drift from two shores(漂流)-第5章
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eight or nine months old。 How and when it had been brought there； or
what force had guided that elfish cradle to his very door； he could not
determine； but it must have been left early； for it was quite warm； and its
clothing almost dried by the blazing morning sun。 To wrap his coat
about it； to run to his cabin with it； to start out again with the appalling
conviction that nothing could be done for it there； occupied some moments。
His nearest neighbor was Trinidad Joe； a 〃logger；〃 three miles up the river。
He remembered to have heard vaguely that he was a man of family。 To
half strangle the child with a few drops from his whisky flask； to extricate
his canoe from the marsh； and strike out into the river with his waif； was at
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least to do something。 In half an hour he had reached the straggling
cabin and sheds of Trinidad Joe； and from the few scanty flowers that
mingled with the brushwood fence； and a surplus of linen fluttering on the
line； he knew that his surmise as to Trinidad Joe's domestic establishment
was correct。
The door at which he knocked opened upon a neat； plainly…furnished
room； and the figure of a buxom woman of twenty…five。 With an
awkwardness new to him； North stammered out the circumstances of his
finding the infant； and the object of his visit。 Before he had finished； the
woman； by some feminine trick； had taken the child from his hands ere he
knew it； and when he paused； out of breath； burst into a fit of laughter。
North tried to laugh too； but failed。
When the woman had wiped the tears from a pair of very frank blue
eyes； and hidden two rows of very strong white teeth again； she said：
〃Look yar！ You're that looney sort a' chap that lives alone over on the
spit yonder； ain't ye？〃
North hastened to admit all that the statement might imply。
〃And so ye've had a baby left ye to keep you company？ Lordy！〃
Here she looked as if dangerously near a relapse； and then added； as if in
explanation of her conduct；
〃When I saw ye paddlin' down here；you thet ez shy as elk in
summer；I sez； 'He's sick。' But a baby；Oh； Lordy！〃
For a moment North almost hated her。 A woman who； in this pathetic；
perhaps almost tragic； picture saw only a ludicrous image； and that image
himself； was of another race than that he had ever mingled with。
Profoundly indifferent as he had always been to the criticism of his equals
in station； the mischievous laughter of this illiterate woman jarred upon
him worse than his cousin's sarcasm。 It was with a little dignity that he
pointed out the fact that at present the child needed nourishment。 〃It's
very young；〃 he added。 〃I'm afraid it wants its natural nourishment。〃
〃Whar is it to get it？〃 asked the woman。
James North hesitated； and looked around。 There should be a baby
somewhere！ there MUST be a baby somewhere！ 〃I thought that you；〃 he
stammered； conscious of an awkward coloring；〃Ithat isI〃 He
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stopped short； for she was already cramming her apron into her mouth； too
late； however； to stop the laugh that overflowed it。 When she found her
breath again； she said；
〃Look yar！ I don't wonder they said you was looney！ I'm Trinidad
Joe's onmarried darter； and the only woman in this house。 Any fool could
have told you that。 Now； ef you can rig us up a baby out o' them facts； I'd
like to see it done。〃
Inwardly furious but outwardly polite； James North begged her pardon；
deplored his ignorance； and； with a courtly bow； made a movement to take
the child。 But the woman as quickly drew it away。
〃Not much；〃 she said； hastily。 〃What！ trust that poor critter to you？
No； sir！ Thar's more ways of feeding a baby； young man； than you
knows on； with all your 'nat'ral nourishment。' But it looks kinder logy
and stupid。〃
North freezingly admitted that he had given the infant whisky as a
stimulant。
〃You did？ Come； now； that ain't so looney after all。 Well； I'll take
the baby； and when Dad comes home we'll see what can be done。〃
North hesitated。 His dislike of the woman was intense； and yet he
knew no one else and the baby needed instant care。 Besides； he began to
see the ludicrousness of his making a first call on his neighbors with a
foundling to dispose of。 She saw his hesitation； and said；
〃Ye don't know me； in course。 Well； I'm Bessy Robinson； Trinidad
Joe Robinson's daughter。 I reckon Dad will give me a character if you
