david elginbrod-第77节

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〃Oh！〃　said　Mrs。　Appleditch　to　her　husband；　〃but　Mr。　Sutherland　has
not　seen　the　drawing…room！〃

Hugh　wondered　what　there　could　be　remarkable　about　the　drawing…room；
but　he　soon　found　that　it　was　the　pride　of　Mrs。　Appleditch's　heart。
She　abstained　from　all　use　of　it　except　upon　great　occasionswhen
parties　of　her　friends　came　to　drink　tea　with　her。　　She　made　a
point；　however；　of　showing　it　to　everybody　who　entered　the　house　for
the　first　time。　　So　Hugh　was　led　up…stairs；　to　undergo　the　operation
of　being　shown　the　drawing…room；　and　being　expected　to　be　astonished
at　it。

I　asked　him　what　it　was　like。　　He　answered：　〃It　was　just　what　it
ought　to　berich　and　ugly。　　Mr。　Appleditch；　in　his　deacon's
uniform；　hung　over　the　fire；　and　Mrs。　Appleditch；　in　her
wedding…dress；　over　the　piano；　for　there　was　a　piano；　and　she　could
play　psalm…tunes　on　it　with　one　finger。　　The　round　table　in　the
middle　of　the　room　had　books　in　gilded　red　and　blue　covers
symmetrically　arranged　all　round　it。　　This　is　all　I　can　recollect。〃

Having　feasted　his　eyes　on　the　magnificence　thus　discovered　to　him；
he　walked　home；　more　depressed　at　the　prospect　of　his　new　employment
than　he　could　have　believed　possible。

On　his　way　he　turned　aside　into　the　Regent's　Park；　where　the　sight
of　the　people　enjoying　themselvesfor　it　was　a　fine　day　for　the
seasonpartially　dispelled　the　sense　of　living　corruption　and
premature　burial　which　he　had　experienced　all　day　long。　　He　kept　as
far　off　from　the　rank　of　open…air　preachers　as　possible；　and　really
was　able　to　thank　God　that　all　the　world　did　not　keep　Scotch
Sabbatha　day　neither　Mosaic；　nor　Jewish；　nor　Christian：　not
Mosaic；　inasmuch　as　it　kills　the　very　essence　of　the　fourth
commandment；　which　is　Rest；　transmuting　it　into　what　the　chemists
would　call　a　mechanical　mixture　of　service　and　inertia；　not　Jewish；
inasmuch　as　it　is　ten　times　more　severe；　and　formal；　and　full　of
negations；　than　that　of　the　Sabbatarian　Jews　reproved　by　the　Saviour
for　their　idolatry　of　the　day；　and　unchristian；　inasmuch　as　it
insists；　beyond　appeal；　on　the　observance　of　times　and　seasons；
abolished；　as　far　as　law　is　concerned；　by　the　word　of　the　chief　of
the　apostles；　and　elevates　into　an　especial　test　of　piety　a　custom
not　even　mentioned　by　the　founders　of　christianity　at　allthat；
namely；　of　accounting　this　day　more　holy　than　all　the　rest。

These　last　are　but　outside　reasons　for　calling　it　unchristian。
There　are　far　deeper　and　more　important　ones；　which　cannot　well　be
produced　here。

It　is　not　Hugh；　however；　who　is　to　be　considered　accountable　for　all
this；　but　the　historian　of　his　fortunes；　between　whom　and　the　vision
of　a　Lord's　Day　indeed；　there　arises　too　often　the　nightmare…memory
of　a　Scotch　Saabbathbetween　which　and　its　cousin；　the　English
Sunday；　there　is　too　much　of　a　family　likeness。　　The　grand　men　and
women　whom　I　have　known　in　Scotland；　seem　to　me；　as　I　look　back；　to
move　about　in　the　mists　of　a　Scotch　Sabbath；　like　a　company　of
way…worn　angels　in　the　Limbo　of　Vanity；　in　which　there　is　no　air
whereupon　to　smite　their　sounding　wings；　that　they　may　rise　into　the
sunlight　of　God's　presence。




