CHAPTER XIII

 “Our cattle were all played out,” Saxon was saying, “and winter was so near that we couldn't dare try to cross the Great American Desert, so our train stopped in Salt Lake City that winter. The Mormons hadn't got bad yet, and they were good to us.”

 

“You talk as though you were there,” Bert commented.

 

“My mother was,” Saxon answered proudly. “She was nine years old that winter.”

 

They were seated around the table in the kitchen of the little Pine Street cottage, making a cold lunch of sandwiches, tamales, and bottled beer. It being Sunday, the four were free from work, and they had come early, to work harder than on any week day, washing walls and windows, scrubbing floors, laying carpets and linoleum², hanging curtains, setting up the stove, putting the kitchen utensils³ and dishes away, and placing the furniture.

 

“Go on with the story, Saxon,” Mary begged. “I'm just dyin' to hear. And Bert, you just shut up and listen.”

 

“Well, that winter was when Del Hancock showed up. He was Kentucky born, but he'd been in the West for years. He was a scout⁴, like Kit¹ Carson, and he knew him well. Many's a time Kit Carson and he slept under the same blankets. They were together to California and Oregon with General Fremont. Well, Del Hancock was passing on his way through Salt Lake, going I don't know where to raise a company of Rocky Mountain trappers to go after beaver⁵ some new place he knew about. He was a handsome man. He wore his hair long like in pictures, and had a silk sash around his waist he'd learned to wear in California from the Spanish, and two revolvers in his belt. Any woman 'd fall in love with him first sight. Well, he saw Sadie, who was my mother's oldest sister, and I guess she looked good to him, for he stopped right there in Salt Lake and didn't go a step. He was a great Indian fighter, too, and I heard my Aunt Villa⁶ say, when I was a little girl, that he had the blackest, brightest eyes, and that the way he looked was like an eagle. He'd fought duels⁷, too, the way they did in those days, and he wasn't afraid of anything.

 

“Sadie was a beauty, and she flirted⁸ with him and drove him crazy. Maybe she wasn't sure of her own mind, I don't know. But I do know that she didn't give in as easy as I did to Billy. Finally, he couldn't stand it any more. He rode up that night on horseback, wild as could be. 'Sadie,' he said, 'if you don't promise to marry me to-morrow, I'll shoot myself to-night right back of the corral.' And he'd have done it, too, and Sadie knew it, and said she would. Didn't they make love fast in those days?”

 

“Oh, I don't know,” Mary sniffed⁹. “A week after you first laid eyes on Billy you was engaged. Did Billy say he was going to shoot himself back of the laundry if you turned him down?”

 

“I didn't give him a chance,” Saxon confessed. “Anyway Del Hancock and Aunt Sadie got married next day. And they were very happy afterward¹⁰, only she died. And after that he was killed, with General Custer and all the rest, by the Indians. He was an old man by then, but I guess he got his share of Indians before they got him. Men like him always died fighting, and they took their dead with them. I used to know Al Stanley when I was a little girl. He was a gambler, but he was game. A railroad man shot him in the back when he was sitting at a table. That shot killed him, too. He died in about two seconds. But before he died he'd pulled his gun and put three bullets into the man that killed him.”

 

“I don't like fightin',” Mary protested. “It makes me nervous. Bert gives me the willies the way he's always lookin' for trouble. There ain't no sense in it.”

 

“And I wouldn't give a snap of my fingers for a man without fighting spirit,” Saxon answered. “Why, we wouldn't be here to-day if it wasn't for the fighting spirit of our people before us.”

 

“You've got the real goods of a fighter in Billy,” Bert assured her; “a yard long and a yard wide and genuine A Number One, long-fleeced wool. Billy's a Mohegan with a scalp-lock, that's what he is. And when he gets his mad up it's a case of get out from under or something will fall on you—hard.”

 

“Just like that,” Mary added.

 

Billy, who had taken no part in the conversation, got up, glanced into the bedroom off the kitchen, went into the parlor¹¹ and the bedroom off the parlor, then returned and stood gazing with puzzled brows into the kitchen bedroom.

 

“What's eatin' you, old man,” Bert queried¹². “You look as though you'd lost something or was markin' a three-way ticket. What you got on your chest? Cough it up.”

 

“Why, I'm just thinkin' where in Sam Hill's the bed an' stuff for the back bedroom.”

 

“There isn't any,” Saxon explained. “We didn't order any.”

 

“Then I'll see about it to-morrow.”

