time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第78部分

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s　loose；　and　head　back。　Fill　all　your　barrels　。at　that　trickle　we　crossed　earlier　today。　After　that；　don't　stop　for　anything；　roll　all　day　from　dawn　till　dark。　You　should　reach　Separation　in　half　the　time　it　took　to　get　us　up　here。　Okay？〃　…
　　
　　〃No；　sir。〃
　　
　　Minerva；　a　few　centuries　earlier　I　would　have　started　to　boil　up　at　that　point。　But　I　had　learned。　It　took　me　about　a　tenth　of　…a　second　to　realize　that　I　could　not　…make　her　do　anything…if　I　were　…　gone…and　that　a　promise　made　under　duress　won't　hold。　〃All　right；　Dora；　tell　me　why　not　and　what　you　intend　to　do　instead~　If　I　don't　like　it；　perhaps　we　both　will　start　back　for　Separation。〃
　　
　　〃Woodrow；　while　you　did　not　say　so；　you　are　asking　me　to　do　what　I　should'　do…and　。1　would　do！…if　I　were　a　widow。〃
　　
　　I　nodded。　〃Yes；　that's　right。　Dearest；　if　I'm　not　back　in　a　week；　you're　a　widow。　No　possible　doubt。〃
　　
　　〃I　understand　that。　I　also　understand　why　you　are　leaving　the　wagons　here；　you　can't　be　sure　that　you　can　turn　them　around　higher　up。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　That's　probably　what　happened　to　earlier　parties…　reached　a　place　where　they　couldn't　go　forward　and　couldn't　turn　around　。　…。　then　tried　one　or　the　other　and　went　over。〃
　　
　　〃Yes。　But；　my　husband；　you　mean　to　be　gone　only　one　day…half　a　day　out；　half　a　day　back。　Woodrow；　I　won't　assume　that'　you　are　dead…I　can't！〃　She　looked　at　me　steadily　and　her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　but　she　did　not　cry。　〃I　must　see　your　dear　body；　I　must　be　certain。　If　I　am　certain；　I　will　go　back　to　Separation　as　fast　and　as　safely　as　possible。　And　then　to~　the　Magees　as　you　have　told　me；'　…and　have　your　child　and
　　
　　…bring　him　up　to　be　as　much　like　his　father　as　possible。　But　I　must　know。〃　…　…
　　
　　〃Dora；　Dora！　In　one　week　you　will　know。　No　need　to　look　for　my　bones。〃
　　
　　〃May　1　finish；　sir？　If　you　aren't　back　tonight；　I'm　on　my　own。　At　dawn　tomorrow　I　start　out　on　Betty；　with　another　saddle　mule　following。　At　noon　I　turn　back。
　　
　　〃Perhaps；　if　I　can't　find　you；　I'll　find　a　spot　higher　up　where　I　can　take　one　wagon　and　turn　it　around。　If　I　find　such　a　spot；　I'll　move　one　wagon　up　and　use　it　as　a　base　and　look　farther。　I　could　have　missed　your　track。　Or　I　might　have　followed　mule　tracks…but　you　aren't　on　the　mule。　Whatever
　　
　　…it　is；　I'll　search　and　search　again。　Until　there's　no　hope　at　all！　Then　。　。　I　will　go　to　Separation　as　fast　~as　mules　can　get　me　there。　…
　　
　　〃But；　my　darling；　if　you　are　alive…maybe　with　a　broken　leg　but　alive…if　you　still　have　a　knife　or　even　your　bare　hands；　I　don't　believe　that　a　loper　or　anything　〃can　kill　you。　If　you　are　alive；　I'll　find　you。　I　will！〃
　　
　　So　I　backed　down　and　checked　watches　with　her　and　agreed　on　what　time　I　would　turn　back。　Then　Buck　and　I；　with　me　up　on　Beulah；　set　out　to　scout　ahead。
　　
　　Minerva；　at　least　four　parties　had　tried　that　pass；　none　had　e　back。　I'm　certain　enough　that　they　each　failed　from　being　too　eager；　not　patient　enough；　unwilling　to　turn　back　when　the　risk　was　too　great。　…
