david elginbrod-第15部分

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David；　beneath　which　lay　the　temple　not　only　of　holy　but　of　wise　and
poetic　thought。　　It　was　like　the　sylvan　abode　of　the　gods；　where　the
architecture　and　music　are　all　of　their　own　making；　in　their　kind
the　more　beautiful；　the　more　simple　and　rude；　and　if　more　doubtful
in　their　intent；　and　less　precise　in　their　finish；　yet　therein　the
fuller　of　life　and　its　grace；　and　the　more　suggestive　of　deeper
harmonies。




CHAPTER　XIII。

HERALDRY。

And　like　his　father　of　face　and　of　stature；
And　false　of　loveit　came　him　of　nature；
As　doth　the　fox　Renard；　the　fox's　son；
Of　kinde；　he　coud　his　old　father's　wone；
Without　lore；　as　can　a　drake　swim；
When　it　is　caught；　and　carried　to　the　brim。

CHAUCER。Legend　of　Phillis。


Of　course；　the　yet　more　lengthened　absences　of　Hugh　from　the　house
were　subjects　of　remark　as　at　the　first；　but　Hugh　had　made　up　his
mind　not　to　trouble　himself　the　least　about　that。　　For　some　time
Mrs。　Glasford　took　no　notice　of　them　to　himself；　but　one　evening；
just　as　tea　was　finished；　and　Hugh　was　rising　to　go；　her　restraint
gave　way；　and　she　uttered　one　spiteful　speech；　thinking　it；　no
doubt；　so　witty　that　it　ought　to　see　the　light。

〃Ye're　a　day…labourer　it　seems；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　and　gang　hame　at
night。〃

〃Exactly　so；　madam；〃　rejoined　Hugh。　〃There　is　no　other　relation
between　you　and　me；　than　that　of　work　and　wages。　　You　have　done　your
best　to　convince　me　of　that；　by　making　it　impossible　for　me　to　feel
that　this　house　is　in　any　sense　my　home。〃

With　this　grand　speech　he　left　the　room；　and　from　that　time　till　the
day　of　his　final　departure　from　Turriepuffit；　there　was　not　a　single
allusion　made　to　the　subject。

He　soon　reached　the　cottage。　　When　he　entered　the　new　room；　which
was　always　called　Mr。　Sutherland's　study；　the　mute　welcome　afforded
him　by　the　signs　of　expectation；　in　the　glow　of　the　waiting　fire；
and　the　outspread　arms　of　the　elbow…chair；　which　was　now　called　his；
as　well　as　the　room；　made　ample　amends　to　him　for　the　unfriendliness
of　Mrs。　Glasford。　　Going　to　the　shelves　to　find　the　books　he　wanted；
he　saw　that　they　had　been　carefully　arranged　on　one　shelf；　and　that
the　others　were　occupied　with　books　belonging　to　the　house。　　He
looked　at　a　few　of　them。　　They　were　almost　all　old　books；　and　such
as　may　be　found　in　many　Scotch　cottages；　for　instance；　Boston's
Fourfold　State；　in　which　the　ways　of　God　and　man　may　be　seen　through
a　fourfold　fog；　Erskine's　Divine　Sonnets；　which　will　repay　the
reader　in　laughter　for　the　pain　it　costs　his　reverence；　producing
much　the　same　effect　that　a　Gothic　cathedral　might；　reproduced　by
the　pencil　and　from　the　remembrance　of　a　Chinese　artist；　who　had
seen　it　once；　Drelincourt　on　Death；　with　the　famous　ghost…hoax　of　De
Foe；　to　help　the　bookseller　to　the　sale　of　the　unsaleable；　the　Scots
Worthies；　opening　of　itself　at　the　memoir　of　Mr。　Alexander　Peden；
the　Pilgrim's　Progress；　that　wonderful　inspiration；　failing　never
save　when　the　theologian　would　sometimes　snatch　the　pen　from　the
hand　of　the　poet；　Theron　and　Aspasio；　Village　Dialogues；　and　others
of　a　like　class。　　To　these　must　be　added　a　rare　edition　of　Blind
Harry。　　It　was　clear　to　Hugh；　unable　as　he　was　fully　to　appreciate
the　wisdom　of　David；　that　it　was　not　from　such　books　as　these　that
he　had　gathered　it；　yet　such　books　as　these　formed　all　his　store。
He　turned　from　them；　found　his　own；　and　sat　down　to　read。　　By　and
by　David　came　in。

〃I'm　ower　sune；　I　doubt；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　I'm　disturbin'　ye。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　Hugh。　〃Besides；　I　am　not　much　in　a　reading
mood　this　evening：　Mrs。　Glasford　has　been　annoying　me　again。〃

