arizona nights-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
For a time everything was pleasant。 Dreams came fused with
realities； the firelight faded from consciousness or returned
fantastic to our half…awakening； a delicious numbness overspread
our tired bodies。 The shadows leaped； became solid； monstrous。
We fell asleep。
After a time the fact obtruded itself dimly through our stupor
that the constant pressure of the hard rock had impeded our
circulation。 We stirred uneasily； shifting to a better position。
That was the beginning of awakening。 The new position did not
suit。 A slight shivering seized us； which the drawing closer of
the blanket failed to end。 Finally I threw aside my hat and
looked out。 Jed Parker； a vivid patch…work comforter wrapped
about his shoulders； stood upright and silent by the fire。 I
kept still； fearing to awaken the others。 In a short time I
became aware that the others were doing identically the same
thing。 We laughed； threw off our blankets； stretched； and fed
the fire。
A thick acrid smoke filled the air。 The Cattleman； rising； left
a trail of incandescent footprints。 We investigated hastily； and
discovered that the supposed earth on the slant of the cave was
nothing more than bat guano； tons of it。 The fire； eating its
way beneath； had rendered untenable its immediate vicinity。 We
felt as though we were living over a volcano。 How soon our
ledge； of the same material； might be attacked； we had no means
of knowing。 Overcome with drowsiness； we again disposed our
blankets； resolved to get as many naps as possible before even
these constrained quarters were taken from us。
This happened sooner and in a manner otherwise than we had
expected。 Windy Bill brought us to consciousness by a wild yell。
Consciousness reported to us a strange； hurried sound like the
long roll on a drum。 Investigation showed us that this cave；
too； had sprung a leak； not with any premonitory drip； but all at
once； as though someone had turned on a faucet。 In ten seconds a
very competent streamlet six inches wide had eroded a course down
through the guano； past the fire and to the outer slope。 And by
the irony of fate that oneand only oneleak in all the roof
expanse of a big cave was directly over one end of our tiny
ledge。 The Cattleman laughed。
〃Reminds me of the old farmer and his kind friend；〃 said he。
〃Kind friend hunts up the old farmer in the village。
〃'John；' says he； 'I've bad news for you。 Your barn has burned
up。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your cow was burned； too。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your horses were burned。'
〃'My Lord！' says the farmer。
〃'But； that ain't the worst。 The barn set fire to the house； and
it was burnedtotal loss。'
〃'My Lord！' groans the farmer。
〃'But that ain't the worst。 Your wife and child were killed；
too。'
〃'At that the farmer began to roar with laughter。
〃'Good heavens； man！' cries his friend； astonished； 'what in
the world do you find to laugh at in that？'
〃'Don't you see？' answers the farmer。 'Why； it's so darn
COMPLETE！'
〃Well；〃 finished the Cattleman； 〃that's what strikes me about
our case； it's so darn complete！〃
〃What time is it？〃 asked Windy Bill。
〃Midnight；〃 I announced。
〃Lord！ Six hours to day！〃 groaned Windy Bill。 〃How'd you like to
be doin' a nice quiet job at gardenin' in the East where you
could belly up to the bar reg'lar every evenin'； and drink a
pussy cafe and smoke tailor…made cigareets？〃
〃You wouldn't like it a bit；〃 put in the Cattleman with decision；
whereupon in proof he told us the following story：
Windy has mentioned Gentleman Tim； and that reminded me of the
first time I ever saw him。 He was an Irishman all right； but he
had been educated in England； and except for his accent he was
more an Englishman than anything else。 A freight outfit brought
him into Tucson from Santa Fe and dumped him down on the plaza；
where at once every idler in town gathered to quiz him。
Certainly he was one of the greenest specimens I ever saw in this
country。 He had on a pair of balloon pants and a Norfolk jacket；
and was surrounded by a half…dozen baby trunks。 His face was
red…cheeked and aggressively clean； and his eye limpid as a
child's。 Most of those present thought that indicated
childishness； but I could see that it was only utter
