'I don't care if it rains till Christmas,' remarked a dissipated-looking youth, who had successfully finished a game of euchre with a dirty pack of cards and an equally unclean companion. 'It's no odds8 to us, so long's the creeks9 don't rise and block us goin' to the big smoke to blue our cheques. I don't hold with too much fine weather at shearin' time.'
'Why not?' asked his late antagonist10, staring gloomily at the cards, as if he held them responsible for his losses.
'Why not?' repeated the first speaker; ''cause there's no fun in watchin' of bloomin' shearers makin' their pound and thirty bob a day while we can't raise a mag over three-and-six—at it all hours like so many workin' bullocks, and turned out the minute shearin's over, like a lot of unclaimed strangers after a cattle muster11.'
'Why did ye come here at all?' asked a tall, broad-shouldered 'corn-stalk' from the neighbourhood of Penrith; 'nobody asked yer. There was plenty for the work afore you 215struck in. It's you town larrikins that spoil the sheds—blackguardin' and gamblin' and growlin' from daylight till dark. If I was the boss I'd set bait for ye, same's the dingoes.'
'You shut up and go home to yer pumpkin12 patch,' retorted the card-player, with sudden animation13. 'You Sydney-siders think no one can work stock but yourselves. You've no right this side of the Murrumbidgee, if it comes to that; and I'd make one of a crowd to start you back where you come from, and all your blackleg lot.'
'Put up your hands, you spieler!' said the New South Wales man, making one long stride towards the light-weight, who, standing14 easily on guard, appeared in no way anxious to decline the combat.
'Come, none of that, you Nepean chap,' said a good-humoured, authoritative15 voice; 'no scrappin' till shearin's over, or I'll stop your pay. Besides, it's a daylight start to-morrow morning. I've a paddock to clear, and the glass is rising. The weather's going to take up.' This was the second overseer, whose word was law until the 'cobbler' was shorn, and the last man with the last sheep left the shed amid derisive16 cheers. After a little subdued17 'growling,' the combatants, there being no grog to inflame18 their angry passions, subsided19.
'What's that old Bill was sayin' about horses and men's lives? I heard it from outside,' demanded the centurion20. 'Any duffing going on?'
'Why, Joe Downey passed the remark,' made answer a wiry-looking 'old hand,' then engaged in mending one of his boots so neatly21 that he might have passed for a journeyman shoemaker, had it not been an open secret that he had learned the trade within the walls of a gaol22, 'that if a man was to "shake" a horse here and ride him into Queensland, he'd never be copped.'
'Oh, he wouldn't, eh? And why did Bill get his hair off?'
'Well, Bill he says, "You're a d—d young fool," says he. "I've seen smarter men than you lose their lives over a ten-pound 'oss—yes, and bring better men to the same end."'
'But he said something about five men,' persisted the overseer. 'What did he mean by that?'
216'What did I mean by that?' said the old man, who had now drawn23 nearer, in stern and strident tones. 'Why, what I say. It's God's truth, as I stand here, and the whole five of 'em's now in their graves—as fine a lot of men, too, as ever you see—all along of one blasted mare, worth about two fivers, and be hanged to her!'
The old man's speech had a sort of rude eloquence24 born of earnestness, which chained the attention of the variously composed crowd; and when Mr. Macdonald, the overseer, said, 'Come, Bill, let's have it. It's a lost day, and we may as well hear your yarn25 as anything else before turn-in time,' the old man, thus adjured26, took his pipe out of his mouth, and seating himself upon a three-legged stool, prepared to deliver himself of a singular and tragic27 experience.
William James, chiefly referred to as 'old Bill,' was a true type of the veritable 'old hand' of pre-auriferous Australia. Concerning an early voyage to Tasmania he was reticent28. He referred to the period ambiguously as 'them old times,' when he related tales of mystery and fear, such as could have only found place under the régime of forced colonisation. No hirsute29 ornament30 adorned31 his countenance32. Deeply wrinkled, but ever clean-shaved, it was a face furrowed33 and graven, as with a life-record of the darker passions and such various suffering as the human animal alone can endure and live. Out of this furnace of tribulation34 old Bill had emerged, in a manner purified and reformed. He gave one the impression of a retired35 pirate—convinced of the defects of the profession, but regretful of its pleasing episodes. Considered as a bush labourer, a more useful individual to a colony did not live. Bill could do everything well, and do twice as much of it as the less indurated industrialist36 of a later day. Hardy37, resourceful, tireless, true to his salt, old Bill had often been considered by the sanguine38 or inexperienced employer an invaluable39 servant. And so in truth he was, until the fatal day arrived when the 'cheque fever' assailed40 him. Then, alas41! 'he was neither to hand nor to bind42.' No reason, interest, promise or principle had power to restrain him from the mad debauch43, when for days—perhaps for weeks—all semblance44 of manhood was lost.
However, he was now in the healthful stage of constant work—well fed, paid and sheltered. Cooking was one of his 217many accomplishments45: in it he excelled. While, despite his age, his courage and determination sufficed to keep the turbulent 'rouseabouts' in order. In his leisure hours he was prone46 to improve the occasion by demonstrating the folly47 of colliding with the law—its certain victory, its terrible penalties. And of the gloomy sequel to a solitary48 act was the present story.
