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！
getically； 〃I'm used to different things to the mountains。 I have never
been where I could not see them before in my life。〃
〃Ah； I see！ I suppose it is odd to look up and find them not there。〃
〃It's like being lost； this not having any… thing around you。 At least； I
mean；〃 she continued slowly； as if her thought could not easily put itself in
words； 〃I mean it seems as if a part of the world had been taken down。 It
makes you feel lonesome； as if you were living after the world had begun
to die。〃
〃You'll get used to it in a few days。 It seems very beautiful to me here。
4
… Page 5…
A Mountain Woman
And then you will have so much life to divert you。〃
〃Life？ But there is always that every… where。〃
〃I mean men and women。〃
〃Oh！ Still； I am not used to them。 I think I might be not not very
happy with them。 They might think me queer。 I think I would like to
show your sister the mountains。〃
〃She has seen them often。〃
〃Oh； she told me。 But I don't mean those pretty green hills such as we
saw com… ing here。 They are not like my mountains。 I like mountains that
go beyond the clouds； with terrible shadows in the hollows； and belts of
snow lying in the gorges where the sun cannot reach； and the snow is blue
in the sunshine； or shining till you think it is silver； and the mist so
wonderful all about it； changing each moment and drifting up and down；
that you cannot tell what name to give the colors。 These mountains of
yours here in the East are so quiet； mine are shouting all the time； with the
pines and the rivers。 The echoes are so loud in the valley that sometimes；
when the wind is rising； we can hardly hear a man talk unless he raises his
voice。 There are four cataracts near where I live； and they all have
different voices； just as people do； and one of them is happy a little
white cataract and it falls where the sun shines earliest； and till night it is
shining。 But the others only get the sun now and then； and they are more
noisy and cruel。 One of them is always in the shadow； and the water looks
black。 That is partly because the rocks all underneath it are black。 It falls
down twenty great ledges in a gorge with black sides； and a white mist
dances all over it at every leap。 I tell father the mist is the ghost of the
waters。 No man ever goes there； it is too cold。 The chill strikes through
one； and makes your heart feel as if you were dying。 But all down the side
of the mountain； toward the south and the west； the sun shines on the
granite and draws long points of light out of it。 Father tells me soldiers
marching look that way when the sun strikes on their bayonets。 Those are
the kind of mountains I mean； Mr。 Grant。〃
She was looking at me with her face trans… figured； as if it； like the
mountains she told me of； had been lying in shadow； and wait… ing for the
5
… Page 6…
A Mountain Woman
dazzling dawn。
〃I had a terrible dream once；〃 she went on； 〃the most terrible dream
ever I had。 I dreamt that the mountains had all been taken down； and that I
stood on a plain to which there was no end。 The sky was burn… ing up； and
the grass scorched brown from the heat； and it was twisting as if it were in
pain。 And animals； but no other person save myself； only wild things； were
crouch… ing and looking up at that sky。 They could not run because there
was no place to which to go。〃
〃You were having a vision of the last man；〃 I said。 〃I wonder myself
sometimes whether this old globe of ours is going to collapse suddenly
and take us with her； or whether we will disappear through slow disastrous
ages of fighting and crushing； with hunger and blight to help us to the end。
And then； at the last； perhaps； some luckless fellow； stronger than the rest；
will stand amid the ribs of the rotting earth and go mad。〃
The woman's eyes were fixed on me； large and luminous。 〃Yes；〃 she
said； 〃he would go mad from the lonesomeness of it。 He would be afraid
to be left alone like that with God。 No one would want to be taken into
God's secrets。〃
〃And our last man；〃 I went on； 〃would have to stand there on that
swaying wreck till even the sound of the crumbling earth ceased。 And he
would try to find a voice and would fail； because silence would have come
again。 And then the light would go out 〃
The shudder that crept over her made me stop； ashamed of myself。
〃You talk like father；〃 she said； with a long…drawn breath。 Then she
looked up suddenly at the sun shining through a rift in those reckless gray
clouds； and put out one hand as if to get it full of the headlong rollicking
breeze。 〃But the earth is not dying；〃 she cried。 〃It is well and strong； and it
likes to go round and round among all the other worlds。 It likes the sun
and moon； they are all good friends； and it likes the people who live on it。
Maybe it is they instead of the fire within who keep it warm； or maybe it is
warm just from always going； as we are when we run。 We are young； you
and I； Mr。 Grant； and Leroy； and your beautiful sister； and the world is
young too！〃 Then she laughed a strong splendid laugh； which had never
6
… Page 7…
A Mountain Woman
had the joy taken out of it with drawing…room re… strictions； and I laughed
too； and felt that we had become very good companions indeed； and found
myself warming to the joy of companionship as I had not since I was a
boy at school。
That afternoon the four of us sat at a table in the Casino together。 The
Casino； as every one knows； is a place to amuse yourself。 If you have a
duty； a mission； or an aspiration； you do not take it there with you； it
would be so obviously out of place； if poverty is ahead of you； you forget
it； if you have brains； you hasten to conceal them； they would be a serious
encumbrance。
There was a bubbling of conversation； a rustle and flutter such as there
always is where there are many women。 All the place was gay with
flowers and with gowns as bright as the flowers。 I remembered the
apprehensions of my sister； and studied Leroy's wife to see how she fitted
into this highly colored picture。 She was the only woman in the room who