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lin mclean-第7章

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not give yu' any more home feelin' than what cattle has put in a

stock…yard。 Nor it wouldn't have in Boston neither。 Now this country

here〃 (he waved his hand towards the endless sage…brush); 〃seein' it

onced more; I know where my home is; and I wouldn't live nowheres else。

Only I ain't got no father watching for me to come up Wind River。〃



The cow…puncher stated this merely as a fact; and without any note of

self…pity。 But the bishops face grew very tender; and he looked away from

Lin。 Knowing his manfor had he not seen many of this kind in his desert

diocese?he forbore to make any text from that last sentence the

cow…puncher had spoken。 Lin talked cheerfully on about what he should now

do。 The round…up must be somewhere near Du Noir Creek。 He would join it

this season; but next he should work over to the Powder River country。

More business was over there; and better chances for a man to take up

some land and have a ranch of his own。 As they got out at Fort Washakie;

the bishop handed him a small book; in which he had turned several leaves

down; carefully avoiding any page that related of miracles。



〃You need not read it through; you know;〃 he said; smiling; 〃just read

where I have marked; and see if you don't find some more facts。 Goodbye

and always come and see me。〃



The next morning he watched Lin riding slowly out of the post towards

Wind River; leading a single pack…horse。 By…and…by the little moving dot

went over the ridge。 And as the bishop walked back into the

parade…ground; thinking over the possibilities in that untrained manly

soul; he shook his head sorrowfully。







THE WINNING OF THE BISCUIT…SHOOTER



It was quite clear to me that Mr。 McLean could not know the news。 Meeting

him to…day had been unforeseenunforeseen and so pleasant that the thing

had never come into my head until just now; after both of us had talked

and dined our fill; and were torpid with satisfaction。



I had found Lin here at Riverside in the morning。 At my horse's approach

to the cabin; it was he and not the postmaster who had come precipitately

out of the door。



〃I'm turruble pleased to see yu';〃 he had said; immediately。



〃What's happened?〃 said I; in some concern at his appearance。



And he piteously explained: 〃Why; I've been here all alone since

yesterday!〃



This was indeed all; and my hasty impressions of shooting and a corpse

gave way to mirth over the child and his innocent grievance that he had

blurted out before I could get off my horse。



Since when; I inquired of him; had his own company become such a shock to

him?



