For the first two miles the trail skirted the high bank of the river and was wide enough[109] to permit the men to ride two abreast6. The three soldier-policemen took the lead while Jack and the engineer brought up the rear, and as their horses jogged along Mr. Ryder explained briefly7 the life of the Mexican Indians since the conquest of the country by adventurers from across the sea.
“These natives,” he said, “have been veritable slaves since their ancestors yielded to Spain’s warriors9. The peons, who are all Indians or half-breeds, are the lowest type of Mexicans. They are uneducated and uncivilized and for that reason they rarely advance above the class of servants and laborers10. Since the day they were conquered they have been without opportunity, however, so we cannot blame them altogether for their condition. There is every reason to believe, from the relics11 that are left to-day, that the Mexican Indians were semi-civilized at least. They erected12 magnificent temples, they laid out large cities, and they even built aqueducts and sewer13 systems. Indeed, they were much farther advanced than the North American Indian of the plains, but with the advent8 of the Spaniards[110] they began to deteriorate14 for the simple reason that they were not allowed to progress. As you already know, a man or a nation cannot stand still. It must either develop or retrogress. The Spaniards made slaves of the Indians and while they are not slaves in name to-day they might just as well be, for they have not as much freedom as the negro had in the United States before the Civil War.
“The peons live as tenants15 on haciendas, or large farms, where they till the soil and raise crops. For this work they are paid a few centavos a day which in American money does not amount to five cents; with this pittance16 they are supposed to buy food and clothes. But the hacienda owners sell them food and clothes at a figure far above their daily earnings17 and as a result the Indian is always in debt to his master. And since it is a capital offense18 in Mexico for an employee to leave an employer while still in debt to him, the peon is bound to the hacienda on which he is born for the rest of his life. He can never leave and he can never cease working for the same man. Whole communities of natives[111] are often controlled in this way by Mexican farmers.”
“It seems ridiculous that such conditions can exist to-day,” said Jack, very much surprised at this revelation. He had always considered the Mexican Indian as a shiftless being who did not work and lived from hand to mouth simply because of his own laziness.
“Do not get the idea that these natives are blind to their present condition or that they do not care to elevate their general plane of existence,” continued Mr. Ryder. “They are just as eager for a chance to advance as is the Jew or other foreigner who immigrates19 to America. That is the reason why the present revolution is being waged in the north by Carranza and Villa21, and that is why our bloodthirsty friend Zapata has so many peon followers22.
“The only trouble is the moment one of these revolutions is successful and the new leader is in power all pledges to the peon are forgotten and the native goes back to exactly the same condition that he has been fighting to clear himself from. It is a very unhappy[112] situation, but some day, perhaps, a leader will keep his promise to his people. Then the huge haciendas, which often embrace hundreds of thousands of acres, will be confiscated23 and this land with the millions of acres of government land will be cut up into small farms and sold to the natives at reasonable terms exactly as our country opened up the great West. When this happens Mexico will develop into a wonderful nation. Give these people public schools and the other advantages of civilization and you will soon see what kind of stuff they are made of. The old Indian blood is strong in them and Indians, properly trained, often make excellent men.”
Mr. Ryder’s talk had changed Jack’s opinion of the peons a great deal. Indeed, he soon found that instead of despising them he was sympathizing with them. He could not understand, however, how the engineer could feel kindly24 disposed to the natives when they were causing him so much trouble. He was on the point of mentioning this thought when Mr. Ryder spoke25 again.
“I feel very sorry for the peons even though[113] I am an agent of Huerta. But as I have weighed it out, my duty to my employer comes first no matter whether the employer is a scoundrel or not. It is not for me to judge. I am asked to keep Mexico City illuminated26 and I will keep the lights burning no matter who is in the National Palace, and, moreover, I’ll do it in spite of this man with the scarred foot, whoever he is.”
Thus recalled to their mission, Jack instantly became attentive27 to their surroundings. He found that the trail had narrowed and that the rurales ahead had formed in single file. His little mustang was patiently picking its way through rough places and underbrush to keep beside the animal ridden by the engineer.
“I guess we have been talking too much and paying too little attention to our horses, Jack,” said Mr. Ryder. “Push ahead and get in single file. This is a section of the trail that carries us over the shoulder of a mountain and it is rather narrow.”
Soon the shoulder was topped, however, and the horses began to descend28 in single file toward[114] the Indian village. The community was somewhat larger than the villages Jack had seen from the train window on his way to Mexico City, otherwise it was the same collection of dilapidated huts that looked as if they had been literally29 thrown together by their builders.
