twilight stories-第11部分

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it　was　a　whole　half…crown；　for　I　had　paid　every　half…penny　I　owed

that　morning；　but　I　had　no　idea　where　the　next　half…crown　would

come　from。　　However；　it　did　come。　　I　earned　two　pounds　ten；　the

very　day　after　that　day。〃



〃Did　you　really；　mother？〃　said　Donald；　his　eyes　brightening。　

〃Then　I'll　go　on。　　I'll　not　'gang　awa　back　to　my　mither；'　as　that

old　gentleman　advised　me；　who　objected　to　bark　himself；　a　queer；

crabbed　old　fellow　he　was　too；　but　he　was　the　only　one　who　asked

my　name　and　address。　　The　rest　of　themwell；　mother；　I've　stood

a　good　deal　these　seven　days；〃　Donald　added；　gulping　down

something　between　a　〃fuff〃　of　wrath　and　a　sob。



〃I　am　sure　you　have；　my　boy。〃



〃But　I'll　hold　on；　only　you'll　have　to　get　my　boots　mended；　and

meantime；　I　should　like　to　try　a　new　dodge。　　My　bicycle；　it　lies

in　the　washing…house；　you　remember　I　broke　it　and　you　didn't　wish

it　mended；　lest　I　should　break　something　worse　than　a　wheel；

perhaps。　　It　wasn't　worth　while　risking　my　life　for　mere

pleasure；　but　I　want　my　bicycle　now　for　use。　　If　you　let　me　have

it　mended；　I　can　go　up　and　down　the　country　for　fifty　miles　in

search　of　workto　Falkirk；　Linlithgow；　or　even　Glasgow；　and　I'll

cost　you　nothing　for　traveling　expenses。　　Isn't　that　a　bright

idea；　mother？〃



She　had　not　the　heart　to　say　no；　or　to　suggest　that　a　boy　on　a

bicycle　applying　for　work　was　a　thing　too　novel　to　be　eminently

successful。　　But　to　get　work　was　at　once　so　essential　and　so

hopeless；　that　she　would　not　throw　any　cold　water　on　Donald's

eagerness　and　pluck。　　She　hoped　too；　that；　spite　of　the

eccentricity　of　the　notion；　some　shrewd；　kind…hearted　gentleman

might　have　sense　enough　to　see　the　honest　purpose　of　the　poor　lad

who　had　only　himself　to　depend　upon。　　For　his　father　had　now

fallen　into　a　state　of　depression　which　made　all　application　to

him　for　either　advice　or　help　worse　than　useless。　　And　as　both　he

and　Mrs。　Boyd　had　been　solitary　orphans　when　they　were　married；

there　were　no　near　relatives　of　any　kind　to　come　to　the　rescue。　

Donald　knew；　and　his　mother　knew　too；　that　he　must　shift　for

himself；　to　sink　or　swim。



So；　after　two　days'　rest；　which　he　much　needed；　the　boy　went　off

again　〃on　his　own　hook；〃　and　his　bicycle；　which　was　a　degree

better　than　his　legs；　he　said；　as　it　saves　shoe…leather。　　Also；

he　was　able　to　come　home　pretty　regularly　at　the　same　hour；　which

was　a　great　relief　to　his　mother。　　But　he　came　home　nearly　as

tired　as　ever；　and　with　a　despondent　look　which　deepened　every

day。　　Evidently　it　was　just　the　same　story；　no　work　to　be　had；　or

if　there　was　work；　it　was　struggled　for　by　a　score　of　fellows；

with　age；　character；　and　experience　to　back　them；　and　Donald　had

none　of　the　three。　　But　he　had　one　quality；　the　root　of　all

success　in　the　end；　dogged　perseverance。



There　is　a　saying；　that　we　British　gain　our　victories；　not

because　we　are　never　beaten；　but　because　we　never　will　see　that

