arizona nights-第34节

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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　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　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　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；　the　fourth　advertised

a　clairvoyant。　　Over　the　fifth　Senor　Johnson　paused　long。　　It

reads

　

〃WANTED。…By　an　intelligent　and　refined　lady　of　pleasing

appearance；　correspondence　with　a　gentleman　of　means。　　Object

matrimony。



Just　then　Sang　returned　with　the　broom　and　began　noisily　to　sweep

together　the　debris。　　The　rustling　of　papers　aroused　Senor

Johnson　from　his　reverie。　　At　once　he　exploded。

　　

〃Get　out　of　here；　you　debased　Mongolian；〃　he　shouted；　〃can't　you

see　I'm　reading？〃

　　　

Sang　fled；　sorely　puzzled；　for　the　Senor　was　calm　and　unexcited

and　aloof　in　his　everyday　habit。

　　　

Soon　Jed　Parker；　tall；　wiry；　hawk…nosed；　deliberate；　came　into

the　room　and　flung　his　broad　hat　and　spurs　into　the　corner。　　Then

he　proceeded　to　light　his　pipe　and　threw　the　burned　match　on　the

floor。

　　

〃Been　over　to　look　at　the　Grant　Pass　range；〃　he　announced

cheerfully。　〃She's　no　good。　　Drier　than　cork　legs。　　Th'　country

wouldn't　support　three　horned　toads。〃



〃Jed；〃　quoth　the　Senor　solemnly；　〃I　wisht　you'd　hang　up　your　hat

like　I　have。　　It　don't　look　good　there　on　the　floor。〃

　　

〃Why；　sure；〃　agreed　Jed；　with　an　astonished　stare。



Sang　brought　in　supper　and　slung　it　on　the　red　and　white　squares

of　oilcloth。　　Then　he　moved　the　lamp　and　retired。

　　　　

Senor　Johnson　gazed　with　distaste　into　his　cup。

　　　

〃This　coffee　would　float　a　wedge；〃　he　commented　sourly。

　　　

〃She's　no　puling　infant；〃　agreed　the　cheerful　Jed。

　　　

〃And　this！〃　went　on　the　Senor；　picking　up　what　purported　to　be

plum　duff：　〃Bog　down　a　few　currants　in　dough　and　call　her

pudding！〃

　　　　

He　ate　in　silence；　then　pushed　back　his　chair　and　went　to　the

window；　gazing　through　it