a summer in a canyon-第6节

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'How　intense　everything　is　in　California！　　Do　you　know　what　I　mean；
mamma？'　said　Bell。　　'The　fruit　is　so　immense；　the　canyons　so　deep；
the　trees　so　big；　the　hills　so　high；　the　rain　so　wet；　and　the　drought
so　dry。'

'The　fleas　so　many；　the　fleas　so　spry；'　chanted　Jack；　who　had
perceived　that　Bell　was　talking　in　rhyme　without　knowing　it。
'California　is　just　the　place　for　you；　Bell；　it　gives　you　a　chance
for　innumerable　adjectives　heaped　one　on　the　other。'

'I　don't　always　heap　up　adjectives；'　replied　Bell；　with　dignity。
'When　I　wish　to　describe　you；　for　instance；　I　simply　say　〃that
hateful　boy；〃　and　let　it　go　at　that。'

Jack　retired　to　private　life　for　a　season。

'I'd　like　to　paint　a　picture　of　Teresita；'　said　Margery；　who　had　a
pretty　talent　for　sketching；　'and　call　it　The　Summer　Child；　or　some
such　thing。　　I　should　think　the　famous　old　colour　artists　might　have
loved　to　paint　this　gorgeous　flame…tinted　poppy。'

'Not　poppy；eschscholtzia；'　corrected　Jack；　coming　rapidly　to　the
surface　again；　after　Bell's　rebuke；　and　delivering　himself　of　the
tongue…confusing　word　with　a　terrible　grimace。

'I'm　not　writing　a　botany；'　retorted　Margery；　'and　I　can　never
remember　that　word；　much　less　spell　it。　　I　don't　see　how　it　grows
under　such　an　abominable　Russian　name。　　It's　worse　than
ichthyosaurus。　　Do　you　remember　that　funny　nonsense　verse？　…


〃I　is　for　ichthyosaurus；
Who　lived　when　the　world　was　all　porous；
　　　But　he　fainted　with　shame
　　　When　he　first　heard　his　name；
And　departed　a　long　while　before　us。〃'


'The　Spaniards　are　more　poetic；'　said　Aunt　Truth；　'for　they　call　it
la　copa　de　oro；　the　golden　cup。　　Oh；　see　them　yonder！　　It　is　like　the
Field　of　the　Cloth　of　Gold。'

The　sight　would　have　driven　a　royal　florist　mad　with　joy：　　a　hillside
that　was　a　swaying　mass　of　radiant　bloom；　a　joyous　carnival　of　vivid
colour；　in　which　the　thousand　golden　goblets；　turned　upward　to　the
sun；　were　dancing；　and　glowing；　and　shaming　out　of　countenance　the
purple　and　blue　and　pink　masses　which　surrounded　them　on　every　side。

'You　know　Professor　Pinnie　told　us　that　every　well…informed　young
girl　should　know　at　least　the　flora　of　her　own　State；'　said　Jack；
after　the　excitement　had　subsided。

'Well；　one　thing　is　certain：　　Professor　Pinnie　never　knew　the　STATE
of　his　own　flora；　or　at　least　he　kept　his　wife　sorting　and　arranging
his　specimens　all　the　time；　and　I　think　he's　a　regular　old　frump；'
said　Polly；　irreverently；　but　meeting　Aunt　Truth's　reproving　glance；
which　brought　a　blush　and　a　whispered　'Excuse　me；'　she　went　on；
'Well；　what　I　mean　is；　he　doesn't　know　any　more　than　other　people；
after　all；　for　he　cares　for　nothing　but　bushes　and　herbs　and　seeds
and　shrubs　and　roots　and　stamens　and　pistils；　and　he　can't　tell
whether　a　flower　is　lovely　or　not；　he　is　so　crazy　to　find　out　where
it　belongs　and　tie　a　tag　round　it。'

