The Master of Jalna by Mazo de la Roche

Author:Mazo de la Roche
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FIC019000
Publisher: Dundurn Press
Published: 2007-10-31T00:00:00+00:00

XVI

THE FESTIVE SEASON

RENNY, followed by his spaniels, Piers’s terrier, and Jock, the sheepdog, was prowling through the snowy winter woods in search of a Christmas tree. Among the bare-limbed oaks and maples the vigorous green of the young spruces invited him. They thrust out their boughs, tier upon tier, their central peaks seeming designed to support a gilded star. The snow lay feathery on them and still fell in a sunlit mist. The sun, silver and rayless, showed himself less grand this morning, but gently cognisant of the earth’s approach.

Renny desired a specially fine tree this Christmas, for little Adeline was now old enough to appreciate it. He had another reason too, perhaps rather a glimmering instinct in the troubled depths of his mind than a definite thought. The finer the tree the more freely might the spirit of Christmas radiate from it. He would choose a tree with boughs to hold a hundred candles.

The dogs hurried here and there snuffing and scratching at the snow-hidden burrows of rabbit and groundhog, the spaniels leaving ruffled trails behind their feathered feet, pretty young Biddy covering as much ground as the other three put together.

He chose his tree and, when he struck it the first blow with his axe, a rabbit darted from under the broad shelter of its boughs and scurried away with the dogs in pursuit.

The tree fell, shaking off its frail burden of snow, and stretched its length where its growing shadow had long been cast. The clean-cut stump it left looked insignificant to have been the support of so broad a stretch of boughs. A delicious scent rose from the bruised needles, a scent reminiscent to Renny of two-score past Christmases and their festivities.

He followed a distant clamour from the dogs and found them circled about a grizzly groundhog at bay with its back against a tree. It showed its yellow teeth, never taking its eyes from its assailants. The spaniels and Jock were obedient when whistled off, but Biddy had to be caught and cuffed and, on the way back, her hackle bristled and she whined distractedly.

Renny laid down the tree behind the carriage house, for he heard the children’s voices from the snow-covered lawn. He began to hack off a few of the lowest branches to make the contour of the tree more seemly for its high destiny. He did not hear steps in the snow but a shadow was thrown beside the prostrate tree and, looking up, he saw Finch. He had just returned that morning from his tour. One glance at his face discovered that he had heard the news about Eden.

“Hullo!” said Renny, straightening himself. “You back?”

“Yes. Just an hour ago.”

“Have a good tour?”

“Pretty good.”

Renny raised the tree and held it upright.

“What do you think of that for a Christmas tree?”

“Splendid. We haven’t had so big a one in a long time.” Finch tried to speak cheerfully, but he had a sense of shock in finding Renny preoccupied with so trivial a matter.

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