a mountain europa-第2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！


f　interested　spectators；　and；　within；　two　dancers　pitted　against　each　other；　and　shuffling　with　a　zest　that　labor　seemed　never　to　affect。

Immediately　after　supper　Clayton　went　to　his　room；　lighted　his　lamp；　and　sat　down　to　a　map　he　was　tracing。　　His　room　was　next　the　ground；　and　a　path　ran　near　the　open　window。　　As　he　worked；　every　passer…by　would　look　curiously　within。　　On　the　wall　above　his　head　a　pair　of　fencing…foils　were　crossed　under　masks。　　Below　these　hung　two　pistols；　such　as　courteous　Claude　Duval　used　for　side…arms。　　Opposite　were　two　old　rifles；　and　beneath　them　two　stone　beer…mugs；　and　a　German　student's　pipe　absurdly　long　and　richly　ornamented。　　A　mantel　close　by　was　filled　with　curiosities；　and　near　it　hung　a　banjo　unstrung；　a　tennis…racket；　and　a　blazer　of　startling　colors。　　Plainly　they　were　relics　of　German　student　life；　and　the　odd　contrast　they　made　with　the　rough　wall　and　ceiling　suggested　a　sharp　change　in　the　fortunes　of　the　young　worker　beneath。　　Scarcely　six　months　since　he　had　been　suddenly　summoned　home　from　Germany。　　The　reason　was　vague；　but　having　read　of　recent　American　failures；　notably　in　Wall　Street；　he　knew　what　had　happened。　Reaching　New　York；　he　was　startled　by　the　fear　that　his　mother　was　dead；　so　gloomy　was　the　house；　so　subdued　his　sister's　greeting；　and　so　worn　and　sad　his　father's　face。　　The　trouble；　however；　was　what　he　had　guessed；　and　he　had　accepted　it　with　quiet　resignation。　　The　financial　wreck　seemed　complete；　but　one　resource；　however；　was　left。　　Just　after　the　war　Clayton's　father　had　purchased　mineral　lands　in　the　South；　and　it　was　with　the　idea　of　developing　these　that　he　had　encouraged　the　marked　scientific　tastes　of　his　son；　and　had　sent　him　to　a　German　university。　　In　view　of　his　own　disaster；　and　the　fact　that　a　financial　tide　was　swelling　southward；　his　forethought　seemed　an　inspiration。　　To　this　resource　Clayton　turned　eagerly；　and　after　a　few　weeks　at　home；　which　were　made　intolerable　by　straitened　circumstances；　and　the　fancied　coldness　of　friend　and　acquaintance；　he　was　hard　at　work　in　the　heart　of　the　Kentucky　mountains。

The　transition　from　the　careless　life　of　a　student　was　swift　and　bitter；　it　was　like　beginning　a　new　life　with　a　new　identity；　though　Clayton　suffered　less　than　he　anticipated。　　He　had　become　interested　from　the　first。　　There　was　nothing　in　the　pretty　glen；　when　he　came；　but　a　mountaineer's　cabin　and　a　few　gnarled　old　apple…trees；　the　roots　of　which　checked　the　musical　flow　of　a　little　stream。　　Then　the　air　was　filled　with　the　tense　ring　of　hammer　and　saw；　the　mellow　echoes　of　axes；　and　the　shouts　of　ox…drivers　from　the　forests；　indignant　groans　from　the　mountains；　and　a　little　town　sprang　up　before　his　eyes；　and　cars　of　shining　coal　wound　slowly　about　the　mountainside。

