memories and portraits-第10节

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help　feeling　that　it　was　condescension　on　his　part　to　dress　your　

humbler　garden　plots。　　You　were　thrown　at　once　into　an　invidious　

position。　　You　felt　that　you　were　profiting　by　the　needs　of　

dignity；　and　that　his　poverty　and　not　his　will　consented　to　your　

vulgar　rule。　　Involuntarily　you　compared　yourself　with　the　

swineherd　that　made　Alfred　watch　his　cakes；　or　some　bloated　citizen　

who　may　have　given　his　sons　and　his　condescension　to　the　fallen　

Dionysius。　　Nor　were　the　disagreeables　purely　fanciful　and　

metaphysical；　for　the　sway　that　he　exercised　over　your　feelings　he　

extended　to　your　garden；　and；　through　the　garden；　to　your　diet。　　He　

would　trim　a　hedge；　throw　away　a　favourite　plant；　or　fill　the　most　

favoured　and　fertile　section　of　the　garden　with　a　vegetable　that　

none　of　us　could　eat；　in　supreme　contempt　for　our　opinion。　　If　you　

asked　him　to　send　you　in　one　of　your　own　artichokes；　〃THAT　I　WULL；　

MEM；〃　he　would　say；　〃WITH　PLEASURE；　FOR　IT　IS　MAIR　BLESSED　TO　GIVE　

THAN　TO　RECEIVE。〃　　Ay；　and　even　when；　by　extra　twisting　of　the　

screw；　we　prevailed　on　him　to　prefer　our　commands　to　his　own　

inclination；　and　he　went　away；　stately　and　sad；　professing　that　

〃OUR　WULL　WAS　HIS　PLEASURE；〃　but　yet　reminding　us　that　he　would　do　

it　〃WITH　FEELIN'S；〃　…　even　then；　I　say；　the　triumphant　master　felt　

humbled　in　his　triumph；　felt　that　he　ruled　on　sufferance　only；　that　

he　was　taking　a　mean　advantage　of　the　other's　low　estate；　and　that　

the　whole　scene　had　been　one　of　those　〃slights　that　patient　merit　

of　the　unworthy　takes。〃



In　flowers　his　taste　was　old…fashioned　and　catholic；　affecting　

sunflowers　and　dahlias；　wallflowers　and　roses　and　holding　in　

supreme　aversion　whatsoever　was　fantastic；　new…fashioned　or　wild。　　

There　was　one　exception　to　this　sweeping　ban。　　Foxgloves；　though　

undoubtedly　guilty　on　the　last　count；　he　not　only　spared；　but　

loved；　and　when　the　shrubbery　was　being　thinned；　he　stayed　his　hand　

and　dexterously　manipulated　his　bill　in　order　to　save　every　stately　

stem。　　In　boyhood；　as　he　told　me　once；　speaking　in　that　tone　that　

only　actors　and　the　old…fashioned　common　folk　can　use　nowadays；　his　

heart　grew　〃PROUD〃　within　him　when　he　came　on　a　burn…course　among　

the　braes　of　Manor　that　shone　purple　with　their　graceful　trophies；　

and　not　all　his　apprenticeship　and　practice　for　so　many　years　of　

precise　gardening　had　banished　these　boyish　recollections　from　his　

heart。　　Indeed；　he　was　a　man　keenly　alive　to　the　beauty　of　all　that　

was　bygone。　　He　abounded　in　old　stories　of　his　boyhood；　and　kept　

pious　account　of　all　his　former　pleasures；　and　when　he　went　（on　a　

holiday）　to　visit　one　of　the　fabled　great　places　of　the　earth　where　

he　had　served　before；　he　came　back　full　of　little　pre…Raphaelite　

reminiscences　that　showed　real　passion　for　the　past；　such　as　might　

have　shaken　hands　with　Hazlitt　or　Jean…Jacques。



But　however　his　sympathy　with　his　old　feelings　might　affect　his　

liking　for　the　foxgloves；　the　very　truth　was　that　he　scorned　all　

flowers　together。　　They　were　but　garnishings；　childish　toys；　

trifling　ornaments　for　ladies'　chimney…shelves。　　It　was　towards　his　

cauliflowers　and　peas　and　cabbage　that　his　heart　grew　warm。　　His　

preference　for　the　more　useful　growths　was　such　that　cabbages　were　

found　invading　the　flower…pots；　and　an　outpost　of　savoys　was　once　

discovered　in　the　centre　of　the　lawn。　　He　would　prelect　over　some　

thriving　plant　with　wonderful　enthusiasm；　piling　reminiscence　on　

reminiscence　of　former　and　perhaps　yet　finer　specimens。　　Yet　even　

then　he　did　not　let　the　credit　leave　himself。　　He　had；　indeed；　

raised　〃FINER　O'　THEM；〃　but　it　seemed　that　no　one　else　had　been　

favoured　with　a　like　success。　　All　other　gardeners；　in　fact；　were　

mere　foils　to　his　own　superior　attainments；　and　he　would　recount；　

with　perfect　soberness　of　voice　and　visage；　how　so　and　so　had　

wondered；　and　such　another　could　scarcely　give　credit　to　his　eyes。　　

Nor　was　it　with　his　rivals　only　that　he　parted　praise　and　blame。　　

If　you　remarked　how　well　a　plant　was　looking；　he　would　gravely　

touch　his　hat　and　thank　you　with　solemn　unction；　all　credit　in　the　

matter　falling　to　him。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　you　called　his　

