donal grant-第18节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


til　himsel'　no　to　rin；　he　pat　oot　mair　nor　his　han'　upo'　them　'at
cam　to　tak　him：　he　strak　them　sair　wi'　the　pooer　itsel'　'at　muvs　a'
airms。　　But　no　varra　sair　naitherhe　but　knockit　them　doon！jist
to　lat　them　ken　they　war　to　du　as　he　bade　them；　an'　lat　his　fowk
be；an'　maybe　to　lat　them　ken　'at　gien　he　loot　them　tak　him；　it　was
no　'at　he　couldna　hin'er　them　gien　he　likit。　　I　canna　help　thinkin'
we　may　stan'　up　for　ither　fowk。　　An'　I'm　no　sayin'　'at　we　arena　to
defen'　oorsels　frae　a　set　attack　wi'　design。But　there's　something
o'　mair　importance　yet　nor　kennin'　the　richt　o'　ony　queston。〃

〃What　can　that　be？　　What　can　be　o'　mair　importance　nor　doin'　richt
i'　the　sicht　o'　God？〃　said　Donal。

〃Bein'　richt　wi'　the　varra　thoucht　o'　God；　sae　'at　we　canna　mistak；
but　maun　ken　jist　what　he　wad　hae　dune。　　That's　the　big　Richt；　the
mother　o'　a'　the　lave　o'　the　richts。　　That's　to　be　as　the　maister
was。　　Onygait；　whatever　we　du；　it　maun　be　sic　as　to　be　dune；　an'　it
maun　be　dune　i'　the　name　o'　God；　whan　we　du　naething　we　maun　du　that
naething　i'　the　name　o'　God。　A　body　may　weel　say；　'O　Lord；　thoo
hasna　latten　me　see　what　I　oucht　to　du；　sae　I'll　du　naething！'　　Gien
a　man　ought　to　defen'　himsel'；　but　disna　du　't；　'cause　he　thinks　God
wadna　hae　him　du　't；　wull　God　lea'　him　oondefent　for　that？　　Or　gien
a　body　stan's　up　i'　the　name　o'　God；　an'　fronts　an　airmy　o'　enemies；
div　ye　think　God　'ill　forsake　him　'cause　he　's　made　a　mistak？
Whatever's　dune　wantin'　faith　maun　be　sinit　canna　help　it；
whatever's　dune　in　faith　canna　be　sin；　though　it　may　be　a　mistak。
Only　latna　a　man　tak　presumption　for　faith！　that's　a　fearsome
mistak；　for　it's　jist　the　opposite。〃

〃I　thank　ye；〃　said　Donal。　〃I'll　consider　wi'　my　best　endeevour　what
ye　hae　said。〃

〃But　o'　a'　things；〃　resumed　the　cobbler；　〃luik　'at　ye　lo'e　fairplay。
Fairplay　's　a　won'erfu'　worda　gran'　thing　constantly　lost　sicht
o'。　　Man；　I　hae　been　tryin'　to　win　at　the　duin'　o'　the　richt　this
mony　a　year；　but　I　daurna　yet　lat　mysel'　ac'　upo'　the　spur　o'　the
moment　whaur　my　ain　enterest　's　concernt：　my　ain　side　micht　yet
blin'　me　to　the　ither　man's　side　o'　the　business。　　Onybody　can
un'erstan'　his　ain　richt；　but　it　taks　trible　an'　thoucht　to
un'erstan'　what　anither　coonts　his　richt。　　Twa　richts　canna　weel
clash。　　It's　a　wrang　an'　a　richt；　or　pairt　wrang　an'　a　pairt　richt
'at　clashes。〃

〃Gien　a'body　did　that；　I　doobt　there　wad　be　feow　fortins　made！〃　said
Donal。

〃Aboot　that　I　canna　say；　no　kennin'；　I　daurna　discover　a　law　whaur　I
haena　knowledge！　　But　this　same　fairplay　lies；　alang　wi'　love；　at
the　varra　rute　and　f'undation　o'　the　universe。　　The　theologians　had
a　glimmer　o'　the　fac'　whan　they　made　sae　muckle　o'　justice；　only
their　justice　is　sic　a　meeserable　sma'　bit　plaister　eemage　o'
justice；　'at　it　maist　gars　an　honest　body　lauch。　　They　seem　to　me
like　shepherds　'at　rive　doon　the　door…posts；　an'　syne　block　up　the
door　wi'　them。〃

