第 44 节
作者:笑傲网络      更新:2021-12-13 08:43      字数:9321
  〃En roulant ma boule roulant;
  En roulant me boule。〃
  〃This; I suppose; is one of your beloved shantymen;〃 said the
  lieutenant; turning to Kate; who was walking with Harry behind。
  〃Isn't he lovely!〃 exclaimed Kate。
  〃Oh;〃 cried Maimie; in terror; 〃let us get into a shop!〃
  〃Quite unnecessary; I assure you;〃 said the lieutenant;
  indifferently; 〃I have not the least idea that he will molest you。〃
  The lumberman by this time had swaggered up to the party; expecting
  them to make way; but instead; De Lacy stiffened his shoulder;
  caught the Frenchman in the chest; and rolled him off into the
  street。  Surprised and enraged; the Frenchman turned to demolish
  the man who had dared to insult the 〃boss bully on de reever
  Hottawa。〃
  〃Vous n'avez pas remarque la demoiselle;〃 said the lieutenant; in a
  tone of politeness。
  The lumberman; who had swaggered up ready to strike; glanced at
  Maimie; took off his hat; and made a ceremonious bow。
  〃Eh bien!  Non!  Pardon; Mams'elle。〃
  〃Bon jour;〃 said Lieutenant De Lacy; with a military salute; and
  moved on; leaving the lumberman staring after them as if he had
  seen a vision。
  〃Beauty and the Beast;〃 murmured the lieutenant。  〃Thought I was in
  for it; sure。  Really wonderful; don't you know!〃
  〃Do you think we had better go on?〃 said Maimie; turning to Kate
  and Harry。
  〃Why not?  Why; certainly!〃 they exclaimed。
  〃These horrid men;〃 replied Maimie。
  〃Dear creatures!〃 said the lieutenant; glancing at Kate with a
  mildly pathetic look。  〃Sweet; but not always fragrant。〃
  〃Oh; they won't hurt us。  Let us go on。〃
  〃Certainly; go on;〃 echoed Harry; impatiently。
  〃Safe enough; Miss St。 Clair; but;〃 pulling out his perfumed
  handkerchief; 〃rather trying。〃
  〃Oh; get on; De Lacy;〃 cried Harry; and so they moved on。
  The office of Raymond & St。 Clair stood near the wharves。  Harry
  paused at the door; not quite sure whether to go in or not。  It was
  easy to discover work in that office。
  〃You might ask if Ranald has come;〃 said Kate。  〃Maimie is too
  shy。〃
  Harry returned in a few moments; quite excited。
  〃The Macdonald gang are in; and the Big Macdonald was here not half
  an hour ago; and Ranald is down at the raft beyond the last wharf。
  I know the place。〃
  〃Oh; do let us go on!〃 cried Kate; to whom Harry had been extolling
  Ranald on the way down。  〃You really ought to inspect your timber;
  Harry; shouldn't you?〃
  〃Most certainly; and right away。  No saying what might happen。〃
  〃Awful slush;〃 said the lieutenant; glancing at Maimie's face。  〃Do
  you think the timber wouldn't keep for a week?〃
  〃Oh; rubbish!  A week!〃 cried Harry。  〃He is thinking of his boots
  again。〃
  To be quite fair to the lieutenant; it was Maimie's doubtful face;
  rather than his shiny boots; that made him hesitate。  She was
  evidently nervous and embarrassed。  The gay; easy manner which was
  her habit was gone。
  〃I think perhaps we had better go; since we are here;〃 she said;
  doubtfully。
  〃Exactly; it is what I most desired;〃 said the lieutenant; gallantly。
  Scores of rafts lay moored along the wharves and shore; and hundred
  of lumbermen were to be seen everywhere; not only on the timber and
  wharves; but crowding the streets and the doors of the little
  saloons。
  For half an hour they walked along; watching the men at work with
  the timber on the river。  Some were loading the vessels lying at
  anchor; some were shifting the loose timber about。  When they
  reached the end of the last wharf; they saw a strapping young
  lumberman; in a shanty costume that showed signs of the woods;
  running some loose sticks of timber round the end of the raft。
  With great skill he was handling his pike; walking the big sticks
  and running lightly over the timber too small to carry him;
  balancing himself on a single stick while he moved the timber to
  the bit of open water behind the raft; and all with a grace and
  dexterity that excited Kate's admiration to the highest degree。
  〃Rather clever; that;〃 said the lieutenant; lazily。  〃Hello! close
  call; that; ha! bravo!〃  It was not often the lieutenant allowed
  himself the luxury of excitement; but the lumberman running his
  timber slipped his pike pole and found himself balancing on the
  edge of open water。  With a mighty spring he cleared the open
  space; touched a piece of small timber that sank under him; and at
  the next spring landed safe on the raft。  Maimie's scream sounded
  with the lieutenant's 〃bravo。〃  At the cry the young fellow looked
  up。  It was Ranald。
  〃Hello; there!〃 cried Harry; and with an answering shout; Ranald;
  using his pike as a jumping…pole; cleared the open space; ran
