a summer in a canyon-第14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！


usual。　　Oh　dear！　it's　a　weary　world。　　I'd　just　like　to　get　Jack　at　a
disadvantage　once！

＇Next　paragraph　crossed　out＇
We　climbed　Pico　Negro　yesterday。　　Bell；　Geoff；　Phil；　and　I　had　quite
an　experience　in　losing　the　trail。　　I　will　tell　you　about　it。　　Just
as　…

（Goodness　me！　what　have　I　written？　　Oh；　Elsie；　pray　excuse　those
HORIZONTAL　EVIDENCES　of　my　forgetfulness　and　disobedience。　　I　have
bumped　my　head　against　the　table　three　times；　as　penance；　and　will
now　try　to　turn　my　thoughts　into　right　channels。　　This　letter　is　a
black…and…white　evidence　that　_I_　have　not　a　frivolous　order　of　mind；
and　have　always　been　misunderstood　from　my　birth　up　to　this　date。）

We　have　had　beautiful　weather　sincebut　no；　of　course　Phil　will　tell
you　about　the　weather；　for　that　is　scarcely　an　amusing　topic。　　I　do
want　to　be　as　prudent　as　possible；　for　Uncle　Doc　is　going　to　read　all
the　letters　（not；　of　course；　aloud）　and　see　whether　we　have　fulfilled
our　specific　obligations。

（I　just　asked　Bell　whether　'specific'　had　a　'c'　or　an's　in　the
middle；　and　she　answered　'〃c；〃　of　course；'　with　such　an　air；　you
should　have　heard　her！　　I　had　to　remind　her　of　the　time　she　spelled
'Tophet'　with　an　'f'　in　the　middle；　then　she　subsided。）

（I　just　read　this　last　paragraph　to　Madge；　to　see　if　she　called　it
gossip；　as　I　was　going　to　take　it　out　if　it　belonged　to　her　topic；
but　she　said　No；　she　didn't　call　it　gossip　at　allthat　she　should
call　it　slander！）

You　don't　know　how　we　all　long　to　see　you；　dear　darling　that　you　are。
We　live　in　the　hope　of　having　you　with　us　very　soon；　and　meanwhile
the　beautiful　bedstead　is　almost　finished；　and　a　perfect　success。　　（I
wish　to　withdraw　the　last　three　quarters　of　that　sentence；　for
obvious　reasons！！）

Dear；　dear！　　Geoffrey　calls　'Time　up；'　and　I've　scarcely　said
anything　I　should。　　Never；　never　again　will　I　submit　to　this　method
of　correspondence；　it　is　absolutely　petrifying　to　one's　genius。　　When
I　am　once　forced　to　walk　in　a　path；　nothing　but　the　whole　out…of…
doors　will　satisfy　me。

I'm　very　much　afraid　I　haven't　amused　you；　dear；　…


But　when　I　lie　in　the　green　kirkyard；
With　the　mould　upon　my　breast；
Say　not　that　'She　did　well　or　ill；'
Only；　'She　did　her　best。'


Now；　do　you　think　that　will　interfere　with　Bell；　when　it's　only　a
quotation？　　Any　way；　it's　so　appropriate　that　Uncle　Doc　will　never
have　the　heart　to　strike　it　out。　　The　trouble　is　that　Geoff　thinks
all　the　poetry　in　the　universe　is　locked　up　in　Bell's　head；　and　if
she　once　allows　it　to　escape；　Felicia　Hemans　and　the　rest　will　be　too
discouraged　ever　to　try　again！　　（I　can't　remember　whether　F。　H。　is
alive　or　not；　and　am　afraid　to　ask；　but　you　will　know　that　I　don't
mean　to　be　disrespectful。）

Laura；　Anne；　and　Scott　Burton　were　here　for　the　play；　and　Laura　is
coming　down　again　to　spend　the　week。　　I　can't　abide　her；　and　there
will　probably　be　trouble　in　the　camp。

The　flame　of　my　genius　blazes　high　just　now；　but　Geoff　has　spoken；
and　it　must　be　snuffed。　　So　good…bye！

