They left off playing, let go hands and hunched forward as they left the alley and entered the street. The wind was quieter there but the dried-out cold it left behind kept pedestrians fast-moving, stiff inside their coats. No men leaned against door frames or storefront windows. The wheels of wagons delivering feed or wood screeched as though they hurt. Hitched horses in front of the saloons shivered and closed their eyes. Four women, walking two abreast, approached, their shoes loud on the wooden walkway.

他們停止演奏，釋放雙手，離開巷道后，聳肩弓背地進(jìn)入街道。街上的風(fēng)更平靜一點，但是干燥的寒冷使得行人疾步行走，外套里面的身子凍得僵硬。沒有男人倚著門框或者是商店前的窗戶。運送食物或木材的馬車的輪子吱吱作響，似乎它們被凍傷了。車廂前面的馬匹顫抖著身體，閉上了眼睛。有四個女人兩兩并排走著，靠近了過來，她們的鞋子在木質(zhì)的人行道上動靜不小。