david elginbrod-第15节
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promise of an increase of salary to the amount of five pounds。 This
is another to be added to the many proofs that verisimilitude is not
in the least an essential element of verity。
He left his mother as soon as circumstances would permit； and
returned to Turriepuffit； an abode for the winter very different
indeed from that in which he had expected to spend it。
He reached the place early in the afternoon； received from Mrs。
Glasford a cold 〃I hope you're well； Mr。 Sutherland；〃 found his
pupils actually reading； and had from them a welcome rather
boisterously evidenced； told them to get their books； and sat down
with them at once to commence their winter labours。 He spent two
hours thus； had a hearty shake of the hand from the laird； when he
came home； and； after a substantial tea； walked down to David's
cottage； where a welcome awaited him worth returning for。
〃Come yer wa's butt；〃 said Janet； who met him as he opened the door
without any prefatory knock； and caught him with both hands； 〃I'm
blithe to see yer bonny face ance mair。 We're a' jist at ane mair
wi' expeckin' o' ye。〃
David stood in the middle of the floor； waiting for him。
〃Come awa'； my bonny lad；〃 was all his greeting； as he held out a
great fatherly hand to the youth； and； grasping his in the one；
clapped him on the shoulder with the other； the water standing in
his blue eyes the while。 Hugh thought of his own father； and could
not restrain his tears。 Margaret gave him a still look full in the
face； and； seeing his emotion； did not even approach to offer him
any welcome。 She hastened； instead； to place a chair for him as she
had done when first he entered the cottage； and when he had taken it
sat down at his feet on her creepie。 With true delicacy； no one
took any notice of him for some time。 David said at last；
〃An' hoo's yer puir mother； Mr。 Sutherlan'？〃
〃She's pretty well；〃 was all Hugh could answer。
〃It's a sair stroke to bide；〃 said David； 〃but it's a gran' thing
whan a man's won weel throw't。 Whan my father deit； I min' weel； I
was sae prood to see him lyin' there； in the cauld grandeur o'
deith； an' no man 'at daured say he ever did or spak the thing 'at
didna become him； 'at I jist gloried i' the mids o' my greetin'。 He
was but a puir auld shepherd； Mr。 Sutherlan'； wi' hair as white as
the sheep 'at followed him； an' I wat as they followed him； he
followed the great Shepherd； an' followed an' followed； till he jist
followed Him hame； whaur we're a' boun'； an' some o' us far on the
road； thanks to Him！〃
And with that David rose； and got down the Bible； and； opening it
reverently； read with a solemn； slightly tremulous voice； the
fourteenth chapter of St。 John's Gospel。 When he had finished； they
all rose； as by one accord； and knelt down； and David prayed：
〃O Thou in whase sicht oor deeth is precious； an' no licht maitter；
wha through darkness leads to licht； an' through deith to the
greater life！we canna believe that thou wouldst gie us ony guid
thing； to tak' the same again； for that would be but bairns' play。
We believe that thou taks； that thou may gie again the same thing
better nor aforemair o't and better nor we could ha' received it
itherwise； jist as the Lord took himsel' frae the sicht o' them 'at
lo'ed him weel； that instead o' bein' veesible afore their een； he
micht hide himsel' in their verra herts。 Come thou； an' abide in
us； an' tak' us to bide in thee； an' syne gin we be a' in thee； we
canna be that far frae ane anither； though some sud be in haven； an'
some upo' earth。 Lord help us to do oor wark like thy men an'
maidens doon the stair； remin'in' oursel's； 'at them 'at we miss hae
only gane up the stair； as gin 'twar to haud things to thy han' i'
thy ain presence…chamber； whaur we houp to be called or lang； an' to
see thee an' thy Son； wham we lo'e aboon a'； an' in his name we say；
Amen！〃
Hugh rose from his knees with a sense of solemnity and reality that
he had never felt before。 Little was said that evening； supper was
eaten； if not in silence； yet with nothing that could be called
conversation。 And； almost in silence； David walked home with Hugh。
The spirit of his father seemed to walk beside him。 He felt as if
he had been buried with him； and had found that the sepulchre was
clothed with green things and roofed with starswas in truth the
heavens and the earth in which his soul walked abroad。
If Hugh looked a little more into his Bible； and tried a little more
to understand it； after his father's death； it is not to be wondered
