part 1-第17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！





KEINE　KUNST；　GIEBT　ES　KEINE　KUNST！〃　　He　threw　up　his　square



hand　and　shook　it；　all　the　fingers　apart　and　wagging。　　Purple



and　breathless　he　went　out　of　the　arbor　and　into　the　house；



without　saying　good…bye。　　These　outbursts　frightened



Wunsch。　　They　were　always　harbingers　of　ill。



















　　　　　Thea　got　her　music…book　and　stole　quietly　out　of　the



garden。　　She　did　not　go　home；　but　wandered　off　into　the



sand　dunes；　where　the　prickly　pear　was　in　blossom　and　the



green　lizards　were　racing　each　other　in　the　glittering　light。



She　was　shaken　by　a　passionate　excitement。　　She　did　not



altogether　understand　what　Wunsch　was　talking　about；



and　yet；　in　a　way　she　knew。　　She　knew；　of　course；　that　there



was　something　about　her　that　was　different。　　But　it　was



more　like　a　friendly　spirit　than　like　anything　that　was　a



part　of　herself。　　She　thought　everything　to　it；　and　it　an…



swered　her；　happiness　consisted　of　that　backward　and　for…



ward　movement　of　herself。　　The　something　came　and　went；



she　never　knew　how。　　Sometimes　she　hunted　for　it　and　could



not　find　it；　again；　she　lifted　her　eyes　from　a　book；　or　stepped



out　of　doors；　or　wakened　in　the　morning；　and　it　was　there；



under　her　cheek；　it　usually　seemed　to　be；　or　over　her



breast；a　kind　of　warm　sureness。　　And　when　it　was　there；



everything　was　more　interesting　and　beautiful；　even　people。



When　this　companion　was　with　her；　she　could　get　the　most



wonderful　things　out　of　Spanish　Johnny；　or　Wunsch；　or



Dr。　Archie。







　　　　　On　her　thirteenth　birthday　she　wandered　for　a　long　while



about　the　sand　ridges；　picking　up　crystals　and　looking　into



the　yellow　prickly…pear　blossoms　with　their　thousand　sta…



mens。　　She　looked　at　the　sand　hills　until　she　wished　she



WERE　a　sand　hill。　　And　yet　she　knew　that　she　was　going　to



leave　them　all　behind　some　day。　　They　would　be　changing



all　day　long；　yellow　and　purple　and　lavender；　and　she　would



not　be　there。　　From　that　day　on；　she　felt　there　was　a　secret



between　her　and　Wunsch。　　Together　they　had　lifted　a　lid；



pulled　out　a　drawer；　and　looked　at　something。　　They　hid　it



away　and　never　spoke　of　what　they　had　seen；　but　neither



of　them　forgot　it。



























　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　XII











　　　　　One　July　night；　when　the　moon　was　full；　Dr。　Archie



was　coming　up　from　the　depot；　restless　and　discon…



tented；　wishing　there　were　something　to　do。　　He　carried



his　straw　hat　in　his　hand；　and　kept　brushing　his　hair　back



from　his　forehead　with　a　purposeless；　unsatisfied　gesture。



After　he　passed　Uncle　Billy　Beemer's　cottonwood　grove；



the　sidewalk　ran　out　of　the　shadow　into　the　white　moon…



light　and　crossed　the　sand　gully　on　high　posts；　like　a　bridge。



As　the　doctor　approached　this　trestle；　he　saw　a　white　figure；



and　recognized　Thea　Kronborg。　　He　quickened　his　pace　and



she　came　to　meet　him。







　　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　out　so　late；　my　girl？〃　he　asked　as



he　took　her　hand。







　　　　　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　　What　do　people　go　to　bed　so　early



