Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Chapter one of Alcatraz. This isa LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are
in the public domain. For moreinformation or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox
dot org. Recording by Richard Kilmer. Alcatraz by Max Brand Chapter one,
(00:23):
Cordova. The west wind came overthe eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen
slopes of the mountains, blew acrossthe foothills and league wide fields, and
came at length to the stallion witha touch of coolness and enchanting sense of
far off things. Just as hishead went up, just as the breeze
(00:48):
lifted maine and tail. Marianne Jordanhalted her pony and drew in her breath
with pleasure, for she had caughtfrom the chestnut in the corral. One
flash of perfection, and those farseeing eyes called to mind. The Arab
belief, says the Sheikh. Ihave raised my mayor from a foal,
(01:10):
and out of love for me,she will lay down her life. But
when I come out to her inthe morning, when I feed her and
give her water, she still looksbeyond me, and across the desert.
She is waiting for the coming ofa real man. She is waiting for
the coming of a true master outof the horizon. Marianne had known Thoroughbreds
(01:33):
since she was a child, andafter coming west, she had become acquainted
with mere horse flesh. But today, for the first time, she
felt that the horse is not meantby nature to be the servant of man,
but that its speed is meant toinsure its sacred freedom. A moment
later, she was wondering how thethought had come to her, that glimpse
(01:57):
of equine perfection had been an allureUsian built of spirit and attitude. When
the head of the stallion fell,she saw the daylight truth that this was
either the wreck of a young horseor the sad ruin of a fine animal
now grown old. He was aragged creature with dull eyes and pendulous lip.
(02:20):
No comb had been among the tanglesof mane and tail for an unknown
period. No brush had smoothed hiscoat. It was once a rich red
chestnut, no doubt, but nowit was sun faded to the color of
sand. He was thin. Theunfleshed backbone and withers stood up painfully,
(02:42):
and she counted the ribs one byone. Yet his body was not so
broken as his spirit. His droopedhead gave him the appearance of searching for
a spot to lie down. Heseemed to have been left here by the
cruelty of his owner, to starveand die in the water light heat of
this corral, a desertion which heaccepted as justice, because he was useless
(03:07):
in the world. It affected Mariannelike the resignation of a man. Indeed,
there was more personality in the chestnutthan in many human beings. Once
he had been a beauty, andthe perfection which first startled her had been
a ghost out of his past.His head, where age or famine showed
(03:30):
least, was still unquestionably fine.The ears were short and delicately made,
the eyes well placed, the distanceto the angle of the jaw long.
In brief, it was that shorthead, of small volume and large brain
space, which speaks most eloquently ofhot blood. As her expert eye ran
(03:53):
over the rest of the body,she sighed to think that such a creature
had come to such an end.There was about him no sign of life
save the twitch of his skin toshake off flies. Certainly, this could
not be the horse she had beenadvised to see, and she was about
to pass on when she felt eyeswatching her from the steep shadow of the
(04:17):
shed which bordered the corral. Thenshe made out a dapper, olive skinned
fellow, sitting with his back againstthe wall, in such a position of
complete relaxation as only a Mexican iscapable of assuming. He wore a short
tuft of black mustache cut well awayfrom the edge of the red lip,
(04:40):
a mustache which oddly accentuated his youthin body and features. He was of
that feminine delicacy which er large handedSaxon dislikes, and though Marianne was by
no means a stalwart, she detestedthe man at once for that reason.
Being a lady. To the tipsof her slim fingers, her smile was
(05:02):
more cordial than necessary. I amlooking for Manuel Kordova, she said me,
replied the Mexican, and managed tospeak without removing the cigarette. I
am glad to know you, sheanswered, I am mary Anne Jordan.
At this, Manuel Kordova removed hiscigarette, regardless of the ashes which tumbled
(05:27):
straightway down the bell mouthed sleeve ofhis jacket. For the Mexican deems it
highly indecorous. To pay the slightestheed to his tobacco ashes. Whether they
land on chin or waistcoat, theyare allowed to remain until the wind carries
them away. The pleasure is tome, said Cordova melodiously, and made
(05:48):
painful preparations to rise. She gatheredat once that the effort would spoil his
mourning, and urged him to remainwhere he was, at which he mild
with the care of a movie star. Presenting an even white line of teeth.
Mary Anne went on, let meexplain. I've come to Gloucesterville Fair
(06:12):
to buy some brewd mayers from myranch, and of course the ones I
want are the coals horses. You'veseen them, he nodded. But those
horses, she continued, checking offher points, will not be offered for
sale until after the race this afternoon. They are all entered, and they
are sure to win. There's nothingto touch them. And when they breeze
(06:35):
across the finish line, I imagineevery ranch owner present will want the bid
for them that would put them abovemy reach. And I can only pray
that the miracle will happen. Ahorse may turn up to beat them.
