the man from glengarry-第30部分

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Aleck　passed　by；　and　in　great　good　humor　with　himself；　chaffingly
called　out　to　Ranald　in　the　presence　of　a　number　of　the　men；
〃That's　a　fine　girl　you've　got；　Ranald。　　But　you　better　keep　your
eye　on　her。〃

Ranald　made　no　reply。　　He　was　fast　losing　command　of　himself。

〃Pretty　skittish　to　handle；　isn't　she？〃　continued　Aleck。

〃What　y're　talkin'　'bout？　　That　Lisette　mare？〃　said　Yankee；　walking
round　to　Ranald's　side。　　〃Purty　slick　beast；　that。　　Guess　there
ain't　anythin'　in　this　country　will　make　her　take　dust。〃

Then　in　a　low　voice　he　said　to　Ranald；　hurriedly；　〃Don't　you　mind
him；　don't　you　mind　him。　　You　can't　touch　him　to…day；　on　your　own
place。　　Let　me　handle　him。〃

〃No；〃　said　Aleck。　　〃We　were　talking　about　another　colt　of　Ranald's。〃

〃What's　that？〃　said　Yankee；　pretending　not　to　hear。　　〃Yes；　you
bet；〃　he　continued。　　〃Ranald　can　handle　her　all　right。　　He　knows
something　about　horses；　as　I　guess　you　have　found　out；　perhaps；　by
this　time。　　Never　saw　anything　so　purty。　　Didn't　know　your　team　had
got　that　move　in　them；　Mr。　McNaughton；〃　Yankee　went　on　to　Farquhar；
who　had　just　come　up。

〃Indeed；　they　are　none　the　worse　of　it；〃　said　Farquhar；　rubbing　his
hands　over　the　sleek　sides　of　his　horses。

〃Worse！〃　cried　Yankee。　　〃They're　worth　a　hundred　dollars　more　from
this　day　on。〃

〃I　don't　know　that。　　The　hundred　dollars　ought　to　go　upon　the
driver；〃　said　Farquhar；　putting　his　hand　kindly　upon　Ranald's
shoulder。

But　this　Ranald　warmly　repudiated。　　〃They　are　a　great　team；〃　he
said　to　Farquhar。　　〃And　they　could　do　better　than　they　did　to…day
if　they　were　better　handled。'

〃Indeed；　it　would　be　difficult　to　get　that；〃　said　Farquhar；　〃for；
in　my　opinion；　there　is　not　a　man　in　the　country　that　could　handle
them　as　well。〃

This　was　too　much　for　Aleck；　who；　having　by　this　time　got　his
horses　hitched；　mounted　his　wagon　seat　and　came　round　to　the　door
at　a　gallop。

〃Saved　you　that　time；　my　boy；〃　said　Yankee　to　Ranald。　　〃You　would
have　made　a　fool　of　yourself　in　about　two　minutes　more；　I　guess。〃

But　Ranald　was　still　too　wrathful　to　be　grateful　for　Yankee's　help。
〃I　will　be　even　with　him　someday；〃　he　said；　between　his　teeth。

〃I　guess　you　will　have　to　learn　two　or　three　things　first；〃　said
Yankee；　slowly。

〃What　things？〃

〃Well；　how　to　use　your　head；　first　place；　and　then　how　to　use　your
hands。　　He　is　too　heavy　for　you。　　He　would　crumple　you　up　in　a
couple　of　minutes。〃

〃Let　him；　then；〃　said　Ranald；　recklessly。

〃Rather　onpleasant。　　Better　wait　awhile　till　you　learn　what　I　told
you。〃

〃Yankee；〃　said　Ranald；　after　a　pause；　〃will　you　show　me？〃

〃Why；　sartin　sure；〃　said　Yankee；　cheerfully。　　〃You　have　got　to　lick
him　some　day；　or　he　won't　be　happy；　and　by　jings！　it　will　be　worth
seein'；　too。〃

By　this　time　Farquhar　had　come　back　from　saying　good　by　to
Macdonald　Dubh　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Murray；　who　were　remaining　till
the　last。

〃You　will　be　a　man　yet；〃　said　Farquhar；　shaking　Ranald's　hand。
〃You　have　got　the　patience　and　the　endurance。〃　　These　were　great
virtues　in　Farquhar's　opinion。

〃Not　much　patience；　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃But　I　am　glad　you
trusted　me　with　your　team。〃

〃And　any　day　you　want　them　you　can　have　them；〃　said　Farquhar；　his
reckless　mood　leading　him　to　forget　Kirsty　for　the　moment。

〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　said　Ranald；　wondering　what　Kirsty　would　look
like　should　he　ever　venture　to　claim　Farquhar's　offer。

