the man from glengarry-第15节

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shyness　and　modesty。〃

〃Oh；　Ranald's　modesty　won't　disable　him；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃For
my　part；　I　think　he　is　a　daring　young　rascal；　and　indeed；　if　there
is　any　mischief　going　in　the　countryside　you　may　be　sure　Ranald　is
not　far　away。〃

〃Oh；　papa；　I　don't　think　Ranald　is　a　BAD　boy；〃　said　his　wife；
almost　pleadingly。

〃Bad？　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know　what　you　call　it。　　Who　let　off　the　dam
last　year　so　that　the　saw…mill　could　not　run　for　a　week？　　Who
abused　poor　Duncie　MacBain　so　that　he　was　carried　home　groaning？〃

〃Duncie　MacBain！〃　exclaimed　his　wife；　contemptuously；　〃great；　big；
soft　lump；　that　he　is。　　Why；　he's　a　man；　as　big　as　ever　he'll　be。〃

〃Who　broke　the　Little　Church　windows　till　there　wasn't　a　pane
left？〃　pursued　the　minister；　unheeding　his　wife's　interruption。

〃It　wasn't　Ranald　that　broke　the　church　windows；　papa；〃　piped
Hughie　from　above。

〃How　do　you　know；　sir？　　Who　did　it；　then？〃　demanded　his　father。

〃It　wasn't　Ranald；　anyway；〃　said　Hughie；　stoutly。

〃Who　was　it；　then？　　Tell　me　that；〃　said　his　father　again。

〃Hughie；　go　to　your　room　and　stay　there；　as　I　told　you；〃　said　his
mother；　fearing　an　investigation　into　the　window…breaking　episode；
of　which　Hughie　had　made　full　confession　to　her　as　his　own
particular　achievement；　in　revenge　for　a　broken　window　in　the　new
church。

〃I　think；〃　continued　Mr。　Murray；　as　if　closing　the　discussion；
〃you'll　find　that　your　Ranald　is　not　the　modest；　shy；　gentle　young
man　you　think　him　to　be；　but　a　particularly　bold　young　rascal。〃

〃Poor　Ranald；〃　sighed　his　wife；　〃he　has　no　mother；　and　his　father
has　just　let　him　grow　up　wild。〃

〃Aye；　that's　true　enough；〃　assented　her　husband；　passing　into　his
study。

But　he　could　have　adopted　no　better　means　of　awakening　Maimie's
interest　in　Ranald　than　by　the　recital　of　his　various　escapades。
Women　love　good　men；　but　are　interested　in　men　whose　goodness　is
more　or　less　impaired。　　So　Maimie　was　determined　that　she　would
know　more　of　Ranald；　and　hence　took　every　opportunity　of　encouraging
Hughie　to　sing　the　praises　of　his　hero　and　recount　his　many
adventures。　　She　was　glad；　too；　that　her　aunt　had　fixed　the
sugaring…off　for　a　time　when　she　could　be　present。　　But　neither　at
church　on　Sunday　nor　during　the　week　that　followed　did　she　catch
sight　of　his　face；　and　though　Hughie　came　in　with　excited　reports
now　and　then　of　having　seen　or　heard　of　Ranald；　Maimie　had　to
content　herself　with　these；　and；　indeed；　were　it　not　that　the
invitation　had　already　been　given；　and　the　day　fixed　for　her　visit
to　the　camp；　the　chances　are　that　Maimie's　acquaintance　with　Ranald
would　have　ended　where　it　began；　in　which　case　both　had　been　saved
many　bitter　days。



