arizona nights(亚利桑那之夜)-第34章
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a Florentine palace。 And； modifying all the others； the tinted atmosphere
of the south…west； refracting the sun through the infinitesimal earth motes
thrown up constantly by the wind devils of the desert； drew before the
scene a delicate and gauzy veil of lilac； of rose； of saffron； of amethyst； or
of mauve； according to the time of day。 Senor Johnson discovered that
looking at the landscape upside down accentuated the colour effects。 It
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amused him vastly suddenly to bend over his saddle horn； the top of his
head nearly touching his horse's mane。 The distant mountains at once
started out into redder prominence； their shadows of purple deepened to
the royal colour； the rose veil thickened。 〃She's the prettiest country
God ever made！〃 exclaimed Senor Johnson with entire conviction。
And no matter where he went； nor into how familiar country he rode； the
shapes of illusion offered always variety。 One day the Chiricahuas were
a tableland； next day a series of castellated peaks； now an anvil； now a
saw tooth； and rarely they threw a magnificent suspension bridge across
the heavens to their neighbours； the ranges on the west。 Lakes rippling in
the wind and breaking on the shore； cattle big as elephants or small as
rabbits； distances that did not exist and forests that never were； beds of
lava along the hills swearing to a cloud shadow； while the sky was
polished like a precious stonethese； and many other beautiful and
marvellous but empty shows the great desert displayed lavishly； with the
glitter and inconsequence of a dream。 Senor Johnson sat on his horse in
the hot sun； his chin in his band； his elbow on the pommel； watching it all
with grave； unshifting eyes。 Occasionally； belated； he saw the stars；
the wonderful desert stars； blazing clear and unflickering； like the flames
of candles。 Or the moon worked her necromancies； hemming him in by
mountains ten thousand feet high through which there was no pass。 And
then as he rode； the mountains shifted like the scenes in a theatre； and he
crossed the little sand dunes out from the dream country to the adobe
corrals of the home ranch。 All these things； and many others； Senor
Johnson now saw for the first time； although he had lived among them for
twenty years。 It struck him with the freshness of a surprise。 Also it
reacted chemically on his mental processes to generate a new power
within him。 The new power； being as yet unapplied； made him uneasy
and restless and a little irritable。 He tried to show some of his
wonders to Parker。 〃Jed；〃 said he； one day； 〃this is a great country。〃
〃You KNOW it；〃 replied the foreman。 〃Those tourists in their nickel…
plated Pullmans call this a desert。 Desert； hell！ Look at them flowers！〃
The foreman cast an eye on a glorious silken mantle of purple； a hundred
yards broad。 〃Sure；〃 he agreed； 〃shows what we could do if we
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only had a little water。〃 And again： 〃Jed；〃 began the Senor； 〃did
you ever notice them mountains？〃 〃Sure；〃 agreed Jed。
〃Ain't that a pretty colour？〃 〃You bet；〃 agreed the foreman； 〃now
you're talking！ I always； said they was mineralised enough to make a
good prospect。〃 This was unsatisfactory。 Senor Johnson grew more
restless。 His critical eye began to take account of small details。 At the
ranch house one evening he； on a sudden； bellowed loudly for Sang； the
Chinese servant。
〃Look at these！〃 he roared； when Sang appeared。 Sang's eyes
opened in bewilderment。 〃There； and there！〃 shouted the cattleman。
〃Look at them old newspapers and them gun rags！ The place is like a
cow…yard。 Why in the name of heaven don't you clean up here！〃
〃Allee light；〃 babbled Sang； 〃I clean him。〃
The papers and gun rags had lain there unnoticed for nearly a year。
Senor Johnson kicked them savagely。 〃It's time we took a brace
here；〃 he growled； 〃we're livin' like a lot of Oilers。〃＇5＇
＇5＇ Oilers： GreasersMexicans
CHAPTER THREE THE PAPER A YEAR OLD
Sang hurried out for a broom。 Senor Johnson sat where he was； his
heavy； square brows knit。 Suddenly he stooped； seized one of the
newspapers； drew near the lamp； and began to read。 It was a Kansas
