robert falconer-第53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！



come　and　go　in　the　brain　of　a　child！before　it　will　let　a　man　know

wherein　one　face　differeth　from　another　face　in　glory！　　I　suspect；

however；　that　for　such　purposes　it　is　rather　music　than　articulation

that　is　needfulthat；　with　a　hope　of　these　finer　results；　the

language　must　rather　be　turned　into　music　than　logically　extended。



The　next　morning　he　awoke　at　early　dawn；　hearing　the　birds　at　his

window。　　He　rose　and　went　out。　　The　air　was　clear　and　fresh　as　a

new…made　soul。　　Bars　of　mottled　cloud　were　bent　across　the　eastern

quarter　of　the　sky；　which　lay　like　a　great　ethereal　ocean　ready　for

the　launch　of　the　ship　of　glory　that　was　now　gliding　towards　its

edge。　　Everything　was　waiting　to　conduct　him　across　the　far　horizon

to　the　south；　where　lay　the　stored…up　wonder　of　his　coming　life。

The　lark　sang　of　something　greater　than　he　could　tell；　the　wind　got

up；　whispered　at　it；　and　lay　down　to　sleep　again；　the　sun　was　at

hand　to　bathe　the　world　in　the　light　and　gladness　alone　fit　to

typify　the　radiance　of　Robert's　thoughts。　　The　clouds　that　formed

the　shore　of　the　upper　sea　were　already　burning　from　saffron　into

gold。　　A　moment　more　and　the　first　insupportable　sting　of　light

would　shoot　from　behind　the　edge　of　that　low　blue　hill；　and　the

first　day　of　his　new　life　would　be　begun。　　He　watched；　and　it　came。

The　well…spring　of　day；　fresh　and　exuberant　as　if　now　first　from

the　holy　will　of　the　Father　of　Lights；　gushed　into　the　basin　of　the

world；　and　the　world　was　more　glad　than　tongue　or　pen　can　tell。　　The

supernal　light　alone；　dawning　upon　the　human　heart；　can　exceed　the

marvel　of　such　a　sunrise。



And　shall　life　itself　be　less　beautiful　than　one　of　its　days？　　Do

not　believe　it；　young　brother。　　Men　call　the　shadow；　thrown　upon　the

universe　where　their　own　dusky　souls　come　between　it　and　the　eternal

sun；　life；　and　then　mourn　that　it　should　be　less　bright　than　the

hopes　of　their　childhood。　　Keep　thou　thy　soul　translucent；　that　thou

mayest　never　see　its　shadow；　at　least　never　abuse　thyself　with　the

philosophy　which　calls　that　shadow　life。　　Or；　rather　would　I　say；

become　thou　pure　in　heart；　and　thou　shalt　see　God；　whose　vision

alone　is　life。



Just　as　the　sun　rushed　across　the　horizon　he　heard　the　tramp　of　a

heavy　horse　in　the　yard；　passing　from　the　stable　to　the　cart　that

was　to　carry　his　trunk　to　the　turnpike　road；　three　miles　off；　where

the　coach　would　pass。　　Then　Miss　Lammie　came　and　called　him　to

breakfast；　and　there　sat　the　farmer　in　his　Sunday　suit　of　black；

already　busy。　　Robert　was　almost　too　happy　to　eat；　yet　he　had　not

swallowed　two　mouthfuls　before　the　sun　rose　unheeded；　the　lark　sang

unheeded；　and　the　roses　sparkled　with　the　dew　that　bowed　yet　lower

their　heavy　heads；　all　unheeded。　　By　the　time　they　had　finished；　Mr。

Lammie's　gig　was　at　the　door；　and　they　mounted　and　followed　the

cart。　　Not　even　the　recurring　doubt　and　fear　that　hollowness　was　at

the　heart　of　it　all；　for　that　God　could　not　mean　such　reinless

gladness；　prevented　the　truth　of　the　present　joy　from　sinking　deep

into　the　lad's　heart。　　In　his　mind　he　saw　a　boat　moored　to　a　rock；

with　no　one　on　board；　heaving　on　the　waters　of　a　rising　tide；　and

waiting　to　bear　him　out　on　the　sea　of　the　unknown。　　The　picture

arose　of　itself：　there　was　no　paradise　of　the　west　in　his

imagination；　as　in　that　of　a　boy　of　the　sixteenth　century；　to

authorize　its　appearance。　　It　rose　again　and　again；　the　dew

glittered　as　if　the　light　were　its　own；　the　sun　shone　as　he　had

never　seen　him　shine　before；　the　very　mare　that　sped　them　along　held

up　her　head　and　stepped　out　as　if　she　felt　it　the　finest　of

mornings。　　Had　she　also　a　future；　poor　old　mare？　　Might　there　not　be

a　paradise　somewhere？　and　if　in　the　furthest　star　instead　of

next…door　America；　why；　so　much　the　more　might　the　Atlantis　of　the

nineteenth　century　surpass　Manoa　the　golden　of　the　seventeenth！



The　gig　and　the　cart　reached　the　road　together。　　One　of　the　men　who

had　accompanied　the　cart　took　the　gig；　and　they　were　left　on　the

road…side　with　Robert's　trunk　and　boxthe　latter　a　present　from

Miss　Lammie。



Their　places　had　been　secured；　and　the　guard　knew　where　he　had　to

take　them　up。　　Long　before　the　coach　appeared；　the　notes　of　his

horn；　as　like　the　colour　of　his　red　coat　as　the　blindest　of　men

could　imagine；　came　echoing　from　the　side　of　the　heathery；　stony

hill　under　which　they　stood；　so　that　Robert　turned　wondering；　as　if

