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第46章

robert falconer-第46章

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tallest and slenderest man Robert had ever seen。  He was

considerably over six feet; with a small head; and delicate; if not

fine features; a gentle look in his blue eyes; and a slow clear

voice; which sounded as if it were thinking about every word it

uttered。  The hot sun of India seemed to have burned out everything

self…assertive; leaving him quietly and rather sadly contemplative。



'Come in; come in;' repeated Mr。 Lammie; overflowing with glad

welcome。 'What'll ye hae?  There's a frien' o' yer ain;' he

continued; pointing to Robert; 'an' a fine lad。'  Then lowering his

voice; he added: 'A son o' poor Anerew's; ye ken; doctor。'



The boys rose; and Dr。 Anderson; stretching his long arms across the

table; shook hands kindly with Robert and Shargar。  Then he sat down

and began to help himself to the cakes (oat…cake); at which Robert

wondered; seeing there was 'white breid' on the table。  Miss Lammie

presently came in with the teapot and some additional dainties; and

the boys took the opportunity of beginning at the beginning again。



Dr。 Anderson remained for a few days at Bodyfauld; sending Shargar

to Rothieden for some necessaries from The Boar's Head; where he had

left his servant and luggage。  During this time Mr。 Lammie was much

occupied with his farm affairs; anxious to get his harvest in as

quickly as possible; because a change of weather was to be dreaded;

so the doctor was left a good deal to himself。  He was fond of

wandering about; but; thoughtful as he was; did not object to the

companionship which Robert implicitly offered him: before many hours

were over; the two were friends。



Various things attracted Robert to the doctor。  First; he was a

relation of his own; older than himself; the first he had known

except his father; and Robert's heart was one of the most dutiful。

Second; or perhaps I ought to have put this first; he was the only

gentleman; except Eric Ericson; whose acquaintance he had yet made。

Third; he was kind to him; and gentle to him; and; above all;

respectful to him; and to be respected was a new sensation to Robert

altogether。  And lastly; he could tell stories of elephants and

tiger hunts; and all The Arabian Nights of India。  He did not

volunteer much talk; but Robert soon found that he could draw him

out。



But what attracted the man to the boy?



'Ah!  Robert;' said the doctor one day; sadly; 'it's a sore thing to

come home after being thirty years away。'



He looked up at the sky; then all around at the hills: the face of

Nature alone remained the same。  Then his glance fell on Robert; and

he saw a pair of black eyes looking up at him; brimful of tears。

And thus the man was drawn to the boy。



Robert worshipped Dr。 Anderson。  As long as he remained their

visitor; kite and violin and all were forgotten; and he followed him

like a dog。  To have such a gentleman for a relation; was grand

indeed。  What could he do for him?  He ministered to him in all

manner of triflesa little to the amusement of Dr。 Anderson; but

more to his pleasure; for he saw that the boy was both large…hearted

and lowly…minded: Dr。 Anderson had learned to read character; else

he would never have been the honour to his profession that he was。



But all the time Robert could not get him to speak about his father。

He steadily avoided the subject。



When he went away; the two boys walked with him to The Boar's Head;

caught a glimpse of his Hindoo attendant; much to their wonderment;

received from the doctor a sovereign apiece and a kind good…bye; and

returned to Bodyfauld。



Dr。 Anderson remained a few days longer at Rothieden; and amongst

others visited Mrs。 Falconer; who was his first cousin。  What passed

between them Robert never heard; nor did his grandmother even allude

to the visit。  He went by the mail…coach from Rothieden to Aberdeen;

and whether he should ever see him again Robert did not know。



He flew his kite no more for a while; but betook himself to the work

of the harvest…field; in which he was now able for a share。  But his

violin was no longer neglected。



Day after day passed in the delights of labour; broken for Robert by

The Arabian Nights and the violin; and for Shargar by attendance

upon Miss Lammie; till the fields lay bare of their harvest; and the

night…wind of autumn moaned everywhere over the vanished glory of

the country; and it was time to go back to school。









CHAPTER XXIII。



AN AUTO DA Fé。



The morning at length arrived when Robert and Shargar must return to

Rothieden。  A keen autumnal wind was blowing far…off feathery clouds

across a sky of pale blue; the cold freshened the spirits of the

boys; and tightened their nerves and muscles; till they were like

bow…strings。  No doubt the winter was coming; but the sun; although

his day's work was short and slack; was still as clear as ever。  So

gladsome was the world; that the boys received the day as a fresh

holiday; and strenuously forgot to…morrow。  The wind blew straight

from Rothieden; and between sun and wind a bright thought awoke in

Robert。  The dragon should not be carriedhe should fly home。



After they had said farewell; in which Shargar seemed to suffer more

than Robert; and had turned the corner of the stable; they heard the

good farmer shouting after them;



'There'll be anither hairst neist year; boys;' which wonderfully

restored their spirits。  When they reached the open road; Robert

laid his violin carefully into a broom…bush。  Then the tail was

unrolled; and the dragon ascended steady as an angel whose work is

done。  Shargar took the stick at the end of the string; and Robert

resumed his violin。  But the creature was hard to lead in such a

wind; so they made a loop on the string; and passed it round

Shargar's chest; and he tugged the dragon home。  Robert longed to

take his share in the struggle; but he could not trust his violin to

Shargar; and so had to walk beside ingloriously。  On the way they

laid their plans for the accommodation of the dragon。  But the

violin was the greater difficulty。  Robert would not hear of the

factory; for reasons best known to himself; and there were serious

objections to taking it to Dooble Sanny。  It was resolved that the

only way was to seize the right moment; and creep upstairs with it

before presenting themselves to Mrs。 Falconer。  Their intended

man?uvres with the kite would favour the concealment of this stroke。



Before they entered the town they drew in the kite a little way; and

cut off a dozen yards of the string; which Robert put in his pocket;

with a stone tied to the end。  When they reached the house; Shargar

went into the little garden and tied the string of the kite to the

paling between that and Captain Forsyth's。  Robert opened the street

door; and having turned his head on all sides like a thief; darted

with his violin up the stairs。  Having laid his treasure in one of

the presses in Shargar's garret; he went to his own; and from the

skylight threw the stone down into the captain's garden; fastening

the other end of the string to the bedstead。  Escaping as cautiously

as he had entered; he passed hurriedly into their neighbour's

garden; found the stone; and joined Shargar。  The ends were soon

united; and the kite let go。  It sunk for a moment; then; arrested

by the bedstead; towered again to its former 'pride of place;'

sailing over Rothieden; grand and unconcerned; in the wastes of air。



But the end of its tether was in Robert's garret。  And that was to

him a sense of power; a thought of glad mystery。  There was

henceforth; while the dragon flew; a relation between the desolate

little chamber; in that lowly house buried among so many more

aspiring abodes; and the unmeasured depths and spaces; the stars;

and the unknown heavens。  And in the next chamber lay the fiddle

free once more;yet another magical power whereby his spirit could

forsake the earth and mount heavenwards。

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