roughing it-第10部分

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！


bull　chased　the　passenger　Bemis　nearly　two　miles；　and　then　he　forsook　his
horse　and　took　to　a　lone　tree。　　He　was　very　sullen　about　the　matter　for
some　twenty…four　hours；　but　at　last　he　began　to　soften　little　by　little；
and　finally　he　said：

〃Well；　it　was　not　funny；　and　there　was　no　sense　in　those　gawks　making
themselves　so　facetious　over　it。　　I　tell　you　I　was　angry　in　earnest　for
awhile。　　I　should　have　shot　that　long　gangly　lubber　they　called　Hank；　if
I　could　have　done　it　without　crippling　six　or　seven　other　peoplebut　of
course　I　couldn't；　the　old　'Allen's'　so　confounded　comprehensive。　　I　wish
those　loafers　had　been　up　in　the　tree；　they　wouldn't　have　wanted　to　laugh
so。　　If　I　had　had　a　horse　worth　a　centbut　no；　the　minute　he　saw　that
buffalo　bull　wheel　on　him　and　give　a　bellow；　he　raised　straight　up　in　the
air　and　stood　on　his　heels。　　The　saddle　began　to　slip；　and　I　took　him
round　the　neck　and　laid　close　to　him；　and　began　to　pray。　　Then　he　came
down　and　stood　up　on　the　other　end　awhile；　and　the　bull　actually　stopped
pawing　sand　and　bellowing　to　contemplate　the　inhuman　spectacle。

Then　the　bull　made　a　pass　at　him　and　uttered　a　bellow　that　sounded
perfectly　frightful；　it　was　so　close　to　me；　and　that　seemed　to　literally
prostrate　my　horse's　reason；　and　make　a　raving　distracted　maniac　of　him；
and　I　wish　I　may　die　if　he　didn't　stand　on　his　head　for　a　quarter　of　a
minute　and　shed　tears。　　He　was　absolutely　out　of　his　mindhe　was；　as
sure　as　truth　itself；　and　he　really　didn't　know　what　he　was　doing。　　Then
the　bull　came　charging　at　us；　and　my　horse　dropped　down　on　all　fours　and
took　a　fresh　startand　then　for　the　next　ten　minutes　he　would　actually
throw　one　hand…spring　after　another　so　fast　that　the　bull　began　to　get
unsettled；　too；　and　didn't　know　where　to　start　inand　so　he　stood　there
sneezing；　and　shovelling　dust　over　his　back；　and　bellowing　every　now　and
then；　and　thinking　he　had　got　a　fifteen…hundred　dollar　circus　horse　for
breakfast；　certain。　　Well；　I　was　first　out　on　his　neckthe　horse's；　not
the　bull'sand　then　underneath；　and　next　on　his　rump；　and　sometimes　head
up；　and　sometimes　heelsbut　I　tell　you　it　seemed　solemn　and　awful　to　be
ripping　and　tearing　and　carrying　on　so　in　the　presence　of　death；　as　you
might　say。　　Pretty　soon　the　bull　made　a　snatch　for　us　and　brought　away
some　of　my　horse's　tail　（I　suppose；　but　do　not　know；　being　pretty　busy　at
the　time）；　but　something　made　him　hungry　for　solitude　and　suggested　to
him　to　get　up　and　hunt　for　it。

