the major-第61节

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ued　Jane；　〃round　these　trees；　if　you　could　only　coax　them　out。　　They　are　so　shy。〃

Stealthily　the　children　began　to　move　among　the　bushes；　alert　for　the　watching　eyes　and　the　shy　faces　of　the　wild　things　that　made　their　homes　in　these　dark　dwellings。　　The　girls　sat　silent；　looking　out　through　the　interlacing　boughs　upon　the　gleam　of　the　lake　below。　　They　dearly　loved　this　spot。　　It　was　a　favourite　haunt　with　them；　the　very　spot　for　confidence；　and　many　a　happy　hour　had　they　spent　together　here。　　To…day　they　sat　without　speech；　there　was　nothing　that　they　cared　to　talk　about。　　It　was　only　yesterday　in　this　same　place　they　had　talked　over　all　things　under　the　sun。　They　had　exchanged　with　each　other　their　stores　of　kindly　gossip　about　all　their　friends　and　their　friends'　friends。　　Only　yesterday　it　was　that　Ethel　for　the　twentieth　time　had　gone　over　with　Jane　all　the　intricately　perplexing　and　delightful　details　in　regard　to　her　coming…out　party　next　winter。　　All　the　boys　and　girls　were　to　be　invited；　and　Jane　was　to　help　with　the　serving。　　It　was　only　yesterday　that　in　a　moment　of　quite　unusual　frankness　Ethel　had　read　snatches　of　a　letter　which　had　come　from　Macleod；　who　was　out　in　a　mission　field　in　Saskatchewan。　　How　they　had　laughed　together；　all　in　a　kindly　way；　over　the　solemn；　formal　phrases　of　the　young　Scotch　Canadian　missionary；　Ethel　making　sport　of　his　solemnity　and　Jane　warmly　defending　him。　　How　they　had　talked　over　the　boys'　affairs；　as　girls　will　talk；　and　of　their　various　loves　and　how　they　fared；　and　of　the　cruelties　practised　upon　them。　　And　last　of　all　Ethel　had　talked　of　Larry；　Jane　listening　warily　the　while　and　offering　an　occasional　bit　of　information　to　keep　the　talk　going。　And　all　of　this　only　yesterday；　not　ten　years　ago；　or　a　year　ago；　but　yesterday！　　And　to…day　not　a　word　seemed　possible。　　The　world　had　changed　over　night。　　How　different　from　that　unshaded；　sunny　world　of　yesterday！　　How　sunny　it　was　but　yesterday！　　Life　now　was　a　thing　of　different　values。　　Ah；　that　was　it。　　The　values　were　all　altered。　　Things　big　yesterday　had　shrunk　almost　to　the　point　of　disappearance　to…day。　　Things　that　yesterday　seemed　remote　and　vague；　to…day　filled　their　horizon；　for　some　of　them　dark　enough。　Determined　to　ignore　that　gaunt　Spectre　standing　there；　in　the　shadow　silent　and　grim；　they　would　begin　to　talk　on　themes　good　yesterday　for　an　hour's　engrossing　conversation；　but　before　they　were　aware　they　had　forgotten　the　subject　of　their　talk　and　found　themselves　sitting　together　dumb　and　looking　out　upon　the　gleam　of　the　waters；　thinking；　thinking　and　ever　thinking；　while　nearer　and　ever　more　terrible　moved　the　Spectre　of　War。　　It　was　like　the　falling　of　night　upon　their　world。　　From　the　landscape　things　familiar　and　dear　were　blotted　out；　and　in　their　place　moved　upon　them　strange　shapes　unreal　and　horrible。

