the dynamiter-第9部分

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interest　I　bear　you　in　your　own　right。　　I　shall　send　you　to　
England；　to　the　great　city　of　London；　there　to　await　the　
bridegroom　I　have　selected。　　He　shall　be　a　son　of　mine；　a　
young　man　suitable　in　age　and　not　grossly　deficient　in　that　
quality　of　beauty　that　your　years　demand。　　Since　your　heart　
is　free；　you　may　well　pledge　me　the　sole　promise　that　I　ask　
in　return　for　much　expense　and　still　more　danger：　　to　await　
the　arrival　of　that　bridegroom　with　the　delicacy　of　a　wife。'

I　sat　awhile　stunned。　　The　doctor's　marriages；　I　remembered　
to　have　heard；　had　been　unfruitful；　and　this　added　perplexity　
to　my　distress。　　But　I　was　alone；　as　he　had　said；　alone　in　
that　dark　land；　the　thought　of　escape；　of　any　equal　marriage；　
was　already　enough　to　revive　in　me　some　dawn　of　hope；　and　in　
what　words　I　know　not；　I　accepted　the　proposal。

He　seemed　more　moved　by　my　consent　than　I　could　reasonably　
have　looked　for。　　'You　shall　see；'　he　cried；　'you　shall　judge　
for　yourself。'　　And　hurrying　to　the　next　room　he　returned　
with　a　small　portrait　somewhat　coarsely　done　in　oils。　　It　
showed　a　man　in　the　dress　of　nearly　forty　years　before；　young　
indeed；　but　still　recognisable　to　be　the　doctor。　　'Do　you　
like　it？'　he　asked。　　'That　is　myself　when　I　was　young。　　My　…　
my　boy　will　be　like　that；　like　but　nobler；　with　such　health　
as　angels　might　condescend　to　envy；　and　a　man　of　mind；　
Asenath；　of　commanding　mind。　　That　should　be　a　man；　I　think；　
that　should　be　one　among　ten　thousand。　　A　man　like　that　…　one　
to　combine　the　passions　of　youth　with　the　restraint；　the　
force；　the　dignity　of　age　…　one　to　fill　all　the　parts　and　
faculties；　one　to　be　man's　epitome　…　say；　will　that　not　
satisfy　the　needs　of　an　ambitious　girl？　　Say；　is　not　that　
enough？'　　And　as　he　held　the　picture　close　before　my　eyes；　
his　hands　shook。

I　told　him　briefly　I　would　ask　no　better；　for　I　was　
transpierced　with　this　display　of　fatherly　emotion；　but　even　
as　I　said　the　words；　the　most　insolent　revolt　surged　through　
my　arteries。　　I　held　him　in　horror；　him；　his　portrait；　and　
his　son；　and　had　there　been　any　choice　but　death　or　a　Mormon　
marriage；　I　declare　before　Heaven　I　had　embraced　it。

'It　is　well；'　he　replied；　'and　I　had　rightly　counted　on　your　
spirit。　　Eat；　then；　for　you　have　far　to　go。'　　So　saying；　he　
set　meat　before　me；　and　while　I　was　endeavouring　to　obey；　he　
left　the　room　and　returned　with　an　armful　of　coarse　raiment。　　
'There；'　said　he；　'is　your　disguise。　　I　leave　you　to　your　
toilet。'

The　clothes　had　probably　belonged　to　a　somewhat　lubberly　boy　
of　fifteen；　and　they　hung　about　me　like　a　sack；　and　cruelly　
hampered　my　movements。　　But　what　filled　me　with　
uncontrollable　shudderings；　was　the　problem　of　their　origin　
and　the　fate　of　the　lad　to　whom　they　had　belonged。　　I　had　
scarcely　effected　the　exchange　when　the　doctor　returned；　
opened　a　back　window；　helped　me　out　into　the　narrow　space　
between　the　house　and　the　overhanging　bluffs；　and　showed　me　a　
ladder　of　iron　footholds　mortised　in　the　rock。　　'Mount；'　he　
said；　'swiftly。　　When　you　are　at　the　summit；　walk；　so　far　as　
you　are　able；　in　the　shadow　of　the　smoke。　　The　smoke　will　
bring　you；　sooner　or　later；　to　a　canyon；　follow　that　down；　
and　you　will　find　a　man　with　two　horses。　　Him　you　will　
implicitly　obey。　　And　remember；　silence！　　That　machinery；　
which　I　now　put　in　motion　for　your　service；　may　by　one　word　
be　turned　against　you。　　Go；　Heaven　prosper　you！'

