下载辰思小说免费APP
Attheheadheplacedtheneatsackofherbelongings。Forhisownhemadeashelterwithcrossedpolesandasheetofcanvasbeyondthefirstpines。Hebuiltthefirewhereitssmokewouldfloatoutwardfromthetreesandthetent,andnearithestoodthecookingthingsandhisprovisions,andmadethisfirstsupperreadyinthetwilight。Hehadbroughtmuchwithhim;butfortenminuteshefished,catchingtroutenough。Whenatlengthshecameridingoverthestreamathiscall,therewasnothingforhertodobutsitandeatatthetablehehadlaid。Theysattogether,watchingthelastofthetwilightandthegentleoncomingofthedusk。Thefinalafter-glowofdayleftthesky,andthroughthepurplewhichfolloweditcameslowlythefirststars,brightandwideapart。Theywatchedthespacesbetweenthemfinwithmorestars,whilenearthemtheflamesandembersoftheirfiregrewbrighter。Thenhesenthertothetentwhilehecleanedthedishesandvisitedthehorsestoseethattheydidnotstrayfromthepasture。Somewhileafterthedarknesswasfullycome,herejoinedher。Allhadbeenashehadseenitinhisthoughtsbeforehand:thepineswiththesettingsunuponthem,thesinkingcamp-fire,andnowthesoundofthewaterasitflowedmurmuringbytheshoresoftheisland。
Thetentopenedtotheeast,andfromittheywatchedtogethertheirfirstsunrise。Inhisthoughtshehadseenthismorningbeforehandalso:thewaking,thegentlesoundofthewatermurmuringceaselessly,thegrowingday,thevisionofthestream,thesensethattheworldwasshutawayfarfromthem。Sodiditallhappen,exceptthathewhisperedtoheragain:-“Betterthanmydreams。“
Theysawthesunlightbeginuponahilltop;andpresentlycamethesunitself,andlakesofwarmthflowedintotheair,slowlyfillingthegreensolitude。Alongtheislandshorestheripplescaughtflashesfromthesun。
“Iamgoingintothestream,“hesaidtoher;andrising,heleftherinthetent。Thiswashissideoftheisland,hehadtoldherlastnight;theotherwashers,wherehehadmadeaplaceforhertobathe。Whenhewasgone,shefoundit,walkingthroughthetreesandrockstothewater’sedge。Andso,withtheislandbetweenthem,thetwobathedinthecoldstream。Whenhecameback,hefoundheralreadybusyattheircamp。Thebluesmokeofthefirewasfloatingoutfromthetrees,loiteringundispersedinthequietair,andshewasgettingtheirbreakfast。Shehadbeenabletoforestallhimbecausehehaddelayedlongathisdressing,notwillingtoreturntoherunshaven。Shelookedathiseyesthatwereclearasthewaterhehadleapedinto,andathissoftsilkneckerchief,knottedwithcare。
“Donotletusevergoawayfromhere!“shecried,andrantohimashecame。Theysatlongtogetheratbreakfast,breathingthemorningbreathoftheearththatwasfragrantwithwoodlandmoistureandwiththepines。Afterthemealhecouldnotpreventherhelpinghimmakeeverythingclean。Then,byallcustomsofmountainjourneys,itwastimetheyshouldbreakcampandbemovingbeforetheheatoftheday。Butfirst,theydelayedfornoreason,savethatinthesehourstheysolovedtodonothing。Andnext,whenwithsomeenergyhegotuponhisfeetanddeclaredhemustgoanddrivethehorsesin,sheasked,Why?Woulditnotbewellforhimtofishhere,thattheymightbesureoftroutattheirnooning?Andthoughheknewthatwheretheyshouldstopfornoon,troutwouldbeassureashere,hetookthischanceformoredelay。
Shewentwithhimtohisfishingrock,andsatwatchinghim。Therockwastall,higherthanhisheadwhenhestood。Itjuttedouthalfwayacrossthestream,andthewaterflowedrounditinquickfoam,andfellintoapool。Hecaughtseveralfish;butthesunwasgettinghigh,andafteratimeitwasplainthefishhadceasedtorise。
Yetstillhestoodcastinginsilence,whileshesatbyandwatchedhim。Acrossthestream,thehorseswanderedorlaydownintheirpasture。Atlengthhesaidwithhalfasighthatperhapstheyoughttogo。
“Ought?“sherepeatedsoftly。
“Ifwearetogetanywhereto-day,“heanswered。
“Needwegetanywhere?“sheasked。
Herquestionsentdelightthroughhimlikeaflood。“Thenyoudonotwanttomovecampto-day?“saidhe。
Sheshookherhead。
Atthishelaiddownhisrodandcameandsatbyher。“Iamverygladweshallnotgotilltomorrow,“hemurmured。
“Notto-morrow,“shesaid。“Nornextday。Noranydayunti