the foreigner-第38部分

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As　he　approached　Wakota；　he　was　impatient　with　himself　that　he　was　so　keenly　conscious　of　the　need　of　arguments　to　support　his　appeal。　He　rode　straight　to　the　school；　and　was　surprised　to　find　Brown　sitting　there　alone；　with　a　shadow　on　his　usually　cheery　face。

〃Hello；　Brown！〃　he　cried；　as　he　entered　the　building；　〃another　holiday；　eh！　　Seems　to　me　you　get　more　than　your　share。〃

〃No；〃　said　Brown；　〃it　is　not　holidays　at　all。　　It　is　a　breaking　up。〃

〃What's　the　row；　epidemic　of　measles　or　something？〃

〃I　only　wish　it　were；〃　said　Brown；　〃small…pox　would　not　be　too　bad。〃　　Brown's　good…natured　face　was　smiling；　but　his　tone　told　of　gloom　in　his　heart。

〃What's　up；　Brown？〃　asked　French。

〃I'm　blue；　I'm　depressed；　I'm　in　a　funk。　　It　is　my　constitutional　weakness　that　I　cannot　stand〃

〃Oh；　let　it　go　at　that；　Brown；　and　get　on　with　the　facts。　　But　come　out　into　the　light。　　That's　the　thing　that　makes　me　fear　that　something　has　really　happened　that　you　are　moping　here　inside。　Nothing　wrong　in　the　home　I　hope；　Brown；　wife　and　baby　well？〃　said　French；　his　tone　becoming　more　kind　and　gentle。

〃No；　not　a　thing；　thank　God！　both　fine　and　fit；〃　said　Brown；　as　they　walked　out　of　the　school　and　down　the　river　path。　　〃My　school　has　folded　itself　up；　and；　like　the　Arab；　has　stolen　away。〃

〃Go　on　with　your　yarn。　　What　has　struck　your　school？〃

〃A　Polish　priest；　small　and　dark　and　dirty；　he　can't　help　the　first　two；　but　with　the　Eagle　River　running　through　the　country；　he　might　avoid　the　last。〃

〃What　is　he　up　to？〃

〃I　wish　I　knew。　　He　introduced　himself　by　ordering；　upon　pain　of　hell　fire；　that　no　child　attend　my　school；　consequently；　not　a　Galician　child　has　shown　up。〃

〃What　are　you　going　to　doquit？〃

〃Quit？〃　shouted　Brown；　springing　to　his　feet。

〃I　apologize；〃　said　French　hastily；　〃I　ought　to　have　known　better。〃

〃No；　I　am　not　going　to　quit；〃　said　Brown；　recovering　his　quiet　manner。　　〃If　he　wants　the　school；　and　will　undertake　to　run　it；　why；　I'll　give　him　the　building　and　the　outfit。〃

〃But；〃　said　French；　〃isn't　that　rather　funking　it？〃

〃Not　a　bit〃　said　Brown　emphatically。　　〃I　am　not　sent　here　to　proselytize。　　My　church　is　not　in　that　business。　　We　are　doing　business；　but　we　are　in　the　business　of　making　good　citizens。　We　tried　to　get　the　Government　to　establish　schools　among　the　Galicians。　　The　Government　declined。　　We　took　it　up；　and　hence　this　school。　　We　tried　to　get　Greek　Catholic　priests　from　Europe　to　look　after　the　religion　and　morals　of　these　people。　　We　absolutely　failed　to　get　a　decent　man　to　offer。　　Remember；　I　say　decent　man。　We　had　offers；　plenty　of　them；　but　we　could　not　lay　our　hands　on　a　single；　clean；　honest…minded　man　with　the　fear　of　God　in　his　heart；　and　the　desire　to　help　these　people。　　So；　as　I　say；　we　will　give　this　man　a　fair　chance；　and　if　he　makes　good；　I　will　back　him　up　and　say；　'God　bless　you。'　　But　he　won't　make　good；〃　added　Brown　gloomily；　〃from　the　way　he　starts　out。〃