the　chariot　of　his　desires　had　been　coming　over　the　top　of

Drumsnaig；　to　carry　him　into　a　heaven　where　all　labour　was　delight。

But　round　the　corner　in　front　came　the　four…in…hand　red　mail

instead。　　She　pulled　up　gallantly；　the　wheelers　lay　on　their　hind

quarters；　and　the　leaders　parted　theirs　from　the　pole；　the　boxes

were　hoisted　up；　Mr。　Lammie　climbed；　and　Robert　scrambled　to　his

seat；　the　horn　blew；　the　coachman　spake　oracularly；　the　horses

obeyed；　and　away　went　the　gorgeous　symbol　of　sovereignty　careering

through　the　submissive　region。　　Nor　did　Robert's　delight　abate

during　the　journeycertainly　not　when　he　saw　the　blue　line　of　the

sea　in　the　distance；　a　marvel　and　yet　a　fact。



Mrs。　Falconer　had　consulted　the　Misses　Napier；　who　had　many

acquaintances　in　Aberdeen；　as　to　a　place　proper　for　Robert；　and

suitable　to　her　means。　　Upon　this　point　Miss　Letty；　not　without　a

certain　touch　of　design；　as　may　appear　in　the　course　of　my　story；

had　been　able　to　satisfy　her。　　In　a　small　house　of　two　floors　and　a

garret；　in　the　old　town；　Mr。　Lammie　took　leave　of　Robert。



It　was　from　a　garret　window　still；　but　a　storm…window　now　that

Robert　lookedeastward　across　fields　and　sand…hills；　to　the　blue

expanse　of　watersnot　blue　like　southern　seas；　but　slaty　blue；　like

the　eyes　of　northmen。　　It　was　rather　dreary；　the　sun　was　shining

from　overhead　now；　casting　short　shadows　and　much　heat；　the　dew　was

gone　up；　and　the　lark　had　come　down；　he　was　alone；　the　end　of　his

journey　was　come；　and　was　not　anything　very　remarkable。　　His

landlady　interrupted　his　gaze　to　know　what　he　would　have　for　dinner；

but　he　declined　to　use　any　discretion　in　the　matter。　　When　she　left

the　room　he　did　not　return　to　the　window；　but　sat　down　upon　his　box。

His　eye　fell　upon　the　other；　a　big　wooden　cube。　　Of　its　contents　he

knew　nothing。　　He　would　amuse　himself　by　making　inquisition。　　It　was

nailed　up。　　He　borrowed　a　screwdriver　and　opened　it。　　At　the　top　lay

a　linen　bag　full　of　oatmeal；　underneath　that　was　a　thick　layer　of

oat…cake；　underneath　that　two　cheeses；　a　pound　of　butter；　and　six

pots　of　jam；　which　ought　to　have　tasted　of　roses；　for　it　came　from

the　old　garden　where　the　roses　lived　in　such　sweet　companionship

with　the　currant　bushes；　underneath　that；　&c。；　and　underneath；　&c。；

a　box　which　strangely　recalled　Shargar's　garret；　and　one　of　the

closets　therein。　　With　beating　heart　he　opened　it；　and　lo；　to　his

marvel；　and　the　restoration　of　all　the　fair　day；　there　was　the

violin　which　Dooble　Sanny　had　left　him　when　he　forsook　her　forsome

one　or　other　of　the　queer　instruments　of　Fra　Angelico's　angels？



In　a　flutter　of　delight　he　sat　down　on　his　trunk　again　and　played

the　most　mournful　of　tunes。　　Two　white　pigeons；　which　had　been

talking　to　each　other　in　the　heat　on　the　roof；　came　one　on　each　side

of　the　window　and　peeped　into　the　room；　and　out　between　them；　as　he

played；　Robert　saw　the　sea；　and　the　blue　sky　above　it。　　Is　it　any

wonder　that；　instead　of　turning　to　the　lying　pages　and　contorted

sentences　of　the　Livy　which　he　had　already　unpacked　from　his　box；　he

forgot　all　about　school；　and　college；　and　bursary；　and　went　on

playing　till　his　landlady　brought　up　his　dinner；　which　he　swallowed

hastily　that　he　might　return　to　the　spells　of　his　enchantress！









CHAPTER　V。



THE　COMPETITION。



I　could　linger　with　gladness　even　over　this　part　of　my　hero's

history。　　If　the　school　work；　was　dry　it　was　thorough。　　If　that

academy　had　no　sweetly　shadowing　trees；　if　it　did　stand　within　a

parallelogram　of　low　stone　walls；　containing　a　roughly…gravelled

court；　if　all　the　region　about　suggested　hot　stones　and　sandbeyond

still　was　the　sea　and　the　sky；　and　that　court；　morning　and

afternoon；　was　filled　with　the　shouts　of　eager　boys；　kicking　the

football　with　mad　rushings　to　and　fro；　and　sometimes　with　wounds　and

faintingsfit　symbol　of　the　equally　resultless　ambition　with　which

many　of　them　would　follow　the　game　of　life　in　the　years　to　come。

Shock…headed　Highland　colts；　and　rough　Lowland　steers　as　many　of

them　were；　out　of　that　group；　out　of　the　roughest　of　them；　would

emerge　in　time　a　few　gentlemennot　of　the　type　of　your　trim；

self…contained；　clerical　exquisitebut　large…hearted；　courteous

gentlemen；　for　whom　a　man　may　thank　God。　And　if　the　master　was　stern

and　hard；　he　was　true；　if　the　pupils　feared　him；　they　yet　cared　to

please　him；　if　there　might　be　found　not　a　few　more　widely…read

scholars　than　he；　it　would　be　hard　to　find　a　better　teacher。



Robert