david elginbrod-第7章

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higher　we　rise；　the　simpler　we　become；　and　David　was　one　of　those　of
whom　is　the　kingdom　of　Heaven。　　There　is　a　childhood　into　which　we
have　to　grow；　just　as　there　is　a　childhood　which　we　must　leave
behind；　a　childlikeness　which　is　the　highest　gain　of　humanity；　and　a
childishness　from　which　but　few　of　those　who　are　counted　the　wisest
among　men；　have　freed　themselves　in　their　imagined　progress　towards
the　reality　of　things。




CHAPTER　VII。

THE　SECRET　OF　THE　WOOD。

The　unthrift　sunne　shot　vitall　gold；
　　A　thousand　pieces；
And　heaven　its　azure　did　unfold；
　　Chequered　with　snowy　fleeces。
　　　　　The　air　was　all　in　spice；
　　　　　　　And　every　bush
　　　　　A　garland　wore：　Thus　fed　my　Eyes；
　　　　　　　But　all　the　Eare　lay　hush。

HENRY　VAUGHAN。


It　was　not　in　mathematics　alone　that　Hugh　Sutherland　was　serviceable
to　Margaret　Elginbrod。　　That　branch　of　study　had　been　chosen　for　her
father；　not　for　her；　but　her　desire　to　learn　had　led　her　to　lay　hold
upon　any　mental　provision　with　which　the　table　happened　to　be
spread；　and　the　more　eagerly　that　her　father　was　a　guest　at　the　same
feast。　　Before　long；　Hugh　bethought　him　that　it　might　possibly　be　of
service　to　her；　in　the　course　of　her　reading；　if　he　taught　her
English　a　little　more　thoroughly　than　she　had　probably　picked　it　up
at　the　parish　school；　to　which　she　had　been　in　the　habit　of　going
till　within　a　very　short　period　of　her　acquaintance　with　the
tutor。The　English　reader　must　not　suppose　the　term　parish　school
to　mean　what　the　same　term　would　mean　if　used　in　England。　　Boys　and
girls　of　very　different　ranks　go　to　the　Scotch　parish　schools；　and
the　fees　are　so　small　as　to　place　their　education　within　the　reach
of　almost　the　humblest　means。To　his　proposal　to　this　effect
Margaret　responded　thankfully；　and　it　gave　Hugh　an　opportunity　of
directing　her　attention　to　many　of　the　more　delicate　distinctions　in
literature；　for　the　appreciation　of　which　she　manifested　at　once　a
remarkable　aptitude。

Coleridge's　poems　had　been　read　long　ago；　some　of　them；　indeed；
almost　committed　to　memory　in　the　process　of　repeated　perusal。　　No
doubt　a　good　many　of　them　must　have　been　as　yet　too　abstruse　for
her；　not　in　the　least；　however；　from　inaptitude　in　her　for　such
subjects　as　they　treated　of；　but　simply　because　neither　the　terms
nor　the　modes　of　thought　could　possibly　have　been　as　yet　presented
to　her　in　so　many　different　positions　as　to　enable　her　to　comprehend
their　scope。　　Hugh　lent　her　Sir　Walter's　poems　next；　but　those　she
read　at　an　eye…glance。　　She　returned　the　volume　in　a　week；　saying
merely；　they　were　〃verra　bonnie　stories。〃　　He　saw　at　once　that；　to
have　done　them　justice　with　the　girl；　he　ought　to　have　lent　them
first。　　But　that　could　not　be　helped　now；　and　what　should　come　next？
Upon　this　he　took　thought。　　His　library　was　too　small　to　cause　much
perplexity　of　choice；　but　for　a　few　days　he　continued　undecided。

Meantime　the　interest　he　felt　in　his　girl…pupil　deepened　greatly。
She　became　a　kind　of　study　to　him。　　The　expression　of　her
countenance　was　far　inferior　to　her　intelligence　and　power　of
thought。　　It　was　still　to　excessalmost　dull　in　ordinary；　not　from
any　fault　in　the　mould　of　the　features；　except；　perhaps；　in　the
upper　lip；　which　seemed　deficient　in　drawing；　if　I　may　be　allowed
the　expression；　but　from　the　absence　of　that　light　which　indicates
the　presence　of　active　thought　and　feeling　within。　　In　this　respect
her　face　was　like　the　earthen　pitcher　of　Gideon：　it　concealed　the
light。　　She　seemed　to　have；　to　a　peculiar　degree；　the　faculty　of
retiring　inside。　　But　now　and　then；　while　he　was　talking　to　her；　and
doubtful；　from　the　lack　of　expression；　whether　she　was　even
listening　with　attention　to　what　he　was　saying；　her　face　would
lighten　up　with　a　radiant　smile　of　intelligence；　not；　however；
throwing　the　light　upon　him；　and　in　a　moment　reverting　to　its　former
condition　of　still　twilight。　　Her　person　seemed　not　to　be　as　yet
thoroughly　possessed　or　informed　by　her　spirit。　　It　sat　apart　within
her；　and　there　was　no　ready　transit　from　her　heart　to　her　face。
This　lack　of　presence　in　the　face　is　quite　common　in　pretty
school…girls　and　rustic　beauties；　but　it　was　manifest　to　an　unusual
degree　in　the　case　of　Margaret。　　Yet　most　of　the　forms　and　lines　in
her　face　were　lovely；　and　when　the　light　did　shine　through　them　for
a　passing　moment；　her　countenance　seemed　absolutely　beautiful。
Hence　it　grew　into　an　almost　haunting　temptation　with　Hugh；　to　try
to　produce　this　expression；　to　unveil　the　coy　light　of　the　beautiful
soul。　　Often　he　tried；　often　he　failed；　and　sometimes　he　succeeded。
Had　they　been　alone　it　might　have　become　dangerousI　mean　for
Hugh；　I　cannot　tell　for　Margaret。