Activity　like　this　stirred　his　blood。　　Busy　from　dawn　to　dark；　he　had　no　time　to　grow　miserable。　　His　work　was　hard；　to　be　sure；　but　it　made　rest　and　sleep　a　luxury；　and　it　had　the　new　zest　of　independence；　he　even　began　to　take　in　it　no　little　pride　when　he　found　himself　an　essential　part　of　the　quick　growth　going　on。　When　leisure　came；　he　could　take　to　woods　filled　with　unknown　birds；　new　forms　of　insect　life；　and　strange　plants　and　flowers。　　With　every　day；　too；　he　was　more　deeply　stirred　by　the　changing　beauty　of　the　mountains　hidden　at　dawn　with　white　mists；　faintly　veiled　through　the　day　with　an　atmosphere　that　made　him　think　of　Italy；　and　enriched　by　sunsets　of　startling　beauty。　　But　strongest　of　all　was　the　interest　he　found　in　the　odd　human　mixture　about　him…the　simple；　good…natured　darkies　who　slouched　past　him；　magnificent　in　physique　and　picturesque　with　rags；　occasional　foreigners　just　from　Castle　Garden；　with　the　hope　of　the　New　World　still　in　their　faces；　and　now　and　then　a　gaunt　mountaineer　stalking　awkwardly　in　the　rear　of　the　march　toward　civilization。　　Gradually　it　had　dawned　upon　him　that　this　last；　silent　figure；　traced　through　Virginia；　was　closely　linked　by　blood　and　speech　with　the　common　people　of　England；　and；　moulded　perhaps　by　the　influences　of　feudalism；　was　still　strikingly　unchanged；　that　now　it　was　the　most　distinctively　national　remnant　on　American　soil；　and　symbolized　the　development　of　the　continent；　and　that　with　it　must　go　the　last　suggestions　of　the　pioneers；　with　their　hardy　physiques；　their　speech；　their　manners　and　customs；　their　simple　architecture　and　simple　mode　of　life。　　It　was　soon　plain　to　him；　too；　that　a　change　was　being　wrought　at　last…the　change　of　destruction。　The　older　mountaineers；　whose　bewildered　eyes　watched　the　noisy　signs　of　an　unintelligible　civilization；　were　passing　away。　　Of　the　rest；　some；　sullen　and　restless；　were　selling　their　homesteads　and　following　the　spirit　of　their　forefathers　into　a　new　wilderness；　others；　leaving　their　small　farms　in　adjacent　valleys　to　go　to　ruin；　were　gaping　idly　about　the　public　works；　caught　up　only　too　easily　by　the　vicious　current　of　the　incoming　tide。　　In　a　century　the　mountaineers　must　be　swept　away；　and　their　ignorance　of　the　tragic　forces　at　work　among　them　gave　them　an　unconscious　pathos　that　touched　Clayton　deeply。

As　he　grew　to　know　them；　their　historical　importance　yielded　to　a　genuine　interest　in　the　people　themselves。　　They　were　densely　ignorant；　to　be　sure；　but　they　were　natural；　simple；　and　hospitable。　　　Their　sense　of　personal　worth　was　high；　and　their　democracy…or　aristocracy；　　since　there　was　no　distinction　of　caste…absolute。　For　generations；　　son　had　lived　like　father　in　an　isolation　hardly　credible。　　　No　influence　save　such　as　shook　the　nation　ever　reached　them。　　The　Mexican　war；　slavery；　and　national　politics　of　the　first　　half…century　were　still　present　issues；　and　each　old　man　would　give　　his　rigid；　individual　opinion　sometimes　with　surprising　humor　and　force。　　　He　went　much　among　them；　and　the　rugged　old　couples　whom　he　found　　in　the　cabin　porches…so　much　alike　at　first…quickly　became　distinct　　with　a　quaint　individuality。　Among　young　or　old；　however；　he　had　found　　nothing　like　the　half…wild　young　creature　he　had　met　on　the　mountain　that　day。　　　In　her　a　type　had　crossed　his　path…had　driven　him　from　it；　in　truth…that　　seemed　unique　and　inexplicable。　He　had　been　little　more　than　amused　at　first；　　but　a　keen　interest　had　been　growing　in　him　with　every　thought　of　her。　　　There　was　an　indefinable　charm　about　the　girl。　　She　gave　a　new　and　sudden　　zest　to　his　interest　in　mountain　life；　and　while　he　worked；　the　incidents　　of　the　encounter　on　the　mountain　came　minutely　back　to　him　till　he　saw　her　　again　as　she　rode　away；　her　supple　figure　swaying　with　every　movement　　of　the　beast；　and　dappled　with　quivering　circles　of　sunlight　from　the　bushes；　　her　face　calm；　but　still　flushed　with　color；　and　her　yellow　hair　shaking　　about　her　shoulders…not　lustreless　and　flaxen；　as　hair　was　in　the　mountains；　　he　remembered；　but　catching　the　sunlight　like　gold。

