a waif of the plains-第1节

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A　Waif　of　the　Plains

by　Bret　Harte





CHAPTER　I


A　long　level　of　dull　gray　that　further　away　became　a　faint　blue；
with　here　and　there　darker　patches　that　looked　like　water。　　At
times　an　open　space；　blackened　and　burnt　in　an　irregular　circle；
with　a　shred　of　newspaper；　an　old　rag；　or　broken　tin　can　lying　in
the　ashes。　　Beyond　these　always　a　low　dark　line　that　seemed　to　sink
into　the　ground　at　night；　and　rose　again　in　the　morning　with　the
first　light；　but　never　otherwise　changed　its　height　and　distance。
A　sense　of　always　moving　with　some　indefinite　purpose；　but　of
always　returning　at　night　to　the　same　placewith　the　same
surroundings；　the　same　people；　the　same　bedclothes；　and　the　same
awful　black　canopy　dropped　down　from　above。　　A　chalky　taste　of　dust
on　the　mouth　and　lips；　a　gritty　sense　of　earth　on　the　fingers；　and
an　all…pervading　heat　and　smell　of　cattle。

This　was　〃The　Great　Plains〃　as　they　seemed　to　two　children　from　the
hooded　depth　of　an　emigrant　wagon；　above　the　swaying　heads　of
toiling　oxen；　in　the　summer　of　1852。

It　had　appeared　so　to　them　for　two　weeks；　always　the　same　and
always　without　the　least　sense　to　them　of　wonder　or　monotony。　　When
they　viewed　it　from　the　road；　walking　beside　the　wagon；　there　was
only　the　team　itself　added　to　the　unvarying　picture。　　One　of　the
wagons　bore　on　its　canvas　hood　the　inscription；　in　large　black
letters；　〃Off　to　California！〃　on　the　other　〃Root；　Hog；　or　Die；〃　but
neither　of　them　awoke　in　the　minds　of　the　children　the　faintest
idea　of　playfulness　or　jocularity。　　Perhaps　it　was　difficult　to
connect　the　serious　men；　who　occasionally　walked　beside　them　and
seemed　to　grow　more　taciturn　and　depressed　as　the　day　wore　on；　with
this　past　effusive　pleasantry。

Yet　the　impressions　of　the　two　children　differed　slightly。　　The
eldest；　a　boy　of　eleven；　was　apparently　new　to　the　domestic　habits
and　customs　of　a　life　to　which　the　younger；　a　girl　of　seven；　was
evidently　native　and　familiar。　　The　food　was　coarse　and　less
skillfully　prepared　than　that　to　which　he　had　been　accustomed。
There　was　a　certain　freedom　and　roughness　in　their　intercourse；　a
simplicity　that　bordered　almost　on　rudeness　in　their　domestic
arrangements；　and　a　speech　that　was　at　times　almost　untranslatable
to　him。　　He　slept　in　his　clothes；　wrapped　up　in　blankets；　he　was
conscious　that　in　the　matter　of　cleanliness　he　was　left　to　himself
to　overcome　the　difficulties　of　finding　water　and　towels。　　But　it
is　doubtful　if　in　his　youthfulness　it　affected　him　more　than　a
novelty。　　He　ate　and　slept　well；　and　found　his　life　amusing。　　Only
at　times　the　rudeness　of　his　companions；　or；　worse；　an　indifference
that　made　him　feel　his　dependency　upon　them；　awoke　a　vague　sense　of
some　wrong　that　had　been　done　to　him　which　while　it　was　voiceless
to　all　others　and　even　uneasily　put　aside　by　himself；　was　still
always　slumbering　in　his　childish　consciousness。

