roughing it-第51部分

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handkerchief；　wiped　his　brow　and　heaved　a　sigh　of　dismal　impressiveness；
explanatory　of　his　business。

He　choked；　and　even　shed　tears；　but　with　an　effort　he　mastered　his　voice
and　said　in　lugubrious　tones：

〃Are　you　the　duck　that　runs　the　gospel…mill　next　door？〃

〃Am　I　thepardon　me；　I　believe　I　do　not　understand？〃

With　another　sigh　and　a　half…sob；　Scotty　rejoined：

〃Why　you　see　we　are　in　a　bit　of　trouble；　and　the　boys　thought　maybe　you
would　give　us　a　lift；　if　we'd　tackle　youthat　is；　if　I've　got　the　rights
of　it　and　you　are　the　head　clerk　of　the　doxology…works　next　door。〃

〃I　am　the　shepherd　in　charge　of　the　flock　whose　fold　is　next　door。〃

〃The　which？〃

〃The　spiritual　adviser　of　the　little　company　of　believers　whose　sanctuary
adjoins　these　premises。〃

Scotty　scratched　his　head；　reflected　a　moment；　and　then　said：

〃You　ruther　hold　over　me；　pard。　　I　reckon　I　can't　call　that　hand。　　Ante
and　pass　the　buck。〃

〃How？　I　beg　pardon。　　What　did　I　understand　you　to　say？〃

〃Well；　you've　ruther　got　the　bulge　on　me。　　Or　maybe　we've　both　got　the
bulge；　somehow。　　You　don't　smoke　me　and　I　don't　smoke　you。　　You　see；　one
of　the　boys　has　passed　in　his　checks　and　we　want　to　give　him　a　good　send…
off；　and　so　the　thing　I'm　on　now　is　to　roust　out　somebody　to　jerk　a
little　chin…music　for　us　and　waltz　him　through　handsome。〃

〃My　friend；　I　seem　to　grow　more　and　more　bewildered。　　Your　observations
are　wholly　incomprehensible　to　me。　　Cannot　you　simplify　them　in　some　way？
At　first　I　thought　perhaps　I　understood　you；　but　I　grope　now。　　Would　it
not　expedite　matters　if　you　restricted　yourself　to　categorical　statements
of　fact　unencumbered　with　obstructing　accumulations　of　metaphor　and
allegory？〃

Another　pause；　and　more　reflection。　　Then；　said　Scotty：

〃I'll　have　to　pass；　I　judge。〃

〃How？〃

〃You've　raised　me　out；　pard。〃

〃I　still　fail　to　catch　your　meaning。〃

〃Why；　that　last　lead　of　yourn　is　too　many　for　methat's　the　idea。　　I
can't　neither…trump　nor　follow　suit。〃

The　clergyman　sank　back　in　his　chair　perplexed。　　Scotty　leaned　his　head
on　his　hand　and　gave　himself　up　to　thought。

Presently　his　face　came　up；　sorrowful　but　confident。

〃I've　got　it　now；　so's　you　can　savvy；〃　he　said。　　〃What　we　want　is　a
gospel…sharp。　　See？〃

〃A　what？〃

〃Gospel…sharp。　　Parson。〃

〃Oh！　　Why　did　you　not　say　so　before？　　I　am　a　clergymana　parson。〃

〃Now　you　talk！　　You　see　my　blind　and　straddle　it　like　a　man。　　Put　it
there！〃extending　a　brawny　paw；　which　closed　over　the　minister's　small
hand　and　gave　it　a　shake　indicative　of　fraternal　sympathy　and　fervent
gratification。

〃Now　we're　all　right；　pard。　　Let's　start　fresh。　　Don't　you　mind　my
snuffling　a　littlebecuz　we're　in　a　power　of　trouble。　　You　see；　one　of
the　boys　has　gone　up　the　flume〃

〃Gone　where？〃

〃Up　the　flumethrowed　up　the　sponge；　you　understand。〃

〃Thrown　up　the　sponge？〃

〃Yeskicked　the　bucket〃

〃Ahhas　departed　to　that　mysterious　country　from　whose　bourne　no
traveler　returns。〃

〃Return！　　I　reckon　not。　　Why　pard；　he's　dead！〃

〃Yes；　I　understand。〃

〃Oh；　you　do？　　Well　I　thought　maybe　you　might　be　getting　tangled　some
more。　　Yes；　you　see　he's　dead　again〃