The　ascent　was　easy。　　Arrived　at　the　top　of　the　cliff；　I　saw　
before　me　on　the　other　side　a　vast　and　gradual　declivity　of　
stone；　lying　bare　to　the　moon　and　the　surrounding　mountains。　　
Nowhere　was　any　vantage　or　concealment；　and　knowing　how　these　
deserts　were　beset　with　spies；　I　made　haste　to　veil　my　
movements　under　the　blowing　trail　of　smoke。　　Sometimes　it　
swam　high；　rising　on　the　night　wind；　and　I　had　no　more　
substantial　curtain　than　its　moon…thrown　shadow；　sometimes　
again　it　crawled　upon　the　earth；　and　I　would　walk　in　it；　no　
higher　than　to　my　shoulders；　like　some　mountain　fog。　　But；　
one　way　or　another；　the　smoke　of　that　ill…omened　furnace　
protected　the　first　steps　of　my　escape；　and　led　me　unobserved　
to　the　canyon。

There；　sure　enough；　I　found　a　taciturn　and　sombre　man　beside　
a　pair　of　saddle…horses；　and　thenceforward；　all　night　long；　
we　wandered　in　silence　by　the　most　occult　and　dangerous　paths　
among　the　mountains。　　A　little　before　the　dayspring　we　took　
refuge　in　a　wet　and　gusty　cavern　at　the　bottom　of　a　gorge；　
lay　there　all　day　concealed；　and　the　next　night；　before　the　
glow　had　faded　out　of　the　west；　resumed　our　wanderings。　　
About　noon　we　stopped　again；　in　a　lawn　upon　a　little　river；　
where　was　a　screen　of　bushes；　and　here　my　guide；　handing　me　a　
bundle　from　his　pack；　bade　me　change　my　dress　once　more。　　The　
bundle　contained　clothing　of　my　own；　taken　from　our　house；　
with　such　necessaries　as　a　comb　and　soap。　　I　made　my　toilet　
by　the　mirror　of　a　quiet　pool；　and　as　I　was　so　doing；　and　
smiling　with　some　complacency　to　see　myself　restored　to　my　
own　image；　the　mountains　rang　with　a　scream　of　far　more　than　
human　piercingness；　and　while　I　still　stood　astonished；　there　
sprang　up　and　swiftly　increased　a　storm　of　the　most　awful　and　
earth…rending　sounds。　　Shall　I　own　to　you；　that　I　fell　upon　
my　face　and　shrieked？　　And　yet　this　was　but　the　overland　
train　winding　among　the　near　mountains：　　the　very　means　of　my　
salvation：　　the　strong　wings　that　were　to　carry　me　from　Utah！

When　I　was　dressed；　the　guide　gave　me　a　bag；　which　contained；　
he　said；　both　money　and　papers；　and　telling　me　that　I　was　
already　over　the　borders　in　the　territory　of　Wyoming；　bade　me　
follow　the　stream　until　I　reached　the　railway　station；　half　a　
mile　below。　　'Here；'　he　added；　'is　your　ticket　as　far　as　
Council　Bluffs。　　The　East　express　will　pass　in　a　few　hours。'　　
With　that；　he　took　both　horses；　and；　without　further　words　or　
any　salutation；　rode　off　by　the　way　that　we　had　come。

