the riverman-第14部分
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take？〃
〃Oh； yes； I know the river pretty well。〃
〃Well； then we'll figure how many days' driving there is for each；
and how many men there are； and what it costs for wages； grub；
toolswe'll just have to figure as near as we can to the actual
cost； and then add a margin for profit and for interest on our
investment。〃
〃It might work out all right；〃 admitted Orde。
〃I'm confident it would；〃 asserted Newmark。 〃And there'd be no harm
figuring it all out； would there？〃
〃No；〃 agreed Orde； 〃that would be fun all right。〃
At this moment Amanda appeared at the back door and waved an apron。
〃Mr。 Jack！〃 she called。 〃Come in to dinner。〃
Newmark looked puzzled； and； as he arose； glanced surreptitiously at
his watch。 Orde seemed to take the summons as one to be expected；
however。 In fact； the strange hour was the usual Sunday custom in
the Redding of that day； and had to do with the late…church freedom
of Amanda and her like。
〃Come in and eat with us；〃 invited Orde。 〃We'd be glad to have
you。〃
But Newmark declined。
〃Come up to…morrow night； then； at half…past six； for supper；〃 Orde
urged him。 〃We can figure on these things a little。 I'm in Daly's
all day； and hardly have time except evenings。〃
To this Newmark assented。 Orde walked with him down the deep…shaded
driveway with the clipped privet hedge on one side； to the iron gate
that swung open when one drove over a projecting lever。 There he
said good…bye。
A moment later he entered the long dining…room； where Grandpa and
Grandma Orde were already seated。 An old…fashioned service of
smooth silver and ivory…handled steel knives gave distinction to the
plain white linen。 A tea…pot smothered in a 〃cosey〃 stood at
Grandma Orde's right。 A sirloin roast on a noble platter awaited
Grandpa Orde's knife。
Orde dropped into his place with satisfaction。
〃Shut up； Cheep！〃 he remarked to a frantic canary hanging in the
sunshine。
〃Your friend seems a nice…appearing young man；〃 said Grandma Orde。
〃Wouldn't he stay to dinner？〃
〃I asked him；〃 replied Orde； 〃but he couldn't。 He and I have a
scheme for making our everlasting fortunes。〃
〃Who is he？〃 asked grandma。
Orde dropped his napkin into his lap with a comical chuckle of
dismay。
〃Blest if I have the slightest idea； mother；〃 he said。 〃Newmark
joined us on the drive。 Said he was a lawyer； and was out in the
woods for his health。 He's been with us； studying and watching the
work； ever since。〃
IX
I think I'll go see Jane Hubbard this evening；〃 Orde remarked to his
mother； as he arose from the table。 This was his method of
announcing that he would not be home for supper。
Jane Hubbard lived in a low one…story house of blue granite；
situated amid a grove of oaks at the top of the hill。 She was a
kindly girl； whose parents gave her free swing； and whose house； in
consequence； was popular with the younger people。 Every Sunday she
offered to all who came a 〃Sunday…night lunch；〃 which consisted of
cold meats； cold salad； bread； butter； cottage cheese； jam；
preserves； and the like； warmed by a cup of excellent tea。 These
refreshments were served by the guests themselves。 It did not much
matter how few or how many came。
On the Sunday evening in question Orde found about the usual crowd
gathered。 Jane herself； tall； deliberate in movement and in speech；
kindly and thoughtful； talked in a corner with Ernest Colburn； who
was just out of college； and who worked in a bank。 Mignonne Smith；
a plump； rather pretty little body with a tremendous aureole of hair
like spun golden fire； was trying to balance a croquet…ball on the
end of a ruler。 The ball regularly fell off。 Three young men；
standing in attentive attitudes； thereupon dove forward in an
attempt to catch it before it should hit the floorwhich it
generally did with a loud thump。 A collapsed chair of slender lines
stacked against the wall attested previous acrobatics。 This much
Orde； standing in the doorway； looked upon quite as the usual thing。
Only he missed the Incubus。 Searching the room with his eyes； he at
length discovered that incoherent； desiccated； but persistent youth
VIS…A…VIS with a stranger。 Orde made out the white of her gown in
the shadows； the willowy outline of her small and slender figure；
and the gracious forward bend of her head。
The company present caught sight of Orde standing in the doorway；
and suspended occupations to shout at him joyfully。 He was
evidently a favourite。 The strange girl in the corner turned to him
a white； long face； of which he could see only the outline and the
redness of the lips where the lamplight reached them。 She leaned
slightly forward and the lips parted。 Orde's muscular figure；
standing square and uncompromising in the doorway； the out…of…door
