robert falconer-第84章

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St。　John　half…way　up　the　side　of　the　lofty　hall。　　The　same　moment

she　vanishedtrembling　at　the　sound　of　her　own　voice。



Thus　to　Ericson　as　to　Robert　had　she　appeared　as　an　angel。



And　was　she　less　of　a　divine　messenger　because　she　had　a　human　body；

whose　path　lay　not　through　the　air？　　The　storm　of　misery　folded　its

wings　in　Eric's　bosom；　and；　at　the　sound　of　her　voice；　there　was　a

great　calm。　　Nor　if　we　inquire　into　the　matter　shall　we　find　that

such　an　effect　indicated　anything　derogatory　to　the　depth　of　his

feelings　or　the　strength　of　his　judgment。　　It　is　not　through　the

judgment　that　a　troubled　heart　can　be　set　at　rest。　　It　needs　a

revelation；　a　vision；　a　something　for　the　higher　nature　that　breeds

and　infolds　the　intellect；　to　recognize　as　of　its　own；　and　lay　hold

of　by　faithful　hope。　　And　what　fitter　messenger　of　such　hope　than

the　harmonious　presence　of　a　woman；　whose　form　itself　tells　of

highest　law；　and　concord；　and　uplifting　obedience；　such　a　one　whose

beauty　walks　the　upper　air　of　noble　loveliness；　whose　voice；　even　in

speech；　is　one　of　the　'sphere…born　harmonious　sisters？　　The　very

presence　of　such　a　being　gives　Unbelief　the　lie；　deep　as　the　throat

of　her　lying。　　Harmony；　which　is　beauty　and　law；　works　necessary

faith　in　the　region　capable　of　truth。　　It　needs　the　intervention　of

no　reasoning。　　It　is　beheld。　　This　visible　Peace；　with　that　voice　of

woman's　truth；　said；　'God　has　heard　me！'　　What　better　testimony

could　an　angel　have　brought　him？　　Or　why　should　an　angel's　testimony

weigh　more　than　such　a　woman's？　　The　mere　understanding　of　a　man

like　Ericson　would　only　have　demanded　of　an　angel　proof　that　he　was

an　angel；　proof　that　angels　knew　better　than　he　did　in　the　matter　in

question；　proof　that　they　were　not　easy…going　creatures　that　took

for　granted　the　rumours　of　heaven。　　The　best　that　a　miracle　can　do

is　to　give　hope；　of　the　objects　of　faith　it　can　give　no　proof；　one

spiritual　testimony　is　worth　a　thousand　of　them。　　For　to　gain　the

sole　proof　of　which　these　truths　admit；　a　man　must　grow　into　harmony

with　them。　　If　there　are　no　such　things　he　cannot　become　conscious

of　a　harmony　that　has　no　existence；　he　cannot　thus　deceive　himself；

if　there　are；　they　must　yet　remain　doubtful　until　the　harmony

between　them　and　his　own　willing　nature　is　established。　　The

perception　of　this　harmony　is　their　only　and　incommunicable　proof。

For　this　process　time　is　needful；　and　therefore　we　are　saved　by

hope。　　Hence　it　is　no　wonder　that　before　another　half…hour　was　over；

Ericson　was　asleep　by　Robert's　side。



They　were　aroused　in　the　cold　gray　light　of　the　morning　by　the　blast

of　Hector's　horn。　　Miss　St。　John　was　ready　in　a　moment。　　The　coach

was　waiting　for　them　at　the　end　of　the　grassy　road　that　led　from　the

house。　　Hector　put　them　all　inside。　　Before　they　reached　Rothieden

the　events　of　the　night　began　to　wear　the　doubtful　aspect　of　a

dream。　　No　allusion　was　made　to　what　had　occurred　while　Robert

slept；　but　all　the　journey　Ericson　felt　towards　Miss　St。　John　as

Wordsworth　felt　towards　the　leech…gatherer；　who；　he　says；　was



　　　　　　　　　　like　a　man　from　some　far　region　sent；

　　　　　To　give　me　human　strength；　by　apt　admonishment。



And　Robert　saw　a　certain　light　in　her　eyes　which　reminded　him　of　how

she　looked　when；　having　repented　of　her　momentary　hardness　towards

him；　she　was　ministering　to　his　wounded　head。









CHAPTER　XVII。



HOME　AGAIN。



When　Robert　opened　the　door　of　his　grandmother's　parlour；　he　found

the　old　lady　seated　at　breakfast。　　She　rose；　pushed　back　her　chair；

and　met　him　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　put　her　old　arms　round　him；

offered　her　smooth　white　cheek　to　him；　and　wept。　　Robert　wondered

that　she　did　not　look　older；　for　the　time　he　had　been　away　seemed　an

age；　although　in　truth　only　eight　months。



'Hoo　are　ye；　laddie？'　she　said。　'I'm　richt　glaid；　for　I　hae　been

thinkin'　lang　to　see　ye。　　Sit　ye　doon。'



Betty　rushed　in；　drying　her　hands　on　her　apron。　　She　had　not　heard

him　enter。



'Eh　losh！'　she　cried；　and　put　her　wet　apron　to　her　eyes。　'Sic　a　man

as　ye're　grown；　Robert！　　A　puir　body　like　me　maunna　be　speykin　to　ye

noo。'



