the man from glengarry-第68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！


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　from　the　fire。


〃Maimie；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　handing　her　back　the　note；　〃I　do　not
think　you　ought　to　give　me　this。　　That　is　too　sacred　for　any　eyes
but　your　own。〃

〃Oh；　I　know；　auntie；　but　what　can　I　do？　　I　am　so　sorry　for　Ranald！
What　shall　I　do；　auntie？〃

〃My　dear　child；　in　this　neither　I　nor　any　one　can　advise　you。　　You
must　be　true　to　yourself。〃

〃Oh；　I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do！〃　cried　Maimie。　　〃He　wants　me　to　tell
him〃　　Maimie　paused；　her　face　once　more　covered　with　blushes；
〃and　I　do　not　know　what　to　say！〃

〃What　does　your　heart　say；　Maimie？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray；　quietly。

〃Oh；　auntie；　I　am　so　miserable！〃

〃But；　Maimie；〃　continued　her　aunt；　〃in　this　matter；　as　I　said
before；　you　must　be　true　to　yourself。　　Do　you　love　Ranald？〃

〃Oh；　auntie；　I　cannot　tell；〃　cried　Maimie；　putting　her　face　in　her
hands。

〃If　Ranald　were　De　Lacy　would　you　love　him？〃

〃Oh　yes；　yes；　how　happy　I　would　be！〃

Then　Mrs。　Murray　rose。　　〃Maimie；　dear；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　was
very　gentle　but　very　firm；　〃let　me　speak　to　you　for　your　dear
mother's　sake。　　Do　not　deceive　yourself。　　Do　not　give　your　life　for
anything　but　love。　　Ranald　is　a　noble　man　and　he　will　be　a　great
man　some　day；　and　I　love　him　as　my　own　son；　but　I　would　not　have
you　give　yourself　to　him　unless　you　truly　loved　him。〃　　She　did　not
mention　De　Lacy's　name　nor　utter　a　word　in　comparison　of　the　two；
but　listening　to　her　voice；　Maimie　knew　only　too　well　whither　her
love　had　gone。

〃Oh；　auntie；〃　she　cried；　〃I　cannot　bear　it！〃

〃Yes；　Maimie　dear；　you　can　bear　to　do　the　right；　for　there　is　One
in　whose　strength　we　can　do　all　things。〃

Before　Maimie　could　reply　her　Aunt　Frances　came　in。

〃It　is　dinner…time；〃　she　announced；　〃and　your　father　has　just　come
in；　Maimie；　and　we　must　have　dinner　over　at　once。〃

Maimie　rose；　and　going　to　the　glass；　smoothed　back　her　hair。　　Her
Aunt　Frances　glanced　at　her　face　and　then　at　Mrs。　Murray；　and　as　if
fearing　Maimie's　reply；　went　on　hurriedly；　〃You　must　look　your　very
best　to…night；　and　even　better　to…morrow；〃　she　said；　smiling；
significantly。　　She　came　and　put　her　hands　on　Maimie's　shoulders；
and　kissing　her；　said：　　〃Have　you　told　your　Aunt　Murray　who　is
coming　to…morrow？　　I　am　sure　I'm　very　thankful；　my　dear；　you　will
be　very　happy。　　It　is　an　excellent　match。　　Half　the　girls　in　town
will　be　wild　with　envy。　　He　has　written　a　very　manly　letter　to　your
father；　and　I　am　sure　he　is　a　noble　fellow；　and　he　has　excellent
prospects。　　But　we　must　hurry　down　to　dinner；〃　she　said；　turning　to
Mrs。　Murray；　who　with　a　look　of　sadness　on　her　pale　face；　left　the
room　without　a　word。

〃Ranald　is　not　coming；〃　said　Maimie；　when　her　Aunt　Murray　had　gone。

〃Indeed；　from　what　your　father　says；〃　cried　Aunt　Frank；　indignantly；
〃I　do　not　very　well　see　how　he　could。　　He　has　been　most　impertinent。〃

〃You　are　not　to　say　that；　Aunt　Frank；〃　cried　Maimie。　　〃Ranald　could
not　be　impertinent；　and　I　will　not　hear　it。〃　　Her　tone　was　so
haughty　and　fierce　that　Aunt　Frank　thought　it　wiser　to　pursue　this
subject　no　further。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　as　she　turned　to　leave　the　room；　〃I'm　very　glad
he　has　the　grace　to　keep　away　tonight。　　He　has　always　struck　me　as
a　young　man　of　some　presumption。〃

When　the　door　closed　upon　her　Maimie　tore　the　note　from　her　bosom
and　pressed　it　again　and　again　to　her　lips：　　〃Oh；　Ranald；　Ranald；〃
she　cried；　〃I　love　you！　　I　love　you！　　Oh；　why　can　it　not　be？　　Oh；　I
cannotI　cannot　give　him　up！〃　　She　threw　herself　upon　her　knees
and　laid　her　face　in　the　bed。　　In　a　few　minutes　there　came　a　tap　at
the　door；　and　her　Aunt　Frances's　voice　was　heard；　〃Maimie；　your
father　has　gone　down；　we　must　not　delay。〃　　The　tone　was　incisive
and　matter…of…fact。　　It　said　to　Maimie；　〃Now　let's　have　no
nonsense。　　Be　a　sensible　woman　of　the　world。〃　　Maimie　rose　from　her
knees。　　Hastily　removing　all　traces　of　tears　from　her　face；　and
glancing　in　the　glass；　she　touched　the　little　ringlets　into　place
and　went　down　to　dinner。

