david elginbrod-第8节

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〃Besides；　sir；　that's　a　maitter　for　the　young　man　to　sattle；　an'　no
for　me。　　It　wad　ill　become　me；　efter　a'　he's　dune　for　us；　to　steek
the　door　in's　face。　　Na；　na；　as　lang's　I　hae　a　door　to　haud　open；
it's　no　to　be　steekit　to　him。〃

〃Efter　a'；　the　door's　mine；　Dawvid；〃　said　the　laird。

〃As　lang's　I'm　in　your　hoose　an'　in　your　service；　sir；　the　door's
mine；〃　retorted　David；　quietly。

The　laird　turned　and　rode　away　without　another　word。　　What　passed
between　him　and　his　wife　never　transpired。　　Nothing　more　was　said　to
Hugh　as　long　as　he　remained　at　Turriepuffit。　　But　Margaret　was　never
sent　for　to　the　House　after　this；　upon　any　occasion　whatever。　　The
laird　gave　her　a　nod　as　often　as　he　saw　her；　but　the　lady；　if　they
chanced　to　meet；　took　no　notice　of　her。　　Margaret；　on　her　part；
stood　or　passed　with　her　eyes　on　the　ground；　and　no　further　change
of　countenance　than　a　slight　flush　of　discomfort。

The　lessons　went　on　as　usual；　and　happy　hours　they　were　for　all
those　concerned。　　Often；　in　after　years；　and　in　far　different
circumstances；　the　thoughts　of　Hugh　reverted；　with　a　painful
yearning；　to　the　dim…lighted　cottage；　with　its　clay　floor　and　its
deal　table；　to　the　earnest　pair　seated　with　him　at　the　labours　that
unfold　the　motions　of　the　stars；　and　even　to　the　homely；　thickset；
but　active　form　of　Janet；　and　that　peculiar　smile　of　hers　with
which；　after　an　apparently　snappish　speech；　spoken　with　her　back　to
the　person　addressed；　she　would　turn　round　her　honest　face
half…apologetically；　and　shine　full　upon　some　one　or　other　of　the
three；　whom　she　honoured　with　her　whole　heart　and　soul；　and　who；　she
feared；　might　be　offended　at　what　she　called　her　〃hame…ower　fashion
of　speaking。〃　　Indeed　it　was　wonderful　what　a　share　the　motherhood
of　this　woman；　incapable　as　she　was　of　entering　into　the
intellectual　occupations　of　the　others；　had　in　producing　that　sense
of　home…blessedness；　which　inwrapt　Hugh　also　in　the　folds　of　its
hospitality；　and　drew　him　towards　its　heart。　　Certain　it　is　that　not
one　of　the　three　would　have　worked　so　well　without　the　sense　of　the
presence　of　Janet；　here　and　there　about　the　room；　or　in　the
immediate　neighbourhood　of　itlove　watching　over　labour。　　Once　a
week；　always　on　Saturday　nights；　Hugh　stayed　to　supper　with　them：
and　on　these　occasions；　Janet　contrived　to　have　something　better
than　ordinary　in　honour　of　their　guest。　　Still　it　was　of　the
homeliest　country　fare；　such　as　Hugh　could　partake　of　without　the
least　fear　that　his　presence　occasioned　any　inconvenience　to　his
entertainers。　　Nor　was　Hugh　the　only　giver　of　spiritual　food。
Putting　aside　the　rich　gifts　of　human　affection　and　sympathy；　which
grew　more　and　more　pleasantI　can　hardly　use　a　stronger　word
yetto　Hugh　every　day；　many　things　were　spoken　by　the　simple　wisdom
of　David；　which　would　have　enlightened　Hugh　far　more　than　they　did；
had　he　been　sufficiently　advanced　to　receive　them。　　But　their　very
simplicity　was　often　far　beyond　the　grasp　of　his　thoughts；　for　the
higher　we　rise；　the　simpler　we　become；　and　David　was　one　of　those　of
whom　is　the　kingdom　of　Heaven。　　There　is　a　childhood　into　which　we
have　to　grow；　just　as　there　is　a　childhood　which　we　must　leave
behind；　a　childlikeness　which　is　the　highest　gain　of　humanity；　and　a
childishness　from　which　but　few　of　those　who　are　counted　the　wisest
among　men；　have　freed　themselves　in　their　imagined　progress　towards
the　reality　of　things。




CHAPTER　VII。

THE　SECRET　OF　THE　WOOD。

The　unthrift　sunne　shot　vitall　gold；
　　A　thousand　pieces；
And　heaven　its　azure　did　unfold；
　　Chequered　with　snowy　fleeces。
　　　　　The　air　was　all　in　spice；
　　　　　　　And　every　bush
　　　　　A　garland　wore：　Thus　fed　my　Eyes；
　　　　　　　But　all　the　Eare　lay　hush。

HENRY　VAUGHAN。


It　was　not　in　mathematics　alone　that　Hugh　Sutherland　was　serviceable
to　Margaret　Elginbrod。　　That　branch　of　study　had　been　chosen　for　her
father；　not　for　her；　but　her　desire　to　learn　had　led　her　to　lay　hold
upon　any　mental　provision　with　which　the　table　happened　to　be
spread；　and　the　more　eagerly　that　her　father　was　a　guest　at　the　same
feast。　　Before　long；　Hugh　bethought　him　that　it　might　possibly　be　of
service　to　her；　in　the　course　of　her　reading；　if　he　taught　her
English　a　little　more　thoroughly　than　she　had　probably　picked　it　up
at　the　parish　school；　to　which　she　had　been　in　the　habit　of　going
till　within　a　very　short　period　of　her　acquaintance　with　the
tutor。The　English　reader　must　not　suppose　the　term　parish　school
to　mean　what　the　same　term　would　mean　if　used　in　England。　　Boys　and
girls　of　very　different　ranks　go　to　the　Scotch　parish　schools；　and
the　fees　are　so　small　as　to　place　their　education　within　the　reach
of　almost　the　humblest　means。To　his　proposal　to　this　effect
Margaret　responded　thankfully；　and　it　gave　Hugh　an　opportunity　of
directing　her　attention　to　many　of　the　more　delicate　distinctions　in
literature；　for　the　appreciation　of　which　she　manifested　at　once　a
remarkable　aptitude。