attention　to　some　back…going　vegetable；　he　would　quote　Scripture：　

〃PAUL　MAY　PLANT　AND　APOLLOS　MAY　WATER；〃　all　blame　being　left　to　

Providence；　on　the　score　of　deficient　rain　or　untimely　frosts。



There　was　one　thing　in　the　garden　that　shared　his　preference　with　

his　favourite　cabbages　and　rhubarb；　and　that　other　was　the　beehive。　　

Their　sound；　their　industry；　perhaps　their　sweet　product　also；　had　

taken　hold　of　his　imagination　and　heart；　whether　by　way　of　memory　

or　no　I　cannot　say；　although　perhaps　the　bees　too　were　linked　to　

him　by　some　recollection　of　Manor　braes　and　his　country　childhood。　　

Nevertheless；　he　was　too　chary　of　his　personal　safety　or　（let　me　

rather　say）　his　personal　dignity　to　mingle　in　any　active　office　

towards　them。　　But　he　could　stand　by　while　one　of　the　contemned　

rivals　did　the　work　for　him；　and　protest　that　it　was　quite　safe　in　

spite　of　his　own　considerate　distance　and　the　cries　of　the　

distressed　assistant。　　In　regard　to　bees；　he　was　rather　a　man　of　

word　than　deed；　and　some　of　his　most　striking　sentences　had　the　

bees　for　text。　　〃THEY　ARE　INDEED　WONDERFUL　CREATURES；　MEM；〃　he　said　

once。　　〃THEY　JUST　MIND　ME　O'　WHAT　THE　QUEEN　OF　SHEBA　SAID　TO　

SOLOMON　…　AND　I　THINK　SHE　SAID　IT　WI'　A　SIGH；　…　'THE　HALF　OF　IT　

HATH　NOT　BEEN　TOLD　UNTO　ME。'〃



As　far　as　the　Bible　goes；　he　was　deeply　read。　　Like　the　old　

Covenanters；　of　whom　he　was　the　worthy　representative；　his　mouth　

was　full　of　sacred　quotations；　it　was　the　book　that　he　had　studied　

most　and　thought　upon　most　deeply。　　To　many　people　in　his　station　

the　Bible；　and　perhaps　Burns；　are　the　only　books　of　any　vital　

literary　merit　that　they　read；　feeding　themselves；　for　the　rest；　on　

the　draff　of　country　newspapers；　and　the　very　instructive　but　not　

very　palatable　pabulum　of　some　cheap　educational　series。　　This　was　

Robert's　position。　　All　day　long　he　had　dreamed　of　the　Hebrew　

stories；　and　his　head　had　been　full　of　Hebrew　poetry　and　Gospel　

ethics；　until　they　had　struck　deep　root　into　his　heart；　and　the　

very　expressions　had　become　a　part　of　him；　so　that　he　rarely　spoke　

without　some　antique　idiom　or　Scripture　mannerism　that　gave　a　

raciness　to　the　merest　trivialities　of　talk。　　But　the　influence　of　

the　Bible　did　not　stop　here。　　There　was　more　in　Robert　than　quaint　

phrase　and　ready　store　of　reference。　　He　was　imbued　with　a　spirit　

