robert falconer-第23节

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'very　dangerous　speculation；　seeing　no　man　is　to　go　beyond　what　is

written　in　the　Bible；　which　contains　not　only　the　truth；　but　the

whole　truth；　and　nothing　but　the　truth；　for　this　time　and　for　all

future　timeboth　here　and　in　the　world　to　come。'　　Some　such

sentence；　at　least；　was　in　his　sermon　that　day；　and　the　preacher　no

doubt　supposed　St。　Matthew；　not　St。　Matthew　Henry；　accountable　for

its　origination。　　In　the　Limbo　into　which　Robert's　then　spirit　flew；

it　had　been　sorely　exercised　about　the　substitution　of　the

sufferings　of　Christ　for　those　which　humanity　must　else　have　endured

while　ages　rolled　onmere　ripples　on　the　ocean　of　eternity。



'Noo；　be　douce；'　said　Mrs。　Falconer；　solemnly；　as　Robert；　a　trifle

lighter　at　heart　from　the　result　of　his　cogitations　than　usual；　sat

down　to　dinner：　he　had　happened　to　smile　across　the　table　to

Shargar。　　And　he　was　douce；　and　smiled　no　more。



They　ate　their　broth；　or；　more　properly；　supped　it；　with　horn

spoons；　in　absolute　silence；　after　which　Mrs。　Falconer　put　a　large

piece　of　meat　on　the　plate　of　each；　with　the　same　formula：



'Hae。　Ye　s'　get　nae　mair。'



The　allowance　was　ample　in　the　extreme；　bearing　a　relation　to　her

words　similar　to　that　which　her　practice　bore　to　her　theology。　　A

piece　of　cheese；　because　it　was　the　Sabbath；　followed；　and　dinner

was　over。



When　the　table　had　been　cleared　by　Betty；　they　drew　their　chairs　to

the　fire；　and　Robert　had　to　read　to　his　grandmother；　while　Shargar

sat　listening。　　He　had　not　read　long；　however；　before　he　looked　up

from　his　Bible　and　began　the　following　conversation：



'Wasna　it　an　ill　trick　o'　Joseph；　gran'mither；　to　put　that　cup；　an'

a　siller　ane　tu；　into　the　mou'　o'　Benjamin's　seck？'



'What　for　that；　laddie？　　He　wanted　to　gar　them　come　back　again；　ye

ken。'



'But　he　needna　hae　gane　aboot　it　in　sic　a　playactor…like　gait。　　He

needna　hae　latten　them　awa'　ohn　tellt　（without　telling）　them　that　he

was　their　brither。'



'They　had　behaved　verra　ill　till　him。'



'He　used　to　clype　（tell　tales）　upo'　them；　though。'



'Laddie；　tak　ye　care　what　ye　say　aboot　Joseph；　for　he　was　a　teep　o'

Christ。'



'Hoo　was　that；　gran'mither？'



'They　sellt　him　to　the　Ishmeleets　for　siller；　as　Judas　did　him。'



'Did　he　beir　the　sins　o'　them　'at　sellt　him？'



'Ye　may　say；　in　a　mainner；　'at　he　did；　for　he　was　sair　afflickit

afore　he　wan　up　to　be　the　King's　richt　han'；　an'　syne　he　keepit　a

hantle　o'　ill　aff　o'　's　brithren。'



'Sae；　gran'mither；　ither　fowk　nor　Christ　micht　suffer　for　the　sins

o'　their　neebors？'



'Ay；　laddie；　mony　a　ane　has　to　do　that。　　But　no　to　mak　atonement；　ye

ken。　　Naething　but　the　sufferin'　o'　the　spotless　cud　du　that。　　The

Lord　wadna　be　saitisfeet　wi'　less　nor　that。　　It　maun　be　the　innocent

to　suffer　for　the　guilty。'



'I　unnerstan'　that；'　said　Robert；　who　had　heard　it　so　often　that　he

had　not　yet　thought　of　trying　to　understand　it。　'But　gin　we　gang　to

the　gude　place；　we'll　be　a'　innocent；　willna　we；　grannie？'



'Ay；　that　we　willwashed　spotless；　and　pure；　and　clean；　and　dressed

i'　the　weddin'　garment；　and　set　doon　at　the　table　wi'　him　and　wi'

his　Father。　　That's　them　'at　believes　in　him；　ye　ken。'



