the man from glengarry-第52章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Never　mind；〃　said　Ranald；　shortly；　〃let　us　get　away　now；　quick！
Go　on；　Yankee。〃

At　once；　with　Yankee　leading；　the　Glengarry　men　marched　off　the
field　of　battle　bearing　with　them　the　rescued　party。　　There　was　no
time　to　lose。　　The　enemy　far　outnumbered　them；　and　would　soon
return　to　the　attack。

〃But　how　did　you　know　we　were　in　trouble；　Ranald？〃　said　Harry　as　he
marched　along。

〃I　didn't　know　anything　about　you；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃Some　one　came
and　said　that　the　bully　of　the　Ottawa　was　being　killed；　so　I　came
along。〃

〃And　just　in　time；　by　Jove！〃　said　the　lieutenant；　aroused　from　his
languor　for　once。　　〃It　was　a　deucedly　lucky　thing；　and　well　done；
too；　'pon　my　soul。〃

That　night；　as　Ranald　and　his　uncle　were　in　their　cabin　on　the　raft
talking　over　the　incidents　of　the　day；　and　Ranald's　plans　for　the
summer；　a　man　stood　suddenly　in　the　doorway。

〃I　am　Louis　LeNoir；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have　some　word　to　say　to　de
young　Macdonald。　　I　am　sore　here；〃　he　said；　striking　his　breast。
〃I　cannot　spik　your　languige。　　I　cannot　tell。〃　　He　stopped　short；
and　the　tears　came　streaming　down　his　face。　　〃I　cannot　tell；〃　he
repeated；　his　breast　heaving　with　mighty　sobs。　　〃I　would　be　glad　to
dieto　mak'　overto　not　mak'I　cannot　say　de　wordwhat　I　do　to
your　fadder。　　I　would　give　my　life；〃　he　said；　throwing　out　both　his
hands。　　〃I　would　give　my　life。　　I　cannot　say　more。〃

Ranald　stood　looking　at　him　for　a　few　moments　in　silence　when　he
finished；　then　he　said　slowly　and　distinctly；　〃My　father　told　me　to
say　that　he　forgave　you　everything；　and　that　he　prayed　the　mercy　of
God　for　you；　and；〃　added　Ranald；　more　slowly；　〃Iforgiveyou
too。〃

The　Frenchman　listened　in　wonder；　greatly　moved；　but　he　could　only
reiterate　his　words：　　〃I　cannot　spik　what　I　feel　here。〃

〃Sit　down；　Mr。　LeNoir；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　gravely；　pointing　to
a　bench；　〃and　I　will　be　telling　you　something。〃

LeNoir　sat　down　and　waited。

〃Do　you　see　that　young　man　there？〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　pointing
to　Ranald。　　He　is　the　strongest　man　in　my　gang；　and　indeed；　I　will
not　be　putting　him　below　myself。〃　　Here　Ranald　protested。　　〃And　he
has　learned　to　use　his　hands　as　I　cannot。　　And　of　all　the　men　I
have　ever　seen　since　I　went　to　the　woods；　there　is　not　one　I　could
put　against　him。　　He　could　kill　you；　Mr。　LeNoir。〃

The　Frenchman　nodded　his　head　and　said：　　〃Das　so。　　Das　pretty
sure。〃

〃Yes；　that　is　very　sure；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。　　〃And　he　made　a　vow
to　kill　you；〃　went　on　Macdonald　Bhain；　〃and　to…night　he　saved　your
life。　　Do　you　know　why？〃

〃No；　not　me。〃

〃Then　I　will　be　telling　you。　　It　is　the　grace　of　God。〃

LeNoir　stared　at　him；　and　then　Macdonald　Bhain　went　on　to　tell　him
how　his　brother　had　suffered　and　struggled　long；　and　how　the
minister's　wife　had　come　to　him　with　the　message　of　the　forgiveness
of　the　great　God。　　And　then　he　read　from　Ranald's　English　Bible　the
story　of　the　unforgiving　debtor；　explaining　it　in　grave　and　simple
speech。

〃That　was　why；〃　he　concluded。　　〃It　was　because　he　was　forgiven；　and
on　his　dying　bed　he　sent　you　the　word　of　forgiveness。　　And　that；
too；　is　the　very　reason；　I　believe；　why　the　lad　here　went　to　your
help　this　day。〃

〃I　promised　the　minister's　wife　I　would　do　you　good　and　not　ill；
when　it　came　to　me；〃　said　Ranald。　　〃But　I　was　not　feeling　at　all
like　forgiving　you。　　I　was　afraid　to　meet　you。〃

〃Afraid？〃　said　LeNoir；　wondering　that　any　of　that　gang　should
confess　to　fear。

〃Yes；　afraid　of　what　I　would　do。　　But　now；　tonight；　it　is　gone；〃
said　Ranald；　simply；　〃I　can't　tell　you　how。〃

〃Das　mos'　surprise！〃　exclaimed　LeNoir。　　〃Ne　comprenne　pas。　　I　never
see　lak　dat；　me！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　wonderful；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。　　〃It　is　very　wonderful。
It　is　the　grace　of　God；〃　he　said　again。

〃You　mak'　de　good　frien'　wit　me？〃　asked　LeNoir；　rising　and　putting
his　hand　out　to　Macdonald　Bhain。　　Macdonald　Bhain　rose　from　his
place　and　stepped　toward　the　Frenchman；　and　took　his　hand。

〃Yes；　I　will　be　friends　with　you；〃　he　said；　gravely；　〃and　I　will
seek　God's　mercy　for　you。〃

