the red one(红色的那人)-第16章
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indignantly。
〃You thought that；〃 Liverpool checked him； 〃because I never
mentioned any such thing。 Now … get me and get me hard： I don't care
what you've been thinking。 It's what you're going to think。 We'll make
the police post some time this afternoon； and we've got to get ready to pull
the bluff without a hitch； and a word to the wise is plenty。〃
〃If you think I've got it in my mind … 〃 Charles began again。
〃Look here；〃 Liverpool shut him off。 〃I don't know what's in your
mind。 I don't want to know。 I want you to know what's in my mind。 If
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there's any slip…up； if old dad gets turned back by the police； I'm going to
pick out the first quiet bit of landscape and take you ashore on it。 And
then I'm going to beat you up to the Queen's taste。 Get me； and get me
hard。 It ain't going to be any half…way beating； but a real； two…legged；
two…fisted； he…man beating。 I don't expect I'll kill you； but I'll come
damn near to half…killing you。〃
〃But what can I do？〃 Charles almost whimpered。
〃Just one thing；〃 was Liverpool's final word。 〃You just pray。 You
pray so hard that old dad gets by the police that he does get by。 That's all。
Go back to your blankets。〃
Before they gained Lake Le Barge； the land was sheeted with snow
that would not melt for half a year。 Nor could they lay their boat at will
against the bank； for the rim…ice was already forming。 Inside the mouth of
the river； just ere it entered Lake Le Barge； they found a hundred storm…
bound boats of the argonauts。 Out of the north； across the full sweep of
the great lake； blew an unending snow gale。 Three mornings they put out
and fought it and the cresting seas it drove that turned to ice as they fell in…
board。 While the others broke their hearts at the oars； Old Tarwater
managed to keep up just sufficient circulation to survive by chopping ice
and throwing it overboard。
Each day for three days； beaten to helplessness； they turned tail on the
battle and ran back into the sheltering river。 By the fourth day； the
hundred boats had increased to three hundred； and the two thousand
argonauts on board knew that the great gale heralded the freeze…up of Le
Barge。 Beyond； the rapid rivers would continue to run for days； but
unless they got beyond； and immediately； they were doomed to be frozen
in for six months to come。
〃This day we go through；〃 Liverpool announced。 〃We turn back for
nothing。 And those of us that dies at the oars will live again and go on
pulling。〃
And they went through； winning half the length of the lake by nightfall
and pulling on through all the night hours as the wind went down； falling
asleep at the oars and being rapped awake by Liverpool； toiling on through
an age…long nightmare while the stars came out and the surface of the lake
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turned to the unruffledness of a sheet of paper and froze skin…ice that
tinkled like broken glass as their oar…blades shattered it。
As day broke clear and cold； they entered the river； with behind them a
sea of ice。 Liverpool examined his aged passenger and found him
helpless and almost gone。 When he rounded the boat to against the rim…
ice to build a fire and warm up Tarwater inside and out； Charles protested
against such loss of time。
〃This ain't business； so don't you come horning in；〃 Liverpool
informed him。 〃I'm running the boat trip。 So you just climb out and
chop firewood； and plenty of it。 I'll take care of dad。 You； Anson； make
a fire on the bank。 And you； Bill； set up the Yukon stove in the boat。
Old dad ain't as young as the rest of us； and for the rest of this voyage he's
going to have a fire on board to sit by。〃
All of which came to pass； and the boat； in the grip of the current； like
a river steamer with smoke rising from the two joints of stove…pipe；
grounded on shoals； hung up on split currents； and charged rapids and
canyons； as it drove deeper into the Northland winter。 The Big and Little
Salmon rivers were throwing mush…ice into the main river as they passed；
and； below the riffles； anchor… ice arose from the river bottom and coated
the surface with crystal scum。 Night and day the rim…ice grew； till； in
quiet places； it extended out a hundred yards from shore。 And Old
Tarwater； with all his clothes on； sat by the stove and kept the fire going。
Night and day； not daring to stop for fear of the imminent freeze… up； they
dared to run； an increasing mushiness of ice running with them。
〃What ho； old hearty？〃 Liverpool would call out at times。
