david elginbrod-第7章

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sat　down　dressed　for　the　sacrament　of　wisdom。　　David　made　no　other
preparation　than　the　usual　evening　washing　of　his　large　well…wrought
hands；　and　bathing　of　his　head；　covered　with　thick　dark　hair；
plentifully　lined　with　grey；　in　a　tub　of　cold　water；　from　which　his
face；　which　was　〃cremsin　dyed　ingrayne〃　by　the　weather；　emerged
glowing。　　He　sat　down　at　the　table　in　his　usual　rough　blue　coat　and
plain　brass　buttons；　with　his　breeches　of　broad…striped　corduroy；
his　blue…ribbed　stockings；　and　leather　gaiters；　or　cuiticans；
disposed　under　the　table；　and　his　shoes；　with　five　rows　of
broad…headed　nails　in　the　soles；　projecting　from　beneath　it　on　the
other　side；　for　he　was　a　tall　mansix　feet　still；　although
five…and…fifty；　and　considerably　bent　in　the　shoulders　with　hard
work。　　Sutherland's　style　was　that　of　a　gentleman　who　must　wear　out
his　dress…coat。

Such　was　the　group　which；　three　or　four　evenings　in　the　week；　might
be　seen　in　David　Elginbrod's　cottage；　seated　around　the　white　deal
table；　with　their　books　and　slates　upon　it；　and　searching；　by　the
light　of　a　tallow　candle；　substituted　as　more　convenient；　for　the
ordinary　lamp；　after　the　mysteries　of　the　universe。

The　influences　of　reviving　nature　and　of　genial　companionship
operated　very　favourably　upon　Hugh's　spirits；　and　consequently　upon
his　whole　powers。　　For　some　time　he　had；　as　I　have　already　hinted；
succeeded　in　interesting　his　boy…pupils　in　their　studies；　and　now
the　progress　they　made　began　to　be　appreciable　to　themselves　as　well
as　to　their　tutor。　　This　of　course　made　them　more　happy　and　more
diligent。　　There　were　no　attempts　now　to　work　upon　their　parents　for
a　holiday；　no　real　or　pretended　head　or　tooth…aches；　whose
disability　was　urged　against　the　greater　torture　of　ill…conceded
mental　labour。　　They　began　in　fact　to　understand；　and；　in　proportion
to　the　beauty　and　value　of　the　thing　understood；　to　understand　is　to
enjoy。　　Therefore　the　laird　and　his　lady　could　not　help　seeing　that
the　boys　were　doing　well；　far　better　in　fact　than　they　had　ever　done
before；　and　consequently　began　not　only　to　prize　Hugh's　services；
but　to　think　more　highly　of　his　office　than　had　been　their　wont。
The　laird　would　now　and　then　invite　him　to　join　him　in　a　tumbler　of
toddy　after　dinner；　or　in　a　ride　round　the　farm　after　school　hours。
But　it　must　be　confessed　that　these　approaches　to　friendliness　were
rather　irksome　to　Hugh；　for　whatever　the　laird　might　have　been　as　a
collegian；　he　was　certainly　now　nothing　more　than　a　farmer。　　Where
David　Elginbrod　would　have　described　many　a　〃bonny　sicht；〃　the　laird
only　saw　the　probable　results　of　harvest；　in　the　shape　of　figures　in
his　banking　book。　　On　one　occasion；　Hugh　roused　his　indignation　by
venturing　to　express　his　admiration　of　the　delightful　mingling　of
colours　in　a　field　where　a　good　many　scarlet　poppies　grew　among　the
green　blades　of　the　corn；　indicating；　to　the　agricultural　eye；　the
poverty　of　the　soil　where　they　were　found。　　This　fault　in　the　soil；
the　laird；　like　a　child；　resented　upon　the　poppies　themselves。

〃Nasty；　ugly　weyds！　　We'll　hae　ye　admirin'　the　smut　neist；〃　said　he；
contemptuously；　〃'cause　the　bairns　can　bleck　ane　anither's　faces
wi't。〃

〃But　surely；〃　said　Hugh；　〃putting　other　considerations　aside；　you
must　allow　that　the　colour；　especially　when　mingled　with　that　of　the
corn；　is　beautiful。〃

〃Deil　hae't！　　It's　jist　there　'at　I　canna　bide　the　sicht　o't。
Beauty　ye　may　ca'　't！　　I　see　nane　o't。　　I'd　as　sune　hae　a
reid…heedit　bairn；　as　see　thae　reid…coatit　rascals　i'　my　corn。　　I
houp　ye're　no　gaen　to　cram　stuff　like　that　into　the　heeds　o'　the　twa
laddies。　　Faith！　we'll　hae　them　sawin'　thae　ill…faured　weyds　amang
the　wheyt　neist。　　Poapies　ca'　ye　them？　　Weel　I　wat　they're　the
Popp's　ain　bairns；　an'　the　scarlet　wumman　to　the　mither　o'　them。
Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Having　manifested　both　wit　and　Protestantism　in　the　closing　sentence
of　his　objurgation；　the　laird　relapsed　into　good　humour　and
stupidity。　　Hugh　would　gladly　have　spent　such　hours　in　David's
cottage　instead；　but　he　was　hardly　prepared　to　refuse　his　company　to
Mr。　Glasford。




