black rock-第14章

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followed；　I　only　caught　the　opening　sentence；　'Father；　we　are
coming　back；'　for　my　attention　was　suddenly　absorbed　by　Abe；　the
stage…driver；　who　was　sitting　next　me。　　I　could　hear　him　swearing
approval　and　admiration；　saying　to　himself

'Ain't　he　a　clinker！　　I'll　be　gee…whizzly…gol…dusted　if　he　ain't　a
malleable…iron…double…back…action　self…adjusting　corn…cracker。'
And　the　prayer　continued　to　be　punctuated　with　like　admiring　and
even　more　sulphurous　expletives。　　It　was　an　incongruous　medley。
The　earnest；　reverent　prayer；　and　the　earnest；　admiring　profanity；
rendered　chaotic　one's　ideas　of　religious　propriety。　　The　feelings
in　both　were　akin；　the　method　of　expression　somewhat　widely
diverse。

After　prayer；　Craig's　tone　changed　utterly。　　In　a　quiet；　matter…of…
fact；　businesslike　way　he　stated　his　plan　of　organisation；　and
called　for　all　who　wished　to　join　to　remain　after　the　benediction。
Some　fifty　men　were　left；　among　them　Nelson；　Sandy；　Lachlan
Campbell；　Baptiste；　Shaw；　Nixon；　Geordie；　and　Billy　Breen；　who
tried　to　get　out；　but　was　held　fast　by　Geordie。

Graeme　was　passing　out；　but　I　signed　him　to　remain；　saying　that　I
wished　'to　see　the　thing　out。'　　Abe　sat　still　beside　me；　swearing
disgustedly　at　the　fellows　'who　were　going　back　on　the　preacher。'
Craig　appeared　amazed　at　the　number　of　men　remaining；　and　seemed　to
fear　that　something　was　wrong。　　He　put　before　them　the　terms　of
discipleship；　as　the　Master　put　them　to　the　eager　scribe；　and　he
did　not　make　them　easy。　　He　pictured　the　kind　of　work　to　be　done；
and　the　kind　of　men　needed　for　the　doing　of　it。　　Abe　grew　uneasy　as
the　minister　went　on　to　describe　the　completeness　of　the　surrender；
the　intensity　of　the　loyalty　demanded。

'That　knocks　me　out；　I　reckon；'　he　muttered；　in　a　disappointed
tone；　'I　ain't　up　to　that　grade。'　　And　as　Craig　described　the
heroism　called　for；　the　magnificence　of　the　fight；　the　worth　of　it；
and　the　outcome　of　it　all；　Abe　ground　out：　I'll　be　blanked　if　I
wouldn't　like　to　take　a　hand；　but　I　guess　I'm　not　in　it。'　　Craig
finished　by　saying

'I　want　to　put　this　quite　fairly。　　It　is　not　any　league　of　mine；
you're　not　joining　my　company；　it　is　no　easy　business；　and　it　is
for　your　whole　life。　　What　do　you　say？　　Do　I　put　it　fairly？　　What
do　you　say；　Nelson？'

Nelson　rose　slowly；　and　with　difficulty　began

'I　may　be　all　wrong；　but　you　made　it　easier　for　me；　Mr。　Craig。　　You
said　He　would　see　me　through；　or　I　should　never　have　risked　it。
Perhaps　I　am　wrong；'　and　the　old　man　looked　troubled。　　Craig　sprang
up。

'No！　no！　　Thank　God；　no！　　He　will　see　every　man　through　who　will
trust　his　life　to　Him。　　Every　man；　no　matter　how　tough　he　is；　no
matter　how　broken。'

Then　Nelson　straightened　himself　up　and　said

'Well；　sir！　I　believe　a　lot　of　the　men　would　go　in　for　this　if　they
were　dead　sure　they　would　get　through。'

'Get　through！'　said　Craig；　'never　a　fear　of　it。　　It　is　a　hard
fight；　a　long　fight；　a　glorious　fight；'　throwing　up　his　head；　but
every　man　who　squarely　trusts　Him；　and　takes　Him　as　Lord　and
Master；　comes　out　victor！'

'Bon！'　said　Baptiste　'Das　me。　　You　tink　He's　take　me　in　dat　fight；
M'sieu　Craig；　heh？'　　His　eyes　were　blazing。

'You　mean　it？'　asked　Craig　almost　sternly。

'Yes！　by　gar！'　said　the　little　Frenchman　eagerly。

'Hear　what　He　says；　then'；　and　Craig；　turning　over　the　leaves　of
his　Testament；　read　solemnly　the　words；　'Swear　not　at　all。'

'Non！　　For　sure！　　Den　I　stop　him；'　replied　Baptiste　earnestly；　and
Craig　wrote　his　name　down。

