the man from glengarry-第39章

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willing　to　wait　the　day　of　clearer　light。　　Not　that　they　were　done
with　Pharaoh　and　his　untoward　fate；　that　occupied　them　for　many　a
day。

The　class　was　closed　with　prayer　and　singing。　　As　a　kind　of　treat；
the　last　singing　was　a　hymn　and　they　stood　up　to　sing　it。　　It　was
Perronet's　great　hymn　sung　to　old　Coronation；　and　when　they　came　to
the　refrain；　〃Crown　him　Lord　of　all；〃　the　very　rafters　of　the
little　church　rang　with　the　mighty　volume　of　sound。　　The　Bible
class　always　closed　with　a　great　outburst　of　singing；　and　as　a
rule；　Ranald　went　out　tingling　and　thrilling　through　and　through。
But　tonight；　so　deeply　was　he　exercised　with　the　unhappy　doom　of
the　unfortunate　king　of　Egypt；　from　which；　apparently；　there　was　no
escape；　fixed　as　it　was　by　the　Divine　decree；　and　oppressed　with
the　feeling　that　the　same　decree　would　determine　the　course　of　his
life；　he　missed　his　usual　thrill。　　He　was　walking　off　by　himself　in
a　perplexed　and　downcast　mood；　avoiding　every　one；　even　Don；　and
was　nearly　past　the　minister's　gate　when　Hughie；　excited　and
breathless；　caught　up　to　him　and　exclaimed：　　〃Oh；　Ranald；　was　not
that　splendid？　　Man；　I　like　to　hear　John　'Aleck'　sing　'Crown　him'
that　way。　　And　I　say；〃　he　continued；　〃mother　wants　you　to　come　in。〃

Then　all　at　once　Ranald　remembered　the　young　man　who　had　behaved　so
disgracefully　in　church。

〃No；〃　he　said；　firmly；　〃I　must　be　hurrying　home。　　The　cows　will　be
to　milk　yet。〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　you　must　come；〃　pleaded　Hughie。　　〃We　will　have　some
singing。　　I　want　you　to　sing　bass。　　Perhaps　John　'Aleck'　will　come
in。〃　　This　was　sheer　guessing；　but　it　was　good　bait。　　But　the　young
man　with　〃his　head　split　in　the　middle〃　would　be　there；　and　perhaps
Maimie　would　be　〃going　on；〃　with　him　as　she　did　in　the　Bible　class。

〃You　will　tell　your　mother　I　could　not　come；〃　he　said。　　〃Yankee　and
father　are　both　out；　and　there　will　be　no　one　at　home。〃

〃Well；　I　think　you　are　pretty　mean；〃　said　Hughie；　grievously
disappointed。　　〃I　wanted　you　to　come　in；　and　mother　wanted　Cousin
Harry　to　see　you。〃

〃Cousin　Harry？〃

〃Yes；　Maimie's　brother　came　last　night；　you　know；　and　Maimie　is
going　back　with　him　in　two　weeks。〃

〃Maimie's　brother。　　Well；　well；　is　that　the　nice…looking　fellow
that　sat　by　you？〃

〃Huh…huh；　he　is　awful　nice；　and　mother　wanted〃

〃Indeed　he　looks　it；　I　am　sure；〃　Ranald　said；　with　sudden
enthusiasm；　〃I　would　just　like　to　know　him。　　If　I　thought　Yankee
would〃

〃Oh；　pshaw！　　Of　course　Yankee　will　milk　the　cows；〃　exclaimed
Hughie。　　〃Come　on；　come　on　in。　　And　Ranald　went　to　meet　one　of　the
great　nights　of　his　life。

〃Here　is　Ranald！〃　called　Hughie　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　as　he
entered　the　room　where　the　family　were　gathered。

〃You　don't　say　so；　Hughie？〃　answered　his　cousin；　coming　forward。
〃You　ought　to　make　that　fact　known。　　We　all　want　to　hear　it。〃

Ranald　liked　him　from　the　first。　　He　was　not　a　bit　〃proud〃　in　spite
of　his　fine　clothes　and　his　head　being　〃split　in　the　middle。〃

〃You're　the　chap；〃　he　said；　stretching　out　his　hand　to　Ranald；
〃that　snatched　Maimie　from　the　fire。　　Mighty　clever　thing　to　do。
We　have　heard　a　lot　about　you　at　our　house。　　Why；　every　week〃

〃Let　some　one　else　talk；　Harry；〃　interrupted　Maimie；　with　cheeks
flaming。　　〃We　are　going　to　have　some　singing　now。　　Here　is　auntie。
Mayn't　we　use　the　piano？〃

〃Why；　yes；　I　suppose　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃I　was　glad　to　see
your　father　there　to…night；〃　she　said　to　Ranald。

〃And　Yankee；　mother。〃

〃Hush；　Hughie；　you　must　call　people　by　their　right　names。　　Now　let
us　have　some　singing。　　I　hear　Ranald　is　singing　bass　these　days。〃

〃And　bully　good　bass；　too；〃　cried　Hughie。　　〃John　'Aleck'　says　that
it's　the　finest　bass　in　the　whole　singing　school。〃

〃Well；　Hughie；〃　said　his　mother；　quietly；　〃I　don't　think　it　is
necessary　to　shout　even　such　pleasant　information　as　that。　　Now　go
to　your　singing；　and　I　shall　listen。〃

