robert falconer-第87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！



St。　John　a　few　yards　from　him　on　the　pathway。　　He　rose。



'It's　almost　too　dark　to　read　now；　isn't　it；　Robert？'　she　said。



'Ah！'　said。　　Robert；　'I　know　this　writing　so　well　that　I　could　read

it　by　moonlight。　　I　wish　I　might　read　some　of　it　to　you。　　You　would

like　it。'



'May　I　ask　whose　it　is；　then？　　Poetry；　too！'



'It's　Mr。　Ericson's。　　But　I'm　feared　he　wouldna　like　me　to　read　it

to　anybody　but　myself。　　And　yet'



'I　don't　think　he　would　mind　me；'　returned　Miss　St。　John。　'I　do　know

him　a　little。　　It　is　not　as　if　I　were　quite　a　stranger；　you　know。

Did　he　tell　you　not？'



'No。　But　then　he　never　thought　of　such　a　thing。　　I　don't　know　if

it's　fair；　for　they　are　carelessly　written；　and　there　are　words　and

lines　here　and　there　that　I　am　sure　he　would　alter　if　he　cared　for

them　ae　hair。'



'Then　if　he　doesn't　care　for　them；　he　won't　mind　my　hearing　them。

There！'　she　said；　seating　herself　on　the　stump。　'You　sit　down　on

the　grass　and　read　meone　at　least。'



'You'll　remember　they　were　never　intended　to　be　read？'　urged　Robert；

not　knowing　what　he　was　doing；　and　so　fulfilling　his　destiny。



'I　will　be　as　jealous　of　his　honour　as　ever　you　can　wish；'　answered

Miss　St。　John　gaily。



Robert　laid　himself　on　the　grass　at　her　feet；　and　read：



MY　TWO　GENIUSES。



One　is　a　slow　and　melancholy　maid：

I　know　not　if　she　cometh　from　the　skies；

Or　from　the　sleepy　gulfs；　but　she　will　rise

Often　before　me　in　the　twilight　shade

Holding　a　bunch　of　poppies；　and　a　blade

Of　springing　wheat：　prostrate　my　body　lies

Before　her　on　the　turf；　the　while　she　ties

A　fillet　of　the　weed　about　my　head；

And　in　the　gaps　of　sleep　I　seem　to　hear

A　gentle　rustle　like　the　stir　of　corn；

And　words　like　odours　thronging　to　my　ear：

'Lie　still；　beloved；　still　until　the　morn；

Lie　still　with　me　upon　this　rolling　sphere；

Still　till　the　judgmentthou　art　faint　and　worn。'



The　other　meets　me　in　the　public　throng：

Her　hair　streams　backward　from　her　loose　attire；

She　hath　a　trumpet　and　an　eye　of　fire；

She　points　me　downward　steadily　and　long

'There　is　thy　gravearise；　my　son；　be　strong！

Hands　are　upon　thy　crown；　awake；　aspire

To　immortality；　heed　not　the　lyre

Of　the　enchantress；　nor　her　poppy…song；

But　in　the　stillness　of　the　summer　calm；

Tremble　for　what　is　godlike　in　thy　being。

Listen　awhile；　and　thou　shalt　hear　the　psalm

Of　victory　sung　by　creatures　past　thy　seeing；

And　from　far　battle…fields　there　comes　the　neighing

Of　dreadful　onset；　though　the　air　is　balm。'



Maid　with　the　poppies；　must　I　let　thee　go？

Alas！　　I　may　not；　thou　art　likewise　dear；

I　am　but　human；　and　thou　hast　a　tear；

When　she　hath　nought　but　splendour；　and　the　glow

Of　a　wild　energy　that　mocks　the　flow

Of　the　poor　sympathies　which　keep　us　here。

Lay　past　thy　poppies；　and　come　twice　as　near；

And　I　will　teach　thee；　and　thou　too　shalt　grow；

And　thou　shalt　walk　with　me　in　open　day

Through　the　rough　thoroughfares　with　quiet　grace；

And　the　wild…visaged　maid　shall　lead　the　way；

Timing　her　footsteps　to　a　gentler　pace；

As　her　great　orbs　turn　ever　on　thy　face；

Drinking　in　draughts　of　loving　help　alway。



Miss　St。　John　did　not　speak。



'War　ye　able　to　follow　him？'　asked　Robert。



'Quite；　I　assure　you；'　she　answered；　with　a　tremulousness　in　her

voice　which　delighted　Robert　as　evidence　of　his　friend's　success。



'But　they're　nae　a'　so　easy　to　follow；　I　can　tell　ye；　mem。　　Just

hearken　to　this；'　he　said；　with　some　excitement。



　　　　　When　the　storm　was　proudest；

　　　　　And　the　wind　was　loudest；

I　heard　the　hollow　caverns　drinking　down　below；

　　　　　When　the　stars　were　bright；

　　　　　And　the　ground　was　white；

I　heard　the　grasses　springing　underneath　the　snow。



　　　　　Many　voices　spake

　　　　　The　river　to　the　lake；

The　iron…ribbed　sky　was　talking　to　the　sea；

　　　　　And　every　starry　spark

　　　　　Made　music　with　the　dark；

And　said　how　bright　and　beautiful　everything　must　be。



'That　line；　mem；'　remarked　Robert；　''s　only　jist　scrattit　in；　as　gin

he　had　no　intention　o'　leavin'　't；　an'　only　set　it　there　to　keep

room　for　anither。　　But　we'll　jist　gang　on　wi'　the　lave　o'　't。　　I

ouchtna　to　hae　interruppit　it。'



