the call of the canyon- 第35部分

〃Girls；　do　you　know　that　you　actually　have　not　one　sensible　idea　in　your　heads？〃　retorted　Carley。

〃Sensible？　I　should　hope　not。　Who　wants　to　be　sensible？〃

Geralda　battered　her　teacup　on　a　saucer。　〃Listen；〃　she　called。　〃I　wasn't　kidding　Carley。　I　am　good　and　sore。　She　goes　around　knocking　everybody　and　saying　New　York　backs　Sodom　off　the　boards。　I　want　her　to　come　out　with　it　right　here。〃

〃I　dare　say　I've　talked　too　much；〃　returned　Carley。　〃It's　been　a　rather　hard　winter　on　me。　Perhaps；　indeed；　I've　tried　the　patience　of　my　friends。〃

〃See　here；　Carley；〃　said　Geralda；　deliberately；　〃just　because　you've　had　life　turn　to　bitter　ashes　in　your　mouth　you've　no　right　to　poison　it　for　us。　We　all　find　it　pretty　sweet。　You're　an　unsatisfied　woman　and　if　you　don't　marry　somebody　you'll　end　by　being　a　reformer　or　fanatic。〃

〃I'd　rather　end　that　way　than　rot　in　a　shell；〃　retorted　Carley。

〃I　declare；　you　make　me　see　red；　Carley；〃　flashed　Geralda；　angrily。　〃No　wonder　Morrison　roasts　you　to　everybody。　He　says　Glenn　Kilbourne　threw　you　down　for　some　Western　girl。　If　that's　true　it's　pretty　small　of　you　to　vent　your　spleen　on　us。〃

Carley　felt　the　gathering　of　a　mighty　resistless　force；　But　Geralda　Conners　was　nothing　to　her　except　the　target　for　a　thunderbolt。

〃I　have　no　spleen；〃　she　replied；　with　a　dignity　of　passion。　〃I　have　only　pity。　I　was　as　blind　as　you。　If　heartbreak　tore　the　scales　from　my　eyes；　perhaps　that　is　well　for　me。　For　I　see　something　terribly　wrong　in　myself；　in　you；　in　all　of　us；　in　the　life　of　today。〃

〃You　keep　your　pity　to　yourself。　You　need　it；〃　answered　Geralda；　with　heat。　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　me　or　my　friends　or　life　in　good　old　New　York。〃

〃Nothing　wrong！〃　cried　Carley。　〃Listen。　Nothing　wrong　in　you　or　life　today…nothing　for　you　women　to　make　right？　You　are　blind　as　batsas　dead　to　living　truth　as　if　you　were　buried。　Nothing　wrong　when　thousands　of　crippled　soldiers　have　no　homesno　moneyno　friendsno　workin　many　cases　no　food　or　bed？　。　。　。　Splendid　young　men　who　went　away　in　their　prime　to　fight　for　you　and　came　back　ruined；　suffering！　Nothing　wrong　when　sane　women　with　the　vote　might　rid　politics　of　partisanship；　greed；　crookedness？　Nothing　wrong　when　prohibition　is　mocked　by　womenwhen　the　greatest　boon　ever　granted　this　country　is　derided　and　beaten　down　and　cheated？　Nothing　wrong　when　there　are　half　a　million　defective　children　in　this　city？　Nothing　wrong　when　there　are　not　enough　schools　and　teachers　to　educate　our　boys　and　girls；　when　those　teachers　are　shamefully　underpaid？　Nothing　wrong　when　the　mothers　of　this　great　country　let　their　youngsters　go　to　the　dark。　motion　picture　halls　and　night　after　night　in　thousands　of　towns　over　all　this　broad　land　see　pictures　that　the　juvenile　court　and　the　educators　and　keepers　of　reform　schools　say　make　burglars；　crooks；　and　murderers　of　our　boys　and　vampires　of　our　girls？　Nothing　wrong　when　these　young　adolescent　girls　ape　you　and　wear　stockings　rolled　under　their　knees　below　their　skirts　and　use　a　lip　stick　and　paint　their　faces　and　darken　their　eyes　and　pluck　their　eyebrows　and　absolutely　do　not　know　what　shame　is？　Nothing　wrong　when　you　may　find　in　any　city　women　standing　at　street　corners　distributing　booklets　on　birth　control？　Nothing　wrong　when　great　magazines　print　no　page　or　picture　without　its　sex　appeal？　Nothing　wrong　when　the　automobile；　so　convenient　for　the　innocent　little　run　out　of　town；　presents　the　greatest　evil　that　ever　menaced　American　girls！　Nothing　wrong　when　money　is　godwhen　luxury；　pleasure；　excitement；　speed　are　the　striven　for？　Nothing　wrong　when　some　of　your　husbands　spend　more　of　their　time　with　other　women　than　with　you？　Nothing　wrong　with　jazzwhere　the　lights　go　out　in　the　dance　hall　and　the　dancers。　jiggle　and　toddle　and　wiggle　in　a　frenzy？　Nothing　wrong　in　a　country　where　the　greatest　college　cannot　report　birth　of　one　child　to　each　graduate　in　ten　years？　Nothing　wrong　with　race　suicide　and　the　incoming　horde　of　foreigners？　。　。　。　Nothing　wrong　with　you　women　who　cannot　or　will　not　stand　childbirth？　Nothing　wrong　with　most　of　you；　when　if　you　did　have　a　child；　you　could　not　nurse　it？　。　。　。　Oh；　my　God；　there's　nothing　wrong　with　America　except　that　she　staggers　under　a　Titanic　burden　that　only　mothers　of　sons　can　remove！　。　。　。　You　doll　women；　you　parasites；　you　toys　of　men；　you　silken…wrapped　geisha　girls；　you　painted；　idle；　purring　cats；　you　parody　of　the　females　of　your　species　find　brains　enough　if　you　can　to　see　the　doom　hanging　over　you　and　revolt　before　it　is　too　late！〃