CHAPTER　VII。

SUNDAY　EVENING。

Now　resteth　in　my　memory　but　this　point；　which　indeed　is　the　chief
to　you　of　all　others；　which　is　the　choice　of　what　men　you　are　to
direct　yourself　to；　for　it　is　certain　no　vessel　can　leave　a　worse
taste　in　the　liquor　it　contains；　than　a　wrong　teacher　infects　an
unskilful　hearer　with　that　which　hardly　will　ever　out。。。But　you　may
say；　〃How　shall　I　get　excellent　men　to　take　pains　to　speak　with　me？〃
Truly；　in　few　words；　either　by　much　expense　or　much　humbleness。

Letter　of　Sir　Philip　Sidney　to　his　brother　Robert。


How　many　things　which；　at　the　first　moment；　strike　us　as　curious
coincidences；　afterwards　become　so　operative　on　our　lives；　and　so
interwoven　with　the　whole　web　of　their　histories；　that　instead　of
appearing　any　more　as　strange　accidents；　they　assume　the　shape　of
unavoidable　necessities；　of　homely；　ordinary；　lawful　occurrences；　as
much　in　their　own　place　as　any　shaft　or　pinion　of　a　great　machine！

It　was　dusk　before　Hugh　turned　his　steps　homeward。　　He　wandered
along；　thinking　of　Euphra　and　the　Count　and　the　stolen　rings。　　He
greatly　desired　to　clear　himself　to　Mr。　Arnold。　　He　saw　that　the
nature　of　the　ring　tended　to　justify　Mr。　Arnold's　suspicions；　for　a
man　who　would　not　steal　for　money's　worth；　might　yet　steal　for　value
of　another　sort；　addressing　itself　to　some　peculiar　weakness；　and
Mr。　Arnold　might　have　met　with　instances　of　this　nature　in　his
position　as　magistrate。　　He　greatly　desired；　likewise；　for　Euphra's
sake；　to　have　Funkelstein　in　his　power。　　His　own　ring　was　beyond
recovery；　but　if；　by　its　means；　he　could　hold　such　a　lash　over　him
as　would　terrify　him　from　again　exercising　his　villanous　influences
on　her；　he　would　he　satisfied。

While　plunged　in　this　contemplation；　he　came　upon　two　policemen
talking　together。　　He　recognized　one　of　them　as　a　Scotchman；　from
his　speech。　　It　occurred　to　him　at　once　to　ask　his　advice；　in　a
modified　manner；　and　a　moment's　reflection　convinced　him　that　it
would　at　least　do　no　harm。　　He　would　do　it。　　It　was　one　of　those
resolutions　at　which　one　arrives　by　an　arrow　flight　of　the
intellect。

〃You　are　a　countryman　of　mine；　I　think；〃　said　he；　as　soon　as　the　two
had　parted。

〃If　ye're　a　Scotchman；　sirmay　be　ay；　may　be　no。〃

〃Whaur　come　ye　frae；　man？〃

〃Ou；　Aberdeen…awa。〃

〃It's　mine　ain　calf…country。　　An'　what　do　they　ca'　ye？〃

〃They　ca'　me　John　MacPherson。〃

〃My　name's　Sutherland。〃

〃Eh；　man！　　It's　my　ain　mither's　name。　　Gie's　a　grup　o'　yer　han'；
Maister　Sutherlan'。Eh；　man！〃　he　repeated；　shaking　Hugh's　hand　with
vehemence。

〃I　have　no　doubt；〃　said　Hugh；　relapsing　into　English；　〃that　we　are
some　cousins　or　other。　　It's　very　lucky　for　me　to　find　a　relative；
for　I　wanted　someadvice。〃

He　took　care　to　say　advice；　which　a　Scotchman　is　generally　prepared
to　bestow　of　his　best。　　Had　it　been　sixpence；　the　cousinship　would
have　required　elaborate　proof；　before　the　treaty　could　have　made
further　progress。

