donal grant-第7节

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wastena　yer　backbane。　　My　business　is　to　luik　to　the　bodies　o'　men；
an'　specially　to　their　puir　feet　'at　has　to　bide　the　weicht；　an'　get
sair　pressed　therein。　　Life　's　as　hard　upo'　the　feet　o'　a　man　as
upo'　ony　pairt　o'　'm！　　Whan　they　gang　wrang；　there　isna　muckle　to　be
dune　till　they　be　set　richt　again。　　I'm　sair　honourt；　I　say　to
mysel'　whiles；　to　be　set　ower　the　feet　o'　men。　　It's　a　fine
ministration！full　better　than　bein'　a　door…keeper　i'　the　hoose　o'
the　Lord！　　For　the　feet　'at　gang　oot　an'　in　at　it　's　mair　nor　the
door！〃

〃The　Lord　be　praist！〃　said　Donal　to　himself；　〃there's　mair　i'　the
warl'　like　my　father　an'　mither！〃

He　took　the　seat　appointed　him。

〃Come　to　the　table；　Anerew；〃　said　the　old　woman；　〃gien　sae　be　ye　can
pairt　wi'　that　buik　o'　yours；　an'　lat　yer　sowl　gie　place　to　yer
boady's　richts。I　doobt；　sir；　gien　he　wad　ait　or　drink　gien　I　wasna
at　his　elbuck。〃

〃Doory；〃　returned　her　husband；　〃ye　canna　deny　I　gie　ye　a　bit　noo　an'
than；　specially　whan　I　come　upo'　onything　by　ord'nar'　tasty！〃

〃That　ye　du；　Anerew；　or　I　dinna　ken　what　wud　come　o'　my　sowl　ony
mair　nor　o'　your　boady！　　Sae　ye　see；　sir；　we're　like　John　Sprat　an'
his　wife：ye'll　ken　the　bairns'　say　aboot　them？〃

〃Ay；　fine　that；〃　replied　Donal。　〃Ye　couldna　weel　be　better　fittit。〃

〃God　grant　it！〃　she　said。　〃But　we　wad　fit　better　yet　gien　I　had　but
a　wheen　mair　brains。〃

〃The　Lord　kenned　what　brains　ye　had　whan　he　broucht　ye　thegither；〃
said　Donal。

〃Ye　never　uttert　a　truer　word；〃　replied　the　cobbler。　〃Gien　the　Lord
be　content　wi'　the　brains　he's　gien　ye；　an'　I　be　content　wi'　the
brains　ye　gie　me；　what　richt　hae　ye　to　be　discontentit　wi'　the
brains　ye　hae；　Doory？answer　me　that。　　But　I　s'　come　to　the
table。Wud　ye　alloo　me　to　speir　efter　yer　name；　sir？〃

〃My　name　's　Donal　Grant；〃　replied　Donal。

〃I　thank　ye；　sir；　an'　I'll　haud　it　in　respec'；〃　returned　the
cobbler。　〃Maister　Grant；　wull　ye　ask　a　blessin'？〃

〃I　wad　raither　j'in　i'　your　askin'；〃　replied　Donal。

The　cobbler　said　a　little　prayer；　and　then　they　began　to　eatfirst
of　oat…cakes；　baked　by　the　old　woman；　then　of　loaf…breid；　as　they
called　it。

〃I'm　sorry　I　hae　nae　jeally　or　jam　to　set　afore　ye；　sir；〃　said
Doory；　〃we're　but　semple　fowk；　ye　seecontent　to　haud　oor　earthly
taibernacles　in　a　haibitable　condition　till　we　hae　notice　to　quit。〃

〃It's　a　fine　thing　to　ken；〃　said　the　cobbler；　with　a　queer　look；
〃'at　whan　ye　lea'　't；　yer　hoose　fa's　doon；　an'　ye　haena　to　think　o'
ony　damages　to　peyforby　'at　gien　it　laistit　ony　time　efter　ye　was
oot　o'　't；　there　micht　be　a　wheen　deevils　takin'　up　their　abode
intil　't。〃

〃Hoot；　Anerew！〃　interposed　his　wife；　〃there's　naething　like　that　i'
scriptur'！〃

〃Hoot；　Doory！〃　returned　Andrew；　〃what　ken　ye　aboot　what's　no　i'
scriptur'？　　Ye　ken　a　heap；　I　alloo；　aboot　what's　in　scriptur'；　but
ye　ken　little　aboot　what's　no　intil　't！〃

〃Weel；　isna　't　best　to　ken　what's　intil　't？〃

〃'Ayont　a　doobt。〃

〃Weel！〃　she　returned　in　playful　triumph。

Donal　saw　that　he　had　got　hold　of　a　pair　of　originals：　it　was　a　joy
to　his　heart：　he　was　himself　an　originalone；　namely；　that　lived
close　to　the　simplicities　of　existence！