'There's　nae　odds　in　me；　Betty；'　returned　Robert。



''Deed　but　there　is。　　Ye're　sax　feet　an'　a　hairy　ower；　I　s'

warran'。'



'I　said　there　was　nae　odds　i'　me；　Betty；'　persisted　Robert；

laughing。



'I　kenna　what　may　be　in　ye；'　retorted　Betty；　'but　there's　an　unco'

odds　upo'　ye。'



'Haud　yer　tongue；　Betty；'　said　her　mistress。　'Ye　oucht　to　ken　better

nor　stan'　jawin'　wi'　young　men。　　Fess　mair　o'　the　creamy　cakes。'



'Maybe　Robert　wad　like　a　drappy　o'　parritch。'



'Onything；　Betty；'　said　Robert。　'I'm　at　deith's　door　wi'　hunger。'



'Rin；　Betty；　for　the　cakes。　　An'　fess　a　loaf　o'　white　breid；　we

canna　bide　for　the　parritch。'



Robert　fell　to　his　breakfast；　and　while　he　atesomewhat

ravenouslyhe　told　his　grandmother　the　adventures　of　the　night；　and

introduced　the　question　whether　he　might　not　ask　Ericson　to　stay　a

few　days　with　him。



'Ony　frien'　o'　yours；　laddie；'　she　replied；　qualifying　her　words

only　with　the　addition'gin　he　be　a　frien'。Whaur　is　he　noo？'



'He's　up　at　Miss　Naper's。'



'Hoots！　　What　for　didna　ye　fess　him　in　wi'　ye？Betty！'



'Na；　na；　grannie。　　The　Napers　are　frien's　o'　his。　　We　maunna

interfere　wi'　them。　　I'll　gang　up　mysel'　ance　I　hae　had　my

brakfast。'



'Weel；　weel；　laddie。　　Eh！　　I'm　blythe　to　see　ye！　　Hae　ye　gotten　ony

prizes　noo？'



'Ay　have　I。　I'm　sorry　they're　nae　baith　o'　them　the　first。　　But　I

hae　the　first　o'　ane　an'　the　third　o'　the　ither。'



'I　am　pleased　at　that；　Robert。　　Ye'll　be　a　man　some　day　gin　ye　haud

frae　drink　an'　fraefrae　leein'。'



'I　never　tellt　a　lee　i'　my　life；　grannie。'



'Na。　I　dinna　think　'at　ever　ye　did。An'　what's　that　crater　Shargar

aboot？'



'Ow；　jist　gaein'　to　be　a　croon　o'　glory　to　ye；　grannie。　　He　vroucht

like　a　horse　till　Dr。　Anderson　took　him　by　the　han'；　an'　sent　him　to

the　schuil。　　An'　he's　gaein'　to　mak　something　o'　'im；　or　a'　be　dune。

He's　a　fine　crater；　Shargar。'



'He　tuik　a　munelicht　flittin'　frae　here；'　rejoined　the　old　lady；　in

a　tone　of　offence。　'He　micht　hae　said　gude　day　to　me；　I　think。'



'Ye　see　he　was　feart　at　ye；　grannie。'



'Feart　at　me；　laddie！　　Wha　ever　was　feart　at　me？　　I　never　feart

onybody　i'　my　life。'



So　little　did　the　dear　old　lady　know　that　she　was　a　terror　to　her

neighbourhood！simply　because；　being　a　law　to　herself；　she　would

therefore　be　a　law　to　other　people；a　conclusion　that　cannot　be

concluded。



Mrs。　Falconer's　courtesy　did　not　fail。　　Her　grandson　had　ceased　to

be　a　child；　her　responsibility　had　in　so　far　ceased；　her　conscience

was　relieved　at　being　rid　of　it；　and　the　humanity　of　her　great　heart

came　out　to　greet　the　youth。　　She　received　Ericson　with　perfect

hospitality；　made　him　at　home　as　far　as　the　stately　respect　she

showed　him　would　admit　of　his　being　so；　and　confirmed　in　him　the

impression　of　her　which　Robert　had　given　him。　　They　held　many　talks

together；　and　such　was　the　circumspection　of　Ericson　that；　not

saying　a　word　he　did　not　believe；　he　so　said　what　he　did　believe；　or

so　avoided　the　points　upon　which　they　would　have　differed　seriously；

that　although　his　theology　was　of　course　far　from　satisfying　her；

she　yet　affirmed　her　conviction　that　the　root　of　the　matter　was　in

him。　　This　distressed　Ericson；　however；　for　he　feared　he　must　have

been　deceitful；　if　not　hypocritical。



It　was　with　some　grumbling　that　the　Napiers；　especially　Miss　Letty；

parted　with　him　to　Mrs。　Falconer。　　The　hearts　of　all　three　had　so

taken　to　the　youth；　that　he　found　himself　more　at　home　in　that

hostelry　than　anywhere　else　in　the　world。　　Miss　Letty　was　the　only

one　that　spoke　lightly　of　himshe　even　went　so　far　as　to　make

good…natured　game　of　him　sometimesall　because　she　loved　him　more

than　the　othersmore　indeed　than　she　cared　to　show；　for　fear　of

exposing　'an　old　woman's　ri