arizona nights-第3节

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when　it　does　it　quits　before　it　begins。〃　　　



Nevertheless；　about　noon　a　thick　cloud　gathered　about　the　tops　of

the　Galiuros　above　us。　　Almost　immediately　it　was　dissipated　by

the　wind；　but　when　the　peaks　again　showed；　we　stared　with

astonishment　to　see　that　they　were　white　with　snow。　　It　was　as

though　a　magician　had　passed　a　sheet　before　them　the　brief

instant　necessary　to　work　his　great　transformation。　　Shortly　the

sky　thickened　again；　and　it　began　to　rain。　　



Travel　had　been　precarious　before；　but　now　its　difficulties　were

infinitely　increased。　　The　clay　sub…soil　to　the　rubble　turned

slippery　and　adhesive。　　On　the　sides　of　the　mountains　it　was

almost　impossible　to　keep　a　footing。　　We　speedily　became　wet；　our

hands　puffed　and　purple；　our　boots　sodden　with　the　water　that　had

trickled　from　our　clothing　into　them。



〃Over　the　next　ridge；〃　Uncle　Jim　promised　us；　〃is　an　old　shack

that　I　fixed　up　seven　years　ago。　　We　can　all　make　out　to　get　in

it。〃　　　



Over　the　next　ridge；　therefore；　we　slipped　and　slid；　thanking　the

god　of　luck　for　each　ten　feet　gained。　　It　was　growing　cold。　　The

cliffs　and　palisades　near　at　hand　showed　dimly　behind　the　falling

rain；　beyond　them　waved　and　eddied　the　storm　mists　through　which

the　mountains　revealed　and　concealed　proportions　exaggerated　into

unearthly　grandeur。　　Deep　in　the　clefts　of　the　box　canons　the

streams　were　filling。　　The　roar　of　their　rapids　echoed　from

innumerable　precipices。　　A　soft　swish　of　water　usurped　the　world

of　sound。　　



Nothing　more　uncomfortable　or　more　magnificent　could　be　imagined。　

We　rode　shivering。　　Each　said　to　himself；　〃I　can　stand

thisright　nowat　the　present　moment。　　Very　well；　I　will　do　so；

and　I　will　refuse　to　look　forward　even　five　minutes　to　what　I　may

have　to　stand；〃　which　is　the　true　philosophy　of　tough　times　and

the　only　effective　way　to　endure　discomfort。　　



By　luck　we　reached　the　bottom　of　that　canon　without　a　fall。　　It

was　wide；　well　grown　with　oak　trees；　and　belly　deep　in　rich　horse

feedan　ideal　place　to　camp　were　it　not　for　the　fact　that　a　thin

sheet　of　water　a　quarter　of　an　inch　deep　was　flowing　over　the

entire　surface　of　the　ground。　　We　spurred　on　desperately；

thinking　of　a　warm　fire　and　a　chance　to　steam。





The　roof　of　the　shack　had　fallen　in；　and　the　floor　was　six　inches

deep　in　adobe　mud。　　



We　did　not　dismountthat　would　have　wet　our　saddlesbut　sat　on

our　horses　taking　in　the　details。　　Finally　Uncle　Jim　came　to　the

front　with　a　suggestion。　



〃I　know　of　a　cave；〃　said　he；　〃close　under　a　butte。　　It's　a　big

cave；　but　it　has　such　a　steep　floor　that　I'm　not　sure　as　we　could

stay　in　it；　and　it's　back　the　other　side　of　that　ridge。〃



〃I　don't　know　how　the　ridge　is　to　get　back　overit　was　slippery

enough　coming　this　wayand　the　cave　may　shoot　us　out　into　space；

but　I'd　like　to　LOOK　at　a　dry　place　anyway；〃　replied　the

Cattleman。　　