for？　　I'd　like　to　run　along　before　the　houses　and　screech　at



them。　　Isn't　it　glorious　out　here？〃







　　　　　The　young　doctor　gave　a　melancholy　laugh　and　pressed



her　hand。







　　　　　〃Think　of　it；〃　Thea　snorted　impatiently。　　〃Nobody　up



but　us　and　the　rabbits！　　I've　started　up　half　a　dozen　of　'em。



Look　at　that　little　one　down　there　now；〃she　stooped



and　pointed。　　In　the　gully　below　them　there　was；　indeed；　a



little　rabbit　with　a　white　spot　of　a　tail；　crouching　down　on



the　sand；　quite　motionless。　　It　seemed　to　be　lapping　up　the



moonlight　like　cream。　　On　the　other　side　of　the　walk；　down



in　the　ditch；　there　was　a　patch　of　tall；　rank　sunflowers；



their　shaggy　leaves　white　with　dust。　　The　moon　stood　over



the　cottonwood　grove。　　There　was　no　wind；　and　no　sound



but　the　wheezing　of　an　engine　down　on　the　tracks。







　　　　　〃Well；　we　may　as　well　watch　the　rabbits。〃　　Dr。　Archie



sat　down　on　the　sidewalk　and　let　his　feet　hang　over　the















edge。　　He　pulled　out　a　smooth　linen　handkerchief　that



smelled　of　German　cologne　water。　　〃Well；　how　goes　it？



Working　hard？　　You　must　know　about　all　Wunsch　can



teach　you　by　this　time。〃







　　　　　Thea　shook　her　head。　　〃Oh；　no；　I　don't；　Dr。　Archie。



He's　hard　to　get　at；　but　he's　been　a　real　musician　in　his



time。　　Mother　says　she　believes　he's　forgotten　more　than



the　music…teachers　down　in　Denver　ever　knew。〃







　　　　　〃I'm　afraid　he　won't　be　around　here　much　longer；〃　said



Dr。　Archie。　　〃He's　been　making　a　tank　of　himself　lately。



He'll　be　pulling　his　freight　one　of　these　days。　　That's　the



way　they　do；　you　know。　　I'll　be　sorry　on　your　account。〃



He　paused　and　ran　his　fresh　handkerchief　over　his　face。



〃What　the　deuce　are　we　all　here　for　anyway；　Thea？〃　he



said　abruptly。







　　　　　〃On　earth；　you　mean？〃　Thea　asked　in　a　low　voice。







　　　　　〃Well；　primarily；　yes。　　But　secondarily；　why　are　we　in



Moonstone？　　It　isn't　as　if　we'd　been　born　here。　　You　were；



but　Wunsch　wasn't；　and　I　wasn't。　　I　suppose　I'm　here



because　I　married　as　soon　as　I　got　out　of　medical　school　and



had　to　get　a　practice　quick。　　If　you　hurry　things；　you　always



get　left　in　the　end。　　I　don't　learn　anything　here；　and　as　for



the　people　　In　my　own　town　in　Michigan；　now；　there



were　people　who　liked　me　on　my　father's　account；　who　had



even　known　my　grandfather。　　That　meant　something。　　But



here　it's　all　like　the　sand：　blows　north　one　day　and　south



the　next。　　We're　all　a　lot　of　gamblers　without　much　nerve；



playing　for　small　stakes。　　The　railroad　is　the　one　real　fact



in　this　country。　　That　has　to　be；　the　world　has　to　be　got



back　and　forth。　　But　the　rest　of　us　are　here　just　because



it's　the　end　of　a　run　and　the　engine　has　to　have　a　drink。



Some　day　I'll　get　up　and　find　my　hair　turning　gray；　and



I'll　have　nothing　to　show　for　it。〃







　　　　　Thea　slid　closer　to　him　and　caught　his　arm。　　〃No；　no。



I　won't　let　you　get　gray。　　You've　got　to　stay　young　for　me。



I'm　getting　young　now；　too。〃



















　　　　　Archie　laughed。　　〃Getting？〃







　　　　　〃Yes。　　People　aren't　young　when　they're　children。　　Look



