the man from glengarry-第52节

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hurt。〃

〃Oh；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　and　her　voice　was　low　and　earnest；　〃Ranald
is　not　like　other　men。　　He　does　not　understand　things。　　He　loves
you　and　he　will　love　you　more　every　day　if　you　let　him。　　Why　don't
you　let　him　go？〃

〃Let　him　go！〃　cried　Maimie；　〃who's　keeping　him？〃　　But　as　she　spoke
the　flush　in　her　cheek　and　the　warm　light　in　her　eye　told　more
clearly　than　words　that　she　did　not　mean　to　let　him　go　just　then。

〃You　are；〃　said　Kate；　〃and　you　are　making　him　love　you。〃

〃Why；　how　silly　you　are；〃　cried　Maimie；　〃of　course　he　likes　me；
but〃

〃No；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　with　sad　earnestness；　〃he　loves　you；　you
can　see　it　in　the　way　he　looks　at　you；　in　his　voice　when　he　speaks
andoh；　you　shouldn't　let　him　unless　you　mean　totogo　on。　　Send
him　right　away！〃　　There　were　tears　in　Kate's　dark　eyes。

〃Why；　Katie；〃　cried　Maimie；　looking　at　her　curiously；　〃what
difference　does　it　make　to　you？　　And　besides；　how　can　I　send　him
away？　　I　just　treat　him　as　I　do　Mr。　De　Lacy。〃

〃De　Lacy！〃　cried　Kate；　indignantly。　　〃De　Lacy　can　look　after
himself；　but　Ranald　is　different。　　He　is　so　serious　andand　so
honest；　and　he　means　just　what　he　says；　and　you　are　so　nice　to　him；
and　you　look　at　him　in　such　a　way！〃

〃Why；　Kate；　do　you　mean　that　I　try　to〃　Maimie　was　righteously
indignant。

〃You　perhaps　don't　know；〃　continued　Kate；　〃but　you　can't　help　being
fascinating　to　men；　you　know　you　are；　and　Ranald　believes　you　so；
andand　you　ought　to　be　quite　straightforward　with　him！〃　　Poor
Kate　could　no　longer　command　her　voice。

〃There；　now；〃　said　Maimie；　caressing　her　friend；　not　unpleased　with
Kate's　description　of　her；　〃I'm　going　to　be　good。　　I　will　just　be
horrid　to　both　of　them；　and　they'll　go　away！　　But；　oh；　dear；　things
are　all　wrong！　　Poor　Ranald；〃　she　said　to　herself；　〃I　wonder　if　he
will　come　to　the　picnic　on　Saturday？〃

Kate　looked　at　her　friend　a　moment　and　wiped　away　her　tears。

〃Indeed　I　hope　he　will　not；〃　she　said；　indignantly；　〃for　I　know　you
mean　to　just　lead　him　on。　　I　have　a　mind　to　tell　him。〃

〃Tell　him　what？〃　said　Maimie；　smiling。

〃Just　what　you　mean　to　do。〃

〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　that。〃

〃Now　I　tell　you；　Maimie；〃　said　Kate；　〃if　you　go　on　with　Ranald　so
any　longer　I　will　just　tell　him　you　are　playing　with　him。〃

〃Do；〃　said　Maimie；　scornfully；　〃and　be　careful　to　make　clear　to　him
at　the　same　time　that　you　are　speaking　solely　in　his　interest！〃

Kate's　face　flushed　red　at　the　insinuation；　and　then　grew　pale。
She　stood　for　some　time　looking　in　silence　at　her　friend；　and　then
with　a　proud　flash　of　her　dark　eyes；　she　swept　from　the　room
without　a　word；　nor　did　Maimie　see　her　again　that　afternoon；　though
she　stood　outside　her　door　entreating　with　tears　to　be　forgiven。
Poor　Kate！　　Maimie's　shaft　had　gone　too　near　a　vital　spot；　and　the
wound　amazed　and　terrified　her。　　Was　it　for　Ranald's　sake　alone　she
cared？　　Yes；　surely　it　was。　　Then　why　this　sharp　new　pain　under　the
hand　pressing　hard　upon　her　heart？

