05-the prieslty prerogative-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　PRIESLTY　PREROGATIVE。



　　THIS　IS　THE　STORY　OF　A　MAN　who　did　not　appreciate　his　wife；　also；　of

a　woman　who　did　him　too　great　an　honor　when　she　gave　herself　to　him。

Incidentally；　it　concerns　a　Jesuit　priest　who　had　never　been　known

to　lie。　He　was　an　appurtenance；　and　a　very　necessary　one；　to　the　Yukon

country；　but　the　presence　of　the　other　two　was　merely　accidental。　They

were　specimens　of　the　many　strange　waifs　which　ride　the　breast　of　a

gold　rush　or　come　tailing　along　behind。

　　Edwin　Bentham　and　Grace　Bentham　were　waifs；　they　were　also　tailing

along　behind；　for　the　Klondike　rush　of　'97　had　long　since　swept　down

the　great　river　and　subsided　into　the　famine…stricken　city　of

Dawson。　When　the　Yukon　shut　up　shop　and　went　to　sleep　under　a

three…foot　ice…sheet；　this　peripatetic　couple　found　themselves　at

the　Five　Finger　Rapids；　with　the　City　of　Gold　still　a　journey　of

many　sleeps　to　the　north。

　　Many　cattle　had　been　butchered　at　this　place　in　the　fall　of　the

year；　and　the　offal　made　a　goodly　heap。　The　three　fellow…voyagers　of

Edwin　Bentham　and　wife　gazed　upon　this　deposit；　did　a　little　mental

arithmetic；　caught　a　certain　glimpse　of　a　bonanza；　and　decided　to

remain。　And　all　winter　they　sold　sacks　of　bones　and　frozen　hides　to

the　famished　dog…teams。　It　was　a　modest　price　they　asked；　a　dollar　a

pound；　just　as　it　came。　Six　months　later；　when　the　sun　came　back　and

the　Yukon　awoke；　they　buckled　on　their　heavy　moneybelts　and

journeyed　back　to　the　Southland；　where　they　yet　live　and　lie

mightily　about　the　Klondike　they　never　saw。

　　But　Edwin　Bentham…　he　was　an　indolent　fellow；　and　had　he　not　been

possessed　of　a　wife；　would　have　gladly　joined　issued　in　the　dog…meat

speculation。　As　it　was；　she　played　upon　his　vanity；　told　him　how　great

and　strong　he　was；　how　a　man　such　as　he　certainly　was　could　overcome

all　obstacles　and　of　a　surety　obtain　the　Golden　Fleece。　So　he

squared　his　jaw；　sold　his　share　in　the　bones　and　hides　for　a　sled

and　one　dog；　and　turned　his　snowshoes　to　the　north。　Needless　to　state；

Grace　Bentham's　snowshoes　never　allowed　his　tracks　to　grow　cold。

Nay；　ere　their　tribulations　had　seen　three　days；　it　was　the　man　who

followed　in　the　rear；　and　the　woman　who　broke　trail　in　advance。　Of

course；　if　anybody　hove　in　sight；　the　position　was　instantly　reversed。

Thus　did　his　manhood　remain　virgin　to　the　travelers　who　passed　like

ghosts　on　the　silent　trail。　There　are　such　men　in　this　world。

　　How　such　a　man　and　such　a　woman　came　to　take　each　other　for　better

and　for　worse　is　unimportant　to　this　narrative。　These　things　are

familiar　to　us　all；　and　those　people　who　do　them；　or　even　question

them　too　closely；　are　apt　to　lose　a　beautiful　faith　which　is　known

as　Eternal　Fitness。

　　Edwin　Bentham　was　a　boy；　thrust　by　mischance　into　a　man's　body；…　a

