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第14章

black rock-第14章

小说: black rock 字数: 每页4000字

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was sure they would be glad to have Mrs。 Mavor sing。  In the
interval the men talked in groups; eagerly; even fiercely; hampered
seriously in the forceful expression of their opinion by the
presence of Mrs。 Mavor; who glided from group to group; dropping a
word here and a smile there。  She reminded me of a general riding
along the ranks; bracing his men for the coming battle。  She paused
beside Geordie; spoke earnestly for a few moments; while Geordie
gazed solemnly at her; and then she came back to Billy in the
corner near me。  What she was saying I could not hear; but poor
Billy was protesting; spreading his hands out aimlessly before him;
but gazing at her the while in dumb admiration。  Then she came to
me。  'Poor Billy; he was good to my husband;' she said softly; 'and
he has a good heart。'

'He's not much to look at;' I could not help saying。

'The oyster hides its pearl;' she answered; a little reproachfully。

'The shell is apparent enough;' I replied; for the mischief was in
me。

'Ah yes;' she replied softly; 'but it is the pearl we love。'

I moved over beside Billy; whose eyes were following Mrs。 Mavor as
she went to speak to Mr。 Craig。  'Well;' I said; 'you all seem to
have a high opinion of her。'

'An 'igh hopinion;' he replied; in deep scorn。  'An 'igh hopinion;
you calls it。'

'What would you call it?' I asked; wishing to draw him out。

'Oi don't call it nothink;' he replied; spreading out his rough
hands。

'She seems very nice;' I said indifferently。

He drew his eyes away from Mrs。 Mavor; and gave attention to me for
the first time。

'Nice!' he repeated with fine contempt; and then he added
impressively; 'Them as don't know shouldn't say nothink。'

'You are right;' I answered earnestly; 'and I am quite of your
opinion。'

He gave me a quick glance out of his little; deep…set; dark…blue
eyes; and opened his heart to me。  He told me; in his quaint
speech; how again and again she had taken him in and nursed him;
and encouraged him; and sent him out with a new heart for his
battle; until; for very shame's sake at his own miserable weakness;
he had kept out of her way for many months; going steadily down。

'Now; oi hain't got no grip; but when she says to me to…night; says
she; 〃Oh; Billy〃she calls me Billy to myself' (this with a touch
of pride)'〃oh; Billy;〃 says she; 〃we must 'ave a total
habstinence league to…night; and oi want you to 'elp!〃 and she
keeps a…lookin' at me with those heyes o' hern till; if you believe
me; sir;' lowering his voice to an emphatic whisper; 'though oi
knowed oi couldn't 'elp none; afore oi knowed oi promised 'er oi
would。  It's 'er heyes。  When them heyes says 〃do;〃 hup you steps
and 〃does。〃'

I remembered my first look into her eyes; and I could quite
understand Billy's submission。  Just as she began to sing I went
over to Geordie and took my seat beside him。  She began with an
English slumber song; 'Sleep; Baby; Sleep'one of Barry
Cornwall's; I think;and then sang a love…song with the refrain;
'Love once again'; but no thrills came to me; and I began to wonder
if her spell over me was broken。  Geordie; who had been listening
somewhat indifferently; encouraged me; however; by saying; 'She's
just pittin' aff time with thae feckless sangs; man; there's nae
grup till them。'  But when; after a few minutes' pause; she began
'My Ain Fireside;' Geordie gave a sigh of satisfaction。  'Ay;
that's somethin' like;' and when she finished the first verse he
gave me a dig in the ribs with his elbow that took my breath away;
saying in a whisper; 'Man; hear till yon; wull ye?'  And again I
found the spell upon me。  It was not the voice after all; but the
great soul behind that thrilled and compelled。  She was seeing;
feeling; living what she sang; and her voice showed us her heart。
The cosy fireside; with its bonnie; blithe blink; where no care
could abide; but only peace and love; was vividly present to her;
and as she sang we saw it too。  When she came to the last verse


     'When I draw in my stool
        On my cosy hearth…stane;
      My heart loups sae licht
        I scarce ken't for my ain;'


there was a feeling of tears in the flowing song; and we knew the
words had brought her a picture of the fireside that would always
seem empty。  I felt the tears in my eyes; and; wondering at myself;
I cast a stealthy glance at the men about me; and I saw that they;
too; were looking through their hearts' windows upon firesides and
ingle…neuks that gleamed from far。

And then she sang 'The Auld Hoose;' and Geordie; giving me another
poke; said; 'That's ma ain sang;' and when I asked him what he
meant; he whispered fiercely; 'Wheesht; man!' and I did; for his
face looked dangerous。

In a pause between the verses I heard Geordie saying to himself;
'Ay; I maun gie it up; I doot。'

'What?' I ventured。

'Naething ava。'  And then he added impatiently; 'Man; but ye're an
inqueesitive buddie;' after which I subsided into silence。

Immediately upon the meeting being called to order; Mr。 Craig made
his speech; and it was a fine bit of work。  Beginning with a clear
statement of the object in view; he set in contrast the two kinds
of leagues proposed。  One; a league of men who would take whisky in
moderation; the other; a league of men who were pledged to drink
none themselves; and to prevent in every honourable way others from
drinking。  There was no long argument; but he spoke at white heat;
and as he appealed to the men to think; each not of himself alone;
but of the others as well; the yearning; born of his long months of
desire and of toil; vibrated in his voice and reached to the heart。
Many men looked uncomfortable and uncertain; and even the manager
looked none too cheerful。

At this critical moment the crowd got a shock。  Billy Breen
shuffled out to the front; and; in a voice shaking with nervousness
and emotion; began to speak; his large; coarse hands wandering
tremulously about。

'Oi hain't no bloomin' temperance horator; and mayhap oi hain't no
right to speak 'ere; but oi got somethin' to saigh (say) and oi'm
agoin' to saigh it。

'Parson; 'ee says is it wisky or no wisky in this 'ere club?  If ye
hask me; wich (which) ye don't; then no wisky; says oi; and if ye
hask why?look at me!  Once oi could mine more coal than hany man
in the camp; now oi hain't fit to be a sorter。  Once oi 'ad some
pride and hambition; now oi 'angs round awaitin' for some one to
saigh; 〃Ere; Billy; 'ave summat。〃  Once oi made good paigh (pay);
and sent it 'ome regular to my poor old mother (she's in the wukus
now; she is); oi hain't sent 'er hany for a year and a 'alf。  Once
Billy was a good fellow and 'ad plenty o' friends; now Slavin
'isself kicks un hout; 'ee does。  Why? why?'  His voice rose to a
shriek。  'Because when Billy 'ad money in 'is pocket; hevery man in
this bloomin' camp as meets un at hevery corner says; 〃'Ello;
Billy; wat'll ye 'ave?〃  And there's wisky at Slavin's; and there's
wisky in the shacks; and hevery 'oliday and hevery Sunday there's
wisky; and w'en ye feel bad it's wisky; and w'en ye feel good it's
wisky; and heverywhere and halways it's wisky; wisky; wisky!  And
now ye're goin' to stop it; and 'ow?  T' manager; 'ee says picters
and magazines。  'Ee takes 'is wine and 'is beer like a gentleman;
'ee does; and 'ee don't 'ave no use for Billy Breen。  Billy; 'ee's
a beast; and t' manager; 'ee kicks un hout。  But supposin' Billy
wants to stop bein' a beast; and starts a…tryin' to be a man again;
and w'en 'ee gets good an' dry; along comes some un and says;
〃'Ello; Billy; 'ave a smile;〃 it hain't picters nor magazines 'ud
stop un then。  Picters and magazines!  Gawd 'elp the man as hain't
nothin' but picters and magazines to 'elp un w'en 'ee's got a devil
hinside and a devil houtside a…shovin' and a…drawin' of un down to
'ell。  And that's w'ere oi'm a…goin' straight; and yer bloomin'
League; wisky or no wisky; can't help me。  But;' and he lifted his
trembling hands above his head; 'if ye stop the wisky a…flowin'
round this camp; ye'll stop some of these lads that's a…followin'
me 'ard。  Yes; you! and you! and you!' and his voice rose to a wild
scream as he sho

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