Three　hours　afterwards；　I　was　seated　on　the　end　platform　of　
the　train　as　it　swept　eastward　through　the　gorges　and　
thundered　in　tunnels　of　the　mountain。　　The　change　of　scene；　
the　sense　of　escape；　the　still　throbbing　terror　of　pursuit　…　
above　all；　the　astounding　magic　of　my　new　conveyance；　kept　me　
from　any　logical　or　melancholy　thought。　　I　had　gone　to　the　
doctor's　house　two　nights　before　prepared　to　die；　prepared　
for　worse　than　death；　what　had　passed；　terrible　although　it　
was；　looked　almost　bright　compared　to　my　anticipations；　and　
it　was　not　till　I　had　slept　a　full　night　in　the　flying　palace　
car；　that　I　awoke　to　the　sense　of　my　irreparable　loss　and　to　
some　reasonable　alarm　about　the　future。　　In　this　mood；　I　
examined　the　contents　of　the　bag。　　It　was　well　supplied　with　
gold；　it　contained　tickets　and　complete　directions　for　my　
journey　as　far　as　Liverpool；　and　a　long　letter　from　the　
doctor；　supplying　me　with　a　fictitious　name　and　story；　
recommending　the　most　guarded　silence；　and　bidding　me　to　
await　faithfully　the　coming　of　his　son。　　All　then　had　been　
arranged　beforehand：　　he　had　counted　upon　my　consent；　and　
what　was　tenfold　worse；　upon　my　mother's　voluntary　death。　　My　
horror　of　my　only　friend；　my　aversion　for　this　son　who　was　to　
marry　me；　my　revolt　against　the　whole　current　and　conditions　
of　my　life；　were　now　complete。　　I　was　sitting　stupefied　by　my　
distress　and　helplessness；　when；　to　my　joy；　a　very　pleasant　
lady　offered　me　her　conversation。　　I　clutched　at　the　relief；　
and　I　was　soon　glibly　telling　her　the　story　in　the　doctor's　
letter：　　how　I　was　a　Miss　Gould；　of　Nevada　City；　going　to　
England　to　an　uncle；　what　money　I　had；　what　family；　my　age；　
and　so　forth；　until　I　had　exhausted　my　instructions；　and；　as　
the　lady　still　continued　to　ply　me　with　questions；　began　to　
embroider　on　my　own　account。　　This　soon　carried　one　of　my　
inexperience　beyond　her　depth；　and　I　had　already　remarked　a　
shadow　on　the　lady's　face；　when　a　gentleman　drew　near　and　
very　civilly　addressed　me。

'Miss　Gould；　I　believe？'　said　he；　and　then；　excusing　himself　
to　the　lady　by　the　authority　of　my　guardian；　drew　me　to　the　
fore　platform　of　the　Pullman　car。　　'Miss　Gould；'　he　said　in　
my　ear；　'is　it　possible　that　you　suppose　yourself　in　safety？　　
Let　me　completely　undeceive　you。　　One　more　such　indiscretion　
and　you　return　to　Utah。　　And；　in　the　meanwhile；　if　this　woman　
should　again　address　you；　you　are　to　reply　with　these　words：　　
〃Madam；　I　do　not　like　you；　and　I　will　be　obliged　if　you　will　
suffer　me　to　choose　my　own　associates。〃'

Alas；　I　had　to　do　as　I　was　bid；　this　lady；　to　whom　I　already　
felt　myself　drawn　with　the　strongest　cords　of　sympathy；　I　
dismissed　with　insult；　and　thenceforward；　through　all　that　
day；　I　sat　in　silence；　gazing　on　the　bare　plains　and　
swallowing　my　tears。　　Let　that　suffice：　　it　was　the　pattern　
of　my　journey。　　Whether　on　the　train；　at　the　hotels；　or　on　
board　the　ocean　steamer；　I　never　exchanged　a　friendly　word　
with　any　fellow…traveller　but　I　was　certain　to　be　
interrupted。　　In　every　place；　on　every　side；　the　most　
unlikely　persons；　man　or　woman；　rich　or　poor；　became　
protectors　to　forward　me　upon　my　journey；　or　spies　to　observe　
and　regulate　my　conduct。　　Thus　I　crossed　the　States；　thus　
passed　the　ocean；　the　Mormon　Eye　still　following　my　
movements；　and　when　at　length　a　cab　had　set　me　down　before　
that　London　lodging…house　from　which　you　saw　me　flee　this　
morning；　I　had　already　ceased　to　struggle　and　ceased　to　hope。

The　landlady；　like　every　one　else　through　all　that　journey；　
was　expecting　my　arrival。　　A　fire　was　lighted　in　my　room；　
which　looked　upon　the　garden；　there　were　books　on　the　table；　
clothes　in　the　drawers；　and　there　（I　had　almost　said　with　
contentment；　and　certainly　with　resignation）　I　saw　month　
follow　month　over　my　head。　　At　times　my　landlady　took　me　for　
a　walk　or　an　excursion；　but　she　would　never　suffer　me　to　
leave　the　house　alone；　and　I；　seeing　that　she　also　lived　
under　the　shadow　of　that　widespread　Mormon　terror；　felt　too　
much　pity　to　resist。　　To　the　child　born　on　Mormon　soil；　as　to　
the　man　who　accepts　the　engagements　of　a　secret　order；　no　
escape　is　possible；　so　I　had　clearly　read；　and　I　was　thankful