boy　who　could　complacently　pluck　a　butterfly；　wing　from　wing；　or　cower

in　abject　terror　before　a　lean；　nervy　fellow；　not　half　his　size。　He

was　a　selfish　cry…baby；　hidden　behind　a　man's　mustache　and　stature；

and　glossed　over　with　a　skin…deep　veneer　of　culture　and

conventionality。　Yes；　he　was　a　clubman　and　a　society　man；…　the　sort

that　grace　social　functions　and　utter　inanities　with　a　charm　and

unction　which　is　indescribable；　the　sort　that　talk　big；　and　cry　over　a

toothache；　the　sort　that　put　more　hell　into　a　woman's　life　by　marrying

her　than　can　the　most　graceless　libertine　that　ever　browsed　in

forbidden　pastures。　We　meet　these　men　every　day；　but　we　rarely　know

them　for　what　they　are。　Second　to　marrying　them；　the　best　way　to　get

this　knowledge　is　to　eat　out　of　the　same　pot　and　crawl　under　the

same　blanket　with　them　for…　well；　say　a　week；　no　greater　margin　is

necessary。

　　To　see　Grace　Bentham；　was　to　see　a　slender；　girlish　creature；　to

know　her；　was　to　know　a　soul　which　dwarfed　your　own；　yet　retained

all　the　elements　of　the　eternal　feminine。　This　was　the　woman　who　urged

and　encouraged　her　husband　in　his　Northland　quest；　who　broke　trail　for

him　when　no　one　was　looking；　and　cried　in　secret　over　her　weakling

woman's　body。

　　So　journeyed　this　strangely　assorted　couple　down　to　old　Fort

Selkirk；　then　through　fivescore　miles　of　dismal　wilderness　to　Stuart

River。　And　when　the　short　day　left　them；　and　the　man　lay　down　in　the

snow　and　blubbered；　it　was　the　woman　who　lashed　him　to　the　sled；　bit

her　lips　with　the　pain　of　her　aching　limbs；　and　helped　the　dog　haul

him　to　Malemute　Kid's　cabin。　Malemute　Kid　was　not　at　home；　but　Meyers；

the　German　trader；　cooked　great　moose…steaks　and　shook　up　a　bed　of

fresh　pine　boughs。



　　Lake；　Langham；　and　Parker；　were　excited；　and　not　unduly　so　when

the　cause　was　taken　into　account。

　　'Oh；　Sandy！　Say；　can　you　tell　a　porterhouse　from　a　round？　Come　out

and　lend　us　a　hand；　anyway！'　This　appeal　emanated　from　the　cache；

where　Langham　was　vainly　struggling　with　divers　quarters　of　frozen

moose。

　　'Don't　you　budge　from　those　dishes！'　commanded　Parker。

　　'I　say；　Sandy；　there's　a　good　fellow…　just　run　down　to　the

Missouri　Camp　and　borrow　some　cinnamon；'　begged　Lake。

　　'Oh！　oh！　hurry　up！　Why　don't…'　But　the　crash　of　meat　and　boxes；　in

the　cache；　abruptly　quenched　this　peremptory　summons。

　　'Come　now；　Sandy；　it　won't　take　a　minute　to　go　down　to

　the　Missouri…'

　　'You　leave　him　alone；'　interrupted　Parker。　'How　am　I　to　mix　the

biscuits　if　the　table　isn't　cleared　off？'

　　Sandy　paused　in　indecision；　till　suddenly　the　fact　that　he　was

Langham's　'man'　dawned　upon　him。　Then　he　apologetically　threw　down　the

greasy　dishcloth；　and　went　to　his　master's　rescue。

　　These　promising　scions　of　wealthy　progenitors　had　come　to　the

Northland　in　search　of　laurels；　with　much　money　to　burn；　and　a　'man'

