in the carquinez woods-第7部分

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〃Collecting？〃　queried　Nellie。

〃Yes；　with　the　herbarium；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Nellie　dubiously。　　〃But　you　told　me　oncethe　first
time　we　ever　talked　together；〃　she　added；　looking　in　his　eyes
〃something　about　your　keeping　your　things　like　a　squirrel　in　a
tree。　　Could　we　not　go　there？　　Is　there　not　room　for　us　to　sit
and　talk　without　being　brow…beaten　and　looked　down　upon　by　these
supercilious　trees？〃

〃It's　too　far　away；〃　said　Low　truthfully；　but　with　a　somewhat
pronounced　emphasis；　〃much　too　far　for　you　just　now；　and　it　lies
on　another　trail　that　enters　the　wood　beyond。　　But　come；　I　will
show　you　a　spring　known　only　to　myself；　the　wood　ducks；　and　the
squirrels。　　I　discovered　it　the　first　day　I　saw　you；　and　gave　it
your　name。　　But　you　shall　christen　it　yourself。　　It　will　be　all
yours；　and　yours　alone；　for　it　is　so　hidden　and　secluded　that　I
defy　any　feet　but　my　own　or　whoso　shall　keep　step　with　mine　to
find　it。　　Shall　that　foot　be　yours；　Nellie？〃

Her　face　beamed　with　a　bright　assent。　　〃It　may　be　difficult　to
track　it　from　here；〃　he　said；　〃but　stand　where　you　are　a　moment；
and　don't　move；　rustle；　nor　agitate　the　air　in　any　way。　　The
woods　are　still　now。〃　　He　turned　at　right　angles　with　the　trail；
moved　a　few　paces　into　the　ferns　and　underbrush；　and　then　stopped
with　his　finger　on　his　lips。　　For　an　instant　both　remained
motionless；　then　with　his　intent　face　bent　forward　and　both　arms
extended；　he　began　to　sink　slowly　upon　one　knee　and　one　side；
inclining　his　body　with　a　gentle；　perfectly…graduated　movement
until　his　ear　almost　touched　the　ground。　　Nellie　watched　his
graceful　figure　breathlessly；　until；　like　a　bow　unbent；　he　stood
suddenly　erect　again；　and　beckoned　to　her　without　changing　the
direction　of　his　face。

〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked　eagerly。

〃All　right；　I　have　found　it；〃　he　continued；　moving　forward
without　turning　his　head。

〃But　how？　　What　did　you　kneel　for？〃　　He　did　not　reply；　but　taking
her　hand　in　his　continued　to　move　slowly　on　through　the
underbrush；　as　if　obeying　some　magnetic　attraction。　　〃How　did　you
find　it？〃　again　asked　the　half…awed　girl；　her　voice　unconsciously
falling　to　a　whisper。　　Still　silent；　Low　kept　his　rigid　face　and
forward　tread　for　twenty　yards　further；　then　he　stopped　and
released　the　girl's　half…impatient　hand。　　〃How　did　you　find　it？〃
she　repeated　sharply。

〃With　my　ears　and　nose；〃　replied　Low　gravely。

〃With　your　nose？〃

〃Yes；　I　smelt　it。〃

Still　fresh　with　the　memory　of　his　picturesque　attitude；　the
young　man's　reply　seemed　to　involve　something　more　irritating　to
her　feelings　than　even　that　absurd　anticlimax。　　She　looked　at　him
coldly　and　critically；　and　appeared　to　hesitate　whether　to
proceed。　　〃Is　it　far？〃　she　asked。

〃Not　more　than　ten　minutes　now；　as　I　shall　go。〃

〃And　you　won't　have　to　smell　your　way　again？〃

〃No；　it　is　quite　plain　now；〃　he　answered　seriously；　the　young
girl's　sarcasm　slipping　harmlessly　from　his　Indian　stolidity。
〃Don't　you　smell　it　yourself？〃

But　Miss　Nellie's　thin；　cold　nostrils　refused　to　take　that　vulgar
interest。

〃Nor　hear　it？　　Listen！〃

〃You　forget　I　suffer　the　misfortune　of　having　been　brought　up
under　a　roof；〃　she　replied　coldly。

