black rock-第15部分

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governor's　voice　as　he　dared　any　but　the　right　stuff　to　come　on？'

'We'll　go　in　on　Friday　night；'　I　said。

And　so　we　did。　　Sandy　took　a　load　of　men　with　his　team；　and　Graeme
and　I　drove　in　the　light　sleigh。

The　meeting　was　in　the　church；　and　over　a　hundred　men　were　present。
There　was　some　singing　of　familiar　hymns　at　first；　and　then　Mr。
Craig　read　the　same　story　as　we　had　heard　in　the　stable；　that　most
perfect　of　all　parables；　the　Prodigal　Son。　　Baptiste　nudged　Sandy
in　delight；　and　whispered　something；　but　Sandy　held　his　face　so
absolutely　expressionless　that　Graeme　was　moved　to　say

'Look　at　Sandy！　　Did　you　ever　see　such　a　graven　image？　　Something
has　hit　him　hard。'

The　men　were　held　fast　by　the　story。　　The　voice　of　the　reader；　low；
earnest；　and　thrilling　with　the　tender　pathos　of　the　tale；　carried
the　words　to　our　hearts；　while　a　glance；　a　gesture；　a　movement　of
the　body　gave　us　the　vision　of　it　all　as　he　was　seeing　it。

Then；　in　simplest　of　words；　he　told　us　what　the　story　meant；
holding　us　the　while　with　eyes；　and　voice；　and　gesture。　　He
compelled　us　scorn　the　gay；　heartless　selfishness　of　the　young　fool
setting　forth　so　jauntily　from　the　broken　home；　he　moved　our　pity
and　our　sympathy　for　the　young　profligate；　who；　broken　and
deserted；　had　still　pluck　enough　to　determine　to　work　his　way　back；
and　who；　in　utter　desperation；　at　last　gave　it　up；　and　then　he
showed　us　the　homecomingthe　ragged；　heart…sick　tramp；　with
hesitating　steps；　stumbling　along　the　dusty　road；　and　then　the　rush
of　the　old　father；　his　garments　fluttering；　and　his　voice　heard　in
broken　cries。　　I　see　and　hear　it　all　now；　whenever　the　words　are
read。

He　announced　the　hymn；　'Just　as　I　am；'　read　the　first　verse；　and
then　went　on：　'There　you　are；　men；　every　man　of　you；　somewhere　on
the　road。　　Some　of　you　are　too　lazy'here　Graeme　nudged　me'and
some　of　you　haven't　got　enough　yet　of　the　far　country　to　come　back。
May　there　be　a　chance　for　you　when　you　want　to　come！　　Men；　you　all
want　to　go　back　home；　and　when　you　go　you'll　want　to　put　on　your
soft　clothes；　and　you　won't　go　till　you　can　go　in　good　style；　but
where　did　the　prodigal　get　his　good　clothes？'　　Quick　came　the
answer　in　Baptiste's　shrill　voice

'From　de　old　fadder！'

No　one　was　surprised；　and　the　minister　went　on

'Yes！　and　that's　where　we　must　get　the　good；　clean　heart；　the　good；
clean；　brave　heart；　from　our　Father。　　Don't　wait；　but；　just　as　you
are；　come。　　Sing。'

They　sang；　not　loud；　as　they　would　'Stand　Up；'　or　even　'The　Sweet
By　and　By；'　but　in　voices　subdued；　holding　down　the　power　in　them。

After　the　singing；　Craig　stood　a　moment　gazing　down　at　the　men；　and
then　said　quietly

'Any　man　want　to　come？　　You　all　might　come。　　We　all　must　come。'
Then；　sweeping　his　arm　over　the　audience；　and　turning　half　round　as
if　to　move　off；　he　cried；　in　a　voice　that　thrilled　to　the　heart's
core

'Oh！　come　on！　　Let's　go　back！'

The　effect　was　overpowering。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　the　whole
company　half　rose　to　their　feet。　　Of　the　prayer　that　immediately
followed；　I　only　caught　the　opening　sentence；　'Father；　we　are
coming　back；'　for　my　attention　was　suddenly　absorbed　by　Abe；　the
stage…driver；　who　was　sitting　next　me。　　I　could　hear　him　swearing
approval　and　admiration；　saying　to　himself

