the man from glengarry-第67章

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alone。　　For　a　few　moments　Mr。　St。　Clair　turned　over　his　papers　in
silence。　　His　face　was　flushed　and　smiling。

〃Well；　that　is　a　most　happy　deliverance；　Ranald；〃　he　said；　rubbing
his　hands。　　〃But　what　is　the　matter？　　You　are　not　well。〃

White　to　the　lips；　Ranald　stood　looking　at　his　chief　with　a
resolved　face。

〃Mr。　St。　Clair；　I　wish　to　offer　you　my　resignation　as　manager。〃

〃Nonsense；　Ranald；　we　will　say　no　more　about　that。　　I　was　a　little
hasty。　　I　hope　the　change　I　spoke　of　will　go　into　immediate　effect。〃

〃I　must　beg　to　decline。〃　　The　words　came　slowly；　sternly　from
Ranald's　white　lips。

〃And　why；　pray？〃

〃I　have　little　doubt　you　can　discover　the　reason；　Mr。　St。　Clair。
A　few　moments　ago；　for　honorable　dealing；　you　would　have　dismissed
me。　　It　is　impossible　that　I　should　remain　in　your　employ。〃

〃Mr。　Macdonald；　are　you　serious　in　this？　　Do　you　know　what　you　are
doing？　　Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying？〃　　Mr。　St。　Clair　rose　and
faced　his　manager。

〃Only　too　well；〃　said　Ranald；　with　lips　that　began　to　quiver；　〃and
all　the　more　because　of　what　I　must　say　further。　　Mr。　St。　Clair；　I
love　your　daughter。　　I　have　loved　her　for　seven　years。　　It　is　my
one　desire　in　life　to　gain　her　for　my　wife。〃

Mr。　St。　Clair　gazed　at　him　in　utter　astonishment。

〃And　in　the　same　breath；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃you　insult　me　and　ask
my　permission。〃

〃It　is　vain　to　ask　your　permission；　I　fear；　but　it　is　right　that
you　should　know　my　desire　and　my　purpose。〃

〃Your　purpose？〃

〃My　unalterable　purpose。〃

〃You　take　my　daughter　out　of　my　house　inin　spite　of　my　teeth？〃
Mr。　St。　Clair　could　hardly　find　words。

〃She　will　come　with　me；〃　said　Ranald；　a　little　proudly。

〃And　may　I　ask　how　you　know？　　Have　you　spoken　to　my　daughter？〃

〃I　have　not　spoken　to　her　openly。〃　　The　blood　rose　in　his　dark
face。　　〃But　I　believe　she　loves　me。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Macdonald；　your　confidence　is　only　paralleled　by　your
prodigious　insolence。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　Ranald；　lowering　his　head　from　its　proud　pose。
〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　insolent。〃

Once　more　Mr。　St。　Clair　looked　at　him　in　silence。　　Then　slowly　and
with　quiet　emphasis；　he　said：　　〃Mr。　Macdonald；　you　are　a　determined
man；　but　as　God　lives；　this　purpose　of　yours　you　will　never　carry
out。　　I　know　my　daughter；　I　think；　better　than　you　know　her；　and　I
tell　you；〃　here　a　slight　smile　of　confidence　played　for　a　moment　on
his　face；　〃she　will　never　be　your　wife。〃

Ranald　bowed　his　head。

〃It　shall　be　as　she　wills；〃　he　said；　in　a　grave；　almost　sad；　voice。
〃She　shall　decide；〃　and　he　passed　into　his　office。

All　day　long　Ranald　toiled　at　his　desk；　leaving　himself　no　time　for
thought。　　In　the　late　afternoon　Harry　came　in　on　his　way　home。

〃Thanks；　old　chap；〃　said　Ranald；　looking　up　from　his　work；　〃sha'n't
be　able　to　come　to…night；　I　am　sorry　to　say。〃

〃Not　come？〃　cried　Harry。

〃No；　it　is　impossible。〃

〃What　rot；　and　Maimie　has　waited　ten　days　for　you。　　Come　along！〃

〃It　is　quite　impossible；　Harry；〃　said　Ranald；　〃and　I　want　you　to
take　this　note　to　Maimie。　　The　note　will　explain　to　her。〃

〃But；　Ranald；　this　is〃

〃And；　Harry；　I　want　to　tell　you　that　this　is　my　last　day　here。〃

Harry　gazed　at　him　speechless。

〃Mr。　St。　Clair　and　I　have　had　a　difference　that　can　never　be　made
right；　and　to…night　I　leave　the　office　for　good。〃

〃Leave　the　office　for　good？　　Going　to　leave　us？　　What　the　deuce　can
the　office　do　without　you？　　And　what　does　it　all　mean？　　Come；
Ranald；　don't　be　such　a　confounded　sphynx！　　Why　do　you　talk　such
rubbish？〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Ranald；　〃though　I　can　hardly　realize　it　myself；
it　is　absolutely　and　finally　settled；　and　I　say；　old　man；　don't
make　it　harder　for　me。　　You　don't　know　what　it　means　to　me　to　leave
this　place；　andyou；　andall！〃　　In　spite　of　his　splendid　nerve
Ranald's　voice　shook　a　little。　　Harry　gazed　at　him　in　amazement。

〃I　will　give　your　note　to　Maimie；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　will　be　back
here　if　I　know　myself。　　I'll　see　father　about　this。〃

〃Now；　Harry；〃　said　Ranald；　rising　and　putting　his　hand　on　his
shoulder；　〃you　are　not　going　to　mix　up　in　this　at　all；　and　for　my
sake；　old　chap；　don't　make　any　row　at　home。　　Promise　me；〃　said
Ranald　again　holding　him　fast。

