david elginbrod-第17节

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jist　had　a'thegither　fair　play。　　She　does　na　come　o'　a　guid　breed。
Man；　it's　a　fine　thing　to　come　o'　a　guid　breed。　　They　hae　a　hantle
to　answer　for　'at　come　o'　decent　forbears。〃

〃I　thought　she　brought　the　laird　a　good　property；〃　said　Hugh；　not
quite　understanding　David。

〃Ow；　ay；　she　brocht　him　gowpenfu's　o'　siller；　but　hoo　was't　gotten？
An'　ye　ken　it's　no　riches　'at　'ill　mak'　a　guid　breed'cep'　it　be
o'　maggots。　　The　richer　cheese　the　mair　maggots；　ye　ken。　　Ye　maunna
speyk　o'　this；　but　the　mistress's　father　was　weel　kent　to　hae　made
his　siller　by　fardins　and　bawbees；　in　creepin'；　crafty　ways。　　He　was
a　bit　merchan'　in　Aberdeen；　an'　aye　keepit　his　thoom　weel　ahint　the
peint　o'　the　ellwan'；　sae　'at　he　made　an　inch　or　twa　upo'　ilka　yard
he　sauld。　　Sae　he　took　frae　his　soul；　and　pat　intill　his　siller…bag；
an'　had　little　to　gie　his　dochter　but　a　guid　tocher。　　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　it's　a　fine　thing　to　come　o'　dacent　fowk。　　Noo；　to　luik
at　yersel'：　I　ken　naething　aboot　yer　family；　but　ye　seem　at　eesicht
to　come　o'　a　guid　breed　for　the　bodily　part　o'　ye。　　That's　a　sma'
matter；　but　frae　what　I　ha'e　seenan'　I　trust　in　God　I'm　no'
mista'enye　come　o'　the　richt　breed　for　the　min'　as　weel。　　I'm　no
flatterin'　ye；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　but　jist　layin'　it　upo'　ye；　'at　gin
ye　had　an　honest　father　and　gran'father；　an'　especially　a　guid
mither；　ye　hae　a　heap　to　answer　for；　an'　ye　ought　never　to　be　hard
upo'　them　'at's　sma'　creepin'　creatures；　for　they　canna　help　it　sae
weel　as　the　like　o'　you　and　me　can。〃

David　was　not　given　to　boasting。　　Hugh　had　never　heard　anything
suggesting　it　from　his　lips　before。　　He　turned　full　round　and　looked
at　him。　　On　his　face　lay　a　solemn　quiet；　either　from　a　feeling　of
his　own　responsibility；　or　a　sense　of　the　excuse　that　must　be　made
for　others。　　What　he　had　said　about　the　signs　of　breed　in　Hugh's
exterior；　certainly　applied　to　himself　as　well。　　His　carriage　was
full　of　dignity；　and　a　certain　rustic　refinement；　his　voice　was
wonderfully　gentle；　but　deep；　and　slowest　when　most　impassioned。　　He
seemed　to　have　come　of　some　gigantic　antediluvian　breed：　there　was
something　of　the　Titan　slumbering　about　him。　　He　would　have　been　a
stern　man；　but　for　an　unusual　amount　of　reverence　that　seemed　to
overflood　the　sternness；　and　change　it　into　strong　love。　　No　one　had
ever　seen　him　thoroughly　angry；　his　simple　displeasure　with　any　of
the　labourers；　the　quality　of　whose　work　was　deficient；　would　go
further　than　the　laird's　oaths。

Hugh　sat　looking　at　David；　who　supported　the　look　with　that　perfect
calmness　that　comes　of　unconscious　simplicity。　　At　length　Hugh's　eye
sank　before　David's；　as　he　said：

〃I　wish　I　had　known　your　father；　then；　David。〃

〃My　father　was　sic　a　ane　as　I　tauld　ye　the　ither　day；　Mr。
Sutherlan'。　　I'm　a'　richt　there。　　A　puir；　semple；　God…fearin'
shepherd；　'at　never　gae　his　dog　an　ill…deserved　word；　nor　took　the
skin　o'　ony　puir　lammie；　wha's　woo'　he　was　clippin'；　atween　the
shears。　　He　was　weel　worthy　o'　the　grave　'at　he　wan　till　at　last。
An'　my　mither　was　jist　sic　like；　wi'　aiblins　raither　mair　heid　nor
my　father。　　They're　her　beuks　maistly　upo'　the　skelf　there　abune　yer
ain；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　I　honour　them　for　her　sake；　though　I　seldom
trouble　them　mysel'。　　She　gae　me　a　kin'　o'　a　scunner　at　them；　honest
woman；　wi'　garrin'　me　read　at　them　o'　Sundays；　till　they　near
scomfisht　a'　the　guid　'at　was　in　me　by　nater。　　There's　doctrine　for
ye；　Mr。　Sutherlan'！〃　added　David；　with　a　queer　laugh。

