robert falconer-第88章

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

duck's　back；　and　in　respect　of　her　he　had；　therefore；　no　weapon　of

offence　to　strike　terror　withal。　　Her　dulness　was　her　defence。　　He

liked　Robert。　　When　he　saw　him；　he　wakened　up；　laid　hold　of　him　by

the　button；　and　drew　him　in。



'Come　in；　lad；'　he　said；　'an'　tak　a　pinch。　　I'm　waitin'　for　Merson。'

As　he　spoke　he　took　from　his　pocket　his　mull；　made　of　the　end　of　a

ram's　horn；　and　presented　it　to　Robert；　who　accepted　the　pledge　of

friendship。　　While　he　was　partaking；　MacGregor　drew　himself　with

some　effort　upon　the　counter；　saying　in　a　half…comical；

half…admonitory　tone；



'Weel；　and　hoo's　the　mathematics；　Robert？'



'Thrivin'；'　answered　Robert；　falling　into　his　humour。



'Weel；　that's　verra　weel。　　Duv　ye　min'；　Robert；　hoo；　whan　ye　was

aboot　the　age　o'　aucht　year　aul'；　ye　cam　to　me　ance　at　my　shop　aboot

something　yer　gran'mither；　honest　woman；　wantit；　an'　I；　by　way　o'

takin'　my　fun　o'　ye；　said　to　ye；　〃Robert；　ye　hae　grown　desperate；

ye're　a　man　clean；　ye　hae　gotten　the　breeks　on。〃　　An'　says　ye；　〃Ay；

Mr。　MacGregor；　I　want　naething　noo　but　a　watch　an'　a　wife〃？'



'I　doobt　I've　forgotten　a'　aboot　it；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　answered

Robert。　'But　I've　made　some　progress；　accordin'　to　your　story；　for

Dr。　Anderson；　afore　I　cam　hame；　gae　me　a　watch。　　An'　a　fine　crater

it　is；　for　it　aye　does　its　best；　an'　sae　I　excuse　its　shortcomin's。'



'There's　just　ae　thing；　an'　nae　anither；'　returned　the　manufacturer；

'that　I　cannot　excuse　in　a　watch。　　Gin　a　watch　gangs　ower　fest；　ye

fin'　't　oot。　　Gin　she　gangs　ower　slow；　ye　fin'　't　oot；　an'　ye　can

aye　calculate　upo'　't　correck　eneuch　for　maitters　sublunairy；　as　Mr。

Maccleary　says。　　An'　gin　a　watch　stops　a'thegither；　ye　ken　it's

failin'；　an'　ye　ken　whaur　it　sticks；　an'　a'　'at　ye　say　's　〃Tut；　tut；

de'il　hae　't　for　a　watch！〃　　But　there's　ae　thing　that　God　nor　man

canna　bide　in　a　watch；　an'　that's　whan　it　stan's　still　for　a

bittock；　an'　syne　gangs　on　again。　　Ay；　ay！　tic；　tic；　tic！　wi'　a　fair

face　and　a　leein'　hert。　　It　wad　gar　ye　believe　it　was　a'　richt；　and

time　for　anither　tum'ler；　whan　it's　twal　o'clock；　an'　the　kirkyaird

fowk　thinkin'　aboot　risin'。　　Fegs；　I　had　a　watch　o'　my　father's；　an'

I　regairdit　it　wi'　a　reverence　mair　like　a　human　bein'：　the　second

time　it　played　me　that　pliskie；　I　dang　oot　its　guts　upo'　the

loupin'…on…stane　at　the　door　o'　the　chop。　　But　lat　the　watch　sit：

whaur's　the　wife？　　Ye　canna　be　a　man　yet　wantin'　the　wifeby　yer

ain　statement。'



'The　watch　cam　unsoucht；　Mr。　MacGregor；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　sae　maun

the　wife；'　answered　Robert；　laughing。



'Preserve　me　for　ane　frae　a　wife　that　comes　unsoucht；'　returned　the

weaver。　'But；　my　lad；　there　may　be　some　wives　that　winna　come　whan

they　are　soucht。　　Preserve　me　frae　them　too！Noo；　maybe　ye　dinna

ken　what　I　meanbut　tak　ye　tent　what　ye're　aboot。　　Dinna　ye　think

'at　ilka　bonnie　lass　'at　may　like　to　haud　a　wark　wi'　ye　's　jist

ready　to　mairry　ye　aff　han'　whan　ye　say；　〃Noo；　my　dawtie。〃An'　ae

word　mair；　Robert：　Young　men；　especially　braw　lads　like　yersel'；　's

unco　ready　to　fa'　in　love　wi'　women　fit　to　be　their　mithers。　　An'

sae　ye　see'



He　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　a　girl。　　She　had　a　shawl　over

her　head；　notwithstanding　it　was　summer　weather；　and　crept　in

hesitatingly；　as　if　she　were　not　quite　at　one　with　herself　as　to　her

coming　purchase。　　Approaching　a　boy　behind　the　counter　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　shop；　she　asked　for　something；　and　he　proceeded

to　serve　her。　　Robert　could　not　help　thinking；　from　the　one　glimpse

of　her　face　he　had　got　through　the　dusk；　that　he　had　seen　her

before。　　Suddenly　the　vision　of　an　earthen　floor　with　a　pool　of

brown　sunlight　upon　it；　bare　feet；　brown　hair；　and　soft　eyes；

mingled　with　a　musk　odour　wafted　from　Arabian　fairyland；　rose　before

him：　it　was　Jessie　Hewson。



'I　ken　that　lassie；'　he　said；　and　moved　to　get　down　from　the　counter

on　which　he　too　had　seated　himself。



'Na；　na；'　whispered　the　manufacturer；　laying；　like　the　Ancient

Mariner；　a　brown　skinny　hand　of　restraint　upon　Robert's　arm'na；

na；　never　heed　her。　　Ye　maunna　speyk　to　ilka　lass　'at　ye　ken。Poor

thing！　she's　been　doin'　something　wrang；　to　gang　slinkin'　aboot　i'

the　gloamin'　like　a　baukie　（bat）；　wi'　her　plaid　ower　her　heid。

Dinna　fash　wi'　her。'



