time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第77章

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n　steep　trails　for　riders。
　　
　　They　rode　that　way　several　seasons；　usually　an　hour　or　more　after　school…holding　three…cornered　conversations　at　a　walk；　or　singing　as　a　trio　with　Buck　loudly　off　key　but　always　on　beat　with　his　gait　acting　as　a　metronome；　Gibbons　carrying　the　lead；　and　Dora　learning　to　harmonize。　It　was　often　the　〃Paunshot〃　song；　which　Dora　regarded　as　her　own；　and　to　which　she　gradually　added　verses；　including　one　about　the　paddock　next　to　the　schoolhouse；　where　Buck　lived。
　　
　　But　soon　there　was　too　much　girl　for　the　tiny　forward　saddle　as　Dora　grew；　straight　and　slender　and　tall。　Gibbons　bought　a　mare　mule；　after　trying　two　others…one　was　rejected　by　Buck　because　she　was　（so　he…said）　〃shdoop'd〃　and　the　other　because　she　failed　to　appreciate　a　hackamore　and　tried　to　run　away。
　　
　　Gibbons　let　Buck　pick　the　third；　with　advice　from　Dora　but　none　from　him…and　Buck　acquired　a　mate　in　his　paddock；　and　Gibbons　had　the　stable　enlarged。　Buck　still　stood　at　stud　for　a　fee　but　seemed　pleased　to　have　Beulah　at　home。　However；　Beulah　did　not　learn　to　sing　and　talked　very　little。　Gibbons　stispected　that　she　was　afraid　to　open　her　mouth　in　Buck's　presence…she　was　willing　to　talk；　or　at　least　to　answer；　when　Gibbons　rode　her　alone　。　。　。for　it　worked　out；　to　Gibbons'　surprise；　that　Beulah　was　his　saddle　mule；　Dora　rode　the　big　male　brute；　even　when　the　stirrups　of　the　stock　saddle　had　to　be　shortened　ridiculously　to　fit　her　child's　legs。
　　
　　But　steadily　the　stirrups　had　to　be　lengthened　as　Dora　grew　toward　young　womanhood。　Beulah　dropped　a　foal；　Gihbons　kept　her　and　Dora　named　her　〃Betty〃　and　trained　the　baby　mule　as　she　grew；　at　first　letting　her　amble　along　behind　with　an　empty　saddle；　then　teaching　her　to　accept　a　rider　in　the　paddock。　There　followed　a　time　when　their　daily　rides　became　sixsomes　and　often　picnics；　with　Mrs。　Mayberry　up　on　Buck；　the　steadiest；　and　with　the　lightest　load；　Dora　on　Betty；　and　with　Gibbons　as　usual　riding　Beulah。　Gibbons　remembered　that　summer　as　a　most　happy　one：　Helen　and　himself　knee　to　knee　on　the　older　mounts　while　Dora　and　the　frisky　youngster　galloped　ahead；　then　running　back　with　Dora's　long　brown　hair　flying　in　the　breeze。
　　
　　One　such　time　he　asked；　〃Helen；　are　the　boys　beginning　to　sniff　around　her？〃
　　
　　〃You　old　stud；　don't　you　think　about　anything　else？〃
　　
　　〃e　off　it；　dear；　I　asked　for　information。〃
　　
　　〃Certainly　the　boys　are　noticing　her；　Ernest；　and　she　is　noticing　them。　But　I　will　do　all　the　worrying　necessary。　Not　much；　she's　far　too　choosy　to　put　up　with　second　best。〃
　　
　　The　happy　family　picnics　did　not　resume　the　following　summer。　Mrs。　Mayberry　was　feeling　the　years　in　her　bones；　and　could　mount　and　dismount　only　with　help。
　　
　　Gibbons　had　plenty　of　time　to　be　ready　before　the　murmurings　about　his　monopoly　of　the　banking　business　came　to　a　head。　The　New　Beginnings　Bank　of　merce　was　a　bank　of　issue；　he　（or　Zaccur）　always　set　up　such　a　bank　in　each　colony　they　pioneered。　Money　was　necessary　to　a　growing　colony；　barter　was　too　clumsy。　Some　medium　of　exchange　was　needed　even　before　government　was　needed。
　　
　　He　was　not　surprised　when　he　was　invited　to　meet　with　the　town's　selectmen　to　discuss　the　matter；　it　always　happened。　That　evening；　as　he　trimmed　his　Vandyke　and　added　a　touch　more　gray　to　it　and　to　the　hair　on　his　head　in　preparation　for　the　confrontation；　he　reviewed　in　his　mind　proposals　he　had　heard　in　the　past　for　making　water　run　uphill；　the　sun　to　stand　still；　and　one　egg　to　be　counted　as　two。　Would　there　be　some　novel　numbskullery　tonight？　He　hoped　so　but　did　not　expect　it。
　　
　　He　plucked　hairs　from　his　〃receding〃　hairline…damn　it；　it　was　getting　harder　and　harder　to　age　enough　each　year！…then　put　on　his　war…plaid　kilt　；not　only　more　impressive　but　with　more　ways　to　conceal　weapons…and　get　at　them　quickly。　He　was　fairly　sure　that　no　one　was；　as　yet；　annoyed　enough　at　him　to　start　violence；　but　once　he　had　been　too　optimistic；　since　that　time　he　had　been　a　pessimist　as　a　fixed　policy。