〃Again？　　Why；　has　he　ever　been　dead　before？〃

〃Dead　before？　　No！　　Do　you　reckon　a　man　has　got　as　many　lives　as　a　cat？
But　you　bet　you　he's　awful　dead　now；　poor　old　boy；　and　I　wish　I'd　never
seen　this　day。　　I　don't　want　no　better　friend　than　Buck　Fanshaw。
I　knowed　him　by　the　back；　and　when　I　know　a　man　and　like　him；　I　freeze　to
himyou　hear　me。　　Take　him　all　round；　pard；　there　never　was　a　bullier
man　in　the　mines。　　No　man　ever　knowed　Buck　Fanshaw　to　go　back　on　a
friend。　　But　it's　all　up；　you　know；　it's　all　up。　　It　ain't　no　use。
They've　scooped　him。〃

〃Scooped　him？〃

〃Yesdeath　has。　　Well；　well；　well；　we've　got　to　give　him　up。　　Yes
indeed。　　It's　a　kind　of　a　hard　world；　after　all；　ain't　it？　　But　pard；　he
was　a　rustler！　　You　ought　to　seen　him　get　started　once。　　He　was　a　bully
boy　with　a　glass　eye！　　Just　spit　in　his　face　and　give　him　room　according
to　his　strength；　and　it　was　just　beautiful　to　see　him　peel　and　go　in。
He　was　the　worst　son　of　a　thief　that　ever　drawed　breath。　　Pard；　he　was　on
it！　　He　was　on　it　bigger　than　an　Injun！〃

〃On　it？　　On　what？〃

〃On　the　shoot。　　On　the　shoulder。　　On　the　fight；　you　understand。
He　didn't　give　a　continental　for　any　body。　　Beg　your　pardon；　friend；　for
coming　so　near　saying　a　cuss…wordbut　you　see　I'm　on　an　awful　strain；　in
this　palaver；　on　account　of　having　to　cramp　down　and　draw　everything　so
mild。　　But　we've　got　to　give　him　up。　　There　ain't　any　getting　around
that；　I　don't　reckon。　　Now　if　we　can　get　you　to　help　plant　him〃

〃Preach　the　funeral　discourse？　　Assist　at　the　obsequies？〃

〃Obs'quies　is　good。　　Yes。　　That's　itthat's　our　little　game。　　We　are
going　to　get　the　thing　up　regardless；　you　know。　　He　was　always　nifty
himself；　and　so　you　bet　you　his　funeral　ain't　going　to　be　no　slouch
solid　silver　door…plate　on　his　coffin；　six　plumes　on　the　hearse；　and　a
nigger　on　the　box　in　a　biled　shirt　and　a　plug　hathow's　that　for　high？
And　we'll　take　care　of　you；　pard。　　We'll　fix　you　all　right。　　There'll　be
a　kerridge　for　you；　and　whatever　you　want；　you　just　'scape　out　and　we'll
'tend　to　it。　　We've　got　a　shebang　fixed　up　for　you　to　stand　behind；　in
No。　1's　house；　and　don't　you　be　afraid。　　Just　go　in　and　toot　your　horn；
if　you　don't　sell　a　clam。　　Put　Buck　through　as　bully　as　you　can；　pard；
for　anybody　that　knowed　him　will　tell　you　that　he　was　one　of　the　whitest
men　that　was　ever　in　the　mines。　　You　can't　draw　it　too　strong。　　He　never
could　stand　it　to　see　things　going　wrong。　　He's　done　more　to　make　this
town　quiet　and　peaceable　than　any　man　in　it。　　I've　seen　him　lick　four
Greasers　in　eleven　minutes；　myself。　　If　a　thing　wanted　regulating；　he
warn't　a　man　to　go　browsing　around　after　somebody　to　do　it；　but　he　would
prance　in　and　regulate　it　himself。　　He　warn't　a　Catholic。　　Scasely。　　He
was　down　on　'em。　　His　word　was；　'No　Irish　need　apply！'　　But　it　didn't
make　no　difference　about　that　when　it　came　down　to　what　a　man's　rights
wasand　so；　when　some　roughs　jumped　the　Catholic　bone…yard　and　started
in　to　stake　out　town…lots　in　it　he　went　for　'em！　　And　he　cleaned　'em；
too！　　I　was　there；　pard；　and　I　seen　it　myself。〃

〃That　was　very　well　indeedat　least　the　impulse　waswhether　the　act　was
strictly　defensible　or　not。　　Had　deceased　any　religious　convictions？
That　is　to　say；　did　he　feel　a　dependence　upon；　or　acknowledge　allegiance
to　a　higher　power？'

More　reflection。

〃I　reckon　you've　stumped　me　again；　pard。　　Could　you　say　it　over　once
more；　and　say　it　slow？〃

