the man from glengarry-第6章
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in a most matter of fact voice drawled out； 〃About an inch more
that way I guess 'll do the trick； if he ain't double…jointed。〃
〃Aye；〃 said Macdonald； holding grimly on。
〃Tonald；〃Black Hugh's voice sounded faint but clear in the awful
silence〃Tonaldyou will notbe killinghim。 Remember that
now。 I willneverforgive youif you willtake thatfrom my
hands。〃
The cry for vengeance smote Macdonald to the heart； and recalled
him to himself。 He paused； threw back his locks from his eyes；
then relaxing his grip； stood up。
〃God preserve me！〃 he groaned； 〃what am I about？〃
For some time he remained standing silent； with head down as if not
quite sure of himself。 He was recalled by a grip of his arm。 He
turned and saw his nephew； Ranald； at his side。 The boy's dark
face was pale with passion。
〃And is that all you are going to do to him？〃 he demanded。
Macdonald gazed at him。
〃Do you not see what he has done？〃 he continued； pointing to his
father； who was still lying propped up on some coats。 〃Why did you
not break his back？ You said you would！ The brute； beast！〃
He hurled out the words in hot hate。 His voice pierced the noise
of the room。 Macdonald stood still； gazing at the fierce； dark
face in solemn silence。 Then he sadly shook his head。
〃My lad； 'Vengeance is mine saith the Lord。' It would have pleased
me well； but the hand of the Lord was laid upon me and I could not
kill him。〃
〃Then it is myself will kill him；〃 he shrieked； springing like a
wildcat at LeNoir。 But his uncle wound his arms around him and
held him fast。 For a minute and more he struggled fiercely； crying
to be set free； till recognizing the uselessness of his efforts he
grew calm； and said quietly； 〃Let me loose； uncle； I will be
quiet。〃 And his uncle set him free。 The boy shook himself； and
then standing up before LeNoir said； in a high； clear voice：
〃Will you hear me； LeNoir？ The day will come when I will do to you
what you have done to my father； and if my father will die； then by
the life of God ＇a common oath among the shanty…men＇ I will have
your life for it。〃 His voice had an unearthly shrillness in it；
and LeNoir shrank back。
〃Whist； whist； lad！ be quate！〃 said his uncle； 〃these are not goot
words。〃 The lad heeded him not； but sank down beside his father on
the floor。 Black Hugh raised himself on his elbow with a grim
smile on his face。
〃It is a goot lad whatever； but please God he will not need to keep
his word。〃 He laid his hand in a momentary caress upon his boy's
shoulder； and sank back again； saying； 〃Take me out of this。〃
Then Macdonald Bhain turned to Dan Murphy and gravely addressed
him：
〃Dan Murphy； it is an ungodly and cowardly work you have done this
day； and the curse of God will be on you if you will not repent。〃
Then he turned away； and with Big Mack's help bore his brother to
the pointer； followed by his men； bloody； bruised； but unconquered。
But before he left the room LeNoir stepped forward； and offering
his hand； said； 〃You mak friends wit' me。 You de boss bully on de
reever Hottawa。〃
Macdonald neither answered nor looked his way； but passed out in
grave silence。
Then Yankee Jim remarked to Dan Murphy； 〃I guess you'd better git
them logs out purty mighty quick。 We'll want the river in about
two days。〃 Dan Murphy said not a word； but when the Glengarry men
wanted the river they found it open。
But for Macdonald the fight was not yet over； for as he sat beside
his brother； listening to his groans； his men could see him
wreathing his hands and chanting in an undertone the words；
〃Vengeance is mine saith the Lord。〃 And as he sat by the camp…fire
that night listening to Yankee's account of the beginning of the
trouble； and heard how his brother had kept himself in hand； and
how at last he had been foully smitten； Macdonald's conflict
deepened； and he rose up and cried aloud：
〃God help me！ Is this to go unpunished？ I will seek him to…morrow。〃
And he passed out into the dark woods。
After a few moments the boy Ranald slipped away after him to beg
that he might be allowed to go with him to…morrow。 Stealing
silently through the bushes he came to where he could see the
kneeling figure of his uncle swaying up and down； and caught the
sounds of words broken with groans：
〃Let me go； O Lord！ Let me go！〃 He pled now in Gaelic and again
in English。 〃Let not the man be escaping his just punishment。
Grant me this； O； Lord！ Let me smite but once！〃 Then after a
pause came the words； 〃'Vengeance is mine saith the Lord！'
Vengeance is mine！ Ay； it is the true word！ But； Lord； let not
this man of Belial； this Papish； escape！〃 Then again； like a
refrain would come the words； 〃Vengeance is mine。 Vengeance is
mine；〃 in ever…deeper agony； till throwing himself on his face； he
lay silent a long time。
Suddenly he rose to his knees and so remained； looking steadfastly
before him into the woods。 The wind came sighing through the pines
with a wail and a sob。 Macdonald shuddered and then fell on his
face again。 The Vision was upon him。 〃Ah； Lord； it is the bloody
hands and feet I see。 It is enough。〃 At this Ranald slipped back
awe…stricken to the camp。 When； after an hour； Macdonald came back
into the firelight； his face was pale and wet； but calm； and there
was an exalted look in his eyes。 His men gazed at him with wonder
and awe in their faces。
〃Mercy on us！ He will be seeing something；〃 said Big Mack to
Yankee Jim。
〃Seein' somethin'？ What？ A bar？〃 inquired Yankee。
〃Whist now！〃 said Big Mack； in a low voice。 〃He has the sight。 Be
quate now； will you？ He will be speaking。〃
For a short time Macdonald sat gazing into the fire in silence；
then turning his face toward the men who were waiting； he said：
〃There will be no more of this。 'Vengeance is mine saith the
Lord！' It is not for me。 The Lord will do His own work。 It is
the will of the Lord。〃 And the men knew that the last word had
been said on that subject； and that LeNoir was safe。
CHAPTER III
THE MANSE IN THE BUSH
Straight north from the St。 Lawrence runs the road through the
Indian Lands。 At first its way lies through open country； from
which the forest has been driven far back to the horizon on either
side； for along the great river these many years villages have
clustered； with open fields about them stretching far away。 But
when once the road leaves the Front； with its towns and villages
and open fields； and passes beyond Martintown and over the North
Branch； it reaches a country where the forest is more a feature
of the landscape。 And when some dozen or more of the crossroads
marking the concessions which lead off to east and west have been
passed； the road seems to strike into a different world。 The
forest loses its conquered appearance； and dominates everything。
There is forest everywhere。 It lines up close and thick along the
road； and here and there quite overshadows it。 It crowds in upon
the little farms and shuts them off from one another and from the
world outside； and peers in through the little windows of the log
houses looking so small and lonely； but so beautiful in their
forest frames。 At the nineteenth cross…road the forest gives
ground a little； for here the road runs right past the new brick
church； which is almost finished； and which will be opened in a few
weeks。 Beyond the cross； the road leads along the glebe； and about
a quarter of a mile beyond the corner there opens upon it the big；
heavy gate that the members of the Rev。 Alexander Murray's
congregation must swing when they wish to visit the manse。 The
opening of this gate； made of upright poles held by auger…holes in
a frame of bigger poles； was almost too great a task for the
minister's seven…year…old son Hughie； who always rode down；
standing on the hind axle of the buggy； to open it for his father。
It was a great relief to him when Long John Cameron； who had the
knack of doing things for people's comfort； brought his ax and big
auger one day and made a kind of cradle on the projecting end of
the top bar； which he then weighted with heavy stones； so that the
gate； when once the pin was pulled out
