donal grant-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


grass。　　A　few　yards　beneath　was　a　country　road；　and　on　the　other
side　of　the　road　a　small　stream；　in　which　the　brook　that　ran　swiftly
past；　almost　within　reach　of　his　hand；　eagerly　lost　itself。　　On　the
further　bank　of　the　stream；　perfuming　the　air；　grew　many　bushes　of
meadow…sweet；　or　queen…of…the…meadow；　as　it　is　called　in　Scotland；
and　beyond　lay　a　lovely　stretch　of　nearly　level　pasture。　　Farther
eastward　all　was　a　plain；　full　of　farms。　　Behind　him　rose　the　hill；
shutting　out　his　past；　before　him　lay　the　plain；　open　to　his　eyes
and　feet。　　God　had　walled　up　his　past；　and　was　disclosing　his
future。

When　he　had　eaten　his　dinner；　its　dryness　forgotten　in　the　condiment
his　book　supplied；　he　rose；　and　taking　his　cap　from　his　head；　filled
it　from　the　stream；　and　drank　heartily；　then　emptied　it；　shook　the
last　drops　from　it；　and　put　it　again　upon　his　head。

〃Ho；　ho；　young　man！〃　cried　a　voice。

Donal　looked；　and　saw　a　man　in　the　garb　of　a　clergyman　regarding　him
from　the　road；　and　wiping　his　face　with　his　sleeve。

〃You　should　mind；〃　he　continued；　〃how　you　scatter　your　favours。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　said　Donal；　taking　off　his　cap　again；　〃I
hadna　a　notion　there　was　leevin'　cratur　near　me。〃

〃It's　a　fine　day！〃　said　the　minister。

〃It　is　that；　sir！〃　answered　Donal。

〃Which　way　are　you　going？〃　asked　the　minister；　adding；　as　if　in
apology　for　his　seeming　curiosity；　〃You're　a　scholar；　I
see！〃with　a　glance　towards　the　book　he　had　left　open　on　his　stone。

〃Nae　sae　muckle　as　I　wad　fain　be；　sir；〃　answered　Donalthen　called
to　mind　a　resolve　he　had　made　to　speak　English　for　the　future。

〃A　modest　youth；　I　see！〃　returned　the　clergyman；　but　Donal　hardly
liked　the　tone　in　which　he　said　it。

〃That　depends　on　what　you　mean　by　a　scholar；〃　he　said。

〃Oh！〃　answered　the　minister；　not　thinking　much　about　his　reply；　but
in　a　bantering　humour　willing　to　draw　the　lad　out；　〃the　learned　man
modestly　calls　himself　a　scholar。〃

〃Then　there　was　no　modesty　in　saying　I　was　not　so　much　of　a　scholar
as　I　should　like　to　be；　every　scholar　would　say　the　same。〃

〃A　very　good　answer！〃　said　the　clergyman　patronizingly；　〃You'll　be　a
learned　man　some　day！〃　　And　he　smiled　as　he　said　it。

〃When　would　you　call　a　man　learned？〃　asked　Donal。

〃That　is　hard　to　determine；　seeing　those　that　claim　to　be　contradict
each　other　so。〃

〃What　good　then　can　there　be　in　wanting　to　be　learned？〃

〃You　get　the　mental　discipline　of　study。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Donal；　〃a　pity　to　get　a　body's　discipline　on
what　may　be　worthless。　　It's　just　as　good　discipline　to　my　teeth　to
dine　on　bread　and　cheese；　as　it　would　be　to　exercise　them　on　sheep's
grass。〃

〃I've　got　hold　of　a　humorist！〃　said　the　clergyman　to　himself。

Donal　picked　up　his　wallet　and　his　book；　and　came　down　to　the　road。
Then　first　the　clergyman　saw　that　he　was　barefooted。　　In　his
childhood　he　had　himself　often　gone　without　shoes　and　stockings；　yet
the　youth's　lack　of　them　prejudiced　him　against　him。

〃It　must　be　the　fellow's　own　fault！〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃He　shan't
catch　me　with　his　chaff！〃

