For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce2 that swathed us like the night. What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach. That much I sensed. But I could not reassure3 her; could not volunteer to her that I welcomed her company, that she was blameless, that I had only defended my honor, that affairs would have reduced to pistol work without impulse from her—that, in short, the responsibility had been wholly Daniel’s. My own thoughts were so grievous as to crush me with aching woe4 that forebade civil utterance6.
This, then, was I: somebody who had just killed a man, had broken from the open trail and was riding, he knew not where, through darkness worse than night, himself an outlaw7 with an outlawed8 woman—at the best a chance woman, an adventuring woman, 262and as everybody could know, a claimed woman, product of dance hall and gaming resort, wife of a half-breed gambler, and now spoil of fist and revolver.
But that which burned me almost to madness, like hot lava9 underneath10 the deadening crust, was the thought that I had done a deed and a defensible deed, and was fleeing from it the same as a criminal. Such a contingency11 never had occurred to me or I might have taken a different course, still with decency13; although what course I could not figure.
We rode, our mules14 picking their way, occasionally stumbling on rocks and shrubs15. At last she spoke16 in low, even tones.
“What do you expect to do with me, please?”
“We shall have to do whatever is best for yourself,” I managed to answer. “That will be determined17 when we reach the stage line, I suppose.”
“Thank you. Once at the stage line and I shall contrive18. You must have no thought of me. I understand very well that we should not travel far in company—and you may not wish to go in my direction. You have plans of your own?”
“None of any great moment. Everything has failed me, to date. There is only the one place left: New York State, where I came from. I probably can work my way back—at least, until I can recoup by telegraph message and the mails.”
“You have one more place than I,” she replied.She hesitated. “Will you let me lend you some money?”
“I’ve been paid my wages due,” said I. “But,” I added, “you have a place, you have a home: Benton.”
“Oh, Benton!” She laughed under breath. “Never Benton. I shall make shift without Benton.”
“You will tell me, though?” I urged. “I must have your address, to know that you reach safety.”
“You are strictly19 business. I believe that I accused you before of being a Yankee.” And I read sarcasm20 in her words.
Her voice had a quality of definite estimation which nettled21, humbled22, and isolated23 me, as if I lacked in some essential to a standard set.
“So you are going home, are you?” she resumed. “With the clothes on your back, or will you stop at Benton for your trunk?”
“With the clothes on my back,” I asserted bitterly. “I’ve no desire to see Benton. The trunk can be shipped to me.”
She said on, in her cool impersonal24 tone.
“That is the easiest way. You will live warm and comfortably. You will need to wear no belt weapon. The police will protect you. If a man injures you, you can summon him at law and wash your hands of him. Instead of staking on your luck among new people, you can enter into business among your friends and win from them. You can marry the girl 264next door—or even take the chance of the one across the street, her parentage being comme il faut. You can tell stories of your trip into the Far West; your children will love to hear of the rough mule-whacker trail—yes, you will have great tales but you will not mention that you killed a man who tried to kill you and then rode for a night with a strange woman alone at your stirrup. Perhaps you will venture to revisit these parts by steam train, and from the windows of your coach point out the places where you suffered those hardships and adventures from which you escaped by leaving them altogether. Your course is the safe course. By all means take it, Mr. Beeson, and have your trunk follow you.”
“That I shall do, madam,” I retorted. “The West and I have not agreed; and, I fear, never shall.”
“By honest confession25, it has bested you; and in short order.”
“In short order, since you put it that way. Only a fool doesn’t know when to quit.”
“The greatest fool is the one who fools himself, in the quitting as in other matters. But you will have no regrets—except about Daniel, possibly.”
“None whatever, save the regret that I ever tried this country. I wish to God I had never seen it—I did not conceive that I should have to take a human life—should be forced to that—become like an outlaw in the night, riding for refuge——” And I choked passionately26.265
“You deserve much sympathy,” she remarked, in that even tone.
I lapsed27 into a turbulence28 of voiceless rage at myself, at her, at Daniel’s treachery, at all the train, at Benton, and again at this damning predicament wherein I had landed. When I was bound to wrest30 free after having done my utmost, she appeared to be twitting me because I would not submit to farther use by her. I certainly had the right to extricate31 myself in the only way left.
So I conned32 over and over, and my heart gnawed33, and the acid of vexation boiled in my throat, and despite the axle grease my arm nagged34; while we rode unspeaking, like some guilty pair through purgatory35.
My lip had subsided36; the pistol wound was superficial. Under different circumstances the way would have been full of beauty. The high desert stretched vastly, far, far, far before, behind, on either side, the parched37 gauntness of its daytime aspect assuaged38 and evanescent. For the moon, now risen, although on the wane39, shed a light sufficient, whitening the rocks and the scattered41 low shrubs, painting the land with sharp black shadows, and enclosing us about with the mystery of great softly illumined spaces into which silent forms vanished as if tempting42 us aside. Of these—rabbits, wolves, animals only to be guessed—there were many, like potential phantoms43 quickened by the touch of the moonbeams. Mule-back, we twain towered, the sole intruders visible between the two elysians of glorified44 earth and beatific45 sky.