Donal　told　him　of　the　quarrel　he　had　had　with　lord　Forgue；　and　asked
him　whether　he　thought　he　had　done　right。

〃Weel；〃　answered　the　cobbler；　〃I'm　as　far　frae　blamin'　you　as　I　am
frae　justifeein'　the　yoong　lord。〃

〃He　seems　to　me　a　fine　kin'　o'　a　lad；〃　said　Donal；　〃though　some
owerbeirin'。〃

〃The　likes　o'　him　are　mair　to　be　excused　for　that　nor　ither　fowk；
for　they　hae　great　disadvantages　i'　the　position　an'　the　upbringin'。
It's　no　easy　for　him　'at's　broucht　up　a　lord　to　believe　he's　jist
ane　wi'　the　lave。〃

Donal　went　for　a　stroll　through　the　town；　and　met　the　minister；　but
he　took　no　notice　of　him。　　He　was　greatly　annoyed　at　the　march　which
he　said　the　fellow　had　stolen　upon　him；　and　regarded　him　as　one　who
had　taken　an　unfair　advantage　of　him。　　But　he　had　little　influence
at　the　castle。　　The　earl　never　by　any　chance　went　to　church。　　His
niece；　lady　Arctura；　did；　however；　and　held　the　minister　for　an
authority　at　things　spiritualone　of　whom　living　water　was　to　be
had　without　money　and　without　price。　　But　what　she　counted　spiritual
things　were　very　common　earthly　stuff；　and　for　the　water；　it　was　but
stagnant　water　from　the　ditches　of　a　sham　theology。　　Only　what　was　a
poor　girl　to　do　who　did　not　know　how　to　feed　herself；　but　apply　to
one　who　pretended　to　be　able　to　feed　others？　　How　was　she　to　know
that　he　could　not　even　feed　himself？　　Out　of　many　a　difficulty　she
thought　he　helped　heronly　the　difficulty　would　presently　clasp　her
again；　and　she　must　deal　with　it　as　she　best　could；　until　a　new　one
made　her　forget　it；　and　go　to　the　minister；　or　rather　to　his
daughter；　again。　　She　was　one　of　those　who　feel　the　need　of　some
help　to　livesome　upholding　that　is　not　of　themselves；　but　who；
through　the　stupidity　of　teachers　unconsciously　false；men　so　unfit
that　they　do　not　know　they　are　unfit；　direct　their　efforts；　first
towards　having　correct　notions；　then　to　work　up　the　feelings　that
belong　to　those　notions。　　She　was　an　honest　girl　so　far　as　she　had
been　taughtperhaps　not　so　far　as　she　might　have　been　without
having　been　taught。　　How　was　she　to　think　aright　with　scarce　a
glimmer　of　God's　truth？　　How　was　she　to　please　God；　as　she　called
it；　who　thought　of　him　in　a　way　repulsive　to　every　loving　soul？　　How
was　she　to　be　accepted　of　God；　who　did　not　accept　her　own　neighbour；
but　looked　down；　without　knowing　it；　upon　so　many　of　her
fellow…creatures？　　How　should　such　a　one　either　enjoy　or　recommend
her　religion？　　It　would　have　been　the　worse　for　her　if　she　had
enjoyed　itthe　worse　for　others　if　she　had　recommended　it！
Religion　is　simply　the　way　home　to　the　Father。　　There　was　little　of
the　path　in　her　religion　except　the　difficulty　of　it。　　The　true　way
is　difficult　enough　because　of　our　unchildlikenessuphill；　steep；
and　difficult；　but　there　is　fresh　life　on　every　surmounted　height；　a
purer　air　gained；　ever　more　life　for　more　climbing。　　But　the　path
that　is　not　the　true　one　is　not　therefore　easy。　　Up　hill　is　hard
walking；　but　through　a　bog　is　worse。　　Those　who　seek　God　with　their
faces　not　even　turned　towards　him；　who；　instead　of　beholding　the
Father　in　the　Son；　take　the　stupidest　opinions　concerning　him　and
his　ways　from　other　menwhat　should　they　do　but　go　wandering　on
dark　mountains；　spending　their　strength　in　avoiding　precipices　and
getting　out　of　bogs；　mourning　and　sighing　over　their　sins　instead　of
leaving　them　behind　and　fleeing　to　the　Father；　whom　to　know　is
eternal　life。　　Did　they　but　set　themselves　to　find　out　what　Christ
knew　and　meant　and　commanded；　and　then　to　do　it；　they　would　soon
forget　their　false　teachers。　　But　alas！　they　go　on　bowing　before
long…faced；　big…worded　authoritythe　more　fatally　when　it　is
embodied　in　a　good　man　who；　himself　a　victim　to　faith　in　men；　sees
the　Son　of　God　only　through　the　theories　of　others；　and　not　with　the
sight　of　his　own　spiritual　eyes。

