the man from glengarry-第56节

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position　of　lumber　checker　to　that　of　manager；　with　an　offer　of　a
partnership；　nor　could　he　mistake　the　suggestion　in　Mr。　St。　Clair's
closing　words。　　Every　interest　he　had　in　life　would　be　furthered　by
the　consummation　of　the　deal；　and　would　be　imperiled　by　his
refusing　to　adopt　Mr。　St。　Clair's　suggestion。　　Still；　argue　as　he
might；　Ranald　never　had　any　doubt　as　to　what；　as　a　man　of　honor；　he
ought　to　do。　　Colonel　Thorp　was　entitled　to　the　information　that　he
and　Mr。　St。　Clair　alone　possessed。　　Between　his　interests　and　his
conscience　the　conflict　raged。

〃I　wish　I　knew　what　I　ought　to　do；〃　he　groaned；　all　the　time
battling　against　the　conviction　that　the　information　he　possessed
should　by　rights　be　given　to　Colonel　Thorp。　　Finally；　in　despair　of
coming　to　a　decision；　he　seized　his　hat；　saying；　〃I　will　go　and　see
Kate；〃　and　slipping　out　of　a　side　door；　he　set　off　for　the　Raymond
home。　　〃I　will　just　look　up　Coley　on　the　way；〃　he　said　to　himself；
and　diving　down　an　alley；　he　entered　a　low　saloon　with　a　billiard
hall　attached。　　There；　as　he　had　expected；　acting　as　marker；　he
found　Coley。

Mike　Cole；　or　Coley；　as　his　devoted　followers　called　him；　was　king
of　St。　Joseph's　ward。　　Everywhere　in　the　ward　his　word　ran　as　law。
About　two　years　ago　Coley　had　deigned　to　favor　the　Institute　with　a
visit；　his　gang　following　him。　　They　were　welcomed　with
demonstrations　of　joy；　and　regaled　with　cakes　and　tea；　all　of　which
Coley　accepted　with　lordly　condescension。　　After　consideration；
Coley　decided　that　the　night　classes　might　afford　a　not　unpleasant
alternative　on　cold　nights；　to　alley…ways　and　saloons；　and　he
allowed　the　gang　to　join。　　Thenceforth　the　successful　conduct　of
the　classes　depended　upon　the　ability　of　the　superintendent　to
anticipate　Coley's　varying　moods　and　inclinations；　for　that　young
man　claimed　and　exercised　the　privilege　of　introducing　features
agreeable　to　the　gang；　though　not　necessarily　upon　the　regular
curriculum　of　study。　　Some　time　after　Ranald's　appearance　in　the
Institute　as　an　assistant；　it　happened　one　night　that　a　sudden
illness　of　the　superintendent　laid　upon　his　shoulders　the
responsibility　of　government。　　The　same　night　it　also　happened　that
Coley　saw　fit　to　introduce　the　enlivening　but　quite　impromptu
feature　of　a　song　and　dance。　　To　this　Ranald　objected；　and　was
invited　to　put　the　gang　out　if　he　was　man　enough。　　After　the　ladies
had　withdrawn　beyond　the　reach　of　missiles；　Ranald　adopted　the
unusual　tactics　of　preventing　exit　by　locking　the　doors；　and　then
immediately　became　involved　in　a　discussion　with　Coley　and　his
followers。　　It　cost　the　Institute　something　for　furniture　and
windows；　but　thenceforth　in　Ranald's　time　there　was　peace。　　Coley
ruled　as　before；　but　his　sphere　of　influence　was　limited；　and　the
day　arrived　when　it　became　the　ambition　of　Coley's　life　to　bring
the　ward　and　its　denizens　into　subjection　to　his　own　over…lord；
whom　he　was　prepared　to　follow　to　the　death。　　But　like　any　other
work　worth　doing；　this　took　days　and　weeks　and　months。

〃Hello；　Coley！〃　said　Ranald；　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　his　sometime
ally　and　slave。　　〃If　you　are　not　too　busy　I　would　like　you　to　go
along　with　me。〃