Oh；　what　did　that　mean？　　She　put　her　face　in　her　pillow　to　hide　the
red　that　she　knew　was　flaming　in　her　cheeks；　and　for　a　few　moments
gave　herself　up　to　the　joy　that　was　flooding　her　whole　heart　and
soul　and　all　her　tingling　veins。　　Oh；　how　happy　she　was。　　For　long
she　had　heard　of　the　Glengarry　lad　from　Maimie　and　more　from　Harry
till　there　had　grown　up　in　her　heart　a　warm；　admiring　interest。
And　now　she　had　come　to　know　him　for　herself！　　How　little　after　all
had　they　told　her　of　him。　　What　a　man　he　was！　　How　strong　and　how
fearless！　　How　true…hearted　and　how　his　eyes　could　fill　with　love！
She　started　up。　　Love？　　Love？　　Ah；　where　was　her　joy！　　How　chill
the　day　had　grown　and　how　hateful　the　sunlight　on　the　river。　　She
drew　down　the　blind　and　threw　herself　once　more　upon　the　bed；
shivering　and　sick　with　painthe　bitterest　that　heart　can　know。
Once　more　she　started　up。

〃She　is　not　worthy　of　him！〃　she　exclaimed；　aloud；　〃her　heart　is　not
deep　enough；　she　does　not；　cannot　love　him；　and　oh；　if　some　one
would　only　let　him　know！〃

She　would　tell　him　herself。　　No！　　No！　　Maimie's　sharp　arrow　was
quivering　still　in　her　heart。　　Once　more　she　threw　herself　upon　the
bed。　　How　could　she　bear　this　that　had　stricken　her？　　She　would　go
home。　　She　would　go　to　her　mother　to…morrow。　　Go　away　forever　from
ahcould　she？　　No；　anything　but　that！　　She　could　not　go　away。

Over　the　broad　river　the　warm　sunlight　lay　with　kindly　glow；　and
the　world　was　full　of　the　soft；　sweet　air　of　spring；　and　the　songs
of　mating　birds；　but　the　hours　passed；　and　over　the　river　the
shadows　began　to　creep；　and　the　whole　world　grew　dark；　and　the
songs　of　the　birds　were　hushed　to　silence。　　Then；　from　her　room；
Kate　came　down　with　face　serene；　and　but　for　the　eyes　that　somehow
made　one　think　of　tears；　without　a　sign　of　the　storm　that　had　swept
her　soul。　　She　did　not　go　home。　　She　was　too　brave　for　that。　　She
would　stay　and　fight　her　battle　to　the　end。

That　was　a　dreary　week　for　Ranald。　　He　was　lonely　and　heartsick　for
the　woods　and　for　his　home　and　friends；　but　chiefly　was　he　oppressed
with　the　sense　of　having　played　the　fool　in　his　quarrel　with　De
Lacy；　whom　he　was　beginning　to　admire　and　like。　　He　surely　might
have　avoided　that；　and　yet　whenever　he　thought　of　the　game　that　had
swept　away　from　Rouleau　all　his　winter's　earnings；　and　of　the　cruel
blow　that　had　followed；　he　felt　his　muscles　stiffen　and　his　teeth
set　tight　in　rage。　　No；　he　would　do　it　all　again；　nor　would　he
retreat　one　single　step　from　the　position　he　had　taken；　but　would
see　his　quarrel　through　to　the　end。　　But　worst　of　all　he　had　not
seen　Maimie　all　the　week。　　His　experience　with　Harry　in　the　ordering
of　his　suit　had　taught　him　the　importance　of　clothes；　and　he　now
understood　as　he　could　not　before；　Maimie's　manner　to　him。　　〃That
would　be　it；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃and　no　wonder。　　What　would　she
do　with　a　great；　coarse　tyke　like　me！〃　　Then；　in　spite　of　all　his
loyalty；　he　could　not　help　contrasting　with　Maimie's　uncertain　and
doubtful　treatment　of　him；　the　warm；　frank　friendliness　of　Kate。
〃SHE　did　not　mind　my　clothes；〃　he　thought；　with　a　glow　of　gratitude；
but　sharply　checking　himself；　he　added；　〃but　why　should　she　care？〃
It　rather　pleased　him　to　think　that　Maimie　cared　enough　to　feel
embarrassed　at　his　rough　dress。　　So　he　kept　away　from　the　Hotel　de
Cheval　Blanc　till　his　new　suit　should　be　ready。　　It　was　not　because
of　his　dress；　however；　that　he　steadily　refused　Harry's　invitation
to　the　picnic。

