the foreigner-第35部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　French；　〃are　you　by　any　chance　a　preacher？〃

〃Well；　I　may　be；　though　I　can't　preach　much。　　But　my　main　line　is　the　kiddies。　　I　can　teach　them　English；　and　then　I　am　going　to　doctor　them；　and；　if　they'll　let　me；　teach　them　some　of　the　elements　of　domestic　science；　in　short；　do　anything　to　make　them　good　Christians　and　good　Canadians；　which　is　the　same　thing。〃

〃That　is　a　pretty　large　order。　　Look　here；　now；〃　said　French；　sitting　up；　〃you　look　like　a　sensible　fellow；　and　open　to　advice。　Don't　be　an　ass　and　throw　yourself　away。　　I　know　these　people　well。　In　a　generation　or　two　something　may　be　done　with　them。　　You　can't　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　sow's　ear；　you　know。　　Give　it　up。　　Take　up　a　ranch　and　go　cattle　raising。　　That　is　my　advice。　　I　know　them。　You　can't　undo　in　your　lifetime　the　results　of　three　centuries。　It's　a　hopeless　business。　　I　tried　myself　to　give　them　some　pointers　when　they　came　in　first；　and　worried　a　good　deal　about　it。　I　got　myself　disliked　for　my　pains　and　suffered　considerable　annoyance。　　Now　I　leave　them　beautifully　alone。　　Their　suspicions　have　vanished　and　they　no　longer　look　at　me　as　if　I　were　a　thief。〃

Brown's　face　grew　serious。　　〃It's　a　fact；　they　are　suspicious；　frightfully。　　I　have　been　talking　school　to　them；　but　they　won't　have　a　school　as　a　gift。　　My　Church；　the　Presbyterian；　you　know；　offers　to　put　up　a　school　for　them；　since　the　Government　won't　do　anything；　but　they　are　mightily　afraid　that　this　is　some　subtle　scheme　for　extracting　money　from　them。　　But　what　can　you　expect？　The　only　church　they　know　has　bled　them　dry；　and　they　fear　and　hate　the　very　name　of　church。〃

〃By　Jove！　　I　don't　wonder；〃　said　French。

〃Nor　do　I。〃

〃But　look　here；　Brown；〃　said　French；　〃you　don't　mean　to　tell　me；I　assure　you　I　don't　wish　to　be　rude；but　you　don't　mean　to　tell　me　that　you　have　come　here；　a　man　of　your　education　and　snap〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Brown。

〃To　teach　a　lot　of　Galician　children。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Brown；　〃I　admit　I　have　come　partially　for　my　health。　You　see；　I　am　constitutionally　inclined〃

〃Oh；　come　now；〃　said　French；　〃as　my　friend　Kalman　would　remark；　cut　it　out。〃

〃Partially　for　my　health；　and　partially　for　the　good　of　the　country。　　These　people　here　exist　as　an　undigested　foreign　mass。　They　must　be　digested　and　absorbed　into　the　body　politic。　　They　must　be　taught　our　ways　of　thinking　and　living；　or　it　will　be　a　mighty　bad　thing　for　us　in　Western　Canada。　　Do　you　know；　there　are　over　twenty…five　thousand　of　them　already　in　this　country？〃

〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　said　French；　〃but　they'll　learn　our　ways　fast　enough。　　And　as　for　teaching　their　children；　pardon　me；　but　it　seems　to　me　you　are　too　good　a　man　to　waste　in　that　sort　of　thing。　Why；　bless　my　soul；　you　can　get　a　girl　for　fifty　dollars　a　month　who　would　teach　them　fast　enough。　　But　younow　you　could　do　big　things　in　this　country；　and　there　are　going　to　be　big　things　doing　here　in　a　year　or　two。〃

〃What　things？〃　said　Brown　with　evident　interest。

〃Oh；　well；　ranching；　farming　on　a　big　scale；　building　railroads；　lumber　up　on　the　hills；　then；　later；　public　life。　　We　will　be　a　province；　you　know；　one　of　these　days；　and　the　men　who　are　in　at　the　foundation　making　will　stand　at　the　top　later　on。〃

