the bridge-builders-第3章

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there　was　any　depth　of　water；　to　guard　the　piers；　and　the　empty

boats　themselves　were　poled　under　the　bridge　down…stream。　　It

was　here　that　Peroo's　pipe　shrilled　loudest；　for　the　first　stroke

of　the　big　gong　had　brought　the　dinghy　back　at　racing　speed；　and

Peroo　and　his　people　were　stripped　to　the　waist；　working　for　the

honour　and　credit　which　are　better　than　life。



〃I　knew　she　would　speak；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　knew；　but　the　telegraph

gives　us　good　warning。　　O　sons　of　unthinkable　begetting　…

children　of　unspeakable　shame　…　are　we　here　for　the　look　of　the

thing？〃　　It　was　two　feet　of　wire…rope　frayed　at　the　ends；　and　it

did　wonders　as　Peroo　leaped　from　gunnel　to　gunnel；　shouting　the

language　of　the　sea。



Findlayson　was　more　troubled　for　the　stoneboats　than　anything

else。　　McCartney；　with　his　gangs；　was　blocking　up　the　ends　of　the

three　doubtful　spans。　　but　boats　adrift；　if　the　flood　chanced　to

be　a　high　one；　might　endanger　the　girders；　and　there　was　a　very

fleet　in　the　shrunken　channel。



〃Get　them　behind　the　swell　of　the　guardtower；〃　he　shouted　down　to

Peroo。　　〃It　will　be　dead…water　there。　　Get　them　below　the　bridge。〃



〃Accha！　　＇Very　good。＇　　I　know；　we　are　mooring　them　with　wire…rope；〃

was　the　answer。　　〃Heh！　　Listen　to　the　Chota　Sahib。　　He　is　working　hard。〃



From　across　the　river　came　an　almost　continuous　whistling　of

locomotives；　backed　by　the　rumble　of　stone。　　Hitchcock　at　the

last　minute　was　spending　a　few　hundred　more　trucks　of　Tarakee

stone　in　reinforcing　his　spurs　and　embankments。



〃The　bridge　challenges　Mother　Gunga；〃　said　Peroo；　with　a　laugh。

〃But　when　she　talks　I　know　whose　voice　will　be　the　loudest。〃



For　hours　the　naked　men　worked；　screaming　and　shouting　under　the

lights。　　It　was　a　hot；　moonless　night；　the　end　of　it　was　darkened

by　clouds　and　a　sudden　squall　that　made　Findlayson　very　grave。



〃She　moves！〃　said　Peroo；　just　before　the　dawn。　　〃Mother　Gunga　is

awake！　　Hear！〃　He　dipped　his　hand　over　the　side　of　a　boat　and　the

current　mumbled　on　it。　　A　little　wave　hit　the　side　of　a　pier

with　a　crisp　slap。



〃Six　hours　before　her　time；〃　said　Findlayson；　mopping　his

forehead　savagely。



〃Now　we　can't　depend　on　anything。　　We'd　better　clear　all　hands

out　of　the　riverbed。〃



Again　the　big　gong　beat；　and　a　second　time　there　was　the　rushing

of　naked　feet　on　earth　and　ringing　iron；　the　clatter　of　tools

ceased。　　In　the　silence；　men　heard　the　dry　yawn　of　water　crawling

over　thirsty　sand。



Foreman　after　foreman　shouted　to　Findlayson；　who　had　posted

himself　by　the　guard…tower；　that　his　section　of　the　river…bed　had

been　cleaned　out；　and　when　the　last　voice　dropped　Findlayson

hurried　over　the　bridge　till　the　iron　plating　of　the　permanent

way　gave　place　to　the　temporary　plank…walk　over　the　three　centre

piers；　and　there　he　met　Hitchcock。



〃'All　clear　your　side？〃　said　Findlayson。　　The　whisper　rang　in　the

box　of　lattice　work。



〃Yes；　and　the　east　channel's　filling　now。　　We're　utterly　out　of

our　reckoning。　　When　is　this　thing　down　on　us？〃



〃There's　no　saying。　　She's　filling　as　fast　as　she　can。　　Look！〃

Findlayson　pointed　to　the　planks　below　his　feet；　where　the　sand；

burned　and　defiled　by　months　of　work；　was　beginning　to　whisper

and　fizz。



〃What　orders？〃　said　Hitchcock。



〃Call　the　roll　…　count　stores　　sit　on　your　hunkers　…　and　pray　for

the　bridge。　　That's　all　I　can　think　of　Good　night。　　Don't　risk

your　life　trying　to　fish　out　anything　that　may　go　downstream。〃



〃Oh；　I'll　be　as　prudent　as　you　are！　　'Night。　　Heavens；　how　she's

filling！　　Here's　the　rain　in　earnest。〃



