stories of a western town-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t as the stable。 It was an excellent supper。 But Nelson had no appetite； in spite of an almost childish capacity for being diverted； he could attend to nothing but the question always in his ears： 〃Richards or mewhich？〃 Until it should be time for the spectacle they walked down the hill； and watched the crowds gradually blacken every inch of the river…banks。 Already the swarms of lanterns were beginning to bloom out in the dusk。 Strains of music throbbed through the air； adding a poignant touch to the excitement vibrating in all the faces and voices about them。 Even the stolid Tim felt the contagion。 He walked with a jaunty step and assaulted a tune himself。 〃I tell you； Uncle；〃 says Tim； 〃it's nice of these folks to be getting up all this show； and giving it for nothing！〃 〃Do you think so？〃 says Nelson。 〃You don't love your book as I wish you did； but I guess you remember about the ancient Romans； and how the great； rich Romans used to spend enormous sums in games and shows that they let the people in free towell； what for？ Was it to learn them anything or to make them happy？ Oh； no； it was to keep down the spirit of liberty； Son； it was to make them content to be slaves！ And so it is here。 These merchants and capitalists are only looking out for themselves； trying to keep labor down and not let it know how oppressed it is； trying to get people here from everywhere to show what a fine city they have and get their money。〃 〃Well； 'TIS a fine town；〃 Tim burst in； 〃a boss town！ And they ain't gouging folks a little bit。 None of the hotels or the restaurants have put up their prices one cent。 Look what a dandy supper we got for twenty…five cents！ And ain't the boy at Lumley's grocery given me two tickets to set on the steamboat？ There's nothing mean about this town！〃 Nelson made no remark； but he thought； for the fiftieth time； that his farm was too near the city。 Tim was picking up all the city boys' false pride as well as their slang。 Unconscious Tim resumed his tune。 He knew that it was 〃Annie Rooney〃 if no one else did； and he mangled the notes with appropriate exhilaration。 Now； the river was as busy as the land； lights swimming hither and thither； steamboats with ropes of tiny stars bespangling their dark bulk and a white electric glare in the bow； low boats with lights that sent wavering spear…heads into the shadow beneath。 The bridge was a blazing barbed fence of fire； and beyond the bridge； at the point of the island； lay a glittering multitude of lights； a fairy fleet with miniature sails outlined in flame as if by jewels。 Nelson followed Tim。 The crowds； the ceaseless clatter of tongues and jar of wheels； depressed the man； who hardly knew which way to dodge the multitudinous perils of the thoroughfare； but Tim used his elbows to such good purpose that they were out of the levee； on the steamboat； and settling themselves in two comfortable chairs in a coign of vantage on deck； that commanded the best obtainable view of the pageant； before Nelson had gathered his wits together enough to plan a path out of the crush。 〃I sized up this place from the shore；〃 Tim sighed complacently； drawing a long breath of relief； 〃only jest two chairs； so we won't be crowded。〃 Obediently； Nelson took his chair。 His head sank on his thin chest。 Richards or himself； which should he sacrifice？ So the weary old question droned through his brain。 He felt a tap on his shoulder。 The man who roused him was an acquaintance； and he stood smiling in the attitude of a man about to ask a favor； while the expectant half…smile of the lady on his arm hinted at the nature of the favor。 Would Mr。 Forrest be so kind？there seemed to be no more seats。 Before Mr。 Forrest could be kind Tim had yielded his own chair and was off； wriggling among the crowd in search of another place。 〃Smart boy； that youngster of yours；〃 said the man； 〃he'll make his way in the world； he can push。 Well； Miss Alma； let me make you acquainted with Mr。 Forrest。 I know you will be well entertained by him。 So； if you'll excuse me； I'll get back and help my wife wrestle with the kids。 They have been trying to see which will fall overboard first ever since we came on deck！〃 Under the leeway of this pleasantry he bowed and retired。 Nelson turned with determined politeness to the lady。 He was sorry that she had come； she looking to him a very fine lady indeed； with her black silk gown； her shining black ornaments； and her bright black eyes。 She was not young； but handsome in Nelson's judgment； although of a haughty bearing。 〃Maybe she is the principal of the High School；〃 thought he。 〃Martin has her for a boarder； and he said she was very particular about her melons being cold！〃 But however formidable a personage； the lady must be entertained。 〃I expect you are a resident of the city； ma'am？〃 said Nelson。 〃Yes； I was born here。〃 She smiled； a smile that revealed a little break in the curve of her cheek； not exactly a dimple； but like one。 〃I don't know when I have seen such a fine appearing lady；〃 thought Nelson。 He responded： 〃Well； I wasn't born here； but I come when I was a little shaver of ten and stayed till I was eighteen； when I went to Kansas to help fight the border ruffians。 I went to school here in the Warren Street school…house。〃 〃So did I； as long as I went anywhere to school。 I had to go to work when I was twelve。〃 Nelson's amazement took shape before his courtesy had a chance to control it。 〃I didn't suppose you ever did any work in your life！〃 cried he。 〃I guess I haven't done much else。 Father died when I was twelve and the oldest of five； the next only eightPolly； that came between Eb and me； diednaturally I had to work。 