options-第26章
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〃The girl went up within ten feet of the bum idol； and got down and massaged her nose with the floor； like the rest did。 Then she went nearer and laid the flower wreath on the block of stone at High Jack's feet。 Rummy as I was； I thought it was kind of nice of her to think of offering flowers instead of household and kitchen provisions。 Even a stone god ought to appreciate a little sentiment like that on top of the fancy groceries they had piled up in front of him。
〃And then High Jack steps down from his pedestal； quiet； and mentions a few words that sounded just like the hieroglyphics carved on the walls of the ruin。 The girl gives a little jump backward； and her eyes fly open as big as doughnuts； but she don't beat it。
〃Why didn't she？ I'll tell you why I think why。 It don't seem to a girl so supernatural； unlikely； strange； and startling that a stone god should come to life for her。 If he was to do it for one of them snub…nosed brown girls on the other side of the woods； now； it would be differentbut her！ I'll bet she said to herself：
'Well； goodness me！ you've been a long time getting on your job。 I've half a mind not to speak to you。'
〃But she and High Jack holds hands and walks away out of the temple together。 By the time I'd had time to take another drink and enter upon the scene they was twenty yards away； going up the path in the woods that the girl had come down。 With the natural scenery already in place； it was just like a play to watch 'emshe looking up at him； and him giving her back the best that an Indian can hand； out in the way of a goo…goo eye。 But there wasn't anything in that recarnification and revulsion to tintype for me。
〃'Hey！ Injun！' I yells out to High Jack。
'We've got a board…bill due in town； and you're leaving me without a cent。 Brace up and cut out the Neapolitan fisher…maiden； and let's go back home。'
〃But on the two goes； without looking once back until； as you might say； the forest swallowed 'em up。 And I never saw or heard of High Jack Snakefeeder from that day to this。 I don't know if the Cherokees came from the Aspics； but if they did； one of 'em went back。
〃All I could do was to hustle back to that Boca place and panhandle Major Bing。 He detached himself from enough of his winnings to buy me a ticket home。 And I'm back again on the job at Chubb's； sir； and I'm going to hold it steady。 Come round； and you'll find the steaks as good as ever。〃
I wondered what Hunky Magee thought about his own story； so I asked him if he had any theories about reincarnation and transmogrification and such mysteries as he had touched upon。
〃Nothing like that；〃 said Hunky； positively。 〃What ailed High Jack was too much booze and education。 They'll do an Indian up every time。〃
〃But what about Miss Blue Feather？〃 I persisted。
〃Say；〃 said Hunky； with a grin； 〃that little lady that stole High Jack certainly did give me a jar when I first took a look at her； but it was only for a minute。 You remember I told you High Jack said that Miss Florence Blue Feather disappeared from home about a year ago？ Well； where she landed four days later was in as neat a five…room flat on East Twenty…third Street as you ever walked sideways throughand she's been Mrs。 Magee ever since。〃
THE MOMENT OF VICTORY
Ben Granger is a war veteran aged twenty…ninewhich should enable you to guess the war。 He is also principal merchant and postmaster of Cadiz； a little town over which the breezes from the Gulf of Mexico perpetually blow。
Ben helped to hurl the Don from his stronghold in the Greater Antilles； and then； hiking across half the world； he marched as a corporal…usher up and down the blazing tropic aisles of the open…air college in which the Filipino was schooled。 Now； with his bayonet beaten into a cheese…slicer； he rallies his corporal's guard of cronies in the shade of his well…whittled porch； instead of in the matted jungles of Mindanao。 Always have his interest and choice been for deeds rather than for words； but the consideration and digestion of motives is not beyond him； as this story； which is his； will attest。
〃What is it；〃 he asked me one moonlit eve； as we sat among his boxes and barrels； 〃that generally makes men go through dangers； and fire； and trouble； and starvation； and battle； and such rucouses？ What does a man do it for？ Why does he try to outdo his fellow…humans； and be braver and stronger and more daring and showy than even his best friends are？ What's his game？ What does he expect to get out of it？ He don't do it just for the fresh air and exercise。 What would you say； now； Bill； that an ordinary man expects； generally speaking； for his efforts along the line of ambition and extraordinary hustling in the marketplaces； forums； shooting…galleries； lyceums； battle…fields； links； cinder…paths； and arenas of the civilized and vice versa places of the world？〃
〃Well； Ben；〃 said I； with judicial seriousness； 〃I think we might safely limit the number of motives of a man who seeks fame to three…to ambition； which is a desire for popular applause； to avarice； which looks to the material side of success； and to love of some woman whom he either possesses or desires to possess。〃
Ben pondered over my words while a mocking…bird on the top of a mesquite by the porch trilled a dozen bars。
〃I reckon；〃 said he； 〃that your diagnosis about covers the case according to the rules laid down in the copy…books and historical readers。 But what I had in my mind was the case of Willie Robbins； a person I used to know。 I'll tell you about him before I close up the store； if you don't mind listening。
〃Willie was one of our social set up in San Augustine。 I was clerking there then for Brady & Murchison； wholesale dry…goods and ranch supplies。 Willie and I belonged to the same german club and athletic association and military company。 He played the triangle in our serenading and quartet crowd that used to ring the welkin three nights a week somewhere in town。
〃Willie jibed with his name considerable。 He weighed about as much as a hundred pounds of veal in his summer suitings； and he had a 'where… is…Mary？' expression on his features so plain that you could almost see the wool growing on him。
〃And yet you couldn't fence him away from the girls with barbed wire。 You know that kind of young fellows…a kind of a mixture of fools and angels…they rush in and fear to tread at the same time； but they never fail to tread when they get the chance。 He was always on hand when 'a joyful occasion was had；' as the morning paper would say； looking as happy as a king full； and at the same time as uncomfortable as a raw oyster served with sweet pickles。 He danced like he had hind hobbles on； and he had a vocabulary of about three hundred and fifty words that he made stretch over four germans a week； and plagiarized from to get him through two ice…cream suppers and a Sunday…night call。 He seemed to me to be a sort of a mixture of Maltese kitten； sensitive plant； and a member of a stranded Two Orphans company。
〃I'll give you an estimate of his physiological and pictorial make…up； and then I'll stick spurs into the sides of my narrative。
〃Willie inclined to the Caucasian in his coloring and manner of style。 His hair was opalescent and his conversation fragmentary。 His eyes were the same blue shade as the china dog's on the right…hand corner of your Aunt Ellen's mantelpiece。 He took things as they come； and I never felt any hostility against him。 I let him live； and so did others。
〃But what does this Willie do but coax his heart out of his boots and lose it to Myra Allison； the liveliest； brightest； keenest； smartest； and prettiest girl in San Augustine。 I tell you； she had the blackest eyes； the shiniest curls； and the most tantalizing Oh； no； you're offI wasn't a victim。 I might have been； but I knew better。 I kept out。 Joe Granberry was It from the start。 He had everybody else beat a couple of leagues and thence east to a stake and mound。 But； anyhow； Myra was a nine…pound； full…merino； fall…clip fleece； sacked and loaded on a four…horse te
