black rock-第9章

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door　opened；　and　old　man　Nelson　and　Sandy；　the　latter　much　battered
and　ashamed；　came　in　with　the　word　for　Mrs。　Mavor。

'I　will　come；'　she　said　simply。　　She　saw　me　preparing　to　accompany
her；　and　asked；　'Do　you　think　you　can　leave　him？'

'He　will　do　quite　well　in　Nelson's　care。'

'Then　I　am　glad；　for　I　must　take　my　little　one　with　me。　　I　did　not
put　her　to　bed　in　case　I　should　need　to　go；　and　I　may　not　leave
her。'

We　entered　the　church　by　the　back　door；　and　saw　at　once　that　even
yet　the　battle　might　easily　be　lost。

Some　miners　had　just　come　from　Slavin's；　evidently　bent　on　breaking
up　the　meeting；　in　revenge　for　the　collapse　of　the　dance；　which
Slavin　was　unable　to　enjoy；　much　less　direct。　　Craig　was　gallantly
holding　his　ground；　finding　it　hard　work　to　keep　his　men　in　good
humour；　and　so　prevent　a　fight；　for　there　were　cries　of　'Put　him
out！　　Put　the　beast　out！'　at　a　miner　half　drunk　and　wholly
outrageous。

The　look　of　relief　that　came　over　his　face　when　Craig　caught　sight
of　us　told　how　anxious　he　had　been；　and　reconciled　me　to　Mrs。
Mavor's　singing。　　'Thank　the　good　God；'　he　said；　with　what　came
near　being　a　sob；　'I　was　about　to　despair。'

He　immediately　walked　to　the　front　and　called　out

'Gentlemen；　if　you　wish　it；　Mrs。　Mavor　will　sing。'

There　was　a　dead　silence。　　Some　one　began　to　applaud；　but　a　miner
said　savagely；　'Stop　that；　you　fool！'

There　was　a　few　moments'　delay；　when　from　the　crowd　a　voice　called
out；　'Does　Mrs。　Mavor　wish　to　sing？'　followed　by　cries　of　'Ay；
that's　it。'　　Then　Shaw；　the　foreman　at　the　mines；　stood　up　in　the
audience　and　said

'Mr。　Craig　and　gentlemen；　you　know　that　three　years　ago　I　was　known
as　〃Old　Ricketts；〃　and　that　I　owe　all　I　am　to…night；　under　God；　to
Mrs。　Mavor；　and'with　a　little　quiver　in　his　voice'her　baby。
And　we　all　know　that　for　two　years　she　has　not　sung；　and　we　all
know　why。　　And　what　I　say　is；　that　if　she　does　not　feel　like
singing　to…night；　she　is　not　going　to　sing　to　keep　any　drunken
brute　of　Slavin's　crowd　quiet。'

There　were　deep　growls　of　approval　all　over　the　church。　　I　could
have　hugged　Shaw　then　and　there。　　Mr。　Craig　went　to　Mrs。　Mavor；　and
after　a　word　with　her　came　back　and　said

'Mrs。　Mavor；　wishes　me　to　thank　her　dear　friend　Mr。　Shaw；　but　says
she　would　like　to　sing。'

The　response　was　perfect　stillness。　　Mr。　Craig　sat　down　to　the
organ　and　played　the　opening　bars　of　the　touching　melody；　'Oft　in
the　Stilly　Night。'　　Mrs。　Mavor　came　to　the　front；　and；　with　a　smile
of　exquisite　sweetness　upon　her　sad　face；　and　looking　straight　at
us　with　her　glorious　eyes；　began　to　sing。

Her　voice；　a　rich　soprano；　even　and　true；　rose　and　fell；　now　soft；
now　strong；　but　always　filling　the　building；　pouring　around　us
floods　of　music。　　I　had　heard　Patti's　'Home；　sweet　Home；'　and　of
all　singing　that　alone　affected　me　as　did　this。

At　the　end　of　the　first　verse　the　few　women　in　the　church　and　some
men　were　weeping　quietly；　but　when　she　began　the　words


　　　　　'When　I　remember　all
　　　　　　The　friends　once　linked　together；'


sobs　came　on　every　side　from　these　tender…hearted　fellows；　and　Shaw
quite　lost　his　grip。　　But　she　sang　steadily　on；　the　tone　clearer
and　sweeter　and　fuller　at　every　note；　and　when　the　sound　of　her
voice　died　away；　she　stood　looking　at　the　men　as　if　in　wonder　that
they　should　weep。　　No　one　moved。　　Mr。　Craig　played　softly　on；　and；
wandering　through　many　variations；　arrived　at　last　at


　　　　　'Jesus；　lover　of　my　soul。'


As　she　sang　the　appealing　words；　her　face　was　lifted　up；　and　she
saw　none　of　us；　but　she　must　have　seen　some　one；　for　the　cry　in　her
voice　could　only　come　from　one　who　could　see　and　feel　help　close　at
hand。　　On　and　on　went　the　glorious　voice；　searching　my　soul's
depths；　but　when　she　came　to　the　words


　　　　　'Thou；　O　Christ；　art　all　I　want；'


she　stretched　up　her　armsshe　had　quite　forgotten　us；　her　voice
had　borne　her　to　other　worldsand　sang　with　such　a　passion　of
'abandon'　that　my　soul　was　ready　to　surrender　anything；　everything。

