the man from glengarry-第29节

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of　LeNoir　that　he　desired　as　that　he　should　have　the　destroying　of
him。　　While　he　cherished　this　feeling　in　his　heart；　it　was　not
strange　that　the　minister　in　his　visits　found　Black　Hugh
unapproachable；　and　concluded　that　he　was　in　a　state　of　settled
〃hardness　of　heart。〃　　His　wife　knew　better；　but　even　she　dared　not
approach　Macdonald　Dubh　on　that　subject；　which　had　not　been
mentioned　between　them　since　the　morning　he　had　opened　his　heart　to
her。　　The　dark；　haggard；　gloomy　face　haunted　her。　　She　longed　to
help　him　to　peace。　　It　was　this　that　sent　her　to　his　brother；
Macdonald　Bhain；　to　whom　she　told　as　much　of　the　story　as　she
thought　wise。

〃I　am　afraid　he　will　never　come　to　peace　with　God　until　he　comes　to
peace　with　this　man；〃　she　said；　sadly；　〃and　it　is　a　bitter　load
that　he　is　carrying　with　him。〃

〃I　will　talk　with　him；〃　answered　Macdonald　Bhain；　and　at　the　end　of
the　week　he　took　his　way　across　to　his　brother's　home。

He　found　him　down　in　the　brule；　where　he　spent　most　of　his　days
toiling　hard　with　his　ax；　in　spite　of　the　earnest　entreaties　of
Ranald。　　He　was　butting　a　big　tree　that　the　fire　had　laid　prone；
but　the　ax　was　falling　with　the　stroke　of　a　weak　man。

As　he　finished　his　cut；　his　brother　called　to　him；　〃That　is　no　work
for　you；　Hugh；　that　is　no　work　for　a　man　who　has　been　for　six　weeks
in　his　bed。〃

〃It　is　work　that　must　be　done；　however；〃　Black　Hugh　answered；
bitterly。

〃Give　me　the　ax；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。　　He　mounted　the　tree　as　his
brother　stepped　down；　and　swung　his　ax　deep　into　the　wood　with　a
mighty　blow。　　Then　he　remembered；　and　stopped。　　He　would　not　add　to
his　brother's　bitterness　by　an　exhibition　of　his　mighty；　unshaken
strength。　　He　stuck　the　ax　into　the　log；　and　standing　up；　looked
over　the　brule。　　〃It　is　a　fine　bit　of　ground；　Hugh；　and　will　raise
a　good　crop　of　potatoes。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh；　sadly。　　〃It　has　lain　like　this　for
three　years；　and　ought　to　have　been　cleared　long　ago；　if　I　had　been
doing　my　duty。〃

〃Indeed；　it　will　burn　all　the　better　for　that；〃　said　his　brother；
cheerfully。　　〃And　as　for　the　potatoes；　there　is　a　bit　of　my
clearing　that　Ranald　might　as　well　use。〃

But　Black　Hugh　shook　his　head。　　〃Ranald　will　use　no　man's　clearing
but　his　own；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　afraid　he　has　got　too　much　of　his
father　in　him　for　his　own　good。〃

Macdonald　Bhain　glanced　at　his　brother's　face　with　a　look　of
mingled　pity　and　admiration。　　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃Hugh；　it's　a　proud
man　you　are。　　Macdonalds　have　plenty　of　that；　whatever；　and　we　come
by　it　good　enough。　　Do　you　remember　at　home；　when　our　father〃and
he　went　off　into　a　reminiscence　of　their　boyhood　days；　talking　in
gentle；　kindly；　loving　tones；　till　the　shadow　began　to　lift　from
his　brother's　face；　and　he；　too；　began　to　talk。　　They　spoke　of
their　father；　who　had　always　been　to　them　a　kind　of　hero；　and　of
their　mother；　who　had　lived；　and　toiled；　and　suffered　for　her
family　with　uncomplaining　patience。

〃She　was　a　good　woman；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　with　a　note　of
tenderness　in　his　voice。　　〃And　it　was　the　hard　load　she　had　to
bear；　and　I　would　to　God　she　were　living　now；　that　I　might　make　up
to　her　something　of　what　she　suffered　for　me。〃

