drift from two shores(漂流)-第6章
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〃Do you think we won't take good care of it？〃 asked Miss Bessy；
sharply。
〃That is not the question；〃 said North； a little hotly。 〃In the first place；
the child is not mine to give。 It has fallen into my hands as a trust；the
first hands that received it from its parents。 I do not think it right to
allow any other hands to come between theirs and mine。〃
Miss Bessy left the window。 In another moment she appeared from
the house； and； walking directly towards North； held out a somewhat
substantial hand。 〃Good！〃 she said； as she gave his fingers an honest
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squeeze。 〃You ain't so looney after all。 Dad； he's right！ He shan't gin it
up； but we'll go halves in it； he and me。 He'll be father and I'll be mother
'til death do us part； or the reg'lar family turns up。 Wellwhat do you
say？〃
More pleased than he dared confess to himself with the praise of this
common girl； Mr。 James North assented。 Then would he see the baby？
He would； and Trinidad Joe having already seen the baby； and talked of
the baby； and felt the baby； and indeed had the baby offered to him in
every way during the past night； concluded to give some of his valuable
time to logging； and left them together。
Mr。 North was obliged to admit that the baby was thriving。 He
moreover listened with polite interest to the statement that the baby's eyes
were hazel； like his own； that it had five teeth； that she was； for a girl of
that probable age； a robust child； and yet Mr。 North lingered。 Finally；
with his hand on the door…lock； he turned to Bessy and said；
〃May I ask you an odd question； Miss Robinson？〃
〃Go on。〃
〃Why did you think I was'looney'？〃
The frank Miss Robinson bent her head over the baby。
〃Why？〃
〃Yes； why？〃
〃Because you WERE looney。〃
〃Oh！〃
〃But〃
〃Yes〃
〃You'll get over it。〃
And under the shallow pretext of getting the baby's food； she retired to
the kitchen； where Mr。 North had the supreme satisfaction of seeing her； as
he passed the window； sitting on a chair with her apron over her head；
shaking with laughter。
For the next two or three days he did not visit the Robinsons； but gave
himself up to past memories。 On the third day he hadit must be
confessed not without some effortbrought himself into that condition of
patient sorrow which had been his habit。 The episode of the storm and
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the finding of the baby began to fade； as had faded the visit of his relatives。
It had been a dull； wet day and he was sitting by his fire； when there came
a tap at his door。 〃Flora；〃 by which juvenescent name his aged Indian
handmaid was known； usually announced her presence with an imitation
of a curlew's cry： it could not be her。 He fancied he heard the trailing of
a woman's dress against the boards； and started to his feet； deathly pale；
with a name upon his lips。 But the door was impatiently thrown open；
and showed Bessy Robinson！ And the baby！
With a feeling of relief he could not understand he offered her a seat。
She turned her frank eyes on him curiously。
〃You look skeert！〃
〃I was startled。 You know I see nobody here！〃
〃Thet's so。 But look yar； do you ever use a doctor？〃
Not clearly understanding her； he in turn asked； 〃Why？〃
〃Cause you must rise up and get one nowthet's why。 This yer baby
of ours is sick。 We don't use a doctor at our house； we don't beleeve in
'em； hain't no call for 'embut this yer baby's parents mebbee did。 So
rise up out o' that cheer and get one。〃
James North looked at Miss Robinson and rose； albeit a little in doubt；
and hesitating。
Miss Robinson saw it。 〃I shouldn't hev troubled ye； nor ridden three
mile to do it； if ther hed been any one else to send。 But Dad's over at
Eureka； buying logs； and I'm alone。 Hellowher yer goin'？〃
North had seized his hat and opened the door。 〃For a doctor；〃 he
replied amazedly。
〃Did ye kalkilate to walk six miles and back？〃
〃CertainlyI have no horse。〃
〃But I have； and you'll find her tethered outside。 She ain't much to
look at； but when you strike the trail she'll go。〃
〃But YOUhow will YOU return？〃
〃Well；〃 said Miss Robinson； drawing her chair to the fire； taking off
her hat and shawl； and warming her knees by the blaze； 〃I didn't reckon to
return。 You'll find me here when you come back with the doctor。 Go！
Skedaddle quick！〃
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She did not have to repeat the command。 In another instant James
