When they had completed their outfit5 they 77set out. A long journey lay before them. From Independence to the gold region was rather more than two thousand miles, and such were the difficulties of the way that they only averaged about fifteen miles a day. A detailed6 account of the trip would only be wearisome, and I shall confine myself to some of the salient incidents.
The custom was to make an early start and stop at intervals7, partly for the preparation of meals and partly to give the patient animals a chance to rest.
One evening—it was about ten weeks after the start—they had encamped for the night, and Mrs. Cooper, assisted by Grant, was preparing supper, a fire having been kindled8 about fifty feet from the wagon9, when steps were heard, and a singular looking figure emerged from the underbush. It was a man, with a long, grizzled beard, clad in a tattered10 garb11, with an old slouch hat on his head, and a long, melancholy12 visage.
“I trust you are well, my friends,” he said. “Do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm.”
Tom Cooper laughed.
78“We are not alarmed,” he said. “That is, not much. Who are you?”
“An unhappy wayfarer13, who has been wandering for days, almost famished14, through this wilderness15.”
“Do you live about here?”
“No; I am on my way to California.”
“Not alone, surely?”
“I started with a party, but we were surprised a week since by a party of Cheyenne Indians, and I alone escaped destruction.”
Mrs. Cooper turned pale.
“Are the Indians so bloodthirsty, then?”
“Some of them, my dear lady, some of them. They took all our supplies, and I have been living on what I could pick up. Pardon my saying so, but I am almost famished.”
“Our supper is nearly ready,” said Mrs. Cooper hospitably16. “You are welcome to a portion.”
“Ah, how kind you are!” ejaculated the stranger, clasping his hands. “I shall, indeed, be glad to join you.”
“What is your name, sir?” asked the blacksmith cautiously.
79“Dionysius Silverthorn.”
“That’s a strange name.”
“Yes, but I am not responsible for it. We do not choose our own names.”
“And where are you from?”
“I came from Illinois.”
“Were you in business there?”
“Yes. Ahem! I was a teacher, but my health gave way, and when I heard of the rich discoveries of gold in California, I gathered up, with difficulty, money enough for the journey and started; but, alas17! I did not anticipate the sad disaster that has befallen me.”
Mr. Silverthorn was thin and meager18, but when supper was ready he ate nearly twice as much as any of the little party.
“Who is this young man?” he asked, with a glance at Grant.
“My name is Grant Colburn.”
“You are the image of a boy I lost,” sighed Dionysius. “He was strong and manly19, like you—a very engaging youth.”
“Then he couldn’t have looked like you,” was Tom Cooper’s inward comment.
80“Did he die of disease?” asked Mrs. Cooper.
“Yes; he had the typhoid fever—my poor, poor Otto,” and Mr. Silverthorn wiped his eyes with a dirty red silk handkerchief. “Have you a father living, my young friend?”
“No, sir.”
“Then it would be a gratification to me if you would look upon me as a parent.”
Grant was quite overwhelmed by this unexpected suggestion.
“Thank you, sir,” he said; “but you are a stranger, and I have a step-father living.”
He said this on the impulse of the moment, as a reason for not acceding20 to Mr. Silverthorn’s request, but it occurred to him that it would be about as difficult to regard Mr. Tarbox with filial feelings as the newcomer.
“Ah, he is indeed fortunate!” sighed Mr. Silverthorn. He had a habit of sighing. “My friend”—here he addressed himself to the blacksmith—“do you ever smoke?”
“Yes, when I get the chance.”
“And have you, perchance, a cigar?”
81“No; a cigar is too high-toned for me. I have a pipe.”
“That will do.”
“But I have no tobacco.”
“Ah!” Here there was another long-drawn sigh.
After supper they sat down around the fire, to rest and chat for a while before retiring.
“I suppose, my friends,” continued Dionysius, “you would be surprised if I should tell you that I was once wealthy.”
“You don’t look like it now,” said Tom Cooper bluntly.
“No; indeed I don’t. Yet six years ago I was worth fifty thousand dollars.”
“I shall be glad if I am worth as much six years hence.”
“How did you lose it?” asked Jerry Cooper.
