the man from glengarry-第37节

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went　along　the　concession　road；　increasing　her　speed　at　every
stride　till　she　wheeled　in　at　the　gate。　　Then　Ranald　shook　the
lines　over　her　back　and　called　to　her。　　Magnificently　Lisette
responded；　and　swept　up　to　the　door　with　such　splendid　dash　that
the　whole　household　greeted　her　with　waving　applause。　　As　the　colt
came　to　a　stand；　Maimie　stepped　out　from　the　buckboard；　and　turning
toward　Ranald；　said　in　a　low；　hurried　voice：　　〃O；　Ranald；　that　was
splendid；　and　I　am　so　happy；　and　you　will　be　sure　to　come？〃

〃I　will　come；〃　said　Ranald；　looking　down　into　the　blue　eyes　with　a
look　so　long　and　steady　and　so　full　of　passionate　feeling　that
Maimie　knew　he　would　keep　his　word。

Then　farewells　were　said；　and　Ranald　turned　away；　Harry　and　Mrs。
Murray　watching　him　from　the　door　till　he　disappeared　over　the
church　hill。

〃Well；　that's　the　finest　chap　I　ever　saw；〃　said　Harry；　with
emphasis。　　〃And　what　a　body　he　has！　　He　would　make　a　great　half…
back。〃

〃Poor　Ranald！　　I　hope　he　will　make　a　great　and　good　man；〃　said　his
aunt；　with　a　ring　of　sadness　in　her　voice。

〃Why　poor；　auntie？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　do　not　know；〃　she　said；　with　a　very　uncertain　smile
playing　about　her　mouth。　　Then　she　went　upstairs　and　found　Maimie
sitting　at　the　window　overlooking　the　church　hill；　and　once　more
she　knew　how　golden　is　silence。　　So　she　set　to　work　to　pack
Maimie's　trunk　for　her。

〃It　will　be　a　very　early　start；　Maimie；〃　she　said；　〃and　so　we　will
get　everything　ready　to…night。〃

〃Yes；　auntie；〃　said　Maimie；　going　to　her　and　putting　her　arms　about
her。　　〃How　happy　I　have　been；　and　how　good　you　have　been　to　me！〃

〃And　how　glad　I　have　been　to　have　you！〃　said　her　aunt。

〃Oh；　I　will　never　forget　you！　　You　have　taught　me　so　much　that　I
never　knew　before。　　I　see　everything　so　differently。　　It　seems　easy
to　be　good　here；　and；　oh！　I　wish　you　were　not　so　far　away　from　me；
auntie。　　I　am　afraidafraid〃

The　tears　could　no　longer　be　denied。　　She　put　her　head　in　her
aunt's　lap　and　sobbed　out　her　heart's　overflow。　　For　an　hour　they
sat　by　the　open　trunk；　forgetting　all　about　the　packing；　while　her
aunt　talked　to　Maimie　as　no　one　had　ever　talked　to　her　before；　and
often；　through　the　long　years　of　suffering　that　followed；　the　words
of　that　evening　came　to　Maimie　to　lighten　and　to　comfort　an　hour　of
fear　and　sorrow。　　Mrs。　Murray　was　of　those　to　whom　it　is　given　to
speak　words　that　will　not　die　with　time；　but　will　live；　for　that
they　fall　from　lips　touched　with　the　fire　of　God。

Before　they　had　finished　their　talk　Harry　came　in；　and　then　Mrs。
Murray　told　them　about　their　mother；　of　her　beauty　and　her
brightness　and　her　goodness；　but　mostly　of　her　goodness。

〃She　was　a　dear；　dear　girl；〃　said　their　aunt；　〃and　her　goodness　was
of　the　kind　that　makes　one　think　of　a　fresh　spring　morning；　so
bright；　so　sweet；　and　pure。　　And　she　was　beautiful；　too。　　You　will
be　like　her；　Maimie；〃　and；　after　a　pause；　she　added；　softly；　〃And；
most　of　all；　she　loved　her　Saviour；　and　that　was　the　secret　of　both
her　beauty　and　her　goodness。〃