〃You're　all　right；〃　cried　Brown；　his　eyes　alight　with　enthusiasm。　〃There　will　be　big　things　doing；　and；　believe　me；　this　is　one　of　them。〃

〃What？　　Teaching　a　score　of　dirty　little　Galicians？　　The　chances　are　you'll　spoil　them。　　They　are　good　workers　as　they　are。　　None　better。　　They　are　easy　to　handle。　　You　go　in　and　give　them　some　of　our　Canadian　ideas　of　living　and　all　that；　and　before　you　know　they　are　striking　for　higher　wages　and　giving　no　end　of　trouble。〃

〃You　would　suppress　the　school；　then；　in　Western　Canada？〃　said　Brown。

〃No；　not　exactly。　　But　if　you　educate　these　fellows；　you　hear　me；　they'll　run　your　country；　by　Jove！　in　half　a　dozen　years；　and　you　wouldn't　like　that　much。〃

〃That's　exactly　it；〃　replied　Brown；　〃they'll　run　your　country　anyhow　you　put　it；　school　or　no　school；　and；　therefore；　you　had　better　fit　them　for　the　job。　　You　have　got　to　make　them　Canadian。〃

〃A　big　business　that；〃　said　French。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Brown；　〃there　are　two　agencies　that　will　do　it。〃

〃Namely。〃

〃The　school　and　the　Church。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　that's　all　right；　I　guess；〃　losing　interest　in　the　discussion。

〃That's　my　game　too；〃　said　Brown　with　increasing　eagerness。　〃That's　my　idea；the　school　and　the　Church。　　You　say　the　big　things　are　ranches；　railroads；　and　mills。　　So　they　are。　　But　the　really　big　things　are　the　things　that　give　us　our　ideas　and　our　ideals；　and　those　are　the　school　and　the　Church。　　But；　I　say；　you　will　be　wanting　to　turn　in。　　You　wait　a　minute　and　I'll　make　your　bed。〃

〃Bed？　　Nonsense！〃　said　French。　　〃Your　tent　floor　is　all　right。　I've　been　twenty　years　in　this　country；　and　Kalman　is　already　an　old　timer；　so　don't　you　start　anything。〃

〃Might　as　well　be　comfortable；〃　said　Brown　cheerfully。　　〃I　have　a　great　weakness　for　comfort。　　In　fact；　I　can't　bear　to　be　uncomfortable。　　I　live　luxuriously。　　I'll　be　back　in　a　few　minutes。〃

He　disappeared　behind　a　bluff　and　came　back　in　a　short　time　with　a　large　bundle　of　swamp…grass；　which　he　speedily　made　into　a　very　comfortable　bed。

〃Now　then；〃　he　said　cheerfully；　〃there　you　are。　　Have　you　any　objection　to　prayers？　　It　is　a　rule　of　this　camp　to　have　prayers　night　and　morning；　especially　if　any　strangers　happen　along。　　I　like　to　practise　on　them；　you　know。〃

French　nodded　gravely。　　〃Good　idea。　　I　can't　say　it　is　common　in　this　country。〃

Brown　brought　out　two　hymn　books　and　passed　one　to　French；　stirred　up　the　fire　to　a　bright　blaze；　and　proceeded　to　select　a　hymn。　Suddenly　he　turned　to　Kalman。　　〃I　say；　my　boy；　do　you　read？〃

〃Sure　thing！　　You　bet！〃　said　Kalman　indignantly。

〃Educated；　you　see；〃　said　French　apologetically。　　〃Street　University；　Winnipeg。〃

〃That's　all　right；　boy。　　I'll　get　you　a　book　for　yourself。　　We　have　lots　of　them。　　Now；　French；　you　select。〃

〃Oh；　me？　　You　better　go　on。　　I　don't　know　your　book。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Brown　emphatically。　　〃You　have　got　to　select；　and　you　have　got　to　read　too。　　Rule　of　the　camp。　　True；　I　didn't　feed　you；　but　thenI　hesitate　to　speak　of　itperhaps　you　remember　that　mixture。〃

