gs.earthabides-第13部分

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in　himself　to　keep　from　needlessly　turning　back　or　swerving　from　the　course　which　he　had　laid　out。　But　he　temporized　at　least　to　this　extent；　that　he　would　not　start　across　the　desert　until　nearly　sunset。　That；　he　argued；　was　merely　an　ordinary　precaution。　Even　in　ordinary　times　many　people　drove　the　desert　at　night　just　to　escape　from　the　heat。　
　　He　spent　the　day　restlessly　in　Mojave…oppressed　by　the　fear；　and　trying　to　think　of　more　things　which　he　should　do　for　safety。　When　the　sun　was　about　to　touch　the　western　hills；　he　started；　the　dog　beside　him　on　the　seat。　
　　He　had　scarcely　gone　a　mile　before　he　felt　the　desert　closing　in　around　him。　The　low　sun　cast　the　Joshua　trees　into　strange　long　shadows。　Then　the　shadows　were　gone；　and　soon　twilight　fell。　He　turned　on　his　lights；　and　the　high　beams　illuminated　the　road　before　him…empty；　always　empty。　In　the　rear…view　mirror　he　never　saw　the　far…off　twin　lights　which　would　mean　that　some　car　was　overtaking　him。　
　　Then　it　was　full　darkness；　and　his　anxiety　grew　deeper　and　deeper。　He　thought　of　all　that　might　go　wrong；　even　though　the　engine　purred　steadily　along。　He　drove　slowly　and　still　more　slowly；　thinking　of　blow…outs；　thinking　of　an　overheating　engine；　or　of　oil　that　might　fail　to　flow　and　leave　him　marooned；　far　alone。　He　even　lost　confidence　in　the　motorcycle　which　he　carried　as　insurance。　After　a　long　time…he　was　driving　slowly…he　passed　one　of　the　little　desert　stations　where　one　might　at　least　expect　to　get　gasoline　or　a　spare　tire　or　something　to　drink。　Now　it　was　dark；　and　he　knew　that　there　was　no　help。　He　went　on　beyond　that；　the　white　beams　cutting　out　the　road　clearly　ahead　of　him；　the　engine　still　puffed　smoothly；　but　he　wondered　what　he　would　do　if　it　should　stop。　
　　He　had　gone　a　long　way。　At　last　the　dog　on　the　seat　beside　him　began　to　whimper　and　stir　restlessly。　〃Shut　up！〃　he　said　sharply；　but　still　she　whimpered　and　stirred。　〃Oh；　all　right！〃　he　said；　and　pulled　the　car　to　a　stop；　not　bothering　to　turn　aside　off　the　pavement。　He　got　out；　and　then　held　the　door　open　for　the　dog。　She　ran　about　for　a　moment；　whimpering；　and　then　without　stopping　to　relieve　herself；　she　suddenly　lifted　her　nose；　let　out　a　bay　tremendous　for　such　a　small　creature；　and　struck　out　at　full　speed　into　the　desert。　〃e！　e　back！〃　he　shouted；　but　the　dog　paid　no　attention；　and　her　bay　went　off　into　the　distance。　
　　There　was　a　sudden　deep　silence　as　she　ceased　giving　tongue；　and　in　the　silence　he　suddenly　started；　realizing　that　another　noise；　too；　had　stopped。　The　idling　engine　had　stalled。　in　quick　panic　he　leaped　back　into　the　car　and　pressed　the；　starter…button。　The　engine　resumed　its　steady　purring。　Yet；　he　was　shaken。　Feeling　suddenly　conspicuous；　as　if　things　might　see　him　and　he　could　not　see　them；　he　turned　out　the　lights　and　sat　in　the　darkness。　〃What　a　mess！〃　he　said　to　himself。　
　　Faintly；　far　off　now；　he　heard　again　the　baying　of　the　beagle。　The　note　rose　and　fell　as　she　circled　somewhere　behind　the　quarry。　He　considered　going　on；　and　abandoning　her。　After　all；　he　had　not　wished　to　take　her　along　in　the　first　place。　If　now　she　chose　to　abandon　him　in　the　desert　and　go　off　after　the　first　chance　rabbit；　what　debt　had　he　toward　her？　He　slipped　the　car　into　gear；　and　drove　ahead。　But　he　stopped　after　only　a　few　yards。　It　seemed　too　mean　a　desertion。　The　dog　would　probably　find　no　water　in　the　desert；　and　that　would　be　a　horrible　end。　In　some　way　he　had　aheady　incurred　obligations　to　the　beagle；　even　though　she　seemed　to　be　using　him　for　her　own　ends。　He　shivered　in　his　loneliness　and　depression。　
　　After　a　while；　a　quarter　of　an　hour　perhaps；　he　was　suddenly　aware　that　the　beagle　had　returned。　He　had　not　heard　her；　she　had　merely　appeared。　She　lay　down　panting；　her　tongue　hanging　out。　He　felt　sudden　uncontrollable　anger　against　her。　He　thought　wildly　of　all　those　vague　dangers　to　which　her　foolishness　seemed　to　expose　him。　If　he　could　not　leave　her　to　die　of　thirst　in　the　desert；　at　least　he　could　put　her　to　a　quick　end。　He　got　out　of　the　car　carrying　the　shot…gun。　