'I mind,' he began—pushing back the grey hair which he wore long and carefully brushed—'when I was workin' on a run near the Queensland border. It's many a long year ago—but that says nothin'; some of you chaps is as young and foolish as this Jack49 Danvers as I'm a-goin' to tell ye about. Well, some of us was startin' a bit of a spree like, after shearin'; we'd all got tidy cheques; some was goin' one way and some another. Jack and his mate to Queensland, where they expected a big job of work. Just as we was a-saddlin' up—some of us had one neddy, some two—a mob of horses comes by. I knew who they belonged to—a squatter50 not far off. Among 'em was a fine lump of a brown filly, three year old, half bred, but with good action.
'"That's a good filly," says Jack—he'd had a few glasses—"she could be roped handy in the old cattle-yard near the crick. Lead easy too, 'long with the other mokes."
'"Don't be a darned fool, Jack," says I; "there'll be a bloomin' row over her, you take it from me. She's safe to be missed, and you'll be tracked up. D—n it all, man," says I, "what's a ten-pound filly for a man to lose his liberty over? If it was a big touch it might be different."
'"You're a fine cove51 to preach," says he, quite savage52. The grog had got into his head, I could see. "Mind your own —— business." I heard his mate (he was a rank bad 'un) say something to him, and they rode away steady; but the same road that the "mob" had gone. I went off with some other chaps as wer' inside having a last drink, and thought no more about Jack Danvers and the brown filly till nigh a year after. Then it come out. The filly'd been spotted53, working in a team, by the man that bred her. The carrier bought her square and honest; had a receipt from a storekeeper. They found the storekeeper in Queensland; he'd bought her from another man. "What sort of a man?"—"Why, a tall, good-looking chap, like a flash shearer3." Word went to the 218police at Warwillah. It was Jack Danvers of course; they'd suspected him and his mate all the time.
'Well, Jack was nabbed, tho' he was out on a Queensland diggin' far enough away. But they sent up his description from the shed we'd left together, and he was brought down in irons, as he'd made a fight of it. The storekeeper swore to him positive as the man that had sold him the brown J.D. filly—old Jerry Dawson's she was. The jury found him guilty and he got three years.
'Now I'm on to the part of the play when the "ante-up" comes in. You mind me, you young fellers, it always does sooner or later. He'd no call to shake that filly. I said so then, and I say so now. And what come'd of it? Listen and I'll tell you—Death in five chapters—and so simple, all along of an unbroke filly!
'Now Jack wa'n't the man to stop inside of prison walls if he could help it. He and another chap make a rush one day, knock over the warder and collar his revolver. Another warder comes out to help; Jack shoots him dead, and they clear. Man's life number one. Big reward offered. They stick up a roadside inn next. Somebody gave 'em away. Police waitin' on 'em as they walk in—dead of night. Soon's they see the police, Jack shoots the innkeeper, poor devil! thought he'd sold 'em. Man's life number two. Jack and his mate and the police bang away at each other at close quarters—trooper wounded—Jack shot dead—mate wounded, dies next day. Men's lives number four.
'Who gave the office to the police and collared the blood-money? Friend of Jack's, a pal54. Five hundred quid was too much for him. What became of him? Job leaked out somehow—friends and family dropped him. The money did him no good. Took to drinking straight ahead, and died in the horrors within the year. Men's lives number five.
'Yes; he was the fifth man to go down. Two pound apiece their lives fetched! They're in their graves because Jack Danvers was a d—d fool, and when he was young, strong, good-looking and well-liked, must go and duff a man's mare out of sheer foolishness. He didn't see what was to come of it, or he'd 'a cut off his right hand first. But that's the way of it. We don't see them things till it's too late. But mark my words, you young chaps as has got all the 219world before you—take a fool's advice. It don't pay to "go on the cross"—never did; and there's no one has cause to know it better than old Bill James.'
'By George!' said the overseer, 'that's the best yarn I have heard for a year. And if the parson preaches a better sermon when he holds service in the woolshed next Sunday, I'll be surprised.'
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1
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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2
shearing
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| n.剪羊毛，剪取的羊毛v.剪羊毛( shear的现在分词 )；切断；剪切 | |
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shearer
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| n.剪羊毛的人；剪切机 | |
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rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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5
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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gratis
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| adj.免费的 | |
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philosophically
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| adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地 | |
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8
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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pumpkin
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| n.南瓜 | |
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animation
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| n.活泼，兴奋，卡通片／动画片的制作 | |
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14
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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15
authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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derisive
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| adj.嘲弄的 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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18
inflame
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| v.使燃烧；使极度激动；使发炎 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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centurion
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| n.古罗马的百人队长 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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gaol
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| n.(jail)监狱；(不加冠词)监禁；vt.使…坐牢 | |
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23
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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26
adjured
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| v.（以起誓或诅咒等形式）命令要求( adjure的过去式和过去分词 )；祈求；恳求 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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28
reticent
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| adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的 | |
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hirsute
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| adj.多毛的 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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furrowed
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| v.犁田，开沟( furrow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tribulation
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| n.苦难，灾难 | |
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35
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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industrialist
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| n.工业家，实业家 | |
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37
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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38
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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40
assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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41
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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42
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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43
debauch
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| v.使堕落，放纵 | |
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44
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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45
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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46
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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47
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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48
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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49
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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50
squatter
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| n.擅自占地者 | |
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51
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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52
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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53
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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54
pal
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| n.朋友，伙伴，同志；vi.结为友 | |
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