the half-brothers-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



cared　for　me　merely　as　his　flesh　and　blood　that　was　to　inherit　the

land　after　him。　　But　he　needed　something　to　love；　for　all　that；　to

most　people；　he　was　a　stern；　hard　man；　and　he　took　to　me　as；　I　fancy；

he　had　taken　to　no　human　being　beforeas　he　might　have　taken　to　my

mother；　if　she　had　had　no　former　life　for　him　to　be　jealous　of。　　I

loved　him　back　again　right　heartily。　　I　loved　all　around　me；　I

believe；　for　everybody　was　kind　to　me。　　After　a　time；　I　overcame　my

original　weakness　of　constitution；　and　was　just　a　bonny；　strong…

looking　lad　whom　every　passer…by　noticed；　when　my　father　took　me　with

him　to　the　nearest　town。



At　home　I　was　the　darling　of　my　aunt；　the　tenderly…beloved　of　my

father；　the　pet　and　plaything　of　the　old　domestics；　the　〃young

master〃　of　the　farm…labourers；　before　whom　I　played　many　a　lordly

antic；　assuming　a　sort　of　authority　which　sat　oddly　enough；　I　doubt

not；　on　such　a　baby　as　I　was。



Gregory　was　three　years　older　than　I。　　Aunt　Fanny　was　always　kind　to

him　in　deed　and　in　action；　but　she　did　not　often　think　about　him；　she

had　fallen　so　completely　into　the　habit　of　being　engrossed　by　me；

from　the　fact　of　my　having　come　into　her　charge　as　a　delicate　baby。

My　father　never　got　over　his　grudging　dislike　to　his　stepson；　who　had

so　innocently　wrestled　with　him　for　the　possession　of　my　mother's

heart。　　I　mistrust　me；　too；　that　my　father　always　considered　him　as

the　cause　of　my　mother's　death　and　my　early　delicacy；　and　utterly

unreasonable　as　this　may　seem；　I　believe　my　father　rather　cherished

his　feeling　of　alienation　to　my　brother　as　a　duty；　than　strove　to

repress　it。　　Yet　not　for　the　world　would　my　father　have　grudged　him

anything　that　money　could　purchase。　　That　was；　as　it　were；　in　the

bond　when　he　had　wedded　my　mother。　　Gregory　was　lumpish　and　loutish；

awkward　and　ungainly；　marring　whatever　he　meddled　in；　and　many　a　hard

word　and　sharp　scolding　did　he　get　from　the　people　about　the　farm；

who　hardly　waited　till　my　father's　back　was　turned　before　they　rated

the　stepson。　　I　am　ashamedmy　heart　is　sore　to　think　how　I　fell　into

the　fashion　of　the　family；　and　slighted　my　poor　orphan　step…brother。

I　don't　think　I　ever　scouted　him；　or　was　wilfully　ill…natured　to　him；

but　the　habit　of　being　considered　in　all　things；　and　being　treated　as

something　uncommon　and　superior；　made　me　insolent　in　my　prosperity；

and　I　exacted　more　than　Gregory　was　always　willing　to　grant；　and

then；　irritated；　I　sometimes　repeated　the　disparaging　words　I　had

heard　others　use　with　regard　to　him；　without　fully　understanding

their　meaning。　　Whether　he　did　or　not　I　cannot　tell。　　I　am　afraid　he

did。　　He　used　to　turn　silent　and　quietsullen　and　sulky；　my　father

thought　it：　　stupid；　aunt　Fanny　used　to　call　it。　　But　every　one　said

he　was　stupid　and　dull；　and　this　stupidity　and　dullness　grew　upon

him。　　He　would　sit　without　speaking　a　word；　sometimes；　for　hours；

then　my　father　would　bid　him　rise　and　do　some　piece　of　work；　maybe；

about　the　farm。　　And　he　would　take　three　or　four　tellings　before　he

would　go。　　When　we　were　sent　to　school；　it　was　all　the　same。　　He

could　never　be　made　to　remember　his　lessons；　the　school…master　grew

weary　of　scolding　and　flogging；　and　at　last　advised　my　father　just　to

take　him　away；　and　set　him　to　some　farm…work　that　might　not　be　above

his　comprehension。　　I　think　he　was　more　gloomy　and　stupid　than　ever

after　this；　yet　he　was　not　a　cross　lad；　he　was　patient　and　good…

natured；　and　would　try　to　do　a　kind　turn　for　any　one；　even　if　they

had　been　scolding　or　cuffing　him　not　a　minute　before。　　But　very　often