We　all　felt　the　same　about　it；　so　back　over　the　ridge　we　went。　

About　half　way　down　the　other　side　Uncle　Jim　turned　sharp　to　the

right；　and　as　the　〃hog　back〃　dropped　behind　us；　we　found

ourselves　out　on　the　steep　side　of　a　mountain；　the　perpendicular

cliff　over　us　to　the　right；　the　river　roaring　savagely　far　down

below　our　left；　and　sheets　of　water　glazing　the　footing　we　could

find　among　the　boulders　and　debris。　　Hardly　could　the　ponies　keep

from　slipping　sideways　on　the　slope；　as　we　proceeded　farther　and

farther　from　the　solidity　of　the　ridge　behind　us；　we　experienced

the　illusion　of　venturing　out　on　a　tight　rope　over　abysses　of

space。　　Even　the　feeling　of　danger　was　only　an　illusion；　however；

composite　of　the　falling　rain；　the　deepening　twilight；　and　the

night　that　had　already　enveloped　the　plunge　of　the　canon　below。　　

Finally　Uncle　Jim　stopped　just　within　the　drip　from　the　cliffs。　



〃Here　she　is；〃　said　he。　　



We　descended　eagerly。　　A　deer　bounded　away　from　the　base　of　the

buttes。　　The　cave　ran　steep；　in　the　manner　of　an　inclined　tunnel；

far　up　into　the　dimness。　　We　had　to　dig　our　toes　in　and　scramble

to　make　way　up　it　at　all；　but　we　found　it　dry；　and　after　a　little

search　discovered　a　foot…ledge　of　earth　sufficiently　broad　for　a

seat。　　



〃That's　all　right；〃　quoth　Jed　Parker。　〃Now；　for　sleeping　places。〃



We　scattered。　　Uncle　Jim　and　Charley　promptly　annexed　the　slight

overhang　of　the　cliff　whence　the　deer　had　jumped。　　It　was　dry　at

the　moment；　but　we　uttered　pessimistic　predictions　if　the　wind

should　change。　　Tom　Rich　and　Jim　Lester　had　a　little　tent；　and

insisted　on　descending　to　the　canon…bed。　　



〃Got　to　cook　there；　anyways；〃　said　they；　and　departed　with　the

two　pack　mules　and　their　bed　horse。　　



That　left　the　Cattleman；　Windy　Bill；　Jed　Parker；　and　me。　　In　a

moment　Windy　Bill　came　up　to　us　whispering　and　mysterious。　　



〃Get　your　cavallos　and　follow　me；〃　said　he。　　



We　did　so。　　He　led　us　two　hundred　yards　to　another　cave；　twenty

feet　high；　fifteen　feet　in　diameter；　level　as　a　floor。　



〃How's　that？〃　he　cried　in　triumph。　〃Found　her　just　now　while　I

was　rustling　nigger…heads　for　a　fire。〃　



We　unpacked　our　beds　with　chuckles　of　joy；　and　spread　them

carefully　within　the　shelter　of　the　cave。　　Except　for　the　very

edges；　which　did　not　much　matter；　our　blankets　and　〃so…guns；〃

protected　by　the　canvas　〃tarp；〃　were　reasonably　dry。　　Every　once

in　a　while　a　spasm　of　conscience　would　seize　one　or　the　other　of

us。　



〃It　seems　sort　of　mean　on　the　other　fellows；〃　ruminated　Jed

Parker。



〃They　had　their　first　choice；〃　cried　we　all。　



〃Uncle　Jim's　an　old　man；〃　the　Cattleman　pointed　out。　　



But　Windy　Bill　had　thought　of　that。　　〃I　told　him　of　this　yere

cave　first。　　But　he　allowed　he　was　plumb　satisfied。〃　　



We　finished　laying　out　our　blankets。　　The　result　looked　good　to

us。　　We　all　burst　out　laughing。　



〃Well；　I'm　sorry　for　those　fellows；〃　cried　the　Cattleman。　　We

hobbled　our　horses　and　descended　to　the　gleam　of　the　fire；　like

