The moment had struck for the woman. Thorpe did not know it, but it was true. A solitary1, brooding life in the midst of grand surroundings, an active, strenuous2 life among great responsibilities, a starved, hungry life of the affections whence even the sister had withdrawn3 her love,--all these had worked unobtrusively towards the formation of a single psychological condition. Such a moment comes to every man. In it he realizes the beauties, the powers, the vastnesses which unconsciously his being has absorbed. They rise to the surface as a need, which, being satisfied, is projected into the visible world as an ideal to be worshipped. Then is happiness and misery4 beside which the mere5 struggle to dominate men becomes trivial, the petty striving with the forces of nature seems a little thing. And the woman he at that time meets takes on the qualities of the dream; she is more than woman, less than goddess; she is the best of that man made visible.
Thorpe found himself for the first time filled with the spirit of restlessness. His customary iron evenness of temper was gone, so that he wandered quickly from one detail of his work to another, without seeming to penetrate7 below the surface-need of any one task. Out of the present his mind was always escaping to a mystic fourth dimension which he did not understand. But a week before, he had felt himself absorbed in the component8 parts of his enterprise, the totality of which arched far over his head, shutting out the sky. Now he was outside of it. He had, without his volition9, abandoned the creator's standpoint of the god at the heart of his work. It seemed as important, as great to him, but somehow it had taken on a strange solidarity10, as though he had left it a plastic beginning and returned to find it hardened into the shapes of finality. He acknowledged it admirable,--and wondered how he had ever accomplished11 it! He confessed that it should be finished as it had begun,--and could not discover in himself the Titan who had watched over its inception12.
Thorpe took this state of mind much to heart, and in combating it expended13 more energy than would have sufficed to accomplish the work. Inexorably he held himself to the task. He filled his mind full of lumbering14. The millions along the bank on section nine must be cut and travoyed directly to the rollways. It was a shame that the necessity should arise. From section nine Thorpe had hoped to lighten the expenses when finally he should begin operations on the distant and inaccessible15 headwaters of French Creek16. Now there was no help for it. The instant necessity was to get thirty millions of pine logs down the river before Wallace Carpenter's notes came due. Every other consideration had to yield before that. Fifteen millions more could be cut on seventeen, nineteen, and eleven,--regions hitherto practically untouched,--by the men in the four camps inland. Camp One and Camp Three could attend to section nine.
These were details to which Thorpe applied17 his mind. As he pushed through the sun-flecked forest, laying out his roads, placing his travoy trails, spying the difficulties that might supervene to mar6 the fair face of honest labor18, he had always this thought before him,--that he must apply his mind. By an effort, a tremendous effort, he succeeded in doing so. The effort left him limp. He found himself often standing19, or moving gently, his eyes staring sightless, his mind cradled on vague misty20 clouds of absolute inaction, his will chained so softly and yet so firmly that he felt no strength and hardly the desire to break from the dream that lulled21 him. Then he was conscious of the physical warmth of the sun, the faint sweet woods smells, the soothing22 caress23 of the breeze, the sleepy cicada-like note of the pine creeper. Through his half-closed lashes24 the tangled25 sun-beams made soft-tinted rainbows. He wanted nothing so much as to sit on the pine needles there in the golden flood of radiance, and dream--dream on--vaguely, comfortably, sweetly--dream of the summer--
Thorpe, with a mighty26 and impatient effort, snapped the silken cords asunder27.
"Lord, Lord!" he cried impatiently. "What's coming to me? I must be a little off my feed!"
And he hurried rapidly to his duties. After an hour of the hardest concentration he had ever been required to bestow28 on a trivial subject, he again unconsciously sank by degrees into the old apathy29.
"Glad it isn't the busy season!" he commented to himself. "Here, I must quit this! Guess it's the warm weather. I'll get down to the mill for a day or two."
There he found himself incapable30 of even the most petty routine work. He sat to his desk at eight o'clock and began the perusal31 of a sheaf of letters, comprising a certain correspondence, which Collins brought him. The first three he read carefully; the following two rather hurriedly; of the next one he seized only the salient and essential points; the seventh and eighth he skimmed; the remainder of the bundle he thrust aside in uncontrollable impatience33. Next day he returned to the woods.
The incident of the letters had aroused to the full his old fighting spirit, before which no mere instincts could stand. He clamped the iron to his actions and forced them to the way appointed. Once more his mental processes became clear and incisive34, his commands direct and to the point. To all outward appearance Thorpe was as before.
He opened Camp One, and the Fighting Forty came back from distant drinking joints35. This was in early September, when the raspberries were entirely36 done and the blackberries fairly in the way of vanishing. That able-bodied and devoted37 band of men was on hand when needed. Shearer38, in some subtle manner of his own, had let them feel that this year meant thirty million or "bust39." They tightened40 their leather belts and stood ready for commands. Thorpe set them to work near the river, cutting roads along the lines he had blazed to the inland timber on seventeen and nineteen. After much discussion with Shearer the young man decided41 to take out the logs from eleven by driving them down French Creek.
To this end a gang was put to clearing the creekbed. It was a tremendous job. Centuries of forest life had choked the little stream nearly to the level of its banks. Old snags and stumps42 lay imbedded in the ooze43; decayed trunks, moss-grown, blocked the current; leaning tamaracks, fallen timber, tangled vines, dense44 thickets45 gave to its course more the appearance of a tropical jungle than of a north country brook-bed. All these things had to be removed, one by one, and either piled to one side or burnt. In the end, however, it would pay. French Creek was not a large stream, but it could be driven during the time of the spring freshets.
