the foreigner-第60章

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w　easy　it　was！　　Every　line　of　that　cave；　the　new　fresh　earth；　the　gleaming　black　seam；　the　very　stones　in　the　walls；　he　could　replace。　Carefully；　deliberately；　he　recalled　the　incidents　of　the　evening　spent　in　the　cave：　the　very　words　she　spoke；　how　her　lips　moved　as　she　spoke　them；　how　her　eyes　glanced；　now　straight　at　him；　now　from　under　the　drooping　lids；　how　she　smiled；　how　she　wept；　how　she　laughed　aloud；　how　her　face　shone　with　the　firelight　playing　on　it；　and　the　soul　light　radiating　through　it。　　He　revelled　in　the　memory　of　it　all。　　There　was　the　very　spot　where　Mr。　Penny　had　lain　in　vocal　slumber。　　Here　he　had　stood　with　the　snowstorm　beating　on　his　face。　　He　resolved　to　trace　step　by　step　the　path　he　had　taken　that　night；　and　to　taste　again　the　bliss　of　which　he　had　drunk　so　deep。　And　all　the　while；　as　he　rode　down　the　gorge；　underneath　the　rapture　of　remembering；　he　was　conscious　of　an　exquisite　pain。　　But　he　would　go　through　with　it。　　He　would　not　allow　the　pain　to　spoil　his　day；　his　last　day　near　her。　　Down　by　the　running　water；　as　on　that　night；　underneath　and　through　the　crowding　trees；　out　to　where　the　gorge　widened　into　the　valley；　he　rode。　　When　hark！　　He　paused。　Was　that　Queen's　bay？　　Surely　it　was。　　〃A　wolf？〃　he　thought。　　〃No；　there　are　none　left　in　the　glen。〃　　He　shrank　from　meeting　any　one　that　afternoon。　　He　waited　to　hear　again　that　deep；　soft　trumpet　note；　and　strained　his　ear　for　voices。　　But　all　was　still　except　for　the　falling　of　a　ripe　leaf　now　and　then　through　the　trees。　　He　hated　to　give　up　the　afternoon　he　had　planned。

He　rode　on。　　He　reached　the　more　open　timber。　　He　remembered　that　it　was　here　he　had　first　caught　the　sound　of　voices　behind　that　blinding　drift。　　Through　the　poplars　he　pressed　his　horse。　　It　was　at　this　very　spot　that；　through　an　opening　in　the　storm；　he　had　first　caught　sightwhat！　　His　heart　stood　still；　and　then　leaped　into　his　throat。　　There；　on　the　very　spot　where　he　had　seen　her　that　night；　she　stood　again　to…day！　　Was　it　a　vision　of　his　fond　imagination？　　He　passed　his　hand　over　his　eyes。　　No；　she　was　there　still！　standing　among　the　golden　poplars；　the　sunlight　falling　all　around　her。　　With　all　his　boyhood's　frenzy　in　his　heart；　he　gazed　at　her　till　she　turned　and　looked　toward　him。　　A　moment　more；　with　his　spurs　into　his　horse's　side；　he　crashed　through　the　scrub　and　was　at　her　side。

〃You！　you！〃　he　cried；　in　the　old　cry。　　〃Marjorie！　　Marjorie！〃

Once　more　he　had　her　in　his　arms。　　Once　more　he　was　kissing　her　face；　her　eyes；　her　lips。　　Once　more　she　was　crying；　〃Oh；　Kalman！　Stop！　　You　must　stop！　　You　must　stop！〃　　And　then；　as　before；　she　laid　her　head　upon　his　breast；　sobbing；　〃When　I　saw　the　dogs　I　feared　you　would　come；　but　I　could　not　run　away。　　Oh；　you　must　stop！　　Oh；　I　am　so　happy！〃　　And　then　he　put　her　from　him　and　looked　at　her。

〃Marjorie；〃　he　said；　〃tell　me　it　is　no　dream；　that　it　is　you；　that　you　are　mine！　　Yes；〃　he　shouted　aloud；　〃do　you　hear　me？　　You　are　mine！　　Before　Heaven　I　say　it！　　No　man；　nothing　shall　take　you　from　me！〃

〃Hush；　Kalman！〃　she　cried；　coming　to　him　and　laying　her　hand　upon　his　lips；　〃they　are　just　down　by　the　river　there。〃

〃Who　are　they？　　I　care　not　who　they　are；　now　that　you　are　mine！〃

〃And　oh；　how　near　I　was　to　losing　you！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　were　going　away　to…morrow；　and　I　should　have　broken　my　heart。〃

〃Ah；　dear　heart！　　How　could　I　know？〃　he　said。　　〃How　could　I　know　you　could　ever　love　a　foreigner；　the　son　of　a〃

〃The　son　of　a　hero；　who　paid　out　his　life　for　a　great　cause；〃　she　cried　with　a　sob。　　〃Oh；　Kalman；　I　have　been　there。　　I　have　seen　the　people；　your　father's　people。〃

Kalman's　face　was　pale；　his　voice　shaking。　　〃You　have　seen？　　You　understand？　　You　do　not　shrink　from　me？〃　　He　felt　his　very　soul　trembling　in　the　balance。

〃Shrink　from　you！〃　she　cried　in　scorn。　　〃Were　I　Russian；　I　should　be　like　your　father！〃

〃Now　God　be　thanked！〃　cried　Kalman。　　〃That　fear　is　gone。　　I　fear　nothing　else。　　Ah；　how　brave　you　are；　sweetheart！〃

〃Stop；　Kalman！　　Man；　man；　you　are　terrible。　　Let　me　go！　　They　are　coming！〃

〃Hello　there！　　Steady　all。〃　　It　was　Brown's　voice。　　〃Now；　then；　what's　this？〃

Awhile　they　stood　side　by　side；　then　Marjorie　came　shyly　to　Sir　Robert。

〃I　didn't　mean　to；　father；〃　she　said　penitently；　〃not　a　bit。　　But　I　couldn't　help　myself。　　He　just　made　me。〃

Sir　Robert　kissed　her。

Kalman　stepped　forward。　　〃And　I　couldn't　help　it；　Sir；〃　he　said。　〃I　tried　my　best　not　to。　　Will　you　give　her　to　me？〃

〃Listen　to　him；　now；　will　you？〃　said　Sir　Robert；　shaking　him　warmly　by　the　hand。　　〃It　wasn't　the　fault　of　either　of　them。〃

〃Quite　true；　Sir；〃　said　French　gravely。　　〃I'm　afraid　it　was　partly　mine。　I　saw　the　dogsI　thought　it　would　be　good　for　us　three　to　take　the　other　trail。〃

〃Blame　me；　Sir；〃　said　Brown　penitently。　　〃It　was　I　who　helped　to　conquer　her　aversion　to　the　foreigner　by　showing　her　his　many　excellences。　　Yes；〃　continued　Brown　in　a　reminiscent　manner；　〃I　seem　to　recall　how　a　certain　young　lady　into　these　ears　made　solemn　declaration　that　never；　never　could　she　love　one　of　those　foreigners。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Marjorie　with　sweet　and　serious　emphasis；　〃but　not　my　foreigner；　my　Canadian　foreigner。〃








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