david elginbrod-第31节

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adding　continually　to　the　hidden　growth　as　they　unfolded　the
visible。　　In　this；　they　were　like　the　other　revelations　of　God　the
Infinite。　　All　the　wild　lovely　things　were　coming　up　for　their
month's　life　of　joy。　　Orchis…harlequins；　cuckoo…plants；　wild　arums；
more　properly　lords…and…ladies；　were　coming；　and　comingslowly；　for
had　they　not　a　long　way　to　come；　from　the　valley　of　the　shadow　of
death　into　the　land　of　life？　　At　last　the　wanderers　came　upon　a
whole　company　of　bluebellsnot　what　Hugh　would　have　called
bluebells；　for　the　bluebells　of　Scotland　are　the　single…poised
harebellsbut　wild　hyacinths；　growing　in　a　damp　and　shady　spot；　in
wonderful　luxuriance。　　They　were　quite　three　feet　in　height；　with
long；　graceful；　drooping　heads；　hanging　down　from　them；　all　along
one　side；　the　largest　and　loveliest　of　bellsone　lying　close　above
the　other；　on　the　lower　part；　while　they　parted　thinner　and　thinner
as　they　rose　towards　the　lonely　one　at　the　top。　　Miss　Cameron　went
into　ecstasies　over　these；　not　saying　much；　but　breaking　up　what　she
did　say　with　many　prettily　passionate　pauses。

She　had　a　very　happy　turn　for　seeing　external　resemblances；　either
humorous　or　pathetic；　for　she　had　much　of　one　element　that　goes　to
the　making　of　a　poetnamely；　surface　impressibility。

〃Look；　Harry；　they　are　all　sad　at　having　to　go　down　there　again　so
soon。　　They　are　looking　at　their　graves　so　ruefully。〃

Harry　looked　sad　and　rather　sentimental　immediately。　　When　Hugh
glanced　at　Miss　Cameron；　he　saw　tears　in　her　eyes。

〃You　have　nothing　like　this　in　your　country；　have　you；　Mr。
Sutherland？〃　said　she；　with　an　apparent　effort。

〃No；　indeed；〃　answered　Hugh。

And　he　said　no　more。　　For　a　vision　rose　before　him　of　the　rugged
pine…wood　and　the　single　primrose；　and　of　the　thoughtful　maiden；
with　unpolished　speech　and　rough　hands；　andbut　this　he　did　not
seea　soul　slowly　refining　itself　to　a　crystalline　clearness。　　And
he　thought　of　the　grand　old　grey…haired　David；　and　of　Janet　with　her
quaint　motherhood；　and　of　all　the　blessed　bareness　of　the　ancient
timein　sunlight　and　in　snow；　and　he　felt　again　that　he　had
forgotten　and　forsaken　his　friends。

〃How　the　fairies　will　be　ringing　the　bells　in　these　airy　steeples　in
the　moonlight！〃　said　Miss　Cameron　to　Harry；　who　was　surprised　and
delighted　with　it　all。　　He　could　not　help　wondering；　however；　after
he　went　to　bed　that　night；　that　Euphra　had　never　before　taken　him　to
see　these　beautiful　things；　and　had　never　before　said　anything　half
so　pretty　to　him；　as　the　least　pretty　thing　she　had　said　about　the
flowers　that　morning　when　they　were　out　with　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Had
Mr。　Sutherland　anything　to　do　with　it？　　Was　he　giving　Euphra　a
lesson　in　flowers　such　as　he　had　given　him　in　pigs？