French　waited；　and　Brown　went　on。　　〃He　was　called　to　marry　a　couple　the　other　day；　got　hopelessly　drunk；　charged　them　ten　dollars；　and　they　are　not　sure　whether　they　are　married　or　not。　　Last　Sunday　he　drummed　the　people　up　to　confession。　　It　was　a　long　time　since　they　had　had　a　chance；　and　they　were　glad　to　come。　　He　charged　them　two　dollars　apiece；　tried　to　make　it　five；　but　failed；　and　now　he　introduces　himself　to　me　by　closing　my　school。　　He　may　mean　well；　but　his　methods　would　bear　improvement。　　However；　as　I　have　said；　we　will　give　him　a　chance。〃

〃And　meantime？〃　enquired　French。

〃Meantime？　　Oh！　I　shall　stick　to　my　pills　and　plasters；we　have　ten　patients　in　the　hospital　now；run　the　store　and　the　mill；　and　try　to　help　generally。　　If　this　priest　gets　at　his　work　and　makes　good；　I　promise　you　I'll　not　bother　him。〃

〃And　if　not？〃　enquired　French。

〃If　not？　　Well；　then；〃　said　Brown；　sinking　back　into　his　easy；　good…natured　manner；　〃you　see；　I　am　constitutionally　indolent。　　I　would　rather　he'd　move　out　than　I；　and　so　while　the　colony　stays　here；　it　will　be　much　easier　for　me　to　stay　than　to　go。　　And；〃　he　added；　〃I　shall　get　back　my　school；　too。〃

French　looked　at　him　admiringly。　　Brown's　lips　had　come　together　in　a　straight　line。

〃By　George！　I　believe　you；〃　exclaimed　French；　〃and　I　think　I　see　the　finish　of　the　Polish　gentleman。　　Can　I　help　you　out？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Brown；　〃but　Kalman　can。　　I　want　him　to　do　some　interpreting　for　me　some　of　these　days。　　By　the　way；　where　is　he　to…day？　　He　is　not　with　you。〃

French's　face　changed。　　〃That　reminds　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　hate　to　unload　my　burden　on　you　to…day　when　you　have　got　your　own。〃

〃Do　not　hesitate；〃　said　Brown；　with　a　return　of　his　cheery　manner；　〃another　fellow's　burden　helps　to　balance　one's　own。　　You　know　I　am　constitutionally　selfish　and　get　thinking　far　too　much　of　myself；　habit　of　mine；　bad　habit。〃

〃You　go　to　thunder；　Brown；　with　your　various　and　many　constitutional　weaknesses。　　When　I　look　at　you　and　your　work　for　this　thankless　horde　I　feel　something　of　a　useless　brute。〃

〃Hold　up　there；　now；　don't　you　abuse　my　parishioners。　　They　are　a　perfectly　good　lot　if　left　alone。　　They　are　awfully　grateful；　and；　yes；　in　many　ways　they　are　a　good　lot。〃

〃Yes；　a　jolly　lot　of　quitters　they　are。　　They　have　quit　you　dead。〃

Brown　winced。　　〃Let　us　up　on　that　spot；　French；〃　he　said。　　〃it　is　a　little　raw　yet。　　What's　your　trouble？〃

〃Well；〃　said　French；　〃I　hardly　know　how　to　begin。　　It　is　Kalman。〃　At　once　Brown　was　alert。

〃Sick？〃

〃Oh！　no；　not　he。　　Fit　as　a　fiddle；　but　the　fact　is　he　is　not　doing　just　as　well　as　he　ought。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　said　Brown　anxiously。

〃Well；　he　is　growing　up　into　a　big　chap；　you　know；　getting　towards　sixteen；　and　pretty　much　of　a　man　in　many　ways；　and　while　he　is　a　fine；　clean；　straight　boy　and　all　that；　he　is　not　just　what　I　would　like。〃

〃None　of　us　are；〃　said　Brown　quietly。

〃True；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　replied　French。　　〃I　do　not　know　about　you。　　But　to　go　on。　　The　boy　has　got　a　fiendish　temper　and；　on　slight　provocation；　he　is　into　a　fight　like　a　demon。〃

