第29部分(第5/7 頁)

　a　splash。　The　water　was　very　cold　and　I　stayed　under　as　long　as　I　could。　I　could　feel　the　current　swirl　me　and　I　stayed　under　until　I　thought　I　could　never　e　up。　The　minute　I　came　up　I　took　a　breath　and　went　down　again。　It　was　easy　to　stay　under　with　so　much　clothing　and　my　boots。　When　I　came　up　the　second　time　I　saw　a　piece　of　timber　ahead　of　me　and　reached　it　and　held　on　with　one　hand。　I　kept　my　head　behind　it　and　did　not　even　look　over　it。　I　did　not　want　to　see　the　bank。　There　were　shots　when　I　ran　and　shots　when　I　came　up　the　first　time。　I　heard　them　when　I　was　almost　above　water。　There　were　no　shots　now。　The　piece　of　timber　swung　in　the　current　and　I　held　it　with　one　hand。　I　looked　at　the　bank。　It　seemed　to　be　going　by　very　fast。　There　was　much　wood　in　the　stream。　The　water　was　very　cold。　We　passed　the　brush　of　an　island　above　the　water。　I　held　onto　the　timber　with　both　hands　and　let　it　take　me　along。　The　shore　was　out　of　sight　now。

31

You　do　not　know　how　long　you　are　in　a　river　when　the　current　moves　swiftly。　It　seems　a　long　time　and　it　may　be　very　short。　The　water　was　cold　and　in　flood　and　many　things　passed　that　had　been　floated　off　the　banks　when　the　river　rose。　I　was　lucky　to　have　a　heavy　timber　to　hold　on　to；　and　I　lay　in　the　icy　water　with　my　chin　on　the　wood；　holding　as　easily　as　I　could　with　both　hands。　I　was　afraid　of　cramps　and　I　hoped　we　would　move　toward　the　shore。　We　went　down　the　river　in　a　long　curve。　It　was　beginning　to　be　light　enough　so　I　could　see　the　bushes　along　the　shore…line。　There　was　a　brush　island　ahead　and　the　current　moved　toward　the　shore。　I　wondered　if　I　should　take　off　my　boots　and　clothes　and　try　to　swim　ashore；　but　decided　not　to。　I　had　never　thought　of　anything　but　that　I　would　reach　the　shore　some　way；　and　I　would