robert falconer-第51节

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magnified　the　law；　and　made　it　honourable；　while　of　the　special

tenderness　of　God　to　the　sinner　he　said　not　a　word。　　Robert　was

offended；　he　scarcely　knew　why；　with　the　minister's　mode　of　treating

his　friend；　and　after　Mr。　Maccleary　had　taken　a　far　kinder　leave　of

them　than　God　could　approve；　if　he　resembled　his　representation；

Robert　sat　still；　oppressed　with　darkness。



'It's　a'　true；'　said　the　soutar；　'but；　man　Robert；　dinna　ye　think

the　minister　was　some　sair　upo'　me？'



'I　duv　think　it；'　answered　Robert。



'Something　beirs　't　in　upo'　me　'at　he　wadna　be　sae　sair　upo'　me

himsel'。　　There's　something　i'　the　New　Testament；　some　gait；　'at's

pitten　't　into　my　heid；　though；　faith；　I　dinna　ken　whaur　to　luik　for

't。　　Canna　ye　help　me　oot　wi'　't；　man？'



Robert　could　think　of　nothing　but　the　parable　of　the　prodigal　son。

Mrs。　Alexander　got　him　the　New　Testament；　and　he　read　it。　　She　sat

at　the　foot　of　the　bed　listening。



'There！'　cried　the　soutar；　triumphantly；　'I　telled　ye　sae！　　Not　ae

word　aboot　the　puir　lad's　sins！　　It　was　a'　a　hurry　an'　a　scurry　to

get　the　new　shune　upo'　'im；　an'　win　at　the　calfie　an'　the　fiddlin'

an'　the　dancin'。O　Lord；'　he　broke　out；　'I'm　comin'　hame　as　fest　's

I　can；　but　my　sins　are　jist　like　muckle　bauchles　（shoes　down　at

heel）　upo'　my　feet　and　winna　lat　me。　　I　expec'　nae　ring　and　nae

robe；　but　I　wad　fain　hae　a　fiddle　i'　my　grup　when　the　neist　prodigal

comes　hame；　an'　gin　I　dinna　fiddle　weel；　it　s'　no　be　my　wyte。Eh；

man！　but　that　is　what　I　ca'　gude；　an'　a'　the　minister　saidhonest

man's　jist　blether　till　't。O　Lord；　I　sweir　gin　ever　I　win　up

again；　I'll　put　in　ilka　steek　（stitch）　as　gin　the　shune　war　for　the

feet　o'　the　prodigal　himsel'。　　It　sall　be　gude　wark；　O　Lord。　An'

I'll　never　lat　taste　o'　whusky　intil　my　mou'nor　smell　o'　whusky

intil　my　nose；　gin　sae　be　'at　I　can　help　itI　sweir　't；　O　Lord。　An'

gin　I　binna　raised　up　again'



Here　his　voice　trembled　and　ceased；　and　silence　endured　for　a　short

minute。　　Then　he　called　his　wife。



'Come　here；　Bell。　Gie　me　a　kiss；　my　bonny　lass。　　I　hae　been　an　ill

man　to　you。'



'Na；　na；　Sandy。　　Ye　hae　aye　been　gude　to　mebetter　nor　I　deserved。

Ye　hae　been　naebody's　enemy　but　yer　ain。'



'Haud　yer　tongue。　　Ye're　speykin'　waur　blethers　nor　the　minister；

honest　man！　　I　tell　ye　I　hae　been　a　damned　scoon'rel　to　ye。　　I　haena

even　hauden　my　han's　aff　o'　ye。　　And　eh！　ye　war　a　bonny　lass　whan　I

merried　ye。　　I　hae　blaudit　（spoiled）　ye　a'thegither。　　But　gin　I　war

up；　see　gin　I　wadna　gie　ye　a　new　goon；　an'　that　wad　be　something　to

make　ye　like　yersel'　again。　　I'm　affrontet　wi'　mysel'　'at　I　had　been

sic　a　brute　o'　a　man　to　ye。　　But　ye　maun　forgie　me　noo；　for　I　do

believe　i'　my　hert　'at　the　Lord's　forgien　me。　　Gie　me　anither　kiss；

lass。　　God　be　praised；　and　mony　thanks　to　you！　　Ye　micht　hae　run

awa'　frae　me　lang　or　noo；　an'　a'body　wad　hae　said　ye　did

richt。Robert；　play　a　spring。'