I was a nurse…girl by the day； first； and I never shall forget how kind the woman was to me。 She gave me so much dinner I never needed to eat any breakfast； which was a help。〃 〃You poor little thing！ I'm afraid you went hungry sometimes。〃 Immediately he marvelled at his familiar speech； but she did not seem to resent it。 〃No； not so often；〃 she said； musingly； 〃but I used often and often to wish I could carry some of the nice things home to mother and the babies。 After a while she would give me a cookey or a piece of bread and butter for lunch； that I could take home。 I don't suppose I'll often have more pleasure than I used to have then； seeing little Eb waiting for sister； and the baby and mother 〃 She stopped abruptly； to continue； in an instant； with a kind of laugh； 〃I am never likely to feel so important again as I did then； either。 It was great to have mother consulting me； as if I had been grown up。 I felt like I had the weight of the nation on my shoulders； I assure you。〃 〃And have you always worked since？ You are not working out now？〃 with a glance at her shining gown。 〃Oh； no； not for a long time。 I learned to be a cook。 I was a good cook； too； if I say it myself。 I worked for the Lossings for four years。 I am not a bit ashamed of being a hired girl； for I was as good a one as I knew how。 It was Mrs。 Lossing that first lent me books； and Harry Lossing； who is head of the firm now； got Ebenezer into the works。 Ebenezer is shipping…clerk with a good salary and stock in the concern； and Ralph is there； learning the trade。 I went to the business…college and learned book…keeping； and afterward I learned typewriting and shorthand。 I have been working for the firm for fourteen years。 We have educated the girls。 Milly is married； and Kitty goes to the boarding…school； here。〃 〃Then you haven't been married yourself？〃 〃What time did I have to think of being married？ I had the family on my mind； and looking after them。〃 〃That was more fortunate for your family than it was for my sex；〃 said Nelson； gallantly。 He accompanied the compliment by a glance of admiration； extinguished in an eye…flash； for the white radiance that had bathed the deck suddenly vanished。 〃Now you will see a lovely sight；〃 said the woman； deigning no reply to his tribute； 〃listen！ That is the signal。〃 The air was shaken with the boom of cannon。 Once； twice； thrice。 Directly the boat…whistles took up the roar； making a hideous din。 The fleet had moved。 Spouting rockets and Roman candles； which painted above it a kaleidoscopic archway of fire； welcomed by answering javelins of light and red and orange and blue and green flares from the shore； the fleet bombarded the bridge； escorted Neptune in his car； manoeuvred and massed and charged on the blazing city with a many…hued shower of flame。 After the boats； silently； softly； floated the battalions of lanterns； so close to the water that they seemed flaming water…lilies； while the dusky mirror repeated and inverted their splendor。 〃They're shingles； you know；〃 explained Nelson's companion； 〃with lanterns on them； but aren't they pretty？〃 〃Yes； they are！ I wish you had not told me。 It is like a fairy story！〃 〃Ain't it？ But we aren't through； there's more to come。 Beautiful fireworks！〃 The fireworks； however； were slow of coming。 They could see the barge from which they were to be sent； they could watch the movements of the men in white oil…cloth who moved in a ghostly fashion about the barge； they could hear the tap of hammers； but nothing came of it all。 They sat in the darkness； waiting； and there came to Nelson a strange sensation of being alone and apart from all the breathing world with this woman。 He did not perceive that Tim had quietly returned with a box which did very well for a seat； and was sitting with his knees against the chair…rungs。 He seemed to be somehow outside of all the tumult and the spectacle。 It was the vainglorying triumph of this world。 He was the soul outside； the soul that had missed its triumph。 In his perplexity and loneliness he felt an overwhelming longing for sympathy； neither did it strike Nelson； who believed in all sorts of occult influences； that his confidence in a stranger was unwarranted。 He would have told you that his 〃psychic instincts〃 never played him false； although really they were traitors from their astral cradles to their astral graves。 He said in a hesitating way： 〃You must excuse me being kinder dull； I've got some serious business on my mind and I can't help thinking of it。〃 〃Is that so？ Well； I know how that is； I have often stayed awake nights worrying about things。 Lest I shouldn't suit and all that especially after mother took sick。〃 〃I s'pose you had to give up and nurse her then？〃 〃That was what Ebenezer and Ralph were for having me do； but mother my mother always had so much sensemother says； 'No； Alma； you've got a good place and a chance in life； you sha'n't give it up。 We'll hire a girl。 I ain't never lonesome except evenings； and then you will be home。 I should jest want to die；' she says； 'if I thought I kept you in a kind of prison like by my being sicknow； just when you are getting on so well。' There never WAS a woman like my mother！〃 Her voice shook a little； and Nelson asked gently： 〃Ain't your mother living now？〃 〃No； she died last year。〃 She added； after a little silence； 〃I somehow can't get used to being lonesome。〃 〃It IS hard；〃 said Nelson。 〃I lost my wife three years ago。〃 〃That's hard； too。〃 〃My goodness！ I guess it is。 And it's hardest when trouble comes on a man and he can't go nowhere for advice。〃 〃Yes； that's so； too。 Buthave you
