robert falconer-第78节

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'There！'　said　Robert；　ending；　'can　ye　mak　onything　o'　that；　Miss　St。

John？'



'I　don't　say　I　can　in　words；'　she　answered；　'but　I　think　I　could　put

it　all　into　music。'



'But　surely　ye　maun　hae　some　notion　o'　what　it's　aboot　afore　you　can

do　that。'



'Yes；　but　I　have　some　notion　of　what　it's　about；　I　think。　　Just　lend

it　to　me；　and　by　the　time　we　have　our　next　lesson；　you　will　see

whether　I'm　not　able　to　show　you　I　understand　it。　　I　shall　take　good

care　of　it；'　she　added；　with　a　smile；　seeing　Robert's　reluctance　to

part　with　it。　'It　doesn't　matter　my　having　it；　you　know；　now　that

you've　read　it　to　me；　I　want　to　make　you　do　it　justice。But　it's

quite　time　I　were　going　home。　　Besides；　I　really　don't　think　you　can

see　to　read　any　more。'



'Weel；　it's　better　no　to　try；　though　I　hae　them　maistly　upo'　my

tongue：　I　might　blunder；　and　that　wad　blaud　them。Will　you　let　me

go　home　with　you？'　he　added；　in　pure　tremulous　English。



'Certainly；　if　you　like；'　she　answered；　and　they　walked　towards　the

town。



Robert　opened　the　fountain　of　his　love　for　Ericson；　and　let　it　gush

like　a　river　from　a　hillside。　　He　talked　on　and　on　about　him；　with

admiration；　gratitude；　devotion。　　And　Miss　St。　John　was　glad　of　the

veil　of　the　twilight　over　her　face　as　she　listened；　for　the　boy's

enthusiasm　trembled　through　her　as　the　wind　through　an　？olian　harp。

Poor　Robert！　　He　did　not　know；　I　say；　what　he　was　doing；　and　so　was

fulfilling　his　sacred　destiny。



'Bring　your　manuscripts　when　you　come　next；'　she　said；　as　they

walked　alonggently　adding；　'I　admire　your　friend's　verses　very

much；　and　should　like　to　hear　more　of　them。'



'I'll　be　sure　an'　do　that；'　answered　Robert；　in　delight　that　he　had

found　one　to　sympathize　with　him　in　his　worship　of　Ericson；　and　that

one　his　other　idol。



When　they　reached　the　town；　Miss　St。　John；　calling　to　mind　its

natural　propensity　to　gossip；　especially　on　the　evening　of　a

market…day；　when　the　shopkeepers；　their　labours　over；　would　be

standing　in　a　speculative　mood　at　their　doors；　surrounded　by　groups

of　friends　and　neighbours；　felt　shy　of　showing　herself　on　the　square

with　Robert；　and　proposed　that　they　should　part；　giving　as　a

by…the…bye　reason　that　she　had　a　little　shopping　to　do　as　she　went

home。　　Too　simple　to　suspect　the　real　reason；　but　with　a　heart　that

delighted　in　obedience；　Robert　bade　her　good…night　at　once；　and　took

another　way。



As　he　passed　the　door　of　Merson　the　haberdasher's　shop；　there　stood

William　MacGregor；　the　weaver；　looking　at　nothing　and　doing　nothing。

We　have　seen　something　of　him　before：　he　was　a　remarkable　compound

of　good　nature　and　bad　temper。　　People　were　generally　afraid　of　him；

because　he　had　a　biting　satire　at　his　command；　amounting　even　to

wit；　which　found　vent　in　versenot　altogether　despicable　even　from

a　literary　point　of　view。　　The　only　person　he；　on　his　part；　was

afraid　of；　was　his　own　wife；　for　upon　her；　from　lack　of

apprehension；　his　keenest　irony　fell；　as　he　said；　like　water　on　a

duck's　back；　and　in　respect　of　her　he　had；　therefore；　no　weapon　of

offence　to　strike　terror　withal。　　Her　dulness　was　her　defence。　　He

liked　Robert。　　When　he　saw　him；　he　wakened　up；　laid　hold　of　him　by

the　button；　and　drew　him　in。



'Come　in；　lad；'　he　said；　'an'　tak　a　pinch。　　I'm　waitin'　for　Merson。'