She　lay　back　in　the　big　chair；　looking　so　pale　and　weary　that　Harry
hardly　believed　it　was　the　same　woman　that　had　just　been　keeping　a
hundred　and　fifty　people　keenly　alert　for　an　hour　and　a　half；　and
leading　them　with　such　intellectual　and　emotional　power。

〃That　class　is　too　hard　for　you；　auntie；〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　were　your
husband　I　would　not　let　you　keep　it　on。〃

〃But　you　see　my　husband　is　not　here。　　He　is　twelve　miles　away。〃

〃Then　I　would　lock　you　up；　or　take　you　with　me。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Hughie；　〃I　would　much　rather　teach　the　Bible　class　than
listen　to　another　sermon。〃

〃Something　in　that；〃　said　his　cousin；　〃especially　if　I　were　the
preacher；　eh？〃　at　which　they　all　laughed。

It　was　a　happy　hour　for　Ranald。　　He　had　been　too　shy　to　join　the
singing　school；　and　had　never　heard　any　part　singing　till　he　began
to　attend　the　Bible　class。　　There　he　made　the　delightful　discovery
that；　without　any　instruction；　he　could　join　in　the　bass；　and　had
made；　also；　the　further　discovery　that　his　voice；　which　he　had
thought　rough　and　coarse；　and　for　a　year　past；　worse　than　ever；
could　reach　to　extraordinary　depths。　　One　Sabbath　evening；　it
chanced　that　John　〃Aleck；〃　who　always　had　an　ear　open　for　a　good
voice；　heard　him　rolling　out　his　deep　bass；　and　seizing　him　on　the
spot；　had　made　him　promise　to　join　the　singing　school。　　There　he
discovered　a　talent　and　developed　a　taste　for　singing　that
delighted　his　leader's　heart；　and　opened　out　to　himself　a　new
world。　　The　piano；　too；　was　a　new　and　rare　treat　to　Ranald。　　In　all
the　country　there　was　no　other；　and　even　in　the　manse　it　was　seldom
heard；　for　Mrs。　Murray　found　little　time；　amid　the　multitude　of
household　and　congregational　duties；　to　keep　up　her　piano　practice。
That　part　of　her　life；　with　others　of　like　kind；　she　had　been
forced　to　lose。

But　since　Maimie's　coming；　the　piano　had　been　in　daily　use；　and
even　on　the　Sabbath　days；　though　not　without　danger　to　the
sensibilities　of　the　neighbors；　she　had　used　it　to　accompany　the
hymns　with　which　the　day　always　closed。

〃Let　us　have　the　parts；〃　cried　Hughie。　　〃Maimie　and　I　will　take　the
air；　and　Ranald　will　take　the　bass。　　Cousin　Harry；　can　you　sing？〃

〃Oh；　I'll　hum。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　said　Maimie；　〃he　sings　tenor　splendidly。〃

〃Oh；　that's　fine！〃　cried　Hughie；　with　delight。　　He　himself　was　full
of　music。　　〃Come　on；　Ranald；　you　stand　up　behind　Maimie；　you　will
need　to　see　the　notes；　and　I　will　sit　here；〃　planting　himself
beside　his　mother。

So　Hughie　arranged　it　all；　and　for　an　hour　the　singing　went　on；　the
favorite　hymns　of　each　being　sung　in　turn。　　For　the　most　part；　Mrs。
Murray　sat　silent；　but　now　and　then　she　would　join　with　the　others；
singing　alto　when　she　did　so；　by　Hughie's　special　direction。　　Her
voice　was　not　strong；　but　it　was　true；　mellow；　and　full　of　music。
Hughie　loved　to　hear　her　sing　alto；　and　more　especially　because　he
liked　to　join　in　with　her；　which　he　was　too　shy　to　do　alone；　even
in　his　home；　and　which　he　would　never　think　of　doing　in　the　Bible
class；　or　in　the　presence　of　any　of　the　boys　who　might；　for　this
reason；　think　him　〃proud。〃　　When　they　came　to　Hughie's　turn；　he
chose　the　hymn　by　Bliss；　recently　published；　〃Whosoever　will；〃　the
words　seem　to　strike　him　tonight。

〃Mother；〃　he　said；　after　singing　it　through；　〃does　that　mean
everybody　that　likes？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear；　any　one　that　wishes。〃

〃Pharaoh；　mother？〃

〃Yes；　Pharaoh；　too。〃

〃But；　mother；　you　said　he　could　not　possibly。〃

〃Only　because　he　did　not　want　to。〃

〃But　he　could　not；　even　if　he　did　want　to。〃

〃I　hope　I　did　not　say　that；〃　said　his　mother；　smiling　at　the　eager
and　earnest　young　face。

〃No；　auntie；〃　said　Harry；　taking　up　Hughie's　cause；　〃not　exactly；
but　something　very　like　it。　　You　said　that　Pharaoh　could　not
possibly　have　acted　in　any　other　way　than　he　did。〃

〃Yes；　I　said　that。〃

〃Not　even　if　he　wanted　to？〃　asked　Hughie。

〃Oh；　I　did　not　say　that。〃

〃The　Lord　hardened　Pharaoh's　heart；〃　quoted　Ranald；　who　knew　his
Bible　better　than　Harry。

〃Yes；　that　is　it；〃　said　Harry；　〃and　so　that　made　it　impossible　for
Pharaoh　to　do　anything　else。　　He　could　not　help　following　after
those　people。〃

〃Why　not？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。　　〃What　made　him　follow？　　Now　just
think；　what　made　him　follow　after　those　people？〃

〃Why；　he　wan