〃Do　I？　　Oh；　well；　certainly；　if　you　put　it　that　way；〃　said　French。　〃Let's　see；　all　the　old　ones　are　here。　　Suppose　we　make　it　a　good　old…fashioned　one。　　How　will　this　do？〃　　He　passed　the　book　to　Brown。

〃Just　the　thing；〃　said　Brown。　　〃'Nearer；　my　God；　to　Thee。'　　Can　you　find　it；　Kalman？〃

〃Why；　cert；〃　said　Kalman。

French　glanced　apologetically　at　Brown。

〃Recently　caught；〃　he　explained；　〃but　means　no　harm。〃

Brown　nodded。

〃Proceed　with　the　reading；〃　he　said。

French　laid　down　his　pipe；　took　off　his　hat；　Kalman　following　his　example；　and　began　to　read。　　Instinctively；　as　he　read；　his　voice　took　a　softer　modulation　than　in　ordinary　speech。　　His　manner；　too；　became　touched　with　reverent　dignity。　　His　very　face　seemed　to　grow　finer。　　Brown　sat　listening；　with　his　face　glowing　with　pleasure　and　surprise。

〃Fine　old　hymn　that！　　Great　hymn！　　And　finely　read；　if　I　might　say　so。　　Now　we'll　sing。〃

His　voice　was　strong；　true；　and　not　unmusical；　and　what　he　lacked　of　finer　qualities　he　made　up　in　volume　and　force。　　His　visitors　joined　in　the　singing；　Kalman　following　the　air　in　a　low　sweet　tone；　French　singing　bass。

〃Can't　you　sing　any　louder？〃　said　Brown　to　Kalman。　　〃There's　nobody　to　disturb　but　the　fish　and　the　Galicians　up　yonder。　　Pipe　up；　my　boy；　if　you　can。　　I　couldn't　sing　softly　if　I　tried。　　Can　he　sing？〃　he　enquired　of　French。

〃Don't　know。　　Sing　up；　Kalman；　if　you　can；〃　said　French。

Then　Kalman　sat　up　and　sang。　　Strong；　pure；　clear；　his　voice　rose　upon　the　night　until　it　seemed　to　fill　the　whole　space　of　clearing　and　to　soar　away　off　into　the　sky。　　As　the　boy　sang；　French　laid　down　the　book　and　in　silence　gazed　upon　the　singer's　face。　　Through　verse　after　verse　the　others　sang　to　the　end。

〃I　say；　boy；〃　said　Brown；　〃you're　great！　　I'd　like　to　hear　you　sing　that　last　verse　alone。　　Get　up　and　try　it。　　What　do　you　say？〃

Without　hesitation　the　boy　rose　up。　　His　spirit　had　caught　the　inspiration　of　the　hymn　and　began；


　　　　　〃Or　if　on　joyful　wing　　　　　　　　　Cleaving　the　sky；　　　　　　　Sun；　moon；　and　stars　forgot；　　　　　　　　　Upward　I　fly；　　　　　　　Still　all　my　song　shall　be；　　　　　　　Nearer；　my　God；　to　Thee；　　　　　　　　　Nearer　to　Thee！〃


The　warm　soft　light　from　the　glow　still　left　in　the　western　sky　fell　on　his　face　and　touched　his　yellow　hair　with　glory。　　A　silence　followed；　so　deep　and　full　that　it　seemed　to　overflow　the　space　so　recently　filled　with　song；　and　to　hold　and　prolong　the　melody　of　that　exquisite　voice。　　Brown　reached　across　and　put　his　hand　on　the　boy's　shoulder。

〃Boy；　boy；〃　he　said　solemnly；　〃keep　that　voice　for　God。　　It　surely　belongs　to　Him。〃

French　neither　spoke　nor　moved。　　He　could　not。　　Deep　floods　were　surging　through　him。　　For　one　brief　moment　he　saw　in　vision　a　little　ivy…coloured　church　in　its　environment　of　quiet　country　lanes　in　far…away　England；　and　in　the　church；　the　family　pew；　where　sat　a　man　stern　and　strong；　a　woman　beside　him　and　two　little　boys；　one；　the　younger；