at　Thor；　now；　he's　just　a　little　old　man。　　But　Gus　has　a



sweetheart；　and　he's　young！〃







　　　　　〃Something　in　that！〃　　Dr。　Archie　patted　her　head；　and



then　felt　the　shape　of　her　skull　gently；　with　the　tips　of　his



fingers。　　〃When　you　were　little；　Thea；　I　used　always　to　be



curious　about　the　shape　of　your　head。　　You　seemed　to　have



more　inside　it　than　most　youngsters。　　I　haven't　examined



it　for　a　long　time。　　Seems　to　be　the　usual　shape；　but　uncom…



monly　hard；　some　how。　　What　are　you　going　to　do　with



yourself；　anyway？〃







　　　　　〃I　don't　know。〃







　　　　　〃Honest；　now？〃　　He　lifted　her　chin　and　looked　into　her



eyes。







　　　　　Thea　laughed　and　edged　away　from　him。







　　　　　〃You've　got　something　up　your　sleeve；　haven't　you？



Anything　you　like；　only　don't　marry　and　settle　down　here



without　giving　yourself　a　chance；　will　you？〃







　　　　　〃Not　much。　　See；　there's　another　rabbit！〃







　　　　　〃That's　all　right　about　the　rabbits；　but　I　don't　want



you　to　get　tied　up。　　Remember　that。〃







　　　　　Thea　nodded。　　〃Be　nice　to　Wunsch；　then。　　I　don't　know



what　I'd　do　if　he　went　away。〃







　　　　　〃You've　got　older　friends　than　Wunsch　here；　Thea。〃







　　　　　〃I　know。〃　　Thea　spoke　seriously　and　looked　up　at　the



moon；　propping　her　chin　on　her　hand。　　〃But　Wunsch　is　the



only　one　that　can　teach　me　what　I　want　to　know。　　I've　got



to　learn　to　do　something　well；　and　that's　the　thing　I　can



do　best。〃







　　　　　〃Do　you　want　to　be　a　music…teacher？〃







　　　　　〃Maybe；　but　I　want　to　be　a　good　one。　　I'd　like　to　go　to



Germany　to　study；　some　day。　　Wunsch　says　that's　the　best



place；the　only　place　you　can　really　learn。〃　　Thea　hesi…



tated　and　then　went　on　nervously；　〃I've　got　a　book　that



says　so；　too。　　It's　called　‘My　Musical　Memories。'　　It　made　me















want　to　go　to　Germany　even　before　Wunsch　said　anything。



Of　course　it's　a　secret。　　You're　the　first　one　I've　told。〃







　　　　　Dr。　Archie　smiled　indulgently。　　〃That's　a　long　way　off。



Is　that　what　you've　got　in　your　hard　noddle？〃　　He　put　his



hand　on　her　hair；　but　this　time　she　shook　him　off。







　　　　　〃No；　I　don't　think　much　about　it。　　But　you　talk　about



going；　and　a　body　has　to　have　something　to　go　TO！〃







　　　　　〃That's　so。〃　　Dr。　Archie　sighed。　　〃You're　lucky　if　you



have。　　Poor　Wunsch；　now；　he　hasn't。　　What　do　such　fellows



come　out　here　for？　　He's　been　asking　me　about　my　mining



stock；　and　about　mining　towns。　　What　would　he　do　in　a



mining　town？　　He　wouldn't　know　a　piece　of　ore　if　he　saw



one。　　He's　got　nothing　to　sell　that　a　mining　town　wants　to



buy。　　Why　don't　those　old　fellows　stay　at　home？　　We　won't



need　them　for　another　hundred　years。　　An　engine　wiper



can　get　a　job；　but　a　piano　player！　　Such　people　can't　make



good。〃







　　　　　〃My　grandfather　Alstrom　was　a　musician；　and　he　made



good。〃







　　　　　Dr。　Archie　chuckled。　　〃Oh；　a　Swede　can　make　good　any…



where；　at　anything！　　You've　got　that　in　your　favor；　miss。



Come；　you　must　be　getting　home。〃







　　　　　Thea　rose。　　〃Yes；　I　used　to　be　ashamed　of　being　a　Swede；



but　I'm　not　any　more。　　Swedes　are　kind　of　common；　but　I



thin