david elginbrod-第24章

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despatched　almost　the　whole　of　it　for　the　liquidation　of　this　debt；
so　that　he　was　now　as　unprovided　as　before　for　the　expenses　of　the
coming　winter　at　Aberdeen。　　But；　about　the　same　time；　a
fellow…student　wrote　to　him　with　news　of　a　situation　for　the　summer；
worth　three　times　as　much　as　his　present　one；　and　to　be　procured
through　his　friend's　interest。　　Hugh　having　engaged　himself　to　the
laird　only　for　the　winter；　although　he　had　intended　to　stay　till　the
commencement　of　the　following　session；　felt　that；　although　he　would
much　rather　remain　where　he　was；　he　must　not　hesitate　a　moment　to
accept　his　friend's　offer；　and　therefore　wrote　at　once。

I　will　not　attempt　to　describe　the　parting。　　It　was　very　quiet；　but
very　solemn　and　sad。　　Janet　showed　far　more　distress　than　Margaret；
for　she　wept　outright。　　The　tears　stood　in　David's　eyes；　as　he
grasped　the　youth's　hand　in　silence。　　Margaret　was　very　pale；　that
was　all。　　As　soon　as　Hugh　disappeared　with　her　father；　who　was　going
to　walk　with　him　to　the　village　through　which　the　coach　passed；　she
hurried　away；　and　went　to　the　fir…wood　for　comfort。

Hugh　found　his　new　situation　in　Perthshire　very　different　from　the
last。　　The　heads　of　the　family　being　themselves　a　lady　and　a
gentleman；　he　found　himself　a　gentleman　too。　　He　had　more　to　do；　but
his　work　left　him　plenty　of　leisure　notwithstanding。　　A　good　portion
of　his　spare　time　he　devoted　to　verse…making；　to　which　he　felt　a
growing　impulse；　and　whatever　may　have　been　the　merit　of　his
compositions；　they　did　him　intellectual　good　at　least；　if　it　were
only　through　the　process　of　their　construction。　　He　wrote　to　David
after　his　arrival；　telling　him　all　about　his　new　situation；　and
received　in　return　a　letter　from　Margaret；　written　at　her　father's
dictation。　　The　mechanical　part　of　letter…writing　was　rather
laborious　to　David；　but　Margaret　wrote　well；　in　consequence　of　the
number　of　papers；　of　one　sort　and　another；　which　she　had　written　for
Hugh。　Three　or　four　letters　more　passed　between　them　at　lengthening
intervals。　　Then　they　ceasedon　Hugh's　side　first；　until；　when　on
the　point　of　leaving　for　Aberdeen；　feeling　somewhat
conscience…stricken　at　not　having　written　for　so　long；　he　scribbled
a　note　to　inform　them　of　his　approaching　departure；　promising　to　let
them　know　his　address　as　soon　as　he　found　himself　settled。　　Will　it
be　believed　that　the　session　went　by　without　the　redemption　of　this
pledge？　　Surely　he　could　not　have　felt；　to　any　approximate　degree；
the　amount　of　obligation　he　was　under　to　his　humble　friends。
Perhaps；　indeed；　he　may　have　thought　that　the　obligation　was
principally　on　their　side；　as　it　would　have　been；　if　intellectual
assistance　could　outweigh　heart…kindness；　and　spiritual　impulse　and
enlightenment；　for；　unconsciously　in　a　great　measure　to　himself；　he
had　learned　from　David　to　regard　in　a　new　and　more　real　aspect；　many
of　those　truths　which　he　had　hitherto　received　as　true；　and　which
yet　had　till　then　produced　in　him　no　other　than　a　feeling　of　the
common…place　and　uninteresting　at　the　best。

Besides　this；　and　many　cognate　advantages；　a　thousand　seeds　of　truth
must　have　surely　remained　in　his　mind；　dropped　there　from　the　same
tongue　of　wisdom；　and　only　waiting　the　friendly　aid　of　a　hard
winter；　breaking　up　the　cold；　selfish　clods　of　clay；　to　share　in　the
loveliness　of　a　new　spring；　and　be　perfected　in　the　beauty　of　a　new
summer。

However　this　may　have　been；　it　is　certain　that　he　forgot　his　old
friends　far　more　than　he　himself　could　have　thought　it　possible　he
should；　for；　to　make　the　best　of　it；　youth　is　easily　attracted　and
filled　with　the　present　show；　and　easily　forgets　that　which；　from
distance　in　time　or　space；　has　no　show　to　show。　　Spending　his
evenings　in　the　midst　of　merry　faces；　and　ready　tongues　fluent　with
the　tones　of　jollity；　if　not　always　of　wit；　which　glided　sometimes
into　no　too　earnest　discussion　of　the　difficult　subjects　occupying
their　student　hours；　surrounded　by　the　vapours　of　whisky…toddy；　and
the　smoke　of　cutty　pipes；　till　far　into　the　short　hours；　then
hurrying　home；　and　lapsing　into　unrefreshing　slumbers　over　intended
study；　or　sitting　up　all　night　to　prepare　the　tasks　which　had　been
neglected　for　a　ball　or　an　evening　with　Wilson；　the　great
interpreter　of　Scottish　songit　is　hardly　to　be　wondered　at　that　he
should　lose　the　finer　consciousness　of　higher　powers　and　deeper
feelings；　not　from　any　behaviour　in　itself　wrong；　but　from　the
hurry；　noise；　and　tumult　in　the　streets　of　life；　that；　penetrating
too　deep　into　the　house　of　life；　dazed　and　stupefied　the　silent　and
lonely　watcher　in　the　chamber　of　conscience；　far　apart。　　He　had　no
time　to　think　or　feel。