〃Auntie；〃　said　Harry；　suddenly；　〃don't　you　think　you　could　come　to
us　for　a　visit？　　It　would　do　fatherI　mean　it　would　be　such　a
great　thing　for　father；　and　for　me；　too；　for　us　all。〃

Mrs。　Murray　thought　of　her　home　and　all　its　ties；　and　then　said；
smiling：　　〃I　am　afraid；　Harry；　that　could　hardly　be。　　Besides；　my
dear　boy；　there　is　One　who　can　always　be　with　you；　and　no　one　can
take　His　place。〃

〃All　the　same；　I　wish　you　could　come；〃　said　Harry。　　〃When　I　am　here
I　feel　like　doing　something　with　my　life；　but　at　home　I　only　think
of　having　fun。〃

〃But；　Harry；〃　said　his　aunt；　〃life　is　a　very　sacred　and　very
precious　thing；　and　at　all　costs；　you　must　make　it　worthy　of　Him
who　gave　it　to　you。〃

Next　morning；　when　Harry　was　saying　〃Farewell〃　to　his　aunt；　she　put
her　arms　round　him；　and　said：　　〃Your　mother　would　have　wished　you
to　be　a　noble　man；　and　you　must　not　disappoint　her。〃

〃I　will　try；　auntie；〃　he　said；　and　could　say　no　more。

For　the　next　few　weeks　the　minister　and　his　wife　were　both　busy　and
anxious。　　For　more　than　eight　years　they　had　labored　with　their
people　without　much　sign　of　result。　　Week　after　week　the　minister
poured　into　his　sermons　the　strength　of　his　heart　and　mind；　and
then　gave　them　to　his　people　with　all　the　fervor　of　his　nature。
Week　after　week　his　wife；　in　her　women's　meetings　and　in　her　Bible
class；　lavished　freely　upon　them　the　splendid　riches　of　her
intellectual　and　spiritual　powers；　and　together　in　the　homes　of　the
people　they　wrought　and　taught。　　At　times　it　seemed　to　the　minister
that　they　were　spending　their　strength　for　naught；　and　at　such
times　he　bitterly　grudged；　not　his　own　toils；　but　those　of　his
wife。　　None　knew　better　than　he　how　well　fitted　she　was；　both　by
the　native　endowments　of　her　mind　and　by　the　graces　of　her
character；　to　fill　the　highest　sphere；　and　he　sometimes　grew
impatient　that　she　should　spend　herself　without　stint　and　reap　no
adequate　reward。

These　were　his　thoughts　as　he　lay　on　his　couch；　on　the　evening　of
the　last　Sabbath　in　the　old　church；　after　a　day's　work　more　than
usually　exhausting。　　The　new　church　was　to　be　opened　the　following
week。　　For　months　it　had　been　the　burden　of　their　prayers　that　at
the　dedication　of　their　church；　which　had　been　built　and　paid　for
at　the　cost　of　much　thought　and　toil；　there　should　be　some　〃signal
mark　of　the　divine　acceptance。〃　　No　wonder　the　minister　was　more
than　usually　depressed　to…night。

〃There　is　not　much　sign　of　movement　among　the　dry　bones；〃　he　said
to　his　wife。　　〃They　are　as　dry　and　as　dead　as　ever。〃

His　wife　was　silent　for　some　time；　for　she；　too；　had　her　moments　of
doubt　and　fear；　but　she　said：　　〃I　think　there　is　some　sign。　　The
people　were　certainly　much　impressed　this　morning；　and　the　Bible
class　was　very　large；　and　they　were　very　attentive。〃

〃So　they　are　every　day；〃　said　the　minister；　rather　bitterly。　　〃But
what　does　it　amount　to？　　There　is　not　a　sign　of　one　of　these　young
people　'coming　forward。'　　Just　think；　only　one　young　man　a　member
of　the　church；　and　he　hasn't　got　much　spunk　in　him。　　And　many　of
the　older　men　remain　as　hard　as　the　nether　millstone。〃

