black rock-第7部分

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'Is　there　no　place　nearer？'

'Yes；　Mrs。　Mavor's。　　I　shall　run　on　to　tell　her。'

She　met　us　at　the　door。　　I　had　in　mind　to　say　some　words　of
apology；　but　when　I　looked　upon　her　face　I　forgot　my　words；　forgot
my　business　at　her　door；　and　stood　simply　looking。

'Come　in！　　Bring　him　in！　　Please　do　not　wait；'　she　said；　and　her
voice　was　sweet　and　soft　and　firm。

We　laid　him　in　a　large　room　at　the　back　of　the　shop　over　which　Mrs。
Mavor　lived。　　Together　we　dressed　the　wound；　her　firm　white
fingers；　skilful　as　if　with　long　training。　　Before　the　dressing　was
finished　I　sent　Craig　off；　for　the　time　had　come　for　the　Magic
Lantern　in　the　church；　and　I　knew　how　critical　the　moment　was　in
our　fight。　　'Go；'　I　said；　'he　is　coming　to；　and　we　do　not　need
you。'

In　a　few　moments　more　Graeme　revived；　and；　gazing　about；　asked；
'What's；　all　this　about？'　and　then；　recollecting；　'Ah！　that　brute
Keefe'；　then　seeing　my　anxious　face　he　said　carelessly；　'Awful
bore；　ain't　it？　　Sorry　to　trouble　you；　old　fellow。'

'You　be　hanged！'　I　said　shortly；　for　his　old　sweet　smile　was
playing　about　his　lips；　and　was　almost　too　much　for　me。　　'Mrs。
Mavor　and　I　are　in　command；　and　you　must　keep　perfectly　still。'

'Mrs。　Mavor？'　he　said；　in　surprise。　　She　came　forward；　with　a
slight　flush　on　her　face。

'I　think　you　know　me；　Mr。　Graeme。'

'I　have　often　seen　you；　and　wished　to　know　you。　　I　am　sorry　to
bring　you　this　trouble。'

'You　must　not　say　so；'　she　replied；　'but　let　me　do　all　for　you　that
I　can。　　And　now　the　doctor　says　you　are　to　lie　still。'

'The　doctor？　　Oh！　you　mean　Connor。　　He　is　hardly　there　yet。　　You
don't　know　each　other。　　Permit　me　to　present　Mr。　Connor；　Mrs。
Mavor。'

As　she　bowed　slightly；　her　eyes　looked　into　mine　with　serious　gaze；
not　inquiring；　yet　searching　my　soul。　　As　I　looked　into　her　eyes　I
forgot　everything　about　me；　and　when　I　recalled　myself　it　seemed　as
if　I　had　been　away　in　some　far　place。　　It　was　not　their　colour　or
their　brightness；　I　do　not　yet　know　their　colour；　and　I　have　often
looked　into　them；　and　they　were　not　bright；　but　they　were　clear；
and　one　could　look　far　down　into　them；　and　in　their　depths　see　a
glowing；　steady　light。　　As　I　went　to　get　some　drugs　from　the　Black
Rock　doctor；　I　found　myself　wondering　about　that　far…down　light；
and　about　her　voice；　how　it　could　get　that　sound　from　far　away。

I　found　the　doctor　quite　drunk；　as　indeed　Mr。　Craig　had　warned；　but
his　drugs　were　good；　and　I　got　what　I　wanted　and　quickly　returned。

While　Graeme　slept　Mrs。　Mavor　made　me　tea。　　As　the　evening　wore　on
I　told　her　the　events　of　the　day；　dwelling　admiringly　upon　Craig's
generalship。　　She　smiled　at　this。

'He　got　me　too；'　she　said。　　'Nixon　was　sent　to　me　just　before　the
sports；　and　I　don't　think　he　will　break　down　to…day；　and　I　am　so
thankful。'　　And　her　eyes　glowed。

'I　am　quite　sure　he　won't；'　I　thought　to　myself；　but　I　said　no
word。

After　a　long　pause；　she　went　on；　'I　have　promised　Mr。　Craig　to　sing
to…night；　if　I　am　needed！'　and　then；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；
'It　is　two　years　since　I　have　been　able　to　singtwo　years；'　she
repeated；　'since'and　then　her　brave　voice　trembled'my　husband
was　killed。'

'I　quite　understand；'　I　said；　having　no　other　word　on　my　tongue

'And；'　she　went　on　quietly；　'I　fear　I　have　been　selfish。　　It　is
hard　to　sing　the　same　songs。　　We　were　very　happy。　　But　the　miners
like　to　hear　me　sing；　and　I　think　perhaps　it　helps　them　to　feel
less　lonely；　and　keeps　them　from　evil。　　I　shall　try　to…night；　if　I
am　needed。　　Mr。　Craig　will　not　ask　me　unless　he　must。'

I　would　have　seen　every　miner　and　lumberman　in　the　place　hideously
drunk　before　I　would　have　asked　her　to　sing　one　song　while　her
heart　ached。　　I　wondered　at　Craig；　and　said；　rather　angrily

'He　thinks　only　of　those　wretched　miners　and　shantymen　of　his。'

She　looked　at　me　with　wonder　in　her　eyes；　and　said　gently；　'And　are
they　not　Christ's　too？'

And　I　found　no　word　to　reply。

It　was　nearing　ten　o'clock；　and　I　was　wondering　how　the　fight　was
going；　and　hoping　that　Mrs。　Mavor　would　not　be　needed；　when　the
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