热爱生命-love of life(英文版)-第2章

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　of　steam；　he　saw　a　man　and　a　woman　pausing　on　the　threshold。〃e　in；〃　he　said　peremptorily；　〃and　shut　the　door！〃Peering　through　the　steam；　he　could　make　out　but　little　of　their　personal　appearance。　　The　nose　and　cheek　strap　worn　by　the　woman　and　the　trail…wrappings　about　her　head　allowed　only　a　pair　of　black　eyes　to　be　seen。　　The　man　was　dark…eyed　and　smooth…shaven　all　except　his　mustache；　which　was　so　iced　up　as　to　hide　his　mouth。〃We　just　wanted　to　know　if　there　is　any　other　cabin　around　here；〃　he　said；　at　the　same　time　glancing　over　the　unfurnished　state　of　the　room。　　〃We　thought　this　cabin　was　empty。〃〃It　isn't　my　cabin；〃　Messner　answered。　　〃I　just　found　it　a　few　minutes　ago。　　e　right　in　and　camp。　　Plenty　of　room；　and　you　won't　need　your　stove。　　There's　room　for　all。〃At　the　sound　of　his　voice　the　woman　peered　at　him　with　quick　curiousness。〃Get　your　things　off；〃　her　panion　said　to　her。　　〃I'll　unhitch　and　get　the　water　so　we　can　start　cooking。〃Messner　took　the　thawed　salmon　outside　and　fed　his　dogs。　　He　had　to　guard　them　against　the　second　team　of　dogs；　and　when　he　had　re塶tered　the　cabin　the　other　man　had　unpacked　the　sled　and　fetched　water。　　Messner's　pot　was　boiling。　　He　threw　in　the　coffee；　settled　it　with　half　a　cup　of　cold　water；　and　took　the　pot　from　the　stove。　　He　thawed　some　sour…dough　biscuits　in　the　oven；　at　the　same　time　heating　a　pot　of　beans　he　had　boiled　the　night　before　and　that　had　ridden　frozen　on　the　sled　all　morning。Removing　his　utensils　from　the　stove；　so　as　to　give　the　newers　a　chance　to　cook；　he　proceeded　to　take　his　meal　from　the　top　of　his　grub…box；　himself　sitting　on　his　bed…roll。　　Between　mouthfuls　he　talked　trail　and　dogs　with　the　man；　who；　with　head　over　the　stove；　was　thawing　the　ice　from　his　mustache。　　There　were　two　bunks　in　the　cabin；　and　into　one　of　them；　when　he　had　cleared　his　lip；　the　stranger　tossed　his　bed…roll。〃We'll　sleep　here；〃　he　said；　〃unless　you　prefer　this　bunk。　　You're　the　first　er　and　you　have　first　choice；　you　know。〃〃That's　all　right；〃　Messner　answered。　　〃One　bunk's　just　as　good　as　the　other。〃He　spread　his　own　bedding　in　the　second　bunk；　and　sat　down　on　the　edge。　　The　stranger　thrust　a　physician's　small　travelling　case　under　his　blankets　at　one　end　to　serve　for　a　pillow。〃Doctor？〃　Messner　asked。〃Yes；〃　came　the　answer；　〃but　I　assure　you　I　didn't　e　into　the　Klondike　to　practise。〃The　woman　busied　herself　with　cooking；　while　the　man　sliced　bacon　and　fired　the　stove。　　The　light　in　the　cabin　was　dim；　filtering　through　in　a　small　window　made　of　onion…skin　writing　paper　and　oiled　with　bacon　grease；　so　that　John　Messner　could　not　make　out　very　well　what　the　woman　looked　like。　　Not　that　he　tried。　　He　seemed　to　have　no　interest　in　her。　　But　she　glanced　curiously　from　time　to　time　into　the　dark　corner　where　he　sat。〃Oh；　it's　a　great　life；〃　the　doctor　proclaimed　enthusiastically；　pausing　from　sharpening　his　knife　on　the　stovepipe。　　〃What　I　like　about　it　is　the　struggle；　the　endeavor　with　one's　own　hands；　the　primitiveness　of　it；　the　realness。〃〃The　temperature　is　real　enough；〃　Messner　laughed。〃Do　you　know　how　cold　it　actually　is？〃　the　doctor　demanded。The　other　shook　his　head。〃Well；　I'll　tell　you。　　Seventy…four　below　zero　by　spirit　thermometer　on　the　sled。〃〃That's　one　hundred　and　six　below　freezing　point　…　too　cold　for　travelling；　eh？〃〃Practically　suicide；〃　was　the　doctor's　verdict。　　〃One　exerts　himself。　　He　breathes　heavily；　taking　into　his　lungs　the　frost　itself。　　It　chills　his　lungs；　freezes　the　edges　of　the　tissues。　　He　gets　a　dry；　hacking　cough　as　the　dead　tissue　sloughs　away；　and　dies　the　following　summer　of　pneumonia；　wondering　what　it's　all　about。　　