we　are　beaten；　and　so　go　on　fighting　till　we　win。　　〃Never　say

die；〃　was　Donald's　word　to　his　mother　night　after　night。　　But　she

knew　that　those　who　never　SAY　die；　sometimes　DO　die；　quite

quietly；　and　she　watched　with　a　sore　heart　her　boy　growing

thinner　and　more　worn；　even　though　brown　as　a　berry　with　constant

exposure　all　day　long　to　wind　and　weather；　for　it　was　now　less

autumn　than　winter。



After　a　fortnight；　Mrs。　Boyd　made　up　her　mind　that　this　could　not

go　on　any　longer；　and　said　so。　　〃Very　well；〃　Donald　answered；

accepting　her　decision　as　he　had　been　in　the　habit　of　doing　all

his　life。Mrs。　Boyd's　children　knew　very　well　that　whatever　her

will　was；　it　was　sure　to　be　a　just　and　wise　will；　herself　being

the　last　person　she　ever　thought　of。〃Yes；　I'll　give　in；　if　you

think　I　ought；　for　it's　only　wearing　out　myself　and　my　clothes　to

no　good。　　Only　let　me　have　one　day　more　and　I'll　go　as　far　as

ever　I　can；　perhaps　to　Dunfermline；　or　even　Glasgow。〃



She　would　not　forbid；　and　once　more　she　started　him　off　with　a

cheerful　face　in　the　twilight　of　the　wet　October　morning；　and　sat

all　day　long　in　the　empty　housefor　the　younger　ones　were　now

all　going　to　school　againthinking　sorrowfully　of　her　eldest；

whose　merry　school　days　were　done　forever。



In　the　dusk　of　the　afternoon　a　card　was　brought　up　to　her；　with

the　message　that　an　old　gentleman　was　waiting　below；　wishing　to

see　her。



A　shudder　ran　through　the　poor　mother；　who；　like　many　another

mother；　hated　bicycles；　and　never　had　an　easy　mind　when　Donald

was　away　on　his。　　The　stranger's　first　word　was　anything　but

reassuring。



〃Beg　pardon　ma'am；　but　is　your　name　Boyd；　and　have　you　a　son

called　Donald；　who　went　out　on　a　bicycle　this　morning？〃



〃Yes；　yes！　　Has　anything　happened？　　Tell　me　quick！〃



〃I'm　not　aware；　ma'am；　that　anything　has　happened；〃　said　the　old

gentleman。　　〃I　saw　the　lad　at　light　this　morning。　　He　seemed　to

be　managing　his　machine　uncommonly　well。　　I　met　him　at　the　foot

of　a　hill　near　Edinburgh　Castle。　　He　had　got　off　and　was　walking；

so　he　saw　me；　and　took　off　his　cap。　　I　like　respect；　especially

in　a　young　fellow　towards　an　old　one。〃



〃Did　he　know　you；　for　I　have　not　that　pleasure？〃　said　Mrs。　Boyd；

polite；　though　puzzled。　　For　the　old　man　did　not　look　quite　like

a　gentleman；　and　spoke　with　the　strong　accent　of　an　uneducated

person；　yet　he　had　a　kindly　expression；　and　seemed　honest　and

well…meaning；　though　decidedly　〃canny。〃



〃I　cannot　say　he　knew　me；　but　he　remembered　me；　which　was　civil

of　him。　　And　then　I　minded　the　lad　as　the　one　that　had　come　to　me

for　work　a　week　or　two　ago；　and　I　took　his　name　and　address。　

That's　your　son's　writing？〃　he　jumbled　out　and　showed　a　scrap　of

paper。　　〃It's　bona　fide；　isn't　it？



〃And　he　really　is　in　search　of　work？　　He　hasn't　run　away　from

home；　or　been　turned　out　by　his　father　for　misconduct；　or

anything　of　that　sort？　　He　isn't　a　scamp；　or　a　ne'er…do…weel？〃



〃I　hope　he　doesn't　look　like　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Boyd；　proudly。



