the man from glengarry-第10节

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would　be　wet　with　the　snow　and　water。〃

Mrs。　Murray　nodded。　　〃And　she　loved　her　Saviour；　Mr。　Macdonald。〃

〃Indeed；　I　believe　it　well；　but　she　was　afraid　she　would　not　be
having　'the　marks。'〃

〃Never　you　fear；　Mr。　Macdonald；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃If　she　loved
her　Saviour　she　is　with　him　now。〃

He　turned　around　to　her　and　lifted　himself　eagerly　on　his　elbow。
〃And　do　you　really　think　that？〃　he　said；　in　a　voice　subdued　and
anxious。

〃Indeed　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　in　a　tone　of　certain　conviction。

Macdonald　sank　back　on　his　pillow；　and　after　a　moment's　silence；
said；　in　a　voice　of　pain：　　〃Oh；　but　it　is　a　peety　she　did　not　know！
It　is　a　peety　she　did　not　know。　　For　many's　the　time　before
beforeher　hour　came　on　her；　she　would　be　afraid。〃

〃But　she　was　not　afraid　at　the　last；　Mr。　Macdonald？〃

〃Indeed；　no。　　I　wondered　at　her。　　She　was　like　a　babe　in　its
mother's　arms。　　There　was　a　light　on　her　face；　and　I　mind　well　what
she　said。〃　　Macdonald　paused。　　There　was　a　stir　in　the　kitchen；　and
Mrs。　Murray；　glancing　behind　her；　saw　Ranald　standing　near　the　door
intently　listening。　　Then　Macdonald　went　on。　　〃I　mind　well　the
words；　as　if　it　was　yesterday。　　'Hugh；　my　man；'　she　said；　'am　no
feared'　（she　was　from　the　Lowlands；　but　she　was　a　fine　woman）；　'I
haena　the　marks；　but　'm　no　feared　but　He'll　ken　me。　　Ye'll　tak'
care　o'　Ranald；　for；　oh；　Hugh！　I　ha'　gi'en　him　to　the　Lord。　　The
Lord　help　you　to　mak'　a　guid　man　o'　him。'〃　　Macdonald's　voice
faltered　into　silence；　then；　after　a　few　moments；　he　cried；　〃And
oh！　Mistress　Murra'；　I　cannot　tell　you　the　often　these　words　do
keep　coming　to　me；　and　it　is　myself　that　has　not　kept　the　promise　I
made　to　her；　and　may　the　Lord　forgive　me。〃

The　look　of　misery　in　the　dark　eyes　touched　Mrs。　Murray　to　the
heart。　　She　laid　her　hand　on　Macdonald's　arm；　but　she　could　not
find　words　to　speak。　　Suddenly　Macdonald　recalled　himself。

〃You　will　forgive　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　will　not　be　telling　any
one。〃

By　this　time　the　tears　were　streaming　down　her　face；　and　Mrs。
Murray　could　only　say；　brokenly；　〃You　know　I　will　not。〃

〃Aye；　I　do；〃　said　Macdonald；　with　a　sigh　of　content；　and　he　turned
his　face　away　from　her　to　the　wall。

〃And　now　you　let　me　read　to　you；〃　she　said；　softly；　and　taking　from
her　bag　the　Gaelic　Bible；　which　with　much　toil　she　had　learned　to
read　since　coming　to　this　Highland　congregation；　she　read　to　him
from　the　old　Psalm　those　words；　brave；　tender；　and　beautiful；　that
have　so　often　comforted　the　weary　and　wandering　children　of　men；
〃The　Lord　is　my　Shepherd；〃　and　so　on　to　the　end。　　Then　from　psalm
to　psalm　she　passed；　selecting　such　parts　as　suited　her　purpose；
until　Macdonald　turned　to　her　again　and　said；　admiringly：

〃It　is　yourself　that　has　the　bonnie　Gaelic。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile；　〃it　is　not　really　good；　but
it　is　the　best　a　south　country　woman　can　do。〃

