the man from glengarry-第35节

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Harry　to　see　you。〃

〃Cousin　Harry？〃

〃Yes；　Maimie's　brother　came　last　night；　you　know；　and　Maimie　is
going　back　with　him　in　two　weeks。〃

〃Maimie's　brother。　　Well；　well；　is　that　the　nice…looking　fellow
that　sat　by　you？〃

〃Huh…huh；　he　is　awful　nice；　and　mother　wanted〃

〃Indeed　he　looks　it；　I　am　sure；〃　Ranald　said；　with　sudden
enthusiasm；　〃I　would　just　like　to　know　him。　　If　I　thought　Yankee
would〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　　Of　course　Yankee　will　milk　the　cows；〃　exclaimed
Hughie。　　〃Come　on；　come　on　in。　　And　Ranald　went　to　meet　one　of　the
great　nights　of　his　life。

〃Here　is　Ranald！〃　called　Hughie　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　as　he
entered　the　room　where　the　family　were　gathered。

〃You　don't　say　so；　Hughie？〃　answered　his　cousin；　coming　forward。
〃You　ought　to　make　that　fact　known。　　We　all　want　to　hear　it。〃

Ranald　liked　him　from　the　first。　　He　was　not　a　bit　〃proud〃　in　spite
of　his　fine　clothes　and　his　head　being　〃split　in　the　middle。〃

〃You're　the　chap；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　his　hand　to　Ranald；
〃that　snatched　Maimie　from　the　fire。　　Mighty　clever　thing　to　do。
We　have　heard　a　lot　about　you　at　our　house。　　Why；　every　week〃

〃Let　some　one　else　talk；　Harry；〃　interrupted　Maimie；　with　cheeks
flaming。　　〃We　are　going　to　have　some　singing　now。　　Here　is　auntie。
Mayn't　we　use　the　piano？〃

〃Why；　yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃I　was　glad　to　see
your　father　there　to…night；〃　she　said　to　Ranald。

〃And　Yankee；　mother。〃

〃Hush；　Hughie；　you　must　call　people　by　their　right　names。　　Now　let
us　have　some　singing。　　I　hear　Ranald　is　singing　bass　these　days。〃

〃And　bully　good　bass；　too；〃　cried　Hughie。　　〃John　'Aleck'　says　that
it's　the　finest　bass　in　the　whole　singing　school。〃

〃Well；　Hughie；〃　said　his　mother；　quietly；　〃I　don't　think　it　is
necessary　to　shout　even　such　pleasant　information　as　that。　　Now　go
to　your　singing；　and　I　shall　listen。〃

She　lay　back　in　the　big　chair；　looking　so　pale　and　weary　that　Harry
hardly　believed　it　was　the　same　woman　that　had　just　been　keeping　a
hundred　and　fifty　people　keenly　alert　for　an　hour　and　a　half；　and
leading　them　with　such　intellectual　and　emotional　power。

〃That　class　is　too　hard　for　you；　auntie；〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　were　your
husband　I　would　not　let　you　keep　it　on。〃

〃But　you　see　my　husband　is　not　here。　　He　is　twelve　miles　away。〃

〃Then　I　would　lock　you　up；　or　take　you　with　me。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Hughie；　〃I　would　much　rather　teach　the　Bible　class　than
listen　to　another　sermon。〃

〃Something　in　that；〃　said　his　cousin；　〃especially　if　I　were　the
preacher；　eh？〃　at　which　they　all　laughed。

