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lin mclean-第3部分

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〃We had music and dancing at Thanksgiving and such times;〃 said Lin; his

wiry length stretched on the grass beside the seated Sabina。 He was not

looking at her; but she took a pleasure in watching him; his curly head

and bronze face; against which the young mustache showed to its full

advantage。



〃I expect you used to dance a lot;〃 remarked Sabina; for a subject。



〃Yes。 Do yu' know the Portland Fancy?〃



Sabina did not; and her subject died away。



〃Did anybody ever tell you you had good eyes?〃 she inquired next。



〃Why; sure;〃 said Lin; waking for a moment; 〃but I like your color best。

A girl's eyes will mostly beat a man's。〃



〃Indeed; I don't think so!〃 exclaimed poor Sabina; too much expectant to

perceive the fatal note of routine with which her transient admirer

pronounced this gallantry。 He informed her that hers were like the sea;

and she told him she had not yet looked upon the sea。



〃Never?〃 said he。 〃It's a turruble pity you've never saw salt water。 It's

different from fresh。 All around home it's blueawful blue in July

around Swampscott and Marblehead and Nahant; and around the islands。 I've

swam there lots。 Then our home bruck up and we went to board in Boston。〃

He snapped off a flower in reach of his long arm。 Suddenly all dreaminess

left him。



〃I wonder if you'll be settin' the colonel's table when I come back?〃 he

said。



Miss Stone was at a loss。



〃I'm goin' East to…morrowEast; to Boston。〃



Yesterday he had told her that sixteen miles to Lander was the farthest

journey from the post that he intended to makethe farthest from the

post and her。



〃I hope nothing ain't happened to your folks?〃 said she。



〃I ain't got no folks;〃 replied Lin; 〃barring a brother。 I expect he is

taking good care of himself。〃



〃Don't you correspond?〃



〃Well; I guess he would if there was anything to say。 There ain't been

nothin'。〃



Sabina thought they must have quarrelled; but learned that they had not。

It was time for her now to return and set the colonel's table; so Lin

rose and went to bring her horse。 When he had put her in her saddle she

noticed him step to his own。



〃Why; I didn't know you were lame!〃 cried she。



〃Shucks!〃 said Lin。 〃It don't cramp my style any。〃 He had sprung on his

horse; ridden beside her; leaned and kissed her before she got any

measure of his activity。



〃That's how;〃 said he; and they took their homeward way galloping。 〃No;〃

Lin continued; 〃Frank and me never quarrelled。 I just thought I'd have a

look at this Western country。 Frank; he thought dry…goods was good enough

for him; and so we're both satisfied; I expect。 And that's a lot of years

now。 Whoop ye!〃 he suddenly sang out; and fired his six…shooter at a

jack…rabbit; who strung himself out flat and flew over the earth。



Both dismounted at the parade…ground gate; and he kissed her again when

she was not looking; upon which she very properly slapped him; and he

took the horses to the stable。 He sat down to tea at the hotel; and found

the meal consisted of black potatoes; gray tea; and a guttering dish of

fat pork。 But his appetite was good; and he remarked to himself that

inside the first hour he was in Boston he would have steamed Duxbury

clams。 Of Sabina he never thought again; and it is likely that she found

others to take his place。 Fort Washakie was one hundred and fifty miles

from the railway; and men there were many and girls were few。



The next morning the other passengers entered the stage with resignation;

knowing the thirty…six hours of evil that lay before them。 Lin climbed up

beside the driver。 He had a new trunk now。



〃Don't get full; Lin;〃 said the clerk; putting the mail…sacks in at the

store。



〃My plans ain't settled that far yet;〃 replied Mr。 McLean。



〃Leave it out of them;〃 said the voice of the bishop; laughing; inside

the stage。



It was a cool; fine air。 Gazing over the huge plain down in which lies

Fort Washakie; Lin heard the faint notes of the trumpet on the parade

ground; and took a good…bye look at all things。 He watched the American

flag grow small; saw the circle of steam rising away down by the hot

springs; looked at the bad lands beyond; chemically pink and rose amid

the vast; natural; quiet…colored plain。 Across the spreading distance

Indians trotted at wide spaces; generally two large bucks on one small

pony; or a squaw and pappoosea bundle of parti…colored rags。 Presiding

over the whole rose the mountains to the west; serene; lifting into the

clearest light。 Then once again came the now tiny music of the trumpet。



〃When do yu' figure on comin' back?〃 inquired the driver。



〃Oh; I'll just look around back there for a spell;〃 said Lin。 〃About a

month; I guess。〃



He had seven hundred dollars。 At Lander the horses are changed; and

during this operation Lin's friends gathered and said; where was any

sense in going to Boston when you could have a good time where you were?

