robert falconer-第104章

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！



bulk　before　her。



'Gin　ye　dinna　behave　yersel'；　Betty；　I'll　jist　awa'　ower　to

Muckledrum；　an'　hae　a　caw　（drive）　throu　the　sessions…buik。'



Betty　laughed　for　the　first　time　at　the　awful　threat；　and　the　ice

once　broken；　things　returned　to　somewhat　of　their　old　footing。



I　must　not　linger　on　these　days。　　The　next　morning　Robert　paid　a

visit　to　Bodyfauld；　and　found　that　time　had　there　flowed　so　gently

that　it　had　left　but　few　wrinkles　and　fewer　gray　hairs。　　The　fields；

too；　had　little　change　to　show；　and　the　hill　was　all　the　same；　save

that　its　pines　had　grown。　　His　chief　mission　was　to　John　Hewson　and

his　wife。　　When　he　left　for　the　continent；　he　was　not　so　utterly

absorbed　in　his　own　griefs　as　to　forget　Jessie。　　He　told　her　story

to　Dr。　Anderson；　and　the　good　man　had　gone　to　see　her　the　same　day。



In　the　evening；　when　he　knew　he　should　find　them　both　at　home；　he

walked　into　the　cottage。　　They　were　seated　by　the　fire；　with　the

same　pot　hanging　on　the　same　crook　for　their　supper。　　They　rose；　and

asked　him　to　sit　down；　but　did　not　know　him。　　When　he　told　them　who

he　was；　they　greeted　him　warmly；　and　John　Hewson　smiled　something　of

the　old　smile；　but　only　like　it；　for　it　had　no　'rays　proportionately

delivered'　from　his　mouth　over　his　face。



After　a　little　indifferent　chat；　Robert　said；



'I　came　through　Aberdeen　yesterday；　John。'



At　the　very　mention　of　Aberdeen；　John's　head　sunk。　　He　gave　no

answer；　but　sat　looking　in　the　fire。　　His　wife　rose　and　went　to　the

other　end　of　the　room；　busying　herself　quietly　about　the　supper。

Robert　thought　it　best　to　plunge　into　the　matter　at　once。



'I　saw　Jessie　last　nicht；'　he　said。



Still　there　was　no　reply。　　John's　face　had　grown　hard　as　a　stone

face；　but　Robert　thought　rather　from　the　determination　to　govern　his

feelings　than　from　resentment。



'She's　been　doin'　weel　ever　sin'　syne；'　he　added。



Still　no　word　from　either；　and　Robert　fearing　some　outburst　of

indignation　ere　he　had　said　his　say；　now　made　haste。



'She's　been　a　servant　wi'　Dr。　Anderson　for　four　year　noo；　an'　he's

sair　pleased　wi'　her。　　She's　a　fine　woman。　　But　her　bairnie's　deid；

an'　that　was　a　sair　blow　till　her。'



He　heard　a　sob　from　the　mother；　but　still　John　made　no　sign。



'It　was　a　bonnie　bairnie　as　ever　ye　saw。　　It　luikit　in　her　face；　she

says；　as　gin　it　kent　a'　aboot　it；　and　had　only　come　to　help　her

throu　the　warst　o'　't；　for　it　gaed　hame　'maist　as　sune's　ever　she

was　richt　able　to　thank　God　for　sen'in'　her　sic　an　angel　to　lead　her

to　repentance。'



'John；'　said　his　wife；　coming　behind　his　chair；　and　laying　her　hand

on　his　shoulder；　'what　for　dinna　ye　speyk？　　Ye　hear　what　Maister

Faukner　says。Ye　dinna　think　a　thing's　clean　useless　'cause　there

may　be　a　spot　upo'　't？'　she　added；　wiping　her　eyes　with　her　apron。



'A　spot　upo'　't？'　cried　John；　starting　to　his　feet。　'What　ca'　ye　a

spot？Wuman；　dinna　drive　me　mad　to　hear　ye　lichtlie　the　glory　o'

virginity。'



'That's　a'　verra　weel；　John；'　interposed　Robert　quietly；　'but　there

was　ane　thocht　as　muckle　o'　't　as　ye　do；　an'　wad　hae　been　ashamed　to

hear　ye　speak　that　gait　aboot　yer　ain　dauchter'



'I　dinna　unnerstan'　ye；'　returned　Hewson；　looking　raised…like　at

him。



'Dinna　ye　ken；　man；　that　amo'　them　'at　kent　the　Lord　best　whan　he

cam　frae　haiven　to　luik　efter　his　ainto　seek　and　to　save；　ye

kenamo'　them　'at　cam　roon　aboot　him　to　hearken　till　'im；　was

lasses　'at　had　gane　the　wrang　gait　a'thegither；no　like　your　bonnie

Jessie　'at　fell　but　ance。　　Man；　ye're　jist　like　Simon　the　Pharisee；

'at　was　sae　scunnert　at　oor　Lord　'cause　he　loot　the　wuman　'at　was　a

sinner　tak　her　wull　o'　's　feetthe　feet　'at　they　war　gaein'　to　tak

their　wull　o'　efter　anither　fashion　afore　lang。　　He　wad　hae　shawn

her　the　doorSimon　wadlike　you；　John；　but　the　Lord　tuik　her

pairt。　　An'　lat　me　tell　you；　Johnan'　I　winna　beg　yer　pardon　for

sayin'　't；　for　it's　God's　trowthlat　me　tell　you；　'at　gin　ye　gang

on　that　gait　ye'll　be　sidin'　wi'　the　Pharisee；　an'　no　wi'　oor　Lord。

Ye　may　lippen　to　yer　wife；　ay；　an'　to　Jessie　hersel'；　that　kens

better　nor　eyther　o'　ye；　no　to　mak　little　o'　virginity。　　Faith！　they

think　mair　o'　't　than　ye　do；　I'm　thinkin'；　efter　a'；　only　it's　no　a

thing　to　say　muckle　aboot。　　An'　it's　no　to　stan'　for　a'thing；　efter

a'。'