〃No；　ma'am；　you're　right；　he　doesn't。　　He　carries　his　character

in　his　face　which；　maybe；　is　better　than　in　his　pocket。　　It　was

that　which　made　me　ask　his　name　and　address；　though　I　could　do

nothing　for　him。〃



〃Then　you　were　the　gentleman　who　told　him　you　couldn't　keep　a　dog

and　bark　yourself？〃　said　Mrs。　Boyd；　amused；　and　just　a　shade

hopeful。



〃Precisely。　　Nor　can　I。　　It　would　have　been　cool　impudence　in　a

lad　to　come　and　ask　to　be　taught　his　work　first　and　then　paid　for

it；　if　he　hadn't　been　so　very　much　in　earnest　that　I　was　rather

sorry　for　him。　　I'm　inclined　to　believe；　from　the　talk　I　had　with

him　at　the　foot　of　the　brae　to…day；　that　he　is　a　young　dog　that

would　bark　with　uncommon　little　teaching。　　Material；　ma'am；　is

what　we　want。　　I　don't　care　for　its　being　raw　material；　if　it's

only　of　the　right　sort。　　I've　made　up　my　mind　to　try　your　boy。〃



〃Thank　God！〃



〃What　did　you　say；　ma'am？　　ButI　beg　your　pardon。〃



For　he　saw　that　Mrs。　Boyd　had　quite　broken　down。　　In　truth；　the

strain　had　been　so　long　and　so　great　that　this　sudden　relief　was

quite　too　much　for　her。　　She　sobbed　heartily。



〃I　ought　to　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃for　being　so

foolish；　but　we　have　had　hard　times　of　late。〃



And　then；　in　a　few　simple　words；　she　told　Donald's　whole　story。



The　old　man　listened　to　it　in　silence。　　Sometimes　he　nodded　his

head；　or　beat　his　chin　on　his　stout　stick　as　he　sat；　but　he　made

no　comment　whatever；　except　a　brief　〃Thank　you；　ma'am。〃



〃Now　to　business；〃　continued　he；　taking　out　his　watch；　〃for　I'm

due　at　dinner：　and　I　always　keep　my　appointments；　even　with

myself。　　I　hope　your　Donald　is　a　punctual　lad？〃



〃Yes。　　He　promised　to　be　back　by　dark；　and　I　am　sure　he　will　be。　

Could　you　not　wait？〃



〃No。　　I　never　wait　for　anybody；　but　keep　nobody　waiting　for　me。　

I'm　Bethune　&　Co。；　Leith　Merchantspractically；　old　John

Bethune；　who　began　life　as　a　message…boy；　and　has　done　pretty

well；　considering。〃



He　had；　as　Mrs。　Boyd　was　well　aware。　　Bethune　&　Co。　was　a　name　so

well　known　that　she　could　hardly　believe　in　her　boy's　good　luck

in　getting　into　that　house　in　any　capacity　whatever。



〃So　all　is　settled；〃　said　Mr。　Bethune；　rising。　　〃Let　him　come　to

me　on　Monday　morning；　and　I'll　see　what　he　is　fit　for。　　He'll

have　to　start　at　the　very　bottomsweep　the　office；　perhapsI

did　it　myself　onceand　I'll　give　himlet　me　seeten　shillings

a　week　to　begin　with。〃



〃　'To　begin　with；'　〃　repeated　Mrs。　Boyd；　gently　but　firmly；　〃but

he　will　soon　be　worth　more。　　I　am　sure　of　that。〃



〃Very　well。　　When　I　see　what　stuff　he　is　made　of；　he　shall　have　a

rise。　　But　I　never　do　things　at　haphazard；　and　it's　easier　going

up　than　coming　down。　　I'm　not　a　benevolent　man；　Mrs。　Boyd；　and

you　need　not　think　it。　　But　I've　fought　the　world　pretty　hard

myself；　and　I　like　to　help　those　that　are　fighting　it。　　Good

evening。　　Isn't　that　your　son　coming　round　the　corner？　　Well；

he's　back　exact　to　his　time；　at　any　rate。　　Tell　him　I　hope　he

will　be　as　punctual　on　Monday　morning。　　Good　evening；　ma'am。〃



Now；　if　this　were　an　imaginary　story；　I　might　wind　it　up　by　a

delightful　denoument　of　Mr。　Bethune's　turning　out　an　old　friend

of　the　family；　or　developing　into　a　new　one；　and　taking　such　a

fancy　to　Donald　that　he　immediately　gave　him　a　clerkship　with　a

large　salary；　and　the　promise　of　a　partnership　on　coming　of　age；

or　this　worthy　gentleman　should　be　an　eccentric　old　bachelor　who

immediately　adopted　that　wonderful　boy　and　befriended　the　whole

Boyd　family。



But　neither　of　these　things；　nor　anything　else　remarkable；

happened　in　the　real　story；　which；　as　it　is　literally　true；

though　told　with　certain　necessary　disguises；　I　prefer　to　keep　to

as　closely　as　I　can。　　Such　astonishing　bits　of　〃luck〃　do　not

happen　in　real　life；　or　happen　so　rarely　that　one　inclines；　at

least；　to　believe　very　little　in　either　good　or　ill　fortune；　as　a

matter　of　chance。　　There　is　a