Miss　Cameron　presently　drew　Hugh　into　conversation　again；　and　the
old　times　were　once　more　forgotten　for　a　season。　　They　were　worthy
of　distinguishing　notethat　trio　in　those　spring　woods：　the　boy
waking　up　to　feel　that　flowers　and　buds　were　lovelier　in　the　woods
than　in　verses；　Euphra　finding　everything　about　her　sentimentally
useful；　and　really　delighting　in　the　prettinesses　they　suggested　to
her；　and　Hugh　regarding　the　whole　chiefly　as　a　material　and　means
for　reproducing　in　verse　such　impressions　of　delight　as　he　had
received　and　still　received　from　all　（but　the　highest）　poetry　about
nature。　　The　presence　of　Harry　and　his　necessities　was　certainly　a
saving　influence　upon　Hugh；　but；　however　much　he　sought　to　realize
Harry's　life；　he　himself；　at　this　period　of　his　history；　enjoyed
everything　artistically　far　more　than　humanly。

Margaret　would　have　walked　through　all　this　infant　summer　without
speaking　at　all；　but　with　a　deep　light　far　back　in　her　quiet　eyes。
Perhaps　she　would　not　have　had　many　thoughts　about　the　flowers。
Rather　she　would　have　thought　the　very　flowers　themselves；　would
have　been　at　home　with　them；　in　a　delighted　oneness　with　their　life
and　expression。　　Certainly　she　would　have　walked　through　them　with
reverence；　and　would　not　have　petted　or　patronised　nature　by　saying
pretty　things　about　her　children。　　Their　life　would　have　entered
into　her；　and　she　would　have　hardly　known　it　from　her　own。　　I
daresay　Miss　Cameron　would　have　called　a　mountain　a　darling　or　a
beauty。　　But　there　are　other　ways　of　showing　affection　than　by
patting　and　pettingthough　Margaret；　for　her　part；　would　have
needed　no　art…expression；　because　she　had　the　things　themselves。　　It
is　not　always　those　who　utter　best　who　feel　most；　and　the　dumb　poets
are　sometimes　dumb　because　it　would　need　the　〃large　utterance　of　the
early　gods〃　to　carry　their　thoughts　through　the　gates　of　speech。

But　the　fancy　and　skin…sympathy　of　Miss　Cameron　began　already　to
tell　upon　Hugh。　He　knew　very　little　of　women；　and　had　never　heard　a
woman　talk　as　she　talked。　　He　did　not　know　how　cheap　this
accomplishment　is；　and　took　it　for　sensibility；　imaginativeness；　and
even　originality。　　He　thought　she　was　far　more　en　rapport　with
nature　than　he　was。　　It　was　much　easier　to　make　this　mistake　after
hearing　the　really　delightful　way　in　which　she　sang。　　Certainly　she
could　not　have　sung　so；　perhaps　not　even　have　talked　so；　except　she
had　been　capable　of　more；　but　to　be　capable　of　more；　and　to　be　able
for　more；　are　two　very　distinct　conditions。

Many　walks　followed　this；　extending　themselves　farther　and　farther
from　home；　as　Harry's　strength　gradually　improved。　　It　was　quite
remarkable　how　his　interest　in　everything　external　increased；　in
exact　proportion　as　he　learned　to　see　into　the　inside　or　life　of　it。
With　most　children；　the　interest　in　the　external　comes　first；　and
with　many　ceases　there。　　But　it　is　in　reality　only　a　shallower　form
of　the　deeper　sympathy；　and　in　those　cases　where　it　does　lead　to　a
desire　after　the　hidden　nature　of　things；　it　is　perhaps　the　better
beginning　of　the　two。　　In　such　exceptional　cases　as　Harry's；　it　is
of　unspeakable　importance　that　both　the　difference　and　the　identity
should　be　recognized；　and　in　doing　so；　Hugh　became　to　Harry　his　big
brother　indeed；　for　he　led　him　where　he　could　not　go　alone。