'Ain't　he　a　clinker！　　I'll　be　gee…whizzly…gol…dusted　if　he　ain't　a
malleable…iron…double…back…action　self…adjusting　corn…cracker。'
And　the　prayer　continued　to　be　punctuated　with　like　admiring　and
even　more　sulphurous　expletives。　　It　was　an　incongruous　medley。
The　earnest；　reverent　prayer；　and　the　earnest；　admiring　profanity；
rendered　chaotic　one's　ideas　of　religious　propriety。　　The　feelings
in　both　were　akin；　the　method　of　expression　somewhat　widely
diverse。

After　prayer；　Craig's　tone　changed　utterly。　　In　a　quiet；　matter…of…
fact；　businesslike　way　he　stated　his　plan　of　organisation；　and
called　for　all　who　wished　to　join　to　remain　after　the　benediction。
Some　fifty　men　were　left；　among　them　Nelson；　Sandy；　Lachlan
Campbell；　Baptiste；　Shaw；　Nixon；　Geordie；　and　Billy　Breen；　who
tried　to　get　out；　but　was　held　fast　by　Geordie。

Graeme　was　passing　out；　but　I　signed　him　to　remain；　saying　that　I
wished　'to　see　the　thing　out。'　　Abe　sat　still　beside　me；　swearing
disgustedly　at　the　fellows　'who　were　going　back　on　the　preacher。'
Craig　appeared　amazed　at　the　number　of　men　remaining；　and　seemed　to
fear　that　something　was　wrong。　　He　put　before　them　the　terms　of
discipleship；　as　the　Master　put　them　to　the　eager　scribe；　and　he
did　not　make　them　easy。　　He　pictured　the　kind　of　work　to　be　done；
and　the　kind　of　men　needed　for　the　doing　of　it。　　Abe　grew　uneasy　as
the　minister　went　on　to　describe　the　completeness　of　the　surrender；
the　intensity　of　the　loyalty　demanded。

'That　knocks　me　out；　I　reckon；'　he　muttered；　in　a　disappointed
tone；　'I　ain't　up　to　that　grade。'　　And　as　Craig　described　the
heroism　called　for；　the　magnificence　of　the　fight；　the　worth　of　it；
and　the　outcome　of　it　all；　Abe　ground　out：　I'll　be　blanked　if　I
wouldn't　like　to　take　a　hand；　but　I　guess　I'm　not　in　it。'　　Craig
finished　by　saying

'I　want　to　put　this　quite　fairly。　　It　is　not　any　league　of　mine；
you're　not　joining　my　company；　it　is　no　easy　business；　and　it　is
for　your　whole　life。　　What　do　you　say？　　Do　I　put　it　fairly？　　What
do　you　say；　Nelson？'

Nelson　rose　slowly；　and　with　difficulty　began

'I　may　be　all　wrong；　but　you　made　it　easier　for　me；　Mr。　Craig。　　You
said　He　would　see　me　through；　or　I　should　never　have　risked　it。
Perhaps　I　am　wrong；'　and　the　old　man　looked　troubled。　　Craig　sprang
up。

'No！　no！　　Thank　God；　no！　　He　will　see　every　man　through　who　will
trust　his　life　to　Him。　　Every　man；　no　matter　how　tough　he　is；　no
matter　how　broken。'

Then　Nelson　straightened　himself　up　and　said

'Well；　sir！　I　believe　a　lot　of　the　men　would　go　in　for　this　if　they
were　dead　sure　they　would　get　through。'

'Get　through！'　said　Craig；　'never　a　fear　of　it。　　It　is　a　hard
fight；　a　long　fight；　a　glorious　fight；'　throwing　up　his　head；　but
every　man　who　squarely　trusts　Him；　and　takes　Him　as　Lord　and
Master；　comes　out　victor！'

'Bon！'　said　Baptiste　'Das　me。　　You　tink　He's　take　me　in　dat　fight；
M'sieu　Craig；　heh？'　　His　eyes　were　blazing。

'You　mean　it？'　asked　Craig　almost　sternly。

'Yes！　by　gar！'　said　the　little　Frenchman　eagerly。

'Hear　what　He　says；　then'；　and　Craig；　turning　over　the　leaves　of
his　Testament；　read　solemnly　the　words；　'Swear　not　at　all。'

'Non！　　For　sure！　　Den　I　stop　him；'　replied　Baptiste　earnestly；　and
Craig　wrote　his　name　down。

Poor　Abe　looked　amazed　and　distressed；　rose　slowly；　and　saying；
'That　jars　my　whisky　jug；'　passed　out。　　There　was　a　slight　movement
near　the　organ；　and　glancing　up　I　saw　Mrs。　Mavor　put　her　face
hastily　in　her　hands。　　The　men's　faces　were　anxious　and　troubled；
and　Nelson　said　in　a　voice　that　broke

