the man from glengarry-第2节

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the　forest　was　dreaded　and　hated；　but　the　sons；　with　rifles　in
hand；　trod　its　pathless　stretches　without　fear；　and　with　their
broad…axes　they　took　toll　of　their　ancient　foe。　　For　while　in
spring　and　summer　they　farmed　their　narrow　fields；　and　rescued　new
lands　from　the　brule；　in　winter　they　sought　the　forest；　and　back　on
their　own　farms　or　in　〃the　shanties〃　they　cut　sawlogs；　or　made
square　timber；　their　only　source　of　wealth。　　The　shanty　life　of　the
early　fifties　of　last　century　was　not　the　luxurious　thing　of　to…
day。　　It　was　full　of　privation；　for　the　men　were　poorly　housed　and
fed；　and　of　peril；　for　the　making　of　the　timber　and　the　getting　it
down　the　smaller　rivers　to　the　big　water　was　a　work　of　hardship　and
danger。　　Remote　from　the　restraints　of　law　and　of　society；　and
living　in　wild　surroundings　and　in　hourly　touch　with　danger；　small
wonder　that　often　the　shanty…men　were　wild　and　reckless。　　So　that
many　a　poor　fellow　in　a　single　wild　carouse　in　Quebec；　or　more
frequently　in　some　river　town；　would　fling　into　the　hands　of　sharks
and　harlots　and　tavern…keepers；　with　whom　the　bosses　were　sometimes
in　league；　the　earnings　of　his　long　winter's　work；　and　would　wake
to　find　himself　sick　and　penniless；　far　from　home　and　broken　in
spirit。

Of　all　the　shanty…men　of　the　Ottawa　the　men　of　Glengarry；　and　of
Glengarry　men　Macdonald's　gang　were　easily　first；　and　of　the　gang
Donald　Bhain　Macdonald；　or　Macdonald　More；　or　the　Big　Macdonald；
for　he　was　variously　known；　was　not　only　the　〃boss〃　but　best　and
chief。　　There　was　none　like　him。　　A　giant　in　size　and　strength；　a
prince　of　broad…axe　men；　at　home　in　the　woods；　sure…footed　and
daring　on　the　water；　free　with　his　wages；　and　always　ready　to　drink
with　friend　or　fight　with　foe；　the　whole　river　admired；　feared；　or
hated　him；　while　his　own　men　followed　him　into　the　woods；　on　to　a
jam；　or　into　a　fight　with　equal　joyousness　and　devotion。　　Fighting
was　like　wine　to　him；　when　the　fight　was　worth　while；　and　he　went
into　the　fights　his　admirers　were　always　arranging　for　him　with　the
easiest　good　humor　and　with　a　smile　on　his　face。　　But　Macdonald
Bhain's　carousing；　fighting　days　came　to　an　abrupt　stop　about　three
years　before　the　opening　of　this　tale；　for　on　one　of　his　summer
visits　to　his　home；　〃The　word　of　the　Lord　in　the　mouth　of　his
servant　Alexander　Murray；〃　as　he　was　wont　to　say；　〃found　him　and　he
was　a　new　man。〃　　He　went　into　his　new　life　with　the　same　whole…
souled　joyousness　as　had　marked　the　old；　and　he　announced　that　with
the　shanty　and　the　river　he　was　〃done　for　ever　more。〃　　But　after
the　summer's　work　was　done；　and　the　logging　over；　and　when　the　snap
of　the　first　frost　nipped　the　leaves　from　the　trees；　Macdonald
became　restless。　　He　took　down　his　broad…axe　and　spent　hours
polishing　it　and　bringing　it　to　an　edge；　then　he　put　it　in　its
wooden　sheath　and　laid　it　away。　　But　the　fever　was　upon　him；　ten
thousand　voices　from　the　forest　were　shouting　for　him。　　He　went
away　troubled　to　his　minister。　　In　an　hour　he　came　back　with　the
old　good　humor　in　his　face；　took　down　the　broad…axe　again；　and
retouched　it；　lovingly；　humming　the　while　the　old　river　song　of　the
Glengarry　men