It　was　a　depressing　meal。　　Mr。　St。　Clair　was　irritable；　Harry
perplexed　and　sullen；　Maimie　nervously　talkative。　　Mrs。　Murray　was
heroically　holding　herself　in　command；　but　the　look　of　pain　in　her
eyes　and　the　pathetic　tremor　on　her　lips　belied　the　brave　smiles
and　cheerful　words　with　which　she　seconded　Aunt　Frank。

After　dinner　the　company　separated；　for　there　were　still　preparations
to　make　for　the　evening。　　As　Mrs。　Murray　was　going　to　her　room；　she
met　Harry　in　the　hall　with　his　hat　on。

〃Where　are　you　going；　Harry？〃

〃Anywhere；〃　he　growled；　fiercely；　〃to　get　out　of　this　damnable
hypocrisy！　　Pardon　me；　Aunt　Murray；　I　can't　help　it；　it　IS　damnable；
and　a　whole　lot　of　them　are　in　it！〃

Then　Mrs。　Murray　came；　and　laying　her　hand　on　his　arm；　said：
〃Don't　go；　Harry；　don't　leave　me；　I　want　some　one；　come　upstairs。〃

Harry　stood　looking　at　the　sweet　face；　trying　to　smile　so　bravely
in　spite　of　the　tremulous　lips。

〃You　are　a　dear；　brave　little　woman；〃　he　said；　hanging　up　his　hat；
〃and　I'll　be　hanged　if　I　don't　stay　by　you。　　Come　along　upstairs。〃
He　stooped；　and　lifting　her　in　his　arms　in　spite　of　her　laughing
protests；　carried　her　upstairs　to　her　room。　　When　they　came　down　to
the　party　they　both　looked　braver　and　stronger。

The　party　was　a　great　success。　　The　appointments　were　perfect；　the
music　the　best　that　could　be　had；　and　Maimie　more　beautiful　than
ever。　　In　some　mysterious　way；　known　only　to　Aunt　Frank；　the　rumor
of　Maimie's　approaching　engagement　got　about　among　the　guests　and
produced　an　undertone　of　excitement　to　the　evenings　gayety。　　Maimie
was　too　excited　to　be　quite　natural；　but　she　had　never　appeared
more　brilliant　and　happy；　and　surely　she　had　every　cause。　　She　had
achieved　a　dizzy　summit　of　social　success　that　made　her　at　once　the
subject　of　her　friends'　congratulations　and　her　rivals'　secret
envy；　and　which　was　the　more　delightful　it　would　be　hard　to　say。
Truly；　she　was　a　fortunate　girl；　but　still　the　night　was　long；　and
she　was　tired　of　it　all　before　it　was　over。　　The　room　seemed　empty；
and　often　her　heart　gave　a　leap　as　her　eyes　fell　upon　some　form
that　appeared　more　handsome　and　striking　than　others　near；　but　only
to　sink　again　in　disappointment　when　a　second　glance　told　her　that
it　was　only　some　ordinary　man。　　Kate；　too；　kept　aloof　in　a　very
unpleasant　way；　and　Harry；　devoting　himself　to　Kate；　had　not　done
his　duty。　　But　in　spite　of　everything　the　party　had　been　a　great
success；　and　when　it　was　over　Maimie　went　straight　to　bed　to　sleep。
She　knew　that　Ranald　would　be　awaiting　the　answer　to　his　note；　but
she　could　not　bring　herself　to　face　what　she　knew　would　be　an
ordeal　that　might　murder　sleep　for　her；　and　sleep　she　must　have；
for　she　must　be　her　best　to…morrow。　　It　would　have　been　better　for
all　involved　had　she　written　her　answer　that　night；　otherwise
Ranald　would　not　have　been　standing　at　her　door　in　the　early
afternoon　asking　to　see　her。　　It　was　Aunt　Frances　who　came　down　to
the　drawing…room。　　As　Ranald　stood　up　and　bowed；　she　adjusted　her
pince…nez　upon　her　aristocratic　nose；　and　viewed　him。

〃You　are　wishing　to　see　Miss　St。　Clair；〃　she　said；　in　her　very
chilliest　tone。

〃I　asked　to　see　Maimie；〃　said　Ranald；　looking　at　her　with　cool；
steady　eyes。

〃I　must　say；　Mr。　Macdonald；　that　after　your　conduct　to　my　brother
yesterday；　I　am　surprised　you　should　have　the　assurance　to　enter
his　house。〃

〃I　would　prefer　not　discussing　office　matters　with　you；〃　said
Ranald；　politely；　and　with　a　suspicion　of　a　smile。　　〃I　have　come　to
see　Maimie。〃

〃That；　I　am　glad　to　say；　is　impossible；　for　she　is　at　present　out
with　Captain　De　Lacy　who　has　just　arrived　from　the　East　tosee
toin　short；　on　a　very　special　errand。〃

For　a　moment　Ranald　stood　without　reply。

〃She　is　out；　you　say？〃　he　answered　at　length。

〃She　is　out　with　Captain　De　Lacy。〃　　He　caught　the　touch　of　triumph
in　her　voice。

〃Will　she　be　back　soon？〃　inquired　Ranald；　looking　baffled。

〃Of　course　one　cannot　tell　in　such　a　case；〃　answered　Miss　St。　Clair；
〃but　I　should　think　not。〃　　Miss　St。　Clair　was　enjoying　herself。　　It
did　he