登陆注册
5200200000022

第22章

"I could not send anything from San Bruno, the nearest village, without attracting attention," explained Poindexter; "but if you can manage to picnic here for a day longer, I'll get one of our Chinese friends here," he pointed to the slough, "to bring over, for his return cargo from across the bay, any necessaries you may want.There is no danger of his betraying you," he added, with an ironical smile; "Chinamen and Indians are, by an ingenious provision of the statute of California, incapable of giving evidence against a white person.You can trust your handmaiden perfectly--even if she can't trust YOU.That is your sacred privilege under the constitution.And now, as I expect to catch the up boat ten miles from hence, I must say 'good-by' until to-morrow night.I hope to bring you then some more definite plans for the future.The worst is over." He held her hand for a moment, and with a graver voice continued, "You have done it very well--do you know--very well!"In the slight embarrassment produced by his sudden change of manner she felt that her thanks seemed awkward and restrained."Don't thank me," he laughed, with a prompt return of his former levity, "that's my trade.I only advised.You have saved yourself like a plucky woman--shall I say like Blue Grass? Good-by!" He mounted his horse, but, as if struck by an after-thought, wheeled and drew up by her side again."If I were you I wouldn't see many strangers for a day or two, and listen to as little news as a woman possibly can." He laughed again, waved her a half-gallant, half-military salute, and was gone.The question she had been trying to frame, regarding the probability of communication with her husband, remained unasked.At least she had saved her pride before him.

Addressing herself to the care of her narrow household, she mechanically put away the few things she had brought with her, and began to readjust the scant furniture.She was a little discomposed at first at the absence of bolts, locks, and even window-fastenings until assured, by Concha's evident inability to comprehend her concern, that they were quite unknown at Los Cuervos.Her slight knowledge of Spanish was barely sufficient to make her wants known, so that the relief of conversation with her only companion was debarred her, and she was obliged to content herself with the sapless, crackling smiles and withered genuflexions that the old woman dropped like dead leaves in her path.It was staring noon when, the house singing like an empty shell in the monotonous wind, she felt she could stand the solitude no longer, and, crossing the glaring patio and whistling corridor, made her way to the open gateway.

But the view without seemed to intensify her desolation.The broad expanse of the shadowless plain reached apparently to the Coast Range, trackless and unbroken save by one or two clusters of dwarfed oaks, which at that distance were but mossy excrescences on the surface, barely raised above the dead level.On the other side the marsh took up the monotony and carried it, scarcely interrupted by undefined water-courses, to the faintly marked out horizon line of the remote bay.Scattered and apparently motionless black spots on the meadows that gave a dreary significance to the title of "the Crows" which the rancho bore, and sudden gray clouds of sand-pipers on the marshes, that rose and vanished down the wind, were the only signs of life.Even the white sail of the early morning was gone.

She stood there until the aching of her straining eyes and the stiffening of her limbs in the cold wind compelled her to seek the sheltered warmth of the courtyard.Here she endeavored to make friends with a bright-eyed lizard, who was sunning himself in the corridor; a graceful little creature in blue and gold, from whom she felt at other times she might have fled, but whose beauty and harmlessness solitude had made known to her.With misplaced kindness she tempted it with bread-crumbs, with no other effect than to stiffen it into stony astonishment.She wondered if she should become like the prisoners she had read of in books, who poured out their solitary affections on noisome creatures, and she regretted even the mustang, which with the buggy had disappeared under the charge of some unknown retainer on her arrival.Was she not a prisoner? The shutterless windows, yawning doors, and open gate refuted her suggestion, but the encompassing solitude and trackless waste still held her captive.Poindexter had told her it was four miles to the shanty; she might walk there.Why had she given her word that she would remain at the rancho until he returned?

The long day crept monotonously away, and she welcomed the night which shut out the dreary prospect.But it brought no cessation of the harassing wind without, nor surcease of the nervous irritation its perpetual and even activity wrought upon her.It haunted her pillow even in her exhausted sleep, and seemed to impatiently beckon her to rise and follow it.It brought her feverish dreams of her husband, footsore and weary, staggering forward under its pitiless lash and clamorous outcry; she would have gone to his assistance, but when she reached his side and held out her arms to him it hurried her past with merciless power, and, bearing her away, left him hopelessly behind.It was broad day when she awoke.

The usual night showers of the waning rainy season had left no trace in sky or meadow; the fervid morning sun had already dried the patio; only the restless, harrying wind remained.

同类推荐
  • 古文尚书通论辑本 礼记通论辑本

    古文尚书通论辑本 礼记通论辑本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Greyfriars Bobby

    Greyfriars Bobby

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 正源略集目录

    正源略集目录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 正学隅见述

    正学隅见述

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 论语集注

    论语集注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 启迪青少年增强处世能力的故事

    启迪青少年增强处世能力的故事

    成长,是人生最朴素的过程,我们从孩童长成大人。榜样们的成长之路,也就是一条通向成功之路,我们只要愿意学习与秉承,我们也会成长——像榜样一样成长;像榜样一样成功。
  • 轮滑

    轮滑

    本丛书以统一的体例、创新的形式,讲解各项目的起源与发展、运动保健、基本技术、运动技巧、比赛规则等,注重实用性、可操作性,使读者在学习过程中,不仅能够学会运动健身的方法,同时还能够学到保健方面的基本知识。
  • 无尽道尊