As　often　as　Mr。　Arnold　was　from　home；　which　happened　not
unfrequently；　Miss　Cameron　accompanied　them　in　their　rambles。　　She
gave　as　her　reason　for　doing　so　only　on　such　occasions；　that　she
never　liked　to　be　out　of　the　way　when　her　uncle　might　want　her。
Traces　of　an　inclination　to　quarrel　with　Hugh；　or　even　to　stand
upon　her　dignity；　had　all　but　vanished；　and　as　her　vivacity　never
failed　her；　as　her　intellect　was　always　active；　and　as　by　the
exercise　of　her　will　she　could　enter　sympathetically；　or　appear　to
enter；　into　everything；　her　presence　was　not　in　the　least　a
restraint　upon　them。

On　one　occasion；　when　Harry　had　actually　run　a　little　way　after　a
butterfly；　Hugh　said　to　her：

〃What　did　you　mean；　Miss　Cameron；　by　saying　you　were　only　a　poor
relation？　　You　are　certainly　mistress　of　the　house。〃

〃On　sufferance；　yes。　　But　I　am　only　a　poor　relation。　　I　have　no
fortune　of　my　own。〃

〃But　Mr。　Arnold　does　not　treat　you　as　such。〃

〃Oh！　no。　　He　likes　me。　　He　is　very　kind　to　me。He　gave　me　this　ring
on　my　last　birthday。　　Is　it　not　a　beauty？〃

She　pulled　off　her　glove　and　showed　a　very　fine　diamond　on　a　finger
worthy　of　the　ornament。

〃It　is　more　like　a　gentleman's；　is　it　not？〃　she　added；　drawing　it
off。　〃Let　me　see　how　it　would　look　on　your　hand。〃

She　gave　the　ring　to　Hugh；　who；　laughing；　got　it　with　some
difficulty　just　over　the　first　joint　of　his　little　finger；　and　held
it　up　for　Euphra　to　see。

〃Ah！　　I　see　I　cannot　ask　you　to　wear　it　for　me；〃　said　she。　〃I　don't
like　it　myself。　　I　am　afraid；　however；〃　she　added；　with　an　arch
look；　〃my　uncle　would　not　like　it　eitheron　your　finger。　　Put　it　on
mine　again。〃

Holding　her　hand　towards　Hugh；　she　continued：

〃It　must　not　be　promoted　just　yet。　　Besides；　I　see　you　have　a　still
better　one　of　your　own。〃

As　Hugh　did　according　to　her　request；　the　words　sprang　to　his　lips；
〃There　are　other　ways　of　wearing　a　ring　than　on　the　finger。〃　　But
they　did　not　cross　the　threshold　of　speech。　　Was　it　the　repression
of　them　that　caused　that　strange　flutter　and　slight　pain　at　the
heart；　which　he　could　not　quite　understand？




CHAPTER　VI。

FATIMA。

Those　lips　that　Love's　own　hand　did　make
Breathed　forth　the　sound　that　said；　〃I　hate；〃
To　me　that　languished　for　her　sake：
But　when　she　saw　my　woeful　state；
Straight　in　her　heart　did　mercy　come；
Chiding　that　tongue　that；　ever　sweet；
Was　used　in　giving　gentle　doom；
And　taught　it　thus　anew　to　greet：
〃I　hate〃　she　altered　with　an　end；
That　followed　it　as　gentle　day
Doth　follow　night；　who；　like　a　fiend；
》From　heaven　to　hell　is　flown　away。
〃I　hate〃　from　hate　away　she　threw；
And　saved　my　life；　saying〃Not　you。〃

SHAKSPERE。


Mr。　Arnold　was　busy　at　home　for　a　few　days　after　this；　and　Hugh　and
Harry　had　to　go　out　alone。　　One　day；　when　the　wind　was　rather　cold；
they　took　refuge　in　the　barn；　for　it　was　part　of　Hugh's　especial
care　that　Harry　should　be　rendered　hardy；　by　never　being　exposed　to
more　than　he　could　bear　without　a　sense　of　suffering。　　As　soon　as
the　boy　began　to　feel　fatigue；　or　cold；　or　any　other　discomfort；　his
tutor　took　measures　accordingly