按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hardly seemed worth while to focus my mind； but I did it
occasionally just by way of testing myself。 Schwartz still threw
away his gold coins； and once； in one of my rare intervals of
looking about me； I saw Denton picking them up。 This surprised
me mildly； but I was too tired to be very curious。 Only now；
when I saw Schwartz's arm sweep out in what had become a
mechanical movement； I always took pains to look； and always I
saw Denton search for the coin。 Sometimes he found it； and
sometimes he did not。
The figures of my companions and the yellow…brown tide sand under
my feet； and a consciousness of the blue and white sea to my
left； are all I remember； except when we had to pull ourselves
together for the purpose of cutting fishhook cactus。 I kept
going； and I knew I had a good reason for doing so； but it seemed
too much of an effort to recall what that reason was。
Schwartz threw away a gold piece as another man would take a
stimulant。 Gradually； without really thinking about it； I came
to see this； and then went on to sabe why Denton picked up the
coins； and a great admiration for Denton's cleverness seeped
through me like water through the sand。 He was saving the coins
to keep Schwartz going。 When the last coin went； Schwartz would
give out。 It all sounds queer now； but it seemed all right
thenand it WAS all right； too。
So we walked on the beach； losing entire track of time。 And
after a long interval I came to myself to see Schwartz lying on
the sand； and Denton standing over him。 Of course we'd all been
falling down a lot； but always before we'd got up again。
〃He's give out；〃 croaked Denton。
His voice sounded as if it was miles away； which surprised me；
but； when I answered； mine sounded miles away； too； which
surprised me still more。
Denton pulled out a handful of gold coins。
〃This will buy him some more walk；〃 said he gravely； 〃but not
much。〃
I nodded。 It seemed all right； this new； strange purchasing
power of goldit WAS all right； by God； and as real as buying
bricks
〃I'll go on；〃 said Denton； 〃and send back help。 You come after。〃
〃To Mollyhay！〃 said I。
This far I reckon we'd hung onto ourselves because it was
serious。 Now I began to laugh。 So did Denton。 We laughed and
laughed。
〃A damn long way
To Mollyhay。〃
said I。 Then we laughed some more； until the tears ran down our
cheeks； and we had to hold our poor weak sides。 Pretty soon we
fetched up with a gasp。
〃A damn long way
To Mollyhay；〃
whispered Denton； and then off we went into more shrieks。 And
when we would sober down a little； one or the other of us would
say it again；
〃A damn long way
To Mollyhay；〃
and then we'd laugh some more。 It must have been a sweet sight！
At last I realised that we ought to pull ourselves together； so I
snubbed up short； and Denton did the same； and we set to laying
plans。 But every minute or so one of us would catch on some
word； and then we'd trail off into rhymes and laughter and
repetition。
〃Keep him going as long as you can；〃 said Denton。
〃Yes。〃
〃And be sure to stick to the beach。〃
That far it was all right and clear…headed。 But the word 〃beach〃
let us out。
〃I'm a peach
Upon the beach；〃
sings I； and there we were both off again until one or the other
managed to grope his way back to common sense again。 And
sometimes we crow…hopped solemnly around and around the prostrate
Schwartz like a pair of Injins。
But somehow we got our plan laid at last； slipped the coins into
Schwartz's pocket； and said good…bye。
〃Old socks； good…bye；
You bet I'll try；〃
yelled Denton； and laughing fit to kill； danced off up the beach；
and out into a sort of grey mist that shut off everything beyond
a certain distance from me now。
So I kicked Schwartz； he felt in his pocket； threw a gold piece
away； and 〃bought a little more walk。〃
My entire vision was fifty feet or so across。 Beyond that was
grey mist。 Inside my circle I could see the sand quite plainly
and Denton's footprints。 If I moved a little to the left； the
wash of the waters would lap under the edge of that grey curtain。
If I moved to the right； I came to cliffs。 The nearer I drew to
them； the farther up I could see； but I could never see to the
top。 It used to amuse me to move this area of consciousness
about to see what I could find。 Actual physical suffering was
beginning to dull； and my head seemed to be getting clearer。
One day； without any apparent reason； I moved at right angles
across the beach。 Directly before me lay a piece of sugar cane；
and one end of it had been chewed。
Do you know what that meant？ Animals don't cut sugar cane and
bring it to the beach and chew one end。 A new strength ran
through me； and actually the grey mist thinned and lifted for a
moment； until I could make out dimly the line of cliffs and the
tumbling sea。
I was not a bit hungry； but I chewed on the sugar cane； and made
Schwartz do the same。 When we went on I kept close to the cliff；
even though the walking was somewhat heavier。
I remember after that its getting dark and then light again； so
the night must have passed； but whether we rested or walked I do
not know。 Probably we did not get very far； though certainly we
staggered ahead after sun…up； for I remember my shadow。
About midday； I suppose； I made out a dim trail leading up a
break in the cliffs。 Plenty of such trails we had seen before。
They were generally made by peccaries in search of cast…up fish
I hope they had better luck than we。
But in the middle of this； as though for a sign； lay another
piece of chewed sugar cane。
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE CALABASH STEW
I had agreed with Denton to stick to the beach； but Schwartz
could not last much longer； and I had not the slightest idea how
far it might prove to be to Mollyhay。 So I turned up the trail。
We climbed a mountain ten thousand feet high。 I mean that； and I
know； for I've climbed them that high； and I know just how it
feels； and how many times you have to rest； and how long it
takes； and how much it knocks out of you。 Those are the things
that count in measuring height； and so I tell you we climbed that
far。 Actually I suppose the hill was a couple of hundred feet；
if not less。 But on account of the grey mist I mentioned； I
could not see the top； and the illusion was complete。
We reached the summit late in the afternoon； for the sun was
square in our eyes。 But instead of blinding me； it seemed to
clear my sight； so that I saw below me a little mud hut with
smoke rising behind it； and a small patch of cultivated ground。
I'll pass over how I felt about it： they haven't made the
words
Well； we stumbled down the trail and into the hut。 At first I
thought it was empty； but after a minute I saw a very old man
crouched in a corner。 As I looked at him he raised his bleared
eyes to me； his head swinging slowly from side to side as though
with a kind of palsy。 He could not see me； that was evident； nor
hear me； but some instinct not yet decayed turned him toward a
new presence in the room。 In my wild desire for water I found
room to think that here was a man even worse off than myself。
A vessel of water was in the corner。 I drank it。 It was more
than I could hold； but I drank even after I was filled； and the
waste ran from the corners of my mouth。 I had forgotten
Schwartz。 The excess made me a little sick； but I held down what
I had swallowed； and I really believe it soaked into my system as
it does into the desert earth after a drought。
In a moment or so I took the vessel and filled it and gave it to
Schwartz。 Then it seemed to me that my responsibility had ended。
A sudden great dreamy lassitude came over me。 I knew I needed
food； but I had no wish for it； and no ambition to search it out。
The man in the corner mumbled at me with his toothless gums。 I
remember wondering if we were all to starve there peacefully
togetherSchwartz and his remaining gold coins； the man far gone
in years； and myself。 I did not greatly care。
After a while the light was blotted out。 There followed a slight
pause。 Then I knew that someone had flown to my side； and was
kneeling beside me and saying liquid； pitying things in Mexican。
I swallowed something hot and strong。 In a moment I came back
from wherever I was drifting； to look up at a Mexican girl about
twenty years old。
She was no great matter in looks； but she seemed like an angel to
me then。 And she had sense。 No questions； no nothing。 Just
business。 The only thing she asked of me was if I understood
Spanish。
Then she told me that her brother would be back soon； that