　　　　　Ho　ro　mo　nighean；　etc。


He　was　going　back　to　the　bush　and　to　the　biggest　fight　of　his　life。
No　wonder　he　was　glad。　　Then　his　good　little　wife　began　to　get
ready　his　long；　heavy　stockings；　his　thick　mits；　his　homespun
smock；　and　other　gear；　for　she　knew　well　that　soon　she　would　be
alone　for　another　winter。　　Before　long　the　word　went　round　that
Macdonald　Bhain　was　for　the　shanties　again；　and　his　men　came　to　him
for　their　orders。

But　it　was　not　to　the　old　life　that　Macdonald　was　going；　and　he
gravely　told　those　that　came　to　him　that　he　would　take　no　man　who
could　not　handle　his　axe　and　hand…spike；　and　who　could　not　behave
himself。　　〃Behaving　himself〃　meant　taking　no　more　whiskey　than　a
man　could　carry；　and　refusing　all　invitations　to　fight　unless
〃necessity　was　laid　upon　him。〃　　The　only　man　to　object　was　his　own
brother；　Macdonald　Dubh；　whose　temper　was　swift　to　blaze；　and　with
whom　the　blow　was　quicker　than　the　word。　　But　after　the　second　year
of　the　new　order　even　Black　Hugh　fell　into　line。　　Macdonald　soon
became　famous　on　the　Ottawa。　　He　picked　only　the　best　men；　he　fed
them　well；　paid　them　the　highest　wages；　and　cared　for　their
comfort；　but　held　them　in　strictest　discipline。　　They　would　drink
but　kept　sober；　they　would　spend　money　but　knew　how　much　was　coming
to　them。　　They　feared　no　men　even　of　〃twice　their　own　heavy　and
big；〃　but　would　never　fight　except　under　necessity。　　Contracts
began　to　come　their　way。　　They　made　money；　and　what　was　better；
they　brought　it　home。　　The　best　men　sought　to　join　them；　but　by
rival　gangs　and　by　men　rejected　from　their　ranks　they　were　hated
with　deepest　heart　hatred。　　But　the　men　from　Glengarry　knew　no　fear
and　sought　no　favor。　　They　asked　only　a　good　belt　of　pine　and　an
open　river。　　As　a　rule　they　got　both；　and　it　was　peculiarly
maddening　to　Black　Hugh　to　find　two　or　three　miles　of　solid　logs
between　his　timber　and　the　open　water　of　the　Nation。　　Black　Hugh
had　a　temper　fierce　and　quick；　and　when　in　full　flame　he　was　a　man
to　avoid；　for　from　neither　man　nor　devil　would　he　turn。　　The　only
man　who　could　hold　him　was　his　brother　Macdonald　Bhain；　for　strong
man　as　he　was；　Black　Hugh　knew　well　that　his　brother　could　with　a
single　swift　grip　bring　him　to　his　knees。