To　the　party　he　was　known　as　an　orphan　put　on　the　train　at　〃St。　Jo〃
by　some　relative　of　his　stepmother；　to　be　delivered　to　another
relative　at　Sacramento。　　As　his　stepmother　had　not　even　taken　leave
of　him；　but　had　entrusted　his　departure　to　the　relative　with　whom
he　had　been　lately　living；　it　was　considered　as　an　act　of
〃riddance；〃　and　accepted　as　such　by　her　party；　and　even　vaguely
acquiesced　in　by　the　boy　himself。　　What　consideration　had　been
offered　for　his　passage　he　did　not　know；　he　only　remembered　that　he
had　been　told　〃to　make　himself　handy。〃　　This　he　had　done
cheerfully；　if　at　times　with　the　unskillfulness　of　a　novice；　but　it
was　not　a　peculiar　or　a　menial　task　in　a　company　where　all　took
part　in　manual　labor；　and　where　existence　seemed　to　him　to　bear　the
charm　of　a　prolonged　picnic。　　Neither　was　he　subjected　to　any
difference　of　affection　or　treatment　from　Mrs。　Silsbee；　the　mother
of　his　little　companion；　and　the　wife　of　the　leader　of　the　train。
Prematurely　old；　of　ill…health；　and　harassed　with　cares；　she　had　no
time　to　waste　in　discriminating　maternal　tenderness　for　her
daughter；　but　treated　the　children　with　equal　and　unbiased
querulousness。

The　rear　wagon　creaked；　swayed；　and　rolled　on　slowly　and　heavily。
The　hoofs　of　the　draft…oxen；　occasionally　striking　in　the　dust　with
a　dull　report；　sent　little　puffs　like　smoke　on　either　side　of　the
track。　　Within；　the　children　were　playing　〃keeping　store。〃　　The
little　girl；　as　an　opulent　and　extravagant　customer；　was　purchasing
of　the　boy；　who　sat　behind　a　counter　improvised　from　a　nail…keg　and
the　front　seat；　most　of　the　available　contents　of　the　wagon；　either
under　their　own　names　or　an　imaginary　one　as　the　moment　suggested；
and　paying　for　them　in　the　easy　and　liberal　currency　of　dried　beans
and　bits　of　paper。　　Change　was　given　by　the　expeditious　method　of
tearing　the　paper　into　smaller　fragments。　　The　diminution　of　stock
was　remedied　by　buying　the　same　article　over　again　under　a
different　name。　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　these　favorable
commercial　conditions；　the　market　seemed　dull。

〃I　can　show　you　a　fine　quality　of　sheeting　at　four　cents　a　yard；
double　width；〃　said　the　boy；　rising　and　leaning　on　his　fingers　on
the　counter　as　he　had　seen　the　shopmen　do。　　〃All　wool　and　will
wash；〃　he　added；　with　easy　gravity。

〃I　can　buy　it　cheaper　at　Jackson's；〃　said　the　girl；　with　the
intuitive　duplicity　of　her　bargaining　sex。

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃I　won't　play　any　more。〃

〃Who　cares？〃　said　the　girl　indifferently。　　The　boy　here　promptly
upset　the　counter；　the　rolled…up　blanket　which　had　deceitfully
represented　the　desirable　sheeting　falling　on　the　wagon　floor。　　It
apparently　suggested　a　new　idea　to　the　former　salesman。　　〃I　say！
let's　play　'damaged　stock。'　　See；　I'll　tumble　all　the　things　down
here　right　on　top　o'　the　others；　and　sell　'em　for　less　than　cost。〃

The　girl　looked　up。　　The　suggestion　was　bold；　bad；　and　momentarily
attractive。　　But　she　only　said　〃No；〃　apparently　from　habit；　picked
up　her　doll；　and　the　boy　clambered　to　the　front　of　the　wagon。　　The
incomplete　episode　terminated　at　once　with　that　perfect
forgetfulness；　indifference；　and　irresponsibility　common　to　all
young　animals。　　If　either　could　have　flown　away　or　bounded　off
finally　at　that　moment；　they　would　have　done　so　with　no　more
concern　for　preliminary　detail　than　a　bird　or　squirrel。　　The　wagon
rolled　steadily　on。　　The　boy　could　see　that　one　of　the　teamsters
had　climbed　up　on　the　tail…board　of　the　preceding　vehicle。　　The
other　seemed　to　be　walking　in　a　dusty　sleep。

