black rock-第38章

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tell　me　how　deep　and　how　constant　it　was。　　And　I　take　some　credit
to　myself；　that　in　my　reply　I　gave　her　no　bidding　to　join　our　band；
but　rather　praised　the　work　she　was　doing　in　her　place；　telling　her
how　I　had　heard　of　it　from　Craig。

The　summer　found　me　religiously　doing　Paris　and　Vienna；　gaining　a
more　perfect　acquaintance　with　the　extent　and　variety　of　my　own
ignorance；　and　so　fully　occupied　in　this　interesting　and　wholesome
occupation　that　I　fell　out　with　all　my　correspondents；　with　the
result　of　weeks　of　silence　between　us。

Two　letters　among　the　heap　waiting　on　my　table　in　London　made　my
heart　beat　quick；　but　with　how　different　feelings：　one　from　Graeme
telling　me　that　Craig　had　been　very　ill；　and　that　he　was　to　take
him　home　as　soon　as　he　could　be　moved。　　Mrs。　Mavor's　letter　told　me
of　the　death　of　the　old　lady；　who　had　been　her　care　for　the　past
two　years；　and　of　her　intention　to　spend　some　months　in　her　old
home　in　Edinburgh。　　And　this　letter　it　is　that　accounts　for　my
presence　in　a　miserable；　dingy；　dirty　little　hall　running　off　a
close　in　the　historic　Cowgate；　redolent　of　the　glories　of　the
splendid　past；　and　of　the　various　odours　of　the　evil…smelling
present。　　I　was　there　to　hear　Mrs。　Mavor　sing　to　the　crowd　of
gamins　that　thronged　the　closes　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　that　had
been　gathered　into　a　club　by　'a　fine　leddie　frae　the　West　End；'　for
the　love　of　Christ　and　His　lost。　　This　was　an　'At　Home'　night；　and
the　mothers　and　fathers；　sisters　and　brothers；　of　all　ages　and
sizes　were　present。　　Of　all　the　sad　faces　I　had　ever　seen；　those
mothers　carried　the　saddest　and　most　woe…stricken。　　'Heaven　pity
us！'　I　found　myself　saying；　'is　this　the　beautiful；　the　cultured；
the　heaven…exalted　city　of　Edinburgh？　　Will　it　not；　for　this；　be
cast　down　into　hell　some　day；　if　it　repent　not　of　its　closes　and
their　dens　of　defilement？　　Oh！　the　utter　weariness；　the　dazed
hopelessness　of　the　ghastly　faces！　　Do　not　the　kindly；　gentle
church…going　folk　of　the　crescents　and　the　gardens　see　them　in
their　dreams；　or　are　their　dreams　too　heavenly　for　these　ghastly
faces　to　appear？'

I　cannot　recall　the　programme　of　the　evening；　but　in　my　memory…
gallery　is　a　vivid　picture　of　that　face；　sweet；　sad；　beautiful；
alight　with　the　deep　glow　of　her　eyes；　as　she　stood　and　sang　to
that　dingy　crowd。　　As　I　sat　upon　the　window…ledge　listening　to　the
voice　with　its　flowing　song；　my　thoughts　were　far　away；　and　I　was
looking　down　once　more　upon　the　eager；　coal…grimed　faces　in　the
rude　little　church　in　Black　Rock。　　I　was　brought　back　to　find
myself　swallowing　hard　by　an　audible　whisper　from　a　wee　lassie　to
her　mother

'Mither！　　See　till　yon　man。　　He's　greetin'。'

When　I　came　to　myself　she　was　singing　'The　Land　o'　the　Leal；'　the
Scotch　'Jerusalem　the　Golden；'　immortal；　perfect。　　It　needed
experience　of　the　hunger…haunted　Cowgate　closes；　chill　with　the
black　mist　of　an　eastern　haar；　to　feel　the　full　bliss　of　the　vision
in　the　words


　　　　　'There's　nae　sorrow　there；　Jean；
　　　　　　There's　neither　cauld　nor　care；　Jean；
　　　　　　The　day　is　aye　fair　in
　　　　　　The　Land　o'　the　Leal。'


A　land　of　fair；　warm　days；　untouched　by　sorrow　and　care；　would　be
heaven　indeed　to　the　dwellers　of　the　Cowgate。

The　rest　of　that　evening　is　hazy　enough　to　me　now；　till　I　find
myself　opposite　Mrs。　Mavor　at　her　fire；　reading　Graeme's　letter；
then　all　is　vivid　again。

I　could　not　keep　the　truth　from　her。　　I　knew　it　would　be　folly　to
try。　　So　I　read　straight　on　till　I　came　to　the　words

'He　has　had　mountain　fever；　whatever　that　may　be；　and　he　will　not
pull　up　again。　　If　I　can；　I　shall　take　him　home　to　my　mother'when
she　suddenly　stretched　out　her　hand；　saying；　'Oh；　let　me　read！'　and
I　gave　her　the　letter。　　In　a　minute　she　had　read　it；　and　began
almost　breathlessly

'Listen！　my　life　is　much　changed。　　My　mother…in…law　is　gone；　she
needs　me　no　longer。　　My　solicitor　tells　me；　too；　that　owing　to
unfortunate　investments　there　is　need　of　money；　so　great　need；　that
it　is　possible　that　either　the　estates　or　the　works　must　go。　　My
cousin　has　his　all　in　the　worksiron　works；　you　know。　　It　would　be
wrong　to　have　him　suffer。　　I　shall　give　up　the　estatesthat　is
best。'　　She　paused。