at。 It is but another instance of the fact that； whether from
education or from the leading of some higher instinct； we are ready；
in every more profound trouble； to feel as if a solution or a refuge
lay somewherelay in sounds of wisdom； perhaps； to be sought and
found in the best of books； the deepest of all the mysterious
treasuries of words。 But David never sought to influence Hugh to
this end。 He read the Bible in his family； but he never urged the
reading of it on others。 Sometimes he seemed rather to avoid the
subject of religion altogether； and yet it was upon those very
occasions that； if he once began to speak； he would pour out； before
he ceased； some of his most impassioned utterances。
CHAPTER XII。
CHARITY。
Knowledge bloweth up； but charity buildeth up。
LORD BACON'S rendering of 1 Cor。 viii。 I。
Things went on as usual for a few days； when Hugh began to encounter
a source of suffering of a very material and unromantic kind； but
which； nevertheless； had been able before now； namely； at the
commencement of his tutorship； to cause him a very sufficient degree
of distress。 It was this； that he had no room in which he could
pursue his studies in private； without having to endure a most
undesirable degree of cold。 In summer this was a matter of little
moment； for the universe might then be his secret chamber； but in a
Scotch spring or autumn； not to say winter； a bedroom without a
fire…place； which； strange to say； was the condition of his； was not
a study in which thought could operate to much satisfactory result。
Indeed； pain is a far less hurtful enemy to thinking than cold。
And to have to fight such suffering and its benumbing influences；
as well as to follow out a train of reasoning； difficult at any
time； and requiring close attentionis too much for any machine
whose thinking wheels are driven by nervous gear。 Sometimesfor he
must make the attempthe came down to his meals quite blue with
cold； as his pupils remarked to their mother； but their observation
never seemed to suggest to her mind the necessity of making some
better provision for the poor tutor。 And Hugh； after the way in
which she had behaved to him； was far too proud to ask her a favour；
even if he had had hopes of receiving his request。 He knew； too；
that； in the house； the laird； to interfere in the smallest degree；
must imperil far more than he dared。 The prospect； therefore； of
the coming winter； in a country where there was scarcely any
afternoon； and where the snow might lie feet deep for weeks； was not
at all agreeable。 He had； as I have said； begun to suffer already；
for the mornings and evenings were cold enough now； although it was
a bright； dry October。 One evening Janet remarked that he had
caught cold； for he was 'hostin' sair；' and this led Hugh to state
the discomfort he was condemned to experience up at the ha' house。
〃Weel；〃 said David； after some silent deliberation； 〃that sattles't；
we maun set aboot it immedantly。〃
Of course Hugh was quite at a loss to understand what he meant； and
begged him to explain。
〃Ye see；〃 replied David； 〃we hae verra little hoose…room i' this bit
cot； for； excep this kitchen； we hae but the ben whaur Janet and me
sleeps； and sae last year I spak' to the laird to lat me hae muckle
timmer as I wad need to big a kin' o' a lean…to to the house ahin'；
so 'at we micht hae a kin' o' a bit parlour like； or rather a roomie
'at ony o' us micht retire till for a bit； gin we wanted to be oor
lanes。 He had nae objections； honest man。 But somehoo or ither I
never sat han' till't； but noo the wa's maun be up afore the wat
weather sets in。 Sae I'se be at it the morn； an' maybe ye'll len'
me a han'； Mr。 Sutherlan'； and tak' oot yer wages in house…room an'
firin' efter it's dune。〃
〃Thank you heartily！〃 said Hugh； that would be delightful。 It seems
too good to be possible。 But will not wooden walls be rather a poor
protection against such winters as I suppose you have in these
parts？〃
〃Hootoot； Mr。 Sutherlan'； ye micht gie me credit for raither mair
rumgumption nor that comes till。 Timmer was the only thing I not
（needed） to spier for； the lave lies to ony body's han'a few
cart…fu's o' sods frae the hill ahint the hoose； an' a han'fu' or
twa o' stanes for the chimla oot o' the quarrythere's eneuch there
for oor turn ohn blastit mair； an' we'll saw the wood oorsels； an'
gin we had ance the wa's up； we can carry on the inside at oor
leisur'。 That's the way 'at the Maker does wi' oorsels； he gie's us
the wa's an' the material； an' a whole lifetime； maybe mair； to
furnish the house。〃
〃Capital！〃 excl