　　Then；　as　he　looked　down；　he　saw　the　dog　lying　with　its　head　between　its　forepaws；　panting　still　from　the　run。　She　did　not　bother　to　move；　but　he　could　vaguely　see　her　large　eyes　lifted　up　toward　him　with　the　touch　of　whites　along　the　bottom。　Having　had　her　fun　chasing　the　rabbit；　she　had　now　e　back　to　her　man；　the　one　she　had　adopted　and　who　had　proved　extremely　useful　to　supply　tasty　food　out　of　cans　and　to　transport　her　to　a　lovely　country　which　supplied　real　rabbits　for　chasing。　Suddenly　Ish　relaxed；　and　laughed。　
　　With　the　laughter；　something　broke　inside　of　him；　and　was　as　if　a　load　had　rolled　away。　〃After　all；〃　he　thought；　〃what　am　I　afraid　of？　Nothing　more　than　my　death　can　happen。　That　has　e　to　most　people　already。　Why　should　I　be　afraid　of　that？　It　can　be　nothing　worse　than　that。〃　
　　He　felt　infinite　relief。　He　strode　half　a　dozen　steps　do　the　road；　springily；　giving　his　body　a　chance　to　express　what　his　mind　felt。　
　　And　surely　this　was　more　than　the　dropping　off　of　any　momentary　burden。　This　was　a　kind　of　great　Declaration　of　Independence。　He　had　boldly　stepped　up　to　Fate；　and　slapped　Fate　in　the　face；　and　dared　Fate　to　do　the　worst。　
　　Thereupon　he　resolved　that　if　he　was　to　live　at　all　he　would　live　without　fear。　After　all；　he　had　escaped　a　nearly　universal　disaster。　
　　With　a　quick　decision　he　hurried　to　the　rear　of　the　car；　undid　the　lashing；　and　dumped　the　motorcycle。　No　longer　would　he　take　all　these　overcautious　precautions。　There　might　not　be　any　Fate　which　objected　to　people　playing　the　game　too　safely。　But；　even　if　there　were　not；　such　playing　was　too　much　trouble。　He　would　take　his　chances　from　now　on；　and　at　least　enjoy　fife　without　fear；　as　long　as　he　lived　it。　Was　he　not　living；　as　they　said；　on　borrowed　time？　
　　〃Well；　e　on；　Princess；〃　he　said　ironically；　〃let's　get　going。〃　And　as　he　said　it；　he　realized　that　he　had　at　last　named　the　dog。　That　was　a　good　name；　its　very　triteness　seemed　to　connect　him　with　the　old　days；　and　at　least　she　was　The　Princess；　always　expecting　him　to　take　care　of　her　with　the　best　of　service；　repaying　him　only　incidentally；　in　so　far　as　she　took　him　away　from　thoughts　of　himself。　
　　Yet；　reconsidering；　he　did　not　go　any　farther　that　night。　With　his　new…found　sense　of　freedom　he　rather　enjoyed　merely　taking　additional　chances。　He　pulled　the　sleeping…bag　out。　Unrolling　it；　he　lay　on　the　sand　under　the　slight　shelter　of　a　mesquite　bush。　Princess　lay　beside　him；　and　went　soundly　to　sleep；　tired　from　her　run。　Once　he　awoke　in　the　night；　and　lay　calm　at　last。　He　had　passed　through　so　much；　and　now　he　seemed　to　know　a　calm　which　would　never　pass。　Once　Princess　whimpered　in　her　sleep；　and　he　saw　her　legs　twitch　as　if　she　were　still　chasing　the　rabbit。　Then　she　lay　quiet；　he；　too；　slept　away。　
　　When　he　awoke；　finally；　the　dawn　was　lemon　yellow　above　the　desert　hills。　He　was　cold；　and　he　found　Princess　close　up　against　his　sleeping…bag。　He　crawled　out　just　as　the　sun　was　rising。　
　　This　is　the　desert；　the　wilderness。　It　began　a　long　time　ago。　After　a　while；　men　came。　They　camped　at　the　springs　and　left　chips　of　stone　scattered　about　in　the　sand　there；　and　worefaint　trails　through　the　lines　of　the　mesquite　bushes；　but　you　could　hardly　tell　that　they　had　been　there。　Still　later；　they　laid　down　railroads；　and　strung　up　wires；　and　made　long　straight　roads。　Still；　in　parison　with　the　whole　desert；　you　could　hardly　tell　that　men　had　been　there；　and　ten　yards　asidefrom　the　steel　rails　or　the　concrete　pavement；　it　was　all　the　same。　After　a　while；　the　men　went　away；　leaving　their　works　behind　them。　
　　There　is　plenty　of　time　in　the　desert。　A　thousand　years　are　as　a　day。　The　sand　drifts；　and　in　the　high　winds　even　the　gravel　moves；　but　it　is　all　very　slow。　Now　and　then；　once　in　a　century；　it　may　be；　there　es　a　cloudburst；　and　the　long…dry　streambeds　roar　with　water；　rolling　boulders。　Given　ten　centuries　perhaps；　the　fissures　of　the　earth　will　open　again　and　the　black　lava　pourforth。　
　　But　as　the　desert　was　slow　to　yield　before　man；　so　it　will　be　slow　to　wipe　out　his　traces。　e　back　in　a　thousand　years；　and　you　will　still　see　the