Donal　would　rather　have　forded　the　river；　and　gone　to　inquire　his
way　at　the　nearest　farm…house；　but　he　thought　it　polite　to　walk　a
little　way　with　the　clergyman。

〃How　far　are　you　going？〃　asked　the　minister　at　length。

〃As　far　as　I　can；〃　replied　Donal。

〃Where　do　you　mean　to　pass　the　night？〃

〃In　some　barn　perhaps；　or　on　some　hill…side。〃

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　you　can　do　no　better。〃

〃You　don't　think；　sir；　what　a　decent　bed　costs；　and　a　barn　is
generally；　a　hill…side　always　clean。　　In　fact　the　hill…side　's　the
best。　　Many's　the　time　I　have　slept　on　one。　　It's　a　strange　notion
some　people　have；　that　it's　more　respectable　to　sleep　under　man's
roof　than　God's。〃

〃To　have　no　settled　abode；〃　said　the　clergyman；　and　paused。

〃Like　Abraham？〃　suggested　Donal　with　a　smile。　〃An　abiding　city　seems
hardly　necessary　to　pilgrims　and　strangers！　　I　fell　asleep　once　on
the　top　of　Glashgar：　when　I　woke　the　sun　was　looking　over　the　edge
of　the　horizon。　　I　rose　and　gazed　about　me　as　if　I　were　but　that
moment　created。　　If　God　had　called　me；　I　should　hardly　have　been
astonished。〃

〃Or　frightened？〃　asked　the　minister。

〃No；　sir；　why　should　a　man　fear　the　presence　of　his　saviour？〃

〃You　said　God！〃　answered　the　minister。

〃God　is　my　saviour！　　Into　his　presence　it　is　my　desire　to　come。〃

〃Under　shelter　of　the　atonement；〃　supplemented　the　minister。

〃Gien　ye　mean　by　that；　sir；〃　cried　Donal；　forgetting　his　English；
〃onything　to　come　'atween　my　God　an'　me；　I'll　ha'e　nane　o'　't。　　I'll
hae　naething　hide　me　frae　him　wha　made　me！　　I　wadna　hide　a　thoucht
frae　him。　　The　waur　it　is；　the　mair　need　he　see't。〃

〃What　book　is　that　you　are　reading？〃　asked　the　minister　sharply。
〃It's　not　your　bible；　I'll　be　bound！　　You　never　got　such　notions
from　it！〃

He　was　angry　with　the　presumptuous　youthand　no　wonder；　for　the
gospel　the　minister　preached　was　a　gospel　but　to　the　slavish　and
unfilial。

〃It's　Shelley；〃　answered　Donal；　recovering　himself。

The　minister　had　never　read　a　word　of　Shelley；　but　had　a　very
decided　opinion　of　him。　　He　gave　a　loud　rude　whistle。

〃So！　that's　where　you　go　for　your　theology！　　I　was　puzzled　to
understand　you；　but　now　all　is　plain！　　Young　man；　you　are　on　the
brink　of　perdition。　　That　book　will　poison　your　very　vitals！〃

〃Indeed；　sir；　it　will　never　go　deep　enough　for　that！　　But　it　came
near　touching　them　as　I　sat　eating　my　bread　and　cheese。〃

〃He's　an　infidel！〃　said　the　minister　fiercely。

〃A　kind　of　one；〃　returned　Donal；　〃but　not　of　the　worst　sort。　　It's
the　people　who　call　themselves　believers　that　drive　the　like　of　poor
Shelley　to　the　mouth　of　the　pit。〃

〃He　hated　the　truth；〃　said　the　minister。

〃He　was　always　seeking　after　it；〃　said　Donal；　〃though　to　be　sure　he
didn't　get　to　the　end　of　the　search。　　Just　listen　to　this；　sir；　and
say　whether　it　be　very　far　from　Christian。〃

