the foreigner-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ited　in　empty　beer　kegs；　of　which　every　shack　could　readily　furnish　a　few；　and　set　out　to　freeze；　in　which　condition　they　would　preserve　their　perfect　flavour。　　Such　diligence　and　such　prudence　did　Anka　show　in　the　supervision　of　all　these　arrangements；　that　when　the　day　before　the　feast　arrived；　on　making　her　final　round　of　inspection；　everything　was　discovered　to　be　in　readiness　for　the　morrow；　with　the　single　exception　that　the　beer　had　not　arrived。　　But　this　was　no　over…sight　on　the　part　of　Jacob；　to　whom　this　portion　of　the　feast　had　been　entrusted。　　It　was　rather　due　to　a　prudence　born　of　experience　that　the　beer　should　be　ordered　to　be　delivered　at　the　latest　possible　hour。　　A　single　beer　keg　is　an　object　of　consuming　interest　to　the　Galician　and　subjects　his　sense　of　honour　to　a　very　considerable　strain；　the　known　presence　of　a　dray　load　of　beer　kegs　in　the　neighbourhood　would　almost　certainly　intensify　the　strain　beyond　the　breaking　point。　　But　as　the　shadows　of　evening　began　to　gather；　the　great　brewery　dray　with　its　splendid　horses　and　its　load　of　kegs　piled　high；　drew　up　to　Paulina's　door。　　Without　loss　of　time；　and　under　the　supervision　of　Rosenblatt　and　Jacob　himself；　the　beer　kegs　were　carried　by　the　willing　hands　of　Paulina's　boarders　down　to　the　cellar；　piled　high　against　the　walls；　and　carefully　counted。　　There　they　were　safe　enough；　for　every　man；　not　only　among　the　boarders　but　in　the　whole　colony；　who　expected　to　be　present　at　the　feast；　having　contributed　his　dollar　toward　the　purchase　of　the　beer；　constituted　himself　a　guardian　against　the　possible　depredations　of　his　neighbours。　　Not　a　beer　keg　from　this　common　store　was　to　be　touched　until　after　the　ceremony；　when　every　man　should　have　a　fair　start。　　For　the　preliminary　celebrations　during　the　evening　and　night　preceding　the　wedding　day　the　beer　furnished　by　the　proprietor　of　the　New　West　Hotel　would　prove　sufficient。

It　was　considered　a　most　fortunate　circumstance　both　by　the　bride　and　groom…elect；　that　there　should　have　appeared　in　the　city；　the　week　before；　a　priest　of　the　Greek　Catholic　faith；　for　though　in　case　of　need　they　could　have　secured　the　offices　of　a　Roman　priest　from　St。　Boniface；　across　the　river；　the　ceremonial　would　thereby　have　been　shorn　of　much　of　its　picturesqueness　and　efficacy。　　Anka　and　her　people　had　little　regard　for　the　services　of　a　Church　to　which　they　owed　only　nominal　allegiance。

The　wedding　day　dawned　clear；　bright；　and　not　too　cold　to　forbid　a　great　gathering　of　the　people　outside　Paulina's　house；　who　stood　reverently　joining　with　those　who　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　secure　a　place　in　Paulina's　main　room；　which　had　been　cleared　of　all　beds　and　furniture；　and　transformed　for　the　time　being　into　a　chapel。　　The　Slav　is　a　religious　man；　intensely；　and　if　need　be；　fiercely；　religious；　hence　these　people；　having　been　deprived　for　long　months　of　the　services　of　their　Church；　joined　with　eager　and　devout　reverence　in　the　responses　to　the　prayers　of　the　priest；　kneeling　in　the　snow　unmoved　by　and　apparently　unconscious　of　the　somewhat　scornful　levity　of　the　curious　crowd　of　onlookers　that　speedily　gathered　about　them。　　For　more　than　two　hours　the　religious　part　of　the　ceremony　continued；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　abating　interest　or　of　waning　devotion；　rather　did　the　religious　feeling　appear　to　deepen　as　the　service　advanced。　　At　length　there　floated　through　the　open　window　the　weirdly　beautiful　and　stately　marriage　chant；　in　which　the　people　joined　in　deep…toned　guttural　fervour；　then　the　benediction；　and　the　ceremony　was　over。　Immediately　there　was　a　movement　toward　the　cellar；　where　Rosenblatt；　assisted　by　a　score　of　helpers；　began　to　knock　in　the　heads　of　the　beer　kegs　and　to　hand　about　tin　cups　of　beer　for　the　first　drinking　of　the　bride's　health。　　Beautiful　indeed；　in　her　husband's　eyes　and　the　eyes　of　all　who　beheld　her；　appeared　Anka　as　she　stood　with　Jacob　in　the　doorway；　radiant　in　the　semi…barbaric　splendour　of　her　Slavonic　ancestry。

