black rock-第10节

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this　atmosphere！　　They　send　their　young　bloods　here　to　reform。
Here！　in　this　devil's　camp…ground；　where　a　man's　lust　is　his　only
law；　and　when；　from　sheer　monotony；　a　man　must　betake　himself　to
the　only　excitement　of　the　placethat　offered　by　the　saloon。　　Good
people　in　the　east　hold　up　holy　hands　of　horror　at　these　godless
miners；　but　I　tell　you　it's　asking　these　boys　a　good　deal　to　keep
straight　and　clean　in　a　place　like　this。　　I　take　my　excitement　in
fighting　the　devil　and　doing　my　work　generally；　and　that　gives　me
enough；　but　these　poor　chapshard　worked；　homeless；　with　no　break
or　changeGod　help　them　and　me！'　and　his　voice　sank　low。

'Well；'　I　persisted；　'did　Mavor　reform？'

Again　he　roused　himself。　　'Reform？　　Not　exactly。　　In　six…months　he
had　broken　through　all　restraint；　and；　mind　you；　not　the　miners'
faultnot　a　miner　helped　him　down。　　It　was　a　sight　to　make　angels
weep　when　Mrs。　Mavor　would　come　to　the　saloon　door　for　her　husband。
Every　miner　would　vanish；　they　could　not　look　upon　her　shame；　and
they　would　send　Mavor　forth　in　the　charge　of　Billy　Breen；　a　queer
little　chap；　who　had　belonged　to　the　Mavors　in　some　way　in　the　old
country；　and　between　them　they　would　get　him　home。　　How　she　stood
it　puzzles　me　to　this　day；　but　she　never　made　any　sign；　and　her
courage　never　failed。　　It　was　always　a　bright；　brave；　proud　face
she　held　up　to　the　worldexcept　in　church；　there　it　was　different。
I　used　to　preach　my　sermons；　I　believe；　mostly　for　herbut　never
so　that　she　could　suspectas　bravely　and　as　cheerily　as　I　could。
And　as　she　listened；　and　especially　as　she　sanghow　she　used　to
sing　in　those　days！there　was　no　touch　of　pride　in　her　face；
though　the　courage　never　died　out；　but　appeal；　appeal！　　I　could
have　cursed　aloud　the　cause　of　her　misery；　or　wept　for　the　pity　of
it。　　Before　her　baby　was　born　he　seemed　to　pull　himself　together；
for　he　was　quite　mad　about　her；　and　from　the　day　the　baby　came
talk　about　miracles！from　that　day　he　never　drank　a　drop。　　She
gave　the　baby　over　to　him；　and　the　baby　simply　absorbed　him。

'He　was　a　new　man。　　He　could　not　drink　whisky　and　kiss　his　baby。
And　the　minersit　was　really　absurd　if　it　were　not　so　pathetic。
It　was　the　first　baby　in　Black　Rock；　and　they　used　to　crowd　Mavor's
shop　and　peep　into　the　room　at　the　back　of　itI　forgot　to　tell　you
that　when　he　lost　his　position　as　manager　he　opened　a　hardware
shop；　for　his　people　chucked　him；　and　he　was　too　proud　to　write
home　for　moneyjust　for　a　chance　to　be　asked　in　to　see　the　baby。
I　came　upon　Nixon　standing　at　the　back　of　the　shop　after　he　had
seen　the　baby　for　the　first　time；　sobbing　hard；　and　to　my　question
he　replied：　〃It's　just　like　my　own。〃　　You　can't　understand　this。
But　to　men　who　have　lived　so　long　in　the　mountains　that　they　have
forgotten　what　a　baby　looks　like；　who　have　had　experience　of
humanity　only　in　its　roughest；　foulest　form；　this　little　mite；
sweet　and　clean；　was　like　an　angel　fresh　from　heaven；　the　one　link
in　all　that　black　camp　that　bound　them　to　what　was　purest　and　best
in　their　past。