〃Cheer O；〃 Old Tarwater had learned to respond。
〃What can I ever do for you； son； in payment？〃 Tarwater； stoking the
fire； would sometimes ask Liverpool； beating now one released hand and
now the other as he fought for circulation where he steered in the freezing
stern…sheets。
〃Just break out that regular song of yours； old Forty…Niner；〃 was the
invariable reply。
And Tarwater would lift his voice in the cackling chant； as he lifted it
at the end； when the boat swung in through driving cake… ice and moored
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to the Dawson City bank； and all waterfront Dawson pricked its ears to
hear the triumphant paean：
Like Argus of the ancient times； We leave this modern Greece； Tum…
tum； tum…tum； tum； tum； tum…tum； To shear the Golden Fleece；
Charles did it； but he did it so discreetly that none of his party； least
of all the sailor； ever learned of it。 He saw two great open barges being
filled up with men； and； on inquiry； learned that these were grubless ones
being rounded up and sent down the Yukon by the Committee of Safety。
The barges were to be towed by the last little steamboat in Dawson； and
the hope was that Fort Yukon； where lay the stranded steamboats； would
be gained before the river froze。 At any rate； no matter what happened to
them； Dawson would be relieved of their grub…consuming presence。 So
to the Committee of Safety Charles went； privily to drop a flea in its ear
concerning Tarwater's grubless； moneyless； and aged condition。 Tarwater
was one of the last gathered in； and when Young Liverpool returned to the
boat； from the bank he saw the barges in a run of cake…ice； disappearing
around the bend below Moose…hide Mountain。
Running in cake…ice all the way； and several times escaping jams in the
Yukon Flats； the barges made their hundreds of miles of progress farther
into the north and froze up cheek by jowl with the grub…fleet。 Here；
inside the Arctic Circle； Old Tarwater settled down to pass the long winter。
Several hours' work a day； chopping firewood for the steamboat
companies； sufficed to keep him in food。 For the rest of the time there was
nothing to do but hibernate in his log cabin。
Warmth； rest； and plenty to eat； cured his hacking cough and put him
in as good physical condition as was possible for his advanced years。
But； even before Christmas； the lack of fresh vegetables caused scurvy to
break out； and disappointed adventurer after disappointed adventurer took
to his bunk in abject surrender to this culminating misfortune。 Not so
Tarwater。 Even before the first symptoms appeared on him； he was
putting into practice his one prescription； namely； exercise。 From the
junk of the old trading post he resurrected a number of rusty traps； and
from one of the steamboat captains he borrowed a rifle。
Thus equipped； he ceased from wood…chopping； and began to make
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more than a mere living。 Nor was he downhearted when the scurvy
broke out on his own body。 Ever he ran his trap…lines and sang his
ancient chant。 Nor could the pessimist shake his surety of the three
hundred thousand of Alaskan gold he as going to shake out of the moss…
roots。
〃But this ain't gold…country；〃 they told him。
〃Gold is where you find it； son； as I should know who was mining
before you was born； 'way back in Forty…Nine；〃 was his reply。 〃What was
Bonanza Creek but a moose…pasture？ No miner'd look at it； yet they
washed five…hundred…dollar pans and took out fifty million dollars。
Eldorado was just as bad。 For all you know； right under this here cabin；
or right over the next hill； is millions just waiting for a lucky one like me
to come and shake it out。〃
At the end of January came his disaster。 Some powerful animal that
he decided was a bob…cat； managing to get caught in one of his smaller
traps； dragged it away。 A heavy snow…fall put a stop midway to his
pursuit； losing the trail for him and losing himself。 There were but several
hours of daylight each day between the twenty hours of intervening
darkness； and his efforts in the grey light and continually falling snow
succeeded only in losing him more thoroughly。 Fortunately； when winter
snow falls in the Northland the thermometer invariably rises； so； instead of
the customary forty and fifty and even sixty degrees below zero； the
temperature remained fifteen below。 Also； he was warmly clad and had a
full matchbox。 Further to mitigate his predicament； on the fifth day he
killed a wounded moose that weighed over half a ton。 Making his camp
beside it on a spruce…bottom； he was prepared to last out the
