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the unexpected-第5章

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country。  Why; then; could not one thousand people constitute such 

a group? she asked herself。  And if one thousand; why not one 

hundred?  Why not fifty?  Why not five?  Why not … two?



She was frightened at her own conclusion; and she talked it over 

with Hans。  At first he could not comprehend; and then; when he 

did; he added convincing evidence。  He spoke of miners' meetings; 

where all the men of a locality came together and made the law and 

executed the law。  There might be only ten or fifteen men 

altogether; he said; but the will of the majority became the law 

for the whole ten or fifteen; and whoever violated that will was 

punished。



Edith saw her way clear at last。  Dennin must hang。  Hans agreed 

with her。  Between them they constituted the majority of this 

particular group。  It was the group…will that Dennin should be 

hanged。  In the execution of this will Edith strove earnestly to 

observe the customary forms; but the group was so small that Hans 

and she had to serve as witnesses; as jury; and as judges … also as 

executioners。  She formally charged Michael Dennin with the murder 

of Dutchy and Harkey; and the prisoner lay in his bunk and listened 

to the testimony; first of Hans; and then of Edith。  He refused to 

plead guilty or not guilty; and remained silent when she asked him 

if he had anything to say in his own defence。  She and Hans; 

without leaving their seats; brought in the jury's verdict of 

guilty。  Then; as judge; she imposed the sentence。  Her voice 

shook; her eyelids twitched; her left arm jerked; but she carried 

it out。



〃Michael Dennin; in three days' time you are to be hanged by the 

neck until you are dead。〃



Such was the sentence。  The man breathed an unconscious sigh of 

relief; then laughed defiantly; and said; 〃Thin I'm thinkin' the 

damn bunk won't be achin' me back anny more; an' that's a 

consolation。〃



With the passing of the sentence a feeling of relief seemed to 

communicate itself to all of them。  Especially was it noticeable in 

Dennin。  All sullenness and defiance disappeared; and he talked 

sociably with his captors; and even with flashes of his old…time 

wit。  Also; he found great satisfaction in Edith's reading to him 

from the Bible。  She read from the New Testament; and he took keen 

interest in the prodigal son and the thief on the cross。



On the day preceding that set for the execution; when Edith asked 

her usual question; 〃Why did you do it?〃 Dennin answered; 〃'Tis 

very simple。  I was thinkin' … 〃



But she hushed him abruptly; asked him to wait; and hurried to 

Hans's bedside。  It was his watch off; and he came out of his 

sleep; rubbing his eyes and grumbling。



〃Go;〃 she told him; 〃and bring up Negook and one other Indian。  

Michael's going to confess。  Make them come。  Take the rifle along 

and bring them up at the point of it if you have to。〃



Half an hour later Negook and his uncle; Hadikwan; were ushered 

into the death chamber。  They came unwillingly; Hans with his rifle 

herding them along。



〃Negook;〃 Edith said; 〃there is to be no trouble for you and your 

people。  Only is it for you to sit and do nothing but listen and 

understand。〃



Thus did Michael Dennin; under sentence of death; make public 

confession of his crime。  As he talked; Edith wrote his story down; 

while the Indians listened; and Hans guarded the door for fear the 

witnesses might bolt。



He had not been home to the old country for fifteen years; Dennin 

explained; and it had always been his intention to return with 

plenty of money and make his old mother comfortable for the rest of 

her days。



〃An' how was I to be doin' it on sixteen hundred?〃 he demanded。  

〃What I was after wantin' was all the goold; the whole eight 

thousan'。  Thin I cud go back in style。  What ud be aisier; thinks 

I to myself; than to kill all iv yez; report it at Skaguay for an 

Indian…killin'; an' thin pull out for Ireland?  An' so I started in 

to kill all iv yez; but; as Harkey was fond of sayin'; I cut out 

too large a chunk an' fell down on the swallowin' iv it。  An' 

