robert falconer-第145章
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factory：
'Luik here； father； here's the mark o' the cut；' he said； parting
the thick hair on the top of his head。
His father hid his face in his hands。
'It wasna muckle o' a blow that ye gied me； father；' he went on；
'but I fell against the grate； and that was what did it。 And I
never tellt onybody； nae even Miss St。 John； wha plaistered it up；
hoo I had gotten 't。 And I didna mean to say onything aboot it； but
I wantit to tell ye a queer dream； sic a queer dream it garred me
dream the same nicht。'
As he told the dream； his father suddenly grew attentive； and before
he had finished； looked almost scared； but he said nothing。 When he
came to relate his grandmother's behaviour after having discovered
that the papers relating to the factory were gone； he hid his face
in his hands once more。 He told him how grannie had mourned and
wept over him； from the time when he heard her praying aloud as he
crept through her room at night to their last talk together after
Dr。 Anderson's death。 He set forth； as he could； in the simplest
language； the agony of her soul over her lost son。 He told him then
about Ericson； and Dr。 Anderson； and how good they had been to him；
and at last of Dr。 Anderson's request that he would do something for
him in India。
'Will ye gang wi' me； father？' he asked。
'I'll never leave ye again； Robert； my boy；' he answered。 'I have
been a bad man； and a bad father； and now I gie mysel' up to you to
mak the best o' me ye can。 I daurna leave ye； Robert。'
'Pray to God to tak care o' ye； father。 He'll do a'thing for ye；
gin ye'll only lat him。'
'I will； Robert。'
'I was mysel' dreidfu' miserable for a while；' Robert resumed； 'for
I cudna see or hear God at a'； but God heard me； and loot me ken
that he was there an' that a' was richt。 It was jist like whan a
bairnie waukens up an' cries oot； thinkin' it 's its lane； an'
through the mirk comes the word o' the mither o' 't； sayin'； 〃I'm
here； cratur： dinna greit。〃 And I cam to believe 'at he wad mak you
a good man at last。 O father； it's been my dream waukin' an'
sleepin' to hae you back to me an' grannie； an' mamma； an' the
Father o' 's a'； an' Jesus Christ that's done a'thing for 's。 An'
noo ye maun pray to God； father。 Ye will pray to God to haud a grip
o' yewillna ye； father？'
'I will； I will； Robert。 But I've been an awfu' sinner。 I believe
I was the death o' yer mother； laddie。'
Some closet of memory was opened； a spring of old tenderness gushed
up in his heart； at some window of the past the face of his dead
wife looked out： the old man broke into a great cry； and sobbed and
wept bitterly。 Robert said no more； but wept with him。
Henceforward the father clung to his son like a child。 The heart of
Falconer turned to his Father in heaven with speechless
thanksgiving。 The ideal of his dreams was beginning to dawn； and
his life was new…born。
For a few days Robert took Andrew about to see those of his old
friends who were left； and the kindness with which they all received
him； moved Andrew's heart not a little。 Every one who saw him
seemed to feel that he or she had a share in the redeeming duty of
the son。 Robert was in their eyes like a heavenly messenger； whom
they were bound to aid； for here was the possessed of demons clothed
and in his right mind。 Therefore they overwhelmed both father and
son with kindness。 Especially at John Lammie's was he received with
a perfection of hospitality； as if that had been the father's house
to which he had returned from his prodigal wanderings。
The good old farmer begged that they would stay with him for a few
days。
'I hae sae mony wee things to luik efter at Rothieden； afore we
gang；' said Robert。
'Weel； lea' yer father here。 We s' tak guid care o' 'im； I promise
ye。'
'There's only ae difficulty。 I believe ye are my father's frien'；