his　attempts　at　kindness　ended　in　some　mischief　to　the　very　people　he

was　trying　to　serve；　owing　to　his　awkward；　ungainly　ways。　　I　suppose

I　was　a　clever　lad；　at　any　rate；　I　always　got　plenty　of　praise；　and

was；　as　we　called　it；　the　cock　of　the　school。　　The　schoolmaster　said

I　could　learn　anything　I　chose；　but　my　father；　who　had　no　great

learning　himself；　saw　little　use　in　much　for　me；　and　took　me　away

betimes；　and　kept　me　with　him　about　the　farm。　　Gregory　was　made　into

a　kind　of　shepherd；　receiving　his　training　under　old　Adam；　who　was

nearly　past　his　work。　　I　think　old　Adam　was　almost　the　first　person

who　had　a　good　opinion　of　Gregory。　　He　stood　to　it　that　my　brother

had　good　parts；　though　he　did　not　rightly　know　how　to　bring　them　out；

and；　for　knowing　the　bearings　of　the　Fells；　he　said　he　had　never　seen

a　lad　like　him。　　My　father　would　try　to　bring　Adam　round　to　speak　of

Gregory's　faults　and　shortcomings；　but；　instead　of　that；　he　would

praise　him　twice　as　much；　as　soon　as　he　found　out　what　was　my

father's　object。



One　winter…time；　when　I　was　about　sixteen；　and　Gregory　nineteen；　I

was　sent　by　my　father　on　an　errand　to　a　place　about　seven　miles

distant　by　the　road；　but　only　about　four　by　the　Fells。　　He　bade　me

return　by　the　road；　whichever　way　I　took　in　going；　for　the　evenings

closed　in　early；　and　were　often　thick　and　misty；　besides　which；　old

Adam；　now　paralytic　and　bedridden；　foretold　a　downfall　of　snow　before

long。　　I　soon　got　to　my　journey's　end；　and　soon　had　done　my　business；

earlier　by　an　hour；　I　thought；　than　my　father　had　expected；　so　I　took

the　decision　of　the　way　by　which　I　would　return　into　my　own　hands；

and　set　off　back　again　over　the　Fells；　just　as　the　first　shades　of

evening　began　to　fall。　　It　looked　dark　and　gloomy　enough；　but

everything　was　so　still　that　I　thought　I　should　have　plenty　of　time

to　get　home　before　the　snow　came　down。　　Off　I　set　at　a　pretty　quick

pace。　　But　night　came　on　quicker。　　The　right　path　was　clear　enough　in

the　day…time；　although　at　several　points　two　or　three　exactly　similar

diverged　from　the　same　place；　but　when　there　was　a　good　light；　the

traveller　was　guided　by　the　sight　of　distant　objects；a　piece　of

rock；a　fall　in　the　groundwhich　were　quite　invisible　to　me　now。　　I

plucked　up　a　brave　heart；　however；　and　took　what　seemed　to　me　the

right　road。　　It　was　wrong；　nevertheless；　and　led　me　whither　I　knew

not；　but　to　some　wild　boggy　moor　where　the　solitude　seemed　painful；

intense；　as　if　never　footfall　of　man　had　come　thither　to　break　the

silence。　　I　tried　to　shoutwith　the　dimmest　possible　hope　of　being

heardrather　to　reassure　myself　by　the　sound　of　my　own　voice；　but　my

voice　came　husky　and　short；　and　yet　it　dismayed　me；　it　seemed　so

weird　and　strange；　in　that　noiseless　expanse　of　black　darkness。

Suddenly　the　air　was　filled　thick　with　dusky　flakes；　my　face　and

hands　were　wet　with　snow。　　It　cut　me　off　from　the　slightest　knowledge

of　where　I　was；　for　I　lost　every　idea　of　the　direction　from　which　I

had　come；　so　that　I　could　not　even　retrace　my　steps；　it　hemmed　me　in；

thicker；　thicker；　with　a　darkness　that　might　be　felt。　　The　boggy　soil

on　which　I　stood　quaked　under　me　if　I　remained　long　in　one　place；　and

yet　I　dared　not　move　far。　　All　my　youthful　hardiness　seemed　to　leave

me　at　once。　　I　was　on　the　point　of　crying；　and　only　very　shame　seemed

to　keep　it　down。　　To　save　myself　from　shedding　tears；　I　shouted

terrible；　wild　shouts　for　bare　life　they　were。　　I　turned　sick　as　I

paused　to　listen；　no　answering　sound　came　but　the　unfeeling　echoes。

Only　the　noiseless；　pitiless　snow　kept　falling　thicker；　thicker

faster；　faster！　　I　was　growing　numb　and　sleepy。　　I　tried　to　move

