david elginbrod-第6部分

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before；　and　consequently　began　not　only　to　prize　Hugh's　services；
but　to　think　more　highly　of　his　office　than　had　been　their　wont。
The　laird　would　now　and　then　invite　him　to　join　him　in　a　tumbler　of
toddy　after　dinner；　or　in　a　ride　round　the　farm　after　school　hours。
But　it　must　be　confessed　that　these　approaches　to　friendliness　were
rather　irksome　to　Hugh；　for　whatever　the　laird　might　have　been　as　a
collegian；　he　was　certainly　now　nothing　more　than　a　farmer。　　Where
David　Elginbrod　would　have　described　many　a　〃bonny　sicht；〃　the　laird
only　saw　the　probable　results　of　harvest；　in　the　shape　of　figures　in
his　banking　book。　　On　one　occasion；　Hugh　roused　his　indignation　by
venturing　to　express　his　admiration　of　the　delightful　mingling　of
colours　in　a　field　where　a　good　many　scarlet　poppies　grew　among　the
green　blades　of　the　corn；　indicating；　to　the　agricultural　eye；　the
poverty　of　the　soil　where　they　were　found。　　This　fault　in　the　soil；
the　laird；　like　a　child；　resented　upon　the　poppies　themselves。

〃Nasty；　ugly　weyds！　　We'll　hae　ye　admirin'　the　smut　neist；〃　said　he；
contemptuously；　〃'cause　the　bairns　can　bleck　ane　anither's　faces
wi't。〃

〃But　surely；〃　said　Hugh；　〃putting　other　considerations　aside；　you
must　allow　that　the　colour；　especially　when　mingled　with　that　of　the
corn；　is　beautiful。〃

〃Deil　hae't！　　It's　jist　there　'at　I　canna　bide　the　sicht　o't。
Beauty　ye　may　ca'　't！　　I　see　nane　o't。　　I'd　as　sune　hae　a
reid…heedit　bairn；　as　see　thae　reid…coatit　rascals　i'　my　corn。　　I
houp　ye're　no　gaen　to　cram　stuff　like　that　into　the　heeds　o'　the　twa
laddies。　　Faith！　we'll　hae　them　sawin'　thae　ill…faured　weyds　amang
the　wheyt　neist。　　Poapies　ca'　ye　them？　　Weel　I　wat　they're　the
Popp's　ain　bairns；　an'　the　scarlet　wumman　to　the　mither　o'　them。
Ha！　ha！　ha！〃

Having　manifested　both　wit　and　Protestantism　in　the　closing　sentence
of　his　objurgation；　the　laird　relapsed　into　good　humour　and
stupidity。　　Hugh　would　gladly　have　spent　such　hours　in　David's
cottage　instead；　but　he　was　hardly　prepared　to　refuse　his　company　to
Mr。　Glasford。




CHAPTER　VI。

THE　LAIRD'S　LADY。

Ye　archewyves；　standith　at　defence；
Sin　ye　been　strong；　as　is　a　great　camayle；
Ne　suffer　not　that　men　you　don　offence。
And　slender　wives；　fell　as　in　battaile；
Beth　eager；　as　is　a　tiger；　yond　in　Inde；
Aye　clappith　as　a　mill；　I　you　counsaile。

CHAUCER。The　Clerk's　Tale。


The　length　and　frequency　of　Hugh's　absences；　careless　as　she　was　of
his　presence；　had　already　attracted　the　attention　of　Mrs。　Glasford；
and　very　little　trouble　had　to　be　expended　on　the　discovery　of　his
haunt。　　For　the　servants　knew　well　enough　where　he　went；　and　of
course　had　come　to　their　own　conclusions　as　to　the　object　of　his
visits。　　So　the　lady　chose　to　think　it　her　duty　to　expostulate　with
Hugh　on　the　subject。　　Accordingly；　one　morning　after　breakfast；　the
laird　having　gone　to　mount　his　horse；　and　the　boys　to　have　a　few
minutes'　play　before　lessons；　Mrs。　Glasford；　who　had　kept　her　seat
at　the　head　of　the　table；　waiting　for　the　opportunity；　turned
towards　Hugh　who　sat　reading　the　week's　news；　folded　her　hands　on
the　tablecloth；　drew　herself　up　yet　a　little　more　stiffly　in　her
chair；　and　thus　addressed　him：

〃It's　my　duty；　Mr。　Sutherland；　seein'　ye　have　no　mother　to　look
after　ye〃

Hugh　expected　something　matronly　about　his　linen　or　his　socks；　and
put　down　his　newspaper　with　a　smile；　but；　to　his　astonishment；　she
went　on

