robert falconer-第11部分

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with　his　advocacy　of　Shargar's　rights；　nay；　even　if　the　relation　was

not　altogether　free　from　some　amount　of　show…off　on　Robert's　part；　I

cannot　yet　help　thinking　that　it　had　its　share　in　that　development

of　the　character　of　Falconer　which　has　chiefly　attracted　me　to　the

office　of　his　biographer。　　There　may　have　been　in　it　the　exercise　of

some　patronage；　probably　it　was　not　pure　from　the　pride　of

beneficence；　but　at　least　it　was　a　loving　patronage　and　a　vigorous

beneficence；　and；　under　the　reaction　of　these；　the　good　which　in

Robert's　nature　was　as　yet　only　in　a　state　of　solution；　began　to

crystallize　into　character。



But　the　effect　of　the　new　relation　was　far　more　remarkable　on

Shargar。　　As　incapable　of　self…defence　as　ever；　he　was　yet　in　a

moment　roused　to　fury　by　any　attack　upon　the　person　or　the　dignity

of　Robert：　so　that；　indeed；　it　became　a　new　and　favourite　mode　of

teasing　Shargar　to　heap　abuse；　real　or　pretended；　upon　his　friend。

》From　the　day　when　Robert　thus　espoused　his　part；　Shargar　was

Robert's　dog。　　That　very　evening；　when　she　went　to　take　a　parting

peep　at　the　external　before　locking　the　door　for　the　night；　Betty

found　him　sitting　upon　the　door…step；　only；　however；　to　send　him

off；　as　she　described　it；　'wi'　a　flech1　in　's　lug　（a　flea　in　his

ear）。'　　For　the　character　of　the　mother　was　always　associated　with

the　boy；　and　avenged　upon　him。　　I　must；　however；　allow　that　those

delicate；　dirty　fingers　of　his　could　not　with　safety　be　warranted

from　occasional　picking　and　stealing。



At　this　period　of　my　story；　Robert　himself　was　rather　a

grotesque…looking　animal；　very　tall　and　lanky；　with　especially　long

arms；　which　excess　of　length　they　retained　after　he　was　full…grown。

In　this　respect　Shargar　and　he　were　alike；　but　the　long　legs　of

Shargar　were　unmatched　in　Robert；　for　at　this　time　his　body　was

peculiarly　long。　　He　had　large　black　eyes；　deep　sunk　even　then；　and

a　Roman　nose；　the　size　of　which　in　a　boy　of　his　years　looked

portentous。　　For　the　rest；　he　was　dark…complexioned；　with　dark　hair；

destined　to　grow　darker　still；　with　hands　and　feet　well　modelled；

but　which　would　have　made　four　feet　and　four　hands　such　as

Shargar's。



When　his　mind　was　not　oppressed　with　the　consideration　of　any

important　metaphysical　question；　he　learned　his　lessons　well；　when

such　was　present；　the　Latin　grammar；　with　all　its　attendant

servilities；　was　driven　from　the　presence　of　the　lordly　need。　　That

once　satisfied　in　spite　of　pandies　and　imprisonments；　he　returned

with　fresh　zest；　and；　indeed；　with　some　ephemeral　ardour；　to　the

rules　of　syntax　or　prosody；　though　the　latter；　in　the　mode　in　which

it　was　then　and　there　taught；　was　almost　as　useless　as　the　task　set

himself　by　a　worthy　lay…preacher　in　the　neighbourhoodof　learning

the　first　nine　chapters　of　the　first　Book　of　the　Chronicles；　in

atonement　for　having；　in　an　evil　hour　of　freedom　of　spirit；　ventured

to　suggest　that　such　lists　of　names；　even　although　forming　a　portion

of　Holy　Writ；　could　scarcely　be　reckoned　of　equally　divine　authority

with　St。　Paul's　Epistle　to　the　Romans。









CHAPTER　VIII。



THE　ANGEL　UNAWARES。



Although　Betty　seemed　to　hold　little　communication　with　the　outer

world；　she　yet　contrived　somehow　or　other　to　bring　home　what　gossip

was　going　to　the　ears　of　her　mistress；　who　had　very　few　visitors；

for；　while　her　neighbours　held　Mrs。　Falconer　in　great　and　evident

respect；　she　was　not　the　sort　of　person　to　sit　down　and　have　a　news

with。　　There　was　a　certain　sedate　self…contained　dignity　about　her

which　the　common　mind　felt　to　be　chilling　and　repellant；　and　from

any　gossip　of　a　personal　naturewhat　Betty　brought　her　always

exceptedshe　would　turn　away；　generally　with　the　words；　'Hoots！　　I

canna　bide　clashes。'



