black rock-第25章

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this　was　generally　accepted　by　the　men　as　the　true　reading；　though
to　them　it　was　full　of　mystery。　　But　they　could　all　understand　and
appreciate　at　full　value　the　spirit　that　breathed　through　the　words
of　the　dying　man：　'Don't　be　'ard　on　'em；　they　didn't　mean　no　'arm。'
And　this　was　the　new　spirit　of　the　League。

It　was　this　spirit　that　surprised　Slavin　into　sudden　tears　at　the
grave's　side。　　He　had　come　braced　for　curses　and　vengeance；　for　all
knew　it　was　he　who　had　doctored　Billy's　lemonade；　and　instead　of
vengeance　the　message　from　the　dead　that　echoed　through　the　voice
of　the　living　was　one　of　pity　and　forgiveness。

But　the　days　of　the　League's　negative；　defensive　warfare　were　over。
The　fight　was　to　the　death；　and　now　the　war　was　to　be　carried　into
the　enemy's　country。　　The　League　men　proposed　a　thoroughly　equipped
and　well…conducted　coffee…room；　reading…room；　and　hall；　to　parallel
the　enemy's　lines　of　operation；　and　defeat　them　with　their　own
weapons　upon　their　own　ground。　　The　main　outlines　of　the　scheme
were　clearly　defined　and　were　easily　seen；　but　the　perfecting　of
the　details　called　for　all　Craig's　tact　and　good　sense。　　When；　for
instance；　Vernon　Winton；　who　had　charge　of　the　entertainment
department；　came　for　Craig's　opinion　as　to　a　minstrel　troupe　and
private　theatricals；　Craig　was　prompt　with　his　answer

'Anything　clean　goes。'

'A　nigger　show？'　asked　Winton。

'Depends　upon　the　niggers；'　replied　Craig　with　a　gravely　comic
look；　shrewdly　adding；　'ask　Mrs。　Mavor'；　and　so　the　League　Minstrel
and　Dramatic　Company　became　an　established　fact；　and　proved；　as
Craig　afterwards　told　me；　'a　great　means　of　grace　to　the　camp。'

Shaw　had　charge　of　the　social　department；　whose　special　care　it　was
to　see　that　the　men　were　made　welcome　to　the　cosy；　cheerful　reading
room；　where　they　might　chat；　smoke；　read；　write；　or　play　games；
according　to　fancy。

But　Craig　felt　that　the　success　or　failure　of　the　scheme　would
largely　depend　upon　the　character　of　the　Resident　Manager；　who；
while　caring　for　reading…room　and　hall；　would　control　and　operate
the　important　department　represented　by　the　coffee…room。

'At　this　point　the　whole　business　may　come　to　grief；'　he　said　to
Mrs。　Mavor；　without　whose　counsel　nothing　was　done。

'Why　come　to　grief？'　she　asked　brightly。

'Because　if　we　don't　get　the　right　man；　that's　what　will　happen；'
he　replied　in　a　tone　that　spoke　of　anxious　worry。

'But　we　shall　get　the　right　man；　never　fear。'　　Her　serene　courage
never　faltered。　　'He　will　come　to　us。'

Craig　turned　and　gazed　at　her　in　frank　admiration　and　said

'If　I　only　had　your　courage！'

'Courage！'　she　answered　quickly。　　'It　is　not　for　you　to　say　that'；
and　at　his　answering　look　the　red　came　into　her　cheek　and　the
depths　in　her　eyes　glowed；　and　I　marvelled　and　wondered；　looking　at
Craig's　cool　face；　whether　his　blood　were　running　evenly　through
his　veins。　　But　his　voice　was　quiet；　a　shade　too　quiet　I　thought；
as　he　gravely　replied

'I　would　often　be　a　coward　but　for　the　shame　of　it。'

And　so　the　League　waited　for　the　man　to　come；　who　was　to　be
Resident　Manager　and　make　the　new　enterprise　a　success。　　And　come
he　did；　but　the　manner　of　his　coming　was　so　extraordinary；　that　I
have　believed　in　the　doctrine　of　a　special　providence　ever　since；
for　as　Craig　said；　'If　he　had　come　straight　from　Heaven　I　could　not
have　been　more　surprised。'

While　the　League　was　thus　waiting；　its　interest　centred　upon
Slavin；　chiefly　because　he　represented　more　than　any　other　the
forces　of　the　enemy；　and　though　Billy　Breen　stood　between　him　and
the　vengeance　of　the　angry　men　who　would　have　made　short　work　of
him　and　his　saloon；　nothing　could　save　him　from　himself；　and　after
the　funeral　Slavin　went　to　his　bar　and　drank　whisky　as　he　had　never
drunk　before。　　But　the　more　he　drank　the　fiercer　and　gloomier　he
became；　and　when　the　men　drinking　with　him　chaffed　him；　he　swore
deeply　and　with　such　threats　that　they　left　him　alone。

It　did　not　help　Slavin　either　to　have　Nixon　stride　in　through　the
crowd　drinking　at　his　bar　and　give　him　words　of　warning。