Sizz…z…z！！　and　I'm　OUT！

POLLIOLIVER。


II。　　FROM　PHILIP　TO　ELSIE。


CAMP　CHAPARRAL；　July　8；　188…。

My　dear　Elsie；I　believe　I　am　to　inform　you　concerning　the　daily
doings　of　our　party；　not　on　any　account；　however；　permitting　myself
to　degenerate　into　'gossip'　or　'frivolous　amusement。'

They　evidently　consider　me　a　quiet；　stupid　fellow；　who　will　fulfil
such　a　task　with　no　special　feeling　of　repression；　and　I　dare　say
they　are　quite　right。

They　call　me　the　'solid　man'　of　the　camp；　which　may　not　be　very　high
praise；　to　be　sure；　as　Geoffrey　carries　his　head　in　the　clouds；　and
Jack　iswell；　Jack　is　Jack！　　So；　as　the　light　of　a　tallow　dip　is
valuable　in　the　absence　of　sun　and　moon；　I　am　raised　to　a　fictitious
reputation。

We　fellows　have　had　very　little　play　so　far；　for　the　furnishing　of
the　camp　has　proved　an　immense　undertaking；　although　we　have　plenty
of　the　right　sort　of　wood　and　excellent　tools。

We　think　the　work　will　pay；　however；　as　Dr。　Paul　has　about　decided　to
stay　until　October；　or　until　the　first　rain。　　He　writes　two　or　three
hours　a　day；　and　thinks　that　he　gets　on　with　his　book　better　here
than　at　home。　　As　for　the　rest　of　us；　when　we　get　fairly　to　rights　we
shall　have　regular　study　hours　and　lose　no　time　in　preparing　for　the
examinations。

I　suppose　you　know　that　you　have　a　full　bedroom　set　in　process　of
construction。　　I　say　'suppose　you　know；'　because　it　is　a　profound
secret；　and　the　girls　could　never　have　kept　it　to　themselves　as　long
as　this。

The　lounging…chair　is　my　allotted　portion；　and　although　it　is　a
complicated　bit　of　work；　I　accepted　it　gladly；　feeling　sure　that　you
would　use　it　oftener　than　any　of　the　other　pieces　of　furniture。　　I
shall　make　it　so　deliciously　easy　that　you　will　make　me　'Knight　of
the　Chair；'　and　perhaps　permit　me　to　play　a　sort　of　devoted　John
Brown　to　your　Victoria。　　You　will　need　one　dull　and　prosy　squire　to
arrange　your　pillows；　so　that　you　can　laugh　at　Jack's　jokes　without
weariness；　and　doze　quietly　while　Geoff　and　Uncle　Doc　are　talking
medicine。

Of　course　the　most　exciting　event　of　the　week　was　the　mysterious
disappearance　and　subsequent　restoration　of　the　Heir…Apparent；　but　I
feel　sure　somebody　else　will　describe　the　event；　because　it　is
uppermost　in　all　our　minds。

Bell；　for　instance；　would　dress　it　up　in　fine　style。　　She　is　no
historian；　but　in　poetry　and　fiction　none　of　us　can　touch　her；
though；　by　the　way；　Polly's　abilities　in　that　direction　are　a　good
deal　underrated。　　It's　as　good　as　a　play　to　get　her　after　Jack　when
he　is　in　one　of　his　teasing　moods。　　They　are　like　flint　and　steel；
and　if　Aunt　Truth　didn't　separate　them　the　sparks　would　fly。　　With　a
girl　like　Polly；　you　have　either　to　lie　awake　nights；　thinking　how
you'll　get　the　better　of　her；　or　else　put　on　a　demeanour　of
gentleness　and　patience；　which　serves　as　a　sort　of　lightning…rod
round　which　the　fire　of　her　fun　will　play　all　day　and　never　strike。
Polly　is　a　good　deal　of　a　girl。　　She　seems　at　first　to　have　a　pretty
sharp　tongue；　but　I　tell　you　she　has　a　heart　in　which　there　is
swimming…room　for　everybody。　　This　may　not　be　'information'　to　you；
whom　we　look　upon　as　our　clairvoyant；　but　it　would　be　news　to　most
people。

