time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第82章

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！


　him　not　at　all。　Smith　felt　certain　that　he　had　had　the　Cuckoo　in　his　nest　more　than　once　over　the　centuries；　he　had　been　especially　careful　to　be　'a　loving　father　to　such　children　and　had　kept　his　mouth　shut。　He　believed　in　letting　women　lie　all　they　needed　to；　and　never　taxing　them　with　it。　But　he　believed　also　that　Dora　was　incapable　of　this　sort　of　lie。　If　Dora　had　been　pregnant　and　aware　of　it；　she　might　have　asked　to　be　allowed　to　say　good…bye　to　him　on　her　back…but　she　would　have　asked　for　exa'…tly　that。　Not　for　a　child。
　　
　　No　matter…　If　the　darling　had　made　a　mistake　earlier　and　did　not　know　it；　he　felt　sure　that　she　would　nevertheless　have　a　superior　baby。　She　was　clearly　superior　stock　herself
　　
　　…he　wished　he　had　known　the　Brandons；　they　must　have　been　ichiban…and　'their　daughter　was；　as　Helen　had　once　said；　〃choosy。〃　Dora　would　not　bed　with　an　oaf　even　for　fun；　because；　being　what　she　was；　she　would　not　find　it　fun。　Smith　was　sure　that　it　would　take　rape　to　put　an　inferior　child　into　Dora…and　the　rapist　might　sing　soprano　the　rest　of　his　days；　her　Uncle　Gibbie　had　taught　her　some　dirty　tricks。
　　
　　The　pregnant　sow　was　Smith's　〃calendar。〃　If　they　failed　to　reach　a　spot　suitable　for　homesteading　by　the　time　that　sow　littered；　then　they　turned　back　'that　very　day…no　hesitation；　no　regrets…as　that　would　leave　them　just　balf　of　Dora's　pregnancy　to　get　them　back　to　Separation　and　other　people。
　　
　　The　sow　rode　in　the　back　end　of　the　second　wagon；　with　a　sling　to　keep　her　from　falling　down。　The　dogs　trotted　under　the　wagons　or　ranged　aside；　warning　of　lopers　or　other　hazards。　The　cats　did　as　they　pleased；　as　cats　do；　walking　or　riding　as　suited　them。　The　nanny　and　billy　goats　stayed　close　to　the　wheel　pair；　the　two　kids　were　large　enough　to　skitter　along　most　of　the　time　but　were　privileged　to　ride　when　they　tired…a　loud　Me…e…e…eh　from　the　mother　goat　would　cause　Smith　to　swing　down　and　hand　the　tired　baby　up　to　Dora。　The　chickens　plained　in　adouble　cage　over　the　sow's　pen。　The　mules　running　free　had　no　duties　other　than　to　keep　eyes　out　'for　lope？s；　save　that　Buck　was　at　all　times　grand　marshal　of　the　paride；　picking　the　footing；　bossing　the　other　mules；
　　
　　carryIng　out　Smith's　orders。　…Mules　at　liberty　…　rotated　as　draft　animals；　only　Buck　was　never　in　harness。　Betty　and　Beulah　had　had　their　feelings　hurt　at　being　required　to　accept　harness；　they　were　gentry　o'f　the　saddle；　and　they　knew　it。　But　Buck　had　had　…　harsh　words　with　them　and　harsher　nips　and　kicks；　they　had　shut　up　and　hauled。
　　
　　No　real　driving　was　required；　only　two　reins　were　used；　one　to　each　of　the　lead　pair　and　running　from　them　back　through　rings　on　the　collars　of　the　following　mules　to　the　seat　of　the　leading　wagoti；　there　usually　loosely　secured　rather　than　held。　Although　the…　males　were　all　stallions；　these　mules　did　what　Buck　ordered。　Smith　had　stopped　at　Separation　and　lost　most　of　a　day　to　trade　a　strong　brute　with　good　shoulders　for　a　younger；　lighter　stud　because　the　bigger　mule　had　not　been　willing　to　accept　Buck's　dominance。　Buck　was　ready　to　fight　it　out；　but　Smith　did　not　let　the　old　mule　risk　it；　he　needed　Buck's　brain　and　judgment；　and　would　not　risk　Buck's　spirit　being　broken　by　losing　to　a　younger　stallion…or　take　a　chance　that　Buck　might　be　injured。
　　
　　In　real　trouble　more　reins　would　not　help。　If　the　mules　panicked　and　ran…unlikely　but　possible…two　humans　could　not　hold　them；　even　with　a　double　handful　of　reins。　Smith　was　ready　at　any　instant　to　pick　off　his　lead　pair；　then　hope　that　not　too　many　mules　would　break　legs　stumbling　over　the　corpses　and　pray　that　the　wagons　would　not　overturn。
　　
　　Smith　wanted　to　reach　their　destination　with　all　his　livestock；　he　hoped　to　get　there　with　about　80　percent　including　a　breeding　pair　of　each　sort…but　if　they　arrived　with　enough　draft　animals　to　pull　the　wagons　（including　at　least　one　breeding　pair）　plus　a　'pair　of　goats；　he　could　consider　it　a　conditional　victory　and　they　would　make　their　stand；　to　live　ortodie。　'　…
