the red one(红色的那人)-第15章
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！
Such was the invigoratingness of Liverpool's flow of speech that； quite
without consciousness of effort； the old man arose easily under his load
and strode on toward Happy Camp。
From Happy Camp to Long Lake； from Long Lake to Deep Lake； and
from Deep Lake up over the enormous hog…back and down to Linderman；
the man…killing race against winter kept on。 Men broke their hearts and
backs and wept beside the trail in sheer exhaustion。 But winter never
faltered。 The fall gales blew； and amid bitter soaking rains and ever…
57
… Page 58…
THE RED ONE
increasing snow flurries； Tarwater and the party to which he was attached
piled the last of their outfit on the beach。
There was no rest。 Across the lake； a mile above a roaring torrent；
they located a patch of spruce and built their saw…pit。 Here； by hand； with
an inadequate whipsaw； they sawed the spruce… trunks into lumber。 They
worked night and day。 Thrice； on the night…shift； underneath in the saw…
pit； Old Tarwater fainted。 By day he cooked as well； and； in the
betweenwhiles； helped Anson in the building of the boat beside the torrent
as the green planks came down。
The days grew shorter。 The wind shifted into the north and blew
unending gales。 In the mornings the weary men crawled from their
blankets and in their socks thawed out their frozen shoes by the fire
Tarwater always had burning for them。 Ever arose the increasing tale of
famine on the Inside。 The last grub steamboats up from Bering Sea were
stalled by low water at the beginning of the Yukon Flats hundreds of miles
north of Dawson。 In fact； they lay at the old Hudson Bay Company's
post at Fort Yukon inside the Arctic Circle。 Flour in Dawson was up to
two dollars a pound； but no one would sell。 Bonanza and Eldorado
Kings； with money to burn； were leaving for the Outside because they
could buy no grub。 Miners' Committees were confiscating all grub and
putting the population on strict rations。 A man who held out an ounce of
grub was shot like a dog。 A score had been so executed already。
And； under a strain which had broken so many younger men； Old
Tarwater began to break。 His cough had become terrible； and had not his
exhausted comrades slept like the dead； he would have kept them awake
nights。 Also； he began to take chills； so that he dressed up to go to bed。
When he had finished so dressing； not a rag of garment remained in his
clothes bag。 All he possessed was on his back and swathed around his
gaunt old form。
〃Gee！〃 said Big Bill。 〃If he puts all he's got on now； when it ain't
lower than twenty above； what'll he do later on when it goes down to fifty
and sixty below？〃
They lined the rough…made boat down the mountain torrent； nearly
losing it a dozen times； and rowed across the south end of Lake Linderman
58
… Page 59…
THE RED ONE
in the thick of a fall blizzard。 Next morning they planned to load and
start； squarely into the teeth of the north； on their perilous traverse of half
a thousand miles of lakes and rapids and box canyons。 But before he
went to bed that night； Young Liverpool was out over the camp。 He
returned to find his whole party asleep。 Rousing Tarwater； he talked with
him in low tones。
〃Listen； dad；〃 he said。 … 〃You've got a passage in our boat； and if ever a
man earned a passage you have。 But you know yourself you're pretty
well along in years； and your health right now ain't exciting。 If you go on
with us you'll croak surer'n hell。 … Now wait till I finish； dad。 The price
for a passage has jumped to five hundred dollars。 I've been throwing my
feet and I've hustled a passenger。 He's an official of the Alaska
Commercial and just has to get in。 He's bid up to six hundred to go with
me in our boat。 Now the passage is yours。 You sell it to him； poke the
six hundred into your jeans； and pull South for California while the goin's
good。 You can be in Dyea in two days； and in California in a week more。
What d'ye say？〃
Tarwater coughed and shivered for a space； ere he could get freedom
of breath for speech。
〃Son；〃 he said； 〃I just want to tell you one thing。 I drove my four
yoke of oxen across the Plains in Forty…nine and lost nary a one。 I drove
them plumb to Californy； and I freighted with them afterward out of
Sutter's Fort to American Bar。 Now I'm going to Klondike。 Ain't
