david elginbrod-第16章

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this　individuality　of　influence　could　belong　to　mere　affectations　of
a　style　which　had　never　sprung　from　the　sources　of　real　feeling。
〃Could　they；〃　he　thought；　〃possess　the　power　to　move　us　like
remembered　dreams　of　our　childhood；　if　all　that　they　possessed　of
reality　was　a　pretended　imitation　of　what　never　existed；　and　all
that　they　inherited　from　the　past　was　the　halo　of　its　strangeness？〃

But　Hugh　was　not　in　love　with　Margaret；　though　he　could　not　help
feeling　the　pleasure　of　her　presence。　　Any　youth　must　have　been　the
better　for　having　her　near　him；　but　there　was　nothing　about　her
quiet；　self…contained　being；　free　from　manifestation　of　any　sort；　to
rouse　the　feelings　commonly　called　love；　in　the　mind　of　an
inexperienced　youth　like　Hugh　Sutherland。I　say　commonly　called；
because　I　believe　that　within　the　whole　sphere　of　intelligence　there
are　no　two　loves　the　same。Not　that　he　was　less　easily　influenced
than　other　youths。　　A　designing　girl　might　have　caught　him　at　once；
if　she　had　had　no　other　beauty　than　sparkling　eyes；　but　the
womanhood　of　the　beautiful　Margaret　kept　so　still　in　its　pearly
cave；　that　it　rarely　met　the　glance　of　neighbouring　eyes。　　How
Margaret　regarded　him　I　do　not　know；　but　I　think　it　was　with　a　love
almost　entirely　one　with　reverence　and　gratitude。　　Cause　for
gratitude　she　certainly　had；　though　less　than　she　supposed；　and　very
little　cause　indeed　for　reverence。　　But　how　could　she　fail　to　revere
one　to　whom　even　her　father　looked　up？　　Of　course　David's　feeling　of
respect　for　Hugh　must　have　sprung　chiefly　from　intellectual　grounds；
and　he　could　hardly　help　seeing；　if　he　thought　at　all　on　the
subject；　which　is　doubtful；　that　Hugh　was　as　far　behind　Margaret　in
the　higher　gifts　and　graces；　as　he　was　before　her　in　intellectual
acquirement。　　But　whether　David　perceived　this　or　not；　certainly
Margaret　did　not　even　think　in　that　direction。　　She　was　pure　of
self…judgmentconscious　of　no　comparing　of　herself　with　others；
least　of　all　with　those　next　her。

At　length　the　harvest　was　finished；　or；　as　the　phrase　of　the
district　was；　clyack　was　gottena　phrase　with　the　derivation；　or
even　the　exact　meaning　of　which；　I　am　unacquainted；　knowing　only
that　it　implies　something　in　close　association　with　the　feast　of
harvest…home；　called　the　kirn　in　other　parts　of　Scotland。
Thereafter；　the　fields　lay　bare　to　the　frosts　of　morning　and
evening；　and　to　the　wind　that　grew　cooler　and　cooler　with　the　breath
of　Winter；　who　lay　behind　the　northern　hills；　and　waited　for　his
hour。　　But　many　lovely　days　remained；　of　quiet　and　slow　decay；　of
yellow　and　red　leaves；　of　warm　noons　and　lovely　sunsets；　followed　by
skiesgreen　from　the　west　horizon　to　the　zenith；　and　walked　by　a
moon　that　seemed　to　draw　up　to　her　all　the　white　mists　from　pond　and
river　and　pool；　to　settle　again　in　hoar…frost；　during　the　colder
hours　that　precede　the　dawn。　　At　length　every　leafless　tree　sparkled
in　the　morning　sun；　incrusted　with　fading　gems；　and　the　ground　was
hard　under　foot；　and　the　hedges　were　filled　with　frosted
spider…webs；　and　winter　had　laid　the　tips　of　his　fingers　on　the
land；　soon　to　cover　it　deep　with　the　flickering　snow…flakes；　shaken
from　the　folds　of　his　outspread　mantle。　　But　long　ere　this；　David
and　Margaret　had　returned　with　renewed　diligence；　and　powers
strengthened　by　repose；　or　at　least　by　intermission；　to　their　mental
labours；　and　Hugh　was　as　constant　a　visitor　at　the　cottage　as
before。　　The　time；　however；　drew　nigh　when　he　must　return　to　his
studies　at　Aberdeen；　and　David　and　Margaret　were　looking　forward
with　sorrow　to　the　loss　of　their　friend。　　Janet；　too；　〃cudna　bide　to
think　o't。〃

〃He'll　tak'　the　daylicht　wi'　him；　I　doot；　my　lass；〃　she　said；　as　she
made　the　porridge　for　breakfast　one　morning；　and　looked　down
anxiously　at　her　daughter；　seated　on　the　creepie　by　the　ingle…neuk。

〃Na；　na；　mither；〃　replied　Margaret；　looking　up　from　her　book；　〃he'll
lea'　sic　gifts　ahin'　him　as'll　mak'　daylicht　i'　the　dark；〃　and　then
she　bent　her　head　and　went　on　with　her　reading；　as　if　she　had　not
spoken。

