From Jowler I wanted nothing more. Such matters were too grand for him. He had beaten the dog of Hercules, who had only brought the purple dye — a thing requiring skill and art and taste to give it value. But gold does well without all these, and better in their absence. From handling many little nuggets, and hearkening to Suan Isco’s tales of treachery, theft, and murder done by white men for the sake of this, I knew that here I had found enough to cost the lives of fifty men.
At present, however, I was not possessed1 with dread2 so much as I was with joy, and even a secret exultation3, at the power placed in my hands. For I was too young to moralize or attempt philosophy. Here I had a knowledge which the wisest of mankind might envy, much as they despise it when they have no chance of getting it. I looked at my father’s grave, in the shadow of the quiet peach-trees, and I could not help crying as I thought that this was come too late for him. Then I called off Jowler, who wished (like a man) to have another tug4 at it; and home I ran to tell my news, but failing of breath, had time to think.
It was lucky enough that this was so, for there might have been the greatest mischief5; and sadly excited as I was, the trouble I had seen so much of came back to my beating heart and told me to be careful. But surely there could be no harm in trusting Suan Isco. However, I looked at her several times, and was not quite so sure about it. She was wonderfully true and faithful, and scarcely seemed to concede to gold its paramount6 rank and influence. But that might only have been because she had never known the want of it, or had never seen a lump worth stealing, which I was sure that this must be; and the unregenerate state of all who have never been baptized had been impressed on me continually. How could I mistrust a Christian7, and place confidence in an Indian? Therefore I tried to sleep without telling any one, but was unable.
But, as it happened, my good discovery did not keep me so very long awake, for on the following day our troop of horsemen returned from San Francisco. Of course I have done very foolish things once and again throughout my life, but perhaps I never did any thing more absurd than during the whole of that day. To begin with, I was up before the sun, and down at the mill, and along the plank8, which I had removed overnight, but now replaced as my bridge to the pine-wood pile. Then I gazed with eager desire and fear — which was the stronger I scarcely knew — for the yellow under-gleam, to show the safety of my treasure. There it lay, as safe as could be, massive, grand, and beautiful, with tones of varying richness as the ripples9 varied10 over it. The pale light of the morning breathed a dewy lustre11 down the banks; the sun (although unrisen yet) drew furrows12 through the mountain gaps; the birds from every hanging tree addressed the day with melody; the crystal water, purer than religion’s brightest dream, went by; and here among them lay, unmoved, unthought of, and inanimate, the thing which to a human being is worth all the rest put together.
This contemplation had upon me an effect so noble that here I resolved to spend my time, for fear of any robbery. I was afraid to gaze more than could be helped at this grand sight, lest other eyes should spy what was going on, and long to share it. And after hurrying home to breakfast and returning in like haste, I got a scare, such as I well deserved, for being so extremely foolish.
The carpentry of the mill-wheel had proved so very stanch13 and steadfast14 that even in that raging deluge15 the whole had held together. It had been bodily torn from its hold and swept away down the valley; but somewhere it grounded, as the flood ebbed16 out, and a strong team had tugged17 it back again. And the Sawyer had vowed18 that, come what would, his mill should work with the self-same wheel which he with younger hands had wrought19. Now this wheel (to prevent any warp20, and save the dry timber from the sun) was laid in a little shady cut, where water trickled21 under it. And here I had taken up my abode22 to watch my monster nugget.
I had pulled my shoes and stockings off, and was paddling in the runnel, sheltered by the deep rim23 of the wheel, and enjoying the water. Little fish darted24 by me, and lovely spotted25 lizards26 played about, and I was almost beginning even to forget my rock of gold. In self-defense it is right to say that for the gold, on my own account, I cared as much as I might have done for a fig27 worm-eaten. It was for Uncle Sam, and all his dear love, that I watched the gold, hoping in his sad disaster to restore his fortunes. But suddenly over the rim of the wheel (laid flat in the tributary28 brook) I descried29 across the main river a moving company of horsemen.
These men could have nothing to do with Uncle Sam and his party, for they were coming from the mountain-side, while he would return by the track across the plains. And they were already so near that I could see their dress quite plainly, and knew them to be Mexican rovers, mixed with loose Americans. There are few worse men on the face of the earth than these, when in the humor, and unluckily they seem almost always to be in that humor. Therefore, when I saw their battered30 sun-hats and baggy31 slouching boots, I feared that little ruth, or truth, or mercy dwelt between them.