〃Poor　body！　　What's　she　been　sayin'　noo？〃

Thinking　to　amuse　David；　Hugh　recounted　the　short　passage　between
them　recorded　above。　　David；　however；　listened　with　a　very　different
expression　of　countenance　from　what　Hugh　had　anticipated；　and；　when
he　had　finished；　took　up　the　conversation　in　a　kind　of　apologetic
tone。

〃Weel；　but　ye　see；〃　said　he；　folding　his　palms　together；　〃she　hasna'
jist　had　a'thegither　fair　play。　　She　does　na　come　o'　a　guid　breed。
Man；　it's　a　fine　thing　to　come　o'　a　guid　breed。　　They　hae　a　hantle
to　answer　for　'at　come　o'　decent　forbears。〃

〃I　thought　she　brought　the　laird　a　good　property；〃　said　Hugh；　not
quite　understanding　David。

〃Ow；　ay；　she　brocht　him　gowpenfu's　o'　siller；　but　hoo　was't　gotten？
An'　ye　ken　it's　no　riches　'at　'ill　mak'　a　guid　breed'cep'　it　be
o'　maggots。　　The　richer　cheese　the　mair　maggots；　ye　ken。　　Ye　maunna
speyk　o'　this；　but　the　mistress's　father　was　weel　kent　to　hae　made
his　siller　by　fardins　and　bawbees；　in　creepin'；　crafty　ways。　　He　was
a　bit　merchan'　in　Aberdeen；　an'　aye　keepit　his　thoom　weel　ahint　the
peint　o'　the　ellwan'；　sae　'at　he　made　an　inch　or　twa　upo'　ilka　yard
he　sauld。　　Sae　he　took　frae　his　soul；　and　pat　intill　his　siller…bag；
an'　had　little　to　gie　his　dochter　but　a　guid　tocher。　　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　it's　a　fine　thing　to　come　o'　dacent　fowk。　　Noo；　to　luik
at　yersel'：　I　ken　naething　aboot　yer　family；　but　ye　seem　at　eesicht
to　come　o'　a　guid　breed　for　the　bodily　part　o'　ye。　　That's　a　sma'
matter；　but　frae　what　I　ha'e　seenan'　I　trust　in　God　I'm　no'
mista'enye　come　o'　the　richt　breed　for　the　min'　as　weel。　　I'm　no
flatterin'　ye；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　but　jist　layin'　it　upo'　ye；　'at　gin
ye　had　an　honest　father　and　gran'father；　an'　especially　a　guid
mither；　ye　hae　a　heap　to　answer　for；　an'　ye　ought　never　to　be　hard
upo'　them　'at's　sma'　creepin'　creatures；　for　they　canna　help　it　sae
weel　as　the　like　o'　you　and　me　can。〃

David　was　not　given　to　boasting。　　Hugh　had　never　heard　anything
suggesting　it　from　his　lips　before。　　He　turned　full　round　and　looked
at　him。　　On　his　face　lay　a　solemn　quiet；　either　from　a　feeling　of
his　own　responsibility；　or　a　sense　of　the　excuse　that　must　be　made
for　others。　　What　he　had　said　about　the　signs　of　breed　in　Hugh's
exterior；　certainly　applied　to　himself　as　well。　　His　carriage　was
full　of　dignity；　and　a　certain　rustic　refinement；　his　voice　was
wonderfully　gentle；　but　deep；　and　slowest　when　most　impassioned。　　He
seemed　to　have　come　of　some　gigantic　antediluvian　breed：　there　was
something　of　the　Titan　slumbering　about　him。　　He　would　have　been　a
stern　man；　but　for　an　unusual　amount　of　reverence　that　seemed　to
overflood　the　sternness；　and　change　it　into　strong　love。　　No　one　had
ever　seen　him　thoroughly　angry；　his　simple　displeasure　with　any　of
the　labourers；　the　quality　of　whose　work　was　deficient；　would　go
further　than　the　laird's　oaths。

Hugh　sat　looking　at　David；　who　supported　the　look　with　that　perfect
calmness　that　comes　of　unconscious　simplicity。　　At　length　Hugh's　eye
sank　before　David's；　as　he　said：