And　then　you　ought　to　have　seen　that　spider　legged　old　skeleton　go！　and
you　ought　to　have　seen　the　bull　cut　out　after　him；　toohead　down；　tongue
out；　tail　up；　bellowing　like　everything；　and　actually　mowing　down　the
weeds；　and　tearing　up　the　earth；　and　boosting　up　the　sand　like　a
whirlwind！　　By　George；　it　was　a　hot　race！　　I　and　the　saddle　were　back　on
the　rump；　and　I　had　the　bridle　in　my　teeth　and　holding　on　to　the　pommel
with　both　hands。　　First　we　left　the　dogs　behind；　then　we　passed　a　jackass
rabbit；　then　we　overtook　a　cayote；　and　were　gaining　on　an　antelope　when
the　rotten　girth　let　go　and　threw　me　about　thirty　yards　off　to　the　left；
and　as　the　saddle　went　down　over　the　horse's　rump　he　gave　it　a　lift　with
his　heels　that　sent　it　more　than　four　hundred　yards　up　in　the　air；　I　wish
I　may　die　in　a　minute　if　he　didn't。　　I　fell　at　the　foot　of　the　only
solitary　tree　there　was　in　nine　counties　adjacent　（as　any　creature　could
see　with　the　naked　eye）；　and　the　next　second　I　had　hold　of　the　bark　with
four　sets　of　nails　and　my　teeth；　and　the　next　second　after　that　I　was
astraddle　of　the　main　limb　and　blaspheming　my　luck　in　a　way　that　made　my
breath　smell　of　brimstone。　　I　had　the　bull；　now；　if　he　did　not　think　of
one　thing。　　But　that　one　thing　I　dreaded。　　I　dreaded　it　very　seriously。
There　was　a　possibility　that　the　bull　might　not　think　of　it；　but　there
were　greater　chances　that　he　would。　　I　made　up　my　mind　what　I　would　do　in
case　he　did。　　It　was　a　little　over　forty　feet　to　the　ground　from　where　I
sat。　　I　cautiously　unwound　the　lariat　from　the　pommel　of　my　saddle〃

〃Your　saddle？　　Did　you　take　your　saddle　up　in　the　tree　with　you？〃

〃Take　it　up　in　the　tree　with　me？　　Why；　how　you　talk。　　Of　course　I　didn't。
No　man　could　do　that。　　It　fell　in　the　tree　when　it　came　down。〃

〃Ohexactly。〃

〃Certainly。　　I　unwound　the　lariat；　and　fastened　one　end　of　it　to　the
limb。　　It　was　the　very　best　green　raw…hide；　and　capable　of　sustaining
tons。　　I　made　a　slip…noose　in　the　other　end；　and　then　hung　it　down　to　see
the　length。　　It　reached　down　twenty…two　feethalf　way　to　the　ground。
I　then　loaded　every　barrel　of　the　Allen　with　a　double　charge。　　I　felt
satisfied。　　I　said　to　myself；　if　he　never　thinks　of　that　one　thing　that　I
dread；　all　rightbut　if　he　does；　all　right　anyhowI　am　fixed　for　him。
But　don't　you　know　that　the　very　thing　a　man　dreads　is　the　thing　that
always　happens？　　Indeed　it　is　so。　　I　watched　the　bull；　now；　with　anxiety
anxiety　which　no　one　can　conceive　of　who　has　not　been　in　such　a
situation　and　felt　that　at　any　moment　death　might　come。　　Presently　a
thought　came　into　the　bull's　eye。　　I　knew　it！　said　Iif　my　nerve　fails
now；　I　am　lost。　　Sure　enough；　it　was　just　as　I　had　dreaded；　he　started　in
to　climb　the　tree〃

〃What；　the　bull？〃

〃Of　coursewho　else？〃

〃But　a　bull　can't　climb　a　tree。〃

〃He　can't；　can't　he？　　Since　you　know　so　much　about　it；　did　you　ever　see　a
bull　try？〃

〃No！　　I　never　dreamt　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃Well；　then；　what　is　the　use　of　your　talking　that　way；　then？　　Because　you
never　saw　a　thing　done；　is　that　any　reason　why　it　can't　be　done？〃