that's me confession。  I did me duty to the devil; an' now; God 

willin'; I'll do me duty to God。〃



〃Negook and Hadikwan; you have heard the white man's words;〃 Edith 

said to the Indians。  〃His words are here on this paper; and it is 

for you to make a sign; thus; on the paper; so that white men to 

come after will know that you have heard。〃



The two Siwashes put crosses opposite their signatures; received a 

summons to appear on the morrow with all their tribe for a further 

witnessing of things; and were allowed to go。



Dennin's hands were released long enough for him to sign the 

document。  Then a silence fell in the room。  Hans was restless; and 

Edith felt uncomfortable。  Dennin lay on his back; staring straight 

up at the moss…chinked roof。



〃An' now I'll do me duty to God;〃 he murmured。  He turned his head 

toward Edith。  〃Read to me;〃 he said; 〃from the book;〃 then added; 

with a glint of playfulness; 〃Mayhap 'twill help me to forget the 

bunk。〃



The day of the execution broke clear and cold。  The thermometer was 

down to twenty…five below zero; and a chill wind was blowing which 

drove the frost through clothes and flesh to the bones。  For the 

first time in many weeks Dennin stood upon his feet。  His muscles 

had remained inactive so long; and he was so out of practice in 

maintaining an erect position; that he could scarcely stand。



He reeled back and forth; staggered; and clutched hold of Edith 

with his bound hands for support。



〃Sure; an' it's dizzy I am;〃 he laughed weakly。



A moment later he said; 〃An' it's glad I am that it's over with。  

That damn bunk would iv been the death iv me; I know。〃



When Edith put his fur cap on his head and proceeded to pull the 

flaps down over his ears; he laughed and said:



〃What are you doin' that for?〃



〃It's freezing cold outside〃; she answered。



〃An' in tin minutes' time what'll matter a frozen ear or so to poor 

Michael Dennin?〃 he asked。



She had nerved herself for the last culminating ordeal; and his 

remark was like a blow to her self…possession。  So far; everything 

had seemed phantom…like; as in a dream; but the brutal truth of 

what he had said shocked her eyes wide open to the reality of what 

was taking place。  Nor was her distress unnoticed by the Irishman。



〃I'm sorry to be troublin' you with me foolish spache;〃 he said 

regretfully。  〃I mint nothin' by it。  'Tis a great day for Michael 

Dennin; an' he's as gay as a lark。〃



He broke out in a merry whistle; which quickly became lugubrious 

and ceased。



〃I'm wishin' there was a priest;〃 he said wistfully; then added 

swiftly; 〃But Michael Dennin's too old a campaigner to miss the 

luxuries when he hits the trail。〃



He was so very weak and unused to walking that when the door opened 

and he passed outside; the wind nearly carried him off his feet。  

Edith and Hans walked on either side of him and supported him; the 

while he cracked jokes and tried to keep them cheerful; breaking 

off; once; long enough to arrange the forwarding of his share of 

the gold to his mother in Ireland。



They climbed a slight hill and came out into an open space among 

the trees。  Here; circled solemnly about a barrel that stood on end 

in the snow; were Negook and Hadikwan; and all the Siwashes down to 

the babies and the dogs; come to see the way of the white man's 

law。  Near by was an open grave which Hans had burned into the 

frozen earth。



Dennin cast a practical eye over the preparations; noting the 

grave; the barrel; the thickness of the rope; and the diameter of 

the limb over which the rope was passed。



〃Sure; an' I couldn't iv done better meself; Hans; if it'd been for 

you。〃



He laughed loudly at his own sally; but Hans's face was frozen into 

a sullen ghastliness that nothing less than the trump of doom could 

have broken。  Also; Hans was feeling very sick。  He had not 

realized the enormousness of the task of putting a fellow…man out 

of the world。  Edith; on the other hand; had realized; but the 

realization did not make the task any easier。  She was filled with 

doubt as to whether she could hold herself together long enough to 

finish it。  She felt incessant impulses to scream; to shriek; to 

collapse into the snow; to put her hands over her eyes and turn and 

run blindly away; into the forest; anywhere; away。  It was only by 

a supreme effort of soul that she was able to keep upright and go 

on and do what she had to do。  And in the midst of it all she was 

grateful to Dennin for the way he helped her。



〃Lind me a hand;〃 he said to Hans; with whose assistance he managed 

to mount the barrel。



He bent over so that Edith could adjust the rope about his neck。  

Then he stood upright while Hans drew the rope 
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