by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第4章
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〃Of what？〃 said Gideon； lifting his soft eyes to the speaker。 〃You tell
me of a brother at the point of death； who seeks the Lord through an
humble vessel like myself。 HE will tell me the rest。〃
A silence still more constrained on the part of the two strangers
followed； which they endeavored to escape from by furious riding； so that
in half an hour the party had reached a point where the tules began to sap
the arid plain； while beyond them broadened the lagoons of the distant
river。 In the foreground； near a clump of dwarfed willows； a camp…fire was
burning； around which fifteen or twenty armed men were collected； their
horses picketed in an outer circle guarded by two mounted sentries。 A
blasted cotton…wood with a single black arm extended over the tules stood
ominously against the dark sky。
The circle opened to receive them and closed again。 The elder man
dismounted and leading Gideon to the blasted cotton…wood； pointed to a
pinioned man seated at its foot with an armed guard over him。 He looked
up at Gideon with an amused smile。
〃You said it was a dying man；〃 said Gideon； recoiling。
〃He will be a dead man in half an hour；〃 returned the stranger。
〃And you？〃
〃We are the Vigilantes from Alamo。 This man；〃 pointing to the
prisoner； 〃is a gambler who killed a man yesterday。 We hunted him here；
tried him an hour ago； and found him guilty。 The last man we hung here；
three years ago； asked for a parson。 We brought him the man who used to
live where we found you。 So we thought we'd give this man the same
show； and brought you。〃
〃And if I refuse？〃 said Gideon。
The leader shrugged his shoulders。
〃That's HIS lookout； not ours。 We've given him the chance。 Drive
ahead； boys；〃 he added； turning to the others； 〃the parson allows he won't
take a hand。〃
〃One moment；〃 said Gideon； in desperation； 〃one moment； for the
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sake of that God you have brought me here to invoke in behalf of this
wretched man。 One moment； for the sake of Him in whose presence you
must stand one day as he does now。〃 With passionate earnestness he
pointed out the vindictive impulse they were mistaking for Divine justice；
with pathetic fervency he fell upon his knees and implored their mercy for
the culprit。 But in vain。 As at the camp…meeting of the day before； he was
chilled to find his words seemed to fall on unheeding and unsympathetic
ears。 He looked around on their abstracted faces； in their gloomy savage
enthusiasm for expiatory sacrifice； he was horrified to find the same
unreasoning exaltation that had checked his exhortations then。 Only one
face looked upon his； half mischievously； half compassionately。 It was the
prisoner's。
〃Yer wastin' time on us；〃 said the leader； dryly； 〃wastin' HIS time。
Hadn't you better talk to him？〃
Gideon rose to his feet； pale and cold。 〃He may have something to
confess。 May I speak with him alone？〃 he said gently。
The leader motioned to the sentry to fall back。 Gideon placed himself
before the prisoner so that in the faint light of the camp… fire the man's
figure was partly hidden by his own。 〃You meant well with your little bluff；
pardner；〃 said the prisoner； not unkindly； 〃but they've got the cards to
win。〃
〃Kneel down with your back to me；〃 said Gideon； in a low voice。 The
prisoner fell on his knees。 At the same time he felt Gideon's hand and the
gliding of steel behind his back； and the severed cords hung loosely on his
arms and legs。
〃When I lift my voice to God； brother；〃 said Gideon； softly； 〃drop on
your face and crawl as far as you can in a straight line in my shadow； then
break for the tules。 I will stand between you and their first fire。〃
〃Are you mad？〃 said the prisoner。 〃Do you think they won't fire lest
they should hurt you？ Man！ they'll kill YOU； the first thing。〃
〃So be itif your chance is better。〃
Still on his knees； the man grasped Gideon's two hands in his own and
devoured him with his eyes。
〃You mean it？〃 〃I do。〃
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〃Then；〃 said the prisoner； quietly； 〃I reckon I'll stop and hear what
you've got to say about God until they're ready。〃
〃You refuse to fly？〃
〃I reckon I was never better fitted to die than now；〃 said the prisoner；
still grasping his hand。 After a pause he added in a lower tone； 〃I can't
praybutI think；〃 he hesitated； 〃I think I could manage to ring in a
hymn。〃
〃Will you try； brother？〃
〃Yes。〃
With their hands tightly clasped together； Gideon lifted his gentle
voice。 The air was a common one； familiar in the local religious gatherings；