〃I'm　fully　at　your　service；　sir。〃

〃When　will　you　be　off　duty？〃

〃At　nine　o'clock　preceesely。〃

〃Come　to　No。　13；Square；　and　ask　for　me。　　It's　not　far。〃

〃Wi'　pleesir；　sir；　'gin　'twar　twise　as　far。〃

Hugh　would　not　have　ventured　to　ask　him　to　his　house　on　Sunday
night；　when　no　refreshments　could　be　procured；　had　he　not　remembered
a　small　pig　（Anglic？stone　bottle）　of　real　mountain　dew；　which　he
had　carried　with　him　when　he　went　to　Arnstead；　and　which　had　lain
unopened　in　one　of　his　boxes。

Miss　Talbot　received　her　lodger　with　more　show　of　pleasure　than
usual；　for　he　came　lapped　in　the　odour　of　the　deacon's　sanctity。
But　she　was　considerably　alarmed　and　beyond　measure　shocked　when
the　policeman　called　and　requested　to　see　him。　　Sally　had　rushed　in
to　her　mistress　in　dismay。

〃Please'm；　there's　a　pleaceman　wants　Mr。　Sutherland。　　Oh！　lor'm！〃

〃Well；　go　and　let　Mr。　Sutherland　know；　you　stupid　girl；〃　answered
her　mistress；　trembling。

〃Oh！　lor'm！〃　was　all　Sally's　reply；　as　she　vanished　to　bear　the
awful　tidings　to　Hugh。

〃He　can't　have　been　housebreaking　already；〃　said　Miss　Talbot　to
herself；　as　she　confessed　afterwards。　〃But　it　may　be　forgery　or
embezzlement。　　I　told　the　poor　deluded　young　man　that　the　way　of
transgressors　was　hard。〃

〃Please；　sir；　you're　wanted；　sir；〃　said　Sally；　out　of　breath；　and
pale　as　her　Sunday　apron。

〃Who　wants　me？〃　asked　Hugh。

〃Please；　sir；　the　pleaceman；　sir；〃　answered　Sally；　and　burst　into
tears。

Hugh　was　perfectly　bewildered　by　the　girl's　behaviour；　and　said　in　a
tone　of　surprise：

〃Well；　show　him　up；　then。〃

〃Ooh！　sir；〃　said　Sally；　with　a　Plutonic　sigh；　and　began　to　undo　the
hooks　of　her　dress；　〃if　you　wouldn't　mind；　sir；　just　put　on　my　frock
and　apron；　and　take　a　jug　in　your　hand；　an'　the　pleaceman'll　never
look　at　you。　　I'll　take　care　of　everything　till　you　come　back；　sir。〃
And　again　she　burst　into　tears。

Sally　was　a　great　reader　of　the　Family　Herald；　and　knew　that　this
was　an　orthodox　plan　of　rescuing　a　prisoner。　　The　kindness　of　her
anxiety　moderated　the　expression　of　Hugh's　amusement；　and　having
convinced　her　that　he　was　in　no　danger；　he　easily　prevailed　upon　her
to　bring　the　policeman　upstairs。

Over　a　tumbler　of　toddy；　the　weaker　ingredients　of　which　were
procured　by　Sally's　glad　connivance；　with　a　lingering　idea　of
propitiation；　and　a　gentle　hint　that　Missus　mustn't　knowthe　two
Scotchmen；　seated　at　opposite　corners　of　the　fire；　had　a　long　chat。
They　began　about　the　old　country；　and　the　places　and　people　they
both　knew；　and　both　didn't　know。　　If　they　had　met　on　the　shores　of
the　central　lake　of　Africa；　they　could　scarcely　have　been　more
couthy　together。　　At　length　Hugh　referred　to　the　object　of　his
application　to　MacPherson。

〃What　plan　would　you　have　me　pursue；　John；　to　get　hold　of　a　man　in
London？〃

〃I　could　manage　that　for　ye；　sir。　　I　ken　maist　the　haill　mengie　o'
the　detaictives。〃

〃But　you　see；　unfortunately；　I　don't　wish；　for　particular　reasons；
that　the　police　should　have　anything　to　do　with　it。〃

〃Ay！　ay！　　Hm！　　Hm！　　I　see　brawly。　　Ye'll　be　efter　a　st