〃To　remonstrate　wi'　ye；　on　the　impropriety　of　going　so　often　to
David　Elginbrod's。　　They're　not　company　for　a　young　gentleman　like
you；　Mr。　Sutherland。〃

〃They're　good　enough　company　for　a　poor　tutor；　Mrs。　Glasford；〃
replied　Hugh；　foolishly　enough。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all；〃　insisted　the　lady。　〃With　your
connexions〃

〃Good　gracious！　who　ever　said　anything　about　my　connexions？　　I　never
pretended　to　have　any。〃　　Hugh　was　getting　angry　already。

Mrs。　Glasford　nodded　her　head　significantly；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃I
know　more　about　you　than　you　imagine；〃　and　then　went　on：

〃Your　mother　will　never　forgive　me　if　you　get　into　a　scrape　with
that　smooth…faced　hussy；　and　if　her　father；　honest　man　hasn't　eyes
enough　in　his　head；　other　people　haveay；　an'　tongues　too；　Mr。
Sutherland。〃

Hugh　was　on　the　point　of　forgetting　his　manners；　and　consigning　all
the　above　mentioned　organs　to　perdition；　but　he　managed　to　restrain
his　wrath；　and　merely　said　that　Margaret　was　one　of　the　best　girls
he　had　ever　known；　and　that　there　was　no　possible　danger　of　any　kind
of　scrape　with　her。　　This　mode　of　argument；　however；　was　not
calculated　to　satisfy　Mrs。　Glasford。　　She　returned　to　the　charge。

〃She's　a　sly　puss；　with　her　shy　airs　and　graces。　　Her　father's　jist
daft　wi'　conceit　o'　her；　an'　it's　no　to　be　surprised　if　she　cast　a
glamour　ower　you。　　Mr。　Sutherland；　ye're　but　young　yet。〃

Hugh's　pride　presented　any　alliance　with　a　lassie　who　had　herded　the
laird's　cows　barefoot；　and　even　now　tended　their　own　cow；　as　an　all
but　inconceivable　absurdity；　and　he　resented；　more　than　he　could
have　thought　possible；　the　entertainment　of　such　a　degrading　idea　in
the　mind　of　Mrs。　Glasford。　　Indignation　prevented　him　from　replying；
while　she　went　on；　getting　more　vernacular　as　she　proceeded。

〃It's　no　for　lack　o'　company　'at　yer　driven　to　seek　theirs；　I'm
sure。　　There's　twa　as　fine　lads　an'　gude　scholars　as　ye'll　fin'　in
the　haill　kintra…side；　no　to　mention　the　laird　and　mysel'。〃

But　Hugh　could　bear　it　no　longer；　nor　would　he　condescend　to　excuse
or　explain　his　conduct。

〃Madam；　I　beg　you　will　not　mention　this　subject　again。〃

〃But　I　will　mention　't；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；　an'　if　ye'll　no　listen　to
rizzon；　I'll　go　to　them　'at　maun　do't。〃

〃I　am　accountable　to　you；　madam；　for　my　conduct　in　your　house；　and
for　the　way　in　which　I　discharge　my　duty　to　your　childrenno
further。〃

〃Do　ye　ca'　that　dischairgin'　yer　duty　to　my　bairns；　to　set　them　the
example　o'　hingin'　at　a　quean's　鈖ron…strings；　and　fillin'　her　lug
wi'　idle　havers？　　Ca'　ye　that　dischairgin'　yer　duty？　　My　certie！　a
bonny　dischairgin'！〃

〃I　never　see　the　girl　but　in　her　father　and　mother's　presence。〃

〃Weel；　weel；　Mr。　Sutherlan'；〃　said　Mrs。　Glasford；　in　a　final　tone；
and　trying　to　smother　the　anger　which　she　felt　she　had　allowed　to
carry　her　further　than　was　decorous；　〃we'll　say　nae　mair　aboot　it　at
present；　but　I　maun　jist　speak　to　the　laird　himsel'；　an'　see　what　he
says　till　't。〃

And；　with　this　threat；　she　walked　out　of　the　room　in　what　she
considered　a　dignified　manner。

Hugh　was　exceedingly　annoyed　at　this　treatment；　and　thought；　at
first；　of　throwing　up　his　situation　at　once；　but　he　got　calmer　by
degrees；　and　saw　that　it　would　be　to　his　own　loss；　and　perhaps　to
the　injury　of　his　friends　at　the　cottage。　　So　he　took　his　revenge　by
recalling　the　excited　face　of　Mrs。　Glasford；　whose　nose　had　got　as
red　with　passion　as　the　protuberance　of　a　turkey…cock　when　gobbling
out　its　unutterable　feelings　of　disdain。　　He　dwelt　upon　this
soothing　contemplation　till　a　fit　of　laughter　relieved　him；　and　he
was　able　to　go　and　join　his　pupils　as　if　nothing　had　happened。