Silence　followed。　　John　sat　down　again；　and　buried　his　face　in　his

hands。　　At　length　he　murmured　from　between　them；



'The　lassie's　weel？'



'Ay；'　answered　Robert；　and　silence　followed　again。



'What　wad　ye　hae　me　do？'　asked　John；　lifting　his　head　a　little。



'I　wad　hae　ye　sen'　a　kin'　word　till　her。　　The　lassie's　hert's　jist

longin'　efter　ye。　　That's　a'。　　And　that's　no　ower　muckle。'



''Deed　no；'　assented　the　mother。



John　said　nothing。　　But　when　his　visitor　rose　he　bade　him　a　warm

good…night。



When　Robert　returned　to　Aberdeen　he　was　the　bearer　of　such　a　message

as　made　poor　Jessie　glad　at　heart。　　This　was　his　first　experience　of

the　sort。



When　he　left　the　cottage；　he　did　not　return　to　the　house；　but

threaded　the　little　forest　of　pines；　climbing　the　hill　till　he　came

out　on　its　bare　crown；　where　nothing　grew　but　heather　and

blaeberries。　　There　he　threw　himself　down；　and　gazed　into　the

heavens。　　The　sun　was　below　the　horizon；　all　the　dazzle　was　gone　out

of　the　gold；　and　the　roses　were　fast　fading；　the　downy　blue　of　the

sky　was　trembling　into　stars　over　his　head；　the　brown　dusk　was

gathering　in　the　air；　and　a　wind　full　of　gentleness　and　peace　came

to　him　from　the　west。　　He　let　his　thoughts　go　where　they　would；　and

they　went　up　into　the　abyss　over　his　head。



'Lord；　come　to　me；'　he　cried　in　his　heart；　'for　I　cannot　go　to　thee。

If　I　were　to　go　up　and　up　through　that　awful　space　for　ages　and

ages；　I　should　never　find　thee。　　Yet　there　thou　art。　　The　tenderness

of　thy　infinitude　looks　upon　me　from　those　heavens。　　Thou　art　in

them　and　in　me。　　Because　thou　thinkest；　I　think。　　I　am　thineall

thine。　　I　abandon　myself　to　thee。　　Fill　me　with　thyself。　　When　I　am

full　of　thee；　my　griefs　themselves　will　grow　golden　in　thy　sunlight。

Thou　holdest　them　and　their　cause；　and　wilt　find　some　nobler

atonement　between　them　than　vile　forgetfulness　and　the　death　of

love。　　Lord；　let　me　help　those　that　are　wretched　because　they　do　not

know　thee。　　Let　me　tell　them　that　thou；　the　Life；　must　needs　suffer

for　and　with　them；　that　they　may　be　partakers　of　thy　ineffable

peace。　　My　life　is　hid　in　thine：　take　me　in　thy　hand　as　Gideon　bore

the　pitcher　to　the　battle。　　Let　me　be　broken　if　need　be；　that　thy

light　may　shine　upon　the　lies　which　men　tell　them　in　thy　name；　and

which　eat　away　their　hearts。'



Having　persuaded　Shargar　to　remain　with　Mrs。　Falconer　for　a　few

days；　and　thus　remove　the　feeling　of　offence　she　still　cherished

because　of　his　'munelicht　flittin'；'　he　returned　to　Dr。　Anderson；

who　now　unfolded　his　plans　for　him。　　These　were；　that　he　should

attend　the　medical　classes　common　to　the　two　universities；　and　at

the　same　time　accompany　him　in　his　visits　to　the　poor。　　He　did　not

at　all　mean；　he　said；　to　determine　Robert's　life　as　that　of　a

medical　man；　but　from　what　he　had　learned　of　his　feelings；　he　was

confident　that　a　knowledge　of　medicine　would　be　invaluable　to　him。

I　think　the　good　doctor　must　have　foreseen　the　kind　of　life　which

Falconer　would　at　length　choose　to　lead；　and　with　true　and　admirable

wisdom；　sought　to　prepare　him　for　it。　　However　this　may　be；　Robert

entertained　the　proposal　gladly；　went　into　the　scheme　with　his　whole

heart；　and　began　to　widen　that　knowledge　of　and　sympathy　with　the

poor　which　were　the　foundation　of　all　his　influence　over　them。



For　a　time；　therefore；　he　gave　a　diligent　and　careful　attendance

upon　lectures；　read　sufficiently；　took　his　rounds　with　Dr。　Anderson；

and　performed　such　duties　as　he　delegated　to　his　greater　strength。

Had　the　healing　art　been　far　less　of　an　enjoyment　to　him　than　it

was；　he　could　yet　hardly　have　failed　of　great　p