〃That's　true；〃　repeated　Low；　in　all　seriousness；　〃it's　not　your
fault。　　But　do　you　know；　I　sometimes　think　I　am　peculiarly
sensitive　to　water；　I　feel　it　miles　away。　　At　night；　though　I　may
not　see　it　or　even　know　where　it　is；　I　am　conscious　of　it。　　It　is
company　to　me　when　I　am　alone；　and　I　seem　to　hear　it　in　my
dreams。　　There　is　no　music　as　sweet　to　me　as　its　song。　　When　you
sang　with　me　that　day　in　church；　I　seemed　to　hear　it　ripple　in
your　voice。　　It　says　to　me　more　than　the　birds　do；　more　than　the
rarest　plants　I　find。　　It　seems　to　live　with　me　and　for　me。　　It
is　my　earliest　recollection；　I　know　it　will　be　my　last；　for　I
shall　die　in　its　embrace。　　Do　you　think；　Nellie；〃　he　continued；
stopping　short　and　gazing　earnestly　in　her　face〃do　you　think
that　the　chiefs　knew　this　when　they　called　me　'Sleeping　Water'？〃

To　Miss　Nellie's　several　gifts　I　fear　the　gods　had　not　added
poetry。　　A　slight　knowledge　of　English　verse　of　a　select
character；　unfortunately；　did　not　assist　her　in　the
interpretation　of　the　young　man's　speech；　nor　relieve　her　from
the　momentary　feeling　that　he　was　at　times　deficient　in
intellect。　　She　preferred；　however；　to　take　a　personal　view　of
the　question；　and　expressed　her　sarcastic　regret　that　she　had　not
known　before　that　she　had　been　indebted　to　the　great　flume　and
ditch　at　Excelsior　for　the　pleasure　of　his　acquaintance。　　This
pert　remark　occasioned　some　explanation；　which　ended　in　the
girl's　accepting　a　kiss　in　lieu　of　more　logical　argument。
Nevertheless；　she　was　still　conscious　of　an　inward　irritation
always　distinct　from　her　singular　and　perfectly　material　passion
which　found　vent　as　the　difficulties　of　their　undeviating
progress　through　the　underbrush　increased。　　At　last　she　lost　her
shoe　again；　and　stopped　short。　　〃It's　a　pity　your　Indian　friends
did　not　christen　you　'Wild　Mustard'　or　'Clover；'〃　she　said
satirically；　〃that　you　might　have　had　some　sympathies　and
longings　for　the　open　fields　instead　of　these　horrid　jungles！　　I
know　we　will　not　get　back　in　time。〃

Unfortunately；　Low　accepted　this　speech　literally　and　with　his
remorseless　gravity。　　〃If　my　name　annoys　you；　I　can　get　it
changed　by　the　legislature；　you　know；　and　I　can　find　out　what　my
father's　name　was；　and　take　that。　　My　mother；　who　died　in　giving
me　birth；　was　the　daughter　of　a　chief。〃

〃Then　your　mother　was　really　an　Indian？〃　said　Nellie；　〃and　you
are〃　　She　stopped　short。

〃But　I　told　you　all　this　the　day　we　first　met；〃　said　Low；　with
grave　astonishment。　　〃Don't　you　remember　our　long　talk　coming
from　church？〃

〃No；〃　said　Nellie　coldly；　〃you　didn't　tell　me。〃　　But　she　was
obliged　to　drop　her　eyes　before　the　unwavering；　undeniable
truthfulness　of　his。

〃You　have　forgotten；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　it　is　only　right　you
should　have　your　own　way　in　disposing　of　a　name　that　I　have　cared
little　for；　and　as　you're　to　have　a　share　of　it〃

〃Yes；　but　it's　getting　late；　and　if　we　are　not　going　forward〃
interrupted　the　girl　impatiently。

〃We　ARE　going　forward；〃　said　Low　imperturbably；　〃but　I　wanted　to
tell　you；　as　we　were　speaking　on　THAT　subject〃　（Nellie　looked　at
her　watch）；　〃I've　been　offered　the　place　of　botanist　and
naturalist　in　Professor　Grant's　survey　of　Mount　Shasta；　and　if　I
take　itwhy；　when　I　come　back；　darlingwell〃

〃But　you're　not　going　just　yet；〃　broke　in　Nellie；　with　a　new
expression　in　her　face。

