robert falconer-第80节

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it　showed；　in　a　youth　like　Robert；　not　less　but　more　love　that　he

could　go　against　love's　sweetness　for　the　sake　of　love's　greatness。

Literally；　not　figuratively；　Robert　would　kiss　the　place　where　her

foot　had　trod；　but　I　know　that　once　he　rose　from　such　a　kiss　'to

trace　the　hyperbola　by　means　of　a　string。'



It　had　been　arranged　between　Ericson　and　Robert；　in　Miss　Napier's

parlour；　the　old　lady　knitting　beside；　that　Ericson　should　start；　if

possible；　a　week　earlier　than　usual；　and　spend　the　difference　with

Robert　at　Rothieden。　　But　then　the　old　lady　had　opened　her　mouth　and

spoken。　　And　I　firmly　believe；　though　little　sign　of　tenderness

passed　between　them；　it　was　with　an　elder　sister's　feeling　for

Letty's　admiration　of　the　'lan'less　laird；'　that　she　said　as

follows：



'Dinna　ye　think；　Mr。　Ericson；　it　wad　be　but　fair　to　come　to　us　neist

time？　　Mistress　Faukner；　honest　lady；　an'　lang　hae　I　kent　her；　's　no

sae　auld　a　frien'　to　you；　Mr。　Ericson；　as　oorsel'snae　offence　to

her；　ye　ken。　　A'body　canna　be　frien's　to　a'body；　ane　as　lang　's

anither；　ye　ken。'



''Deed　I　maun　alloo；　Miss　Naper；'　interposed　Robert；　'it's　only

fair。　　Ye　see；　Mr。　Ericson；　I　cud　see　as　muckle　o'　ye　almost；　the

tae　way　as　the　tither。　　Miss　Naper　maks　me　welcome　as　weel's　you。'



'An'　I　will　mak　ye　welcome；　Robert；　as　lang's　ye're　a　gude　lad；　as

ye　are；　and　gang　na　efternae　ill　gait。　　But　lat　me　hear　o'　yer

doin'　as　sae　mony　young　gentlemen　do；　espeacially　whan　they're　ta'en

up　by　their　rich　relations；　an'；　public…hoose　as　this　is；　I'll　close

the　door　o'　't　i'　yer　face。'



'Bless　me；　Miss　Naper！'　said　Robert；　'what　hae　I　dune　to　set　ye　at

me　that　gait？　　Faith；　I　dinna　ken　what　ye　mean。'



'Nae　mair　do　I；　laddie。　　I　hae　naething　against　ye　whatever。　　Only

ye　see　auld　fowk　luiks　aheid；　an'　wad　fain　be　as　sure　o'　what's　to

come　as　o'　what's　gane。'



'Ye　maun　bide　for　that；　I　doobt；'　said　Robert。



'Laddie；'　retorted　Miss　Napier；　'ye　hae　mair　sense　nor　ye　hae　ony

richt　till。　　Haud　the　tongue　o'　ye。　　Mr。　Ericson　's　to　come　here

neist。'



And　the　old　lady　laughed　such　good　humour　into　her　stocking…sole；

that　the　foot　destined　to　wear　it　ought　never　to　have　been　cold

while　it　lasted。　　So　it　was　then　settled；　and　a　week　before　Robert

was　to　start　for　Aberdeen；　Ericson　walked　into　The　Boar's　Head。

Half…an…hour　after　that；　Crookit　Caumill　was　shown　into　the

ga'le…room　with　the　message　to　Maister　Robert　that　Maister　Ericson

was　come；　and　wanted　to　see　him。



Robert　pitched　Hutton's　Mathematics　into　the　grate；　sprung　to　his

feet；　all　but　embraced　Crookit　Caumill　on　the　spot；　and　was　deterred

only　by　the　perturbed　look　the　man　wore。　　Crookit　Caumill　was　a　very

human　creature；　and　hadn't　a　fault　but　the　drink；　Miss　Napier　said。

And　very　little　of　that　he　would　have　had　if　she　had　been　as　active

as　she　was　willing。



'What's　the　maitter；　Caumill？'　asked　Robert；　in　considerable　alarm。



'Ow；　naething；　sir；'　returned　Campbell。



'What　gars　ye　look　like　that；　than？'　insisted　Robert。



'Ow；　naething。　　But　whan　Miss　Letty　cried　doon　the　close　upo'　me；

she　had　her　awpron　till　her　een；　an'　I　thocht　something　bude　to　be

wrang；　but　I　hadna　the　hert　to　speir。'