'I　must　agree　with　Polly；'　laughed　Jack。　　'Why；　I　went　to　ride　with
him　one　day　in　the　Cathedral　Oaks；　and　he　made　me　get　off　my　horse
every　five　minutes　to　dig　up　roots　and　tie　them　to　the　pommel　of　his
old　saddle；　so　that　we　came　into　town　looking　like　moving　herbariums。
The　stable…man　lifted　him　on　to　his　horse　when　he　started；　I　suppose；
and　he　would　have　been　there　yet　if　he　hadn't　been　helped　off。　　Bah！'
For　Jack　had　a　supreme　contempt　for　any　man　who　was　less　than　a
centaur。

By　this　time　they　had　turned　off　the　main　thoroughfare；　and　were
travelling　over　a　bit　of　old　stage　road　which　was　anything　but　easy
riding。　　There　they　met　some　men　who　were　driving　an　enormous　band　of
sheep　to　a　distant　ranch　for　pasture；　which　gave　saucy　Polly　the
chance　to　ask　Dr。　Winship；　innocently；　why　white　sheep　ate　so　much
more　than　black　ones。

He　fell　into　the　trap　at　once；　and　answered　unsuspectingly；　in　a
surprised　tone；　'Why；　do　they？'　giving　her　the　longed…for　opportunity
to　respond；　'Yes；　of　course；　because　there　are　so　many　more　of　'em；
don't　you　see？'

'You　are　behind　the　times；　Dr。　Paul；'　said　Jack。　　'That's　an　ancient
joke。　　Just　look　at　those　sheep；　sir。　　How　many　are　there？　　Eight
hundred；　say？'

'Even　more；　I　should　think；a　thousand；　certainly；　and　rather　thin
they　look；　too。'

'I　should　imagine　they　might；'　said　Bell；　sympathetically。　　'When　I
first　came　to　California　I　never　could　see　how　the　poor　creatures
found　anything　to　eat　on　these　bare；　brown　hillsides；　until　the
farmers　showed　me　the　prickly　little　burr　clover　balls　that　cover　the
ground。　　But　see；　mamma！　there　are　some　tiny　lambs；　poor；　tired；
weak…legged　little　things；　I　wonder　if　they　will　live　through　the
journey。'

'Which　reminds　me；'　said　Jack；　giving　Villikins　a　touch　of　the　whip；
'that　nothing　is　so　calculated　to　disturb　your　faith　in　and　love　for
lambs　as　life　on　a　sheep　ranch。　　Innocent！　　Good　gracious！　　I　never
saw　suchsuch'

'Gasping；　staggering；　stuttering；　stammering　tom…fools；'　interposed
Bell。　　'That's　what　Carlyle　called　ONE　Lamb；dear　Mr。　〃Roast　Pig〃
Charles；　and　a　mean　old　thing　he　was；　too；　for　doing　it。'

'Well；　it　is　just　strong　enough　to　apply　to　the　actual　lamb；　not　the
lamb　of　romance；　but　the　lamb　of　reality。　　You　can't　get　him
anywhere；　he　doesn't　know　enough。　　He　won't　drive；　he　can't　follow；
he's　too　stupid。　　Why；　I　went　out　for　a　couple　of　'em　once；　that　were
lost　in　the　canyon。　　I　found　them；that　was　comparatively　easy；　but
when　I　tried　to　get　them　home；　I　couldn't。　　At　last；　after　infinite
trouble；　I　managed　to　drive　them　up　on　to　the　trail；　which　was　so
narrow　there　was　but　one　thing　for　a　rational　creature　to　do；　and
that　was　to　go　ahead。　　Then；　if　you'll　believe　me；　those　idiots　kept
bleating　and　getting　under　the　horse's　fore…feet；　finally；　one　of
them；　the　champion　simpleton；　tumbled　over　into　the　canyon；　and　I
tied　the　legs　of　the　other　one　together；　and　carried　him　home　on　the
front　of　my　saddle。'

'They　are　innocent；　any　way；'　insisted　Margery。　　'I　won't　believe
they're　not。　　I　can't　bear　these　people　who　interfere　with　all　your
cherished　ideas；　and　say　that　Columbus　didn't　discover　America；　and
Shakespeare　wasn't　Shakespeare；　and　William　Tell　didn't　shoot　the
apple。'

