robert falconer-第2章

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When　the　boy　ventured　to　ask　a　question　about　where　he　was；　or　when

he　would　return；　she　always　replied'Bairns　suld　haud　their

tongues。'　　Nor　would　she　vouchsafe　another　answer　to　any　question

that　seemed　to　her　from　the　farthest　distance　to　bear　down　upon　that

subject。　'Bairns　maun　learn　to　haud　their　tongues；'　was　the　sole

variation　of　which　the　response　admitted。　　And　the　boy　did　learn　to

hold　his　tongue。　　Perhaps　he　would　have　thought　less　about　his

father　if　he　had　had　brothers　or　sisters；　or　even　if　the　nature　of

his　grandmother　had　been　such　as　to　admit　of　their　relationship

being　drawn　closerinto　personal　confidence；　or　some　measure　of

familiarity。　　How　they　stood　with　regard　to　each　other　will　soon

appear。



Whether　the　visions　vanished　from　his　brain　because　of　the

thickening　of　his　blood　with　cold；　or　he　merely　acted　from　one　of

those　undefined　and　inexplicable　impulses　which　occasion　not　a　few

of　our　actions；　I　cannot　tell；　but　all　at　once　Robert　started　to　his

feet　and　hurried　from　the　room。　　At　the　foot　of　the　garret　stair；

between　it　and　the　door　of　the　gable…room　already　mentioned；　stood

another　door　at　right　angles　to　both；　of　the　existence　of　which　the

boy　was　scarcely　aware；　simply　because　he　had　seen　it　all　his　life

and　had　never　seen　it　open。　　Turning　his　back　on　this　last　door；

which　he　took　for　a　blind　one；　he　went　down　a　short　broad　stair；　at

the　foot　of　which　was　a　window。　　He　then　turned　to　the　left　into　a

long　flagged　passage　or　transe；　passed　the　kitchen　door　on　the　one

hand；　and　the　double…leaved　street　door　on　the　other；　but；　instead

of　going　into　the　parlour；　the　door　of　which　closed　the　transe；　he

stopped　at　the　passage…window　on　the　right；　and　there　stood　looking

out。



What　might　be　seen　from　this　window　certainly　could　not　be　called　a

very　pleasant　prospect。　　A　broad　street　with　low　houses　of　cold　gray

stone　is　perhaps　as　uninteresting　a　form　of　street　as　any　to　be

found　in　the　world；　and　such　was　the　street　Robert　looked　out　upon。

Not　a　single　member　of　the　animal　creation　was　to　be　seen　in　it；

not　a　pair　of　eyes　to　be　discovered　looking　out　at　any　of　the

windows　opposite。　　The　sole　motion　was　the　occasional　drift　of　a

vapour…like　film　of　white　powder；　which　the　wind　would　lift　like

dust　from　the　snowy　carpet　that　covered　the　street；　and　wafting　it

along　for　a　few　yards；　drop　again　to　its　repose；　till　another

stronger　gust；　prelusive　of　the　wind　about　to　rise　at　sun…down；a

wind　cold　and　bitter　as　deathwould　rush　over　the　street；　and　raise

a　denser　cloud　of　the　white　water…dust　to　sting　the　face　of　any

improbable　person　who　might　meet　it　in　its　passage。　　It　was　a　keen；

knife…edged　frost；　even　in　the　house；　and　what　Robert　saw　to　make

him　stand　at　the　desolate　window；　I　do　not　know；　and　I　believe　he

could　not　himself　have　told。　　There　he　did　stand；　however；　for　the

space　of　five　minutes　or　so；　with　nothing　better　filling　his　outer

eyes　at　least　than　a　bald　spot　on　the　crown　of　the　street；　whence

the　wind　had　swept　away　the　snow；　leaving　it　brown　and　bare；　a　spot

of　March　in　the　middle　of　January。



He　heard　the　town　drummer　in　the　distance；　and　let　the　sound　invade

his　passive　ears；　till　it　crossed　the　opening　of　the　street；　and

vanished　'down　the　town。'



'There's　Dooble　Sanny；'　he　said　to　himself'wi'　siccan　cauld　han's；

'at　he's　playin'　upo'　the　drum…heid　as　gin　he　was　loupin'　in　a　bowie

（leaping　in　a　cask）。'



Then　he　stood　silent　once　more；　with　a　look　as　if　anything　would　be

welcome　to　break　the　monotony。



While　he　stood　a　gentle　timorous　tap　came　to　the　door；　so　gentle

indeed　that　Betty　in　the　kitchen　did　not　hear　it；　or　she；　tall　and

Roman…nosed　as　she　was；　would　have　answered　it　before　the

long…legged　dreamer　could　have　reached　the　door；　though　he　was　not

above　three　yards　from　it。　　In　lack　of　anything　better　to　do；　Robert

stalked　to　the　summons。　　As　he　opened　the　door；　these　words　greeted

him：



'Is　Robert　ateh！　it's　Bob　himsel'！　　Bob；　I'm　byous　（exceedingly）

cauld。'



'What　for　dinna　ye　gang　hame；　than？'



'What　for　wasna　ye　at　the　schuil　the　day？'