and after the first verse one or two of the sullen lookers…on joined
unkindly in the refrain。 But； as he went on； the air and words seemed to
offer a vague expression to the dull lowering animal emotion of the savage
concourse； and at the end of the second verse the refrain； augmented in
volume and swelled by every voice in the camp； swept out over the hollow
plain。
It was met in the distance by a far…off cry。 With an oath taking the
place of his supplication； the leader sprang to his feet。 But too late！ The
cry was repeated as a nearer slogan of defiancethe plain shookthere
was the tempestuous onset of furious hoofsa dozen shotsthe scattering
of the embers of the camp…fire into a thousand vanishing sparks even as
the lurid gathering of savage humanity was dispersed and dissipated over
the plain； and Gideon and the prisoner stood alone。 But as the sheriff of
Contra Costa with his rescuing posse swept by； the man they had come to
save fell forward in Gideon's arms with a bullet in his breastthe Parthian
shot of the flying Vigilante leader。
The eager crowd that surged around him with outstretched helping
hands would have hustled Gideon aside。 But the wounded man roused
himself； and throwing an arm around the young preacher's neck； warned
them back with the other。 〃Stand back！〃 he gasped。 〃He risked his life for
mine！ Look at him； boys！ Wanted ter stand up 'twixt them hounds and me
and draw their fire on himself！ Ain't he just hell？〃 he stopped； an
apologetic smile crossed his lips。 〃I clean forgot； pardner； but it's all right。
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I said I was ready to go； and I am。〃 His arm slipped from Gideon's neck；
he slid to the ground； he had fainted。
A dark； military…looking man pushed his way through the crowdthe
surgeon； one of the posse； accompanied by a younger man fastidiously
dressed。 The former bent over the unconscious prisoner； and tore open his
shirt； the latter followed his movements with a flush of anxious inquiry in
his handsome； careless face。 After a moment's pause the surgeon； without
looking up； answered the young man's mute questioning。 〃Better send the
sheriff here at once； Jack。〃
〃He is here；〃 responded the official； joining the group。
The surgeon looked up at him。 〃I am afraid they've put the case out of
your jurisdiction； Sheriff；〃 he said grimly。 〃It's only a matter of a day or
two at bestperhaps only a few hours。 But he won't live to be taken back
to jail。〃 〃Will he live to go as far as Martinez？〃 asked the young man
addressed as Jack。
〃With care； perhaps。〃
〃Will you be responsible for him； Jack Hamlin？〃 said the sheriff；
suddenly。
〃I will。〃
〃Then take him。 Stay； he's coming to。〃
The wounded man slowly opened his eyes。 They fell upon Jack
Hamlin with a pleased look of recognition； but almost instantly and
anxiously glanced around as if seeking another。 Leaning over him； Jack
said gayly； 〃They've passed you over to me； old man； are you willing？〃
The wounded man's eyes assented； but still moved restlessly from side
to side。
〃Is there any one you want to go with you？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the eyes。
〃The doctor； of course？〃
The eyes did not answer。 Gideon dropped on his knees beside him。 A
ray of light flashed in the helpless man's eyes and transfigured his whole
face。
〃You want HIM？〃 said Jack incredulously。
〃Yes；〃 said the eyes。
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〃Whatthe preacher？〃
The lips struggled to speak。 Everybody bent down to hear his reply。
〃You bet；〃 he said faintly。
IV
It was early morning when the wagon containing the wounded man；
Gideon； Jack Hamlin； and the surgeon crept slowly through the streets of
Martinez and stopped before the door of the 〃Palmetto Shades。〃 The upper
floor of this saloon and hostelry was occupied by Mr。 Hamlin as his
private lodgings； and was fitted up with the usual luxury and more than the
usual fastidiousness of his extravagant class。 As the dusty and travel…worn
party trod the soft carpets and brushed aside their silken hangings in their
slow progress with their helpless burden to the lace…canopied and snowy
couch of the young gambler； it seemed almost a profanation of some
feminine seclusion。 Gideon； to whom such luxury was unknown； was
profoundly troubled。 The voluptuous ease and sensuousness； the
refinements of a life of irresponsible indulgence； affected him with a
physical terror to which in his late moment of real peril he had been a
stranger； the gilding and mirrors blinded his eyes； even the faint perfume
seemed to him an unhallowed incense； and turned him sick and giddy。
Accustomed as he had been to disease and misery in its humblest places