Uncle　Doc；　Bell；　Geoff；　Polly；　Meg；　and　I　started　for　the　top　of　Pico
Negro　the　other　morning。　　Bell　rode　Villikins；　and　Polly　took　a　mule；
because　she　thought　the　animal　would　be　especially　sure…footed。　　He
was；　in　fact；　he　was　so　sure…footed　that　he　didn't　care　to　move　at
all；　and　we　had　to　take　turns　in　beating　him　up　to　the　top。　　We　boys
walked　for　exercise；　which　we　got　to　our　hearts'　content。

It　is　only　five　or　six　miles　from　the　old　Mountain　Mill　（a　picture　of
which　Jack　will　send　you）；　and　the　ascent　is　pretty　stiff　climbing；
though　nothing　terrific。　　We　lost　the　trail　once；　and　floundered
about　in　the　chaparral　for　half　an　hour；　till　Bell　began　to　make　a
poem　on　the　occasion；　when　we　became　desperate；　and　dashed　through　a
thicket　of　brush；　tearing　ourselves　to　bits；　but　stumbling　on　the
trail　at　last。　　The　view　from　the　top　is　simply　superb。　　The　valleys
below　are　all　yellow　with　grain…fields　and　green　with　vineyards；　with
here　and　there　the　roofs　of　a　straggling　little　settlement。　　The
depression　in　the　side　of　the　mountain　（you　will　observe　it　in　the
picture）　Polly　says　has　evidently　been　'bitten　out'　by　a　prehistoric
animal；　and　it　turns　out　to　be　the　loveliest　little　canyon
imaginable。

We　have　had　one　novel　experiencethat　of　seeing　a　tarantula　fight；
and　not　between　two；　but　five；　tarantulas。　　We　were　about　twenty
miles　from　camp；　loping　along　a　stretch　of　hot；　dusty　road。　　Jack　got
off　to　cinch　his　saddle；　and　so　we　all　stopped　a　moment　to　let　our
horses　breathe。　　As　I　was　looking　about；　at　nothing　in　particular；　I
noticed　a　black　ball　in　the　deep　dust　at　the　side　of　the　road。　　It
suddenly　rolled　over　on　itself　and　I　called　to　the　boys　to　watch　the
fun。　　We　got　off；　hitched　our　horses；　and　approached　cautiously；　for
I　had　seen　a　battle　of　the　same　kind　before。　　There　they　werefive
huge；　hairy；　dirty；　black　creatures；　as　large　as　the　palm　of　Dicky's
hand；　all　locked　in　deadly　combat。　　They　writhed　and　struggled　and
embraced；　their　long；　curling　legs　fastening　on　each　other　with　a
sound　that　was　actually　like　the　cracking　of　bones。　　It　takes　a
little　courage　to　stand　and　watch　such　a　proceeding；　for　you　feel　as
if　the　hideous　fellows　might　turn　and　jump　for　you；　but　they　were
doubtless　absorbed　in　their　own　battle；　and　we　wanted　to　see　the
affair　to　the　end；　so　we　took　the　risk；　if　there　was　any。　　At　last
they　showed　signs　of　weariness；　but　we　prodded　them　up　with　our
riding…whips；　preferring　that　they　should　kill　each　other；　rather
than　do　the　thing　ourselves。　　Finally；　four　of　them　lay　in　the　dust；
doubled　up　and　harmless；　slain；　I　suppose；　by　their　own　poison。　　One；
the　conquering　hero；　remained；　and　we　dexterously　scooped　him　into　a
tomato…can　that　Jack　had　tied　to　his　saddle　for　a　drinking…cup；
covered　him　up　with　a　handkerchief；　and　drew　lots　as　to　who　should
carry　him　home　to　Dr。　Paul。

Knowing　that　the　little　beasts　were　gregarious；　we　hunted　about　for　a
nest；　which　we　might　send　to　you