As　he　spoke　he　took　from　his　pocket　his　mull；　made　of　the　end　of　a

ram's　horn；　and　presented　it　to　Robert；　who　accepted　the　pledge　of

friendship。　　While　he　was　partaking；　MacGregor　drew　himself　with

some　effort　upon　the　counter；　saying　in　a　half…comical；

half…admonitory　tone；



'Weel；　and　hoo's　the　mathematics；　Robert？'



'Thrivin'；'　answered　Robert；　falling　into　his　humour。



'Weel；　that's　verra　weel。　　Duv　ye　min'；　Robert；　hoo；　whan　ye　was

aboot　the　age　o'　aucht　year　aul'；　ye　cam　to　me　ance　at　my　shop　aboot

something　yer　gran'mither；　honest　woman；　wantit；　an'　I；　by　way　o'

takin'　my　fun　o'　ye；　said　to　ye；　〃Robert；　ye　hae　grown　desperate；

ye're　a　man　clean；　ye　hae　gotten　the　breeks　on。〃　　An'　says　ye；　〃Ay；

Mr。　MacGregor；　I　want　naething　noo　but　a　watch　an'　a　wife〃？'



'I　doobt　I've　forgotten　a'　aboot　it；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　answered

Robert。　'But　I've　made　some　progress；　accordin'　to　your　story；　for

Dr。　Anderson；　afore　I　cam　hame；　gae　me　a　watch。　　An'　a　fine　crater

it　is；　for　it　aye　does　its　best；　an'　sae　I　excuse　its　shortcomin's。'



'There's　just　ae　thing；　an'　nae　anither；'　returned　the　manufacturer；

'that　I　cannot　excuse　in　a　watch。　　Gin　a　watch　gangs　ower　fest；　ye

fin'　't　oot。　　Gin　she　gangs　ower　slow；　ye　fin'　't　oot；　an'　ye　can

aye　calculate　upo'　't　correck　eneuch　for　maitters　sublunairy；　as　Mr。

Maccleary　says。　　An'　gin　a　watch　stops　a'thegither；　ye　ken　it's

failin'；　an'　ye　ken　whaur　it　sticks；　an'　a'　'at　ye　say　's　〃Tut；　tut；

de'il　hae　't　for　a　watch！〃　　But　there's　ae　thing　that　God　nor　man

canna　bide　in　a　watch；　an'　that's　whan　it　stan's　still　for　a

bittock；　an'　syne　gangs　on　again。　　Ay；　ay！　tic；　tic；　tic！　wi'　a　fair

face　and　a　leein'　hert。　　It　wad　gar　ye　believe　it　was　a'　richt；　and

time　for　anither　tum'ler；　whan　it's　twal　o'clock；　an'　the　kirkyaird

fowk　thinkin'　aboot　risin'。　　Fegs；　I　had　a　watch　o'　my　father's；　an'

I　regairdit　it　wi'　a　reverence　mair　like　a　human　bein'：　the　second

time　it　played　me　that　pliskie；　I　dang　oot　its　guts　upo'　the

loupin'…on…stane　at　the　door　o'　the　chop。　　But　lat　the　watch　sit：

whaur's　the　wife？　　Ye　canna　be　a　man　yet　wantin'　the　wifeby　yer

ain　statement。'



'The　watch　cam　unsoucht；　Mr。　MacGregor；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　sae　maun

the　wife；'　answered　Robert；　laughing。



'Preserve　me　for　ane　frae　a　wife　that　comes　unsoucht；'　returned　the

weaver。　'But；　my　lad；　there　may　be　some　wives　that　winna　come　whan

they　are　soucht。　　Preserve　me　frae　them　too！Noo；　maybe　ye　dinna

ken　what　I　meanbut　tak　ye　tent　what　ye're　aboot。　　Dinna　ye　think

'at　ilka　bonnie　lass　'at　may　like　to　haud　a　wark　wi'　ye　's　jist

ready　to　mairry　ye　aff　han'　whan　ye　say；　〃Noo；　my　dawtie。〃An'　ae

word　mair；　Robert：　Young　men；　especially　braw　lads　like　yersel'；　's

unco　ready　to　fa'　in　love　wi'　women　fit　to　be　their　mithers。　　An'

sae　ye　see'