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　LAIRD'S　LADY。

Ye　archewyves；　standith　at　defence；
Sin　ye　been　strong；　as　is　a　great　camayle；
Ne　suffer　not　that　men　you　don　offence。
And　slender　wives；　fell　as　in　battaile；
Beth　eager；　as　is　a　tiger；　yond　in　Inde；
Aye　clappith　as　a　mill；　I　you　counsaile。

CHAUCER。The　Clerk's　Tale。


The　length　and　frequency　of　Hugh's　absences；　careless　as　she　was　of
his　presence；　had　already　attracted　the　attention　of　Mrs。　Glasford；
and　very　little　trouble　had　to　be　expended　on　the　discovery　of　his
haunt。　　For　the　servants　knew　well　enough　where　he　went；　and　of
course　had　come　to　their　own　conclusions　as　to　the　object　of　his
visits。　　So　the　lady　chose　to　think　it　her　duty　to　expostulate　with
Hugh　on　the　subject。　　Accordingly；　one　morning　after　breakfast；　the
laird　having　gone　to　mount　his　horse；　and　the　boys　to　have　a　few
minutes'　play　before　lessons；　Mrs。　Glasford；　who　had　kept　her　seat
at　the　head　of　the　table；　waiting　for　the　opportunity；　turned
towards　Hugh　who　sat　reading　the　week's　news；　folded　her　hands　on
the　tablecloth；　drew　herself　up　yet　a　little　more　stiffly　in　her
chair；　and　thus　addressed　him：

〃It's　my　duty；　Mr。　Sutherland；　seein'　ye　have　no　mother　to　look
after　ye〃

Hugh　expected　something　matronly　about　his　linen　or　his　socks；　and
put　down　his　newspaper　with　a　smile；　but；　to　his　astonishment；　she
went　on

〃To　remonstrate　wi'　ye；　on　the　impropriety　of　going　so　often　to
David　Elginbrod's。　　They're　not　company　for　a　young　gentleman　like
you；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃They're　good　enough　company　for　a　poor　tutor；　Mrs。　Glasford；〃
replied　Hugh；　foolishly　enough。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；〃　insisted　the　lady。　〃With　your
connexions〃

〃Good　gracious！　who　ever　said　anything　about　my　connexions？　　I　never
pretended　to　have　any。〃　　Hugh　was　getting　angry　already。

Mrs。　Glasford　nodded　her　head　significantly；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I
know　more　about　you　than　you　imagine；〃　and　then　went　on：

〃Your　mother　will　never　forgive　me　if　you　get　into　a　scrape　with
that　smooth…faced　hussy；　and　if　her　father；　honest　man　hasn't　eyes
enough　in　his　head；　other　people　haveay；　an'　tongues　too；　Mr。
Sutherland。〃

Hugh　was　on　the　point　of　forgetting　his　manners；　and　consigning　all
the　above　mentioned　organs　to　perdition；　but　he　managed　to　restrain
his　wrath；　and　merely　said　that　Margaret　was　one　of　the　best　girls
he　had　ever　known；　and　that　there　was　no　possible　danger　of　any　kind
of　scrape　with　her。　　This　mode　of　argument；　however；　was　not
calculated　to　satisfy　Mrs。　Glasford。　　She　returned　to　the　charge。

〃She's　a　sly　puss；　with　her　shy　airs　and　graces。　　Her　father's　jist
daft　wi'　conceit　o'　her；　an'　it's　no　to　be　surprised　if　she　cast　a
glamour　ower　you。　　Mr。　Sutherland；　ye're　but　young　yet。〃

Hugh's　pride　presented　any　alliance　with　a　lassie　who　had　herded　the
laird's　cows　barefoot；　and　even　now　tended　their　own　cow；　as　an　all
but　inconceivable　absurdity；　and　he　resented；　more　than　he　could
have　thought　possible；　the　entertainment　of　such　a　degrading　idea　in
the　mind　of　Mrs。　Glasford。　　Indignation　prevented　him　from　replying；
while　she　went　on；　getting　more　vernacular　as　she　proceeded。

〃It's　no　for　lack　o'　company　'at　yer　driven　to　seek　theirs；　I'm
sure。　　There's　twa　as　fine　lads　an'　gude　scholars　as　ye'll　fin'　in
the　haill　kintra…side；　no　to　mention　the　laird　and　mysel'。〃

But　Hugh　could　bear　it　no　longer；　nor　would　he　condescend　to　excuse
or　explain　his　conduct。

〃Madam；　I　beg　you　will　not　mention　this　subject　again。〃

〃But　I　will　mention　't；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　an'　if　ye'll　no　listen　to
rizzon；　I'll　go　to　them　'at　maun　do't。〃

〃I　am　accountable　to　you；　madam；　for　my　conduct　in　your　house；　and
for　the　way　in　which　I　discharge　my　duty　to　your　childrenno
further。〃

〃Do　ye　ca'　that　dischairgin'　yer　duty　to　my　bairns；　to　set　them　the
example　o'　hingin'　at　a　quean's　鈖ron…strings；　and　fillin'　her　lug
wi'　idle　havers？　　Ca'　ye　that　dischairgin'　yer　duty？　　My　certie！　a
bonny　dischairgin'！〃

〃I　never　see　the　girl　but　in　her　father　and　mother's　presence。〃

〃Weel；　weel；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；〃