when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第32节
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〃Don't be doin' ut；〃 he cried。 〃There'll be no blood in me throat。
Give me a little time。 'Tis cold an' weak I am。 Be lettin' me lay down
an' slape a bit。 Then I'll be warm an' the blood'll flow。〃
〃'Tis no use；〃 Sullivan objected。 〃As if ye cud be slapin' at a time
like this。 Ye'll not slape； and ye'll not warm up。 Look at ye now。
You've an ague。〃
〃I was sick at Limerick wan night；〃 O'Brien hurried on； 〃an' the
dochtor cudn't bleed me。 But after slapin' a few hours an' gettin' warm in
bed the blood came freely。 It's God's truth I'm tellin' yez。 Don't be
murderin' me！〃
〃His veins are open now；〃 the captain said。 〃'Tis no use leavin' him in
his pain。 Do it now an' be done with it。〃
They started to reach for O'Brien； but he backed away。
〃I'll be the death iv yez！〃 he screamed。 〃Take yer hands off iv me；
Sullivan！ I'll come back！ I'll haunt yez！ Wakin' or slapin'； I'll haunt
yez till you die！〃
〃'Tis disgraceful！〃 yelled Behane。 〃If the short stick'd ben mine； I'd
a… let me mates cut the head off iv me an' died happy。〃
Sullivan leaped in and caught the unhappy lad by the hair。 The rest
of the men followed； O'Brien kicked and struggled； snarling and snapping
at the hands that clutched him from every side。 Little Johnny Sheehan
broke out into wild screaming； but the men took no notice of him。
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
O'Brien was bent backward to the deck； the tureen cover under his neck。
Gorman was shoved forward。 Some one had thrust a large sheath…knife
into his hand。
〃Do yer duty！ Do yer duty！〃 the men cried。
The cook bent over； but he caught the boy's eyes and faltered。
〃If ye don't； I'll kill ye with me own hands；〃 Behane shouted。
From every side a torrent of abuse and threats poured in upon the cook。
Still he hung back。
〃Maybe there'll be more blood in his veins than O'Brien's；〃 Sullivan
suggested significantly。
Behane caught Gorman by the hair and twisted his head back； while
Sullivan attempted to take possession of the sheath…knife。 But Gorman
clung to it desperately。
〃Lave go； an' I'll do ut！〃 he screamed frantically。 〃Don't be cuttin' me
throat！ I'll do the deed！ I'll do the deed！〃
〃See that you do it； then；〃 the captain threatened him。
Gorman allowed himself to be shoved forward。 He looked at the boy；
closed his eyes； and muttered a prayer。 Then； without opening his eyes；
he did the deed that had been appointed him。 O'Brien emitted a shriek
that sank swiftly to a gurgling sob。 The men held him till his struggles
ceased； when he was laid upon the deck。 They were eager and impatient；
and with oaths and threats they urged Gorman to hurry with the
preparation of the meal。
〃Lave ut； you bloody butchers；〃 Mahoney said quietly。 〃Lave ut； I
tell yez。 Ye'll not be needin' anny iv ut now。 'Tis as I said： ye'll not be
profitin' by the lad's blood。 Empty ut overside； Behane。 Empty ut
overside。〃
Behane； still holding the tureen cover in both his hands； glanced to
windward。 He walked to the rail and threw the cover and contents into
the sea。 A full…rigged ship was bearing down upon them a short mile
away。 So occupied had they been with the deed just committed； that
none had had eyes for a lookout。 All hands watched her coming onthe
brightly coppered forefoot parting the water like a golden knife； the
headsails flapping lazily and emptily at each downward surge； and the
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
towering canvas tiers dipping and curtsying with each stately swing of the
sea。 No man spoke。
As she hove to； a cable length away； the captain of the Francis Spaight
bestirred himself and ordered a tarpaulin to be thrown over O'Brien's
corpse。 A boat was lowered from the stranger's side and began to pull
toward them。 John Gorman laughed。 He laughed softly at first； but he
accompanied each stroke of the oars with spasmodically increasing glee。
It was this maniacal laughter that greeted the rescue boat as it hauled
alongside and the first officer clambered on board。
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
A CURIOUS FRAGMENT
＇The capitalist； or industrial oligarch； Roger Vanderwater； mentioned
in the narrative； has been identified as the ninth in the line of the
Vanderwaters that controlled for hundreds of years the cotton factories of
the South。 This Roger Vanderwater flourished in the last decades of the
twenty…sixth century after Christ； which was the fifth century of the
terrible industrial oligarchy that was reared upon the ruins of the early
Republic。
From internal evidences we are convinced that the narrative which
follows was not reduced to writing till the twenty…ninth century。 Not
only was it unlawful to write or print such matter during that period； but
the working… class was so illiterate that only in rare instances were its
members able to read and write。 This was the dark reign of the overman；
in whose speech the great mass of the people were characterized as the
〃herd animals。〃 All literacy was frowned upon and stamped out。 From
the statute…books of the times may be instanced that black law that made it
a capital offence for any man； no matter of what class； to teach even the
alphabet to a member of the working…class。 Such stringent limitation of
education to the ruling class was necessary if that class was to continue to
rule。
One result of the foregoing was the development of the professional
story… tellers。 These story…tellers were paid by the oligarchy； and the
tales they told were legendary； mythical； romantic； and harmless。 But the
spirit of freedom never quite died out； and agitators； under the guise of
story… tellers； preached revolt to the slave class。 That the following tale
was banned by the oligarchs we have proof from the records of the
criminal police court of Ashbury； wherein； on January 27； 2734； one John
Tourney； found guilty of telling the tale in a boozing…ken of labourers； was
sentenced to five years' penal servitude in the borax mines of the Arizona
Desert。EDITOR'S NOTE。＇
Listen； my brothers； and I will tell you a tale of an arm。 It was the
arm of Tom Dixon； and Tom Dixon was a weaver of the first class in a
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factory of that hell…hound and master； Roger Vanderwater。 This factory
was called 〃Hell's Bottom〃 。 。 。 by the slaves who toiled in it； and I guess
they ought to know； and it was situated in Kingsbury； at the other end of
the town from Vanderwater's summer palace。 You do not know where
Kingsbury is？ There are many things； my brothers； that you do not know；
and it is sad。 It is because you do not know that you are slaves。 When I
have told you this tale； I should like to form a class among you for the
learning of written and printed speech。 Our masters read and write and
possess many books； and it is because of that that they are our masters；
and live in palaces； and do not work。 When the toilers learn to read and
writeall of themthey will grow strong； then they will use their strength
to break their bonds； and there will be no more masters and no more
slaves。
Kingsbury； my brothers； is in the old State of Alabama。 For three