At　length　they　gave　it　up；　called　the　children　and　went　back　to　the　others。　　At　the　dock　they　found　a　launch　filled　with　visitors　bringing　newsgreat　news　and　glorious。　　A　big　naval　battle　had　been　fought　in　the　North　Sea！　　Ten　British　battleships　had　been　sunk；　but　the　whole　German　fleet　had　been　destroyed！　　For　the　first　time　war　took　on　some　colour。　　Crimson　and　purple　and　gold　began　to　shoot　through　the　sombre　black　and　grey。　　A　completely　new　set　of　emotions　filled　their　hearts；　a　new　sense　of　exultation；　a　new　pride　in　that　great　British　Navy　which　hitherto　had　been　a　mere　word　in　a　history　book；　or　in　a　song。　　The　children　who；　after　their　manner；　were　quickest　to　catch　and　to　carry　on　to　their　utmost　limits　the　emotions　of　the　moment；　were　jubilantly　triumphant。　　Some　of　them　were　carrying　little　Union　Jacks　in　their　hands。　　For　the　first　time　in　their　lives　that　flag　became　a　thing　of　pride　and　power；　a　thing　to　shout　for。　　It　stood　for　something　invisible　but　very　real。　　Even　their　elders　were　not　insensible　to　that　something。　　Hitherto　they　had　taken　that　flag　for　granted。　　They　had　hung　it　out　of　their　windows　on　Empire　Day　or　on　Dominion　Day　as　a　patriotic　symbol；　but　few　of　them　would　have　confessed；　except　in　a　half…shamed；　apologetic　way；　to　any　thrill　at　the　flapping　of　that　bit　of　bunting。　　They　had　shrunk　from　a　display　of　patriotic　emotion。　　They　were　not　like　their　American　cousins；　who　were　ever　ready　to　rave　over　Old　Glory。　That　sort　of　emotional　display　was　un…Canadian；　un…British。　　But　to…day　somehow　the　flag　had　changed。　　The　flag　had　changed　because　it　fluttered　in　a　new　world；　a　new　light　fell　upon　it；　the　light　of　battle。　　It　was　a　war　flag　to…day。　　Men　were　fighting　under　it；　were　fighting　for　all　it　represented；　were　dying　under　its　folds；　and　proudly　and　gladly。

〃And　all　the　men　will　go　to　fight；　your　father　and　my　father；　and　all　the　big　boys；〃　Ethel　heard　a　little　friend　confide　to　Isabel。

〃Hush；　Mabel；〃　said　Ethel　sharply。　　〃Don't　be　silly。〃

But　the　word　had　been　spoken　and　as　a　seed　it　fell　upon　fertile　soil。　　The　launch　went　off　with　the　children　waving　their　flags　and　cheering。　　And　again　upon　those　left　upon　the　dock　the　shadow　settled　heavier　than　before。　　That　was　the　way　with　that　shadow。　It　was　always　heavier；　thicker；　more　ominous　after　each　interlude　of　relief。

It　was　the　same　at　the　bonfire　in　the　evening　at　the　Rushbrookes'。　The　island　was　a　fairy　picture　of　mingling　lights　and　shadows。　　As　the　flaming　west　grew　grey；　the　pale　silver　of　the　moon；　riding　high　and　serene；　fell　upon　the　crowding；　gaily　decked　launches　that　thronged　the　docks　and　moored　to　the　shore；　upon　the　dark　balsams　and　silver　birches　hung　with　parti…coloured　gaudy　Chinese　lanterns；　upon　the　groups　of　girls；　fair　and　sweet　in　their　white　summer　camping　frocks；　and　young　men　in　flannels；　their　bare　necks　and　arms　showing　brown　and　strong；　upon　little　clusters　of　their　fathers　and　mothers　gravely　talking　together。　　From　the　veranda　above；　mingling　with　the　laughing；　chattering　voices；　the　alluring　strains　of　the　orchestra　invited　to　waltz；　or　fox　trot。　　As　the　flame　died　from　the　western　sky　and　the　shadows　crept　down　from　the　trees；　the　bonfire　was　set　alight。　　As　the　flame　leaped　high　the　soft　strains　of　the　orchestra　died　away。　　Then　suddenly；　clear；　full　and　strong；　a　chord　sounded　forth；　another；　and　then　another。　A　hush　fell　upon　the　chattering；　laughing　crowd。　　Then　as　they　caught　the　strain　men　lolling　upon　the　ground　sprang　to　their　feet；　lads　stood　at　attention。


