the friendly road-第13节

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　onward　through　life　faster　than　I　could　well　enjoy　it。　For　nature　passes　the　dishes　far　more　rapidly　than　we　can　help　ourselves。

Or　perhaps；　thought　I；　eagerly　speculating；　this　may　be　only　some　cunning　advertiser　with　rest　for　sale　（in　these　days　even　rest　has　its　price）；　thus　piquing　the　curiosity　of　the　traveller　for　the　disclosure　which　he　will　make　a　mile　or　so　farther　on。　Or　else　some　humourist　wasting　his　wit　upon　the　Fraternity　of　the　Road；　too　willing　（like　me；　perhaps）　to　accept　his　ironical　advice。　But　it　would　be　well　worth　while　should　I　find　him；　to　see　him　chuckle　behind　his　hand。

So　I　sat　there　very　much　interested；　for　a　long　time；　even　framing　a　rather　amusing　picture　in　my　own　mind　of　the　sort　of　person　who　painted　these　signs；　deciding　finally　that　he　must　be　a　zealot　rather　than　a　trader　or　humourist。　（Confidentially；　I　could　not　make　a　picture　of　him　in　which　he　was　not　endowed　with　plentiful　long　hair）。　As　I　walked　onward　again；　I　decided　that　in　any　guise　I　should　like　to　see　him；　and　I　enjoyed　thinking　what　I　should　say　if　I　met　him。　A　mile　farther　up　the　road　I　saw　another　sign　exactly　like　the　first。

〃Here　he　is　again；〃　I　said　exultantly；　and　that　sign　being　somewhat　nearer　the　ground　I　was　able　to　examine　it　carefully　front　and　back；　but　it　bore　no　evidence　of　its　origin。

In　the　next　few　miles　I　saw　two　other　signs　with　nothing　on　them　but　the　word　〃Rest。〃

Now　this　excellent　admonitionlike　much　of　the　excellent　admonitions　in　this　world　affected　me　perversely：　it　made　me　more　restless　than　ever。　I　felt　that　I　could　not　rest　properly　until　I　found　out　who　wanted　me　to　rest；　and　why。　It　opened　indeed　a　limitless　vista　for　new　adventure。


Presently；　away　ahead　of　me　in　the　road；　I　saw　a　man　standing　near　a　one…horse　wagon。　He　seemed　to　be　engaged　in　some　activity　near　the　roadside；　but　I　could　not　tell　exactly　what。　As　I　hastened　nearer　I　discovered　that　he　was　a　short；　strongly　built；　sun…bronzed　man　in　working…clothesand　with　the　shortest　of　short　hair。　I　saw　him　take　a　shovel　from　the　wagon　and　begin　digging。　He　was　the　road…worker。

I　asked　the　road…worker　if　he　had　seen　the　curious　signs。　He　looked　up　at　me　with　a　broad　smile　（he　had　good…humoured；　very　bright　blue　eyes）。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　they　ain't　for　me。〃

〃Then　you　don't　follow　the　advice　they　give？〃

〃Not　with　a　section　like　mine；〃　said　he；　and　he　straightened　up　and　looked　first　one　way　of　the　road　and　then　the　other。　〃I　have　from　Grabow　Brook；　but　not　the　bridge；　to　the　top　o'　Sullivan　Hill；　and　all　the　culverts　between；　though　two　of　'em　are　by　rights　bridges。　And　I　claim　that's　a　job　for　any　full…grown　man。〃

He　began　shovelling　again　in　the　road　as　if　to　prove　how　busy　he　was。　There　had　been　a　small　landslide　from　an　open　cut　on　one　side　and　a　mass　of　gravel　and　small　boulders　lay　scattered　on　the　smooth　macadam。　I　watched　him　for　a　moment。　I　love　to　watch　the　motions　of　vigorous　men　at　work；　the　easy　play　of　the　muscles；　the　swing　of　the　shoulders；　the　vigour　of　stoutly　planted　legs。　He　evidently　considered　the　conversation　closed；　and　I；　aswell；　as　a　dusty　man　of　the　roadeasily　dismissed。　（You　have　no　idea；　until　you　try　it；　what　a　weight　of　prejudice　the　man　of　the　road　has　to　surmount　before　he　is　accepted　on　easy　terms　by　the　ordinary　members　of　the　human　race。）