Findlayson　picked　his　way　back　to　his　bank；　sweeping　the　last　of

McCartney's　riveters　before　him。　　The　gangs　had　spread　themselves

along　the　embankments；　regardless　of　the　cold　rain　of　the　dawn；

and　there　they　waited　for　the　flood。　　Only　Peroo　kept　his　men

together　behind　the　swell　of　the　guard…tower；　where　the　stone…boats

lay　tied　fore　and　aft　with　hawsers；　wire…rope；　and　chains。



A　shrill　wail　ran　along　the　line；　growing　to　a　yell；　half　fear

and　half　wonder：　the　face　of　the　river　whitened　from　bank　to　hank

between　the　stone　facings；　and　the　far…away　spurs　went　out　in

spouts　of　foam。　　Mother　Gunga　had　come　bank…high　in　haste；　and　a

wall　of　chocolate…coloured　water　was　her　messenger。　　There　was　a

shriek　above　the　roar　of　the　water；　the　complaint　of　the　spans

coming　down　on　their　blocks　as　the　cribs　were　whirled　out　from

under　their　bellies。　　The　stone…boats　groaned　and　ground　each

other　in　the　eddy　that　swung　round　the　abutment；　and　their　clumsy

masts　rose　higher　and　higher　against　the　dim　sky…line。



〃Before　she　was　shut　between　these　walls　we　knew　what　she　would

do。　　Now　she　is　thus　cramped　God　only　knows　what　she　will　do！〃

said　Peroo；　watching　the　furious　turmoil　round　the　guard…tower。

〃Ohe'！　Fight；　then！　Fight　hard；　for　it　is　thus　that　a　woman　wears

herself　out。〃



But　Mother　Gunga　would　not　fight　as　Peroo　desired。　　After　the

first　down…stream　plunge　there　came　no　more　walls　of　water；　but

the　river　lifted　herself　bodily；　as　a　snake　when　she　drinks　in

midsummer；　plucking　and　fingering　along　the　revetments；　and

banking　up　behind　the　piers　till　even　Findlayson　began　to

recalculate　the　strength　of　his　work。



When　day　came　the　village　gasped。　　〃Only　last　night；〃　men　said；

turning　to　each　other；　〃it　was　as　a　town　in　the　river…bed！　　Look　now！〃



And　they　looked　and　wondered　afresh　at　the　deep　water；　the

racing　water　that　licked　the　throat　of　the　piers。　　The　farther

bank　was　veiled　by　rain；　into　which　the　bridge　ran　out　and

vanished；　the　spurs　up…stream　were　marked　by　no　more　than　eddies

and　spoutings；　and　down…stream　the　pent　river；　once　freed　of　her

guide…lines；　had　spread　like　a　sea　to　the　horizon。　　Then　hurried

by；　rolling　in　the　water；　dead　men　and　oxen　together；　with　here

and　there　a　patch　of　thatched　roof　that　melted　when　it　touched　a

pier。



〃Big　flood；〃　said　Peroo；　and　Findlayson　nodded。　　It　was　as　big　a

flood　as　he　had　any　wish　to　watch。　　His　bridge　would　stand

what　was　upon　her　now；　but　not　very　much　more；　and　if　by　any　of　a

thousand　chances　there　happened　to　be　a　weakness　in　the

embankments；　Mother　Gunga　would　carry　his　honour　to　the　sea　with

the　other　raffle。　　Worst　of　all；　there　was　nothing　to　do　except

to　sit　still；　and　Findlayson　sat　still　under　his　macintosh　till

his　helmet　became　pulp　on　his　head；　and　his　boots　were　over…ankle

in　mire。　　He　took　no　count　of　time；　for　the　river　was　marking　the

hours；　inch　by　inch　and　foot　by　foot；　along　the　embankment；　and

he　listened；　numb　and　hungry；　to　the　straining　of　the

stone…boats；　the　hollow　thunder　under　the　piers；　and　the　hundred

noises　that　make　the　full　note　of　a　flood。　　Once　a　dripping

servant　brought　him　food；　but　he　could　not　eat；　and　once　he

thought　that　he　heard　a　faint　toot　from　a　locomotive　across　the

river；　and　then　he　smiled。　　The　bridge's　failure　would　hurt　his

assistant　not　a　little；　hut　Hitchcock　was　a　young　man　with　his

big　work　yet　to　do。　　For　himself　the　crash　meant　everything　…

everything　that　made　a　hard　life　worth　the　living。　　They　would

say；　the　men　of　his　own　profession　。　。　。he　remembered　the

half…pitying　things　that　he　himself　had　said　when　Lockhart's　new

