a sappho of green springs- 第3部分

the　dizzy　depths；　and　critically　examined　his　questioner。　　Jack　had

on　this　occasion　modified　his　usual　correct　conventional　attire　by

a　tasteful　combination　of　a　vaquero's　costume；　and；　in　loose　white

bullion…fringed　trousers；　red　sash；　jacket；　and　sombrero；　looked

infinitely　more　dashing　and　picturesque　than　his　original。

Nevertheless；　the　boy　did　not　reply。　　Mr。　Hamlin's　pride　in　his

usual　ascendency　over　women；　children；　horses；　and　all　unreasoning

animals　was　deeply　nettled。　　He　smiled；　however；　and　said；　quietly；



〃Come　here；　George　Washington。　　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃



Without　rejecting　this　august　yet　impossible　title；　the　boy

presently　lifted　his　feet；　and　carelessly　resumed　his　passage

across　the　chasm　until；　reaching　the　sycamore；　he　began　to　let

himself　down　squirrel…wise；　leap　by　leap；　with　an　occasional

trapeze　swinging　from　bough　to　bough；　dropping　at　last　easily　to

the　ground。　　Here　he　appeared　to　be　rather　good…looking；　albeit　the

sun　and　air　had　worked　a　miracle　of　brown　tan　and　freckles　on　his

exposed　surfaces；　until　the　mottling　of　his　oval　cheeks　looked　like

a　polished　bird's　egg。　　Indeed；　it　struck　Mr。　Hamlin　that　he　was　as

intensely　a　part　of　that　sylvan　seclusion　as　the　hidden　brook　that

murmured；　the　brown　velvet　shadows　that　lay　like　trappings　on　the

white　flanks　of　his　horse；　the　quivering　heat；　and　the　stinging

spice　of　bay。　　Mr。　Hamlin　had　vague　ideas　of　dryads　and　fauns；　but

at　that　moment　would　have　bet　something　on　the　chances　of　their

survival。



〃I　did　not　hear　what　you　said　just　now；　general；〃　he　remarked；　with

great　elegance　of　manner；　〃but　I　know　from　your　reputation　that　it

could　not　be　a　lie。　　I　therefore　gather　that　there　IS　another　way

across。〃



The　boy　smiled；　rather；　his　very　short　upper　lip　apparently

vanished　completely　over　his　white　teeth；　and　his　very　black　eyes；

which　showed　a　great　deal　of　the　white　around　them；　danced　in　their

orbits。



〃But　YOU　couldn't　find　it；〃　he　said；　slyly。



〃No　more　could　you　find　the　half…dollar　I　dropped　just　now；　unless

I　helped　you。〃



Mr。　Hamlin；　by　way　of　illustration；　leaned　deeply　over　his　left

stirrup；　and　pointed　to　the　ground。　　At　the　same　moment　a　bright

half…dollar　absolutely　appeared　to　glitter　in　the　herbage　at　the

point　of　his　finger。　　It　was　a　trick　that　had　always　brought　great

pleasure　and　profit　to　his　young　friends；　and　some　loss　and

discomfiture　of　wager　to　his　older　ones。



The　boy　picked　up　the　coin：　〃There's　a　dip　and　a　level　crossing

about　a　mile　over　yer；〃he　pointed；〃but　it's　through　the　woods；

and　they're　that　high　with　thick　bresh。〃



〃With　what？〃



〃Bresh；〃　repeated　the　boy；　〃THAT；〃pointing　to　a　few　fronds　of

bracken　growing　in　the　shadow　of　the　sycamore。



〃Oh！　underbrush？〃



〃Yes；　I　said　'bresh；'〃　returned　the　boy；　doggedly。　　〃YOU　might　get

through；　ef　you　war　spry；　but　not　your　hoss。　　Where　do　you　want　to

go；　anyway？〃



〃Do　you　know；　George；〃　said　Mr。　Hamlin；　lazily　throwing　his　right

leg　over　the　horn　of　his　saddle　for　greater　ease　and　deliberation

in　replying；　〃it's　very　odd；　but　that's　just　what　I'D　like　to　know。

Now；　what　would　YOU；　in　your　broad　statesmanlike　views　of　things

generally；　advise？〃



Quite　convinced　of　the　stranger's　mental　unsoundness；　the　boy

glanced　again　at　his　half…dollar；　as　if　to　make　sure　of　its

integrity；　pocketed　it　doubtfully；　and　turned　away。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　said　Hamlin；　resuming　his　seat　with　the