'I　spier　ae　queston　at　you；　and　ye　answer　me　wi'　anither。'



'Weel；　I　hae　nae　hame　to　gang　till。'



'Weel；　and　I　had　a　sair　heid　（a　headache）。　　But　whaur's　yer　hame

gane　till　than？'



'The　hoose　is　there　a'　richt；　but　whaur　my　mither　is　I　dinna　ken。

The　door's　lockit；　an'　Jeames　Jaup；　they　tell　me　's　tane　awa'　the

key。　　I　doobt　my　mither's　awa'　upo'　the　tramp　again；　and　what's　to

come　o'　me；　the　Lord　kens。'



'What's　this　o'　't？'　interposed　a　severe　but　not　unmelodious　voice；

breaking　into　the　conversation　between　the　two　boys；　for　the　parlour

door　had　opened　without　Robert's　hearing　it；　and　Mrs。　Falconer；　his

grandmother；　had　drawn　near　to　the　speakers。



'What's　this　o'　't？'　she　asked　again。　'Wha's　that　ye're　conversin'

wi'　at　the　door；　Robert？　　Gin　it　be　ony　decent　laddie；　tell　him　to

come　in；　and　no　stan'　at　the　door　in　sic　a　day　's　this。'



As　Robert　hesitated　with　his　reply；　she　looked　round　the　open　half

of　the　door；　but　no　sooner　saw　with　whom　he　was　talking　than　her

tone　changed。　　By　this　time　Betty；　wiping　her　hands　in　her　apron；

had　completed　the　group　by　taking　her　stand　in　the　kitchen　door。



'Na；　na；'　said　Mrs。　Falconer。　'We　want　nane　sic…like　here。　　What

does　he　want　wi'　you；　Robert？　　Gie　him　a　piece；　Betty；　and　lat　him

gang。Eh；　sirs！　the　callant　hasna　a　stockin'…fit　upo'　'imand　in

sic　weather！'



For；　before　she　had　finished　her　speech；　the　visitor；　as　if　in

terror　of　her　nearer　approach；　had　turned　his　back；　and　literally

showed　her；　if　not　a　clean　pair　of　heels；　yet　a　pair　of　naked　heels

from　between　the　soles　and　uppers　of　his　shoes：　if　he　had　any

stockings　at　all；　they　ceased　before　they　reached　his　ankles。



'What　ails　him　at　me？'　continued　Mrs。　Falconer；　'that　he　rins　as　gin

I　war　a　boodie？　　But　it's　nae　wonner　he　canna　bide　the　sicht　o'　a

decent　body；　for　he's　no　used　till　't。　　What　does　he　want　wi'　you；

Robert？'



But　Robert　had　a　reason　for　not　telling　his　grandmother　what　the　boy

had　told　him：　he　thought　the　news　about　his　mother　would　only　make

her　disapprove　of　him　the　more。　　In　this　he　judged　wrong。　　He　did

not　know　his　grandmother　yet。



'He's　in　my　class　at　the　schuil；'　said　Robert；　evasively。



'Him？　　What　class；　noo？'



Robert　hesitated　one　moment；　but；　compelled　to　give　some　answer；

said；　with　confidence；



'The　Bible…class。'



'I　thocht　as　muckle！　　What　gars　ye　play　at　hide　and　seek　wi'　me？　　Do

ye　think　I　dinna　ken　weel　eneuch　there's　no　a　lad　or　a　lass　at　the

schuil　but　's　i'　the　Bible…class？　　What　wants　he　here？'



'Ye　hardly　gae　him　time　to　tell　me；　grannie。　　Ye　frichtit　him。'



'Me　fricht　him！　　What　for　suld　I　fricht　him；　laddie？　　I'm　no　sic

ferlie　（wonder）　that　onybody　needs　be　frichtit　at　me。'



The　old　lady　turned　with　visible；　though　by　no　means　profound

offence　upon　her　calm　forehead；　and　walking　back　into　her　parlour；

where　Robert　could　see　the　fire　burning　right　cheerily；　shut　the

door；　and　left　him　and　Betty　standing　together　in　the　transe。　　The

latter　returned　to　the　kitchen；　to　resume　the　washing　of　the

dinner…dishes；　and　the　former　returned　to　his　post　at　the　window。

He　had　not　stood　more　than　half　a　minute；　thinking　what　was　to　be

done　with　his　school…fellow　deserted　of　his　mother；　when　the　sound

of　a　coach…horn　drew　his　attention　to　the　right；　down　the　street；

where　he　could　see　part　of　the　other　street　which　crossed　it　at

right　angles；　and　in　which　the　gable　of　the　house　stood。　　A　minute

after；　the　mail　came　in　sightscarlet；　spotted　with　snowand

disappeared；　going　up　the　hill　towards　the　chief　hostelry　of　the

town；　as　fast　as　four　horses；　tired　with　the　bad　footing　they　had

had　through　the　whole　of　the　stage；　could　draw　it　after　them。　　By

this　time　the　twilight　was　falling；　for　though　the　sun　had　not　yet

set；　miles　of　frozen　vapour　came　between　him　and