登陆注册
5255300000001

第1章 LOVE OF LIFE(1)

"This out of all will remain - They have lived and have tossed:

So much of the game will be gain, Though the gold of the dice has been lost."

THEY limped painfully down the bank, and once the foremost of the two men staggered among the rough-strewn rocks. They were tired and weak, and their faces had the drawn expression of patience which comes of hardship long endured. They were heavily burdened with blanket packs which were strapped to their shoulders. Head- straps, passing across the forehead, helped support these packs.

Each man carried a rifle. They walked in a stooped posture, the shoulders well forward, the head still farther forward, the eyes bent upon the ground.

"I wish we had just about two of them cartridges that's layin' in that cache of ourn," said the second man.

His voice was utterly and drearily expressionless. He spoke without enthusiasm; and the first man, limping into the milky stream that foamed over the rocks, vouchsafed no reply.

The other man followed at his heels. They did not remove their foot-gear, though the water was icy cold - so cold that their ankles ached and their feet went numb. In places the water dashed against their knees, and both men staggered for footing.

The man who followed slipped on a smooth boulder, nearly fell, but recovered himself with a violent effort, at the same time uttering a sharp exclamation of pain. He seemed faint and dizzy and put out his free hand while he reeled, as though seeking support against the air. When he had steadied himself he stepped forward, but reeled again and nearly fell. Then he stood still and looked at the other man, who had never turned his head.

The man stood still for fully a minute, as though debating with himself. Then he called out:

"I say, Bill, I've sprained my ankle."

Bill staggered on through the milky water. He did not look around.

The man watched him go, and though his face was expressionless as ever, his eyes were like the eyes of a wounded deer.

The other man limped up the farther bank and continued straight on without looking back. The man in the stream watched him. His lips trembled a little, so that the rough thatch of brown hair which covered them was visibly agitated. His tongue even strayed out to moisten them.

"Bill!" he cried out.

It was the pleading cry of a strong man in distress, but Bill's head did not turn. The man watched him go, limping grotesquely and lurching forward with stammering gait up the slow slope toward the soft sky-line of the low-lying hill. He watched him go till he passed over the crest and disappeared. Then he turned his gaze and slowly took in the circle of the world that remained to him now that Bill was gone.

Near the horizon the sun was smouldering dimly, almost obscured by formless mists and vapors, which gave an impression of mass and density without outline or tangibility. The man pulled out his watch, the while resting his weight on one leg. It was four o'clock, and as the season was near the last of July or first of August, - he did not know the precise date within a week or two, - he knew that the sun roughly marked the northwest. He looked to the south and knew that somewhere beyond those bleak hills lay the Great Bear Lake; also, he knew that in that direction the Arctic Circle cut its forbidding way across the Canadian Barrens. This stream in which he stood was a feeder to the Coppermine River, which in turn flowed north and emptied into Coronation Gulf and the Arctic Ocean. He had never been there, but he had seen it, once, on a Hudson Bay Company chart.

Again his gaze completed the circle of the world about him. It was not a heartening spectacle. Everywhere was soft sky-line. The hills were all low-lying. There were no trees, no shrubs, no grasses - naught but a tremendous and terrible desolation that sent fear swiftly dawning into his eyes.

"Bill!" he whispered, once and twice; "Bill!"

He cowered in the midst of the milky water, as though the vastness were pressing in upon him with overwhelming force, brutally crushing him with its complacent awfulness. He began to shake as with an ague-fit, till the gun fell from his hand with a splash.

This served to rouse him. He fought with his fear and pulled himself together, groping in the water and recovering the weapon.

He hitched his pack farther over on his left shoulder, so as to take a portion of its weight from off the injured ankle. Then he proceeded, slowly and carefully, wincing with pain, to the bank.

He did not stop. With a desperation that was madness, unmindful of the pain, he hurried up the slope to the crest of the hill over which his comrade had disappeared - more grotesque and comical by far than that limping, jerking comrade. But at the crest he saw a shallow valley, empty of life. He fought with his fear again, overcame it, hitched the pack still farther over on his left shoulder, and lurched on down the slope.

