the man from glengarry-第34节

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outside　the　pale；　and　indeed；　in　a　way；　incapable　of　religious
impression。　　No　one　expected　Yankee　to　be　religious。　　He　was　not　a
Presbyterian；　knew　nothing　of　the　Shorter　Catechism；　not　to　speak　of
the　Confession　of　Faith；　and　consequently　was　woefully　ignorant　of
the　elements　of　Christian　knowledge　that　were　deemed　necessary　to
any　true　religious　experience。

It　was　rumored　that　upon　Yankee's　first　appearance　in　the　country；
some　few　years　before；　he　had；　in　an　unguarded　moment；　acknowledged
that　his　people　had　belonged　to　the　Methodists；　and　that　he　himself
〃leaned　toward〃　that　peculiar　sect。　　Such　a　confession　was　in
itself　enough　to　stamp　him；　in　the　eyes　of　the　community；　as　one
whose　religious　history　must　always　be　attended　with　more　or　less
uncertainty。　　Few　of　them　had　ever　seen　a　Methodist　in　the　flesh。
There　were　said　to　be　some　at　Moose　Creek　（Mooscrick；　as　it　was
called）；　but　they　were　known　only　by　report。　　The　younger　and　more
untraveled　portion　of　the　community　thought　of　them　with　a　certain
amount　of　awe　and　fear。

It　was　no　wonder；　then；　that　Yankee's　appearance　in　Bible　class
produced　a　sensation。　　It　was　an　evening　of　sensations；　for　not
only　were　Macdonald　Dubh　and　Yankee　present；　but　Aleck　McRae　had
driven　up　a　load　of　people　from　below　the　Sixteenth。　　Ranald
regarded　his　presence　with　considerable　contempt。

〃It　is　not　much　he　cares　for　the　Bible　class；　whatever；〃　he　confided
to　Don；　who　was　sitting　beside　him。

But　more　remarkable　and　disturbing　to　Ranald　than　the　presence　of
Aleck　McRae；　was　that　of　a　young　man　sitting　between　Hughie　and
Maimie　in　the　minister's　pew。　　He　was　evidently　from　the　city。　　One
could　see　that　from　his　fine　clothes　and　his　white　shirt　and
collar。　　Ranald　looked　at　him　with　deepening　contempt。　　〃Pride〃　was
written　all　over　him。　　Not　only　did　he　wear　fine　clothes；　and　a
white　shirt　and　collar；　but　he　wore　them　without　any　sign　of
awkwardness　or　apology　in　his　manner；　and　indeed　as　if　he　enjoyed
them。　　But　the　crowning　proof　of　his　〃pride；〃　Don　noted　with
unutterable　scorn。

〃Look　at　him；〃　he　said；　〃splits　his　head　in　the　middle。〃

Ranald　found　himself　wondering　how　the　young　fop　would　look　sitting
in　a　pool　of　muddy　water。　　How　insufferable　the　young　fellow's
manners　were！　　He　sat　quite　close　to　Maimie；　now　and　then
whispering　to　her；　evidently　quite　ignorant　of　how　to　behave　in
church。　　And　Maimie；　who　ought　to　know　better；　was　acting　most
disgracefully　as　well；　whispering　back　and　smiling　right　into　his
face。　　Ranald　was　thoroughly　ashamed　of　her。　　He　could　not　deny
that　the　young　fellow　was　handsome；　hatefully　so；　but　he　was
evidently　stuck　full　of　conceit；　and　as　he　let　his　eyes　wander　over
the　congregation　assembled；　with　a　bold　and　critical　stare；　making
remarks　to　Maimie　in　an　undertone　which　could　be　heard　over　the
church；　Ranald　felt　his　fingers　twitching。　　The　young　man　was　older
than　Ranald；　but　Ranald　would　have　given　a　good　deal　for　an
opportunity　to　〃take　him　with　one　hand。〃

