black rock-第4节

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'What　can　you　do　against　free　drinks　and　a　dance；　not　to　speak　of
the　〃High　Kickers〃？'　he　groaned。

'No！'　he　continued；　'it's　a　clean　beat　for　us　today。　　The　miners
and　lumbermen　will　have　in　their　pockets　ten　thousand　dollars；　and
every　dollar　burning　a　hole；　and　Slavin　and　his　gang　will　get　most
of　it。　　But；'　he　added；　'you　must　have　breakfast。　　You'll　find　a
tub　in　the　kitchen；　don't　be　afraid　to　splash。　　It　is　the　best　I
have　to　offer　you。'

The　tub　sounded　inviting；　and　before　many　minutes　had　passed　I　was
in　a　delightful　glow；　the　effect　of　cold　water　and　a　rough　towel；
and　that　consciousness　of　virtue　that　comes　to　a　man　who　has　had
courage　to　face　his　cold　bath　on　a　winter　morning。

The　breakfast　was　laid　with　fine　taste。　　A　diminutive　pine…tree；　in
a　pot　hung　round　with　wintergreen；　stood　in　the　centre　of　the
table。

'Well；　now；　this　looks　good；　porridge；　beefsteak；　potatoes；　toast；
and　marmalade。'

'I　hope　you　will　enjoy　it　all。'

There　was　not　much　talk　over　our　meal。　　Mr。　Craig　was　evidently
preoccupied；　and　as　blue　as　his　politeness　would　allow　him。
Slavin's　victory　weighed　upon　his　spirits。　　Finally　he　burst　out；
'Look　here！　　I　can't；　I　won't　stand　it；　something　must　be　done。
Last　Christmas　this　town　was　for　two　weeks；　as　one　of　the　miners
said；　〃a　little　suburb　of　hell。〃　　It　was　something　too　awful。　　And
at　the　end　of　it　all　one　young　fellow　was　found　dead　in　his　shack；
and　twenty　or　more　crawled　back　to　the　camps；　leaving　their　three
months'　pay　with　Slavin　and　his　suckers。

'I　won't　stand　it；　I　say。'　　He　turned　fiercely　on　me。　　'What's　to
be　done？'

This　rather　took　me　aback；　for　I　had　troubled　myself　with　nothing
of　this　sort　in　my　life　before；　being　fully　occupied　in　keeping
myself　out　of　difficulty；　and　allowing　others　the　same　privilege。
So　I　ventured　the　consolation　that　he　had　done　his　part；　and　that　a
spree　more　or　less　would　not　make　much　difference　to　these　men。
But　the　next　moment　I　wished　I　had　been　slower　in　speech；　for　he
swiftly　faced　me；　and　his　words　came　like　a　torrent。

'God　forgive　you　that　heartless　word！　　Do　you　know？　　But　no；　you
don't　know　what　you　are　saying。　　You　don't　know　that　these　men　have
been　clambering　for　dear　life　out　of　a　fearful　pit　for　three　months
past；　and　doing　good　climbing　too；　poor　chaps。　　You　don't　think
that　some　of　them　have　wives；　most　of　them　mothers　and　sisters；　in
the　east　or　across　the　sea；　for　whose　sake　they　are　slaving　here；
the　miners　hoping　to　save　enough　to　bring　their　families　to　this
homeless　place；　the　rest　to　make　enough　to　go　back　with　credit。
Why；　there's　Nixon；　miner；　splendid　chap；　has　been　here　for　two
years；　and　drawing　the　highest　pay。　　Twice　he　has　been　in　sight　of
his　heaven；　for　he　can't　speak　of　his　wife　and　babies　without
breaking　up；　and　twice　that　slick　son　of　the　devilthat's
Scripture；　mind　youSlavin；　got　him；　and　〃rolled〃　him；　as　the　boys
say。　　He　went　back　to　the　mines　broken　in　body　and　in　heart。　　He
says　this　is　his　third　and　last　chance。　　If　Slavin　gets　him；　his
wife　and　babies　will　never　see　him　on　earth　or　in　heaven。　　There　is
Sandy；　too；　and　the　rest。　　And；'　he　added；　in　a　lower　tone；　and
with　the　curious　little　thrill　of　pathos　in　his　voice；　'this　is　the
day　the　Saviour　came　to　the　world。'　　He　paused；　and　then　with　a
little　sad　smile；　'But　I　don't　want　to　abuse　you。'