    无尽道尊

    生生不息,逆转乾坤,八荒动乱,九域纷争战乱起,十二界域宗门崩离瓦解...选择生存还是灭亡!实力永远都有话语权,没有实力,那就闭嘴。
  • 院墙

    院墙

    吴佳骏是当代散文新俊,本精品集以幽微的洞察、冷静的笔调,叙写了生活卑微者的血泪与悲歌,写到了人的局限与可十白。这里,没有田园的牧歌,没有抽象的抒情,只有实实在在的苦难与困境,其中充满宗教情怀的思索,以及颇具深度和诗意的人性开掘。让人看到在生存的磨难和耻辱面前,如何有尊严地活着。同时,书中还充满了作者对物性的体悟,对于人之外的动物和生物的体恤与深情,这是中国作家最为缺乏的。这反映了作家的天地情怀,一种“天容地载”的担当与超越性意向。
  • 山沟里走出个刘天才

    山沟里走出个刘天才

    时间过得好快,转眼又是金秋。报社要改制,人心散了,议论最多的是在文化系统找地方还是跟着报社走。刘天才想管也没那么多事,听说报纸要黄,债主又盯上门了。账上没钱,刘天才找过刘富几次,想能不能再给点儿,可手机打不通。有天见着娜娜,问起刘富来,娜娜扔出一句:“矿里死了人,他躲起来了,这老东西我都找不着。”混吧,债主能躲就躲,反正都是公对公的事,一般催的也不那么紧,拖到年底再说。出版的事又交给了欧阳,他也没难为他,反正谁管都没多少事。报社在风雨飘摇之中,大家做起事来都善良了许多。
  • 少爷夫人离家了

    少爷夫人离家了

    严冬儿是一位刚刚从卫校毕业的医院小护士,热情开朗,可爱亮眼,爱好广泛,一次半路意外相救了一位身价非凡的韩氏集团的总裁韩振业,于是彼此开始有了交集,但她本来就有男朋友,也从没想换男友嫁入豪门,但是命运视乎并不按她的想法走......,看似风光的豪门背后且隐藏着不为人知的许多秘密,让本来平凡单纯的严冬儿备受伤害......片段一:“我是你老公。”“可是,我怎么一点也不记得?”严冬儿躺在医院白色的病床上,露着一双清澈的大眼看着眼前这个气势威严,相貌堂堂的男人问出。“因为,你出车祸失忆,暂时记不得了。”“哦,这个?你可以给我看看我们的结婚证吗?”“结婚证哪能随身带,等我们出院回家后可以看的。”“哦,也是。”......片段二:“骗子,居然骗我。”严冬儿把一个抱枕狠狠气急败坏的扔向莫男,莫男依然呵呵笑着一副非常轻松的笑容伸手接过仍来的抱枕,对于她的如此生气一点也不在乎。“老婆,听话,我们已经是如实夫妻了。”“不准叫我老婆,我有男朋友,你有没有替我想过。”严冬儿几乎是歇斯底里的大喊。“不对,是前男友,你有前男友,我是不会在乎的。”“那天你不该这样骗我,我们根本没有结婚,你误导我。”“要结婚证书很简单,我们马上去办。”“不,我不想和你结婚,我要离开这里。”“你已经是名副其实的韩太太了,我不准。”片段三:“少爷,夫人离家了。”“什么?”“少爷,赶快去找。”“严冬儿,你这个不知好歹的女人,敢带着我的孩子逃跑,就算你逃到天涯海角,我一定也会把你抓回来,到时新帐旧账一起算。”莫男狠狠的把一大叠文件朝办公桌直摔下去......
  • 我的青春输不起

    我的青春输不起

    一场天灾,她的人生记忆从此缺失了一角;然而命运的捉弄,让她本来平静的生活瞬时跌宕起伏,鬼使神差,逼迫着她一步步走进这个漩涡,十六年前的阴谋,注定了十六年后的悲剧。上一辈人的纠葛,这一代人的情仇,何去又何从。
  • 和亲公主

    和亲公主

    现代女孩冯陈楚杨无意间救了一个小孩,向前来为弟弟报恩的丁小仙提出了穿越到古代的请求。变身周国福荣公主的楚杨被逼去和亲,瓦勒国三皇子承德一路上对她百般刁难,但是却慢慢显露出情愫。中途福荣逃跑出来,遇见受人之托来救她的侠客南宫越,无意间介入一场阴谋……福荣被劫回皇宫,承德带她去了西北征战。回来后得知福荣的母亲竟是瓦勒先皇的私生女,承德想让父亲改变福荣的身份,却被瓦勒皇帝降旨命令去当女道士,而福荣慢慢发现这一切都起源于阴谋,周围的人都不是那么简单。经历过种种趣事、种种磨难,楚杨和承德这两个小冤家最后是否能“执子之手,与子偕老”?
  • 龙魂噬天决

    龙魂噬天决

    穿越之后成了婴儿,却拥有卓绝的御气天赋,天才陈小狼在铁垄村村民的关爱下,疯狂成长。同时穿越的女朋友乐正怜儿,也和他携手,战魔族笑傲御气界,噬天灭地,成就传奇。
  • 三生情缘千年恋

    三生情缘千年恋

    千年之久,三世轮回,她最终还是回到了他的身旁。“我向整个魔界起誓这一世…不这永生永世我魔王瑛夜晨熙身、心乃至灵魂全都属于你,永远不变,永不负汝!!”她只回了六个字:“我信你,我爱你。”这六个字很简单却包括了一切。。。。。。。。。