self…unconsciousness。
It seemed that he was out for big game； and intended to go after
silver…tips somewhere in these very mountains。 Of course he was
offered plenty of advice； and would probably have made
engagements much to be regretted had I not taken a strong fancy
to him。
〃My friend；〃 said I； drawing him aside； 〃I don't want to be
inquisitive； but what might you do when you're home？〃
〃I'm a younger son；〃 said he。 I was green myself in those days；
and knew nothing of primogeniture。
〃That is a very interesting piece of family history；〃 said I；
〃but it does not answer my question。〃
He smiled。
〃Well now； I hadn't thought of that；〃 said he； 〃but in a manner
of speaking； it does。 I do nothing。〃
〃Well；〃 said I； unabashed； 〃if you saw me trying to be a younger
son and likely to forget myself and do something without meaning
to； wouldn't you be apt to warn me？〃
〃Well； 'pon honour； you're a queer chap。 What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that if you hire any of those men to guide you in the
mountains； you'll be outrageously cheated； and will be lucky if
you're not gobbled by Apaches。〃
〃Do you do any guiding yourself； now？〃 he asked； most innocent of
manner。
But I flared up。
〃You damn ungrateful pup；〃 I said； 〃go to the devil in your
own way；〃 and turned square on my heel。
But the young man was at my elbow； his hand on my shoulder。
〃Oh； I say now； I'm sorry。 I didn't rightly understand。 Do
wait one moment until I dispose of these boxes of mine； and then
I want the honour of your further acquaintance。〃
He got some Greasers to take his trunks over to the hotel； then
linked his arm in mine most engagingly。
〃Now； my dear chap；〃 said he； 〃let's go somewhere for a B & S；
and find out about each other。〃
We were both young and expansive。 We exchanged views； names；
and confidences； and before noon we had arranged to hunt
together； I to collect the outfit。
The upshot of the matter was that the Honourable Timothy Clare
and I had a most excellent month's excursion； shot several good
bear； and returned to Tucson the best of friends。
At Tucson was Schiefflein and his stories of a big strike down
in the Apache country。 Nothing would do but that we should both
go to see for ourselves。 We joined the second expedition； crept
in the gullies； tied bushes about ourselves when monumenting
corners； and so helped establish the town of Tombstone。 We made
nothing； nor attempted to。 Neither of us knew anything of
mining； but we were both thirsty for adventure； and took a
schoolboy delight in playing the game of life or death with the
Chiricahuas。
In fact； I never saw anybody take to the wild life as eagerly as
the Honourable Timothy Clare。 He wanted to attempt everything。
With him it was no sooner see than try； and he had such an
abundance of enthusiasm that he generally succeeded。 The balloon
pants soon went。 In a month his outfit was irreproachable。 He
used to study us by the hour； taking in every detail of our
equipment； from the smallest to the most important。 Then he
asked questions。 For all his desire to be one of the country； he
was never ashamed to acknowledge his ignorance。
〃Now； don't you chaps think it silly to wear such high heels to
your boots？〃 he would ask。 〃It seems to me a very useless sort
of vanity。〃
〃No vanity about it； Tim；〃 I explained。 〃In the first place； it
keeps your foot from slipping through the stirrup。 In the second
place； it is good to grip on the ground when you're roping
afoot。〃
〃By Jove； that's true！〃 he cried。
So he'd get him a pair of boots。 For a while it was enough to
wear and own all these things。 He seemed to delight in his
six…shooter and his rope just as ornaments to himself and horse。
But he soon got over that。 Then he had to learn to use them。
For the time being； pistol practice； for instance； would absorb
all his thoughts。 He'd bang away at intervals all day； and
figure out new theories all night。
〃That bally scheme won't work；〃 he would complain。 〃I believe if
I extended my thumb along the cylinder it would help that side
jump。〃
He was always easing the trigger…pull； or filing the sights。 In
time he got to be a fairly accurate and very quick shot。
The same way with roping and hog…tying and all the rest。
〃What's the use？〃 I used to ask him。 〃If you were going to be a
bu