At　this　point　Ranald's　reflections　were　interrupted　by　Mrs。　Murray
rising　to　open　the　class。

〃Will　some　one　suggest　a　Psalm？〃　she　asked；　her　cheek；　usually
pale；　showing　a　slight　color。　　It　was　always　an　ordeal　for　her　to
face　her　class；　ever　since　the　men　had　been　allowed　to　come；　and
the　first　moments　were　full　of　trial　to　her。　　Only　her　conscience
and　her　fine　courage　kept　her　from　turning　back　from　this；　her　path
of　duty。

At　once；　from　two　or　three　came　responses　to　her　invitation；　and　a
Psalm　was　chosen。

The　singing　was　a　distinct　feature　of　the　Bible　class。　　There　was
nothing　like　it；　not　only　in　the　other　services　of　the　congregation；
but　in　any　congregation　in　the　whole　county。　　The　young　people　that
formed　that　Bible　class　have　long　since　grown　into　old　men　and
women；　but　the　echoes　of　that　singing　still　reverberate　through　the
chambers　of　their　hearts　when　they　stand　up　to　sing　certain　tunes　or
certain　Psalms。　　Once　a　week；　through　the　long　winter；　they　used　to
meet　and　sing　to　John　〃Aleck's〃　sounding　beat　for　two　or　three
hours。　　They　learned　to　sing；　not　only　the　old　psalm　tunes　but　psalm
tunes　never　heard　in　the　congregation　before；　as　also　hymns　and
anthems。　　The　anthems　and　hymns　were；　of　course；　never　used　in
public　worship。　　They　were　reserved　for　the　sacred　concert　which
John　〃Aleck〃　gave　once　a　year。　　It　was　in　the　Bible　class　that　he
and　his　fellow　enthusiasts　found　opportunity　to　sing　their　new　Psalm
tunes；　with　now　and　then　a　hymn。　　When　John　〃Aleck；〃　a　handsome；
broad…shouldered；　six…footer；　stood　up　and　bit　his　tuning…fork　to
catch　the　pitch；　the　people　straightened　up　in　their　seats　and
prepared　to　follow　his　lead。　　And　after　his　great　resonant　voice　had
rolled　out　the　first　few　notes　of　the　tune；　they　caught　him　up　with
a　vigor　and　enthusiasm　that　carried　him　along；　and　inspired　him　to
his　mightiest　efforts。　　Wonderful　singing　it　was；　full　toned；
rhythmical　and　well　balanced。

With　characteristic　courage；　the　minister's　wife　had　chosen　Paul's
Epistle　to　the　Romans　for　the　subject　of　study；　and　to…night　the
lesson　was　the　redoubtable　ninth　chapter；　that　arsenal　for
Calvinistic　champions。　　First　the　verses　were　repeated　by　the　class
in　concert；　and　the　members　vied　with　each　other　in　making　this　a
perfect　exercise；　then　the　teaching　of　the　chapter　was　set　forth
in　simple；　lucid　speech。　　The　last　half　hour　was　devoted　to　the
discussion　of　questions；　raised　either　by　the　teacher　or　by　any
member　of　the　class。　　To…night　the　class　was　slow　in　asking
questions。　　They　were　face　to　face　with　the　tremendous　Pauline
Doctrine　of　Sovereignty。　　It　was　significant　that　by　Macdonald
Dubh；　his　brother；　and　the　other　older　and　more　experienced　members
of　the　class；　the　doctrine　was　regarded　as　absolutely　inevitable
and　was　accepted　without　question；　while　by　Yankee　and　Ranald　and
all　the　younger　members　of　the　class；　it　was　rejected　with　fierce
resentment。　　The　older　men　had　been　taught　by　the　experience　of
long　and　bitter　years；　that　above　all　their　strength；　however
mighty；　a　power；　resistless　and　often　inscrutable；　determined　their
lives。　　The　younger　men；　their　hearts　beating　with　conscious　power
and　freedom；　resented　this　control；　or　accepting　it；　refused　to
assume　the　responsibility　for　the　outcome　of　their　lives。　　It　was
the　old；　old　strife；　the　insoluble　mystery；　and　the　minister's
wife；　far　from　making　light　of　it；　allowed　its　full　weight　to　press
in　upon　the　members　of　her　class；　and　wisely　left　the　question　as
the　apostle　leaves　it；　with　a　statement　of　the　two　great　truths　of
Sovereignty　and　Free　Will　without　attempting　the　impossible　task　of
harmonizing　these　into　a　perfect　system。　　After　a　half…hour　of
discussion；　she　brought　the　lesson　to　a　close　with　a　very　short　and
very　simple　presentation　of　the　practical　bearing　of　the　great
doctrine。　　And　while　the　mystery　remained　unsolved；　the　limpid
clearness　of　her　thought；　the　humble　attitude　of　mind；　the　sympathy
with　doubt；　and　above　all；　the　sweet　and　tender　pathos　that　filled
her　voice；　sent　the　class　away　humbled；　subdued；　comforted；　and
willing　to　wait　the　day　of　clearer　light。　　Not　that　they　were　done
with　Pharaoh　and　his　untoward　fate；　that　occupied　them　for　many　a
day。

