第 52 节
作者:绚烂冬季      更新:2021-02-21 15:24      字数:9322
  The Foreign Colony and the mine reacted upon each other; to their mutual advantage; the one furnishing labourers; the other work and cash。  The colony had greatly prospered on this account; but perhaps more on account of the influence of Dr。 Brown and his mission。  The establishment of a Government school had relieved the missionary of an exacting and laborious department of his work; and allowed him to devote himself to his Hospital and his Training Home。  The changes apparent in the colony; largely as the result of Dr。 Brown's labours; were truly remarkable。  The creating of a market for their produce by the advent of the railway; and for their labour by the development of the mine; brought the Galician people wealth; but the influence of Dr。 Brown himself; and of his Home; and of his Hospital; was apparent in the life and character of the people; and especially of the younger generation。  The old mud…plastered cabins were giving place to neat frame houses; each surrounded by its garden of vegetables and flowers。  In dress; the sheep skin and the shawl were being exchanged for the ready…made suit and the hat of latest style。  The Hospital; with its staff of trained nurses under the direction of the young matron; the charming Miss Irma; by its ministrations to the sick; and more by the spirit that breathed through its whole service; wrought in the Galician mind a new temper and a new ideal。  In the Training Home fifty Galician girls were being indoctrinated into that most noble of all sciences; the science of home…making; and were gaining practical experience in all the cognate sciences and arts。
  At the Night Hawk ranch too were all the signs of the new order of things。  Fenced fields and imported stock; a new ranch house with stables and granaries; were some of the indications that the coming of the market for the produce of the ranch had synchronized with the making of the man for its administration。  The call of the New Time; and the appeal of the New Ideal; that came through the railroad; the mine; but; more than both; through the Mission and its founder; found a response in the heart of Jack French。  The old laissez faire of the pioneer days gave place to a sense of responsibility for opportunity; and to habits of decisive and prompt attention to the business of the hour。  Five years of intelligent study of conditions; of steady application to duty; had brought success not in wealth alone; but in character and in influence。
  But upon Kalman; more than upon any other; these five years had left their mark。  The hard grind of daily work; the daily burden of administration; had toughened the fibre of his character and hardened the temper of his spirit; and this hardening and toughening could be seen in every line of his face and in every motion of his body。  Twice during the five years he had been sent by Jack French to the city for a three months' term in a Business College; where he learned to know; not only the books of his College curriculum; but; through Jack's introductions; the men who were doing big things for the country。  He had returned to his place and to his work in the mine with vision enlarged; ideal exalted; and with the purpose strengthened to make the best out of life。  In every sense the years had made a man of him。  He was as tall as Jack; lithe and strong; in mind keen and quick; in action resolute。  To those he met in the world of labour and of business he seemed hard。  To his old friends on the ranch or at the Mission; up through all the hardness there welled those springs that come from a heart kind; loyal; and true。  Among the Galicians of the colony; he was their acknowledged leader; because he did justly by them and because; although a Canadian among Canadians; he never forgot to own and to honour the Slav blood that flowed in his veins; and to labour for the advancement of his people。
  But full of work and ambition as he was; yet there were times when Jack French read in his eyes the hunger of his heart。  For after all; it is in the heart a man carries his life; it is through the heart come his finest ideals; from the heart his truest words and deeds。
  At one such time; and the week before she came again; Jack French; looking through the window of his own heart and filled with a great pity for the young man who had come to be more than brother to him; had ventured to speak。  But only once; for with such finality of tone and manner as made answer impossible; Kalman had made reply。
  〃No; Jack; I had my dream。  It was great while it lasted; but it is past; and I shall dream no more。〃
