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1、PartIChapterIFRONTPIECE"HesawDedecomingoutofthedoor"ItwasaquietnightintheTivoli.Atthebar,whichrangedalongonesideofthelargechinked-logroom,leanedhalfadozenmen,twoofwhomwerediscussingtherelativemeritsofspruce-teaandlime-juiceasremediesforscurvy.Theyarguedwithanairofdepressionandwithinte
2、rvalsofmorosesilence.Theothermenscarcelyheededthem.Inarow,againsttheoppositewall,werethegamblinggames.Thecrap-tablewasdeserted.Onelonemanwasplayingatthefaro-table.Theroulette-ballwasnotevenspinning,andthegamekeeperstoodbytheroaring,red-hotstove,talkingwiththeyoung,dark-eyedwoman,comel
3、yoffaceandfigure,whowasknownfromJuneautoFortYukonastheVirgin.Threemensatinatstud-poker,buttheyplayedwithsmallchipsandwithoutenthusiasm,whiletherewerenoonlookers.Onthefloorofthedancing-room,whichopenedoutattherear,threecoupleswerewaltzingdrearilytothestrainsofaviolinandapiano.CircleCit
4、ywasnotdeserted,norwasmoneytight.TheminerswereinfromMoseyedCreekandtheotherdiggingstothewest,thesummerwashinghadbeengood,andthemen'spoucheswereheavywithdustandnuggets.TheKlondikehadnotyetbeendiscovered,norhadtheminersoftheYukonlearnedthepossibilitiesofdeepdiggingandwood-firing.Noworkw
5、asdoneinthewinter,andtheymadeapracticeofhibernatinginthelargecampslikeCircleCityduringthelongArcticnight.Timewasheavyontheirhands,theirpoucheswerewellfilled,andtheonlysocialdiversiontobefoundwasinthesaloons.YettheShovelwaspracticallydeserted,andtheVirgin,standingbythestove,yawnedwithu
6、ncoveredmouthandsaidtoCharleyBates:-"Ifsomethingdon'thappensoon,I'mgin'tobed.What'sthematterwiththecamp,anyway?Everybodydead?"Batesdidnoteventroubletoreply,butwentonmoodilyrollingacigarette.DanMacDonald,pioneersaloonmanandgamblerontheupperYukon,ownerandproprietoroftheTivoliandallitsga
7、mes,wanderedforlornlyacrossthegreatvacantspaceoffloorandjoinedthetwoatthestove."Anybodydead?"theVirginaskedhim."Lookslikeit,"wastheanswer."Thenitmustbethewholecamp,"shesaidwithanairoffinalityandwithanotheryawn.MacDonaldgrinnedandnodded,andopenedhismouthtospeak,whenthefrontdoorswungwid
8、eanda