But Lin remained sitting safe on the stage。 Toward evening; at the bottom

of a little dry gulch some eight feet deep; the horses decided it was a

suitable place to stay。 It was the bishop who persuaded them to change

their minds。 He told the driver to give up beating; and unharness。 Then

they were led up the bank; quivering; and a broken trace was spliced with

rope。 Then the stage was forced on to the level ground; the bishop

proving a strong man; familiar with the gear of vehicles。 They crossed

through the pass among the quaking asps and the pines; and; reaching

Pacific Springs; came down again into open country。 That afternoon the

stage put its passengers down on the railroad platform at Green River;

this was the route in those days before the mid…winter catastrophes of

frozen passengers led to its abandonment。 The bishop was going west。 His

robes had passed him on the up stage during the night。 When the reverend

gentleman heard this he was silent for a very short moment; and then

laughed vigorously in the baggage…room。



〃I can understand how you swear sometimes;〃 he said to Lin McLean; 〃but I

can't; you see。 Not even at this。〃



The cow…puncher was checking his own trunk to Omaha。



〃Good…bye and good luck to you;〃 continued the bishop; giving his hand to

Lin。 〃And look heredon't you think you might leave that 'getting full'

out of your plans?〃



Lin gave a slightly shamefaced grin。 〃I don't guess I can; sir;〃 he said。

〃I'm givin' yu' straight goods; yu' see;〃 he added



〃That's right。 But you look like a man who could stop when he'd had

enough。 Try that。 You're man enoughand come and see me whenever we're

in the same place。〃



He went to the hotel。 There were several hours for Lin to wait。 He walked

up and down the platform till the stars came out and the bright lights of

the town shone in the saloon windows。 Over across the way piano…music

sounded through one of the many open doors。



〃Wonder if the professor's there yet?〃 said Lin; and he went across the

railroad tracks。 The bartender nodded to him as he passed through into

the back room。 In that place were many tables; and the flat clicking and

rattle of ivory counters sounded pleasantly through the music。 Lin did

not join the stud…poker game。 He stood over a table at which sat a dealer

and a player; very silent; opposite each other; and whereon were painted

sundry cards; numerals; and the colors red and black in squares。 The

legend 〃Jacks pay〃 was also clearly painted。 The player placed chips on

whichever insignia of fortune he chose; and the dealer slid cards (quite

fairly) from the top of a pack that lay held within a skeleton case made

with some clamped bands of tin。 Sometimes the player's pile of chips rose

high; and sometimes his sumptuous pillar of gold pieces was lessened by

one。 It was very interesting and pretty to see; Lin had much better have

joined the game of stud…poker。 Presently the eye of the dealer met the

eye of the player。 After that slight incident the player's chip pile

began to rise; and rose steadily; till the dealer made admiring comments

on such a run of luck。 Then the player stopped; cashed in; and said

good…night; having nearly doubled the number of his gold pieces。



〃Five dollars' worth;〃 said Lin; sitting down in the vacant seat。 The

chips were counted out to him。 He played with unimportant shiftings of

fortune until a short while before his train was due; and then;

singularly enough; he discovered he was one hundred and fifty dollars

behind the game。



〃I guess I'll leave the train go without me;〃 said Lin; buying five

dollars〃 worth more of ivory counters。 So that train came and went;

removing eastward Mr。 McLean's trunk。



During the hour that followed his voice grew dogged and his remarks

briefer; as he continually purchased more chips from the now surprised

and sympathetic dealer。 It was really wonderful how steadily Lin lost

just as steadily as his predecessor had won
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