black rock-第20章

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yourself。　　Now；　the　boys　know　I　don't　interfere　with　an　innocent
little　game；　but　there　is　a　regulation　against　playing　it　with
guns；　so；'　he　added　even　more　sweetly；　but　fastening　Idaho　with　a
look　from　his　steel…grey　eyes；　'I'll　just　take　charge　of　this；'
picking　up　the　revolver；　'it　might　go　off。'

Idaho's　rage；　great　as　it　was；　was　quite　swallowed　up　in　his　amazed
disgust　at　the　state　of　society　that　would　permit　such　an　outrage
upon　personal　liberty。　　He　was　quite　unable　to　play　any　more　that
evening；　and　it　took　several　drinks　all　round　to　restore　him　to
articulate　speech。　　The　rest　of　the　night　was　spent　in　retailing
for　his　instruction　stories　of　the　ways　of　Stonewall　Jackson。

Idaho　bought　a　new　'gun；'　but　he　wore　it　'in　his　clothes；'　and　used
it　chiefly　in　the　pastime　of　shooting　out　the　lights　or　in　picking
off　the　heels　from　the　boys'　boots　while　a　stag　dance　was　in
progress　in　Slavin's。　　But　in　Stonewall's　presence　Idaho　was　a　most
correct　citizen。　　Stonewall　he　could　understand　and　appreciate。　　He
was　six　feet　three；　and　had　an　eye　of　unpleasant　penetration。　　But
this　new　feeling　in　the　community　for　respectability　he　could
neither　understand　nor　endure。　　The　League　became　the　object　of　his
indignant　aversion；　and　the　League　men　of　his　contempt。　　He　had
many　sympathisers；　and　frequent　were　the　assaults　upon　the　newly…
born　sobriety　of　Billy　Breen　and　others　of　the　League。　　But
Geordie's　watchful　care　and　Mrs。　Mavor's　steady　influence；　together
with　the　loyal　co…operation　of　the　League　men；　kept　Billy　safe　so
far。　　Nixon；　too；　was　a　marked　man。　　It　may　be　that　he　carried
himself　with　unnecessary　jauntiness　toward　Slavin　and　Idaho；
saluting　the　former　with；　'Awful　dry　weather！　eh；　Slavin？'　and　the
latter　with；　'Hello；　old　sport！　how's　times？'　causing　them　to　swear
deeply；　and；　as　it　turned　out；　to　do　more　than　swear。

But　on　the　whole　the　anti…League　men　were　in　favour　of　a　respectable
ball；　and　most　of　the　League　men　determined　to　show　their
appreciation　of　the　concession　of　the　committee　to　the　principles　of
the　League　in　the　important　matter　of　refreshments　by　attending　in
force。

Nixon　would　not　go。　　However　jauntily　he　might　talk；　he　could　not
trust　himself；　as　he　said；　where　whisky　was　flowing；　for　it　got
into　his　nose　'like　a　fish…hook　into　a　salmon。'　　He　was　from
Nova　Scotia。　　For　like　reason；　Vernon　Winton；　the　young　Oxford
fellow；　would　not　go。　　When　they　chaffed；　his　lips　grew　a　little
thinner；　and　the　colour　deepened　in　his　handsome　face；　but　he　went
on　his　way。　　Geordie　despised　the　'hale　hypothick'　as　a　'daft
ploy；'　and　the　spending　of　five　dollars　upon　a　ticket　he　considered
a　'sinfu'　waste　o'　guid　siller'；　and　he　warned　Billy　against
'coontenancin'　ony　sic　redeeklus　nonsense。'

But　no　one　expected　Billy　to　go；　although　the　last　two　months　he
had　done　wonders　for　his　personal　appearance；　and　for　his　position
in　the　social　scale　as　well。　　They　all　knew　what　a　fight　he　was
making；　and　esteemed　him　accordingly。　　How　well　I　remember　the
pleased　pride　in　his　face　when　he　told　me　in　the　afternoon　of　the
committee's　urgent　request　that　he　should　join　the　orchestra　with
his　'cello！　　It　was　not　simply　that　his　'cello　was　his　joy　and
pride；　but　he　felt　it　to　be　a　recognition　of　his　return　to
respectability。

I　have　often　wondered　how　things　combine　at　times　to　a　man's
destruction。

Had　Mr。　Craig　not　been　away　at　the　Landing　that　week；　had　Geordie
not　been　on　the　night…shift；　had　Mrs。　Mavor　not　been　so　occupied
with　the　care　of　her　sick　child；　it　may　be　Billy　might　have　been
saved　his　fall。

