robert falconer- 第70部分

Her　hair　streams　backward　from　her　loose　attire；

She　hath　a　trumpet　and　an　eye　of　fire；

She　points　me　downward　steadily　and　long

'There　is　thy　gravearise；　my　son；　be　strong！

Hands　are　upon　thy　crown；　awake；　aspire

To　immortality；　heed　not　the　lyre

Of　the　enchantress；　nor　her　poppy…song；

But　in　the　stillness　of　the　summer　calm；

Tremble　for　what　is　godlike　in　thy　being。

Listen　awhile；　and　thou　shalt　hear　the　psalm

Of　victory　sung　by　creatures　past　thy　seeing；

And　from　far　battle…fields　there　comes　the　neighing

Of　dreadful　onset；　though　the　air　is　balm。'



Maid　with　the　poppies；　must　I　let　thee　go？

Alas！　　I　may　not；　thou　art　likewise　dear；

I　am　but　human；　and　thou　hast　a　tear；

When　she　hath　nought　but　splendour；　and　the　glow

Of　a　wild　energy　that　mocks　the　flow

Of　the　poor　sympathies　which　keep　us　here。

Lay　past　thy　poppies；　and　come　twice　as　near；

And　I　will　teach　thee；　and　thou　too　shalt　grow；

And　thou　shalt　walk　with　me　in　open　day

Through　the　rough　thoroughfares　with　quiet　grace；

And　the　wild…visaged　maid　shall　lead　the　way；

Timing　her　footsteps　to　a　gentler　pace；

As　her　great　orbs　turn　ever　on　thy　face；

Drinking　in　draughts　of　loving　help　alway。



Miss　St。　John　did　not　speak。



'War　ye　able　to　follow　him？'　asked　Robert。



'Quite；　I　assure　you；'　she　answered；　with　a　tremulousness　in　her

voice　which　delighted　Robert　as　evidence　of　his　friend's　success。



'But　they're　nae　a'　so　easy　to　follow；　I　can　tell　ye；　mem。　　Just

hearken　to　this；'　he　said；　with　some　excitement。



　　　　　When　the　storm　was　proudest；

　　　　　And　the　wind　was　loudest；

I　heard　the　hollow　caverns　drinking　down　below；

　　　　　When　the　stars　were　bright；

　　　　　And　the　ground　was　white；

I　heard　the　grasses　springing　underneath　the　snow。



　　　　　Many　voices　spake

　　　　　The　river　to　the　lake；

The　iron…ribbed　sky　was　talking　to　the　sea；

　　　　　And　every　starry　spark

　　　　　Made　music　with　the　dark；

And　said　how　bright　and　beautiful　everything　must　be。



'That　line；　mem；'　remarked　Robert；　''s　only　jist　scrattit　in；　as　gin

he　had　no　intention　o'　leavin'　't；　an'　only　set　it　there　to　keep

room　for　anither。　　But　we'll　jist　gang　on　wi'　the　lave　o'　't。　　I

ouchtna　to　hae　interruppit　it。'



　　　　　When　the　sun　was　setting；

　　　　　All　the　clouds　were　getting

Beautiful　and　silvery　in　the　rising　moon；

　　　　　Beneath　the　leafless　trees

　　　　　Wrangling　in　the　breeze；

I　could　hardly　see　them　for　the　leaves　of　June。



　　　　　When　the　day　had　ended；

　　　　　And　the　night　descended；

I　heard　the　sound　of　streams　that　I　heard　not　through　the　day

　　　　　And　every　peak　afar；

　　　　　Was　ready　for　a　star；

And　they　climbed　and　rolled　around　until　the　morning　gray。



　　　　　Then　slumber　soft　and　holy

　　　　　Came　down　upon　me　slowly；

And　I　went　I　know　not　whither；　and　I　lived　I　know　not　how；

　　　　　My　glory　had　been　banished；

　　　　　For　when　I　woke　it　vanished；

But　I　waited　on　it's　coming；　and　I　am　waiting　now。



'There！'　said　Robert；　ending；　'can　ye　mak　onything　o'　that；　Miss　St。

John？'



'I　don't　say　I　can　in　words；'　she　answered；　'but　I　think　I　could　put

it　all　into　music。'



'But　surely　ye　maun　hae　some　notion　o'　what　it's　aboot　afore　you　can

do　that。'