  〃Kalman; my boy; don't make a mistake。  Life is a long thing; and can be very dreary。〃  There was no mistaking the pain in Jack's voice。
  〃Is it; Jack?〃 said Kalman。  〃I am afraid you are right。  But I can never forgetmy father was a foreigner; and I am one; and the tragedy of that awful night can never be wiped from her mind。  The curse of it I must bear!〃
  〃But; Kalman; you are not ashamed of your bloodof your father?〃
  Then Kalman lifted up his head and his voice rang out。  〃Of my blood?  No。  But it is not hers。  Of my father?  No。  To me he was the just avenger of a great cause。  But to her;〃 his voice sank to a hoarse whisper; 〃he was a murderer!  No; Jack; it may not be。〃
  〃But; Kalman; my boy;〃 remonstrated Jack; 〃think of all〃
  〃Think?  For these five years I have thought till my heart is sore with thinking!  No; Jack; don't fret。  I don't。  Thank God there are other things。  There is work; a people to help; a country to serve。〃
  〃Other things!〃 said French bitterly。  〃True; there are; and great things; but; Kalman; boy; I have tried them; and to…night after thirty years; as I speak to youmy God!my heart is sick of hunger for something better than things!  Love! my boy; love is the best!〃
  〃Poor Jack!〃 said Kalman softly; 〃dear old boy!〃 and went out。  But of that hunger of the heart they never spoke again。
  And now at the end of five years' absence she was coming again。 How vivid to Kalman was his remembrance of the last sight he had of her。  It was at the Night Hawk ranch; and on the night succeeding that of the tragedy at the mine。  In the inner room; beside his father's body; he was sitting; his mind busy with the tragic pathos of that grief…tortured; storm…beaten life。  Step by step; as far as he knew it; he was tracing the tear…wet; blood…stained path that life had taken; its dreadful scenes of blood and heart agony were passing before his mind; when gradually he became aware that in the next room the Sergeant; with bluff and almost brutal straightforwardness; was telling her the story of Rosenblatt's dreadful end。  〃And then; begad! after grilling the wretch for all that time; didn't the infernal; bloodthirsty fiend in the most cheerful manner touch off the powder and blow the man into eternity。〃  Then through the thin partition he heard her faint cry of horror。  He remembered how; at the Sergeant's description of his father; something seemed to go wrong in his brain。  He had a dim remembrance of how; dazed with rage; he had felt his way out to the next room; and cried; 〃You defamer of the dead! you will lie no more!〃  He had a vivid picture of how in horror she had fled from him while he dragged out the Sergeant by the throat into the night; and how he had been torn from him by the united efforts of Brown and French together。  He remembered how; after the funeral service; when he had grown master of himself again; he had offered the Sergeant his humble apology before them all。  But most vivid of all was his memory of the look of fear and repulsion in her eyes when he came near her。  And that was the last look he had had of her。 Gladly would he have run away from meeting her again; but this he could not do; for Jack's sake and for his own。  Carefully he rehearsed the scene; what he would say; and how he would carry himself with what rigid self…control and with what easy indifference he would greet her。
  But the meeting was quite other than he had planned。  It was at the mine。  One shiny September morning the heavy cars were just starting down the incline to the mine below; when through the carelessness of the operator the brake of the great drum slipped; and on being applied again with reckless force; broke; and the car was off; bringing destruction to half a dozen men at the bottom of the shaft。  Quick as a flash of light; Kalman sprang to the racing cog wheels; threw in a heavy coat that happened to be lying near; and then; as the machinery slowed; thrust in a handspike and checked the descent of the runaway car。  It took less than two seconds to see; to plan; to execute。
  〃Great work!〃 exclaimed a voice behind him。
  He turned and saw Sir Robert Menzies; and between him and French; his daughter Marjorie。
  〃Glad to see you; Sir Robert;〃 he exclaimed heartily。
  〃That was splendid!〃 said his daughter; pale and shaken by what she had seen。
  One keen searching look he thrust in through her eyes; scanning her soul。  Bravely; frankly; she gave him back his look。  Kalman drew a deep breath。  It was as if he had been on a long voyage of discovery; how long he could not tell。  But what he had seen brought comfort to his heart。  She had not shrunk from him。
  〃That was fine!〃 cried