david elginbrod-第3节

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her　for　a　moment　with　some　interest；　when　she；　seeming　to　become
mesmerically　aware　that　she　was　not　alone；　looked　up；　blushed
deeply；　put　down　the　book　in　confusion；　and　proceeded　to　dust　some
of　the　furniture。　　It　was　his　first　sight　of　Margaret。　　Some　of　the
neighbours　were　expected　to　dinner；　and　her　aid　was　in　requisition
to　get　the　grand　room　of　the　house　prepared　for　the　occasion。　　He
supposed　her　to　belong　to　the　household；　till；　one　day；　feeling
compelled　to　go　out　for　a　stroll；　he　caught　sight　of　her　so　occupied
at　the　door　of　her　father's　cottage；　that　he　perceived　at　once　that
must　be　her　home：　she　was；　in　fact；　seated　upon　a　stool；　paring
potatoes。　　She　saw　him　as　well；　and；　apparently　ashamed　at　the
recollection　of　having　been　discovered　idling　in　the　drawing…room；
rose　and　went　in。　　He　had　met　David　once　or　twice　about　the　house；
and；　attracted　by　his　appearance；　had　had　some　conversation　with
him；　but　he　did　not　know　where　he　lived；　nor　that　he　was　the　father
of　the　girl　whom　he　had　seen。




CHAPTER　III。

THE　DAISY　AND　THE　PRIMROSE。

Dear　secret　Greenness；　nursed　below
　　Tempests　and　winds　and　winter　nights！
Vex　not　that　but　one　sees　thee　grow；
　　That　One　made　all　these　lesser　lights。