On　the　evening　following　that　of　Shargar's　introduction　to　Mrs。

Falconer's　house；　Betty　came　home　from　the　butcher'sfor　it　was

Saturday　night；　and　she　had　gone　to　fetch　the　beef　for　their

Sunday's　brothwith　the　news　that　the　people　next　door；　that　is；

round　the　corner　in　the　next　street；　had　a　visitor。



The　house　in　question　had　been　built　by　Robert's　father；　and　was；

compared　with　Mrs。　Falconer's　one…storey　house；　large　and　handsome。

Robert　had　been　born；　and　had　spent　a　few　years　of　his　life　in　it；

but　could　recall　nothing　of　the　facts　of　those　early　days。　　Some

time　before　the　period　at　which　my　history　commences　it　had　passed

into　other　hands；　and　it　was　now　quite　strange　to　him。　　It　had　been

bought　by　a　retired　naval　officer；　who　lived　in　it　with　his

wifethe　only　Englishwoman　in　the　place；　until　the　arrival；　at　The

Boar's　Head；　of　the　lady　so　much　admired　by　Dooble　Sanny。



Robert　was　up…stairs　when　Betty　emptied　her　news…bag；　and　so　heard

nothing　of　this　bit　of　gossip。　　He　had　just　assured　Shargar　that　as

soon　as　his　grandmother　was　asleep　he　would　look　about　for　what　he

could　find；　and　carry　it　up　to　him　in　the　garret。　　As　yet　he　had

confined　the　expenditure　out　of　Shargar's　shilling　to　twopence。



The　household　always　retired　earlyearlier　on　Saturday　night　in

preparation　for　the　Sabbathand　by　ten　o'clock　grannie　and　Betty

were　in　bed。　　Robert；　indeed；　was　in　bed　too；　but　he　had　lain　down

in　his　clothes；　waiting　for　such　time　as　might　afford　reasonable

hope　of　his　grandmother　being　asleep；　when　he　might　both　ease

Shargar's　hunger　and　get　to　sleep　himself。　　Several　times　he　got　up；

resolved　to　make　his　attempt；　but　as　often　his　courage　failed　and　he

lay　down　again；　sure　that　grannie　could　not　be　asleep　yet。　　When　the

clock　beside　him　struck　eleven；　he　could　bear　it　no　longer；　and

finally　rose　to　do　his　endeavour。



Opening　the　door　of　the　closet　slowly　and　softly；　he　crept　upon　his

hands　and　knees　into　the　middle　of　the　parlour；　feeling　very　much

like　a　thief；　as；　indeed；　in　a　measure　he　was；　though　from　a

blameless　motive。　　But　just　as　he　had　accomplished　half　the　distance

to　the　door；　he　was　arrested　and　fixed　with　terror；　for　a　deep　sigh

came　from　grannie's　bed；　followed　by　the　voice　of　words。　　He　thought

at　first　that　she　had　heard　him；　but　he　soon　found　that　he　was

mistaken。　　Still；　the　fear　of　discovery　held　him　there　on　all　fours；

like　a　chained　animal。　　A　dull　red　gleam；　faint　and　dull；　from　the

embers　of　the　fire；　was　the　sole　light　in　the　room。　　Everything　so

common　to　his　eyes　in　the　daylight　seemed　now　strange　and　eerie　in

the　dying　coals；　and　at　what　was　to　the　boy　the　unearthly　hour　of

the　night。



He　felt　that　he　ought　not　to　listen　to　grannie；　but　terror　made　him

unable　to　move。



'Och　hone！　och　hone！'　said　grannie　from　the　bed。　'I've　a　sair；　sair

hert。　　I've　a　sair　hert　i'　my　breist；　O　Lord！　thoo　knowest。　　My　ain

Anerew！　　To　think　o'　my　bairnie　that　I　cairriet　i'　my　ain　body；　that

sookit　my　breists；　and　leuch　i'　my　faceto　think　o'　'im　bein'　a

reprobate！　　O　Lord！　cudna　he　be　eleckit　yet？　　Is　there　nae　turnin'

o'　thy　decrees？　　Na；　na；　that　wadna　do　at　a'。　　But　while　there's

life　there's　houp。　　But　wha　kens　whether　he　be　alive　or　no？　　Naebody

can　tell。　　Glaidly　wad　I　luik　upon　's　deid　face　gin　I　cud　believe

that　his　sowl　wasna　amang　the　lost。　　But　eh！　the　torments　o'　that

place！　and　the　reik　that　gangs　up　for　ever　an'　ever；　smorin'

