登陆注册
20040200000131

第131章 XXXVI. AT DUNBARTON(1)

For their first bridal camp he chose an island. Long weeks beforehand he had thought of this place, and set his heart upon it. Once established in his mind, the thought became a picture that he saw waking and sleeping. He had stopped at the island many times alone, and in all seasons; but at this special moment of the year he liked it best. Often he had added several needless miles to his journey that he might finish the day at this point, might catch the trout for his supper beside a certain rock upon its edge, and fall asleep hearing the stream on either side of him.

Always for him the first signs that he had gained the true world of the mountains began at the island. The first pine trees stood upon it; the first white columbine grew in their shade; and it seemed to him that he always met here the first of the true mountain air--the coolness and the new fragrance. Below, there were only the cottonwoods, and the knolls and steep foot-hills with their sage-brush, and the great warm air of the plains; here at this altitude came the definite change. Out of the lower country and its air he would urge his horse upward, talking to him aloud, and promising fine pasture in a little while.

Then, when at length he had ridden abreast of the island pines, he would ford to the sheltered circle of his camp-ground, throw off the saddle and blanket from the horse's hot, wet back, throw his own clothes off, and, shouting, spring upon the horse bare, and with a rope for bridle, cross with him to the promised pasture. Here there was a pause in the mountain steepness, a level space of open, green with thick grass. Riding his horse to this, he would leap off him, and with the flat of his hand give him a blow that cracked sharp in the stillness and sent the horse galloping and gambolling to his night's freedom. And while the animal rolled in the grass, often his master would roll also, and stretch, and take the grass in his two hands, and so draw his body along, limbering his muscles after a long ride. Then he would slide into the stream below his fishing place, where it was deep enough for swimming, and cross back to his island, and dressing again, fit his rod together and begin his casting. After the darkness had set in, there would follow the lying drowsily with his head upon his saddle, the camp-fire sinking as he watched it, and sleep approaching to the murmur of the water on either side of him.

So many visits to this island had he made, and counted so many hours of revery spent in its haunting sweetness, that the spot had come to seem his own. It belonged to no man, for it was deep in the unsurveyed and virgin wilderness; neither had he ever made his camp here with any man, nor shared with any the intimate delight which the place gave him. Therefore for many weeks he had planned to bring her here after their wedding, upon the day itself, and show her and share with her his pines and his fishing rock. He would bid her smell the first true breath of the mountains, would watch with her the sinking camp-fire, and with her listen to the water as it flowed round the island.

Until this wedding plan, it had by no means come home to him how deep a hold upon him the island had taken. He knew that he liked to go there, and go alone; but so little was it his way to scan himself, his mind, or his feelings (unless some action called for it), that he first learned his love of the place through his love of her. But he told her nothing of it. After the thought of taking her there came to him, he kept his island as something to let break upon her own eyes, lest by looking forward she should look for more than the reality.

Hence, as they rode along, when the houses of the town were shrunk to dots behind them, and they were nearing the gates of the foot-hills, she asked him questions. She hoped they would find a camp a long way from the town. She could ride as many miles as necessary. She was not tired. Should they not go on until they found a good place far enough within the solitude? Had he fixed upon any? And at the nod and the silence that he gave her for reply, she knew that he had thoughts and intentions which she must wait to learn.

They passed through the gates of the foot-hills, following the stream up among them. The outstretching fences and the widely trodden dust were no more. Now and then they rose again into view of the fields and houses down in the plain below. But as the sum of the miles and hours grew, they were glad to see the road less worn with travel, and the traces of men passing from sight. The ploughed and planted country, that quilt of many-colored harvests which they had watched yesterday, lay in another world from this where they rode now. No hand but nature's had sown these crops of yellow flowers, these willow thickets and tall cottonwoods.

Somewhere in a passage of red rocks the last sign of wagon wheels was lost, and after this the trail became a wild mountain trail.

But it was still the warm air of the plains, bearing the sage-brush odor and not the pine, that they breathed; nor did any forest yet cloak the shapes of the tawny hills among which they were ascending. Twice the steepness loosened the pack ropes, and he jumped down to tighten them, lest the horses should get sore backs. And twice the stream that they followed went into deep canyons, so that for a while they parted from it. When they came back to its margin for the second time, he bade her notice how its water had become at last wholly clear. To her it had seemed clear enough all along, even in the plain above the town. But now she saw that it flowed lustrously with flashes; and she knew the soil had changed to mountain soil. Lower down, the water had carried the slightest cloud of alkali, and this had dulled the keen edge of its transparence. Full solitude was around them now, so that their words grew scarce, and when they spoke it was with low voices. They began to pass nooks and points favorable for camping, with wood and water at hand, and pasture for the horses.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • TFBOYS十年之约不曾忘

