Межзвёздный скиталец

           OnacurveIcountedthewagonsaheadandbehind.Iknewthattherewerefortyofthem,includingourown;foroftenIhadcountedthembefore.AndasIcountedthemnow,asachildwilltowhileawaytedium,theywereallthere,fortyofthem,allcanvas-topped,bigandmassive,crudelyfashioned,pitchingandlurching,grindingandjarringoversandandsage-brushandrock.

           Torightandleftofus,scatteredalongthetrain,rodeadozenorfifteenmenandyouthsonhorses.Acrosstheirpommelswerelong-barrelledrifles.WheneveranyofthemdrewneartoourwagonIcouldseethattheirfaces,underthedust,weredrawnandanxiouslikemyfather’s.Andmyfather,likethem,hadalong-barrelledrifleclosetohandashedrove.

           Also,tooneside,limpedascoreormoreoffoot-sore,yoke-galled,skeletonoxen,thateverpausedtonipattheoccasionaltuftsofwitheredgrass,andthateverwereproddedonbythetired-facedyouthswhoherdedthem.Sometimesoneoranotheroftheseoxenwouldpauseandlow,andsuchlowingseemedasominousasallelseaboutme.

           Far,farawayIhaveamemoryofhavinglived,asmallerlad,bythetree-linedbanksofastream.Andasthewagonjoltsalong,andIswayontheseatwithmyfather,Icontinuallyreturnanddwelluponthatpleasantwaterflowingbetweenthetrees.IhaveasensethatforaninterminableperiodIhavelivedinawagonandtravelledon,everon,withthispresentcompany.