in the carquinez woods-第19部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


Dunn　attempted　to　rise　to　his　feet。　　〃Put　your　hand　in　my
pocket；〃　he　said　in　a　hurried　whisper。　　〃No；　there！bring　out　a
book。　　There；　I　haven't　looked　at　it　yet。　　Is　that　it？〃　he　added；
handing　her　the　book　Brace　had　given　him　a　few　hours　before。

〃Yes；〃　said　Teresa；　in　surprise。　　〃Where　did　you　find　it？〃

〃Never　mind！　　Now　let　me　see　it；　quick。　　Open　it；　for　my　sight　is
failing。　　Therethank　youthat's　all！〃

〃Take　more　whisky；〃　said　Teresa；　with　a　strange　anxiety　creeping
over　her。　　〃You　are　faint　again。〃

〃Wait！　　Listen；　Teresalowerput　your　ear　lower。　　Listen！　　I
came　near　killing　that　chap　Low　to…day。　　Wouldn't　it　have　been
ridiculous？〃

He　tried　to　smile；　but　his　head　fell　back。　　He　had　fainted。


CHAPTER　IX


For　the　first　time　in　her　life　Teresa　lost　her　presence　of　mind
in　an　emergency。　　She　could　only　sit　staring　at　the　helpless　man；
scarcely　conscious　of　his　condition；　her　mind　filled　with　a
sudden　prophetic　intuition　of　the　significance　of　his　last　words。
In　the　light　of　that　new　revelation　she　looked　into　his　pale；
haggard　face　for　some　resemblance　to　Low；　but　in　vain。　　Yet　her
swift　feminine　instinct　met　the　objection。　　〃It's　the　mother's
blood　that　would　show；〃　she　murmured；　〃not　this　man's。〃

Recovering　herself；　she　began　to　chafe　his　hands　and　temples；　and
moistened　his　lips　with　the　spirit。　　When　his　respiration
returned　with　a　faint　color　to　his　cheeks；　she　pressed　his　hands
eagerly　and　leaned　over　him。

〃Are　you　sure？〃　she　asked。

〃Of　what？〃　he　whispered　faintly。

〃That　Low　is　really　your　son？〃

〃Who　said　so？〃　he　asked；　opening　his　round　eyes　upon　her。

〃You　did　yourself；　a　moment　ago；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃Don't　you
remember？〃

〃Did　I？〃

〃You　did。　　Is　it　not　so？〃

He　smiled　faintly。　　〃I　reckon。〃

She　held　her　breath　in　expectation。　　But　only　the　ludicrousness
of　the　discovery　seemed　paramount　to　his　weakened　faculties。
〃Isn't　it　just　about　the　ridiculousest　thing　all　round？〃　he　said；
with　a　feeble　chuckle。　　〃First　YOU　nearly　kill　me　before　you　know
I　am　Low's　father；　then　I'm　just　spoilin'　to　kill　him　before　I
know　he's　my　son；　then　that　god…forsaken　fool　Jack　Brace　mistakes
you　for　Nellie　and　Nellie　for　you。　　Ain't　it　just　the　biggest
thing　for　the　boys　to　get　hold　of？　　But　we　must　keep　it　dark
until　after　I　marry　Nellie；　don't　you　see？　　Then　we'll　have　a
good　time　all　round；　and　I'll　stand　the　drinks。　　Think　of　it；
Teresha！　　You　don'　no　me；　I　do'　no　you；　nobody　knowsh　anybody
elsh。　　I　try　kill　Lo'。　　Lo'　wants　kill　Nellie。　　No　thath　no　ri'〃
but　the　potent　liquor；　overtaking　his　exhausted　senses；
thickened；　impeded；　and　at　last　stopped　his　speech。　　His　head
slipped　to　her　shoulder；　and　he　became　once　more　unconscious。