Robert　darted　to　the　door；　and　rushed　to　the　inn；　leaving　Caumill

describing　iambi　on　the　road　behind　him。



When　he　reached　The　Boar's　Head　there　was　nobody　to　be　seen。　　He

darted　up　the　stair　to　the　room　where　he　had　first　waited　upon

Ericson。



Three　or　four　maids　stood　at　the　door。　　He　asked　no　question；　but

went　in；　a　dreadful　fear　at　his　heart。　　Two　of　the　sisters　and　Dr。

Gow　stood　by　the　bed。



Ericson　lay　upon　it；　clear…eyed；　and　still。　　His　cheek　was　flushed。

The　doctor　looked　round　as　Robert　entered。



'Robert；'　he　said；　'you　must　keep　your　friend　here　quiet。　　He's

broken　a　blood…vesselwalked　too　much；　I　suppose。　　He'll　be　all

right　soon；　I　hope；　but　we　can't　be　too　careful。　　Keep　him

quietthat's　the　main　thing。　　He　mustn't　speak　a　word。'



So　saying　he　took　his　leave。



Ericson　held　out　his　thin　hand。　　Robert　grasped　it。　　Ericson's　lips

moved　as　if　he　would　speak。



'Dinna　speik；　Mr。　Ericson；'　said　Miss　Letty；　whose　tears　were

flowing　unheeded　down　her　cheeks；　'dinna　speik。　　We　a'　ken　what　ye

mean　an'　what　ye　want　wi'oot　that。'



Then　she　turned　to　Robert；　and　said　in　a　whisper；



'Dr。　Gow　wadna　hae　ye　sent　for；　but　I　kent　weel　eneuch　'at　he　wad　be

a'　the　quaieter　gin　ye　war　here。　　Jist　gie　a　chap　upo'　the　flure　gin

ye　want　onything；　an'　I'll　be　wi'　ye　in　twa　seconds。'



The　sisters　went　away。　　Robert　drew　a　chair　beside　the　bed；　and　once

more　was　nurse　to　his　friend。　　The　doctor　had　already　bled　him　at

the　arm：　such　was　the　ordinary　mode　of　treatment　then。



Scarcely　was　he　seated；　when　Ericson　spokea　smile　flickering　over

his　worn　face。



'Robert；　my　boy；'　he　said。



'Dinna　speak；'　said　Robert；　in　alarm；　'dinna　speak；　Mr。　Ericson。'



'Nonsense；'　returned　Ericson；　feebly。　'They're　making　a　work　about

nothing。　　I've　done　as　much　twenty　times　since　I　saw　you　last；　and

I'm　not　dead　yet。　　But　I　think　it's　coming。'



'What's　coming？'　asked　Robert；　rising　in　alarm。



'Nothing；'　answered　Ericson；　soothingly；'only　death。I　should

like　to　see　Miss　St。　John　once　before　I　die。　　Do　you　think　she　would

come　and　see　me　if　I　were　really　dying？'



'I'm　sure　she　wad。　　But　gin　ye　speik　like　this；　Miss　Letty　winna　lat

me　come　near　ye；　no　to　say　her。　　Oh；　Mr。　Ericson！　gin　ye　dee；　I

sanna　care　to　live。'



Bethinking　himself　that　such　was　not　the　way　to　keep　Ericson　quiet；

he　repressed　his　emotion；　sat　down　behind　the　curtain；　and　was

silent。　　Ericson　fell　fast　asleep。　　Robert　crept　from　the　room；　and

telling　Miss　Letty　that　he　would　return　presently；　went　to　Miss　St。

John。



'How　can　I　go　to　Aberdeen　without　him？'　he　thought　as　he　walked　down

the　street。



Neither　was　a　guide　to　the　other；　but　the　questioning　of　two　may

give　just　the　needful　points　by　which　the　parallax　of　a　truth　may　be

gained。



'Mr。　Ericson's　here；　Miss　St。　John；'　he　said；　the　moment　he　was

shown　into　her　presence。



Her　face　flushed。　　Robert　had　never　seen　her　look　so　beautiful。



'He's　verra　ill；'　he　added。



Her　face　grew　palevery　pale。



'He　asked　if　I　thought　you　would　go　and　see　himthat　is　if　he　were

going　to　die。'