　　　　　When　the　sun　was　setting；

　　　　　All　the　clouds　were　getting

Beautiful　and　silvery　in　the　rising　moon；

　　　　　Beneath　the　leafless　trees

　　　　　Wrangling　in　the　breeze；

I　could　hardly　see　them　for　the　leaves　of　June。



　　　　　When　the　day　had　ended；

　　　　　And　the　night　descended；

I　heard　the　sound　of　streams　that　I　heard　not　through　the　day

　　　　　And　every　peak　afar；

　　　　　Was　ready　for　a　star；

And　they　climbed　and　rolled　around　until　the　morning　gray。



　　　　　Then　slumber　soft　and　holy

　　　　　Came　down　upon　me　slowly；

And　I　went　I　know　not　whither；　and　I　lived　I　know　not　how；

　　　　　My　glory　had　been　banished；

　　　　　For　when　I　woke　it　vanished；

But　I　waited　on　it's　coming；　and　I　am　waiting　now。



'There！'　said　Robert；　ending；　'can　ye　mak　onything　o'　that；　Miss　St。

John？'



'I　don't　say　I　can　in　words；'　she　answered；　'but　I　think　I　could　put

it　all　into　music。'



'But　surely　ye　maun　hae　some　notion　o'　what　it's　aboot　afore　you　can

do　that。'



'Yes；　but　I　have　some　notion　of　what　it's　about；　I　think。　　Just　lend

it　to　me；　and　by　the　time　we　have　our　next　lesson；　you　will　see

whether　I'm　not　able　to　show　you　I　understand　it。　　I　shall　take　good

care　of　it；'　she　added；　with　a　smile；　seeing　Robert's　reluctance　to

part　with　it。　'It　doesn't　matter　my　having　it；　you　know；　now　that

you've　read　it　to　me；　I　want　to　make　you　do　it　justice。But　it's

quite　time　I　were　going　home。　　Besides；　I　really　don't　think　you　can

see　to　read　any　more。'



'Weel；　it's　better　no　to　try；　though　I　hae　them　maistly　upo'　my

tongue：　I　might　blunder；　and　that　wad　blaud　them。Will　you　let　me

go　home　with　you？'　he　added；　in　pure　tremulous　English。



'Certainly；　if　you　like；'　she　answered；　and　they　walked　towards　the

town。



Robert　opened　the　fountain　of　his　love　for　Ericson；　and　let　it　gush

like　a　river　from　a　hillside。　　He　talked　on　and　on　about　him；　with

admiration；　gratitude；　devotion。　　And　Miss　St。　John　was　glad　of　the

veil　of　the　twilight　over　her　face　as　she　listened；　for　the　boy's

enthusiasm　trembled　through　her　as　the　wind　through　an　？olian　harp。

Poor　Robert！　　He　did　not　know；　I　say；　what　he　was　doing；　and　so　was

fulfilling　his　sacred　destiny。



'Bring　your　manuscripts　when　you　come　next；'　she　said；　as　they

walked　alonggently　adding；　'I　admire　your　friend's　verses　very

much；　and　should　like　to　hear　more　of　them。'



'I'll　be　sure　an'　do　that；'　answered　Robert；　in　delight　that　he　had

found　one　to　sympathize　with　him　in　his　worship　of　Ericson；　and　that

one　his　other　idol。



When　they　reached　the　town；　Miss　St。　John；　calling　to　mind　its

natural　propensity　to　gossip；　especially　on　the　evening　of　a

market…day；　when　the　shopkeepers；　their　labours　over；　would　be

standing　in　a　speculative　mood　at　their　doors；　surrounded　by　groups

of　friends　and　neighbours；　felt　shy　of　showing　herself　on　the　square

with　Robert；　and　proposed　that　they　should　part；　giving　as　a

by…the…bye　reason　that　she　had　a　little　shopping　to　do　as　she　went

home。　　Too　simple　to　suspect　the　real　reason；　but　with　a　heart　that

delighted　in　obedience；　Robert　bade　her　good…night　at　once；　and　took

another　way。



As　he　passed　the　door　of　Merson　the　haberdasher's　shop；　there　stood

William　MacGregor；　the　weaver；　looking　at　nothing　and　doing　nothing。

We　have　seen　something　of　him　before：　he　was　a　remarkable　compound

of　good　nature　and　bad　temper。　　People　were　generally　afraid　of　him；

because　he　had　a　biting　satire　at　his　command；　amounting　even　to

wit；　which　found　vent　in　versenot　altogether　despicable　even　from

a　literary　point　of　view。　　The　only　person　he；　on　his　part；　was

afraid　of；　was　his　own　wife；　for　upon　her；　from　lack　of

apprehension；　his　keenest　irony　fell；　as　he　said；　like　water　on　a

duck's　back；　and　in　respect　o