An Orkney Maid - Amelia Barr 4 стр.

Now, then, this thing happened when Boris was last here. One night he heard two men talking as they went down the street before him. The rain was pattering on the flagged walk and he did not well understand their conversation, but it was altogether of the McLeods and their entertainments. Suddenly he heard the name of Sunna Vedder. Thrice he heard it, and he followed the men to the public house, called for whiskey, sat down at a table near them and pretended to be writing. But he grew more and more angry as he heard the free and easy talk of the men; and when again they named Sunna, he put himself into their conversation and so learned they were going to McLeods as soon as the hour was struck for the dance. Boris permitted them to go, laughing and boastful; an hour afterwards he followed.

With whom did he go?

Alone he went. The dance was then in progress, and men and women were constantly going in and out. He followed a party of four, and went in with them. There was a crowd on the waxed floor. They were dancing a new measure called the polka; and conspicuous, both for her beauty and her dress, he saw Sunna among them. Her partner was Kenneth McLeod, and he was in full McLeod tartans. No doubt have I that Sunna and her handsome partner made a romantic and lovely picture.

What must be the end of all this? What the devil am I to think?

Think no worse than needs be.

What did Boris door say?

He walked rapidly to Sunna, and he said, Miss Vedder, thou art wanted at thy homeat once thou art wanted. Get thy cloak, and I will walk with thee.

Then?

She was angry, and yet terrified; but she left the room. Boris feared she would try and escape him, so he went to the door to meet her. Judge for thyself what passed between them as Boris took her home. At first she was angry, afterwards, she cried and begged Boris not to tell thee. I am sure Boris was kind to her, though he told her frankly she was on a dangerous road. All this I had from Boris, and it is the truth; as for what reports have grown from it, I give them no heed. Sunna was deceitful and imprudent. I would not think worse of her than she deserves.

Rahal, I am much thy debtor. This affair I will now take into my own hands. To thee, my promise stands good for all my life daysand thou may tell Boris, it may be worth his while to forgive Sunna. There is some fault with him also; he has made love to Sunna for a long time, but never yet has he said to meI wish to make Sunna my wife! What is the reason of that?

Well, then, Adam, a young man wishes to make sure of himself. Boris is much from home

There it is! For that very cause, he should have made a straight clear road between us. I do not excuse Sunna, but I say that wherever there is a cross purpose, there has likely never been a straight one. Thou hast treated me well, and I am thy debtor; but it shall be ill with all those who have led my child wrongthe more so, because the time chosen for their sinful deed makes it immeasurably more sinful.

The time? What is thy meaning? The time was the usual hour of all entertainments. Even two hours after the midnight is quite respectable if all else is correct.

Art thou so forgetful of the God-Man, who at this time carried the burden of all our sins?

Oh! You mean it is Lent, Adam?

Yes! It is Lent!

I was never taught to regard it.

Yet none keep Lent more strictly than Conall Ragnor.

A wife does not always adopt her husbands ideas. I had a father, Adam, uncles and cousins and friends. None of them kept Lent. Dost thou expect me to be wiser than all my kindred?

I do.

Let us cease this talk. It will come to nothing.

Then good-bye.

Be not hard on Sunna. One side only, has been heard.

As kindly as may be, I will do right.

Then Adam went away, but he left Rahal very unhappy. She had disobeyed her husbands advice and she could not help asking herself if she would have been as easily persuaded to tell a similar story about her own child. Thora is a school girl yet, she thought, but she is just entering the zone of temptation.

In the midst of this reflection Thora came into the room. Her mother looked into her lovely face with a swift pang of fear. It was radiant with a joy not of this world. A light from an interior source illumined it; a light that wreathed with smiles the pure, childlike lips. Oh, if she could always remain so young, and so innocent! Oh, if she never had to learn the sorrowful lessons that love always teaches!

Thus Rahal thought and wished. She forgot, as she did so, that women come into this world to learn the very lessons love teaches, and that unless these lessons are learned, the soul can make no progress, but must remain undeveloped and uninstructed, even until the very end of this session of its existence.

