Captain Haynes, seeing there will be no difficulty in obtaining executioners, deems everything settled, and is about ordering the prisoners to be brought up. Being a man of humane1 feelings, with susceptibilities that make him somewhat averse2 to performing the part of sheriff, it occurs to him that he can avoid the disagreeable duty by appointing a deputy.
For this he selects Walt Wilder, who in turn chooses Nat Cully to assist him. The two assume superintendence of the ceremony, and the Ranger3 Captain retires from the ground.
After communing for some seconds between themselves, and in sotto voce, as if arranging the mode of execution, Walt faces round to the assembled Texans, saying—
“Wal, boys, thar ’pears to be no stint4 o’ hangmen among ye. This chile niver seed so many o’ the Jack5 Ketch kind since he fust set foot on the soil o’ Texas. Maybe it’s the smell o’ these Mexikins makes ye so savagerous.”
Walt’s quaint7 speech elicits8 a general laugh, but suppressed. The scene is too solemn for an ebullition of boisterous9 mirth. The ex-Ranger continues—
“I see you’ll want to have a pull at these ropes. But I reckon we’ll have to disapp’int ye. The things we’re agoin’ to swing up don’t desarve hoistin’ to etarnity by free-born citizens o’ the Lone11 Star State. ’Twould be a burnin’ shame for any Texan to do the hangin’ o’ sech skunks12 as they.”
“What do you mean, Walt?” one asks. “Somebody must hoist10 them up!”
“’Taint at all necessary. They kin6 be strung ’ithout e’er a hand techin’ trail-rope.”
“How?” inquire several voices.
“Wal, thar’s a way Nat Cully an’ me hev been speaking o’. I’ve heern o’ them Mexikins practisin’ themselves on thar Injun prisoners for sport. We’ll gie’ ’em a dose o’ their own medicine. Some o’ you fellows go an’ fetch a kupple o’ pack mules14. Ye may take the saddles off—they won’t be needed.”
Half-a-dozen of the Rangers15 rush out, and return leading two mules, having hastily stripped off their alparejas.
“Now!” cries Walt, “conduct hyar the kriminals!”
A party proceeds to the spot where the two prisoners lie; and taking hold, raise them to an erect16 attitude. Then, half carrying, half dragging, bring them under the branches designed for their gallows17-tree.
With their splendid uniforms torn, mud-bedaubed, and stained with spots of blood, they present a sorry spectacle. They resemble wounded wolves, taken in a trap; nevertheless, bearing their misfortune in a far different manner. Roblez looks the large, grey wolf—savage, reckless, unyielding; Uraga, the coyote—cowed, crestfallen18, shivering; in fear of what may follow.
For a time neither speaks a word nor makes an appeal for mercy. They seem to know it would be idle. Regarding the faces around, they may well think so. There is not one but has “death” plainly stamped upon it, as if the word itself were upon every lip.
There is an interval20 of profound silence, only broken by the croak21 of the buzzards and the swish of their spread wings. The bodies of the dead lancers lie neglected; and, the Rangers now further off, the birds go nearer them. Wolves, too, begin to show themselves by the edge of the underwood—from the stillness thinking the time arrived to commence their ravenous22 repast. It has but come to increase the quantity of food soon to be spread before them.
“Take off thar leg fastenin’s!” commands Wilder, pointing to the prisoners.
In a trice the lashings are loosed from their ankles, and only the ropes remain confining their wrists—these drawn23 behind their backs, and there made fast.
“Mount ’em on the mules!”
As the other order, this is instantly executed; and the two prisoners are set astride on the hybrids24, each held by a man at its head.
“Now fix the snares25 roun’ thar thrapples. Make the other eends fast by giein’ them a wheen o’ turn over them branches above. See as ye draw ’em tight ’ithout streetchin’.”