'Yes；　but　I　have　some　notion　of　what　it's　about；　I　think。　　Just　lend

it　to　me；　and　by　the　time　we　have　our　next　lesson；　you　will　see

whether　I'm　not　able　to　show　you　I　understand　it。　　I　shall　take　good

care　of　it；'　she　added；　with　a　smile；　seeing　Robert's　reluctance　to

part　with　it。　'It　doesn't　matter　my　having　it；　you　know；　now　that

you've　read　it　to　me；　I　want　to　make　you　do　it　justice。But　it's

quite　time　I　were　going　home。　　Besides；　I　really　don't　think　you　can

see　to　read　any　more。'



'Weel；　it's　better　no　to　try；　though　I　hae　them　maistly　upo'　my

tongue：　I　might　blunder；　and　that　wad　blaud　them。Will　you　let　me

go　home　with　you？'　he　added；　in　pure　tremulous　English。



'Certainly；　if　you　like；'　she　answered；　and　they　walked　towards　the

town。



Robert　opened　the　fountain　of　his　love　for　Ericson；　and　let　it　gush

like　a　river　from　a　hillside。　　He　talked　on　and　on　about　him；　with

admiration；　gratitude；　devotion。　　And　Miss　St。　John　was　glad　of　the

veil　of　the　twilight　over　her　face　as　she　listened；　for　the　boy's

enthusiasm　trembled　through　her　as　the　wind　through　an　？olian　harp。

Poor　Robert！　　He　did　not　know；　I　say；　what　he　was　doing；　and　so　was

fulfilling　his　sacred　destiny。



'Bring　your　manuscripts　when　you　come　next；'　she　said；　as　they

walked　alonggently　adding；　'I　admire　your　friend's　verses　very

much；　and　should　like　to　hear　more　of　them。'



'I'll　be　sure　an'　do　that；'　answered　Robert；　in　delight　that　he　had

found　one　to　sympathize　with　him　in　his　worship　of　Ericson；　and　that

one　his　other　idol。



When　they　reached　the　town；　Miss　St。　John；　calling　to　mind　its

natural　propensity　to　gossip；　especially　on　the　evening　of　a

market…day；　when　the　shopkeepers；　their　labours　over；　would　be

standing　in　a　speculative　mood　at　their　doors；　surrounded　by　groups

of　friends　and　neighbours；　felt　shy　of　showing　herself　on　the　square

with　Robert；　and　proposed　that　they　should　part；　giving　as　a

by…the…bye　reason　that　she　had　a　little　shopping　to　do　as　she　went

home。　　Too　simple　to　suspect　the　real　reason；　but　with　a　heart　that

delighted　in　obedience；　Robert　bade　her　good…night　at　once；　and　took

another　way。



As　he　passed　the　door　of　Merson　the　haberdasher's　shop；　there　stood

William　MacGregor；　the　weaver；　looking　at　nothing　and　doing　nothing。

We　have　seen　something　of　him　before：　he　was　a　remarkable　compound

of　good　nature　and　bad　temper。　　People　were　generally　afraid　of　him；

because　he　had　a　biting　satire　at　his　command；　amounting　even　to

wit；　which　found　vent　in　versenot　altogether　despicable　even　from

a　literary　point　of　view。　　The　only　person　he；　on　his　part；　was

afraid　of；　was　his　own　wife；　for　upon　her；　from　lack　of

apprehension；　his　keenest　irony　fell；　as　he　said；　like　water　on　a

duck's　back；　and　in　respect　of　her　he　had；　therefore；　no　weapon　of

offence　to　strike　terror　withal。　　Her　dulness　was　her　defence。　　He

liked　Robert。　　When　he　saw　him；　he　wakened　up；　laid　hold　of　him　by

the　button；　and　drew　him　in。



'Come　in；　lad；'　he　said；　'an'　tak　a　pinch。　　I'm　waitin'　for　Merson。'

As　he　spoke　he　took　from　his　pocket　his　mull；　made　of　the　end　of　a

ram's　horn；　and　presented　it　to　Robert；　who　accepted　the　pledge　of

friendship。　　While　he　was　partaking；　MacGregor　drew　himself　with

some　effort　upon　the　counter；　saying　in　a　half…comical；

half…admonitory　tone；



'Weel；　and　hoo's　the　mathematics；　Robert？'



'Thrivin'；'　answered　Robert；　falling　into　his　humour。



'Weel；　that's　verra　weel。　　Duv　ye　min'；　Robert；　hoo；　whan　ye　was

aboot　the　age　o'　aucht　year　aul'；　ye　cam　to　me　ance　at　my　shop　aboot

something　yer　gran'mither；　honest　woman；　wantit；　an'　I；　by　way　o'

takin'　my　fun　o'　ye；　said　to　ye；　〃Robert；　ye　hae　grown　desperate；

ye're　a　man　clean；　ye　hae　gotten　the　breeks　on。〃　　An'　says　ye；　〃Ay；

Mr。　MacGregor；　I　want　naething　noo　but　a　watch　an'　a　wife〃？'



