david elginbrod-第13节

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natural　hours；　there　was　weariness　enough　in　the　work　of　the　day　to
prevent　even　David　from　reading；　in　the　hours　of　bodily　rest；
anything　that　necessitated　mental　labour。

Janet　and　Margaret　betook　themselves　to　the　reaping…hook；　and　the
somewhat　pale　face　of　the　latter　needed　but　a　single　day　to　change
it　to　the　real　harvest　huethe　brown　livery　of　Ceres。　　But　when　the
oats　were　attacked；　then　came　the　tug　of　war。　　The　laird　was　in　the
fields　from　morning　to　night；　and　the　boys　would　not　stay　behind；
but；　with　their　father's　permission；　much　to　the　tutor's
contentment；　devoted　what　powers　they　had　to　the　gathering　of　the
fruits　of　the　earth。　　Hugh　himself；　whose　strength　had　grown
amazingly　during　his　stay　at　Turriepuffit；　and　who；　though　he　was
quite　helpless　at　the　sickle；　thought　he　could　wield　the　scythe；
would　not　be　behind。　　Throwing　off　coat　and　waistcoat；　and　tying　his
handkerchief　tight　round　his　loins；　he　laid　hold　on　the　emblematic
weapon　of　Time　and　Death；　determined　likewise　to　earn　the　name　of
Reaper。　　He　took　the　last　scythe。　　It　was　desperate　work　for　a
while；　and　he　was　far　behind　the　first　bout；　but　David；　who　was　the
best　scyther　in　the　whole　country　side；　and　of　course　had　the
leading　scythe；　seeing　the　tutor　dropping　behind；　put　more　power　to
his　own　arm；　finished　his　own　bout；　and　brought　up　Hugh's　before　the
others　had　done　sharpening　their　scythes　for　the　next。

〃Tak'　care　an'　nae　rax　yersel'　ower　sair；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ye'll　be
up　wi'　the　best　o'　them　in　a　day　or　twa；　but　gin　ye　tyauve　at　it
aboon　yer　strenth；　ye'll　be　clean　forfochten。　　Tak'　a　guid　sweep　wi'
the　scythe；　'at　ye　may　hae　the　weicht　o't　to　ca'　through　the　strae；
an'　tak'　nae　shame　at　bein'　hindmost。　　Here；　Maggy；　my　doo；　come　an'
gather　to　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ane　o'　the　young　gentlemen　can　tak'　your
place　at　the　binin'。〃

The　work　of　Janet　and　Margaret　had　been　to　form　bands　for　the
sheaves；　by　folding　together　cunningly　the　heads　of　two　small
handfuls　of　the　corn；　so　as　to　make　them　long　enough　together　to　go
round　the　sheaf；　then　to　lay　this　down　for　the　gatherer　to　place
enough　of　the　mown　corn　upon　it；　and　last；　to　bind　the　band　tightly
around　by　another　skilful　twist　and　an　insertion　of　the　ends；　and　so
form　a　sheaf。　　From　this　work　David　called　his　daughter；　desirous　of
giving　Hugh　a　gatherer　who　would　not　be　disrespectful　to　his
awkwardness。　　This　arrangement；　however；　was　far　from　pleasing　to
some　of　the　young　men　in　the　field；　and　brought　down　upon　Hugh；　who
was　too　hard…wrought　to　hear　them　at　first；　many　sly　hits　of　country
wit　and　human　contempt。　　There　had　been　for　some　time　great　jealousy
of　his　visits　at　David's　cottage；　for　Margaret；　though　she　had　very
little　acquaintance　with　the　young　men　of　the　neighbourhood；　was
greatly　admired　amongst　them；　and　not　regarded　as　so　far　above　the
station　of　many　of　them　as　to　render　aspiration　useless。　　Their
remarks　to　each　other　got　louder　and　louder；　till　Hugh　at　last　heard
some　of　them；　and　could　not　help　being　annoyed；　not　by　their　wit　or
personality；　but　by　the　tone　of　contempt　in　which　they　were　uttered。