〃Kla'uns；〃　said　the　girl。

The　boy；　without　turning　his　head；　responded；　〃Susy。〃

〃Wot　are　you　going　to　be？〃　said　the　girl。

〃Goin'　to　be？〃　repeated　Clarence。

〃When　you　is　growed；〃　explained　Susy。

Clarence　hesitated。　　His　settled　determination　had　been　to　become　a
pirate；　merciless　yet　discriminating。　　But　reading　in　a　bethumbed
〃Guide　to　the　Plains〃　that　morning　of　Fort　Lamarie　and　Kit　Carson；
he　had　decided　upon　the　career　of　a　〃scout；〃　as　being　more
accessible　and　requiring　less　water。　　Yet；　out　of　compassion　for
Susy's　possible　ignorance；　he　said　neither；　and　responded　with　the
American　boy's　modest　conventionality；　〃President。〃　　It　was　safe；
required　no　embarrassing　description；　and　had　been　approved　by
benevolent　old　gentlemen　with　their　hands　on　his　head。

〃I'm　goin'　to　be　a　parson's　wife；〃　said　Susy；　〃and　keep　hens；　and
have　things　giv'　to　me。　　Baby　clothes；　and　apples；　and　apple　sass
and　melasses！　and　more　baby　clothes！　and　pork　when　you　kill。〃

She　had　thrown　herself　at　the　bottom　of　the　wagon；　with　her　back
towards　him　and　her　doll　in　her　lap。　　He　could　see　the　curve　of　her
curly　head；　and　beyond；　her　bare　dimpled　knees；　which　were　raised；
and　over　which　she　was　trying　to　fold　the　hem　of　her　brief　skirt。

〃I　wouldn't　be　a　President's　wife；〃　she　said　presently。

〃You　couldn't！〃

〃Could　if　I　wanted　to！〃

〃Couldn't！〃

〃Could　now！〃

〃Couldn't！〃

〃Why？〃

Finding　it　difficult　to　explain　his　convictions　of　her
ineligibility；　Clarence　thought　it　equally　crushing　not　to　give
any。　　There　was　a　long　silence。　　It　was　very　hot　and　dusty。　　The
wagon　scarcely　seemed　to　move。　　Clarence　gazed　at　the　vignette　of
the　track　behind　them　formed　by　the　hood　of　the　rear。　　Presently　he
rose　and　walked　past　her　to　the　tail…board。　　〃Goin'　to　get　down；〃
he　said；　putting　his　legs　over。

〃Maw　says　'No；'〃　said　Susy。

Clarence　did　not　reply；　but　dropped　to　the　ground　beside　the　slowly
turning　wheels。　　Without　quickening　his　pace　he　could　easily　keep
his　hand　on　the　tail…board。

〃Kla'uns。〃

He　looked　up。

〃Take　me。〃

She　had　already　clapped　on　her　sun…bonnet　and　was　standing　at　the
edge　of　the　tail…board；　her　little　arms　extended　in　such　perfect
confidence　of　being　caught　that　the　boy　could　not　resist。　　He
caught　her　cleverly。　　They　halted　a　moment　and　let　the　lumbering
vehicle　move　away　from　them；　as　it　swayed　from　side　to　side　as　if
laboring　in　a　heavy　sea。　　They　remained　motionless　until　it　had
reached　nearly　a　hundred　yards；　and　then；　with　a　sudden　half…real；
half…assumed；　but　altogether　delightful　trepidation；　ran　forward
and　caught　up　with　it　again。　　This　they　repeated　two　or　three　times
until　both　themselves　and　the　excitement　were　exhausted；　and　th