david elginbrod-第113章
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the summit； indeed； of a mighty Plutonic rock； that went down
widening away to the very centre of the earth？ As he sped along in
the railway that night； the prophecy of thousands of years came
back： 〃A man shall be a hiding…place from the wind； a covert from
the tempest； the shadow of a great rock in a weary land。〃 And he
thought it would be a blessed time indeed； when this was just what a
man was。 And then he thought of the Son of Man； who； by being such
first； was enabling all his friends to be such too。 Of him Falconer
had already learned this 〃truth in the inward parts〃； and had found；
in the process of learning it； that this was the true nature which
God had made his from the first； no new thing superinduced upon it。
He had had but to clear away the rubbish of worldliness； which more
or less buries the best natures for a time； and so to find himself。
After Hugh had eaten and drunk； and thus once more experienced the
divinity that lay in food and wine； he went to take leave of his
friends at Mrs。 Elton's。 Like most invalids； Euphra was better in
the evening： she requested to see him。 He found her in bed； and
much wasted since he saw her last。 He could not keep the tears from
filling his eyes； for all the events of that day had brought them
near the surface。
〃Do not cry； dear friend；〃 she said sweetly。 〃There is no room for
me here any more； and I am sent for。〃
Hugh could not reply。 She went on：
〃I have written to Mr。 Arnold about the ring； and all you did to get
it。 Do you know he is going to marry Lady Emily？〃
Still Hugh could not answer。
Margaret stood on the other side of the bed； the graceful embodiment
of holy health； and in his sorrow； he could not help feeling the
beauty of her presence。 Her lovely hands were the servants of
Euphra； and her light； firm feet moved only in ministration。 He
felt that Euphra had room in the world while Margaret waited on her。
It is not house； and fire； and plenty of servants； and all the
things that money can procure； that make a homenot father or
mother or friends； but one heart which will not be weary of helping；
will not be offended with the petulance of sickness； nor the
ministrations needful to weakness： this 〃entire affection hating
nicer hands〃 will make a home of a cave in a rock； or a gipsy's
tent。 This Euphra had in Margaret； and Hugh saw it。
〃I trust you will find your mother better； Hugh〃 said Euphra。
〃I fear not；〃 answered he。
〃Well； Margaret has been teaching me； and I think I have learned it；
that death is not at all such a dreadful thing as it looks。 I said
to her： 'It is easy for you； Margaret； who are so far from death's
door。' But she told me that she had been all but dead once； and
that you had saved her life almost with your own。 Oh； Hugh！ she is
such a dear！〃
Euphra smiled with ten times the fascination of any of her old
smiles； for the soul of the smile was love。
〃I shall never see you again； I daresay；〃 she went on。 〃My heart
thanks you； from its very depths； for your goodness to me。 It has
been a thousand times more than I deserve。〃
Hugh kissed in silence the wasted hand held out to him in adieu； and
departed。 And the world itself was a sad wandering star。
Falconer had called for him。 They drove to Miss Talbot's； where
Hugh got his 'bag of needments；' and bade his landlady good…bye for
a time。 Falconer then accompanied him to the railway。
Having left him for a moment； Falconer rejoined him； saying： 〃I have
your ticket；〃 and put him into a first…class carriage。
Hugh remonstrated。 Falconer replied：
〃I find this hulk of mine worth taking care of。 You will be twice
the good to your mother； if you reach her tolerably fresh。〃
He stood by the carriage door talking to him； till the train
started； walked alongside till it was fairly in motion； then；
bidding him good…bye； left in his hand a little packet； which Hugh；
opening it by the light of the lamp； found to consist of a few
sovereigns and a few shillings folded up in a twenty…pound…note。
I ought to tell one other little fact； however。 Just before the
engine whistled； Falconer said to Hugh：
〃Give me that fourpenny piece； you brave old fellow！〃
〃There it is；〃 said Hugh。 〃What do you want it for？〃
〃I am going to make a wedding…present of it to your wife； whoever
she may happen to be。 I hope she will be worthy of it。〃
Hugh instantly thought within himself：
〃What a wife Margaret would make to Falconer！〃
The thought was followed by a pang； keen and clear。
Those who are in the habit of regarding the real and the ideal as
essentially and therefore irreconcileably opposed； will remark that
I cannot have drawn the representation of Falconer faithfully。
Perhaps the difficulty they will experience in recognizing its
truthfulness； may spring from the fact that they themselves are
un…ideal enough to belong to the not small class of strong…minded
friends whose chief care； in performing the part of the rock in the
weary land； isnot to shelter you imprudently。 They are afraid of
weakening your constitution by it； especially if it is not strong to
begin with； so if they do just take off the edge of the tempest with
the sharp corners of their sheltering rock for a moment； the next；
they will thrust you out into the rain； to get hardy and
self…denying； by being wet to the skin and well blown about。
The rich easily learn the wisdom of Solomon； but are unapt scholars
of him who is greater than Solomon。 It is； on the other hand； so
easy for the poor to help each other； that they have little merit in
it： it is no virtueonly a beauty。 But there are a few rich； who；
rivalling the poor in their own peculiar excellences； enter into the
kingdom of heaven in spite of their riches； and then find that by
means of their riches they are made rulers over many cities。 She to
whose memory this book is dedicated； isI will not say wasone of
the noblest of such。
There are two ways of accounting for the difficulty which a reader
may find in believing in such a character： either that； not being
poor； he has never needed such a friend； or that； being rich； he has
never been such a friend。
Or if it be that； being poor； he has never found such a friend； his
difficulty is easy to remove：I have。
CHAPTER XXII。
DEATH。
Think then； my soul； that death is but a groom
Which brings a taper to the outward room；
Whence thou spy'st first a little glimmering light；
And after brings it nearer to thy sight：
For such approaches doth heaven make in death。
DR。 DONNE。
Hugh found his mother even worse than he had expected； but she
rallied a little after his arrival。
In the evening； he wandered out in the bright moonlit snow。
How strange it was to see all the old forms with his heart so full
of new things！ The same hills rose about him； with all the lines of
their shapes unchanged in seeming。 Yet they were changing as surely
as himself； nay； he continued more the same than they； for in him
the old forms were folded up in the new。 In the eyes of Him who
creates time； there is no rest； but a living sacred change； a
journeying towards rest。 He alone rests； and he alone； in virtue of
his rest； creates change。
He thought with sadness； how all the haunts of his childhood would
pass to others； who would feel no love or reverence for them； that
the house would be the same； but sounding with new steps； and
ringing with new laughter。 A little further thought； however； soon
satisfied him that places die as well as their dwellers； that； by
slow degrees； their forms are wiped out； that the new tastes
obliterate the old fashions； and that ere long the very shape of the
house and farm would be lapped； as it were； about the tomb of him
who had been the soul of the shape； and would vanish from the face
of the earth。
All the old things at home looked sad。 The look came from this；
that； though he could sympathize with them and their story； they
could not sympathize with him； and he suffused them with his own
sadness。 He could find no refuge in the past； he must go on into
the future。
His mother lingered for some time without any evident change。 He
sat by h
