david elginbrod-第14章

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discovery　which　Hugh　flattered　himself　he　had　made。

After　he　had　helped　David　out　of　his　difficulty；　he　took　up　the
heather；　and　stripping　off　the　bells；　shook　them　in　his　hand　at
Margaret's　ear。　　A　half　smile；　like　the　moonlight　of　laughter；
dawned　on　her　face；　and　she　listened　with　something　of　the　same
expression　with　which　a　child　listens　to　the　message　from　the　sea；
inclosed　in　a　twisted　shell。　　He　did　the　same　at　David's　ear　next。

〃Eh；　man！　that's　a　bonny　wee　soun'！　　It's　jist　like　sma'
sheep…bellsfairy…sheep；　I　reckon；　Maggy；　my　doo。〃

〃Lat　me　hearken　as　weel；〃　said　Janet。

Hugh　obeyed。　　She　laughed。

〃It's　naething　but　a　reestlin'。　　I　wad　raither　hear　the　sheep
baain'；　or　the　kye　routin'。〃

〃Eh；　Mr。　Sutherlan'！　but；　ye　hae　a　gleg　ee　an'　a　sharp　lug。　　Weel；
the　warld's　fu'　o'　bonny　sichts　and　souns；　doon　to　the　verra
sma'est。　　The　Lord　lats　naething　gang。　　I　wadna　wonner　noo　but　there
micht　be　thousands　sic　like；　ower　sma'　a'thegither　for　human　ears；
jist　as　we　ken　there　are　creatures　as　perfect　in　beowty　as　ony　we
see；　but　far　ower　sma'　for　our　een　wintin'　the　glass。　　But　for　my
pairt；　I　aye　like　to　see　a　heap　o'　things　at　ance；　an'　tak'　them　a'
in　thegither；　an'　see　them　playin'　into　ane　anither's　han'　like。　　I
was　jist　thinkin'；　as　I　came　hame　the　nicht　in　the　sinset；　hoo　it
wad　hae　been　naewise　sae　complete；　wi'　a'　its　red　an'　gowd　an'
green；　gin　it　hadna　been　for　the　cauld　blue　east　ahint　it；　wi'　the
twa…three　shiverin'　starnies　leukin'　through't。　　An'　doubtless　the
warld　to　come　'ill　be　a'　the　warmer　to　them　'at　hadna　ower　muckle
happin　here。　　But　I'm　jist　haverin'；　clean　haverin'；　Mr。
Sutherlan'；〃　concluded　David；　with　a　smile　of　apologetic　humour。

〃I　suppose　you　could　easily　believe　with　Plato；　David；　that　the
planets　make　a　grand　choral　music　as　they　roll　about　the　heavens；
only　that　as　some　sounds　are　too　small；　so　that　is　too　loud　for　us
to　hear。〃

〃I　cud　weel　believe　that；〃　was　David's　unhesitating　answer。
Margaret　looked　as　if　she　not　only　could　believe　it；　but　would　be
delighted　to　know　that　it　was　true。　　Neither　Janet　nor　Hugh　gave　any
indication　of　feeling　on　the　matter。




CHAPTER　X。

HARVEST。

So　a　small　seed　that　in　the　earth　lies　hid
And　dies；　reviving　bursts　her　cloddy　side；
Adorned　with　yellow　locks；　of　new　is　born；
And　doth　become　a　mother　great　with　corn；
Of　grains　brings　hundreds　with　it；　which　when　old
Enrich　the　furrows　with　a　sea　of　gold。

SIR　WILLIAM　DRUMMOND。Hymn　of　the　Resurrection。


Hugh　had　watched　the　green　corn　grow；　and　ear；　and　turn　dim；　then
brighten　to　yellow；　and　ripen　at　last　under　the　declining　autumn
sun；　and　the　low　skirting　moon　of　the　harvest；　which　seems　too　full
and　heavy　with　mellow　and　bountiful　light　to　rise　high　above　the
fields　which　it　comes　to　bless　with　perfection。　　The　long　threads；
on　each　of　which　hung　an　oat…grainthe　harvest　here　was　mostly　of
oatshad　got　dry　and　brittle；　and　the　grains　began　to　spread　out
their　chaff…wings；　as　if　ready　to　fly；　and　rustled　with　sweet　sounds
against　each　other；　as　the　wind；　which　used　to　billow　the　fields
like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　now　swept　gently　and　tenderly　over　it；
helping　the　sun　and　moon　in　the　drying　and　ripening　of　the　joy　to　be
laid　up　for　the　dreary　winter。　　Most　graceful　of　all　hung　those
delicate　oats；　next　bowed　the　bearded　barley；　and　stately　and
wealthy　and　strong　stood　the　few　fields　of　wheat；　of　a　rich；　ruddy；
golden　hue。　　Above　the　yellow　harvest　rose　the　purple　hills；　and
above　the　hills　the　pale…blue　autumnal　sky；　full　of　light　and　heat；
but　fading　somewhat　from　the　colour　with　which　it　deepened　above　the
vanished　days　of　summer。　　For　the　harvest　here　is　much　later　than　in
England。

At　length　the　day　arrived　when　the　sickle　must　be　put　into　the
barley；　soon　to　be　followed　by　the　scythe　in　the　oats。　　And　now　came
the　joy　of　labour。　　Everything　else　was　abandoned　for　the　harvest
field。　　Books　were　thrown　utterly　aside；　for；　even　when　there　was　no
fear　of　a　change　of　weather　to　urge　to　labour　prolonged　beyond　the
natural　hours；　there　was　weariness　enough　in　the　work　of　the　day　to
prevent　even　David　from　reading；　in　the　hours　of　bodily　rest；
anything　that　necessitated　mental　labour。