Almost　unconsciously　he　laid　aside　his　pencil　and　leaned　from　his　window　to　lift　his　eyes　to　the　dark　mountain　he　had　climbed　that　day。　The　rude　melody　of　an　old…fashioned　hymn　was　coming　up　the　glen；　and　he　recognized　the　thin；　quavering　voice　of　an　old　mountaineer；　Uncle　Tommy　Brooks；　as　he　was　familiarly　known；　whose　cabin　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　camp；　a　pathetic　contrast　to　the　smart　new　houses　that　had　sprung　around　it。　　The　old　man　had　lived　in　the　glen　for　nearly　three…quarters　of　a　century；　and　he；　if　any　one；　must　know　the　girl。　With　the　thought；　Clayton　sprang　through　the　window；　and　a　few　minutes　later　was　at　the　cabin。　　The　old　man　sat　whittling　in　the　porch；　joining　in　the　song　with　which　his　wife　was　crooning　a　child　to　sleep　within。　　Clayton　easily　identified　Europa；　as　he　had　christened　her；　the　simple　mention　of　her　means　of　transport　was　sufficient。

Ridin'　a　bull；　was　she？　〃　repeated　the　old　man；　　laughing。　　〃Well；　　that　　was　Easter　Hicks；　old　Bill　Hicks'　gal。　　She's　a　sort　o'　connection　o'　mine。　　Me　and　Bill　married　cousins。

She's　a　cur'us　critter　as　ever　I　seed。　　She　don'　seem　to　take　atter　her　dad　nur　her　mammy　nother；　though　Bill　allus　had　a　quar　streak　in　'im；　and　was　the　wust　man　I　ever　seed　when　he　was　disguised　by　licker。　　Whar　does　she　live？　　Oh；　up　thar；　right　on　top　o'　Wolf　Mountain；　with　her　mammy。〃

Alone？

〃Yes；　fer　her　dad　ain't　thar。　　No；　'n'　he　ain't　dead。　　I'll　tell　ye〃…the　old　man　lowered　his　tone…〃　thar　used　to　be　a　big　lot　o'　moonshinin'　done　in　these　parts；　'n'　a　raider　come　hyeh　to　see　'bout　it。　　Well；　one　mornin'　he　was　found　layin'　in　the　road　with　a　bullet　through　him。　　Bill　was　s'picioned。　　Now；　I　ain't　a…sayin'　as　Bill　done　it；　but　when　a　whole　lot　more　rode　up　thar　on　hosses　one　night；　they　didn't　find　Bill。　They　hain't　found　him　yit；　fer　he's　out　in　the　mountains　somewhar　a…hidin'。〃

〃How　do　they　get　along　without　him？〃　asked　Clayton。

〃Why；　the　gal　does　the　work。　　She　ploughs　with　that　bull；　and　does　the　plantin'　herself。　She　kin　chop　wood　like　a　man。　　An'　as　fer　shootin'；　well；　when　huntin's　good　'n'　thar's　shootin'…matches　round…about；　she　don't　have　to　buy　much　meat。〃

〃It's　a　wonder　some　young　fellow　hasn't　married　her。　　I　suppose；　though；　she's　too　young。〃

The　old　man　laughed。　　〃Thar's　been　many　a　lively　young　fellow　that's　tried　it；　but　she's　hard　to　ketch　as　a　wildcat。　　She　won't　have　nothin'　to　do　with　other　folks；　'n'　she　nuver　comes　down　hyeh　into　the　valley；　'cept　to　git　her　corn　groun'　er　to　shoot　a　turkey。　　Sherd　Raines　goes　up　to　see　her；　and　folks　say　he　air　tryin'　to　git　her　into　the　church。　　But　the　gal　won't　go　nigh　a　meetin'…house。　　She　air　a　cur'us　critter；〃　he　concluded　emphatically；　〃　shy　as　a　deer　till　she　air　stirred　up；　and　then　she　air　a　caution；　mighty　gentle　sometimes；　and　ag'in　stubborn　as　a　mule。〃

A　shrill；　infantile　scream　came　from　within；　and　the　old　man　paused　a　moment　to　listen。

〃Ye　didn't　know　I　had　a　great…grandchild；　did　ye？　　That's　it　a…hollerin'。　　Talk　about　Easter　bein'　too　young　to　merry！　　Why　hit's　mother　air　two　year　younger'n　Easter。　　Jes　come　in　hyeh　a　minit。〃　　The　old　mountaineer　rose　and　led　the　way　into　the　cabin。　　Clayton　was　embarrassed　at　first。　　On　one　bed　lay　a　rather　comely　young　woman　with　a　child　by　her　side；　on　a　chest　close　by　sat　another　with　her　lover；　courting　in　the　most　open　and　primitive　manner。　　In