life in the iron-mills-第4部分

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soul。



Never！　　He　had　no　words　for　such　a　thought；　but　he　knew　now；　in

all　the　sharpness　of　the　bitter　certainty；　that　between　them

there　was　a　great　gulf　never　to　be　passed。　　Never！



The　bell　of　the　mills　rang　for　midnight。　　Sunday　morning　had

dawned。　　Whatever　hidden　message　lay　in　the　tolling　bells

floated　past　these　men　unknown。　　Yet　it　was　there。　　Veiled　in

the　solemn　music　ushering　the　risen　Saviour　was　a　key…note　to

solve　the　darkest　secrets　of　a　world　gone　wrong；even　this

social　riddle　which　the　brain　of　the　grimy　puddler　grappled　with

madly　to…night。



The　men　began　to　withdraw　the　metal　from　the　caldrons。　　The

mills　were　deserted　on　Sundays；　except　by　the　hands　who　fed　the

fires；　and　those　who　had　no　lodgings　and　slept　usually　on　the

ash…heaps。　　The　three　strangers　sat　still　during　the　next　hour；

watching　the　men　cover　the　furnaces；　laughing　now　and　then　at

some　jest　of　Kirby's。



〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Mitchell；　〃I　like　this　view　of　the　works

better　than　when　the　glare　was　fiercest？　　These　heavy　shadows

and　the　amphitheatre　of　smothered　fires　are　ghostly；　unreal。

One　could　fancy　these　red　smouldering　lights　to　be　the　half…shut

eyes　of　wild　beasts；　and　the　spectral　figures　their　victims　in

the　den。〃



Kirby　laughed。　　〃You　are　fanciful。　　Come；　let　us　get　out　of　the

den。　　The　spectral　figures；　as　you　call　them；　are　a　little　too

real　for　me　to　fancy　a　close　proximity　in　the　darkness；

unarmed；　too。〃



The　others　rose；　buttoning　their　overcoats；　and　lighting　cigars。



〃Raining；　still；〃　said　Doctor　May；　〃and　hard。　　Where　did　we

leave　the　coach；　Mitchell？〃



〃At　the　other　side　of　the　works。Kirby；　what's　that？〃



Mitchell　started　back；　half…frightened；　as；　suddenly　turning　a

corner；　the　white　figure　of　a　woman　faced　him　in　the　darkness；

a　woman；　white；　of　giant　proportions；　crouching　on　the　ground；

her　arms　flung　out　in　some　wild　gesture　of　warning。



〃Stop！　　Make　that　fire　burn　there！〃　cried　Kirby；　stopping　short。



The　flame　burst　out；　flashing　the　gaunt　figure　into　bold　relief。



Mitchell　drew　a　long　breath。



〃I　thought　it　was　alive；〃　he　said；　going　up　curiously。



The　others　followed。



〃Not　marble；　eh？〃　　asked　Kirby；　touching　it。



One　of　the　lower　overseers　stopped。



〃Korl；　Sir。〃



〃Who　did　it？〃



〃Can't　say。　　Some　of　the　hands；　chipped　it　out　in　off…hours。〃



〃Chipped　to　some　purpose；　I　should　say。　　What　a　flesh…tint　the

stuff　has！　　Do　you　see；　Mitchell？〃



〃I　see。〃



He　had　stepped　aside　where　the　light　fell　boldest　on　the　figure；

looking　at　it　in　silence。　　There　was　not　one　line　of　beauty　or

grace　in　it：　　a　nude　woman's　form；　muscular；　grown　coarse　with

labor；　the　powerful　limbs　instinct　with　some　one　poignant

longing。　　One　idea：　　there　it　was　in　the　tense；　rigid　muscles；

the　clutching　hands；　the　wild；　eager　face；　like　that　of　a

starving　wolf's。　　Kirby　and　Doctor　May　walked　around　it；

