the foreigner-第53节

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〃That　was　fine！〃　cried　Marjorie　again；　offering　him　her　hand。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　holding　back　his；　〃that　my　hand　is　not　clean　enough　to　shake　with　you。〃

〃Give　it　to　me；〃　she　said　almost　imperiously。　　〃It　is　the　hand　of　a　brave　man　and　good。〃

Her　tone　was　one　of　warm　and　genuine　admiration。　　All　Kalman's　practised　self…control　deserted　him。　　He　felt　the　hot　blood　rising　in　his　face。　　With　a　great　effort　he　regained　command　of　himself　and　began　pointing　out　the　features　of　interest　in　the　mine。

〃Great　changes　have　taken　place　in　the　last　five　years；〃　she　said；　looking　down　the　ravine；　disfigured　by　all　the　sordid　accompaniments　of　a　coal　mine。

〃Yes；　great　changes；〃　said　Kalman。

〃At　Wakota；　too；　there　are　great　changes；〃　she　said；　walking　a　little　apart　from　the　others。　　〃That　Mr。　Brown　has　done　wonderful　things　for　those　foreigners。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Kalman　proudly；　〃he　has　done　great　things　for　my　people。〃

〃They　are　becoming　good　Canadians；〃　replied　Marjorie；　her　colour　showing　that　she　had　noted　his　tone　and　meaning。

〃Yes；　they　will　be　good　Canadians；〃　said　Kalman。　　〃They　are　good　Canadians　now。　　They　are　my　best　men。　　None　can　touch　them　in　the　mine；　and　they　are　good　farmers　too。〃

〃I　am　sure　they　are；〃　cried　Marjorie　heartily。　　〃How　wonderful　the　power　of　this　country　of　yours　to　transform　men！　　It　is　a　wonderful　country　Canada。〃

〃That　it　is；〃　cried　Kalman　with　enthusiasm。　　〃No　man　can　tell；　for　no　man　knows　the　magnificence　of　its　possibilities。　　We　have　only　skirted　round　the　edge　and　scratched　its　surface。〃

〃It　is　a　fine　thing；〃　said　Marjorie；　〃to　have　a　country　to　be　made；　and　it　is　fine　to　be　a　man　and　have　a　part　in　the　making　of　it。〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　Kalman；　〃it　is　fine。〃

〃I　envy　you；〃　cried　Marjorie　with　enthusiasm。

A　shadow　fell　on　Kalman's　face。　　〃I　don't　know　that　you　need　to；　after　all。〃

Then　she　said　good…by；　leaving　him　with　heart　throbbing　and　nerves　tingling　to　his　finger　tips。　　Ah；　how　dear　she　was！　　What　mad　folly　to　think　he　could　forget　her！　　Every　glance　of　her　eye；　every　tone　in　her　soft　Scotch　voice；　every　motion　of　hand　and　body；　how　familiar　they　all　were！　　Like　the　faint　elusive　perfume　from　the　clover　fields　of　childhood；　they　smote　upon　his　senses　with　intoxicating　power。　　Standing　there　tingling　and　trembling；　he　made　one　firm　resolve。　　Never　would　he　see　her　again。　　Tomorrow　he　would　make　a　long…planned　trip　to　the　city。　　He　dared　not　wait　another　day。　　To…morrow？　　No；　that　was　Sunday。　　He　would　spend　one　full　happy　day　in　that　ravine　seeking　to　recatch　the　emotions　that　had　thrilled　his　boy's　heart　on　that　great　night　five　years　ago；　and　having　thus　filled　his　heart；　he　would　take　his　departure　without　seeing　her　again。

It　was　the　custom　of　the　people　of　the　ranch　to　spend　Sunday　afternoon　at　the　Mission。　　So　without　a　word　even　to　French；　calling　his　dogs；　Captain　and　Queen；　Kalman　rode　down　the　trail　that　led　past　the　lake　and　toward　the　Night　Hawk　ravine。　　By　that　same　trail　he　had　gone　on　that　memorable　afternoon；　and　though　five　years　had　passed；　the　thoughts；　the　imaginings　of　that　day；　were　as　freshly　present　with　him　as　if　it　had　been　but　yesterday。　　And　though　they　were　the　thoughts　and　imaginings　of　a　mere　boy；　yet　to…day　they　seemed　to　him　good　and　worthy　of　his　manhood。

Down　the　trail；　well　beaten　now；　through　the　golden　poplars　he　rode；　his　dogs　behind　him；　till　he　reached　the　pitch　of　the　ravine。　There；　where　he　had　scrambled　down；　a　bridle　path　led　now。　　It　was　very　different；　and　yet　how　much　remained　unchanged。　　There　was　the　same　glorious　sun　raining　down　his　golden　beams　upon　the　yellow　poplar　leaves；　the　same　air；　sweet　and　genial；　in　him　the　same　heart；　and　before　him　the　same　face；　but　sweeter　it　seemed；　and　eyes　the　same　that　danced　with　every　sunbeam　and　lured　him　on。　　He　was　living　again　the　rapture　of　his　boyhood's　first　great　passion。

At　the　mine's　mouth　he　paused。　　Not　a　feature　remained　of　the　cave　that　he　had　discovered　five　years　ago；　but　sitting　there　upon　his　horse；　how　readily　he　reconstructed　the　scene！　　Ah；　how　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