about；　but　I　dared　not　go　far；　for　fear　of　the　precipices　which；　I

knew；　abounded　in　certain　places　on　the　Fells。　　Now　and　then；　I　stood

still　and　shouted　again；　but　my　voice　was　getting　choked　with　tears；

as　I　thought　of　the　desolate　helpless　death　I　was　to　die；　and　how

little　they　at　home；　sitting　round　the　warm；　red；　bright　fire；　wotted

what　was　become　of　me；and　how　my　poor　father　would　grieve　for　me

it　would　surely　kill　himit　would　break　his　heart；　poor　old　man！

Aunt　Fanny　toowas　this　to　be　the　end　of　all　her　cares　for　me？　　I

began　to　review　my　life　in　a　strange　kind　of　vivid　dream；　in　which

the　various　scenes　of　my　few　boyish　years　passed　before　me　like

visions。　　In　a　pang　of　agony；　caused　by　such　remembrance　of　my　short

life；　I　gathered　up　my　strength　and　called　out　once　more；　a　long；

despairing；　wailing　cry；　to　which　I　had　no　hope　of　obtaining　any

answer；　save　from　the　echoes　around；　dulled　as　the　sound　might　be　by

the　thickened　air。　　To　my　surprise　I　heard　a　cryalmost　as　long；　as

wild　as　mineso　wild　that　it　seemed　unearthly；　and　I　almost　thought

it　must　be　the　voice　of　some　of　the　mocking　spirits　of　the　Fells；

about　whom　I　had　heard　so　many　tales。　　My　heart　suddenly　began　to

beat　fast　and　loud。　　I　could　not　reply　for　a　minute　or　two。　　I　nearly

fancied　I　had　lost　the　power　of　utterance。　　Just　at　this　moment　a　dog

barked。　　Was　it　Lassie's　barkmy　brother's　collie？an　ugly　enough

brute；　with　a　white；　ill…looking　face；　that　my　father　always　kicked

whenever　he　saw　it；　partly　for　its　own　demerits；　partly　because　it

belonged　to　my　brother。　　On　such　occasions；　Gregory　would　whistle

Lassie　away；　and　go　off　and　sit　with　her　in　some　outhouse。　　My　father

had　once　or　twice　been　ashamed　of　himself；　when　the　poor　collie　had

yowled　out　with　the　suddenness　of　the　pain；　and　had　relieved　himself

of　his　self…reproach　by　blaming　my　brother；　who；　he　said；　had　no

notion　of　training　a　dog；　and　was　enough　to　ruin　any　collie　in

Christendom　with　his　stupid　way　of　allowing　them　to　lie　by　the

kitchen　fire。　　To　all　which　Gregory　would　answer　nothing；　nor　even

seem　to　hear；　but　go　on　looking　absent　and　moody。



Yes！　there　again！　　It　was　Lassie's　bark！　　Now　or　never！　　I　lifted　up

my　voice　and　shouted　〃Lassie！　Lassie！　for　God's　sake；　Lassie！〃

Another　moment；　and　the　great　white…faced　Lassie　was　curving　and

gambolling　with　delight　round　my　feet　and　legs；　looking；　however；　up

in　my　face　with　her　intelligent；　apprehensive　eyes；　as　if　fearing

lest　I　might　greet　her　with　a　blow；　as　I　had　done　oftentimes　before。

But　I　cried　with　gladness；　as　I　stooped　down　and　patted　her。　　My　mind

was　sharing　in　my　body's　weakness；　and　I　could　not　reason；　but　I　knew

that　help　was　at　hand。　　A　gray　figure　came　more　and　more　distinctly

out　of　the　thick；　close…pressing　darkness。　　It　was　Gregory　wrapped　in

his　maud。



〃Oh；　Gregory！〃　said　I；　and　I　fell　upon　his　neck；　unable　to　speak

another　word。　　He　never　spoke　much；　and　made　me　no　answer　for　some

little　time。　　Then　he　told　me　we　must　move；　we　must　walk　for　the　dear

lifewe　must　find　our　road　home；　if　possible；　but　we　must　move；　or

we　should　be　frozen　to　death。



〃Don't　you　know　the　way　home？〃　asked　I。



〃I　thought　I　did　when　I　set　out；　but　I　am　doubtful　now。　　The　snow

blinds　me；　and　I　am　feared　that　in　moving　about　just　now；　I　have　lost

the　right　gait　homewards。〃



He　had　his　shepherd's　staff　with　him；　and　by　dint　of　plunging　it

before　us　at　every　step　we　tookclinging　close　to　each　other；　we

went　on　safely　enough；　as　far　as　not　falling　down　any　of　the　steep

rocks；　but　it　was　slow；　dreary　work。　　My　brother；　I　saw；　was　more

guided　by　Lassie　and　the　way　she　took　than　an