lost face(丢失的脸)-第16章
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magnetic needle in a cargo of loadstone。 Dave was as steady and solid as
she was fickle and fly…away； and in some way Dave； who never doubted
anybody； doubted her。 It was the jealousy of his love； perhaps； and
maybe it was the message ticked off from her soul to his； but at any rate
Dave was worried by fear of her inconstancy。 He was afraid to trust her
till the next year； he had so to trust her； and he was pretty well beside
himself。 Some of it I got from old Victor Chauvet afterwards； and from
all that I have pieced together I conclude that there was something of a
scene before Dave pulled north with his dogs。 He stood up before the old
Frenchman； with Flush of Gold beside him； and announced that they were
plighted to each other。 He was very dramatic； with fire in his eyes； old
Victor said。 He talked something about 'until death do us part'； and old
Victor especially remembered that at one place Dave took her by the
shoulder with his great paw and almost shook her as he said： 'Even unto
death are you mine； and I would rise from the grave to claim you。' Old
Victor distinctly remembered those words 'Even unto death are you mine；
and I would rise from the grave to claim you。' And he told me afterwards
that Flush of Gold was pretty badly frightened； and that he afterwards took
Dave to one side privately and told him that that wasn't the way to hold
Flush of Goldthat he must humour her and gentle her if he wanted to
keep her。
〃There is no discussion in my mind but that Flush of Gold was
frightened。 She was a savage herself in her treatment of men； while men
had always treated her as a soft and tender and too utterly…utter something
that must not be hurt。 She didn't know what harshness was 。 。 。 until
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Dave Walsh； standing his six feet four； a big bull； gripped her and pawed
her and assured her that she was his until death； and then some。 And
besides； in Dawson； that winter； was a music…playerone of those
macaroni…eating； greasy…tenor…Eye…talian… dago propositionsand Flush of
Gold lost her heart to him。 Maybe it was only fascinationI don't know。
Sometimes it seems to me that she really did love Dave Walsh。 Perhaps
it was because he had frightened her with that even…unto…death； rise…from…
the…grave stunt of his that she in the end inclined to the dago music…player。
But it is all guesswork； and the facts are； sufficient。 He wasn't a dago； he
was a Russian countthis was straight； and he wasn't a professional piano…
player or anything of the sort。 He played the violin and the piano； and he
sangsang wellbut it was for his own pleasure and for the pleasure of
those he sang for。 He had money； tooand right here let me say that
Flush of Gold never cared a rap for money。 She was fickle； but she was
never sordid。
〃But to be getting along。 She was plighted to Dave； and Dave was
coming up on the first steamboat to get herthat was the summer of '98；
and the first steamboat was to be expected the middle of June。 And Flush
of Gold was afraid to throw Dave down and face him afterwards。 It was
all planned suddenly。 The Russian music…player； the Count； was her
obedient slave。 She planned it； I know。 I learned as much from old
Victor afterwards。 The Count took his orders from her； and caught that
first steamboat down。 It was the Golden Rocket。 And so did Flush of
Gold catch it。 And so did I。 I was going to Circle City； and I was
flabbergasted when I found Flush of Gold on board。 I didn't see her
name down on the passenger list。 She was with the Count fellow all the
time； happy and smiling； and I noticed that the Count fellow was down on
the list as having his wife along。 There it was； stateroom； number； and all。
The first I knew that he was married； only I didn't see anything of the
wife 。 。 。 unless Flush of Gold was so counted。 I wondered if they'd got
married ashore before starting。 There'd been talk about them in Dawson；
you see； and bets had been laid that the Count fellow had cut Dave out。
〃I talked with the purser。 He didn't know anything more about it than
I did； he didn't know Flush of Gold； anyway； and besides； he was almost
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rushed to death。 You know what a Yukon steamboat is； but you can't
guess what the Golden Rocket was when it left Dawson that June of 1898。
She was a hummer。 Being the first steamer out； she carried all the scurvy
patients and hospital wrecks。 Then she must have carried a couple of