The　mother　looked　away　with　a　sigh　and　a　slight；　sad　shake　of　the
head。

But　matters　were　to　turn　out　quite　different　from　all　anticipations。
Before　the　day　arrived　on　which　Hugh　must　leave　for　the　university；
a　letter　from　home　informed　him　that　his　father　was　dangerously　ill。
He　hastened　to　him；　but　only　to　comfort　his　last　hours　by　all　that
a　son　could　do；　and　to　support　his　mother　by　his　presence　during　the
first　hours　of　her　loneliness。　　But　anxious　thoughts　for　the　future；
which　so　often　force　themselves　on　the　attention　of　those　who　would
gladly　prolong　their　brooding　over　the　past；　compelled　them　to　adopt
an　alteration　of　their　plans　for　the　present。

The　half…pay　of　Major　Sutherland　was　gone；　of　course；　and　all　that
remained　for　Mrs。　Sutherland　was　a　small　annuity；　secured　by　her
husband's　payments　to　a　certain　fund　for　the　use　of　officers'
widows。　　From　this　she　could　spare　but　a　mere　trifle　for　the
completion　of　Hugh's　university…education；　while　the　salary　he　had
received　at　Turriepuffit；　almost　the　whole　of　which　he　had　saved；
was　so　small　as　to　be　quite　inadequate　for　the　very　moderate　outlay
necessary。　　He　therefore　came　to　the　resolution　to　write　to　the
laird；　and　offer；　if　they　were　not　yet　provided　with　another　tutor；
to　resume　his　relation　to　the　young　gentlemen　for　the　winter。　　It
was　next　to　impossible　to　spend　money　there；　and　he　judged　that
before　the　following　winter；　he　should　be　quite　able　to　meet　the
expenses　of　his　residence　at　Aberdeen；　during　the　last　session　of
his　course。　　He　would　have　preferred　trying　to　find　another
situation；　had　it　not　been　that　David　and　Janet　and　Margaret　had
made　there　a　home　for　him。

Whether　Mrs。　Glasford　was　altogether　pleased　at　the　proposal；　I
cannot　tell；　but　the　laird　wrote　a　very　gentlemanlike　epistle；
condoling　with　him　and　his　mother　upon　their　loss；　and　urging　the
usual　common…places　of　consolation。　　The　letter　ended　with　a　hearty
acceptance　of　Hugh's　offer；　and；　strange　to　tell；　the　unsolicited
promise　of　an　increase　of　salary　to　the　amount　of　five　pounds。　　This
is　another　to　be　added　to　the　many　proofs　that　verisimilitude　is　not
in　the　least　an　essential　element　of　verity。

He　left　his　mother　as　soon　as　circumstances　would　permit；　and
returned　to　Turriepuffit；　an　abode　for　the　winter　very　different
indeed　from　that　in　which　he　had　expected　to　spend　it。

He　reached　the　place　early　in　the　afternoon；　received　from　Mrs。
Glasford　a　cold　〃I　hope　you're　well；　Mr。　Sutherland；〃　found　his
pupils　actually　reading；　and　had　from　them　a　welcome　rather
boisterously　evidenced；　told　them　to　get　their　books；　and　sat　down
with　them　at　once　to　commence　their　winter　labours。　　He　spent　two
hours　thus；　had　a　hearty　shake　of　the　hand　from　the　laird；　when　he
came　home；　and；　after　a　substantial　tea；　walked　down　to　David's
cottage；　where　a　welcome　awaited　him　worth　returning　for。

〃Come　yer　wa's　butt；〃　said　Janet；　who　met　him　as　he　opened　the　door
without　any　prefatory　knock；　and　caught　him　with　both　hands；　〃I'm
blithe　to　see　yer　bonny　face　ance　mair。　　We're　a'　jist　at　ane　mair
wi'　expeckin'　o'　ye。〃

David　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　waiting　for　him。

〃Come　awa'；　my　bonny　lad；〃　was　all　his　greeting；　as　he　held　out　a
great　fatherly　hand　to　the　youth；　and；　grasping　his　in　the　one；
clapped　him　on　the　shoulder　with　the　other；　the　water　standing　in
his　blue　eyes　the　while。　　Hugh　thought　of　his　own　father；　and　could
not　restrain　his　tears。　　Margaret　gave　him　a　still　look　full　in　the
face；　and；　seeing　his　emotion；　did　not　even　approach　to　offer　him
any　welcome。　　She　hastened；　instead；　to　place　a　chair　for　him　as　she
had　done　when　first　he　entered　the　cottage；　and　when　he　had　taken　it
sat　down　at　his　feet　on　her　creepie。　　With　true　delicacy；　no　one
took　any　notice　of　him　for　some　time。　　David　said　at　last；

〃An'　hoo's　yer　puir　mother；　Mr。　Sutherlan'？〃

〃She's　pretty　well；〃　was　all　Hugh　could　answer。

〃It's　a　sair　stroke　to　bide；〃　said　David；　〃but　it's　a　gran'　thing
whan　a　man's　won　weel　throw't。　　Whan　my　father　deit；　I　min'　weel；　I
was　sae　prood　to　see　him　lyin'　there；　in　the　cauld　gr