'Do；　I　enjoy　it；　I'm　a　beast；　a　selfish　beast'；　for　somehow　his
intense；　blazing　earnestness　made　me　feel　uncomfortably　small。

'What　have　we　to　offer？'　I　demanded。

'Wait　till　I　have　got　these　things　cleared　away；　and　my
housekeeping　done。'

I　pressed　my　services　upon　him；　somewhat　feebly；　I　own；　for　I　can't
bear　dishwater；　but　he　rejected　my　offer。

'I　don't　like　trusting　my　china　to　the　hands　of　a　tender…foot。'

'Quite　right；　though　your　china　would　prove　an　excellent　means　of
defence　at　long　range。'　　It　was　delf；　a　quarter　of　an　inch　thick。
So　I　smoked　while　he　washed　up；　swept；　dusted；　and　arranged　the
room。

After　the　room　was　ordered　to　his　taste；　we　proceeded　to　hold
council。　　He　could　offer　dinner；　magic　lantern；　music。　　'We　can
fill　in　time　for　two　hours；　but；'　he　added　gloomily；　'we　can't　beat
the　dance　and　the　〃High　Kickers。〃'

'Have　you　nothing　new　or　startling？'

He　shook　his　head。

'No　kind　of　show？　　Dog　show？　　Snake　charmer？'

'Slavin　has　a　monopoly　of　the　snakes。'

Then　he　added　hesitatingly；　'There　was　an　old　Punch…and…Judy　chap
here　last　year；　but　he　died。　　Whisky　again。'

'What　happened　to　his　show？'

'The　Black　Rock　Hotel　man　took　it　for　board　and　whisky　bill。　　He
has　it　still；　I　suppose。'

I　did　not　much　relish　the　business；　but　I　hated　to　see　him　beaten；
so　I　ventured；　'I　have　run　a　Punch　and　Judy　in　an　amateur　way　at
the　'Varsity。'

He　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　yell。

'You　have！　you　mean　to　say　it？　　We've　got　them！　　We've　beaten
them！'　　He　had　an　extraordinary　way　of　taking　your　help　for
granted。　　'The　miner　chaps；　mostly　English　and　Welsh；　went　mad　over
the　poor　old　showman；　and　made　him　so　wealthy　that　in　sheer
gratitude　he　drank　himself　to　death。'

He　walked　up　and　down　in　high　excitement　and　in　such　evident
delight　that　I　felt　pledged　to　my　best　effort。

'Well；'　I　said；　'first　the　poster。　　We　must　beat　them　in　that。'

He　brought　me　large　sheets　of　brown　paper；　and　after　two　hours'
hard　work　I　had　half　a　dozen　pictorial　showbills　done　in　gorgeous
colours　and　striking　designs。　　They　were　good；　if　I　do　say　it
myself。

The　turkey；　the　magic　lantern；　the　Punch　and　Judy　show　were　all
there；　the　last　with　a　crowd　before　it　in　gaping　delight。　　A　few
explanatory　words　were　thrown　in；　emphasising　the　highly　artistic
nature　of　the　Punch　and　Judy　entertainment。

Craig　was　delighted；　and　proceeded　to　perfect　his　plans。　　He　had
some　half　a　dozen　young　men；　four　young　ladies；　and　eight　or　ten
matrons；　upon　whom　he　could　depend　for　help。　　These　he　organised
into　a　vigilance　committee　charged　with　the　duty　of　preventing
miners　and　lumbermen　from　getting　away　to　Slavin's。　　'The　critical
moments　will　be　immediately　before　and　after　dinner；　and　then　again
after　the　show　is　over；'　he　explained。　　'The　first　two　crises　must
be　left　to　the　care　of　Punch　and　Judy；　and　as　for　the　last；　I　am
not　yet　sure　what　shall　be　done'；　but　I　saw　he　had　something　in　his
head；　for　he　added；　'I　shall　see　Mrs。　Mavor。'

