roads of destiny-第59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！



〃'Buck；'　says　he；　'I'll　have　to　admit　that　it　is　a　little　dull　at　times。　Not　that　I'm　not　perfectly　happy　with　the　little　woman；　but　a　man　seems　to　require　some　excitement　now　and　then。　Now；　I'll　tell　you：　Mariana's　gone　visiting　this　afternoon；　and　she　won't　be　home　till　seven　o'clock。　Neither　of　us　ever　stays　out　a　minute　after　that　time　unless　we　are　together。　Now；　I'm　glad　you　came　along；　Buck；'　says　Perry；　'for　I'm　feeling　just　like　having　one　more　rip…roaring　razoo　with　you　for　the　sake　of　old　times。　What　you　say　to　us　putting　in　the　afternoon　having　funI'd　like　it　fine；'　says　Perry。

〃I　slapped　that　old　captive　range…rider　half　across　his　little　garden。

〃'Get　your　hat；　you　old　dried…up　alligator；'　I　shouts；　'you　ain't　dead　yet。　You're　part　human；　anyhow；　if　you　did　get　all　bogged　up　in　matrimony。　We'll　take　this　town　to　pieces　and　see　what　makes　it　tick。　We'll　make　all　kinds　of　profligate　demands　upon　the　science　of　cork　pulling。　You'll　grow　horns　yet；　old　muley　cow；'　says　I；　punching　Perry　in　the　ribs；　'if　you　trot　around　on　the　trail　of　vice　with　your　Uncle　Buck。'

〃'I'll　have　to　be　home　by　seven；　you　know；'　says　Perry　again。

〃'Oh；　yes；'　says　I；　winking　to　myself；　for　I　knew　the　kind　of　seven　o'clocks　Perry　Rountree　got　back　by　after　he　once　got　to　passing　repartee　with　the　bartenders。

〃We　goes　down　to　the　Gray　Mule　saloonthat　old　'dobe　building　by　the　depot。

〃'Give　it　a　name；'　says　I；　as　soon　as　we　got　one　hoof　on　the　foot…　rest。

〃'Sarsaparilla；'　says　Perry。

〃You　could　have　knocked　me　down　with　a　lemon　peeling。

〃'Insult　me　as　much　as　you　want　to；'　I　says　to　Perry；　'but　don't　startle　the　bartender。　He　may　have　heart…disease。　Come　on；　now；　your　tongue　got　twisted。　The　tall　glasses；'　I　orders；　'and　the　bottle　in　the　left…hand　corner　of　the　ice…chest。'

〃'Sarsaparilla；'　repeats　Perry；　and　then　his　eyes　get　animated；　and　I　see　he's　got　some　great　scheme　in　his　mind　he　wants　to　emit。

〃'Buck；'　says　he；　all　interested；　'I'll　tell　you　what！　I　want　to　make　this　a　red…letter　day。　I've　been　keeping　close　at　home；　and　I　want　to　turn　myself　a…loose。　We'll　have　the　highest　old　time　you　ever　saw。　We'll　go　in　the　back　room　here　and　play　checkers　till　half…past　six。'

〃I　leaned　against　the　bar；　and　I　says　to　Gotch…eared　Mike；　who　was　on　watch：

〃'For　God's　sake　don't　mention　this。　You　know　what　Perry　used　to　be。　He's　had　the　fever；　and　the　doctor　says　we　must　humour　him。'

〃'Give　us　the　checker…board　and　the　men；　Mike；'　says　Perry。　'Come　on；　Buck；　I'm　just　wild　to　have　some　excitement。'

〃I　went　in　the　back　room　with　Perry。　Before　we　closed　the　door；　I　says　to　Mike：

〃'Don't　ever　let　it　straggle　out　from　under　your　hat　that　you　seen　Buck　Caperton　fraternal　with　sarsaparilla　or　/persona　grata/　with　a　checker…board；　or　I'll　make　a　swallow…fork　in　your　other　ear。'

