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lin mclean-第24章

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〃Do you like flapjacks and maple syrup?〃 inquired the artful McLean。

〃That's what I'm figuring on inside twenty minutes。〃



〃Twenty minutes! If they'd wait〃



〃See here; Bill。 They've quit expecting yu'; don't yu' think? I'd ought

to waked; yu' see; but I slep' and slep'; and kep' yu' from meetin' your

engagements; yu' seefor you couldn't go; of course。 A man couldn't

treat a man that way now; could he?〃



〃Course he couldn't;〃 said Billy; brightening。



〃And they wouldn't wait; yu' see。 They wouldn't fool away Christmas; that

only comes onced a year; kickin' their heels and sayin' 'Where's Billy?'

They'd say; 'Bill has sure made other arrangements; which he'll explain

to us at his leesyure。' And they'd skip with the cigars。〃



The advocate paused; effectively; and from his bolster regarded Billy

with a convincing eye。



〃That's so;〃 said Billy。



〃And where would yu' be then; Bill? In the street; out of friends; out of

Christmas; and left both ways; no tobaccer and no flapjacks。 Now; Bill;

what do yu' say to us putting up a Christmas deal together? Just you and

me?〃



〃I'd like that;〃 said Billy。 〃Is it all day?〃



〃I was thinkin' of all day;〃 said Lin。 〃I'll not make yu' do anything

yu'd rather not。〃



〃Ah; they can smoke without me;〃 said Billy; with sudden acrimony。 〃I'll

see 'em to…morro'。〃



〃That's you!〃 cried Mr。 McLean。 〃Now; Bill; you hustle down and tell them

to keep a table for us。 I'll get my clothes on and follow yu'。〃



The boy went; and Mr。 McLean procured hot water and dressed himself;

tying his scarf with great care。 〃Wished I'd a clean shirt;〃 said he。

〃But I don't look very bad。 Shavin' yesterday afternoon was a good move。〃

He picked up the arrow…head and the kinni…kinnic; and was particular to

store them in his safest pocket。 〃I ain't sure whether you're crazy or

not;〃 said he to the man in the looking…glass。 〃I ain't never been sure。〃

And he slammed the door and went down…stairs。



He found young Bill on guard over a table for four; with all the chairs

tilted against it as warning to strangers。 No one sat at any other table

or came into the room; for it was late; and the place quite emptied of

breakfasters; and the several entertained waiters had gathered behind

Billy's important…looking back。 Lin provided a thorough meal; and Billy

pronounced the flannel cakes superior to flapjacks; which were not upon

the bill of fare。



〃I'd like to see you often;〃 said he。 〃I'll come and see you if you don't

live too far。〃



〃That's the trouble;〃 said the cow…puncher。 〃I do。 Awful far。〃 He stared

out of the window。



〃Well; I might come some time。 I wish you'd write me a letter。 Can you

write?〃 〃What's that? Can I write? Oh yes。〃



〃I can write; an' I can read too。 I've been to school in Sidney;

Nebraska; an' Magaw; Kansas; an' Salt Lakethat's the finest town except

Denver。〃



Billy fell into that cheerful strain of comment which; unreplied to; yet

goes on contented and self…sustaining; while Mr。 McLean gave amiable

signs of assent; but chiefly looked out of the window; and when the now

interested waiter said respectfully that he desired to close the room;