'It　is　not　your　fault；　Slavin；'　he　said　in　slow；　cool　voice；　'that
you　and　your　precious　crew　didn't　sent　me　to　my　death；　too。　　You've
won　your　bet；　but　I　want　to　say；　that　next　time；　though　you　are
seven　to　one；　or　ten　times　that；　when　any　of　you　boys　offer　me　a
drink　I'll　take　you　to　mean　fight；　and　I'll　not　disappoint　you；　and
some　one　will　be　killed；'　and　so　saying　he　strode　out　again；
leaving　a　mean…looking　crowd　of　men　behind　him。　　All　who　had　not
been　concerned　in　the　business　at　Nixon's　shack　expressed　approval
of　his　position；　and　hoped　he　would　'see　it　through。'

But　the　impression　of　Nixon's　words　upon　Slavin　was　as　nothing
compared　with　that　made　by　Geordie　Crawford。　　It　was　not　what　he
said　so　much　as　the　manner　of　awful　solemnity　he　carried。　　Geordie
was　struggling　conscientiously　to　keep　his　promise　to　'not　be　'ard
on　the　boys；'　and　found　considerable　relief　in　remembering　that　he
had　agreed　'to　leave　them　tae　the　Almichty。'　　But　the　manner　of
leaving　them　was　so　solemnly　awful；　that　I　could　not　wonder　that
Slavin's　superstitious　Irish　nature　supplied　him　with　supernatural
terrors。　　It　was　the　second　day　after　the　funeral　that　Geordie　and
I　were　walking　towards　Slavin's。　　There　was　a　great　shout　of
laughter　as　we　drew　near。

Geordie　stopped　short；　and　saying；　'We'll　juist　gang　in　a　meenute；'
passed　through　the　crowd　and　up　to　the　bar。

'Michael　Slavin；'　began　Geordie；　and　the　men　stared　in　dead；
silence；　with　their　glasses　in　their　hands。　　'Michael　Slavin；　a'
promised　the　lad　a'd　bear　ye　nae　ill　wull；　but　juist　leave　ye　tae
the　Almichty；　an'　I　want　tae　tell　ye　that　a'm　keepin'　ma　wur…r…d。
But'and　here　he　raised　his　hand；　and　his　voice　became
preternaturally　solemn'his　bluid　is　upon　yer　han's。　　Do　ye　no'
see　it？'

His　voice　rose　sharply；　and　as　he　pointed；　Slavin　instinctively
glanced　at　his　hands；　and　Geordie　added

'Ay；　and　the　Lord　will　require　it　o'　you　and　yer　hoose。'

They　told　me　that　Slavin　shivered　as　if　taken　with　ague　after
Geordie　went　out；　and　though　he　laughed　and　swore；　he　did　not　stop
drinking　till　he　sank　into　a　drunken　stupor　and　had　to　be　carried
to　bed。　　His　little　French…Canadian　wife　could　not　understand　the
change　that　had　come　over　her　husband。

'He's　like　one　bear；'　she　confided　to　Mrs。　Mavor；　to　whom　she　was
showing　her　baby　of　a　year　old。　　'He's　not　kees　me　one　tam　dis　day。
He's　mos　hawful　bad；　he's　not　even　look　at　de　baby。'　　And　this
seemed　sufficient　proof　that　something　was　seriously　wrong；　for　she
went　on　to　say

'He's　tink　more　for　dat　leel　baby　dan　for　de　whole　worl'；　he's　tink
more　for　dat　baby　dan　for　me；'　but　she　shrugged　her　pretty　little
shoulders　in　deprecation　of　her　speech。

'You　must　pray　for　him；'　said　Mrs。　Mavor；　'and　all　will　come
right。'

'Ah！　madame！'　she　replied　earnestly；　'every　day；　every　day；　I　pray
la　sainte　Vierge　et　tous　les　saints　for　him。'

'You　must　pray　to　your　Father　in　heaven　for　him。'

'Ah！　oui！　I　weel　pray；'　and　Mrs。　Mavor　sent　her　away　bright　with
smiles；　and　with　new　hope　and　courage　in　her　heart。

She　had　very　soon　need　of　all　her　courage；　for　at　the　week's　end
her　baby　fell　dangerously　ill。　　Slavin's　anxiety　and　fear　were　not
relieved　much　by　the　reports　the　men　brought　him　from　time　to　time
of　Geordie's　ominous　forebodings；　for　Geordie　had　no　doubt　but　that
the　Avenger　of　Blood　was　hot　upon　Slavin's　trail；　and　as　the
sickness　grew；　he　became　confirmed　in　this　conviction。　　While　he
could　not　be　said　to　find　satisfaction　in　Slavin's　impending
affliction；　he　could　hardly　hide　his　complacency　in　the　promptness
of　Providence　in　vindicating　his　theory　of　retribution。

But　Geordie's　complacency　was　somewhat　rudely　shocked　by　Mr。
Craig's　answer　to　his　theory　one　day。

'You　read　your　Bible　to　little　profit；　it　seems　to　me；　Geordie：　or；
perhaps；　you　have　never　read　the　Master's　teaching　about　the　Tower
of　Siloam。　　Better　read　that　and　take　that　warning　to　yourself。'

Geordie　gazed　after　Mr。　Craig　as　he　turned　away；　and　muttered

'The　toor　o'　Siloam；　is　it？　　Ay；　a'　ken　fine　aboot　the　toor　o'
Siloam；　and　aboot　the　too