Читать книгу East and West: Poems - Bret Harte - Страница 8

Do I sleep? do I dream?

Do I wonder and doubt?

Are things what they seem?

Or is visions about?

Is our civilization a failure?

Or is the Caucasian played out?

Which expressions are strong;

Yet would feebly imply

Some account of a wrong—

Not to call it a lie—

As was worked off on William, my pardner,

And the same being W. Nye.

He came down to the Ford

On the very same day

Of that lottery drawed

By those sharps at the Bay;

And he says to me, "Truthful, how goes it?"

I replied, "It is far, far from gay;

"For the camp has gone wild

On this lottery game,

And has even beguiled

'Injin Dick' by the same."

Which said Nye to me, "Injins is pizen:

Do you know what his number is, James?"

I replied "7,2,

9,8,4, is his hand;"

When he started, and drew

Out a list, which he scanned;

Then he softly went for his revolver

With language I cannot command.

Then I said, "William Nye!"

But he turned upon me,

And the look in his eye

Was quite painful to see;

And he says, "You mistake: this poor Injin

I protects from such sharps as you be!"

I was shocked and withdrew;

But I grieve to relate,

When he next met my view

Injin Dick was his mate,

And the two around town was a-lying

In a frightfully dissolute state.

Which the war-dance they had

Round a tree at the Bend

Was a sight that was sad;

And it seemed that the end

Would not justify the proceedings,

As I quiet remarked to a friend.

For that Injin he fled

The next day to his band;

And we found William spread

Very loose on the strand,

With a peaceful-like smile on his features,

And a dollar greenback in his hand;

Which, the same when rolled out,

We observed with surprise,

That that Injin, no doubt,

Had believed was the prize,—

Them figures in red in the corner,

Which the number of notes specifies.

Was it guile, or a dream?

Is it Nye that I doubt?

Are things what they seem?

Or is visions about?

Is our civilization a failure?

Or is the Caucasian played out?