The course was southward. After a time it seemed to me that we were descending46 from the plateau; craunching gradually down a flank until, in a mile or so, we were again upon the level, cutting through another basin formed by the dried bed of an ancient lake whose waters had evaporated into deposits of salt and soda47.
At first the mules had plodded48 with ears pricked49 forward, and with sundry50 snorts and stares as if they were seeing portents51 in the moonshine. Eventually their imaginings dulled, so that they now moved careless of where or why, their heads drooped52, their minds devoted53 to achieving what rest they might in the merely mechanical setting of hoof54 before hoof.
I could not but be aware of my companion. Her hair glinted paly, for she rode bareheaded; her gown, tightened55 under her as she sat astride, revealed the lines of her boyish limbs. She was a woman, in any guise56; and I being a man, protect her I should, as far as necessary. I found myself wishing that we could upturn57 something pleasant to talk about; it was ungracious, even wicked, to ride thus side by side through peace and beauty, with lips closed and war in the heart, and final parting as the main desire.
But her firm pose and face steadily58 to the fore5 invited with no sign; and after covertly59 stealing a glance or two at her clear unresponsive profile I still 267could manage no theme that would loosen my tongue. Thereby60 let her think me a dolt61. Thank Heaven, after another twenty-four hours at most it might not matter what she thought.
The drooning round of my own thoughts revolved62 over and over, and the scuffing63 gait of the mules upon way interminable began to numb64 me. Lassitude seemed to be enfolding us both; I observed that she rode laxly, with hand upon the horn and a weary yielding to motion. Words might have stirred us, but no words came. Presently I caught myself dozing65 in the saddle, aroused only by the twitching66 of my wounded arm. Then again I dozed67, and kept dozing, fairly dead for sleep, until speak she did, her voice drifting as from afar but fetching me awake and blinking.
“Hadn’t we better stop?” she repeated.
That was a curious sensation. When I stared about, uncomprehending, my view was shut off by a whiteness veiling the moon above and the earth below except immediately underneath my mule’s hoofs68. She herself was a specter; the weeds that we brushed were spectral69; every sound that we made was muffled70, and in the intangible, opaquely71 lucent shroud72 which had enveloped73 us like the spirit of a sea there was no life nor movement.
“What’s the matter?” I propounded74.
“The fog. I don’t know where we are.”
“Oh! I hadn’t noticed.”
“No,” she said calmly. “You’ve been asleep.”
“Haven’t you?”
“Not lately. But I don’t think there’s any use in riding on. We’ve lost our bearings.”
She was ahead; evidently had taken the lead while I slept. That realization75 straightened me, shamed, in my saddle. The fog, fleecy, not so wet as impenetrable—when had it engulfed76 us?
“An hour, maybe. We rode right into it. I thought we might leave it, but we don’t. It’s as thick as ever. We ought to stop.”
“I suppose we ought,” said I.
And at the moment we entered into a sudden clearing amidst the fog enclosure: a tract79 of a quarter of an acre, like a hollow center, with the white walls held apart and the stars and moon faintly glimmering80 down through the mist roof overhead.
She drew rein29 and half turned in the saddle. I could see her face. It was dank and wan40 and heavy-eyed; her hair, somewhat robbed of its sheen, crowned with a pallid81 golden aureole.
“Will this do? If we go on we’ll only be riding into the fog again.”
I was conscious of the thin, apparently82 distant piping of frogs.
“Yes, we’d better stop where we are,” I agreed. “Then in the morning we can take stock.”
“In the morning, surely. We may not be far astray.” She swung off before I had awkwardly dismounted to help her. Her limbs failed—my own were clamped by stiffness—and she staggered and collapsed84 with a little laugh.
“I’m tired,” she confessed. “Wait just a moment.”
“You stay where you are,” I ordered, staggering also as I hastily landed. “I’ll make camp.”
But she would have none of that; pleaded my one-handedness and insisted upon coöperating at the mules. We seemed to be marooned85 upon a small rise of gravel86 and coarsely matted dried grasses. The animals were staked out, fell to nibbling87. I sought a spot for our beds; laid down a buffalo88 robe for her and placed her saddle as her pillow. She sank with a sigh, tucking her skirt under her, and I folded the robe over.
Her face gazed up at me; she extended her hand.
“You are very kind, sir,” she said, in a smile that pathetically curved her lips. There, at my knees, she looked so worn, so slight, so childish, so in need of encouragement that all was well and that she had a friend to serve her, that with a rush of sudden sympathy I would—indeed I could have kissed her, upon the forehead if not upon the lips themselves. It was an impulse well-nigh overmastering; an impulse that must have dazed me so that she saw or felt, for a tinge12 of pink swept into her skin; she withdrew her hand and settled composedly.
“Good-night. Please sleep. In the morning we’ll reach the stage road and your troubles will be near the end.”
Under my own robe I lay for a long time reviewing past and present and discussing with myself the future. Strangely enough the present occupied me the most; it incorporated with that future beyond the fog, and when I put her out back she came as if she were part and parcel of my life. There was a sense of balance; we had been associates, fellow tenants—in fact, she was entwined with the warp89 and woof of all my memories dating far back to my entrance, fresh and hopeful, into the new West. It rather flabbergasted me to find myself thinking that the future was going to be very tame; perhaps, as she had suggested, regretful. I had not apprehended90 that the end should be so drastic.