〃Tak'　care　o'　yer　legs；　sir。　　It'll　be　ill　cuttin'　upo'　stumps。〃

〃Fegs！　he's　taen　the　wings　aff　o'　a　pairtrick。〃

〃Gin　he　gang　on　that　get；　he'll　cut　twa　bouts　at　ance。〃

〃Ye'll　hae　the　scythe　ower　the　dyke；　man。　　Tak'　tent。〃

〃Losh！　sir；　ye've　taen　aff　my　leg　at　the　hip！〃

〃Ye're　shavin'　ower　close：　ye'll　draw　the　bluid；　sir。〃

〃Hoot；　man！　lat　alane。　　The　gentleman's　only　mista'en　his　trade；　an'
imaigins　he's　howkin'　a　grave。〃

And　so　on。　　Hugh　gave　no　further　sign　of　hearing　their　remarks　than
lay　in　increased　exertion。　　Looking　round；　however；　he　saw　that
Margaret　was　vexed；　evidently　not　for　her　own　sake。　　He　smiled　to
her；　to　console　her　for　his　annoyance；　and　then；　ambitious　to　remove
the　cause　of　it；　made　a　fresh　exertion；　recovered　all　his　distance；
and　was　in　his　own　place　with　the　best　of　them　at　the　end　of　the
bout。　　But　the　smile　that　had　passed　between　them　did　not　escape
unobserved；　and　he　had　aroused　yet　more　the　wrath　of　the　youths；　by
threatening　soon　to　rival　them　in　the　excellencies　to　which　they　had
an　especial　claim。　　They　had　regarded　him　as　an　interloper；　who　had
no　right　to　captivate　one　of　their　rank　by　arts　beyond　their　reach；
but　it　was　still　less　pardonable　to　dare　them　to　a　trial　of　skill
with　their　own　weapons。　　To　the　fire　of　this　jealousy；　the
admiration　of　the　laird　added　fuel；　for　he　was　delighted　with　the
spirit　with　which　Hugh　laid　himself　to　the　scythe。　　But　all　the
time；　nothing　was　further　from　Hugh's　thoughts　than　the　idea　of
rivalry　with　them。　　Whatever　he　might　have　thought　of　Margaret　in
relation　to　himself；　he　never　thought　of　her；　though　labouring　in
the　same　field　with　them；　as　in　the　least　degree　belonging　to　their
class；　or　standing　in　any　possible　relation　to　them；　except　that　of
a　common　work。

In　ordinary；　the　labourers　would　have　had　sufficient　respect　for
Sutherland's　superior　position；　to　prevent　them　from　giving　such
decided　and　articulate　utterance　to　their　feelings。　　But　they　were
incited　by　the　presence　and　example　of　a　man　of　doubtful　character
from　the　neighbouring　village；　a　travelled　and　clever　ne'er…do…weel；
whose　reputation　for　wit　was　equalled　by　his　reputation　for　courage
and　skill；　as　well　as　profligacy。　　Roused　by　the　effervescence　of
his　genius；　they　went　on　from　one　thing　to　another；　till　Hugh　saw　it
must　be　put　a　stop　to　somehow；　else　he　must　abandon　the　field。　　They
dared　not　have　gone　so　far　if　David　had　been　present；　but　he　had
been　called　away　to　superintend　some　operations　in　another　part　of
the　estate；　and　they　paid　no　heed　to　the　expostulations　of　some　of
the　other　older　men。　　At　the　close　of　the　day's　work；　therefore；
Hugh　walked　up　to　this　fellow；　and　said：

〃I　hope　you　will　be　satisfied　with　insulting　me　all　to…day；　and
leave　it　alone　to…morrow。〃