'Of　coorse；　grannie。Weel；　ye　see；　I　hae　been　thinkin'　o'　a　plan

for　maist　han'　toomin'　（almost　emptying）　hell。'



'What's　i'　the　bairn's　heid　noo？　　Troth；　ye're　no　blate；　meddlin'

wi'　sic　subjecks；　laddie！'



'I　didna　want　to　say　onything　to　vex　ye；　grannie。　　I　s'　gang　on　wi'

the　chapter。'



'Ow；　say　awa'。　　Ye　sanna　say　muckle　'at's　wrang　afore　I　cry　haud；'

said　Mrs。　Falconer；　curious　to　know　what　had　been　moving　in　the

boy's　mind；　but　watching　him　like　a　cat；　ready　to　spring　upon　the

first　visible　hair　of　the　old　Adam。



And　Robert；　recalling　the　outbreak　of　terrible　grief　which　he　had

heard　on　that　memorable　night；　really　thought　that　his　project　would

bring　comfort　to　a　mind　burdened　with　such　care；　and　went　on　with

the　exposition　of　his　plan。



'A'　them　'at　sits　doon　to　the　supper　o'　the　Lamb　'll　sit　there

because　Christ　suffert　the　punishment　due　to　their　sinswinna　they；

grannie？'



'Doobtless；　laddie。'



'But　it'll　he　some　sair　upo'　them　to　sit　there　aitin'　an'　drinkin'

an'　talkin'　awa'；　an'　enjoyin'　themsel's；　whan　ilka　noo　an'　than

there'll　come　a　sough　o'　wailin'　up　frae　the　ill　place；　an'　a　smell

o'　burnin'　ill　to　bide。'



'What　put　that　i'　yer　heid；　laddie？　　There's　no　rizzon　to　think　'at

hell's　sae　near　haven　as　a'　that。　　The　Lord　forbid　it！'



'Weel；　but；　grannie；　they'll　ken　't　a'　the　same；　whether　they　smell

't　or　no。　　An'　I　canna　help　thinkin'　that　the　farrer　awa'　I　thoucht

they　war；　the　waur　I　wad　like　to　think　upo'　them。　'Deed　it　wad　be

waur。'



'What　are　ye　drivin'　at；　laddie？　　I　canna　unnerstan'　ye；'　said　Mrs。

Falconer；　feeling　very　uncomfortable；　and　yet　curious；　almost

anxious；　to　hear　what　would　come　next。　'I　trust　we　winna　hae　to

think　muckle'



But　here；　I　presume；　the　thought　of　the　added　desolation　of　her

Andrew　if　she；　too；　were　to　forget　him；　as　well　as　his　Father　in

heaven；　checked　the　flow　of　her　words。　　She　paused；　and　Robert　took

up　his　parable　and　went　on；　first　with　yet　another　question。



'Duv　ye　think；　grannie；　that　a　body　wad　be　allooed　to　speik　a　word

i'　public；　like；　thereat　the　lang　table；　like；　I　mean？'



'What　for　no；　gin　it　was　dune　wi'　moedesty；　and　for　a　guid　rizzon？

But　railly；　laddie；　I　doobt　ye're　haverin'　a'thegither。　　Ye　hard

naething　like　that；　I'm　sure；　the　day；　frae　Mr。　Maccleary。'



'Na；　na；　he　said　naething　aboot　it。　　But　maybe　I'll　gang　and　speir

at　him；　though。'



'What　aboot？'



'What　I'm　gaein'　to　tell　ye；　grannie。'



'Weel；　tell　awa'；　and　hae　dune　wi'　't。　　I'm　growin'　tired　o'　't。'



It　was　something　else　than　tired　she　was　growing。



'Weel；　I'm　gaein'　to　try　a'　that　I　can　to　win　in　there。'



'I　houp　ye　will。　　Strive　and　pray。　　Resist　the　deevil。　　Walk　in　the

licht。　　Lippen　not　to　yersel'；　but　trust　in　Christ　and　his

salvation。'



'Ay；　ay；　grannie。Weel'



'Are　ye　no　dune　yet？'