As they drove down through the single street a regiment30 of barking dogs and screaming naked Indian children greeted them. Robust31, dark-skinned men lounged about before the huts (most of them clad in pajama like cotton garments), while their women folk worked hard at grinding corn between stones or carried water from the river in tall earthen jugs32 which they balanced deftly33 on their heads. Down at the river bank Jack could see other women busy washing clothes. This laundry work was accomplished34 by pounding the garments between stones much to the detriment35 of the garments, for the hard stones rubbed innumerable holes in the cloth as Jack found later when he gave his linen36 to a native washerwoman.
In the village Mr. Ryder took the lead and[115] Jack followed, leaving the rurales to their own diversions. The engineer drove toward a more pretentious37 hut than the rest, where a very much wrinkled old Indian sat sunning himself before the door and idly watching a half dozen scrawny razorback pigs rooting in the dirt almost at his very feet.
The two Americans reined38 up before the house and viewed the picture that the old fellow made as he sat there staring absently at the animals.
“That,” said Mr. Ryder, “is Se?or Yuai and his pigs. Pigs and vultures, as you know, are the scavengers of Mexico. But for their able services the country would be unfit to live in because of its filth39 and carrion40. And Se?or Yuai, though he is neither pig nor vulture, is also a very useful inhabitant. He is the Indian doctor who attends to all the natives in this vicinity. The old fellow is very much looked up to and every one comes to him for advice. He is aged20 and very nearsighted but his mind is as keen as ever. He knows every peon for miles around and I’ve an idea that he can identify our trouble maker41 with the[116] scarred foot if he wants to. Come, we’ll hear what he has to say on the question.”
The Americans dismounted and after kicking their way through the drove of grunting43 pigs confronted the austere44 old Indian. Se?or Yuai peered up at them with eyes bleared by age and demanded in Spanish to know whose shadow fell across his doorway45. (The following conversation then took place which Mr. Ryder translated for Jack’s benefit.)
“It is I, Se?or Ryder, from the electrical plant,” said the engineer.
“Gringo friend come over mountain to see me?” asked the old Indian.
“Yes, I’ve come to see you, Se?or Yuai, but not because I am sick of calentura. It is another reason. Tell me, in all your years do you remember a peon ailing46 of a cut heel. Did you ever cure a very deep wound that would leave a scar across a peon’s heel, thus?” Mr. Ryder illustrated47 his question by drawing his finger diagonally across the old man’s heel. The Indian was silent a long time and while his memory went slowly back over the many years he had been doctoring the natives, Mr.[117] Ryder slipped a cigarette between his lean old fingers, saying, “Here, Se?or Yuai, perhaps a little smoke will make you remember better.”
The Indian accepted the roll of brown paper and tobacco with a grunt42 of satisfaction and lit it on the glowing end of Mr. Ryder’s own cigarette which the engineer held for his convenience.
For five minutes the old native puffed48 in silence, exhaling49 great clouds of blue smoke from time to time. Finally he spoke.
“As many years ago as I have fingers came a young man to see me. He had stepped on a machette and the flesh of his foot was laid open to the bone. My medicine cured him. Soon he could walk, he could run, he could swim. He was a fine big fellow. He could shoot well, he could ride well and he was a good boy except he liked pulque too much. One day he went away. Two summers later he came back in clothes as green as the banana palm. He was then a rurale. He went away again and never came again. His name—ah—his name went with him.” Here the Indian touched his forehead with his finger as[118] he spoke and this action told the American plainer than his words that he had forgotten the young man’s name.
Jack and the engineer looked at each other significantly when Se?or Yuai finished speaking.
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1
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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docile
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| adj.驯服的，易控制的，容易教的 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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4
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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7
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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8
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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10
laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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11
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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12
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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sewer
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| n.排水沟，下水道 | |
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deteriorate
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| v.变坏；恶化；退化 | |
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15
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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16
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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18
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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19
immigrates
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| v.移入( immigrate的第三人称单数 )；移民 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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22
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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23
confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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25
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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26
illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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27
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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28
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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29
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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30
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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31
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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32
jugs
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| （有柄及小口的）水壶( jug的名词复数 ) | |
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33
deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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34
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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35
detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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36
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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37
pretentious
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| adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的 | |
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38
reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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39
filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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40
carrion
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| n.腐肉 | |
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41
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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42
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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43
grunting
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| 咕哝的，呼噜的 | |
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44
austere
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| adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的 | |
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45
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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46
ailing
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| v.生病 | |
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47
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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48
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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49
exhaling
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的现在分词 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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50
traitors
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| 卖国贼( traitor的名词复数 )； 叛徒； 背叛者； 背信弃义的人 | |
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