〃Indeed；　it　is　very　pretty；〃　he　said；　earnestly。

Then　the　minister's　wife　said；　timidly；　〃I　cannot　pray　in　the
Gaelic。〃

〃Oh；　the　English　will　be　very　good；〃　said　Macdonald；　and　she　knelt
down　and　in　simple　words　poured　out　her　heart　in　prayer。　　Before
she　rose　from　her　knees　she　opened　the　Gaelic　Bible；　and　turned　to
the　words　of　the　Lord's　Prayer。

〃We　will　say　this　prayer　together；〃　she　said；　gently。

Macdonald；　bowing　his　head　gravely；　answered：　　〃It　is　what　she
would　often　be　doing　with　me。〃

There　was　still　only　one　woman　to　this　lonely　hearted　man；　and　with
a　sudden　rush　of　pity　that　showed　itself　in　her　breaking　voice；　the
minister's　wife　began　in　Gaelic；　〃Our　Father　which　art　in　heaven。〃

Macdonald　followed　her　in　a　whisper　through　the　petitions　until
they　came　to　the　words；　〃And　forgive　us　our　debts　as　we　forgive　our
debtors；〃　when　he　paused　and　would　say　no　more。　　Mrs。　Murray
repeated　the　words　of　the　petition；　but　still　there　was　no
response。　　Then　the　minister's　wife　knew　that　she　had　her　finger
upon　a　sore　spot；　and　she　finished　the　prayer　alone。

For　a　time　she　sat　silent；　unwilling　to　probe　the　wound；　and　yet
too　brave　to　flinch　from　what　she　felt　to　be　duty。

〃We　have　much　to　be　forgiven；〃　she　said；　gently。　　〃More　than　we　can
ever　forgive。〃　　Still　there　was　silence。

〃And　the　heart　that　cannot　forgive　an　injury　is　closed　to　the
forgiveness　of　God。〃

The　morning　sun　was　gleaming　through　the　treetops；　and　Mrs。　Murray
was　worn　with　her　night's　vigil；　and　anxious　to　get　home。　　She
rose；　and　offering　Macdonald　her　hand；　smiled　down　into　his　face；
and　said：　　〃Good　by！　　We　must　try　to　forgive。〃

As　he　took　her　hand；　Macdonald's　dark　face　began　to　work；　and　he
broke　forth　into　a　bitter　cry。

〃He　took　me　unawares！　　And　it　was　a　coward's　blow！　and　I　will　not
forgive　him　until　I　have　given　him　what　he　deserves；　if　the　Lord
spares　me！〃　　And　then　he　poured　forth；　in　hot　and　bitter　words；　the
story　of　the　great　fight。　　By　the　time　he　had　finished　his　tale
Ranald　had　come　in　from　the　kitchen；　and　was　standing　with　clenched
fists　and　face　pale　with　passion　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。

As　Mrs。　Murray　listened　to　this　story　her　eyes　began　to　burn；　and
when　it　was　over；　she　burst　forth：　　〃Oh；　it　was　a　cruel　and
cowardly　and　brutal　thing　for　men　to　do！　　And　did　you　beat　them
off？〃　she　asked。

〃Aye；　and　that　we　did；〃　burst　in　Ranald。　　And　in　breathless　haste
and　with　flashing　eye　he　told　them　of　Macdonald　Bhain's　part　in　the
fight。

〃Splendid！〃　cried　the　minister's　wife；　forgetting　herself　for　the
moment。

〃But　he　let　him　go；〃　said　Ranald；　sadly。　　〃He　would　not　strike　him；
but　just　let　him　go。〃

Then　the　minister's　wife　cried　again：　　〃Ah；　he　is　a　great　man；　your
uncle！　　And　a　great　Christian。　　Greater　than　I　could　have　been；　for
I　would　have　slain　him　then　and　there。〃　　Her　eyes　flashed；　and　the
color　flamed　in　her　face　as　she　uttered　these　words。

〃Aye；〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh；　regarding　her　with　deep　satisfaction。
His　tone　and　look　recalled　the　minister's　wife；　and　turning　to
Ranald；　she　added；　sadly：