millions of Klondike dust and nuggets； to say nothing of a packed and
jammed passenger list； deck passengers galore； and bucks and squaws and
dogs without end。 And she was loaded down to the guards with freight
and baggage。 There was a mountain of the same on the fore…lower…deck；
and each little stop along the way added to it。 I saw the box come aboard
at Teelee Portage； and I knew it for what it was； though I little guessed the
joker that was in it。 And they piled it on top of everything else on the
fore…lower…deck； and they didn't pile it any too securely either。 The mate
expected to come back to it again； and then forgot about it。 I thought at the
time that there was something familiar about the big husky dog that
climbed over the baggage and freight and lay down next to the box。 And
then we passed the Glendale； bound up for Dawson。 As she saluted us； I
thought of Dave on board of her and hurrying to Dawson to Flush of Gold。
I turned and looked at her where she stood by the rail。 Her eyes were
bright； but she looked a bit frightened by the sight of the other steamer；
and she was leaning closely to the Count fellow as for protection。 She
needn't have leaned so safely against him； and I needn't have been so sure
of a disappointed Dave Walsh arriving at Dawson。 For Dave Walsh
wasn't on the Glendale。 There were a lot of things I didn't know； but was
soon to knowfor instance； that the pair were not yet married。 Inside
half an hour preparations for the marriage took place。 What of the sick
men in the main cabin； and of the crowded condition of the Golden Rocket；
the likeliest place for the ceremony was found forward； on the lower deck；
in an open space next to the rail and gang…plank and shaded by the
mountain of freight with the big box on top and the sleeping dog beside it。
There was a missionary on board； getting off at Eagle City； which was the
next step； so they had to use him quick。 That's what they'd planned to do；
get married on the boat。
〃But I've run ahead of the facts。 The reason Dave Walsh wasn't on
the Glendale was because he was on the Golden Rocket。 It was this way。
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After loiterin' in Dawson on account of Flush of Gold； he went down to
Mammon Creek on the ice。 And there he found Dusky Burns doing so
well with the claim； there was no need for him to be around。 So he put
some grub on the sled； harnessed the dogs； took an Indian along； and
pulled out for Surprise Lake。 He always had a liking for that section。
Maybe you don't know how the creek turned out to be a four…flusher； but
the prospects were good at the time； and Dave proceeded to build his cabin
and hers。 That's the cabin we slept in。 After he finished it； he went off on
a moose hunt to the forks of the Teelee； takin' the Indian along。
〃And this is what happened。 Came on a cold snap。 The juice went
down forty； fifty； sixty below zero。 I remember that snapI was at Forty
Mile； and I remember the very day。 At eleven o'clock in the morning the
spirit thermometer at the N。 A。 T。 & T。 Company's store went down to
seventy…five below zero。 And that morning； near the forks of the Teelee；
Dave Walsh was out after moose with that blessed Indian of his。 I got it
all from the Indian afterwardswe made a trip over the ice together to
Dyea。 That morning Mr。 Indian broke through the ice and wet himself to
the waist。 Of course he began to freeze right away。 The proper thing
was to build a fire。 But Dave Walsh was a bull。 It was only half a mile
to camp； where a fire was already burning。 What was the good of
building another？ He threw Mr。 Indian over his shoulderand ran with
himhalf a milewith the thermometer at seventy…five below。 You know
what that means。 Suicide。 There's no other name for it。 Why； that buck
Indian weighed over two hundred himself； and Dave ran half a mile with
him。 Of course he froze his lungs。 Must have frozen them near solid。 It
was a tomfool trick for any man to do。 And anyway； after lingering
horribly for several weeks； Dave Walsh died。
〃The Indian didn't know what to do with the corpse。 Ordinarily he'd
have buried him and let it go at that。 But he knew that Dave Walsh was a
big man； worth lots of money； a hi…yu skookum chief。 Likewise he'd
seen the bodies of other hi…yu skookums carted around the country like
they were worth something。 So he decided to take Dave's body to Forty
Mile； which was Dave's headquarters。 You know how the ice is on the
grass roots in this countrywell； the Indian planted Dave under a foot of
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