〃And　I　am　thankful　to　God；〃　said　his　brother；　bitterly；　〃that　she
is　not　here　to　see　me　now；　for　it　would　but　add　to　the　heavy　burden
I　often　laid　upon　her。〃

〃You　will　not　be　saying　that；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。　　〃But　I　am
saying　that　the　Lord　will　be　honored　in　you　yet。〃

〃Indeed；　there　is　not　much　for　me；〃　said　his　brother；　gloomily；
〃but　the　sick…bed　and　six　feet　or　more　of　the　damp　earth。〃

〃Hugh；　man；〃　said　his　brother；　hastily；　〃you　must　not　be　talking
like　that。　　It　is　not　the　speech　of　a　brave　man。　　It　is　the　speech
of　a　man　that　is　beaten　in　his　fight。〃

〃Beaten！〃　echoed　his　brother；　with　a　kind　of　cry。　　〃You　have　said
the　word。　　Beaten　it　is；　and　by　a　man　that　is　no　equal　of　mine。
You　know　that；〃　he　said；　appealing；　almost　anxiously；　to　his
brother。　　〃You　know　that　well。　　You　know　that　I　am　brought　to
this〃he　held　up　his　gaunt；　bony　hands〃by　a　man　that　is　no　equal
of　mine；　and　I　will　never　be　able　to　look　him　in　the　face　and　say
as　much　to　him。　　But　if　the　Almighty　would　send　him　to　hell；　I
would　be　following　him　there。〃

〃Whisht；　Hugh；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　in　a　voice　of　awe。　　〃It　is　a
terrible　word　you　have　said；　and　may　the　Lord　forgive　you。〃

〃Forgive　me！〃　echoed　his　brother；　in　a　kind　of　frenzy。　　〃Indeed；　he
will　not　be　doing　that。　　Did　not　the　minister's　wife　tell　me　as
much？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　his　brother。　　〃She　would　not　be　saying　that。〃

〃Indeed；　that　is　her　very　word；〃　said　Black　Hugh。

〃She　could　not　say　that；〃　said　his　brother；　〃for　it　is　not　the　Word
of　God。〃

〃Indeed；〃　replied　Black　Hugh；　like　a　man　who　had　thought　it　all
out；　〃she　would　be　reading　it　out　of　the　Book　to　me　that　unless　I
would　be　forgiving；　thatthat〃　he　paused；　not　being　able　to　find
a　word；　but　went　on〃then　I　need　not　hope　to　be　forgiven　my　own
self。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　That　is　true；〃　assented　Macdonald　Bhain。　　〃But；　by　the
grace　of　God；　you　will　forgive；　and　you　will　be　forgiven。〃

〃Forgive！〃　cried　Black　Hugh；　his　face　convulsed　with　passion。
〃Hear　me！〃he　raised　his　hand　to　heaven。〃If　I　ever　forgive〃

But　his　brother　caught　his　arm　and　drew　it　down　swiftly；　saying：
〃Whisht；　man。　　Don't　tempt　the　Almighty。〃　　Then　he　added；　〃You
would　not　be　shutting　yourself　out　from　the　presence　of　the　Lord
and　from　the　presence　of　those　he　has　taken　to　himself？〃

His　brother　stood　silent　a　few　moments；　his　hard；　dark　face　swept
with　a　storm　of　emotions。　　Then　he　said；　brokenly：　　〃It　is　not　for
me；　I　doubt。〃

But　his　brother　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　said　to　him；　〃Hear　me；
Hugh。　　It　is　for　you。〃

They　walked　on　in　silence　till　they　were　near　the　house。　　Ranald
and　Yankee　were　driving　their　teams　into　the　yard。

〃That　is　a　fine　lad；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　pointing　to　Ranald。

〃Aye；〃　said　his　brother；　〃it　is　a　pity　he　has　not　a　better　chance。
He　is　great　for　his　books；　but　he　has　no　chance　whatever；　and　he
will　be　a　bowed　man　before　he　has　cleared　this　farm　and　paid　the
debt　on　it。〃