Coleridge's　poems　had　been　read　long　ago；　some　of　them；　indeed；
almost　committed　to　memory　in　the　process　of　repeated　perusal。　　No
doubt　a　good　many　of　them　must　have　been　as　yet　too　abstruse　for
her；　not　in　the　least；　however；　from　inaptitude　in　her　for　such
subjects　as　they　treated　of；　but　simply　because　neither　the　terms
nor　the　modes　of　thought　could　possibly　have　been　as　yet　presented
to　her　in　so　many　different　positions　as　to　enable　her　to　comprehend
their　scope。　　Hugh　lent　her　Sir　Walter's　poems　next；　but　those　she
read　at　an　eye…glance。　　She　returned　the　volume　in　a　week；　saying
merely；　they　were　〃verra　bonnie　stories。〃　　He　saw　at　once　that；　to
have　done　them　justice　with　the　girl；　he　ought　to　have　lent　them
first。　　But　that　could　not　be　helped　now；　and　what　should　come　next？
Upon　this　he　took　thought。　　His　library　was　too　small　to　cause　much
perplexity　of　choice；　but　for　a　few　days　he　continued　undecided。

Meantime　the　interest　he　felt　in　his　girl…pupil　deepened　greatly。
She　became　a　kind　of　study　to　him。　　The　expression　of　her
countenance　was　far　inferior　to　her　intelligence　and　power　of
thought。　　It　was　still　to　excessalmost　dull　in　ordinary；　not　from
any　fault　in　the　mould　of　the　features；　except；　perhaps；　in　the
upper　lip；　which　seemed　deficient　in　drawing；　if　I　may　be　allowed
the　expression；　but　from　the　absence　of　that　light　which　indicates
the　presence　of　active　thought　and　feeling　within。　　In　this　respect
her　face　was　like　the　earthen　pitcher　of　Gideon：　it　concealed　the
light。　　She　seemed　to　have；　to　a　peculiar　degree；　the　faculty　of
retiring　inside。　　But　now　and　then；　while　he　was　talking　to　her；　and
doubtful；　from　the　lack　of　expression；　whether　she　was　even
listening　with　attention　to　what　he　was　saying；　her　face　would
lighten　up　with　a　radiant　smile　of　intelligence；　not；　however；
throwing　the　light　upon　him；　and　in　a　moment　reverting　to　its　former
condition　of　still　twilight。　　Her　person　seemed　not　to　be　as　yet
thoroughly　possessed　or　informed　by　her　spirit。　　It　sat　apart　within
her；　and　there　was　no　ready　transit　from　her　heart　to　her　face。
This　lack　of　presence　in　the　face　is　quite　common　in　pretty
school…girls　and　rustic　beauties；　but　it　was　manifest　to　an　unusual
degree　in　the　case　of　Margaret。　　Yet　most　of　the　forms　and　lines　in
her　face　were　lovely；　and　when　the　light　did　shine　through　them　for
a　passing　moment；　her　countenance　seemed　absolutely　beautiful。
Hence　it　grew　into　an　almost　haunting　temptation　with　Hugh；　to　try
to　produce　this　expression；　to　unveil　the　coy　light　of　the　beautiful
soul。　　Often　he　tried；　often　he　failed；　and　sometimes　he　succeeded。
Had　they　been　alone　it　might　have　become　dangerousI　mean　for
Hugh；　I　cannot　tell　for　Margaret。

When　they　first　met；　she　had　just　completed　her　seventeenth　year；
but；　at　an　age　when　a　town…bred　girl　is　all　but　a　woman；　her　manners
were　those　of　a　child。　　This　childishness；　however；　soon　began　to
disappear；　and　the　peculiar　stillness　of　her　face；　of　which　I　have
already　said　so　much；　made　her　seem　older　than　she　was。

It　was　now　early　summer；　and　all　the　other　trees　in　the　woodof
which　there　were　not　many　besides　the　firs　of　various　kindshad　put
on　their　fresh　leaves；　heaped　up　in　green　clouds　between　the
wanderer　and　the　heavens。　　In　the　morning　the　sun　shone　so　clear
upon　these；　that；　to　the　eyes　of　one　standing　beneath；　the　light
seemed　to　dissolve　them　away　to　the　most　ethereal　forms　of　glorified
foliage。　　They　were　to　be　claimed　for　earth　only　by　the　shadows　that
the　one　cast　upon　the　other；　visible　from　below　through　the
transparent　leaf。　　This　effect　is　very　lovely　in　the　young　season　of
the　year；　when　the　leaves　are　more　delicate　and　less　crowded；　and
especially　in　the　early　morning；　when　the　light　is　most　clear　and
penetrating。　　By　the　way；　I　do　not　think　any　man　is　compelled　to　bid
good…bye　to　his　childhood：　every　man　may　feel　young　in　the　morning；
middle…aged　in　the　afternoon；　and　old　at　night。　　A　day　corresponds
to　a　life；　and　the　portions　of　the　one　are　〃pictures　in　little〃　of
the　seasons　of　the　other。　　Thus　far　man　may　rule　even　time；　and
gather　up；　in　a　perfect　being；　youth　and　age　at　once。

One　morning；　about　six　o'clock；　Hugh；　who　had