Mr。 Lammie； as ye hae been mine； and God bless ye； sae I'll jist
tell you the trowth； what for I canna lea' him。 I'm no sure eneuch
yet that he could withstan' temptation。 It's the drink ye ken。
It's months sin' he's tasted it； butye ken weel eneuchthe
temptation's awfu'。 Sin' ever I got him back； I haena tasted ae
mou'fu' o' onything that cud be ca'd strong drink mysel'； an' as
lang 's he lives； not ae drap shall cross my lipsno to save my
life。'
'Robert；' said Mr。 Lammie； giving him his hand with solemnity； 'I
sweir by God that he shanna see； smell； taste； nor touch drink in
this hoose。 There's but twa boatles o' whusky； i' the shape o'
drink； i' the hoose； an' gin ye say 'at he sall bide； I'll gang and
mak them an' the midden weel acquant。'
Andrew was pleased at the proposal。 Robert too was pleased that his
father should be free of him for a while。 It was arranged for three
days。 Half…an…hour after； Robert came upon Mr。 Lammie emptying the
two bottles of whisky into the dunghill in the farmyard。
He returned with glad heart to Rothieden。 It did not take him long
to arrange his grandmother's little affairs。 He had already made up
his mind about her house and furniture。 He rang the bell one
morning for Betty。
'Hae ye ony siller laid up； Betty？'
'Ay。 I hae feifteen poun' i' the savin's bank。'
'An' what do ye think o' doin'？'
'I'll get a bit roomy； an' tak in washin'。
'Weel； I'll tell ye what I wad like ye to do。 Ye ken Mistress
Elshender？'
'Fine that。 An' a verra dacent body she is。'
'Weel； gin ye like； ye can haud this hoose； an' a' 'at's in't； jist
as it is； till the day o' yer deith。 And ye'll aye keep it in
order； an' the ga'le…room ready for me at ony time I may happen to
come in upo' ye in want o' a nicht's quarters。 But I wad like ye；
gin ye hae nae objections； to tak Mistress Elshender to bide wi' ye。
She's turnin' some frail noo； and I'm unner great obligation to her
Sandy； ye ken。'
'Ay； weel that。 He learnt ye to fiddle； RobertI hoombly beg your
pardon； sir； Mister Robert。'
'Nae offence； Betty； I assure ye。 Ye hae been aye gude to me； and I
thank ye hertily。'
Betty could not stand this。 Her apron went up to her eyes。
'Eh； sir；' she sobbed； 'ye was aye a gude lad。'
'Excep' whan I spak o' Muckledrum； Betty。'
She laughed and sobbed together。
'Weel； ye'll tak Mistress Elshender in； winna ye？'
'I'll do that； sir。 And I'll try to do my best wi' her。'
'She can help ye； ye ken； wi' yer washin'； an' sic like。'
'She's a hard…workin' wuman； sir。 She wad do that weel。'
'And whan ye're in ony want o' siller； jist write to me。 An' gin
onything suld happen to me； ye ken； write to Mr。 Gordon； a frien' o'
mine。 There's his address in Lonnon。'
'Eh； sir； but ye are kin'。 God bless ye for a'。'
She could bear no more； and left the room crying。
Everything settled at Rothieden； he returned to Bodyfauld。 The most
welcome greeting he had ever received in his life； lay in the shine
of his father's eyes when he entered the room where he sat with Miss
Lammie。 The next day they left for London。
CHAPTER XX。
THE VANISHING。
They came to see me the very evening of their arrival。 As to
Andrew's progress there could be no longer any doubt。 All that was
necessary for conviction on the point was to have seen him before
and to see him now。 The very grasp of his hand was changed。 But
not yet would Robert leave him alone。
It will naturally occur to my reader that his goodness was not much
yet。 It was not。 It may have been greater than we could be sure
of； though。 But if any one object that such a conversion； even if
it were perfected； was poor； inasmuch as the man's free will was
intromitted with； I answer： 'The development of the free will was
the one object。 Hitherto it was not free。' I ask the man who says
so： 'Where would your free will have been if at some period of your
life you could have