waterworks　burst　and　broke　down　in　brick…heaps　and　sludge；　and

Lockhart's　spirit　broke　in　him　and　he　died。　　He　remembered　what

he　himself　had　said　when　the　Sumao　Bridge　went　out　in　the　big

cyclone　by　the　sea；　and　most　he　remembered　poor　Hartopp's　face

three　weeks　later；　when　the　shame　had　marked　it。　　His　bridge　was

twice　the　size　of　Hartopp's；　and　it　carried　the　Findlayson　truss

as　well　as　the　new　pier…shoe　…　the　Findlayson　bolted　shoe。　　There

were　no　excuses　in　his　service。　　Government　might　listen；

perhaps；　but　his　own　kind　would　judge　him　by　his　bridge；　as　that

stood　or　fell。　　He　went　over　it　in　his　head；　plate　by　plate；　span

by　span；　brick　by　brick；　pier　by　pier；　remembering；　comparing；

estimating；　and　recalculating；　lest　there　should　be　any　mistake；

and　through　the　long　hours　and　through　the　flights　of　formulae

that　danced　and　wheeled　before　him　a　cold　fear　would　come　to

pinch　his　heart。　　His　side　of　the　sum　was　beyond　question；　but

what　man　knew　Mother　Gunga's　arithmetic？　　Even　as　he　was　making

all　sure　by　the　multiplication　table；　the　river　might　be　scooping

a　pot…hole　to　the　very　bottom　of　any　one　of　those　eighty…foot

piers　that　carried　his　reputation。　　Again　a　servant　came　to　him

with　food；　but　his　mouth　was　dry；　and　he　could　only　drink　and

return　to　the　decimals　in　his　brain。　　And　the　river　was　still

rising。　　Peroo；　in　a　mat　shelter　coat；　crouched　at　his　feet；

watching　now　his　face　and　now　the　face　of　the　river；　but　saying

nothing。



At　last　the　Lascar　rose　and　floundered　through　the　mud　towards

the　village；　but　he　was　careful　to　leave　an　ally　to　watch　the

boats。



Presently　he　returned；　most　irreverently　driving　before　him　the

priest　of　his　creed　…　a　fat　old　man；　with　a　grey　beard　that

whipped　the　wind　with　the　wet　cloth　that　blew　over　his　shoulder。

Never　was　seen　so　lamentable　a　guru。



〃What　good　are　offerings　and　little　kerosene　lamps　and　dry

grain；〃　shouted　Peroo；　〃if　squatting　in　the　mud　is　all　that　thou

canst　do？　　Thou　hast　dealt　long　with　the　Gods　when　they　were

contented　and　well…wishing。　　Now　they　are　angry。　　Speak　to　them！〃



〃What　is　a　man　against　the　wrath　of　Gods？〃　whined　the　priest；

cowering　as　the　wind　took　him。　　〃Let　me　go　to　the　temple；　and　I

will　pray　there。〃



〃Son　of　a　pig；　pray　here！　　Is　there　no　return　for　salt　fish　and

curry　powder　and　dried　onions？　　Call　aloud！　　Tell　Mother　Gunga　we

have　had　enough。　　Bid　her　be　still　for　the　night。　　I　cannot　pray；

but　I　have　been　serving　in　the　Kumpani's　boats；　and　when　men　did

not　obey　my　orders　I　…〃　　A　flourish　of　the　wire…rope　colt　rounded

the　sentence；　and　the　priest；　breaking　free　from　his　disciple；

fled　to　the　village。



〃Fat　pig！〃　said　Peroo。　　〃After　all　that　we　have　done　for　him！

When　the　flood　is　down　I　will　see　to　it　that　we　get　a　new　guru。

Finlinson　Sahib；　it　darkens　for　night　now；　and　since　yesterday

nothing　has　been　eaten。　　Be　wise；　Sahib。　　No　man　can　endure

watching　and　great　thinking　on　an　empty　belly。　　Lie　down；　Sahib。

The　river　will　do　what　the　river　will　do。〃　〃The　bridge　is　mine；　I

cannot　leave　it。〃



〃Wilt　thou　hold　it　up　with　thy　hands；　then？〃　said　Peroo；

laughing。　　〃I　was　troubled　for　my　boats　and　sheers　before　the

flood　came。　　Now　we　are　in　the　hands　of　the　Gods。　　The　Sahib　will

not　eat　and　lie　down？　　Take　these；　then。　　They　are　meat　and　good

toddy　together；　and　they　kill　all　weariness；　besides　the　fever

that　follows　the　rain。　　I　have　eaten　nothing　else　to…day　at　all。〃



He　took　a　small　tin　tobacco…box　from　his　sodden　waist…belt　and

thrust　it　into　Findlayson's　hand；　saying：　〃Nay；　do　not　be　afraid。　

It　is　no　more　than　opium　…　clean　Malwa　opium。〃



Findlayson　shook　two　or　thr