critical；　curious。　　Mitchell　stood　aloof；　silent。　　The　figure

touched　him　strangely。



〃Not　badly　done；〃　said　Doctor　May；　〃Where　did　the　fellow　learn

that　sweep　of　the　muscles　in　the　arm　and　hand？　　Look　at　them！

They　are　groping；do　you　see？clutching：　　the　peculiar　action　of

a　man　dying　of　thirst。〃



〃They　have　ample　facilities　for　studying　anatomy；〃　sneered

Kirby；　glancing　at　the　half…naked　figures。



〃Look；〃　continued　the　Doctor；　〃at　this　bony　wrist；　and　the

strained　sinews　of　the　instep！　　A　working…woman；the　very　type

of　her　class。〃



〃God　forbid！〃　muttered　Mitchell。



〃Why？〃　　demanded　May；　〃What　does　the　fellow　intend　by　the

figure？　　I　cannot　catch　the　meaning。〃



〃Ask　him；〃　said　the　other；　dryly；　〃There　he　stands；〃pointing

to　Wolfe；　who　stood　with　a　group　of　men；　leaning　on　his　ash…

rake。



The　Doctor　beckoned　him　with　the　affable　smile　which　kind…

hearted　men　put　on；　when　talking　to　these　people。



〃Mr。　Mitchell　has　picked　you　out　as　the　man　who　did　this；I'm

sure　I　don't　know　why。　　But　what　did　you　mean　by　it？〃



〃She　be　hungry。〃



Wolfe's　eyes　answered　Mitchell；　not　the　Doctor。



〃Oh…h！　　But　what　a　mistake　you　have　made；　my　fine　fellow！　　You

have　given　no　sign　of　starvation　to　the　body。　　It　is　strong；

terribly　strong。　　It　has　the　mad；　half…despairing　gesture　of

drowning。〃



Wolfe　stammered；　glanced　appealingly　at　Mitchell；　who　saw　the

soul　of　the　thing；　he　knew。　　But　the　cool；　probing　eyes　were

turned　on　himself　now；mocking；　cruel；　relentless。



〃Not　hungry　for　meat；〃　the　furnace…tender　said　at　last。



〃What　then？　　Whiskey？〃　　jeered　Kirby；　with　a　coarse　laugh。



Wolfe　was　silent　a　moment；　thinking。



〃I　dunno；〃　he　said；　with　a　bewildered　look。　　〃It　mebbe。　　Summat

to　make　her　live；　I　think；like　you。　　Whiskey　ull　do　it；　in　a

way。



The　young　man　laughed　again。　　Mitchell　flashed　a　look　of　disgust

somewhere；not　at　Wolfe。



〃May；〃　he　broke　out　impatiently；　〃are　you　blind？　　Look　at　that

woman's　face！　　It　asks　questions　of　God；　and　says；　'I　have　a

right　to　know；'　Good　God；　how　hungry　it　is！〃



They　looked　a　moment；　then　May　turned　to　the　mill…owner：



〃Have　you　many　such　hands　as　this？　　What　are　you　going　to　do

with　them？　　Keep　them　at　puddling　iron？〃



Kirby　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Mitchell's　look　had　irritated

him。



〃Ce　n'est　pas　mon　affaire。　　I　have　no　fancy　for　nursing　infant

geniuses。　　I　suppose　there　are　some　stray　gleams　of　mind　and

soul　among　these　wretches。　　The　Lord　will　take　care　of　his　own；

or　else　they　can　work　out　their　own　salvation。　　I　have　heard　you

call　our　American　system　a　ladder　which　any　man　can　scale。　　Do

you　doubt　it？　　Or　perhaps　you　want　to　banish　all　social　ladders；

and　put　us　all　on　a　flat　table…land；eh；　May？〃



The　Doctor　looked　vexed；　puzzled。　　Some　terrible　problem　lay　hid

in　this　woman's　face；　and　troubled　these　men。　　Kirby　waited　for

an　answer；　and；　receiving　none；　went　on；　warming　with　his

subject。



〃I　tell　you；　there's　something　wrong　that　no　talk　of　'Liberte'

