the man from glengarry-第51部分

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〃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　forget　the　wonder　and　the　delight　in　her　face。　　I　tell　you　I
wept　that　night；　but　not　at　the　play。　　And　how　she　criticised　the
actors；　even　Booth　himself　didn't　escape；〃　continued　Harry；　〃and　so
I　say　it's　a　beastly　shame　that　you　should　spend　your　whole　life　in
the　backwoods　there　and　have　so　little　of　the　other　sort　of　thing。
Why　you　are　made　for　it！〃

〃Harry；〃　answered　Mrs。　Murray；　in　surprise；　〃that　was　my　work；
given　me　to　do。　　Could　I　refuse　it？　　And　besides　after　all；　fun；　as
you　say；　passes；　music　stops；　books　get　done　with；　but　those　other
things；　the　things　that　Ranald　and　I　have　seen；　will　go　on　long
after　my　poor　body　is　laid　away。〃

〃But　still　you　must　get　tired；〃　persisted　Harry。

〃Yes；　I　get　tired；〃　she　replied；　quietly。　　At　the　little　touch　of
weariness　in　the　voice；　Kate；　who　was　looking　at　the　beautiful
face；　so　spiritual；　and　getting；　oh；　so　frail；　felt　a　sudden　rush
of　tears　in　her　eyes。　　But　there　was　no　self…pity　in　that　heroic
soul。　　〃Yes；　I　get　tired；〃　she　repeated；　〃but；　Harry；　what　does
that　matter？　　We　do　our　work　and　then　we　will　rest。　　But　oh；　Harry；
my　boy；　when　I　come　to　your　city　and　see　all　there　is　to　do；　I　wish
I　were　a　girl　again；　and　I　wonder　at　people　thinking　life　is　just
for　fun。〃

Harry；　like　other　young　men；　hated　to　be　lectured；　but　from　his
aunt　he　never　took　anything　amiss。　　He　admired　her　for　her
brilliant　qualities；　and　loved　her　with　a　love　near　to　worship。

〃I　say；　auntie；〃　he　said；　with　a　little　uncertain　laugh；　〃it's　like
going　to　church　to　hear　you；　only　it's　a　deal　more　pleasant。〃

〃But；　Harry；　am　I　not　right？〃　she　replied；　earnestly。　　〃Do　you
think　that　you　will　get　the　best　out　of　your　life　by　just　having
fun？　　Oh；　do　you　know　when　I　went　with　Kate　to　the　Institute　the
other　night　and　saw　those　boys　my　heart　ached。　　I　thought　of　my　own
boys；　and〃　　The　voice　ceased　in　a　pathetic　little　catch；　the
sensitive　lips　trembled；　the　beautiful　gray…brown　eyes　filled　with
sudden　tears。　　For　a　few　moments　there　was　silence；　then；　with　a
wavering　smile；　and　a　gentle；　apologetic　air；　she　said：　　〃But　I
must　not　make　Harry　think　he　is　in　church。〃

〃Dear　Aunt　Murray；〃　cried　Harry；　〃do　lecture　me。　　I'd　enjoy　it；　and
you　can't　make　it　too　strong。　　You　are　just　an　angel。〃　　He　left　his
seat；　and　going　over　to　her　chair；　knelt　down　and　put　his　arms
about　her。

〃Don't　you　all　wish　she　was　your　aunt？〃　he　said；　kissing　her。

〃She　IS　mine；〃　cried　Kate；　smiling　at　her　through　shining　tears。

〃She's　more；〃　said　Ranald；　and　his　voice　was　husky　with　emotion。

But　with　the　bright；　joyous　little　laugh　Ranald　knew　so　well；　she
smoothed　back　Harry's　hair；　and　kissing　him　on　the　forehead；　said：
〃I　am　sure　you　will　do　good　work　some　day。　　But　I　shall　be　quite
spoiled　here；　I　must　really　get　home。〃