CHAPTER　VIII

THE　SUGARING…OFF


The　sugar　time　is；　in　many　ways；　the　best　of　all　the　year。　　It　is
the　time　of　crisp　mornings；　when　〃the　crust　bears；〃　and　the　boys　go
crunching　over　all　the　fields　and　through　the　woods；　the　time；　too；
of　sunny　noons　and　chilly　nights。　　Winter　is　still　near；　but　he　has
lost　most　of　his　grip；　and　all　his　terror。　　For　the　earth　has　heard
the　call　of　spring　from　afar；　and　knows　that　soon　she　will　be　seen；
dancing　her　shy　dances；　in　the　sunny　spaces　of　the　leafless　woods。
Then；　by　and　by；　from　all　the　open　fields　the　snow　is　driven　back
into　the　fence　corners；　and　lies　there　in　soiled　and　sullen　heaps。
In　the　woods　it　still　lies　deep；　but　there　is　everywhere　the　tinkle
of　running　water；　and　it　is　not　long　till　the　brown　leaf　carpet
begins　to　show　in　patches　through　the　white。　　Then；　overhead；　the
buds　begin　to　swell　and　thrill　with　the　new　life；　and　when　it　is
broad　noon；　all　through　the　woods　a　thousand　voices　pass　the　glad
word　that　winter's　day　is　gone　and　that　all　living　things　are　free。
But　when　night　draws　up　over　the　treetops；　and　the　shadows　steal
down　the　forest　aisles；　the　jubilant　voices　die　down　and　a　chill
fear　creeps　over　all　the　gleeful；　swelling　buds　that　they　have　been
too　sure　and　too　happy；　and　all　the　more　if；　from　the　northeast；
there　sweeps　down；　as　often　happens；　a　stinging　storm　of　sleet　and
snow；　winter's　last　savage　slap。　　But　what　matters　that？　　The　very
next　day；　when　the　bright；　warm　rays　trickle　down　through　the
interlacing　branches；　bathing　the　buds　and　twigs　and　limbs　and
trunks　and　flooding　all　the　woods；　the　world　grows　surer　of　its　new
joy。　　And　so；　in　alternating　hope　and　fear；　the　days　and　nights　go
by；　till　an　evening　falls　when　the　air　is　languid　and　a　soft　rain
comes　up　from　the　south；　falling　all　night　long　over　the　buds　and
trees　like　warm；　loving　fingers。　　Then　the　buds　break　for　very　joy；
and　timid　green　things　push　up　through　the　leaf…mold；　and　from　the
swamps　the　little　frogs　begin　to　pipe；　at　first　in　solo；　but　soon
in　exultant　chorus；　till　the　whole　moist　night　is　vocal；　and　then
every　one　knows　that　the　sugar　time　is　over；　and　troughs　and　spiles
are　gathered　up；　and　with　sap…barrels　and　kettles；　are　stored　in
the　back　shed　for　another　year。

But　no　rain　came　before　the　night　fixed　for　the　sugaring…off。　　It
was　a　perfect　sugar　day；　warm；　bright；　and　still；　following　a　night
of　sharp　frost。　　The　long　sunny　afternoon　was　deepening　into
twilight　when　the　Camerons　drove　up　to　the　sugar…camp　in　their　big
sleigh；　bringing　with　them　the　manse　party。　　Ranald　and　Don；　with
Aunt　Kirsty；　were　there　to　receive　them。　　It　was　one　of　those　rare
evenings　of　the　early　Canadian　spring。　　The　bare　woods　were　filled
with　the　tangled　rays　of　light　from　the　setting　sun。　　Here　and
there　a　hillside　facing　the　east　lay　in　shadow　that　grew　black
where　the　balsams　and　cedars　stood　in　clumps。　　But　everywhere　else
the　light　fell　sweet　and　silent　about　the　bare　trunks；　filling　the
long　avenues　under　the　arching　maple　limbs　with　a　yellow　haze。

In　front　of　the　shanty　the　kettles　hung　over　the　fire　on　a　long
pole　which　stood　in　an　upright　crutch　at　either　end。　　Under　the　big
kettle　the　fire　was　roaring　high；　for　the　fresh　sap　needed　much
boiling　before　the　syrup　and　taffy　could　come。　　But　under　the
little　kettle　the　fire　burned　low；　for　that　must　not　be　hurried。