It　was　a　happy　hour　for　Ranald。　　He　had　been　too　shy　to　join　the
singing　school；　and　had　never　heard　any　part　singing　till　he　began
to　attend　the　Bible　class。　　There　he　made　the　delightful　discovery
that；　without　any　instruction；　he　could　join　in　the　bass；　and　had
made；　also；　the　further　discovery　that　his　voice；　which　he　had
thought　rough　and　coarse；　and　for　a　year　past；　worse　than　ever；
could　reach　to　extraordinary　depths。　　One　Sabbath　evening；　it
chanced　that　John　〃Aleck；〃　who　always　had　an　ear　open　for　a　good
voice；　heard　him　rolling　out　his　deep　bass；　and　seizing　him　on　the
spot；　had　made　him　promise　to　join　the　singing　school。　　There　he
discovered　a　talent　and　developed　a　taste　for　singing　that
delighted　his　leader's　heart；　and　opened　out　to　himself　a　new
world。　　The　piano；　too；　was　a　new　and　rare　treat　to　Ranald。　　In　all
the　country　there　was　no　other；　and　even　in　the　manse　it　was　seldom
heard；　for　Mrs。　Murray　found　little　time；　amid　the　multitude　of
household　and　congregational　duties；　to　keep　up　her　piano　practice。
That　part　of　her　life；　with　others　of　like　kind；　she　had　been
forced　to　lose。

But　since　Maimie's　coming；　the　piano　had　been　in　daily　use；　and
even　on　the　Sabbath　days；　though　not　without　danger　to　the
sensibilities　of　the　neighbors；　she　had　used　it　to　accompany　the
hymns　with　which　the　day　always　closed。

〃Let　us　have　the　parts；〃　cried　Hughie。　　〃Maimie　and　I　will　take　the
air；　and　Ranald　will　take　the　bass。　　Cousin　Harry；　can　you　sing？〃

〃Oh；　I'll　hum。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Maimie；　〃he　sings　tenor　splendidly。〃

〃Oh；　that's　fine！〃　cried　Hughie；　with　delight。　　He　himself　was　full
of　music。　　〃Come　on；　Ranald；　you　stand　up　behind　Maimie；　you　will
need　to　see　the　notes；　and　I　will　sit　here；〃　planting　himself
beside　his　mother。

So　Hughie　arranged　it　all；　and　for　an　hour　the　singing　went　on；　the
favorite　hymns　of　each　being　sung　in　turn。　　For　the　most　part；　Mrs。
Murray　sat　silent；　but　now　and　then　she　would　join　with　the　others；
singing　alto　when　she　did　so；　by　Hughie's　special　direction。　　Her
voice　was　not　strong；　but　it　was　true；　mellow；　and　full　of　music。
Hughie　loved　to　hear　her　sing　alto；　and　more　especially　because　he
liked　to　join　in　with　her；　which　he　was　too　shy　to　do　alone；　even
in　his　home；　and　which　he　would　never　think　of　doing　in　the　Bible
class；　or　in　the　presence　of　any　of　the　boys　who　might；　for　this
reason；　think　him　〃proud。〃　　When　they　came　to　Hughie's　turn；　he
chose　the　hymn　by　Bliss；　recently　published；　〃Whosoever　will；〃　the
words　seem　to　strike　him　tonight。

〃Mother；〃　he　said；　after　singing　it　through；　〃does　that　mean
everybody　that　likes？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear；　any　one　that　wishes。〃

〃Pharaoh；　mother？〃

〃Yes；　Pharaoh；　too。〃

〃But；　mother；　you　said　he　could　not　possibly。〃

〃Only　because　he　did　not　want　to。〃

〃But　he　could　not；　even　if　he　did　want　to。〃

〃I　hope　I　did　not　say　that；〃　said　his　mother；　smiling　at　the　eager
and　earnest　young　face。

〃No；　auntie；〃　said　Harry；　taking　up　Hughie's　cause；　〃not　exactly；
but　something　very　like　it。　　You　said　that　Pharaoh　could　not
possibly　have　acted　in　any　other　way　than　he　did。〃

〃Yes；　I　said　that。〃

〃Not　even　if　he　wanted　to？〃　asked　Hughie。

〃Oh；　I　did　not　say　that。〃

〃The　Lord　hardened　Pharaoh's　heart；〃　quoted　Ranald；　who　knew　his
Bible　better　than　Harry。

〃Yes；　that　is　it；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　so　that　made　it　impossible　for
Pharaoh　to　do　anything　else。　　He　could　not　help　following　after
those　people。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃What　made　him　follow？　　Now　just
think；　what　made　him　follow　after　those　people？〃