〃Well；　to　simplify　it　somewhat；　was　he；　or　rather　had　he　ever　been
connected　with　any　organization　sequestered　from　secular　concerns　and
devoted　to　self…sacrifice　in　the　interests　of　morality？〃

〃All　down　but　nineset　'em　up　on　the　other　alley；　pard。〃

〃What　did　I　understand　you　to　say？〃

〃Why；　you're　most　too　many　for　me；　you　know。　　When　you　get　in　with　your
left　I　hunt　grass　every　time。　　Every　time　you　draw；　you　fill；　but　I　don't
seem　to　have　any　luck。　　Lets　have　a　new　deal。〃

〃How？　　Begin　again？〃

〃That's　it。〃

〃Very　well。　　Was　he　a　good　man；　and〃

〃ThereI　see　that；　don't　put　up　another　chip　till　I　look　at　my　hand。
A　good　man；　says　you？　　Pard；　it　ain't　no　name　for　it。　　He　was　the　best
man　that　everpard；　you　would　have　doted　on　that　man。　　He　could　lam　any
galoot　of　his　inches　in　America。　　It　was　him　that　put　down　the　riot　last
election　before　it　got　a　start；　and　everybody　said　he　was　the　only　man
that　could　have　done　it。　　He　waltzed　in　with　a　spanner　in　one　hand　and　a
trumpet　in　the　other；　and　sent　fourteen　men　home　on　a　shutter　in　less
than　three　minutes。　　He　had　that　riot　all　broke　up　and　prevented　nice
before　anybody　ever　got　a　chance　to　strike　a　blow。　　He　was　always　for
peace；　and　he　would　have　peacehe　could　not　stand　disturbances。　　Pard；
he　was　a　great　loss　to　this　town。　　It　would　please　the　boys　if　you　could
chip　in　something　like　that　and　do　him　justice。　　Here　once　when　the　Micks
got　to　throwing　stones　through　the　Methodis'　Sunday　school　windows；　Buck
Fanshaw；　all　of　his　own　notion；　shut　up　his　saloon　and　took　a　couple　of
six…shooters　and　mounted　guard　over　the　Sunday　school。　　Says　he；　'No
Irish　need　apply！'　　And　they　didn't。　　He　was　the　bulliest　man　in　the
mountains；　pard！　　He　could　run　faster；　jump　higher；　hit　harder；　and　hold
more　tangle…foot　whisky　without　spilling　it　than　any　man　in　seventeen
counties。　　Put　that　in；　pardit'll　please　the　boys　more　than　anything
you　could　say。　　And　you　can　say；　pard；　that　he　never　shook　his　mother。〃

〃Never　shook　his　mother？〃

〃That's　itany　of　the　boys　will　tell　you　so。〃

〃Well；　but　why　should　he　shake　her？〃

〃That's　what　I　saybut　some　people　does。〃

〃Not　people　of　any　repute？〃

〃Well；　some　that　averages　pretty　so…so。〃

〃In　my　opinion　the　man　that　would　offer　personal　violence　to　his　own
mother；　ought　to〃

〃Cheese　it；　pard；　you've　banked　your　ball　clean　outside　the　string。
What　I　was　a　drivin'　at；　was；　that　he　never　throwed　off　on　his　mother
don't　you　see？　　No　indeedy。　　He　give　her　a　house　to　live　in；　and　town
lots；　and　plenty　of　money；　and　he　looked　after　her　and　took　care　of　her
all　the　time；　and　when　she　was　down　with　the　small…pox　I'm　d…d　if　he
didn't　set　up　nights　and　nuss　her　himself！　　Beg　your　pardon　for　saying
it；　but　it　hopped　out　too　quick　for　yours　truly。

You've　treated　me　like　a　gentleman；　pard；　and　I　ain't　the　man　to　hurt
your　feelings　intentional。　　I　think　you're　white。　　I　think　you're　a
square　man；　pard。　　I　like　you；　and　I'll　lick　any　man　that　don't。　　I'll
lick　him　till　he　can't　tell　himself　from　a　last　year's　corpse！　　Put　it
there！〃　＇Another　fraternal　hand…shakeand　exit。＇

The　obsequies　were　all　that　〃the　boys〃　could　desire。　　Such　a　marvel　of
funeral　pomp　had　never　been　seen　in　Virginia。　　The　plumed　hearse；　the
dirge…breathing　brass　bands；　the　closed　marts　of　business；　the　flags
drooping　at　half　mast；　the　long；　plodding　procession　of　uniformed　secret
societies；　military　battalions　and　fire　companies；　draped　engines；
carriages　of　officials；　and　citizens　in　vehicles　and　on　foot；　attracted
multitudes　of　spectators　to　the　sidewalks；　roofs　and　windows；　and　for