guilty　conspirators。　　There　we　ate　hastily　of　meat；　bread　and

coffee；　merely　for　the　sake　of　sustenance。　　It　certainly　amounted

to　little　in　the　way　of　pleasure。　　The　water　from　the　direct

rain；　the　shivering　trees；　and　our　hat　brims　accumulated　in　our

plates　faster　than　we　could　bail　it　out。　　The　dishes　were　thrust

under　a　canvas。　　Rich　and　Lester　decided　to　remain　with　their

tent；　and　so　we　saw　them　no　more　until　morning。



We　broke　off　back…loads　of　mesquite　and　toiled　up　the　hill；

tasting　thickly　the　high　altitude　in　the　severe　labour。　　At　the

big　cave　we　dumped　down　our　burdens；　transported　our　fuel

piecemeal　to　the　vicinity　of　the　narrow　ledge；　built　a　good　fire；

sat　in　a　row；　and　lit　our　pipes。　　In　a　few　moments；　the　blaze　was

burning　high；　and　our　bodies　had　ceased　shivering。　　Fantastically

the　firelight　revealed　the　knobs　and　crevices；　the　ledges　and　the

arching　walls。　　Their　shadows　leaped；　following　the　flames；

receding　and　advancing　like　playful　beasts。　　Far　above　us　was　a

single　tiny　opening　through　which　the　smoke　was　sucked　as　through

a　chimney。　　The　glow　ruddied　the　men's　features。　　Outside　was

thick　darkness；　and　the　swish　and　rush　and　roar　of　rising

waters。　　Listening；　Windy　Bill　was　reminded　of　a　story。　　We

leaned　back　comfortably　against　the　sloping　walls　of　the　cave；

thrust　our　feet　toward　the　blaze；　smoked；　and　hearkened　to　the

tale　of　Windy　Bill。

　



There's　a　tur'ble　lot　of　water　running　loose　here；　but　I've　seen

the　time　and　place　where　even　what　is　in　that　drip　would　be

worth　a　gold　mine。　　　That　was　in　the　emigrant　days。　　They　used

to　come　over　south　of　here；　through　what　they　called　Emigrant

Pass；　on　their　way　to　Californy。　I　was　a　kid　then；　about　eighteen

year　old；　and　what　I　didn't　know　about　Injins　and　Agency　cattle

wasn't　a　patch　of　alkali。　　I　had　a　kid　outfit　of　h'ar　bridle；

lots　of　silver　and　such；　and　I　used　to　ride　over　and　be　the

handsome　boy　before　such　outfits　as　happened　along。



They　were　queer　people；　most　of　'em　from　Missoury　and

such…like　southern　seaports；　and　they　were　tur'ble　sick　of

travel　by　the　time　they　come　in　sight　of　Emigrant　Pass。　　Up　to

Santa　Fe　they　mostly　hiked　along　any　old　way；　but　once　there　they

herded　up　together　in　bunches　of　twenty　wagons　or　so；　'count　of

our　old　friends；　Geronimo　and　Loco。　　A　good　many　of　'em　had

horned　cattle　to　their　wagons；　and　they　crawled　along　about　two

miles　an　hour；　hotter'n　hell　with　the　blower　on；　nothin'　to

look　at　but　a　mountain　a　week　way；　chuck　full　of　alkali；　plenty

of　sage…brush　and　rattlesnakesbut　mighty　little　water。



Why；　you　boys　know　that　country　down　there。　　Between　the

Chiricahua　Mountains　and　Emigrant　Pass　it's　maybe　a　three　or　four

days'　journey　for　these　yere　bull…slingers。



Mostly　they　filled　up　their　bellies　and　their　kegs；　hoping　to

last　through；　but　they　sure　found　it　drier　than　cork　legs；　and

generally　long　before　they　hit　the　Springs　their　tongues　was

hangin'　out　a　foot。　　You　see；　for　all　their　plum