apiece。　Luckily　for　their　souls；　the　other　two　men　were　up　the　White

River　in　search　of　a　mythical　quartz…ledge；　so　Sandy　had　to　grin　under

the　responsibility　of　three　healthy　masters；　each　of　whom　was

possessed　of　peculiar　cookery　ideas。　Twice　that　morning　had　a

disruption　of　the　whole　camp　been　imminent；　only　averted　by　immense

concessions　from　one　or　the　other　of　these　knights　of　the

chafing…dish。　But　at　last　their　mutual　creation；　a　really　dainty

dinner；　was　completed。　Then　they　sat　down　to　a　three…cornered　game

of　'cut…throat；'…　a　proceeding　which　did　away　with　all　casus　belli　for

future　hostilities；　and　permitted　the　victor　to　depart　on　a　most

important　mission。

　　This　fortune　fell　to　Parker；　who　parted　his　hair　in　the　middle；

put　on　his　mittens　and　bearskin　cap；　and　stepped　over　to　Malemute

Kid's　cabin。　And　when　he　returned；　it　was　in　the　company　of　Grace

Bentham　and　Malemute　Kid；…　the　former　very　sorry　her　husband　could　not

share　with　her　their　hospitality；　for　he　had　gone　up　to　look　at　the

Henderson　Creek　mines；　and　the　latter　still　a　trifle　stiff　from

breaking　trail　down　the　Stuart　River。　Meyers　had　been　asked；　but　had

declined；　being　deeply　engrossed　in　an　experiment　of　raising　bread

from　hops。

　　Well；　they　could　do　without　the　husband；　but　a　woman…　why　they　had

not　seen　one　all　winter；　and　the　presence　of　this　one　promised　a　new

era　in　their　lives。　They　were　college　men　and　gentlemen；　these　three

young　fellows；　yearning　for　the　flesh…pots　they　had　been　so　long

denied。　Probably　Grace　Bentham　suffered　from　a　similar　hunger；　at

least；　it　meant　much　to　her；　the　first　bright　hour　in　many　weeks　of

darkness。

　　But　that　wonderful　first　course；　which　claimed　the　versatile　Lake

for　its　parent；　had　no　sooner　been　served　than　there　came　a　loud　knock

at　the　door。

　　'Oh！　Ah！　Won't　you　come　in；　Mr。　Bentham？'　said　Parker；　who　had

stepped　to　see　who　the　newcomer　might　be。

　　'Is　my　wife　here？'　gruffly　responded　that　worthy。

　　'Why；　yes。　We　left　word　with　Mr。　Meyers。'　Parker　was　exerting　his

most　dulcet　tones；　inwardly　wondering　what　the　deuce　it　all　meant。

'Won't　you　come　in？　Expecting　you　at　any　moment；　we　reserved　a

place。　And　just　in　time　for　the　first　course；　too。'

　　'Come　in；　Edwin；　dear；'　chirped　Grace　Bentham　from　her　seat　at　the

table。

　　Parker　naturally　stood　aside。

　　'I　want　my　wife；'　reiterated　Bentham　hoarsely；　the　intonation

savoring　disagreeably　of　ownership。

　　Parker　gasped；　was　within　an　ace　of　driving　his　fist　into　the　face

of　his　boorish　visitor；　but　held　himself　awkwardly　in　check。　Everybody

rose。　Lake　lost　his　head　and　caught　himself　on　the　verge　of　saying；

'Must　you　go？'

　　Then　began　the　farrago　of　leave…taking。　'So　nice　of　you…'　'I　am

awfully　sorry…'　'By　Jove！　how　things　did　brighten…'　'Really　now；　you…'

'Thank　you　ever　so　much…'　'Nice　trip　to　Dawson…'　etc。；　etc。

　　In　this　wise　the　lamb　was　helped　into　her　jacket　and　led　to　the

slaughter。　Then　the　door　slammed；　and　they　gazed　woefully　upon　the

deserted　table。

　　'Damn！'　Langham　had　suffered　disadvantages　in　his　early　training；

and　his　oaths　were　weak　and　monotonous。　'Damn！'　he　repeated；　vaguely

conscious　of　the　incompleteness　and　vainly　struggling　for　a　more

virile　term。



　　It　is　a　clever　woman　who　can　fill　out　the　many　weak　places　in　an

inefficient　man；　by　her　own　indomitability；　re…enforce　his　vacillating

nature；　infuse　her　ambitious　soul　into　his；　and　spur　him　on　to　great

achievements。　And　it　is　indeed　a　very　clever　and　tactful　woman　who　can

do　all　this；　and　do　it　so　subtly　that　the　man　receives　all　the

credit　and　believes　in　his　inmost　heart　that　everything　is　due　to

him　and　him　alone。

　　This　is　what　Grace　Bentham　proceeded　to　do。　Arriving　in　Dawson

with　a　few　pounds　of　flour　and　several　letters　of　introduction；　she　at

once　applied　herself　to　the　task　of　pushing　her　big　baby　to　the

fore。　It　was　she　who　melted　the　stony　heart　and　wrung　credit　from

the　rude　barbarian　who　presided　over　the　destiny　of　the　P。　C。　Company；

yet　it　was　Edwin　Bentham　to　whom　the　concession　was　ostensibly

granted。　It　was　she　who　dragged　her　baby　up　and　down　creeks；　over

benches　and　divides；　and　on　a　dozen　wild　stampedes；　yet　everybody

remarked　what　an　energetic　fellow　that　Bentham