One　by　one　the　teams　drove　away　with　their　loads；　till　only　the
minister　and　his　party　were　left。　　Away　under　the　trees　Mr。　Murray
was　standing；　earnestly　talking　to　Macdonald　Dubh。　　He　had　found
the　opportunity　he　had　long　waited　for　and　was　making　the　most　of
it。　　Mrs。　Murray　was　busy　with　Kirsty；　and　Maimie　and　Hughie　came
toward　the　stable　where　Yankee　and　Ranald　were　still　standing。　　As
soon　as　Ranald　saw　them　approaching　he　said　to　Yankee；　abruptly；
〃I　am　going　to　get　the　minister's　horse；〃　and　disappeared　into　the
stable。　　Nor　did　he　come　forth　again　till　he　heard　his　father
calling　to　him：　　〃What　is　keeping　you；　Ranald？　　The　minister　is
waiting　for　his　horse。〃

〃So　you　won　a　great　victory；　Ranald；　I　hear；〃　said　the　minister；　as
Ranald　brought　Black　to　the　door。

〃It　was　a　tie；〃　said　Ranald。

〃Oh；　Ranald！〃　cried　Hughie；　〃you　beat　him。　　Everybody　says　so。　　You
had　your　chain　hitched　up　and　everything　before　Aleck。〃

〃I　hear　it　was　a　great　exhibition；　not　only　of　skill；　but　of
endurance　and　patience；　Ranald；〃　said　the　minister。　　〃And　these　are
noble　virtues。　　It　is　a　great　thing　to　be　able　to　endure。〃

But　Ranald　made　no　reply；　busying　himself　with　Black's　bridle。
Mrs。　Murray　noticed　his　gloom　and　guessed　its　cause。

〃We　will　see　you　at　the　Bible　class；　Ranald；〃　she　said；　kindly；　but
still　Ranald　remained　silent。

〃Can　you　not　speak；　man？〃　said　his　father。　　〃Do　you　not　hear　the
minister's　wife　talking　to　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ranald；　〃I　will　be　there。〃

〃We　will　be　glad　to　see　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　offering　him　her
hand。　　〃And　you　might　come　in　with　Hughie　for　a　few　minutes
afterward；〃　she　continued；　kindly；　for　she　noted　the　misery　in　his
face。

〃And　we　will　be　glad　to　see　you；　too；　Mr。　Macdonald；　if　it　would
not　be　too　much　for　you；　and　if　you　do　not　scorn　a　woman's
teaching。〃

〃Indeed；　I　would　be　proud；〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh；　courteously；　〃as
far　as　that　is　concerned；　for　I　hear　there　are　better　men　than　me
attending。〃

〃I　am　sure　Mrs。　Murray　will　be　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Macdonald；〃
said　the　minister。

〃I　will　be　thinking　of　it；〃　said　Macdonald　Dubh；　cautiously。　　〃And
you　are　both　very　kind；　whatever；〃　he　said；　losing　for　a　time　his
habitual　gloom。

〃Well；　then；　I　will　look　for　you　both；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　as　they
were　about　to　drive　off；　〃so　do　not　disappoint　me。〃

〃Good　by；　Ranald；〃　said　Maimie；　offering　Ranald　her　hand。

〃Good　by；〃　said　Ranald；　holding　her　hand　for　a　moment　and　looking
hard　into　her　eyes；　〃and　I　hope　you　will　enjoy　your　ride；　whatever。〃

Then　Maimie　understood　Ranald's　savage　manner；　and　as　she　thought
it　over　she　smiled　to　herself。　　She　was　taking　her　first　sips　of
that　cup；　to　woman's　lips　the　sweetest；　and　she　found　it　not
unpleasant。　　She　had　succeeded　in　making　one　man　happy　and　another
miserable。　　But　it　was　when　she　said　to　herself；　〃Poor　Ranald！〃
that　she　smiled　most　sweetly。



CHAPTER　XIV

SHE　WILL　NOT　FORGET


If　Mrs。　Murray　was　not　surprised　to　see　Macdonald　Dubh　and　Yankee
walk　in　on　Sabbath　evening　and　sit　down　in　the　back　seat；　her　class
were。　　Indeed　the　appearance　of　these　two　men　at　the　class　was
considered　an　event　so　extraordinary　as　to　give　a　decided　shock　to
those　who　regularly　attended；　and　their　presence　lent　to　the　meeting
an　unusual　interest；　and　an　undertone　of　excitement。　　To　see
Macdonald　Dubh；　whose　attendance　at　the　regular　Sabbath　services　was
something　unusual；　present　at　a　religious　meeting　which　no　one　would
consider　it　a　duty　to　attend；　was　enough　in　itself　to　excite
surprise；　but　when　Yankee　came　in　and　sat　beside　him；　the　surprise
was　considerably　intensified。　　For　Yankee　was　considered　to　be　quite
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　Psa