〃I　locked　the　door　and　me　and　Perry　played　checkers。　To　see　that　poor　old　humiliated　piece　of　household　bric…a…brac　sitting　there　and　sniggering　out　loud　whenever　he　jumped　a　man；　and　all　obnoxious　with　animation　when　he　got　into　my　king　row；　would　have　made　a　sheep…dog　sick　with　mortification。　Him　that　was　once　satisfied　only　when　he　was　pegging　six　boards　at　keno　or　giving　the　faro　dealers　nervous　prostrationto　see　him　pushing　them　checkers　about　like　Sally　Louisa　at　a　school…children's　partywhy；　I　was　all　smothered　up　with　mortification。

〃And　I　sits　there　playing　the　black　men；　all　sweating　for　fear　somebody　I　knew　would　find　it　out。　And　I　thinks　to　myself　some　about　this　marrying　business；　and　how　it　seems　to　be　the　same　kind　of　a　game　as　that　Mrs。　Delilah　played。　She　give　her　old　man　a　hair　cut；　and　everybody　knows　what　a　man's　head　looks　like　after　a　woman　cuts　his　hair。　And　then　when　the　Pharisees　came　around　to　guy　him　he　was　so　'shamed　that　he　went　to　work　and　kicked　the　whole　house　down　on　top　of　the　whole　outfit。　'Them　married　men；'　thinks　I；　'lose　all　their　spirit　and　instinct　for　riot　and　foolishness。　They　won't　drink；　they　won't　buck　the　tiger；　they　won't　even　fight。　What　do　they　want　to　go　and　stay　married　for？'　I　asks　myself。

〃But　Perry　seems　to　be　having　hilarity　in　considerable　quantities。

〃'Buck　old　hoss；'　says　he；　'isn't　this　just　the　hell…roaringest　time　we　ever　had　in　our　lives？　I　don't　know　when　I've　been　stirred　up　so。　You　see；　I've　been　sticking　pretty　close　to　home　since　I　married；　and　I　haven't　been　on　a　spree　in　a　long　time。'

〃'Spree！'　Yes；　that's　what　he　called　it。　Playing　checkers　in　the　back　room　of　the　Gray　Mule！　I　suppose　it　did　seem　to　him　a　little　more　immoral　and　nearer　to　a　prolonged　debauch　than　standing　over　six　tomato　plants　with　a　sprinkling…pot。

〃Every　little　bit　Perry　looks　at　his　watch　and　says：

〃'I　got　to　be　home；　you　know；　Buck；　at　seven。'

〃'All　right；'　I'd　say。　'Romp　along　and　move。　This　here　excitement's　killing　me。　If　I　don't　reform　some；　and　loosen　up　the　strain　of　this　checkered　dissipation　I　won't　have　a　nerve　left。'

〃It　might　have　been　half…past　six　when　commotions　began　to　go　on　outside　in　the　street。　We　heard　a　yelling　and　a　six…shootering；　and　a　lot　of　galloping　and　manoeuvres。

〃'What's　that？'　I　wonders。

〃'Oh；　some　nonsense　outside；'　says　Perry。　'It's　your　move。　We　just　got　time　to　play　this　game。'

〃'I'll　just　take　a　peep　through　the　window；'　says　I；　'and　see。　You　can't　expect　a　mere　mortal　to　stand　the　excitement　of　having　a　king　jumped　and　listen　to　an　unidentified　conflict　going　on　at　the　same　time。'

〃The　Gray　Mule　saloon　was　one　of　them　old　Spanish　'dobe　buildings；　and　the　back　room　only　had　two　little　windows　a　foot　wide；　with　iron　bars　in　'em。　I　looked　out　one；　and　I　see　the　cause　of　the　rucus。

〃There　was　the　Trimble　gangten　of　'emthe　worst　outfit　of　desperadoes　and　horse…thieves　in　Texas；　coming　up　the　street　shooting　right　and　left。　They　was　coming　right　straight　for　the　Gray　Mule。　Then　they　got　past　the　range　of　my　sight；　but　we　heard　'em　ride　up　to　the　front　door；　and　then　they　socked　the　place　full　of　lead。　We　heard　the　big　looking…glass　behind　the　bar　knocked　all　to　pieces　and　the　bottles　crashing。　We　could　see　Gotch…eared　Mike　in　his　apron　running　across　the　plaza　like　a　coyote；　with　the　bullets　puffing　up　dust　all　around　him。　Then　the　gang　went　to　work　in　the　saloon；　drinking　what　they　wanted　and　smashing　what　they　didn't。