The　session　drew　to　a　close。　　He　eschewed　all　idleness；　shut　himself
up；　after　class　hours；　with　his　books；　ate　little；　studied　hard；
slept　irregularly；　working　always　best　between　midnight　and　two　in
the　morning；　carried　the　first　honours　in　most　of　his　classes；　and
at　length　breathed　freely；　but　with　a　dizzy　brain；　and　a　face　that
revealed；　in　pale　cheeks；　and　red；　weary　eyes；　the　results　of　an
excess　of　mental　labouran　excess　which　is　as　injurious　as　any
other　kind　of　intemperance；　the　moral　degradation　alone　kept　out　of
view。　　Proud　of　his　success；　he　sat　down　and　wrote　a　short　note；
with　a　simple　statement　of　it；　to　David；　hoping；　in　his　secret　mind；
that　he　would　attribute　his　previous　silence　to　an　absorption　in
study　which　had　not　existed　before　the　end　of　the　session　was　quite
at　hand。　　Now　that　he　had　more　time　for　reflection；　he　could　not
bear　the　idea　that　that　noble　rustic　face　should　look　disapprovingly
or；　still　worse；　coldly　upon　him；　and　he　could　not　help　feeling　as
if　the　old　ploughman　had　taken　the　place　of　his　father；　as　the　only
man　of　whom　he　must　stand　in　awe；　and　who　had　a　right　to　reprove
him。　　He　did　reprove　him　now；　though　unintentionally。　　For　David　was
delighted　at　having　such　good　news　from　him；　and　the　uneasiness
which　he　had　felt；　but　never　quite　expressed；　was　almost　swept　away
in　the　conclusion；　that　it　was　unreasonable　to　expect　the　young　man
to　give　his　time　to　them　both　absent　and　present；　especially　when　he
had　been　occupied　to　such　good　purpose　as　this　letter　signified。　　So
he　was　nearly　at　peace　about　himthough　not　quite。　　Hugh　received
from　him　the　following　letter　in　reply　to　his；　dictated；　as　usual；
to　his　secretary；　Margaret：

〃MY　DEAR　SIR；

〃Ye'll　be　a　great　man　some　day；　gin　ye　haud　at　it。　　But　things
maunna　be　gotten　at　the　outlay　o'　mair　than　they're　worth。　　Ye'll
ken　what　I　mean。　　An'　there's　better　things　nor　bein'　a　great　man；
efter　a'。　　Forgie　the　liberty　I　tak'　in　remin'in'　ye　o'　sic　like。
I'm　only　remin'in'　ye　o'　what　ye　ken　weel　aneuch。　　But　ye're　a
brave　lad；　an'　ye　hae　been　an　unco　frien'　to　me　an'　mine；　an'　I　pray
the　Lord　to　thank　ye　for　me；　for　ye　hae　dune　muckle　guid　to　his
bairnsmeanin'　me　an'　mine。　　It's　verra　kin'　o'　ye　to　vrite　till's
in　the　verra　moment　o'　victory；　but　weel　ye　kent　that　amid　a'　yer
frien'san'　ye　canna　fail　to　hae　mony　a　ane；　wi'　a　head　an'　a　face
like　yoursthere　was　na　anena；　no　ane；　that　wad　rejoice　mair　ower
your　success　than　Janet；　or　my　doo；　Maggie；　or　yer　ain　auld　obleeged
frien'　an'　servant；

〃DAVID　ELGINBROD。

〃P。S。We're　a'　weel；　an'　unco　blythe　at　your　letter。

Maggy

〃P。S。　2。Dear　Mr。　Sutherland；I　wrote　all　the　above　at　my　father's
dictation；　and　just　as　he　said　it；　for　I　thought　you　would　like　his
Scotch　better　than　my　English。　　My　mother　and　I　myself　are　rejoiced
at　the　good　news。　　My　mother　fairly　grat　outright。　　I　gaed　out　to
the　tree　where　I　met　you　first。　　I　wonder　sair　sometimes　if　you　was
the　angel　I　was　to　meet　in　the　fir…wood。　　I　am；

〃Your　obedient　servant；

〃MARGARET　ELGINBROD。〃

This　letter　certainly　touched　Hugh。　But　he　could　not　help　feeling
rather　offended　that　David　should　write　to　him　in　such　a　warning
tone。　　He　had　never　addressed　him　in　this　fashion　when　he　saw　him
every　day。　　Indeed；　David　could　not　very　easily　have　spoken　to　him
thus。　　But　writing　is　a　different　thing；　and　men　who　are　not　much
accustomed　to　use　a　pen；　often　assume　a　more　solemn　tone　in　doing
so；　as　if　it　were　a　ceremony　that　required　st