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lin mclean-第14章

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her too; thoughtfully。



〃Say; Lin;〃 I said; 〃if you stay here long enough you'll see a big show。〃

And his eye livened into something of its native jocularity as I told him

of the rain…maker。



〃Shucks!〃 said he; springing from his horse impetuously; and hugely

entertained at our venture。 〃Three hundred and fifty dollars? Let me come

in〃; and before I could tell him that we had all the money raised; he was

hauling out a wadded lump of bills。



〃Well; I ain't going to starve here in the road; I guess;〃 spoke the

image; with the suddenness of a miracle。 I think we all jumped; and I

know that Lin did。 The image continued: 〃Some folks and their money are

soon parted〃she meant me; her searching tones came straight at me; I

was sure from the first that she knew all about me and my unfavorable

opinion of her〃but it ain't going to be you this time; Lin McLean。 Ged

ap!〃 This last was to the horse; I maintain; though the Governor says the

husband immediately started off on a run。



At any rate; they were gone to their hotel; and Ogden was seated on some

railroad ties; exclaiming: 〃Oh; I like Wyoming! I am certainly glad I

came。〃



〃That's who she is!〃 said the Governor; remembering Mrs。 McLean all at

once。 〃I know her。 She used to be at Sidney。 She's got another husband

somewhere。 She's one of the boys。 Oh; that's nothing in this country!〃 he

continued to the amazed Ogden; who had ejaculated 〃Bigamy!〃 〃Lots of them

marry; live together awhile; get tired and quit; travel; catch on to a

new man; marry him; get tired and quit; travel; catch on〃



〃One moment; I beg;〃 said Ogden; adjusting his glasses。 〃What does the

law〃



〃Law?〃 said the Governor。 〃Look at that place!〃 He swept his hand towards

the vast plains and the mountains。 〃Ninety…five thousand square miles of

that; and sixty thousand people in it。 We haven't got policemen yet on

top of the Rocky Mountains。〃



〃I see;〃 said the New…Yorker。 〃Butbutwell let A and B represent

first and second husbands; and X represent the woman。 Now; does A know

about B? or does B know about A? And what do they do about it?〃



〃Can't say;〃 the Governor answered; jovially。 〃Can't generalize。 Depends

on heaps of things lovemoney Did you go to college? Well; let A

minus X equal B plus X; then if A and B get squared〃



〃Oh; come to lunch;〃 I said。 〃Barker; do you really know the first

husband is alive?〃



〃Wasn't dead last winter。〃 And Barker gave us the particulars。 Miss Katie

Peck had not served long in the restaurant before she was wooed and won

by a man who had been a ranch cook; a sheep…herder; a bar…tender; a

freight hand; and was then hauling poles for the government。 During his

necessary absences from home she; too; went out…of…doors。 This he often

discovered; and would beat her; and she would then also beat him。 After

the beatings one of them would always leave the other forever。 Thus was

Sidney kept in small…talk until Mrs。 Lusk one day really did not come

back。 〃Lusk;〃 said the Governor; finishing his story; 〃cried around the

saloons for a couple of days; and then went on hauling poles for the

government; till at last he said he'd heard of a better job south; and

next we knew of him he was round Leavenworth。 Lusk was a pretty poor

bird。 Owes me ten dollars。〃



〃Well;〃 I said; 〃none of us ever knew about him when she came to stay

with Mrs。 Taylor on Bear Creek。 She was Miss Peck when Lin made her Mrs。

McLean。〃



〃You'll notice;〃 said the Governor; 〃how she has got him under in three

weeks。 Old hand; you see。〃



〃Poor Lin!〃 I said。



〃Lucky; I call him;〃 said the Governor。 〃He can quit her。〃



〃Supposing McLean does not want to quit her?〃



〃She's educating him to want to right now; and I think he'll learn pretty

quick。 I guess Mr。 Lin's romance wasn't very ideal this trip。 Hello! here

comes Jode。 Jode; won't you lunch with us? Mr。 Ogden; of New York; Mr。

Jode。 Mr。 Jode is our signal…service officer; Mr。 Ogden。〃 The Governor's

eyes were sparkling hilariously; and he winked at me。



〃Gentlemen; good…morning。 Mr。 Ogden; I am honored to make your

acquaintance;〃 said the signal…service officer。



〃Jode; when is it going to rain?〃 said the Governor; anxiously。



Now Jode is the most extraordinarily solemn man I have ever known。 He has

the solemnity of all science; added to the unspeakable weight of

representing five of the oldest families in South Carolina。 The Jodes