Again　Mr。　Craig　wandered　on　through　his　changing　chords　till　again
he　came　to　familiar　ground；　and　the　voice　began；　in　low；　thrilling
tones；　Bernard's　great　song　of　home


　　　　　'Jerusalem　the　golden。'


Every　word；　with　all　its　weight　of　meaning；　came　winging　to　our
souls；　till　we　found　ourselves　gazing　afar　into　those　stately　halls
of　Zion；　with　their　daylight　serene　and　their　jubilant　throngs。
When　the　singer　came　to　the　last　verse　there　was　a　pause。　　Again
Mr。　Craig　softly　played　the　interlude；　but　still　there　was　no
voice。　　I　looked　up。　　She　was　very　white；　and　her　eyes　were　glowing
with　their　deep　light。　　Mr。　Craig　looked　quickly　about；　saw　her；
stopped；　and　half　rose；　as　if　to　go　to　her；　when；　in　a　voice　that
seemed　to　come　from　a　far…off　land；　she　went　on


　　　　　'O　sweet　and　blessed　country！'


The　longing；　the　yearning；　in　the　second　'O'　were　indescribable。
Again　and　again；　as　she　held　that　word；　and　then　dropped　down　with
the　cadence　in　the　music；　my　heart　ached　for　I　knew　not　what。

The　audience　were　sitting　as　in　a　trance。　　The　grimy　faces　of　the
miners；　for　they　never　get　quite　white；　were　furrowed　with　the
tear…courses。　　Shaw；　by　this　time；　had　his　face　too　lifted　high；
his　eyes　gazing　far　above　the　singer's　head；　and　I　knew　by　the
rapture　in　his　face　that　he　was　seeing；　as　she　saw；　the　thronging
stately　halls　and　the　white…robed　conquerors。　　He　had　felt；　and　was
still　feeling；　all　the　stress　of　the　fight；　and　to　him　the　vision
of　the　conquerors　in　their　glory　was　soul…drawing　and　soul…
stirring。　　And　Nixon；　toohe　had　his　vision；　but　what　he　saw　was
the　face　of　the　singer；　with　the　shining　eyes；　and；　by　the　look　of
him；　that　was　vision　enough。

Immediately　after　her　last　note　Mrs。　Mavor　stretched　out　her　hands
to　her　little　girl；　who　was　sitting　on　my　knee；　caught　her　up；　and；
holding　her　close　to　her　breast；　walked　quickly　behind　the　curtain。
Not　a　sound　followed　the　singing：　no　one　moved　till　she　had
disappeared；　and　then　Mr。　Craig　came　to　the　front；　and；　motioning
to　me　to　follow　Mrs。　Mavor；　began　in　a　low；　distinct　voice

'Gentlemen；　it　was　not　easy　for　Mrs。　Mavor　to　sing　for　us；　and　you
know　she　sang　because　she　is　a　miner's　wife；　and　her　heart　is　with
the　miners。　　But　she　sang；　too；　because　her　heart　is　His　who　came
to　earth　this　day　so　many　years　ago　to　save　us　all；　and　she　would
make　you　love　Him　too。　　For　in　loving　Him　you　are　saved　from　all
base　loves；　and　you　know　what　I　mean。

'And　before　we　say　good…night；　men；　I　want　to　know　if　the　time　is
not　come　when　all　of　you　who　mean　to　be　better　than　you　are　should
join　in　putting　from　us　this　thing　that　has　brought　sorrow　and
shame　to　us　and　to　those　we　love？　　You　know　what　I　mean。　　Some　of
you　are　strong；　will　you　stand　by　and　see　weaker　men　robbed　of　the
money　they　save　for　those　far　away；　and　robbed　of　the　manhood　that
no　money　can　buy　or　restore？

'Will　the　strong　men　help？　　Shall　we　all　join　hands　in　this？　　What
do　you　say？　　In　this　town　we　have　often　seen　hell；　and　just　a
moment　ago　we　were　all　looking　into　heaven；　〃the　sweet　and　blessed
country。〃　　O　men！'　and　his　voice　rang　in　an　agony　through　the
building'O　men！　which　shall　be　ours？　　For　Heaven's　dear　sake；　let
us　help　one　another！　　Who　will？'

I　was　looking　out　through　a　slit　in　the　curtain。　　The　men；　already
wrought　to　intense　feeling　by　the　music；　were　listening　with　set
faces　and　gleaming　eyes；　and　as　at　the　appeal　'Who　will？'　Craig
raised　high　his　hand；　Shaw；　Nixon；　and　a　hundred　men　sprang　to
their　feet　and　held　high　their　hands。

I　have　witnessed　some　thrilling　scenes　in　my　life；　but　never
anything　to　equal　that：　the　one　man　on　the　platform　standing　at
full　height；　with　his　hand　thrown　up　to　heaven；　and　the　hundred　men
below　standing　straight；　with　arms　up　at　full　length；　silent；　and
almost　motionless。

For　a　moment　Craig　held　them　so；　and　again　his　voice　rang　out；
louder；　sterner　than　before

'All　who　mean　it；　say；　〃By　God's　help　I　will。〃'　　And　back　from　a
hundred　throats　came　deep　and　strong　the　words；　'By　God's　help；　I
will。'

At　this　point　Mrs。　Mavor；　whom　I　had　quite　forgotten；　put　her　hand
on　my　arm。　　'Go　and　tell　him；'