Absorbed　in　his　own　thoughts；　Robert　began　to　play　The　Ewie　wi'　the

Crookit　Horn。



'Hoots！　hoots！'　cried　Sandy　angrily。　'What　are　ye　aboot？　　Nae　mair

o'　that。　　I　hae　dune　wi'　that。　　What's　i'　the　heid　o'　ye；　man？'



'What'll　I　play　than；　Sandy？'　asked　Robert　meekly。



'Play　The　Lan'　o'　the　Leal；　or　My　Nannie's　awa；'；　or　something　o'

that　kin'。　　I'll　be　leal　to　ye　noo；　Bell。　An'　we　winna　pree　o'　the

whusky　nae　mair；　lass。'



'I　canna　bide　the　smell　o'　't；'　cried　Bell；　sobbing。



Robert　struck　in　with　The　Lan'　o'　the　Leal。　When　he　had　played　it

over　two　or　three　times；　he　laid　the　fiddle　in　its　place；　and

departedable　just　to　see；　by　the　light　of　the　neglected　candle；

that　Bell　sat　on　the　bedside　stroking　the　rosiny　hand　of　her

husband；　the　rhinoceros…hide　of　which　was　yet　delicate　enough　to　let

the　love　through　to　his　heart。



After　this　the　soutar　never　called　his　fiddle　his　auld　wife。



Robert　walked　home　with　his　head　sunk　on　his　breast。　　Dooble　Sanny；

the　drinking；　ranting；　swearing　soutar；　was　inside　the　wicket…gate；

and　he　was　left　outside　for　all　his　prayers；　with　the　arrows　from

the　castle　of　Beelzebub　sticking　in　his　back。　　He　would　have　another

try　some　daybut　not　yethe　dared　not　yet。



Henceforth　Robert　had　more　to　do　in　reading　the　New　Testament　than

in　the　fiddle　to　the　soutar；　though　they　never　parted　without　an　air

or　two。　　Sandy　continued　hopeful　and　generally　cheerful；　with

alternations　which　the　reading　generally　fixed　on　the　right　side　for

the　night。　　Robert　never　attempted　any　comments；　but　left　him　to

take　from　the　word　what　nourishment　he　could。　　There　was　no　return

of　strength　to　the　helpless　arm；　and　his　constitution　was　gradually

yielding。



The　rumour　got　abroad　that　he　was　a　'changed　character；'how　is　not

far　to　seek；　for　Mr。　Maccleary　fancied　himself　the　honoured

instrument　of　his　conversion；　whereas　paralysis　and　the　New

Testament　were　the　chief　agents；　and　even　the　violin　had　more　share

in　it　than　the　minister。　　For　the　spirit　of　God　lies　all　about　the

spirit　of　man　like　a　mighty　sea；　ready　to　rush　in　at　the　smallest

chink　in　the　walls　that　shut　him　out　from　his　ownwalls　which　even

the　tone　of　a　violin　afloat　on　the　wind　of　that　spirit　is　sometimes

enough　to　rend　from　battlement　to　base；　as　the　blast　of　the　rams'

horns　rent　the　walls　of　Jericho。　　And　now　to　the　day　of　his　death；

the　shoemaker　had　need　of　nothing。　　Food；　wine；　and　delicacies　were

sent　him　by　many　who；　while　they　considered　him　outside　of　the

kingdom；　would　have　troubled　themselves　in　no　way　about　him。　　What

with　visits　of　condolence　and　flattery；　inquiries　into　his

experience；　and　long　prayers　by　his　bedside；　they　now　did　their　best

to　send　him　back　among　the　swine。　　The　soutar's　humour；　however；

aided　by　his　violin；　was　a　strong　antidote　against　these　evil

influences。



'I　doobt　I'm　gaein'　to　dee；　Robert；'　he　said　at　length　one　evening

as　the　lad　sat　by　his　bedside。



'Weel；　that　winna　do　ye　nae　ill；'　answered　Robert；　adding　with　just

a　touch　of　bitterness'ye　needna　care　aboot　that。'