themselves were not old in South Carolina; but immensely so inI think

he told me it was Long Island。 His name is Poinsett Middleton Manigault

Jode。 He used to weigh a hundred and twenty…eight pounds then; but his

health has strengthened in that climate。 His clothes were black; his face

was white; with black eyes sharp as a pin; he had the shape of a spout

the same narrow size all the way downand his voice was as dry and light

as an egg…shell。 In his first days at Cheyenne he had constantly

challenged large cowboys for taking familiarities with his dignity; and

they; after one moment's bewilderment; had concocted apologies that

entirely met his exactions; and gave them much satisfaction also。 Nobody

would have hurt Jode for the world。 In time he came to see that Wyoming

was a game invented after his book of rules was published; and he looked

on; but could not play the game。 He had fallen; along with other

incongruities; into the roaring Western hotch…pot; and he passed his

careful; precise days with barometers and weather…charts。



He answered the Governor with official and South Carolina impressiveness。

〃There is no indication of diminution of the prevailing pressure;〃 he

said。



〃Well; that's what I thought;〃 said the joyous Governor; 〃so I'm going to

whoop her up。〃



〃What do you expect to whoop up; sir?〃



〃Atmosphere; and all that;〃 said the Governor。 〃Whole business has got to

get a move on。 I've sent for a rain…maker。〃



〃Governor; you are certainly a wag; sir;〃 said Jode; who enjoyed Barker

as some people enjoy a symphony; without understanding it。 But after we

had reached the club and were lunching; and Jode realized that a letter

had actually been written telling Hilbrun to come and bring his showers

with him; the punctilious signal…service officer stated his position。

〃Have your joke; sir;〃 he said; waving a thin; clean hand; 〃but I decline

to meet him。〃



〃Hilbrun?〃 said the Governor; staring。



〃If that's his nameyes; sir。 As a member of the Weather Bureau and the

Meteorological Society I can have nothing to do with the fellow。〃



〃Glory!〃 said the Governor。 〃Well; I suppose not。 I see your point; Jode。

I'll be careful to keep you apart。 As a member of the College of

Physicians I've felt that way about homeopathy and the faith…cure。 All

very well if patients will call 'em in; but can't meet 'em in

consultation。 But three months' drought annually; Jode! It's slowtoo

slow。 The Western people feel that this conservative method the Zodiac

does its business by is out of date。〃



〃I am quite serious; sir;〃 said Jode。 〃And let me express my

gratification that you do see my point。〃 So we changed the subject。



Our weather scheme did not at first greatly move the public。 Beyond those

who made up the purse; few of our acquaintances expressed curiosity about

Hilbrun; and next afternoon Lin McLean told me in the street that he was

disgusted with Cheyenne's coldness toward the enterprise。 〃But the boys

would fly right at it and stay with it if the round…up was near town; you

bet;〃 said he。



He was walking alone。 〃How's Mrs。 McLean to…day?〃 I inquired。



〃She's well;〃 said Lin; turning his eye from mine。 〃Who's your friend all

bugged up in English clothes?〃



〃About as good a man as you;〃 said I; 〃and more cautious。〃



〃Him and his eye…glasses!〃 said the sceptical puncher; still looking away

from me and surveying Ogden; who was approaching with the Governor。 That

excellent man; still at long range; broke out smiling till his teeth

shone; and he waved a yellow paper at us。



〃Telegram from Hilbrun;〃 he shouted; 〃be here to…morrow〃; and he hastened

up。



〃Says he wants a cart at the depot; and a small building where he can be

private;〃 added Ogden。 〃Great; isn't it?〃



〃You bet!〃 said Lin; brightening。 The New Yorker's urbane but obvious

excitement mollified Mr。 McLean。 〃Ever seen rain made; Mr。 Ogden?〃 said

he。



〃Never。 Have you?〃



Lin had not。 Ogden offered him a cigar; which the puncher pronounced

excellent; and we all agreed to see Hilbrun arrive。



〃We're going to show the telegram to Jode;〃 said the Governor; and he and

Ogden departed on this mission to the signal service。



〃Well; I must be getting along myself;〃 said Lin; but he continued

walking slowly with me。 〃Where're yu' bound?〃 he said。



〃Nowhere in particular;〃 said I。 And we paced the board sidewalks a

little more。



〃You're going to meet the train to…morrow?〃 said he。



〃T
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