a waif of the plains(草原流浪儿)-第6章
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
them。〃
〃It's heartlessso it is！〃 said Mrs。 Peyton； with sudden indignation。
〃It would be all very well if it was only this boy； who can take care of
himself； but to be so careless of a mere baby like this； it's shameful！〃
For the first time Clarence tasted the cruelty of discrimination。 All the
more keenly that he was beginning to worship； after his boyish fashion；
this sweet…faced； clean； and tender…hearted woman。 Perhaps Mr。 Peyton
noticed it； for he came quietly to his aid。
〃Maybe they knew better than we in what careful hands they had left
her；〃 he said； with a cheerful nod towards Clarence。 〃And； again； they
may have been fooled as we were by Injin signs and left the straight road。〃
This suggestion instantly recalled to Clarence his vision in the
mesquite。 Should he dare tell them？ Would they believe him； or would
they laugh at him before her？ He hesitated； and at last resolved to tell it
privately to the husband。 When the meal was ended； and he was made
happy by Mrs。 Peyton's laughing acceptance of his offer to help her clear
the table and wash the dishes； they all gathered comfortably in front of the
tent before the large camp fire。 At the other fire the rest of the party were
playing cards and laughing； but Clarence no longer cared to join them。
He was quite tranquil in the maternal propinquity of his hostess； albeit a
little uneasy as to his reticence about the Indian。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said Susy； relieving a momentary pause； in her highest
voice； 〃knows how to speak。 Speak； Kla'uns！〃
It appearing from Clarence's blushing explanation that this gift was not
the ordinary faculty of speech； but a capacity to recite verse； he was
politely pressed by the company for a performance。
〃Speak 'em； Kla'uns； the boy what stood unto the burnin' deck； and
said； 'The boy； oh； where was he？'〃 said Susy； comfortably lying down on
Mrs。 Peyton's lap； and contemplating her bare knees in the air。 〃It's 'bout
a boy；〃 she added confidentially to Mrs。 Peyton； 〃whose father wouldn't
never； never stay with him on a burnin' ship； though he said； 'Stay； father；
stay；' ever so much。〃
With this clear； lucid； and perfectly satisfactory explanation of Mrs。
Hemans's 〃Casabianca；〃 Clarence began。 Unfortunately； his actual
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rendering of this popular school performance was more an effort of
memory than anything else； and was illustrated by those wooden gestures
which a Western schoolmaster had taught him。 He described the flames
that 〃roared around him；〃 by indicating with his hand a perfect circle； of
which he was the axis； he adjured his father； the late Admiral Casabianca；
by clasping his hands before his chin； as if wanting to be manacled in an
attitude which he was miserably conscious was unlike anything he himself
had ever felt or seen before； he described that father 〃faint in death
below；〃 and 〃the flag on high；〃 with one single motion。 Yet something
that the verses had kindled in his active imagination； perhaps； rather than
an illustration of the verses themselves； at times brightened his gray eyes；
became tremulous in his youthful voice； and I fear occasionally incoherent
on his lips。 At times； when not conscious of his affected art； the plain
and all upon it seemed to him to slip away into the night； the blazing camp
fire at his feet to wrap him in a fateful glory； and a vague devotion to
somethinghe knew not whatso possessed him that he communicated it；
and probably some of his own youthful delight in extravagant voice； to his
hearers； until； when he ceased with a glowing face； he was surprised to
find that the card players had deserted their camp fires and gathered round
the tent。
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
CHAPTER V
〃You didn't say 'Stay； father； stay；' enough； Kla'uns；〃 said Susy
critically。 Then suddenly starting upright in Mrs。 Peyton's lap； she
continued rapidly； 〃I kin dance。 And sing。 I kin dance High
Jambooree。〃
〃What's High Jambooree； dear？〃 asked Mrs。 Peyton。
〃You'll see。 Lemme down。〃 And Susy slipped to the ground。
The dance of High Jambooree； evidently of remote mystical African
origin； appeared to consist of three small skips to the right and then to the
left； accompanied by the holding up of very short skirts； incessant
〃teetering〃 on the toes of small feet； the exhibition of much bare knee and
stocking； and a gurgling accompaniment of childish laughter。
Vehemently applauded； it left the little performer breathless； but invincible