〃I　thought　they　could　hardly　be　your　books；〃　said　Hugh。

〃But　I　hae　ae　odd　beuk；　an'　that　brings　me　upo'　my　pedigree；　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　for　the　puirest　man　has　as　lang　a　pedigree　as　the
greatest；　only　he　kens　less　aboot　it；　that's　a'。　　An'　I　wat；　for　yer
lords　and　ladies；　it's　no　a'　to　their　credit　'at's　tauld　o'　their
hither…come；　an'　that's　a'　against　the　breed；　ye　ken。　　A　wilfu'　sin
in　the　father　may　be　a　sinfu'　weakness　i'　the　son；　an'　that's　what　I
ca'　no　fair　play。〃

So　saying；　David　went　to　his　bedroom；　whence　he　returned　with　a　very
old…looking　book；　which　he　laid　on　the　table　before　Hugh。　He　opened
it；　and　saw　that　it　was　a　volume　of　Jacob　B渉men；　in　the　original
language。　　He　found　out　afterwards；　upon　further　inquiry；　that　it
was　in　fact　a　copy　of　the　first　edition　of　his　first　work；　The
Aurora；　printed　in　1612。　　On　the　title…page　was　written　a　name；
either　in　German　or　old　English　character；　he　was　not　sure　which；
but　he　was　able　to　read　itMartin　Elginbrodde。　　David；　having　given
him　time　to　see　all　this；　went　on：

〃That　buik　has　been　in　oor　family　far　langer　nor　I　ken。　　I　needna
say　I　canna　read　a　word　o't；　nor　I　never　heard　o'　ane　'at　could。
But　I　canna　help　tellin'　ye　a　curious　thing；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　in
connexion　wi'　the　name　on　that　buik：　there's　a　gravestane；　a　verra
auld　anehoo　auld　I　canna　weel　mak'　out；　though　I　gaed　ends…errand
to　Aberdeen　to　see'tan'　the　name　upo'　that　gravestane　is　Martin
Elginbrod；　but　made　mention　o'　in　a　strange　fashion；　an'　I'm　no　sure
a'thegither　aboot　hoo　ye'll　tak'　it；　for　it　soun's　rather　fearsome
at　first　hearin'　o't。　　But　ye'se　hae't　as　I　read　it：

　　　　　〃'Here　lie　I；　Martin　Elginbrodde：
　　　　　　Hae　mercy　o'　my　soul；　Lord　God；
　　　　　　As　I　wad　do；　were　I　Lord　God；
　　　　　　And　ye　were　Martin　Elginbrodde。'〃

Certainly　Hugh　could　not　help　a　slight　shudder　at　what　seemed　to　him
the　irreverence　of　the　epitaph；　if　indeed　it　was　not　deserving　of　a
worse　epithet。　　But　he　made　no　remark；　and；　after　a　moment's　pause；
David　resumed：

