the half-brothers-第3章

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

guided　by　Lassie　and　the　way　she　took　than　anything　else；　trusting　to

her　instinct。　　It　was　too　dark　to　see　far　before　us；　but　he　called

her　back　continually；　and　noted　from　what　quarter　she　returned；　and

shaped　our　slow　steps　accordingly。　　But　the　tedious　motion　scarcely

kept　my　very　blood　from　freezing。　　Every　bone；　every　fibre　in　my　body

seemed　first　to　ache；　and　then　to　swell；　and　then　to　turn　numb　with

the　intense　cold。　　My　brother　bore　it　better　than　I；　from　having　been

more　out　upon　the　hills。　　He　did　not　speak；　except　to　call　Lassie。　　I

strove　to　be　brave；　and　not　complain；　but　now　I　felt　the　deadly　fatal

sleep　stealing　over　me。



〃I　can　go　no　farther；〃　I　said；　in　a　drowsy　tone。　　I　remember　I

suddenly　became　dogged　and　resolved。　　Sleep　I　would；　were　it　only　for

five　minutes。　　If　death　were　to　be　the　consequence；　sleep　I　would。

Gregory　stood　still。　　I　suppose；　he　recognized　the　peculiar　phase　of

suffering　to　which　I　had　been　brought　by　the　cold。



〃It　is　of　no　use；〃　said　he；　as　if　to　himself。　　〃We　are　no　nearer　home

than　we　were　when　we　started；　as　far　as　I　can　tell。　　Our　only　chance

is　in　Lassie。　　Here！　roll　thee　in　my　maud；　lad；　and　lay　thee　down　on

this　sheltered　side　of　this　bit　of　rock。　　Creep　close　under　it；　lad；

and　I'll　lie　by　thee；　and　strive　to　keep　the　warmth　in　us。　　Stay！

hast　gotten　aught　about　thee　they'll　know　at　home？〃



I　felt　him　unkind　thus　to　keep　me　from　slumber；　but　on　his　repeating

the　question；　I　pulled　out　my　pocket…handkerchief；　of　some　showy

pattern；　which　Aunt　Fanny　had　hemmed　for　meGregory　took　it；　and

tied　it　round　Lassie's　neck。



〃Hie　thee；　Lassie；　hie　thee　home！〃　　And　the　white…faced　ill…favoured

brute　was　off　like　a　shot　in　the　darkness。　　Now　I　might　lie　downnow

I　might　sleep。　　In　my　drowsy　stupor　I　felt　that　I　was　being　tenderly

covered　up　by　my　brother；　but　what　with　I　neither　knew　nor　caredI

was　too　dull；　too　selfish；　too　numb　to　think　and　reason；　or　I　might

have　known　that　in　that　bleak　bare　place　there　was　nought　to　wrap　me

in；　save　what　was　taken　off　another。　　I　was　glad　enough　when　he

ceased　his　cares　and　lay　down　by　me。　　I　took　his　hand。



〃Thou　canst　not　remember；　lad；　how　we　lay　together　thus　by　our　dying

mother。　　She　put　thy　small；　wee　hand　in　mineI　reckon　she　sees　us

now；　and　belike　we　shall　soon　be　with　her。　　Anyhow；　God's　will　be

done。〃



〃Dear　Gregory；〃　I　muttered；　and　crept　nearer　to　him　for　warmth。　　He

was　talking　still；　and　again　about　our　mother；　when　I　fell　asleep。

In　an　instantor　so　it　seemedthere　were　many　voices　about　memany

faces　hovering　round　methe　sweet　luxury　of　warmth　was　stealing　into

every　part　of　me。　　I　was　in　my　own　little　bed　at　home。　　I　am　thankful

to　say；　my　first　word　was　〃Gregory？〃



A　look　passed　from　one　to　anothermy　father's　stern　old　face　strove

in　vain　to　keep　its　sternness；　his　mouth　quivered；　his　eyes　filled

slowly　with　unwonted　tears。



〃I　would　have　given　him　half　my　landI　would　have　blessed　him　as　my

son；oh　God！　　I　would　have　knelt　at　his　feet；　and　asked　him　to

forgive　my　hardness　of　heart。〃



I　heard　no　more。　　A　whirl　came　through　my　brain；　catching　me　back　to

death。



I　came　slowly　to　my　consciousness；　weeks　afterwards。　　My　father's

hair　was　white　when　I　recovered；　and　his　hands　shook　as　he　looked

into　my　face。



We　spoke　no　more　of　Gregory。　　We　could　not　speak　of　him；　but　he　was

strangely　in　our　thoughts。　　Lassie　came　and　went　with　never　a　word　of

blame；　nay；　my　father　would　try　to　stroke　her；　but　she　shrank　away；

and　he；　as　if　reproved　by　the　poor　dumb　beast；　would　sigh；　and　be

silent　and　abstracted　for　a　time。



Aunt　Fannyalways　a　talkertold　me　all。　　How；　on　that　fatal　night；

my　father；irritated　by　my　prolonged　absence；　and　probably　more

anxious　than　he　cared　to　show；　had　been　fierce　and　imperious；　even

beyond　his　wont；　to　Gregory；　had　upbraided　him　with　his　father's

poverty；　his　own　stupidity　which　made　his　services　good　for　nothing

for　so；　in　spite　of　the　old　shepherd；　my　father　always　chose　to

consider　them。　　At　last；　Gregory　had　risen　up；　and　whistled　Lassie

out　with　himpoor　Lassie；　crouching　underneath　his　chair　for　fear　of

a　kick　or　a　blow。　　Some　time　before；　there　had　been　some　talk　between

my　father　and　my　aunt　respecting　my　return；　and　when　aunt　Fanny　told

me　all　this；　she　said　she　fancied　that　Gregory　might　have　noticed　the

coming　storm；　and　gone　out　silently　to　meet　me。　　Three　hours

afterwards；　when　all　were　running　about　in　wild　alarm；　not　knowing

whither　to　go　in　search　of　menot　even　missing　Gregory；　or　heeding

his　absence；　poor　fellowpoor；　poor　fellow！Lassie　came　home；　with

my　handkerchief　tied　round　her　neck。　　They　knew　and　understood；　and

the　whole　strength　of　the　farm　was　turned　out　to　follow　her；　with

wraps；　and　blankets；　and　brandy；　and　every　thing　that　could　be

thought　of。　　I　lay　in　chilly　sleep；　but　still　alive；　beneath　the　rock

that　Lassie　guided　them　to。　　I　was　covered　over　with　my　brother's

plaid；　and　his　thick　shepherd's　coat　was　carefully　wrapped　round　my

feet。　　He　was　in　his　shirt…sleeveshis　arm　thrown　over　mea　quiet

smile　（he　had　hardly　ever　smiled　in　life）　upon　his　still；　cold　face。



My　father's　last　words　were；　〃God　forgive　me　my　hardness　of　heart

towards　the　fatherless　child！〃



And　what　marked　the　depth　of　his　feeling　of　repentance；　perhaps　more

than　all；　considering　the　passionate　love　he　bore　my　mother；　was

this：　　we　found　a　paper　of　directions　after　his　death；　in　which　he

desired　that　he　might　lie　at　the　foot　of　the　grave；　in　which；　by　his

desire；　poor　Gregory　had　been　laid　with　OUR　MOTHER。









End