I made inquiries and I was toldthat the best prospect was Manuel Kardova's Alcatraz.
(06:57):
So I've come with high hopes,Senor Kardova, and I'll appreciate it
greatly, if you'll let me seeyour champion. Look to the hardest content,
Senorita, replied the Mexican, andhe extended a slim, lazy hand
towards the drowsing stallion. But criedthe girl I was told a real runner.
(07:17):
She squinted critically at the faded chestnut. She had been told of a
four year old, while the scauntanimal looked fifteen at least. However,
it is one thing to catch ageneral impression and another to read points.
Marianne took heed now of the longslope of the shoulders, the short back,
(07:40):
the well let down hocks. Afterall, underfeeding would dull the eye
and give the ragged, lifeless coat. He's not much of a horse,
huh, purred Cordova. But thelonger she looked, the more she saw.
The very leanness of Alcatraz made iteasier to trace his running muscles.
(08:01):
She estimated too, the ample girthat the cinches where sighs means wind,
and that's Alcatraz. She murmured.That is all, said the pleasant Cordova.
May I go into the corral andlook him over at close range.
I never feel that I know ahorse till I get my hands on it.
(08:24):
She was about to dismount when shesaw that the Mexican was hesitating,
and she settled back in the saddle, flushed with displeasure. No, said
Cordova, that would not be good. You will see. He smiled again,
and rising, he sauntered to thefence and turned about, with his
(08:45):
shoulders resting against the upper bar,his back to the stallion. As he
did so, Alcatraz put forward hisears, which, in connection with the
dullness of his eyes, gave hima peculiarly foolish look. You will see
a thing, Senorita. The Mexicanwas chuckling. It came without warning.
(09:07):
Alcatraz turned with the speed of awhiplash, curling and drove straight at the
place where his master leaned. Marianne'scry of alarm was not needed. Cordova
had already started, but even sohe barely escaped the chestnut umbraced legs skid
it to the fence, his teethsnapping short inches from the back of his
(09:30):
master. His failure maddened alcatraz.He reminded Mary Anne of the antics of
a cat, when in her playwith a mouse, she tosses her victim
a little too far away and wheelsto find her prospective meal, disappearing down
a hole. In exactly similar wise, the stallion went around the corral in
(09:52):
a whirl of dust, rearing,lashing out with hind legs and striking with
four, catching imaginary things in histeeth and shaking them to pieces. When
the fury diminished, he began toglide up and down the fence. And
there was something so feline in thegrace of those long steps, and the
(10:13):
intentness with which the brute watched Cordova, that the girl remembered a new brought
tiger in the zoo. Also,rage had poured him full of such strength
that through the dust clouds she caughtagain the glimpse of that first perfection.
He came at last to a stop, but faced his owner with a look
(10:35):
of steady hate. The latter returnedthe gaze with interest, stroking his face
and snarling once more, red devilinonce more, you miss ah, but
I I shall not miss. Itwas not as one will talk to a
dumb beast. For there was nomistaken the vicious earnestness of Cordova. And
(11:00):
now the girl made out that hewas caressing a long white scar which ran
from his temple across the cheek bone. Maryanne glanced away, embarrassed as people
are when another reveals a dark andhidden portion of his character. You see,
said Cordova, You would not behappy in the corral with him.
(11:20):
Eh. He rolled a cigarette withsmiling lips as he spoke, but all
the time his black eyes burned atthe chestnut. He seemed to mary Anne
half child and half old man,and both parts of him were evil.
Now that she could guess the wholestory, Krdova campaigned through the country,
(11:43):
racing his horse at fairs or forside bets. For two reasons he kept
the animal systematically undernourished. One wasthat he was thereby able to get better
odds. The other was that ononly a weakened alcatraz would he try thrust
himself At this she did not wonder, for never had she seen such almost
(12:05):
human viciousness of temper in a dumbbeast. As for running, Senorita continued,
Cordova, sometimes he does very well, yes, very well, But
when he is dull, the spursare nothing to him. He indicated a
criss crossing of scars on the flankof the stallion, and mary Anne,
(12:28):
biting her lips, realized that shemust leave at once if she wished to
avoid showing her contempt and her anger. She was a mile down the road
and entering the main street of Gloucestervillebefore her temper cooled. She decided that
it was best to forget both Alcatrazand his master. They were equally matched
(12:52):
in devilishness. Her last hope ofseeing the mayor's beaten was gone, and
with it all chance of buying themat a reasonable figure. For no matter
what the potentialities of Alcatraz, inhis present starved condition, he could not
compare with a baize. She thoughtof Lady Mary with sunlight rippling over her
(13:13):
shoulder muscles. Certainly Alcatraz would nevercome within whisking distance of her tail.