On this account I shrank behind the shelter of the mill-wheel, and held my head in one trembling hand, and with the other drew my wind-tossed hair into small compass. For my blood ran cold at the many dreadful things that came into my mind. I was sure that they had not spied me yet, and my overwhelming desire was to decline all introduction.
I counted fourteen gentlemen, for so they always styled themselves, and would pistol any man who expressed a contrary opinion. Fourteen of them rode to the brink32 of the quiet blue river on the other side; and there they let their horses drink, and some dismounted and filled canteens, and some of longer reach stooped from the saddle and did likewise. But one, who seemed to be the captain, wanted no water for his rum.
“Cut it short, boys,” I heard him say, with a fine South Californian twang (which, as well as his free swearing, I will freely omit). “If we mean to have fair play with the gal33, now or never’s the time for it: old Sam may come home almost any time.”
What miserable34 cowards! Though there were so many of them, they really had no heart to face an old man known for courage. Frightened as I was, perhaps good indignation helped me to flutter no more, and not faint away, but watch those miscreants35 steadily36.
The horses put down their sandy lips over and over again to drink, scarcely knowing when they ought to stop, and seemed to get thicker before my eyes. The dribbling37 of the water from their mouths prepared them to begin again, till the riders struck the savage38 unroweled spur into their refreshment39. At this they jerked their noses up, and looked at one another to say that they expected it, and then they lifted their weary legs and began to plash through the river.
It is a pretty thing to see a skillful horse plod40 through a stream, probing with his eyes the depth, and stretching his head before his feet, and at every step he whisks his tail to tell himself that he is right. In my agony of observation all these things I heeded41, but only knew that I had done so when I thought long afterward42. At the moment I was in such a fright that my eyes worked better than my mind. However, even so, I thought of my golden millstone, and was aware that they crossed below, and could not see it.
They gained the bank upon our side within fifty yards of where I crouched43; and it was not presence of mind, but abject44 fear, which kept me crouching45. I counted them again as they leaped the bank and seemed to look at me. I could see the dark array of eyes, and could scarcely keep from shrieking46. But my throat was dry and made no sound, and a frightened bird set up a scream, which drew off their attention.
In perils48 of later days I often thought of this fear, and almost felt that the hand of Heaven had been stretched forth49 on purpose to help my helplessness.
For the moment, however, I lay as close as if under the hand of the evil one; and the snorting of the horses passed me, and wicked laughter of the men. One was telling a horrible tale, and the rest rejoicing in it; and the bright sun, glowing on their withered50 skin, discovered perhaps no viler51 thing in all the world to shine upon. One of them even pointed52 at my mill-wheel with a witty53 gibe54 — at least, perhaps, it was wit to him — about the Sawyer’s misfortune; but the sun was then in his eyes, and my dress was just of the color of the timber. So on they rode, and the pleasant turf (having lately received some rain) softly answered to the kneading of their hoofs55 as they galloped56 away to surround the house.
I was just at the very point of rising and running up into the dark of the valley, when a stroke of arithmetic stopped me. Fourteen men and fourteen horses I had counted on the other side; on this side I could not make any more than thirteen of them. I might have made a mistake; but still I thought I would stop just a minute to see. And in that minute I saw the other man walking slowly on the opposite bank. He had tethered his horse, and was left as outpost to watch and give warning of poor Uncle Sam’s return.
At the thought of this, my frightened courage, in some extraordinary way, came back. I had played an ignoble57 part thus far, as almost any girl might have done. But now I resolved that, whatever might happen, my dear friend and guardian58 should not be entrapped59 and lose his life through my cowardice60. We had been expecting him all the day; and if he should come and fall into an ambush61, I only might survive to tell the tale. I ought to have hurried and warned the house, as my bitter conscience told me; but now it was much too late for that. The only amends62 that I could make was to try and warn our travelers.
Stooping as low as I could, and watching my time to cross the more open places when the sentry63 was looking away from me, I passed up the winding64 of the little watercourse, and sheltered in the swampy65 thicket66 which concealed67 its origin. Hence I could see for miles over the plain — broad reaches of corn land already turning pale, mazy river fringed with reed, hamlets scattered68 among clustering trees, and that which I chiefly cared to see, the dusty track from Sacramento.