When　they　first　met；　she　had　just　completed　her　seventeenth　year；
but；　at　an　age　when　a　town…bred　girl　is　all　but　a　woman；　her　manners
were　those　of　a　child。　　This　childishness；　however；　soon　began　to
disappear；　and　the　peculiar　stillness　of　her　face；　of　which　I　have
already　said　so　much；　made　her　seem　older　than　she　was。

It　was　now　early　summer；　and　all　the　other　trees　in　the　woodof
which　there　were　not　many　besides　the　firs　of　various　kindshad　put
on　their　fresh　leaves；　heaped　up　in　green　clouds　between　the
wanderer　and　the　heavens。　　In　the　morning　the　sun　shone　so　clear
upon　these；　that；　to　the　eyes　of　one　standing　beneath；　the　light
seemed　to　dissolve　them　away　to　the　most　ethereal　forms　of　glorified
foliage。　　They　were　to　be　claimed　for　earth　only　by　the　shadows　that
the　one　cast　upon　the　other；　visible　from　below　through　the
transparent　leaf。　　This　effect　is　very　lovely　in　the　young　season　of
the　year；　when　the　leaves　are　more　delicate　and　less　crowded；　and
especially　in　the　early　morning；　when　the　light　is　most　clear　and
penetrating。　　By　the　way；　I　do　not　think　any　man　is　compelled　to　bid
good…bye　to　his　childhood：　every　man　may　feel　young　in　the　morning；
middle…aged　in　the　afternoon；　and　old　at　night。　　A　day　corresponds
to　a　life；　and　the　portions　of　the　one　are　〃pictures　in　little〃　of
the　seasons　of　the　other。　　Thus　far　man　may　rule　even　time；　and
gather　up；　in　a　perfect　being；　youth　and　age　at　once。

One　morning；　about　six　o'clock；　Hugh；　who　had　never　been　so　early　in
the　wood　since　the　day　he　had　met　Margaret　there；　was　standing　under
a　beech…tree；　looking　up　through　its　multitudinous　leaves；
illuminated；　as　I　have　attempted　to　describe；　with　the　sidelong　rays
of　the　brilliant　sun。　　He　was　feeling　young；　and　observing　the　forms
of　nature　with　a　keen　discriminating　gaze：　that　was　all。　　Fond　of
writing　verses；　he　was　studying　nature；　not　as　a　true　lover；　but　as
one　who　would　hereafter　turn　his　discoveries　to　use。　　For　it　must　be
confessed　that　nature　affected　him　chiefly　through　the　medium　of
poetry；　and　that　he　was　far　more　ambitious　of　writing　beautiful
things　about　nature　than　of　discovering　and　understanding；　for　their
own　sakes；　any　of　her　hidden　yet　patent　meanings。　　Changing　his
attitude　after　a　few　moments；　he　descried；　under　another　beech…tree；
not　far　from　him；　Margaret；　standing　and　looking　up　fixedly　as　he
had　been　doing　a　moment　before。　　He　approached　her；　and　she；　hearing
his　advance；　looked；　and　saw　him；　but　did　not　move。　　He　thought　he
saw　the　glimmer　of　tears　in　her　eyes。　　She　was　the　first　to　speak；
however。

〃What　were　you　seeing　up　there；　Mr。　Sutherland？〃

〃I　was　only　looking　at　the　bright　leaves；　and　the　shadows　upon
them。〃

〃Ah！　　I　thocht　maybe　ye　had　seen　something。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Margaret？〃

〃I　dinna　richtly　ken　mysel'。　　But　I　aye　expeck　to　see　something　in
this　fir…wood。　　I'm　here　maist　mornin's　as　the　day　dawns；　but　I'm
later　the　day。〃