freshness of his complexion； the steadiness of his eyes laughing
back a greeting； had evidently attracted her。 Or perhaps anything
was a relief from the Incubus。
〃So you're back at last； are you； Jack？〃 drawled Jane in her lazy；
good…natured way。 〃Come and meet Miss Bishop。 Carroll； I want to
present Mr。 Orde。〃
Orde bowed ceremoniously into the penumbra cast by the lamp's broad
shade。 The girl inclined gracefully her small head with the glossy
hair。 The Incubus； his thin hands clasped on his knee； his sallow
face twisted in one of its customary wry smiles； held to the edge of
his chair with characteristic pertinacity。
〃Well； Walter；〃 Orde addressed him genially； 〃are you having a good
time？〃
〃Yes…indeed！〃 replied the Incubus as though it were one word。
His chair was planted squarely to exclude all others。 Orde surveyed
the situation with good…humour。
〃Going to keep the other fellow from getting a chance； I see。〃
〃Yes…indeed！〃 replied the Incubus。
Orde bent over； and with great ease lifted Incubus； chair； and all；
and set him facing Mignonne Smith and the croquet…ball。
〃Here； Mignonne；〃 said he； 〃I've brought you another assistant。〃
He returned to the lamp； to find the girl； her dark eyes alight with
amusement； watching him intently。 She held the tip of a closed fan
against her lips； which brought her head slightly forward in an
attitude as though she listened。 Somehow there was about her an air
of poise； of absolute balanced repose quite different from Jane's
rather awkward statics； and in direct contrast to Mignonne's
dynamics。
〃Walter is a very bright man in his own line；〃 said Orde； swinging
forward a chair； 〃but he mustn't be allowed any monopolies。〃
〃How do you know I want him so summarily removed？〃 the girl asked
him； without changing either her graceful attitude of suspended
motion or the intentness of her gaze。
〃Well；〃 argued Orde； 〃I got him to say all he ever says to any girl
'Yes…indeed！'so you couldn't have any more conversation from him。
If you want to look at him； why； there he is in plain sight。
Besides； I want to talk to you myself。〃
〃Do you always get what you want？〃 inquired the girl。
Orde laughed。
〃Any one can get anything he wants； if only he wants it bad enough；〃
he asserted。
The girl pondered this for a moment； and finally lowered and opened
her fan； and threw back her head in a more relaxed attitude。
〃Some people；〃 she amended。 〃However； I forgive you。 I will even
flatter you by saying I am glad you came。 You look to have reached
the age of discretion。 I venture to say that these boys' idea of a
lively evening is to throw bread about the table。〃
Orde flushed a little。 The last time he had supped at Jane
Hubbard's； that was exactly what they did do。
〃They are young； of course；〃 he said； 〃and you and I are very old
and wise。 But having a noisy； good time isn't such a great crime
or is it where you came from？〃
The girl leaned forward； a sparkle of interest in her eyes。
〃Are you and I going to fight？〃 she demanded。
〃That depends on you；〃 returned Orde squarely； but with perfect
good…humour。
They eyed each other a moment。 Then the girl closed her fan； and
leaned forward to touch him on the arm with it。
〃You are quite right not to allow me to say mean things about your
friends； and I am a nasty little snip。〃
Orde bowed with sudden gravity。
〃And they do throw bread；〃 said he。
They both laughed。 She leaned back with a movement of satisfaction；
seeming to sink into the shadows。
〃Now； tell me； what do you do？〃
〃What do I do？〃 asked Orde； puzzled。
〃Yes。 Everybody does something out West here。 It's a disgrace not
to do something； isn't it？〃
〃Oh； my business！ I'm a river…driver just now。〃
〃A river…driver？〃 she repeated； once more leaning forward。 〃Why；
I've just been hearing a great deal about you。〃
〃That so？〃 he inquired。
〃Yes； from Mrs。 Baggs。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Orde。 〃Then you know what a drunken； swearing； worthless
lot of bums and toughs we are； don't you？〃
For the first time； in some subtle way she broke the poise of her
attitude。
〃There is Hell's Half…Mile；〃 she reminded him。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said Orde bitterly； 〃there's Hell's Half…Mile！ Whose
fault is that？ My rivermen's？ My boys？ Look here！ I suppose you
couldn't understand it； if you tried a month； but suppose you were
working out in the woods nine months of the year； up early in the
morning and in late at night。 Suppose you slept in rough blankets；
on the ground or in bunks； ate rough food； never saw a woman or a
book； undertook work to scare your city men up a tree and into a
hole too easy； risked your life a dozen times a week in a tangle of
logs； with the big river roaring behind just waiting to swallow you；
saw nothing but woods and river； were cold