Poor　Abe　looked　amazed　and　distressed；　rose　slowly；　and　saying；
'That　jars　my　whisky　jug；'　passed　out。　　There　was　a　slight　movement
near　the　organ；　and　glancing　up　I　saw　Mrs。　Mavor　put　her　face
hastily　in　her　hands。　　The　men's　faces　were　anxious　and　troubled；
and　Nelson　said　in　a　voice　that　broke

'Tell　them　what　you　told　me；　sir。'　　But　Craig　was　troubled　too；　and
replied；　'You　tell　them；　Nelson！'　and　Nelson　told　the　men　the　story
of　how　he　began　just　five　weeks　ago。　　The　old　man's　voice　steadied
as　he　went　on；　and　he　grew　eager　as　he　told　how　he　had　been　helped；
and　how　the　world　was　all　different；　and　his　heart　seemed　new。　　He
spoke　of　his　Friend　as　if　He　were　some　one　that　could　be　seen　out
at　camp；　that　he　knew　well；　and　met　every　day。

But　as　he　tried　to　say　how　deeply　he　regretted　that　he　had　not
known　all　this　years　before；　the　old；　hard　face　began　to　quiver；
and　the　steady　voice　wavered。　　Then　he　pulled　himself　together；　and
said

'I　begin　to　feel　sure　He'll　pull　me　throughme！　the　hardest　man　in
the　mountains！　　So　don't　you　fear；　boys。　　He's　all　right。'

Then　the　men　gave　in　their　names；　one　by　one。　　When　it　came　to
Geordie's　turn；　he　gave　his　name

'George　Crawford；　frae　the　pairish　o'　Kilsyth；　Scotland；　an'　ye'll
juist　pit　doon　the　lad's　name；　Maister　Craig；　he's　a　wee　bit　fashed
wi'　the　discoorse；　but　he　has　the　root　o'　the　maitter　in　him；　I
doot。'　　And　so　Billy　Breen's　name　went　down。

When　the　meeting　was　over；　thirty…eight　names　stood　upon　the
communion　roll　of　the　Black　Rock　Presbyterian　Church；　and　it　will
ever　be　one　of　the　regrets　of　my　life　that　neither　Graeme's　name
nor　my　own　appeared　on　that　roll。　　And　two　days　after；　when　the　cup
went　round　on　that　first　Communion　Sabbath；　from　Nelson　to　Sandy；
and　from　Sandy　to　Baptiste；　and　so　on　down　the　line　to　Billy　Breen
and　Mrs。　Mavor；　and　then　to　Abe；　the　driver；　whom　she　had　by　her
own　mystic　power　lifted　into　hope　and　faith；　I　felt　all　the　shame
and　pain　of　a　traitor；　and　I　believe；　in　my　heart　that　the　fire　of
that　pain　and　shame　burned　something　of　the　selfish　cowardice　out
of　me；　and　that　it　is　burning　still。

The　last　words　of　the　minister；　in　the　short　address　after　the
table　had　been　served；　were　low；　and　sweet；　and　tender；　but　they
were　words　of　high　courage；　and　before　he　had　spoken　them　all；　the
men　were　listening　with　shining　eyes；　and　when　they　rose　to　sing
the　closing　hymn　they　stood　straight　and　stiff　like　soldiers　on
parade。

And　I　wished　more　than　ever　I　were　one　of　them。


CHAPTER　VIII

THE　BREAKING　OF　THE　LEAGUE


There　is　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　nature　designed　me　for　a　great
painter。　　A　railway　director　interfered　with　that　design　of　nature；
as　he　has　with　many　another　of　hers；　and　by　the　transmission　of　an
order　for　mountain　pieces　by　the　dozen；　together　with　a　cheque　so
large　that　I　feared　there　was　some　mistake；　he　determined　me　to　be
an　illustrator　and　designer　for　railway　and　like　publications。　　I
do　not　like　these　people　ordering　'by　the　dozen。'　　Why　should　they
not　consider　an　artist's　finer　feelings？　　Perhaps　they　cannot
understand　them；　but　they　understand　my　pictures；　and　I　understand
their　cheques；　and　there　we　are　quits。　　But　so　it　came　that　I
remained　in　Black　Rock　long　enough　to　witness　the　breaking　of　the
League。

Looking　back　upon　the　events　of　that　night　from　the　midst　of　gentle
and　decent　surroundings；　they　now　seem　strangely　unreal；　but　to　me
then　they　appeared　only　natural。

It　was　the　Good　Friday　ball　that　wrecked　the　League。　　For　the　fact
that　the　promoters　of　the　ball　determined　that　it　should　be　a　ball
rather　than　a　dance　was　taken　by　the　League　men　as　a　concession　to
the　new　public　opinion　in　favour　of　respectability　created　by　the
League。　　And　when　the　manager's　patronage　had　been　secured　（they
failed　to　get　Mrs。　Mavor's）；　and　it　was　further　announced　that；
though　held　in　the　Black　Rock　Hotel　ballroomindeed；　there　was　no
other　placerefreshments　suited　to　the　peculiar　tastes　of　League
men　would　be　provided；　it　was　felt　to　be　almost　a　necessity　that
the　League　should　approve；　should　indeed　welcome；　this　concession
to　the　public　opinion　in　favour　of　respectability　created　by　the
League。