HENRY　VAUGHAN。


It　was；　of　course；　quite　by　accident　that　Sutherland　had　met
Margaret　in　the　fir…wood。　　The　wind　had　changed　during　the　night；
and　swept　all　the　clouds　from　the　face　of　the　sky；　and　when　he
looked　out　in　the　morning；　he　saw　the　fir…tops　waving　in　the
sunlight；　and　heard　the　sound　of　a　south…west　wind　sweeping　through
them　with　the　tune　of　running　waters　in　its　course。　　It　is　a
well…practised　ear　that　can　tell　whether　the　sound　it　hears　be　that
of　gently　falling　waters；　or　of　wind　flowing　through　the　branches　of
firs。　　Sutherland's　heart；　reviving　like　a　dormouse　in　its　hole；
began　to　be　joyful　at　the　sight　of　the　genial　motions　of　Nature；
telling　of　warmth　and　blessedness　at　hand。　　Some　goal　of　life；　vague
but　sure；　seemed　to　glimmer　through　the　appearances　around　him；　and
to　stimulate　him　to　action。　　Be　dressed　in　haste；　and　went　out　to
meet　the　Spring。　　He　wandered　into　the　heart　of　the　wood。　　The
sunlight　shone　like　a　sunset　upon　the　red　trunks　and　boughs　of　the
old　fir…trees；　but　like　the　first　sunrise　of　the　world　upon　the　new
green　fringes　that　edged　the　young　shoots　of　the　larches。　　High　up；
hung　the　memorials　of　past　summers　in　the　rich　brown　tassels　of　the
clustering　cones；　while　the　ground　under　foot　was　dappled　with
sunshine　on　the　fallen　fir…needles；　and　the　great　fallen　cones　which
had　opened　to　scatter　their　autumnal　seed；　and　now　lay　waiting　for
decay。　　Overhead；　the　tops　whence　they　had　fallen；　waved　in　the
wind；　as　in　welcome　of　the　Spring；　with　that　peculiar　swinging
motion　which　made　the　poets　of　the　sixteenth　century　call　them
〃sailing　pines。〃　　The　wind　blew　cool；　but　not　cold；　and　was　filled
with　a　delicious　odour　from　the　earth；　which　Sutherland　took　as　a
sign　that　she　was　coming　alive　at　last。　　And　the　Spring　he　went　out
to　meet；　met　him。　　For；　first；　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　he　spied　a
tiny　primrose；　peeping　out　of　its　rough；　careful　leaves；　and　he
wondered　how；　by　any　metamorphosis；　such　leaves　could　pass　into　such
a　flower。　　Had　he　seen　the　mother　of　the　next　spring…messenger　he
was　about　to　meet；　the　same　thought　would　have　returned　in　another
form。　　For；　next；　as　he　passed　on　with　the　primrose　in　his　hand；
thinking　it　was　almost　cruel　to　pluck　it；　the　Spring　met　him；　as　if
in　her　own　shape；　in　the　person　of　Margaret；　whom　he　spied　a　little
way　off；　leaning　against　the　stem　of　a　Scotch　fir；　and　looking　up　to
its　top　swaying　overhead　in　the　first　billows　of　the　outburst　ocean
of　life。　　He　went　up　to　her　with　some　shyness；　for　the　presence　of
even　a　child…maiden　was　enough　to　make　Sutherland　shypartly　from
the　fear　of　startling　her　shyness；　as　one　feels　when　drawing　near　a
couching　fawn。　　But　she；　when　she　heard　his　footsteps；　dropped　her
eyes　slowly　from　the　tree…top；　and；　as　if　she　were　in　her　own
sanctuary；　waited　his　approach。　　He　said　nothing　at　first；　but
offered　her；　instead　of　speech；　the　primrose　he　had　just　plucked；
which　she　received　with　a　smile　of　the　eyes　only；　and　the　sweetest
〃thank　you；　sir；〃　he　had　ever　heard。　　But　while　she　held　the
primrose　in　her　hand；　her　eyes　wandered　to　the　book　which；　according
to　his　custom；　Sutherland　had　caught　up　as　he　left　the　house。　　It
was　the　only　well…bound　book　in　his　possession；　and　the　eyes　of
Margaret；　not　yet　tutored　by　experience；　naturally　expected　an
entrancing　page　within　such　beautiful　boards；　for　the　gayest
bindings　she　had　seen；　were　those　of　a　few　old　annuals　up　at　the
houseand　were　they　not　full　of　the　most　lovely　tales　and　pictures？
In　this　case；　however；　her　expectation　was　not　vain；　for　the　volume
was；　as　I　have　already　disclosed；　Coleridge's　Poems。

Seeing　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　book〃Would　you　like　to　read　it？〃
said　he。

〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　answered　Margaret；　her　eyes　brightening　with
the　expectation　of　deliglit。

〃Are　you　fond　of　poetry？〃

Her　face　fell。　　The　only　poetry　she　knew　was　the　Scotch　Psalms　and
Paraphrases；　and　such　last…century　verses　as　formed　the　chief　part
of　the　selections　in　her　school…books；　for　this　was　a　very　retired
parish；　and　the　newer　books　had　not　yet　reached　its　school。　　She　had
hoped　chiefly　for　tales。

〃I　dinna　ken　much　about　poetry；〃　she　answered；　trying　to　speak
English。　〃There's　an　old　book　o't　on　my　father's　shelf；　but　the
letters　o't　are　auld…fashioned；　an'　I　dinna　care　aboot　it。〃

〃But　this　is　quite　easy　to　read；　and　very　beautiful；〃　said　Hugh。

The　girl's　eyes　glistened　for　a　moment；　and　this　was　all　her　reply。

〃Would　you　like　to　read　it？〃　resumed　Hugh；　seeing　no　further　answer
was　on　the　road。

She　held　out　her　hand　towards　the　volume。　　When　he；　in　his　turn；
held　the　volume　towards　her　hand；　she　almost　snatched　it　from　him；
and　ran　towards　the　house；　without　a　word　of　thanks　or
leave…takingwhether　from　eagerness；　or　doubt　of　the　propriety　of
accepting　the　offer；　Hugh　could　not　conjecture。　　He　stood　for　some
moments　looking　after　her；　and　then　retraced　his　steps　towards　the
house。