Walt’s orders are carried out quickly, and to the letter, for the men executing them now comprehend what is meant. They also, too well, who are seated upon the backs of the mules. It is an old trick of their own. They know they are upon a scaffold—a living scaffold—with a halter and running noose26 around their necks.
“Now, Nat!” says Walt, in undertone to Cully. “I guess we may spring the trap? Git your knife riddy.”
“It’s hyar.”
“You take the critter to the left. I’ll look arter that on the right.”
The latter is bestridden by Uraga. With Walt’s ideas of duty are mingled27 memories that prompt to revenge. He remembers his comrades slaughtered28 upon the sands of the Canadian, himself left buried alive. With a feeling almost jubilant—natural, considering the circumstances, scarce reprehensible—he takes his stand by the side of the mule13 which carries Colonel Uraga. At the same time Cully places himself beside that bestridden by Roblez.
Both have their bowie-knives in hand, the blades bare. One regarding them, a stranger to their intent, might think they meant slaughtering29 either the mules or the men on their backs.
They have no such thought, but a design altogether different, as declared by Wilder’s words—the last spoken by him before the act of execution.
“When I gie the signal, Nat, prod30 yur critter sharp, an’ sweep the support from unner them. They’ve been thegither in this world in the doin’ o’ many a rascally31 deed. Let’s send ’em thegither inter19 the next.”
“All right, ole hoss! I’ll be riddy,” is the laconic32 rejoinder of Cully.
After it another interval of silence, resembling that which usually precedes the falling of the gallows drop. So profound, that the chirp33 of a tree cricket, even the rustling34 of a leaf, would seem a loud noise. So ominous35, that the vultures perched upon the summit of the cliff crane out their necks to inquire the cause.
The stillness is interrupted by a shout; not the signal promised by Wilder, but a cry coming from the lips of Uraga.
In the last hour of anguish36 his craven heart has given way, and he makes a piteous appeal for mercy. Not to those near him, knowing it would scarce be listened to; but to the man he has much wronged, calling out his name, “Colonel Miranda.”
On hearing it Don Valerian rushes forth37 from the tent, his sister by his side, Hamersley with the doctor behind. All stand in front regarding the strange spectacle, of which they have been unconscious, seemingly prepared for them. There can be no mistaking its import. The mise en scène explains it, showing the stage set for an execution.
If they have a thought of interfering38 it is too late. While they stand in suspense39, a shout reaches them, followed by explanatory words.
They are in the voice of Walt Wilder, who has said—
“Death to the scoundrels! Now, Nat, move your mule forrard!”
At the same instant he and Cully are seen leaning towards the two mules, which bound simultaneously40 forward, as if stung by hornets or bitten by gadflys.
But neither brings its rider along. The latter—both of them—stay behind; not naturally, as dismounted and thrown to the earth; but, like the cradle of Mahomet, suspended between earth and heaven.
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1
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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5
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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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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7
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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elicits
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| 引出，探出( elicit的第三人称单数 ) | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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12
skunks
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| n.臭鼬( skunk的名词复数 )；臭鼬毛皮；卑鄙的人；可恶的人 | |
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13
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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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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15
rangers
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| 护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员 | |
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16
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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17
gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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18
crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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inter
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| v.埋葬 | |
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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croak
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| vi.嘎嘎叫，发牢骚 | |
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ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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hybrids
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| n.杂交生成的生物体( hybrid的名词复数 )；杂交植物（或动物）；杂种；（不同事物的）混合物 | |
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25
snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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26
noose
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| n.绳套，绞索（刑）；v.用套索捉；使落入圈套；处以绞刑 | |
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27
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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28
slaughtered
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slaughtering
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| v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的现在分词 ) | |
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prod
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| vt.戳，刺；刺激，激励 | |
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31
rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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32
laconic
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| adj.简洁的；精练的 | |
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33
chirp
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| v.(尤指鸟)唧唧喳喳的叫 | |
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34
rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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35
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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36
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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37
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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38
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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39
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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40
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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