第 2 节
作者:幽雨      更新:2021-02-19 18:03      字数:9322
  though;〃      he  added;    gazing    down。     For   a  moment      his  boy    face   grew
  thoughtful。  〃Shucks!〃   said   he   then;   abruptly;   〃where's   any  joy  in   money
  that's comin' till it arrives? I have most forgot the feel o' spot…cash。〃
  He turned his horse away from the far…winding vision of the river; and
  took   a   sharp   jog   after   the   foreman;   who   had   not   been   waiting   for   him。
  Thus they crossed the eighteen miles of high plain; and came down to Fort
  Washakie; in the valley of Little Wind; before the day was hot。
  His roll of wages once jammed in his pocket like an old handkerchief;
  young Lin precipitated himself out of the post…trader's store and away on
  his   horse   up   the   stream   among   the   Shoshone   tepees   to   an   unexpected
  entertainmenta   wolf…dance。   He   had   meant   to   go   and   see   what   the   new
  waiter…girl at the hotel looked like; but put this off promptly to attend the
  dance。     This   hospitality   the   Shoshone     Indians    were    extending    to  some
  visiting   Ute   friends;   and   the   neighborhood   was   assembled   to   watch   the
  ring of painted naked savages。
  The post…trader looked after the galloping Lin。 〃What's he quitting his
  job for?〃 he asked the foreman。
  〃Same as most of 'em quit。〃
  〃Nothing?〃
  〃Nothing。〃
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  LIN McLEAN
  〃Been satisfactory?〃
  〃Never had a boy more so。 Good…hearted; willing; a plumb dare…devil
  with a horse。〃
  〃And worthless;〃 suggested the post…trader。
  〃Wellnot yet。 He's headed that way。〃
  〃Been punching cattle long?〃
  〃Came in the country about seventy…eight; I believe; and rode for the
  Bordeaux Outfit most a year; and quit。 Blew in at Cheyenne till he went
  broke; and worked over on to the Platte。 Rode for the C。 Y。 Outfit most a
  year; and quit。 Blew in at Buffalo。 Rode for Balaam awhile on Butte Creek。
  Broke his leg。 Went to the Drybone Hospital; and when the fracture was
  commencing to knit pretty good he broke it again at the hog…ranch across
  the bridge。 Next time you're in Cheyenne get Dr。 Barker to tell you about
  that。   McLean   drifted   to   Green   River   last   year   and   went   up   over   on   to
  Snake; and up Snake; and was around with a prospecting outfit on Galena
  Creek      by   Pitchstone      Canyon。     Seems      he   got   interested     in  some
  Dutchwoman up there; but she had troubledied; I think they saidand he
  came down by Meteetsee   to Wind River。  He's liable to   go to Mexico   or
  Africa next。〃
  〃If   you   need   him;〃   said   the   post…trader;   closing   his   ledger;   〃you   can
  offer him five more a month。〃
  〃That'll not hold him。〃
  〃Well;  let   him  go。   Have   a   cigar。 The  bishop   is   expected   for   Sunday;
  and I've got to see his room is fixed up for him。〃
  〃The bishop!〃 said the foreman。 〃I've heard him highly spoken of。〃
  〃You can hear him preach to…morrow。 The bishop is a good man。〃
  〃He's better than that; he's a man;〃 stated the foreman〃at least so they
  tell me。〃
  Now;     saving    an  Indian    dance;    scarce   any    possible   event    at  the
  Shoshone agency could assemble in one spot so many sorts of inhabitants
  as a visit from this bishop。 Inhabitants of four colors gathered to view the
  wolf…dance this afternoon red men; white men; black men; yellow men。
  Next day; three sorts came to church at the agency。 The Chinese laundry
  was absent。 But because; indeed (as the foreman said); the bishop was not
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  LIN McLEAN
  only  a   good   man   but   a   man;  Wyoming   held   him  in   respect   and   went   to
  look at him。 He stood in the agency church and held the Episcopal service
  this Sunday  morning for some brightly glittering army officers and their
  families; some white cavalry; and some black infantry; the agency doctor;
  the   post…trader;   his   foreman;   the   government   scout;   three   gamblers;   the
  waiter…girl from the hotel; the stage…driver; who was there because she was;
  old   Chief   Washakie;   white…haired   and   royal   in   blankets;   with   two   royal
  Utes splendid beside him; one benchful of squatting Indian children; silent