A　few　other　well…intentioned　observations　on　my　part　having　elicited　nothing　but　monosyllabic　replies；　I　put　my　bag　down　by　the　roadside　and；　going　up　to　the　wagon；　got　out　a　shovel；　and　without　a　word　took　my　place　at　the　other　end　of　the　landslide　and　began　to　shovel　for　all　I　was　worth。

I　said　not　a　word　to　the　husky　road…worker　and　pretended　not　to　look　at　him；　but　I　saw　him　well　enough　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye。　He　was　evidently　astonished　and　interested；　as　I　knew　he　would　be：　it　was　something　entirely　new　on　the　road。　He　didn't　quite　know　whether　to　be　angry；　or　amused；　or　sociable。　I　caught　him　looking　over　at　me　several　times；　but　I　offered　no　response；　then　he　cleared　his　throat　and　said：

〃Where　you　from？〃

I　answered　with　a　monosyllable　which　I　knew　he　could　not　quite　catch。　Silence　again　for　some　time；　during　which　I　shovelled　valiantly　and　with　great　inward　amusement。　Oh；　there　is　nothing　like　cracking　a　hard　human　nut！　I　decided　at　that　moment；　to　have　him　invite　me　to　supper。

Finally；　when　I　showed　no　signs　of　stopping　my　work；　he　himself　paused　and　leaned　on　his　shovel。　I　kept　right　on。

〃Say；　partner；〃　said　he；　finally；　〃did　YOU　read　those　signs　as　you　come　up　the　road？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃but　they　weren't　for　me；　either。　My　section's　a　long　one；　too。〃

〃Say；　you　ain't　a　road…worker；　are　you？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　with　a　sudden　inspiration；　〃that's　exactly　what　I　ama　road…worker。〃

〃Put　her　there；　then；　partner；〃　he　said；　with　a　broad　smile　on　his　bronzed　face。

He　and　I　struck　hands；　rested　on　our　shovels　（like　old　hands　at　it）；　and　looked　with　understanding　into　each　other's　eyes。　We　both　knew　the　trade　and　the　tricks　of　the　trade；　all　bars　were　down　between　us。　The　fact　is；　we　had　both　seen　and　profited　by　the　peculiar　signs　at　the　roadside。

〃Where's　your　section？〃　he　asked　easily。

〃Well；〃　I　responded　after　considering　the　question；　〃I　have　a　very　long　and　hard　section。　It　begins　at　a　place　called　Prosy　Commondo　you　know　it？and　reaches　to　the　top　of　Clear　Hill。　There　are　several　bad　spots　on　the　way；　I　can　tell　you。〃

〃Don't　know　it；〃　said　the　husky　road…worker；　〃'tain't　round　here；　is　it？　In　the　town　of　Sheldon；　maybe？〃

Just　at　this　moment；　perhaps　fortunately；　for　there　is　nothing　so　difficult　to　satisfy　as　the　appetite　of　people　for　specific　information；　a　motor…car　whizzed　past；　the　driver　holding　up　his　hand　in　greeting；　and　the　road…worker　and　I　responding　in　accordance　with　the　etiquette　of　the　Great　Road。

〃There　he　goes　in　the　ruts　again；〃　said　the　husky　road…worker。　〃Why　is　it；　I'd　like　to　know；　that　every　one　wants　to　run　in　the　same　identical　track　when　they've　got　the　whole　wide　road　before　'em？〃

〃That's　what　has　long　puzzled　me；　too；〃　I　said。　〃Why　WILL　people　continue　to　run　in　ruts？〃

