the faith of men(人们的信任)-第28节
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things from total ignorance to infinite understanding。
〃Then why do you not kill him？〃
Again the shoulders went up。
〃Mon pere；〃 he said after a pause； 〃de taim is not yet。 He is one beeg
devil。 Some taim Ah break heem； so an' so； all to leetle bits。 Hey？
some taim。 BON！〃
A day came when Leclere gathered his dogs together and floated down
in a bateau to Forty Mile； and on to the Porcupine； where he took a
commission from the P。 C。 Company； and went exploring for the better
part of a year。 After that he poled up the Koyokuk to deserted Arctic City；
and later came drifting back； from camp to camp； along the Yukon。 And
during the long months Batard was well lessoned。 He learned many
tortures； and； notably； the torture of hunger； the torture of thirst； the torture
of fire； and； worst of all； the torture of music。
Like the rest of his kind； he did not enjoy music。 It gave him
exquisite anguish； racking him nerve by nerve； and ripping apart every
fibre of his being。 It made him howl； long and wolf…life； as when the
wolves bay the stars on frosty nights。 He could not help howling。 It
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was his one weakness in the contest with Leclere； and it was his shame。
Leclere； on the other hand； passionately loved musicas passionately as he
loved strong drink。 And when his soul clamoured for expression； it
usually uttered itself in one or the other of the two ways； and more usually
in both ways。 And when he had drunk； his brain a…lilt with unsung song
and the devil in him aroused and rampant； his soul found its supreme
utterance in torturing Batard。
〃Now we will haf a leetle museek；〃 he would say。 〃Eh？ W'at you
t'ink； Batard？〃
It was only an old and battered harmonica； tenderly treasured and
patiently repaired； but it was the best that money could buy； and out of its
silver reeds he drew weird vagrant airs that men had never heard before。
Then Batard； dumb of throat； with teeth tight clenched； would back away；
inch by inch； to the farthest cabin corner。 And Leclere； playing； playing；
a stout club tucked under his arm； followed the animal up； inch by inch；
step by step； till there was no further retreat。
At first Batard would crowd himself into the smallest possible space；
grovelling close to the floor； but as the music came nearer and nearer； he
was forced to uprear； his back jammed into the logs； his fore legs fanning
the air as though to beat off the rippling waves of sound。 He still kept his
teeth together； but severe muscular contractions attacked his body； strange
twitchings and jerkings； till he was all a…quiver and writhing in silent
torment。 As he lost control； his jaws spasmodically wrenched apart； and
deep throaty vibrations issued forth； too low in the register of sound for
human ear to catch。 And then； nostrils distended； eyes dilated； hair
bristling in helpless rage； arose the long wolf howl。 It came with a slurring
rush upwards； swelling to a great heart… breaking burst of sound； and dying
away in sadly cadenced woethen the next rush upward； octave upon
octave； the bursting heart； and the infinite sorrow and misery； fainting；
fading； falling； and dying slowly away。
It was fit for hell。 And Leclere； with fiendish ken； seemed to divine
each particular nerve and heartstring； and with long wails and tremblings
and sobbing minors to make it yield up its last shred of grief。 It was
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frightful； and for twenty…four hours after； Batard was nervous and
unstrung； starting at common sounds； tripping over his own shadow； but；
withal； vicious and masterful with his team…mates。 Nor did he show
signs of a breaking spirit。 Rather did he grow more grim and taciturn；
biding his time with an inscrutable patience that began to puzzle and
weigh upon Leclere。 The dog would lie in the firelight； motionless； for
hours； gazing straight before him at Leclere； and hating him with his bitter
eyes。
Often the man felt that he had bucked against the very essence of life
the unconquerable essence that swept the hawk down out of the sky like a
feathered thunderbolt； that drove the great grey goose across the zones；
that hurled the spawning salmon through two thousand miles of boiling
Yukon flood。 At such times he felt impelled toexpress his own
unconquerable essence； and with strong drink； wild music； and Batard； he
indulged in vast orgies； wherein he pitted his puny strength in the face of
things； and challenged all that was； and had been； and was yet to be。
〃Dere is somet'ing dere；〃 he affirmed； when the rhythmed vagaries of
his mind touched the secret chords of Batard's being and brought forth the
long lugubrious howl。 〃Ah pool eet out wid bot' my han's； so； an' so。
Ha！ ha！ Eet is fonee！ Eet is ver' fonee！ De priest chant； de womans
pray； de mans swear； de leetle bird go peep…peep； Batard； heem go yow…
yowan' eet is all de ver' same t'ing。 Ha！ ha！〃
Father Gautier； a worthy priest； one reproved him with instances of
concrete perdition。 He never reproved him again。
〃Eet may be so； mon pere；〃 he made answer。 〃An' Ah t'ink Ah go
troo hell a…snappin'； lak de hemlock troo de fire。 Eh； mon pere？〃
But all bad things come to an end as well as good； and so with Black
Leclere。 On the summer low water； in a poling boat； he left McDougall
for Sunrise。 He left McDougall in company with Timothy Brown； and
arrived at Sunrise by himself。 Further； it was known that they had
quarrelled just previous to pulling out； for the Lizzie； a wheezy ten…ton
stern…wheeler； twenty…four hours behind； beat Leclere in by three days。
And when he did get in； it was with a clean…drilled bullet…hole through his
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shoulder muscle； and a tale of ambush and murder。
A strike had been made at Sunrise； and things had changed
considerably。 With the infusion of several hundred gold…seekers； a deal
of whisky； and half…a…dozen equipped gamblers； the missionary had seen
the page of his years of labour with the Indians wiped clean。 When the
squaws became preoccupied with cooking beans and keeping the fire
going for the wifeless miners； and the bucks with swapping their warm
furs for black bottles and broken time…pieces； he took to his bed； said
〃Bless me〃 several times； and departed to his final accounting in a rough…
hewn； oblong box。 Whereupon the gamblers moved their roulette and
faro tables into the mission house； and the click of chips and clink of
glasses went up from dawn till dark and to dawn again。
Now Timothy Brown was well beloved among these adventurers of
the North。 The one thing against him was his quick temper and ready
fista little thing； for which his kind heart and forgiving hand more than
atoned。 On the other hand； there was nothing to atone for Black Leclere。
He was 〃black；〃 as more than one remembered deed bore witness； while
he was as well hated as the other was beloved。 So the men of Sunrise put
an antiseptic dressing on his shoulder and haled him before Judge Lynch。
It was a simple affair。 He had quarrelled with Timothy Brown at
McDougall。 With Timothy Brown he had left McDougall。 Without
Timothy Brown he had arrived at Sunrise。 Considered in the light of his
evilness； the unanimous conclusion was that he had killed Timothy Brown。
On the other hand； Leclere acknowledged their facts； but challenged t