Whether from ignorance of the country or of Mr. Gundry’s plans, the sentinel had been posted badly. His beat commanded well enough the course from San Francisco; but that from Sacramento was not equally clear before him. For a jut69 of pine forest ran down from the mountains and cut off a part of his view of it. I had not the sense or the presence of mind to perceive this great advantage, but having a plain, quick path before me, forth I set upon it. Of course if the watchman had seen me, he would have leaped on his horse and soon caught me; but of that I scarcely even thought, I was in such confusion.
When I had run perhaps a mile (being at that time very slight, and of active figure), I saw a cloud of dust, about two miles off, rising through the bright blue haze70. It was rich yellow dust of the fertile soil, which never seems to cake or clot71. Sometimes you may walk for miles without the smallest fear of sinking, the earth is so elastic72. And yet with a slight exertion73 you may push a walking-stick down through it until the handle stops it. My heart gave a jump: that cloud of dust was a sign of men on horseback. And who could it be but Uncle Sam and Firm and the foreman Martin?
As soon as it began to show itself, it proved to be these very three, carelessly lounging on their horses’ backs, overcome with heat and dust and thirst. But when they saw me there all alone under the fury of the sun, they knew that something must have gone amiss, and were all wide awake in a moment.
“Well, now,” said the Sawyer, when I had told my tale as well as short breath allowed, “put this thing over your head, my dear, or you may gain a sun-stroke. I call it too bad of them skunks74 to drive you in Californy noon, like this.”
“Oh, Uncle Sam, never think of me; think of your house and your goods and Suan, and all at those bad men’s mercy!”
“The old house ain’t afire yet,” he answered, looking calmly under his hand in that direction. “And as for Suan, no fear at all. She knows how to deal with such gallowses; and they will keep her to cook their dinner. Firm, my lad, let us go and embrace them. They wouldn’t ‘a made much bones of shooting us down if we hadn’t known of it, and if they had got miss afore the saddle. But if they don’t give bail75, as soon as they see me ride up to my door, my name’s not Sampson Gundry. Only you keep out of the way, Miss Remy. You go to sleep a bit, that’s a dear, in the graywitch spinny yonder, and wait till you hear Firm sound the horn. And then come you in to dinner-time; for the Lord is always over you.”
I hastened to the place which he pointed out — a beautiful covert76 of birch-trees — but to sleep was out of the question, worn out though I was with haste and heat, and (worst of all) with horror. In a soft mossy nest, where a breeze from the mountains played with the in and out ways of the wood, and the murmurous77 dream of genial78 insects now was beginning to drowse upon the air, and the heat of the sun could almost be seen thrilling through the alleys79 like a cicale’s drum — here, in the middle of the languid peace, I waited for the terror of the rifle-crack.
For though Uncle Sam had spoken softly, and made so little of the peril47 he would meet, I had seen in his eyes some token of the deep wrath80 and strong indignation which had kept all his household and premises81 safe. And it seemed a most ominous82 sign that Firm had never said a word, but grasped his gun, and slowly got in front of his grandfather.
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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paramount
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| a.最重要的，最高权力的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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ebbed
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的过去式和过去分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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warp
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| vt.弄歪，使翘曲，使不正常，歪曲，使有偏见 | |
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trickled
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| v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动 | |
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abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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lizards
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| n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 ) | |
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fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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miscreants
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| n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 ) | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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dribbling
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| n.（燃料或油从系统内）漏泄v.流口水( dribble的现在分词 )；（使液体）滴下或作细流；运球，带球 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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plod
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| v.沉重缓慢地走，孜孜地工作 | |
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heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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43
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
abject
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| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
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45
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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46
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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47
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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48
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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50
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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51
viler
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| adj.卑鄙的( vile的比较级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的 | |
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52
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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53
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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54
gibe
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| n.讥笑；嘲弄 | |
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55
hoofs
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| 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 ) | |
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56
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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57
ignoble
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| adj.不光彩的，卑鄙的；可耻的 | |
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58
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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59
entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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61
ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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62
amends
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| n. 赔偿 | |
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63
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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64
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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65
swampy
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| adj.沼泽的，湿地的 | |
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66
thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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67
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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68
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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69
jut
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| v.突出；n.突出，突出物 | |
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70
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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71
clot
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| n.凝块；v.使凝成块 | |
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72
elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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73
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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74
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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75
bail
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| v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人 | |
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covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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murmurous
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| adj.低声的 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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79
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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80
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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