black rock-第12章
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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 the time soft words of love。 〃O my darling；
my bonnie； bonnie darling； speak to me！ Will ye not speak to me
just one little word？ O my love； my love； my heart's love！
Listen； my darling！〃 And she put her lips to his ear； whispering；
and then the awful stillness。 Suddenly she lifted her head and
scanned his face； and then； glancing round with a wild surprise in
her eyes； she cried； 〃He will not speak to me！ Oh； he will not
speak to me！〃 I signed to the men； and as they came forward I went
to her and took her hands。
'〃Oh；〃 she said with a wail in her voice； 〃he will not speak to
me。〃 The men were sobbing aloud。 She looked at them with wide…
open eyes of wonder。 〃Why are they weeping？ Will he never speak
to me again？ Tell me；〃 she insisted gently。 The words were
running through my head
'〃There's a land that is fairer than day；〃
and I said them over to her； holding her hands firmly in mine。 She
gazed at me as if in a dream； and the light slowly faded from her
eyes as she said； tearing her hands from mine and waving them
towards the mountains and the woods
'〃But never more here？ Never more here？〃
'I believe in heaven and the other life； but I confess that for a
moment it all seemed shadowy beside the reality of this warm；
bright world； full of life and love。 She was very ill for two
nights； and when the coffin was closed a new baby lay in the
father's arms。
'She slowly came back to life； but there were no more songs。 The
miners still come about her shop； and talk to her baby； and bring
her their sorrows and troubles； but though she is always gentle；
almost tender； with them； no man ever says 〃Sing。〃 And that is why
I am glad she sang last week； it will be good for her and good for
them。'
'Why does she stay？' I asked。
'Mavor's people wanted her to go to them；' he replied。
'They have moneyshe told me about it； but her heart is in the
grave up there under the pines； and besides； she hopes to do
something for the miners； and she will not leave them。'
I am afraid I snorted a little impatiently as I said； 'Nonsense！
why； with her face； and manner； and voice she could be anything she
liked in Edinburgh or in London。'
'And why Edinburgh or London？' he asked coolly。
'Why？' I repeated a little hotly。 'You think this is better？'
'Nazareth was good enough for the Lord of glory；' he answered； with
a smile none too bright； but it drew my heart to him； and my heat
was gone。
'How long will she stay？' I asked。
'Till her work is done；' he replied。
'And when will that be？' I asked impatiently。
'When God chooses；' he answered gravely； 'and don't you ever think
but that it is worth while。 One value of work is not that crowds
stare at it。 Read history； man！'
He rose abruptly and began to walk about。 'And don't miss the
whole meaning of the Life that lies at the foundation of your
religion。 Yes；' he added to himself； 'the work is worth doing
worth even her doing。'
I could not think so then； but the light of the after years proved
him wiser than I。 A man； to see far； must climb to some height；
and I was too much upon the plain in those days to catch even a
glimpse of distant sunlit uplands of triumphant achievement that
lie beyond the valley of self…sacrifice。
CHAPTER V
THE MAKING OF THE LEAGUE
Thursday morning found Craig anxious； even gloomy； but with fight
in every line of his face。 I tried to cheer him in my clumsy way
by chaffing him about his League。 But he did not blaze up as he
often did。 It was a thing too near his heart for that。 He only
shrank a little from my stupid chaff and said
'Don't； old chap； this is a good deal to me。 I've tried for two
years to get this； and if it falls through now； I shall find it
hard to bear。'
Then I repented my light words and said； 'Why！ the thing will go
sure enough： after that scene in the church they won't go back。'
'Poor fellows！' he said as if to himself； 'whisky is about the only
excitement they have； and they find it pretty tough to give it up；
and a lot of the men are against the total abstinence idea。 It
seems rot to them。'
'It is pretty steep；' I said。 'Can't you do without it？'
'No； I fear not。 There is nothing else for it。 Some of them talk
of compromise。 They want to quit the saloon and drink quietly in
their shacks。 The moderate drinker may have his place in other
countries； though I can't see it。 I haven't thought that out； but
here the only safe man is the man who quits it dead and fights it
straight； anything else is sheerest humbug and nonsense。'
I had not gone in much for total abstinence up to this time；
chiefly because its advocates seemed for the most part to be
somewhat ill…balanced； but as I listened to Craig； I began to feel
that perhaps there was a total abstinence side to the temperance
question； and as to Black Rock； I could see how it must be one
thing or the other。
We found Mrs。 Mavor brave and bright。 She shared Mr。 Craig's
anxiety but not his gloom。 Her courage was of that serene kind
that refuses to believe defeat possible； and lifts the spirit into
the triumph of final victory。 Through the past week she had been
carefully disposing her forces and winning recruits。 And yet she
never seemed to urge or persuade the men； but as evening after
evening the miners dropped into the cosy room downstairs； with her
talk and her songs she charmed them till they were wholly hers。
She took for granted their loyalty； trusted them utterly； and so
made it difficult for them to be other than true men。
That night Mrs。 Mavor's large storeroom； which had been fitted up
with seats； was crowded with miners when Mr。 Craig and I entered。
After a glance over the crowd； Craig said； 'There's the manager；
that means war。' And I saw a tall man； very fair； whose chin fell
away to the vanishing point； and whose hair was parted in the
middle； talking to Mrs。 Mavor。 She was dressed in some rich soft
stuff that became her well。 She was looking beautiful as ever； but
there was something quite