And whether the regrets would center upon my slinking home defeated, or in having definitely cast her away, puzzled me as sorely as it did to discover that I was well content to be here, with her, in our little clearing amidst the desert fog, listening to her soft breathing and debating over what she might have done had I actually kissed her to comfort her and assure her that I was not unmindful of her really brave spirit.
Daniel had been disposed of, Montoyo did not deserve her; I had won her, she could inspire and guide me if I stayed; and I saw myself staying, and I saw myself going home, and I already regretted a host of things, as a man will when at the forking of the trails.
The fog gently closed in during the night. When I awakened91 we were again enshrouded by the fleece of it, denser92 than when we had ridden through it, but now whiter with the dawn. As I gazed sleepily about I could just make out the forms of the two mules, standing93 motionless and huddled94; I could see her more clearly, at shorter distance—her buffalo robe moist with the semblance95 of dew that had beaded also upon her massy hair.
Evidently she had not stirred all night; might be still asleep. No; her eyes were open, and when I stiffly shifted posture96 she looked across at me.
“Sh!” she warned, with quick shake of head. The same warning bade me listen. In a moment I heard voices.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
northward
|
|
| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
truce
|
|
| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
reassure
|
|
| v.使放心，使消除疑虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
woe
|
|
| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
fore
|
|
| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
utterance
|
|
| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
outlaw
|
|
| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
outlawed
|
|
| 宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
lava
|
|
| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
underneath
|
|
| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
contingency
|
|
| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
tinge
|
|
| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
decency
|
|
| n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
mules
|
|
| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
shrubs
|
|
| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
contrive
|
|
| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
strictly
|
|
| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
sarcasm
|
|
| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
nettled
|
|
| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
humbled
|
|
| adj. 卑下的，谦逊的，粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
isolated
|
|
| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
impersonal
|
|
| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
confession
|
|
| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
passionately
|
|
| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
lapsed
|
|
| adj.流失的，堕落的v.退步( lapse的过去式和过去分词 )；陷入；倒退；丧失 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
turbulence
|
|
| n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
rein
|
|
| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
wrest
|
|
| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
extricate
|
|
| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
conned
|
|
| adj.被骗了v.指挥操舵( conn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
gnawed
|
|
| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
nagged
|
|
| adj.经常遭责怪的；被压制的；感到厌烦的；被激怒的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的过去式和过去分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
purgatory
|
|
| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
subsided
|
|
| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
parched
|
|
| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
assuaged
|
|
| v.减轻( assuage的过去式和过去分词 )；缓和；平息；使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
wane
|
|
| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
wan
|
|
| (wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
scattered
|
|
| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
tempting
|
|
| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
phantoms
|
|
| n.鬼怪，幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
glorified
|
|
| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
beatific
|
|
| adj.快乐的，有福的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
descending
|
|
| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
soda
|
|
| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
plodded
|
|
| v.沉重缓慢地走（路）( plod的过去式和过去分词 )；努力从事；沉闷地苦干；缓慢进行（尤指艰难枯燥的工作） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
pricked
|
|
| 刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
sundry
|
|
| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
portents
|
|
| n.预兆( portent的名词复数 )；征兆；怪事；奇物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
drooped
|
|
| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
hoof
|
|
| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
tightened
|
|
| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
guise
|
|
| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
upturn
|
|
| n.情况好转 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
covertly
|
|
| adv.偷偷摸摸地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
thereby
|
|
| adv.因此，从而 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
dolt
|
|
| n.傻瓜 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
revolved
|
|
| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
scuffing
|
|
| n.刮[磨，擦，划]伤v.使磨损( scuff的现在分词 )；拖着脚走 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
numb
|
|
| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
dozing
|
|
| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
twitching
|
|
| n.颤搐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
dozed
|
|
| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
hoofs
|
|
| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
spectral
|
|
| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
muffled
|
|
| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
opaquely
|
|
| adv.不透明地，无光泽地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
shroud
|
|
| n.裹尸布，寿衣；罩，幕；vt.覆盖，隐藏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
propounded
|
|
| v.提出（问题、计划等）供考虑[讨论]，提议( propound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
realization
|
|
| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
engulfed
|
|
| v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
vexed
|
|
| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
tract
|
|
| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
glimmering
|
|
| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
pallid
|
|
| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
marsh
|
|
| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
collapsed
|
|
| adj.倒塌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
marooned
|
|
| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
gravel
|
|
| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
nibbling
|
|
| v.啃，一点一点地咬（吃）( nibble的现在分词 )；啃出（洞），一点一点咬出（洞）；慢慢减少；小口咬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
buffalo
|
|
| n.(北美)野牛；(亚洲)水牛 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
warp
|
|
| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
apprehended
|
|
| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
denser
|
|
| adj. 不易看透的, 密集的, 浓厚的, 愚钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
huddled
|
|
| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
semblance
|
|
| n.外貌，外表 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
posture
|
|
| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |