black rock-第19章
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tried to get out； but was held fast by Geordie。
Graeme was passing out； but I signed him to remain； saying that I
wished 'to see the thing out。' Abe sat still beside me； swearing
disgustedly at the fellows 'who were going back on the preacher。'
Craig appeared amazed at the number of men remaining； and seemed to
fear that something was wrong。 He put before them the terms of
discipleship； as the Master put them to the eager scribe； and he
did not make them easy。 He pictured the kind of work to be done；
and the kind of men needed for the doing of it。 Abe grew uneasy as
the minister went on to describe the completeness of the surrender；
the intensity of the loyalty demanded。
'That knocks me out； I reckon；' he muttered； in a disappointed
tone； 'I ain't up to that grade。' And as Craig described the
heroism called for； the magnificence of the fight； the worth of it；
and the outcome of it all； Abe ground out： I'll be blanked if I
wouldn't like to take a hand； but I guess I'm not in it。' Craig
finished by saying
'I want to put this quite fairly。 It is not any league of mine；
you're not joining my company； it is no easy business； and it is
for your whole life。 What do you say？ Do I put it fairly？ What
do you say； Nelson？'
Nelson rose slowly； and with difficulty began
'I may be all wrong； but you made it easier for me； Mr。 Craig。 You
said He would see me through； or I should never have risked it。
Perhaps I am wrong；' and the old man looked troubled。 Craig sprang
up。
'No！ no！ Thank God； no！ He will see every man through who will
trust his life to Him。 Every man； no matter how tough he is； no
matter how broken。'
Then Nelson straightened himself up and said
'Well； sir！ I believe a lot of the men would go in for this if they
were dead sure they would get through。'
'Get through！' said Craig； 'never a fear of it。 It is a hard
fight； a long fight； a glorious fight；' throwing up his head； but
every man who squarely trusts Him； and takes Him as Lord and
Master； comes out victor！'
'Bon！' said Baptiste 'Das me。 You tink He's take me in dat fight；
M'sieu Craig； heh？' His eyes were blazing。
'You mean it？' asked Craig almost sternly。
'Yes！ by gar！' said the little Frenchman eagerly。
'Hear what He says； then'； and Craig； turning over the leaves of
his Testament； read solemnly the words； 'Swear not at all。'
'Non！ For sure！ Den I stop him；' replied Baptiste earnestly； and
Craig wrote his name down。
Poor Abe looked amazed and distressed； rose slowly； and saying；
'That jars my whisky jug；' passed out。 There was a slight movement
near the organ； and glancing up I saw Mrs。 Mavor put her face
hastily in her hands。 The men's faces were anxious and troubled；
and Nelson said in a voice that broke
'Tell them what you told me； sir。' But Craig was troubled too； and
replied； 'You tell them； Nelson！' and Nelson told the men the story
of how he began just five weeks ago。 The old man's voice steadied
as he went on； and he grew eager as he told how he had been helped；
and how the world was all different； and his heart seemed new。 He
spoke of his Friend as if He were some one that could be seen out
at camp； that he knew well； and met every day。
But as he tried to say how deeply he regretted that he had not
known all this years before； the old； hard face began to quiver；
and the steady voice wavered。 Then he pulled himself together； and
said
'I begin to feel sure He'll pull me throughme！ the hardest man in
the mountains！ So don't you fear； boys。 He's all right。'
Then the men gave in their names； one by one。 When it came to
Geordie's turn； he gave his name
'George Crawford； frae the pairish o' Kilsyth； Scotland； an' ye'll
juist pit doon the lad's name； Maister Craig； he's a wee bit fashed
wi' the discoorse； but he has the root o' the maitter in him； I
doot。' And so Billy Breen's name went down。
When the meeting was over； thirty…eight names stood upon the
communion roll of the Black Rock Presbyterian Church； and it will
ever be one of the regrets of my life that neither Graeme's name
nor my own appeared on that roll。 And two days after； when the cup
went round on that first Communion Sabbath； from Nelson to Sandy；
and from Sandy to Baptiste； and so on down the line to Billy Breen
and Mrs。 Mavor； and then to Abe； the driver； whom she had by her
own mystic power lifted into hope and faith； I felt all the shame
and pain of a traitor； and I believe； in my heart that the fire of
that pain and shame burned something of the selfish cowardice out
of me； and that it is burning still。
The last words of the minister； in the short address after the
table had been served； were low； and sweet； and tender； but they
were words of high courage； and before he had spoken them all； the
men were listening with shining eyes； and when they rose to sing
the closing hymn they stood straight and stiff like soldiers on
parade。
And I wished more than ever I were one of them。
CHAPTER VIII
THE BREAKING OF THE LEAGUE
There is no doubt in my mind that nature designed me for a great
painter。 A railway director interfered with that design of nature；
as he has with many another of hers； and by the transmission of an
order for mountain pieces by the dozen； together with a cheque so
large that I feared there was some mistake； he determined me to be
an illustrator and designer for railway and like publications。 I
do not like these people ordering 'by the dozen。' Why should they
not consider an artist's finer feelings？ Perhaps they cannot
understand them； but they understand my pictures； and I understand
their cheques； and there we are quits。 But so it came that I
remained in Black Rock long enough to witness the breaking of the
League。
Looking back upon the events of that night from the midst of gentle
and decent surroundings； they now seem strangely unreal； but to me
then they appeared only natural。
It was the Good Friday ball that wrecked the League。 For the fact
that the promoters of the ball determined that it should be a ball
rather than a dance was taken by the League men as a concession to
the new public opinion in favour of respectability created by the
League。 And when the manager's patronage had been secured （they
failed to get Mrs。 Mavor's）； and it was further announced that；
though held in the Black Rock Hotel ballroomindeed； there was no
other placerefreshments suited to the peculiar tastes of League
men would be provided； it was felt to be almost a necessity that
the League should approve； should indeed welcome； this concession
to the public opinion in favour of respectability created by the
League。
There were extreme men on both sides； of course。 'Idaho' Jack；
professional gambler； for instance； frankly considered that the
whole town was going to unmentionable depths of propriety。 The
organisation of the League was regarded by him； and by many others；
as a sad retrograde towards the bondage of the ancient and dying
East； and that he could not get drunk when and where he pleased；
'Idaho；' as he was called； regarded as a personal grievance。
But Idaho was never enamoured of the social ways of Black Rock。 He
was shocked and disgusted when he discovered that a 'gun' was
decreed by British law to be an unnecessary adornment of a card…
table。 The manner of his discovery must have been interesting to
behold。
It is said that Idaho was industriously pursuing his avocation in
Slavin's； with his 'gun' lying upon the card…table convenient to
his hand； when in walked policeman Jackson； her Majesty's sole
representative in the Black Rock district。 Jackson； 'Stonewall'
Jackson； or 'Stonewall；' as he was called for obvious reasons；
after watching the game for a few moments； gently tapped the pistol
and asked what he used this for。
'I'll show you in two holy minutes if you don't light out；' said
Idaho； hardly looking up； but very angrily； for the luck was
against him。 But Jackson tapped upon the table and said sweetly
'You're a stranger here。 You ought to get a guide…book and post
yourself。 Now； the boys know I don't interfere with an innocent
little game； but there is a