'I　do　not　care　aboot　the　deein'　o'　't。　　But　I　jist　want　to　live　lang

eneuch　to　lat　the　Lord　ken　'at　I'm　in　doonricht　earnest　aboot　it。　　I

hae　nae　chance　o'　drinkin'　as　lang's　I'm　lyin'　here。'



'Never　ye　fash　yer　heid　aboot　that。　　Ye　can　lippen　（trust）　that　to

him；　for　it's　his　ain　business。　　He'll　see　'at　ye're　a'　richt。

Dinna　ye　think　'at　he'll　lat　ye　aff。'



'The　Lord　forbid；'　responded　the　soutar　earnestly。　'It　maun　be　a'

pitten　richt。　　It　wad　be　dreidfu'　to　be　latten　aff。　　I　wadna　hae　him

content　wi'　cobbler's　wark。I　hae　't；'　he　resumed；　after　a　few

minutes'　pause；　'the　Lord's　easy　pleased；　but　ill　to　saitisfee。　　I'm

sair　pleased　wi'　your　playin'；　Robert；　but　it's　naething　like　the

richt　thing　yet。　　It　does　me　gude　to　hear　ye；　though；　for　a'　that。'



The　very　next　night　he　found　him　evidently　sinking　fast。　　Robert

took　the　violin；　and　was　about　to　play；　but　the　soutar　stretched　out

his　one　left　hand；　and　took　it　from　him；　laid　it　across　his　chest

and　his　arm　over　it；　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　he　were　bidding　it

farewell；　then　held　it　out　to　Robert；　saying；



'Hae；　Robert。　　She's　yours。Death's　a　sair　divorce。Maybe　they　'll

hae　an　orra3　fiddle　whaur　I'm　gaein'；　though。　　Think　o'　a　Rothieden

soutar　playin'　afore　his　grace！'



Robert　saw　that　his　mind　was　wandering；　and　mingled　the　paltry

honours　of　earth　with　the　grand　simplicities　of　heaven。　　He　began　to

play　The　Land　o'　the　Leal。　For　a　little　while　Sandy　seemed　to　follow

and　comprehend　the　tones；　but　by　slow　degrees　the　light　departed

from　his　face。　　At　length　his　jaw　fell；　and　with　a　sigh；　the　body

parted　from　Dooble　Sanny；　and　he　went　to　God。



His　wife　closed　mouth　and　eyes　without　a　word；　laid　the　two　arms；

equally　powerless　now；　straight　by　his　sides；　then　seating　herself

on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　said；



'Dinna　bide；　Robert。　　It's　a'　ower　noo。　　He's　gang　hame。　　Gin　I　war

only　wi'　'im　wharever　he　is！'



She　burst　into　tears；　but　dried　her　eyes　a　moment　after；　and　seeing

that　Robert　still　lingered；　said；



'Gang；　Robert；　an'　sen'　Mistress　Downie　to　me。　　Dinna　greitthere's

a　gude　lad；　but　tak　yer　fiddle　an'　gang。　　Ye　can　be　no　more　use。'



Robert　obeyed。　　With　his　violin　in　his　hand；　he　went　home；　and；　with

his　violin　still　in　his　hand；　walked　into　his　grandmother's　parlour。



'Hoo　daur　ye　bring　sic　a　thing　into　my　hoose？'　she　said；　roused　by

the　apparent　defiance　of　her　grandson。　'Hoo　daur　ye；　efter　what's

come　an'　gane？'



''Cause　Dooble　Sanny's　come　and　gane；　grannie；　and　left　naething　but

this　ahint　him。　　And　this　ane's　mine；　whase　ever　the　ither　micht　be。

His　wife's　left　wi'oot　a　plack；　an'　I　s'　warran'　the　gude　fowk　o'

Rothieden　winna　mak　sae　muckle　o'　her　noo　'at　her　man's　awa'；　for

she　never　was　sic　a　randy　as　he　was；　an'　the　triumph　o'　grace　in　her

's　but　sma'；　therefore。　　Sae　I　maun　mak　the　best　'at　I　can　o'　the

fiddle　for　her。　　An'　ye　maunna　touch　this　ane；　grannie；　for　though

ye　way