they went out to the office; where the money was got out of the safe and

the bill paid。



The streets were full of the bright sun; and seemingly at Denver's gates

stood the mountains sparkling; an air crisp and pleasant wafted from

their peaks; no smoke hung among the roofs; and the sky spread wide over

the city without a stain; it was holiday up among the chimneys and tall

buildings; and down among the quiet ground…stories below as well; and

presently from their scattered pinnacles through the town the bells broke

out against the jocund silence of the morning。



〃Don't you like music?〃 inquired Billy。



〃Yes;〃 said Lin。



Ladies with their husbands and children were passing and meeting; orderly

yet gayer than if it were only Sunday; and the salutations of Christmas

came now and again to the cow…puncher's ears; but to…day; possessor of

his own share in this; Lin looked at every one with a sort of friendly

challenge; and young Billy talked along beside him。



〃Don't you think we could go in here?〃 Billy asked。 A church door was

open; and the rich organ sounded through to the pavement。 〃They've good

music here; an' they keep it up without much talking between。 I've been

in lots of times。〃



They went in and sat to hear the music。 Better than the organ; it seemed

to them; were the harmonious voices raised from somewhere outside; like

unexpected visitants; and the pair sat in their back seat; too deep in

listening to the processional hymn to think of rising in decent imitation

of those around them。 The crystal melody of the refrain especially

reached their understandings; and when for the fourth time 〃Shout the

glad tidings; exultingly sing;〃 pealed forth and ceased; both the

delighted faces fell。



〃Don't you wish there was more?〃 Billy whispered。



〃Wish there was a hundred verses;〃 answered Lin。



But canticles and responses followed; with so little talking between them

they were held spellbound; seldom thinking to rise or kneel。 Lin's eyes

roved over the church; dwelling upon the pillars in their evergreen; the

flowers and leafy wreaths; the texts of white and gold。 〃'Peace; good…

will towards men;'〃 he read。 〃That's so。 Peace and good…will。 Yes; that's

so。 I expect they got that somewheres in the Bible。 It's awful good; and

you'd never think of it yourself。〃



There was a touch on his arm; and a woman handed a book to him。 〃This is

the hymn we have now;〃 she whispered; gently; and Lin; blushing scarlet;

took it passively without a word。 He and Billy stood up and held the book

together; dutifully reading the words:



                 〃It came upon the midnight clear;

                     That glorious song of old;

                 From angels bending near the earth

                     To touch their harps of gold;

                 Peace on the earth〃



This tune was more beautiful than all; and Lin lost himself in it; until

he found Billy recalling him with a finger upon the words; the concluding

ones:



                 〃And the whole world sent back the song

                 Which now the angels sing。〃



The music rose and descended to its lovely and simple end; and; for a

second time in Denver; Lin brushed a hand across his eyes。 He turned his

face from his neighbor; frowning crossly; and since the heart has reasons

which Reason does not know; he seemed to himself a fool; but when the

service was over and he came out; he repeated again; 〃'Peace and

good…will。' When I run on to the Bishop of Wyoming I'll tell him if he'll

preach on them words I'll be there。〃



〃Couldn't we shoot your pistol now?〃 asked Billy。



〃Sure; boy。 Ain't yu' hungry; though?〃



〃No。 I wish we were away off up there。 Don't you?〃



〃The mountains? They look pretty; so white! A heap better 'n houses。 Why;

we'll go there! There's trains to Golden。 We'll shoot around among the

foothills。〃



To Golden they immediately went; and after a meal there; wandered in the

open country until the cartridges were gone; the sun was low; and Billy

was walked off his young heelsa truth he learned complete in one horrid

moment; and battled to conceal。



〃Lame!〃 he echoed; angrily。 〃I ain't。〃



〃Shucks!〃 said Lin; after the next ten steps。 〃You are; and both feet。〃



〃Tell you; there's stones here; an' I'm just a…skipping them。〃



Lin; briefly; took the boy in his arms and carried him to Golden。 〃I'm

played out myself;〃 he said; sitting in the hotel and looking

lugubriously at Billy on a bed。 〃And I ain't fit to have charge of a

hog。〃 He came and put his hand on the boy's head。



〃I'm not sick;〃 said the cripple。 〃I tell you I'm bully。 You wait an' see

me eat dinner。〃



But Lin had hot water and cold water and salt; and was an hour upon his

knees bathing the hot feet。 And then Billy could not eat dinner!



There was a doctor in Golden; but in spite of his light prescription and

most reasonable observations; Mr。 McLean passed a foolish night of vigil;

while Billy slept; quite well at first; and; as the hours passed; better

and better。 In the morning he was entirely brisk; though stiff。



〃I couldn't work quick to…day;〃 he said。 〃But I guess one day won't lose

me my trade。〃



〃How d' yu' mean?〃 asked Lin。



〃Why; I've got regulars; you know。 Sidney Ellis an' Pete Goode has

theirs; an' we don't cut each other。 I've got Mr。 Daniels an' Mr。 Fisher

an' lots; an' if you lived in Denver I'd shine your boots every day for

nothing。 I wished you lived in Denver。〃



〃Shine my boots? Yu'll never! And yu' don't black Daniels or Fisher; or

any of the outfit。〃



〃Why; I'm doing first…rate;〃 said Billy; surprised at the swearing into

which Mr。 McLean now burst。 〃An' I ain't big enough to get to make money

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