　　
　　How　many　mules　were　〃enough〃　was　a　variable。　Near　the　end　of　the　trip　it　could　be　as　low　as　four…then　go　back　and　get　the　second　wagon。　But　if　the　number　of　mules　dropped　below　twelve　before　they　conquered　Hopeless　Pass…turn　back。
　　
　　Turn　back　at　once。　Abandon　one　or　both　wagons；　jettison'　what　they　could　not　salvage；　slaughter　any　animals　that　could　not　make　it　without　help；　travel　light　with　any　extra　mules　trailing　along；　unwittmg　walking　larders。
　　
　　If　Woodrow　Wilson　Smith　limped　back　into　Separation　on　foot；　his　wife　riding…miscarried　but　still　alive…it　still　would　not　be　defeat。　He　had　his　hands；　he　had　his　brain；　he　had　the'
　　
　　。；　0'T
　　
　　strongest　of　human　incentives：　a　wife　to　care　for　and　cherish。　In　a　few　years　they　might　try　Hopeless　Pass　again…and　not　make　the　mistakes　he　had　made　the　first　time。
　　
　　In　the　meantime　he　was　happy；　with　all　the　wealth　any　man　could　hope　for。
　　
　　Smith　leaned　out　of　the　wagon　seat。　〃Hey；　Buck！　Suppertime。'
　　
　　〃Shupper　dime；〃　Buck　repeated；　then　called　out；　〃Shupper　dime！　Shirko　nigh！　Shirko　nigh！〃　The　lead　pair　turned　left；　started　bringing　the　train　around　in　a　circle。
　　
　　Dora　said；　〃The　Sun　is　still　high。〃
　　
　　〃Yes；〃　her　husband　agreed；　〃and　that's　why。　The　Sun　is　high；　it's　very　hot；　the　mules　are　tired　and　sweaty　and　hungry　and　thirsty。　I　want　them　to　graze。　Tomorrow　we'll　be　up　before　dawn　and　rolling　at　first　light…make　as　manykilometers　as　possible　before　it　gets　too　bloody　hot。　Then　another　early　stop。〃
　　
　　〃I　wasn't　questioning　it；　dear；　I　simply　wanted　to　know　why。　I'm　finding　that　being　a　schoolmarm　hasn't　taught　me　all　I　need　to　know　to　be　a　pioneer　wife。〃
　　
　　〃I　understood；　that's　why　I　explaind。　Dora；　always　ask　me　if　I　do　anything　you　don't　understand；　you　do　have　to　know　。　。　because　if　something　happens　to　me；　then　it'll　be　up　to　you。　Just　hold　your　questions　until　later　if　I　seem　to　be　in　a　hurry。〃
　　
　　〃I'll　try；　Woodrow…I　am　trying。　I'm　hot　and　thirsty　myself；　those　poor　dears　must　be　feeling　it　dreadfully。　if　you　can　spare　me；　I'll　water　them　while　you　unharness。〃
　　
　　〃No；　Dora。〃
　　
　　〃But…　Sorry。〃
　　
　　〃Damn　it；　I　said　always　to　ask　why。　But　I　was　about　to　explain。　First　we　let　them　graze　a？　hour。　That　will　cool　them　down　some　in　spite　of　the　Sun；　and；　being　thirsty；　they'll　look　for　short　green　stuff　under　this　tall　dry　stuff。　They　will　get　a　little　moisture　out　of　that。　Meantime　I'm　going　to　measure　the　water　barrels　。　。　but　I　know　that　we're　going　on　short　water　rations。　Should've　yesterday。　Dorable；　you　see　that　patch　of　dark　green　way　up　there　below　the　pass？　I　think　there　is　water　there；　dry　as　it's　been　。　。　and　pray　hard　that　there　is；　because　I　don't　expect　to　find　water　between　here　and　there。　We　may　have　no　water　at　all　the　last　day　or　so。　It　doesn't　take　a　mule　long　to　die　without　water　and　not　much　longer　for　a　man。〃
　　
　　〃Woodrow　。　。　is　it　as　bad　as　that？〃
　　
　　〃It　is；　dear。　That's　why　I've　been　studying　the　photomaps。　The　clearest　ones　Andy　and　I　made　a　long　time　ago；　when　we　surveyed　this　pla…but　in　early　spring　for　this　hemisphere。　The　shots　Zack　took　for　me　aren't　much；　the　'Andy　I。'　isn't　equipped　as　a　survey　ship。　As　may　be；　I　took　this　route　becadSe　it　looked　faster。　But　every　wash　we've　crossed　the　past　ten　days　h；as　been　bone…dry。　My　mistake　and　it　may　be　my　last　one。〃
　　
　　〃Woodrow！　Don't　talk　that　way！〃
　　
　　〃Sorry；　dear。　But　there　is　always　a　last　mistake。　I'll　do　my　damnedest　to　see　that　this　is　not　my　last　mistake…because　it　must　not　happen　to　you。　I'm　simply　trying　to　impress　you　with　how　carefully　we　must　conserve　water。〃
　　
　　〃You've　impressed　me。　I'll　be　most　careful　with　cleaning　up　and　so　forth。〃
　　
　　〃I　still　haven't　made　it　clear。　There　will　be　no　washing　at　all…not　a　face　wash；　'not　even　a　hand　wash。　Pans　and　such　you'll　scour　with　dirt　and　grass　and　put　them　in　the　sunshine　and　hope　they　sterilize。　Water　is　only　for　drinking。　The　mules　go　on　half　water　rations　at　once；　and　you　and　I；　instead　of　the　liter　and　a　half　of　liquid　each　day　a　human　is　supposed　to　need；　will　each　try　to