or　'Egalite'　will　do　away。　　If　I　had　the　making　of　men；　these

men　who　do　the　lowest　part　of　the　world's　work　should　be

machines；nothing　more；hands。　　It　would　be　kindness。　　God

help　them！　　What　are　taste；　reason；　to　creatures　who　must　live

such　lives　as　that？〃　　He　pointed　to　Deborah；　sleeping　on　the

ash…heap。　　〃So　many　nerves　to　sting　them　to　pain。　　What　if　God

had　put　your　brain；　with　all　its　agony　of　touch；　into　your

fingers；　and　bid　you　work　and　strike　with　that？〃



〃You　think　you　could　govern　the　world　better？〃　　laughed　the

Doctor。



〃I　do　not　think　at　all。〃



〃That　is　true　philosophy。　　Drift　with　the　stream；　because　you

cannot　dive　deep　enough　to　find　bottom；　eh？〃



〃Exactly；〃　rejoined　Kirby。　　〃I　do　not　think。　　I　wash　my　hands　of

all　social　problems；slavery；　caste；　white　or　black。　　My　duty

to　my　operatives　has　a　narrow　limit；the　pay…hour　on　Saturday

night。　　Outside　of　that；　if　they　cut　korl；　or　cut　each　other's

throats；　（the　more　popular　amusement　of　the　two；）　I　am　not

responsible。〃



The　Doctor　sighed；a　good　honest　sigh；　from　the　depths　of　his

stomach。



〃God　help　us！　　Who　is　responsible？〃



〃Not　I；　I　tell　you；〃　said　Kirby；　testily。　　〃What　has　the　man　who

pays　them　money　to　do　with　their　souls'　concerns；　more　than　the

grocer　or　butcher　who　takes　it？〃



〃And　yet；〃　said　Mitchell's　cynical　voice；　〃look　at　her！　　How

hungry　she　is！〃



Kirby　tapped　his　boot　with　his　cane。　　No　one　spoke。　　Only　the

dumb　face　of　the　rough　image　looking　into　their　faces　with　the

awful　question；　〃What　shall　we　do　to　be　saved？〃　　Only　Wolfe's

face；　with　its　heavy　weight　of　brain；　its　weak；　uncertain　mouth；

its　desperate　eyes；　out　of　which　looked　the　soul　of　his　class；

only　Wolfe's　face　turned　towards　Kirby's。　　Mitchell　laughed；a

cool；　musical　laugh。



〃Money　has　spoken！〃　he　said；　seating　himself　lightly　on　a　stone

with　the　air　of　an　amused　spectator　at　a　play。　　〃Are　you

answered？〃turning　to　Wolfe　his　clear；　magnetic　face。



Bright　and　deep　and　cold　as　Arctic　air；　the　soul　of　the　man　lay

tranquil　beneath。　　He　looked　at　the　furnace…tender　as　he　had

looked　at　a　rare　mosaic　in　the　morning；　only　the　man　was　the

more　amusing　study　of　the　two。



〃Are　you　answered？　　Why；　May；　look　at　him！　　'De　profundis

clamavi。'　　Or；　to　quote　in　English；　'Hungry　and　thirsty；　his

soul　faints　in　him。'　　And　so　Money　sends　back　its　answer　into

the　depths　through　you；　Kirby！　　Very　clear　the　answer；　too！I

think　I　remember　reading　the　same　words　somewhere：　　washing　your

hands　in　Eau　de　Cologne；　and　saying；　'I　am　innocent　of　the　blood

of　this　man。　　See　ye　to　it！'〃



Kirby　flushed　angrily。



〃You　quote　Scripture　freely。〃



〃Do　I　not　quote　correctly？　　I　think　I　remember　another　line；

which　may　amend　my　meaning？　　'Inasmuch　as　ye　did　it　unto　one　of

the　least　of　these；　ye　did　it　unto　me。'　　Deist？　　Bless　you；　man；

I　was　raised　on　the　milk　of　the　Word。　　Now；　Doctor；　the　pocket

of　the　world　having　uttered　its　voice；　what　has　the　heart　to

say？　　You　are　a　philanthropist；　in　a　small　Way；n'est　ce　pas？

Here；　boy；　this　gentleman　can　show　you　how　to　cut　korl　better；

or　your　destiny。　　Go　on；　May！〃



〃I　think　a　mocking　devil　possesses　you　to…night；〃　rejoined　the

Doctor；　seriously。



He　went　to　Wolfe　and　put　his　hand　kindly　on　his　arm。　　Something

of　a　vague　idea　possessed　the　Doctor's　brain　that　much　good　was

to　be　done　here　by　a　friendly　word　or　two：　　a　latent　genius　to

be　warmed　into　life　by　a　waited…for　sunbeam。　　Here　it　was：　　he

had　brought　it。　　So　he　went　on　complacently：



〃Do　you　know；　boy；　you　have　it　in　you　to　be　a　great　sculptor；　a

great　man？do　you　understand？〃　　（talking　down　to　the　capacity　of

his　hearer：　　it　is　a　way　people　have　with　children；　and　men　like

Wolfe；）〃to　live　a　better；　stronger　life　than　I；　or　Mr。　Kirby

here？　　A　man　may　make　himself　anything　he　chooses。　　God　has

given　you　stronger　powers　than　many　men；me；　for　instance。〃



May　stopped；　he