Andrew　Comin；　before　offering　him　house…room；　would　never　have　asked
anyone　what　he　was；　but　he　would　have　thought　it　an　equal　lapse　in
breeding　not　to　show　interest　in　the　history　as　well　as　the　person
of　a　guest。　　After　a　little　more　talk；　so　far　from　commonplace　that
the　common　would　have　found　it　mirth…provoking；　the　cobbler　said：

〃An'　what　office　may　ye　haud　yersel'；　sir；　i'　the　ministry　o'　the
temple？〃

〃I　think　I　un'erstan'　ye；〃　replied　Donal；　〃my　mother　says　curious
things　like　you。〃

〃Curious　things　is　whiles　no　that　curious；〃　remarked　Andrew。

A　pause　following；　he　resumed：

〃Gien　onything　gie　ye　reason　to　prefar　waitin'　till　ye　ken　Doory　an'
me　a　bit　better；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃coont　my　ill…mainnert　queston　no
speirt。〃

〃There's　naething；〃　answered　Donal。　〃I'll　tell　ye　onything　or
a'thing　aboot　mysel'。〃

〃Tell　what　ye　wull；　sir；　an'　keep　what　ye　wull；〃　said　the　cobbler。

〃I　was　broucht　up　a　herd…laddie；〃　proceeded　Donal；　〃an'　whiles　a
shepherd　ane。　　For　mony　a　year　I　kent　mair　aboot　the　hill…side　nor
the　ingle…neuk。　　But　it's　the　same　God　an'　Father　upo'　the　hill…side
an'　i'　the　king's　pailace。〃

〃An'　ye'll　ken　a'　aboot　the　win'；　an'　the　cloods；　an'　the　w'ys　o'
God　ootside　the　hoose！　　I　ken　something　hoo　he　hauds　things　gaein'
inside　the　hoosein　a　body's　hert；　I　meanin　mine　an'　Doory's
there；　but　I　ken　little　aboot　the　w'y　he　gars　things　work　'at　he's
no　sae　far　ben　in。〃

〃Ye　dinna　surely　think　God　fillsna　a'thing？〃　exclaimed　Donal。

〃Na；　na；　I　ken　better　nor　that；〃　answered　the　cobbler；　〃but　ye　maun
alloo　a　tod's　hole　's　no　sae　deep　as　the　thro't　o'　a　burnin'
m'untain！　　God　himsel'　canna　win　sae　far　ben　in　a　shallow　place　as
in　a　deep　place；　he　canna　be　sae　far　ben　i'　the　win's；　though　he
gars　them　du　as　he　likes；　as　he　is；　or　sud　be；　i'　your　hert　an'
mine；　sir！〃

〃I　see！〃　responded　Donal。　〃Could　that　hae　been　hoo　the　Lord　had　to
rebuke　the　win's　an'　the　wawves；　as　gien　they　had　been　gaein'　at
their　ain　free　wull；　i'stead　o'　the　wull　o'　him　'at　made　them　an'
set　them　gaein'？〃

〃Maybe；　but　I　wud　hae　to　think　aboot　it　'afore　I　answert；〃　replied
the　cobbler。

A　silence　intervened。　　Then　said　Andrew；　thoughtfully；

〃I　thoucht；　when　I　saw　ye　first；　ye　was　maybe　a　lad　frae　a　shop　i'
the　muckle　toonor　a　clerk；　as　they　ca'　them；　'at　sits　makin'　up
accoonts。〃

〃Na；　I'm　no　that；　I　thank　God；〃　said　Donal。

〃What　for　thank　ye　God　for　that？〃　asked　Andrew。　〃A'　place　is　his。　　I
wudna　hae　ye　thank　God　ye're　no　a　cobbler　like　me！　　Ye　micht；
though；　for　it's　little　ye　can　ken　o'　the　guid　o'　the　callin'！〃

〃I'll　tell　ye　what　for；〃　answered　Donal。　〃I　ken　weel　toon…fowk　think
it　a　heap　better　to　hae　to　du　wi'　figures　nor　wi'　sheep；　but　I'm　no
o'　their　min'；　an'　for　ae　thing；　the　sheep's　alive。　　I　could　weel
fancy　an　angel　a　shepherdan'　he　wad　coont　my　father　guid　company！
Troth；　he　wad　want　wings　an'　airms　an'　feet　an'　a'　to　luik　efter
the　lambs　whiles！　　But　gien　sic　a　ane　was　a　clerk　in　a　coontin'
hoose；　he　wad　hae　to　stow　awa　the　wings；　I　cannot　see　what　use　he
wad　hae　for　them　there。　　He　micht　be　an　angel　a'　the　time；　an'　that
no　a　fallen　ane；　but　he　bude　to　lay　aside　something　to　fit　the
place。〃

