david elginbrod-第15章

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unobserved；　and　he　had　aroused　yet　more　the　wrath　of　the　youths；　by
threatening　soon　to　rival　them　in　the　excellencies　to　which　they　had
an　especial　claim。　　They　had　regarded　him　as　an　interloper；　who　had
no　right　to　captivate　one　of　their　rank　by　arts　beyond　their　reach；
but　it　was　still　less　pardonable　to　dare　them　to　a　trial　of　skill
with　their　own　weapons。　　To　the　fire　of　this　jealousy；　the
admiration　of　the　laird　added　fuel；　for　he　was　delighted　with　the
spirit　with　which　Hugh　laid　himself　to　the　scythe。　　But　all　the
time；　nothing　was　further　from　Hugh's　thoughts　than　the　idea　of
rivalry　with　them。　　Whatever　he　might　have　thought　of　Margaret　in
relation　to　himself；　he　never　thought　of　her；　though　labouring　in
the　same　field　with　them；　as　in　the　least　degree　belonging　to　their
class；　or　standing　in　any　possible　relation　to　them；　except　that　of
a　common　work。

In　ordinary；　the　labourers　would　have　had　sufficient　respect　for
Sutherland's　superior　position；　to　prevent　them　from　giving　such
decided　and　articulate　utterance　to　their　feelings。　　But　they　were
incited　by　the　presence　and　example　of　a　man　of　doubtful　character
from　the　neighbouring　village；　a　travelled　and　clever　ne'er…do…weel；
whose　reputation　for　wit　was　equalled　by　his　reputation　for　courage
and　skill；　as　well　as　profligacy。　　Roused　by　the　effervescence　of
his　genius；　they　went　on　from　one　thing　to　another；　till　Hugh　saw　it
must　be　put　a　stop　to　somehow；　else　he　must　abandon　the　field。　　They
dared　not　have　gone　so　far　if　David　had　been　present；　but　he　had
been　called　away　to　superintend　some　operations　in　another　part　of
the　estate；　and　they　paid　no　heed　to　the　expostulations　of　some　of
the　other　older　men。　　At　the　close　of　the　day's　work；　therefore；
Hugh　walked　up　to　this　fellow；　and　said：

〃I　hope　you　will　be　satisfied　with　insulting　me　all　to…day；　and
leave　it　alone　to…morrow。〃

The　man　replied；　with　an　oath　and　a　gesture　of　rude　contempt；

〃I　dinna　care　the　black　afore　my　nails　for　ony　skelp…doup　o'　the　lot
o'　ye。〃

Hugh's　highland　blood　flew　to　his　brain；　and　before　the　rascal
finished　his　speech；　he　had　measured　his　length　on　the　stubble。　　He
sprang　to　his　feet　in　a　fury；　threw　off　the　coat　which　he　had　just
put　on；　and　darted　at　Hugh；　who　had　by　this　time　recovered　his
coolness；　and　was　besides；　notwithstanding　his　unusual　exertions；
the　more　agile　of　the　two。　　The　other　was　heavier　and　more　powerful。
Hugh　sprang　aside；　as　he　would　have　done　from　the　rush　of　a　bull；
and　again　with　a　quick　blow　felled　his　antagonist。　　Beginning　rather
to　enjoy　punishing　him；　he　now　went　in　for　it；　and；　before　the　other
would　yield；　he　had　rendered　his　next　day's　labour　somewhat
doubtful。　　He　withdrew；　with　no　more　injury　to　himself　than　a　little
water　would　remove。　　Janet　and　Margaret　had　left　the　field　before　he
addressed　the　man。

He　went　borne　and　to　bedmore　weary　than　he　had　ever　been　in　his
life。　　Before　he　went　to　sleep；　however；　he　made　up　his　mind　to　say
nothing　of　his　encounter　to　David；　but　to　leave　him　to　hear　of　it
from　other　sources。　　He　could　not　help　feeling　a　little　anxious　as
to　his　judgment　upon　it。　　That　the　laird　would　approve；　he　hardly
doubted；　but　for　his　opinion　he　cared　very　little。

〃Dawvid；　I　wonner　at　ye；〃　said　Janet　to　her　husband；　the　moment　he
came　home；　〃to　lat　the　young　lad　warstle　himsel'　deid　that　get　wi'　a
scythe。　　His　banes　is　but　saft　yet；　There　wasna　a　dry　steek　on　him
or　he　wan　half　the　lenth　o'　the　first　bout。　　He's　sair　disjaskit；
I'se　warran'。〃

〃Nae　fear　o'　him；　Janet；　it'll　do　him　guid。　　Mr。　Sutherland's　no
feckless　winlestrae　o'　a　creater。　　Did　he　haud　his　ain　at　a'　wi'　the
lave？〃

〃Haud　his　ain！　　Gin　he　be　fit　for　onything　the　day；　he　maun　be
pitten　neist　yersel'；　or　he'll　cut　the　legs　aff　o'　ony　ither　man　i'
the　corn。〃

A　glow　of　pleasure　mantled　in　Margaret's　face　at　her　mother's　praise
of　Hugh。　Janet　went　on：

〃But　I　was　jist　clean　affronted　wi'　the　way　'at　the　young　chields
behaved　themselves　till　him。〃