'Nevertheless；　I　claim　that　the　lamb　is　not　half　so　much　an　emblem　of
innocence　as　he　is　of　utter　and　profound　stupidity。　　There　is　that
charming　old　lyric　about　Mary's　little　lamb；　I　can　explain　that。
After　he　came　to　school　（which　was　an　error　of　judgment　at　the　very
beginning）；　he　made　the　rumpus；　you　know　…


〃And　then　the　teacher　turned　him　out；
　　　But　still　he　lingered　nee…ar；
And　waited　patiently　about
　　　Till　Mary　did　appee…ar。〃


Of　course　he　did。　　He　didn't　know　enough　to　go　home　alone。


〃And　then　he　ran　to　her　and　laid
　　　His　head　upon　her　arr…um；
As　if　to　say；　'I'm　not　afraid；
　　　You'll　keep　me　from　all　harr…um。'〃


As　if　a　lamb　could　be　capable　of　that　amount　of　reasoning！　　And　then


〃'What　makes　the　lamb　love　Mary　so？
　　　The　eager　children　cry；
'Why；　Mary　loves　the　lamb；　you　know；'
　　　The　teacher　did　reply。〃


And　might　have　added　that　as　Mary　fed　the　lamb　three　times　a　day　and
twice　on　Sundays；　he　probably　not　only　knew　on　which　side　his　daily
bread　was　buttered；　but　also　who　buttered　it。'

'Dreadful　boy！'　laughed　Bell。　　'Polly；　pray　lower　the　umbrella；　we
are　going　to　meet　some　respectable　people；　and　we　actually　are　too
dirty　to　be　seen。　　I　have　really　been　eating　dust。'

'They　must　be　equally　dusty；'　said　Polly；　sagely。　　'Why；　it　is　the
Burtons；　from　Tacitas　ranch！'

The　Burton　ranch　wagon　was　drawn　up；　as　its　driver　recognised　Dr。
Winship；　and　he　proceeded　to　cheer　the　spirits　of　the　party　by
telling　them　that　he　had　passed　Pancho　two　hours　before；　and　that　he
was　busily　clearing　rubbish　from　the　camping…ground。　　This　was　six
o'clock；　and　by　a　little　after　eight　the　weary；　happy　party　were
seated　on　saddle…blankets　and　carriage…cushions　round　a　cheery　camp…
fire；　eating　a　frugal　meal；　which　tasted　sweeter　than　nectar　and
ambrosia　to　their　keen　appetites。

The　boys　expressed　their　intention　of　spending　the　night　in　unpacking
their　baggage　and　getting　to　rights　generally；　but　Dr。　Winship　placed
a　prompt　and　decisive　veto　on　this　proposition；　and　they　submitted
cheerfully　to　his　better　judgment。

Getting　to　bed　was　an　exciting　occupation　for　everybody。　　Dicky　was
first　tucked　up　in　a　warm　nest　of　rugs　and　blankets；　under　a　tree；
and　sank　into　a　profound　slumber　at　once；　with　the　happy
unconsciousness　of　childhood。　　His　father　completed　the　preparations
for　his　comfort　by　opening　a　huge　umbrella　and　arranging　it　firmly
over　his　head；　so　that　no　falling　leaf　might　frighten　him　and　no
sudden　gust　of　air　blow　upon　his　face。

Bell　stood　before　her　hammock；　and　meditated。　　'Well；'　she　said；
'going　to　bed　is　a　simple　matter　after　all；　when　you　have　shorn　it　of
all　useless　formalities。　　Let　me　see：　　I　generally　walk　to　and　fro　in
the　room；　eating　a　bunch　of　grapes　or　an　orange；　look　out　of　the
window　five　or　ten　minutes；　brush　my　hair；　read　my　chapter　in　the
Bible；　take　my　book　and　study　Spanish　five　minutes；　on　the　principle
of　that　abnormal　woman　who　learned　ninety…six　languages　while　she　was
waiting　for　the　kettle　to　boil　in　the　morning'

'Must　have　been　a　slow　boiler；'　interru