〃Never　you　fear；〃　said　his　brother。　　〃Ranald　will　do　well。　　But；
man；　what　a　size　he　is！〃

〃He　is　that；〃　said　his　father；　proudly。　　〃He　is　as　big　as　his
father；　and　I　doubt　some　day　he　may　be　as　good　a　man　as　his　uncle。〃

〃God　grant　he　may　be　a　better！〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　reverently。

〃If　he　be　as　good；〃　said　his　brother；　kindly；　〃I　will　be　content；
but　I　will　not　be　here　to　see　it。〃

〃Whisht；　man；〃　said　his　brother；　hastily。　　〃You　are　not　to　speak
such　things；　nor　have　them　in　your　mind。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh；　sadly；　〃my　day　is　not　far　off；　and　that
I　know　right　well。〃

Macdonald　Bhain　flung　his　arm　hastily　round　his　brother's　shoulder。
〃Do　not　speak　like　that；　Hugh；〃　he　said；　his　voice　breaking
suddenly。　　And　then　he　drew　away　his　arm　as　if　ashamed　of　his
emotion；　and　said；　with　kindly　dignity；　〃Please　God；　you　will　see
many　days　yet；　and　see　your　boy　come　to　honor　among　men。〃

But　Black　Hugh　only　shook　his　head　in　silence。

Before　they　came　to　the　door；　Macdonald　Bhain　said；　with　seeming
indifference；　〃You　have　not　been　to　church　since　you　got　up；　Hugh。
You　will　be　going　to…morrow；　if　it　is　a　fine　day？〃

〃It　is　too　long　a　walk；　I　doubt；〃　answered　his　brother。

〃That　it　is；　but　Yankee　will　drive　you　in　his　buckboard；〃　said
Macdonald　Bhain。

〃In　the　buckboard？〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh。　　〃And；　indeed；　I　was　never
in　a　buckboard　in　my　life。〃

〃It　is　not　too　late　to　begin　to…morrow；〃　said　his　brother；　〃and　it
will　do　you　good。〃

〃I　doubt　that；〃　said　Black　Hugh；　gloomily。　　〃The　church　will　not　be
doing　me　much　good　any　more。〃

〃Do　not　say　such　a　thing；　and　Yankee　will　drive　you　in　his
buckboard　to…morrow。〃

His　brother　did　not　promise；　but　next　day　the　congregation　received
a　shock　of　surprise　to　see　Macdonald　Dubh　walk　down　the　aisle　to
his　place　in　the　church。　　And　through　all　the　days　of　the　spring
and　summer　his　place　was　never　empty；　and　though　the　shadow　never
lifted　from　his　face；　the　minister's　wife　felt　comforted　about　him；
and　waited　for　the　day　of　his　deliverance。



CHAPTER　XIII

THE　LOGGING　BEE


Macdonald　Bhain's　visit　to　his　brother　was　fruitful　in　another　way。
After　taking　counsel　with　Yankee　and　Kirsty；　he　resolved　that　he
would　speak　to　his　neighbors　and　make　a　〃bee；〃　to　attack　the　brule。
He　knew　better　than　to　consult　either　his　brother　or　his　nephew；
feeling　sure　that　their　Highland　pride　would　forbid　accepting　any
such　favor；　and　all　the　more　because　it　seemed　to　be　needed。　　But
without　their　leave　the　bee　was　arranged；　and　in　the　beginning　of
the　following　week　the　house　of　Macdonald　Dubh　was　thrown　into　a
state　of　unparalleled　confusion；　and　Kirsty　went　about　in　a　state
of　dishevelment　that　gave　token　that　the　daily　struggle　with　dirt
had　reached　the　acute　stage。　　From　top　to　bottom；　inside　and
outside；　everything　that　could　be　scrubbed　was　scrubbed；　and　then
she　settled　about　her　baking；　but　with　all　caution；　lest　she　should
excite　her　brother's　or　her　nephew's　suspicion。　　It　was　a　good
thing　that　little　baking　was　required；　for　the　teams　that　brough