〃I　was　unco　ill…pleased　wi't　at　the　first；　as　ye　may　suppose；　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　but；　after　a　while；　I　begude　（began）　an'　gaed　through
twa　or　three　bits　o'　reasonin's　aboot　it；　in　this　way：　By　the　natur'
o't；　this　maun　be　the　man's　ain　makin'；　this　epitaph；　for　no　ither
body　cud　ha'　dune't；　and　he　had　left　it　in's　will　to　be　pitten　upo'
the　deid…stane；　nae　doot：　I'　the　contemplation　o'　deith；　a　man　wad
no　be　lik'ly　to　desire　the　perpetuation　o'　a　blasphemy　upo'　a　table
o'　stone；　to　stan'　against　him　for　centuries　i'　the　face　o'　God　an'
man：　therefore　it　cudna　ha'　borne　the　luik　to　him　o'　the
presumptuous　word　o'　a　proud　man　evenin'　himsel'　wi'　the　Almichty。
Sae　what　was't；　then；　'at　made　him　mak'　it？　　It　seems　to　methough
I　confess；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　I　may　be　led　astray　by　the　nateral　desire
'at　a　man　has　to　think　weel　o'　his　ain　forbearsfor　'at　he　was　a
forbear　o'　my　ain；　I　canna　weel　doot；　the　name　bein'　by　no　means　a
common　ane；　in　Scotland　ony　wayI'm　sayin'；　it　seems　to　me；　that
it's　jist　a　darin'　way；　maybe　a　childlike　way；　o'　judgin'；　as　Job
micht　ha'　dune；　'the　Lord　by　himsel'；'　an'　sayin'；　'at　gin　he；
Martin　Elginbrod；　wad　hae　mercy；　surely　the　Lord　was　not　less
mercifu'　than　he　was。　　The　offspring　o'　the　Most　High　was；　as　it
were；　aware　o'　the　same　spirit　i'　the　father　o'　him；　as　muved　in
himsel'。　　He　felt　'at　the　mercy　in　himsel'　was　ane　o'　the　best
things；　an'　he　cudna　think　'at　there　wad　be　less　o't　i'　the　father
o'　lichts；　frae　whom　cometh　ilka　guid　an'　perfeck　gift。　　An'　may　be
he　remembered　'at　the　Saviour　himsel'　said：　'Be　ye　perfect　as　your
father　in　Heaven　is　perfect；'　and　that　the　perfection　o'　God；　as　He
had　jist　pinted　oot　afore；　consisted　in　causin'　his　bonny　sun　to
shine　on　the　evil　an'　the　good；　an'　his　caller　rain　to　fa'　upo'　the
just　an'　the　unjust。〃

It　may　well　be　doubted　whether　David's　interpretation　of　the　epitaph
was　the　correct　one。　　It　will　appear　to　most　of　my　readers　to
breathe　rather　of　doubt　lighted　up　by　hope；　than　of　that　strong
faith　which　David　read　in　it。　　But　whether　from　family　partiality；
and　consequent　unwillingness　to　believe　that　his　ancestor　had　been　a
man　who；　having　led　a　wild；　erring；　and　evil　life；　turned　at　last
towards　the　mercy　of　God　as　his　only　hope；　which　the　words　might
imply；　or　simply　that　he　saw　this　meaning　to　be　the　best；　this　was
the　interpretation　which　David　had　adopted。

〃But；〃　interposed　Hugh；　〃supposing　he　thought　all　that；　why　should
he　therefore　have　it　carved　on　his　tombstone？〃

〃I　hae　thocht　aboot　that　too；〃　answered　David。　〃For　ae　thing；　a　body
has　but　feow　ways　o'　sayin'　his　say　to　his　brithermen。　　Robbie　Burns
cud　do't　in　sang　efter　sang；　but　maybe　this　epitaph　was　a'　that　auld
Martin　was　able　to　mak'。　　He　michtna　hae　had　the　gift　o'　utterance。
But　there　may　be　mair　in't　nor　that。　　Gin　the　clergy　o'　thae　times
warna　a　gey　hantle　mair　enlichtened　nor　a　fowth　o'　the　clergy
hereabouts；　he　wad　hae　heard　a　heap　aboot　the　glory　o'　God；　as　the
thing　'at　God　himsel'　was　maist　anxious　aboot　uphaudin'；　jist　like　a
prood　creater　o'　a　king；　an'　that　he　wad　mak'　men；　an'　feed　them；
an'　cleed　them；　an'　gie　them　braw　wives　an'　toddlin'　bairnies；　an'
syne　damn　them；　a'　for's　ain　glory。　　Maybe　ye　wadna　get　mony　o'　them
'at　wad　speyk　sae　fair…oot　noo…a…days；　for　they　gang　wi'　the　tide
jist　like　the　lave；　but　i'　my　auld　minny's　buiks；　I　hae　read　jilt　as
muckle　as　that；　an'　waur　too。　　Mony　ane　'at　spak　like　that；　had　nae
doot　a　guid　meanin'　in't；　but；　hech　man！　it's　an　awesome　deevilich
way　o'　sayin'　a　holy　thing。　　Noo；　what　better　could　puir　auld　Martin
do；　seein'　he　had　no　ae　word　to　say　i'　the　kirk　a'　his　lifelang；　nor
jist　say　his　ae　word；　as　pithily　as　might　be；　i'　the　kirky