It　would　have　been　something；　in　the　monotony　of　one　of　the　most
trying　of　positions；　to　meet　one　who　snatched　at　the　offered　means
of　spiritual　growth；　even　if　that　disciple　had　not　been　a　lovely
girl；　with　the　woman　waking　in　her　eyes。　　He　commenced　the　duties　of
the　day　with　considerably　more　of　energy　than　he　had　yet　brought　to
bear　on　his　uninteresting　pupils；　and　this　energy　did　not　flag
before　its　effects　upon　the　boys　began　to　react　in　fresh　impulse
upon　itself。




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　COTTAGE。

O　little　Bethlem！　poor　in　walls；
　　But　rich　in　furniture。

JOHN　MASON'S　Spiritual　Songs。


There　was　one　great　alleviation　to　the　various　discomforts　of
Sutherland's　tutor…life。　　It　was；　that；　except　during　school…hours；
he　was　expected　to　take　no　charge　whatever　of　his　pupils。　　They　ran
wild　all　other　times；　which　was　far　better；　in　every　way；　both　for
them　and　for　him。　　Consequently；　he　was　entirely　his　own　master
beyond　the　fixed　margin　of　scholastic　duties；　and　he　soon　found　that
his　absence；　even　from　the　table；　was　a　matter　of　no　interest　to　the
family。　　To　be　sure；　it　involved　his　own　fasting　till　the　next
meal…time　came　roundfor　the　lady　was　quite　a　household　martinet；
but　that　was　his　own　concern。

That　very　evening；　he　made　his　way　to　David's　cottage；　about　the
country　supper…time；　when　he　thought　he　should　most　likely　find　him
at　home。　　It　was　a　clear；　still；　moonlit　night；　with　just　an　air　of
frost。　　There　was　light　enough　for　him　to　see　that　the　cottage　was
very　neat　and　tidy；　looking；　in　the　midst　of　its　little　forest；　more
like　an　English　than　a　Scotch　habitation。　　He　had　had　the　advantage
of　a　few　months'　residence　in　a　leafy　region　on　the　other　side　of
the　Tweed；　and　so　was　able　to　make　the　comparison。　　But　what　a
different　leafage　that　was　from　this！　　That　was　soft；　floating；
billowy；　this　hard；　stiff；　and　straight…lined；　interfering　so　little
with　the　skeleton　form；　that　it　needed　not　to　be　put　off　in　the
wintry　season　of　death；　to　make　the　trees　in　harmony　with　the
landscape。　　A　light　was　burning　in　the　cottage；　visible　through　the
inner　curtain　of　muslin；　and　the　outer　one　of　frost。　　As　he
approached　the　door；　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　voice；　and　from　the
even　pitch　of　the　tone；　he　concluded　at　once　that　its　owner　was
reading　aloud。　　The　measured　cadence　soon　convinced　him　that　it　was
verse　that　was　being　read；　and　the　voice　was　evidently　that　of
David；　and　not　of　Margaret。　　He　knocked　at　the　door。　　The　voice
ceased；　chairs　were　pushed　back；　and　a　heavy　step　approached。　　David
opened　the　door　himself。

〃Eh！　　Maister　Sutherlan'；〃　said　he；　〃I　thocht　it　micht　aiblins　be
yersel。　　Ye're　welcome；　sir。　　Come　butt　the　hoose。　　Our　place　is　but
sma'；　but　ye'll　no　min'　sitttin'　doon　wi'　our　ain　sels。　　Janet；
ooman；　this　is　Maister　Sutherlan'。　　Maggy；　my　doo；　he's　a　frien'　o'
yours；　o'　a　day　auld；　already。　　Ye're　kindly　welcome；　Maister
Sutherlan'。　　I'm　sure　it's　verra　kin'　o'　you　to　come　an'　see　the
like　o'　huz。〃

As　Hugh　entered；　h