The　class　was　closed　with　prayer　and　singing。　　As　a　kind　of　treat；
the　last　singing　was　a　hymn　and　they　stood　up　to　sing　it。　　It　was
Perronet's　great　hymn　sung　to　old　Coronation；　and　when　they　came　to
the　refrain；　〃Crown　him　Lord　of　all；〃　the　very　rafters　of　the
little　church　rang　with　the　mighty　volume　of　sound。　　The　Bible
class　always　closed　with　a　great　outburst　of　singing；　and　as　a
rule；　Ranald　went　out　tingling　and　thrilling　through　and　through。
But　tonight；　so　deeply　was　he　exercised　with　the　unhappy　doom　of
the　unfortunate　king　of　Egypt；　from　which；　apparently；　there　was　no
escape；　fixed　as　it　was　by　the　Divine　decree；　and　oppressed　with
the　feeling　that　the　same　decree　would　determine　the　course　of　his
life；　he　missed　his　usual　thrill。　　He　was　walking　off　by　himself　in
a　perplexed　and　downcast　mood；　avoiding　every　one；　even　Don；　and
was　nearly　past　the　minister's　gate　when　Hughie；　excited　and
breathless；　caught　up　to　him　and　exclaimed：　　〃Oh；　Ranald；　was　not
that　splendid？　　Man；　I　like　to　hear　John　'Aleck'　sing　'Crown　him'
that　way。　　And　I　say；〃　he　continued；　〃mother　wants　you　to　come　in。〃

Then　all　at　once　Ranald　remembered　the　young　man　who　had　behaved　so
disgracefully　in　church。

〃No；〃　he　said；　firmly；　〃I　must　be　hurrying　home。　　The　cows　will　be
to　milk　yet。〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　you　must　come；〃　pleaded　Hughie。　　〃We　will　have　some
singing。　　I　want　you　to　sing　bass。　　Perhaps　John　'Aleck'　will　come
in。〃　　This　was　sheer　guessing；　but　it　was　good　bait。　　But　the　young
man　with　〃his　head　split　in　the　middle〃　would　be　there；　and　perhaps
Maimie　would　be　〃going　on；〃　with　him　as　she　did　in　the　Bible　class。

〃You　will　tell　your　mother　I　could　not　come；〃　he　said。　　〃Yankee　and
father　are　both　out；　and　there　will　be　no　one　at　home。〃

〃Well；　I　think　you　are　pretty　mean；〃　said　Hughie；　grievously
disappointed。　　〃I　wanted　you　to　come　in；　and　mother　wanted　Cousin
Harry　to　see　you。〃

〃Cousin　Harry？〃

〃Yes；　Maimie'