CHAPTER　XI

Carley　burst　in　upon　her　aunt。

〃Look　at　me；　Aunt　Mary！〃　she　cried；　radiant　and　exultant。　〃I'm　going　back　out　West　to　marry　Glenn　and　live　his　life！〃

The　keen　old　eyes　of　her　aunt　softened　and　dimmed。　〃Dear　Carley；　I've　known　that　for　a　long　time。　You've　found　yourself　at　last。〃

Then　Carley　breathlessly　babbled　her　hastily　formed　plans；　every　word　of　which　seemed　to　rush　her　onward。

〃You're　going　to　surprise　Glenn　again？〃　queried　Aunt　Mary。

〃Oh；　I　must！　I　want　to　see　his　face　when　I　tell　him。〃

〃Well；　I　hope　he　won't　surprise　you；〃　declared　the　old　lady。　〃When　did　you　hear　from　him　last？〃

〃In　January。　It　seems　agesbutAunt　Mary；　you　don't　imagine　Glenn〃

〃I　imagine　nothing；〃　interposed　her　aunt。　〃It　will　turn　out　happily　and　I'll　have　some　peace　in　my　old　age。　But；　Carley；　what's　to　become　of　me？〃

〃Oh；　I　never　thought！〃　replied　Carley；　blankly。　〃It　will　be　lonely　for　you。　Auntie；　I'll　come　back　in　the　fall　for　a　few　weeks。　Glenn　will　let　me。〃

〃Let　you？　Ye　gods！　So　you've　come　to　that？　Imperious　Carley　Burch！　。　。　。　Thank　Heaven；　you'll　now　be　satisfied　to　be　let　do　things。〃

〃I'dI'd　crawl　for　him；〃　breathed　Carley。

〃Well；　child；　as　you　can't　be　practical；　I'll　have　to　be；〃　replied　Aunt　Mary；　seriously。　〃Fortunately　for　you　I　am　a　woman　of　quick　decision。　Listen。　I'll　go　West　with　you。　I　want　to　see　the　Grand　Canyon。　Then　I'll　go　on　to　California；　where　I　have　old　friends　I've　not　seen　for　years。　When　you　get　your　new　home　all　fixed　up　I'll　spend　awhile　with　you。　And　if　I　want　to　come　back　to　New　York　now　and　then　I'll　go　to　a　hotel。　It　is　settled。　I　think　the　change　will　benefit　me。'

〃Auntie；　you　make　me　very　happy。　I　could　ask　no　more；〃　said　Carley。


Swiftly　as　endless　tasks　could　make　them　the　days　passed。　But　those　on　the　train　dragged　interminably。