Coley　looked　around　as　if　seeking　escape。

〃Come　along；〃　said　Ranald；　quietly；　and　Coley；　knowing　that
anything　but　obedience　was　impossible；　dropped　his　marking　and
followed　Ranald　out　of　the　saloon。

〃Well；　Coley；　I　have　had　a　great　summer；〃　began　Ranald；　〃and　I　wish
very　much　you　could　have　been　with　me。　　It　would　have　built　you　up
and　made　a　man　of　you。　　Just　feel　that；〃　and　he　held　out　his　arm；
which　Coley　felt　with　admiring　reverence。　　〃That's　what　the　canoe
did；〃　and　then　he　proceeded　to　give　a　graphic　account　of　his　varied
adventures　by　land　and　water　during　the　last　six　months。　　As　they
neared　Mr。　Raymond's　house；　Ranald　turned　to　Coley　and　said：　　〃Now
I　want　you　to　cut　back　to　the　Institute　and　tell　Mr。　Locke；　if　he
is　there；　that　I　would　like　him　to　call　around　at　my　office　to…
morrow。　　And　furthermore；　Coley；　there's　no　need　of　your　going　back
into　that　saloon。　　I　was　a　little　ashamed　to　see　one　of　my　friends
in　a　place　like　that。　　Now；　good　night；　and　be　a　man；　and　a　clean
man。〃

Coley　stood　with　his　head　hung　in　abject　self…abasement；　and　then
ventured　to　say；　〃I　couldn't　stand　them　ducks　nohow！〃

〃Who　do　you　mean？〃　said　Ranald。

〃Oh；　them　fellers　that　runs　the　Institute　now；　and　so　I　cut。〃

〃Now　look　here；　Coley；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　wouldn't　go　throwing　stones
at　better　men　than　yourself；　and　especially　at　men　who　are　trying
to　do　something　to　help　other　people　and　are　not　so　beastly　mean　as
to　think　only　of　their　own　pleasure。　　I　didn't　expect　that　of　you；
Coley。　　Now　quit　it　and　start　again；〃　and　Ranald　turned　away。

Coley　stood　looking　after　him　for　a　few　moments　in　silence；　and
then　said　to　himself；　in　a　voice　full　of　emphasis：　　〃Well；　there's
just　one　of　his　kind　and　there　ain't　any　other。〃　　Then　he　set　out
at　a　run　for　the　Institute。

It　was　Kate　herself　who　came　to　answer　Ranald's　ring。

〃I　knew　it　was　you；〃　she　cried；　with　her　hand　eagerly　outstretched
and　her　face　alight　with　joy。　　〃Come　in；　we　are　all　waiting　for
you；　and　prepare　to　be　surprised。〃　　When　they　came　to　the　drawing…
room　she　flung　open　the　door　and　with　great　ceremony　announced　〃The
man　from　Glengarry；　as　Harry　would　say。〃

〃Hello；　old　chap！〃　cried　Harry；　springing　to　his　feet；　but　Ranald
ignored　him。　　He　greeted　Kate's　mother　warmly　for　she　had　shown　him
a　mother's　kindness　ever　since　he　had　come　to　the　city；　and　they
were　great　friends；　and　then　he　turned　to　Mrs。　Murray；　who　was
standing　waiting　for　him；　and　gave　her　both　his　hands。

〃I　knew　from　Kate's　letter；〃　he　said；　〃that　it　would　be　you；　and　I
cannot　tell　you　how　glad　I　am。〃　　His　voice　grew　a　little　unsteady
and　he　could　say　no　more。　　Mrs。　Murray　stood　holding　his　hands　and
looking　into　his　face。

〃It　cannot　be　possible；〃　she　said；　〃that　this　is　Ranald　Macdonald！
How　changed　you　are！〃　　She　pushed　him　a　little　back　from　her。　　〃Let
me　look　at　you；　why；　I　must　say　it；　you　are　really　handsome！〃