　　
　　Then　he　hid　some　items；　locked　up　others；　set　some　gadgets　that　Zaccur　had　fetc？ed　last　trip　but　which　were　not　offered　for　sale　at　the　Top　Dollar　T。P。；　unlocked　his　door；　handlocked　it　from　outside；　and　left　by　the　route　through　the　bar；　so　that　he　could　tell　the　barkeeper　that　he　would　be　away　〃a　few　minutes。〃
　　
　　Three　hours　later　Gibbons　had　settled　one　point：　No　one　had　been　able　to　think　of　any　new　way　to　debase　currency　that　he　had　not　heard　at　least　five　hundred　years　earlier…more　likely　a　thousand…and　each　was　certainly　much；　much　older　in　history。　Early　in　the　meeting　he　asked　the　Moderator　to　have　the　Town　Scribe　write　down　each　question　so　that　he　could　answer　them　in　a　lump…and　was　allowed　to　have　it　his　way　by　being　balky。
　　
　　At　last　the　Moderator　Selectman；　Jim　〃Duke〃　Warwick4　said；　〃That　seems　to　be　it。　Ernie；　we　have　a　motion　to　nationalize…I　guess　that's　the　word…the　New　Beginnings　Bank　of　merce。　You're　not　a　selectman；　but　we　all　agree　that　you　are　a　party　with　a　special　interest；　we　want　to　hear　from　you。　Do　you　want　to　speak　against　the　proposal？〃
　　
　　〃Not　at　all；　Jim。　Go　right　ahead。〃
　　
　　〃Eh？　I'm　afraid　I　didn't　understand　you。〃
　　
　　〃I　have　no　objection　to　the　bank　being　nationalized。　If　that's　all；　let's　adjourn　and　go　to　bed。〃
　　
　　Someone　in　the　audience　called　out；　〃Hey；　I　want　my　question　about　New　Pittsburgh　money　answered！〃
　　
　　〃And　mine　about　interest！　Interest　is　wrong…it　says　so　in　the　Bible！〃
　　
　　〃Well；　Ernie？　You　said　earlier　that　you　would　answer　questions。〃
　　
　　〃So　I　did。　But　if　you　are　nationalizing　the　bank；　wouldn't　it　make　more　sense　to　put　questions　to　your　state　treasurer；　or　whatever　you　decide　to　call　him？　The　new　head　of　the　bank。　By　the　way；　who　is　he？　Hadn't　he　better　sit　up　here　on　the　platform？〃
　　
　　Warwick　pounded　his　gavel；　then　said；　〃We　haven't　got　that　far；　Ernie。　For　the　time　being　the　entire　Council　of　Selectmen　is　the　finance　mittee…if　we　go　ahead　with　this。〃
　　
　　〃Oh；　by　all　means　go　ahead。　I'm　shutting　down。〃
　　
　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　
　　第36节
　　
　　〃Just　an　doesn't　like　to　have　his　neighbors　dislike　him。　The　people　of　Top　Dollar　don't　like　what　I've　been　doing　or　this　meeting　would　never　have　been　called。　So　I've　quit。　The　bank　is　closed；　it　will　not　reopen
　　
　　tomorrow。　Nor　ever；　…with　me　as　president　of　it。　That's　why　I　asked　who　your　state　treasurer　will　be。　I'm　as　interested　as　anyone　in　finding　out　what　we　are　going　to　use　for　money　from　here　on…and　what　it　will　be　worth。〃
　　
　　There　was　dead　silence；　then　the　Moderator　had　to　pound　his　gavel　and　the　Sergeant　at　Arms　was　very　busy；　all　to　shouts　of　〃What　about　my　seed　loan？〃　〃You　owe　me　money！〃
　　
　　〃I　sold　Hank　Brofsky　a　mule　on　his　personal　note…what　do　I　collect？〃
　　
　　〃You　can't　do　this　to　us！〃
　　
　　Gibbons　sat　quietly；　not　letting　his　alertness　show；　until　Warwick　got　them　quieted　down。　Then　Warwick　said；　wiping　sweat　from　his　brow：　〃Ernie；　1　think　you've　got　some　explaining　to　do。〃
　　
　　〃Certainly；　Mr。　Moderator。　The　liquidation　will　be　as　orderly　as　you　will　let　it　be。　Those　who　have　deposits　will　be　paid　。　。　in　banknotes；　that　being　what　was　deposited。　Those　who　owe　money　to　the　bank…well；　I　don't　know；　it　depends　on　the　policies　the　council　sets　up。　I　suppose　I'm　bankrupt。　I　can't　know　until　you　tell　me　what　you　mean　when　you　say　my　bank　is　being　'nationalized。'
　　
　　〃But　I　have　had…to　take　this　step：　Top　Dollar　Trading　Post　is　no　longer　buying　with　banknotes…they　may　be　worthless。　Each　deal　will　have　to　be　barter。　But　we　will　continue　to　sell　for　banknotes。　But　I　took　down　the　posted　prices　just　before　I　came　here　tonight　。　。　because　the　stock　I　have　on　hand　may　be　all　I　ever　have　with　which　to　redeem　those　banknotes。　Which　could　force　me　to　raise　prices。　It　all　depends　on　whether　'nationalize'　is　simply　another　word　for　'confiscate。'〃
　　
　　Gibbons　spent　several　days　explaining　to　Warwick　the　elementary　principles　of　banking　and　currency；　patiently　and　with　good　humor…to　Warwick　by　Hobgon's　choice　because　the　other　selectmen　found　that