CHAPTER III

ARIES THE RAM

It was Saturday morning and the next day was Easter Sunday. The little town of Kirkwall was in a state of happy, busy excitement, for though the particular house cleaning of the great occasion was finished, every housewife was full laden with the heavy responsibility of feeding the guests sure to arrive for the Easter service. Even Rahal Ragnor had both hands full. She was expecting her sister-in-law, Madame Barbara Brodie by that days boat, and nobody ever knew how many guests Aunt Barbara would bring with her. Then if her own home was not fully prepared to afford them every comfort, she would be sure to leave them at the Ragnor house until all was in order. Certainly she had said in her last letter that she was not going to be imposed upon, by anyone this springand Thora reminded her mother of this fact.

Dost thou indeed believe thy aunts assurances? asked Rahal. Hast thou not seen her break them year after year? She will either ask some Edinburgh friend to come back to Kirkwall with her, or she will pick up someone on the way home. Is it not so?

Aunt generally leaves Edinburgh alone. It is the people she picks up on her way home that are so uncertain. Dear Mother, can I go now to the cathedral? The flowers are calling me.

Are there many flowers this year?

More than we expected. The Balfour greenhouse has been stripped and they have such a lovely company of violets and primroses and white hyacinths with plenty of green moss and ivy. The Baikies have a hothouse and have such roses and plumes of curled parsley to put behind them, and lilies-of-the-valley; and I have robbed thy greenhouse, Mother, and taken all thy fairest auriculas and cyclamens.

They are for Gods altar. All I have is His. Take what vases thou wants, but Helga must carry them for thee.

And, Mother, can I have the beautiful white Wedgewood basket for the altar? It looked so exquisite last Easter.

It now belongs to the altar. I gave it freely last Easter. I promised then that it should never hold flowers again for any meaner festival. Take whatever thou wants for thy purpose, and delay me no longer. I have this day to put two days work into one day. Then she lifted her eyes from the pastry she was making and looking at Thora, asked: Art thou not too lightly clothed?

It now belongs to the altar. I gave it freely last Easter. I promised then that it should never hold flowers again for any meaner festival. Take whatever thou wants for thy purpose, and delay me no longer. I have this day to put two days work into one day. Then she lifted her eyes from the pastry she was making and looking at Thora, asked: Art thou not too lightly clothed?

I have warm underclothing on. Thou would not like me to dress Gods altar in anything but pure white linen? All that I wear has been made spotless for this days work.

That is right, but now thou must make some haste. There is no certainty about Aunt Barbie. She may be at her home this very minute.

The boat is not due until ten oclock.

Not unless Barbara Brodie wanted to land at seven. Then, if she wished, winds and waves would have her here at seven. Her wishes follow her like a shadow. Go thy way now. Thou art troubling me. I believe I have put too much sugar in the custard.

But that would be a thing incredible. Then Thora took a hasty kiss, and went her way. A large scarlet cloak covered her white linen dress, and its hood was drawn partially over her head. In her hands she carried the precious Wedgewood basket, and Helga and her daughter had charge of the flowers and of several glass vases for their reception. In an hour all Thora required had been brought safely to the vestry of Saint Magnus, and then she found herself quite alone in this grand, dim, silent House of God.

In the meantime Aunt Barbara Brodie had done exactly as Rahal Ragnor anticipated. The boat had made the journey in an abnormally short time. A full sea, and strong, favourable winds, had carried her through the stormiest Firth in Scotland, at a racers speed; and she was at her dock, and had delivered all her passengers when Conall Ragnor arrived at his warehouse. Then he had sent word to Rahal, and consequently she ventured on the prediction that Aunt Barbara might already be at her home.

However, it had not been told the Mistress of Ragnor, that her sister-in-law had actually picked up someone on the way; and that for this reason she had gone directly to her own residence. For on this occasion, her hospitality had been stimulated by a remarkably handsome young man, who had proved to be the son of Dr. John Macrae, a somewhat celebrated preacher of the most extreme Calvinist type. She heartily disapproved of the minister, but she instantly acknowledged the charm of his son; but without her brothers permission she thought it best not to hazard his influence over the inexperienced Thora.