　　
　　Patience　I　have　learned。　The　centuries　may　not　give　a　man　wisdom；　but　h？　acquires　patience　or　he　doesn't　live　through　them~　That　first　morning　we　found　the　first　spot　that　was　too　tight。　Oh；　someone　had　blasted　there　and　probably　got　around　that　turn。　But　it　was　too　narrow　to　be　safe；　so　I　blasted　some　more。　Nobody　in　his　right　mind　takes　a　wagon　into　the　mountains　without　dynamite　or　some　such；　you　can't　nibble　at　solid　rock　with　a　toothpick；　or　even　a　pickax；　without　riskmg　being　still　up　there　when　the　snows　e。
　　
　　I　was　not　using　dynamite。　Oh；　anyone　with　a　modicum　of
　　
　　chemistry　cati　make　both　dynamite　；and　black　powder；　and　planned　to　do　both…later。　What　I　had　with　me　was　a　mon
　　
　　eflicient　and　more　flexible　blasting　jelly…and　not　shock…sensitive；　perfectly　safe　in　wagon　and　saddlebag。
　　
　　I　placed　that　first　charge　in　a　crack　where　I　thought　ii　would　do　the　most　good；　set　the　fuse　but　did　not　light　it　then　walked　both　mules　back　around　the　bend　and　exertec　rhy　histrionic　talent　to　its　limit　to　explain　to　Buck　and　BeulaF~　that　there　was　going　…　to　be　a　loud　noise；　a　ban　g！…but　ii　could　not　hurt　them；　so　don't　worry。　Then　I　went　back；　lii　the　fuse；　hurried　back　to　them　and　was　in　time　to　have　as　~rm　on　each　neck…watched　my　watch。　〃Now！〃　I　said；　and　the　mountain　obliged　me　with　Ka…boom！
　　
　　Beulah　shivered　but　was　steady。　Buck　said　inquiringly；　〃Paaang？〃
　　
　　I　agreed。　He　nodded　and　went　back　to　cropping　leaves。
　　
　　We　three　went　up　and　took　a　look。　Nice　and　wide　now…　Not　very　level；　but　three　tiny　blasts　took　care　of　that。　〃What　do　you　think；　Buck？〃　…
　　
　　He　looked　carefully　up　and　down　trail。　〃Doo　wagon？〃
　　
　　第41节
　　
　　〃One　wagon。〃
　　
　　〃Ogay。〃
　　
　　We　explored　a　little　farther；　planned　the　next　day's　work~　then　I　turned　back　at　the　time　promised；　was　home　early。
　　
　　It　took　me　a　week　to　make　a　couple　of　kilometers　safe　to　another　little　alp；　a　grassy　pocket　big　enough　to　turn　one　wagon　around　at　a　time。　Then　it　took　all　of　a　long　day　to　move　our　wagons；　one　at　a　time；　to　this　next　base。　Someone　had　made　it　that　far；　I　found　a　broken　wagon　wheel…salvaged　the　steel　tire　and　the　hub。　It　went　on　that　way；　day　after　day；　slowly；　tediously；　and　at　last　we　were　through　the　notch　and　headed…mostly……downhill。
　　
　　But　that　was　worse；　not　better。　The　river　I　had　been　sure　was　there；　by　photomaps　from　space；　was　far　below　us；　and　we　still　had　to　go　down；　down；　down；　and　follow　it　a　long　way　before　we　would　reach　the　place　where　the　gorge　opened　out　into　valley　suitable　for　homesteading。　More　blasting；　lots　of　brush　chopping；　and　sometimes　I　had　to　blast　trees。。　But　the　nastiest　'　part　was　rappelling　those　wagons　down　the　steepest　places。　I　didn't　mind　steep　places　going　uphill　（which　we　still　encountered）；　a　twelve…mule　team　can　drag　a　single　wagon　up　any　slope　they　can　dig　their　hooves　into。　But　downhill…
　　
　　Certainly　those　wagons　had　brakes。　But　if　the…　grade　is　steep；　the　wagon　slides　on　its　tires…then　goes　over　the　edge；　mules　and　all。　…