'And　to　see　the　mother　and　her　baby　handle　the　miners！

'Oh；　it　was　all　beautiful　beyond　words！　　I　shall　never　forget　the
shock　I　got　one　night　when　I　found　〃Old　Ricketts〃　nursing　the　baby。
A　drunken　old　beast　he　was；　but　there　he　was　sitting；　sober　enough；
making　extraordinary　faces　at　the　baby；　who　was　grabbing　at　his
nose　and　whiskers　and　cooing　in　blissful　delight。　　Poor　〃Old
Ricketts〃　looked　as　if　he　had　been　caught　stealing；　and　muttering
something　about　having　to　go；　gazed　wildly　round　for　some　place　in
which　to　lay　the　baby；　when　in　came　the　mother；　saying　in　her　own
sweet；　frank　way：　〃O　Mr。　Ricketts〃　（she　didn't　find　out　till
afterwards　his　name　was　Shaw）；　〃would　you　mind　keeping　her　just　a
little　longer？I　shall　be　back　in　a　few　minutes。〃　　And　〃Old
Ricketts〃　guessed　he　could　wait。

'But　in　six　months　mother　and　baby；　between　them；　transformed　〃Old
Ricketts〃　into　Mr。　Shaw；　fire…boss　of　the　mines。　　And　then　in　the
evenings；　when　she　would　be　singing　her　baby　to　sleep；　the　little
shop　would　be　full　of　miners；　listening　in　dead　silence　to　the
baby…songs；　and　the　English　songs；　and　the　Scotch　songs　she　poured
forth　without　stint；　for　she　sang　more　for　them　than　for　her　baby。
No　wonder　they　adored　her。　　She　was　so　bright；　so　gay；　she　brought
light　with　her　when　she　went　into　the　camp；　into　the　pitsfor　she
went　down　to　see　the　men　workor　into　a　sick　miner's　shack；　and
many　a　man；　lonely　and　sick　for　home　or　wife；　or　baby　or　mother；
found　in　that　back　room　cheer　and　comfort　and　courage；　and　to　many
a　poor　broken　wretch　that　room　became；　as　one　miner　put　it；　〃the
anteroom　to　heaven。〃'

Mr。　Craig　paused；　and　I　waited。　　Then　he　went　on　slowly

'For　a　year　and　a　half　that　was　the　happiest　home　in　all　the　world；
till　one　day'

He　put　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　shuddered。

'I　don't　think　I　can　ever　forget　the　awful　horror　of　that　bright
fall　afternoon；　when　〃Old　Ricketts〃　came　breathless　to　me　and
gasped；　〃Come！　for　the　dear　Lord's　sake；〃　and　I　rushed　after　him。
At　the　mouth　of　the　shaft　lay　three　men　dead。　　One　was　Lewis　Mavor。
He　had　gone　down　to　superintend　the　running　of　a　new　drift；　the　two
men；　half　drunk　with　Slavin's　whisky；　set　off　a　shot　prematurely；
to　their　own　and　Mavor's　destruction。　　They　were　badly　burned；　but
his　face　was　untouched。　　A　miner　was　sponging　off　the　bloody　froth
oozing　from　his　lips。　　The　others　were　standing　about　waiting　for
me　to　speak。　　But　I　could　find　no　word；　for　my　heart　was　sick；
thinking；　as　they　were；　of　the　young　mother　and　her　baby　waiting　at
home。　　So　I　stood；　looking　stupidly　from　one　to　the　other；　trying
to　find　some　reasoncoward　that　I　waswhy　another　should　bear　the
news　rather　than　I。　　And　while　we　stood　there；　looking　at　one
another　in　fear；　there　broke　upon　us　the　sound　of　a　voice　mounting
high　above　the　birch　tops；　singing


　　　　　〃Will　ye　no'　come　back　again？
　　　　　　Will　ye　no'　come　back　again？
　　　　　　Better　lo'ed　ye　canna　be；
　　　　　　Will　ye　no'　come　back　again？〃


'A　strange　terror　seized　us。　　Instinctively　the　men　closed　up　in
front　of　the　body；　and　stood　in　silence。　　Nearer　and　nearer　came
the　clear；　sweet　voice；　ringing　like　a　silver　bell　up　the　steep