There　were　extreme　men　on　both　sides；　of　course。　　'Idaho'　Jack；
professional　gambler；　for　instance；　frankly　considered　that　the
whole　town　was　going　to　unmentionable　depths　of　propriety。　　The
organisation　of　the　League　was　regarded　by　him；　and　by　many　others；
as　a　sad　retrograde　towards　the　bondage　of　the　ancient　and　dying
East；　and　that　he　could　not　get　drunk　when　and　where　he　pleased；
'Idaho；'　as　he　was　called；　regarded　as　a　personal　grievance。

But　Idaho　was　never　enamoured　of　the　social　ways　of　Black　Rock。　　He
was　shocked　and　disgusted　when　he　discovered　that　a　'gun'　was
decreed　by　British　law　to　be　an　unnecessary　adornment　of　a　card…
table。　　The　manner　of　his　discovery　must　have　been　interesting　to
behold。

It　is　said　that　Idaho　was　industriously　pursuing　his　avocation　in
Slavin's；　with　his　'gun'　lying　upon　the　card…table　convenient　to
his　hand；　when　in　walked　policeman　Jackson；　her　Majesty's　sole
representative　in　the　Black　Rock　district。　　Jackson；　'Stonewall'
Jackson；　or　'Stonewall；'　as　he　was　called　for　obvious　reasons；
after　watching　the　game　for　a　few　moments；　gently　tapped　the　pistol
and　asked　what　he　used　this　for。

'I'll　show　you　in　two　holy　minutes　if　you　don't　light　out；'　said
Idaho；　hardly　looking　up；　but　very　angrily；　for　the　luck　was
against　him。　　But　Jackson　tapped　upon　the　table　and　said　sweetly

'You're　a　stranger　here。　　You　ought　to　get　a　guide…book　and　post
yourself。　　Now；　the　boys　know　I　don't　interfere　with　an　innocent
little　game；　but　there　is　a　regulation　against　playing　it　with
guns；　so；'　he　added　even　more　sweetly；　but　fastening　Idaho　with　a
look　from　his　steel…grey　eyes；　'I'll　just　take　charge　of　this；'
picking　up　the　revolver；　'it　might　go　off。'

Idaho's　rage；　great　as　it　was；　was　quite　swallowed　up　in　his　amazed
disgust　at　the　state　of　society　that　would　permit　such　an　outrage
upon　personal　liberty。　　He　was　quite　unable　to　play　any　more　that
evening；　and　it　took　several　drinks　all　round　to　restore　him　to
articulate　speech。　　The　rest　of　the　night　was　spent　in　retailing
for　his　instruction　stories　of　the　ways　of　Stonewall　Jackson。

Idaho　bought　a　new　'gun；'　but　he　wore　it　'in　his　clothes；'　and　used
it　chiefly　in　the　pastime　of　shooting　out　the　lights　or　in　picking
off　the　heels　from　the　boys'　boots　while　a　stag　dance　was　in
progress　in　Slavin's。　　But　in　Stonewall's　presence　Idaho　was　a　most
correct　citizen。　　Stonewall　he　could　understand　and　appreciate。　　He
was　six　feet　three；　and　had　an　eye　of　unpleasant　penetration。　　But
this　new　feeling　in　the　community　for　respectability　he　could
neither　understand　nor　endure。　　The　League　became　the　object　of　his
indignant　aversion；　and　the　League　men　of　his　contempt。　　He　had
many　sympathisers；　and　frequent　were　the　assaults　upon　the　newly…
born　sobriety　of　Billy　Breen　and　others　of　the　League。　　But
Geordie's　watchful　care　and　Mrs。　Mavor's　steady　influence；　together
with　the　loyal　co…operation　of　the　League　men；　kept　Billy　safe　so
far。　　Nixon；　too；　was　a　marked　man。　　It　may　be　that　he　carried
himself　with　unnecessary　jauntiness　toward　Slavin　and　Idaho；
saluting　the　former　with；　'Awful　dry　weather！　eh；　Slavin？'　and　the
latter　with；　'Hello；　old　sport！　how's　times？'　causing　them　to　swear
deeply；　and；　as　it　turned　out；　to　do　more　than　swear。

But　on　the　whole　the　anti…League　men　were　in　favour　of　a　respectable
ball；　and　most　of　the　League　men　determined　to　show　their
appreciation　of　the　concession　of　the　committee　to　the　principles　of
the　League　in　the　important　matt