〃But　your　uncle　was　right；　Ranald；　and　we　must　forgive　even　as　he
did。〃

〃That；〃　cried　Ranald；　with　fierce　emphasis；　〃I　will　never　do；　until
once　I　will　be　having　my　hands　on　his　throat。〃

〃Hush；　Ranald！〃　said　the　minister's　wife。　　〃I　know　it　is　hard；　but
we　must　forgive。　　You　see　we　MUST　forgive。　　And　we　must　ask　Him　to
help　us；　who　has　more　to　forgive　than　any　other。〃

But　she　said　no　more　to　Macdonald　Dubh　on　that　subject　that　morning。
The　fire　of　the　battle　was　in　her　heart；　and　she　felt　she　could
more　easily　sympathize　with　his　desire　for　vengeance　than　with　the
Christian　grace　of　forgiveness。　　But　as　they　rode　home　together
through　the　bush；　where　death　had　trailed　them　so　closely　the　night
before；　the　sweet　sunlight　and　the　crisp；　fresh　air；　and　all　the
still　beauty　of　the　morning；　working　with　the　memory　of　their
saving；　rebuked　and　soothed　and　comforted　her；　and　when　Ranald
turned　back　from　the　manse　door；　she　said　softly：　　〃Our　Father　in
heaven　was　very　good　to　us；　Ranald；　and　we　should　be　like　him。　　He
forgives　and　loves；　and　we　should；　too。〃

And　Ranald；　looking　into　the　sweet　face；　pale　with　the　long　night's
trials；　but　tinged　now　with　the　faintest　touch　of　color　from　the
morning；　felt　somehow　that　it　might　be　possible　to　forgive。

But　many　days　had　to　come　and　go；　and　many　waters　flow　over　the
souls　of　Macdonald　Dubh　and　his　son　Ranald；　before　they　were　able
to　say；　〃Forgive　us　our　debts　as　we　forgive　our　debtors。〃



CHAPTER　VI

A　NEW　FRIEND


The　night　race　with　the　wolves　began　a　new　phase　of　life　for
Ranald；　for　in　that　hour　he　gained　a　friend　such　as　it　falls　to　few
lads　to　have。　　Mrs。　Murray's　high　courage　in　the　bush；　her　skill　in
the　sick…room；　and　that　fine　spiritual　air　she　carried　with　her
made　for　her　a　place　in　his　imagination　where　men　set　their
divinities。　　The　hero　and　the　saint　in　her　stirred　his　poetic　and
fervent　soul　and　set　it　aglow　with　a　feeling　near　to　adoration。　　To
Mrs。　Murray　also　the　events　of　that　night　set　forth　Ranald　in　a　new
light。　　In　the　shy；　awkward；　almost　sullen　lad　there　had　suddenly
been　revealed　in　those　moments　of　peril　the　cool；　daring　man；　full
of　resource　and　capable　of　self…sacrifice。　　Her　heart　went　out
toward　him；　and　she　set　herself　to　win　his　confidence　and　to
establish　a　firm　friendship　with　him；　but　this　was　no　easy　matter。

Macdonald　Dubh　and　his　son；　living　a　half…savage　life　in　their
lonely　back　clearing；　were　regarded　by　their　neighbors　with　a
certain　degree　of　distrust　and　fear。　　They　were　not　like　other
people。　　They　seldom　mingled　in　the　social　festivities　of　the
community；　and　consequently　were　more　or　less　excluded　from
friendship　and　free　intercourse　with　their　neighbors。　　Ranald；　shy；
proud；　and　sensitive；　felt　this　exclusion；　and　in　return　kept
himself　aloof　even　from　the　boys；　and　especially　from　the　girls；　of
his　own　age。　　His　attendance　at　school　was　of　a　fragmentary　and
spasmodic　nature；　and　he　never　really　came　to　be　on　friendly　terms
with　his　fellow…pupils。　　His　one　friend　was　Don　Cameron；　whom　the
boys　called　〃Wobbles；〃　from　his　gait　in　running；　whose　father's
farm　backed　that　of　Macdonald　Dubh。　　And　though　Don　was　a　year
older；　he　gave　to　Ranald　a　homage　almost　amounting