the man from glengarry-第15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！


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　these　years　to　make　his　bargains
for　him　and　to　keep　him　and　all　others　to　them；　else　he　would　never
have　become　the　substantial　man　he　was。

Next　to　Farquhar　was　Peter　McRae；　the　chief　of　a　large　clan　of
respectable；　and　none　too　respectable；　families；　whom　all　alike
held　in　fear；　for　Peter　ruled　with　a　rod　of　iron；　and　his　word　ran
as　law　throughout　the　clan。　　Then　there　was　Ian　More　Macgregor；　or
〃Big　John　Macgregor；〃　as　the　younger　generation　called　him；　almost
as　big　as　Donald　Ross　and　quite　as　kindly；　but　with　a　darker；
sadder　face。　　Something　from　his　wilder　youth　had　cast　its　shadow
over　his　life。　　No　one　but　his　minister　and　two　others　knew　that
story；　but　the　old　man　knew　it　himself；　and　that　was　enough。　　One
of　those　who　shared　his　secret　was　his　neighbor　and　crony；　Donald
Ross；　and　it　was　worth　a　journey　of　some　length　to　see　these　two
great　old　men；　one　with　the　sad　and　the　other　with　the　sunny　face；
stride　off　together；　staff　in　hand；　at　the　close　of　the　Gaelic
service；　to　Donald's　home；　where　the　afternoon　would　be　spent　in
discourse　fitting　the　Lord's　day　and　in　prayer。

The　only　other　elder　was　Roderick　McCuiag；　who　sat；　not　in　the
elders'　pew；　but　in　the　precentor's　box；　for　he　was　the　Leader　of
Psalmody。　　〃Straight　Rory；〃　as　he　was　called　by　the　irreverent；　was
tall；　spare；　and　straight　as　a　ramrod。　　He　was　devoted　to　his
office；　jealous　of　its　dignity；　and　strenuous　in　his　opposition　to
all　innovations　in　connection　with　the　Service　of　Praise。　　He　was
especially　opposed　to　the　introduction　of　those　〃new…fangled
ranting〃　tunes　which　were　being　taught　the　young　people　by　John
〃Alec〃　Fraser　in　the　weekly　singing…school　in　the　Nineteenth；　and
which　were　sung　at　Mrs。　Murray's　Sabbath　evening　Bible　class　in　the
Little　Church。　　Straight　Rory　had　been　educated　for　a　teacher　in
Scotland；　and　was　something　of　a　scholar。　　He　loved　school
examinations；　where　he　was　the　terror　of　pupils　and　teachers　alike。
His　acute　mind　reveled　in　the　metaphysics　of　theology；　which　made
him　the　dread　of　all　candidates　who　appeared　before　the　session
desiring　〃to　come　forward。〃　　It　was　to　many　an　impressive　sight　to
see　Straight　Rory　rise　in　the　precentor's　box；　feel　round；　with
much　facial　contortion；　for　the　pitchhe　despised　a　tuning…fork
and　then；　straightening　himself　up　till　he　bent　over　backwards；
raise　the　chant　that　introduced　the　tune　to　the　congregation。　　But
to　the　young　men　under　the　gallery　he　was　more　humorous　than
impressive；　and　it　is　to　be　feared　that　they　waited　for　the
precentor's　weekly　performance　with　a　delighted　expectation　that
never　flagged　and　that　was　never　disappointed。　　It　was　only　the
flash　of　the　minister's　blue　eye　that　held　their　faces　rigid　in
preternatural　solemnity；　and　forced　them　to　content　themselves　with
winks　and　nudges　for　the　expression　of　their　delight。

As　Maimie's　eye　went　wandering　shyly　over　the　rows　of　brown　faces
that　turned　in　solemn　and　steadfast　regard　to　the　minister's　pew；
Hughie　nudged　her　and　whispered：　　〃There's　Don。　　See；　in　the　back
seat　by　the　window；　next　to　Peter　Ruagh　yonder；　the　red…headed
fellow。〃

He　pointed　to　Peter　McRae；　grandson　of　〃Peter　the　Elder。〃　　There
was　no　mistaking　that　landmark。

〃Look；〃　cried　Hughie；　eagerly；　pointing　with　terrible　directness
straight　at　Don；　to　Maimie's　confusion。

〃Whisht；　Hughie；〃　said　his　mother　softly。

〃There's　Ranald；　mother；〃　said　the　diplomatic　Hughie；　knowing　well
that　his　mother　would　rejoice　to　hear　that　bit　of　news。　　〃See；
mother；　just　in　front　of　Don；　there。〃

Again　Hughie's　terrible　finger　pointed　straight　into　the　face　of
the　gazing　congregation。

〃Hush；　Hughie；〃　said　his　mother；　severely。

Maimie　knew　a　hundred　eyes　were　looking　straight　at　the　minister's
pew；　but　for　the　life　of　her　she　could　not　prevent　her　eye
following　the　pointing　finger；　till　it　found　the　steady　gaze　of
Ranald　fastened　upon　her。　　It　was　only　for　a　moment；　but　in　that
moment　she　felt　her　heart　jump　and　her　face　grow　hot；　and　it　did
not　help　her　that　she　knew　that　the　people　were　all　wondering　at
her　furious　blushes。　　Of　course　the　story　of　the　sugaring…off　had
gone　the　length　of　the　land　and　had　formed　the　subject　of
conversation　at　the　church　door　that　morning；　where　Ranald　had　to
bear　a　good　deal　of　chaff　about　the　young　lady；　and　her　dislike　of
forfeits；　till　he　was　ready　to　fight　if　a　chance　should　but　offer。
With　unspeakable　rage　and　confusion；　he　noticed　Hughie's　pointing
finger。　　He　caught；　too；　Maimie's　quick　look；　with　the　vivid　blush
that　followed。　　Unfortunately；　others　besides　himself　had　noticed
this；　and　Don　and　Peter　Ruagh；　in　the　seat　behind　him；　made　it　the
subject　of　congratulatory　remarks　to　Ranald。

At　this　point　the　minister　rose　in　the　pulpit；　and　all　waited　with
earnest　and　reverent　mien　for　the　announcing　of　the　psalm。

The　Rev。　Alexander　Murray　was　a　man　to　be　regarded　in　any　company
and　under　any　circumstances；　but　when　he　stood　up　in　his　pulpit　and
faced　his　congregation　he　was　truly　superb。　　He　was　above　th