david elginbrod-第17章
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a word； strength was restored to her distracted brain。 When she had
made every preparation she could think of； she went to the door
again； opened it； and looked out。 It was a region of howling
darkness； tossed about by pale snow…drifts； out of which it seemed
scarce more hopeful that welcome faces would emerge； than that they
should return to our eyes from the vast unknown in which they vanish
at last。 She closed the door once more； and knowing nothing else to
be done； sat down on a chair； with her hands on her knees； and her
eyes fixed on the door。 The clock went on with its slow swing；
tictac； tictac； an utterly inhuman time…measurer； but she heard
the sound of every second； through the midst of the uproar in the
fir…trees； which bent their tall heads hissing to the blast； and
swinging about in the agony of their strife。 The minutes went by；
till an hour was gone； and there was neither sound nor hearing； but
of the storm and the clock。 Still she sat and stared； her eyes
fixed on the door…latch。 Suddenly； without warning it was lifted；
and the door opened。 Her heart bounded and fluttered like a
startled bird； but alas！ the first words she heard were： 〃Is she no
come yet？〃 It was her husband； followed by several of the farm
servants。 He had made a circuit to the farm； and finding that Hugh
had never been there； hoped； though with trembling； that Margaret
had already returned home。 The question fell upon Janet's heart
like the sound of the earth on the coffin…lid； and her silent stare
was the only answer David received。
But at that very moment； like a dead man burst from the tomb；
entered from behind the party at the open door； silent and white；
with rigid features and fixed eyes； Hugh。 He stumbled in； leaning
forward with long strides； and dragging something behind him。 He
pushed and staggered through them as if he saw nothing before him；
and as they parted horror…stricken； they saw that it was Margaret；
or her dead body； that he dragged after him。 He dropped her at her
mother's feet； and fell himself on the floor； before they were able
to give him any support。 David； who was quite calm； got the whisky
bottle out； and tried to administer some to Margaret first； but her
teeth were firmly set； and to all appearance she was dead。 One of
the young men succeeded better with Hugh； whom at David's direction
they took into the study； while he and Janet got Margaret undressed
and put to bed； with hot bottles all about her； for in warmth lay
the only hope of restoring her。 After she had lain thus for a
while； she gave a sigh； and when they had succeeded in getting her
to swallow some warm milk； she began to breathe； and soon seemed to
be only fast asleep。 After half an hour's rest and warming； Hugh
was able to move and speak。 David would not allow him to say much；
however； but got him to bed； sending word to the house that he could
not go home that night。 He and Janet sat by the fireside all night；
listening to the storm that still raved without； and thanking God
for both of the lives。 Every few minutes a tip…toe excursion was
made to the bedside； and now and then to the other room。 Both the
patients slept quietly。 Towards morning Margaret opened her eyes；
and faintly called her mother； but soon fell asleep once more； and
did not awake again till nearly noon。 When sufficiently restored to
be able to speak； the account she gave was； that she had set out to
meet her father； but the storm increasing； she had thought it more
prudent to turn。 It grew in violence； however； so rapidly； and beat
so directly in her face； that she was soon exhausted with
struggling； and benumbed with the cold。 The last thing she
remembered was； dropping； as she thought； into a hole； and feeling
as if she were going to sleep in bed； yet knowing it was death； and
thinking how much sweeter it was than sleep。 Hugh's account was
very strange and defective； but he was never able to add anything to
it。 He said that； when he rushed out into the dark； the storm
seized him like a fury； beating him about the head and face with icy
wings； till he was almost stunned。 He took the road to the farm；
which lay through the fir…wood； but he soon became aware that he had
lost his way and might tramp about in the fir…wood till daylight； if
he lived as long。 Then； thinking of Margaret； he lost his presence
of mind； and rushed wildly along。 He thought he must have knocked
his head against the trunk of a tree； but he could not tell； for he
remembered nothing more but that he found himself dragging Margaret；
with his arms round her； through the snow； and nearing the light in
the cottage…window。 Where or how he had found her； or what the
light was that he was approaching； he had not the least idea。 He
had only a vague notion that he was rescuing Margaret from something
dreadful。 Margaret； for her part； had no recollection of reaching
the fir…wood； and as； long before morning； all traces were
obliterated； the facts remained a mystery。 Janet thought that David
had some wonderful persuasion about it； but he was never heard even
to speculate on the subject。 Certain it was； that Hugh had saved
Margaret's life。 He seemed quite well next day； for he was of a
very powerful and enduring frame for his years。 She recovered more
slowly； and perhaps never altogether overcame the effects of Death's
embrace that night。 From the moment when Margaret was brought home；
the storm gradually died away； and by the morning all was still； but
many starry and moonlit nights glimmered and passed； before that
snow was melted away from the earth； and many a night Janet awoke
from her sleep with a cry； thinking she heard her daughter moaning；
deep in the smooth ocean of snow； and could not find where she lay。
The occurrences of this dreadful night could not lessen the interest
his cottage friends felt in Hugh； and a long winter passed with
daily and lengthening communion both in study and in general
conversation。 I fear some of my younger readers will think my story
slow； and say： 〃What！ are they not going to fall in love with each
other yet？ We have been expecting it ever so long。〃 I have two
answers to make to this。 The first is： 〃I do not pretend to know so
much about love as youexcuse methink you do； and must confess； I
do not know whether they were in love with each other or not。〃 The
second is： 〃That I dare not pretend to understand thoroughly such a
sacred mystery as the heart of Margaret； and I should feel it rather
worse than presumptuous to talk as if I did。 Even Hugh's is known
to me only by gleams of light thrown； now and then； and here and
there； upon it。〃 Perhaps the two answers are only the same answer
in different shapes。
Mrs。 Glasford； however； would easily answer the question； if an
answer is all that is wanted； for she； notwithstanding the facts of
the story； which she could not fail to have heard correctly from the
best authority； and notwithstanding the nature of the night； which
might have seemed sufficient to overthrow her conclusions； uniformly
remarked； as often as their escape was alluded to in her hearing；
〃Lat them tak' it They had no business to be oot aboot thegither。〃
CHAPTER XV。
TRANSITION。
Tell me； bright boy； tell me； my golden lad；
Whither away so frolic？ Why so glad？
What all thy wealth in council？ all thy state？
Are husks so dear？ troth； 'tis a mighty rate。
RICHARD CRASHAW。
The long Scotch winter passed by without any interruption to the
growing friendship。 But the spring brought a change； and Hugh was
separated from his friends sooner than he had anticipated； by more
than six months。 For his mother wrote to him in great distress； in
consequence of a claim made upon her for some debt which his father
had contracted； very probably for Hugh's own sake。 Hugh could not
bear that any such should remain undischarged； or that his father's
name should not rest in peace as well as his body and soul。 He
requested； therefore； from the laird； the amount due to him； and
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