〃We　were　later　than　usual　at　our　work　last　night。　　But　what　kind　of
thing　do　you　expect　to　see？〃

〃That's　jist　what　I　dinna　ken。　　An'　I　canna　min'　whan　I　began　to
come　here　first；　luikin'　for　something。　　I've　tried　mony　a　time；　but
I　canna　min'；　do　what　I　like。〃

Margaret　had　never　said　so　much　about　herself　before。　　I　can　account
for　it　only　on　the　supposition　that　Hugh　had　gradually　assumed　in
her　mind　a　kind　of　pastoral　superiority；　which；　at　a　favourable
moment；　inclined　her　to　impart　her　thoughts　to　him。　　But　he　did　not
know　what　to　say　to　this　strange　fact　in　her　history。　　She　went　on；
however；　as　if；　having　broken　the　ice；　she　must　sweep　it　away　as
well。

〃The　only　thing　'at　helps　me　to　account　for't；　is　a　picter　in　our
auld　Bible；　o'　an　angel　sittin'　aneth　a　tree；　and　haudin'　up　his
han'　as　gin　he　were　speakin'　to　a　woman　'at's　stan'in'　afore　him。
Ilka　time　'at　I　come　across　that　picter；　I　feel　direckly　as　gin　I
war　my　lane　in　this　fir…wood　here；　sae　I　suppose　that　when　I　was　a
wee　bairn；　I　maun　hae　come　oot　some　mornin'　my　lane；　wi'　the
expectation　o'　seein'　an　angel　here　waitin'　for　me；　to　speak　to　me
like　the　ane　i'　the　Bible。　　But　never　an　angel　hae　I　seen。　　Yet　I
aye　hae　an　expectation　like　o'　seein'　something；　I　kenna　what；　for
the　whole　place　aye　seems　fu'　o'　a　presence；　an'　it's　a　hantle　mair
to　me　nor　the　kirk　an'　the　sermon　forby；　an'　for　the　singin'；　the
soun'　i'　the　fir…taps　is　far　mair　solemn　and　sweet　at　the　same　time；
an'　muckle　mair　like　praisin'　o'　God　than　a'　the　psalms　thegither。
But　I　aye　think　'at　gin　I　could　hear　Milton　playin'　on's　organ；　it
would　be　mair　like　that　soun'　o'　mony　waters；　than　onything　else　'at
I　can　think　o'。〃

Hugh　stood　and　gazed　at　her　in　astonishment。　　To　his　more　refined
ear；　there　was　a　strange　incongruity　between　the　somewhat　coarse
dialect　in　which　she　spoke；　and　the　things　she　uttered　in　it。　　Not
that　he　was　capable　of　entering　into　her　feelings；　much　less　of
explaining　them　to　her。　　He　felt　that　there　was　something　remarkable
in　them；　but　attributed　both　the　thoughts　themselves　and　their
influence　on　him；　to　an　uncommon　and　weird　imagination。　　As　of　such
origin；　however；　he　was　just　the　one　to　value　them　highly。

〃Those　are　very　strange　ideas；〃　he　said。

〃But　what　can　there　be　about　the　wood？　　The　very　primrosesye
brocht　me　the　first　this　spring　yersel'；　Mr。　Sutherlandcome　out　at
the　fit　o'　the　trees；　and　look　at　me　as　if　they　said；　'We　kenwe
ken　a'　aboot　it；'　but　never　a　word　mair　they　say。　　There's　something
by　ordinar'　in't。〃

〃Do　you　like　no　other　place　besides？〃　said　Hugh；　for　the　sake　of
saying　something。

〃Ou　ay；　mony　ane；　but　nane　like　this。〃

〃What　kind　of　place　do　you　like　best？〃

〃I　like　places　wi'　green　grass　an'　flowers　amo't。〃

〃You　like　flowers　then？〃

〃Like　them！　whiles　they　gar　me　greet　an'　whiles　they　gar　me　lauch；
but　there's　mair　i'　them　than　that；　an'　i'　the　wood　too。　　I　canna
richtly　say　my　prayers　in　ony　ither　place。〃

The　Scotch　dialect；　especially　to　one　brought　up　in　the　Highlands；
was　a　considerable　antidote　to　the　effect　of　the　beauty　of　what
Margaret　said。

Suddenly　it　struck　Hugh；　that　if　Margaret　were　such　an　admirer　of
nature；　possibly　she　might　enjoy　Wordsworth。　　He　himself　was　as　yet
incapable　of　doing　him　anything　like　justice；　and；　with　the
arrogance　of　youth；　did　not　hesitate　to　smile　at　the　Excursion；
picking　out　an　awkward　line　here　and　there　as　especial　food　for
laughter　even。　　But　many　of　his　smaller　pieces　he　enjoyed　very
heartily；　although　not　thoroughlythe　element　of　C