“Through the knavery21 of wicked men. I was so honest myself that I supposed all with whom I had dealings were equally honorable, and I was deceived. But I am happy to think that when I was rich I contributed to every 82good work. I gave a thousand dollars to the church in my town. I gave five thousand dollars as a fund for a town library. All men spoke22 well of me, but when I lost my fortune all turned the cold shoulder, and I found I had no friends. It is the way of the world.”
“If you were a teacher I don’t see where you got so much money,” remarked Grant curiously23.
“I didn’t make it by teaching, my young friend. An old uncle died and left me his money. He had been a miser24, and never took any notice of me, so it was a great surprise to me when his will was read and I was constituted his sole heir.”
“I wish an old uncle would die and leave me fifty thousand dollars,” said Tom.
“Such may be your luck.”
“Not much chance of that. I haven’t got but one uncle living, and he’s as poor as Job after he lost all his flocks and herds25.”
“I don’t complain of my unhappy condition,” said Dionysius meekly26. “I have been rich and now I am poor, but I am resigned to the Lord’s will.”
83“He seems to be a very good man,” whispered Mrs. Cooper to Tom.
Tom shrugged27 his shoulders.
“I don’t take much stock in him,” he whispered back.
“How did you happen to escape when the rest of your party were destroyed by the Indians?” asked the blacksmith.
“The attack was made in the night. I had been unable to sleep, and I got up and went for a walk in the woods, hoping to become fatigued28 and drowsy29. I was absent for an hour and a half, as well as I can estimate. When I returned to the camp, what was my dismay when I saw that my friends had been surprised, their goods confiscated30, and a scene of violence enacted31.”
“Were all killed?”
“I don’t know, but on the ground, by the dismantled32 tent, I saw a human arm which had been lopped from the shoulder.”
“Do you know whose it was?” asked Tom.
“Yes, it was the arm of a young man about your age, who doubtless had excited the anger of the Indians by resistance.”
84Mr. Silverthorn put his red handkerchief to his eyes and sobbed33, or appeared to do so, convulsively.
“Excuse these tears,” he said. “They are a tribute to my murdered friends.”
“Did you follow the Indians? Did you try to find out where they had carried your companions?”
“No. It would have been no good. I was single-handed.”
“I would have done it!” said Tom resolutely34.
“I would expect it of you, for you are a brave young man.”
“How do you know I am?”
“By your looks and manner. I am not. You may despise me, but I am obliged to confess that I am chicken-hearted. I am afraid I am a coward. It is not a pleasant confession35, but I do not wish to represent myself other than I am.”
“Then I am afraid that you are not the right kind of a man to cross the plains to California.”
“I am not sure but you are right. I sometimes 85think so myself. But I hoped to retrieve36 my fortunes, and in my state of health there seemed no other way open to me.”
“You haven’t had much encouragement yet?”
“No, but I feel that I am fortunate in meeting with your friendly party. And this emboldens37 me to make a request.”
“What is it?” asked the blacksmith.
“Will you let me travel with you? I am alone, quite alone. It would make me happy to be with you. The sight of that boy, who reminds me of my lost son, would be a daily source of happiness to me.”
Mr. Cooper hesitated, and the expression of his face showed that the proposal was distasteful to him.
“You can stay with us to-night,” he answered briefly38. “I cannot promise more.”
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1
emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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provender
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| n.刍草；秣料 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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6
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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7
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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8
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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9
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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10
tattered
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| adj.破旧的，衣衫破的 | |
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11
garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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12
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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13
wayfarer
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| n.旅人 | |
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famished
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| adj.饥饿的 | |
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15
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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16
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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17
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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18
meager
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| adj.缺乏的，不足的，瘦的 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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20
acceding
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的现在分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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21
knavery
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| n.恶行，欺诈的行为 | |
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22
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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23
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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24
miser
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| n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly) | |
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25
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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26
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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27
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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28
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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29
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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30
confiscated
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| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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33
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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34
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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35
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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36
retrieve
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| vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索 | |
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37
emboldens
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的第三人称单数 ) | |
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38
briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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