North was in Miss Bessy's seata man's dragoon saddle；and pounding
away through the sand。 Two facts were in his mind： one was that he； the
〃looney；〃 was about to open communication with the wisdom and
contemporary criticism of the settlement； by going for a doctor to
administer to a sick and anonymous infant in his possession； the other was
that his solitary house was in the hands of a self…invited； large…limbed；
illiterate； but rather comely young woman。 These facts he could not
gallop away from； but to his credit be it recorded that he fulfilled his
mission zealously； if not coherently； to the doctor； who during the rapid
ride gathered the idea that North had rescued a young married woman
from drowning； who had since given birth to a child。
The few words that set the doctor right when he arrived at the cabin
might in any other community have required further explanation； but Dr。
Duchesne； an old army surgeon； was prepared for everything and
indifferent to all。 〃The infant；〃 he said； 〃was threatened with
inflammation of the lungs； at present there was no danger； but the greatest
care and caution must be exercised。 Particularly exposure should be
avoided。〃 〃That settles the whole matter； then；〃 said Bessy potentially。
Both gentlemen looked their surprise。 〃It means；〃 she condescended to
further explain； 〃that YOU must ride that filly home； wait for the old man
to come to… morrow； and then ride back here with some of my duds； for
thar's no 'day…days' nor picknicking for that baby ontil she's better。 And I
reckon to stay with her ontil she is。〃
〃She certainly is unable to bear any exposure at present；〃 said the
doctor； with an amused side glance at North's perplexed face。 〃Miss
Robinson is right。 I'll ride with you over the sands as far as the trail。〃
〃I'm afraid；〃 said North； feeling it incumbent upon him to say
something； 〃that you'll hardly find it as comfortable here as〃
〃I reckon not；〃 she said simply； 〃but I didn't expect much。〃
North turned a little wearily away。 〃Good night；〃 she said suddenly；
extending her hand； with a gentler smile of lip and eye than he had ever
before noticed； 〃good nighttake good care of Dad。〃
The doctor and North rode together some moments in silence。 North
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had another fact presented to him； i。 e。 that he was going a… visiting； and
that he had virtually abandoned his former life； also that it would be
profanation to think of his sacred woe in the house of a stranger。
〃I dare say；〃 said the doctor； suddenly； 〃you are not familiar with the
type of woman Miss Bessy presents so perfectly。 Your life has been
spent among the conventional class。〃
North froze instantly at what seemed to be a probing of his secret。
Disregarding the last suggestion； he made answer simply and truthfully
that he had never met any Western girl like Bessy。
〃That's your bad luck；〃 said the doctor。 〃You think her coarse and
illiterate？〃
Mr。 North had been so much struck with her kindness that really he
had not thought of it。
〃That's not so；〃 said the doctor； curtly； 〃although even if you told her
so she would not think any the less of younor of herself。 If she spoke
rustic Greek instead of bad English； and wore a cestus in place of an ill…
fitting corset； you'd swear she was a goddess。 There's your trail。 Good
night。〃
III
James North did not sleep well that night。 He had taken Miss
Bessy's bedroom； at her suggestion； there being but two； and 〃Dad never
using sheets and not bein' keerful in his habits。〃 It was neat； but that was
all。 The scant ornamentation was atrocious； two or three highly colored
prints； a shell work…box； a ghastly winter bouquet of skeleton leaves and
mosses； a star…fish； and two china vases hideous enough to have been
worshiped as Buddhist idols； exhibited the gentle recreation of the fair
occupant； and the possible future education of the child。 In the morning
he was met by Joe； who received the message of his daughter with his
usual dejection； and suggested that North stay with him until the child was
better。 That event was still remote； North found； on his return to his
cabin； that the child had been worse； but he did not know； until Miss Bessy
dropped a casual remark； that she had not closed her own eyes that night。
It was a week before he regained his own quarters； but an active week
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