〃No。〃

〃Then　we　need　not　talk　of　it　now；〃　she　said；　with　animation。

Her　sudden　vivacity　relieved　him。　　〃I　see　what's　the　matter；〃　he
said　gently；　looking　down　at　her　feet；　〃these　little　shoes　were
not　made　to　keep　step　with　a　moccasin。　　We　must　try　another　way。〃
He　stooped　as　if　to　secure　the　erring　buskin；　but　suddenly　lifted
her　like　a　child　to　his　shoulder。　　〃There；〃　he　continued；　placing
her　arm　round　his　neck；　〃you　are　clear　of　the　ferns　and　brambles
now；　and　we　can　go　on。　　Are　you　comfortable？〃　　He　looked　up；　read
her　answer　in　her　burning　eyes　and　the　warm　lips　pressed　to　his
forehead　at　the　roots　of　his　straight　dark　hair；　and　again　moved
onward　as　in　a　mesmeric　dream。　　But　he　did　not　swerve　from　his
direct　course；　and　with　a　final　dash　through　the　undergrowth
parted　the　leafy　curtain　before　the　spring。

At　first　the　young　girl　was　dazzled　by　the　strong　light　that　came
from　a　rent　in　the　interwoven　arches　of　the　wood。　　The　breach　had
been　caused　by　the　huge　bulk　of　one　of　the　great　giants　that　had
half　fallen；　and　was　lying　at　a　steep　angle　against　one　of　its
mightiest　brethren；　having　borne　down　a　lesser　tree　in　the　arc　of
its　downward　path。　　Two　of　the　roots；　as　large　as　younger　trees；
tossed　their　blackened　and　bare　limbs　high　in　the　air。　　The
springthe　insignificant　cause　of　this　vast　disruptiongurgled；
flashed；　and　sparkled　at　the　base；　the　limpid　baby　fingers　that
had　laid　bare　the　foundations　of　that　fallen　column　played　with
the　still　clinging　rootlets；　laved　the　fractured　and　twisted
limbs；　and；　widening；　filled　with　sleeping　water　the　graves　from
which　they　had　been　torn。

〃It　had　been　going　on　for　years；　down　there；〃　said　Low；　pointing
to　a　cavity　from　which　the　fresh　water　now　slowly　welled；　〃but　it
had　been　quickened　by　the　rising　of　the　subterranean　springs　and
rivers　which　always　occurs　at　a　certain　stage　of　the　dry　season。
I　remember　that　on　that　very　nightfor　it　happened　a　little
after　midnight；　when　all　sounds　are　more　audibleI　was　troubled
and　oppressed　in　my　sleep　by　what　you　would　call　a　nightmare；　a
feeling　as　if　I　was　kept　down　by　bonds　and　pinions　that　I　longed
to　break。　　And　then　I　heard　a　crash　in　this　direction；　and　the
first　streak　of　morning　brought　me　the　sound　and　scent　of　water。
Six　months　afterwards　I　chanced　to　find　my　way　here；　as　I　told
you；　and　gave　it　your　name。　　I　did　not　dream　that　I　should　ever
stand　beside　it　with　you；　and　have　you　christen　it　yourself。〃

He　unloosened　the　cup　from　his　flask；　and　filling　it　at　the
spring　handed　it　to　her。　　But　the　young　girl　leant　over　the　pool；
and　pouring　the　water　idly　back　said；　〃I'd　rather　put　my　feet　in
it。　　Mayn't　I？〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　he　said　wonderingly。

〃My　feet　are　SO　hot　and　dusty。　　The　water　looks　deliciously　cool。
May　I？〃

〃Certainly。〃

He　turned　away　as　Nellie；　with　apparent　unconsciousness；　seated
herself　on　the　bank；　and　removed　her　shoes　and　stockings。　　When
she　had　dabbled　her　feet　a　few　moments　in　the　pool；　she　said　over
her　shoulder

〃We　can　talk　just　as　well；　can't　we？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Well；　then；　why　didn't　you　come　to　church　more　often；　and　why
didn't　you　think　of　telling　father　that　you　were　convicted　of　sin
and　wanted　to　be　baptized？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　hesitated　the　young　man。

〃Well；　you　lost　the　chance　of　having　father　convert　you；　baptize
you；　and　take　you　into　full　church　fellowship。〃

〃I　never　thought〃　he　began。

〃You　never　thought。　　Aren't　you　a　Christian？〃

〃I　suppose　so。〃

〃He　supposes　so！　　Have　you　no　convictionsno　profession？〃

〃But；　Nellie；　I　never　thought　that　you〃

〃Never　thought　that　Iwhat？　　Do　you　think　that　I