LOVE OF LIFE.docx
- 文档编号:13073002
- 上传时间:2023-06-10
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:13
- 大小:30.90KB
LOVE OF LIFE.docx
《LOVE OF LIFE.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《LOVE OF LIFE.docx(13页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
LOVEOFLIFE
LOVEOFLIFE
Theylimpedpainfullydownthebank,andoncetheforemostofthetwomenstaggeredamongtherough-strewnrocks.Theyweretiredandweak,andtheirfaceshadthedrawnexpressionofpatiencewhichcomesofhardshiplongendured.Theywereheavilyburdenedwithblanketpackswhichwerestrappedtotheirshoulders.Head-straps,passingacrosstheforehead,helpedsupportthesepacks.Eachmancarriedarifle.Theywalkedinastoopedposture,theshoulderswellforward,theheadstillfartherforward,theeyesbentupontheground.
"Iwishwehadjustabouttwoofthemcartridgesthat'slayin'inthatcacheofourn,"saidthesecondman.
Hisvoicewasutterlyanddrearilyexpressionless.Hespokewithoutenthusiasm;andthefirstman,limpingintothemilkystreamthatfoamedovertherocks,vouchsafednoreply.
Theothermanfollowedathisheels.Theydidnotremovetheirfoot-gear,thoughthewaterwasicycold--socoldthattheiranklesachedandtheirfeetwentnumb.Inplacesthewaterdashedagainsttheirknees,andbothmenstaggeredforfooting.
Themanwhofollowedslippedonasmoothboulder,nearlyfell,butrecoveredhimselfwithaviolenteffort,atthesametimeutteringasharpexclamationofpain.Heseemedfaintanddizzyandputouthisfreehandwhilehereeled,asthoughseekingsupportagainsttheair.Whenhehadsteadiedhimselfhesteppedforward,butreeledagainandnearlyfell.Thenhestoodstillandlookedattheotherman,whohadneverturnedhishead.
Themanstoodstillforfullyaminute,asthoughdebatingwithhimself.Thenhecalledout:
"Isay,Bill,I'vesprainedmyankle."
Billstaggeredonthroughthemilkywater.Hedidnotlookaround.Themanwatchedhimgo,andthoughhisfacewasexpressionlessasever,hiseyeswereliketheeyesofawoundeddeer.
Theothermanlimpedupthefartherbankandcontinuedstraightonwithoutlookingback.Themaninthestreamwatchedhim.Hislipstrembledalittle,sothattheroughthatchofbrownhairwhichcoveredthemwasvisiblyagitated.Histongueevenstrayedouttomoistenthem.
"Bill!
"hecriedout.Itwasthepleadingcryofastrongmanindistress,butBill'sheaddidnotturn.Themanwatchedhimgo,limpinggrotesquelyandlurchingforwardwithstammeringgaituptheslowslopetowardthesoftsky-lineofthelow-lyinghill.Hewatchedhimgotillhepassedoverthecrestanddisappeared.ThenheturnedhisgazeandslowlytookinthecircleoftheworldthatremainedtohimnowthatBillwasgone.
Nearthehorizonthesunwassmoulderingdimly,almostobscuredbyformlessmistsandvapors,whichgaveanimpressionofmassanddensitywithoutoutlineortangibility.Themanpulledouthiswatch,thewhilerestinghisweightononeleg.Itwasfouro'clock,andastheseasonwasnearthelastofJulyorfirstofAugust,--hedidnotknowtheprecisedatewithinaweekortwo,--heknewthatthesunroughlymarkedthenorthwest.HelookedtothesouthandknewthatsomewherebeyondthosebleakhillslaytheGreatBearLake;also,heknewthatinthatdirectiontheArcticCirclecutitsforbiddingwayacrosstheCanadianBarrens.ThisstreaminwhichhestoodwasafeedertotheCoppermineRiver,whichinturnflowednorthandemptiedintoCoronationGulfandtheArcticOcean.Hehadneverbeenthere,buthehadseenit,once,onaHudsonBayCompanychart.
Againhisgazecompletedthecircleoftheworldabouthim.Itwasnotahearteningspectacle.Everywherewassoftsky-line.Thehillswerealllow-lying.Therewerenotrees,noshrubs,nograsses--naughtbutatremendousandterribledesolationthatsentfearswiftlydawningintohiseyes.
"Bill!
"hewhispered,onceandtwice;"Bill!
"
Hecoweredinthemidstofthemilkywater,asthoughthevastnesswerepressinginuponhimwithoverwhelmingforce,brutallycrushinghimwithitscomplacentawfulness.Hebegantoshakeaswithanague-fit,tillthegunfellfromhishandwithasplash.Thisservedtorousehim.Hefoughtwithhisfearandpulledhimselftogether,gropinginthewaterandrecoveringtheweapon.Hehitchedhispackfartheroveronhisleftshoulder,soastotakeaportionofitsweightfromofftheinjuredankle.Thenheproceeded,slowlyandcarefully,wincingwithpain,tothebank.
Hedidnotstop.Withadesperationthatwasmadness,unmindfulofthepain,hehurrieduptheslopetothecrestofthehilloverwhichhiscomradehaddisappeared--moregrotesqueandcomicalbyfarthanthatlimping,jerkingcomrade.Butatthecresthesawashallowvalley,emptyoflife.Hefoughtwithhisfearagain,overcameit,hitchedthepackstillfartheroveronhisleftshoulder,andlurchedondowntheslope.
