the man from glengarry-第20章

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influences　that　memory　and　faith　combine　to　give；　so　that　when　the
day　was　done；　weary　and　discouraged　men　and　women　began　to　feel
that；　perhaps　after　all　they　might　be　able　to　endure　and　even　to
hope　for　victory。

The　minister　rose　earlier　on　Sabbath　than　on　other　days；　the
responsibility　of　his　office　pressing　hard　upon　him。　　Breakfast　was
more　silent　than　usual；　ordinary　subjects　of　conversation　being
discouraged。　　The　minister　was　preoccupied　and　impatient　of　any
interruption　of　his　thoughts。　　But　his　wife　came　to　the　table　with
a　sweeter　serenity　than　usual；　and　a　calm　upon　her　face　that　told
of　hidden　strength。　　Even　Maimie　could　notice　the　difference；　but
she　could　only　wonder。　　The　secret　of　it　was　hidden　from　her。　　Her
aunt　was　like　no　other　woman　that　she　knew；　and　there　were　many
things　about　her　too　deep　for　Maimie's　understanding。

After　worship；　which　was　brief　but　solemn　and　intense；　Lambert
hurried　to　bring　round　to　the　front　the　big　black　horse；　hitched　up
in　the　carryall；　and　they　all　made　speed　to　pack　themselves　in；
Maimie　and　her　aunt　in　front；　and　Hughie　on　the　floor　behind　with
his　legs　under　the　seat；　for　when　once　the　minister　was　himself
quite　ready；　and　had　got　his　great　meerschaum　pipe　going；　it　was
unsafe　for　any　one　to　delay　him　a　single　instant。

The　drive　to　the　church　was　an　experience　hardly　in　keeping　with
the　spirit　of　the　day。　　It　was　more　exciting　than　restful。　　Black
was　a　horse　with　a　single　aim；　which　was　to　devour　the　space　that
stretched　out　before　him；　with　a　fine　disregard　of　consequence。
The　first　part　of　the　road　up　to　the　church　hill　and　down　again　to
the　swamp　was　to　Black；　as　to　the　others；　an　unmixed　joy；　for　he
was　fresh　from　his　oats　and　eager　to　go；　and　his　driver　was　as
eager　to　let　him　have　his　will。

But　when　the　swamp　was　reached；　and　the　buggy　began　to　leap　from
log　to　log　of　the　corduroy；　Black　began　to　chafe　in　impatience　of
the　rein　which　commanded　caution。　　Indeed；　the　passage　of　the　swamp
was　always　more　or　less　of　an　adventure；　the　result　of　which　no　one
could　foretell；　and　it　took　all　Mrs。　Murray's　steadiness　of　nerve
to　repress　an　exclamation　of　terror　at　critical　moments。　　The
corduroy　was　Black's　abomination。　　He　longed　to　dash　through　and
be　done　with　it；　but；　however　much　the　minister　sympathized　with
Black's　desire；　prudence　forbade　that　his　method　should　be　adopted。
So　from　log　to　log；　and　from　hole　to　hole；　Black　plunged　and
stepped　with　all　the　care　he　could　be　persuaded　to　exercise；　every
lurch　of　the　carryall　bringing　a　scream　from　Maimie　in　front　and　a
delighted　chuckle　from　Hughie　behind。　　His　delight　in　the　adventure
was　materially　increased　by　his　cousin's　terror。

But　once　the　swamp　was　crossed；　and　Black　found　himself　on　the　firm
road　that　wound　over　the　sand…hills　and　through　the　open　pine
woods；　he　tossed　his　great　mane　back　from　his　eyes；　and　getting　his
head　set　off　at　a　pace　that　foreboded　disaster　to　anything　trying
to　keep　before　him；　and　in　a　short　time　drew　up　at　the　church
gates；　his　flanks　steaming　and　his　great　chest　white　with　foam。

〃My！〃　said　Maimie；　when　she　had　recovered　her　breath　sufficiently
to　speak；　〃is　that　the　church？〃　　She　pointed　to　a　huge　wooden
building　about　whose　door　a　group　of　men　were　standing。

〃Huh…huh；　that's　it；〃　said　Hughie；　〃but　we　will　soon　be　done　with
the　ugly　old　thing。〃

The　most　enthusiastic　member　of　the　congregation　could　scarcely
call　the　old　church　beautiful；　and　to　Maimie's　eyes　it　was
positively　hideous。　　No　steeple　or　tower　gave　any　hint　of　its
sacred　character。　　Its　weather…beaten　clapboard　exterior；　spotted
with　black　knots；　as　if　stricken　with　some　disfiguring　disease；　had
nothing　but　its　row　of　uncurtained　windows　to　distinguish　it　from
an　ordinary　barn。