Janet　and　Margaret　betook　themselves　to　the　reaping…hook；　and　the
somewhat　pale　face　of　the　latter　needed　but　a　single　day　to　change
it　to　the　real　harvest　huethe　brown　livery　of　Ceres。　　But　when　the
oats　were　attacked；　then　came　the　tug　of　war。　　The　laird　was　in　the
fields　from　morning　to　night；　and　the　boys　would　not　stay　behind；
but；　with　their　father's　permission；　much　to　the　tutor's
contentment；　devoted　what　powers　they　had　to　the　gathering　of　the
fruits　of　the　earth。　　Hugh　himself；　whose　strength　had　grown
amazingly　during　his　stay　at　Turriepuffit；　and　who；　though　he　was
quite　helpless　at　the　sickle；　thought　he　could　wield　the　scythe；
would　not　be　behind。　　Throwing　off　coat　and　waistcoat；　and　tying　his
handkerchief　tight　round　his　loins；　he　laid　hold　on　the　emblematic
weapon　of　Time　and　Death；　determined　likewise　to　earn　the　name　of
Reaper。　　He　took　the　last　scythe。　　It　was　desperate　work　for　a
while；　and　he　was　far　behind　the　first　bout；　but　David；　who　was　the
best　scyther　in　the　whole　country　side；　and　of　course　had　the
leading　scythe；　seeing　the　tutor　dropping　behind；　put　more　power　to
his　own　arm；　finished　his　own　bout；　and　brought　up　Hugh's　before　the
others　had　done　sharpening　their　scythes　for　the　next。

〃Tak'　care　an'　nae　rax　yersel'　ower　sair；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ye'll　be
up　wi'　the　best　o'　them　in　a　day　or　twa；　but　gin　ye　tyauve　at　it
aboon　yer　strenth；　ye'll　be　clean　forfochten。　　Tak'　a　guid　sweep　wi'
the　scythe；　'at　ye　may　hae　the　weicht　o't　to　ca'　through　the　strae；
an'　tak'　nae　shame　at　bein'　hindmost。　　Here；　Maggy；　my　doo；　come　an'
gather　to　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　Ane　o'　the　young　gentlemen　can　tak'　your
place　at　the　binin'。〃

The　work　of　Janet　and　Margaret　had　been　to　form　bands　for　the
sheaves；　by　folding　together　cunningly　the　heads　of　two　small
handfuls　of　the　corn；　so　as　to　make　them　long　enough　together　to　go
round　the　sheaf；　then　to　lay　this　down　for　the　gatherer　to　place
enough　of　the　mown　corn　upon　it；　and　last；　to　bind　the　band　tightly
around　by　another　skilful　twist　and　an　insertion　of　the　ends；　and　so
form　a　sheaf。　　From　this　work　David　called　his　daughter；　desirous　of
giving　Hugh　a　gatherer　who　would　not　be　disrespectful　to　his
awkwardness。　　This　arrangement；　however；　was　far　from　pleasing　to
some　of　the　young　men　in　the　field；　and　brought　down　upon　Hugh；　who
was　too　hard…wrought　to　hear　them　at　first；　many　sly　hits　of　country
wit　and　human　contempt。　　There　had　been　for　some　time　great　jealousy
of　his　visits　at　David's　cottage；　for　Margaret；　though　she　had　very
little　acquaintance　with　the　young　men　of　the　neighbourhood；　was
greatly　admired　amongst　them；　and　not　regarded　as　so　far　above　the
station　of　many　of　them　as　to　render　aspiration　useless。　　Their
remarks　to　each　other　got　louder　and　louder；　till　Hugh　at　last　heard
some　of　them；　and　could　not　help　being　annoyed；　not　by　their　wit　or
personality；　but　by　the　tone　of　contempt　in　which　they　were　uttered。

〃Tak'　care　o'　yer　legs；　sir。　　It'll　be　ill　cuttin'　upo'　stumps。〃

〃Fegs！　he's　taen　the　wings　aff　o'　a　pairtrick。〃

〃Gin　he　gang　on　that　get；　he'll　cut　twa　bouts　at　ance。〃

〃Ye'll　hae　the　scythe　ower　the　dyke；　man。　　Tak'　tent。〃

〃Losh！　sir；　ye've　taen　aff　my　leg　at　the　hip！〃

〃Ye're　shavin'　ower　close：　ye'll　draw　the　bluid；　sir。〃

〃Hoot；　man！　lat　alane。　　The　gentleman's　only　mista'en　his　trade；　an'
imaigins　he's　howkin'　a　grave。〃

And　so　on。　　Hugh　gave　no　further　sign　of　hearing　their　remarks　than
lay　in　increased　exertion。　　Looking　round；　however；　he　saw　that
Margaret　was　vexed；　evidently　not　for　her　own　sake。　　He　smiled　to
her；　to　console　her　for　his　annoyance；　and　then；　ambitious　to　remove
the　cause　of　it；　made　a　fresh　exertion；　recovered　all　his　distance；
and　was　in　his　own　place　with　the　best　of　them　at　the　end　of　the
bout。　　But　the　smile　that　had　passed　between　them　did　not　escape
unobserved；　and　he　had　aroused　yet　more　the　wrath　of　the　youths；　by
threatening　soon　to　rival　them　in　the　excellenci