 

“What d'ye want another bed for?” asked Bert. “Ain't one bed enough for the two of you?”

 

“You shut up, Bert!” Mary cried. “Don't get raw.”

 

“Whoa, Mary!” Bert grinned. “Back up. You're in the wrong stall as usual.”

 

“We don't need that room,” Saxon was saying to Billy. “And so I didn't plan any furniture. That money went to buy better carpets and a better stove.”

 

Billy came over to her, lifted her from the chair, and seated himself with her on his knees.

 

“That's right, little girl. I'm glad you did. The best for us every time. And to-morrow night I want you to run up with me to Salinger's an' pick out a good bedroom set an' carpet for that room. And it must be good. Nothin' snide.”

 

“It will cost fifty dollars,” she objected.

 

“That's right,” he nodded. “Make it cost fifty dollars and not a cent less. We're goin' to have the best. And what's the good of an empty room? It'd make the house look cheap. Why, I go around now, seein' this little nest just as it grows an' softens¹³, day by day, from the day we paid the cash money down an' nailed the keys. Why, almost every moment I'm drivin' the horses, all day long, I just keep on seein' this nest. And when we're married, I'll go on seein' it. And I want to see it complete. If that room'd be bare-floored an' empty, I'd see nothin' but it and its bare floor all day long. I'd be cheated. The house'd be a lie. Look at them curtains you put up in it, Saxon. That's to make believe to the neighbors that it's furnished. Saxon, them curtains are lyin' about that room, makin' a noise for every one to hear that that room's furnished. Nitsky for us. I'm goin' to see that them curtains tell the truth.”

 

“You might rent it,” Bert suggested. “You're close to the railroad yards, and it's only two blocks to a restaurant.”

 

“Not on your life. I ain't marryin' Saxon to take in lodgers¹⁴. If I can't take care of her, d'ye know what I'll do? Go down to Long Wharf¹⁵, say 'Here goes nothin',' an' jump into the bay with a stone tied to my neck. Ain't I right, Saxon?”

 

It was contrary to her prudent¹⁶ judgment¹⁷, but it fanned her pride. She threw her arms around her lover's neck, and said, ere she kissed him:

 

“You're the boss, Billy. What you say goes, and always will go.”

 

“Listen to that!” Bert gibed¹⁸ to Mary. “That's the stuff. Saxon's onto her job.”

 

“I guess we'll talk things over together first before ever I do anything,” Billy was saying to Saxon.

 

“Listen to that,” Mary triumphed. “You bet the man that marries me'll have to talk things over first.”

 

“Billy's only givin' her hot air,” Bert plagued. “They all do it before they're married.”

 

Mary sniffed contemptuously.

 

“I'll bet Saxon leads him around by the nose. And I'm goin' to say, loud an' strong, that I'll lead the man around by the nose that marries me.”

 

“Not if you love him,” Saxon interposed.

 

“All the more reason,” Mary pursued.

 

Bert assumed an expression and attitude of mournful dejection.

 

“Now you see why me an' Mary don't get married,” he said. “I'm some big Indian myself, an' I'll be everlastingly¹⁹ jiggerooed if I put up for a wigwam I can't be boss of.”

 

“And I'm no squaw,” Mary retaliated²⁰, “an' I wouldn't marry a big buck²¹ Indian if all the rest of the men in the world was dead.”

 

“Well this big buck Indian ain't asked you yet.”

 

“He knows what he'd get if he did.”

 

“And after that maybe he'll think twice before he does ask you.”

 

Saxon, intent on diverting the conversation into pleasanter channels, clapped her hands as if with sudden recollection.

 

“Oh! I forgot! I want to show you something.” From her purse she drew a slender ring of plain gold and passed it around. “My mother's wedding ring. I've worn it around my neck always, like a locket. I cried for it so in the orphan²² asylum²³ that the matron gave it back for me to wear. And now, just to think, after next Tuesday I'll be wearing it on my finger. Look, Billy, see the engraving²⁴ on the inside.”

 

“C to D, 1879,” he read.

 

“Carlton to Daisy—Carlton was my father's first name. And now, Billy, you've got to get it engraved²⁵ for you and me.”

 

Mary was all eagerness and delight.

 

“Oh, it's fine,” she cried. “W to S, 1907.”

 

Billy considered a moment.

 

“No, that wouldn't be right, because I'm not giving it to Saxon.”

 

“I'll tell you what,” Saxon said. “W and S.”

