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暖暖的河流 war river（第1页）

厄斯金·考德威尔

ErskineCaldwell

Thedriverstoedatthesusendedfootbridgeandointedouttomethehouseacrosstheriver。Iaidhimthequarterfarefortheridefromthestationtwomilesawayandsteedfromthecar。AfterhehadgoneIwasalonewiththechillnightandthestar-ointedlightstwinklinginthevalleyandthebroadgreenriverflowingwarmbelowme。Allaroundmethemountainsroselikeblackcloudsinthenight，andonlybylookingstraightheavenwardcouldIseeanythingofthedimafterglowofsunset。

Thecreakingfootbridgeswayedwiththerhythmofmystrideandthemomentumofitsswingsoonovercamemyace。OnlybywalkingfasterandfastercouldIclingtotheendulumasitswunginitswidearcovertheriver。WhenatlastIcouldseetheotherside，wherethemountaincamedownabrutlyandslidunderthewarmwater，Igriedmyhandbagtighterandranwithallmymight。

Eventhen，evenaftermyfeethadcruncheduonthegravelath，Iwasafraid。IknewthatbydayImightwalkthebridgewithoutfear，butatnight，inastrangecountry，withdarkmountainstoweringallaroundmeandabroadgreenriverflowingbeneathme，Icouldnotkeemyhandsfromtremblingandmyheartfromoundingagainstmychest。

Ifoundthehouseeasily，andlaughedatmyselfforhavingrunfromtheriver。Thehousewasthefirstonetocomeuonafterleavingthefootbridge，andevenifIshouldhavemissedit，Gretchenwould，havecalledme。Shewasthereonthestesoftheorchwaitingforme。WhenIheardherfamiliarvoicecallingmyname，Iwasashamedofmyselfforhavingbeenfrightenedbythemountainsandthebroadriverflowingbelow。

Sherandownthegravelathtomeetme。

“Didthefootbridgefrightenyou，Richard?”sheaskedexcitedly，holdingmyarmwithbothofherhandsandguidingmeutheathtothehouse。

“Ithinkitdid，Gretchen，”Isaid:“butIhoeIoutranit。”

“Everyonetriestodothatatfirst，butaftergoingoveritonce，It’slikewalkingatight-roe。Iusedtowalktight-roeswhenIwassmall-didn’tyoudothat，too，Richard？Wehadaroestretchedacrossthefloorofourbarntoracticeon。”

“Idid，too，butIt’sbeensolongagoI’veforgottenhowtodoitnow。”

Wereachedthestesandwentutotheorch。Gretchentookmetothedoor。Someoneinsidethehousewasbringingalamintothehall，andwiththecomingofthelightIsawGretchenstwosistersstandingjustinsidetheoendoor。

“Thisismylittlesister，Anne，”Gretchensaid。“AndthisisMary。”

Isoketothemintilesemi-darkness，andwewentonintothehall。Gretchensfatherwasstandingbesideatableholdingthelamalittletoonesidesothathecouldseemyface。Ihadnotmethimbefore。

“Thisismyfather，”Gretchensaid。“Hewasafraidyouwouldntbeabletofindourhouseintiledark。”

“Iwantedtobringalightdowntothebridgeandmeetyou，butGretchensaidyouwouldgetherewithoutanytrouble。Didyougetlost?Icouldhavebroughtalanterndownwithnotroubleatall。”

IshookhandswithhimandtoldhimhoweasilyIhadfoundthelace。

“Thehackdriverointedouttomethehousefromtheothersideoftheriver，andIneveroncelookmyeyesfromthelight。IfIhadlostsightofthelight，Idrobablybestumblingaroundsomewherenowinthedarkdowntheregettingreadytofallintothewater。”

Helaughedatmeforbeingafraidoftileriver。

“Youwouldnthavemindedit。Theriveriswarm。Eveninwinter，whenthereisiceandsnowunderfoot，theriverisaswarmasacomfortableroom。Allofusherelovethewaterdownthere。”

“No，Richard，youwouldnthavefallenin，”Gretchensaid，layingherhandinmine。“Isawyouthemomentyougotoutofthehack，andifyouhadgoneasteinthewrongdirection，Iwasreadytoruntoyou。”

IwishedtothankGretchenforsayingthat，butalreadyshewasgoingtothestairstothefloorabove，andcallingme。Iwentwithher，liftingmyhandbaginfrontofme。Therewasashadedlam，lightedbutturnedlow，onthetableattheendoftheuerball，andsheickedituandwentaheadintooneofthefrontrooms。

Westoodforamomentlookingateachother，andsilent。

“Thereisfreshwaterintheitcher，Richard。Ifthereisanythingelseyouwouldliketohave，leasetellme。Itriednottooverlookanything。”

“Dontworry，Gretchen，”Itoldher。“Icouldn’twishforanythingmore。It’senoughjusttobeherewithyou，anyway。TheresnothingelseIcarefor。”

Shelookedatmequickly，andthensheloweredhereyes。Westoodsilentlyforseveralminutes，whileneitherofuscouldthinkofanythingtosay。IwantedtotellherhowgladIwastobewithher，evenifitwasonlyforonenight，butIknewIcouldsaythattoherlater。GretchenknewwhyIhadcome。

“I’llleavethelamforyou，Richard，andI’llwaitdownstairsforyouontheorch。Comeassoonasyouareready。”

ShehadleftbeforeIcouldoffertocarrythelighttothestairheadforhertoseethewaydown。BythetimeIhadickeduthelam，shewasoutofsightdownthestairs。

Iwalkedbackintotheroomandclosedthedoorandbathedmyfaceandhands，scrubbingthetraindustwithbrushandsoa。Therewasarowofhand-embroideredtowelsontherack，andItookoneanddriedmyfaceandbands。AfterthatIcombedmyhair，andfoundafreshhandkerchiefinthehandbag。ThenIoenedthedoorandwentdownstairstofindGretchen。

Herfatherwasontheorchwithher。WhenIwalkedthroughthedoorway，hegotuandgavemeachairbetweenthem。Gretchenulledherchairclosertomine，touchingmyarmwithherhand。

“Isthisthefirsttimeyouhavebeenuhereinthemountains，Richard?”herfatheraskedme，turninginhischairtowardsme。

“I’veneverbeenwithinahundredmilesofherebefore，sir。It’sadifferentcountryuhere，butIsuoseyouwouldthinkthesameaboutthecoast，wouldntyou？”

“Oh，butFatherusedtoliveinNorfolk，”Gretchensaid。“Didntyou，Father？”

“Ilivedtherefornearlythreeyears。”

Therewassomethingelsehewouldsay，andbothofuswaitedforhimtocontinue。

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