Meanwhile　the　lady　sent　for　David；　who　was　at　work　in　the　garden；
into　no　less　an　audience…chamber　than　the　drawing…room；　the　revered
abode　of　all　the　tutelar　deities　of　the　house；　chief　amongst　which
were　the　portraits　of　the　laird　and　herself：　he；　plethoric　and
wrapped　in　voluminous　folds　of　neckerchiefshe　long…necked；　and
lean；　and　bare…shouldered。　　The　original　of　the　latter　work　of　art
seated　herself　in　the　most　important　chair　in　the　room；　and　when
David；　after　carefully　wiping　the　shoes　he　had　already　wiped　three
times　on　his　way　up；　entered　with　a　respectful　but　no　wise
obsequious　bow；　she　ordered　him；　with　the　air　of　an　empress；　to　shut
the　door。　　When　he　had　obeyed；　she　ordered　him；　in　a　similar　tone；
to　be　seated；　for　she　sought　to　mingle　condescension　and
conciliation　with　severity。

〃David；〃　she　then　began；　〃I　am　informed　that　ye　keep　open　door　to
our　Mr。　Sutherland；　and　that　he　spends　most　forenichts　in　your
company。〃

〃Weel；　mem；　it's　verra　true；〃　was　all　David's　answer。　　He　sat　in　an
expectant　attitude。

〃Dawvid；　I　wonner　at　ye！〃　returned　Mrs。　Glasford；　forgetting　her
dignity；　and　becoming　confidentially　remonstrative。　〃Here's　a　young
gentleman　o'　talans；　wi'　ilka　prospeck　o'　waggin'　his　heid　in　a
poopit　some　day；　an'　ye　aid　an'　abet　him　in　idlin'　awa'　his　time　at
your　chimla…lug；　duin'　waur　nor　naething　ava！　　I'm　surprised　at　ye；
Dawvid。　　I　thocht　ye　had　mair　sense。〃

David　looked　out　of　his　clear；　blue；　untroubled　eyes；　upon　the
ruffled　countenance　of　his　mistress；　with　an　almost　paternal　smile。

〃Weel；　mem；　I　maun　say　I　dinna　jist　think　the　young　man's　in　the
warst　o'　company；　when　he's　at　our　ingle…neuk。　　An'　for　idlin'　o'
his　time　awa'；　it's　weel　waurd　for　himsel'；　forby　for　us；　gin　holy
words　binna　lees。〃

〃What　do　ye　mean；　Dawvid？〃　said　the　lady　rather　sharply；　for　she
loved　no　riddles。

〃I　mean　this；　mem：　that　the　young　man　is　jist　actin'　the　pairt　o'
Peter　an'　John　at　the　bonny　gate　o'　the　temple；　whan　they　said：
'Such　as　I　have；　gie　I　thee；'　an'　gin'　it　be　more　blessed　to　gie
than　to　receive；　as　Sant　Paul　says　'at　the　Maister　himsel'　said；　the
young　man　'ill　no　be　the　waur　aff　in's　ain　learnin'；　that　he
impairts　o't　to　them　that　hunger　for't。〃

〃Ye　mean　by　this；　Dawvid；　gin　ye　could　express　yersel'　to　the　pint；
'at　the　young　man；　wha's　ower　weel　paid　to　instruck　my　bairns；
neglecks　them；　an'　lays　himsel'　oot　upo'　ither　fowk's　weans；　wha　hae
no　richt　to　ettle　aboon　the　station　in　which　their　Maker　pat　them。〃

This　was　uttered　with　quite　a　religious　fervour　of　expostulation；
for　the　lady's　natural　indignation　at　the　thought　of　Meg　Elginbrod
having　lessons　from　her　boys'　tutor；　was　cowed　beneath　the　quiet
steady　gaze　of　the　noble…minded　peasant　father。

〃He　lays　himsel'　oot　mair　upo'　the　ither　fowk　themsels'　than　upo'
their　weans；　mem；　though；　nae　doubt；　my　Maggy　comes　in　for　a　gude
share。　　But　for　negleckin'　o'　his　duty　to　you；　mem；　I'm　sure　I　kenna
hoo　that　can　be；　for　it　was　only　yestreen　'at　the　laird　himsel'　said
to　me；　'at　hoo　the　bairns　had　never　gotten　on　naething　like　it　wi'
ony　ither　body。〃

〃The　laird's　ower　rea