    TFBOYS十年之约不曾忘

    三只和三个女孩的相遇,最后在一起了~(注:作者第一次写,请各位读者海涵,有什么意见请提出来,我会改正的,不喜勿喷,谢谢~)
  • 全职猎人会长选举篇

    全职猎人会长选举篇

    动画片全职猎人重制版,会长选举篇的文字版
  • 玛丽苏人设也能清高无比

    玛丽苏人设也能清高无比

    尹家五小姐尹芊晟,一个完美无瑕的美少女。沉鱼落雁,傲娇腹黑,关爱后辈,萌气十足,做事果敢,琴棋书画样样精通,文韬武艺无所不能,完美地让人不敢相信。开学的第一天,她在樱花树下相遇大触齐嘉逸,全校校草,热爱绘画和cosplay,无爱凡尘,不喜世俗,会照顾人,毫无少爷范,温柔地不可思议。二人因这场樱花雨结了缘,尹芊晟还与班里大美女赌上了终生幸福。游戏一样的人生,小说一般的生活,玛丽苏一样的人设,无比清高的恋爱。尹芊晟:我人设苏但我人不苏。齐嘉逸:像你这样的丫头应该找个人照顾你一生。于幽幽:谁要是欺负尹芊晟我就打断谁的腿。殷风铃:这个赌绝对让你输地惨不忍睹。
  • 做最棒的员工(修订版)

    做最棒的员工(修订版)

    世界500强企业首选的职业精神培训工具书。态度决定高度,人品决定产品,能力创造价值。投资你的态度,拥有美丽“薪”情;亮出你的人品,拥有光明“钱”途;提升你的能力,拥有过硬业绩。要做就做最棒的员工!
  • 远古大逃亡

    远古大逃亡

    古生代末,小行星撞击地球,毁灭了近百分之九十的生物;中生代末,小行星撞击地球,地球霸主恐龙退出历史的长河。21世纪的某一天,一颗带着毁灭气息的小行星飞向地球。张亮跟着人类大部队,被迫乘坐刚研发不久的时间机器来到恐龙统治的侏罗纪时期。然后,他看见了力大无穷的甲虫,能直立行走的青蛙,还有会喷火的翼龙……而导致侏罗纪这一切异变的居然是五种不同颜色的果实。有一天,一颗青色的果实摆在他的面前……
  • 末日之异能者

    末日之异能者

    天依旧那样蓝,可是地,却变了,所有的一切都变了,大地上都是那些恶心而肮脏的怪物——丧尸。王寒飞要活下去,只为寻找自己的父母,拯救自己的兄弟!丧尸乱世,各色各样的枭雄,异能者,层出不断,王寒飞究竟如何寻找自己的父母?王寒飞能否活下去?诸位和我一起期待吧......
  • “80后”职场使用手册

    “80后”职场使用手册

    本书结合“80后”自身的生活轨迹和性格特点,展示了“80后”职场的真实面目,以帮助读者认清优势,改正缺点,探索纵横职场的成功之道。
  • 难以招架的人鱼

    难以招架的人鱼

    你可曾遇过,一只容易害臊的人鱼?他会潜进你的梦海,在你面前摆动他的鱼身以此魅惑你,却不肯让你看见他的半点面目。他总是一副没心没肺、狂妄恣意的样子,唯一干过的正经事就是帮其他男人得到你。你猜不到,他其实只想化为一片叶子静隐于树上,永远不让你发觉他那紧随于你的目光。如果你遇到这样一只人鱼,会不会和我一样不顾一切爱上他?会不会和我一样,将他归还于海洋……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 恋爱那些事儿

    恋爱那些事儿

    我和徐琳是好姐妹。虽然她是父母领养回来的。我们一起经历了突然失去父母的的痛苦。虽然我没有能够见到父亲的最后一面,她也给了我一个合理的解释,并且我们重新过上了幸福的生活。但是我心里总是隐隐感觉事情并没有那么简单。于是在终于有了闲暇的时候,我又着手调查这件事情。却不知,由它牵扯出了一系列的痛苦,姐妹情深是假的,爱的人也是假的!这世界上还有什么东西是真的么……
  • 化身为罪

    化身为罪

    医药鬼才,杀手天才,商业奇才的冷枭被唯一的挚友背叛,后来被信任的手下杀害,临死前给其子注射他研究七年的超再生药“速生”,救活了其子冷枫,留下了昏迷不醒的妻子吴灵。后来母子两被吴灵的父亲即冷枫的外公接回家疗养,从此冷枫改名为吴枫,作为中国南方最大的企业吴氏企业的继承人,吴枫命运的齿轮从此开始转动...