　　　　　〃Sweet　the　lav'rock's　note　and　lang；
　　　　　　　　Liltin'　wildly　up　the　glen；
　　　　　　But　aye　tae　me　he　sings　ae　sang；
　　　　　　　　Will　ye　no'　come　back　again？〃


'Before　the　verse　was　finished　〃Old　Ricketts〃　had　dropped　on　his
knees；　sobbing　out　brokenly；　〃O　God！　O　God！　have　pity；　have　pity；
have　pity！〃and　every　man　took　off　his　hat。　　And　still　the　voice
came　nearer；　singing　so　brightly　the　refrain；


　　　　　'〃Will　ye　no'　come　back　again？'


'It　became　unbearable。　　〃Old　Ricketts〃　sprang　suddenly　to　his　feet；
and；　gripping　me　by　the　arm；　said　piteously；　〃Oh；　go　to　her！　for
Heaven's　sake；　go　to　her！〃　　I　next　remember　standing　in　her　path
and　seeing　her　holding　out　her　hands　full　of　red　lilies；　crying
out；　〃Are　they　not　lovely？　　Lewis　is　so　fond　of　them！〃　　With　the
promise　of　much　finer　ones　I　turned　her　down　a　path　toward　the
river；　talking　I　know　not　what　folly；　till　her　great　eyes　grew
grave；　then　anxious；　and　my　tongue　stammered　and　became　silent。
Then；　laying　her　hand　upon　my　arm；　she　said　with　gentle　sweetness；
〃Tell　me　your　trouble；　Mr。　Craig；〃　and　I　knew　my　agony　had　come；
and　I　burst　out；　〃Oh；　if　it　were　only　mine！〃　　She　turned　quite
white；　and　with　her　deep　eyesyou've　noticed　her　eyesdrawing　the
truth　out　of　mine；　she　said；　〃Is　it　mine；　Mr。　Craig；　and　my
baby's？〃　　I　waited；　thinking　with　what　words　to　begin。　　She　put　one
hand　to　her　heart；　and　with　the　other　caught　a　little　poplar…tree
that　shivered　under　her　grasp；　and　said　with　white　lips；　but　even
more　gently；　〃Tell　me。〃　　I　wondered　at　my　voice　being　so　steady　as
I　said；　〃Mrs。　Mavor；　God　will　help　you　and　your　baby。　　There　has
been　an　accidentand　it　is　all　over。〃

'She　was　a　miner's　wife；　and　there　was　no　need　for　more。　　I　could
see　the　pattern　of　the　sunlight　falling　through　the　trees　upon　the
grass。　　I　could　hear　the　murmur　of　the　river；　and　the　cry　of　the
cat…bird　in　the　bushes；　but　we　seemed　to　be　in　a　strange　and　unreal
world。　　Suddenly　she　stretched　out　her　hands　to　me；　and　with　a
little　moan　said；　〃Take　me　to　him。〃

'〃Sit　down　for　a　moment　or　two；〃　I　entreated。

'〃No；　no！　I　am　quite　ready。　　See；〃　she　added　quietly；　〃I　am　quite
strong。〃

'I　set　off　by　a　short　cut　leading　to　her　home；　hoping　the　men　would
be　there　before　us；　but；　passing　me；　she　walked　swiftly　through　the
trees；　and　I　followed　in　fear。　　As　we　came　near　the　main　path　I
heard　the　sound　of　feet；　and　I　tried　to　stop　her；　but　she；　too；　had
heard　and　knew。　　〃Oh；　let　me　go！〃　she　said　piteously；　〃you　need　not
fear。〃　　And　I　had　not　the　heart　to　stop　her。　　In　a　little　opening
among　the　pines　we　met　the　bearers。　　When　the　men　saw　her；　they
laid　their　burden　gently　down　upon　the　carpet　of　yellow　pine…
needles；　and　then；　for　they　had　the　hearts　of　true　men　in　them；
they　went　away　into　the　bushes　and　left　her　alone　with　her　dead。
She　went　swiftly　to　his　side；　making　no　cry；　but　kneeling　beside
him　she　stroked　his　face　and　hands；　and　touched　his　curls　with　her
fingers；　murmuring　all　t