〃It　don't　seem　to　do　no　good　to　put　up　signs；〃　said　the　road…worker。

〃Very　little　indeed；〃　said　I。　〃The　fact　is；　people　have　got　to　be　bumped　out　of　the　ruts　they　get　into。〃

〃You're　right；〃　said　he　enthusiastically；　and　his　voice　dropped　into　the　tone　of　one　speaking　to　a　member　of　the　inner　guild。　〃I　know　how　to　get　'em。〃

〃How？〃　I　asked　in　an　equally　mysterious　voice。

〃I　put　a　stone　or　two　in　the　ruts！〃

〃Do　you？〃　I　exclaimed。　〃I've　done　that　very　thing　myselfmany　a　time！　Just　place　a　good　hard　truI　mean　stone；　with　a　bit　of　common　dust　sprinkled　over　it；　in　the　middle　of　the　rut；　and　they'll　look　out　for　THAT　rut　for　some　time　to　come。〃

〃Ain't　it　gorgeous；〃　said　the　husky　road…worker；　chuckling　joyfully；　〃to　see　'em　bump？〃

〃It　is；〃　said　I〃gorgeous。〃

After　that；　shovelling　part　of　the　time　in　a　leisurely　way；　and　part　of　the　time　responding　to　the　urgent　request　of　the　signs　by　the　roadside　（it　pays　to　advertise！）；　the　husky　road…worker　and　I　discussed　many　great　and　important　subjects；　all；　however；　curiously　related　to　roads。　Working　all　day　long　with　his　old　horse；　removing　obstructions；　draining　out　the　culverts；　filling　ruts　and　holes　with　new　stone；　and　repairing　the　damage　of　rain　and　storm；　the　road…worker　was　filled　with　a　world　of　practical　information　covering　roads　and　road…making。　And　having　learned　that　I　was　of　the　same　calling；　we　exchanged　views　with　the　greatest　enthusiasm。　It　was　astonishing　to　see　how　nearly　in　agreement　we　were　as　to　what　constituted　an　ideal　road。

〃Almost　everything；〃　said　he；　〃depends　on　depth。　If　you　get　a　good　solid　foundation；　the'　ain't　anything　that　can　break　up　your　road。〃

〃Exactly　what　I　have　discovered；〃　I　responded。　〃Get　down　to　bedrock　and　do　an　honest　job　of　building。〃

〃And　don't　have　too　many　sharp　turns。〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃long；　leisurely　curves　are　bestall　through　life。　You　have　observed　that　nearly　all　the　accidents　on　the　road　are　due　to　sharp　turnings。〃

〃Right　you　are！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃A　man　who　tries　to　turn　too　sharply　on　his　way　nearly　always　skids。〃

〃Or　else　turns　turtle　in　the　ditch。〃

But　it　was　not　until　we　reached　the　subject　of　oiling　that　we　mounted　to　the　real　summit　of　enthusiastic　agreement。　Of　all　things　on　the　road；　or　above　the　road；　or　in　the　waters　under　the　road；　there　is　nothing　that　the　road…worker　dislikes　more　than　oil。

〃It's　all　right；〃　said　he；　〃to　use　oil　for　surfacin'　and　to　keep　down　the　dust。　You　don't　need　much　and　it　ain't　messy。　But　sometimes　when　you　see　oil　pumped　on　a　road；　you　know　that　either　the　contractor　has　been　jobbin'；　or　else　the　road's　worn　out　and　ought　to　be　rebuilt。〃

〃That's　exactly　what　I've　found；〃　said　I。　〃Let　a　road　become　almost　impassable　with　ruts　and　rocks　and　dust；　and　immediately　some　man　says；　'Oh；　it's　all　rightput　on　a　little　oil'〃

〃That's　what　our　supervisor　is　always　sayin'；〃　said　the　road…worker。

〃Yes；〃　I　responded；　〃it　usually　is　the　supervisor。　He　lives　by　it。　He　wants　to　smooth　over　the　defects；　he　wants　to　lay　the　dust　that　every　passerby　kicks　up；　he　tries　to　smear　over　the　truth　regarding　conditions　wit