〃With　you？〃　said　Brown。

〃Oh；　come；〃　said　French；　〃you　know　better　than　that。　　No；　he　gets　with　those　Galicians；　and　then　there　is　a　row。　　The　other　week；　nowwell〃　　French　was　finding　it　difficult　to　get　on。

〃I　heard　about　it；〃　said　Brown；　〃they　told　me　the　boy　was　half　drunk；　and　you　more。〃　　Brown's　tone　was　not　encouraging。

〃You've　hit　it；　Brown；　and　that's　the　sort　of　thing　that　makes　me　anxious。　　The　boy　is　getting　into　bad　ways；　and　I　thought　you　might　take　him　in　hand。　　I　cannot　help　him　much　in　these　matters；　and　you　can。〃

French's　arguments　had　all　deserted　him。

〃Look　here；〃　he　said　at　length　desperately；　〃here　is　a　letter　which　I　got　a　few　days　ago。　　I　want　you　to　read　that　last　page。　　It　will　show　you　my　difficulty。　　It　is　from　my　sister…in…law；　and；　of　course；　her　position　is　quite　preposterous；　but　you　know　a　woman　finds　it　difficult　to　understand　some　things　in　a　man's　life。　　You　know　what　I　mean；　but　read。　　I　think　you　know　who　she　is。　　It　was　she　who　sent　Kalman　out　here　to　save　him　from　going　wrong。　　God　save　the　mark！〃

Brown　took　the　letter　and　read　it　carefully；　read　it　a　second　time；　and　then　said　simply：

〃That　seems　straight　enough。　　That　woman　sees　her　way　through　things。　　But　what's　the　trouble？〃

〃Well；　of　course；　it　is　quite　absurd。〃

〃What's　absurd？〃　asked　Brown　shortly。　　〃Your　responsibility？〃

〃Hold　on；　now；　Brown；〃　he　said。　　〃I　do　not　want　you　to　miss　my　point　of　view。〃

〃All　right；　let's　have　it；〃　said　Brown；　and　French　plunged　at　once　at　his　main　argument；　adopting　with　great　effort　the　judicial　tone　of　a　man　determined　to　examine　dispassionately　on　the　data　at　command。

〃You　see；　she　does　not　know　me；　has　not　seen　me　for　fifteen　years；　and　I　am　afraid　she　thinks　I　am　a　kind　of　saint。　　Now；　you　know　better；〃　Brown　nodded　his　assent　with　his　eyes　steadily　on　the　other's　face；　〃and　I　know　better；　and　I　am　not　going　to　play　the　hypocrite　for　any　man。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　said　Brown；　〃she　does　not　ask　you　to。〃

〃So　it　is　there　I　want　you　to　help　me　out。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Brown；　〃count　on　me　for　all　I　can　do。　　But　that　does　not　touch　the　question　so　far　as　I　can　see　it；　even　remotely。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　is　not　a　question　of　what　I　am　to　do　in　the　matter。〃

〃What　can　I　do？〃　cried　French；　losing　his　judicial　tone。　　〃Do　you　think　I　am　going　to　accept　the　role　of　moral　preceptor　to　that　youth　and　play　the　hypocrite？〃

〃Who　asks　you　to？〃　said　Brown；　with　a　touch　of　scorn。　　〃Be　honest　in　the　matter。〃

〃Oh；　come　now；　Brown；　let　us　not　chop　words。　　Look　at　the　thing　reasonably。　　I　came　for　help　and　not〃

〃Count　on　me　for　all　the　help　I　can　give；〃　said　Brown　promptly；　〃but　let's　look　at　your　part。〃

〃Well；〃　said　French；　〃we　will　divide　up　on　this　thing。　　I　will　undertake　to　look　after　the　boy's　physical　andwellsecular　interests；　if　you　like。　　I　will　teach　him　to　ride；　shoot；　box；　and　handle　the　work　on　the　ranch；　in　short；　educate　him　in　things　practical；　while　you　take　charge　of　his　moral　training。〃

〃In　other　words；　when　it　comes　to　morals；　you　want　to　shirk。〃

French　flushed　quickly；　but　controlled　himself。

〃Excuse　me；　Brown；〃　he　said；　in　a　quiet　tone。