The bottom of the valley was soggy with water, which the thick moss held, spongelike, close to the surface. This water squirted out from under his feet at every step, and each time he lifted a foot the action culminated in a sucking sound as the wet moss reluctantly released its grip. He picked his way from muskeg to muskeg, and followed the other man's footsteps along and across the rocky ledges which thrust like islets through the sea of moss.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • The Light That Failed

    The Light That Failed

    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。
  • 青年作家(2015年第8期)

    青年作家(2015年第8期)

    《青年作家》是一本老牌纯文学读物,创刊于2003年,由文学巨匠巴金先生撰写创刊词,曾被誉为中国文学刊物“四小名旦”之一。
  • 爱与轮回

    爱与轮回

    谈啸是一名极度爱好旅游探险的人,有一天,他的脑海中突然多了些东西。跟着脑中的线索,他终于找齐了所需的东西。可惜这些东西却毫不留情的将他送到了一个截然不同的世界中,这个世界是个充满了血腥,充满了暴力,剑与魔法同时存在的世界。经过令人印象深刻的适应期后,谈啸必须为回家创造条件。他不知道如何回家,不知何时才能回家。所以,寻找在这个星球上拥有绝对力量的神,魔的道路便由此产生...一切有因就必有果,原因慢慢的出现了,而结果...
  • 太上洞玄灵宝净供妙经

    太上洞玄灵宝净供妙经

    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。
  • 擅闯冷面首席的情网

    擅闯冷面首席的情网

    小女子平生无大志接骨半吊子、钢琴半吊子,而当黑客,洗钱却是兴趣爱好抱着人不犯我我不犯人的基本原则愉快的生活着可惜天不遂人愿去饭店吃饭被临时拉去顶岗,被来饭店用餐的大bos蔑称是花瓶被“黑医”哥哥拉去做小助手,被黑道大大嘲讽胸小无脑是可忍孰不可忍,叔能忍婶也不能忍惹到我,我不记仇,我就在后面动动手指头教训教训你,让你见识见识本姑娘的真本事
  • 火热的村庄

    火热的村庄

    七海骑着摩托车往零公里去的同时,零公里的村长杨长志也开着私家车,一溜烟地往镇里奔。杨长志心里挺憋气,车在新垫平的土石路上开得也直硌棱。在村边的路口一侧,他看见他了——市里下派负责“十个全覆盖”的组长,拄拐一样地拄着一把铁锹,正给几个点头哈腰的村民分享呼伦贝尔牌子的烟抽呐。庞大皮鞋、四魔症、酒漏子、石发,与其说这些乌合之众算是村民,不如说是几个提拉不起来的溜子。就这方法,就这派头,就这两下子,他妈地究竟在哪儿玩过呀。
  • 记录地平线上的旅途

    记录地平线上的旅途

    ‘虚拟盖亚计划’一个打造一个二分之一大小的地球的宏大计划。作为长达20年经久不衰的网络游戏《幻境神话》的核心内容,每当一次大型资料片发布更新后都将出现按照现实打造的全新的区域与特色任务。在时隔三年后众多玩家期待已久的第十二号资料片《开拓智域》正式开启的同时,却也是大灾变的开端。.PS:脑洞太大忍不住挖新坑了,橙乃真希的记录的地平线世界。QQ群:98384346
  • 变局:新经济时代中国企业大变革

    变局:新经济时代中国企业大变革

    “变局”是一个符号,也是一种宿命。适应变化的惟一途径就是应变,应变术就是生存术。企业如果仅能维持今天的视界,必然丧失其适应力。世事沧桑,一切都在变。在变动的明天的世界里求生存图发展,变才是惟一的不变。
  • 绝代无双:废柴大小姐

    绝代无双:废柴大小姐

    刑场上,重斧落下,腰斩重生。重生之后的叶罗瑶本想跳出所有是是非非,不料还是被卷入明争暗斗之中。幸运的事,因为她的‘未卜先知’让她占尽先机。……小时候意外救了个小包子,没想到他竟然就是后来世人敬仰的大星司。分离了十年,他一直在寻她,只希望在他仅有的一年寿命里找到她。终于,他找到了她,他惜她如宝,宠她入骨……然而,时间不多了,他的生命不断的在流逝…………叶罗瑶不相信,救得了他一次,还救不了他第二次!
  • 倾国暖宠:邪魅王爷纨绔妃

    倾国暖宠:邪魅王爷纨绔妃

    穿越到青楼,她脚不沾地,混的风生水起,念念不忘自己的发财大计。无意中救了个王爷,却不曾想被他缠上。“王爷,别靠这么近,你挡住我发财了。”某王邪魅一笑反而靠的更近,温热的呼吸洒在她耳畔。“我不光挡你发财,你的桃花我也一并挡了。”