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第4章

the bridge-builders-第4章

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awake!  Hear!〃 He dipped his hand over the side of a boat and the

current mumbled on it。  A little wave hit the side of a pier

with a crisp slap。



〃Six hours before her time;〃 said Findlayson; mopping his

forehead savagely。



〃Now we can't depend on anything。  We'd better clear all hands

out of the riverbed。〃



Again the big gong beat; and a second time there was the rushing

of naked feet on earth and ringing iron; the clatter of tools

ceased。  In the silence; men heard the dry yawn of water crawling

over thirsty sand。



Foreman after foreman shouted to Findlayson; who had posted

himself by the guard…tower; that his section of the river…bed had

been cleaned out; and when the last voice dropped Findlayson

hurried over the bridge till the iron plating of the permanent

way gave place to the temporary plank…walk over the three centre

piers; and there he met Hitchcock。



〃'All clear your side?〃 said Findlayson。  The whisper rang in the

box of lattice work。



〃Yes; and the east channel's filling now。  We're utterly out of

our reckoning。  When is this thing down on us?〃



〃There's no saying。  She's filling as fast as she can。  Look!〃

Findlayson pointed to the planks below his feet; where the sand;

burned and defiled by months of work; was beginning to whisper

and fizz。



〃What orders?〃 said Hitchcock。



〃Call the roll … count stores  sit on your hunkers … and pray for

the bridge。  That's all I can think of Good night。  Don't risk

your life trying to fish out anything that may go downstream。〃



〃Oh; I'll be as prudent as you are!  'Night。  Heavens; how she's

filling!  Here's the rain in earnest。〃



Findlayson picked his way back to his bank; sweeping the last of

McCartney's riveters before him。  The gangs had spread themselves

along the embankments; regardless of the cold rain of the dawn;

and there they waited for the flood。  Only Peroo kept his men

together behind the swell of the guard…tower; where the stone…boats

lay tied fore and aft with hawsers; wire…rope; and chains。



A shrill wail ran along the line; growing to a yell; half fear

and half wonder: the face of the river whitened from bank to hank

between the stone facings; and the far…away spurs went out in

spouts of foam。  Mother Gunga had come bank…high in haste; and a

wall of chocolate…coloured water was her messenger。  There was a

shriek above the roar of the water; the complaint of the spans

coming down on their blocks as the cribs were whirled out from

under their bellies。  The stone…boats groaned and ground each

other in the eddy that swung round the abutment; and their clumsy

masts rose higher and higher against the dim sky…line。



〃Before she was shut between these walls we knew what she would

do。  Now she is thus cramped God only knows what she will do!〃

said Peroo; watching the furious turmoil round the guard…tower。

〃Ohe'! Fight; then! Fight hard; for it is thus that a woman wears

herself out。〃



But Mother Gunga would not fight as Peroo desired。  After the

first down…stream plunge there came no more walls of water; but

the river lifted herself bodily; as a snake when she drinks in

midsummer; plucking and fingering along the revetments; and

banking up behind the piers till even Findlayson began to

recalculate the strength of his work。



When day came the village gasped。  〃Only last night;〃 men said;

turning to each other; 〃it was as a town in the river…bed!  Look now!〃



And they looked and wondered afresh at the deep water; the

racing water that licked the throat of the piers。  The farther

bank was veiled by rain; into which the bridge ran out and

vanished; the spurs up…stream were marked by no more than eddies

and spoutings; and down…stream the pent river; once freed of her

guide…lines; had spread like a sea to the horizon。  Then hurried

by; rolling in the water; dead men and oxen together; with here

and there a patch of thatched roof that melted when it touched a

pier。



〃Big flood;〃 said Peroo; and Findlayson nodded。  It was as big a

flood as he had any wish to watch。  His bridge would stand

what was upon her now; but not very much more; and if by any of a

thousand chances there happened to be a weakness in the

embankments; Mother Gunga would carry his honour to the sea with

the other raffle。  Worst of all; there was nothing to do except

to sit still; and Findlayson sat still under his macintosh till

his helmet became pulp on his head; and his boots were over…ankle

in mire。  He took no count of time; for the river was marking the

hours; inch by inch and foot by foot; along the embankment; and

he listened; numb and hungry; to the straining of the

stone…boats; the hollow thunder under the piers; and the hundred

noises that make the full note of a flood。  Once a dripping

servant brought him food; but he could not eat; and once he

thought that he heard a faint toot from a locomotive across the

river; and then he smiled。  The bridge's failure would hurt his

assistant not a little; hut Hitchcock was a young man with his

big work yet to do。  For himself the crash meant everything …

everything that made a hard life worth the living。  They would

say; the men of his own profession 。 。 。he remembered the

half…pitying things that he himself had said when Lockhart's new

waterworks burst and broke down in brick…heaps and sludge; and

Lockhart's spirit broke in him and he died。  He remembered what

he himself had said when the Sumao Bridge went out in the big

cyclone by the sea; and most he remembered poor Hartopp's face

three weeks later; when the shame had marked it。  His bridge was

twice the size of Hartopp's; and it carried the Findlayson truss

as well as the new pier…shoe … the Findlayson bolted shoe。  There

were no excuses in his service。  Government might listen;

perhaps; but his own kind would judge him by his bridge; as that

stood or fell。  He went over it in his head; plate by plate; span

by span; brick by brick; pier by pier; remembering; comparing;

estimating; and recalculating; lest there should be any mistake;

and through the long hours and through the flights of formulae

that danced and wheeled before him a cold fear would come to

pinch his heart。  His side of the sum was beyond question; but

what man knew Mother Gunga's arithmetic?  Even as he was making

all sure by the multiplication table; the river might be scooping

a pot…hole to the very bottom of any one of those eighty…foot

piers that carried his reputation。  Again a servant came to him

with food; but his mouth was dry; and he could only drink and

return to the decimals in his brain。  And the river was still

rising。  Peroo; in a mat shelter coat; crouched at his feet;

watching now his face and now the face of the river; but saying

nothing。



At last the Lascar rose and floundered through the mud towards

the village; but he was careful to leave an ally to watch the

boats。



Presently he returned; most irreverently driving before him the

priest of his creed … a fat old man; with a grey beard that

whipped the wind with the wet cloth that blew over his shoulder。

Never was seen so lamentable a guru。



〃What good are offerings and little kerosene lamps and dry

grain;〃 shouted Peroo; 〃if squatting in the mud is all that thou

canst do?  Thou hast dealt long with the Gods when they were

contented and well…wishing。  Now they are angry。  Speak to them!〃



〃What is a man against the wrath of Gods?〃 whined the priest;

cowering as the wind took him。  〃Let me go to the temple; and I

will pray there。〃



〃Son of a pig; pray here!  Is there no return for salt fish and

curry powder and dried onions?  Call aloud!  Tell Mother Gunga we

have had enough。  Bid her be still for the night。  I cannot pray;

but I have been serving in the Kumpani's boats; and when men did

not obey my orders I …〃  A flourish of the wire…rope colt rounded

the sentence; and the priest; breaking free from his disciple;

fled 

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