'Nonsense！'　returned　Robert；　with　indignation。　'What　for　shouldna　I

speik　till　her？　　She's　a　decent　lassiea　dochter　o'　James　Hewson；

the　cottar　at　Bodyfauld。　　I　ken　her　fine。'



He　said　this　in　a　whisper；　but　the　girl　seemed　to　hear　it；　for　she

left　the　shop　with　a　perturbation　which　the　dimness　of　the　late

twilight　could　not　conceal。　　Robert　hesitated　no　longer；　but

followed　her；　heedless　of　the　louder　expostulations　of　MacGregor。

She　was　speeding　away　down　the　street；　but　he　took　longer　strides

than　she；　and　was　almost　up　with　her；　when　she　drew　her　shawl　closer

about　her　head；　and　increased　her　pace。



'Jessie！'　said　Robert；　in　a　tone　of　expostulation。　　But　she　made　no

answer。　　Her　head　sunk　lower　on　her　bosom；　and　she　hurried　yet

faster。　　He　gave　a　long　stride　or　two　and　laid　his　hand　on　her

shoulder。　　She　stood　still；　trembling。



'Jessie；　dinna　ye　ken　meRobert　Faukner？　　Dinna　be　feart　at　me。

What's　the　maitter　wi'　ye；　'at　ye　winna　speik　till　a　body？　　Hoo's

a'　the　fowk　at　hame？'



She　burst　out　crying；　cast　one　look　into　Robert's　face；　and　fled。

What　a　change　was　in　that　face？　　The　peach…colour　was　gone　from　her

cheek；　it　was　pale　and　thin。　　Her　eyes　were　hollow；　with　dark

shadows　under　them；　the　shadows　of　a　sad　sunset。　　A　foreboding　of

the　truth　arose　in　his　heart；　and　the　tears　rushed　up　into　his　eyes。

The　next　moment　the　eidolon　of　Mary　St。　John；　moving　gracious　and

strong；　clothed　in　worship　and　the　dignity　which　is　its　own　defence；

appeared　beside　that　of　Jessie　Hewson；　her　bowed　head　shaken　with

sobs；　and　her　weak　limbs　urged　to　ungraceful　flight。　　As　if　walking

in　the　vision　of　an　eternal　truth；　he　went　straight　to　Captain

Forsyth's　door。



'I　want　to　speak　to　Miss　St。　John；　Isie；'　said　Robert。



'She'll　be　doon　in　a　minit。'



'But　isna　yer　mistress　i'　the　drawin'…room？I　dinna　want　to　see

her。'



'Ow；　weel；'　said　the　girl；　who　was　almost　fresh　from　the　country；

'jist　rin　up　the　stair；　an'　chap　at　the　door　o'　her　room。'



With　the　simplicity　of　a　child；　for　what　a　girl　told　him　to　do　must

be　right；　Robert　sped　up　the　stair；　his　heart　going　like　a

fire…engine。　　He　had　never　approached　Mary's　room　from　this　side；

but　instinct　or　something　else　led　him　straight　to　her　door。　　He

knocked。



'Come　in；'　she　said；　never　doubting　it　was　the　maid；　and　Robert

entered。



She　was　brushing　her　hair　by　the　light　of　a　chamber　candle。　　Robert

was　seized　with　awe；　and　his　limbs　trembled。　　He　could　have　kneeled

before　hernot　to　beg　forgiveness；　he　did　not　think　of　thatbut　to

worship；　as　a　man　may　worship　a　woman。　　It　is　only　a　strong；　pure

heart　like　Robert's　that　ever　can　feel　all　the　inroad　of　the　divine

mystery　of　womanhood。　　But　he　did　not　kneel。　　He　had　a　duty　to

perform。　　A　flush　rose　in　Miss　St。　John's　face；　and　sank　away；

leaving　it　pale。　　It　was　not　that　she　thought　once　of　her　own

condition；　with　her　hair　loose　on　her　shoulders；　but；　able　only　to

conjecture　what　had　brought　him　thither；　she　could　not　but　regard

Robert's　presence　with　dismay。　　She　stood　with　her　ivory　brush　in

her　right　hand　uplifted；　and　a　great　handful　of　hair　in　her　left。

She　was　soon　relieved；　however；　although　what　with　his　contemplated

intercession；　the　dim　vision　of　Mary's　lovely　face　between　the

masses　of　her　hair；　and　the　lavender　odour　that　filled　the

roomperhaps　also　a　faint　suspicion　of　impropriety　sufficient　to

give　force　to　the　restRobert　was　thrown　back　into　the　abyss　of　his

mother…tongue；　and　out　of　this　abyss　talked　like　a　Behemoth。



'Robert！'　said　Mary；　in　a　tone　which；　had　he　not　been　so　eager　after

his　end；　he　might　have