of　peace　and　love：　he　interposed　between　man　and　wife：　he　threw　

himself　between　the　angry；　touching　his　hat　the　while　with　all　the　

ceremony　of　an　usher：　he　protected　the　birds　from　everybody　but　

himself；　seeing；　I　suppose；　a　great　difference　between　official　

execution　and　wanton　sport。　　His　mistress　telling　him　one　day　to　

put　some　ferns　into　his　master's　particular　corner；　and　adding；　

〃Though；　indeed；　Robert；　he　doesn't　deserve　them；　for　he　wouldn't　

help　me　to　gather　them；〃　〃EH；　MEM；〃　replies　Robert；　〃BUT　I　WOULDNAE　

SAY　THAT；　FOR　I　THINK　HE'S　JUST　A　MOST　DESERVIN'　GENTLEMAN。〃　　

Again；　two　of　our　friends；　who　were　on　intimate　terms；　and　

accustomed　to　use　language　to　each　other；　somewhat　without　the　

bounds　of　the　parliamentary；　happened　to　differ　about　the　position　

of　a　seat　in　the　garden。　　The　discussion；　as　was　usual　when　these　

two　were　at　it；　soon　waxed　tolerably　insulting　on　both　sides。　　

Every　one　accustomed　to　such　controversies　several　times　a　day　was　

quietly　enjoying　this　prize…fight　of　somewhat　abusive　wit　…　every　

one　but　Robert；　to　whom　the　perfect　good　faith　of　the　whole　quarrel　

seemed　unquestionable；　and　who；　after　having　waited　till　his　

conscience　would　suffer　him　to　wait　no　more；　and　till　he　expected　

every　moment　that　the　disputants　would　fall　to　blows；　cut　suddenly　

in　with　tones　of　almost　tearful　entreaty：　〃EH；　BUT；　GENTLEMEN；　I　

WAD　HAE　NAE　MAIR　WORDS　ABOUT　IT！〃　　One　thing　was　noticeable　about　

Robert's　religion：　it　was　neither　dogmatic　nor　sectarian。　　He　never　

expatiated　（at　least；　in　my　hearing）　on　the　doctrines　of　his　creed；　

and　he　never　condemned　anybody　else。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　held　

all　Roman　Catholics；　Atheists；　and　Mahometans　as　considerably　out　

of　it；　I　don't　believe　he　had　any　sympathy　for　Prelacy；　and　the　

natural　feelings　of　man　must　have　made　him　a　little　sore　about　

Free…Churchism；　but　at　least；　he　never　talked　about　these　views；　

never　grew　controversially　noisy；　and　never　openly　aspersed　the　

belief　or　practice　of　anybody。　　Now　all　this　is　not　generally　

characteristic　of　Scotch　piety；　Scotch　sects　being　churches　

militant　with　a　vengeance；　and　Scotch　believers　perpetual　crusaders　

the　one　against　the　other；　and　missionaries　the　one　to　the　other。　　

Perhaps　Robert's　originally　tender　heart　was　what　made　the　

difference；　or；　perhaps；　his　solitary　and　pleasant　labour　among