Then　LeNoir　turned　to　Ranald；　and　said；　〃Will　you　be　frien'　of　me？
Is　it　too　moche？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Ranald；　slowly；　〃I　will　be　your　friend；　too。　　It　is　a
little　thing；〃　he　added；　unconsciously　quoting　his　father's　words。
Then　LeNoir　turned　around　to　Macdonald　Bhain；　and　striking　an
attitude；　exclaimed：　　〃See！　　You　be　my　boss；　I　be　your　manwhat
you　callslave。　　I　work　for　noting；　me。　　Das　sure。〃

Macdonald　Bhain　shook　his　head。

〃You　could　not　belong　to　us；〃　he　said；　and　explained　to　him　the
terms　upon　which　the　Macdonald　men　were　engaged。　　LeNoir　had　never
heard　of　such　terms。

〃You　not　drink　whisky？〃

〃Not　too　much；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。

〃How　many　glass？　　One；　two；　tree？〃

〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。　　〃It　depends　upon　the　man。
He　must　not　take　more　than　is　good　for　him。〃

〃Bon！〃　said　LeNoir；　〃das　good。　　One　glass　he　mak'　me　feel　good。
Two　das　nice　he　mak'　me　feel　ver　fonny。　　Three　glass　yes　das　mak'
me　de　frien'　of　hevery　bodie。　　Four　das　mak'　me　feel　big；　I　walk　de
big　walk；　I　am　de　bes'　man　all　de　place。　　Das　good　place　for　stop；
eh？〃

〃No；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain；　gravely；　〃you　need　to　stop　before
that。〃

〃Ver'　good。　　Ver'　good　me　stop　him　me。　　You　tak'　me　on　for　your
man？〃

Macdonald　Bhain　hesitated。　　LeNoir　came　nearer　him　and　lowering　his
voice　said：　　〃I'm　ver'　bad　man　me。　　I　lak　to　know　how　you　do　dat
what　you　sayforgive。　　You　show　me　how。〃

〃Come　to　me　next　spring；〃　said　Macdonald　Bhain。

〃Bon！〃　said　LeNoir。　　〃I　be　dere　on　de　Nation　camp。〃

And　so　he　was。　　And　when　Mrs。　Murray　heard　of　it　from　Macdonald
Bhain　that　summer；　she　knew　that　Ranald　had　kept　his　word　and　had
done　LeNoir　good　and　not　evil。



CHAPTER　XVIII

HE　IS　NOT　OF　MY　KIND


The　story　of　the　riot　in　which　Ranald　played　so　important　a　part
filled　the　town　and　stirred　society　to　its　innermost　circlesthose
circles；　namely；　in　which　the　De　Lacys　lived　and　moved。　　The　whole
town　began　talking　of　the　Glengarry　men；　and　especially　of　their
young　leader　who　had；　with　such　singular　ability　and　pluck；　rescued
the　Ottawas　with　Harry　and　Lieutenant　De　Lacy；　from　their　perilous
position。

The　girls　had　the　story　from　Harry's　lips；　and　in　his　telling　of　it；
Ranald's　courage　and　skill　certainly　lost　nothing；　but　to　Maimie；
while　it　was　pleasant　enough　for　her　to　hear　of　Ranald's　prowess；
and　while　she　enjoyed　the　reflected　glory　that　came　to　her　as　his
friend；　the　whole　incident　became　altogether　hateful　and　distressing。
She　found　herself　suddenly　famous　in　her　social　world；　every　one　was
talking　of　her；　but　to　her　horror；　was　connecting　Ranald's　name　with
her's　in　a　most　significant　way。　　It　was　too　awful；　and　if　her　Aunt
Frances　should　hear　of　it；　the　consequences　would　be　quite　too
terrible　for　her　to　imagine。　　She　must　stop　the　talk　at　once。　　Of
course　she　meant　to　be　kind　to　Ranald；　he　had　done　her　great　service；
and　he　was　her　Aunt　Murray's　friend；　and　besides；　she　liked　him；　how
much　she　hardly　cared　to　say　to　herself。　　She　had　liked　him　in
Glengarry。　　There　was　no　doubt　of　that；　but　that　was　two　years　ago；
and　in　Glengarry　everything　was　different！　　There　every　one　was　just
as　good　as　another；　and　these　people　were　all　her　Aunt　Murray's
friends。　　Here　the　relations　were　changed。　　She　could　not　help
feeling　that　however　nice　he　might　be；　and　however　much　she　might
like　him；　Ranald　was　not　of　her　world。

〃Well；　tell　him　so；　let　him　see　that；〃　said　Kate；　with　whom　Maimie
was　discussing　her　difficulty。

〃Yes；　and　then　he　would　fly　off　and　Iwe　would　never　see　him
again；〃　said　Maimie。　　〃He's　as　proud　asany　one！〃

〃Strange；　too；〃　said　Kate；　〃when　he　has　no　money　to　speak　of！〃

〃You　know　I　don't　mean　that；　and　I　don't　think　it's　very　nice　of
you。　　You　have　no　sympathy　with　me！〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃Well；　in　this　very　unpleasant　affair；　every　one　is　talking　about
Ranald　and　me；　as　if　Ias　if　we　had　some　understanding。〃

〃And　have　you　not？　　I　thought〃　　Kate　hesitated　to　remind　Maimie
of　certain　confidences　she　had　received　two　years　ago　after　her
friend　had　returned　from　Glengarry。

〃Oh；　absurdjust　a　girl　and　boy　affair；〃　said　Maimie；　impatiently。

〃Then　the