'Na。　I'm　but　jist　beginnin'。'



'Beginnin'；　are　ye？　　Humph！'



'Weel；　gin　I　win　in　there；　the　verra　first　nicht　I　sit　doon　wi'　the

lave　o'　them；　I'm　gaein'　to　rise　up　an'　saythat　is；　gin　the

Maister；　at　the　heid　o'　the　table；　disna　bid　me　sit　doonan'　say：

〃Brithers　an'　sisters；　the　haill　o'　ye；　hearken　to　me　for　ae　minute；

an'；　O　Lord！　gin　I　say　wrang；　jist　tak　the　speech　frae　me；　and　I'll

sit　doon　dumb　an'　rebukit。　　We're　a'　here　by　grace　and　no　by　merit；

save　his；　as　ye　a'　ken　better　nor　I　can　tell　ye；　for　ye　hae　been

langer　here　nor　me。　　But　it's　jist　ruggin'　an'　rivin'　at　my　hert　to

think　o'　them　'at's　doon　there。　　Maybe　ye　can　hear　them。　　I　canna。

Noo；　we　hae　nae　merit；　an'　they　hae　nae　merit；　an'　what　for　are　we

here　and　them　there？　　But　we're　washed　clean　and　innocent　noo；　and

noo；　whan　there's　no　wyte　lying　upo'　oursel's；　it　seems　to　me　that

we　micht　beir　some　o'　the　sins　o'　them　'at　hae　ower　mony。　　I　call

upo'　ilk　ane　o'　ye　'at　has　a　frien'　or　a　neebor　down　yonner；　to　rise

up　an'　taste　nor　bite　nor　sup　mair　till　we　gang　up　a'thegither　to

the　fut　o'　the　throne；　and　pray　the　Lord　to　lat's　gang　and　du　as　the

Maister　did　afore　's；　and　beir　their　griefs；　and　cairry　their

sorrows　doon　in　hell　there；　gin　it　maybe　that　they　may　repent　and

get　remission　o'　their　sins；　an'　come　up　here　wi'　us　at　the　lang

last；　and　sit　doon　wi'　's　at　this　table；　a'　throuw　the　merits　o'　oor

Saviour　Jesus　Christ；　at　the　heid　o'　the　table　there。　　Amen。〃'



Half　ashamed　of　his　long　speech；　half　overcome　by　the　feelings

fighting　within　him；　and　altogether　bewildered；　Robert　burst　out

crying　like　a　baby；　and　ran　out　of　the　roomup　to　his　own　place　of

meditation；　where　he　threw　himself　on　the　floor。　　Shargar；　who　had

made　neither　head　nor　tail　of　it　all；　as　he　said　afterwards；　sat

staring　at　Mrs。　Falconer。　　She　rose；　and　going　into　Robert's　little

bedroom；　closed　the　door；　and　what　she　did　there　is　not　far　to　seek。



When　she　came　out；　she　rang　the　bell　for　tea；　and　sent　Shargar　to

look　for　Robert。　　When　he　appeared；　she　was　so　gentle　to　him　that　it

woke　quite　a　new　sensation　in　him。　　But　after　tea　was　over；　she

said：



'Noo；　Robert；　lat's　hae　nae　mair　o'　this。　　Ye　ken　as　weel　's　I　du

that　them　'at　gangs　there　their　doom　is　fixed；　and　noething　can

alter　't。　　An'　we're　not　to　alloo　oor　ain　fancies　to　cairry　's　ayont

the　Scripter。　　We　hae　oor　ain　salvation　to　work　oot　wi'　fear　an'

trimlin'。　　We　hae　naething　to　do　wi'　what's　hidden。　　Luik　ye　till　't

'at　ye　win　in　yersel'。　　That's　eneuch　for　you　to　min'。Shargar；　ye

can　gang　to　the　kirk。　　Robert's　to　bide　wi'　me　the　nicht。'



Mrs。　Falconer　very　rarely　went　to　church；　for　she　could　not　hear　a

word；　and　found　it　irksome。



When　Robert　and　she　were　alone　together；



'Laddie；'　she　said；　'be　ye　waure　o'　judgin'　the　Almichty。　　What

luiks　to　you　a'　wrang　may　be　a'　richt。