As　Ranald　left　the　Raymond　house　he　knew　well　what　he　should　say　to
Mr。　St。　Clair　next　morning。　　He　wondered　at　himself　that　he　had
ever　been　in　doubt。　　He　had　been　for　an　hour　in　another　world　where
the　atmosphere　was　pure　and　the　light　clear。　　Never　till　that　night
had　he　realized　the　full　value　of　that　life　of　patient　self…
sacrifice；　so　unconscious　of　its　heroism。　　He　understood　then；　as
never　before；　the　mysterious　influence　of　that　gentle；　sweet…faced
lady　over　every　one　who　came　to　know　her；　from　the　simple；
uncultured　girls　of　the　Indian　Lands　to　the　young　men　about　town　of
Harry's　type。　　Hers　was　the　power　of　one　who　sees　with　open　eyes
the　unseen；　and　who　loves　to　the　forgetting　of　self　those　for　whom
the　Infinite　love　poured　Itself　out　in　death。

〃Going　home；　Harry？〃　inquired　Ranald。

〃Yes；　right　home；　don't　want　to　go　anywhere　else　to…night。　　I　say；
old　chap；　you're　a　better　and　cleaner　man　than　I　am；　but　it　ain't
your　fault。　　That　woman　ought　to　make　a　saint　out　of　any　man。〃

〃Man；　you　would　say　so　if　you　knew　her；〃　said　Ranald；　with　a　touch
of　impatience；　〃but　then　no　one　does　know　her。　　They　certainly
don't　down　in　the　Indian　Lands；　for　they　don't　know　what　she's
given　up。〃

〃That's　the　beauty　of　it；〃　replied　Harry；　〃she　doesn't　feel　it　that
way。　　Given　up？　not　she！　　She　thinks　she's　got　everything　that's
good！〃

〃Well；〃　said　Ranald；　thoughtfully；　after　a　pause；　〃she　knows；　and
she's　right。〃

When　they　came　to　Harry's　door　Ranald　lingered　just　a　moment。
〃Come　in　a　minute；〃　said　Harry。

〃I　don't　know；　I'm　coming　in　to…morrow。〃

〃Oh；　come　along　just　now。　　Aunt　Frank　is　in　bed；　but　Maimie　will　be
up；〃　said　Harry；　dragging　him　along　to　the　door。

〃No；　I　think　not　to…night。〃　　While　they　were　talking　the　door
opened　and　Maimie　appeared。

〃Ranald；〃　she　cried；　in　an　eager　voice；　〃I　knew　you　would　be　at
Kate's；　and　I　was　pretty　sure　you　would　come　home　with　Harry。
Aren't　you　coming　in？〃

〃Where's　Aunt　Frank？〃　asked　Harry。

〃She's　upstairs；〃　said　Maimie。

〃Thank　the　Lord；　eh？〃　added　Harry；　pushing　in　past　her。

〃Go　away　in　and　talk　to　her；〃　said　Maimie。　　Then　turning　to　Ranald
and　looking　into　his　devouring　eyes；　she　said；　〃Well？　　You　might
say　you're　glad　to　see　me。〃　　She　stood　where　the　full　light　of　the
doorway　revealed　the　perfect　beauty　of　her　face　and　figure。

〃Glad　to　see　you！　　There　is　no　need　of　saying　that；〃　replied　Ranald；
still　gazing　at　her。

〃How　beautiful　you　are；　Maimie；〃　he　added；　bluntly。

〃Thank　you；　and　you　are　really　quite　passable。〃

〃And　I　AM　glad　to　see　you。〃

〃That's　why　you　won't　come　in。〃

〃I　am　coming　to…morrow　night。〃

〃Everybody　will　be　here　to…morrow　night。〃

〃Yes；　that's　certainly　a　drawback。〃

〃And　I　shall　be　very　busy　looking　after　my　guests。　　Still；〃　she
added；　noticing　the　disappointment　in　his　face；　〃it's　quite
possible〃

〃Exactly；〃　his　face　lighting　up　again。

〃Have　you　seen　father's　study？〃　asked　Maimie；　innocently。

〃No；〃　replied　Ranald；　wonderingly。　　〃Is　it　so　beautiful？〃

〃No；　but　it's　upstairs；　andquiet。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Ranald。

〃And　perhaps　you　might　like　to　see　it　to…morrow　night。〃

〃How　stupid　I　am。　　Will　you　show　it　to　me？〃

〃I　will　be　busy；　but　perhaps　Harry〃

〃Will　you？〃　said　Ranald；　coming　close　t