The　anticipation　of　the　ball　stirred　Black　Rock　and　the　camps　with
a　thrill　of　expectant　delight。　　Nowadays；　when　I　find　myself　forced
to　leave　my　quiet　smoke　in　my　studio　after　dinner　at　the　call　of
some　social　engagement　which　I　have　failed　to　elude；　I　groan　at　my
hard　lot；　and　I　wonder　as　I　look　back　and　remember　the　pleasurable
anticipation　with　which　I　viewed　the　approaching　ball。　　But　I　do
not　wonder　now　any　more　than　I　did　then　at　the　eager　delight　of　the
men　who　for　seven　days　in　the　week　swung　their　picks　up　in　the　dark
breasts　of　the　mines；　or　who　chopped　and　sawed　among　the　solitary
silences　of　the　great　forests。　　Any　break　in　the　long　and　weary
monotony　was　welcome；　what　mattered　the　cost　or　consequence！　　To
the　rudest　and　least　cultured　of　them　the　sameness　of　the　life　must
have　been　hard　to　bear；　but　what　it　was　to　men　who　had　seen　life　in
its　most　cultured　and　attractive　forms　I　fail　to　imagine。　　From　the
mine；　black　and　foul；　to　the　shack；　bare；　cheerless；　and　sometimes
hideously　repulsive；　life　swung　in　heart…grinding　monotony　till　the
longing　for　a　'big　drink'　or　some　other　'big　break'　became　too
great　to　bear。

It　was　well　on　towards　evening　when　Sandy's　four　horse　team；　with　a
load　of　men　from　the　woods；　came　swinging　round　the　curves　of　the
mountain…road　and　down　the　street。　　A　gay　crowd　they　were　with
their　bright；　brown　faces　and　hearty　voices；　and　in　ten　minutes　the
whole　street　seemed　alive　with　lumbermenthey　had　a　faculty　of
spreading　themselves　so。　　After　night　fell　the　miners　came　down
'done　up　slick；'　for　this　was　a　great　occasion；　and　they　must　be　up
to　it。　　The　manager　appeared　in　evening　dress；　but　this　was　voted
'too　giddy'　by　the　majority。

As　Graeme　and　I　passed　up　to　the　Black　Rock　Hotel；　in　the　large
store…room　of　which　the　ball　was　to　be　held；　we　met　old　man　Nelson
looking　very　grave。

'Going；　Nelson；　aren't　you？'　I　said。

'Yes；'　he　answered　slowly；　'I'll　drop　in；　though　I　don't　like　the
look　of　things　much。'

'What's　the　matter；　Nelson？'　asked　Graeme　cheerily。　　'There's　no
funeral　on。'

'Perhaps　not；'　replied　Nelson；　'but　I　wish　Mr。　Craig　were　home。'
And　then　he　added；　'There's　Idaho　and　Slavin　together；　and　you　may
bet　the　devil　isn't　far　off。'

But　Graeme　laughed　at　his　suspicion；　and　we　passed　on。　　The
orchestra　was　tuning　up。　　There　were　two　violins；　a　concertina；　and
the　'cello。　　Billy　Breen　was　lovingly　fingering　his　instrument；　now
and　then　indulging　himself　in　a　little　snatch　of　some　air　that　came
to　him　out　of　his　happier　past。　　He　looked　perfectly　delighted；　and
as　I　paused　to　listen　he　gave　me　a　proud　glance　out　of　his　deep；
little；　blue　eyes；　and　went　on　playing　softly　to　himself。
Presently　Shaw　came　along。

'That's　good；　Billy；'　he　called　out。　　'You've　got　the　trick　yet；　I
see。〃

But　Billy　only　nodded　and　went　on　playing。

'Where's　Nixon？'　I　asked。

'Gone　to　bed；'　said　Shaw；　'and　I　am　glad　of　it。　　He　finds　that　the
safest　place　on　pay…day　afternoon。　　The　boys　don't　bother　him
there。'

The　dancing…room　was　lined　on　two　sides　with　beer…barrels　and
whisky…kegs；　at　one　end　the　orchestra　sat；　at　the　other　was　a　table
with　refreshments；　where　the　'soft　drinks'　might　be　had。　　Those　who
wanted　anything　else　might　pass　through　a　short　passage　into　the
bar　just　behind。

This　was　evidently　a　superior　kind　of　ball；　for　the　men　kept　on
their　coats；　and　went　through　the　various　figures　with　faces　of
unnatural　solemnity。　　But　the　strain　upon　their　feelings　was　quite
apparent；　and　it　became　a　question　how　long　it　could　be　maintained。
As　the　trips　through　the　passage…way　became　more　frequent　the
dancing　grew　in　vigour　and　hilarity；　until　by　the　time　supper　was
announced　the　stiffness　had　sufficiently　vanished　to　give　no
further　anxiety　to　the　committee。

But　the　committee　had　other　cause　for　concern；　inasmuch　as　after
supper　certain　of　the　miners　appeared　with　their　coats　off；　and
proceeded　to　'knock　the　knots　out　of　the　floor'　in　break…down
dances　of　extraordinary　energy。　　These；　however；　were　beguiled　into
the　bar…room　and　'filled　up'　for　safety；　for　the　committee　were
determined　that　the　respectability　of　the　ball　should　be　preserved
to　the　end。　　Their　reputation　was　at　stake；　not　in　Black　Rock　only；
but　at　the　Landing　as　well；　from　which　most　of　the　ladies　had　come；
and　to　be　shamed　in　the　presence　of　the　Landing　people　could　not　be
borne。　　Their　difficulties　seemed　to　be　increasing；　for　at　this
point　something　seemed　to　go　wrong　with　the　orchestra。　　The　'cello
appeared　to　be　wandering　aimlessly　up　and　down　the　scale；
occasionally　pickin