〃But　ye're　no　a　shepherd　the　noo？〃　said　the　cobbler。

〃Na；〃　replied　Donal；　〃'cep'　it　be　I'm　set　to　luik　efter　anither
grade　o'　lamb。　　A　freen'ye　may　'a'　h'ard　his　namesir　Gilbert
Galbraithmade　the　beginnin'　o'　a　scholar　o'　me；　an'　noo　I　hae　my
degree　frae　the　auld　university　o'　Inverdaur。〃

〃Didna　I　think　as　muckle！〃　cried　mistress　Comin　triumphant。　〃I　hadna
time　to　say　't　to　ye；　Anerew；　but　I　was　sure　he　was　frae　the
college；　an'　that　was　hoo　his　feet　war　sae　muckle　waur　furnisht　nor
his　heid。〃

〃I　hae　a　pair　o'　shune　i'　my　kist；　thoughwhan　that　comes！〃　said
Donal；　laughing。

〃I　only　houp　it　winna　be　ower　muckle　to　win　up　oor　stair！〃

〃I　dinna　think　it。　　But　we'll　lea'　't　i'　the　street　afore　it　s'　come
'atween　's！〃　said　Donal。　〃Gien　ye'll　hae　me；　sae　lang's　I'm　i'　the
toon；　I　s'　gang　nae　ither　gait。〃

〃An'　ye'll　doobtless　read　the　Greek　like　yer　mither…tongue？〃　said
the　cobbler；　with　a　longing　admiration　in　his　tone。

〃Na；　no　like　that；　but　weel　eneuch　to　get　guid　o'　't。〃

〃Weel；　that's　jist　the　ae　thing　I　grutch　yena；　no　grutchI'm
glaid　ye　hae'tbut　the　ae　thing　I　wud　fain　be　a　scholar　for　mysel'！
To　think　I　kenna　a　cheep　o'　the　word　spoken　by　the　Word　himsel'！〃

〃But　the　letter　o'　the　word　he　made　little　o'　comparet　wi'　the
speerit！〃　said　Donal。

〃Ay；　that's　true！　an'　yet　it's　whaur　a　man　may　weel　be　greedy　an'
want　to　hae　a'thing：　wha　has　the　speerit　wad　fain　hae　the　letter　tu！
But　it　disna　maitter；　I　s'　set　to　learnin'　't　the　first　thing　whan
I　gang　up　the　stairthat　is；　gien　it　be　the　Lord's　wull。〃

〃Hoots！〃　said　his　wife；　〃what　wad　ye　du　wi'　Greek　up　there！　　I　s'
warran'　the　fowk　there；　ay；　an'　the　maister　himsel'；　speyks　plain
Scotch！　　What　for　no！　　What　wad　they　du　there　wi'　Greek；　'at　a　body
wad　hae　to　warstle　wi'　frae　mornin'　to　nicht；　an'　no　mak　oot　the
third　pairt　o'　't！〃

Her　husband　laughed　merrily；　but　Donal　said；

〃'Deed　maybe　ye're　na　sae　far　wrang；　guidwife！　　I'm　thinkin'　there
maun　be　a　gran'　mither…tongue　there；　'at　'll　soop　up　a'　the　lave；
an'　be　better　to　un'erstan'　nor　a　body's　ainfor　it'll　be　yet　mair
his　ain。〃

〃Hear　til　him！〃　cried　the　cobbler；　with　hearty　approbation。

〃Ye　ken；〃　Donal　went　on；　〃a'　the　languages　o'　the　earth　cam；　or　luik
as　gien　they　had　come；　frae　ane；　though　we're　no　jist　dogsure　o'
that。　　There's　my　mither's　ain　Gaelic；　for　enstance：　it's　as　auld；
maybe　aulder　nor　the　Greek；　onygait；　it　has　mair　Greek　nor　Laitin
words　intil　't；　an'　ye　ken　the　Greek　's　an　aulder　tongue　nor　the
Laitin。　　Weel；　gien　we　could　work　oor　w'y　back　to　the　auldest
grit…gran'mither…tongue　o'　a'；　I'm　thinkin'　it　wad　come　a　kin　o'　sae
easy　til　's；　'at；　wi'　the　impruvt　faculties　o'　oor　h'avenly
condition；　we　micht　be　able　in　a　feow　days　to　haud　communication　wi'
ane　anither　i'　that　same；　ohn　stammert　or　hummt　an'　hawt。〃

〃But　there's　been　sic　a　heap　o'　things　f'un'　oot　sin'　syne；　i'