Donal　had　not　yet　seen　the　lady。　　He　neither　ate；　sat；　nor　held
intercourse　with　the　family。　　Away　from　Davie；　he　spent　his　time　in
his　tower　chamber；　or　out　of　doors。　　All　the　grounds　were　open　to
him　except　a　walled　garden　on　the　south…eastern　slope；　looking
towards　the　sea；　which　the　earl　kept　for　himself；　though　he　rarely
walked　in　it。　　On　the　side　of　the　hill　away　from　the　town；　was　a
large　park　reaching　down　to　the　river；　and　stretching　a　long　way　up
its　bankwith　fine　trees；　and　glorious　outlooks　to　the　sea　in　one
direction；　and　to　the　mountains　in　the　other。　　Here　Donal　would
often　wander；　now　with　a　book；　now　with　Davie。　　The　boy's　presence
was　rarely　an　interruption　to　his　thoughts　when　he　wanted　to　think。
Sometimes　he　would　thrown　himself　on　the　grass　and　read　aloud；　then
Davie　would　throw　himself　beside　him；　and　let　the　words　he　could　not
understand　flow　over　him　in　a　spiritual　cataract。　　On　the　river　was
a　boat；　and　though　at　first　he　was　awkward　enough　in　the　use　of　the
oars；　he　was　soon　able　to　enjoy　thoroughly　a　row　up　or　down　the
stream；　especially　in　the　twilight。

He　was　alone　with　his　book　under　a　beech…tree　on　a　steep　slope　to
the　river；　the　day　after　his　affair　with　lord　Forgue：　reading　aloud；
he　did　not　hear　the　approach　of　his　lordship。

〃Mr。　Grant；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　say　you　are　sorry　you　threw　me
from　my　horse；　I　will　say　I　am　sorry　I　struck　you。〃

〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　said　Donal；　rising；　〃that　it　was　necessary　to
throw　you　from　your　horse；　and　perhaps　your　lordship　may　remember
that　you　struck　me　before　I　did　so。〃

〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　I　propose　an　accommodation；　or
compromise；　or　what　you　choose　to　call　it：　if　you　will　do　the　one；　I
will　do　the　other。〃

〃What　I　think　I　ought　to　do；　my　lord；　I　do　without　bargaining。　　I　am
not　sorry　I　threw　you　from　your　horse；　and　to　say　so　would　be　to
lie。〃

〃Of　course　everybody　thinks　himself　in　the　right！〃　said　his　lordship
with　a　small　sneer。

〃It　does　not　follow　that　no　one　is　ever　in　the　right！〃　returned
Donal。　〃Does　your　lordship　think　you　were　in　the　righteither
towards　me　or　the　poor　animal　who　could　not　obey　you　because　he　was
in　torture？〃

〃I　don't　say　I　do。〃

〃Then　everybody　does　not　think　himself　in　the　right！　　I　take　your
lordship's　admission　as　an　apology。〃

〃By　no　means：　when　I　make　an　apology；　I　will　do　it；　I　will　not　sneak
out　of　it。〃

He　was　evidently　at　strife　with　hims