〃I　really　think；〃　said　his　wife；　〃that　a　number　of　the　young　people
would　'come　forward'　if　some　one　would　make　a　beginning。　　They　are
all　very　shy。〃

〃So　you　always　say；〃　said　her　husband；　with　a　touch　of　impatience；
〃but　there　is　no　shyness　in　other　things；　in　their　frolics　and
their　fightings。　　I　am　sure　this　last　outrageous　business　is　enough
to　break　one's　heart。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　his　wife。

〃Oh；　I　suppose　you　will　hear　soon　enough；　so　I　need　not　try　to　keep
it　from　you。　　It　was　Long　John　Cameron　told　me。　　It　is　strange　that
Hughie　has　not　heard。　　Indeed；　perhaps　he　has；　but　since　his
beloved　Ranald　is　involved；　he　is　keeping　it　quiet。〃

〃What　is　it？〃　said　his　wife；　anxiously。

〃Oh；　nothing　less　than　a　regular　pitched　battle　between　the
McGregors　and　the　McRaes　of　the　Sixteenth；　and　all　on　Ranald's
account；　too；　I　believe。〃

Mrs。　Murray　sat　in　silent　and　bitter　disappointment。　　She　had
expected　much　from　Ranald。　　Her　husband　went　on　with　his　tale。

〃It　seems　there　was　an　old　quarrel　between　young　Aleck　McRae　and
Ranald；　over　what　I　cannot　find　out；　and　young　Angus　McGregor；　who
will　do　anything　for　a　Macdonald；　must　needs　take　Ranald's　part；
with　the　result　that　that　hot…headed　young　fire…eater　Aleck　McRae
must　challenge　the　whole　clan　McGregor。　　So　it　was　arranged；　on
Sunday　morning；　too；　mind　you；　two　weeks　ago；　after　the　service；
that　six　of　the　best　of　each　side　should　meet　and　settle　the
business。　　Of　course　Ranald　was　bound　to　be　into　it；　and　begged　and
pleaded　with　the　McGregors　that　he　should　be　one　of　the　six；　and　I
hear　it　was　by　Yankee's　advice　that　his　request　was　granted。　　That
godless　fellow；　it　seems；　has　been　giving　Ranald　daily　lessons　with
the　boxing…gloves；　and　to　some　purpose；　too；　as　the　fight　proved。
It　seems　that　young　Aleck　McRae；　who　is　a　terrible　fighter；　and
must　be　forty　pounds　heavier　than　Ranald；　was；　by　Ranald's　especial
desire　and　by　Yankee's　arrangement；　pitted　against　the　boy；　and　by
the　time　the　fight　was　over；　Ranald；　although　beaten　and　bruised　to
a　'bloody　pulp；'　as　Long　John　said；　had　Aleck　thoroughly　whipped。
And　nobody　knows　what　would　have　happened；　so　fierce　was　the　young
villain；　had　not　Peter　McGregor　and　Macdonald　Bhain　appeared　upon
the　scene。　　It　appears　Aleck　had　been　saying　something　about　Maimie；
Long　John　did　not　know　what　it　was；　but　Ranald　was　determined　to
finish　Aleck　up　there　and　then。　　It　must　have　been　a　disgusting　and
terrible　sight；　but　Macdonald　Bhain　apparently　settled　them　in　a
hurry；　and　what　is　more；　made　them　all　shake　hands　and　promise　to
drop　the　quarrel　thenceforth。　　I　fancy　Ranald's　handling　of　young
Aleck　McRae　did　more　to　bring　about　the　settlement　than　anything
else。　　What　a　lot　of　savages　they　are！〃　continued　the　minister。　　〃It
really　does　not　seem　much　use　to　preach　to　them。〃

〃We　must　not　say　that；　my　dear；〃　said　his　wife；　but　her　tone　was
none　too　hopeful。　　〃I　must　confess　I　am　disappointed　in　Ranald。
Well；〃　she　continued；　〃we　can　only　wait　and　trust。〃

Fro