the man from glengarry-第11章

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Every　one　was　rememberedthe　absent　head　of　the　family　and　those
present；　the　young　man　worshiping　with　them；　that　he　might　be　a
true　man　and　a　good　soldier　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　at　the　close；　the
little　lad　going　away　this　morning；　that　he　might　be　kept　from　all
harm　and　from　all　evil　thoughts　and　deeds。　　The　simple　beauty　of
the　words；　the　music　in　the　voice；　and　the　tender；　trustful　feeling
that　breathed　through　the　prayer　awakened　in　Ranald's　heart
emotions　and　longings　he　had　never　known　before；　and　he　rose　from
his　knees　feeling　how　wicked　and　how　cruel　a　thing　it　would　be　to
cause　one　of　these　little　ones　to　stumble。

After　the　worship　was　over；　Hughie　seized　his　Scotch　bonnet　and
rushed　for　the　jumper；　and　in　a　few　minutes　his　mother　had　all　the
space　not　taken　up　by　him　and　Ranald　packed　with　blankets　and
baskets。

〃Jessie　thinks　that　even　great　shanty…men　like　you　and　Don　and
Hughie　will　not　object　to　something　better　than　bread　and　pork。〃

〃Indeed；　we　will　not；〃　said　Ranald；　heartily。

Then　Hughie　suddenly　remembered　that　he　was　actually　leaving　home；
and　climbing　out　of　the　jumper；　he　rushed　at　his　mother。

〃Oh；　mother；　good　by！〃　he　cried。

His　mother　stooped　and　put　her　arms　about　him。　　〃Good　by；　my
darling；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃I　trust　you　to　be　a　good　boy；
and；　Hughie；　don't　forget　your　prayers。〃

Then　came　to　Hughie；　for　the　first　time；　the　thought　that　had　been
in　the　mother's　heart　all　the　morning；　that　when　night　came　he
would　lie　down　to　sleep；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　without
the　nightly　story　and　her　good…night　kiss。

〃Mother；〃　whispered　the　little　lad；　holding　her　tight　about　the
neck；　〃won't　you　come；　too？　　I　don't　think　I　like　to　go　away。〃

He　could　have　said　no　more　comforting　word；　and　the　mother；　whose
heart　had　been　sore　enough　with　her　first　parting　from　her　boy；　was
more　than　glad　to　find　that　the　pain　was　not　all　on　her　side；　so
she　kissed　him　again；　and　said；　in　a　cheery　voice：　　〃Now　have　a
good　time。　　Don't　trouble　Ranald　too　much；　and　bring　me　back　some
sugar。〃　　Her　last　word　braced　the　lad　as　nothing　else　could。

〃Oh；　mother；　I'll　bring　you　heaps！〃　he　cried；　and　with　the　vision
of　what　he　would　bring　home　again　shining　vividly　before　his　eyes；
he　got　through　the　parting　without　tears；　and　was　soon　speeding
down　the　lane　beside　Ranald；　in　the　jumper。

The　mother　stood　and　watched　the　little　figure　holding　tight　to
Ranald　with　one　hand；　and　with　the　other　waving　frantically　his
bonnet　by　the　tails；　till　at　last　the　bush　hid　him　from　her　sight。
Then　she　turned　back　again　to　the　house　that　seemed　so　empty；　with
her　hand　pressed　hard　against　her　side　and　her　lip　quivering　as
with　sharp　pain。

〃How　foolish！〃　she　said；　impatiently　to　herself；　〃he　will　be　home
in　two　days。〃　　But　in　spite　of　herself　she　went　again　to　the　door；
and　looked　long　at　the　spot　where　the　bush　swallowed　up　the　road。
Then　she　went　upstairs　and　shut　her　door；　and　when　she　came　down
again　there　was　that　in　her　face　that　told　that　her　heart　had　had
its　first　touch　of　the　sword　that；　sooner　or　later；　must　pierce　all
mothers'　hearts。



CHAPTER　VII

MAIMIE


Before　Hughie　came　back　from　the　sugar　camp；　the　minister　had
returned　from　the　presbytery；　bringing　with　him　his　wife's　niece；
Maimie　St。　Clair；　who　had　come　from　her　home　in　a　Western　city　to
meet　him。　　Her　father；　Eugene　St。　Clair；　was　president　of　Raymond
and　St。　Clair　Lumber　Company。　　Nineteen　years　before　this　time　he
had　married　Mrs。　Murray's　eldest　sister；　and　established　his　home
with　every　prospect　of　a　prosperous　and　happy　life；　but　after　three
short；　bright　years　of　almost　perfect　joy；　his　young　wife；　his
heart's　idol；　after　two　days'　illness；　fluttered　out　from　her
beautiful　home；　leaving　with　her　broken…hearted　husband　her　little
boy　and　a　baby　girl　two　weeks　old。　　Then　Eugene　St。　Clair　besought
his　sister　to　come　out　from　England　and　preside　over　his　home　and
care　for　his　children；　and　that　he　might　forget　his　grief；　he　gave
himself；　heart　and　mind；　to　his　business。　　Wealth　came　to　him；　and
under　his　sister's　rule　his　home　became　a　place　of　cultured
elegance　and　a　center　of　fashionable　pleasure。

