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Ruth's arrival at the cottage transformed Carl's life. Despite her inability to speak she was
a happy girl who was always active and, wife or not, there was no doubt that she was
happy to be there. For a time he discovered there was more to life than the endless
scrabbling for food and hard work of his years to date and he visited the mine less and
less, relying on men like Vincent and Ursus, who he had made a Foreman, to keep him
abreast of the situation while he continued with his avid reading. He began to think a great
deal as he tinkered about his cottage or walked in the woods. Frequently he climbed to the
ridge crest and stopped there, gazing across the sullen beauty of the winter landscape.
Though, in his mind there was little admiration for the form of nature. If he saw anything it
was the white Bluemud house on the other side and his thoughts were on what he would
say to Bluemud or Elizabeth or on what they would say to him should he encounter them.
Carl was not, as Bluemud was, troubled by fears of the folly of his life. His confidence in
himself was growing with every second that passed across the face of earth. As the crisis at the mine grew, Carl weighed the situation coldly. The Bluemuds did not understand how to achieve what they wanted and they were driving everyone to destruction. They must be made to understand and, Carl believed, it was up to him to do it. Besides the responsibility the Pastor had given him for his people he had a larger responsibility now. All the people of this valley needed help, even the Bluemuds themselves! They must be made to understand. He knew that he could not go to Mr. Bluemud's house and present himself and his case just like that. Instinctively he knew they would never accept him. Mr. Bluemud's knowledge and beliefs were mostly theoretical. When it came to real people they did not apply. He did not know whether this was true of Elizabeth or not but he decided that the only way to get them to listen to him was if his case was buttressed with some form of power. He could show them there were other forces moving in this valley. Carl's power was growing. However, he was not yet ready. Thus he was glad that Bluemud and Elizabeth had forgotten him and that, while he could look across to the white house confident that he knew his opponents, they knew nothing about him. His meeting with O'Grady in January, on the day following Bluemud's decree was a painful one. O'Grady was a bitter man. 'You've done me wrong, young Carl. Now there'll be no more hunting. The men must work as they've never done before. Mr. Bluemud's orders must be carried out. That's my job and you stay out of it! I know what Mr. Bluemud expects of me and he'll punish me, not you, if I fail. The same'll happen to the men.' 'But it's absurd!' Carl tried to argue. 'You can't afford to punish a single man for not producing enough. With a quota of a thousand tons a week that this idiot has given you, you don't have enough of them as it is. It would just make your production fall further. Go back and tell Bluemud it can't be done.' 'Who are you to tell me that?' O'Grady's was red in the face and trembling. 'Get out of here or I might decide to make YOU work again.' 'That's one thing you'll never do,' said Carl with contempt. 'The Company has already paid me more than enough money to buy my food.' As he stormed from O'Grady's house Edna came running after him. She was drawn and tired but she put her arm around him. She said, 'now, Carl, you know he has to do what he feels he must. You mustn't feel too badly towards him. We're both very fond of you, you know.' He smiled and patted her hand, too exasperated to say anything. Yes, he liked O'Grady too but there was nothing he could say. 'You will come and eat with us next week?' she called after him as he left. |
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