'I　doobt　I've　forgotten　a'　aboot　it；　Mr。　MacGregor；'　answered

Robert。　'But　I've　made　some　progress；　accordin'　to　your　story；　for

Dr。　Anderson；　afore　I　cam　hame；　gae　me　a　watch。　　An'　a　fine　crater

it　is；　for　it　aye　does　its　best；　an'　sae　I　excuse　its　shortcomin's。'



'There's　just　ae　thing；　an'　nae　anither；'　returned　the　manufacturer；

'that　I　cannot　excuse　in　a　watch。　　Gin　a　watch　gangs　ower　fest；　ye

fin'　't　oot。　　Gin　she　gangs　ower　slow；　ye　fin'　't　oot；　an'　ye　can

aye　calculate　upo'　't　correck　eneuch　for　maitters　sublunairy；　as　Mr。

Maccleary　says。　　An'　gin　a　watch　stops　a'thegither；　ye　ken　it's

failin'；　an'　ye　ken　whaur　it　sticks；　an'　a'　'at　ye　say　's　〃Tut；　tut；

de'il　hae　't　for　a　watch！〃　　But　there's　ae　thing　that　God　nor　man

canna　bide　in　a　watch；　an'　that's　whan　it　stan's　still　for　a

bittock；　an'　syne　gangs　on　again。　　Ay；　ay！　tic；　tic；　tic！　wi'　a　fair

face　and　a　leein'　hert。　　It　wad　gar　ye　believe　it　was　a'　richt；　and

time　for　anither　tum'ler；　whan　it's　twal　o'clock；　an'　the　kirkyaird

fowk　thinkin'　aboot　risin'。　　Fegs；　I　had　a　watch　o'　my　father's；　an'

I　regairdit　it　wi'　a　reverence　mair　like　a　human　bein'：　the　second

time　it　played　me　that　pliskie；　I　dang　oot　its　guts　upo'　the

loupin'…on…stane　at　the　door　o'　the　chop。　　But　lat　the　watch　sit：

whaur's　the　wife？　　Ye　canna　be　a　man　yet　wantin'　the　wifeby　yer

ain　statement。'



'The　watch　cam　unsoucht；　Mr。　MacGregor；　an'　I'm　thinkin'　sae　maun

the　wife；'　answered　Robert；　laughing。



'Preserve　me　for　ane　frae　a　wife　that　comes　unsoucht；'　returned　the

weaver。　'But；　my　lad；　there　may　be　some　wives　that　winna　come　whan

they　are　soucht。　　Preserve　me　frae　them　too！Noo；　maybe　ye　dinna

ken　what　I　meanbut　tak　ye　tent　what　ye're　aboot。　　Dinna　ye　think

'at　ilka　bonnie　lass　'at　may　like　to　haud　a　wark　wi'　ye　's　jist

ready　to　mairry　ye　aff　han'　whan　ye　say；　〃Noo；　my　dawtie。〃An'　ae

word　mair；　Robert：　Young　men；　especially　braw　lads　like　yersel'；　's

unco　ready　to　fa'　in　love　wi'　women　fit　to　be　their　mithers。　　An'

sae　ye　see'



He　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　a　girl。　　She　had　a　shawl　over

her　head；　notwithstanding　it　was　summer　weather；　and　crept　in

hesitatingly；　as　if　she　were　not　quite　at　one　with　herself　as　to　her

coming　purchase。　　Approaching　a　boy　behind　the　counter　on　the

opposite　side　of　the　shop；　she　asked　for　something；　and　he　proceeded

to　serve　her。　　Robert　could　not　help　thinking；　from　the　one　glimpse

of　her　face　he　had　got　through　the　dusk；　that　he　had　seen　her

before。　　Suddenly　the　vision　of　an　earthen　floor　with　a　pool　of

brown　sunlight　upon　it；　bare　feet；　brown　hair；　and　soft　eyes；

mingled　with　a　musk　odour　wafted　from　Arabian　fairyland；　rose　before

him：　it　was　Jessie　Hewson。



'I　ken　that　lassie；'　he　said；　and　moved　to　get　down　from　the　counter

on　which　he　too　had　seated　himself。



'Na；　na；'　whispered　the　manufactu