I'll　stay　in　this　cabin　for　a　week；　unless　the　thermometer　rises　at　least　to　fifty　below。〃〃I　say；　Tess；〃　he　said；　the　next　moment；　〃don't　you　think　that　coffee's　boiled　long　enough！〃At　the　sound　of　the　woman's　name；　John　Messner　became　suddenly　alert。　　He　looked　at　her　quickly；　while　across　his　face　shot　a　haunting　expression；　the　ghost　of　some　buried　misery　achieving　swift　resurrection。　　But　the　next　moment；　and　by　an　effort　of　will；　the　ghost　was　laid　again。　　His　face　was　as　placid　as　before；　though　he　was　still　alert；　dissatisfied　with　what　the　feeble　light　had　shown　him　of　the　woman's　face。Automatically；　her　first　act　had　been　to　set　the　coffee…pot　back。　　It　was　not　until　she　had　done　this　that　she　glanced　at　Messner。　　But　already　he　had　posed　himself。　　She　saw　only　a　man　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bunk　and　incuriously　studying　the　toes　of　his　moccasins。　　But；　as　she　turned　casually　to　go　about　her　cooking；　he　shot　another　swift　look　at　her；　and　she；　glancing　as　swiftly　back；　caught　his　look。　　He　shifted　on　past　her　to　the　doctor；　though　the　slightest　smile　curled　his　lip　in　appreciation　of　the　way　she　had　trapped　him。She　drew　a　candle　from　the　grub…box　and　lighted　it。　　One　look　at　her　illuminated　face　was　enough　for　Messner。　　In　the　small　cabin　the　widest　limit　was　only　a　matter　of　several　steps；　and　the　next　moment　she　was　alongside　of　him。　　She　deliberately　held　the　candle　close　to　his　face　and　stared　at　him　out　of　eyes　wide　with　fear　and　recognition。　　He　smiled　quietly　back　at　her。〃What　are　you　looking　for；　Tess？〃　the　doctor　called。〃Hairpins；〃　she　replied；　passing　on　and　rummaging　in　a　clothes…bag　on　the　bunk。They　served　their　meal　on　their　grub…box；　sitting　on　Messner's　grub…box　and　facing　him。　　He　had　stretched　out　on　his　bunk　to　rest；　lying　on　his　side；　his　head　on　his　arm。　　In　the　close　quarters　it　was　as　though　the　three　were　together　at　table。〃What　part　of　the　States　do　you　e　from？〃　Messner　asked。〃San　Francisco；〃　answered　the　doctor。　　〃I've　been　in　here　two　years；　though。〃〃I　hail　from　California　myself；〃　was　Messner's　announcement。The　woman　looked　at　him　appealingly；　but　he　smiled　and　went　on：〃Berkeley；　you　know。〃The　other　man　was　being　interested。〃U。　C。？〃　he　asked。〃Yes；　Class　of　'86。〃〃I　meant　faculty；〃　the　doctor　explained。　　〃You　remind　me　of　the　type。〃〃Sorry　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　Messner　smiled　back。　　〃I'd　prefer　being　taken　for　a　prospector　or　a　dog…musher。〃〃I　don't　think　he　looks　any　more　like　a　professor　than　you　do　a　doctor；〃　the　woman　broke　in。〃Thank　you；〃　said　Messner。　　Then；　turning　to　her　panion；　〃By　the　way；　Doctor；　what　is　your　name；　if　I　may　ask？〃〃Haythorne；　if　you'll　take　my　word　for　it。　　I　gave　up　cards　with　civilization。〃〃And　Mrs。　Haythorne；〃　Messner　smiled　and　bowed。She　flashed　a　look　at　him　that　was　more　anger　than　appeal。Haythorne　was　about　to　ask　the　other's　name。　　His　mouth　had　opened　to　form　the　question　when　Messner　cut　him　off。〃e　to　think　of　it；　Doctor；　you　may　possibly　be　able　to　satisfy　my　curiosity。　　There　was　a　sort　of　scandal　in　faculty　circles　some　two　or　three　years　ago。　　The　wife　of　one　of　the　English　professors　…　er；　if　you　will　pardon　me；　Mrs。　Haythorne　…　disappeared　with　some　San　Francisco　doctor；　I　understood；　though　his　name　does　not　just　now　e　to　my　lips。　　Do　you　remember　the　incident？〃Haythorne　nodded　his　head。　　〃Made　quite　a　stir　at　the　time。　　His　name　was　Womble　…　Graham　Womble。　　He　had　a　magnificent　practice。　　I　knew　him　somewhat。〃〃Well；　what　I　was　trying　to　get　at　was　what　had　bee　of　them。　　I　was　wondering　if　you　had　heard。　　They　left　no　trace；　hide　nor　hair。〃〃He　covered　his　tracks　cunningly。〃