（smothering）　the　stars！　　And　my　Anerew　doon　i'　the　hert　o'　't

cryin'！　　And　me　no　able　to　win　till　him！　　O　Lord！　　I　canna　say　thy

will　be　done。　　But　dinna　lay　't　to　my　chairge；　for　gin　ye　was　a

mither　yersel'　ye　wadna　pit　him　there。　　O　Lord！　　I'm　verra

ill…fashioned。　　I　beg　yer　pardon。　　I'm　near　oot　o'　my　min'。　　Forgie

me；　O　Lord！　for　I　hardly　ken　what　I'm　sayin'。　　He　was　my　ain　babe；

my　ain　Anerew；　and　ye　gae　him　to　me　yersel'。　　And　noo　he's　for　the

finger　o'　scorn　to　pint　at；　an　ootcast　an'　a　wan'erer　frae　his　ain

country；　an'　daurna　come　within　sicht　o'　't　for　them　'at　wad　tak'

the　law　o'　'm。　　An'　it's　a'　drinkdrink　an'　ill　company！　　He　wad

hae　dune　weel　eneuch　gin　they　wad　only　hae　latten　him　be。　　What　for

maun　men　be　aye　drink…drinkin'　at　something　or　ither？　　I　never　want

it。　　Eh！　gin　I　war　as　young　as　whan　he　was　born；　I　wad　be　up　an'

awa'　this　verra　nicht　to　luik　for　him。　　But　it's　no　use　me　tryin'

't。　　O　God！　ance　mair　I　pray　thee　to　turn　him　frae　the　error　o'　's

ways　afore　he　goes　hence　an'　isna　more。　　And　O　dinna　lat　Robert　gang

efter　him；　as　he's　like　eneuch　to　do。　　Gie　me　grace　to　haud　him

ticht；　that　he　may　be　to　the　praise　o'　thy　glory　for　ever　an'　ever。

Amen。'



Whether　it　was　that　the　weary　woman　here　fell　asleep；　or　that　she

was　too　exhausted　for　further　speech；　Robert　heard　no　more；　though

he　remained　there　frozen　with　horror　for　some　minutes　after　his

grandmother　had　ceased。　　This；　then；　was　the　reason　why　she　would

never　speak　about　his　father！　　She　kept　all　her　thoughts　about　him

for　the　silence　of　the　night；　and　loneliness　with　the　God　who　never

sleeps；　but　watches　the　wicked　all　through　the　dark。　　And　his　father

was　one　of　the　wicked！　　And　God　was　against　him！　　And　when　he　died

he　would　go　to　hell！　　But　he　was　not　dead　yet：　Robert　was　sure　of

that。　　And　when　he　grew　a　man；　he　would　go　and　seek　him；　and　beg　him

on　his　knees　to　repent　and　come　back　to　God；　who　would　forgive　him

then；　and　take　him　to　heaven　when　he　died。　　And　there　he　would　be

good；　and　good　people　would　love　him。



Something　like　this　passed　through　the　boy's　mind　ere　he　moved　to

creep　from　the　room；　for　his　was　one　of　those　natures　which　are

active　in　the　generation　of　hope。　　He　had　almost　forgotten　what　he

came　there　for；　and　had　it　not　been　that　he　had　promised　Shargar；　he

would　have　crept　back　to　his　bed　and　left　him　to　bear　his　hunger　as

best　he　could。　　But　now；　first　his　right　hand；　then　his　left　knee；

like　any　other　quadruped；　he　crawled　to　the　door；　rose　only　to　his

knees　to　open　it；　took　almost　a　minute　to　the　operation；　then

dropped　and　crawled　again；　till　he　had　passed　out；　turned；　and　drawn

the　door　to；　leaving　it　slightly　ajar。　　Then　it　s