Miss　Frances　St。　Clair　was　a　woman　of　the　world；　proud　of　her
family…tree；　whose　root　disappeared　in　the　depths　of　past　centuries；
and　devoted　to　the　pursuit　and　cultivation　of　those　graces　and
manners　that　are　supposed　to　distinguish　people　of　birth　and
breeding　from　the　common　sort。　　Indeed；　from　common　men　and　things
she　shrank　almost　with　horror。　　The　entrance　of　〃trade〃　into　the
social　sphere　of　her　life　she　would　regard　as　an　impertinent
intrusion。　　It　was　as　much　as　she　could　bear　to　allow　the　approach
of　〃commerce；〃　which　her　brother　represented。　　She　supposed；　of
course；　there　must　be　people　to　carry　on　the　trades　and　industries
of　the　countryvery　worthy　people；　toobut　these　were　people　one
could　not　be　expected　to　know。　　Miss　St。　Clair　thanked　heaven　that
she　had　had　the　advantages　of　an　English　education　and　up…bringing；
and　she　lamented　the　stubborn　democratic　opinions　of　her　brother；
who　insisted　that　Harry　should　attend　the　public　school。　　She　was
not　surprised；　therefore；　though　greatly　grieved；　that　Harry　chose
his　friends　in　school　with　a　fine　disregard　of　〃their　people。〃　　It
was　with　surprise　amounting　to　pain　that　she　found　herself　one　day
introduced　by　her　nephew　to　Billie　Barclay；　who　turned　out　to　be　the
son　of　Harry's　favorite　confectioner。　　To　his　aunt's　remonstrance　it
seemed　to　Harry　a　sufficient　reply　that　Billy　was　a　〃brick〃　and　a
shining　〃quarter〃　on　the　school　Rugby　team。

〃But；　Harry；　think　of　his　people！〃　urged　his　aunt。

〃Oh；　rot！〃　replied　her　irreverent　nephew；　〃I　don't　play　with　his
people。〃

〃Yes；　but　Harry；　you　don't　expect　to　make　him　your　friend？〃

〃But　he　is　my　friend；　and　I　don't　care　what　his　people　are。
Besides；　I　think　his　governor　is　a　fine　old　boy；　and　I　know　he
gives　us　jolly　good　taffy。〃

〃But；　Harry；〃　answered　his　aunt；　in　despair；　〃you　are　positively
dreadful。　　Why　can't　you　make　friends　in　your　own　set？　　There　is
Hubert　Evans　and　the　Langford　boys。〃

〃Evans！〃　snorted　Harry；　with　contempt；　〃beastly　snob；　and　the
Langfords　are　regular　Mollies！〃　　Whereupon　Miss　St。　Clair　gave　up
her　nephew　as　impossible。　　But　Billie　did　not　repeat　his　visit　to
his　friend　Harry's　home。　　Miss　Frances　St。　Clair　had　a　way　of
looking　through　her　pince…nez　that　even　a　boy　could　understand　and
would　seek　to　avoid。