  lightly over the floating sticks; and with another spring reached
  the shore。  Without a moment's hesitation he dropped his pole and
  came almost running toward them; his face radiant with delight。
  〃Maimie!〃 he exclaimed; holding out his hand; wet and none too
  clean。
  〃How do you do?〃 said Maimie。  She had noticed the look of surprise
  and mild disgust on the lieutenant's face; and she was embarrassed。
  Ranald was certainly not lovely to look at。  His shirt was open at
  the neck; torn; and dirty。  His trousers and boots were much the
  worse of their struggle with the bush。
  〃This is Mr。 Macdonald; Lieutenant De Lacy;〃 Maimie hurried to say。
  The lieutenant offered a limp hand。
  〃Chawmed; I'm suah;〃 he murmured。
  〃What?〃 said Ranald。
  〃Lovely weather;〃 murmured the lieutenant again; looking at his
  fingers that Ranald had just let go。
  〃Well; old chap;〃 said Harry; grasping Ranald's hand and throwing
  his arm about his shoulder; 〃I am awfully glad to find you。  We
  have been hunting you for half an hour。  But hold up; here you are。
  Let me introduce you to Miss Kate Raymond; the best girl anywhere。〃
  Kate came forward with a frank smile。  〃I am very glad to meet
  you;〃 she said。  〃I have heard so much about you; and I am going to
  call you Ranald; as they all do。〃
  〃How lovely!〃 sighed De Lacy。
  Her greeting warmed Ranald's heart that somehow had been chilled in
  the meeting。  Something was wrong。  Was it this fop of a soldier;
  or had Maimie changed?  Ranald glanced at her face。  No; she was
  the same; only more beautiful than he had dreamed。
  But while she was shaking hands with him; there flashed across his
  mind the memory of the first time he had seen her; and the look of
  amusement upon her face then; that had given him such deadly
  offense。  There was no amusement now; but there was embarrassment
  and something else。  Ranald could not define it; but it chilled his
  heart; and at once he began to feel how badly dressed he was。  The
  torn shirt; the ragged trousers; and the old; unshapely boots that
  he had never given a thought to before; now seemed to burn into his
  flesh。  Unconsciously he backed away and turned to go。
  〃Where are you off to?〃 cried Harry; 〃do you think we are going to
  let you go now?  We had hard enough work finding you。  Come up to
  the office and see the governor。  He wants to see you badly。〃
  Ranald glanced at the lieutenant; immaculate except where the slush
  had speckled his shiny boots; and then at his own ragged attire。
  〃I think I will not go up now;〃 he said。
  〃Well; come up soon;〃 said Maimie; evidently relieved。
  〃No!〃 said Kate; impetuously; 〃come right along now。〃  As she spoke
  she ranged herself beside him。
  For a moment or two Ranald hesitated; shot a searching glance at
  Maimie's face; and then; with a reckless laugh; said; 〃I will go
  now;〃 and set off forthwith; Kate proudly marching at one side; and
  Harry on the other; leaving Maimie and the lieutenant to follow
  after。
  And a good thing it was for Ranald that he did go that day with
  Harry to his 〃governor's〃 office。  They found the office in a
  〃swither;〃 as Harry said; over the revelations of fraud that were
  coming to light every daybook…keeper; clerk; and timber…checker
  having all been in conspiracy to defraud the company。
  〃Where have you been; Harry?〃 said his father in an annoyed tone as
  his son entered the office。  〃You don't seem to realize how much
  there is to do just now。〃
  〃Looking up Ranald; father;〃 said Harry; cheerfully。
  〃Ah; the young man from Glengarry?〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair; rising。  〃I
  am glad to know you; and to thank you in person for your prompt
  courage in saving my daughter。〃
  〃Lucky dog!〃 groaned the lieutenant; in an undertone to Maimie。
  Mr。 St。 Clair spoke to Ranald of his father and his uncle in words
  of highest appreciation; and as Ranald listened; the reckless and
  hard look which had been gathering ever since his meeting with
  Maimie passed away; and his face became earnest and touched with a
  tender pride。
  〃I hear about you frequently from my sister; Mr。 Macdonaldor
  shall I say Ranald?〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair; kindly。  〃She apparently
  thinks something of you〃
  〃I am proud to think so;〃 replied Ranald; his face lighting up as
  he spoke; 〃but every one loves her。  She is a wonderful woman; and
  good。〃
  〃Yes;〃 said Mr。 St。 Clair; 〃that's it; wonderful and good。〃
  Then Maimie drew nearer。  〃How is auntie?〃 she said。  〃What a shame
  not to have asked before!〃
  〃She was very well last fall;〃 said Ranald; looking keenly into
  Maimie's face;