　　
　　I　couldn't　let　that　happen　even　once。　Not　ever　risk　letting　it　happen。　We　could　lose　one　wagon　and　six　mules　and　still　go　on。　But　1　was　not　expendable。　（Dora　would　not　be　in　the　wagon。）　If　that　wagon　cut　loose；　my　chances　of　jumping　clear　would　be　so…so。　…
　　
　　If　the　grade　was　steep　enough　to　give　me　even　a　trace　of　doubt　that　I　could　hold　a　wagon　with　its　brakes；…　we　did　it　the　hard　way：　；used　that　expensive　imported　line　to　check　it　down　such　pitches。　Lead　the　line　out　fair　and　free　for　running；　pass　the　bitter　end　three　times　around　a　tree　stout　enough　to　anchor　it；　secure。　it　to　the　rear　axle…then　our　four　steadiest　mules；　Ken　and　Daisy；　Beau　and　Belle；…　would　take　the　wagcn　down　at　a　slow　walk　（no　driver）　following　Buck；　while　I　kept　tension　on　the　line；　paying　it　out　very　slowly。
　　
　　…　If　terrain　permitted；　Dora　on　Betty　would　take　station　halfway　down　to　relay　orders　to　Buck。　But　I　c。uld　not　permit　her　to　be　on　the　trail　itself；　if　that　line　parted；　t　would　whip。　So　maybe　half　the　time　Buck　and　I　worked　without　liaison；　doing　it　dead　slow　ard　depending　on　his　judgment。
　　
　　If　there　was　not　a　sound　anchor　tree　properly　posi~　ioned
　　
　　…and　it　seems　to　me　that　this　happened　more　often　than　not…then　we　had　to　wait　while　I　worked　something　out。　This　cOuld　be　anything：　a　sling　between　two　trees；　then　rig　a　fairlead　to　a　third　tree…　A　bare…rock　anchor　using　driven　pitons
　　
　　…I　hated　these　as　I　had　to　do　my　checking　right　at　the　rear　axle；　walking　behind；　and　God　help　us　all　if　I　stumbled。　Then　that　was　always　followed　by　the　time…consuming　chore　of　salvaging　those　pitons…the　harder　the　rock；　the　better　the　anchor；　but　the　tougher　the　job　of　getting　them　out…and　I　had　to　get　them　out；　I　would　need　them　farther　along。
　　
　　Sometimes　no　trees　and　…　no　rock…　Once　the　anchor　was　twelve　mules　faced　back　along　the　trail；　with　Dora　soothing　them　while　I　checked　at　a　rear　axle　and　Bu~k　controlled　the　progress。
　　
　　On　the　prairie　we　often　made　thirty　kilometers　a　day。　Once　we　were　through　Hopeless　Pass　and　had　started　down　the　gorge　the　distance　made　good　over　the　ground　could　be　zero　for　days　on　end　while　I　prepared　the　trail　ahead；　then　up　to　as　high　as　ten　kilometers　if　there　were　no　steep　pitches　that　required　rappelling　down　by　line。　I　used　just　one　unbreakable
　　
　　rule：　The　trail　bad　to　be　fully　prepared　~from　one　turnaround　base　to　the　next　before　a　wagon　was　moved。
　　
　　Minerva；　it　was　so　confounded　slow　that　my　〃calendar〃　caught　up　with　me；　the　sow　littered…and　we　were　not　out　of　the　mountains。　…
　　
　　I　don't　recall　ever　making　a　harder　decision。　Dora　was　in　good　shape；　but　she　was　halfway　through　her　pregnancy~　Turn　back　（as　I　had　promised　myself；　without　teffing　her）…　or　push　on　and　hope　to　reach　lower　and　fairly　level　ground'　before　she　came　to　term？　Which　would　be　easier　on…her？
　　
　　I　had　to　consult　her…but　I　had　to　decide。　Responsibility　cannot　be　shared。　I　knew　how　she　would　vote　before　I　took　the　matter　up　with　her：　Push　on。
　　
　　But　that　would　be　simply　her　gallant　courage；　I