agility　of　a　circus…rider；　and　spurring　forward。



〃To　Green　Springs；　where　I　live；　two　miles　over　the　ridge　on　the

far　slope；〃indicating　the　direction。



〃Ah！〃　said　Jack；　with　thoughtful　gravity。　　〃Well；　kindly　give　my

love　to　your　sister；　will　you？〃



〃George　Washington　didn't　have　no　sister；〃　said　the　boy；　cunningly。



〃Can　I　have　been　mistaken？〃　said　Hamlin；　lifting　his　hand　to　his

forehead　with　grieved　accents。　　〃Then　it　seems　YOU　have。　　Kindly

give　her　my　love。〃



〃Which　one？〃　asked　the　boy；　with　a　swift　glance　of　mischief。　　〃I've

got　four。〃



〃The　one　that's　like　you；〃　returned　Hamlin；　with　prompt　exactitude。

〃Now；　where's　the　'bresh'　you　spoke　of？〃



〃Keep　along　the　edge　until　you　come　to　the　log…slide。　　Foller　that；

and　it'll　lead　you　into　the　woods。　　But　ye　won't　go　far；　I　tell　ye。

When　you　have　to　turn　back；　instead　o'　comin'　back　here；　you　kin

take　the　trail　that　goes　round　the　woods；　and　that'll　bring　ye　out

into　the　stage　road　ag'in　near　the　post…office　at　the　Green　Springs

crossin'　and　the　new　hotel。　　That'll　be　war　ye'll　turn　up；　I

reckon；〃　he　added；　reflectively。　　〃Fellers　that　come　yer　gunnin'

and　fishin'　gin'rally　do；〃　he　concluded；　with　a　half…inquisitive

air。



〃Ah？〃　said　Mr。　Hamlin；　quietly　shedding　the　inquiry。　　〃Green

Springs　Hotel　is　where　the　stage　stops；　eh？〃



〃Yes；　and　at　the　post…office；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃She'll　be　along　here