〃As to that;〃 replied Mr。 McLean; a thought ruffled; 〃when a man expects

lonesomeness he stands it like he stands anything else; of course。 But

when he has figured on finding companysay〃 he broke off (and

vindictiveness sparkled in his eye)〃when you're lucky enough to catch

yourself alone; why; I suppose yu' just take a chair and chat to yourself

for hours。You've not seen anything of Tommy?〃 he pursued with interest。



I had not; and forthwith Lin poured out to me the pent…up complaints and

sociability with which he was bursting。 The foreman had sent him over

here with a sackful of letters for the post; and to bring back the week's

mail for the ranch。 A day was gone now; and nothing for a man to do but

sit and sit。 Tommy was overdue fifteen hours。 Well; you could have

endured that; but the neighbors had all locked their cabins and gone to

Buffalo。 It was circus week in Buffalo。 Had I ever considered the money

there must be in the circus business? Tommy had taken the outgoing

letters early yesterday。 Nobody had kept him waiting。 By all rules he

should have been back again last night。 Maybe the stage was late reaching

Powder River; and Tommy had had to lay over for it。 Well; that would

justify him。 Far more likely he had gone to the circus himself and taken

the mail with him。 Tommy was no type of man for postmaster。 Except

drawing the allowance his mother in the East gave him first of every

month; he had never shown punctuality that Lin could remember。 Never had

any second thoughts; and awful few first ones。 Told bigger lies than a

small man ought; also。



〃Has successes; though;〃 said I; wickedly。



〃Huh!〃 went on Mr。 McLean。 〃Successes! One ice…cream…soda success。 And

she〃Lin's still wounded male pride made him plaintive〃why; even that

girl quit him; once she got the chance to appreciate how insignificant he

was as compared with the size of his words。 No; sir。 Not one of 'em

retains interest in Tommy。〃



Lin was unsaddling and looking after my horse; just because he was glad

to see me。 Since our first acquaintance; that memorable summer of

Pitchstone Canyon when he had taken such good care of me and such bad care

of himself; I had learned pretty well about horses and camp craft in

general。 He was an entire boy then。 But he had been East since; East by a

route of his own discoveringand from his account of that journey it had

proved; I think; a sort of spiritual experience。 And then the years of

our friendship were beginning to roll up。 Manhood of the body he had

always richly possessed; and now; whenever we met after a season's

absence and spoke those invariable words which all old friends upon this

earth use to each other at meeting〃You haven't changed; you haven't

changed at all!〃I would wonder if manhood had arrived in Lin's boy

soul。 And so to…day; while he attended to my horse and explained the

nature of Tommy (a subject he dearly loved just now); I looked at him and

took an intimate; superior pride in feeling how much more mature I was

than he; after all。



There's nothing like a sense of merit for making one feel aggrieved; and

on our return to the cabin Mr。 McLean pointed with disgust to some

firewood。



〃Look at those sorrowful toothpicks;〃 said he: 〃Tommy's work。〃



So Lin; the excellent hearted; had angrily busied himself; and chopped a

pile of real logs that would last a week。 He had also cleaned the stove;

and nailed up the bed; the pillow…end of which was on the floor。 It

appeared the master of the house had been sleeping in it the reverse way

on account of the slant。 Thus had Lin cooked and dined alone; supped

alone; and sat over some old newspapers until bed…time alone with his

sense of virtue。 And now here it was long after breakfast; and no Tommy

yet。



〃It's good yu' come this forenoon;〃 Lin said to me。 〃I'd not have had the

heart to get up another dinner just for myself。 Let's eat rich!〃



Accordingly; we had richly eaten; Lin and I。 He had gone out among the

sheds and caught some eggs (that is how he spoke of it); we had opened a

number of things in cans; and I had made my famous dish of evaporated

apricots; in which I managed to fling a suspicion of caramel throughout

the stew。



〃Tommy'll be hot about these;〃 said Lin; joyfully; as we ate the eggs。

〃He don't mind what yu' use of his canned goodspickled salmon and

truck。 He is hospitable all right enough till it comes to an egg。 Then

he'll tell any lie。 But shucks! Yu' can read Tommy right through his

clothing。 'Make yourself at home; Lin;' says he; yesterday。 And he showed

me his fresh milk and his stuff。 'Here's a new ham;' says he; 'too bad my

damned hens ain't been layin'。 The sons…o'guns have quit on me ever since

Christmas。' And away he goes to Powder River for the mail。 'You swore too

heavy about them hens;' thinks I。 Well; I expect he may have travelled

half a mile by the time I'd found four nests。〃



I am fond of eggs; and eat them constantlyand in Wyoming they were

always a luxury。 But I never forget those that day; and how Lin and I

enjoyed them thinking of Tommy。 Perhaps manhood was not quite established

in my own soul at that timeand perhaps that is the reason why it is the

only time I have ever known which I would live over again; those years

when people said; 〃You are old enough to know better〃and one didn't

care!



Salmon; apricots; eggs; we dealt with them all properly; and I had some

cigars。 It was now that the news came back into my head。



〃What do you think of〃 I began; and stopped。



I spoke out of a long silence; the slack; luxurious silence of digestion。

I got no answer; naturally; from the torpid Lin; and then it occurred to

me that he would have asked me what I thought; long before this; had he

known。 So; observing how comfortable he was; I began differently。



〃What is the most important event that can happen in this country?〃 said

I。



Mr。 McLean heard me where he lay along the floor of the cabin on his

back; dozing by the fire; but his eyes remained closed。 He waggled one

limp; open hand slightly at me; and torpor resumed her dominion over him。



〃I want to know what you consider the most important event that can

happen in this country;〃 said I; again; enunciating each word with slow

clearness。



The throat and lips of Mr。 McLean moved; and a sulky sound c
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