〃Me　and　Petty　both　knew　that　gang；　and　they　knew　us。　The　year　before　Perry　married；　him　and　me　was　in　the　same　ranger　companyand　we　fought　that　outfit　down　on　the　San　Miguel；　and　brought　back　Ben　Trimble　and　two　others　for　murder。

〃'We　can't　get　out；'　says　I。　'We'll　have　to　stay　in　here　till　they　leave。'

〃Perry　looked　at　his　watch。

〃'Twenty…five　to　seven；'　says　he。　'We　can　finish　that　game。　I　got　two　men　on　you。　It's　your　move；　Buck。　I　got　to　be　home　at　seven；　you　know。'

〃We　sat　down　and　went　on　playing。　The　Trimble　gang　had　a　roughhouse　for　sure。　They　were　getting　good　and　drunk。　They'd　drink　a　while　and　holler　a　while；　and　then　they'd　shoot　up　a　few　bottles　and　glasses。　Two　or　three　times　they　came　and　tried　to　open　our　door。　Then　there　was　some　more　shooting　outside；　and　I　looked　out　the　window　again。　Ham　Gossett；　the　town　marshal；　had　a　posse　in　the　houses　and　stores　across　the　street；　and　was　trying　to　bag　a　Trimble　or　two　through　the　windows。

〃I　lost　that　game　of　checkers。　I'm　free　in　saying　that　I　lost　three　kings　that　I　might　have　saved　if　I　had　been　corralled　in　a　more　peaceful　pasture。　But　that　drivelling　married　man　sat　there　and　cackled　when　he　won　a　man　like　an　unintelligent　hen　picking　up　a　grain　of　corn。

〃When　the　game　was　over　Perry　gets　up　and　looks　at　his　watch。

〃'I've　had　a　glorious　time；　Buck；'　says　he；　'but　I'll　have　to　be　going　now。　It's　a　quarter　to　seven；　and　I　got　to　be　home　by　seven；　you　know。'

〃I　thought　he　was　joking。

〃'They'll　clear　out　or　be　dead　drunk　in　half　an　hour　or　an　hour；'　says　I。　'You　ain't　that　tired　of　being　married　that　you　want　to　commit　any　more　sudden　suicide；　are　you？'　says　I；　giving　him　the　laugh。

〃'One　time；'　says　Perry；　'I　was　half　an　hour　late　getting　home。　I　met　Mariana　on　the　street　looking　for　me。　If　you　could　have　seen　her；　Buck　but　you　don't　understand。　She　knows　what　a　wild　kind　of　a　snoozer　I've　been；　and　she's　afraid　something　will　happen。　I'll　never　be　late　getting　home　again。　I'll　say　good…bye　to　you　now；　Buck。'

〃I　got　between　him　and　the　door。

〃'Married　man；'　says　I；　'I　know　you　was　christened　a　fool　the　minute　the　preacher　tangled　you　up；　but　don't　you　never　sometimes　think　one　little　think　on　a　human　basis？　There's　ten　of　that　gang　in　there；　and　they're　pizen　with　whisky　and　desire　for　murder。　They'll　drink　you　up　like　a　bottle　of　booze　before　you　get　half…way　to　the　door。　Be　intelligent；　now；　and　use　at　least　wild…hog　sense。　Sit　down　and　wait　till　we　have　some　chance　to　get　out　without　being　carried　in　baskets。'

〃'I　got　to　be　home　by　seven；　Buck；'　repeats　this　hen…pecked　thing　of　little　wisdom；　like　an　unthinking　poll　parrot。　'Mariana；'　says　he；　'will　be　out　looking　for　me。'　And　he　reaches　down　and　pulls　a　leg　out　of　the　checker　table。　'I'll　go　through　this　Trimble　outfit；'　says　he；　'like　a　cottontail　through　a　brush　corral。　I'm　not　pestered　any　more　with　a　desire　to　engage　in　rucuses；　but　I　got　to　be　home　by　seven。