〃Why；　he　wanted　to　get　them　back；〃　said　Hughie。

〃Quite　true；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃So　you　see；　he　did　exactly　as　he
wanted　to。〃

〃Then　you　mean　the　Lord　had　nothing　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　Ranald。

〃No；　I　could　not　say　that。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Harry；　〃Pharaoh　could　not　help　himself。　　Now；　could
he？〃

〃He　did　what　he　wished　to　do；〃　said　his　aunt。

〃Yes；〃　said　Ranald；　quickly；　〃but　could　he　help　wishing　to　do　what
he　did？〃

〃If　he　had　been　a　different　man；　more　humble　minded；　and　more
willing　to　be　taught；　he　would　not　have　wished　to　do　what　he　did。〃

〃Mother；〃　said　Hughie；　changing　his　ground　a　little；　and　lowering
his　voice；　〃do　you　think　Pharaoh　is　lost；　and　all　his　soldiers；
andand　all　the　people　who　were　bad？〃

Mrs。　Murray　looked　at　him　in　silence　for　a　few　moments；　then　said；
very　sadly；　〃I　can't　answer　that　question；　Hughie。　　I　do　not　know。〃

〃But；　mother；〃　persisted　Hughie；　〃are　not　wicked　people　lost？〃

〃Yes；　Hughie；〃　replied　his　mother；　〃all　those　who　do　not　repent　of
their　sins　and　cry　to　God　for　mercy。〃

〃Oh；　mother；〃　cried　Hughie；　〃forever？〃

His　mother　did　not　reply。

〃Will　He　never　let　them　out；　mother？〃　continued　Hughie；　in　piteous
appeal。

〃Listen　to　me；　Hughie；〃　said　his　mother；　very　gently。　　〃We　know
very　little　about　this。　　Would　you　be　very　sorry；　even　for　very　bad
men？〃

〃Oh；　mother；〃　cried　Hughie；　his　tender　little　heart　moved　with　a
great　compassion；　〃think　of　a　whole　year；　all　summer　long；　and　all
winter　long。　　I　think　I　would　let　anybody　out。〃

〃Then；　Hughie；　dear；〃　said　his　mother；　〃remember　that　God　is　much
kinder　than　you　are；　and　has　a　heart　far　more　tender；　and　while　He
will　be　just　and　must　punish　sin；　He　will　do　nothing　unjust　or
unkind；　you　may　be　quite　sure　of　that。　　Do　not　forget　how　He　gave
up　His　own　dear　son　for　us。〃

Poor　Hughie　could　bear　it　no　longer。　　He　put　his　head　in　his
mother's　lap　and　sobbed　out；　〃Oh；　mother；　I　hope　he　will　let　them
out。〃

As　he　uttered　this　pitiful　little　cry；　his　cousin　Harry　got　up　from
his　chair；　and　moved　across　to　the　window；　while　Maimie　openly
wiped　her　eyes；　but　Ranald　sat　with　his　face　set　hard；　and　his　eyes
gleaming；　waiting　eagerly　for　Mrs。　Murray's　answer。

The　mother　stroked　Hughie's　head　softly；　and　while　her　tears　fell
on　the　brown　curls；　said　to　him；　〃You　would　not　be　afraid　to　trust
your　mother；　Hughie；　and　our　Father　in　heaven　loves　us　all　much
more　than　I　love　you。〃

And　with　that　Hughie　was　content。

〃Now　let　us　sing　one　more　hymn；〃　said　his　mother。　　〃It's　my
choice。〃　　And　she　chose　one　of　the　new　hymns　which　they　had　just
learned　in　the　singing　school；　and　of　which　Hughie　was　very　fond；
the　children's　hymn；　〃Come　to　the　Saviour。〃　　While　they　were
singing　they　heard　Mr。　Murray　drive　into　the　yard。

〃There's　papa；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃He　will　be　tired　and　hungry；〃
and　she　hurried　out　to　meet　her　husband；　followed　by　Harry　and
Hughie；　leaving　Ranald　and　Maimie　in　the　room　together。　　Ranald　had
never　been　alone　with　her　before；　nor　indeed　had　he　ever　spent　five
minutes　of　his　life　alone