Donal　opened　his　little　volume；　and　sought　his　passage。　　The
minister　but　for　curiosity　and　the　dread　of　seeming　absurd　would
have　stopped　his　ears　and　refused　to　listen。　　He　was　a　man　of　not
merely　dry　or　stale；　but　of　deadly　doctrines。　　He　would　have　a　man
love　Christ　for　protecting　him　from　God；　not　for　leading　him　to　God
in　whom　alone　is　bliss；　out　of　whom　all　is　darkness　and　misery。　　He
had　not　a　glimmer　of　the　truth　that　eternal　life　is　to　know　God。　He
imagined　justice　and　love　dwelling　in　eternal　opposition　in　the
bosom　of　eternal　unity。　　He　knew　next　to　nothing　about　God；　and
misrepresented　him　hideously。　　If　God　were　such　as　he　showed　him；　it
would　be　the　worst　possible　misfortune　to　have　been　created。

Donal　had　found　the　passage。　　It　was　in　The　Mask　of　Anarchy。　　He
read　the　following　stanzas：

　　　　　Let　a　vast　assembly　be；
　　　　　And　with　great　solemnity
　　　　　Declare　with　measured　words　that　ye
　　　　　Are；　as　God　has　made　ye；　free。

　　　　　Be　your　strong　and　simple　words
　　　　　Keen　to　wound　as　sharpened　swords；
　　　　　And　wide　as　targes　let　them　be；
　　　　　With　their　shade　to　cover　ye。

　　　　　And　if　then　the　tyrants　dare；
　　　　　Let　them　ride　among　you　there；
　　　　　Slash；　and　stab；　and　maim；　and　hew
　　　　　What　they　like；　that　let　them　do。

　　　　　With　folded　arms　and　steady　eyes；
　　　　　And　little　fear；　and　less　surprise；
　　　　　Look　upon　them　as　they　slay；
　　　　　Till　their　rage　has　died　away。

　　　　　And　that　slaughter　to　the　Nation
　　　　　Shall　steam　up　like　inspiration；
　　　　　Eloquent；　oracular
　　　　　A　volcano　heard　afar。

Ending；　the　reader　turned　to　the　listener。　　But　the　listener　had
understood　little　of　the　meaning；　and　less　of　the　spirit。　　He　hated
opposition　to　the　powers　on　the　part　of　any　below　himself；　yet
scorned　the　idea　of　submitting　to　persecution。

〃What　think　you　of　that；　sir？〃　asked　Donal。

〃Sheer　nonsense！〃　answered　the　minister。　〃Where　would　Scotland　be
now　but　for　resistance？〃

〃There's　more　than　one　way　of　resisting；　though；〃　returned　Donal。
〃Enduring　evil　was　the　Lord's　way。　　I　don't　know　about　Scotland；　but
I　fancy　there　would　be　more　Christians；　and　of　a　better　stamp；　in
the　world；　if　that　had　been　the　mode　of　resistance　always　adopted　by
those　that　called　themselves　such。　　Anyhow　it　was　his　way。〃

〃Shelley's；　you　mean！〃

〃I　don't　mean　Shelley's；　I　mean　Christ's。　　In　spirit　Shelley　was　far
nearer　the　truth　than　those　who　made　him　despise　the　very　name　of
Christianity　without　knowing　what　it　really　was。　　But　God　will　give
every　man　fair　play。〃

〃Young　man！〃　said　the　minister；　with　an　assumption　of　great
solemnity　and　no　less　authority；　〃I　am　bound　to　warn　you　that　you
are　in　a　state　of　rebellion　against　God；　and　he　will　not　be　mocked。
Good　morning！〃

Donal　sat　down　on　the　roadsidehe　would　let　the　minister　have　a
good　start　of　himtook　again　his　shabby　little　volume；　held　more
talk　with　the　book…embodied　spirit　of　Shelley；　and　saw　more　and　more
clearly　how　he　was　misled　in　his　every　notion　of　Christianity；　and
how　different　those　who　gave　him　his　notions　must　have　been　from　the
evangelists　and　apostles。　　He　saw　in　the　poet　a　boyish　nature
striving　after　liberty；　with　scarce　a　notion　of　what　liberty　really
was：　he　knew　nothing　of　the　law　of　libertyoneness　with　the　will　of
our　e