want references； or any of the boys on the river。〃
〃I'm only thinking of the trouble I'm giving you； Miss Robinson； I
assure you。 Any expense you may incur〃
〃Young man；〃 said Bessy Robinson； turning sharply on her heel； and
facing him with her black brows a little contracted； 〃if it comes to
expenses； I reckon I'll pay you for that baby； or not take it at all。 But I
don't know you well enough to quarrel with you on sight。 So leave the
child to me； and； if you choose； paddle down here to…morrow； after sun up…
…the ride will do you goodand see it； and Dad thrown in。 Good by！〃 and
with one powerful but well… shaped arm thrown around the child； and the
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other crooked at the dimpled elbow a little aggressively； she swept by
James North and entered a bedroom； closing the door behind her。
When Mr。 James North reached his cabin it was dark。 As he rebuilt
his fire； and tried to rearrange the scattered and disordered furniture； and
remove the debris of last night's storm； he was conscious for the first time
of feeling lonely。 He did not miss the child。 Beyond the instincts of
humanity and duty he had really no interest in its welfare or future。 He
was rather glad to get rid of it； he would have preferred to some one else；
and yet SHE looked as if she were competent。 And then came the
reflection that since the morning he had not once thought of the woman he
loved。 The like had never occurred in his twelvemonth solitude。 So he
set to work； thinking of her and of his sorrows； until the word 〃Looney；〃 in
connection with his suffering； flashed across his memory。 〃Looney！〃 It
was not a nice word。 It suggested something less than insanity；
something that might happen to a common； unintellectual sort of person。
He remembered the loon； an ungainly feathered neighbor； that was
popularly supposed to have lent its name to the adjective。 Could it be
possible that people looked upon him as one too hopelessly and
uninterestingly afflicted for sympathy or companionship； too unimportant
and common for even ridicule； or was this but the coarse interpretation of
that vulgar girl？
Nevertheless； the next morning 〃after sun up〃 James North was at
Trinidad Joe's cabin。 That worthy proprietor himselfa long； lank man；
with even more than the ordinary rural Western characteristics of ill health；
ill feeding； and melancholymet him on the bank； clothed in a manner and
costume that was a singular combination of the frontiersman and the sailor。
When North had again related the story of his finding the child； Trinidad
Joe pondered。
〃It mout hev been stowed away in one of them crates for safe…
keeping；〃 he said； musingly； 〃and washed off the deck o' one o' them Tahiti
brigs goin' down fer oranges。 Least…ways； it never got thar from these
parts。〃
〃But it's a miracle its life was saved at all。 It must have been some
hours in the water。〃
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〃Them brigs lays their course well inshore； and it was just mebbe a
toss up if the vessel clawed off the reef at all！ And ez to the child keepin'
up； why； dog my skin！ that's just the contrariness o' things；〃 continued Joe；
in sententious cynicism。 〃Ef an able seaman had fallen from the yard…
arm that night he'd been sunk in sight o' the ship； and thet baby ez can't
swim a stroke sails ashore； sound asleep； with the waves for a baby…
jumper。〃
North； who was half relieved； yet half awkwardly disappointed at not
seeing Bessy； ventured to ask how the child was doing。
〃She'll do all right now；〃 said a frank voice above； and； looking up；
North discerned the round arms； blue eyes； and white teeth of the daughter
at the window。 〃She's all hunky； and has an appetite ef she hezn't got
her 'nat'ral nourishment。' Come； Dad！ heave ahead； and tell the stranger
what you and me allow we'll do； and don't stand there swappin' lies with
him。〃
〃Weel；〃 said Trinidad Joe； dejectedly； 〃Bess allows she can rar that
baby and do justice to it。 And I don't saythough I'm her fatherthat she
can't。 But when Bess wants anything she wants it all； clean down； no
half…ways nor leavin's for her。〃
〃That's me！ go on； Dadyou're chippin' in the same notch every time；〃
said Miss Robinson； with cheerful directness。
〃Well； we agree to put the job up this way。 We'll take the child and
you'll give us a paper or writin' makin' over all your right and title。
How's that？〃
Without knowing exactly why he did； Mr。 North objected decidedly。
〃Do you think we won't take good care of it？〃 asked Miss Bessy；