He　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　a　girl。　　She　had　a　shawl　over

her　head；　notwithstanding　it　was　summer　weather；　and　crept　in

hesitatingly；　as　if　she　were　not　quite　at　one　with　herself　as　to　her

coming　purchase。　　Approaching　a　boy　behind　the　counter　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　shop；　she　asked　for　something；　and　he　proceeded

to　serve　her。　　Robert　could　not　help　thinking；　from　the　one　glimpse

of　her　face　he　had　got　through　the　dusk；　that　he　had　seen　her

before。　　Suddenly　the　vision　of　an　earthen　floor　with　a　pool　of

brown　sunlight　upon　it；　bare　feet；　brown　hair；　and　soft　eyes；

mingled　with　a　musk　odour　wafted　from　Arabian　fairyland；　rose　before

him：　it　was　Jessie　Hewson。



'I　ken　that　lassie；'　he　said；　and　moved　to　get　down　from　the　counter

on　which　he　too　had　seated　himself。



'Na；　na；'　whispered　the　manufacturer；　laying；　like　the　Ancient

Mariner；　a　brown　skinny　hand　of　restraint　upon　Robert's　arm'na；

na；　never　heed　her。　　Ye　maunna　speyk　to　ilka　lass　'at　ye　ken。Poor

thing！　she's　been　doin'　something　wrang；　to　gang　slinkin'　aboot　i'

the　gloamin'　like　a　baukie　（bat）；　wi'　her　plaid　ower　her　heid。

Dinna　fash　wi'　her。'



'Nonsense！'　returned　Robert；　with　indignation。　'What　for　shouldna　I

speik　till　her？　　She's　a　decent　lassiea　dochter　o'　James　Hewson；

the　cottar　at　Bodyfauld。　　I　ken　her　fine。'



He　said　this　in　a　whisper；　but　the　girl　seemed　to　hear　it；　for　she

left　the　shop　with　a　perturbation　which　the　dimness　of　the　late

twilight　could　not　conceal。　　Robert　hesitated　no　longer；　but

followed　her；　heedless　of　the　louder　expostulations　of　MacGregor。

She　was　speeding　away　down　the　street；　but　he　took　longer　strides

than　she；　and　was　almost　up　with　her；　when　she　drew　her　shawl　closer

about　her　head；　and　increased　her　pace。



'Jessie！'　said　Robert；　in　a　tone　of　expostulation。　　But　she　made　no

answer。　　Her　head　sunk　lower　on　her　bosom；　and　she　hurried　yet

faster。　　He　gave　a　long　stride　or　two　and　laid　his　hand　on　her

shoulder。　　She　stood　still；　trembling。



'Jessie；　dinna　ye　ken　meRobert　Faukner？　　Dinna　be　feart　at　me。

What's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　'at　ye　winna　speik　till　a　body？　　Hoo's

a'　the　fowk　at　hame？'



She　burst　out　crying；　cast　one　look　into　Robert's　face；　and　fled。

What　a　change　was　in　that　face？　　The　peach…colour　was　gone　from　her

cheek；　it　was　pale　and　thin。　　Her　eyes　were　hollow；　with　dark

shadows　under　them；　the　shadows　of　a　sad　sunset。　　A　foreboding　of

the　truth　arose　in　his　heart；　and　the　tears　rushed　up　into　his　eyes。

The　next　moment　the　eidolon　of　Mary　St。　John；　moving　gracious　and

strong；　clothed　in　worship　and　the　dignity　which　is　its　own　defence；

appeared　beside　that　of　Jessie　Hewson；　her　bowed　head　shaken　with

sobs；　and　her　weak　limbs　urged　to　ungraceful　flight。　　As　if　walking

in　the　vision　of　an　eternal　truth；　he