Teresa　breathed　again。　　In　that　brief　moment　she　had　abandoned
herself　to　a　wild　inspiration　of　hope　which　she　could　scarcely
define。　　Not　that　it　was　entirely　a　wild　inspiration；　she　tried
to　reason　calmly。　　What　if　she　revealed　the　truth　to　him？　　What
if　she　told　the　wretched　man　before　her　that　she　had　deceived
him；　that　she　had　overheard　his　conversation　with　Brace；　that　she
had　stolen　Brace's　horse　to　bring　Low　warning；　that；　failing　to
find　Low　in　his　accustomed　haunts；　or　at　the　campfire；　she　had
left　a　note　for　him　pinned　to　the　herbarium；　imploring　him　to　fly
with　his　companion　from　the　danger　that　was　coming；　and　that；
remaining　on　watch；　she　had　seen　them　bothBrace　and　Dunn
approaching；　and　had　prepared　to　meet　them　at　the　cabin？　　Would
this　miserable　and　maddened　man　understand　her　self…abnegation？
Would　he　forgive　Low　and　Nellie？she　did　not　ask　for　herself。
Or　would　the　revelation　turn　his　brain；　if　it　did　not　kill　him
outright？　　She　looked　at　the　sunken　orbits　of　his　eyes　and　hectic
on　his　cheek；　and　shuddered。

Why　was　this　added　to　the　agony　she　already　suffered？　　She　had
been　willing　to　stand　between　them　with　her　life；　her　liberty；
and　eventhe　hot　blood　dyed　her　cheek　at　the　thoughtwith　the
added　shame　of　being　thought　the　cast…off　mistress　of　that　man's
son。　　Yet　all　this　she　had　taken　upon　herself　in　expiation　of
somethingshe　knew　not　clearly　what；　no；　for　nothingonly　for
HIM。　　And　yet　this　very　situation　offered　her　that　gleam　of　hope
which　had　thrilled　her；　a　hope　so　wild　in　its　improbability；　so
degrading　in　its　possibility；　that　at　first　she　knew　not　whether
despair　was　not　preferable　to　its　shame。　　And　yet　was　it
unreasonable？　　She　was　no　longer　passionate；　she　would　be　calm
and　think　it　out　fairly。

She　would　go　to　Low　at　once。　　She　would　find　him　somewhereand
even　if　with　that　girl；　what　mattered？and　she　would　tell　him
all。　　When　he　knew　that　the　life　and　death　of　his　father　lay　in
the　scale；　would　he　let　his　brief；　foolish　passion　for　Nellie
stand　in　the　way？　　Even　if　he　were　not　influenced　by　filial
affection　or　mere　compassion；　would　his　pride　let　him　stoop　to　a
rivalry　with　the　man　who　had　deserted　his　youth？　　Could　he　take
Dunn's　promised　bride；　who　must　have　coquetted　with　him　to　have
brought　him　to　this　miserable　plight？　　Was　this　like　the　calm；
proud　young　god　she　knew？　　Yet　she　had　an　uneasy　instinct　that
calm；　proud　young　gods　and　goddesses　did　things　like　this；　and
felt　the　weakness　of　her　reasoning　flush　her　own　conscious　cheek。

〃Teresa！〃

She　started。　　Dunn　was　awake；　and　was　gazing　at　her　curiously。

〃I　was　reckoning　it　was　the　only　square　thing　for　Low　to　stop
this　promiscuous　picnicking　here　and　marry　you　out　and　out。〃

〃Marry　me！〃　said　Teresa　in　a　voice　that；　with　all　her　efforts；
she　could　not　make　cynical。

〃Yes；〃　he　repeated；　〃after　I've　married　Nellie；　tote　you　down　to
San　Angeles；　and　there　take　my　name　like　a　man；　and　give　it　to
you。　　Nobody'll　ask　after　TERESA；　sureyou　bet　your　life。　　And
if　they　do；　and　he　can't　stop　their　jaw；　just　you　call　on　the　old
man。　　It's　mighty　queer；　ain't　it；　Teresa；　to　think　of　your　being
my　daughter…in…law？〃

It　seemed　here　as　if　he　was　about　to　lapse　again　into　unconsciousness
over　the　purely　ludicrous　aspect　of　the　subject；　but　he　haply
recovered　his　seriousness。　　〃He'll　have　as　much　money　from　me　as　he
wants　to　go　into　business　with。　　What's　his　line　of　business；
Teresa？〃　asked　this　prospective　father…in…law；　in　a　large；　liberal　way。