〃Now；　auntie；〃　cried　Harry；　reprovingly；　〃don't　flatter　him。　　He
is　utterly　ruined　now　by　every　one；　including　both　Kate　and　her
mother。〃

〃But　really；　Harry；〃　continued　Mrs。　Murray；　in　a　voice　of　delighted
surprise；　〃it　is　certainly　wonderful；　and　I　am　so　glad！　　And　I　have
been　hearing　about　your　work　with　the　boys　at　the　Institute；　and　I
cannot　tell　you　the　joy　it　gave　me。〃

〃Oh；　it　is　not　much　that　I　have　done；〃　said　Ranald；　deprecatingly。

〃Indeed；　it　is　a　noble　work　and　worthy　of　any　man；〃　said　Mrs。
Murray；　earnestly；　〃and　I　thank　God　for　you。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Ranald；　firmly；　〃I　owe　it　all　to　yourself；　for　it　is
you　that　set　me　on　this　way。〃

〃Listen　to　them　admiring　each　other！　　It　is　quite　shameless；〃　said
Harry。

Then　they　began　talking　about　Glengarry；　of　the　old　familiar
places；　of　the　woods　and　the　fields；　of　the　boys　and　girls　now
growing　into　men　and　women；　and　of　the　old　people；　some　of　whom
were　passed　away。　　Before　long　they　were　talking　of　the　church　and
all　the　varied　interests　centering　in　it；　but　soon　they　went　back
to　the　theme　that　Glengarry　people　everywhere　are　never　long
together　without　discussingthe　great　revival。　　Harry　had　heard　a
good　deal　about　it　before；　but　to　Kate　and　her　mother　the　story　was
mostly　new；　and　they　listened　with　eager　interest　as　Mrs。　Murray
and　Ranald　recalled　those　great　days。　　With　eyes　shining；　and　in
tones　of　humble；　grateful　wonder　they　reminded　each　other　of　the
various　incidents；　the　terrors；　the　struggles；　the　joyful　surprises；
the　mysterious　powers　with　which　they　were　so　familiar　during　those
eighteen　months。　　Then　Mrs。　Murray　told　of　the　permanent　results；
how　over　three　counties　the　influence　of　the　movement　was　still
felt；　and　how　whole　congregations　had　been　built　up　under　its
wonderful　power。

〃And　did　you　hear；〃　she　said　to　Ranald；　〃that　Donald　Stewart　was
ordained　last　May？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Ranald；　〃that　makes　seven；　doesn't　it？〃

〃Seven　what？〃　said　Kate。

〃Seven　men　preaching　the　Gospel　to…day　out　of　our　own　congregation；〃
replied　Mrs。　Murray。

〃But；　auntie；〃　cried　Harry；　〃I　have　always　thought　that　all　that
must　have　been　awfully　hard　work。〃

〃It　was；〃　said　Ranald；　emphatically；　and　he　went　on　to　sketch　Mrs。
Murray's　round　of　duties　in　her　various　classes　and　meetings
connected　with　the　congregation。

〃Besides　what　she　has　to　do　in　the　manse！〃　exclaimed　Harry；　〃but
it's　a　mere　trifle；　of　course；　to　look　after　her　troop　of　boys。〃

〃How　can　you　do　it？〃　said　Kate；　gazing　at　her　in　admiring　wonder。

〃It　isn't　so　terrible　as　Harry　thinks。　　That's　my　work；　you　see；
said　Mrs。　Murray；　〃what　else　would　I　do？　　And　when　it　goes　well　it
is　worth　while。〃

〃But；　auntie；　don't　you　feel　sometimes　like　getting　away　and　having
a　little　fun？　　Own　up；　now。〃

〃Fun？〃　laughed　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Well；　not　fun　exactly；　but　a　good　time　with　things　you　enjoy　so
much；　music；　literature；　and　that　sort　of　thing。　　Do　you　remember；
Kate；　the　first　time　you　met　auntie；　when　we　took　her　to　Hamlet？〃

Kate　nodded。

〃She　wasn't　quite　sure　about　it；　but　I　declare　till　I　die　I　will
never