The　man　replied；　with　an　oath　and　a　gesture　of　rude　contempt；

〃I　dinna　care　the　black　afore　my　nails　for　ony　skelp…doup　o'　the　lot
o'　ye。〃

Hugh's　highland　blood　flew　to　his　brain；　and　before　the　rascal
finished　his　speech；　he　had　measured　his　length　on　the　stubble。　　He
sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　fury；　threw　off　the　coat　which　he　had　just
put　on；　and　darted　at　Hugh；　who　had　by　this　time　recovered　his
coolness；　and　was　besides；　notwithstanding　his　unusual　exertions；
the　more　agile　of　the　two。　　The　other　was　heavier　and　more　powerful。
Hugh　sprang　aside；　as　he　would　have　done　from　the　rush　of　a　bull；
and　again　with　a　quick　blow　felled　his　antagonist。　　Beginning　rather
to　enjoy　punishing　him；　he　now　went　in　for　it；　and；　before　the　other
would　yield；　he　had　rendered　his　next　day's　labour　somewhat
doubtful。　　He　withdrew；　with　no　more　injury　to　himself　than　a　little
water　would　remove。　　Janet　and　Margaret　had　left　the　field　before　he
addressed　the　man。

He　went　borne　and　to　bedmore　weary　than　he　had　ever　been　in　his
life。　　Before　he　went　to　sleep；　however；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　say
nothing　of　his　encounter　to　David；　but　to　leave　him　to　hear　of　it
from　other　sources。　　He　could　not　help　feeling　a　little　anxious　as
to　his　judgment　upon　it。　　That　the　laird　would　approve；　he　hardly
doubted；　but　for　his　opinion　he　cared　very　little。

〃Dawvid；　I　wonner　at　ye；〃　said　Janet　to　her　husband；　the　moment　he
came　home；　〃to　lat　the　young　lad　warstle　himsel'　deid　that　get　wi'　a
scythe。　　His　banes　is　but　saft　yet；　There　wasna　a　dry　steek　on　him
or　he　wan　half　the　lenth　o'　the　first　bout。　　He's　sair　disjaskit；
I'se　warran'。〃

〃Nae　fear　o'　him；　Janet；　it'll　do　him　guid。　　Mr。　Sutherland's　no
feckless　winlestrae　o'　a　creater。　　Did　he　haud　his　ain　at　a'　wi'　the
lave？〃

〃Haud　his　ain！　　Gin　he　be　fit　for　onything　the　day；　he　maun　be
pitten　neist　yersel'；　or　he'll　cut　the　legs　aff　o'　ony　ither　man　i'
the　corn。〃

A　glow　of　pleasure　mantled　in　Margaret's　face　at　her　mother's　praise
of　Hugh。　Janet　went　on：

〃But　I　was　jist　clean　affronted　wi'　the　way　'at　the　young　chields
behaved　themselves　till　him。〃

〃I　thocht　I　heard　a　toot…moot　o'　that　kin'　afore　I　left；　but　I
thocht　it　better　to　tak'　nae　notice　o't。　　I'll　be　wi'　ye　a'　day　the
morn　though；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　I'll　clap　a　rouch　han'　on　their　mou's
'at　I　hear　ony　mair　o't　frae。〃

But　there　was　no　occasion　for　interference　on　David's　part。　　Hugh
made　his　appearancenot；　it　is　true；　with　the　earliest　in　the
hairst…rig；　but　after　breakfast　with　the　laird；　who　was　delighted
with　the　way　in　which　he　had　handled　his　scythe　the　day　before；　and
felt　twice　the　respect　for　him　in　consequence。　　It　must　be　confessed
he　felt　very　stiff；　but　the　best　treatment　for　stiffness　being　the
hom渙pathic　one　of　more　work；　he　had　soon　restored　the　elasticity　of
his　muscles；　and　lubricated　his　aching　joints。　　His　antagonist　of
the　foregoing　evening　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　the　rest　of　the
young　men　were　shame…faced　and　respectful　enough。

David；　having　learned　from　some　of　the　spectators　the　facts　of　the
combat；　suddenly；　as　they　were　walking　home　together；　held　out　his
hand　to　Hugh；　shook　his　hard；　and　said：

〃Mr。　Sutherlan'；　I'm　sair　obleeged　to　ye　for　giein'　that　vratch；
Jamie　Ogg；　a　guid　doonsettin'。　　He