〃I　thocht　I　heard　a　toot…moot　o'　that　kin'　afore　I　left；　but　I
thocht　it　better　to　tak'　nae　notice　o't。　　I'll　be　wi'　ye　a'　day　the
morn　though；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　I'll　clap　a　rouch　han'　on　their　mou's
'at　I　hear　ony　mair　o't　frae。〃

But　there　was　no　occasion　for　interference　on　David's　part。　　Hugh
made　his　appearancenot；　it　is　true；　with　the　earliest　in　the
hairst…rig；　but　after　breakfast　with　the　laird；　who　was　delighted
with　the　way　in　which　he　had　handled　his　scythe　the　day　before；　and
felt　twice　the　respect　for　him　in　consequence。　　It　must　be　confessed
he　felt　very　stiff；　but　the　best　treatment　for　stiffness　being　the
hom渙pathic　one　of　more　work；　he　had　soon　restored　the　elasticity　of
his　muscles；　and　lubricated　his　aching　joints。　　His　antagonist　of
the　foregoing　evening　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　the　rest　of　the
young　men　were　shame…faced　and　respectful　enough。

David；　having　learned　from　some　of　the　spectators　the　facts　of　the
combat；　suddenly；　as　they　were　walking　home　together；　held　out　his
hand　to　Hugh；　shook　his　hard；　and　said：

〃Mr。　Sutherlan'；　I'm　sair　obleeged　to　ye　for　giein'　that　vratch；
Jamie　Ogg；　a　guid　doonsettin'。　　He's　a　coorse　crater；　but　the　warst
maun　hae　meat；　an'　sae　I　didna　like　to　refeese　him　when　he　cam　for
wark。　　But　its　a　greater　kin'ness　to　clout　him　nor　to　cleed　him。
They　say　ye　made　an　awfu'　munsie　o'　him。　　But　it's　to　be　houpit
he'll　live　to　thank　ye。　　There's　some　fowk　'at　can　respeck　no
airgument　but　frae　steekit　neives；　an'　it's　fell　cruel　to　haud　it
frae　them；　gin　ye　hae't　to　gie　them。　　I　hae　had　eneuch　ado　to　haud
my　ain　han's　aff　o'　the　ted；　but　it　comes　a　hantle　better　frae　you；
Mr。　Sutherlan'。〃

Hugh　wielded　the　scythe　the　whole　of　the　harvest；　and　Margaret
gathered　to　him。　　By　the　time　it　was　over；　leading…home　and　all；　he
measured　an　inch　less　about　the　waist；　and　two　inches　more　about　the
shoulders；　and　was　as　brown　as　a　berry；　and　as　strong　as　an　ox；　or
〃owse；〃　as　David　called　it；　when　thus　describing　Mr。　Sutherland's
progress　in　corporal　development；　for　he　took　a　fatherly　pride　in
the　youth；　to　whom；　at　the　same　time；　he　looked　up　with　submission；
as　his　master　in　learning。




CHAPTER　XI。

A　CHANGE　AND　NO　CHANGE。

Affliction；　when　I　know　it；　is　but　this
A　deep　alloy；　whereby　man　tougher　is
To　bear　the　hammer；　and　the　deeper　still；
We　still　arise　more　image　of　his　will。
Sicknessan　humorous　cloud　'twist　us　and　light；
And　death；　at　longest；　but　another　night。
Man　is　his　own　star；　and　that　soul　that　can
Be　honest；　is　the　only　perfect　Man。

JOHN　FLETCHER。Upon　an　Honest　Man's　Fortune。


Had　Sutherland　been　in　love　with　Margaret；　those　would　have　been
happy　days；　and　that　a　yet　more　happy　night；　when；　under　the　mystery
of　a　low　moonlight　and　a　gathering　storm；　the　crop　was　cast　in　haste
into　the　carts；　and　hurried　home　to　be　built　up　in　safety；　when　a
strange　low　wind　crept　sighing　across　the　stubble；　as　if　it　came
wandering　out　of　the　past　and　the　land　of　dreams；　lying　far　off　and
withered　in　the　green　west；　and　when　Margaret　and　he　came　and　went
in　the　moonlight　like　creatures　in　a　dreamfor　the　vapours　of　sleep
were　floating　in　Hugh's　brain；　although　he　was　awake　and　working。

〃Margaret；〃　he　said；　as　they　stood　waiting　a　moment　for　the　cart
that　was　coming　up　to　be　filled　with　sheaves；　〃what　does　that　wind
put　you　in　mind　of？〃

〃Ossian's　Poems；〃　replied　Margaret；　without　a　moment's　hesitation。

Hugh　was　struck　by　her　answer。　　He　had　meant　something　quite
different。　　But　it　harmonized　with　his　feeling　about　Ossian；　for　the
genuineness　of　whose　poetry；　Highlander　as　he　was；　he　had　no　better
argument　to　give　than　the　fact；　that　they　produced　in　himself　an
altogether　peculiar　mental　condition；　that　the　spiritual　sensations
he　had　in　reading　them　were　quite　different　from　those　produced　by
anything　else；　prose　or　verse；　in　fact；　that　they　created　moods　of
their　own　in　his　mind。　　He　was　unwilling　to　believe；　apart　from
national　prejudices　（which　have　not　prevented　the　opinions　on　this
question　from　being　as　strong　on　the　one　side　as　on　the　other）；　that
this　individuality　of　influence　could　belong　to　mere　affectations　of
a　style　whi