david elginbrod-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！
as well； David could not help feeling a little anxious； in his walk
along the road towards the house； as to what the apparent
acquaintance between her and the new tutor might evolve； but he got
rid of all the difficulty； as far as he was concerned； by saying at
last：
〃What richt hae I to interfere？ even supposin' I wanted to
interfere。 But I can lippen weel to my bonny doo； an' for the rest；
she maun tak' her chance like the lave o's。 An' wha' kens but it
micht jist be stan'in' afore Him； i' the very get that He meant to
gang。 The Lord forgie me for speakin' o' chance； as gin I believed
in ony sic havers。 There's no fear o' the lassie。 Gude mornin'
t'ye； Maister Sutherlan'。 That's a braw beuk o' ballants ye gae the
len' o' to my Maggy； this mornin'； sir。〃
Sutherland was just entering a side…door of the house when David
accosted him。 He was not old enough to keep from blushing at
David's words； but； having a good conscience； he was ready with a
good answer。
〃It's a good book； Mr。 Elginbrod。 It will do her no harm； though it
be ballads。〃
〃I'm in no dreed o' that； sir。 Bairns maun hae ballants。 An'； to
tell the truth； sir； I'm no muckle mair nor a bairn in that respeck
mysel'。 In fac； this verra mornin'； at the beuk； I jist thocht I
was readin' a gran' godly ballant； an' it soundet nane the waur for
the notion o't。〃
〃You should have been a poet yourself； Mr。 Elginbrod。〃
〃Na； na； I ken naething aboot yer poetry。 I hae read auld John
Milton ower an' ower； though I dinna believe the half o't； but； oh！
weel I like some o' the bonny bitties at the en' o't。〃
〃Il Penseroso； for instance？〃
〃Is that hoo ye ca't？ I ken't weel by the sicht； but hardly by the
soun'。 I aye missed the name o't； an' took to the thing itsel'。
Eh； man！I beg yer pardon； sirbut its wonnerfu' bonny！〃
〃I'll come in some evening； and we'll have a chat about it；〃 replied
Sutherland。 〃I must go to my work now。〃
〃We'll a' be verra happy to see you； sir。 Good mornin'； sir。〃
〃Good morning。〃
David went to the garden； where there was not much to be done in the
way of education at this season of the year； and Sutherland to the
school…room； where he was busy； all the rest of the morning and part
of the afternoon； with Caesar and Virgil； Algebra and Euclid； food
upon which intellectual babes are reared to the stature of college
youths。
Sutherland was himself only a youth； for he had gone early to
college； and had not yet quite completed the curriculum。 He was now
filling up with teaching； the recess between his third and his
fourth winter at one of the Aberdeen Universities。 He was the son
of an officer； belonging to the younger branch of a family of some
historic distinction and considerable wealth。 This officer； though
not far removed from the estate and title as well； had nothing to
live upon but his half…pay； for； to the disgust of his family； he
had married a Welsh girl of ancient descent； in whose line the
poverty must have been at least coeval with the history； to judge
from the perfection of its development in the case of her father；
and his relations made this the excuse for quarrelling with him； so
relieving themselves from any obligations they might have been
supposed to lie under； of rendering him assistance of some sort or
other。 This； however； rather suited the temperament of Major Robert
Sutherland； who was prouder in his poverty than they in their
riches。 So he disowned them for ever； and accommodated himself；
with the best grace in the world； to his yet more straitened
circumstances。 He resolved； however； cost what it might in pinching
and squeezing； to send his son to college before turning him out to
shift for himself。 In this Mrs。 Sutherland was ready to support him
to the utmost； and so they had managed to keep their boy at college
for three sessions； after the last of which； instead of returning
home； as he had done on previous occasions； he had looked about him
for a temporary engagement as tutor； and soon found the situation he
now occupied in the family of William Glasford； Esq。； of
Turriepuffit； where he intended to remain no longer than the
commencement of the session； which would be his fourth and last。 To
what he should afterwards devote himself he had by no means made up
his mind； except that it must of necessity be hard work of some kind
or other。 So he had at least the virtue of desiring to be
independent。 His other goods and bads must come out in the course
of the story。 His pupils were rather stupid and rather
good…natured； so that their temperament operated to confirm their
intellectual condition； and to render the labour of teaching them
considerably irksome。 But he did his work tolerably well； and was
not so much interested in the result as to be pained at the moderate
degree of his success。 At the time of which I write； however； the
probability as to his success was scarcely ascertained； for he had
been only a fortnight at the task。
It was the middle of the month of April； in a rather backward
season。 The weather had been stormy； with frequent showers of sleet
and snow。 Old winter was doing his best to hold young Spring back
by the skirts of her garment； and very few of the wild flowers had
yet ventured to look out of their warm beds in the mould。
Sutherland； therefore； had made but few discoveries in the
neighbourhood。 Not that the weather would have kept him to the
house； had he had any particular desire to go out； but； like many
other students； he had no predilection for objectless exertion； and