〃Well；　I　promise；〃　said　Harry；　reluctantly；　〃but　I'll　be　hanged　if
I　understand　it　at　all；　and　I　tell　you　this；　that　if　you　don't　come
back　here；　neither　shall　I。〃

〃Now　you　are　talking　rot；　Harry；〃　said　Ranald；　and　sat　down　again
to　his　desk。　　Harry　went　out　in　a　state　of　dazed　astonishment。
Alone　Ranald　sat　in　his　office　writing　steadily　except　that　now　and
then　he　paused　to　let　a　smile　flutter　across　his　stern；　set　face；
as　a　gleam　of　sunshine　over　a　rugged　rock　on　a　cloudy　day。　　He　was
listening　to　his　heart；　whose　every　beat　kept　singing　the　refrain；
〃I　love　her；　I　love　her；　she　will　come　to　me！〃

At　that　very　moment　Maimie　was　showing　her　Aunt　Murray　her　London
dresses　and　finery；　and　recounting　her　triumphs　in　that　land　of
social　glory。

〃How　lovely；　how　wonderfully　lovely　they　are；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；
touching　the　beautiful　fabrics　with　fond　fingers；　〃and　I　am　sure
they　will　suit　you　well；　my　dear。　　Have　you　worn　most　of　them？〃

〃No；　not　all。　　This　one　I　wore　the　evening　I　went　with　the　Lord
Archers　to　the　Heathcote's　ball。　　Lord　Heathcote；　you　know；　is　an
uncle　of　Captain　De　Lacy。〃

〃Was　Captain　De　Lacy　there？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Murray。

〃Yes；　indeed；〃　cried　Maimie；　〃and　we　had　a　lovely　time！〃　either　the
memory　of　that　evening　brought　the　warm　blushes　to　her　face；　or　it
may　be　the　thought　of　what　she　was　about　to　tell　her　aunt；　〃and
Captain　De　Lacy　is　coming　to…morrow。〃

〃Coming　to…morrow？〃

〃Yes；　he　has　written　to　Aunt　Frank；　and　to　papa　as　well。〃

Mrs。　Murray　sat　silent；　apparently　not　knowing　what　to　say；　and
Maimie　stood　with　the　dress　in　her　hands　waiting　for　her　aunt　to
speak。　　At　length　Mrs。　Murray　said：　　〃You　knew　Captain　De　Lacy
before；　I　think。〃

〃Oh；　I　have　known　him　for　a　long　time；　and　he's　just　splendid；
auntie；　and　he's　coming　to〃　　Maimie　paused；　but　her　face　told　her
secret。

〃Do　you　mean　he　is　going　to　speak　to　your　father　about　you；
Maimie？〃　Maimie　nodded。　　〃And　are　you　glad？〃

〃He's　very　handsome；　auntie；　and　very　nice；　and　he's　awfully　well
connected；　and　that　sort　of　thing；　and　when　Lord　Heathcote　dies　he
has　a　good　chance　of　the　estates　and　the　title。〃

〃Do　you　love　him；　Maimie？〃　asked　her　aunt；　quietly。

Maimie　dropped　the　dress；　and　sitting　down　upon　a　low　stool；　turned
her　face　from　her　aunt；　and　looked　out　of　the　window。

〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；　auntie；〃　she　said。　　〃He's　very　nice　and
gentlemanly　and　I　like　to　be　with　him〃

〃But；　Maimie；　dear；　are　you　not　sure　that　you　love　him？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Maimie；　petulantly。　　〃Are　you　not　pleased；
auntie？〃

〃Well；　I　confess　I　am　surprised。　　I　do　not　know　Captain　De　Lacy；
and　besides　I　thought　it　wasI　thought　you〃　　Mrs。　Murray　paused；
while　Maimie's　face　grew　hot　with　fiery　blushes；　but　before　she
could　reply　they　heard　Harry's　step　on　the　stairs；　and　in　a　moment
he　burst　into　the　room。

〃Ranald　isn't　coming！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Here's　a　note　for　you；
Maimie。　　But　what　thebut　what　he　means；〃　said　Harry；　checking
himself；　〃I　can't　make　out。〃

〃Not　coming？〃　cried　Maimie；　the　flush　fading　from　her　face。　　〃What
can　he　mean？〃　　She　opened　the　note；　and　as　she　read　the　blood
rushed　quickly　into　her　face　again；　and　as　quickly　fled；　leaving
her　pale　and　trembling。

〃Well；　what　does　he　say？〃　inquired　Harry；　bluntly。

〃He　says　it　is　impossible　for　him　to　come　tonight；〃　said　Maimie；
putting　the　note　into　her　bosom。

〃Huh！〃　grunted　Harry；　and　flung　out　of　the　room。

Immediately　Maimie　pulled　out　the　note。

〃Oh；　auntie；〃　she　cried；　〃I　am　so　miserable；　Ranald　is　not　coming
and　he　saysthere　read　it。〃　　She　hurriedly　thrust　the　note　into
Mrs。　Murray's　hands；　and　Mrs。　Murray；　opening　it；　read：


MY　DEAR　MAIMIE：　　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　go　to　you　tonight。
Your　father　and　I　have　had　a　difference　so　serious　that　I　can　never
enter　his　house　again；　but　I　am　writing　now　to　tell　you　what　I
meant　to　tell　you　to…night。　　I　love　you；　Maimie。　　I　love　you　with
all　my　heart　and　soul。　　I　have　loved　you　since　the　night　I　pulled
you