david elginbrod-第13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！
part of the neighbouring country； the peaks of some of the greatest
of the Scotch mountains being visible from its top。 Here he
intended to wait for the sunset。 He threw himself on the heather；
that most delightful and luxurious of all couches； supporting the
body with a kindly upholding of every part； and there he lay in the
great slumberous sunlight of the late afternoon； with the blue
heavens； into which he was gazing full up； closing down upon him； as
the light descended the side of the sky。 He fell fast asleep。 If
ever there be an excuse for falling asleep out of bed； surely it is
when stretched at full length upon heather in bloom。 When he awoke；
the last of the sunset was dying away； and between him and the
sunset sat Margaret； book in hand； waiting apparently for his
waking。 He lay still for a few minutes； to come to himself before
she should see he was awake。 But she rose at the moment； and
drawing near very quietly； looked down upon him with her sweet
sunset face； to see whether or not he was beginning to rouse； for
she feared to let him lie much longer after sundown。 Finding him
awake； she drew back again without a word； and sat down as before
with her book。 At length he rose； and； approaching her； said
〃Well； Margaret； what book are you at now？〃
〃Dr。 Abercrombie； sir；〃 replied Margaret。
〃How do you like it？〃
〃Verra weel for some things。 It makes a body think； but not
a'thegither as I like to think either。〃
It will be observed that Margaret's speech had begun to improve；
that is； to be more like English。
〃What is the matter with it？〃
〃Weel； ye see； sir； it taks a body a' to bits like； and never pits
them together again。 An' it seems to me that a body's min' or soul；
or whatever it may be calledbut it's jist a body's ain sel'can
no more be ta'en to pieces like； than you could tak' that red licht
there oot o' the blue； or the haill sunset oot o' the heavens an'
earth。 It may be a' verra weel； Mr。 Sutherland； but oh！ it's no
like this！〃
And Margaret looked around her from the hill…top； and then up into
the heavens； where the stars were beginning to crack the blue with
their thin； steely sparkle。
〃It seems to me to tak' a' the poetry oot o' us； Mr。 Sutherland。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Hugh； with a smile； 〃you must just go to
Wordsworth to put it in again； or to set you again up after Dr。
Abercrombie has demolished you。〃
〃Na； na； sir； he sanna demolish me： nor I winna trouble Mr。
Wordsworth to put the poetry into me again。 A' the power on earth
shanna tak' that oot o' me； gin it be God's will； for it's his ain
gift； Mr。 Sutherland； ye ken。〃
〃Of course； of course；〃 replied Hugh； who very likely thought this
too serious a way of speaking of poetry； and therefore； perhaps；
rather an irreverent way of speaking of God； for he saw neither the
divine in poetry； nor the human in God。 Could he be said to believe
that God made man； when he did not believe that God created
poetryand yet loved it as he did？ It was to him only a grand
invention of humanity in its loftiest development。 In this
development； then； he must have considered humanity as farthest from
its origin； and God as the creator of savages； caring nothing for
poets or their work。
They turned； as by common consent； to go down the hill together。
〃Shall I take charge of the offending volume？ You will not care to
finish it； I fear；〃 said Hugh。
〃No； sir； if you please。 I never like to leave onything unfinished。
I'll read ilka word in't。 I fancy the thing 'at sets me against
it； is mostly this； that； readin' it alang wi' Euclid； I canna help
aye thinkin' o' my ain min' as gin it were in some geometrical shape
or ither； whiles ane an' whiles anither； and syne I try to draw
lines an' separate this power frae that power； the memory frae the
jeedgement； an' the imagination frae the rizzon； an' syne I try to
pit them a' thegither again in their relations to ane anither。 And
this aye takes the shape o' some proposition or ither； generally i'
the second beuk。 It near…han' dazes me whiles。 I fancy gin' I
understood the pairts o' the sphere； it would be mair to the
purpose； but I wat I wish I were clear o't a'thegither。〃
Hugh had had some experiences of a similar kind himself； though not
at all to the same extent。 He could therefore understand her。
〃You must just try to keep the things altogether apart；〃 said he；
〃and not think of the two sciences at once。〃
〃But I canna help it；〃 she replied。 〃I suppose you can； sir； because
ye're a man。 My father can understan' things ten times better nor
me an' my mother。 But nae sooner do I begin to read and think about
it； than up comes ane o' thae parallelograms； an' nothing will
driv't oot o' my head again； but a verse or twa o' Coleridge or
Wordsworth。〃
Hugh immediately began to repeat the first poem of the latter that
occurred to him：
〃I wandered lonely as a cloud。〃
She listened； walking along with her eyes fixed on the ground； and
when he had finished； gave a sigh of delight and reliefall the
comment she uttered。 She seemed never to find it necessary to say
what she felt； least of all when the feeling was a pleasant one； for
then it was enough for itself。 This was only the second time since
their acquaintance； that she had spoken of her feelings at all； and
in this case they were of a purely intellectual origin。 It is to be
observed； however； that in both cases she had taken pains to explain
thoroughly what she meant； as far as she was able。
It was dark before they reached home； at least as dark as it ever is
at this season of the year in the north。 They found David looking
out with some slight anxiety for his daughter's return； for she was
seldom out so late as this。 In nothing could the true relation
between them have been more evident than in the entire absence from
her manner of any embarrassment when she met her father。 She went
up to him and told him all about finding Mr。 Sutherland asleep on
the hill； and waiting beside him till he woke； that she might walk
home with him。 Her father seemed perfectly content with an
explanation which he had not sought； and； turning to Hugh； said；
smiling：
〃Weel； no to be troublesome； Mr。 Sutherlan'； ye maun gie the auld
man a turn as weel as the young lass。 We didna expec ye the nicht；
but I'm sair puzzled wi' a sma' eneuch matter on my sklet in there。
Will you no come in and gie me a lift？〃
〃With all my heart；〃 said Sutherland。 So there were five lessons in
that week。
When Hugh entered the cottage he had a fine sprig of heather in his
hand； which he laid on the table。
He had the weakness of being proud of small discoveriesthe tinier
the better； and was always sharpening his senses； as well as his
intellect； to a fine point； in order to make them。 I fear that by
these means he shut out some great ones； which could not enter
during such a concentration of the faculties。 He would stand
listening to the sound of goose…feet upon the road； and watch how
those webs laid hold of the earth like a hand。 He would struggle to
enter into their feelings in folding their wings properly on their
backs。 He would calculate； on chemical and arithmetical grounds；
whether one might not hear the nocturnal growth of plants in the
tropics。 He was quite elated by the discovery； as he considered it；
that Shakspeare named his two officers of the watch； Dogberry and
Verjuice； the poisonous Dogberry； and the acid liquor of green
fruits； affording suitable names for the stupidly innocuous
constables； in a play the very essence of which is Much Ado About
Nothing。 Another of his discoveries he had； during their last
lesson； unfolded to David； who had certainly contemplated it with
interest。 It was； that the original forms of the Arabic numerals
were these：
1。2。3。4。5。6。7。8。9。 ｛original text has a picture｝
the number for which each figure stands being indicated by the
number of straight lines employed in forming that numeral。 I fear
the comparative anatomy of figures gives no countenance to the
discovery which Hugh flattered himself he had made。
After he had helped David out of his difficulty； he took up th