〃He　is　a　botanist！〃　said　Teresa；　with　a　sudden　childish　animation
that　seemed　to　keep　up　the　grim　humor　of　the　paternal　suggestion；
〃and　oh；　he　is　too　poor　to　buy　books！　　I　sent　for　one　or　two　for
him　myself；　the　other　day〃　she　hesitated〃it　was　all　the　money
I　had；　but　it　wasn't　enough　for　him　to　go　on　with　his　studies。〃

Dunn　looked　at　her　sparkling　eyes　and　glowing　cheeks；　and　became
thoughtful。　　〃Curson　must　have　been　a　dd　fool；〃　he　said　finally。

Teresa　remained　silent。　　She　was　beginning　to　be　impatient　and
uneasy；　fearing　some　mischance　that　might　delay　her　dreaded；　yet
longed…for　meeting　with　Low。　　Yet　she　could　not　leave　this　sick
and　exhausted　man；　HIS　FATHER；　now　bound　to　her　by　more　than　mere
humanity。

〃Couldn't　you　manage；〃　she　said　gently；　〃to　lean　on　me　a　few
steps　further；　until　I　could　bring　you　to　a　cooler　spot　and
nearer　assistance？〃

He　nodded。　　She　lifted　him　almost　like　a　child　to　his　feet。　　A
spasm　of　pain　passed　over　his　face。　　〃How　far　is　it？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　more　than　ten　minutes；〃　she　replied。

〃I　can　make　a　spurt　for　that　time；〃　he　said　coolly；　and　began　to
walk　slowly　but　steadily　on。　　Only　his　face；　which　was　white　and
set；　and　the　convulsive　grip　of　his　hand　on　her　arm　betrayed　the
effort。　　At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　she　stopped。　　They　stood
before　the　splintered；　lightning…scarred　shaft　in　the　opening　of
the　woods；　where　Low　had　built　her　first　camp…fire。　　She
carefully　picked　up　the　herbarium；　but　her　quick　eye　had　already
detected　in　the　distance；　before　she　had　allowed　Dunn　to　enter
the　opening　with　her；　that　her　note　was　gone。　　Low　had　been　there
before　them；　he　had　been　warned；　as　his　absence　from　the　cabin
showed；　he　would　not　return　there。　　They　were　free　from
interruptionbut　where　had　he　gone？

The　sick　man　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief　as　she　seated　him　in
the　clover…grown　hollow　where　she　had　slept　the　second　night　of
her　stay。　　〃It's　cooler　than　those　cursed　woods；〃　he　said。　　〃I
suppose　it's　because　it's　a　little　like　a　grave。　　What　are　you
going　to　do　now？〃　he　added；　as　she　brought　a　cup　of　water　and
placed　it　at　his　side。

〃I　am　going　to　leave　you　here　for　a　little　while；〃　she　said
cheerfully；　but　with　a　pale　face　and　nervous　hands。　　〃I'm　going
to　leave　you　while　I　seek　Low。〃

The　sick　man　raised　his　head。　　〃I'm　good　for　a　spurt；　Teresa；
like　that　I've　just　got　through；　but　I　don't　think　I'm　up　to　a
family　party。　　Couldn't　you　issue　cards　later　on？〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　going　to　get　Low　to　send
some　one　of　your　friends　to　you　here。　　I　don't　think　he'll
begrudge　leaving　HER　a　moment　for　that；〃　she　added　to　herself
bitterly。

〃What's　that　you're　saying？〃　he　queried；　with　the　nervous
quickness　of　an　invalid。

〃Nothingbut　that　I'm　going　now。〃　　She　turned　her　face　aside　to
hide　her　moistened　eyes。　　〃Wish　me　good　luck；　won't　you？〃　she
asked；　half　sadly；　half　pettishly。

〃Come　here！〃

She　came　and　bent　over　him。　　He　suddenly　raised　his