'And　come　with　me；'　I　cried。

'When　do　you　sail？'

'Next　week；'　I　answered　eagerly。

She　looked　at　me　a　few　moments；　and　into　her　eyes　there　came　a
light　soft　and　tender；　as　she　said

'I　shall　go　with　you。'

And　so　she　did；　and　no　old　Roman　in　all　the　glory　of　a　Triumph
carried　a　prouder　heart　than　I；　as　I　bore　her　and　her　little　one
from　the　train　to　Graeme's　carriage；　crying

'I've　got　her。'

But　his　was　the　better　sense；　for　he　stood　waving　his　hat　and
shouting

'He's　all　right；'　at　which　Mrs。　Mavor　grew　white；　but　when　she
shook　hands　with　him；　the　red　was　in　her　cheek　again。

'It　was　the　cable　did　it；'　went　on　Graeme。　　'Connor's　a　great
doctor！　　His　first　case　will　make　him　famous。　　Good　prescription
after　mountain　fever　try　a　cablegram！'　　And　the　red　grew　deeper　in
the　beautiful　face　beside　us。

Never　did　the　country　look　so　lovely。　　The　woods　were　in　their
gayest　autumn　dress；　the　brown　fields　were　bathed　in　a　purple　haze；
the　air　was　sweet　and　fresh　with　a　suspicion　of　the　coming　frosts
of　winter。　　But　in　spite　of　all　the　road　seemed　long；　and　it　was　as
if　hours　had　gone　before　our　eyes　fell　upon　the　white　manse
standing　among　the　golden　leaves。

'Let　them　go；'　I　cried；　as　Graeme　paused　to　take　in　the　view；　and
down　the　sloping　dusty　road　we　flew　on　the　dead　run。

'Reminds　one　a　little　of　Abe's　curves；'　said　Graeme；　as　we　drew　up
at　the　gate。　　But　I　answered　him　not；　for　I　was　introducing　to　each
other　the　two　best　women　in　the　world。　　As　I　was　about　to　rush　into
the　house；　Graeme　seized　me　by　the　collar；　saying

'Hold　on；　Connor！　you　forget　your　place；　you're　next。'

'Why；　certainly；'　I　cried；　thankfully　enough；　'what　an　ass　I　am！'

'Quite　true；'　said　Graeme　solemnly。

'Where　is　he？'　I　asked。

'At　this　present　moment？'　he　asked；　in　a　shocked　voice。　　'Why；
Connor；　you　surprise　me。'

'Oh；　I　see！'

'Yes；'　he　went　on　gravely；　'you　may　trust　my　mother　to　be
discreetly　attending　to　her　domestic　duties；　she　is　a　great　woman；
my　mother。'

I　had　no　doubt　of　it；　for　at　that　moment　she　came　out　to　us　with
little　Marjorie　in　her　arms。

'You　have　shown　Mrs。　Mavor　to　her　room；　mother；　I　hope；'　said
Graeme；　but　she　only　smiled　and　said

'Run　away　with　your　horses；　you　silly　boy；'　at　which　he　solemnly
shook　his　head。　　'Ah；　mother；　you　are　deepwho　would　have　thought
it　of　you？'

That　evening　the　manse　overflowed　with　joy；　and　the　days　that
followed　were　like　dreams　set　to　sweet　music。

But　for　sheer　wild　delight；　nothing　in　my　memory　can　quite　come　up
to　the　demonstration　organised　by　Graeme；　with　assistance　from
Nixon；　Shaw；　Sandy；　Abe；　Geordie；　and　Baptiste；　in　honour　of　the
arrival　in　camp　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Craig。　　And；　in　my　opinion；　it
added　something　to　the　occasion；　that　after　all　the　cheers　for　Mr。
and　Mrs。　Craig　had　died　away；　and　after　all　the　hats　had　come　down；
Baptiste；　who　had　never　taken　his　eyes　from　that　radiant　face；
should　suddenly　have　swept　the　crowd　into　a　perfect　storm　of　cheers
by　excitedly　seizing　his　tuque；　and　calling　out　in　his　shrill
voice

'By　gar！　　Tree　cheer　for　Mrs。　Mavor。'

And　for　many　a　day　the　men　of　Black　Rock　would　easily　fall　into　the
old　and　well…loved　name；　but　up　and　down　the　line　of　construction；
in　all　the　camps　beyond　the　Great　Divide；　the　new　name　became　as
dear　as　the　old　had　ever　been　in　Black　Rock。

Those　old　wild　days　are　long　since　gone　into　the　dim　distance　of
the　past。　　They　will　not　come　again；　for　we　have　fallen　into　quiet
times；　but　often　in　my　quietest　hours　I　feel　my　heart　pause　in　its
beat　to　hear　again　that　strong；　clear　voice；　like　the　sound　of　a
trumpet；　bidding　us　to　be　men；　and　I　think　of　them　allGraeme；
their　chief；　Sandy；　Baptiste；　Geordie；　Abe；　the　Campbells；　Nixon；
Shaw；　all　stronger；　better　for　their　knowing　of　him；　and　then　I
think　of　Billy　asleep　under　the　pines；　and　of　old　man　Nelson　with
the　long　grass　waving　over　him　in　the　quiet　churchyard；　and　all　my
nonsense　leaves　me；　and　I　bless　the　Lor