They　entered　by　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　church；　and　proceeded
down　the　long　aisle　that　ran　the　full　length　of　the　building；　till
they　came　to　a　cross　aisle　that　led　them　to　the　minister's　pew　at
the　left　side　of　the　pulpit；　and　commanding　a　view　of　the　whole
congregation。　　The　main　body　of　the　church　was　seated　with　long　box
pews　with　hinged　doors。　　But　the　gallery　that　ran　round　three　sides
was　fitted　with　simple　benches。　　Immediately　in　front　of　the　pulpit
was　a　square　pew　which　was　set　apart　for　the　use　of　the　elders；　and
close　up　to　the　pulpit；　and　indeed　as　part　of　this　structure；　was　a
precentor's　desk。　　The　pulpit　was；　to　Maimie's　eyes；　a　wonder。　　It
was　an　octagonal　box　placed　high　on　one　side　of　the　church　on　a
level　with　the　gallery；　and　reached　by　a　spiral　staircase。　　Above
it　hung　the　highly　ornate　and　altogether　extraordinary　sounding…
board　and　canopy。　　There　was　no　sign　of　paint　anywhere；　but　the
yellow　pine；　of　which　seats；　gallery；　and　pulpit　were　all　made；　had
deepened　with　age　into　a　rich　brown；　not　unpleasant　to　the　eye。

The　church　was　full；　for　the　Indian　Lands　people　believed　in　going
to　church；　and　there　was　not　a　house　for　many　miles　around　but　was
represented　in　the　church　that　day。　　There　they　sat；　row　upon　row
of　men；　brawny　and　brown　with　wind　and　sun；　a　notable　company；
worthy　of　their　ancestry　and　worthy　of　their　heritage。　　Beside　them
sat　their　wives；　brown；　too；　and　weather…beaten；　but　strong；　deep…
bosomed；　and　with　faces　of　calm　content；　worthy　to　be　mothers　of
their　husbands'　sons。　　The　girls　and　younger　children　sat　with
their　parents；　modest；　shy；　and　reverent；　but　the　young　men；　for
the　most　part；　filled　the　back　seats　under　the　gallery。　　And　a
hardy　lot　they　were；　as　brown　and　brawny　as　their　fathers；　but
tingling　with　life　to　their　finger…tips；　ready　for　anything；　and
impossible　of　control　except　by　one　whom　they　feared　as　well　as
reverenced。　　And　such　a　man　was　Alexander　Murray；　for　they　knew
well　that；　lithe　and　brawny　as　they　were；　there　was　not　a　man　of
them　but　he　could　fling　out　of　the　door　and　over　the　fence　if　he　so
wished；　and　they　knew；　too；　that　he　would　be　prompt　to　do　it　if
occasion　arose。　　Hence　they　waited　for　the　word　of　God　with　all　due
reverence　and　fear。

In　the　square　pew　in　front　of　the　pulpit　sat　the　elders；　hoary；
massive；　and　venerable。　　The　Indian　Lands　Session　were　worth
seeing。　　Great　men　they　were；　every　one　of　them；　excepting；
perhaps；　Kenneth　Campbell；　〃Kenny　Crubach；〃　as　he　was　called；　from
his　halting　step。　　Kenny　was　neither　hoary　nor　massive　nor
venerable。　　He　was　a　short；　grizzled　man　with　snapping　black　eyes
and　a　tongue　for　clever；　biting　speech；　and　while　he　bore　a
stainless　character；　no　one　thought　of　him　as　an　eminently　godly
man。　　In　public　prayer　he　never　attained　any　great　length；　nor　did
he　employ　that　tone　of　unction　deemed　suitable　in　this　sacred
exercise。　　He　seldom　〃spoke　to　the　question；〃　but　when　he　did
people　leaned　forward　to　listen；　and　more　especially　the　rows　of
the　careless　and　ungodly　under　the　gallery。　　Kenny　had　not　the　look
of　an　elder；　and　indeed；　many　wondered　how　he　had　ever　come　to　be
chosen　for　the　office。　　But　the　others　all　had　the　look　of　elders；
and　carried　with　them　the　full　respect　and　affection　of　the
congregation。　　Even　the　young　men　under　the　gallery　regarded　them
with　reverence　for　their　godly　character；　but　for　other　things　as
well；　for　these　old　men　had　been　famous　in　their　day；　and　tales
were　still　told　about　the　firesides　of　the　people　of　their　prowess
in　the　woods　and　on　the　river。

There　was；　for　instance；　Finlay　McEwen；　or　McKeowen；　as　they　all
pronounced　it　in　that　country；　who；　for　a　wager；　had　carried　a
four…hundred…pound　barrel　upon　each　hip　across　the　long　bridge　over
the　Scotch　River。　　And　next　him　sat　Donald　Ross；　whose　very　face；
with　its　halo　of　white　hair；　bore　benediction　with　it　wherever　he
went。　　What　a　man　he　must　have　been　in　his　day！　　Six　feet　four
inches　he　stood　in　his　stocking　soles；　and　with　〃a　back　like　a　barn
door；〃　as　his　son　Danny；　or　〃Curly；〃　now　in　the　shanty　with
Macdonald　Bhain；　used　to　say；　in　affectionate　pride。　　Then　there
was　Farquhar　McNaughton；　big；　kindly；　and　good…natured；　a　mighty
man　with　the　ax　in　his　time。　　〃Kirsty's　Farquhar〃　they　called　him；
for　obvious　reasons。　　And　a　good　thing　for　Farquhar　it　was　that　he
had　had　Kirsty　at　his　side　during　th