〃No；　I　will　not　go；〃　he　said；　with　blunt　decision；　after　listening
to　Harry's　pleading。　　〃It　is　Lieutenant　De　Lacy's　picnic；　and　I
will　have　nothing　to　do　with　him；　and　indeed　he　will　not　be　wanting
me！〃

〃Oh；　he's　forgotten　all　about　that　little　affair；〃　cried　Harry。

〃Has　he？　　Indeed　then　if　he　is　a　man　he　has　not！〃

〃I　guess　he　hasn't　remembered　much　of　anything　for　the　last　week；〃
said　Harry；　with　a　slight　laugh。

〃Why　not？〃

〃Oh；　pshaw；　he's　been　on　a　big　tear。　　He　only　sobered　up　yesterday。〃

〃Huh！〃　grunted　Ranald；　contemptuously。　　He　had　little　respect　for　a
man　who　did　not　know　when　he　had　had　enough。　　〃What　about　his　job？〃
he　asked。

〃His　job？　　Oh；　I　see。　　His　job　doesn't　worry　him　much。　　He's　absent
on　sick…leave。　　But　he's　all　fit　again　and　I　know　he　will　be
disappointed　if　you　do　not　come　to…morrow。〃

〃I　will　not　go；〃　said　Ranald；　with　final　decision；　〃and　you　can
tell　him　so；　and　you　can　tell　him　why。〃

And　Harry　did　tell　him　with　considerable　fullness　and　emphasis　not
only　of　Ranald's　decision；　but　also　Ranald's　opinion　of　him；　for　he
felt　that　it　would　do　that　lordly　young　man　no　harm　to　know　that　a
man　whom　he　was　inclined　to　patronize　held　him　in　contempt　and　for
cause。　　The　lieutenant　listened　for　a　time　to　all　Harry　had　to　say
with　apparent　indifference；　then　suddenly　interrupting　him；　he
said：　　〃Oh；　I　say；　old　chap；　I　wouldn't　rub　it　in　if　I　were　you。　　I
have　a　more　or　less　vague　remembrance　of　having　rather　indulged　in
heroics。　　One　can't　keep　his　head　with　poker　and　unlimited　brandy…
and…sodas；　they　don't　go　together。　　It's　a　thing　I　almost　never　do；
never　in　a　big　game；　but　the　thing　got　interesting　before　I　knew。
But　I　say；　that　Glengarry　chap　plays　a　mighty　good　game。　　Must　get
him　on　again。　　Feels　hot；　eh？　　I　will　make　that　all　right；　and
what's　the　French　chap's　nameBoileau；　Rondeau；　eh？　　Rouleau。
Yes；　and　where　could　one　see　him？〃

〃I　can　find　out　from　LeNoir；　who　will　be　somewhere　near　Ranald。
You　can't　get　him　away　from　him。〃

〃Well；　do；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　lazily。　　〃Bring　LeNoir　to　see　me。
I　owe　that　Rouleau　chap　an　apology。　　Beastly　business！　　And　I'll
fix　it　up　with　Macdonald。　　He　has　the　right　of　it；　by　Jove！　　Rather
lucky；　I　fancy；　he　didn't　yield　to　my　solicitations　for　a　try　at
the　other　gamefrom　what　I　remember　of　the　street　riot；　eh？　　Would
not　mind　having　a　go　with　him　with　the　gloves；　though。　　I　will　see
him　to…morrow　morning。　　Keep　your　mind　at　rest。〃

Next　morning　when　LeNoir　came　to　his　work　he　was　full　of　the
lieutenant's　praises　to　Ranald。

〃Das　fine　feller　le　Capitaine；　eh？　　Das　de　Grand　Seigneur　for　sure！
He's　mak　eet　all　right　wit　Rouleau！　　He's　pay　de　cash　money　and
he's　mak　eet　de　good　posish　for　him；　an'　set　h