〃I　wish　I　had　known　your　father；　then；　David。〃

〃My　father　was　sic　a　ane　as　I　tauld　ye　the　ither　day；　Mr。
Sutherlan'。　　I'm　a'　richt　there。　　A　puir；　semple；　God…fearin'
shepherd；　'at　never　gae　his　dog　an　ill…deserved　word；　nor　took　the
skin　o'　ony　puir　lammie；　wha's　woo'　he　was　clippin'；　atween　the
shears。　　He　was　weel　worthy　o'　the　grave　'at　he　wan　till　at　last。
An'　my　mither　was　jist　sic　like；　wi'　aiblins　raither　mair　heid　nor
my　father。　　They're　her　beuks　maistly　upo'　the　skelf　there　abune　yer
ain；　Mr。　Sutherlan'。　　I　honour　them　for　her　sake；　though　I　seldom
trouble　them　mysel'。　　She　gae　me　a　kin'　o'　a　scunner　at　them；　honest
woman；　wi'　garrin'　me　read　at　them　o'　Sundays；　till　they　near
scomfisht　a'　the　guid　'at　was　in　me　by　nater。　　There's　doctrine　for
ye；　Mr。　Sutherlan'！〃　added　David；　with　a　queer　laugh。

〃I　thought　they　could　hardly　be　your　books；〃　said　Hugh。

〃But　I　hae　ae　odd　beuk；　an'　that　brings　me　upo'　my　pedigree；　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　for　the　puirest　man　has　as　lang　a　pedigree　as　the
greatest；　only　he　kens　less　aboot　it；　that's　a'。　　An'　I　wat；　for　yer
lords　and　ladies；　it's　no　a'　to　their　credit　'at's　tauld　o'　their
hither…come；　an'　that's　a'　against　the　breed；　ye　ken。　　A　wilfu'　sin
in　the　father　may　be　a　sinfu'　weakness　i'　the　son；　an'　that's　what　I
ca'　no　fair　play。〃

So　saying；　David　went　to　his　bedroom；　whence　he　returned　with　a　very
old…looking　book；　which　he　laid　on　the　table　before　Hugh。　He　opened
it；　and　saw　that　it　was　a　volume　of　Jacob　B渉men；　in　the　original
language。　　He　found　out　afterwards；　upon　further　inquiry；　that　it
was　in　fact　a　copy　of　the　first　edition　of　his　first　work；　The
Aurora；　printed　in　1612。　　On　the　title…page　was　written　a　name；
either　in　German　or　old　English　character；　he　was　not　sure　which；
but　he　was　able　to　read　itMartin　Elginbrodde。　　David；　having　given
him　time　to　see　all　this；　went　on：

〃That　buik　has　been　in　oor　family　far　langer　nor　I　ken。　　I　needna
say　I　canna　read　a　word　o't；　nor　I　never　heard　o'　ane　'at　could。
But　I　canna　help　tellin'　ye　a　curious　thing；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　in
connexion　wi'　the　name　on　that　buik：　there's　a　gravestane；　a　verra
auld　anehoo　auld　I　canna　weel　mak'　out；　though　I　gaed　ends…errand
to　Aberdeen　to　see'tan'　the　name　upo'　that　gravestane　is　Martin
Elginbrod；　but　made　mention　o'　in　a　strange　fashion；　an'　I'm　no　sure
a'thegither　aboot　hoo　ye'll　tak'　it；　for　it　soun's　rather　fearsome
at　first　hearin'　o't。　　But　ye'se　hae't　as　I　read　it：

　　　　　〃'Here　lie　I；　Martin　Elginbrodde：
　　　　　　Hae　mercy　o'　my　soul；　Lord　God；
　　　　　　As　I　wad　do；　were　I　Lord　God；
　　　　　　And　ye　were　Martin　Elginbrodde。'〃

Certainly　Hugh　could　not　help　a　slight　shudder　at　what　seemed　to　him
the　irreverence　of　the　epitaph；　if　indeed　it　was　not　deserving　of　a
worse　epithet。　　But　he　made　no　remark；　and；　after　a　moment's　pause；
David　resumed：

〃I　was　unco　ill…pleased　wi't　at　the　first；　as　ye　may　suppose；　Mr。
Sutherlan'；　but；　after　a　while；　I　begude　（began）　an'　gaed　through
twa　or　three　bits　o'　reasonin's　aboot　it；　in　this　way：　By　the　natur'
o't；　this　maun　be　the　man's　ain　makin'；　this　epitaph；　for　no　ither
body　cud　ha'　dune't；　and　he　had　left　it　in's　will　to　be　pitten　upo'
the　deid…stane；　nae　doot：　I'　the　contemplation　o'　deith；　a　man　wad
no　be　lik'ly　to　desire　the　perpetuation　o'　a　blasphemy　upo'　a　table
o'　stone；　to　stan'　against　him　for　centuries　i'　the　face　o'　God　an'
man：　therefore　it　cudna　ha'　borne　the　luik　to　him　o'　the
presumptuous　word　o'　a　proud　man　evenin'　himsel'　wi'　the　Almichty。
Sae　what　was't；　then；　'at　made　him　mak'　it？