  and   marvelling;   and;   on   the   back   bench;   the   commanding   officer's   new
  hired…girl; and; beside her; Lin McLean。
  Mr。 McLean's hours were already various and successful。 Even at the
  wolf…dance;      before    he   had   wearied    of   its  monotonous      drumming       and
  pageant;   his   roving   eye   had   rested   upon   a   girl   whose   eyes   he   caught
  resting upon him。 A look; an approach; a word; and each was soon content
  with the other。 Then; when her duties called her to the post from him and
  the stream's border; with a promise for next day he sought the hotel and
  found   the   three   gamblers   anxious   to   make   his   acquaintance;   for   when   a
  cow…puncher   has   his   pay   many  people   will   take   an   interest   in   him。  The
  three gamblers   did not know that   Mr。  McLean could play cards。  He  left
  them late in the evening fat with their money; and sought the tepees of the
  Arapahoes。   They   lived   across   the   road   from   the   Shoshones;   and   among
  their tents   the  boy  remained until   morning。  He  was here  in   church now;
  keeping his promise to see the bishop with the girl of yesterday; and while
  he   gravely   looked   at   the   bishop;   Miss   Sabina   Stone   allowed   his   arm   to
  encircle her waist。 No soldier had achieved this yet; but Lin was the first
  cow…puncher   she   had   seen;   and   he   had   given  her   the   handkerchief   from
  round his neck。
  The  quiet   air   blew   in   through   the   windows   and door;   the   pure;  light
  breath from the mountains; only; passing over their foot…hills it had caught
  and carried the clear aroma of the sage…brush。 This it brought into church;
  and with this seemed also to float the peace and great silence of the plains。
  The little melodeon in the corner; played by one of the ladies at the post;
  had finished accompanying the hymn; and now it prolonged a few closing
  chords while the bishop paused before his address; resting his keen eyes
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  LIN McLEAN
  on the people。 He was dressed in a plain suit of black with a narrow black
  tie。 This   was because   the   Union Pacific   Railroad;   while it   had   delivered
  him correctly at Green River; had despatched his robes towards Cheyenne。
  Without citing chapter and verse the bishop began:
  〃And he   arose; and   came to   his father。   But when   he was   yet a   great
  way off; his father saw him; and had compassion; and ran; and fell on his
  neck and kissed him。〃
  The     bishop    told   the   story   of  that   surpassing     parable;    and    then
  proceeded   to   draw   from   it   a   discourse   fitted   to   the   drifting   destinies   in
  whose   presence   he   found   himself   for   one   solitary   morning。   He   spoke
  unlike   many  clergymen。   His   words   were   chiefly  those   which   the   people
  round     him    used;   and    his  voice    was   more     like  earnest    talking   than
  preaching。
  Miss Sabina Stone felt the arm of her cow…puncher loosen slightly; and
  she looked at him。 But he was looking at the bishop; no longer gravely but
  with wide…open eyes; alert。 When the narrative reached the elder brother in
  the field; and how he came to the house and heard sounds of music and
  dancing;  Miss   Stone   drew   away  from  her   companion   and let   him  watch
  the   bishop;   since   he   seemed   to   prefer   that。   She   took   to   reading   hymns
  vindictively。 The bishop himself noted the sun…browned boy face and the
  wide…open       eyes。   He   was   too   far  away    to  see   anything    but   the   alert;
  listening   position   of   the   young   cow…puncher。   He   could   not   discern   how
  that; after he had left   the music and dancing   and begun to draw  morals;
  attention faded from those eyes that seemed to watch him; and they filled
  with dreaminess。 It was very hot in church。 Chief Washakie went to sleep;
  and so did a corporal; but Lin McLean sat in the same alert position till
  Miss Stone pulled him and asked if he intended to sit down through the
  hymn。 Then church was out。 Officers; Indians; and all the people dispersed
  through the great sunshine to their   dwellings; and   the cow…puncher   rode
  beside Sabina in silence。
  〃What are you studying over; Mr。 McLean?〃 in