preferred the choice of his own weather indoors； namely； from books
and his own imaginings； to an encounter with the keen blasts of the
North； charged as they often were with sharp bullets of hail。 When
the sun did shine out between the showers； his cold glitter upon the
pools of rain or melted snow； and on the wet evergreens and gravel
walks； always drove him back from the window with a shiver。 The
house； which was of very moderate size and comfort； stood in the
midst of plantations； principally of Scotch firs and larches； some
of the former old and of great growth； so that they had arrived at
the true condition of the tree； which seems to require old age for
the perfection of its idea。 There was very little to be seen from
the windows except this wood； which； somewhat gloomy at almost any
season； was at the present cheerless enough； and Sutherland found it
very dreary indeed； as exchanged for the wide view from his own home
on the side of an open hill in the Highlands。
In the midst of circumstances so uninteresting； it is not to be
wondered at； that the glimpse of a pretty maiden should； one
morning； occasion him some welcome excitement。 Passing downstairs
to breakfast； he observed the drawing…room door ajar； and looked in
to see what sort of a room it was； for so seldom was it used that he
had never yet entered it。 There stood a young girl； peeping； with
mingled curiosity and reverence； into a small gilt…leaved volume；
which she had lifted from the table by which she stood。 He watched
her for a moment with some interest； when she； seeming to become
mesmerically aware that she was not alone； looked up； blushed
deeply； put down the book in confusion； and proceeded to dust some
of the furniture。 It was his first sight of Margaret。 Some of the
neighbours were expected to dinner； and her aid was in requisition
to get the grand room of the house prepared for the occasion。 He
supposed her to belong to the household； till； one day； feeling
compelled to go out for a stroll； he caught sight of her so occupied
at the door of her father's cottage； that he perceived at once that
must be her home： she was； in fact； seated upon a stool； paring
potatoes。 She saw him as well； and； apparently ashamed at the
recollection of having been discovered idling in the drawing…room；
rose and went in。 He had met David once or twice about the house；
and； attracted by his appearance； had had some conversation with
him； but he did not know where he lived； nor that he was the father
of the girl whom he had seen。
CHAPTER III。
THE DAISY AND THE PRIMROSE。
Dear secret Greenness； nursed below
Tempests and winds and winter nights！
Vex not that but one sees thee grow；
That One made all these lesser lights。
HENRY VAUGHAN。
It was； of course； quite by accident that Sutherland had met
Margaret in the fir…wood。 The wind had changed during the night；
and swept all the clouds from the face of the sky； and when he
looked out in the morning； he saw the fir…tops waving in the
sunlight； and heard the sound of a south…west wind sweeping through
them with the tune of running waters in its course。 It is a
well…practised ear that can tell whether the sound it hears be that
of gently falling waters； or of wind flowing through the branches of
firs。 Sutherland's heart； reviving like a dormouse in its hole；
began to be joyful at the sight of the genial motions of Nature；
telling of warmth and blessedness at hand。 Some goal of life； vague
but sure； seemed to glimmer through the appearances around him； and
to stimulate him to action。 Be dressed in haste； and went out to
meet the Spring。 He wandered into the heart of the wood。 The
sunlight shone like a sunset upon the red trunks and boughs of the
old fir…trees； but like the first sunrise of the world upon the new
green fringes that edged the young shoots of the larches。 High up；
hung the memorials of past summers in the rich brown tassels of the
clustering cones； while the ground under foot was dappled with
sunshine on the fallen fir…needles； and the great fallen cones which
had opened to scatter their autumnal seed； and now lay waiting for
decay。 Overhead； the tops whence they had fallen； waved in the
wind； as in welcome of the Spring； with that peculiar swinging
motion which made the poets of the sixteenth century call them
〃sailing pines。〃 The wind blew cool； but not cold； and was filled
with a delicious odour from the earth； which Sutherland took as a
sign that she was coming alive at last。 And the Spring he went out
to meet； met him。 For； first； at the foot of a tree； he spied a
tiny primrose； peeping out of its rough； careful leaves； and he
wondered how； by any metamorphosis； such leaves could pass into such
a flower。 Had he seen the mother of the next spring…messenger he
was about to meet； the same thought would have returned in another
form。 For； next； as he passed on with the primrose in his hand；
thinking it was almost cruel to pluck it； the Spring met him； as if
in her own shape； in the person of Margaret； whom he spied a little
way off； leaning against the stem of a Scotch fir； and looking up to
its top swaying overhead in the first billows of the outburst ocean
of life。 He went up to her with some shyness； for the presence of
even a child…maiden was enough to make Sutherland shypartly from
the fear of startling her shyness； as one feels when drawing near a
couching fawn。 But she； when she heard his footsteps； dropped her
eyes slowly from the tree…top； and； as if she were in her own
sanctuary； waited his approach。 He said nothing at first； but
offered her； instead of speech； t
