Givens took the proffered hand. He held it for a time while he allowed the generositygenerosity n.慷慨， 宽大 of his nature to overcome his grief at the loss of Bill. At last it was clear that he had forgiven her.
吉文斯握住她伸出来的手。他握了一会儿，让他的宽恕去克制因比尔的死而引起的悲伤。最后，他显然原谅了约瑟法。
“Please dont speak of it any more， Miss Josefa. It was enough to frighten any young lady the way Bill looked. Ill explain it all right to the boys.”
“请你别再提这件事啦。约瑟法小姐。比尔的模样叫哪一位年轻小姐见了都会害怕的。我会向弟兄们好好解释的。”
“Are you really sure you dont hate me？” Josefa came closer to him impulsively. Her eyes were sweet—oh， sweet and pleading with gracious penitencepenitence n.悔罪. “I would hate anyone who would kill my kitten. And how daring and kind of you to risk being shot when you tried to save him！ How very few men would have done that！” Victory wrestedwrest n.扭， 拧 vt.夺取， 猛扭， 歪曲， 曲解， 费力取得 from defeat！ Vaudeville turned into drama！ Bravo， Ripley Givens！
“你真的不恨我吗？”约瑟法兴奋地向他挨近了些。她的眼睛充满着温情——啊，甜蜜和恳求之中带着优雅的悔罪。“谁要是杀了我的小猫，我真会恨死他的。你冒了中流弹的危险去救他，又是多么勇敢，多么仁慈啊！这样做的人实在太少啦！”从失败中夺得了胜利！滑稽戏变成了正剧！
It was now twilighttwilight n.黎明， 微光， 略知 adj.微明的， 黄昏的， 黎明的， 模糊的. Of course Miss Josefa could not be allowed to ride on to the ranchhouse alone. Givens resaddled his pony in spite of that animals reproachfulreproachful adj.责备的 glancesglance vi.扫视， 匆匆一看 n.一瞥， 眼光， 匆匆一看， and rode with her. Side by side they galloped across the smooth grass， the princess and the man who was kind to animals. The prairie odoursodour n.<主英>气味， 香味，臭味，意味，名声 of fruitful earth and delicate bloom were thick and sweet around them. Coyotes yelping over there on the hill！ No fear. And yet—
好样的，里普利·吉文斯！现在天色已经黑了。当然不能让约瑟法小姐独个儿骑马回家。尽管吉文斯的坐骑露出不情愿的眼色，他还是重新上鞍，陪她一同回去。公主和爱护动物的人——他们并辔驰过柔软的草地。周围弥漫着草原上丰饶的泥土气息和美妙的花香。丛林狼在远处小山上嗥叫！没有什么可怕的。
Josefa rode closer. A little hand seemed to grope. Givens found it with his own. The ponies kept an even gait. The hands lingered together， and the owner of one explained，“I never was frightened before， but just think！ How terrible it would be to meet a really wild lion！ Poor Bill！ Im so glad you came with me！”
约瑟法策马靠拢一些。一只小手似乎在摸着什么。吉文斯握住了她。两匹小马齐步走着。两只手紧紧握着，一只手的主人说：“以前我从没有害怕过，可是你想想看！如果碰上一头真正的野狮子，那怎么得了！可怜的比尔！你陪着我真叫我高兴！”
ODonnell was sitting on the ranchranch n.大农场 v.经营牧场 gallerygallery n.走廊、戏院、教堂等中最高的楼座， 美术陈列室，画廊， 图库.
奥唐奈坐在房屋的回廊上。
“Hello， Rip！” he shouted—“That you？”
“喂，里普！”他嚷道——“是你吗？”
“He rode in with me.” said Josefa. “I lost my way and was late.”
“他陪我来的。”约瑟法说。“我迷了路，所以迟到了。”
“Much obliged.” called the cattle king. “Stop over， Rip， and ride to camp in the morning.”
“多谢你。”牛皇帝说道。“在这儿过夜吧，里普，明天早晨再回营地。”
But Givens would not. He would push on to camp. There was a bunch of steers to start off on the trail at daybreakdaybreak n.黎明， 拂晓. He said goodnight， and trotted away.
但是吉文斯不肯。他要赶回营地去。因为一清早有批阉牛要上路。于是他道了晚安，策马走了。
An hour later， when the lights were out， Josefa， in her nightrobe， came to her door and called to the king in his own room across the brickpaved hallway：“Say， pop， you know that old Mexican lion they call the ‘Gotcheared Devil’—the one that killed Gonzales， Mr. Martins sheep herder， and about fifty calves on the Salado range？ Well， I settled his hash this afternoon over at the White Horse Crossing. Put two balls in his head with my 38 while he was on the jump. I knew him by the sliceslice n.薄片， 切片， 一份， 部分， 片段 v.切(片) gone from his left ear that old Gonzales cut off with his machete. You couldnt have made a better shot yourself， daddy.”
一小时后，熄了灯，约瑟法穿着睡衣，走到她卧室门口，隔着砖铺的过道，向屋里的牛皇帝招呼说：“喂，爸爸，你知道那只叫做‘缺耳魔鬼’的墨西哥老狮子吗？——就是害死了马丁先生的牧羊人冈萨勒斯，在萨拉达牧场扑杀了五十来头小牛的那只。嘿，今天下午我在白马渡口结果了它的性命。它正要跳起来时，我用三八口径往它脑袋开了两枪。它的左耳朵被老冈萨勒斯用砍刀削去一片，所以我一看到就认识。你也不见得打得这么准，爸爸。”
“Bully for you！” thundered Whispering Ben from the darkness of the royal chamber.
“真有你的！”“悄声本恩”在熄了灯的寝宫里打雷似的说道。