Carley　sent　her　aunt　through　to　the　Canyon　while　she　stopped　off　at　Flagstaff　to　store　innumerable　trunks　and　bags。　The　first　news　she　heard　of　Glenn　and　the　Hutters　was　that　they　had　gone　to　the　Tonto　Basin　to　buy　hogs　and　would　be　absent　at　least　a　month。　This　gave　birth　to　a　new　plan　in　Carley's　mind。　She　would　doubly　surprise　Glenn。　Wherefore　she　took　council　with　some　Flagstaff　business　men　and　engaged　them　to　set　a　force　of　men　at　work　on　the　Deep　Lake　property；　making　the　improvements　she　desired；　and　hauling　lumber；　cement；　bricks；　machinery；　suppliesall　the　necessaries　for　building　construction。　Also　she　instructed　them　to　throw　up　a　tent　house　for　her　to　live　in　during　the　work；　and　to　engage　a　reliable　Mexican　man　with　his　wife　for　servants。　When　she　left　for　the　Canyon　she　was　happier　than　ever　before　in　her　life。

It　was　near　the　coming　of　sunset　when　Carley　first　looked　down　into　the　Grand　Canyon。　She　had　forgotten　Glenn's　tribute　to　this　place。　In　her　rapturous　excitement　of　preparation　and　travel　the　Canyon　had　been　merely　a　name。　But　now　she　saw　it　and　she　was　stunned。

What　a　stupendous　chasm；　gorgeous　in　sunset　color　on　the　heights；　purpling　into　mystic　shadows　in　the　depths！　There　was　a　wonderful　brightness　of　all　the　millions　of　red　and　yellow　and　gray　surfaces　still　exposed　to　the　sun。　Carley　did　not　feel　a　thrill；　because　feeling　seemed　inhibited。　She　looked　and　looked；　yet　was　reluctant　to　keep　on　looking。　She　possessed　no　image　in　mind　with　which　to　compare　this　grand　and　mystic　spectacle。　A　transformation　of　color　and　shade　appeared　to　be　going　on　swiftly；　as　if　gods　were　changing　the　scenes　of　a　Titanic　stage。　As　she　gazed　the　dark　fringed　line　of　the　north　rim　turned　to　burnished　gold；　and　she　watched　that　with　fascinated　eyes。　It　turned　rose；　it　lost　its　fire；　it　faded　to　quiet　cold　gray。　The　sun　had　set。

Then　the　wind　blew　cool　through　the　pinyons　on　the　rim。　There　was　a　sweet　tang　of　cedar　and　sage　on　the　air　and　that　indefinable　fragrance　peculiar　to　the　canyon　country　of　Arizona。　How　it　brought　back　to　Carley　remembrance　of　Oak　Creek！　In　the　west；　across　the　purple　notches　of　the　abyss；　a　dull　gold　flare　showed　where　the　sun　had　gone　down。

In　the　morning　at　eight　o'clock　there　were　great　irregular　black　shadows　under　the　domes　and　peaks　and　escarpments。　Bright　Angel　Canyon　was　all　dark；　showing　dimly　its　ragged　lines。　At　noon　there　were　no　shadows　and　all　the　colossal　gorge　lay　glaring　under　the　sun。　In　the　evening　Carley　watched　the　Canyon　as　again　the　sun　was　setting。

Deep　dark…blue　shadows；　like　purple　sails　of　immense　ships；　in　wonderful　contrast　with　the　bright　sunlit　slopes；　grew　and　rose　toward　the　east；　down　the　canyons　and　up　the　walls　that　faced　the　west。　For　a　long　while　there　was　no　red　color；　and　the　first　indication　of　it　was　a　dull　bronze。　Carley　looked　down　into　the　void；　at　the　sailing　birds；　at　the　precipitous　slopes；　and　the　dwarf　spruces　and　the　weathered　old　yellow　cliffs。　When　she　looked　up　again　the　shadows　out　there　were　no　longer　dark。　They　were　clear。　The　slopes　and　depths　and　ribs　of　rock　could　be　seen　through　them。　Then　the　tips　of　the　highest　peaks　and　domes　turned　bright　red。　Far　to　the　east　she　discerned　a　strange　shadow；　slowly　turning　purple。　One　instant　it　grew　vivid；　then　began　to　fade。　Soon　after　that　all　the　colors　darkened　and　slowly　the　pale　gray　stole　over　all。

At　night　Carley　gazed　over　and　into　the　black　void。　But　for　the　awful　sense　of　depth　she　would　not　have　known　the　Canyon　to　be　there。　A　soundless　movement　of　wind　passed　under　her。　The　chasm　seemed　a　grave　of　silence。　It　was　as　mysterious　as　the　stars　and　as　aloof　and　as　inevitable。　It　had　held　her　senses　of　beauty　and　proportion　in　abeyance。

At　another　sunrise　the　crown　of　the　rim；　a　broad　belt　of　bare　rock；　turned　pale　gold　under　its　fringed　dark　line　of　pines。　The　tips　of　the　peak　gleamed　opal。　Ther