With　Maimie；　Miss　St。　Clair　achieved　better　results。　　She　was　a
gentle　girl；　with　an　affectionate；　yielding　disposition；　tending
towards　indolence　and　self…indulgence。　　Her　aunt's　chief　concern
about　her　was　that　she　should　be　frocked　and　mannered　as　became　her
position。　　Her　education　was　committed　to　a　very　select　young
ladies'　school；　where　only　the　daughters　of　the　first　families　ever
entered。　　What　or　how　they　were　taught；　her　aunt　never　inquired。
She　felt　quite　sure　that　the　lady　principal　would　resent；　as　indeed
she　ought；　any　such　inquiry。　　Hence　Maimie　came　to　have　a　smattering
of　the　English　poets；　could　talk　in　conversation…book　French；　and
could　dash　off　most　of　the　notes　of　a　few　waltzes　and　marches　from
the　best　composers；　her　piece　de　resistance；　however；　being　〃La
Priere　d'une　Vierge。〃　　She　carried　with　her　from　school　a　portfolio
of　crayons　of　apparently　very　ancient　and　very　battered　castles；　and
water…colors　of　landscapes；　where　the　water　was　quite　as　solid　as
the　land。　　True；　she　was　quite　unable　to　keep　her　own　small
accounts；　and　when　her　father　chanced　to　ask　her　one　day　to　do　for
him　a　simple　addition；　he　was　amazed　to　find　that　only　after　the
third　attempt　did　she　get　it　right；　but；　in　the　eyes　of　her　aunt；
these　were　quite　unimportant　deficiencies；　and　for　young　ladies　she
was　not　sure　but　that　the　keeping　of　accounts　and　the　adding　of
figures　were　almost　vulgar　accomplishments。　　Her　father　thought
otherwise；　but　he　was　a　busy　man；　and　besides；　he　shrank　from
entering　into　a　region　strange　to　him；　but　where　his　sister　moved
with　assured　tread。　　He　contented　himself　with　gratifying　his
daughter's　fancies　and　indulging　her　in　every　way　allowed　him　by　her
system　of　training　and　education。　　The　main　marvel　in　the　result　was
that　the　girl　did　not　grow　more　selfish；　superficial；　and　ignorant
than　she　did。　　Something　in　her　blood　helped　her；　but　more；　it　was
her　aunt's　touch　upon　her　life。　　For　every　week　a　letter　came　from
the　country　manse；　bringing　with　it　some　of　the　sweet　simplicity　of
the　country　and　something　like　a　breath　of　heaven。

She　was　nearing　her　fifteenth　birthday；　and　though　almost　every
letter　brought　an　invitation　to　visit　the　manse　in　the　backwoods；
it　was　only　when　the　girl's　pale　cheek　and　languid　air　awakened　her
father's　anxiety　that　she　was　allowed　to　accept　the　invitation　to
spend　some　weeks　in　the　country。

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When　Ranald　and　Hughie　drove　up　to　the　manse　on　Saturday　evening　in
the　jumper　the　whole　household　rushed　forth　to　see　them。　　They　were
worth　seeing。　　Burned　black　with　the　sun　and　the　March　winds；　they
would　have　easily　passed　for　young　Indians。　　Hughie's　clothes　were
a　melancholy　and　fluttering　ruin；　and　while　Ranald's　stout　homespun
smock　and　trousers　had　successfully　defied　the　bush；　his　dark　face
and　unkempt　hair；　his　rough　dress　and　heavy　shanty　boots；　made　him
appear；　to　Maimie's　eyes；　an　uncouth；　if　not　pitiable；　object。

〃Oh；　mother！〃　cried　Hughie；　throwing　himself　upon　her；　〃I'm　home
again；　and　we've　had　a　splendid　time；　and　we　made　heaps　of　sugar；
and　I've　brought　you　a　whole　lot。〃　　He　drew　out　of　his　pockets
three　or　four　cakes　of　maple　sugar。　　〃There　is　one　for　each；〃　he
said；　handing　them　to　his　mother。

〃Here；　Hughie；〃　she　replied；　〃speak　to　your　cousin　Maimie。〃

Hughie　went　up　shyly　to　his　cousin　and　offered　a　grimy　hand。
Maimie；　looking　at　the　ragged　little　figure；　could　hardly　hide　her
disgust　as　she　took　the　dirty；　sticky　little　hand　very　gingerly　in
her　fingers。　　But　Hughie　was　determined　to　do　his　duty　to　the　full；
even　though　Ranald　was　present；　and　shaking　his　cousin's　hand　with
great　heartiness；　he　held　up　his　face　to　be　kissed。　　He　was　much
surprised；　and　not　a　little　relieved；　when　Maimie　refused　to　notice
his　offer　and　turned　to　look　at　Ranald。

She　found　him　scanning　her　with　a　straight；　searching　look；　as　if
seeking　to　discover　of　what　sort　she　was。　　She　felt　he　had　noticed
her　shrinking　from　Hughie；　and　was　annoyed　to　find　herself　blushing
under　his　keen　gaze。　　But　when　Mrs。　Murray　presented　Ranald　to　her
niece；　it　was　his　turn　to　blush　and　feel　awkward；　as　he　came
forward　with　a　triangular　sort　of　movement　and　offered　his　hand；
saying；　with　an　access　of　his　Highland　accent；　〃It　is　a　fine　day；
ma'am。〃　　It　required　all　Maimie's　good　manners　to　keep　back　the
laugh　that　fluttered　upon　her　lips。

Slight　as　it　was；　Ranald　noticed　the　smile；　and　turning　from　her
abruptly　to　Mrs。　Murray；　said：　　〃We　were　thinking　that　Friday　would
be　a　good　day　for　the　sugaring…off；　if　that　will　do　you。〃

〃Quite　well；　Ranald；〃　said　the　minister's　wife；　〃and　it　is　very
good　of　you　to　have　us。〃

She；　too；　had　noted　Maimie's