'Tell　them　what　you　told　me；　sir。'　　But　Craig　was　troubled　too；　and
replied；　'You　tell　them；　Nelson！'　and　Nelson　told　the　men　the　story
of　how　he　began　just　five　weeks　ago。　　The　old　man's　voice　steadied
as　he　went　on；　and　he　grew　eager　as　he　told　how　he　had　been　helped；
and　how　the　world　was　all　different；　and　his　heart　seemed　new。　　He
spoke　of　his　Friend　as　if　He　were　some　one　that　could　be　seen　out
at　camp；　that　he　knew　well；　and　met　every　day。

But　as　he　tried　to　say　how　deeply　he　regretted　that　he　had　not
known　all　this　years　before；　the　old；　hard　face　began　to　quiver；
and　the　steady　voice　wavered。　　Then　he　pulled　himself　together；　and
said

'I　begin　to　feel　sure　He'll　pull　me　throughme！　the　hardest　man　in
the　mountains！　　So　don't　you　fear；　boys。　　He's　all　right。'

Then　the　men　gave　in　their　names；　one　by　one。　　When　it　came　to
Geordie's　turn；　he　gave　his　name

'George　Crawford；　frae　the　pairish　o'　Kilsyth；　Scotland；　an'　ye'll
juist　pit　doon　the　lad's　name；　Maister　Craig；　he's　a　wee　bit　fashed
wi'　the　discoorse；　but　he　has　the　root　o'　the　maitter　in　him；　I
doot。'　　And　so　Billy　Breen's　name　went　down。

When　the　meeting　was　over；　thirty…eight　names　stood　upon　the
communion　roll　of　the　Black　Rock　Presbyterian　Church；　and　it　will
ever　be　one　of　the　regrets　of　my　life　that　neither　Graeme's　name
nor　my　own　appeared　on　that　roll。　　And　two　days　after；　when　the　cup
went　round　on　that　first　Communion　Sabbath；　from　Nelson　to　Sandy；
and　from　Sandy　to　Baptiste；　and　so　on　down　the　line　to　Billy　Breen
and　Mrs。　Mavor；　and　then　to　Abe；　the　driver；　whom　she　had　by　her
own　mystic　power　lifted　into　hope　and　faith；　I　felt　all　the　shame
and　pain　of　a　traitor；　and　I　believe；　in　my　heart　that　the　fire　of
that　pain　and　shame　burned　something　of　the　selfish　cowardice　out
of　me；　and　that　it　is　burning　still。

The　last　words　of　the　minister；　in　the　short　address　after　the
table　had　been　served；　were　low；　and　sweet；　and　tender；　but　they
were　words　of　high　courage；　and　before　he　had　spoken　them　all；　the
men　were　listening　with　shining　eyes；　and　when　they　rose　to　sing
the　closing　hymn　they　stood　straight　and　stiff　like　soldiers　on
parade。

And　I　wished　more　than　ever　I　were　one　of　them。


CHAPTER　VIII

THE　BREAKING　OF　THE　LEAGUE


There　is　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　nature　designed　me　for　a　great
painter。　　A　railway　director　interfered　with　that　design　of　nature；
as　he　has　with　many　another　of　hers；　and　by　the　transmission　of　an
order　for　mountain　pieces　by　the　dozen；　together　with　a　cheque　so
large　that　I　feared　there　was　some　mistake；　he　determined　me　to　be
an　illustrator　and　designer　for　railway　and　like　publications。　　I
do　not　like　these　people　ordering　'by　the　dozen。'　　Why　should　they
not　consider　an　artist's　finer　feelings？　　Perhaps　they　cannot
understand　them；　but　they　understand　my　pictures；　and　I　understand
their　cheques；　and　there　we　are　quits。　　But　so　it　came　that　I
remained　in　Black　Rock　long　enough　to　witness　the　breaking　of　the
League。

Looking　back　upon　the　events　of　that　night　from　the　midst　of　gentle
and　decent　surroundings；　they　now　seem　strangely　unreal；　but　to　me
then　they　appeared　only　natural。

It　was　the　Good　Friday　ball　that　wrecked　the　League。　　For　the　fact
that　the　promoters　of　the　ball　determined　that　it　should　be　a　ball
rather　than　a　dance　was　taken　by　the　League　men　as　a　c