'Who　is　Mrs。　Mavor？'　I　asked。　　But　he　made　no　reply。　　He　was　a　born
fighter；　and　he　put　the　fighting　spirit　into　us　all。　　We　were　bound
to　win。

The　sports　were　to　begin　at　two　o'clock。　　By　lunch…time　everything
was　in　readiness。　　After　lunch　I　was　having　a　quiet　smoke　in
Craig's　shack　when　in　he　rushed；　saying

'The　battle　will　be　lost　before　it　is　fought。　　If　we　lose　Quatre
Bras；　we　shall　never　get　to　Waterloo。'

'What's　up？'

'Slavin；　just　now。　　The　miners　are　coming　in；　and　he　will　have　them
in　tow　in　half　an　hour。'

He　looked　at　me　appealingly。　　I　knew　what　he　wanted。

'All　right；　I　suppose　I　must；　but　it　is　an　awful　bore　that　a　man
can't　have　a　quiet　smoke。'

'You're　not　half　a　bad　fellow；'　he　replied；　smiling。　　'I　shall　get
the　ladies　to　furnish　coffee　inside　the　booth。　　You　furnish　them
intellectual　nourishment　in　front　with　dear　old　Punch　and　Judy。'

He　sent　a　boy　with　a　bell　round　the　village　announcing；　'Punch；　and
Judy　in　front　of　the　Christmas　booth　beside　the　church'；　and　for
three…quarters　of　an　hour　I　shrieked　and　sweated　in　that　awful
little　pen。　　But　it　was　almost　worth　it　to　hear　the　shouts　of
approval　and　laughter　that　greeted　my　performance。　　It　was　cold
work　standing　about；　so　that　the　crowd　was　quite　ready　to　respond
when　Punch；　after　being　duly　hanged；　came　forward　and　invited　all
into　the　booth　for　the　hot　coffee　which　Judy　had　ordered。

In　they　trooped；　and　Quatre　Bras　was　won。

No　sooner　were　the　miners　safely　engaged　with　their　coffee　than　I
heard　a　great　noise　of　bells　and　of　men　shouting；　and　on　reaching
the　street　I　saw　that　the　men　from　the　lumber　camp　were　coming　in。
Two　immense　sleighs；　decorated　with　ribbons　and　spruce　boughs；　each
drawn　by　a　four…horse　team　gaily　adorned；　filled　with　some　fifty
men；　singing　and　shouting　with　all　their　might；　were　coming　down
the　hill　road　at　full　gallop。　　Round　the　corner　they　swung；　dashed
at　full　speed　across　the　bridge　and　down　the　street；　and　pulled　up
after　they　had　made　the　circuit　of　a　block；　to　the　great　admiration
of　the　onlookers。　　Among　others　Slavin　sauntered　up　good…naturedly；
making　himself　agreeable　to　Sandy　and　those　who　were　helping　to
unhitch　his　team。

'Oh；　you　need　not　take　trouble　with　me　or　my　team；　Mike　Slavin。
Batchees　and　me　and　the　boys　can　look　after　them　fine；'　said　Sandy
coolly。

This　rejecting　of　hospitality　was　perfectly　understood　by　Slavin
and　by　all。

'Dat's　too　bad；　heh？'　said　Baptiste　wickedly；　'and；　Sandy；　he's　got
good　money　on　his　pocket　for　sure；　too。'　　The　boys　laughed；　and
Slavin；　joining　in；　turned　away　with　Keele　and　Blaney；　but　by　the
look　in　his　eye　I　knew　he　was　playing　'Br'er　Rabbit；'　and　lying
low。

Mr。　Craig　just　then　came　up；　'Hello；　boys！　too　late　for　Punch　and
Judy；　but　just　in　time　for　hot　coffee　and　doughnuts。'

'Bon；　dat's　fuss　rate；'　said　Bapt