Each night the men returned in the beautiful dreamlike twilight46 to the camp. There they sat, after eating, smoking their pipes in the open air. Much of the time they sang, while Phil, crouching47 wolf-like over his violin, rasped out an accompaniment of dissonances. From a distance it softened48 and fitted pleasantly into the framework of the wilderness49. The men's voices lent themselves well to the weird50 minor51 strains of the chanteys. These times--when the men sang, and the night-wind rose and died in the hemlock52 tops--were Thorpe's worst moments. His soul, tired with the day's iron struggle, fell to brooding. Strange thoughts came to him, strange visions. He wanted something he knew not what; he longed, and thrilled, and aspired53 to a greater glory than that of brave deeds, a softer comfort than his old foster mother, the wilderness, could bestow.
The men were singing in a mighty chorus, swaying their heads in unison54, and bringing out with a roar the emphatic55 words of the crude ditties written by some genius from their own ranks.
"Come all ye sons of freedom throughout old Michigan,
Come all ye gallant56 lumbermen, list to a shanty57 man.
On the banks of the Muskegon, where the rapid waters flow,
OH!--we'll range the wild woods o'er while a-lumbering we go."
Here was the bold unabashed front of the pioneer, here was absolute certainty in the superiority of his calling,--absolute scorn of all others. Thorpe passed his hand across his brow. The same spirit was once fully32 and freely his.
"The music of our burnished58 ax shall make the woods resound59,
And many a lofty ancient pine will tumble to the ground.
At night around our shanty fire we'll sing while rude winds blow,
OH!--we'll range the wild woods o'er while a-lumbering we go!"
That was what he was here for. Things were going right. It would be pitiful to fail merely on account of this idiotic60 lassitude, this unmanly weakness, this boyish impatience and desire for play. He a woodsman! He a fellow with these big strong men!
A single voice, clear and high, struck into a quick measure:
"I am a jolly shanty boy,
As you will soon discover;
To all the dodges61 I am fly,
A hustling62 pine-woods rover.
A peavey-hook it is my pride,
An ax I well can handle.
To fell a tree or punch a bull,
Get rattling63 Danny Randall."
And then with a rattle64 and crash the whole Fighting Forty shrieked65 out the chorus:
"Bung yer eye! bung yer eye!"
Active, alert, prepared for any emergency that might arise; hearty66, ready for everything, from punching bulls to felling trees--that was something like! Thorpe despised himself. The song went on.
"I love a girl in Saginaw,
She lives with her mother.
I defy all Michigan
To find such another.
She's tall and slim, her hair is red,
Her face is plump and pretty.
She's my daisy Sunday best-day girl,
And her front name stands for Kitty."
And again as before the Fighting Forty howled truculently67:
"Bung yer eye! bung yer eye!"
The words were vulgar, the air a mere minor chant. Yet Thorpe's mind was stilled. His aroused subconsciousness68 had been engaged in reconstructing these men entire as their songs voiced rudely the inner characteristics of their beings. Now his spirit halted, finger on lip. Their bravery, pride of caste, resource, bravado69, boastfulness,--all these he had checked off approvingly. Here now was the idea of the Mate. Somewhere for each of them was a "Kitty," a "daisy Sunday best-day girl"; the eternal feminine; the softer side; the tenderness, beauty, glory of even so harsh a world as they were compelled to inhabit. At the present or in the past these woods roisterers, this Fighting Forty, had known love. Thorpe arose abruptly70 and turned at random71 into the forest. The song pursued him as he went, but he heard only the clear sweet tones, not the words. And yet even the words would have spelled to his awakened72 sensibilities another idea,--would have symbolized73 however rudely, companionship and the human delight of acting74 a part before a woman.
"I took her to a dance one night,
A mossback gave the bidding--
Silver Jack75 bossed the shebang,
and Big Dan played the fiddle76.
We danced and drank the livelong night
With fights between the dancing,
Till Silver Jack cleaned out the ranch77
And sent the mossbacks prancing78."
And with the increasing war and turmoil79 of the quick water the last shout of the Fighting Forty mingled80 faintly and was lost.
"Bung yer eye! bung yer eye!"
Thorpe found himself at the edge of the woods facing a little glade81 into which streamed the radiance of a full moon.
收听单词发音 |
1
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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component
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| n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的 | |
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volition
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| n.意志；决意 | |
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solidarity
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| n.团结；休戚相关 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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inception
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| n.开端，开始，取得学位 | |
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expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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lulled
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| vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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perusal
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| n.细读，熟读；目测 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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33
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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34
incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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35
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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37
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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38
shearer
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| n.剪羊毛的人；剪切机 | |
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39
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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40
tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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41
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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42
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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43
ooze
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| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
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44
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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45
thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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46
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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47
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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48
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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49
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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50
weird
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| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
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51
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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52
hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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53
aspired
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| v.渴望，追求( aspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
unison
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| n.步调一致，行动一致 | |
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55
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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56
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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57
shanty
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| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
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58
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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59
resound
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| v.回响 | |
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60
idiotic
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| adj.白痴的 | |
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61
dodges
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| n.闪躲( dodge的名词复数 )；躲避；伎俩；妙计v.闪躲( dodge的第三人称单数 )；回避 | |
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62
hustling
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| 催促（hustle的现在分词形式） | |
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63
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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64
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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65
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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67
truculently
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68
subconsciousness
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| 潜意识；下意识 | |
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69
bravado
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| n.虚张声势，故作勇敢，逞能 | |
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70
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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71
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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72
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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73
symbolized
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| v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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75
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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76
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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77
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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78
prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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79
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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80
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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81
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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