This　first　formal　health…drinking　ceremony　over；　from　within　Paulina's　house　and　from　shacks　roundabout；　women　appeared　with　pots　and　pails；　from　which；　without　undue　haste；　but　without　undue　delay；　men　filled　tin　cups　and　tin　pans　with　stews　rich；　luscious；　and　garlic　flavoured。　　The　feast　was　on；　the　Slav's　hour　of　rapture　had　come。　　From　pot　to　keg　and　from　keg　to　pot　the　happy　crowd　would　continue　to　pass　in　alternating　moods　of　joy；　until　the　acme　of　bliss　would　be　attained　when　Jacob；　leading　forth　and　up　and　down　his　lace…decked　bride；　would　fling　the　proud　challenge　to　one　and　all　that　his　bride　was　the　fairest　and　dearest　of　all　brides　ever　known。

Thus　with　full　ceremonial；　with　abundance　of　good　eating；　and　with　multitudinous　libations；　Anka　was　wed。



CHAPTER　IV

THE　UNBIDDEN　GUEST


The　northbound　train　on　the　Northern　Pacific　Line　was　running　away　behind　her　time。　　A　Dakota　blizzard　had　held　her　up　for　five　hours；　and　there　was　little　chance　of　making　time　against　a　heavy　wind　and　a　drifted　rail。　　The　train　was　crowded　with　passengers；　all　impatient　at　the　delay；　as　is　usual　with　passengers。　　The　most　restless；　if　not　the　most　impatient；　of　those　in　the　first…class　car　was　a　foreign…looking　gentleman；　tall；　dark；　and　with　military　carriage。　　A　grizzled　moustache　with　ends　waxed　to　a　needle　point　and　an　imperial　accentuated　his　foreign　military　appearance。　　At　every　pause　the　train　made　at　the　little　wayside　stations；　this　gentleman　became　visibly　more　impatient；　pulling　out　his　watch；　consulting　his　time　table；　and　cursing　the　delay。

Occasionally　he　glanced　out　through　the　window　across　the　white　plain　that　stretched　level　to　the　horizon；　specked　here　and　there　by　infrequent　little　black　shacks　and　by　huge　stacks　of　straw　half　buried　in　snow。　　Suddenly　his　attention　was　arrested　by　a　trim　line　of　small　buildings　cosily　ensconced　behind　a　plantation　of　poplars　and　Manitoba　maples。

〃What　are　those　structures？〃　he　enquired　of　his　neighbour　in　careful　book　English；　and　with　slightly　foreign　accent。

〃What？　　That　bunch　of　buildings。　　That　is　a　Mennonite　village；〃　was　the　reply。

〃Mennonite！　　Ah！〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　his　neighbour。　　〃Dutch；　or　Russian；　or　something。〃

〃Yes；　Russian；〃　answered　the　stranger　quickly。　　〃That　is　Russian；　surely；〃　he　continued；　pointing　eagerly　to　the　trim　and　cosy　group　of　buildings。　　〃These　Mennonites；　are　they　prosperousah　citizensahsettlers？〃

〃You　bet！　　They　make　money　where　other　folks　would　starve。　　They　know　what　they're　doing。　　They　picked　out　this　land　that　everybody　else　was　passing　overthe　very　best　in　the　countryand　they　are　making　money　hand　over　fist。　　Mighty　poor　spenders；　though。　　They　won't　buy　nothing；　eat　what　they　can't　sell　off　the　farm。〃

〃Aha；〃　ejaculated　the　stranger；　with　a　smile。

〃Yes；　they　sell　everything；　grain；　hogs；　eggs；　butter；　and　live　on　cabbages；　cheese；　bread。〃