and ready for fresh conquest。
〃I kin sing； too；〃 she gasped hurriedly； as if unwilling that the applause
should lapse。 〃I kin sing。 Oh； dear！ Kla'uns；〃 piteously； 〃WHAT is it
I sing？〃
〃Ben Bolt；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Oh； yes。 Oh； don't you remember sweet Alers Ben Bolt？〃 began
Susy； in the same breath and the wrong key。 〃Sweet Alers； with hair so
brown； who wept with delight when you giv'd her a smile； and〃 with
knitted brows and appealing recitative； 〃what's er rest of it； Kla'uns？〃
〃Who trembled with fear at your frown？〃 prompted Clarence。
〃Who trembled with fear at my frown？〃 shrilled Susy。 〃I forget er
rest。 Wait！ I kin sing〃
〃Praise God；〃 suggested Clarence。
〃Yes。〃 Here Susy； a regular attendant in camp and prayer…meetings；
was on firmer ground。
Promptly lifting her high treble； yet with a certain acquired
deliberation； she began； 〃Praise God； from whom all blessings flow。〃 At
the end of the second line the whispering and laughing ceased。 A deep
voice to the right； that of the champion poker player； suddenly rose on the
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
swell of the third line。 He was instantly followed by a dozen ringing
voices； and by the time the last line was reached it was given with a full
chorus； in which the dull chant of teamsters and drivers mingled with the
soprano of Mrs。 Peyton and Susy's childish treble。 Again and again it
was repeated； with forgetful eyes and abstracted faces； rising and falling
with the night wind and the leap and gleam of the camp fires； and fading
again like them in the immeasurable mystery of the darkened plain。
In the deep and embarrassing silence that followed； at last the party
hesitatingly broke up； Mrs。 Peyton retiring with Susy after offering the
child to Clarence for a perfunctory 〃good…night〃 kiss； an unusual
proceeding； which somewhat astonished them bothand Clarence found
himself near Mr。 Peyton。
〃I think；〃 said Clarence timidly； 〃I saw an Injin to…day。〃
Mr。 Peyton bent down towards him。 〃An Injinwhere？〃 he asked
quickly； with the same look of doubting interrogatory with which he had
received Clarence's name and parentage。 The boy for a moment regretted
having spoken。 But with his old doggedness he particularized his
statement。 Fortunately； being gifted with a keen perception； he was able
to describe the stranger accurately； and to impart with his description that
contempt for its subject which he had felt； and which to his frontier auditor
established its truthfulness。 Peyton turned abruptly away； but presently
returned with Harry and another man。
〃You are sure of this？〃 said Peyton； half…encouragingly。
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃As sure as you are that your father is Colonel Brant and is dead？〃 said
Harry； with a light laugh。
Tears sprang into the boy's lowering eyes。 〃I don't lie；〃 he said
doggedly。
〃I believe you； Clarence；〃 said Peyton quietly。 〃But why didn't you
say it before？〃
〃I didn't like to say it before Susy andher！〃 stammered the boy。
〃Her？〃
〃Yes； sirMrs。 Peyton；〃 said Clarence blushingly。
〃Oh；〃 said Harry sarcastically； 〃how blessed polite we are！〃
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〃That'll do。 Let up on him； will you？〃 said Peyton； roughly； to his
subordinate。 〃The boy knows what he's about。 But；〃 he continued；
addressing Clarence； 〃how was it the Injin didn't see you？〃
〃I was very still on account of not waking Susy；〃 said Clarence； 〃and
〃 He hesitated。
〃And what？〃
〃He seemed more keen watching what YOU were doing；〃 said the boy
boldly。
〃That's so；〃 broke in the second man； who happened to be experienced；
〃and as he was to wind'ard o' the boy he was off HIS scent and bearings。
He was one of their rear scouts； the rest o' them's ahead crossing our track
to cut us off。 Ye didn't see anything else？〃
〃I saw a coyote first；〃 said Clarence； greatly encouraged。
〃Hold on！〃 said the expert； as Harry turned away with a sneer。 〃That's
a sign； too。 Wolf don't go where wolf hez been； and coyote don't foller
Injinsthere's no pickin's！ How long afore did you see the coyote？〃
〃Just after we left the wagon；〃 said Clarence。
〃That's it；〃 said the man； thoughtfully。 〃He was driven on ahead； or
hanging on their flanks。 These Injins are betwixt us and that ar train； or
following it。〃
Peyton made a hurried gesture of warning； as if reminding the speaker
of Clarence's presencea gesture which the boy noticed and wondered at。
Then the conversation of the three men took a lower tone； although
Clarence distinctly heard the concluding opinio
