestion。 Senor Johnson conducted his entire life
with reference to his wife。 His waking hours were concerned only with
the thought of her； his every act revolved in its orbit controlled by her
influence。 Nevertheless she； as an individual human being； had little to
do with it。 Senor Johnson referred his life to a state of affairs he had
himself invented and which he called the married state； and to a woman
whose attitude he had himself determined upon and whom be designated
as his wife。 The actual state of affairs whatever it might behe did not
see； and the actual woman supplied merely the material medium necessary
to the reality of his idea。 Whether Estrella's eyes were interested or bored；
bright or dull； alert or abstracted； contented or afraid； Senor Johnson could
not have told you。 He might have replied promptly enoughthat they
were happy and loving。 That is