soon；〃　he　added。



〃If　you　mean　the　Santa　Cruz　stage；〃　said　Hamlin；　〃she's　here

already。　　I　passed　her　on　the　ridge　half　an　hour　ago。〃



The　boy　gave　a　sudden　start；　and　a　quick　uneasy　expression　passed

over　his　face。　　〃Go　'long　with　ye！〃　he　said；　with　a　forced　smile：

〃it　ain't　her　time　yet。〃



〃But　I　SAW　her；〃　repeated　Hamlin；　much　amused。　　〃Are　you　expecting

company？　　Hullo！　　Where　are　you　off　to？　　Come　back。〃



But　his　companion　had　already　vanished　in　the　thicket　with　the

undeliberate　and　impulsive　act　of　an　animal。　　There　was　a　momentary

rustle　in　the　alders　fifty　feet　away；　and　then　all　was　silent。　　The

hidden　brook　took　up　its　monotonous　murmur；　the　tapping　of　a

distant　woodpecker　became　suddenly　audible；　and　Mr。　Hamlin　was

again　alone。



〃Wonder　whether　he's　got　parents　in　the　stage；　and　has　been　playing

truant　here；〃　he　mused；　lazily。　　〃Looked　as　if　he'd　been　up　to　some

devilment；　or　more　like　as　if　he　was　primed　for　it。　　If　he'd　been　a

little　older；　I'd　have　bet　he　was　in　league　with　some　road…agents

to　watch　the　coach。　　Just　my　luck　to　have　him　light　out　as　I　was

beginning　to　get　some　talk　out　of　him。〃　　He　paused；　looked　at　his

watch；　and　straightened　himself　in　his　stirrups。　　〃Four　o'clock。　　I

reckon　I　might　as　well　try　the　woods　and　what　that　imp　calls　the

'bresh；'　I　may　strike　a　shanty　or　a　native　by　the　way。〃



With　this　determination；　Mr。　Hamlin　urged　his　horse　along　the　faint

trail　by　the　brink　of　the　watercourse　which　the　boy　had　just

indicated。　　He　had　no　definite　end　in　view　beyond　the　one　that　had

brought　him　the　day　before　to　that　localityhis　quest　of　the

unknown　poetess。　　His　clue　would　have　seemed　to　ordinary　humanity

the　faintest。　　He　had　merely　noted　the　provincial　name　of　a　certain

plant　mentioned　in　the　poem；　and　learned　that　its　habitat　was

limited　to　the　southern　local　range；　while　its　peculiar　nomenclature

was　clearly　of　French　Creole　or　Gulf　State　origin。　　This　gave　him　a

large　though　sparsely…populated　area　for　locality；　while　it

suggested　a　settlement　of　Louisianians　or　Mississippians　near　the

Summit；　of　whom；　through　their　native　gambling　proclivities；　he　was

professionally　cognizant。　　But　he　mainly　trusted　Fortune。　　Secure　in

his　faith　in　the　feminine　character　of　that　goddess；　he　relied　a

great　deal　on　her　well…known　weakness　for　scamps　of　his　quality。



It　was　not　long　before　he　came　to　the　〃slide〃a　lightly…cut　or

shallow　ditch。　　It　descended　slightly　in　a　course　that　was　far　from

straight；　at　times　diverging　to　avoid　the　obstacles　of　trees　or

boulders；　at　times　shaving　them　so　closely　as　to　leave　smooth

abrasions　along　their　sides　made　by　the　grinding　passage　of　long

logs　down　the　incline。　　The　track　itself　was　slippery　from　this；

and　preoccupied　all　Hamlin's　skill　as　a　horseman；　even　to　the　point

of　stopping　his　usual　careless　whistle。　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour

the　track　became　level　again；　and　he　was　confronted　with　a　singular

phenomenon。



He　had　entered　the　wood；　and　the　trail　seemed　to　cleave　through　a

far…stretching；　motionless　sea　of　ferns　that　flowed　on　either　side

to　the　height　of　his　horse's　flanks。　　The　straight　shafts　of　the

trees　rose　like　columns　from　their　hidden　bases　and　were　lost　again

in　a　roof　of　impenetrable　leafage；　leaving　a　clear　space　of　fifty

feet　between；　through　which　the　surrounding　horizon　of　sky　was

perfectly　visible。　　All　the　light　that　entered　this　vast　sylvan

hall　came　from　the　sides；　nothing　permeated　from　above；　nothing

radiated　from　below；　the　height　of　the　crest　on　which　the　wood　was

placed　gave　it　this　lateral　illumination；　but　gave　it　also　the

profound　isolation　of　some　temple　raised　by　long…forgotten　hands。

In　spite　of　the　height　of　these　clear　shafts；　they　seemed　dwarfed

by　the　expanse　of　the　wood；　and　in　the　farthest　perspective　the

base　of　ferns　and　the　capital　of　foliage　appeared　almost　to　meet。

As　the　boy　had　warned　him；　the　slide　had　turned　aside；　skirting　the

wood　to　follow　the　incline；　and　presently　the　little　trail　he　now

followed　vanished　utterly；　leaving　him　and　his　horse　adrift　breast…

high　in　this　green　and　yellow　sea　of　fronds。　　But　Mr。　Hamlin；

imperious　of　obstacles；　and　touched　by　some　curiosity；　continued　to

advance　lazily；　taking　the　bearings　of　a　larger　red…wood　in　the

centre　of　the　grove　for　his　objective　point。　　The　elastic　mass　gave

way　before　him；　brushing　his　knees　or　combing　his　horse's　flanks

with　wide…spread　elfin　fingers；　and　closing　up　behind　him　as　he

passed；　as　if　to　obliterate　any　track　by　which　he　might　return。

Yet　his　usual　luck　did　not　desert　him　here。　　Being　on　horseback；　he

found　that　he　could　detect　what　had　been　invisible　to　the　boy　and

probably　to　all　pedestrians；　namely；　that　the　growth　was　not

equally　dense；　that　there　were　certain　thinner　and　more　open　spaces

that　he　could　take　advantage　of　by　more　circuitous　progression；

always；　however；　keeping　the　bearings　of　the　central　tree。　　This　he

at　last　reached；　and　halted　his　panting　horse。　　Here　a　new　idea

which　had　been　haunting　him　si