nothing can stop me； ain't nothing at all。 I'm going to ride that boat； with
you at the steering sweep； clean to Klondike； and I'm going to shake three
hundred thousand out of the moss…roots。 That being so； it's contrary to
reason and common sense for me to sell out my passage。 But I thank you
kindly； son； I thank you kindly。〃
The young sailor shot out his hand impulsively and gripped the old
man's。
〃By God； dad！〃 he cried。 〃You're sure going to go then。 You're the
real stuff。〃 He looked with undisguised contempt across the sleepers to
where Charles Crayton snored in his red beard。 〃They don't seem to
make your kind any more； dad。〃
59
… Page 60…
THE RED ONE
Into the north they fought their way； although old…timers； coming out；
shook their heads and prophesied they would be frozen in on the lakes。
That the freeze…up might come any day was patent； and delays of safety
were no longer considered。 For this reason； Liverpool decided to shoot
the rapid stream connecting Linderman to Lake Bennett with the fully
loaded boat。 It was the custom to line the empty boats down and to
portage the cargoes across。 Even then many empty boats had been
wrecked。 But the time was past for such precaution。
〃Climb out； dad；〃 Liverpool commanded as he prepared to swing from
the bank and enter the rapids。
Old Tarwater shook his white head。
〃I'm sticking to the outfit；〃 he declared。 〃It's the only way to get
through。 You see； son； I'm going to Klondike。 If I stick by the boat；
then the boat just naturally goes to Klondike； too。 If I get out； then most
likely you'll lose the boat。〃
〃Well； there's no use in overloading；〃 Charles announced； springing
abruptly out on the bank as the boat cast off。
〃Next time you wait for my orders！〃 Liverpool shouted ashore as the
current gripped the boat。 〃And there won't be any more walking around
rapids and losing time waiting to pick you up！〃
What took them ten minutes by river； took Charles half an hour by
land； and while they waited for him at the head of Lake Bennett they
passed the time of day with several dilapidated old…timers on their way out。
The famine news was graver than ever。 The North… west Mounted Police；
stationed at the foot of Lake Marsh where the gold…rushers entered
Canadian territory； were refusing to let a man past who did not carry with
him seven hundred pounds of grub。 In Dawson City a thousand men；
with dog…teams； were waiting the freeze…up to come out over the ice。
The trading companies could not fill their grub…contracts； and partners
were cutting the cards to see which should go and which should stay and
work the claims。
〃That settles it；〃 Charles announced； when he learned of the action of
the mounted police on the boundary。 〃Old Man； you might as well start
back now。〃
60
… Page 61…
THE RED ONE
〃Climb aboard！〃 Liverpool commanded。 〃We're going to Klondike；
and old dad is going along。〃
A shift of gale to the south gave them a fair wind down Lake Bennett；
before which they ran under a huge sail made by Liverpool。 The heavy
weight of outfit gave such ballast that he cracked on as a daring sailor
should when moments counted。 A shift of four points into the south…west；
coming just at the right time as they entered upon Caribou Crossing； drove
them down that connecting link to lakes Tagish and Marsh。 In stormy
sunset and twilight … they made the dangerous crossing of Great Windy
Arm； wherein they beheld two other boat…loads of gold…rushers capsize
and drown。
Charles was for beaching for the night； but Liverpool held on； steering
down Tagish by the sound of the surf on the shoals and by the occasional
shore…fires that advertised wrecked or timid argonauts。 At four in the
morning； he aroused Charles。 Old Tarwater； shiveringly awake； heard
Liverpool order Crayton aft beside him at the steering…sweep； and also
heard the one…sided conversation。 〃Just listen； friend Charles； and keep
your own mouth shut；〃 Liverpool began。 〃I want you to get one thing
into your head and keep it there： OLD DAD'S GOING BY THE
POLICE。 UNDERSTAND？ HE'S GOING BY。 When they examine
our outfit； old dad's got a fifth share in it； savvee？ That'll put us all 'way
under what we ought to have； but we can bluff it through。 Now get this；
and get it hard： THERE AIN'T GOING TO BE ANY FALL…DOWN ON
THIS BLUFF … 〃
〃If you think I'd give away on the old codger … 〃 Charles began
indignantly。
〃You though