〃Well；　all　rightgo　on。　　What　did　you　do？〃

〃The　bull　started　up；　and　got　along　well　for　about　ten　feet；　then　slipped
and　slid　back。　　I　breathed　easier。　　He　tried　it　againgot　up　a　little
higherslipped　again。　　But　he　came　at　it　once　more；　and　this　time　he　was
careful。　　He　got　gradually　higher　and　higher；　and　my　spirits　went　down
more　and　more。　　Up　he　camean　inch　at　a　timewith　his　eyes　hot；　and　his
tongue　hanging　out。　　Higher　and　higherhitched　his　foot　over　the　stump
of　a　limb；　and　looked　up；　as　much　as　to　say；　'You　are　my　meat；　friend。'
Up　againhigher　and　higher；　and　getting　more　excited　the　closer　he　got。
He　was　within　ten　feet　of　me！　　I　took　a　long　breath；and　then　said　I；
'It　is　now　or　never。'　　I　had　the　coil　of　the　lariat　all　ready；　I　paid　it
out　slowly；　till　it　hung　right　over　his　head；　all　of　a　sudden　I　let　go　of
the　slack；　and　the　slipnoose　fell　fairly　round　his　neck！　　Quicker　than
lightning　I　out　with　the　Allen　and　let　him　have　it　in　the　face。　　It　was
an　awful　roar；　and　must　have　scared　the　bull　out　of　his　senses。　　When　the
smoke　cleared　away；　there　he　was；　dangling　in　the　air；　twenty　foot　from
the　ground；　and　going　out　of　one　convulsion　into　another　faster　than　you
could　count！　　I　didn't　stop　to　count；　anyhowI　shinned　down　the　tree　and
shot　for　home。〃

〃Bemis；　is　all　that　true；　just　as　you　have　stated　it？〃

〃I　wish　I　may　rot　in　my　tracks　and　die　the　death　of　a　dog　if　it　isn't。〃

〃Well；　we　can't　refuse　to　believe　it；　and　we　don't。　　But　if　there　were
some　proofs〃

〃Proofs！　　Did　I　bring　back　my　lariat？〃

〃No。〃

〃Did　I　bring　back　my　horse？〃

〃No。〃

〃Did　you　ever　see　the　bull　again？〃

〃No。〃

〃Well；　then；　what　more　do　you　want？　　I　never　saw　anybody　as　particular　as
you　are　about　a　little　thing　like　that。〃

I　made　up　my　mind　that　if　this　man　was　not　a　liar　he　only　missed　it　by
the　skin　of　his　teeth。　　This　episode　reminds　me　of　an　incident　of　my
brief　sojourn　in　Siam；　years　afterward。　　The　European　citizens　of　a　town
in　the　neighborhood　of　Bangkok　had　a　prodigy　among　them　by　the　name　of
Eckert；　an　Englishmana　person　famous　for　the　number；　ingenuity　and
imposing　magnitude　of　his　lies。　　They　were　always　repeating　his　most
celebrated　falsehoods；　and　always　trying　to　〃draw　him　out〃　before
strangers；　but　they　seldom　succeeded。　　Twice　he　was　invited　to　the　house
where　I　was　visiting；　but　nothing　could　seduce　him　into　a　specimen　lie。
One　day　a　planter　named　Bascom；　an　influential　man；　and　a　proud　and
sometimes　irascible　one；　invited　me　to　ride　over　with　him　and　call　on
Eckert。　　As　we　jogged　along；　said　he：

〃Now；　do　you　know　where　the　fault　lies？　　It　lies　in　putting　Eckert　on　his
guard。　　The　minute　the　boys　go　to　pumping　at　Eckert　he　knows　perfectly
well　what　they　are　after；　and　of　course　he　shuts　up　his　shell。　　Anybody
might　know　he　would。　　But　when　we　get　there；　we　must　play　him　finer　than
that。　　Let　him　shape　the　conversation　to　suit　himselflet　him　drop　it　or
change　it　whenever　he　wants　to。　　Let　him　see　that　nobody　is　trying　to
draw　him　out。　　Just　let　him　have　his　own　way。　　He　will　soon　forget
himself　and　begin　to　grind　out　lies　like　a　mill。　　Don't　get　impatient
just　keep　quiet；　and　let　me　play　him。　　I　will　make　him　lie。　　It　does　seem
to　me　that　the　boys　must　be　blind　to　overlook　such　an　obvious　and　simple
trick　as　that。〃

Eckert　received　us　heartilya　pleasant…spoken；　gentle…mannered　creature。
We　sat　in　the　veranda　an　hour；　sipping　English　ale；　and　talking　about　the
king；　and　the　sacred　white　elephant；　the　Sleeping　Idol；　and　all　manner　of
things；　and　I　noticed　that　my　comrade　never　led　the　conversation　himself
or　shaped　it；　but