 

“Nope.” Billy shook his head. “S and W, because you come first with me.”

 

“If I come first with you, you come first with us. Billy, dear, I insist on W and S.”

 

“You see,” Mary said to Bert. “Having her own way and leading him by the nose already.”

 

Saxon acknowledged the sting.

 

“Anyway you want, Billy,” she surrendered. His arms tightened²⁶ about her.

 

“We'll talk it over first, I guess.”

 

 

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 linoleum   

n.油布，油毯

参考例句：

• They mislaid the linoleum.他们把油毡放错了地方。
• Who will lay the linoleum?谁将铺设地板油毡？

3 utensils   

器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物

参考例句：

• Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

4 scout   

n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索

参考例句：

• He was mistaken for an enemy scout and badly wounded.他被误认为是敌人的侦察兵，受了重伤。
• The scout made a stealthy approach to the enemy position.侦察兵偷偷地靠近敌军阵地。

5 beaver   

n.海狸，河狸

参考例句：

• The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。
• A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。

6 villa   

n.别墅，城郊小屋

参考例句：

• We rented a villa in France for the summer holidays.我们在法国租了一幢别墅消夏。
• We are quartered in a beautiful villa.我们住在一栋漂亮的别墅里。

7 duels   

n.两男子的决斗( duel的名词复数 )；竞争，斗争

参考例句：

• That's where I usually fight my duels. 我经常在那儿进行决斗。” 来自英语晨读30分（初三）
• Hyde Park also became a favourite place for duels. 海德公园也成了决斗的好地方。 来自辞典例句

8 flirted   

v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She flirted her fan. 她急速挥动着扇子。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• During his four months in Egypt he flirted with religious emotions. 在埃及逗留的这四个月期间，他又玩弄起宗教情绪来了。 来自辞典例句

9 sniffed   

v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说

参考例句：

• When Jenney had stopped crying she sniffed and dried her eyes. 珍妮停止了哭泣，吸了吸鼻子，擦干了眼泪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dog sniffed suspiciously at the stranger. 狗疑惑地嗅着那个陌生人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

11 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

12 queried   

v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问

参考例句：

• She queried what he said. 她对他说的话表示怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• \"What does he have to do?\" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事？”琴向觉民问道，她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

13 softens   

（使）变软( soften的第三人称单数 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• Iron softens with heat. 铁受热就软化。
• Moonlight softens our faults; all shabbiness dissolves into shadow. 月光淡化了我们的各种缺点，所有的卑微都化解为依稀朦胧的阴影。 来自名作英译部分

14 lodgers   

n.房客，租住者( lodger的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He takes in lodgers. 他招收房客。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A good proportion of my lodgers is connected with the theaters. 住客里面有不少人是跟戏院子有往来的。 来自辞典例句

15 wharf   

n.码头，停泊处

参考例句：

• We fetch up at the wharf exactly on time.我们准时到达码头。
• We reached the wharf gasping for breath.我们气喘吁吁地抵达了码头。

16 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

17 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

18 gibed   

v.嘲笑，嘲弄( gibe的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• One of the other officers at the table gibed. 桌上有个军官挖苦他。 来自辞典例句
• They gibed at my mistakes. 他们嘲笑我的错误。 来自辞典例句

19 everlastingly   

永久地，持久地

参考例句：

• Why didn't he hold the Yankees instead of everlastingly retreating? 他为什么不将北军挡住，反而节节败退呢？
• "I'm tired of everlastingly being unnatural and never doing anything I want to do. "我再也忍受不了这样无休止地的勉强自己，永远不能赁自己高兴做事。

20 retaliated   

v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• When he once teased her for her inexperience, she retaliated. 有一次，他讥讽她没有经验，她便反唇相讥。 来自辞典例句
• The terrorists retaliated by killing three policemen. 恐怖分子以杀死三名警察相报复。 来自辞典例句

21 buck   

n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃

参考例句：

• The boy bent curiously to the skeleton of the buck.这个男孩好奇地弯下身去看鹿的骸骨。
• The female deer attracts the buck with high-pitched sounds.雌鹿以尖声吸引雄鹿。

22 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

23 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

24 engraving   

n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）

参考例句：

• He collected an old engraving of London Bridge. 他收藏了一张古老的伦敦桥版画。 来自辞典例句
• Some writing has the precision of a steel engraving. 有的字体严谨如同钢刻。 来自辞典例句

25 engraved   

v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）

参考例句：

• The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。
• It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 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：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。