〃Aha；〃　repeated　the　stranger；　again　with　evident　approval。

〃They　are　honest；　though；〃　continued　his　neighbour　judicially；　〃we　sell　them　implements。〃

〃Ah；　implements？〃　enquired　the　stranger。

〃Yes；　ploughs；　drills；　binders；　you　know。〃

〃Ah；　so；　implements；〃　said　the　stranger；　evidently　making　a　mental　note　of　the　word。　　〃And　they　pay　you？〃

〃Yes；　they　are　good　pay；　mighty　good　pay。　　They　are　good　settlers；　too。〃

〃Not　good　for　soldiers；　eh？〃　laughed　the　stranger。

〃Soldiers？　　No；　I　guess　not。　　But　we　don't　want　soldiers。〃

〃What？　　You　have　no　soldiers？　　No　garrisons？〃

〃No；　what　do　we　want　soldiers　for　in　this　country？　　We　want　farmers　and　lots　of　them。〃

The　stranger　was　apparently　much　struck　with　this　remark。　　He　pursued　the　subject　with　keen　interest。　　If　there　were　no　soldiers；　how　was　order　preserved？　　What　happened　in　the　case　of　riots？　　What　about　the　collecting　of　taxes？

〃Riots？　　There　ain't　no　riots　in　this　country。　　What　would　we　riot　for？　　We're　too　busy。　　And　taxes？　　There　ain't　no　taxes　except　for　schools。〃

〃Not　for　churches？〃　enquired　the　foreigner。

〃No；　every　man　supports　his　own　church　or　no　church　at　all　if　he　likes　it　better。〃

The　foreigner　was　deeply　impressed。　　What　a　country　it　was；　to　be　sure！　　No　soldiers；　no　riots；　no　taxes；　and　churches　only　for　those　who　wanted　them！　　He　made　diligent　enquiry　as　to　the　Mennonite　settlements；　where　they　were　placed；　their　size；　the　character　of　the　people　and　all　things　pertaining　to　them。　　But　when　questioned　in　regard　to　himself　or　his　own　affairs；　he　at　once　became　reticent。　　He　was　a　citizen　of　many　countries。　　He　was　travelling　for　pleasure　and　to　gather　knowledge。　　Yes；　he　might　one　day　settle　in　the　country；　but　not　now。　　He　relapsed　into　silence；　sitting　with　his　head　fallen　forward　upon　his　breast；　and　so　sat　till　the　brakeman　passing　through　shouted；　〃Winnipeg！　　All　change！〃　　Then　he　rose；　thanked　with　stiff　and　formal　politeness　his　seat…mate　for　his　courtesy；　put　on　his　long　overcoat　lined　with　lambskin　and　adorned　with　braid；　placed　his　lambskin　cap　upon　his　head；　and　so　stood　looking　more　than　ever　like　a　military　man。

The　station　platform　at　Winnipeg　was　the　scene　of　uproar　and　confusion。　　Railway　baggagemen　and　porters；　with　warning　cries；　pushed　their　trucks　through　the　crowd。　　Hotel　runners　shouted　the　rates　and　names　of　their　hotels。　　Express　men　and　cab　drivers　vociferously　solicited　custom。　　Citizens；　heedless　of　every　one；　pushed　their　eager　way　through　the　crowd　to　welcome　friends　and　relatives。　　It　was　a　busy；　bustling；　confusing　scene。　　But　the　stranger　stood　unembarrassed；　as　if　quite　accustomed　to　move　amid　jostling　crowds；　casting　quick；　sharp　glances　hither　and　thither。

Gradually　the　platform　cleared。　　The　hotel　runners　marched　off　in　triumph　with　their　victims；　and　express　drivers　and　cab　men　drove　off　with　their　fares；　and　only　a　scattering　few　were　left　behind。　At　one　end　of　the　platform　stood　two　men　in　sheepskin　coats　and　caps。　　The　stranger　slowly　moved　toward　them。　　As　he　drew　near；　the　men　glanced　at　first　carelessly；　then　more　earnestly　at　him。　　For　a　few　moments　he　stood　gazing　down　the　street；　then　said；　as　if　to　himself；　in　the　Russian　tongue；　〃The　wind　blows　from　the　north　to…night。〃

Instantly　the　men　came　to　rigid　attention。

〃And　the　snow　lies　deep；〃　replied　one；　raising　his　hand　in　salut