City paper and； by a strange coincidence； was dated exactly a year before。
The sheet Senor Johnson happened to pick up was one usually passed over
by the average newspaper reader。 It contained only columns of little two…
and three…line advertisements classified as Help Wanted； Situations
Wanted； Lost and Found； and Personal。 The latter items Senor Johnson
commenced to read while awaiting Sang and the broom。 The notices
were five in number。 The first three were of the mysterious newspaper…
correspondence type； in which Birdie beseeches Jack to meet her at the
fountain； the fourth advertised a clairvoyant。 Over the fifth Senor
Johnson paused long。 It reads 〃WANTED。…By an intelligent and
refined lady of pleasing appearance； correspondence with a gentleman of
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means。 Object matrimony。
Just then Sang returned with the broom and began noisily to sweep
together the debris。 The rustling of papers aroused Senor Johnson from
his reverie。 At once he exploded。 〃Get out of here； you debased
Mongolian；〃 he shouted； 〃can't you see I'm reading？〃 Sang fled；
sorely puzzled； for the Senor was calm and unexcited and aloof in his
everyday habit。 Soon Jed Parker； tall； wiry； hawk…nosed； deliberate；
came into the room and flung his broad hat and spurs into the corner。
Then he proceeded to light his pipe and threw the burned match on the
floor。 〃Been over to look at the Grant Pass range；〃 he announced
cheerfully。 〃She's no good。 Drier than cork legs。 Th' country wouldn't
support three horned toads。〃
〃Jed；〃 quoth the Senor solemnly； 〃I wisht you'd hang up your hat like I
have。 It don't look good there on the floor。〃 〃Why； sure；〃 agreed Jed；
with an astonished stare。
Sang brought in supper and slung it on the red and white squares of
oilcloth。 Then he moved the lamp and retired。 Senor Johnson
gazed with distaste into his cup。 〃This coffee would float a wedge；〃
he commented sourly。 〃She's no puling infant；〃 agreed the cheerful
Jed。 〃And this！〃 went on the Senor； picking up what purported to be
plum duff： 〃Bog down a few currants in dough and call her pudding！〃
He ate in silence； then pushed back his chair and went to the window；
gazing through its grimy panes at the mountains； ethereal in their evening
saffron。 〃Blamed Chink；〃 he growled； 〃why don't he wash these
windows？〃 Jed laid down his busy knife and idle fork to gaze on
his chief with amazement。 Buck Johnson； the austere； the aloof； the
grimly taciturn； the dangerous； to be thus complaining like a querulous
woman！
〃Senor；〃 said he； 〃you're off your feed。〃 Senor Johnson strode
savagely to the table and sat down with a bang。 〃I'm sick of it；〃 he
growled； 〃this thing will kill me off。 I might as well go be a buck nun
and be done with it。〃 With one round…arm sweep he cleared aside the
dishes。 〃Give me that pen and paper behind you；〃 he requested。
For an hour he wrote and destroyed。 The floor became littered with torn
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papers。 Then he enveloped a meagre result。 Parker had watched him in
silence。 The Senor looked up to catch his speculative eye。 His own
eye twinkled a little； but the twinkle was determined and sinister； with
only an alloy of humour。 〃Senor；〃 ventured Parker slowly； 〃this event
sure knocks me hell…west and crooked。 If the loco you have culled hasn't
paralysed your speaking parts； would you mind telling me what in the
name of heaven； hell； and high…water is up？〃 〃I am going to get
married；〃 announced the Senor calmly。 〃What！〃 shouted Parker； 〃who
to？〃 〃To a lady；〃 replied the Senor； 〃an intelligent and refined lady… …
of pleasing appearance。〃
CHAPTER FOUR DREAMS
Although the paper was a year old； Senor Johnson in due time received
an answer from Kansas。 A correspondence ensued。 Senor Johnson
enshrined above the big fireplace the photograph of a woman。 Before
this he used to stand for hours at a time slowly constructing in his mind
what he had hitherto lackedan ideal of woman and of home。 This ideal
he used sometimes to express to himself and to the ironical Jed。 〃It
must sure be nice to have a little woman waitin' for you when you come in
off'n the desert。〃 Or： 〃Now； a woman would have them windows just
blooming with flowers and white curtains and such truck。〃
Or： 〃I bet that Sang