I am fifty-two years old, she thought, and I know the measure of a mans deceitfulness, so I can take care of myself, but Thora is a childlike lassie. It would not be fair to put her in danger without word or warning. The lad has a wonderful winning way with women.

So she took her fascinating guest to her own residence, and when he had been refreshed by a good breakfast, he frankly said to her:

I came here on special business. I have a large sum of money to deliver, and I think I will attend to that matter at once.

I will not hinder thee, said Mrs. Brodie, Im no way troubled to take care of my own money, but it is just an aggravation to take care of other folks siller. And who may thou be going to give a large sum of money to, in Kirkwall town? I wouldnt wonder if the party isnt my own brother, Captain Conall Ragnor?

No, Mistress, the young man replied. It belongs to a young gentleman called McLeod.

Humph! A trading man is whiles very little of a gentleman. What do you think of McLeod?

I am the manager of his Edinburgh business, so I cannot discuss his personality.

Thats right, laddie! Folks seldom see any good thing in their employer; and it is quite fair for them to be just as blind to any bad thing in himbut Ill tell you frankly that your employer has not a first rate reputation here.

All right, Mistress Brodie! His reputation is not in my chargeonly his money. I do not think the quality of his reputation can hurt mine.

Your fathers reputation will stand bail for yours. Well now, run away and get business off your mind, and be back here for one oclock dinner. I will not wait a minute after the clock chaps one. This afternoon I am going to my brothers house, and I sent him a message which asks for permission to bring you with me.

Thanks! but he said the word in an unthankful tone, and then he looked into Mistress Brodies face, and she laughed and imitated his expression, as she assured him she had no girl with matrimonial intentions in view.

You see, Mistress, he said, I do not intend to remain longer than a week. Why should I run into danger? I am ready to take heartaches. Can you tell me how best to find McLeods warehouse?

Speir at any man you meet, and any man will show you the place. I, myself, am not carin to send folk an ill road.

So Ian Macrae went into the town and easily found his friend and employer. Then their business was easily settled and it appeared to be every way gratifying to both men.

You have taken a business I hate off my hands, Ian, said McLeod, and I am grateful to you. Where shall we go today? What would you like to do with yourself?

Why, Kenneth, I would like first of all to see the inside of your grand cathedral. I would say, it must be very ancient.

Began in A. D., 1138. Is that old?

Seven hundred years! That will do for age. They were good builders then. I have a strange love for these old shrines where multitudes have prayed for centuries. They are full of Presence to me.

Presence. What do you mean?

Souls.

You are a creepy kind of mortal. I think, Ian, if you were not such a godless man, you might have been a saint.

Macrae drew his lips tight, and then said in detached wordsMy father issureIwasbornattheotherendofthemeasure.

Then they were in the interior of the cathedral. The light was dim, the silence intense, and both men were profoundly affected by influences unknown and unseen. As they moved slowly forward into the nave, the altar became visible, and in this sacred place of Communion Thora was moving slowly about, leaving beauty and sweetness wherever she lingered.

Her appearance gave both men a shock and both expressed it by a spasmodic breath. They spoke not; they watched her slim, white figure pass to-and-fro with soft and reverent steps, arranging violets and white hyacinths with green moss in the exquisite white Wedgewood. Then with a face full of innocent joy she placed it upon the altar, and for a few moments stood with clasped hands, looking at it.

As she did so, the organist began to practice his Easter music, and she turned her face towards the organ. Then they saw fully a beautiful, almost childlike face transfigured with celestial emotions.

Let us get out of this, whispered McLeod. What business have we here? It is a kind of sacrilege. And Ian bowed his head and followed him. But it was some minutes ere the every-day world became present to their senses. McLeod was the first to speak:

What an experience! he sighed. I should not dare to try it often. It would send me into a monastery.

Are you a Roman Catholic?

What else would I be? When I was a lad, I used to dream of being a monk. It was power I wanted. I thought then, that priests had more power than any other men; as I grew older I found out that it was money that owned the earth.

Not so! said Ian sharply, the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof. I promised to be at Mistress Brodies for dinner at one oclock. What is the time?