End of Chapter one
Chapter one of Alcatraz. This isa LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are
in the public domain. For moreinformation or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox
dot org. Recording by Richard Kilmer. Alcatraz by Max Brand Chapter one,
(00:23):
Cordova. The west wind came overthe eagles, gathered purity from the evergreen
slopes of the mountains, blew acrossthe foothills and league wide fields, and
came at length to the stallion witha touch of coolness and enchanting sense of
far off things. Just as hishead went up, just as the breeze
(00:48):
lifted maine and tail. Marianne Jordanhalted her pony and drew in her breath
with pleasure, for she had caughtfrom the chestnut in the corral. One
flash of perfection, and those farseeing eyes called to mind. The Arab
belief, says the Sheikh. Ihave raised my mayor from a foal,
(01:10):
and out of love for me,she will lay down her life. But
when I come out to her inthe morning, when I feed her and
give her water, she still looksbeyond me, and across the desert.
She is waiting for the coming ofa real man. She is waiting for
the coming of a true master outof the horizon. Marianne had known Thoroughbreds
(01:33):
since she was a child, andafter coming west, she had become acquainted
with mere horse flesh. But today, for the first time, she
felt that the horse is not meantby nature to be the servant of man,
but that its speed is meant toinsure its sacred freedom. A moment
later, she was wondering how thethought had come to her, that glimpse
(01:57):
of equine perfection had been an allureUsian built of spirit and attitude. When
the head of the stallion fell,she saw the daylight truth that this was
either the wreck of a young horseor the sad ruin of a fine animal
now grown old. He was aragged creature with dull eyes and pendulous lip.
(02:20):
No comb had been among the tanglesof mane and tail for an unknown
period. No brush had smoothed hiscoat. It was once a rich red
chestnut, no doubt, but nowit was sun faded to the color of
sand. He was thin. Theunfleshed backbone and withers stood up painfully,
(02:42):
and she counted the ribs one byone. Yet his body was not so
broken as his spirit. His droopedhead gave him the appearance of searching for
a spot to lie down. Heseemed to have been left here by the
cruelty of his owner, to starveand die in the water light heat of
this corral, a desertion which heaccepted as justice, because he was useless
(03:07):
in the world. It affected Mariannelike the resignation of a man. Indeed,
there was more personality in the chestnutthan in many human beings. Once
he had been a beauty, andthe perfection which first startled her had been
a ghost out of his past.His head, where age or famine showed
(03:30):
least, was still unquestionably fine.The ears were short and delicately made,
the eyes well placed, the distanceto the angle of the jaw long.
In brief, it was that shorthead, of small volume and large brain
space, which speaks most eloquently ofhot blood. As her expert eye ran
(03:53):
over the rest of the body,she sighed to think that such a creature
had come to such an end.There was about him no sign of life
save the twitch of his skin toshake off flies. Certainly, this could
not be the horse she had beenadvised to see, and she was about
to pass on when she felt eyeswatching her from the steep shadow of the
(04:17):
shed which bordered the corral. Thenshe made out a dapper, olive skinned
fellow, sitting with his back againstthe wall, in such a position of
complete relaxation as only a Mexican iscapable of assuming. He wore a short
tuft of black mustache cut well awayfrom the edge of the red lip,
(04:40):
a mustache which oddly accentuated his youthin body and features. He was of
that feminine delicacy which er large handedSaxon dislikes, and though Marianne was by
no means a stalwart, she detestedthe man at once for that reason.
Being a lady. To the tipsof her slim fingers, her smile was
(05:02):
more cordial than necessary. I amlooking for Manuel Kordova, she said me,
replied the Mexican, and managed tospeak without removing the cigarette. I
am glad to know you, sheanswered, I am mary Anne Jordan.
At this, Manuel Kordova removed hiscigarette, regardless of the ashes which tumbled
(05:27):
straightway down the bell mouthed sleeve ofhis jacket. For the Mexican deems it
highly indecorous. To pay the slightestheed to his tobacco ashes. Whether they
land on chin or waistcoat, theyare allowed to remain until the wind carries
them away. The pleasure is tome, said Cordova melodiously, and made
(05:48):
painful preparations to rise. She gatheredat once that the effort would spoil his
mourning, and urged him to remainwhere he was, at which he mild
with the care of a movie star. Presenting an even white line of teeth.
Mary Anne went on, let meexplain. I've come to Gloucesterville Fair
(06:12):
to buy some brewd mayers from myranch, and of course the ones I
want are the coals horses. You'veseen them, he nodded. But those
horses, she continued, checking offher points, will not be offered for
sale until after the race this afternoon. They are all entered, and they
are sure to win. There's nothingto touch them. And when they breeze
(06:35):
across the finish line, I imagineevery ranch owner present will want the bid
for them that would put them abovemy reach. And I can only pray
that the miracle will happen. Ahorse may turn up to beat them.