　　　　　〃Send　him　victorious；〃


some　one　sang　timidly；　giving　words　to　the　music。　　In　one　instant　a　hundred　throats　were　wide　open　singing　the　words：


　　　　　〃Happy　and　glorious；　　　　　　　Long　to　reign　over　us；　　　　　　　God　save　our　King。〃


Again　the　chords　sounded　and　at　once　the　verse　from　the　first　was　sung　again。


　　　　　〃God　save　our　gracious　King；　　　　　　　Long　live　our　noble　King；　　　　　　　God　save　our　King；　　　　　　　Send　him　victorious；　　　　　　　Happy　and　glorious；　　　　　　　Long　to　reign　over　us；　　　　　　　God　save　our　King。〃


As　the　last　note　died　Ramsay　Dunn　leaped　upon　a　huge　boulder；　threw　up　his　hand　and　began；


　　　　　〃In　days　of　yore；　from　Britain's　shore。〃


A　yell　greeted　him；　sudden；　fierce；　triumphant；　drowned　his　voice；　then　ceased！　　And　again　from　a　hundred　throats　of　men　and　women；　boys　and　girls；　the　words　rang　out；


　　　　　〃There　may　it　wave；　our　boast　and　pride；　　　　　　　And　joined　in　love　together；　　　　　　　The　thistle；　shamrock；　rose　entwine；　　　　　　　The　Maple　Leaf　forever。〃


Again　and　again　and　once　again　they　followed　Ramsay　in　the　quick；　shrill　Canadian　cheer　that　was　to　be　heard　in　after　days　in　places　widely　different　and　far　remote　from　that　gay；　moonlit；　lantern…　decked；　boat…thronged；　water…lapped　island　in　that　far　northern　Canadian　lake。　　Following　the　cheers　there　came　stillness。　　Men　looked　sheepishly　at　each　other　as　if　caught　in　some　silly　prank。　Then　once　more　the　Spectre　drew　near。　　But　this　time　they　declined　not　to　look；　but　with　steady；　grave；　appraising　eyes　they　faced　The　Thing；　resolute　to　know　the　worst；　and　in　quiet　undertones　they　talked　together　of　War。

The　bonfire　roared　gloriously　up　through　the　dark　night；　throwing　far　gleams　out　upon　the　moonlit　waters　in　front　and　upon　the　dark　woods　behind。　　The　people　gathered　about　the　fire　and　disposed　themselves　in　groups　upon　the　sloping；　grassy　sward　under　the　trees；　upon　the　shelving　rocks　and　upon　the　sandy　shore。

But　Mr。　Murray　had　business　on　hand。　　In　company　with　Dr。　Brown　and　the　minister；　Mr。　McPherson；　he　sought　his　host。　　〃Would　it　be　possible；　Mr。　Rushbrooke；〃　he　said；　〃to　gather　a　number　of　business　men　here　together？〃

〃What　for？〃　inquired　Rushbrooke。

〃Well；　I　may　be　all　wrong；〃　said　Mr。　Murray　apologetically；　〃but　I　have　the　feeling　that　we　ought　without　delay　to　discuss　what　preliminary　steps　should　be　taken　to　meet　with　the　critical　conditions　brought　on　by　the　war。〃

〃But；　Mr。　Murray；〃　cried　Mrs。　Rushbrooke；　who　was　standing　by　her　husband's　side；　〃they　are　all　so　happy　it　would　seem　a　great　pity　to　introduce　this　horrible　thing　at　such　a　time。〃

〃Do　you　really　think　it　necessary；　Murray？〃　said　Mr。　Rushbrooke；　who　was　an　older　man　than　Mr。　Murray；　and　who　was　unwilling　to　accede　to　him　any　position　of　dominance　in　the　business　world　of　Winnipeg。　　〃There's　really　nothing　we　can　do。　　It　seems　to　me　th