Over　the　fire　and　the　kettles　Ranald　presided；　black；　grimy；　and
silent；　and　to　Don　fell　the　duty　of　doing　the　honors　of　the　camp；
and　right　worthily　did　he　do　his　part。　　He　greeted　his　mother　with
reverence；　cuffed　his　young　brother；　kissed　his　little　sister
Jennie；　tossing　her　high；　and　welcomed　with　warm　heartiness　Mrs。
Murray　and　her　niece。　　The　Airds　had　not　yet　come；　but　all　the　rest
were　there。　　The　Finlaysons　and　the　McKerachers；　Dan　Campbell's
boys；　and　their　sister　Betsy；　whom　every　one　called　〃Betsy　Dan；〃
redheaded；　freckled；　and　irrepressible；　the　McGregors；　and　a　dozen
or　more　of　the　wildest　youngsters　that　could　be　found　in　all　the
Indian　Lands。　　Depositing　their　baskets　in　the　shanty；　for　they　had
no　thought　of　fasting；　they　crowded　about　the　fire。

〃Attention！〃　cried　Don；　who　had　a　〃gift　of　the　gab；〃　as　his　mother
said。　　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　the　program　for　this　evening　is　as
follows：　games；　tea；　and　taffy；　in　the　order　mentioned。　　In　the
first；　all　MUST　take　part；　in　the　second；　all　MAY　take　part；　but　in
the　third；　none　NEED　take　part。〃

After　the　laughter　and　the　chorus　of　〃Ohs〃　had　subsided；　Don
proceeded：　　〃The　captains　for　the　evening　are；　Elizabeth　Campbell；
better　known　as　'Betsy　Dan；'　and　John　Finlayson；　familiar　to　us　all
as　'Johnnie　the　Widow；'　two　young　people　of　excellent　character；
and　I　believe；　slightly　known　to　each　other。〃

Again　a　shout　went　up　from　the　company；　but　Betsy　Dan；　who　cared
not　at　all　for　Don's　banter；　contented　herself　with　pushing　out　her
lower　lip　at　him　with　scorn；　in　that　indescribable　manner　natural
to　girls；　but　to　boys　impossible。

Then　the　choosing　began。　　Betsy　Dan；　claiming　first　choice　by
virtue　of　her　sex；　immediately　called　out；　〃Ranald　Macdonald。〃

But　Ranald　shook　his　head。　　〃I　cannot　leave　the　fire；〃　he　said；
blushing；　〃take　Don　there。〃

But　Betsy　demurred。　　〃I　don't　want　Don；〃　she　cried。　　〃Come　on；
Ranald；　the　fire　will　do　quite　well。〃　　Betsy；　as　indeed　did　most　of
the　school…girls；　adored　Ranald　in　her　secret　heart；　though　she
scorned　to　show　it。

But　Ranald　still　refused；　till　Don　said；　〃It　is　too　bad；　Betsy；　but
you'll　have　to　take　me。〃

〃Oh；　come　on；　then！〃　laughed　Betsy；　〃you　will　be　better　than
nobody。〃

Then　it　was　Johnnie　the　Widow's　choice：　　〃Maimie　St。　Clair。〃

Maimie　hesitated　and　looked　at　her　aunt；　who　said；　〃Yes；　go；　my
dear；　if　you　would　like。〃

〃Marget　Aird！〃　cried　Betsy；　spying　Marget　and　her　brothers　coming
down　the　road。　　〃Come　along；　Marget；　you　are　on　my　sideon　Don's
side；　I　mean。〃　　At　which　poor　Marget；　a　tall；　fair　girl；　with　sweet
face　and　shy　manner；　blushed　furiously；　but；　after　greeting　the
minister's　wife　and　the　rest　of　the　older　people；　she　took　her
place　beside　Don。

The　choosing　went　on　till　every　one　present　was　taken；　not　even
Aunt　Kirsty　being　allowed　to　remain　neutral　in　the　coming　games。
For　an　hour　the　sports　went　on。　　Racing；　jumping；　bear；　London
bridge；　crack　the　whip；　and　lastly；　forfeits。

Meantime　Ranald　superintended　the　sap…boiling；　keeping　on　the
opposite　side　of　the　fire　from　the　ladies；　and　answering　in
monosyllables　any　que