I made inquiries and I was toldthat the best prospect was Manuel Kardova's Alcatraz.
(06:57):
So I've come with high hopes,Senor Kardova, and I'll appreciate it
greatly, if you'll let me seeyour champion. Look to the hardest content,
Senorita, replied the Mexican, andhe extended a slim, lazy hand
towards the drowsing stallion. But criedthe girl I was told a real runner.
(07:17):
She squinted critically at the faded chestnut. She had been told of a
four year old, while the scauntanimal looked fifteen at least. However,
it is one thing to catch ageneral impression and another to read points.
Marianne took heed now of the longslope of the shoulders, the short back,
(07:40):
the well let down hocks. Afterall, underfeeding would dull the eye
and give the ragged, lifeless coat. He's not much of a horse,
huh, purred Cordova. But thelonger she looked, the more she saw.
The very leanness of Alcatraz made iteasier to trace his running muscles.
(08:01):
She estimated too, the ample girthat the cinches where sighs means wind,
and that's Alcatraz. She murmured.That is all, said the pleasant Cordova.
May I go into the corral andlook him over at close range.
I never feel that I know ahorse till I get my hands on it.
(08:24):
She was about to dismount when shesaw that the Mexican was hesitating,
and she settled back in the saddle, flushed with displeasure. No, said
Cordova, that would not be good. You will see. He smiled again,
and rising, he sauntered to thefence and turned about, with his
(08:45):
shoulders resting against the upper bar,his back to the stallion. As he
did so, Alcatraz put forward hisears, which, in connection with the
dullness of his eyes, gave hima peculiarly foolish look. You will see
a thing, Senorita. The Mexicanwas chuckling. It came without warning.
(09:07):
Alcatraz turned with the speed of awhiplash, curling and drove straight at the
place where his master leaned. Marianne'scry of alarm was not needed. Cordova
had already started, but even sohe barely escaped the chestnut umbraced legs skid
it to the fence, his teethsnapping short inches from the back of his
(09:30):
master. His failure maddened alcatraz.He reminded Mary Anne of the antics of
a cat, when in her playwith a mouse, she tosses her victim
a little too far away and wheelsto find her prospective meal, disappearing down
a hole. In exactly similar wise, the stallion went around the corral in
(09:52):
a whirl of dust, rearing,lashing out with hind legs and striking with
four, catching imaginary things in histeeth and shaking them to pieces. When
the fury diminished, he began toglide up and down the fence. And
there was something so feline in thegrace of those long steps, and the
(10:13):
intentness with which the brute watched Cordova, that the girl remembered a new brought
tiger in the zoo. Also,rage had poured him full of such strength
that through the dust clouds she caughtagain the glimpse of that first perfection.
He came at last to a stop, but faced his owner with a look
(10:35):
of steady hate. The latter returnedthe gaze with interest, stroking his face
and snarling once more, red devilinonce more, you miss ah, but
I I shall not miss. Itwas not as one will talk to a
dumb beast. For there was nomistaken the vicious earnestness of Cordova. And
(11:00):
now the girl made out that hewas caressing a long white scar which ran
from his temple across the cheek bone. Maryanne glanced away, embarrassed as people
are when another reveals a dark andhidden portion of his character. You see,
said Cordova, You would not behappy in the corral with him.
(11:20):
Eh. He rolled a cigarette withsmiling lips as he spoke, but all
the time his black eyes burned atthe chestnut. He seemed to mary Anne
half child and half old man,and both parts of him were evil.
Now that she could guess the wholestory, Krdova campaigned through the country,
(11:43):
racing his horse at fairs or forside bets. For two reasons he kept
the animal systematically undernourished. One wasthat he was thereby able to get better
odds. The other was that ononly a weakened alcatraz would he try thrust
himself At this she did not wonder, for never had she seen such almost
(12:05):
human viciousness of temper in a dumbbeast. As for running, Senorita continued,
Cordova, sometimes he does very well, yes, very well, But
when he is dull, the spursare nothing to him. He indicated a
criss crossing of scars on the flankof the stallion, and mary Anne,
(12:28):
biting her lips, realized that shemust leave at once if she wished to
avoid showing her contempt and her anger. She was a mile down the road
and entering the main street of Gloucestervillebefore her temper cooled. She decided that
it was best to forget both Alcatrazand his master. They were equally matched
(12:52):
in devilishness. Her last hope ofseeing the mayor's beaten was gone, and
with it all chance of buying themat a reasonable figure. For no matter
what the potentialities of Alcatraz, inhis present starved condition, he could not
compare with a baize. She thoughtof Lady Mary with sunlight rippling over her
(13:13):
shoulder muscles. Certainly Alcatraz would nevercome within whisking distance of her tail.
End of Chapter one
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