Thebottomofthevalleywassoggywithwater,whichthethickmossheld,spongelike,closetothesurface.Thiswatersquirtedoutfromunderhisfeetateverystep,andeachtimeheliftedafoottheactionculminatedinasuckingsoundasthewetmossreluctantlyreleaseditsgrip.Hepickedhiswayfrommuskegtomuskeg,andfollowedtheotherman'sfootstepsalongandacrosstherockyledgeswhichthrustlikeisletsthroughtheseaofmoss.
Thoughalone,hewasnotlost.Fartheronheknewhewouldcometowheredeadspruceandfir,verysmallandweazened,borderedtheshoreofalittlelake,thetitchin-nichilie,inthetongueofthecountry,the"landoflittlesticks."Andintothatlakeflowedasmallstream,thewaterofwhichwasnotmilky.Therewasrush-grassonthatstream--thisherememberedwell--butnotimber,andhewouldfollowittillitsfirsttrickleceasedatadivide.Hewouldcrossthisdividetothefirsttrickleofanotherstream,flowingtothewest,whichhewouldfollowuntilitemptiedintotheriverDease,andherehewouldfindacacheunderanupturnedcanoeandpiledoverwithmanyrocks.Andinthiscachewouldbeammunitionforhisemptygun,fish-hooksandlines,asmallnet--alltheutilitiesforthekillingandsnaringoffood.Also,hewouldfindflour,--notmuch,--apieceofbacon,andsomebeans.
Billwouldbewaitingforhimthere,andtheywouldpaddleawaysouthdowntheDeasetotheGreatBearLake.Andsouthacrossthelaketheywouldgo,eversouth,tilltheygainedtheMackenzie.Andsouth,stillsouth,theywouldgo,whilethewinterracedvainlyafterthem,andtheiceformedintheeddies,andthedaysgrewchillandcrisp,southtosomewarmHudsonBayCompanypost,wheretimbergrewtallandgenerousandtherewasgrubwithoutend.
Thesewerethethoughtsofthemanashestroveonward.Buthardashestrovewithhisbody,hestroveequallyhardwithhismind,tryingtothinkthatBillhadnotdesertedhim,thatBillwouldsurelywaitforhimatthecache.Hewascompelledtothinkthisthought,orelsetherewouldnotbeanyusetostrive,andhewouldhavelaindownanddied.Andasthedimballofthesunsankslowlyintothenorthwesthecoveredeveryinch--andmanytimes--ofhisandBill'sflightsouthbeforethedowncomingwinter.AndheconnedthegrubofthecacheandthegruboftheHudsonBayCompanypostoverandoveragain.Hehadnoteatenfortwodays;forafarlongertimehehadnothadallhewantedtoeat.Oftenhestoopedandpickedpalemuskegberries,putthemintohismouth,andchewedandswallowedthem.Amuskegberryisabitofseedenclosedinabitofwater.Inthemouththewatermeltsawayandtheseedchewssharpandbitter.Themanknewtherewasnonourishmentintheberries,buthechewedthempatientlywithahopegreaterthanknowledgeanddefyingexperience.
Atnineo'clockhestubbedhistoeonarockyledge,andfromsheerwearinessandweaknessstaggeredandfell.Helayforsometime,withoutmovement,onhisside.Thenheslippedoutofthepack-strapsandclumsilydraggedhimselfintoasittingposture.Itwasnotyetdark,andinthelingeringtwilighthegropedaboutamongtherocksforshredsofdrymoss.Whenhehadgatheredaheaphebuiltafire,--asmouldering,smudgyfire,--andputatinpotofwaterontoboil.
Heunwrappedhispackandthefirstthinghedidwastocounthismatches.Thereweresixty-seven.Hecountedthemthreetimestomakesure.Hedividedthemintoseveralportions,wrappingtheminoilpaper,disposingofonebunchinhisemptytobaccopouch,ofanotherbunchintheinsidebandofhisbatteredhat,ofathirdbunchunderhisshirtonthechest.Thisaccomplished,apaniccameuponhim,andheunwrappedthemallandcountedthemagain.Therewerestillsixty-seven.
Hedriedhiswetfoot-gearbythefire.Themoccasinswereinsoggyshreds.Theblanketsockswerewornthroughinplaces,andhisfeetwererawandbleeding.Hisanklewasthrobbing,andhegaveitanexamination.Ithadswollentothesizeofhisknee.Hetorealongstripfromoneofhistwoblanketsandboundtheankletightly.Hetoreotherstripsandboundthemabouthisfeettoserveforbothmoccasinsandsocks.Thenhedrankthepotofwater,steaminghot,woundhiswatch,andcrawledbetweenhisblankets.
Hesleptlikeadeadman.Thebriefdarknessaroundmidnightcameandwent.Thesunaroseinthenortheast--atleastthedaydawnedinthatquarter,forthesunwashiddenbygrayclouds.
Atsixo'clockheawoke,quietlylyingonhisback.Hegazedstraightupintothegrayskyandknewthathewashungry.Asherolledoveronhiselbowhewasstartledbyaloudsnort,andsawabullcaribouregardinghimwithalertcuriosity.Theanimalwasnotmorethanfiftyfeetaway,andinstantlyintotheman'smindleapedthevisionandthesavorofacaribousteaksizzlingandfryingoverafire.Mechanicallyhereachedfortheemptygun,drewabead,andpulledthetrigger.Thebullsnortedandleapedaway,hishoofsrattlingandclatteringashefledacrosstheledges.
Themanc
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- LOVE OF LIFE