It　was　unfortunate　that　the　command　of　the　party　this　day　should
have　been　Macdonald　Dubh's。　　Unfortunate；　too；　that　it　was　Dan
Murphy　and　his　men　that　happened　to　be　blocking　the　river　mouth。
For　the　Glengarry　men；　who　handled　only　square　timber；　despised　the
Murphy　gang　as　sawlog…men；　〃log…rollers〃　or　〃mushrats〃　they　called
them；　and　hated　them　as　Irish　〃Papishes〃　and　French　〃Crapeaux；〃
while　between　Dan　Murphy　and　Macdonald　Dubh　there　was　an　ancient
personal　grudge；　and　to…day　Murphy　thought　he　had　found　his　time。
There　were　only　six　of　the　enemy；　he　had　ten　times　the　number　with
him；　many　of　them　eager　to　pay　off　old　scores；　and　besides　there
was　Louis　LeNoir　as　the　〃Boss　Bully〃　of　the　river。　　The　Frenchman
was　not　only　a　powerful　man；　active　with　hands　and　feet；　but　he　was
an　adept　in　all　kinds　of　fighting　tricks。　　Since　coming　to　the
Ottawa　he　had　heard　of　the　big　Macdonald；　and　he　sought　to　meet
him。　　But　Macdonald　avoided　him　once　and　again　till　LeNoir；　having
never　known　any　one　avoiding　a　fight　for　any　reason　other　than
fear；　proclaimed　Macdonald　a　coward；　and　himself　〃de　boss　on　de
reever。〃　　Now　there　was　a　chance　of　meeting　his　rival　and　of
forcing　a　fight；　for　the　Glengarry　camp　could　not　be　far　away　where
the　big　Macdonald　himself　would　be。　　So　Dan　Murphy；　backed　up　with
numbers；　and　the　boss　bully　LeNoir；　determined　that　for　these
Macdonald　men　the　day　of　settlement　had　come。　　But　they　were
dangerous　men；　and　it　would　be　well　to　take　all　precautions；　and
hence　his　friendly　invitation　to　the　tavern　for　drinks。

Macdonald　Dubh；　scorning　to　show　hesitation；　though　he　suspected
treachery；　strode　after　Murphy　to　the　tavern　door　and　through　the
crowd　of　shanty…men　filling　the　room。　　They　were　as　ferocious
looking　a　lot　of　men　as　could　well　be　got　together；　even　in　that
country　and　in　those　daysshaggy　of　hair　and　beard；　dressed　out　in
red　and　blue　and　green　jerseys；　with　knitted　sashes　about　their
waists；　and　red　and　blue　and　green　tuques　on　their　heads。　　Drunken
rows　were　their　delight；　and　fights　so　fierce　that　many　a　man　came
out　battered　and　bruised　to　death　or　to　life…long　decrepitude。
They　were　sitting　on　the　benches　that　ran　round　the　room；　or
lounging　against　the　bar　singing；　talking；　blaspheming。　　At　the
sight　of　Macdonald　Dubh　and　his　men　there　fell　a　dead　silence；　and
then　growls　of　recognition；　but　Murphy　was　not　yet　ready；　and
roaring　out　〃Dh…r…r…i…n…k…s；〃　he　seized　a　couple　of　his　men　leaning
against　the　bar；　and　hurling　them　to　right　and　left；　cried；
〃Ma…a…ke　room　for　yer　betthers；　be　the　powers！　　Sthand　up；　bhoys；
and　fill　yirsilves！〃

Black　Hugh　and　his　men　lined　up　gravely　to　the　bar　and　were
straightway　surrounded　by　the　crowd　yelling　hideously。　　But　if
Murphy　and　his　gang　thought　to　intimidate　those　grave　Highlanders
with　noise；　they　were　greatly　mistaken；　for　they　stood　quietly
waiting　for　their　glasses　to　be　filled；　alert；　but　with　an　air　of
perfect　indifference。　　Some　eight　or　ten　glasses　were　set　down　and
filled；　when　Murphy；　snatching　a　couple　of　bottles　from　the　shelf
behind　the　bar；　handed　them　out　to　his　men；　crying；　〃Here；　ye
bluddy　thaves；　lave　the　glasses　to　the　gintlemen！〃

There　was　no　mistaking　the　insolence　in　his　tone；　and　the　chorus　of
derisive　yells　that　answered　him　showed　that　his　remark　had　gone　to
the　spot。

Yankee　Jim；　who　had　kept　close　to　Black　Hugh；　saw　the　veins　in　his
neck　beginning　to　swell；　and　face　to　grow　dark。　　He　was　longing　to
be　at　Murphy's　throat。　　〃Speak　him　fair；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　tone；
〃there's　rather　a　good　string　of　'em　raound。〃　　Macdonald　Dubh
glanced　about　him。　　His　eye　fell　on　his　boy；　and　for　the　first　time
his　face　became　anxious。　　〃Ranald；〃　he　said；　angrily；　〃take
yourself　out　of　this。　　It　is　no　place　for　you