A　sunset　flush；　but　faint　as　on　the　clouds　of　the　east；　rose　over

her　pallor。



'I　will　go　at　once；'　she　said；　rising。



'Na；　na；'　returned　Robert；　hastily。　'It　has　to　be　manage。　　It's　no

to　be　dune　a'　in　a　hurry。　　For　ae　thing；　there's　Dr。　Gow　says　he

maunna　speak　ae　word；　and　for　anither；　there's　Miss　Letty　'ill　jist

be　like　a　watch…dog　to　haud　a'body　oot　ower　frae　'im。　　We　maun　bide

oor　time。　　But　gin　ye　say　ye'll　gang；　that　'll　content　him　i'　the

meantime。　　I'll　tell　him。'



'I　will　go　any　moment；'　she　said。　'Is　he　very　ill？'



'I'm　afraid　he　is。　　I　doobt　I'll　hae　to　gang　to　Aberdeen　withoot

him。'



A　week　after；　though　he　was　better；　his　going　was　out　of　the

question。　　Robert　wanted　to　stay　with　him；　but　he　would　not　hear　of

it。　　He　would　follow　in　a　week　or　so；　he　said；　and　Robert　must　start

fair　with　the　rest　of　the　semies。



But　all　the　removal　he　was　ever　able　to　bear　was　to　the　'red　room；'

the　best　in　the　house；　opening；　as　I　have　already　mentioned；　from　an

outside　stair　in　the　archway。　　They　put　up　a　great　screen　inside　the

door；　and　there　the　lan'less　laird　lay　like　a　lord。









CHAPTER　XXI。



SHARGAR　ASPIRES。



Robert's　heart　was　dreary　when　he　got　on　the　box…seat　of　the

mail…coach　at　Rothiedenit　was　yet　drearier　when　he　got　down　at　The

Royal　Hotel　in　the　street　of　Ben　Accordand　it　was　dreariest　of　all

when　he　turned　his　back　on　Ericson's；　and　entered　his　own　room　at

Mrs。　Fyvie's。



Shargar　had　met　him　at　the　coach。　　Robert　had　scarcely　a　word　to　say

to　him。　　And　Shargar　felt　as　dreary　as　Robert　when　he　saw　him　sit

down；　and　lay　his　head　on　the　table　without　a　word。



'What's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　Robert？'　he　faltered　out　at　last。　'Gin

ye　dinna　speyk　to　me；　I'll　cut　my　throat。　　I　will；　faith！'



'Haud　yer　tongue　wi'　yer　nonsense；　Shargar。　　Mr。　Ericson's　deein'。'



'O　lord！'　said　Shargar；　and　said　nothing　more　for　the　space　of　ten

minutes。



Then　he　spoke　againslowly　and　sententiously。



'He　hadna　you　to　tak　care　o'　him；　Robert。　　Whaur　is　he？'



'At　The　Boar's　Heid。'



'That's　weel。　　He'll　be　luikit　efter　there。'



'A　body　wad　like　to　hae　their　ain　han'　in　't；　Shargar。'



'Ay。　I　wiss　we　had　him　here　again。'



The　ice　of　trouble　thus　broken；　the　stream　of　talk　flowed　more

freely。



'Hoo　are　ye　gettin'　on　at　the　schule；　man？'　asked　Robert。



'Nae　that　ill；'　answered　Shargar。　'I　was　at　the　heid　o'　my　class

yesterday　for　five　meenits。'



'An'　hoo　did　ye　like　it？'



'Man；　it　was　fine。　　I　thocht　I　was　a　gentleman　a'　at　ance。'



'Haud　ye　at　it；　m